Chapter 382: Yorang, You’re the Best.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 382: Yorang, You’re the Best.
Sun-woo’s expression grew heavy as he watched Yorang pull herself up. He hadn't imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that she would have reverted to her form as a Human-Faced Spider.
"W-what is going on?"
Lee Ye-seol stared at Yorang with a dazed expression. "This doesn't make any sense."
"What doesn't?" Sun-woo asked, his voice calm.
"Wh-why is the tracking incense I planted on the Sixth Lady being picked up from that monster?" she stammered, looking utterly bewildered.
To her, Yorang was a human being. Seeing her in the form of a Human-Faced Spider was a sight she couldn't begin to process.
"..."
Sun-woo looked troubled. He had no idea how to even begin explaining this.
"The Sixth Lady is currently inside that monster's belly," Ok-ryeong interjected quickly. She had sensed Sun-woo’s predicament and stepped in to help.
"What!?" Lee Ye-seol gasped. That meant she had been eaten. "How... how could this happen..."
"She was swallowed whole. We have to save her as quickly as possible before she’s digested."
"I... I see." Lee Ye-seol looked distraught. She never imagined the Sixth Lady would end up inside the stomach of such a creature.
Phew.
Sun-woo let out a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed Yorang’s true identity hadn't been exposed yet.
"Ok-ryeong."
Sun-woo turned his gaze toward her.
"Yes, please tell me," Ok-ryeong replied, her eyes burning with intense affection as she looked at him.
"Could you take Lee Ye-seol and head outside the village for now?"
Sun-woo was entrusting Lee Ye-seol to her. The fact that Ok-ryeong was a spiritual being was a top-secret matter; he couldn't risk Lee Ye-seol finding out.
"What!? But..." Ok-ryeong’s eyes filled with worry. She felt uneasy leaving Sun-woo alone with Yorang, who was emitting a poisonous qi so potent it had even affected her, a master of the Transcendent Realm.
"Don't worry. Poison of this level can't harm me," Sun-woo said with a slight smile. He sounded incredibly confident.
"But still..."
Despite his assurance, Ok-ryeong couldn't easily let go of her concern. She knew better than anyone how strong Sun-woo was. She was well aware that he had reached the Divine Sword Union and had easily suppressed Hwangbo Gang, known as the Heavenly King Divine Fist, and Joo So-yang, the Best Among Women.
Even so, she couldn't help but worry. She was terrified that he might get hurt.
"It’s okay," Sun-woo said, his gaze warm. "I’ll be fine."
He looked at her with absolute certainty. It wasn't an empty boast. Having ascended to the Profound Realm, Sun-woo had transcended humanity. Furthermore, by fusing his transcendent physique with the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art and the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art, he had gained a near-perfect immunity to poisons.
To someone like him, the poison Yorang emitted was nothing to fear. Even if the Poison King or the Poison Demon were to return from the dead, they wouldn't be able to affect him. That was how confident he was.
Nod.
"...I’ll trust you," Ok-ryeong said, giving a small nod after meeting his determined gaze.
"Thanks for believing in me." Sun-woo patted her head gently, as if praising a child.
Watching this, Lee Ye-seol furrowed her brows. She felt a surge of disgust seeing a man who already had a fiancée acting like that with another woman.
After a moment, Sun-woo slowly stood up, feeling he had comforted Ok-ryeong enough. Ok-ryeong followed suit and stood up as well.
"Keep a close eye on that woman so she doesn't run away. She’s a dark-hearted one; there’s no telling what she might try," Sun-woo said, pointing a finger at Lee Ye-seol.
"I won't do anything like that!" Lee Ye-seol snapped, her voice rising.
"Don't believe a word she says. If she tries to bolt or starts talking nonsense, just bash her over the head. Got it?" Sun-woo continued, completely ignoring her protest.
"Don't worry, Sun-woo," Ok-ryeong replied with a bright smile.
"And you." After patting Ok-ryeong’s head a couple more times, Sun-woo turned to Lee Ye-seol. "If you run, you're dead."
"I'm not running! Aren't we in the same boat now anyway?"
"That remains to be seen," Sun-woo said coldly. His demeanor was entirely different from the warmth he had shown Ok-ryeong. "And I saw the way you were looking at me earlier. If you glare at me like that one more time, I’ll sear you with Scorching Poison."
He was referring to the way she had just scowled at him.
"..."
Lee Ye-seol shut her mouth tight. She hadn't expected him to notice her expression.
"I’ve warned you. The moment you try anything funny, alliance or not, I’ll soak you in Scorching Poison until your brain turns to mush." Sun-woo glared at her with a fierce, threatening gaze.
"I... I get it!" Lee Ye-seol stammered, intimidated by his eyes.
"Then I’m off."
With those words, Sun-woo’s figure shot into the purple poisonous mist. His form blurred and then vanished instantly. It was the Transposition Technique, a legendary level of movement.
Ok-ryeong and Lee Ye-seol stared blankly at the spot where he had been. They were stunned by his unimaginable speed.
Sun-woo... your realm has reached even greater heights.
Ok-ryeong realized it then. Sun-woo’s mastery had deepened significantly. He had performed the Transposition Technique with just a light step, without even needing Awakening or the Bow-Body Shadow-Flicker. It was clear his cultivation had reached a new level.
Lee Ye-seol, on the other hand, was simply dazed. She knew he was strong—after all, even her mother had been helplessly defeated by him—but she never imagined he could perform the Transposition Technique so effortlessly. It was a supreme movement technique found only in legends. Seeing him use it so freely filled her with awe.
I have to bring this man to my side, no matter what!
She decided then and there. To win the succession contest, she had to secure Sun-woo’s cooperation at any cost.
*
Swoooosh!
Sun-woo’s figure cut through the wind as he raced through the poison zone. Vile toxins tried to seep into his body at every turn, but he didn't care. He was certain that every bit of poison that entered him would simply be converted into his own strength.
After running for a while, Yorang’s massive body came into full view.
Thud.
Sun-woo stopped and looked up at the giant Yorang, who stood at least twelve feet tall. She was massive and hideous, just like when they had first met.
"Yorang," Sun-woo said, his brow furrowed.
"Kuaaaaaaaaah!"
As if understanding him, Yorang let out a monstrous roar that shook the very earth.
Whoosh!
She swung a massive leg down toward Sun-woo, intending to crush him where he stood. However, her attempt was thwarted. Sun-woo simply reached out his arm and blocked the leg.
"Let's go home," Sun-woo said, his voice rough.
"Kuaaaaaah!"
Yorang raised her other front leg and lunged at him.
"Twist."
Sun-woo activated the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, violently wrenching her leg aside.
"Kyahaaaaaaaah!"
Feeling the immense pain in her limb, Yorang began to scream in agony.
"You've had your fun, haven't you?" Sun-woo asked, looking at her.
"Kraaaaaah!"
Yorang raised both her hind legs and lashed out at him.
"Twist."
Sun-woo used the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth again, forcing her two hind legs to collide with each other.
Boom!
The two legs smashed together and shattered instantly.
"Kihyaaaaaaaah!"
Having lost four legs in an instant, Yorang shrieked in pain. She clearly hadn't expected to be crippled so quickly.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Yorang raised her remaining legs all at once and drove them toward Sun-woo.
Swoosh!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The four legs moved incessantly, pounding the ground.
"Twist."
Crack!
Creeeak!
With just those words, her remaining legs twisted in unnatural directions and were completely torn away.
"Kyahaaaak... Ka-aaaak..."
Having lost all her legs, Yorang let out a cry of pure anguish from the overwhelming pain.
Step. Step.
Sun-woo walked slowly toward the grieving Yorang. He placed his hand on her carapace.
"Scatter."
Creeeeeak!
Craaaaack!
At his command, cracks began to spiderweb across her carapace before it started to split apart.
"Kyahaaaaaah!"
Yorang let out a panicked roar at the sudden disintegration of her shell.
Vrooooom!
She quickly surged her yokai power, trying to stop the collapse of her carapace.
Craaaaaack!
But the destruction only accelerated, and soon the entire shell shattered at once.
Thud. Thud.
The massive pieces of the carapace that had encased Yorang began to fall away—the giant torso, the massive legs, everything. And then, the human-form Yorang, who had been hidden inside the shell, was revealed. It seemed she hadn't fully transformed, but had merely inflated and encased herself in the carapace.
Yorang’s eyes were closed.
"Yorang," Sun-woo called out.
Snap.
Her eyes snapped open, glowing with a feral, predatory light.
"Kyahaaaaaah!"
Seeing Sun-woo, Yorang let out a screech and took a defensive stance, fearing he might harm her.
"Let's go home," Sun-woo said calmly, looking at the wary girl.
"Kyahaaaaah!"
"I won't overwork you anymore."
"Kyahaaaaah!"
"I won't leave you for long periods again."
"Kyahaaaaah!"
"So, let's go."
"Kyahaaaaah!"
Despite Sun-woo’s persistent persuasion, Yorang only screeched, refusing to give any other answer.
"I guess you're still very angry."
Sun-woo slowly approached her.
"Kyack! Kyack! Kyack!"
As he drew near, Yorang resisted fiercely, flailing her small hands. Sun-woo ignored her resistance and walked right up to her. Then, he slowly opened his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Kyahaaaak!"
Yorang, struggling violently against the hug, bit down hard on Sun-woo’s neck. Her intent to kill was unmistakable. Sun-woo didn't defend himself. He wanted to let her vent her pent-up resentment.
"I'm sorry," Sun-woo whispered, gently stroking the back of her head while holding her close. "I'm very late, aren't I?"
Crunch.
Yorang bit down even harder.
"I heard everything. They said you went through a lot of trouble."
Grip.
"I'm sorry. If I had come just a little sooner, you wouldn't have had to run away from home like this."
Blood began to seep from Sun-woo’s neck as Yorang’s teeth pierced his skin.
Stroke. Stroke.
"You did well. You worked so hard while I was gone." Sun-woo continued to stroke her hair with an affectionate touch.
Suddenly, the pressure of Yorang’s bite began to weaken.
"Thank you. For working so hard while I wasn't here."
Stroke. Stroke.
Soon, the pressure on his neck vanished completely. Her teeth were no longer bared in an attempt to kill, but were merely resting against his skin.
"Yorang, you're the best."
Yorang finally pulled her teeth away from his neck. She backed away slowly and looked at Sun-woo. The feral instinct that had dominated her eyes began to fade, replaced by a glimmer of reason. Her consciousness had returned.
"...Sun-woo?"
Yorang looked at him with wide, startled eyes.
"Did you sleep well?" Sun-woo asked with a grin, seeing that she was back to herself.
Brim.
As soon as he spoke, tears began to well up in Yorang’s eyes. She realized that the Sun-woo standing before her wasn't a dream, but reality.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Yorang burst into sorrowful sobs. She threw herself into Sun-woo’s arms.
"Waaaaaaaah! Sun-woo! Sun-woo!"
She cried out his name repeatedly, her sobs growing louder. Seeing his face, all her sorrow, longing, and joy came rushing out at once. Yorang buried her face in Sun-woo’s chest and wailed.
Sun-woo gently rubbed her back, holding her until her crying finally began to subside.