[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 301

Hyanghyang, who had gotten off the cart, casually unfolded her lightness skill with her hands behind her back and began to move forward when someone quickly caught up to her.

“Hmm?”

“…”

The two silently glanced at each other and then sped up, moving forward together.

***

The raging whirlwind was so intense that even the Poison King’s heels were lifted off the ground.

“Ugh…! The Thousand Jin Anchor is shaking.”

For humans to deliver force, the existence of a medium is absolutely essential.

Thus, for wingless beings, the ground is indispensable to transmit strength. Conversely, without a surface to push off, humans cannot properly deliver their power.

*Crash!*

In a situation where he could barely hold on by increasing his weight with inner energy, how could he possibly counterattack?

The poison Dang Jeongmun had secretly released had long been swept away by the whirlwind and disappeared into the sky.

At that moment, the raging whirlwind scattered as if it had been a lie, and Shin Yi burst out from within.

**Great Heavenly Flow – Ruyi Jingu Bang Staff Technique**

**〈Cleave〉**

As if intending to split the heavens and earth, Shin Yi brought down the Ruyi Jingu Bang like a lightning strike.

Dang Jeongmun, who had used all his inner energy to barely hold on, could only watch helplessly.

“I’m going to die…”

The Ruyi Jingu Bang fell faster than Dang Jeongmun’s fleeting thought.

At that moment, a pale afterimage appeared before Dang Jeongmun’s eyes.

*Thud!*

The suddenly appearing afterimage struck the side of the descending Ruyi Jingu Bang, altering its trajectory.

*Boom!!*

The force was so immense that Dang Jeongmun’s body was lifted and shaken by the Ruyi Jingu Bang that had fallen to the side.

But it wasn’t over.

Shin Yi’s Ruyi Jingu Bang had already changed its course and was charging in again.

**Great Heavenly Flow – Ruyi Jingu Bang Staff Technique**

**〈Block〉**

Shin Yi, forcibly absorbing the redirected impact, spun his body like a top and swung the Ruyi Jingu Bang with one hand.

The speed was so fast that Dang Jeongmun’s feet, which had barely risen an inch, hadn’t even touched the ground yet.

Despite being called a healer, Shin Yi looked as battle-hardened as they come.

But the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which seemed unstoppable, came to an abrupt halt.

“Child.”

*Crack!*

Even though the Ruyi Jingu Bang was about to smash his head, the person standing calmly with hands behind his back smiled kindly.

Thanks to that, the wind brought by the Ruyi Jingu Bang made his hair flutter.

“Grandmother!”

***

“Yes.”

As Hyanghyang spread her arms, Shin Yi scurried over and hugged her.

“This kid, what kind of trouble have you been causing?”

“Hehe.”

The once-ferocious Shin Yi was nowhere to be seen, now just giggling foolishly.

Dang Jeongmun, who had been staring blankly at the scene, felt utterly bewildered.

*Thud.*

Meanwhile, a figure landed beside Dang Jeongmun.

Hyanghyang, who had just gotten off, met the gaze of the person who had landed.

Shin Yi roughly strokes the hair of the person he was comforting.

“Ugh…!”

“Have you been well?”

“Yep! But Grandma, that guy bullied me.”

Shin Yi boldly points a finger at Dang Jeongmun.

As Hyanghyang’s gaze turns to Dang Jeongmun, a drop of sweat drips down his forehead.

“It seems like Shin Yi was the one being bullied.”

“Oh! Leader Grandpa!”

“Hoho, it seems we meet again sooner than expected.”

Shin Yi, who had stepped away from Hyanghyang, bows to the Leader, who then roughly pats Shin Yi’s head.

“Ugh…!”

Meanwhile, a cart approaches and stops where they are gathered.

“Whoa.”

The familiar cart driver lightly hops down and stands in front of Shin Yi.

“Have you been well?”

“Wow, Grandpa Grim Sword!”

“Hoho.”

Grim Sword, with his white beard, happily greets Shin Yi as he approaches.

Thud.

“We’re here too, Autumn!”

The cart door opens, and Changma, Gwonma, and Dokma step out, approaching Shin Yi.

“Wow, Grandpa!”

“Yes, yes. Grandpa’s here.”

Dokma, who had come closer, pinches Shin Yi’s cheek.

“Ugh…!”

“Hahaha, you little troublemaker.”

“Haah…”

“What’s wrong?”

Once again, Shin Yi points a finger at Dang Jeongmun.

“That guy bullied me!”

Another drop of sweat rolls down Dang Jeongmun’s forehead as he rolls his eyes, unable to grasp the situation.

‘What a vicious brat…’

“Huh? That guy said that?”

“Yeah!”

Before Shin Yi could finish his answer, Dokma’s hand moves at an invisible speed.

Bam!

Dang Jeongmun, hit by Dokma’s strike, flies backward.

Crash! Bam! Boom─!

After smashing through a few trees, Dang Jeongmun lands on the ground, spitting out dark blood.

“Ugh…!”

His face had already turned so black that he barely looked human.

“Now you’re causing all sorts of trouble.”

“Ugh!”

Seeing Shin Yi’s reaction, Dokma laughs heartily.

“Hahaha, how was Grandpa’s poison technique?”

“It was too fast to see!”

“Then I’ll make sure you can see it. Want to learn a thing or two?”

“Huh?”

Dokma picks Shin Yi up, tucks him under his arm, and walks toward the cart.

“Huh? Huh?”

“We need to train. You’re too weak to be running around, Autumn.”

As Shin Yi struggles under Dokma’s arm, he locks eyes with the Leader.

Quickly understanding, Shin Yi reaches out toward Dang Jeongmun.

**〈Purification〉**

But Dang Jeongmun’s blackened face only slightly improves, and he’s still on the verge of death.

“Huh? How strong is that poison?”

“Stop fooling around, let’s go.”

“Grandpa, he’s dying.”

“Leave him.”

Click.

As Dokma and Shin Yi enter the cart, the Leader looks at Hyanghyang.

“Senior, calm down…”

“You’ve done it.”

“Then I thought you might have died somewhere.”

The leader, who had been staring intently at Hyanghyang, shook his head.

“In the time I haven’t seen you, you’ve become even more human-like. Now, your level is beyond comprehension.”

“Are you still sitting on the throne, drinking tea all day?”

“The throne? If the emperor hears that, he’ll be furious.”

“Tsk tsk.”

Even as Hyanghyang clicked her tongue, the leader only smiled.

“With you like that, isn’t your family’s fortune declining?”

“Did you meet someone from the family?”

“That guy, Chang Cheon Un-geom or whatever, tried to lay hands on a child practicing medicine, so I gave him a little lesson.”

“….I see.”

The leader only now understood the full story of the incident.

Though he hadn’t seen it, it seemed the monstrous human before him had been thoroughly humiliated and too ashamed to report it.

But on the other hand, he could understand. If he had witnessed Shin Yi’s medical skills firsthand, he would have been powerless too.

‘Who am I to criticize?’

The leader thought that even if he had met Shin Yi in his youth, he would have approached him for the sake of his family’s prestige.

“But….”

The leader, shaking off his thoughts, looked around at the people standing near Hyanghyang and his expression darkened.

“The Divine Teaching is teeming with monsters. Is this the beginning of the apocalypse?”

“It’s not the time to worry about us.”

“What do you mean by that, senior?”

“Don’t try to become nature.”

The leader’s body twitched.

Because Hyanghyang had precisely seen through his condition.

“Right now, you’re probably struggling to harness natural energy. That’s why you chose a teacup over a sword.”

“….You’re right.”

“But eventually, you’ll be devoured.”

“What are you talking about? Are you saying I’m on the wrong path?”

The leader was born a martial artist. He was born into a family of martial artists and lived his entire life as one.

What’s wrong with a martial artist having ambition?

The leader couldn’t understand at all.

“The moment you start harnessing natural energy, the assimilation with nature begins.”

Hyanghyang pulled up her clothes to show the leader her abdomen. Her dantian was faint, like the mist of dawn.

“What!”

The leader’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

“Didn’t I tell you, assimilation begins. It’s not a power granted to humans.”

“…..”

With a complex expression, the leader was deep in thought when Hyanghyang calmly spoke to him.

“Do you think you’ll become an immortal if you become part of nature?”

“Are you saying the end of martial arts is death? Are you telling me to believe that now!!”

The leader, who had been calmly continuing the conversation, finally shouted.

But Hyanghyang remained calm.

“Heh heh, it’s not the end of martial arts. It’s the end for humans who accumulate energy in their bodies under the guise of learning martial arts. It’s just greed.”

“How could this be….”

The leader covered his face with his palm.

He didn’t even want to think about how the countless martial artists in the vast Central Plains would react if they knew this fact.

Would they be angry? Or would they laugh it off as a level they could never reach anyway? Knowing but unable to do, or not knowing and unable to.

What he’s doing is as different as heaven and earth.

Whatever it was, the Main Leader had no confidence to announce it.

If this fact spread late, it was certain that the crowd’s anger would be directed at the innocent Main Leader.

“Sigh… Are you okay, senior?”

“Originally, I should have left already, but there’s a child on my mind, so I’m staying for a moment.”

“You seem to cherish Shin Yi a lot, but have you told the child?”

Hyanghyang smiles lightly and shakes her head.

“I didn’t tell her in detail.”

“No matter how young, that child is not Shin Yi. There might be a way.”

Hyanghyang once told Shin Yi that there wasn’t much time left.

And Shin Yi, with a face full of tears, fed Hyanghyang the medicinal wine he had worked hard to get for his grandfather.

Hyanghyang never wanted to see that expression on the child again.

“There’s something more important.”

“What is it?”

“The child has turned half of the Northern Jin Musa into rags.”

“W-what did you say?”

As if to confirm that he heard correctly, Hyanghyang stares at the Main Leader without answering.

“No, the current Jin Musa is not of the emperor’s bloodline. Why are you so calm, senior? If things go wrong, it could mean an all-out war between the imperial family and the martial world.”

“Even if it seems like he’s moving without a plan, he’s a deep thinker. He probably has a strategy. And the imperial family doesn’t know about this yet.”

“Are you holding the Northern Jin Musa captive?”

When Hyanghyang nods, the Main Leader’s stiff face finally relaxes a bit.

While the two were talking, the door of the cart suddenly opens.

Out jumps Dokma, with Shin Yi dangling from his hand.

“Vice Leader!!”

“What’s going on?”

“Grand Elder! Ga-eul intentionally released the Northern Jin Musa!”

All eyes in the room turn to Shin Yi.

Everyone was looking at him with tense eyes, but Shin Yi’s mouth was light.

“That’s right. I have a polite friend who said if I just hit him once…”

“Oh, my god.”

“Heavenly Blood!”

At Hyanghyang’s shout, the Heavenly Blood Members pour down like a downpour.

“Erase all traces of the child. He must become a non-existent person.”

“Understood!”

“Senior, I’ll also return to the alliance and erase Shin Yi’s traces. I’ll contact you separately.”

“Huh? Wait a minute…”

Dokma hurriedly lifts Shin Yi by the waist.

“Let’s go, you troublemaker.”

“No, no, wait a minute! Jeon Ho too!”

As Jeon Ho awkwardly walks out, sensing the atmosphere, Grim Sword appears in front of him.

“…Huh?”

Feeling a chill down his spine from Grim Sword’s gaze, Jeon Ho reacts like a fool.

“You’re coming too.”

“Elder, where to—ugh!”

In an instant, Jeon Ho’s body is lifted into the air by the collar.