Chapter 220: Who Took the Treasure (5)
The Dragon-Striking Lion’s Roar. It was the strongest area-of-effect martial art, said to bring down a flying dragon with the roar of a lion.
When So-so had executed it against the cavalry of the State of Hui in the past, it was only at the seventh level of mastery, but she had now advanced two stages, reaching the ninth level.
Rumble!
The storm of qi that had been swirling violently was suddenly absorbed back into the child’s body, vanishing completely.
A breath later, a heavy silence filled the area, as if the commotion had never occurred.
In the calm, like the stillness of a lake, everyone merely blinked in confusion.
The Dragon-Striking Lion’s Roar required a long preparation time and left the user completely defenseless, making them highly vulnerable.
Sensing something odd, the soldiers tried to approach, but it was too late. All preparations were complete, and only the release remained.
Just then, Cheong-hae, who had covered his ears, sent a transmission to Hyeon-jeong.
– Senior brother, the flow of qi is unusual. Just in case, we should use the Thousand Jin Weight.
The Thousand Jin Weight. A technique that used internal energy to increase one’s weight dozens of times, it was a skill possible only for those who had surpassed the first-class realm.
Hyeon-jeong nodded and channeled force into his legs.
Thud!
It was the sound of their feet sinking deep into the ground.
And then, So-so’s tightly closed mouth opened wide.
Simultaneously, a terrifying roar of a lion erupted from her small mouth.
KRAAAAAAAAANG!
The sound waves shot forward at the speed of light, sweeping through the Hui soldiers.
They didn’t even have time to scream.
Every soldier within five hundred feet in front of her sprayed blood from their ears at the same time.
Those further back were not safe either. Their bodies were paralyzed by the shockwave, halting all movement.
However, the true power of the Dragon-Striking Lion’s Roar was not just the sound waves.
Boom!
A fierce gale followed immediately, rushing toward the soldiers at terrifying speed.
Over half of the thousand-plus soldiers were lifted into the air and blown away.
“Aaaaack!”
“Ugh!”
The soldiers with stronger internal energy avoided being blown away, but they were far from unharmed.
Suffering severe internal injuries, blood trickled from all their pores, and their eyes were dazed.
“Damn it, what is this?”
“Ugh. What on earth happened?”
The Hui troops could not collect their senses. A single strike had neutralized the entire unit.
The only ones unharmed were Hyeon-jeong and Cheong-hae, who had prepared in advance.
“Cheong-hae, you take care of So-so!”
“Understood.”
About three hundred feet away, So-so stood pale, panting heavily.
The Lion’s Roar was a double-edged sword that consumed an immense amount of internal energy and stamina. It was only natural that exhaustion hit her immediately after execution.
Dashing over in an instant, Cheong-hae scooped So-so up onto his left shoulder.
“Uncle, I’m sleepy…”
“Good job, niece. Get some rest.”
Before he could finish his sentence, So-so was already fast asleep.
A breath later, he could hear her soft breathing by his ear.
Cheong-hae supported his niece and looked around.
He saw Hyeon-jeong charging toward the Mount Hua sword guards.
At a glance, the sword guards were in no state to fight. Having their dantians nearly empty when hit by the sound wave had thrown their internal organs into chaos.
“Are you all okay?”
The sword guards stared at Hyeon-jeong in sheer disbelief.
When the Mount Hua Sect was destroyed, they had assumed he had run away alone, and had even beaten him for it. To think he would come to rescue them, when they expected him to bear a grudge, was something they never imagined.
The eldest senior brother of the sword guards murmured, his eyes turning red,
“I’m sorry. We misunderstood you all this time, junior brother.”
He could tell from their eyes. The expressions of the other sword guards were not much different.
However, now was not the time for such talk.
The soldiers who had regained their senses were beginning to gather and reform their ranks. Once the encirclement was rebuilt, escape would be impossible.
“I will open a path. We don’t have time, so follow me quickly!”
Wielding his sword, Hyeon-jeong led the charge, and the exhausted sword guards followed him with all their remaining strength.
On the left, Cheong-hae supported him, carrying So-so on his back and holding his sword in one hand.
Slash! Splat!
No ordinary soldier could withstand a single clash with Hyeon-jeong and Cheong-hae. Without a proper formation, attacking them individually was futile.
After ten minutes, they finally escaped the battlefield and reached a safe zone.
Just then, the eldest senior brother, who had sped up to run beside them, muttered,
“Your skills have already surpassed ours. I am proud of you.”
It was praise from the eldest senior brother of the Plum Blossom Sword Guards. To a former disciple of Mount Hua, it was the greatest compliment.
An indescribable emotion welled up in Hyeon-jeong’s chest.
“Do not say that. You were always our idols, senior brothers.”
“Thank you. For not forgetting Mount Hua…”
“Though we walk different paths now, the home in my heart is always Mount Hua.”
Gentle smiles appeared on the scarred faces of the sword guards.
“Come back home whenever you wish. You will always be welcome.”
***
A spot about a hundred li away from the ferry.
So-mu was running, having broken through the enemy’s dragnet.
He had to put in a lot of effort to reach this far.
The coordinated formation of the cult’s elders was beyond imagination. To make matters worse, the moment the Grand Protector joined, it had even become a dangerous situation.
“Are you going to keep carrying me like this?”
In his arms, a woman was resting.
She was the one who had launched a surprise attack on the rear of the formation at the critical moment to open an escape path. It was Yeon Seo-hwa, his wife and the former leader of the Demonic Cult.
Though she had helped him escape, she had suffered internal injuries in the process.
With her eyes closed, Seo-hwa wrapped her arms around So-mu’s neck and murmured,
“Wake me up when we arrive.”
A bitter smile appeared on So-mu’s face. He knew her condition had already improved significantly.
The flow of qi through her vessels had been stable for quite some time.
Still, he couldn’t tell her to stop slacking. He had a duty to maintain peace in his household.
“All right.”
So-mu continued forward without showing it. Since no enemies were pursuing them, their speed was not fast. At least, until now.
Suddenly, he felt something approaching from behind at a terrifying speed.
‘Who is it?’
It was a movement speed rivaling a master of the Realm of Transformed Qi.
Looking back, he saw a monk in blood-stained robes rushing toward them.
“Take me with you, sister! Let’s go find treasure together!”
Judging by his appearance, he was an old monk at least twice Seo-hwa’s age. It was a situation that defied common sense.
“Since when did you have such a brother?”
Seo-hwa pressed her hand to her forehead in exhaustion.
“He’s a crazy renegade monk. There’s no need to get involved, so shake him off.”
As she said, he seemed to be out of his mind. He had likely fallen into a heart demon during his training and become a madman.
Nodding, So-mu executed his lightfoot technique to the fullest.
Whoosh!
He shot forward like a flash of lightning, tearing through the wind.
As the distance between So-mu and the renegade monk widened rapidly, a wail echoed from behind.
“No!!”
After a few minutes, his presence vanished completely.
When So-mu slowed down his pace, Seo-hwa, still in his arms, drew something from her robe and showed it to him.
“It’s because of this. I took it.”
It was a brilliantly glowing bead and a small wooden box. At a glance, they were undoubtedly rare treasures.
Recognizing them a moment later, So-mu murmured in surprise,
“The Great Restoration Pill and a Buddha relic… Where on earth did you get these precious items?”
“I took them from that renegade monk earlier.”
Without a doubt, they were top-grade medicines.
If So-mu, who came from the orthodox path, had obtained them, he might have returned them to Shaolin. But such a thing could not be expected from Seo-hwa.
“What do you plan to do with them?”
“Do you want to eat one?”
So-mu’s realm had already surpassed the point where taking medicine would make him stronger. Therefore, the expected effect was minimal, and he was not one to rely on luck.
“I’m fine. Do as you wish, my dear.”
“Then I should give our daughter a boost.”
“You’re giving it to So-so?”
Seo-hwa nodded without hesitation.
“Just consuming one will bring her Dragon-Striking Lion’s Roar to the tenth level of mastery.”
That meant she would be able to play the True One-Heart Flute Melody, which was known as the music sheet of the immortals. Her lifelong wish was now within reach.
Since she was happy, So-mu had no reason to stop her.
“What about the other one?”
“We’ll keep it as a backup.”
“Shaolin won’t notice, right?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. And there is one more thing.”
There was still something Seo-hwa hadn’t mentioned. The Tathagata Divine Palm, the legendary supreme martial art of Buddhism.
However, she didn’t get the chance to speak.
“Wait.”
Not far away, they felt a flow of qi.
There were ten people. Judging by their pure qi, they seemed to be from the Murim Alliance.
Carrying Seo-hwa, So-mu quickly approached.
The Mount Hua sword guards, looking heavily battered, were running frantically. At the front were Hyeon-jeong and Cheong-hae. What was even more surprising was the child carried on Cheong-hae’s back.
“Why is So-so here…?”
Perhaps because her daughter’s name was mentioned, his wife, who had claimed she couldn’t walk due to internal injuries, snapped her eyes open.
“Put me down.”
The moment she touched the ground, she dashed forward.
Moving faster than an arrow, she blocked the path of Cheong-hae and Hyeon-jeong in an instant.
Startled, the group quickly halted their movement, stumbling as they did so.
“Lady Seo-hwa?”
“Thank goodness. You are safe…”
Cross-armed, Seo-hwa examined their state.
The Wolf Fang Squad officers looked fine. The daughter carried on the back also seemed to be merely asleep without any major issues.
And the Mount Hua sword guards behind them looked like beggars, having barely escaped death somewhere.
Having spent a long time in the Jianghu, she immediately deduced the situation.
“So you guys rescued these kids?”
Even though she referred to the first-generation disciples of Mount Hua as kids, it sounded natural.
Since the sword guards also guessed her identity, they remained quiet. Instead, they felt reassured since she was a powerful ally now.
Nodding, Cheong-hae explained what he knew.
“That is correct. We managed to escape because So-so helped us.”
Stroking her sleeping daughter’s head, Seo-hwa asked,
“But why is my daughter, who should be at home, sleeping here?”
“We heard she snuck onto the fleet because she missed her parents.”
Perhaps due to the familiar voice and warm touch, So-so opened her eyes slightly.
Her half-open eyes looked at Seo-hwa.
“…Mom.”
She had not yet regained her energy. Looking highly exhausted, she closed her eyes again, reaching out her hands.
“It seems she overexerted herself to unleash the Lion’s Roar. Come here, my daughter.”
She took her daughter from Cheong-hae’s back and held her in her arms.
Behind her, So-mu approached with his hands behind his back.
“Captain…”
As Hyeon-jeong tried to report the situation, So-mu shook his head.
“It is enough that everyone is safe. You can tell me the details slowly.”
“Understood. The fleet is nearby, so let us return. We will lead the way.”
Just then, Seo-hwa lightly grabbed So-mu’s sleeve and said,
“You guys go back and wait first. We will rest a bit before following.”
Guessing the reason, So-mu nodded to them.
Though they didn’t know the reason, they tilted their heads and clasped their hands.
“Then we will see you at the ferry shortly.”
The Wolf Fang Squad officers and the Mount Hua sword guards quickly vanished in the direction of the fleet.
Once the family was left alone, So-mu asked his wife,
“Are you going to do it here?”
Nodding, Seo-hwa gently pressed the child’s pressure points to keep her asleep. Then, she sat her down gracefully in front of her.
“It’s more effective to feed it to her when her dantian is completely empty.”
In her hand, she held the Great Restoration Pill and the Buddha relic.
Giving her both at once could strain her body. She had to choose one.
“It’s better to feed her the Great Restoration Pill. It is the best pill with no side effects.”
“Yes. Just consuming this…”
“Her internal energy will probably reach about five hundred years. Shall I help?”
To maximize the pill’s efficiency, a supreme master had to help circulate the qi. It was a task that consumed a lot of mental energy.
“It’s better for me to do it since we have the same constitution, don’t you think?”
Her words were correct. Both of them possessed the Immortal Music Physique, which was born with the senses of the immortals.
Nodding, So-mu took a few steps back with his hands behind his back to guard the perimeter until the process was complete.