Chapter 139

“I’m so hungry. Grandpa, is there anything to eat?”

Qing opened her eyes and muttered this.

Only then did she look around.

It was already bright outside, and she was lying on a sunlit bed.

The beds in the Central Plain were scientifically designed to let the sunlight in around midday, right in your face.

Outside, there was some kind of bustling noise.

The scratching sound was from sawing, the clattering was hammering, and there were footsteps dragging along…

Qing roughly fixed her clothes and tied her hair back before stepping out of the room.

Choi Riyong, who was sitting on the floor looking outside, naturally followed her, and Qing greeted him.

“Grandpa? Is there nothing to eat? I’m hungry. Gah!”

It was more of a morning greeting about food, but something immediately slipped into her mouth, making Qing’s eyes widen and then narrow into a pretty line.

It was sticky, crunchy, nutty, and sweet.

It seemed to be some kind of nut-filled candy.

As Qing stuffed the snack into her empty stomach, she watched the busy Tang Family engaged in work.

Choi Riyong looked on contentedly.

“Did anything happen last night?”

“Nothing much. The Imperial Guards withdrew.”

“What? That’s pretty anticlimactic. They looked ready to storm in.”

Actually, it wasn’t anticlimactic at all.

The Golden Army was massacred, Door-sa and his classmate Taekam were captured, and the Golden Guard was split right in the middle between total annihilation and capture.

“Oh, lady! Aren’t you the Young Lady Seomun?”

“Huh? Who are you? Do you know me?”

“I’m Changnan-gumho. Just call me a fox. Hehe, though late, I must pay my respects.”

Then, he prostrated himself flat on the ground.

“Uh, is that okay?”

Qing asked, looking at the fox’s face.

She didn’t know his original face, but it seemed to be swollen two or three times over.

He looked like he had been stung by bees with all the blue bruises and lumps all over his face.

“Oh, you worry about this beast? How can your heart be so kind? But please, lower your words. Hehe, I’m humble but dazzling in front of the young lady, and if you elevate your words, I won’t be able to bear the burden!”

“Uh. Yeah, okay…”

Qing accepted it obediently.

He must be some servant from the Tang Family, she thought.

Qing never refused anything.

“Hey, fox! Where are you—ah, that person! Young lady, are you alright? Goodness gracious, I must pay my respects!”

Another servant rushed over and kneeled down quickly.

“What’s going on? Oh wow!”

“Is that really the one?!”

“I feel a tremendous air of dignity!”

Then, more and more servants rushed in to kneel and bang their heads, each trying to show off who could flatter better.

“In last night’s dream, while walking a path, I stumbled upon a jade. Suddenly, with colorful light, a splendid phoenix soared! Isn’t that the dream of meeting the most noble one in the world? Upon seeing the young lady, I can tell you are just such a person!”

“What’s with this guy? All of a sudden talking about phoenixes. What happened to the Azure Dragon and White Tiger?”

“Uh, I apologize for the triviality…”

A servant with their hair covering their entire face timidly approached and handed over a small box.

Inside, there was a jade ring that was thicker than the hole for a finger.

That’s a gift worth noting, Qing frowned and reluctantly handed it back.

“This looks really expensive.”

“I found it by the roadside, so don’t worry about it…”

“No way! Where would something like this just lie around? I want to know where to find it! Go fetch!”

“That Gakdawi! What is he trying to bribe us with?”

“Ugh! What a coward! When did he prepare this?!”

“Hmm. I can’t help it. Young lady, do you enjoy writing? This brush is made from the tail of the white weasel from Buksan, and after all, if it’s a brush, isn’t it almost a masterpiece? I’ve only used it once, and it’s yours instead!”

Then, they all rushed towards Qing, presenting their precious items like tributes, but before she could even refuse, Choi Riyong snatched everything behind her.

At that moment—

“Hey! What’s going on here so early in the morning! Don’t you have anything better to do? If not, help with the work! Get lost!”

A stern-looking old woman appeared and yelled, causing everyone to scatter in fear, vanishing in a flash.

“Uh, who are you?”

“Hmph. I never recognized you yet. Still, thanks to you, a man has dreamed big, so I’m thankful for that.”

Lady Yeon Pa clicked her tongue.

A minor character who only wanted to live quietly is now aiming to soar to the heavens, and if that goal is just for a girl, wouldn’t it be laughable?

Still, gratefulness is gratefulness.

Thanks to them having eliminated 3,000 Golden Army soldiers, they wiped out the Emperor’s most elite troops.

Additionally, they took down the Golden Guard’s chief and thirty warriors.

They completely wiped out the family of the Door-sa, who is the head of the Inspection Department, and even disposed of their classmate Taekam.

All these were blades that the Emperor could directly wield, so taking down this many enemies was like cutting off one of his limbs.

The Emperor’s power had significantly diminished.

At this point, it was enough to aim for great achievements.

“However, if the position changes, the heights of vision change too. If successful, they should return, and if not, even then, there’s no need to feel disappointed over it.”

Yeon Pa tossed something coolly down.

It was a book without a title, and when Qing touched it, the Martial Arts Inventory sparkled, announcing the new registration of something.

This meant she had touched a complete secret manual, implying that this book was indeed a Martial Arts secret manual.

“What is this…?”

“This is something that once stirred the martial world into a bloodstorm; it should be kept secret from others.”

Yeon Pa gazed at the book with a hint of longing in her eyes.

It was a look filled with sorrow and self-blame from years past.

But that thought was fleeting as she turned around and strolled away.

Qing tilted her head.

So, who are they, and who were they…?

Anyway, when Qing checked the Martial Arts Inventory, her eyes widened upon seeing a new registration—oh my! Purple? Why suddenly purple?

And it was a newly named martial arts technique, Nengpa Mibo!

Hmm, never heard of it.

Qing’s knowledge was too limited to understand.

Then, the Mission Window began to glow.

What’s going on? Why are things getting so chaotic all of a sudden?

[The Beginning of the Great Dragon Strife. (Unknown) Crisis]

[You have become embroiled in the royal family’s power struggle.]

Decide your course of action.

[This choice may affect the world.]

This time, it simply stated to determine a faction without any instructions on what to do next.

All of a sudden, what do they expect from me?

Qing dismissed the Mission Window and pushed it out of her mind.

—-

Later, a joint funeral was held at the Tang Family.

It was a funeral directly overseen by the Prince himself.

The Tang Family had fought against a rebellion faction impersonating the imperial army to protect the prince, commemorating the forty-two loyalists of the Tang Family who perished in the bombardment and one hundred and seventeen soldiers who lost their lives during the process of suppressing the rebels.

After the funeral, they erected a huge stele at the entrance of the Tang Family’s main gate, engraving names upon it.

Among them, there were familiar faces known to Tang Nan-ah, who subsequently displayed a rather gloomy demeanor.

It looked quite sad.

So, seeing her overly clingy behavior was understandable—after all, a friend had passed away; her mood must be heavy.

“Hey.”

Tang Nan-ah knelt down and touched her forehead, palms, and ankles to the ground.

It was a grand bow filled with grace and power as always.

Qing looked down at her from above, her eyes narrowing.

“Why are you groping around someone’s chest?”

When a tail is long, it gets caught.

Tang Nan-ah, caught red-handed, bowed deeply in a night of apologies.

“No, I just, it felt really soft and nice. It’s kind of awkward to do that to my mom at this age. And my mom isn’t even that big…”

Tang Nan-ah didn’t really have other intentions.

At first, it was just how such softness was so firmly in place. It felt completely smooth, but somehow that texture just wouldn’t leave her thoughts.

“Young lady, you also have them. Why are you messing with mine instead of yours?”

“But it feels completely different! How should I say it; there’s no sinking feeling. And besides, it doesn’t feel like it’s wearing down. Don’t be stingy! Friends can touch a little!”

Tang Nan-ah boldly declared this.

Qing had seen things with the Divine Maiden Sect.

In fact, she knew that most women loved big chests as much as men did.

Suspicious disciples tended to act cautious, while decent disciples were far more eager and tenacious about another’s chest.

Disciples with larger ones, unable to endure, would often grumble at least once a day asking to stop touching them.

Some even had the gall to ask if they could touch the chest of the clan’s elderly women just once.

(Of course, Qing was treated normally because she was closer to her peers and not referred to as an elder.)

Qing narrowed her eyes.

“That doesn’t mean you can grope secretly.”

“Ugh, but if I ask, you’ll surely say no.”

“Of course not. Do you even know how ticklish it is?”

“Eek.”

“Eek? Oh boy, this is about to go down. You better kneel and raise your hands!”

Either way, Tang Nan-ah had been caught red-handed and complied with the command.

Through countless experiences, she knew well that obeying in these moments bore the sweetest fruit.

It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!

It was the twisted heart that Tang Nan-ah gained from her misdeeds over time.

Like this, Qing spent about a month lounging under the pretense of sewing her split chest together.

Then a woman came to visit Qing.

She didn’t wait anxiously for her and even didn’t expect the representative Ho whom she had totally forgotten!

She was still quite a bit away from crossing the continent.

The Demon Cult was just too far away.

Besides, there was no rush in her journey.

So, comfortably squandering the abundant funds given by the Divine Sect, she was leisurely enjoying her first visit to the Central Plain, guided by an escort named Seolga.

The person who came to meet Qing was another woman.

The woman’s gaze on the large memorial stone set beside the grand door of the Tang Family was somehow not gentle.

She naturally looked down upon the Tang Family guards who were guarding the entrance and questioned them.

“I heard my disciple is staying at the Tang Family. Is there a Seomun girl named Qing here?”

The Tang Family guard froze in place.

“Young Lady Seomun is indeed staying here, but as for that disciple… Madam, might you be…?”

“Yes. Who is the current Tang Family Chief? That Tang Tu-juk, the spoiled boy? Go tell Seomun Sulin that her disciple has come to find her.”

The Best Female Martial Artist personally set out to find her vile little disciple who had run away!

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