abcnovels
Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Chapter 74
‘Sect Leader Il-geol killed Seol Gyeon’s parents.’
Her parents were evil sect leaders who had committed many wrongdoings.
Il-geol, who usually hesitated to take lives, had rarely spilled blood for such evil leaders. And neither Il-geol nor Seol Hwa herself knew that she was the child of those evil leaders.
Even if she had known the truth, it wouldn’t have been easy to revere as a master the one who killed her parents.
Seol Hwa (Snow Flower), once the beautiful daughter of the beggars, eventually went mad. And so she became Seol Gyeon (Snow Dog).
Within the boundaries of her anguish, she spins round and round like a dog chasing its tail.
In the end.
‘When she threw herself at the Heavenly Demon after 8 years of searching and 2 years of preparation, completing 10 years. What was she thinking?’
Seol Gyeon spoke to Jin Cheon-hee.
“So you’re that little brat. The direct disciple of the White Dragon Divine Doctor, with the title of Little White Dragon Doctor.”“Ah, hello!”
Jin Cheon-hee pretends to be innocent and makes a fist-palm salute.
Seol Gyeon said:
“I am Seol Gyeon, the Rear Beggar. It’s a title given to me because I look like a snow-covered dog. Call me Seol Gyeon or Seol-gae, whichever you prefer.”
She casually tosses and catches her beggar’s staff.
“Thanks for saving Hwanggu. The food that bastard Hwanggu eats is quite tasty. That old man spoils only Hwanggu, you know. Heheh.”
It seems the description of stealing dog food wasn’t an exaggeration.
Jin Cheon-hee didn’t miss the complex twisting of her mouth corners behind her laughter.
‘You haven’t found the answer yet, have you?’
The snow-covered dog still hadn’t found her answer.
She was just spinning in circles, biting her own tail.
Jin Cheon-hee nonchalantly packed his belongings on his back.
Other people’s anguish belongs to them. It wasn’t Jin Cheon-hee’s business.
For now, he would just save the life before him.
***
Dragon Phoenix Branch of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Temporary branch of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.
Zhuge Rin’s teacup shattered.
Crack-
Perhaps ‘shattered’ isn’t the right expression.
The teacup was turning to powder and oxidizing in Zhuge Rin’s hand.
“W-White… Dragon Divine Doctor?”
The people from the West Gate Seo family turned pale seeing Zhuge Rin’s state.
‘The White Dragon Divine Doctor’s martial arts have progressed even further.’
‘Has that monster become even more monstrous?’
‘No, they said he was terminally ill and would die soon, but he seems to get stronger every time we see him.’
Even more terrifying was the killing intent spreading from Zhuge Rin.
Grrrr-
The killing intent emanating from a master who had surpassed the Transformation Realm filled the temporary branch.
‘What on earth could be written in that letter to make him so angry?’
The Dragon Phoenix Branch of the Martial Arts Alliance had opened.
This meant the beginning of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion’s march of tribulation.
Under Zhuge Rin, the four great medical hall masters were taking turns treating various trauma patients.
Zhuge Rin, as the pavilion master, didn’t take the front lines, but was caring for critically ill patients that the medical hall masters couldn’t treat.
‘Wow, the Divine Doctor is here!’
Young martial artists welcomed him joyfully.
‘…He doesn’t age at all, that monster.’
‘No, wasn’t he supposed to die soon? Why is he so healthy?’
The elders of various sects who knew the deep secrets of the martial world clicked their tongues.
Zhuge Rin had been doing his work as a divine doctor, smiling beautifully with a calm demeanor.
The strange thing was that even in this busy situation, not a single fold of his robe was creased.
Such a man now began to rage at a single letter sent from the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.
“Divine Doctor? Divine Doctor?”
“…”
Crunch-crunch–
“Divine Doctor! Please calm down. Divine Doctor!”
Zhuge Rin didn’t respond.
The cold air he created was just deathly cold.
At that moment, the door slid open.
“Pavilion Master!”
It was Hall Master Dokgo Junghoo, the Martial Force Hall Master. At the voice of his loyal subordinate, Zhuge Rin seemed to regain his senses, and his killing intent disappeared as if washed away.
His long silver hair that had been fluttering like a storm settled back into its original place.
“Phew…”
All the martial artists and family members breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhuge Rin said:
“Bring me writing paper.”
“Ah, you mean writing paper to reply to the letter?”
Hall Master Dokgo Junghoo hurriedly opened a drawer.
Zhuge Rin shook his head.
“No. It’s a letter to send to the Martial Arts Alliance Leader.”
“What do you mean…?”
Zhuge Rin smiled brightly.
“I’m going to finish the medical treatment and return now.”
At those words, everyone made a shocked expression.
“Y-you mean before the Dragon Phoenix Branch meeting is over?”
“Hahaha, that petty Dragon Phoenix Branch meeting. Come to think of it, I don’t need a letter either. Just convey my message well.”
Zhuge Rin stood up. Then he walked out of the temporary residence.
“Pavilion Master! P-Pavilion Master! I found the writing paper! The writing paper!”
Regardless, Zhuge Rin headed straight for one place.
The stable. Specifically, where the fastest horse was.
“Tell them I’m borrowing a horse from the Namgoong family.”
What Zhuge Rin chose was a huge black horse as big as a house.
“You can’t mean the Ruling Black Horse… W-wait, Pavilion Master!”
With those final words, Zhuge Rin had already disappeared, leaving only a cloud of dust behind him.
“W-what kind of letter could it be for him to leave in such a hurry? Where on earth is he going?”
Hall Master Dokgo Junghoo returned to where Zhuge Rin had been. There, the letter Zhuge Rin had read was crumpled.
The ink had smeared and torn, unable to withstand Zhuge Rin’s killing intent, so the contents were unreadable.
He could only tell that it was Yoo Ho’s handwriting. And one barely legible character.
The character for joy (?, ?, hee).
Just one character meaning the Little Pavilion Master.
“Pavilion Master… Pavilion Masteeer! What are we supposed to do if you leave like this? Pavilion Masteeeeer!”
***
Woof!
Hwanggu, cradled in Seol Gyeon’s arms, pointed with its nose.
It was using its sense of smell to find and indicate the location of the Sect Leader.
‘Normally, even that Hwanggu bastard should rest more, but…’
Given the situation, there was no helping it.
A group of Beggar’s Sect disciples, Jin Cheon-hee, and doctors from the White Dragon Medical Pavilion’s medical faction ran together across the snowy mountain.
To be precise, only the Beggar’s Sect disciples and Jin Cheon-hee were running.
The doctors from the White Dragon Medical Pavilion were out of breath and eventually sat down.
“Huff, huff… Please go ahead. We’ll… we’ll… follow behind… gasp…”
‘They’re sweating like rain after just a little run. Tsk tsk.’
It was “a little” by Jin Cheon-hee’s standards.
From the start, they were just martial world doctors who knew how to use internal energy, not martial artists who lived by the sword.
It was just that the standards of the White Dragon Divine Doctor and Jin Cheon-hee were a bit (?) higher.
Seol Gyeon said:
“Hell, how can you be a doctor if you’re that weak? Eat some proper meals. You’re weaker than beggar bastards who beg for food, geez.”
Saying that, she piggybacked the largest doctor.
‘Usually, she’d order a subordinate to do it, but to carry him herself…’
All the doctors, including Jin Cheon-hee, looked surprised. However, the Beggar’s Sect disciples seemed used to it, sighing as they each piggybacked one of the other doctors.
“Sister, who here has better stamina than you? We’re about to die of exhaustion too.”
The Beggar’s Sect disciples grumbled but immediately followed her.
That alone showed how much respect she commanded.
Jin Cheon-hee thought:
‘Normally, doctors would slow down the pursuit, so they shouldn’t be included in the chase team, but we have no choice.’
An elderly patient had been left on the snowy mountain for days.
If the patient’s condition was as described in the letter, they might die during transport. That’s how critical the situation was.
Seol Gyeon said:
“Hehehe, what wimps. Hey, little brat. Are you okay? Want to ride on a beggar’s back too?”
She was talking to Jin Cheon-hee.
Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.
“I’m fine.”
At those words, Seol Gyeon whistled.
“Impressive. The kid’s better than the adults.”
“Sister!”
“Sisteeer!”
“Oh my, Sister!”
“Hehehe, shut up, you bastards.”
Saying that, she spoke to the doctor on her back.
“Is your back comfortable?”
The doctor finally spoke his true feelings with difficulty.
“If we could just rest a bit…”
“Ah, I’d like to rest too. But let’s rest after meeting the old man. Well, he’s as strong as a tiger so he won’t die, but we should still see his face.”
“Ugh, I understand.”
“Hehehe.”
With that laugh, Seol Gyeon activated her lightness skill.
A movement that lowered her posture and swept along the ground.
More than the Beggar’s Sect’s Dog Running.
It was named because it resembled a hungry dog running, but contrary to its name, it was faster and quieter than most footwork techniques.
A movement like a wild dog preparing to hunt.
She ran gracefully across the snowy field, which was several times more difficult than flat ground.
“Ah, Sister… please have mercy.”
The Beggar’s Sect disciples ran together behind her.
While not as good as Seol Gyeon, their lightness skill was quite proficient.
However, none of the Beggar’s Sect disciples could keep up with her as she ran across the snowy mountain as if it were her own home.
Except for one.
Tap-
Jin Cheon-hee was following right beside Seol Gyeon.
“Heheh, the little brat runs well, huh?”
Even though she was running while carrying a person, her movement was not a speed that ordinary martial artists could keep up with.
Yet Jin Cheon-hee was following her closely without falling behind.
“It’s damn strange. The form is clearly the Three-Elements Stride, but the positioning is free.”
“Hehehe.”
Jin Cheon-hee laughed awkwardly.
“Well, I heard you outran those damned masked men and caused that avalanche and survived. Heheh, kid, how far can you go?”
Seol Gyeon looked at Jin Cheon-hee closely and then increased her speed.
Tap-
Her footprints were deeply imprinted in the snow.
At the same time, her afterimage became even more blurred.
It meant ‘follow if you can’.
‘Whew.’
Jin Cheon-hee took a deep breath.
At the same time, he recalled the subtleties of the Three-Elements Stride along with the insights of the Five-Elemental Divine Technique’s wind circulation.
Jin Cheon-hee’s body began to move faster, more like a wild animal than a human.
Strangely, although his speed clearly increased, the number of times his feet touched the ground remained constant.
Jin Cheon-hee caught up to her, right on her heels.
Admiration appeared in Seol Gyeon’s eyes.
“A prodigy is indeed a prodigy.”
Woof! Woof woof!
Hwanggu barked.
Seol Gyeon said:
“It says it’s here?”
***
A frozen waterfall was visible at the top of the mountain.
In a situation where no human presence could be felt at all, Hwanggu kept barking towards the waterfall.
But all that was in front of them was a huge block of ice.
Not only the doctors who came along, but even the famous beggars of the Beggar’s Sect couldn’t hide their confusion.
Only Seol Gyeon remained calm.
“That’s how ice is. The old man used his head a bit, huh?”
She took a stance and lightly threw her beggar’s staff.
Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms.
First Form.
Hungry Dog Biting.
It was named after the image of a hungry dog rushing towards food. A trajectory that showed not a hint of elegance. Yet somehow, it felt more terrifying than the sword paths shown by first-class martial artists.
Kwaang!
She shattered the frozen waterfall with a single strike.
The beggar’s staff, made not of iron but roughly carved wood, didn’t have even a scratch on it.
‘I didn’t even notice the sword energy imbued in it.’