Chapter 170 Into The Phoenix Chamber Part 50

The sun had completely set behind the waterfall. Tuya held a long sword in her right hand and continued to walk towards Hajime. When Tuya was still five feet away from Hajime. She turned her sword over and wanted to stab Hajime. Just as she took another step towards Hajime's unconscious body, the golden baton suddenly broke free from Hajime's belt and swung it towards Tuya, causing Tuya to take a step back. The golden baton twisted and separated in the air, and two short swords appeared and pierced the ground in front of Hajime's motionless body.

Tuya stared at the crossed swords, breathing heavily. "How?" she said to herself.

"We do not interfere with the fate of mortals. Their fate is determined based on their accumulated karma." The voice of Alvalokitesvara sounded loudly inside the small valley. "Why do you have to be involved in the fate of mortals and become part of their karma?"

Tuya quickly turned around to see where the sound came from.

"Turn around and walk away. Only in this way can you truly enter Nirvana. If you continue to interfere with the fate of mortals, you will only return yourself to the cycle of life."

Hearing the warning voice of Alvalokitesvara, Tuya turned around angrily. As she turned around, Tuya slowly turned into Goddess of Beauty, angrily walked towards the center of the lake, and disappeared.

When the birds began to chirp, Yul sighed, grabbed his sword, and stood up. Throughout the night, he couldn't sleep and was distraught. He clenched his sword tightly and decided to wait until the sun rose, and if Hajime hadn't come back yet, he would walk into Scattered Forest.

Abrafo woke up when he heard Yul getting up. Worried that Yul might enter Scattered Forest, he decided to stand up, but he felt his left hand should be heavy, as if something was sitting on it. He looked down and saw that Bong was using his left shoulder as a pillow for Bong. Abrafo smiled, then thought about how cute Bong was when he slept. He realizes that his brain has tricked him into thinking Bong is cute, and he suddenly becomes embarrassed. The awkward feeling sent shivers down his spine, so he pushed Bong's head away from his shoulder with his right hand.

Abrafo's thrust awakened Bong. Bong looked at Abrafo and said frantically, "What the hell?"

Abrafo suddenly felt that his left arm was asleep, so he picked up his arm and shook it before he regained feeling in his arm. "Yeah, what's wrong with you, leaning on my shoulder all night," Abrafo said annoyingly. Abrafo looked at Bong and saw a smile on Bong's face. "Haha... I guess you've been cured."

Bong pulled up his sleeve and found that the wound on his forearm was no longer bleeding, and the wound itself looked like a normal wound. "I guess so...my hands didn't turn black overnight," Bong said with a laugh.

Abrafo smiled and said, "Congratulations on escaping from death. Now, you and I no longer owe anything to each other. From now on, you go your way and I go mine."

Bong smiled proudly. "It's a little late now," Bong said with a smile. "Now that the pigs have eaten the cabbage..." he approached Abrafo. "The cabbage is nonrefundable."

Abrafo took two steps back from Bong and looked at Bong in surprise. "Don't you have any shame?" Abrafo said.

"What? Are you going to deny it?" Bong asked. "I'm not afraid to let everyone know."

Abrafo quickly stepped forward and covered Bong's mouth. "Stop...stop...we can talk about this later when we are safe and sound in Stone Valley."

U-ri and Michio walked over to Yul who was about to leave. U-ri said, "Maybe you should wait a little longer?"

Yul turned to look at U-ri and asked, "The sun will rise in about an hour, right?"

U-ri said, "Yes."

Michio said, "Yul, do you really want to enter Scattered Forest now?" The poisonous fog we encountered a few days ago has now turned into a thick fog. If you inhale the poisonous fog now, you will not last ten minutes.

Yul said, "Without Hajime, there is no point in continuing the journey." Yul walked back to his backpack to pack his belongings.

Michio looked at Yul, then at U-ri. He asked, "U-ri, won't you stop him?"

U-ri shook his head and said, "Only Hajime can stop him." He looked up and saw the blue peacock flying towards them through the thick fog. U-ri chuckled. "Thank heaven..."

Seeing Hajime flying towards them, Michio raised his hands high and shouted happily, "Hajime! Hajime!"

Michio's shouting woke up many people including Lixin and the others.

Feng looked at Hajime who was flying towards Yul and the others. He muttered, "So, he is very immortal, the poison of Scattered Forest did not kill him."

Jin was also stunned and said, "He is on their side, how can we prevent them from entering no man's land?"

The blue peacock landed just a few feet away from where Gang and Shik were sleeping. Hajime quickly got off the blue peacock's back and rushed towards U-ri.

"U-ri... U-ri... I got what you wanted," Hajime said, running towards U-ri holding five water bags.

Gang stood up and chased Hajime with Shik. "How on earth are you still alive after passing through that poisonous fog?"

"You did great" U-ri smiled and grabbed his medicine bag. "What about the leaves?"

Hajime said, "I got it right here. I grabbed extra."

Yul walked up to Hajime. "Hajime," Yul said.

Hajime didn't look at Yul but said, "Not now. I don't want to argue with you." He quickly chased after U-ri.

Seeing that Yul was angry, Michio looked at Yul and said, "Well, our mage is back and safe, so I'm going to make us breakfast." He slowly backed away from Yul.

Abrafo walked up to Yul and said, " Look, he can't die." He tapped Yul twice on the shoulder.

It was almost noon before U-ri, Shi, and the doctors were able to treat all affected participants. Lixin wanted to know if the participants would be able to walk to Stone Valley, so he decided to ask U-ri for advice.

Lixin asked, "Sir U-ri, how long will it take for us to know that the affected person has been cured?"

U-ri wiped his hands and said, "Well, that part is hard to say. I'd say three to six hours. I mean, it all depends on how long they were affected."

Jin said, "My Lord, in that case, it would be better for us to stay one more day."

Lixin looked at the doctors and asked, "Do you agree to stay and treat these participants for one more day?"

"We will not leave our patients at this most critical moment," one doctor said.

U-ri said, " It was a wise decision to stay one more day."

Meng looked at the participants lying on the ground. "I also think that, at the same time, we should find ways to help these people," Meng said.

Lixin asked, "What do you mean?"

Meng said, "I know that before entering Scattered Forest, everyone was an enemy, but now that the game is over and you have the pure phoenix egg, we should at least help those who cannot walk back to Stone Valley on their own."

Feng asked, "You mean, carrying them back."

Meng said, "Yes."

"I can't force your decision on everyone," Lixin said.

Shi said, "How about we ask for volunteer?"

Lixin said, "Alright."

Meng smiled and said, "I'll go find the volunteers."

U-ri stood beside those he was sure could not walk alone. After counting, he turned to Hajime and asked, "Do you think you can send these people back to Stone Valley?"

Hajime said, " I have never been to Stone Valley, so I have to send my hawk to scout before I can leave."

U-ri turned to look at Lixin and his men, and then asked, "Does any of you know whether Prince Gang has been to Stone Valley?"

Lixin said, "Yes."

U-ri smiled and said, "Thank you."

Shi asked, "Why do you ask?"

Hajime said, "I will use my eagles and peacocks to send those who cannot walk to Stone Valley."

U-ri asked, "Will summoning so many things at once make you faint?"

Hajime said, "It depends on how far away Stone Valley is from here?"

"Stone Valley is not far from here, it takes about eight hours to walk," Shi said.

Hajime smiled and said, "I may need to rest for two days after this."

Later that day, Hajime and U-ri returned to their small camp. When they arrived, Michio had dinner ready.

"You two are back." Michio greeted Hajime and U-ri with a smile. "Come and eat."

Hajime walked over and sat next to Michio. "Give me food. I need to rest early," he said.

Michio asked, "Why is there a bandage on your head?"

Hajime smiled and said, "You won't believe me. When I enter the true Phoenix Chamber..." He picked up a piece of bread. "I met Tuya."

Abrafo said, "It's strange. We sealed the foot of the mountain. How did she enter the true Phoenix Chamber?"

Hajime said, "I don't know, but the weird thing is, when I fell to the ground, I swear the reflection I saw on the lake was not Tuya, but someone else."

U-ri asked, "I didn't see anyone but us while we were there, so who could it be?"

Hajime said, "No matter who it is, I think she is probably the one who led the dead into the Phoenix Chamber."

Abrafo asked, "If you were knocked unconscious, how did you escape?"

Hajime said, "I don't know. When I woke up... I was leaning against the tree by our old campfire."

Bong suddenly said, "Wait... wait... the true Phoenix Chamber?" He looked at the five Taznanies. "So, there are two Phoenix Chambers?"

Abrafo said, " Whether it's two or one Phoenix Chamber, from now on, you and your people don't have to go in because it's already occupied by the dead."

Bong said, "Tell me."

Abrafo pulled his hand away and said, "No. We have decided not to let you and your people disrupt their peace."

Hajime said, " Okay, I'm done eating, I'm going back to rest." He stood up, walked past Yul, walked to the bed that had been made, and lay down.

Michio asked, "Why did Hajime go to bed so early?"

U-ri said, "Because tomorrow, he will use all his strength to get the participants who can't walk on their own out of here."

That night, Yul sat next to Hajime, lowered his head and kissed Hajime's right temple. He stared at Hajime for a while, then lay down next to Hajime. He sighed and pulled Hajime into his arms, but to his surprise, Hajime quickly turned around and buried Hajime's face in his chest.

"I'm sorry... I was wrong..." Hajime muttered into Yul's chest. "You're right when you say I'm selfish." He paused for a moment. "The hopeful smile on those participants' faces made me realize that I was wrong, and you were right."

Yul tightened his arms around Hajime. He smiled and said, "I'm sorry too... for calling you selfish... when I know that you are heading toward Scattered Forest, I understand why you say that to me. I was afraid of losing you." He kissed Hajime's forehead. "Goodnight... My Christmas..."

Hajime raised his head and kissed Yul's neck. "Goodnight... Yul..."

Hajime closed his eyes and remembered his chat with Alvalokitesvara inside the true Phoenix Chamber. He sighed, tears of happiness moistening his eyes. He thought to himself that although he didn't know when this life would end, he must cherish every moment so that when the last moment came, he would not regret it.