“So you finally made it.”
It sounded like they thought I was way too late.
“Did you think I’d actually come here?”
“A woman with sparkling eyes can’t possibly be a cruel villain. This must be a place to take the child.”
The twist of fate had come back to hit me in the back of the head this time.
The bright eyes that returned with a pure strike from the Wudang Sect ended up causing trouble.
A-Qing stepped back, her eyes wary.
Then Yang Chaemu spoke.
“Come now. It’s too late to run away.”
“That’s a lie. I don’t believe you. Last time, you had those dark goons everywhere lying to me. Now there’s no one here, right? You think I’ll fall for it again?”
“I’ve never lied once.”
Well, that was true.
A-Qing had just jumped in when she felt it was the right moment, but she had never actually said she wasn’t preparing the Heaven’s Kill technique.
“So, what? Are we going to settle things here?”
“If you hand over the child now, I’ll let it all go. You seem like a nice young lady, so I have no reason to take action against you.”
“Ha! I can also throw in my two cents, you know? Alright, let’s settle it. You think I can’t? I’m a master too, a master!”
Then, the black-clad assassin stepped forward.
The sword he drew glimmered.
It wasn’t some glowing star-like sword style.
It was a piercing whisper that shone brilliantly without being blinding, like a shining star embedded in place.
It was the Sword Aura.
“Uh, what’s up with that? You’re a Supreme Martial Artist? Just to take down some peak-level amateur? That seems a bit much…”
A-Qing’s confidence began to shrink.
Back in the day when I was clueless and had no fear at my peak, I once watched a Supreme Martial Artist fight while selling swords at Ronin Market.
The swordsman’s blade would effortlessly slice through all obstacles.
I felt a chill; this guy wasn’t even my opponent, so why was I trembling?
That was the dignity of a true master.
“Older sister?”
“No matter what, you shouldn’t underestimate a Supreme Martial Artist. One hit from him and we’d be split in two, going down to the afterlife together.”
“It’s fine, if I go, we go together.”
“That’s not fine for me.”
A-Qing let out a deep sigh.
“Excuse me, can I at least get a sword? Asking me to fight a Supreme Martial Artist without even a sword feels a bit unfair, don’t you think?”
Neither Yang Chaemu nor the black-clad assassin responded.
They seemed too mean to even lend a single sword.
This situation felt really surreal.
I just had to play it cool and make a run for it.
First, let’s induce a little distraction.
A-Qing decided to yell out loud.
“Ha! Oh well. Name’s Mingming! Ultimate move coming!”
She twirled while holding onto the baby.
It got a bit tricky with the baby stuck on her chest, but somehow Jang Myung, who was behind her, ended up swinging around to hang in front of A-Qing this time.
A-Qing shouted triumphantly.
“This is the Hostage Defense Technique! You can’t attack, but I can! I’m invincible and the child is a goddess! I’m invincible and the child is a goddess!”
Since they were gunning for Jang Myung anyway.
He was weak, so they couldn’t recklessly lay a hand on him. It was literally an invincible shield.
It was a remarkably petty yet clever plan.
Although we had already agreed if things turned for the worse, Jang Myung felt a bit embarrassed and lowered his head.
Yang Chaemu, utterly baffled, said,
“Are you really resorting to such cowardly tricks? Wasn’t saving that child your goal?”
“Cowardly?! Who are the ones charging in with their buddies to cause a fuss over a tiny kid? And now you’re lecturing me about cowardice?”
A-Qing’s spirit continued to rise.
“And what? Should our dear kid just stand by watching like it’s someone else’s business? If she’s just going to shout for us to win while resting her life on others, why not just live life for her too? Don’t underestimate Jang Myung, buddy!”
An unexpected response came back.
“Your words are truly admirable!”
A woman was approaching, clapping her hands.
She was a middle-aged lady who should be termed beautiful.
There were certainly traces of time, but her face was gorgeous and exuded elegance.
“I went for a stroll after a bad omen from the stars last night, and look at this! I was going to overlook worldly matters, but that child spoke such charming words. What’s your name, dear?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You, dear.”
“My name is A-Qing…”
“A-Qing! What a lovely name. But what on earth are you wearing? Not even piglets dress like this. And your sister too. How can sisters be in such a barbaric state? Answer me, are you human or a piglet?”
She had a strange kind of authority about her.
One could imagine a chaebol’s lady being this way.
“I’m a human…”
A-Qing responded, shrinking back.
“Then you should dress properly. And what is that even? Don’t you know to value your own body? You look like a total ragamuffin.”
“Um, ma’am, I appreciate your words, but it feels like it’s best you stay away from here… Those with swords and spears are really bad guys…”
“You’re in that state and worried about me? Me, feeling concern over a halfwit girl who can’t even look after herself? How absurd, truly absurd.”
“Um…”
What kind of situation is this?
And why am I getting scolded?
A-Qing could only roll her eyes.
The lady then turned to the other side.
“And you, if there was even a scrap of intelligence in that head of yours, you wouldn’t dare try to intimidate a woman in front of the gates of a sorcerer’s mountain. Do I need to scold you for having intellect lesser than a bug?”
The faces of the two men turned ghostly pale.
A-Qing didn’t know but they were already feeling sick from her imposing demeanor.
As they recognized her identity, they realized they were in the presence of the strongest woman.
If anyone were to ask who the most powerful warrior in the world was, they could debate that for ten whole nights. It was a common conversation after all.
However, if someone asked who the strongest woman was, there was only one answer.
The best female martial artist, the Grandmaster Seomun Sulin.
Yang Chaemu’s complexion drained of color as he saluted.
“Grandmaster, I—”
“Enough. You must know who I am. If you believe your excuse to be insufficiently valid, it would be better to remain silent.”
Yang Chaemu fell silent.
Desperate as he was, there was no reason to choose suicide just because things were dire.
Mentioning the Pure Yin Blood in front of the Grandmaster would mean the end of his life here.
That was just common sense.
“Ugh, get lost. I don’t want to see your face.”
Then, A-Qing got the notification for mission accomplished.
—-
A strange ceiling.
A subtle fragrance comfortably filled the air.
A-Qing rose to her feet.
It was a neatly organized room.
As soon as she followed the lady to the Divine Maiden Sect, women with the most terrible expressions rushed in and threw A-Qing into a bathtub.
A-Qing realized why cats desperately resist bathing.
If left alone, they could manage to stay clean.
But when you throw them into a tub and scrub them with soap, of course, they’ll freak out.
In addition, she came to be overtaken by countless pairs of hands of women whose names she didn’t even know.
All she could do was tightly shut her eyes and wish for this moment to pass.
After that, she received treatment from a female physician.
With her being constantly covered in ointment and dressings all over, she felt as if she could almost go without clothing.
Then, she had some warm soup and went to sleep.
She had just woken up.
Now that she looked human again, the fatigue of all the fuss weighed down on her body.
A-Qing stumbled out the door.
And there she saw Seomun Sulin, sitting and sipping tea on the veranda.
That lady was the renowned best female martial artist.
The strongest woman in the Central Plain.
Indeed, one must become a master to command such respect.
Without even drawing her sword, she just stood there, exuding cool confidence.
“Buzz off.”
With just one word, the enemies would scatter.
“Child, are you awake?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I’m grateful.”
A-Qing cautiously gauged the situation.
Time to turn on the charm.
“I heard all the story from the little one. Well done, you should be proud. How could you be so lovely?”
“What are you saying? It was only what needed to be done.”
“Even doing the necessary things is something many fail to accomplish. How can I not commend you?”
Seomun Sulin smiled heartily and continued.
“By the way, my dear, you’ve gone through quite the ordeal. A child born with Heaven’s Kill, and yet she has grown into such a splendid person.”
“Ah.”
“How did I know? Did I not say the stars were ominous last night? A horrible and eerie star seemed blinking right in front of me, how could I not look around?”
“You can tell those things by looking at the stars?”
“Do you think I would just look at the stars and know? No, for a moment, could you kindly lend me your hand? Let me check your pulse.”
A-Qing readily extended her hand.
Then, *snap!*
Seomun Sulin’s finger hit A-Qing’s wrist.
Wait, how could a finger cause this much pain?
Tears almost sprang to her eyes.
A-Qing clutched her wrist.
Seomun Sulin clicked her tongue.
“Tsk tsk, how foolish. A martial artist should never freely offer their pulse like that. How did I know? Because I saw the stars, and upon checking your pulse, I felt the pure energy within you.”
“You figured that out by checking the pulse?”
What’s this?
Is she a master also proficient in traditional medicine?
“At my level, one can know everything.”
Indeed, one must become a master!
Only when you are a master, can you do anything!
“So be careful. I understand your disposition is proper and virtuous, but others will surely try to kill you just for being born with Heaven’s Kill.”
“Ah…”
That was genuinely valuable information.
I could have easily been caught in a bloody mess without even knowing what was happening.
Never freely show your pulse. Important. Crucial note.
“By the way, I ask this just in case, do you have any intention of joining the Divine Maiden Sect?”
“I appreciate your offer, but I’m not planning to join anywhere yet.”
“Well, I figured as much. With the Heaven’s Kill, your path unfolds in both the light and shadows, a life where you cannot settle in one place.”
It wasn’t such a grand decision.
I had just picked based on a walkthrough guide.
I never expected it could be a life-or-death situation.
Happening to hear something so grim, A-Qing looked on with a distant expression.
The best female martial artist smirked again and asked.
“So, do you have any intent to become my disciple?”