22

All the members of the Vermillion Bird wore blank expressions as they sighed "ah" and listlessly gazed upon the deep azure sky for seemingly no reason. With their repeated yawning and brimming tears, it was hard to see these symptoms as indications they'd properly slept that night. Wearing fierce expressions under the bright sky, what could these 16 strapping youths and maidens be pondering? Aside from themselves, no one else could know. A couple common traits were observable among this row of 16 neatly lined up people. One was the vacant, dreamlike looks on everyone's faces, and the other was their darkened under eye areas. There was only one reason such symptoms would manifest. 

"None of you slept last night?" 

Bi Ryu-yeon slowly scanned his disciples up and down. 

"Well, having to leave the side of such a great and admirable master must fill you with such sorrow that it's only natural sleep escapes you all. Humph." 

Nodding as if it went without saying, Bi Ryu-yeon commented, but his words failed to elicit any affirmation from his disciples, only continued yawns. Smirking meaningfully at this somewhat absurd and pathetic spectacle, Bi Ryu-yeon asked, 

"So, how was it?" 

A brief spell of silence descended as everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts without reply. 

"Hah…so that fellow finally went and…."

Namgoong Sang's bosom friend, taoist Hyun-woon, spoke while dabbing at his eyes with a sleeve.

"Oh, when will I get to try it…?" 

A grumble escaped Tang Cheol-young's lips as well. 

"Well, since they didn't cross into irreversible territory or anything…" 

Cheong Mun spoke in a scholarly tone befitting a disciple of Qingcheng Sect. 

"If they had crossed the line, this would've gotten troublesome. *Tsk* Can we beggars even do stuff like that?" 

Noh Hak commented with an expression as if he desperately wanted to experience it at least once too. The fact that a mendicant's profession made finding such romance difficult bothered him, yet determined to definitely have a taste for himself one day, such was Noh Hak deep down.

"Oh my, how embarrassing." 

A voice spoke from beside Noh Hak. Hua Seol-ok who grew up smelling plum blossoms on volcanoes flushed her face the same rosy pink as the blossoms.

"Would it taste sweet? Or sour?" 

Danmok Su-su looked avidly curious. She was a very inquisitive girl.

"I envy them. To do such things." 

"..." 

The shaven-headed Shaolin monk maintained his silence. He was a taciturn fellow originally. 

"I want to try it too…" 

The daughter of Hwangbo's family made a rather loaded remark whether she realized the meaning behind her words or simply misspoke. 

"Oh, then how about with me…" 

*Thwap!*

Noh Hak's eyes bulged out.

"Judging by his skill level, that was definitely his first time." 

*Ahem* With an oddly solemn look as if discussing gravely serious matters, Geum Yeong-ho made his comment. 

"For real… So envious." 

Danmok Su-su repeated.

"If it were me, I'd have just pressed onward… Agh!"

The eldest son of the Geum family hopped around clutching the instep of his foot. Beside the bouncing fool, Namgoong Sansan shot him a withering glare. She was likely the one who had ruthlessly stomped on his vulnerable foot without mercy. 

The expressions on Namgoong Sang and Jin Ryeong's faces as they listened to their comrades' eyewitness impressions were truly a sight to behold. Turning as red as a fully ripened persimmon or steaming charcoal briquettes ready to combust into embers at any moment, they flushed helplessly brighter and brighter, fidgeting restlessly in place not knowing what to do. They seemed desperate to crawl into a mouse hole and hide away. 

"Why you little…!" 

Having silently observed the disciples' mischievous antics for a while, Bi Ryu-yeon abandoned his smirk and blurted brusquely,

"What are you all doing making such a racket instead of chanting praises for your master?! What were you up to last night that you didn't sleep, hmm? Those under eye circles, tsk tsk." 

Bi Ryu-yeon clicked his tongue, putting on an indignant look. Then his lips tightened into a harsh glare as he glowered intensely at his disciples, eyes bulging. The 16 Vermillion Bird team members hung their heads wordlessly without so much as a peep. This silence dragged on for a period until it shattered abruptly like a teacup falling off the table – because of Bi Ryu-yeon's sudden and unexpected actions. Actions even Bi Ryu-yeon himself hadn't predicted would happen…

"Haaaa— Choo!"

An abrupt yawn. Surprised at the unconscious yawn that had popped out unexpectedly, Bi Ryu-yeon hastily covered his mouth with both hands. But the arrow of the yawn had already shot from his bow, irreversible. Seizing the chance, Hyun-woon jabbed playfully, 

"Oh my Master, why the great yawn? You must have been too excited to sleep well? Your health should be the priority." 

It was a tone that couldn't exactly be called respectful and solicitous. 

"Eh-hem, well I was only worried that my beloved disciple's shoulder might collapse from pressure and become damaged… The shoulder is vital for swordsmen you know. So I was just worried…." 

Of course, no one believed those words for an instant. Yet everyone also knew it was best not to directly argue back riskily. In any case, Bi Ryu-yeon had to steer his disciples' gazes directed his way elsewhere. Suddenly swiveling his head towards Hyun-woon, brightness gleamed in Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes as he glared. 

"Alright, so even if that's the case for me, what exactly were all of you up to last night then?" 

Instantly, everyone's shoulders shuddered perceptibly. His question had adroitly defused the crisis and completely reversed the tide. Now it was Hyun-woon's turn to fumble for words. Bi Ryu-yeon's meaningful pupils turned towards Namgoong Sang. Namgoong Sang's red face reddened even further. Then as the representative, Hyun-woon stepped forward and spoke.

"Ah, of course we were grieving over having to part from the great, admirable Master who we respect endlessly, causing us to lose much sleep." 

As a taoist, Hyun-woon certainly had no qualms about telling such blatant lies without the slightest reservation. 

"Oh ho, is that so?" 

This time, Bi Ryu-yeon reacted with patent disbelief. His gaze seemed to say 'Don't joke around.' 

"Of course." 

As if to emphasize the veracity of his words, Hyun-woon responded. 

"It's true, Master. Just as taoist Hyun-woon says, we lost sleep due to having to leave your side. How could we properly rest easy knowing we have to depart from you?" 

Danmok Su-su zealously chimed in to help smooth over the situation. Perhaps they managed to get past the sticky patch safely, for the sharpness in Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes increasingly softened. Wearing a smirking smile with crescent moon eyes raking over his disciples, Bi Ryu-yeon remarked,

"Oh ho, and just who were those 3 women I saw on the roof last night? Did you get a brighter view from up there?" 

The shoulders of the ladies – Namgoong Sansan, Danmok Su-su, and Tang Mun-hye – shuddered in unison. They were likely even more mortified inside. 

"And those 2 admirers hooting while perching in the blue pine tree – where do they live and what are their names? Did you get a good lookout?"

The 2 admirers—Noh Hak and Hyun-woon— jolted at their shoulders too. Then they exchanged glances as if to say 'How did he find out?!'

"Also, who were the ones here among the 2 plastered against the mossy boulder playing hide-and-seek? 

"The 2 peeking just their eyes from the bushes? Did you enjoy eavesdropping on insects that much?"

But it wasn't those 2 men who shuddered, rather the shoulders of 2 women. Hua Seol-ok from Huashan Sect and Moyong Chwi of the Moyong clan. 

"Also that one fellow sniffing atop the outhouse roof, and one craning his neck to peek from behind the kitchen corner." 

Each time Bi Ryu-yeon spoke, people's shoulders shook. In total, 14 people were called out by Bi Ryu-yeon – 14 excluding Namgoong Sang and Jin Ryeong, meaning every one of them had hidden somewhere last night to spy and observe something. Namgoong Sang and Jin Ryeong's complexions had faded beyond what could be considered humanly possible, blanched paper-white. How could humans with supposedly ruddy, bloody physiognomy bleach this ghostly pale? Jin Ryeong staggered, thrown off balance. Why hadn't she noticed? To think 14 massive peeping toms had concealed themselves around the vicinity without her detecting a thing – she couldn't be counted as anything more than a third-rate nobody from Gangho, could she?

One reason was because Namgoong Sang and Jin Ryeong had been too enraptured in their own situation to pay attention to their surroundings. Another was because the ones hiding themselves were also top masters with skills exceeding the title of 'first-rate' – barely short of the term 'peerless'. For now, the 2 unlikely faces wouldn't easily be seen with heads raised high in public. With what courage could they show their faces freely? They might have to walk gazing only at the ground for months or even years, such was the fate that awaited them. 

Seeing their bloodless faces, blue-tinged lips, and stiff postures, Bi Ryu-yeon smirked and said, 

"Ehem! Let's stop this talk now. We should set out at the appointed time instead of causing a noisy commotion over this." 

After briefly composing himself, Bi Ryu-yeon spoke to his disciples in a weighty tone. 

"It's time to descend the mountains." 

The order to leave had come down. Once more, Bi Ryu-yeon displayed his teacher side. As the saying goes, 'Even a temple dog recites poems after 3 years at a village school, and a diner dog can make deliveries after 3 years at a restaurant.' 5 months was no fleeting span for humans. Due to acting as master for the past 5 months, Bi Ryu-yeon's acting ability had improved considerably too. He could now easily pull off dignified, refined performances. With this tranquil yet substantial speech rousing a sense of the teacher's distinguished air, his disciples began following him down the mountain. This would be the last time they saw the moon rise and the sun emerge over Mount Emei. And it was also the final day for other daily tasks – like the morning sprints towards the peak, jumping down from the waterfalls, fetching firewood branches every day, plus the completion quotas for various other menial chores.

***

On that farewell morning of promised separation, though the scheduled departure time of 8 in the morning had arrived, everyone lingered motionless as if held back by invisible hands like ensorcelled people unable to leave. Standing before the Central Armed Escort Agency, Bi Ryu-yeon had lined up his 16 disciples in a row. At some distance away in an orderly array were 12 carriages with the agency's banner – embroidered lotuses and swords and the large 'Central, 中' character – planted on them. They had finished all preparations and were organized perfectly in order to move out. 

At the forefront was a specially designed cart with a flexible, slatted body to better absorb impacts for transporting fragile cargo – essentially a carriage more than a cart due to nearly resembling a sealed, contained box. Bi Ryu-yeon clearly understood the purpose this vehicle, expensively custom-commissioned with great efforts poured in, would serve. He had heard all about it from agency leader Jang Woo-yang during his visit a few days ago. 

Initially wishy-washy and reluctant to explain as if he wouldn't tell Bi Ryu-yeon anything, with some glares and glowers, the fellow had obligingly informed him in detail. This carriage contained the most crucial, pivotal component for this escort mission. The escort convoy was fully ready to depart, only awaiting the signal to set forth anytime. Since this operation deeply involved Central Armed Escort Agency's very survival, the agency leader Jang Woo-yang himself would directly oversee the escort with immense manpower mobilized, the number of escorts enlisted exceeding 500. Yet currently, the legs of even this enormous-scale convoy were ensnared, unable to budge because of one man – that man being Bi Ryu-yeon.

Because he was lining up the disciples before him while rambling on nonsensically about imparting his final momentous teachings before their farewell. However, not one had the courage to step up and urge, 

"It's time to depart quickly, so let's wrap this up and go!" 

With the agency leader Jang Woo-yang already standing there in resignation, who would dare brazenly raise objections? Jang Woo-yang and his lackeys, or better known as the Central Armed Escort Agency group, could only passively wait, having no other recourse.

With dissatisfied expression, Bi Ryu-yeon decided to gather the disciples he had to dispatch and impart his final teachings. These 'final teachings' encompassed the essence of everything he had taught them up till now. In other words, they condensed the crux of all that he had endeavored to instruct, enlighten, and ingrain deeply into them. If they failed to learn anything else, at least this had to be learned, felt, comprehended, and etched onto their very marrow. This last lesson took the form of mental education. 

In a soft voice, Bi Ryu-yeon posed a question to the people who had been his disciples all this time, 

"What lies higher than the heavens?" 

"The Master's graces!" 

Everyone bellowed in unison at the same loud volume and depth, the timing perfectly even. Achieving such flawless coordination without ample practice was extremely difficult. There surely must have been unseen efforts towards this on their parts offstage. 

"What lies deeper than the seas?"

"The Master's benevolence!" 

Once more, a resounding chorus of answers. 

"The higher you look, the loftier it becomes – what is this?"

"The Master's grace!"

"What is endless in this world?"

"The Master's grace!"

"What can never be repaid once given?"

"The Master's grace!" 

The riddle-like catechism of 16 refrain-like responses concluded. Then Bi Ryu-yeon spoke again,

"Indeed, now is when we must finally bid farewell. You have suffered greatly."

'We sure as hell suffered excruciatingly because of you!' 

However, regardless of one's private thoughts, keeping them bottled in the depths of one's bosom, losing life and meal here would be pointless. Everyone understood that well. 

"No, it was you, Master, who took great pains to teach these dull-witted us."

"Though I loathe to see you off, we have no choice." 

"And we are reluctant to leave your side too! (Please send us away swiftly!)" 

Outward appearances and inner thoughts were completely at odds. Lastly, Bi Ryu-yeon hitched up his sleeve to show his disciples while speaking,

"This black dragon seal is my insignia. If you ever see this seal again in the future, wherever that might be, no matter who the person is, serve them like you have me. That would be to your benefit. Got it?!"

"Yes, Master!" 

It was Bi Ryu-yeon's last time hearing the euphonious address of Master. For a while now, such sweet veneration would cease. Yes, for a time… 

"Now go!" 

The pronouncement of separation. Something in Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes gleamed under the light.

"Farewell and take care." 

Surely just a trick of sight – that was what everyone figured. Almost certainly so, with a probability of 80-90%. Now we can finally escape this hell! Tears of joy at their impending liberation from this long torment brimmed in their eyes as everyone deeply bowed to the architect of their months-long purgatorial existence 9 times. Then without the slightest delay, they turned their backs and marched off briskly. 

Today, everyone's footsteps seemed extraordinarily light. Where they trod, the escorts of the Central Armed Escort Agency awaited attentively. At their agency leader Jang Wooyang's signal to move out, the convoy departed. With the leaving crowd ahead and Bi Ryu-yeon solitary behind, he continued silently standing in place, watching their receding figures until the convoy vanished over the far horizon from view. And so they left, and now Bi Ryu-yeon was alone once more. 

"Hah… feels kinda empty…" 

Wearing a somewhat vacant smile, Bi Ryu-yeon looked up at the sky. Whether it understood his heart or not, the deep azure heavens simply stretched vast and endless overhead.