Chapter 180

Mantian had returned to the Yacha Temple for the time being.

Following the request from Uncle Mukgang, he decided it would be efficient to investigate why the Yacha monk, Ojeong, had hidden in this mountain.

Currently, the only place on this mountain was the temple named Yacha Temple where Mantian was staying.

Yacha monk and Yacha Temple.

‘Thinking that both share the name Yacha is a bit silly… but still, it’s better than randomly searching the mountain.’

After being caught by his mother in a kiss with Yeonghwa, he was sent to this temple and was too distracted to notice much. This was the first time he was looking around in detail.

For a temple located in a remote mountain, the facilities were quite good, and it was a large temple.

I wandered around the temple courtyard, looking for anything noticeable.

And although I hadn’t paid attention before, I realized that many pregnant women came to the temple to make offerings.

‘It doesn’t seem related to that Ojeong guy… but why?’

As I stepped outside for the first time and started wandering around, an old monk, presumably the abbot, approached me, seemingly concerned.

“Mantian patron, are you out for a walk?”

“Patron? Just call me Mantian comfortably. My parents are the patrons, not me.”

At my words, the abbot smiled warmly, recalling past memories.

“You might not remember since you were young, but when you were little, you came here in your mother’s arms. She gave you a snack to hold then.”

“Ah…”

Listening to him, I vaguely remembered being held in my mother’s arms and visiting some temple. I used to sleep a lot in her arms back then. So, that temple was this one.

And about the snack, it wasn’t exactly given to me.

I was just holding it while sleeping… and when I woke up, it was gone, which was quite a shock.

‘Where did it go?!’

Since then, I always kept snacks tightly in my pouch.

The abbot, looking at the pregnant women I had been observing, said,

“Your mother also came to this temple to pray when she was expecting you.”

“My mother?”

“Yes, she prayed for you to be born healthy.”

The abbot briefly glanced at my right leg and cane with a pitiful look, and I calmly said,

“Well, it seems her prayers were answered. A genius who could deceive even the heavens was born, with good looks and personality.”

“……!”

Though I just stated the obvious, the abbot looked surprised and suddenly clasped his hands together.

“Namo Amitabha. I have learned from you, Mantian patron.”

“Huh? No need to go as far as learning. But learning from the strong is nothing to be ashamed of, so don’t worry.”

Anyway, since I was already talking with the abbot, I decided to ask for more information about the temple.

“I’ve often seen prayers for safe childbirth, but this temple seems to have an unusually high number of pregnant women. Is there some related story?”

“Yes, it’s related to the temple’s name. Do you know the legend of the Yacha woman?”

If it’s a Buddhist legend related to Yacha, especially involving a mother and child, it must be the Guizimushin legend. The story goes like this:

Long ago, there was a Yacha woman with a hundred children. Her favorite meat was that of young children, so she kidnapped and ate human children.

Unable to stand by, the Buddha hid her youngest child, and the Yacha woman, shocked, searched the world for her lost child.

When the Buddha appeared to her and said, “Even losing one out of a hundred children tears your heart. How do you think parents feel when they lose their child to you?”

Realizing her mistake, the Yacha woman repented, stopped eating human flesh, and instead ate pomegranates, becoming the protective deity Guizimushin who guards children.

Personally, I think it’s fortunate that the Yacha race isn’t like the Champis or Liu Bang.

Otherwise, she might have responded to the Buddha with, “What’s the big deal? You can just have another child! Who needs a child that gets kidnapped by a Buddha like you!”

…But seeing the abbot’s slightly soft and subtle smile, I realized this wasn’t the story.

“The legend passed down in this temple is a bit different. Instead of the Buddha, Jeoseokcheon appears, and the Yacha woman is a childless maiden.”

“…Jeoseokcheon?”

Jeoseokcheon is a Taoist deity but also a Buddhist protective deity. Just like Zeus becomes Odin or Thor in Norse mythology, myths often borrow and mix elements. So, it’s possible. But the Yacha woman being a childless maiden was peculiar.

And the Jeoseokcheon legend passed down in Yacha Temple goes roughly like this:

The beginning is similar.

Long ago, there was a beautiful but cruel Yacha woman who killed humans without a second thought.

Unable to stand by, Jeoseokcheon intervened.

“Hey! Yacha, why are you tormenting humans? Would you like it if someone tormented your precious being? Stop it!”

“Don’t humans kill cows and pigs to eat them? Do humans care about livestock? To me, humans are no different from livestock.”

The Yacha woman scoffed and laughed at Jeoseokcheon’s scolding.

“Besides, I’ve lived alone all my life. I have no precious being and no intention of creating one. I don’t know suffering.”

“I’ll live as I have and die as I will. I have no regrets. Just kill me since you’re stronger.”

Jeoseokcheon nodded solemnly at the Yacha woman’s resolute attitude.

“…I see. Having grown up alone, you never learned to cherish something. I understand.”

“Hmph, if you understand, then hurry up—”

“Then I will become your family.”

“Huh?”

Moments later~.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Ah!? Ahhh♡ S-stop♡ Stop it! I’m dying!?”

“Dying? No, it’s the birth of life! If you don’t know the sorrow of losing a child because you have none, I’ll make you a mother! Take this! And this! Bang bang bang!”

“Ahhh♡ You, you bastard♡ You god…!!”

“Call me husband!”

Bang-!

“Ahhh♡ H-husband♡ I, I’m sorry…♡”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“I’ll cherish and love you! Be mine! Bear my divine child!”

“Y/A/C/H/A/A/Ah♡♡♡”

…And so, the Yacha woman realized the value of life through Jeoseokcheon and stopped eating humans.

She became a protective deity guarding children in the pomegranate grove Jeoseokcheon made for her.

That Jeoseokcheon guy, he’s eaten Asuras, Gandharvas, Yachas—there’s no race he hasn’t messed with.

A true racial egalitarian.

“………….”

After hearing this story, I looked at the abbot with a face that said, ‘Are you messing with me?’

“Ahem! Ahem! Well… ancient legends are quite primal, aren’t they?”

Even the abbot seemed embarrassed and coughed awkwardly.

Listening to him, this legend made the temple more popular among certain people compared to other temples worshiping Guizimushin.

While the Buddha hid one child out of a hundred, Jeoseokcheon gave a child to a childless maiden.

So, besides couples praying for a healthy birth, newlyweds wanting children also visit.

“This story is older than the temple itself. Originally, there was a beautiful pomegranate grove called Yacha Palace built by Jeoseokcheon for the Yacha woman on this mountain. The temple’s name, Yacha Temple, is derived from Yacha Palace.”

The abbot looked at the mountain with a pitiful gaze and clasped his hands together.

“Perhaps because of this, some people abandon their children in the mountains, believing in the legend of a Yacha protecting children.”

Thinking he had kept me too long, the abbot bid farewell and left. I muttered while looking at the mountain.

“Yacha Palace where Yachas live…”

It’s hard to dismiss it as just a legend.

…Guhae, Yeonghwa, Sososo, and Ran—two out of the four women I’m involved with. Guhae is a dragon hybrid, and Ran is a Gandharva hybrid.

And I’m the son-in-law of the North Sea Dragon King.

It’s hard to just dismiss it as a legend.

But aside from that, thinking of my lovers made me sigh with longing.

Looking at the sky, I recalled their faces.

“Guhae… Yeonghwa… Sososo… Ran…”

Thinking of them also brought to mind the faces of close friends.

“Master Wang Miaoyang… Wolhwa… Jang Sam… Tsk…”

Even though I was exiled to this temple and it hasn’t been long, I miss them.

“By the way… I wonder how Ma Yang is doing. She was cute when she got sulky. I still need to learn the Jeonjin Sword Technique.”

Honestly, Ma Yang taught me better than Master Wang Miaoyang.

And amidst the flood of women’s names, Tagujang’s voice echoed in my mind.

[Tagoo? Tagootagoo~ Tatagoo~!]


(Partner? Aren’t there too many women? You’re a real playboy, Tagoo!)

…Maybe I shouldn’t have cursed Jeoseokcheon.

I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Shut up!” so I just leaned on my cane and left the temple to climb the mountain.

Staying still wouldn’t help me find that Yacha monk Ojeong. I had to search the mountain.

I’ll help Uncle Mukgang and go see Yeonghwa. Right now, I’m most worried about Yeonghwa staying at home.

…But what Mantian didn’t know was that Yeonghwa, furious, had already run away from home and arrived at this mountain to see him.

And there’s something else Mantian didn’t know.

The Yacha Palace truly existed on this mountain, hidden by a barrier.

And Mantian, in his previous battle with Jang Do of the Asura’s Six Arms, awakened the thundercloud of Jeoseokcheon within him.

Like recognizing a fingerprint, the barrier read Mantian’s energy and guided him.

At some point, the scenery around Mantian began to change into beautiful pomegranate trees laden with fruit.