Chapter 150: The Tiger Descends (2)
So-mu and So-so stood facing each other with the crouching Mountain Lord behind them.
The soldiers had all been dismissed.
So-mu’s gaze lowered slightly. Seeing his daughter’s swollen eyes, a smile rose to his lips.
“You almost lost the present your father gave you.”
“Yes. I was so scared…”
Seeing her rapid breathing, it seemed her heart had not yet settled.
“This beast is the Mountain Lord. A spirit beast that rules the mountains. Furthermore, as the lord of Mount Tai, it is likely the strongest beast in the world.”
“My Darong is?”
“Haha. You have already named it. Such spirit beasts have high intelligence and can understand human words.”
As if she had never cried, So-so’s face brightened.
“Really?”
“Yes. To be precise, it reads meaning through human expressions and voices.”
Hearing that it could communicate, So-so hopped in joy. Then, cradling Darong’s cheeks with both hands, she asked, “Were you scared?”
The Mountain Lord’s massive tongue slipped out, licking So-so’s face once more.
Slurp!
“Ah!”
So-mu let out a laugh at the sight and said, “Step back for a moment.”
Approaching the Mountain Lord, So-mu slowly extended his right hand. At this, the Mountain Lord’s eyes flashed fiercely. It was a sign that it would not permit him to touch its body.
The two of them seemed to engage in a staring contest.
At some point, a ripple of qi emanated from So-mu’s body.
So-so had no way of knowing that he was releasing the pressure of the Profound Realm.
After a moment, the Mountain Lord averted its gaze. It no longer resisted So-mu’s touch.
Placing his right hand on its head, So-mu examined its channels.
Although the locations of acupoints differed from humans, surveying them was no problem. He felt an immense qi, as if the beast had cultivated profound internal arts.
However, that was not what So-mu wanted to inspect.
The unstable flow of qi and pulse. He was checking the Mountain Lord’s state of mind.
“You still haven’t escaped your sorrow.”
So-so, who was standing behind him, approached and asked, “Why is Darong sad?”
“I heard his cub is captured by the Hui Dynasty.”
“Then can’t we rescue it?”
“It is no easy task to enter the enemy country and rescue a cub.”
“But you can do it, Father!”
So-mu let out a laugh. She seemed to think he was immortal.
And above all, there was a major issue.
“We don’t even know where it is being held.”
So-so wrapped her arms around the Mountain Lord’s head with a pitying look.
“Don’t worry, Darong. Your sister will surely rescue it.”
It was amusing. She seemed to fear nothing.
As So-mu smiled quietly, soldiers arrived, pulling a cart.
“Captain, here are the mithril chains you requested!”
“Thank you.”
So-mu grabbed the chains and began to wrap them around the Mountain Lord’s neck, making sure the knots were secure so they would not snap again.
Watching this, So-so asked with a dark face, “Father, can’t we just free him?”
“We cannot, as he might hurt other people.”
“But he’s so pitiful…”
“Haha. If you can tame him, I will consider it.”
Spirit beasts possess hearts purer than humans. Thus, they never betray under any circumstance.
Since the Mountain Lord had opened its heart to So-so, there was no need to worry about her safety.
“Really? You must keep your promise!”
Since it was a prideful creature, taming it was next to impossible. He did not expect anything. He only spared its life because he did not want to shatter his daughter’s innocence.
“Yes.”
***
The Mountain Lord was bound in the backyard of the Wolf Fang Squad’s barracks, like a guard dog keeping watch.
Not a single soldier approached it.
Its eyes were too terrifying to look at. Furthermore, with its fangs and massive muscles, even the Wolf Fang Squad members were reluctant to face it.
Thus, there was only one person who paid attention to the Mountain Lord.
So-so spent her free time with the Mountain Lord all day. Thanks to her devoted care, its wounds healed rapidly.
Five days passed.
Waking up in the early morning, So-so quickly dressed in her patrol guard uniform. The first place she ran to was, of course, the backyard.
Crouching in front of the hunched Mountain Lord, So-so extended her left hand.
“Darong, paw!”
Indeed, there was no movement. It merely blinked its massive eyes.
So-so crossed her arms, lost in thought.
It was no use this way. How could she tame Darong?
‘Father said it can understand words, right?’
Reflecting on this, So-so stared into the Mountain Lord’s face and said clearly, “You miss your cub, right? Want to go rescue it together?”
At that moment, an astonishing thing occurred. The motionless Mountain Lord actually stood up.
Grinning, So-so pressed her advantage.
“Then hold your sister’s hand.”
Hesitating for a moment, the Mountain Lord gently raised its massive paw. It then slowly placed it over her small hand.
She had finally succeeded.
“Heeheehee.”
So-so hopped in excitement.
She had to try other commands.
“Sit!”
Her small finger pointed at the ground. At this, the Mountain Lord reluctantly lowered its hips to the ground.
Grinning widely, So-so wrapped her arms around the Mountain Lord’s face.
“Good boy, Darong! Wait here for a moment. Okay?”
Her light steps left the barracks, heading to the patrol guards’ headquarters.
To receive her pay, she had to record her name on the attendance register.
Having shown her face to the patrol captain, So-so wandered the palace grounds.
There was still an hour before sunrise. Except for a few officers doing early morning runs, there was no one around.
After a short walk, she arrived at the prison.
She had heard rumors that people from the Hui Dynasty were captured here. She planned to meet them and ask.
Two soldiers were guarding the entrance.
“Hello, uncles!”
“Well, if it isn’t our little general? What brings you here?”
“Can I take a look inside?”
Since she was an official patrol guard, there was no regulation preventing her. Furthermore, was she not the daughter of Captain So-mu?
The two guards exchanged looks and nodded.
“Only for fifteen minutes. You must not run around or make noise.”
“Heehee. Thank you!”
So-so bowed and entered.
Descending the stairs to the basement, a long corridor emerged. After greeting a few guards, she followed the lanterns.
Numerous cells lined the corridor, but most were empty.
Past the midpoint, prisoners began to appear here and there. Most were Hui officers or members of the Divine Demon Cult who were allied with them.
So-so stopped in front of the first cell containing a middle-aged man. Seated in a lotus position, his face was covered in scars.
Through the bars, the child’s clear voice called out to him.
“Uncle, did you come from the Hui Dynasty?”
The middle-aged man’s mouth opened, spitting out a single word:
“Get lost.”
He was not someone she could converse with.
Disappointed, So-so moved to the next cell. She saw a prisoner lying on his side, humming a tune.
“Uncle…”
The prisoner turned around, scanning So-so up and down.
Curiosity and amusement appeared on his face.
“How did a kid end up here?”
“I’m a patrol guard.”
“A kid like you learning to lie. Song people, young or old, are all devious.”
“It’s true… Uncle, did you come from the Hui Dynasty?”
“That’s why I’m here. Did you think I came for a stroll?”
“No. Uncle, then do you know where Darong’s cub is captured?”
The prisoner wiggled his toes, still lying on his side.
“Who is Darong?”
She did not know how to explain.
After some thought, So-so spread her arms as wide as possible.
“A kitty this big. Father said it is the Mountain Lord.”
“Pfft. How can there be such a small Mountain Lord?”
“Sigh…”
So-so sighed. There was no way to explain.
However, the prisoner seemed to know something.
“But I did see the Mountain Lord the Grand General kept. It was a terrifying beast.”
“Really? Then do you know where its cub is held?”
“I don’t. How would a centurion like me know such a thing?”
“Oh. Goodbye then…”
Dejected, So-so asked the prisoners one by one.
No one knew. Soon, there were only a few prisoners left.
Just then, a heavy female voice drifted from somewhere.
“I know.”
So-so’s head snapped toward the sound. It was the very last cell.
Running over, So-so gripped the bars and stared at the prisoner. In the next instant, she recoiled in surprise.
White hair and white eyebrows. Was this not the terrifying woman who had slaughtered people on the streets of Chang’an?
The impression she left was so powerful that it had not vanished from her memory.
“It is the fierce little girl from the teahouse. Don’t be afraid, come closer. I can no longer use my martial arts, so there is no need to fear.”
“Don’t lie!”
The Heavenly Sword Witch, Baek Myo-jin. She pulled down her upper robe, exposing her torso.
So-so covered her eyes with both hands. Numerous long needles were driven into her upper body. It was a grotesque sight, visible even to the naked eye.
“Yuck! What are those?”
“They were driven in by a crazy woman. They are constraints to prevent me from using martial arts.”
“Why don’t you pull them out?”
“Do you think I keep them because I want to? If I pull them out, I die.”
Relief gradually appeared on So-so’s face. Indeed, she could not feel the pressure the woman once possessed.
“Do you really know where Darong’s cub is?”
“Of course. Why are you curious about it?”
“I made a promise to Darong.”
So-so explained how the Mountain Lord had been brought here and was bound in the barracks backyard.
Surprised, Baek Myo-jin muttered with a serious face after a moment, “The Mountain Lord of Mount Tai. To control it, they had to kidnap its cub. I was also present at the time.”
“Then where is it held now?”
“It is not a place I can explain with words. But I can guide you there myself.”
Perhaps because the answer came too easily, a look of suspicion appeared on So-so’s face. She was not a child who had never been tricked by adults.
“You’re not lying, right? Then how many cubs does Darong have?”
“Three. They killed two in front of the Mountain Lord. Only one is held hostage.”
Hearing that they had killed Darong’s cubs, So-so furrowed her brow.
“That’s terrible! How could they kill cubs?”
“I wasn’t the one who killed them. Anyway, if you want to know, get me out of here.”
“How?”
She gestured with her finger.
“There is a way, so come closer.”
So-so slipped her head through the bars. Baek Myo-jin whispered something in her ear.
The whispering continued for several minutes before she finished.
“Can you do it?”
So-so nodded with a serious face.
“Yes, I can.”
“Do not tell anyone that we spoke.”
“Yes. It’s a secret.”
Baek Myo-jin received a pleased smile and gestured.
“Go now, before the guards return. Remember my words and keep your mouth shut.”
“Understood.”
Turning around, So-so left the prison. She then ran back to the Wolf Fang barracks.
The sun was slowly rising.
The uncles would have left for the training ground, and her father would be meditating.
Banging the door open, So-so shouted, “Father! I found out where Darong’s cub is!”
So-mu, who was in deep meditation, slowly opened his eyes.
“Where did you find out?”
So-so’s face was flushed with excitement.
“The prison! The white-haired lady in the prison knows!”
So-so poured out everything that had happened, including the conversation with Baek Myo-jin.
Listening to her story, So-mu let out a sigh of relief. He then muttered quietly:
“The Heavenly Sword Witch, Baek Myo-jin.”
“Huh? A witch?”
“The prisoner you just spoke to. Contrary to her appearance, she has the heart of a venomous snake. Since she doesn’t seem to be lying… perhaps we can use her.”