Chapter 470 - 470 (2/2)
”I've got a lot to learn from him, it seems,” Su-hyeun smiled faintly and got going as well.
The space folded, and Su-hyeun began tracing the steps of Master Subhuti.
His own Earth Shrink Technique kind of felt shabby, for some reason.
* * *
The location Master Subhuti headed to was a small hut inside the forest, with Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King in it.
Originally, it should've taken several hours of nonstop walking in the forest to reach here. However, Su-hyeun and Subhuti reached the hut in only a matter of a few steps.
Since they approached the hut without trying to hide their presence, Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King quickly noticed that Su-hyeun and Subhuti had returned.
Sun Wukong quickly leaped outside the house first.
”Huh? Uncle?” He alternated his gaze between Su-hyeun and Master Subhuti, then asked them a question, ”Why did you arrive here together?”
”Well, it happened somehow while I was on my way,” Su-hyeun tried to brush it aside since he wasn't sure how to explain it in depth.
Technically speaking, he wasn't lying there. It was true that while he was on his way, Master Subhuti did seek him out, after all. Not only that, but Subhuti also asked him a favor.
”It might be fine with the Bull Demon King, but to Wukong, I'd like you to keep what happened to us as a secret, please.”
”You mean, the bit about Osiris targeting you?”
”Yes, that. Knowing Wukong's personality, he'll definitely go on a rampage if he finds out. He might even throw an uncontrollable tantrum, saying he'll take down Osiris all by himself.”
”Well, yes, considering his personality...”
”Oh, and also, the thing about me and the system.”
”That one, too? Why?”
”For now...I beg of you.”
So, Su-hyeun decided to humor Master Subhuti's request, at least for the time being.
The latter had been looking after and helping Sun Wukong grow for a far longer time than Su-hyeun could even imagine, not to mention, he even went to the great trouble of teaching the Sage Arts, too.
Someone like that would surely not do anything that might harm either Sun Wukong or the Bull Demon King. That was what Su-hyeun believed.
Sun Wukong asked again, ”While on your way here? Ah, now I remember. Uncle did say he wanted to meet you, didn't he? Okay then, did you two have a good chat?”
”Yes, it was a fruitful discussion.”
”Really? What did you discuss, though?”
Su-hyeun was momentarily rendered speechless at Sun Wukong's follow-up question, not knowing what to say. Just as he began hesitating...
”My back's killing me. Let's just go in already,” Master Subhuti suddenly walked into the hut while massaging his lower back.
Sun Wukong tilted his head a little, then wordlessly followed after Subhuti. Also stepping into the building, Su-hyeun was inwardly relieved at how innocent and simple the Monkey King was.
”Huh?”
”Hey, you're finally here?” The Roc Demon King greeted Su-hyeun with a wave of his wing.
He must've finished the Autumn harvest while Su-hyeun and Master Subhuti were chatting away.
Even though the Roc Demon King didn't know the Earth Shrink Technique, he was renowned as the fastest Yogoe alive once upon a time. Flying from the village to get here shouldn't even take a few minutes for him.
Su-hyeun, Master Subhuti, and Sun Wukong all stepped into the room. With four people inside the relatively small room, it began feeling rather cramped now.
”When did you arrive, Second Brother?” Su-hyeun asked.
”It's not too long after you left the village, actually. Anyway, how was your chat with the old man?”
”It went well. He's a kind person, as it turns out.”
”Sure, he's kind. But I don't like him.”
”Why not?”
”That's because he got beaten up a lot.”
When Su-hyeun asked in a slight puzzlement, the reply came from a different direction.
It came from the Bull Demon King. ”Unlike Wukong or myself, this child didn't want to learn the Sage Arts back then. He was still filled with bloodlust toward all humans, you see.”
He was entering the room with a bottle of booze and four cups. That had to be the ”Bamboo Leaf Wine” or something that the Roc Demon King previously talked about.
The Bull Demon King settled down on the spot in the room, then continued, ”In the end, uncle had to apprehend the Roc Demon King and forcibly taught him the Sage Arts. So, by the time you first met him, he had gotten a lot less intense compared to how he was initially.”
”Back then, you say?” Su-hyeun recalled the Roc Demon King of back then who emitted an intense killing intent because he was human.
The Yogoe looked like he held some serious animosity against humans back then. But to think that that version of him was a lot less intense one...
Such a thing was quite hard to even picture. Su-hyeun wondered just how bad the Roc Demon King must've been initially, so he was about to ask Master Subhuti, but then...
”Huh?”
”What's going on? Where did uncle go?”
Master Subhuti, who had definitely entered the building a couple of steps ahead of him, was nowhere to be seen now.
Surprised, Su-hyeun rose about halfway while Sun Wukong simply leaped to his feet.
”It seems that he wishes us to spend this time together.”
Drip...
The Bull Demon King used some water to clean out the cups, then handed one over to each of his younger brothers, ”Now then, take one.”
The proceedings got going rather abruptly.
Su-hyeun and Sun Wukong both settled down and awkwardly accepted the cups. They were common bluish-green shot cups taken from the village.
Driiip—
The very first cup to be filled was the Roc Demon King's. Next up was Sun Wukong, then finally, Su-hyeun.
”Let me pour you some,” Su-hyeun hurriedly took over the bottle and poured the Bull Demon King's cup next.
The alcohol was pristine-clear, enough for one's facial expression to be reflected on its surface.
”It has taken a while, but we're finally all together,” said the Bull Demon King.
Everyone shifted their gazes to him.
The Bull Demon King acted unlike himself and spoke in a somewhat awkward manner, ”Honestly, I have not learned many things in life. That's why I'm not certain what needs to be said in an occasion like this one, but...”
He extended his cup forward.
”At least know this one thing. We are family.”
”Yes.”
Cling—
Inside a small hut located in an expansive forest and a small room inside that hut illuminated by a small lamplight, the four sworn brothers lightly clanged their cups in an honest yet straightforward manner.
Su-hyeun brought the booze to his lips. He couldn't even remember the last time he drank alcohol. The piquant scent of the alcohol was mixed with the aroma of the bamboo leaves, and the mixture went down his throat relatively smoothly.
He didn't really like to drink, but even so, he thought that this drink was easily the tastiest one he had ever drunk, even sweeter than any top-grade honey.
Today was the first time Su-hyeun learned that alcohol could be this delicious.
Their cups continued to cling, and the emptied cups were refilled. They chatted about what happened to them and shared genuine laughter together.
While spending their time like this, Su-hyeun abruptly thought of something: sometimes, there would be moments like this.
A moment when he was actually living through like this one would somehow be remembered, like a scene being viewed by someone else from above.
A moment that would vividly live on in his reminiscence like a painting—this moment was exactly like that to Su-hyeun.