Chapter 381: Reunion with the Women
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 381: Reunion with the Women
Boom!
Ok-ryeong’s sword tip collided with Yorang’s head. An ear-splitting explosion erupted immediately.
"Kuaaaaaagh!"
Yorang let out a piercing shriek. It was a cry of agony from the sudden, jarring pain throbbing through her skull.
...It’s hard.
Ok-ryeong, who had swung her blade with the full intent of piercing the creature's head, felt a surge of bewilderment. She had expected to blow through it in a single strike. She never imagined she wouldn't even leave a scratch.
"Kyaaaaagh!"
Yorang let out a monstrous roar and swung her arm. Whoosh! She was trying to swat Ok-ryeong, who was still perched atop her carapace. Sensing the incoming strike, Ok-ryeong threw herself backward. Yorang’s leg sliced through empty air, and Ok-ryeong successfully escaped the attack range.
After putting some distance between herself and Yorang, Ok-ryeong stared at the creature with a grim expression. It seemed targeting the head was out of the question. It was so unnaturally hard that even her Light Sword, infused with the pinnacle of her martial might, couldn't pierce it.
She adjusted her grip on her sword. This time, she intended to pierce the heart.
"Kuaaaaaaaaagh!"
Just then, Yorang let out another monstrous shriek and curled her eight legs around her body. Then, she began to spew a violet poisonous qi from her maw. The exhaled purple mist slowly began to envelop her massive frame.
One layer, two layers, three, then four.
As time passed, the violet poison stacked in dense layers until Yorang’s gargantuan form was completely hidden from view.
"..."
Seeing this, Ok-ryeong’s face hardened. She realized she couldn't recklessly approach the creature in that state. The poison Yorang harbored was so potent that it posed a threat even to her, a master of the Transcendent Realm. It seemed the toxins that had been spread throughout her massive body had concentrated all at once during her mutation into a human form.
What should I do?
Ok-ryeong looked troubled. With the area so thick with poisonous qi, killing her—let alone approaching her—was impossible. But that wasn't all.
Whirrrr!
The shroud of poison surrounding Yorang began to expand, slowly widening its radius. If this continued, the entire village would be transformed into a poison zone—a lethal wasteland where a single breath would mean instant death.
Ok-ryeong stood frozen, her expression fraught with indecision.
*
Ok-ryeong poured her internal energy into her sword. A massive surge of power swirled and gathered along the blade.
Whoosh!
She swung the energy-laden sword toward the poison-shrouded Yorang. Screeeech! A razor-sharp sword wind tore through the air and flew straight at the target.
Thwack!
The sword wind pierced the violet mist and struck Yorang, the sound of the impact echoing loudly. However, Yorang didn't budge, seemingly unfazed by the attack.
Ok-ryeong’s expression grew even more distressed. Half a day had already passed since Yorang had hunkered down and begun spreading her poison. Even as the sun began to set, Yorang remained motionless. She simply watched the situation unfold while steadily expanding the poison zone.
Ok-ryeong’s face darkened. The poison had already consumed more than half the village. The distance between them had grown so much that Yorang’s massive body now looked half its original size. Ok-ryeong had been forced to retreat as the poison spread.
I can't let this go on! Ok-ryeong thought.
If she retreated any further, she would lose any chance of a counterattack. She had to approach her, even if it meant risking her life. It was the only way to end this.
Ok-ryeong stared intensely at the poisonous mist before her. The vivid violet hue was striking. She could tell at a glance—this poison was powerful enough to consume even a Transcendent Realm master like herself.
Gulp.
Ok-ryeong swallowed hard. Tension surged through her. Without any natural immunity, such a potent toxin would be fatal. She could die. It was impossible not to be nervous when her life was on the line.
Thump.
Nevertheless, she took a step forward. She couldn't just stand by and watch. The poison zone was only getting larger. If she left it alone, she would lose her window of opportunity forever. She had to strike while she could still reach her in a single leap.
Shuck!
Enveloped in a faint glow, she kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow. Her form plunged into the violet mist and vanished instantly, as if she had never existed at all.
Screeeech!
Reaching Yorang in the blink of an eye, she thrust her sword with the speed of a lightning bolt. The momentum of her charge added a terrifying weight to the strike.
Boom!
Ok-ryeong’s sword slammed into the foreleg Yorang was using to shield her body.
Crack!
The leg was crushed under the force and began to crumble completely.
Not enough.
Ok-ryeong quickly used the leg as a foothold to leap backward. Landing a short distance away, she lunged at Yorang once more.
Boom!
This time, her sword struck Yorang’s other foreleg. The limb shattered, finally exposing Yorang’s chest. Ok-ryeong didn't miss the opening and threw herself forward. She intended to pierce the heart in one go.
Whoosh!
Boom!
However, one of the rear legs swung around to shield the heart, and Ok-ryeong’s sword slammed into that limb instead.
"Tch!"
Ok-ryeong grimaced slightly at the missed opportunity. But she immediately readjusted her grip and charged again.
Boom! Boom!
Yorang frantically moved her remaining legs to protect her vital points from the relentless blade.
Boom!
After several more clashes, all of Yorang’s legs were finally destroyed by Ok-ryeong’s Light Sword. The shields protecting her vitals were gone.
"Kieeeeeek!"
With her legs shattered, Yorang let out a fearful moan. She realized she no longer had anything to protect her. Yorang thought she was going to die. Her eyes began to fill with terror.
But then, something strange happened. No matter how long she waited, the follow-up attack never came. Confused, Yorang looked down.
Below her, she saw her prey leaning heavily on her sword, which was stabbed into the ground, barely supporting her own weight.
"Ke-ke-ke-ke-kel!"
Seeing this, Yorang burst into a grotesque laugh. She realized her prey had finally succumbed to the poison. Ok-ryeong had managed to keep up the assault through sheer willpower, but she had finally reached her limit.
"Kyaaaaaaaaagh!"
Yorang shrieked in a celebratory victory cry. She watched her prey with a leisurely expression, waiting for her to collapse.
Ugh...!
Ok-ryeong let out a pained groan internally. While facing Yorang, the virulent poison had seeped into her entire body. She had resisted as much as she could, but without immunity, enduring that foul toxin was proving impossible.
What do I do?
She was locked in a dilemma. Should she continue the attack, or retreat for now? Yorang had lost all eight legs and her vitals were exposed. Moreover, she was close enough that a single thrust would reach the heart. It was the perfect opportunity.
But if she continued the attack now, she wouldn't be able to escape the poison zone. The zone wouldn't disappear just because Yorang died. In fact, the presence of her corpse might make it even worse. If that happened, Ok-ryeong wouldn't survive.
The conflict tore at her. If she thrust her sword, she could kill the monster. But she would likely die as well. If she fled now, she would live. But she might never get an opportunity like this again.
"..."
After a long moment of agonizing indecision, Ok-ryeong made her choice.
Boom!
Gathering the last of her internal energy, she launched herself toward the edge of the poison zone.
Shuck!
Soon, a glow enveloped her body, and she cleared the area.
Tap.
Arriving at a spot far from the poison, she closed her eyes and sat in a lotus position. She intended to push out the poison with everything she had.
Vrrrroooom!
She began to circulate her internal energy at its maximum output. She needed to recover quickly and finish Yorang off.
Vrrrroooom!
The energy drawn from her dantian spread throughout her body. The circulating power began to slowly push back the toxins that had permeated her system.
Ugh...!
Ok-ryeong groaned in agony. Fortunately, the poison hadn't reached her bone marrow yet, but the toxins that had seeped deep into her flesh were raging relentlessly. It hurt. It hurt far too much. It was an excruciating pain that couldn't even be compared to being cut by a blade.
Under the weight of that extreme agony, Ok-ryeong felt her concentration beginning to slip.
Focus... I have to focus!
Sensing her focus wavering, Ok-ryeong gritted her teeth and forced her energy to move. She knew that if she lost her concentration here, the poison would consume her entirely.
Ngh...!
She continued the internal energy cultivation with her teeth clenched.
Tap. Tap.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her back. Ok-ryeong panicked. One must never touch someone during internal energy circulation. Even the slightest disturbance could cause the practitioner's qi to deviate and rupture their meridians.
In that moment of broken concentration, Ok-ryeong felt the poison beginning to swallow her whole. Despair began to cloud her eyes.
But then, a miracle occurred. The poison that was consuming her body began to be drawn out, flowing into the hand resting on her back.
What...?!
Ok-ryeong was bewildered. How could the poison that was already taking hold be pulled out like that?
Is it Tang Seo-yoon?
She wondered if Tang Seo-yoon had arrived at the village and saved her.
This is my chance!
Seeing the anomaly as an opportunity, Ok-ryeong pushed her internal energy to its limit to help expel the toxins faster. Before long, every trace of poison had been drained into the hand on her back.
Flash!
Feeling the poison gone, Ok-ryeong snapped her eyes open. She quickly turned her head to see who had saved her.
"..."
Ok-ryeong’s face went blank. Sitting behind her was the last person she expected to see.
"Sun... woo?"
She called his name, her voice trembling.
"......Hi."
Sun-woo, sitting behind her, gave a sheepish look and offered a small wave. Ok-ryeong immediately threw herself at him.
Thump.
Burying her face in his chest, Ok-ryeong began to sob uncontrollably.
"Heugh... hugh... hugh... uwaaaah... heugh."
She cried and cried without saying a word. She was so glad and happy to see him, yet at the same time, she felt resentful, hurt, and upset. With such conflicting emotions colliding, she had no idea what to say. So she just cried. She cried and cried until her heart could find its balance.
Pat, pat, pat.
Sun-woo gently stroked the back of her head, soothing her over and over. He waited for her to calm down. After a long while...
"Heugh... hic... why... hic... did you only... hic... come now?"
Through her sobs, she voiced her resentment toward him.
"......I'm sorry."
Hearing her words, Sun-woo could only apologize. He knew that anything he said would just be an excuse. He was late. He had promised six months, but he had returned a full month past the deadline. How could he make excuses? He could only express his guilt through an apology.
"Do you... hic... have any idea... hugh... how much I missed you?"
"......I'm sorry."
"...Hic... but it's okay... because you're here... you're here now... so it's okay."
Her face stained with tears, Ok-ryeong buried herself deeper into Sun-woo’s chest. Sun-woo held her even more warmly. Her warmth spread through his entire body.
"Um... excuse me?"
A woman’s voice reached their ears, interrupting the emotional reunion. Sun-woo and Ok-ryeong looked up slightly to the side. They saw Lee Ye-seol standing there with an awkward expression.
"I'm sorry to ruin the touching moment, but... that thing is moving."
Lee Ye-seol pointed toward Yorang. Sun-woo quickly looked ahead. Yorang, who had somehow already regenerated her legs, was pushing herself up.
Seeing this, Sun-woo’s expression became incredibly grim.