Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 113

On Grandfather’s shoulder, a squirrel reacted to Yoonhwa’s confession with a giggle.

That small, lively laugh briefly broke the calmness of the forest.

Grandfather frowned at the squirrel’s reaction, then turned back to Yoonhwa and said gently, “I see, so that’s what happened.”

“If my words hurt you, I apologize.”

“Regardless of your past and the choices you’ve made, at this moment, you are living well.”

Yoonhwa lifted her head slowly, comforted by Grandfather’s warm words.

Gratitude shone in her eyes.

“Thank you..!”

“Please, teach me how to control my Qi too!”

Grandfather paused to consider Yoonhwa’s request.

His deep eyes reflected the gentle light of the tranquil forest.

He nodded and accepted Yoonhwa’s plea.

“Alright, I’ll teach you.”

The squirrel, seeming startled by Grandfather’s acceptance, shouted in a small voice, “Really?! You’re actually going to teach this fox demon?!”

Grandfather smiled at the squirrel’s surprised reaction and replied, “Yes, once this fox demon learns to control her Qi properly, no more demons will be led astray.”

Grandfather carefully observed Yoonhwa and proposed her first training exercise.

His voice was full of a soft yet educational tone.

“Now, let’s start with the simplest magic…”

“Try to create fox fire. But you must restrain your Qi as much as possible and make it as weak as you can.”

Yoonhwa began to concentrate carefully, following Grandfather’s words.

She pulled her inner power up and started gathering a small light in her palm.

Soon, a small, beautiful fox fire began to slowly form in her hand, swirling with blue and pink hues.

The light exuded a mystical yet serene atmosphere, much like the light from a dream.

Hyun and Nomi held their breath, watching the scene.

The fox fire danced like a fairy on Yoonhwa’s palm, blue and pink hues blending gracefully.

In awe of this magical sight, Hyun and Nomi remained speechless.

But the squirrel, witnessing the display, giggled and mocked, “What’s this! It’s totally pathetic!”

Yoonhwa seemed briefly annoyed by the squirrel’s taunt but didn’t voice her dissatisfaction.

Grandfather gazed at Yoonhwa’s small fox fire and spoke in a deep voice, “Is this really the least amount of Qi you can use?”

Yoonhwa was flustered by his question but answered with confidence, “Yes…? Yes, it is.”

“This is the minimum Qi I can use.”

Grandfather sighed heavily. “Then we have a problem…”

“It seems you’ll need at least a week of training with me…”

He acknowledged Yoonhwa’s power while pointing out her lack of control over her Qi.

“You have a powerful capability, but you don’t know how to control it at all.”

Hyun and Nomi were taken aback by this news. A week’s training was unexpected.

Yoonhwa looked at Grandfather with surprise.

She agreed that she needed to learn to control her abilities but didn’t realize it would take such a long time.

Hyun felt a heaviness in his heart at Grandfather’s words.

He had developed a special bond with Yoonhwa during their time together and sensed a sudden separation wouldn’t be easy.

He cautiously approached Grandfather and posed a question.

“Grandfather, does this mean Yoonhwa and we will have to be apart for a week…?”

His voice mixed anxiety and sadness.

Hyun understood the importance of Yoonhwa’s safety and training but worried about how long they’d be apart.

Grandfather pondered Hyun’s question for a moment. His eyes brimmed with calmness and profound wisdom.

He approached Hyun and Nomi, speaking carefully.

“It seems your friendship makes this separation difficult.”

“But learning to control Qi is very important.”

Grandfather turned to Nomi with a warm smile directed toward Yoonhwa and Hyun.

His gaze shifted from the mischievous squirrel to Nomi.

“Alright, little demon. Do you want to give it a try?”

“Hide your Qi within yourself…”

A challenge flickered in Grandfather’s voice.

Nomi’s eyes sparkled with excitement at Grandpa’s suggestion.

She closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

A few seconds later, the air around began to shift, and the Qi around Nomi slowly started to vanish.

Grandfather nodded in admiration of Nomi’s successful attempt.

“Well done, you already know how to hide your Qi. Excellent.”

Nomi beamed with joy at his praise.

Hyun was surprised by Nomi’s ability.

He hadn’t expected her to know how to conceal her Qi.

Hyun cautiously approached Grandfather again, his voice full of concern and curiosity.

“Guardian… does this mean that Yoonhwa will now spend a week with you?”

Grandfather heard Hyun’s question and considered it for a moment.

His gaze drifted toward the forest as if lost in thought.

After a moment of silence, he looked at Hyun and spoke,

“Yes, human.”

“Learning to control Qi for a demon means more than just mastering technique.”

“It’s about learning to harmonize with oneself and nature.”

“For a fox to learn this properly, she must stay with me away from the secular world.”

Yoonhwa visibly displayed a worried expression.

She cautiously looked at Hyun and spoke, “But, Grandfather… what about Hyun…?”

“If I don’t protect Hyun…”

“The demons targeting me might hurt him…”

Grandfather nodded at Yoonhwa’s concern, deep in thought.

His eyes blurred for a moment before regaining clarity.

“I understand your worries.”

“In that case—I will assign one of my most cherished humans to stay with you.”

At Grandfather’s decision, the squirrel reacted strongly.

That little creature looked at Grandfather in shock and confusion.

“Y-You’re saying you’re going to assign that exorcist to them?!”

Grandfather smiled at the squirrel’s startled reaction and said, “Yes, indeed! Bring that exorcist here.”

The squirrel seemed bewildered by Grandfather’s order but quickly scampered up a tree and disappeared.

As the squirrel went to find the exorcist, Grandfather looked kindly at Hyun and Nomi.

“Don’t worry. I will ensure that the strongest human I know stays with you.”

“They will keep you safe.”

Hyun and Nomi felt a bit relieved by Grandfather’s words.

Yoonhwa’s heart eased slightly at Grandfather’s reassuring voice.

She glanced at Hyun and Nomi, preparing herself for a brief separation from them.

“A week… isn’t so long. I can endure it!”

Yoonhwa said to herself, gathering her resolve.

Hyun and Nomi nodded in agreement, offering her encouraging smiles.

They knew how strong Yoonhwa was.

But at the same time, they were aware that she might feel lonely during their time apart.

Suddenly, someone rushed into the forest. A woman with long black hair and a flowing coat.

She was rather small in stature, but her steps exuded determination.

Notably, perched atop her head was the squirrel that had just been dispatched by Grandfather.

The squirrel balanced itself as she ran toward a small clearing in the woods and paused to look for Grandfather.

Grandfather greeted her with a nod.

“Aha, it’s you.”

“Thank you for coming.”

Once the woman stood in the clearing, her gaze turned towards Yoonhwa.

She regarded Yoonhwa while sensing the air around her.

The woman’s eyes tracked the flow of Qi, as if detecting something special.

Yoonhwa’s potent Qi was unmistakably felt by her, and she recognized it intuitively.

With a few steps, the woman approached Yoonhwa.

Her gaze brimmed with curiosity as she asked, “You… are you a Nine-Tailed Fox?”

Her voice mingled surprise with interest.

The intense Qi emanating from Yoonhwa felt like one of the strongest she’d ever encountered.

This was her first time witnessing a demon with such formidable energy.

Yoonhwa seemed a bit taken aback by the woman’s question but didn’t try to hide her identity.

“Yes… yes? That’s correct… I am a Nine-Tailed Fox…”

The woman’s eyes sparkled with new intrigue at Yoonhwa’s response.

She carefully examined Yoonhwa, sensing her strong aura.

The woman took another cautious step closer to Yoonhwa.

There was a noticeable respect and reverence in her demeanor.

“You really are powerful!”

“It seems you also possess a Fox Orb…”

Her voice resonated with genuine curiosity and respect.

Recognizing Yoonhwa’s strength, she extended her hand for a handshake.

“My name is Sohee!”

Yoonhwa hesitated for a moment, unsure about Sohee’s strange energy and intentions.

However, she sensed sincerity in Sohee’s demeanor and thought that if this was someone chosen by Guardian Grandfather, then she could trust her.

Cautiously, Yoonhwa took Sohee’s hand and looked her straight in the eye.

“I-I’m Yoonhwa!”

Sohee finished the handshake and turned her gaze toward Hyun and Nomi, carefully scrutinizing them.

Her eyes shone with a probing light as if trying to read something in the young children.

Next, she gently pet the squirrel on her head and redirected her gaze to Grandfather.

Her voice became serious, “Grandfather, does this mean I have to watch over these two for a week?”

The squirrel leaped from Grandfather’s shoulder, checking its surroundings as if confirming its position.

Grandfather initially smiled at the squirrel’s movement before nodding at Sohee’s question.

“That’s right, you must keep them safe for a week.”

“While the fox demon trains with me, you will be responsible for their safety.”

Despite Grandfather’s clear instructions, Sohee didn’t respond immediately.

Her gaze met Grandfather’s, revealing a clear request in her eyes.

Grandfather caught onto her intent and wore an amused smile.

His voice was warm and friendly. “Oh… I see, I can tell from your gaze that you want something.”

“What do you need?”

Sohee’s smile brightened, and she spoke with a hint of shyness, “Actually… my fan is quite old…”

Grandfather chuckled warmly at Sohee’s request.

“Were you worried about something like that?”

“That’s a small matter. Just show me your fan.”

She produced a delicate, beautiful fan from around her waist.

The fan bore the marks of age, yet its colors and patterns remained vivid and beautiful.

Grandfather accepted the fan and examined it closely.

His fingers gently glided over each part of the fan, and his eyes seemed to read the stories it bore through time.

“This fan holds many tales…,” he murmured.

Suddenly, he swung his hand behind him and tossed the fan toward Yoonhwa.

“Now, let’s see if you can use this.”

Yoonhwa reflexively caught the fan.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she hesitated for a moment, looking at the fan in her hands.

Sohee’s eager gaze fixated on Yoonhwa, expectant for her trial.

Her expression brimmed with curiosity and anticipation.

“How is it? Think you can do it?”

Yoonhwa took a deep breath and focused on the fan.

A small light flowed from her fingertips into the fan.

Initially unstable, gradually her Qi harmonized with the fan, and it began to slowly restore itself.

The patterns on the fan grew clearer, and the cracked parts of the handle seamlessly mended.

Yoonhwa, seeming astonished, radiated with joy at her success.

“I did it..!”

Sohee beamed as she witnessed Yoonhwa restore the fan.

“Wow—thank you!”

Hyun and Nomi applauded Yoonhwa’s achievement.

Hyun held his thumb up to Yoonhwa with an encouraging smile.

Nomi, brimming with excitement, bounced around Yoonhwa, unable to contain her joy.

“Big sister, that was amazing!”

Grandfather nodded in admiration, impressed by Yoonhwa’s ability.

“No need for me to worry then…”

The squirrel, astonished by Yoonhwa’s talent, gazed wide-eyed at her.

Gone was its usual mischief, replaced with a sparkle of wonder.

Yoonhwa blushed at the reactions from the surrounding beings.

She cautiously returned the fan to Sohee.

Grandfather raised his gaze to the sun hanging in the sky.

The sun was gradually tilting toward the west, signaling noon.

His eyes lingered on the sky for a moment before returning to Hyun, Nomi, and Yoonhwa.

“Now, it’s time to say goodbye.”

Without hesitation, Hyun and Nomi approached Yoonhwa.

Hyun smiled warmly at Yoonhwa, declaring, “Yoonhwa, I’ll see you in a week.”

“I hope you’ll return safely.”

His voice held encouragement and concern.

Nomi hugged Yoonhwa tightly as she approached.

“Big sister, let’s meet again in a week!”

“You have to stay healthy until then…!!”

Nomi’s voice cracked slightly, but she mustered a bright smile.

Touched by the warm farewell from Hyun and Nomi, Yoonhwa felt moisture at the corners of her eyes.

“Hyun, Nomi, don’t worry…”

“We’ll meet again in a week..!!”

She nodded, looking back and forth between the two, as if promising not to forget their bond.

Sohee quietly observed the entire scene.

She lightly bowed her head towards Yoonhwa.

“Train hard!”

“I’ll take good care of them!”

Grandfather felt a lump in his throat observing everyone’s farewell.

He smiled warmly and spoke, “Alright, everyone, take care.”

“If you miss me, feel free to drop by for a visit.”