Chapter 117: One Cherry Blossom Day (6)
The first form of the Demonic Blossom Flying Lightning: Flowing Snow in Full Bloom.
Cherries shot from So-so’s hands. Imbued with her heavy internal energy, these fruits had transformed into formidable hidden weapons.
Whoosh—!
Who could have anticipated a little girl unleashing a hidden weapon technique using cherries? Taken completely off guard, the Black Fog Squad members were caught flat-footed. While a few managed to dodge by leaping away, some were hit squarely in the face.
Thud! Splat!
Cherries pelted their foreheads, jammed into nostrils, and knocked out teeth as they flew into open mouths.
“Kh!”
“Argh!”
“Aaaaah!”
This was the Demonic Blossom Flying Lightning, a technique once whispered to be one of the Demonic Cult’s most formidable hidden weapon arts. Though her low mastery meant she couldn’t kill them, it was more than enough to temporarily disorient them.
In that brief moment of distraction, Il-gwang moved like a bolt of lightning. The Black Fog Squad members gasped in horror.
“Block him!”
“No!”
They tried to react, but they were far too slow to match the speed of a Flower Realm master. Before they knew it, Il-gwang had scooped up Cho-hee and returned to his original spot.
Mae Cheon-pung, the leader of the Black Fog Squad, watched in disbelief. A furious roar escaped his lips.
“I told you to just kill her! You idi—”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. Il-gwang’s fist slammed directly under his jaw.
Boom—!
“Kaf!”
Already on the brink of death, the clean strike killed Mae Cheon-pung instantly.
The remaining Black Fog Squad members panicked. Yet, they couldn’t just sit and wait for death.
“Don’t be afraid! He’s in no condition to even stand!”
“Don’t panic, deploy the formation!”
They stared at Il-gwang’s body. His legs were trembling violently, and his eyes were unfocused. He had pushed past his physical limits long ago.
“Uncle, are you okay?”
So-so asked, her face filled with worry. With a slight nod, Il-gwang gently set Cho-hee down.
“Don’t worry… As long as I am here… no one will touch you.”
Tears welled in Cho-hee’s eyes. Aside from her elder sister, no one had ever protected her like this.
“Mr. Il-gwang… because of me…”
Standing in front of her, Il-gwang clenched his fists, forcing his shaking legs to stand firm.
“Take the teacher and head down first…”
So-so hesitated. How could she leave her uncle when he looked barely able to stand? Her expression turned serious as she drew the wooden sword from her waist.
“You should go down, Uncle.”
Under normal circumstances, it would have been an adorable sight, but this was no laughing matter. The remaining enemies were the elite of the Black Fog Squad, and some were already emitting sword qi.
At that moment, the ten remaining squad members exchanged looks. They were preparing to strike first.
“Aim for the giant brute first!”
That was the signal. The ten men charged forward simultaneously. But just as they prepared to unleash their forms,
“Brother!”
A familiar voice echoed from the cave entrance. Two shadows shot inside like arrows. Passing between Il-gwang and So-so, they unleashed a barrage of sword qi.
Boom! Crash!
Their attack blocked, the ten Black Fog Squad members retreated a step, knitting their brows. One of them yelled in frustration,
“Who are you bastards?!”
Cheong-hae grinned and replied,
“Successors of Mount Hua.”
In that instant, Cheong-hae and Hyeonjeong thrust their swords forward. Their blades traced elegant arcs in the air, blooming into plum blossoms.
“The Mount Hua Sect?”
It was unmistakably the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of the Mount Hua Sect. To think masters of the supposedly extinct Mount Hua Sect were here! Although it was a basic technique, its power varied wildly depending on the swordsman.
The eighth form of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique: Ten Thousand Variations of the Plum Blossom.
The Black Fog Squad members met the second clash with tense faces.
Clang! Clatter!
Hyeonjeong drew his sword back over his right shoulder and shouted,
“Falling Plum Blossom Strike!”
The tips of their swords pointed toward the ceiling. Materialized sword qi plunged down like bolts of lightning, pressing the enemy back.
Clang! Clang!
But the Black Fog Squad members were prepared and did not fall easily. While they were individually weaker, their superior numbers bridged the gap.
“Plum Blossoms in Full Bloom!”
The swords in the hands of the Mount Hua successors vibrated, letting out a sharp sword hum as they slashed out in all directions.
Clang! Clang!
Although the two martial siblings fought as one, they couldn’t easily secure the upper hand.
Just then, a child’s voice piped up from between Hyeonjeong and Cheong-hae.
“Advancing Petal Flurry Form!”
Before they realized it, So-so had slipped between them. It was an absurd sight to see a little girl shouting a martial stance, but they couldn’t ignore her. It was the first form of the Heavenly Martial Sword Technique, a martial art used by the entire army.
Three swords rose simultaneously from the ground, spinning in a circular arc at shoulder height. The Black Fog Squad members defended desperately, but they couldn’t block it completely.
Slash! Tear!
“Kh!”
“Aaagh!”
Two fell dead, and one was incapacitated.
So-so’s mouth opened like a little sparrow’s once more.
“A Flash Without Traces!”
Stepping forward with their left feet, the three thrust their swords simultaneously. The three blades twisted at precise angles, piercing through the front ranks.
Thump! Thump!
“Argh!”
“Kaf!”
Since So-so’s blade carried no lethal intent, she only wounded them, but Hyeonjeong and Cheong-hae showed no mercy.
Only four enemies remained. Against Hyeonjeong and Cheong-hae, their defeat was inevitable.
So-so quietly stepped back as the battle reached its swift conclusion.
“Aaagh!”
With a final scream, the last of the enemies collapsed. No one was left standing.
Hyeonjeong and Cheong-hae turned around.
“Brother Il-gwang?”
“What happened?”
Il-gwang had finally collapsed, losing consciousness. The moment the Wolf Fang Squad members arrived, his tension dissolved, and the accumulated toll of his injuries overcame him.
“Mr. Il-gwang, please wake up…”
Cho-hee shook him with concern, but there was no response. Cheong-hae checked his pulse, his face darkening.
“I can barely feel his pulse. I have no idea how he held out until now with his body in this state…”
At his words, So-so burst into tears, shaking Il-gwang’s massive frame.
“Uncle, you can’t die… Wake up!”
“Stop, So-so. If you shake him like that, you might actually kill him.”
“Uwah… What do we do about Uncle?”
“We must take him to Uiseondang immediately. With Commander Mo-cheong’s medical skills, there is still hope.”
Hearing that there was hope, So-so stopped crying. Instead, she tried to hoist Il-gwang onto her back.
“Uncle, quickly get on!”
Given her martial arts cultivation, carrying Il-gwang’s weight was easy. However, her physical height made it impossible. Despite the tense situation, Hyeonjeong and Cheong-hae couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Pfft! Do you really think a rabbit can carry a bear?”
“Haha! Are you going to drag him all the way to Chang’an Fortress? By the time you get there, his knees will be worn to dust.”
***
Seven days had passed since that event. The terrifying memory that had frozen everyone’s hearts was slowly fading.
Today was a rest day at Snow Flower Academy. The teachers were resting, while other caretakers looked after the children.
In the afternoon, having nothing to do, So-so was walking somewhere when she spotted a familiar figure.
“Grandpa!”
Jang-yang, who was walking with his hands clasped behind his back, offered a warm smile.
“Haha! So-so. Where are you heading?”
“Hehe. I’m going to visit Uncle Il-gwang.”
“What a coincidence. I was heading there myself.”
So-so smiled brightly and held out her hand.
“Really? Let’s go together, Grandpa.”
Jang-yang took the child’s hand, and they walked toward Uiseondang, the Hall of Benevolent Medicine.
Uiseondang was the largest medical facility in history, established to serve both the military and civilian population.
“I heard you’ve been attending Snow Flower Academy lately. Have you made many friends?”
“Yes, Grandpa. It’s so much fun. Hehe.”
“Haha. I knew our So-so is kind and sweet, so everyone would love you.”
Chatting merrily, the two arrived at the entrance of Uiseondang.
The facility was a massive pavilion originally built to house the Emperor, boasting an impressive size. Stepping inside, hundreds of wooden cots and medical officers came into view.
A medical officer quickly approached and saluted.
“Welcome, General.”
“Thank you for your hard work. I see the number of patients has decreased significantly.”
Under the oppressive rule of the Hui Dynasty, the health of the local population had been terrible. Initially, the place had been packed, but now the number of patients had halved.
“Yes. Many residents have recovered and are now receiving outpatient care.”
Jang-yang nodded with a satisfied smile.
“Excellent… That is wonderful news. Treat everyone who comes here seeking aid as family, and care for them with all your heart. They are poor souls who have suffered much…”
“Understood, General.”
Patting the officer’s shoulder, Jang-yang walked deeper into Uiseondang. Just then, a patient spotted him and shouted,
“Our General is here!”
In an instant, an amazing sight occurred. The patients stood up from their cots in unison—not just those with mild conditions, but even the elderly and severely ill.
“Thank you, thank you so much…”
“To care for us like this… we don’t know how to repay you.”
“Thanks to you, General, my brother survived… sniff…”
Jang-yang waved his hands in embarrassment.
“Please lie down. You don’t need to stand. Your swift recovery and returning happiness to this city is all the repayment I need.”
The citizens of Chang’an in the medical hall wiped their tears and bowed repeatedly.
For years, they had been starved and subjected to forced labor. To think their lives could change so drastically just because the occupying army had changed. It was only natural for them to be overwhelmed by emotion.
Comforting the patients, Jang-yang walked deeper into the hall with So-so.
At the very back of Uiseondang, a massive man lay wrapped in bandages from head to toe. Il-gwang was fast asleep, snoring loudly, completely unaware of their arrival.
“It seems your uncle is still in a lot of pain.”
So-so shook her head with a bright smile.
“No, Grandpa. He was talking to me yesterday. Do you want to see?”
“Hmm…?”
Her mischievous side taking over, So-so pinched Il-gwang’s nose shut.
“Hehe.”
Jang-yang tried to stop her but realized it was too late and let her be. Gasping for air, Il-gwang’s eyes flew open.
“Gah! Who… General?!”
Startled, he tried to sit up, but struggled because of his unhealed wounds.
“Just lie down.”
“I-I apologize, General. My body is in this state…”
“Haha. Do not worry about it. Tell me, how are you feeling?”
“I’m recovering well. What brings you to this humble place…?”
“I came to thank you for rescuing the children safely. I wanted to tell you personally.”
“I only did what had to be done…”
Jang-yang placed a gentle hand on Il-gwang’s bandaged shoulder and nodded.
“I’m glad to see you are doing well. Do not worry about army duties for the time being, just rest.”
“Thank you, General…”
Having finished his visit, Jang-yang patted So-so’s head.
“Stay and chat with your uncle for a bit.”
“Okay, Grandpa. Goodbye!”
“Haha. See you later, little one.”
Once Jang-yang left, So-so climbed onto Il-gwang’s cot, dangling her legs over the edge.
“Uncle, does it still hurt a lot?”
“I feel like I’m dying…”
“Really?”
“Look at me. Do I look like I’m lying?”
“No.”
Il-gwang looked at her suspiciously. There was usually a reason when So-so asked such questions.
“So, why did you come?”
Hopping off the cot, So-so replied with an apologetic expression,
“My father is making meat noodles today.”
In that instant, the vacant eyes of the dying giant lit up with explosive energy.
“What?!”
The signature meat noodles of Soho Tavern, which he had craved for years!
“Gaaaargh!”
Using every ounce of his strength, he rolled out of bed and stood up. The medical officers nearby rushed over in shock at the miraculous sight.
“C-Centurion?!”
“What’s happening? What is this?”
The officers stood dazed, unable to explain the situation using their medical knowledge. Just then, one of them whispered in a trembling voice,
“It… it must be terminal lucidity…”
Terminal lucidity was the phenomenon where a dying person suddenly exhibits a burst of energy right before passing away.
Il-gwang knew the term too.
“Indeed… Even if I die, I must eat those noodles first.”
So-so blinked her large eyes in surprise.
“Uncle, are you okay?”
Il-gwang scooped So-so up, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and roared,
“Let’s go! To eat noodles!”