RHDWK 7

Chapter 7

At Sima Jin’s shout, I belatedly noticed the approaching bandit, but my body wouldn’t move.

Right before the bandit came right up to my nose, Sima Jin quickly stepped in front of me to block him.

…No, if he had just blocked him, I would have patted his head for being so commendable.

Perhaps Sima Jin was also in a rush, because at the same time he stepped in front of me, he pushed me back with great force.

“Aaagh!”

Compromising a hundred times, let’s say he pushed me out of urgency. That intention was admirable enough that I could let it slide.

However, owing to the strength of Sima Jin who failed at power control, my fragile body was sent flying like a bounced object.

Because the mountainside where we were standing was steep, I rolled down the mountain helplessly as I tumbled.

“Ugh, ack, ah!”

Every time my body hit the ground and a sharp stone poked me, I let out a short scream.

Because of the poking pain in my waist, I couldn’t even think about stopping myself from rolling.

“Masteeeer!”

“Damn it all!”

“Ugh.”

Seeing me roll down endlessly, Sima Jin called out anxiously, but he couldn’t follow me because he had to block the attack of the bandit who saw an opportunity.

‘Uh-oh, wait, stop! There’s a cliff up ahead! My body hurts too much to stop!’

Did the bone in my arm break?

It hurt so much that I couldn’t even brace myself against the ground.

Rolling without any resistance, I floated right off the edge of the cliff.

‘Ah, if I fall from here, will I obtain a miraculous encounter [giyeon]?’

At the thought that falling like this would mean at least a bone fracture, my mind actually grew calm.

No, wait—I took in the guy who would kill me as my disciple just to survive, so I couldn’t die here.

Turning my head sharply downward, I saw a thread-like ray of hope halfway down the cliff.

A tree branch was sitting right in a place that was perfect for grabbing.

However, if I caught that thin tree branch with this body, it would definitely snap.

‘I didn’t want to do this, but…’

If my body became small and light, I could rest my body on that branch and live.

While it would be impossible for an ordinary human, it was possible for me.

Focusing my entire body, I transformed my appearance into that of a snake.

I really, really didn’t want to take this form unless it was a matter of life and death, but this seemed to be that exact situation.

“Whew.”

Pressing my body against the cliff face as much as possible, I dangled my body from the tree branch.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I looked down below the cliff.

It wasn’t a height that would kill me, but I still hated feeling pain.

‘Sima Jin, you bastard, pushing me so hard.’

Did you throw your respect for your Master to the dogs?

It was right at the moment I tried to slowly breathe deeply and climb down the cliff.

“Master! Master!”

Descending the cliff faster than me, Sima Jin called out to me pitifully.

Fortunately, without seeing me hanging from the tree branch, he safely went down beneath the cliff.

“Master! Where are you!”

Having quickly dealt with the remaining bandit, Sima Jin, who had come down beneath the cliff, looked around searching for me.

Ah, if I get caught, it’s over.

In a place where not only Sima Jin but also martial artists obsessed with gathering internal energy were running wild, this appearance had to be kept hidden at all costs.

If someone caught me in this form, it wouldn’t be a case of falling from a cliff to gain a miraculous encounter—I would become that miraculous encounter myself.

Sima Jin, still calling out to me desperately, went deeper into the forest.

When his figure disappeared from sight, I dangled from the tree branch and let out a sigh mixed with relief and annoyance.

Anyway, why is the White Snake a useless spiritual medicine in the martial arts world that makes a person suffer like this? Martial arts world, aren’t you going to consider the feelings of a transmigrator who possessed a White Snake?!

“What do I do now?”

Although I turned into a snake to survive, what came after was the big problem.

Whether it was a side effect of taking too much medicine, I could only return from a snake back to a human if I took the medicine I always used to take.

“For now, let’s head down before Sima Jin returns.”

It’s not like I can hang onto a tree branch wasting time forever.

I landed lightly beneath the cliff.

Thanks to my body being light, I didn’t feel much pain other than a slight impact.

Rather, the pain I felt when Sima Jin pushed my arm with all his strength was the first time I had ever experienced such pain in my life.

“Haah, Master…”

I tried to leave the mountain quickly and return to the medicine shop before Sima Jin, but because of Sima Jin returning, I hurriedly hid my body inside the bushes.

With his shoulders drooped heavily, Sima Jin looked up at the top of the cliff.

Then, as if simulating where I might have fallen when I rolled down, he waved his arms around.

“Just where on earth did you roll off to…”

Holding his own head, Sima Jin sat down on the ground as if in despair.

If you were going to be that distressed, you should have controlled your strength a little, human.

‘Taking advantage of this moment…’

“This is no time for this. I must hurry and find Master.”

Seeing Sima Jin stand up again, I, who was about to move, held my breath and hid once more.

I was waiting for Sima Jin to hurry up and disappear like that, but—

“Since Master is a fragile human, it must be hard to endure the night air.”

What does that mean? Are humans weaker than vegetables?

Anyway, even as the sun set slowly and night arrived, he didn’t return at all.

What is with that guy?

If you’ve searched this much and nothing comes up, it’s normal to go back.

With that level of dramatic fuss, I worried he might go back to the medicine shop and hold a grand funeral.

“Gasp, I fell asleep.”

When in snake form, wrapping and coiling my body feels surprisingly warm, making sleep come easily.

I must have fallen asleep very deeply, because in the pitch-black night sky that looked like ink had been poured over it, dawn was already breaking.

“What about Sima Jin? Did he leave?”

Poking my head out above the bushes, I scanned the forest.

Sima Jin’s figure was nowhere to be seen, nor could I hear that voice that was searching for me so desperately.

Right, if someone keeps searching until dawn, that’s just a crazy person. Unless I were his family, we are just strangers who met not long ago.

“Uh, what’s this? Where did my clothes go?”

If I turned into a snake in midair, the clothes I was wearing should have fallen beneath the cliff.

Looking around for my clothes, I gave up and turned my body around.

Even if they were there, carrying clothes back with this body would stand out way too much.

After confirming that Sima Jin was absent, I came out of the bushes and successfully went down the mountain.

“The sun is already rising.”

The dim dawn sky was already growing bright.

I had to return to the medicine shop before I got caught by a human and turned into snake wine.

Fortunately, Baek Medicinal Shop was located on the outskirts, away from private houses. Thanks to that, I arrived safely at the medicine shop before catching anyone’s eye.

“Phew, so tiring.”

I stretched out my long body.

It’s nice that my body is light so I don’t get hurt even if I fall from a cliff.

I can move smoothly, and there are many advantages, but I still prefer my human form.

That’s why I hate taking this form unless I really have to.

‘Though it does look cute.’

I looked down at the puddle of water gathered in front of the medicine shop.

Hmm, as expected, it looks cute.

Being small and thin gives off a small creature’s cuteness, and the round eyes are cute too.

To the point where I’d want to raise it as a pet snake.

Seeing my snake form for the first time in a long while made me think Sima Jin was really something else.

To eat such a cute snake without hesitation.

After finishing admiring my face, I went in front of the medicine shop.

Fortunately, the door of the medicine shop was slightly ajar.

‘Tsk, that guy Sima Jin. He didn’t even lock the door properly.’

Pushing the open door with my whole body, I squeezed through the crack into the medicine shop.

Thanks to moving smoothly, I was able to come inside without making a sound.

Then, I looked up at the cupboard visible right away upon entering the medicine shop.

‘It’s high?’

The medicine I take whenever white hair starts growing is usually kept on the cupboard.

After gazing up endlessly, I climbed up the furniture placed next to the work table.

Then, stretching my body long, I poked my face up to where the cupboard was.

‘Ah, it’s here.’

I found the medicine placed on the lowest shelf.

Since snakes don’t have hands, I used my face to push the medicine bottle outward.

After grunting and struggling, I dropped the medicine bottle beneath the cupboard.

‘Argh!’

The medicine bottle made a sound as it rolled onto the floor.

It was a small sound, but any sound made secretly at dawn always feels loud. I was startled.

Then, I looked toward the door behind the medicine shop that connected to the house.

After confirming there was no sign of presence, I climbed back down to the floor and used my tail to pick up the fallen medicine bottle.

“Master? Master, is that you?”