Chapter – 18
The ability to ignite flames from one’s bare hands, known as the True Fire of Samadhi, was something only masters at the peak of martial arts could barely achieve. Naturally, it was far beyond the young bodyguard Jeong Yeong.
“No, I was joking…”
“No. I apologize for not having reached such a level yet…”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Isn’t that really a phoenix?”
At Hwa-ryun’s question, everyone fell silent.
Until now, all the talk about a phoenix had been half serious and half joking. But after witnessing such a bizarre phenomenon, it was difficult to treat it as a joke anymore.
Is it really a phoenix?
“Even if it is a phoenix… how does a chicken suddenly become one? They’re… they’re completely different species. Not every bird is the same bird, right?”
To be honest, Lyeon had some idea of what might have happened. Spiritual energy naturally accumulated and transformed creatures into spiritual beasts, and she had been feeding it spiritual energy that poured from her body like waves.
But the others didn’t know that. The claim that she had turned it into a phoenix had only been one of Hwa-ryun’s jokes.
“Well, that’s true… Maybe this mountain has exceptionally good spiritual energy?”
Hwa-ryun muttered. He didn’t seem to genuinely believe that Lyeon had created a phoenix either.
But if that’s the case…
Lyeon swallowed dryly.
Among the many methods she had considered for sharing her spiritual energy with others, there had been one similar to this.
What if I raised a spiritual beast and took its inner core later?
Of course, she had never imagined a chicken becoming a phoenix.
No, this won’t work at all.
Yet when she seriously tried to imagine it—imagining herself consuming something like Black Moon’s inner core—it proved far harder than expected.
How could anyone casually eat something they had lovingly raised and fed every day?
Simply parting with it already made her heart ache this much.
The spiritual beast inner-core plan is canceled.
Abandoning the idea, Lyeon descended the mountain, glancing back again and again. Beyond the forest, the radiance of the phoenix(?) still shimmered in the distance.
Even Jeong Yeong, who led the two children down the path, could not help looking back several times despite trying to suppress his astonishment.
“Do you think our Black Moon will be okay?”
“Wouldn’t that guy become king wherever he goes?”
“Still…”
Lyeon shook her head.
“No, let’s hurry.”
Suppressing the emptiness in her chest, she quickened her pace.
Being sad was one thing, but Hwa-ryun was right—they really needed to get down the mountain.
The rate at which spiritual energy is increasing…
Ever since they had climbed the mountain, she had felt suffocated by the concentration of spiritual energy. According to the system, the replenishment rate had truly become much faster.
Spiritual Energy: 45
Tip: Spiritual energy accumulates more quickly in places where nature thrives.
So that’s why in my previous life I kept coughing up blood and passing out whenever I tried to recuperate in some remote mountain temple!
Aaah! Go down! Go down!
Lyeon shook the sleeve where the status window floated, screaming inwardly. Of course, that wasn’t going to lower the number.
“Huh?”
Suddenly she stopped and waved her sleeve again.
The scenery beyond it remained unchanged.
“Meow…”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Beneath a half-dead tree, under a bush, lay what looked like a small bundle of white fur.
Jeong Yeong cautiously approached first.
Peeking from behind him, Lyeon focused her gaze.
“A kitten?”
When Jeong Yeong gently parted the bushes with the sheath of his sword, a scrawny little kitten was revealed.
Its cry was so weak it sounded more like a chirp.
Its white fur was stained with dirt. Its round ears drooped low as it raised blue eyes and looked up at them with a fragile cry.
Jeong Yeong murmured sympathetically.
“I think its mother abandoned it because it was weak.”
“What should we do…?”
While Lyeon looked on sadly, the tiny kitten struggled forward toward her hand.
“Uh… uh…”
Startled by its sudden approach, Lyeon jumped slightly.
The kitten cried even more pitifully.
It was hard to believe such a thin little body still had enough strength left to make any sound at all.
“A-Ah…”
Lyeon looked distressed as she alternated glances between Jeong Yeong, Hwa-ryun, and the kitten.
“Would it be okay if we just left it here?”
“…Wouldn’t it die if we did?”
Jeong Yeong answered sadly.
The kitten pressed itself against Lyeon’s feet.
“Oh dear…”
“Just leave it.”
Hwa-ryun’s voice was colder than she had ever heard before.
Startled, Lyeon turned toward him.
The boy grabbed her hand and gently pulled it away from the kitten.
“You couldn’t even part with a chicken without getting emotional. You climbed all the way up here and nearly cried over it. What are you going to do if you take care of this kitten and it dies later?”
His words sounded harsh, but they came from concern for her.
And hearing them, Lyeon steeled herself despite her troubled expression.
“Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
“What?”
Even after saying that, she carefully lifted the kitten into her arms.
Hwa-ryun’s eyebrows shot upward.
“Big Sister!”
“I can’t leave it here to die now just because I don’t want to see it die later.”
“And if something really happens to it?”
“What else? I’ll cry my eyes out.”
His eyebrows twitched.
Then he pouted.
“Do whatever you want. When your eyes swell up like goldfish, I’ll make sure to tease you endlessly.”
“Hwa-ryun. Friends are supposed to comfort each other. And don’t talk as if Whitey is definitely going to die.”
“You already gave it a name?”
While stroking the kitten burrowing into her sleeve, Lyeon carefully resumed her descent.
Giving it some spiritual energy seems to be helping…
“Hah, honestly… Miss Lyeon! Watch where you’re walking instead of staring at the cat! Big Sister! Big Sister! Look ahead!”
“Young Miss! Young Miss!”
“I am looking ahead!”
Lyeon blinked as she listened to servants whispering among themselves.
“A phoenix appeared? Really? You saw it?”
“I did! That’s why everyone’s making such a fuss! I nearly fell over from shock.”
“A phoenix appearing in the Danmok Clan… Doesn’t that mean the clan is destined to become the greatest under heaven?”
“Hey! Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll jinx it.”
“What, I can’t even say anything now? Do I ruin everything just because I speak?”
“You idiot! Remember the shell game last time? You kept shouting that we’d definitely win!”
“Well, that was… Just be quiet already.”
Every member of the clan was obsessed with stories about the phoenix’s shadow.
Even Nanny Jang.
“My goodness. A phoenix appeared, Young Miss. It must be a sign that heaven will watch over you and ensure you grow up safely.”
Earlier, she had laughed at Lyeon for returning covered in dirt, assuming she had been playing in the garden since morning.
Now she spoke in a hushed, reverent tone.
“…A phoenix? Really?”
“Yes. They say golden feathers flashed among the morning sunlight. Everyone in the clan saw it.”
“…Everyone?”
Lyeon opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again.
When she glanced toward Jeong Yeong, who had returned to his post as guard, she saw him biting his lip tightly.
“Yes, yes. They say the entire city is buzzing about it. Such a— Oh my! This little thing is…”
Nanny Jang finally noticed the white kitten in Lyeon’s arms.
The kitten had already been cleaned, fed, and allowed to sleep.
“Ah! Nanny. I think it’s a baby kitten abandoned by its parents. I’m going to raise it.”
She couldn’t deny worrying that this kitten might suddenly become a spiritual beast like Black Moon.
But it had looked close to death, so she had gently shared some spiritual energy with it.
After a long silence, Nanny Jang tilted her head.
“That’s… a cat… right?”
“Huh? Of course!”
Lyeon nodded enthusiastically.
Nanny Jang looked puzzled for a moment before smiling.
A cat, obviously. What else would it be? A tiger?
As if a phoenix had appeared behind the clan at dawn and a white tiger had appeared in the young lady’s arms by morning.
“You must take good care of it. Without you, it might not survive.”
Lyeon nodded in complete agreement.
Even Old Man Jeon in Moon Shadow Pavilion’s kitchen could talk of nothing but the phoenix.
He seemed to have completely forgotten about losing an entire chicken.
But while the adults were excited, children naturally had different priorities.
“Big Sister! Big Sister!”
The door quietly opened, and two children crawled in on their knees.
They seemed determined not to be noticed by anyone.
“Bia, Hwa-ryun, you’re here?”
After glancing around carefully, Danmok Bi quickly climbed onto her bed and hugged her tightly.
“Big Sister, Uncle said I memorized my characters well today, so he gave me dragon beard candy.”
“Really? Was it good?”
Danmok Bi nodded vigorously before pulling something from inside his clothes.
Wrapped in a thin cloth were three pieces of pure white dragon beard candy.
The delicate strands of spun sugar were neatly rolled into shape.
