CHAPTER 64: FIRST MARKET DAY

At first, he kept casting him strange glances and even tried to advise him not to overeat. But soon, he gave up on that completely—snatching up more for himself became the top priority.

Afterward, Second Uncle explained that Bok Taejin was just physically weak and needed more nourishment.

That was actually true. The villagers, remembering that Bok Taejin had fainted just that morning and all of them readily accepted this explanation.

Heo Taegeon, however, was more worried about Bok Taejin’s health. Several times, he wanted to urge him not to go to the market tomorrow out of a desire to play.

But after mulling it over, he ultimately decided there was no persuading him and gave up on the idea.

As usual, Bok Taejin went home afterward to meditate and cultivate. Eventually, he was forced out of his focused state by the rejection of natural energy, so he simply went to sleep.

When he woke up, it was just dawn. Using the faint morning light on the horizon, he went to check on the radish field.

Someone was already there before him.

This time, Bok Taejin came prepared and recognized Heo Taegeon at a glance. He greeted him and then squatted down beside him to watch him work.

He saw that the soil in the radish field was slightly damp, clearly already watered. Heo Taegeon was now holding a small hoe and carefully loosening the soil around the radishes.

Bok Taejin felt slightly embarrassed. He was the one who planted the radishes, yet it seemed like someone else was doing all the work.

"Brother Taegeon, do we really need to loosen the soil like this?"

Heo Taegeon explained, "Normally we don’t. But I was worried there might still be windy chubby beast hiding in the soil. Yesterday, when I dug a bit of dirt near the radishes, one ran out. After you fainted yesterday, Second Uncle told us to turn the soil. We loosened the earth around the radishes like I’m doing now, and when we didn’t see any more windy chubby beast, we felt safe letting the radishes keep growing."

Bok Taejin suddenly understood.

After waking up yesterday, he had meant to ask Second Uncle how to deal with the radish field—but ended up forgetting.

While no one else was around, Heo Taegeon tried again to persuade him. "Taejin, are you really going to the market? The road’s not easy."

"I’ve never been to a market before in my whole life. I really want to go and see it for myself."

Heo Taegeon glanced toward Im Beomhyeon’s house. "Then don’t stay here any longer. Beomhyeon and Taehyeon are about to leave soon, and they won’t wait around."

Bok Taejin was startled. "It’s that urgent?"

"Why else would I be trying to talk you out of it?"

Bok Taejin didn’t dare talk to Heo Taegeon any longer. He quickly offered a word of thanks, then ran off toward the house.

When he got back, he saw Im Beomhyeon had just gotten up, and only then did he feel relieved—secretly glad that he wasn’t late.

Im Beomhyeon had already heard him come in. He glanced over while getting dressed and asked, "The radishes growing alright?"

Bok Taejin responded affirmatively—then suddenly realized, with the radish field so close to the house, if Im Beomhyeon just shouted once, he’d be able to hear it and come running.

Today, they were heading to Solgok Village’s market—the biggest market in the area for miles around.

As Bok Taejin followed Im Beomhyeon and Heo Taehyeon out of the village, he realized for the first time just how remote Hwayang Village truly was.

After arriving in the village, aside from the steep mountain path leading up, all the other roads he had seen had been nicely leveled and smooth.

But now, after walking a stretch of flat path and circling around a patch of shrubs, the road ahead suddenly turned into a rugged mountain trail.

He was walking empty-handed, and his body had improved somewhat thanks to his recent cultivation progress—yet he still found it difficult to proceed. Meanwhile, Heo Taehyeon and Im Beomhyeon were each pushing a flat cart loaded with furs, yet they moved briskly and easily.

Im Beomhyeon even had the spare energy to turn back and tease him, "Taejin, now you know how rough the road is, huh? You can still head back before it’s too late. If your legs give out halfway, you’ll just have to wait there until we’re back from the market."

Bok Taejin was panting heavily, his words coming out in broken bursts: "W-why...?"

As soon as he started speaking, his breath grew more disordered, and before he realized it, he had begun breathing through his mouth.

Heo Taehyeon, hearing the unusual sound of his breathing, spoke in a muffled voice without turning his head, "Use your nose."

Bok Taejin was momentarily stunned before he understood.

He’d heard before that breathing through the mouth would make it even harder to regulate one’s breath. After the reminder, he hurried to switch back to nasal breathing.

Im Beomhyeon said casually, "This mountain path is a little strange. If no one’s leading you, it’s easy to get lost. If you can’t keep going and don’t stay where you are, you might end up getting lost somewhere. And by the time we try to come find you, we might not be able to."

Heo Taehyeon added, "There are wild beasts."

Bok Taejin grew even more curious.

After finally adapting to Im Beomhyeon and Heo Taehyeon’s brisk pace up the mountain, the path became somewhat easier to walk, and he immediately asked, "If I wander off the path I’ll run into beasts, but if I stay in place I won’t?"

Heo Taehyeon shook his head.

Im Beomhyeon, one hand pushing the cart and the other wiping the sweat from his forehead, said, "That’s just how strange this road is. As long as you stay on the path, you’ll be fine."

Bok Taejin opened his mouth, wanting to ask how Im Beomhyeon had managed to lead Seo Seowu and his mother safely through such a weird road and escape to Hwayang Village. But seeing that the slope ahead rose again, he didn’t dare speak any more, afraid of wasting energy.