His ‘Jangsa’s instinct’ had clearly told him that the man was weaker than himself—so why was he suddenly unleashing such monstrous strength? Dojin couldn’t understand it. Had he been hiding it all this time? Even so, power overwhelming enough to crush a Jangsa was absurd. Was this man some kind of General Divine Spirit?
Dojin’s arm was steadily being pushed back. He gritted his teeth and endured, but it was too much. It made no sense, but the truth was undeniable—Dojin’s strength alone wasn’t enough. Just as the back of his hand was about to brush the cushion…
“Using Taoist arts is a foul, Yama.”
“…!”
At the clear, ringing voice that came from somewhere, Dojin’s eyes flew wide open. At the same time, his opponent’s monstrous strength vanished. Both of them were so startled that they released their grip, causing the match to end without a result.
Amid the murmuring crowd, Dojin looked down from the stage.
Immortal Iri was there. Wearing the same clothes as at the rental shop, a calm smile on his face…. A vampire was standing stiffly beside him, but Dojin didn’t see that part.
“Mm…. Immortal Iri….”
Janghan let out a defeated sigh as he called Iri’s name.
Most of the Yuldo Island citizens were human and hadn’t recognized Iri, so they were startled. “What? Immortal Iri?” “That person is Immortal Iri?” “Wait, then what’s this ‘Yama’ thing?” The whispers among the audience grew louder.
The stage was about a meter higher than the seating area. Yet when Iri took a single step forward, in the next moment, he was already standing on the stage.
The Immortal approached his disciple.
“Master….”
Dojin looked up at Iri with eyes brimming with emotion. Iri smiled gently at him, then shifted his gaze. His eyes settled on the referee.
“King Hong, you should’ve intervened as a referee. You just stood there watching?”
“Ah, dear me. I was found out after all?”
The referee replied cheekily and snapped his fingers. In that instant, the other nine referees wearing straw hats transformed into straw scarecrows.
When the referee tossed aside his straw hat, a bold, handsome man appeared—short sky-blue hair, a scar at the corner of his lips.
“It’s the King!”
“King Hong Gil-dong!”
“Your Majesty!”
The crowd erupted into the loudest cheers yet, loud enough to echo back. It was easy to tell just how popular Hong Gil-dong was in Yuldo Island.
“Let’s finish the competition first, shall we?”
Hong Gil-dong stepped forward on the stage.
“Greetings, my beloved citizens.”
Despite the absence of any microphone-like device, his voice rang powerfully across the area.
“Due to a foul committed by contestant number 1, this competition ends in disqualification. The final victor is contestant number 201.”
“Waaaaaah!” Even though a foreigner had won, the crowd cheered enthusiastically. The lifespan of Yuldo Island’s people—including their spirit phase—was only around two hundred years. An arm-wrestling tournament like this, something they experienced at most twice in a lifetime, was something they genuinely enjoyed.
“As always, the award ceremony will be conducted privately. Now then, my beloved citizens—please enjoy the remaining time watching the performance of Yuldo Island’s eternal namsadang troupe, the Hwalbindang. Come on now, civil servants, hurry and clear the stage.”
“Waaaah! Hwalbindang! Hwalbindang!”
The staff moved in perfect coordination to dismantle the stage. Hong Gil-dong gestured for them to move.
“Yama, you’re coming too.”
“…I was planning to.”
The number 1 contestant, who had been trying to sneak away, followed behind Iri with a dejected expression.
***
The group followed Hong Gil-dong down behind the stage. It was a rather large party: Iri, Dojin, the vampire, contestant number 1—the General Divine Spirit Yama King—and the two spirits.
The staff instinctively detoured around them. Hong Gil-dong spoke with a broad smile.
“Let’s go to a teahouse and talk. I’ll take you to the most popular place in Yuldo Island.”
“Sorry, but it’s time for me to sleep, so I want to head back.”
“I’m busy with Underworld affairs as well….”
“I see. An awkward group, huh? Very well—let’s just do the award ceremony quickly, then.”
Hong Gil-dong pulled out a glass vial no larger than a finger. The interior was clearly visible, and inside was a single refined pill.
“Winner, step forward.”
When Dojin stepped up, Hong Gil-dong handed him the vial.
“Congratulations. That was truly astonishing physical ability.”
“Thank you.”
This pill must be the hundred years’ worth of virtue. Grinning broadly, Dojin lifted his chin toward Yama King. With an irritated “Tch,” Yama released his transformation art.
Even the disguise he had maintained within Hong Gil-dong’s barrier fell away. The gigantic Janghan vanished, revealing a kindly but slightly weary-looking middle-aged man. As befitted a General Divine Spirit, he still had a solid build, but there was no sense of intimidation. If anything, the dark circles under his eyes made one worry about his health.
“If I were younger, I would’ve won, kid.”
“I’m not a kid.”
“Sure, kid. Be glad you’re young.”
“I said I’m not a kid. If I’m a kid, that means Yama King lost to a kid—do you really want to treat me like one?”
As Dojin scowled, Iri tapped his arm lightly, urging him to calm down. Hong Gil-dong burst out laughing.
“Yama, were you really so desperate to win that you used Taoist arts on someone that absurdly young?”
“You didn’t exactly stop me.”
“I was just about to intervene when the Immortal stepped in.”
To Hong Gil-dong’s blatant playing dumb, Iri said calmly,
“Gil-dong, want to look me in the eyes and say that again?”
“Well, I mean… that’s just how it is…. Still, with such a strong disciple, your rental shop will benefit greatly.”
In front of the citizens, Iri had addressed him respectfully as ‘King Hong’, but in private, he spoke casually. Hong Gil-dong accepted it as if it were natural.
“Iri, why did you come all the way here instead of sleeping at night? Were you worried about leaving your young disciple alone?”
“I came because I figured the King of the Underworld might follow along, worried about leaving a young spirit alone.”
“What exactly do you think of me?”
Yama King drooped. At that moment, one of the spirits who had been silent all this time cut in.
“Your Majesty, if you were going to participate, you should’ve said so earlier. Why make Ilho exert himself for nothing?”
“I decided at the last minute.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You were contestant number 1.”
“Ahem. Hongyeon, you’re being rude in front of your elders.”
“If you’ve got nothing to say, you always pull the ‘elders’ card. Let’s see each other later when it’s just us.”
“H-Hey, stop it. Even so, in front of others, it’s Underworld etiquette to protect His Majesty’s pride.”
Even Ilho’s attempt to stop her was remarkably rude.
Watching Ilho and Hongyeon, Dojin shook his head inwardly. A King candidate and the candidate’s guardian—why were they both so brazen? The Wia world was both Taoist and Confucian in nature. Spirits like that shouldn’t become King.
He had completely forgotten that he himself had been rather rude just moments ago.
“So you’re Hongyeon. Hello.”
When Iri spoke, Hongyeon bowed deeply.
“Hello, Immortal. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Now she was perfectly polite. Hongyeon and Ilho also greeted Hong Gil-dong respectfully. They were rude only to Yama King—like a daughter and son acting up around their father.
“I’d like to talk more, but as you know, I have to sleep at night. And our customer is waiting here anxiously, too. We’ll be going now.”
“Immortal Iri, aren’t you being rather petty?”
“Petty?”
“Your disciple fought Gangnim Herald, then defeated even Yama King and made a spectacular name for himself—only for you to slip away like this. Isn’t that petty?”
Hong Gil-dong spoke with a grin, then provoked Dojin.
“How about it? Want to fight me and make your name even louder?”
“Arm wrestling would be fine.”
Apparently not expecting such an immediate answer, Hong Gil-dong raised one eyebrow.
“These King candidates are all fierce and unruly.”
“They’re not all like that.”
Still dejected, Yama King shook his head and asked Iri,
“Have you ever seen the King candidate of Black Tortoise?”
“Not yet.”
“I saw them once. Very small, very fragile-looking. Like a tiny animal…. Which makes sense, given their true origin.”
Hong Gil-dong’s curiosity was piqued.
“What’s their origin?”
“A flying squirrel.”
Hong Gil-dong merely murmured “Oh?” lightly, but the two spirits beside him gasped. “That’d be fucking adorable.” “Holy shit, insanely cute.” Hearing their whispers clearly, Dojin used them as a negative example and kept his mouth shut, trying to appear dignified and composed.
I’m more dignified and well-mannered than that Hongyeon and King candidate. I may be fierce, but I’m not that frivolous. I’m a person of gravitas and restraint.
“It’s cute how the little thing sticks to Black Tortoise like glue, but it looks so timid that it worries me. Black Tortoise even acts like they want to carry them around in their pocket.”
“Really? Now I’m curious what kind of kid they are. Anyway, we really should be going now.”
“We should be heading out as well.”
“I won’t see you far. Take care on your way.”
Hong Gil-dong waved lightly.
After parting with the King of Yuldo Island, the Underworld group and the rental shop group boarded the Sky Line side by side.
Yama King and Immortal Iri said they had things to discuss and moved off to one side, engaging in a very adult-sounding conversation. Meanwhile, the spirits, Dojin, and the vampire stood a short distance away, cautiously sizing each other up. But as befitted relatively young people, they soon opened up and quickly became friendly.
