𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦, Go Won

➷(9) BANISHMENT

100 flogging meant getting hit on the back 100 times.  Da-hye looked away, she could not watch.  She was mean but she was not heartless. Dang-gu stepped forward, he also could not stand seeing his friend getting hit like that. But, Yul stopped him.

"He has Master Heo's torrent of energy, so he will be all right." Yul said. "If you get involved, it will only make it worse for him."

After Uk getting flogged 100 times, it was finally over. "Jang Uk, leave Songrim and do not ever come back again." The leader said. Even Da-hye knew her uncle was being too harsh on Uk. Mu-deok looked at Yul, Dang-gu and Da-hye. "Leave." The leader said. 

"No." Uk said, his voice coarse. "No. I cannot leave like this. I was only flogged 99 times." Uk said, breathing heavily. "There is one more left. As for the last one, you should do it yourself." he told the leader.

The leader walked down the steps and took the wooden stick from one of the mages.  He hit him so hard that he threw Uk to the ground. Uk could barely get up, but he managed to stand up. He gasped for air.  Uk started smiling. Was he going crazy?

"Mu-deok." Uk said. "Get the sword." Mu-deok took the sword from Sang-ho. "Let us go." he said. He and Mu-deok left Songrim. Da-hye sighed heavily as she watched them leave.

︵‿︵‿୨🤍୧‿︵‿︵

Yul, Dang-gu and Da-hye spent the whole evening trying to convince the leader into letting Uk back into Songrim.

"Uncle. Yul, Da-hye and I are the only friends Uk has." Dang-gu pleaded. "He has nowhere but Songrim to call home. Please let him return to Songrim." The three of them followed the leader around.

"He will not be able to train anyway." Yul said. "No one will take him in once they find out he has been ousted from Songrim."

The leader paused. "Stop talking about Uk. I want you to focus on the soul shifter case from now on." The leader continued on walking. The four of them walked into Jeongjingak's secret room where the soul shifter's body was in Jeongjingak. Sang-ho and Master Heo were already there.

"He has completely hardened like stone." Yul observed.

"He has been petrified." The leader said. " A soul shifter who has run wild replaces their energy by absorbing that of a human." Da-hye furrowed her eyebrows, she wondered how the story would unfold once Mu-deok ran wild. What would they do to Uk once they found out he knew she was Naksu?

"He is no different from an evil spirit." Yul said. "I can see why you forbid this sorcery."

"The alchemy of souls was not a type of sorcery from the start." Master Heo said. "You can only perform this once you have mastered Jipsu, Ryusu, Chisu, and ultimately, Hwansu."

"Hwansu is the godlike powers of changing water to fire and vice versa. Is it not?" Dang-gu asked. "Humans cannot reach that level."

"Right. But Master Seo Gyeong, the founder of Songrim, did." Master Heo said. "There was also someone else."

"Who?" Dang-gu asked.

"As if you would know his name." Master Heo replied.  "Who dared perform the alchemy of souls on this poor Songrim pupil?" Master Heo asked.

"He was meant to work at Cheonbugwan and record the constellations." Sang-ho said. Da-hye had always had a weird feeling about Cheonbugwan and Jin Mu. Something about him creeped her out. She didn't know how the Crown Prince could accept him as his master. But, maybe Da-hye was being quick to judge.

"He had been frequenting the place for a few months." Sang-ho said.

"Right. They were the ones who caught Naksu's men whom we failed to catch as if they had been waiting." Master Heo said. "I am certain that they have something to do with this soul shifter case." Master Heo clapped his hands. 

"Yul, Dang-gu and Da-hye, keep an eye on Cheonbugwan and see if there is anything strange." The leader said.

"Yes, my lord." The three of them answered. The door of the secret room began to close.

"What is wrong with that?" Jin asked.

"It has been malfunctioning ever since Uk broke it." Dang-gu explained.

"Jang Uk..." The leader muttered, his tone filled with anger.

"Do not move!" Da-hye and Dang-gu shouted. "It will crumble." Dang-gu grabbed his uncle's arm.

"Do not move." Master Heo said. "Wait until the door completely shuts."

"Jang Uk!" The leader moved forward stepping on the wrong tile. The room started shaking.

"I told you not move!" Dang-gu said as he and Yul tried to balance themselves while lifting up the leader.  Da-hye accidentally fell backwards onto Sang-ho's arms. He held her by her waist, preventing her from falling to the ground.

"Stay still." The leader slapped Dang-gu's forehead. "Jang Uk..."

Once they managed to get out of the room, the leader ordered Sang-ho to walk Da-hye to her room. It wasn't a far walk since they were already in Jeongjingak.

"Have you thought about it?" Da-hye asked curiously.

"About what?" Sang-ho asked.

"Whether you like Cho Mi-hi or Ju-wol." Da-hye asked, a mischievous smile plastered on her face.

"We are not talking about this any longer. You must be really bored." Sang-ho said as they arrived to Da-hye's room.

"I am." Da-hye opened the door and stepped inside her room.

"Have a good night."  Sang-ho mumbled as he walked away.

︵‿︵‿୨🤍୧‿︵‿︵

Dang-gu wanted to go visit Uk, he brought Da-hye along with him. They were traveling by boat. Da-hye was sitting in front of Dang-gu.

"This is the perfect weather to go fishing with Uk by Lake Gyeongcheondaeho." Dang-gu pondered. "I wonder if he has recovered from the flogging."

"I'm sure he has." Da-hye clicked her tongue, she sat with her arms crossed. "His gate of energy is opened now." 

"Da-hye and I are going to see him since I am worried." Dang-gu said. "But why are you tagging along?" He asked Yul who was sitting next to him.

"I need to check something." Yul said. "There is something I told his maid." Did Yul know that Mu-deok was Naksu as well? Or was he suspecting it? Da-hye liked to watch all of this unfold. It was thrilling to be behind the scenes.

"I see." Dang-gu said. "I understand that we are visiting him as friend. But why are you here?" he asked Cho-yeon who was sitting next to Da-hye.

" I just happened to run into you. And I had something to nitpick him about. That is why." Cho-yeon explained herself.

"I see. You are going nitpick." Dang-gu said. "What is in that bundle?" Cho-yeon was carrying some sort of bundle.

Cho-yeon smiled. "It is medicine to treat his wounds."

"I see. You are going to give him some medicine before nitpicking at him." Dang-gu said. "I see. How incredible." Cho-yeon turned her face away from Dang-gu and pouted.

"She is still in love with him." Da-hye joked.

Cho-yeon got nervous. "No, I just do not want him to be hurt."

"Sure." Da-hye smiled. "Sure."