Chapter 388: Soul of a Martial Warrior (2)
Mo Baek smiled faintly at the spirited words of Mo Biyoung.
“This old man made a mistake! May I embrace my granddaughter one last time?”
Mo Biyoung nodded.
Mo Baek gently held her in his arms and spoke.
“I am truly sorry to your father and mother. And to you as well. This sin, I shall repay after death.”
Releasing Mo Biyoung from his embrace, Mo Baek continued.
“I want to give you one last gift, and I hope you will accept it.”
For Mo Biyoung, Mo Baek was her last remaining blood relative. She could not bring herself to coldly refuse his final request.
When Mo Biyoung nodded in agreement, Mo Baek took out a wooden case from his robes.
“This is a spiritual medicine that can enhance your cultivation. If you circulate your qi properly, you can achieve at least half a Jiazi.”
Half a Jiazi sounded simple, but even Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water or Spirit Stone Milk only increased cultivation by about half a Jiazi.
In truth, this pill was a spiritual elixir crafted from Doll-shaped Snow Ginseng by Zhao Qiansheng, for the sake of Mo Baek, who had sacrificed his entire life for him.
Yet Mo Baek intended to give it to his granddaughter.
He thought of it as the final gift he could give her.
“This is too precious.”
“Just think of it as a gift from your grandfather.”
“Understood.”
Mo Biyoung accepted the wooden case, thinking it was the least she could do for him.
Mo Baek was about to leave, but then changed his mind.
“Take the pill here and now.”
He suspected that his granddaughter might give the medicine to Yong Hwarin instead of consuming it herself.
If that happened, the wrong person would end up taking the pill. That was why he stayed.
“I will help you.”
“It’s alright. I can do it myself.”
Mo Baek did not believe her.
Because she was kind, he worried she might let Yong Hwarin take the medicine.
“No. This medicine is special. Only if I guide the qi will it properly transform into true energy.”
Even if he had to lie, he wanted to see with his own eyes that Mo Biyoung took the pill.
Mo Biyoung realized that if she did not take it herself, her grandfather would not leave.
‘If Hwarin comes looking for me and sees Grandfather, they might fight. Rather than that, it’s better if I quickly take it now.’
Mo Biyoung opened the case and swallowed the pill, which was the size of a fingernail.
As soon as it entered her mouth, a refreshing energy spread, melting like honey.
That alone was proof the pill was no ordinary medicine.
When Mo Biyoung sat cross-legged, Mo Baek placed his hand on her crown point and injected qi to guide the energy of the Doll-shaped Snow Ginseng.
To completely refine the pill into cultivation, it was necessary to minimize the loss of energy through the meridians.
One of the reasons why taking medicine did not grant great power was because much of the energy was consumed to clear blocked meridians.
Knowing this, Mo Baek infused his own qi into each meridian the Snow Ginseng passed through, widening them.
As a result, Mo Biyoung’s complexion remained serene, while sweat streamed down Mo Baek’s face.
After nearly half a Shichen of circulation, Mo Biyoung opened her eyes.
If she had tried to refine the pill alone, it would have taken several Shichen.
Because of Mo Baek’s help, she was able to complete the refinement in just half a Shichen.
“How is it?”
If the realm she had reached before was like halfway up a mountain, now it was as if she had reached the summit.
It felt as though she was standing at the peak, gazing down upon the world below.
The difference between one and a half Jiazi and three Jiazi was vast.
“My cultivation seems to have surpassed three Jiazi.”
Mo Baek smiled warmly.
Since his own cultivation of nearly ten years had been consumed in widening her meridians, it was only natural.
“With the power of three Jiazi, no master will dare treat you lightly. That is how threatening three Jiazi of cultivation is. Congratulations.”
Mo Biyoung returned his words with a clasped-hands salute.
“It is all thanks to you, Grandfather.”
“This may be the last time I hear you call me grandfather. The next time we meet, we may face each other not as kin, but as enemies. I hope you will not regret your choice.”
“I have never regretted a single choice I have made in my life.”
“That is exactly it. The duty of a martial warrior is not something grand. As long as your sword carries no shame, that is the path of a warrior.”
Mo Biyoung bowed deeply and closed her eyes.
‘I am sorry. You may be my blood, but there are those who are bound to me by heart. To me, they are more precious. I’m sorry, Grandfather.’
Seeing her respectful bow, Mo Baek felt at ease.
Perhaps one day he would fight his granddaughter. Perhaps he would have to stand by while she died.
But since she had chosen the true path of a martial warrior, he would not regret it.
Mo Baek stared at the sky for a while, then suddenly soared into the air.
Mo Biyoung, watching his departing figure, eventually turned away.
How could it not hurt to become enemies with her only blood relative?
But Mo Biyoung chose the bonds that pained her heart in their absence over those of blood that were nothing more than empty ties.
‘To me, this is destiny.’
Resolving firmly in her heart, Mo Biyoung returned to the annex.
When she came back, Yong Hwarin was still immersed in training.
In that short time, Yong Hwarin was already handling two swords with ease.
Seeing this, Mo Biyoung felt deeply moved.
‘Hwarin’s talent is extraordinary, and he spares no effort, so of course his progress is rapid. Ordinary prodigies neglect effort, but he complements his gifts with fierce dedication—how could he not advance swiftly?’
Having finished all the sequences of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, Yong Hwarin sheathed the iron sword and recalled the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword that hovered in the air.
Whoosh!
Watching the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, three jang away, get drawn into Yong Hwarin’s hand as if pulled by a magnetic force sent chills down her spine and stirred her heart with awe.
Yong Hwarin sensed Mo Biyoung had finished her qi circulation and was watching him, so he smiled.
“How does it feel?”
He was asking about the sensation of her enhanced cultivation, but Mo Biyoung gave an unexpected answer.
“I am a person of the Heavenly Central Sect, am I not?”
“Of course. Young Mae is of the Heavenly Central Sect. And also mine.”
At those words, the lingering doubts in her heart were completely blown away.
“Shall I test how much my cultivation has advanced?”
As Yong Hwarin handed her the iron sword, Mo Biyoung said,
“Hwarin, watch and see how much stronger I’ve become. Come. To the annex courtyard.”
Yong Hwarin smiled and followed her outside.
The moment he set foot in the courtyard, Mo Biyoung suddenly attacked.
“Yikes!”
After deflecting her sword a few times, Yong Hwarin exclaimed in shock.
“What? You reached three Jiazi?”
The White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, infused with one and a half Jiazi of qi, vibrated violently.
That was the recoil that came when it collided with a force even greater than one and a half Jiazi.
“How did you suddenly grow so much stronger?”
Mo Biyoung gave no reply and continued to unleash the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword without pause.
“I am of the Heavenly Central Sect. Until death.”
“No!”
Yong Hwarin shook his head.
At that, Mo Biyoung hesitated.
“Even after death, Young Mae will forever be of the Heavenly Central Sect.”
Those words brought a radiant smile to Mo Biyoung’s face.
‘Hwarin, too, is family bound to my heart.’
When she infused slightly over three Jiazi of cultivation into her sword, a resonant sword cry rang out.
“Go easy. You might hurt me.”
“What nonsense. You’re a master with five Jiazi.”
“The difference between five Jiazi and three Jiazi isn’t as big as you think.”
“Stop nagging and take this. I want you to see how much I’ve really grown.”
Mo Biyoung unfolded the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword with all her strength, savoring its newfound might.
As though to prove her allegiance to the Heavenly Central Sect, she attacked fiercely with the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, and the playfulness vanished from Yong Hwarin’s face.
On top of that, Mo Biyoung mixed in the Dragon Claw Five Fingers and Dragon Scale Finger that Yong Hwarin had taught her, and at times even managed to startle him.
‘Truly, no one can match her talent.’
Although he had taught the Dragon Scale Finger to the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect long ago, none wielded it as threateningly as Mo Biyoung.
Yong Hwarin congratulated her entry into the ranks of true masters by allowing her to display her full ability.
After sparring for about half a Shichen, Mo Biyoung’s clothes were soaked with sweat and clung to her body.
Seeing this, Yong Hwarin’s chest suddenly burned hot. He stepped forward with Swift Steps and embraced her tightly.
“Young Mae, let’s stop here. And to celebrate your three Jiazi cultivation…”
As Yong Hwarin drew closer, Mo Biyoung dropped the iron sword and embraced him tightly.
‘Of all the women I’ve known, she’s the most passionate.’
Before Yong Hwarin could kiss her, Mo Biyoung sought his lips first.
Meanwhile, Ok Kirin found his lust not diminishing but growing even stronger.
Especially after hearing Hong Ahyul say she was going to bathe, it worsened.
In truth, Hong Ahyul had used bathing as an excuse to avoid facing Ok Kirin, for she felt uneasy around him.
Unaware of this, Ok Kirin indulged in thoughts of her bathing, fueling his desire.
Then, a thought struck him.
‘I will soon be the successor of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Even if I take my Junior Sister, who would dare blame me!’
With that, he wondered if he had been too timid in approaching her.
‘Isn’t there a saying that if a man likes a woman, he should take her first?’
To justify himself, he recalled only those sayings that suited his desire. Rising abruptly, Ok Kirin thought:
If he delayed, not only would he fail to claim Hong Ahyul, but she might be taken by another.
What bothered him most was her expression when greeting Eum Sajeok—happier than when she greeted him.
‘If I just keep watching, Junior Brother Eum may take her. He likes her too. If he seizes her first, I’ll be the fool.’
Once he made up his mind, nothing could stop him.
Ok Kirin strode straight toward where Hong Ahyul was bathing.
At that time, Dong Oh should have been guarding Hong Ahyul’s bath, but he was troubled by a nagging familiarity with the man he had carried in earlier. So he went to seek out Elder Han Domyeong.
“What’s this? You, of all people, came looking for me? You hardly even greet me usually.”
“Frankly speaking, we aren’t exactly on greeting terms, are we?”
Dong Oh shot back without backing down.
“You insolent fellow!”
Though Han Domyeong outranked him, Dong Oh’s martial arts level was higher, so Han Domyeong could not be too harsh, venting only his frustration.
“Ahem! What is it you want?”
Han Domyeong asked irritably.
“Do you know someone who embroiders the word ‘Gun (君)’ on their sleeve?”
“Gun?”
