Chapter 506

Yubang District’s ancient name was Qingzhou, and the elite Qingzhou soldiers under Cao Cao, who was responsible for the wives among the prestigious martial artists of the Central Plain’s fourth great fools, hailed from this very neighborhood.

However, during that time, it wasn’t known as Qingzhou but rather as the Northern Sea. The office governor, Gong Yong, who was a peculiar descendant of Confucius, also came from this town.

When you hear Gong Yong, you might think of just a plain nobody.

Yet, he shone as the brightest figure in the Han dynasty and was a true scholar that you wouldn’t believe to be from the Central Plain.

This is evident from Gong Yong’s shocking remarks.

“Why should we respect and serve our fathers? In truth, they merely pulled out a foot from their own pleasure due to their lust. And why should we respect and serve our mothers? They just expelled what was inside, like expelling waste.”

In the end, Cao Cao used these words to justify a disloyalty charge against him and exterminated his entire clan.

But Gong Yong was famously one of the greatest filial sons, so this accusation was utterly absurd.

Gong Yong’s statements were not an insult to parents.

He criticized how the teachings of filial piety, which are meant to arise from genuine respect, were turned into a political façade to impress others.

For example, Yuan Shao, who monopolized the affection of the scholars of the Central Plain with his three-year mourning period, and of course Cao Cao, who, despite being a mass murderer known for committing genocide politically, defended himself by selling out his deceased father.

Perhaps that’s why it was Gong Yong’s city.

Princess Yeonsul, the esteemed mother of the realm, was making her grand entrance.

The Emperor is essentially the parent of all people, and this lineage applies to all relatives who disregard greetings.

This means that just because the Emperor is a father, it doesn’t mean that princes and princesses become siblings; rather, they gain the status of esteemed father and mother figures among the people.

Naturally, one must kneel and bow their heads as a child would in respect to their parents.

Yet, instead of doing that, they stood there with their sharp blades, examining the army with indifferent eyes. Could they be citizens who inherited Gong Yong’s spirit?

“Oh, Mama! Look over there! Aren’t the Yubang District people preparing to receive you? Such admirable folks! I truly wonder what kind of welcome ceremony this is!”

“That’s not a welcome ceremony; it’s probably a execution ceremony.”

These were martial artists eyeing the opportunity to obtain the world’s number one Demonic Arts.

What part of this looked like a welcome ceremony?

By the way, “to receive” means to escort an esteemed person, so if someone came to “receive” you, it would be a respectful way of saying they came to meet you.

Anyway, in front of Yubang District, two groups wielding weapons brought their armies and warriors closer together.

Yet, remarkably, there was no tension at all.

Because after all, it was an Official Imposition of Non-Interference.

For the soldiers, martial artists were simply a bunch of knife-wielding thugs.

For the martial artists, soldiers were a huge trap; messing with them could have dire consequences for their entire clan.

As they got closer:

“Hey, that lady on the white horse, isn’t she pretty? What’s that? A young lady?”

The term ‘young lady’ refers to a woman in a position of authority.

“Pretty? Where? Oh.”

“Not bad, huh?”

Pretty, huh? Oh, really? Is it just because she’s among soldiers that they’re saying she’s pretty? This guy, you’re no top tier; you can’t even escalate it. No wonder I sensed a scam from you, and so on.

The gossip spread like wildfire among the martial artists bored out of their wits waiting for the Cheonhwa-geom.

And she was indeed beautiful.

It was a sight of a fairy riding a white horse, which was rather inappropriate, but when you have a beautiful face, it doesn’t matter what you wear or how you pose.

Then:

“No way, it’s the Cheonhwa-geom! Why is that girl here!”

The martial artists’ expressions were a mix of disbelief, shock, and nervousness.

Why was she showing up among the soldiers?

Not just any soldiers, but soldiers bearing the flag of the Deputy Commander.

And right in front was Qing, who was unmistakably next to him.

They seemed to be exchanging some whispers, and then flags were raised here and there as the military slowly came to a stop.

Look at their faces!

Qing smirked and swept her gaze around, daringly observing everyone.

Everyone was glancing at each other with anxious expressions, but unable to react as if saying, “Why are you here?”

So, surely Qing couldn’t resist throwing in a line.

“Everyone, nice to see you! You know me, right? Seomun Qing.”

“Three Pints of Beauty!” “Cheonhwa-geom!” “The Demonic Lady!”

That ‘Three Pints of Beauty’ remark, sigh.

But what’s this about the “Demonic Lady”?

The “Demonic Lady” was the newly updated nickname for Qing.

Since she’s learned Demonic Arts, of course, she’s labeled as a witch.

As for being the most beautiful witch in the world, whether that’s a compliment or an insult, that’s up for debate.

Qing grinned happily, looking down at the martial artists from her mount.

The clever steed of the illustrious Cheonhwa-geom struck a proud posture as it too surveyed the martial artists.

The martial artists who gazed upon the beauty of the perfectly adorned Cheonhwa-geom were momentarily captivated.

But?

Why did her smiling face seem so mocking?

It almost seemed as if she was thinking a little too much about how she’d get a rise out of them.

With the Cheonhwa-geom standing still, her intentions were clear.

Feel free to speak if you have something to say.

However, not everyone has the right to speak.

In the martial world, if there’s an acknowledged master, the lesser-skilled should bow their heads in respect.

The lesser-skilled found this situation rather heartbreaking.

And that’s why they believed they had to become masters.

“Excuse me, Cheonhwa-geom. You are—”

“Hold on. Who might you be?”

A typical issue among masters.

Not every martial artist recognizes them; they’ll jump right into what they want to say without a proper introduction.

“Ahem. I am Wei Da-Ming.”

“Oh! You’re the Great Hero of Ten Thousand Deaths! The martial scholar, Seomun Qing, greets you. Please forgive my rudeness of remaining on horseback without dismounting due to pressing matters.”

Qing bowed respectfully.

Wei Da-Ming, too, was a part of the country’s martial elite, categorized among the orthodox factions.

I heard he achieved the feat of only slaying Japanese invaders, hence the title “Hero of Ten Thousand Deaths” that was given to him.

Seeing Qing’s polite demeanor, Wei Da-Ming wore a somewhat dumbfounded expression.

According to the evaluation from the martial artists who survived No Mountain, she was brutal, enjoyed killing, and was an outstanding trickster.

It was probably the most accurate assessment of Qing to date, but seeing a “witch” as the scholarly Divine Dragon of the orthodox faction made him doubt the truth behind the rumors.

Truth can be so elusive.

“I heard you have been impersonating others and making false claims, for which you have sought forgiveness by pursuing through five cities, carving a blood path to Hangzhou. But how could you appear here, escorted by soldiers?”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. The soldiers are merely training as they pass by. How can a common person be so presumptuous as to make use of the Emperor’s soldiers?”

“Make use” means using someone else’s property or using something for an unintended purpose.

So Qing’s summary is this:

“I was just passing by, and the soldiers happened to be training nearby!”

But the listening Wei Da-Ming was left astounded, flabbergasted, and speechless.

If he had been any more baffled, he might as well have closed his eyes entirely in disbelief.

“Well, um, that means… you intend to move separately from here then?”

“Oh, I’ve actually been moving separately this whole time. The soldiers are merely conducting their training. Isn’t that right, Great General?”

“Yes, yes. That’s correct.”

Wang Sang-ryong nodded in agreement.

The martial artists’ disbelief soared even higher.

If she’s moving separately, why are they pretending to be friendly and chatting?

Isn’t it obvious they know each other!

“Um, Great General. It might seem inappropriate for a commoner to question the soldiers’ schedule, but could it be that their upcoming plans are of utmost secrecy?”

“Not at all. Training should simulate real battle; however, the people facing the soldiers may feel uneasy, so anyone in the world can ask about the schedule. The western army will stay in Yubang for four days before heading to Imgi-hyun. This has been a training plan that has been in place since about half a year ago.”

“Wow! Is there such a coincidence!?”

So, it turns out their schedules coincidentally match again.

But this training has been planned for six months.

The martial artists listening were struck by a dreadful realization, prompting them to either close their eyes tightly or conceal their faces with their hands.

At that moment, they successfully locked down their entire facial expressions.

“Ah, ha.”

Wei Da-Ming tried to say something but was at a loss for words.

Well then, I guess I’ll have to say it for you.

“Alright, everyone, you must have many burning questions, so let me clear things up for you! First of all, I am the Cheonhwa-geom, Seomun Qing, and have I ever practiced the accursed Heart Consumption Technique or memorized any secret manuals!?”

To that, the martial artists quickly opened their eyes and turned their gazes toward Qing.

It was a complete shift in atmosphere, akin to that of a famous artist suddenly addressing the public.

“The answer is no! I came to erase that accursed martial art from this world!”

And the crowd roared with “Don’t lie!” and other jeers.

Qing felt injusticed.

So this is how truth gets suppressed, she thought.

“Didn’t you find it suspicious from the start? I had defeated the chief bandit of the Green Forest, the Great Chief, and obtained a Treasure Map to gather information about that wretched martial art. And yet there are multiple copies of the same map. Is there anyone else holding a Treasure Map?”

When she mentioned defeating the Great Chief, cheers erupted here and there.

Qing revealing that she had indeed slain the chief of the Green Forest was a rumor that many considered dubious, but now she directly admitted it.

Qing waved the Treasure Map high above her head.

A few of them responded, saying,

“Hey?” “Me too!”

“Look here. There are multiple copies of the same map, and what about the rumors you’ve heard? How could such an infamous martial art be so widely circulated? Unless someone has deliberately disseminated it.”

The crowd murmured and debated.

Then one person yelled out loudly!

“Don’t be ridiculous! If that’s the case, why didn’t you clarify this and instead chose to impersonate others and carry out slaughter?”

But Qing remained calm.

“The only falsehood in my actions was impersonating someone else. Now, listen closely. First, is my title, Supreme Brain-slaying Young Lady, a falsehood?”

Despite stating her own title, Qing felt no embarrassment.

After all, the title Supreme Brain-slaying Young Lady could only be seen as amusing, so she had no qualms.

Normally, such a self-referential claim would provoke disbelief, but the crowd accepted it as it was.

“Secondly, Unyeonjeong was once a patrol officer of the martial world but indeed became a witch of the Blood Sect after her family was exterminated.”

To which the martial artists nodded.

“Thirdly, if martial artists engage in Life and Death Matches for their purposes, calling those acts slaughter would mean the martial world is merely a group of murderers, wouldn’t it?”

This also held some persuasion, so some of them nodded in agreement, though of course, those who had lost family or friends had different views.

“How could a master like you slaughter the weak, and that be merely a Life and Death Match?”

“And what about the six famed masters of the Realm of Transformation who joined forces to challenge me? Two may be unknown, but Jeolnak-seong, Pobidon, and Strange Monk, those folks banded together just to capture one Supreme Martial Artist, so they too sought to commit indiscriminate slaughter?”

Bringing up the famed masters was quite a low blow!

If accepted, it would mean granting them the right for lawful (or not) revenge in the name of honor against the famed masters.

As such, the crowd fell silent.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to call Qing petty.

They were both acting similarly; she had provoked them by mentioning their status as Supreme Martial Artists.

What Qing could do just by talking would rival the best in the world.

But until now, all she had been doing was dodging swords and running away.

And now?

Now she had an army behind her!

What a great feeling!

Fueled by joy, Qing was on a roll.

“And there’s something else to clarify! I came here not with infamous techniques but went against the rumor, which states I’ve learned any of the Ten Most Infamous Demonic Arts, nor the so-called accursed Heart Consumption Technique!”

“That’s a lie! I saw it with my own eyes! You wielded the Dark Blood and Purple Lightning! And on your eyes, you wore the Demonic Art’s eye technique! How can a so-called “Demonic Lady” boast of such composure?”

Argh, that guy must’ve been in the Stone Chamber.

Four arts? Is it really four?

But Qing only scoffed in response.

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