Chapter 671: It... It Is Adorable.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 671: It... It Is Adorable.
"That is enough."
Neung So-hwa, the woman as brilliant as a flame, spoke in a tone that was nothing short of rigid.
Grip!
She spoke while firmly grasping a hand that was as white as snow.
"That’s quite a violent greeting, Neung So-hwa."
Bukgung Yeon, the woman as pure white as the snow itself, replied in a calm voice.
"The violent one is you. What on earth do you think you are doing?"
Neung So-hwa stared at Bukgung Yeon with her crimson eyes as she spoke.
"I was just planning on giving them a light pat."
Bukgung Yeon spoke with an expression that suggested it was of no consequence.
"In what world is this 'light'?"
Neung So-hwa asked, her expression one of sheer disbelief.
Hundreds of people had their limbs frozen solid, their entire bodies shivering uncontrollably from the cold. Some were howling in agony, while many others lay unconscious and silent as the grave.
How could this possibly be considered a 'light pat'?
"They aren't dead," Bukgung Yeon replied nonchalantly.
"They are all severely injured!"
"But their lives were spared. Isn't that a fair trade?"
Bukgung Yeon spoke as if she truly didn't understand the problem.
"Harming them in the first place was wrong."
"Why?"
Bukgung Yeon asked, her face still clouded with confusion.
"What was your reason for inflicting such heavy injuries on them?"
"They were annoying."
"..."
"That is exactly what is wrong! How can you inflict such wounds without a proper justification?"
"Is the Murim not a world where the strong survive? The fact that the weak were an eyesore to the strong seems like justification enough, doesn't it?"
"It seems you have a grave misunderstanding of the Murim."
Neung So-hwa felt a throbbing headache coming on.
The saying that the Murim was a world of survival of the fittest wasn't wrong. It was a place where the logic of power often preceded law and order.
But even so, this was going too far. How could someone turn people into cripples just because they were 'annoying'? This was excessive violence that transcended any justification.
"Even so, this is beyond the pale. You will not be able to escape criticism."
Neung So-hwa spoke with a heavy, somber expression.
"Let them criticize."
Hearing her words, Bukgung Yeon replied with an indifferent look.
"I don't care who criticizes me. Aren't they all just weaklings who wouldn't dare utter a single word in my presence anyway?"
"You truly live in a world of your own."
Neung So-hwa furrowed her beautiful brows slightly. She did not like Bukgung Yeon’s attitude, which bordered on absolute self-centeredness.
"Living well on one's own is the wise way to live, So-hwa."
Bukgung Yeon replied with a relaxed smile.
"Sigh... Let us head inside for now. This conversation looks like it will be a long one."
Neung So-hwa let out a soft sigh. If they continued to argue like this, there would be no end to it.
"Wait a moment. I need to teach this little brat a lesson first."
Bukgung Yeon looked down at the unconscious Lee Jae-sun.
"That is enough!"
"It’s not enough for me. I think I’ll have to cut off one of his arms."
Bukgung Yeon spoke with a determined expression.
"Bukgung Yeon."
Neung So-hwa glared at her with eyes as hot as fire.
"I clearly said to stop. I said that is enough."
"Is there any reason I should listen to you?"
Bukgung Yeon replied with a smile as cold as the bitter cold northern wind.
Soon, an extraordinary pressure began to emanate from both women. Their emotions were reaching a boiling point.
"Hauuu... uu... uuu..."
Suddenly, a faint babbling sound was heard.
In an instant, the two women, who had been releasing their intimidating auras, froze like statues. Then, they immediately turned their gaze toward the source of the sound.
There, they saw it. A tiny, cute creature letting out a wide yawn with its small mouth.
Flash.
the moment they saw that sight, the two women retracted their auras. Then, with faces that had completely softened, they began to stare at the incredibly adorable creature.
"It... it is adorable."
Neung So-hwa’s face flushed deep red. Her heart had been completely stolen by the sight of the child, which was cute enough to make her chest feel tight.
"Right? Isn't he cute? Isn't he?"
Hearing those words, Bukgung Yeon spoke with an immensely proud expression. The thought that her precious child was also lovely in the eyes of others filled her with instinctive pride.
"Is... this child... the one?"
Neung So-hwa asked, her face full of curiosity.
"That's right."
Bukgung Yeon nodded, looking incredibly boastful.
"......He is so... so... adorable..."
"Of course he is. Look whose bloodline he carries..."
"May I... hold him once?"
Neung So-hwa asked with a look of desperate longing. A surge of maternal instinct made her want to cradle the tiny, squirming life in her arms.
"No."
"....W-Why not?"
"Wash your hands before you touch him. Babies are fragile."
"Ah, I have been impolite."
Neung So-hwa nodded repeatedly. She agreed that it was best to maintain cleanliness before touching the child.
"A-bu-bu-bu... A-buuu..."
The baby began to babble again.
"He must be hungry."
Seeing this, Bukgung Yeon immediately understood her child's needs.
"Let go."
Bukgung Yeon looked at Neung So-hwa, who was still holding her hand.
".........."
Neung So-hwa hesitated, her expression complicated. She couldn't tell if Bukgung Yeon wanted her to let go so she could nurse the baby, or if she intended to finish off the man in front of her.
"I won't kill him. Let go. I can't show my child such a gruesome sight, can I?"
Bukgung Yeon spoke with a gentle smile.
Release.
Hearing those words, Neung So-hwa let go of her hand. She felt certain that Bukgung Yeon wouldn't cause a bloody incident right in front of the baby.
Thud!
As soon as Neung So-hwa let go, Bukgung Yeon raised her foot and kicked Lee Jae-sun.
Roll, roll.
The kicked Lee Jae-sun rolled far away into the distance.
"Bukgung Yeon!"
Seeing this, Neung So-hwa raised her voice and shouted.
"I just felt bad leaving him like that."
Bukgung Yeon replied with a mischievous smile.
"Now then, lead the way. To where my lovely husband is."
"............Wait."
Neung So-hwa looked dissatisfied, but she soon relented. She figured it was a relief that the man hadn't been killed.
Step, step.
Neung So-hwa walked past Bukgung Yeon and slowly moved forward. Then, she looked around. She saw the numerous martial artists suffering from the effects of the Ice Arts.
'Sigh.'
Neung So-hwa let out a soft sigh. It seemed she would have to clean up the mess before leaving.
She slowly began to circulate the Extreme Yang Flame Emperor Demonic Art.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Enormous flames began to blaze around her body—flames so massive they looked as if they could swallow the world.
Neung So-hwa began to imbue those massive flames with her Mental Image.
The color of the flames began to change. At first, they were red. But as time passed, they turned yellow, then white, then blue.
Finally, they turned into a pitch-black flame, as dark as the abyss itself.
Reach.
Having manifested the Black Flame, Neung So-hwa slowly reached out her hand.
Fwooooosh!
The Black Flames instantly surged forward as if to cover the entire area.
Fwooooosh!
The surging Black Flames enveloped the martial artists of the Cheonmu Alliance, completely obscuring them from view.
Neung So-hwa watched the scene silently with a deeply serious expression. After some time had passed, she lightly clenched her fist.
Flash.
The Black Flames that had been surrounding the martial artists vanished in an instant, as if they had never existed.
"Phew."
Only then did Neung So-hwa let out a sigh of relief and relax her tension. She felt that she had finished everything she needed to do.
"Ho."
An exclamation of admiration reached her ears. Neung So-hwa slowly turned her head. She saw Bukgung Yeon with a deep smile on her lips.
"Impressive. To use such massive flames to burn away only the cold energy."
Bukgung Yeon spoke as if truly impressed. Neung So-hwa had used the Black Flame to incinerate only her icy energy without harming the people at all, despite using such visible and immense firepower. How could she not be impressed?
"Burning only what I wish to burn is the Martial Dao I pursue."
Neung So-hwa replied in a calm tone.
"I see.... So you've imbued it with a Mental Image. Remarkable. You've grown stronger since the last time we met."
Bukgung Yeon spoke with an amused expression. The last time they met, Neung So-hwa hadn't been able to imbue her flames with a Mental Image. Yet, in just one year, she had mastered it perfectly.
"Are you afraid?"
Hearing her words, Neung So-hwa gave a short laugh.
"Hardly. You aren't the only one who has grown stronger."
Bukgung Yeon looked at Neung So-hwa with eyes full of competitive spirit. Even though the other woman could now use a Mental Image with her flames, she didn't feel like she would lose. She, too, was capable of manifesting a Mental Image.
"I look forward to it, then."
"If you want, we can settle it right now."
"That sounds fine to me."
The two women began to burn with competitive spirit as they stared at each other.
Ice and Fire.
Ice Arts and Fire Arts.
The position of rivals fighting over the same man.
All these factors combined to make them acutely aware of each other, eventually heightening their competitive drive. Both women thought the same thing: they wanted to fight right this instant.
"Ai-tya-tya! Tya-tya-i-tya-dya! A-bu-bu-buuu!"
Until the babbling reached their ears once more.
"My baby, I'm sorry. Mommy hasn't fed you yet, has she?"
Bukgung Yeon spoke with a regretful expression.
"I apologize as well. I had forgotten."
Neung So-hwa also looked sheepish. She realized that now was not the time to be radiating competitive spirit.
"I need to nurse him first."
Bukgung Yeon looked at Neung So-hwa.
"There is an empty pavilion nearby. It would be best to go there first."
"Could I ask you to lead the way?"
Bukgung Yeon asked almost like a request.
"Just follow me."
Neung So-hwa nodded and turned around, beginning to walk slowly so that Bukgung Yeon, who was carrying the baby, could easily keep up.
Smirk.
Sensing Neung So-hwa’s small gesture of consideration, a small smile played on Bukgung Yeon’s lips. She began to walk slowly, following behind her.
Soon, the two figures completely disappeared from the main gate. Only the hundreds of fallen martial artists and the gate guards of the Tang Clan remained.
"....Uh... Senior."
Baek Dang-gi, who had been watching the series of events with a dazed expression, slowly spoke up.
"Speak."
Tang Hun replied with a stoic face.
"Um... is your cheek okay?"
Dang-gi asked as he looked at Tang Hun, whose cheeks were torn and bleeding profusely.
"I won't die."
"But... there's so much blood..."
"It's a wound that will heal after a few applications of Golden Wound Medicine. Don't worry about it."
Tang Hun spoke as if it were nothing.
"Uh... Senior."
Dang-gi called out to Tang Hun again.
"What is it?"
Tang Hun asked in a stiff tone.
"What... should we do about this?"
Dang-gi pointed to the martial artists of the Cheonmu Alliance lying scattered on the ground.
".......Sigh......."
Hearing that, Tang Hun let out a long sigh. Even for someone with five years of experience as a gate guard, this situation was incredibly awkward.
"......Let's start by reporting this to the higher-ups."
"........Will they believe us?"
Dang-gi asked, his face full of doubt. The vanguard of the Cheonmu Alliance had been wiped out by a single person. He didn't think the leadership would believe it so easily.
"But what else can we do? This is the truth."
Tang Hun spoke with a calm expression.
"It doesn't matter if they don't believe us. The person responsible for this situation has already entered the Tang Clan."
"....Who... do you think that female master was?"
Dang-gi asked curiously. He was dying to know the identity of the woman who had annihilated over five hundred martial artists of the Cheonmu Alliance.
"..............One thing is for certain."
"What is it?"
"The fact that the woman's husband is inside the Tang Clan..."
Tang Hun spoke with a heavy, somber expression.