Chapter 273: Crisis of Bukri Sehee (1)

I, Yong Hwarin, trembled with excitement.

The duel with Myeong Gujeong had become a measure of how far my skills had reached.

It also gave me the confidence that I might be able to defeat one of the Three Grand Elders.

Though Myeong Gujeong and I had both reached the Boundary of the Upper World, the realms we stood on were different—thus I was able to seize the upper hand.

‘With my current level in the Boundary of the Upper World, can I truly defeat Namgung Bi? Can I fight the Three Grand Elders?’

Questions arose, but fear was gone.

Instead, I felt a surge of competitive spirit.

‘Long ago, Namgung Bi asked me to tell him what came after the Boundary of the Upper World. Can I reach the realm beyond it? And what is that next realm?’

It took effort to calm my pounding heart.

Once the excitement faded, the face of Bukri Sehee came to mind.

She might already be suffering at the hands of the Three Grand Elders.

The moment that thought passed through me, my feet were already soaring into the sky.

Man Inhwa stepped into an inn, took a seat in a corner, casually ordered food, and kept glancing at the window on the right.

“Yo Elder, that’s her, right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And the one sitting with her?”

At Man Inhwa’s question, Yoro furrowed his brow as he tried to recall.

“He shaved his beard—that’s why I didn’t recognize him. That’s Jin Pyeong, the Left Protector of the Sword Poison Sect.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, it really is him. I didn’t notice without the beard.”

“He always kept a beard, so it’s no wonder you didn’t.”

“So he was driven out of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union by Yong Hwarin, and now he’s lingering here.”

Man Inhwa had tailed Hoi Soyu into the inn, who was currently sitting with Jin Pyeong.

“But Young Palace Master, why did you follow Lady Hoi? She’s nothing more than a kite with a cut string now.”

Yoro couldn’t understand why his Young Palace Master was tailing Hoi Soyu.

To him, Hoi Soyu was completely useless now.

“I know. But maybe—just maybe—she’s someone special.”

“What do you mean?”

“My informant told me that Eum Sajeok is in a relationship with Hoi Soyu.”

“Hmm.”

Yoro couldn’t understand what was so special about that. After all, youthful passions could lead to romantic entanglements.

When Yoro Elder failed to grasp her meaning, Man Inhwa elaborated.

“Eum Gongja’s martial art is a special Yin Ice Art. That means he needs to sleep with a woman filled with strong yin energy. He can’t just be with any woman. If he does, he’ll fall into Qi Deviation.”

“Are you saying it’s the Yin Spirit Cold Ice Art, also known as Reversed Child Technique?”

“Exactly.”

“Still, I don’t understand why such a technique would matter so much.”

Man Inhwa gave a bitter smile.

“That’s why I joined forces with the Third Young Master, Eum Sajeok, instead of the First Young Master, Yang Gwak. If Eum Sajeok truly mastered the Yin Spirit Cold Ice Art, I believed he could overpower both the First and Second Young Masters.”

It had been a reasonable judgment on her part.

The Yin Spirit Cold Ice Art was one of the top three Ultimate Martial Arts among Yin-based arts.

“Indeed. If he reached complete mastery, few in the murim would be able to oppose him.”

“If I had joined hands with the Second Young Master, I wouldn’t be in this sorry state. Even the First Young Master would have been better.”

Man Inhwa now regretted aligning with Eum Sajeok, having ended up in this position.

In the end, Eum Sajeok had been the weakest of them all.

And after clashing head-on with Yong Hwarin, his faction was practically annihilated—he no longer held any value.

“But what does that have to do with Lady Hoi, that you would go so far as to follow her?”

Man Inhwa looked at the still-bewildered Yoro Elder with a hint of frustration.

“I’m thinking… maybe she has enough yin energy to cultivate the Glass Divine Art.”

Yoro Elder gave her a surprised look.

“Even if someone possesses strong yin energy, it’s extremely difficult for an ordinary person to cultivate the Glass Divine Art.”

“Even if not perfect, it’s possible to some degree. Especially with my help, it wouldn’t be impossible. It’d be crude, but she could still learn it.”

“Is her yin energy really that strong?”

Yoro Elder remained skeptical.

“That’s why I want to check. Eum Sajeok chose her, after all. She must possess more than ordinary yin energy.”

Man Inhwa, on the other hand, looked hopeful.

After suffering a major defeat at Yong Hwarin’s hands and heading back to Ihwa Palace, she had found a new hope in encountering Hoi Soyu. Naturally, her expectations had risen.

“Let’s confirm it.”

At her words, Yoro nodded.

“Understood.”

The two entered the inn, pretending to stumble upon Hoi Soyu and Jin Pyeong by chance.

“Isn’t that Lady Hoi?”

They feigned surprise as they passed her table.

Seeing that Man Inhwa had noticed her, Hoi Soyu showed a hint of wariness.

Even someone as cautious as Hoi Soyu knew that Man Inhwa was no ordinary woman.

“It’s been a while, Lady Man.”

“Shall we eat together?”

Without waiting for Hoi Soyu’s permission, Man Inhwa plopped down in the seat across from her.

“I am Yoro.”

“He is an elder of Ihwa Palace.”

With Yoro also taking a seat, Hoi Soyu frowned.

“Huh? But Lady Hoi, your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you feeling unwell?”

Ever since she had suffered humiliation at the hands of Yong Hwarin, Hoi Soyu had endured sleepless nights. Her head throbbed and her body was in poor condition.

“I don’t feel very well.”

At her response, Man Inhwa replied as though she had been waiting for it.

“Ah, then why don’t you have our Elder Yoro give you an examination? Elder Yoro is known as Hua Tuo in our palace.”

Yoro laughed to himself.

Throwing around comparisons was one thing, but calling him Hua Tuo left him dumbfounded.

Still, he spoke with a serious face.

“Judging by your eyes, it seems you have some internal illness.”

“Elder Yoro, please give Lady Hoi an examination.”

“Shall I?”

As Yoro reached to take Hoi Soyu’s wrist, Jin Pyeong, who was sitting beside her, assumed a ready stance to draw his sword.

These strangers had suddenly shown up, speaking of illness, and now were trying to take his daughter’s pulse. Naturally, he sensed something was off.

Man Inhwa, wearing an offended expression, extended her hand toward Jin Pyeong.

“I’m only doing this out of concern. If you can’t trust us, then hold my pulse instead.”

As she offered her own wrist to guarantee safety, Jin Pyeong re-sheathed his sword.

Then he grasped Man Inhwa’s wrist.

Seeing this, Hoi Soyu also extended her hand to Yoro.

Yoro took Hoi Soyu’s hand and circulated his qi into her.

He spent about a minute measuring the yin energy, then withdrew his hand.

Watching sweat bead on Yoro’s forehead, Jin Pyeong felt a pang of guilt.

He had doubted the sincerity of someone who had just used all his strength in an earnest diagnosis.

Even so, he did not let go of Man Inhwa’s wrist.

Once Yoro released Hoi Soyu’s hand, Jin Pyeong asked,

“Is there anything wrong?”

“Yes. Elder Yoro examined my body thoroughly,” Hoi Soyu replied, describing what she had felt.

Jin Pyeong sensed nothing abnormal, so he let go of Man Inhwa’s wrist.

Man Inhwa turned to Yoro and asked,

“Elder Yoro, what do you think?”

“Regrettably, Lady Hoi’s internal organs appear to have suffered significant damage due to some strange energy.”

“Oh no, what should we do?” Man Inhwa asked in an astonished tone.

“In this case, our palace’s spiritual medicine can treat it.”

At that, Man Inhwa asked,

“Lady Hoi, would you like to come to our palace for treatment?”

At her words, Lady Hoi let out a short laugh.

“Lady Man, you suddenly appeared, examined me, and now want to take me to Ihwa Palace. What is your true intention? Please be honest.”

Their awkward act made it immediately clear that there was some ulterior motive.

“Alright. I’ll be honest. Lady Hoi, are you aware that our palace possesses invincible divine arts?”

“Of course I know. Ihwa Palace is famous in the murim for two divine arts: Moonlight Demon Art and Glass Divine Art, are they not?”

Man Inhwa responded with a small smile.

“Correct. You’re well-informed. Don’t you wish to learn such divine arts? In fact, Elder Yoro examined you under the pretense of a check-up to assess your yin energy. One needs strong yin energy to cultivate the Glass Divine Art.”

Moved by Man Inhwa’s proposal, Hoi Soyu looked to Jin Pyeong.

“I believe it sounds dangerous. I can’t trust that the reclusive Ihwa Palace would pass on the Glass Divine Art to an outsider.”

Jin Pyeong did not like their scheming tone.

He seemed to sense something hidden beneath their words.

When Jin Pyeong expressed his refusal, Hoi Soyu let go of the idea.

“I’ll decline as well. Truthfully, I plan to enter the Sword Poison Sect to study poison arts.”

After being stripped of everything in the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, Hoi Soyu had decided to master the poison arts of the Sword Poison Sect to seek revenge.

Just as Yoro tried to persuade her once more, Man Inhwa stood up.

“It was nice meeting you. No matter how great a martial art is, if one has no desire to learn it, there’s nothing that can be done.”

Yoro looked at Man Inhwa, stunned.

He had never seen the Young Palace Master give up on something so easily.

Seeing her smile even, he sensed her hidden intentions.

Yoro quietly followed Man Inhwa outside, and she sneered.

“Hmph. How ridiculous. She thinks she can take revenge on that Yong brat with some mere poison arts from the Sword Poison Sect?”

As soon as they were outside, she spat venomously. Yoro asked,

“Young Palace Master, are we really retreating?”

“Why do you even ask? Of course we’re going to kidnap her.”

Yoro nodded as if to say, ‘I knew it.’

The two quietly followed after Hoi Soyu and Jin Pyeong once they left the inn.

When the father and daughter turned onto a secluded path, Man Inhwa blocked their way.

Seeing the person blocking the road, Hoi Soyu furrowed her brows.

“Why are you blocking the way?”

“I came to make a proposal to Lady Hoi.”

“But I believe Lady Man’s proposal was already refused earlier.”

Man Inhwa’s cheek twitched. However, she forced a smile, exercising patience.

Still, her words grew curt.

“Listen to the end. Will you die and follow me, or live and listen to what I say?”

“What are you talking about?”

Sensing something ominous, Hoi Soyu stepped back.

Jin Pyeong stepped forward and spoke.

“Stand back.”

Yoro smirked and said,

“Can you even use a poison sword properly with fingers missing?”

As he said that, Yoro leapt at Jin Pyeong and attacked without hesitation.

As the two engaged in combat, Hoi Soyu shouted sharply.

“What are you doing?”

“You should’ve listened to me. Because of you, innocent people are dying.”

After about ten seconds, Jin Pyeong was pushed into a disadvantage.

Had his fingers not been severed, he could have fought Elder Yoro on even ground. But ever since they were cut, the power of his poison sword no longer manifested properly, forcing him to constantly retreat.

Man Inhwa muttered,

“Elder Yoro, don’t let him live.”

At her words, Yoro pressed harder.

Another ten seconds passed, and Jin Pyeong’s right arm flew up into the air.

“Ugh!”

As Jin Pyeong staggered from the severed arm, Elder Yoro instantly closed in and beheaded him.

As Jin Pyeong’s head floated into the air, Hoi Soyu screamed.

“No!”

Whatever he was, he was her biological father. Witnessing his death filled her with rage.

“I’ll kill you all!”

Watching this, Man Inhwa sneered.

“That’s right, feel even more rage! That’ll make it easier for you to master the Glass Divine Art.”

Glass Divine Art was a martial art that exploded one’s potential through yin energy, lightning energy, and rage.

That was why she had personally killed Jin Pyeong right before Hoi Soyu’s eyes.

“I’ll kill every last one of you!”

Hoi Soyu unleashed her killing intent toward the two.

Man Inhwa lightly struck the nape of her neck.

“Keuk!”

In her unrestrained state, when her devil’s point was struck, Hoi Soyu collapsed on the spot.

“Elder Yoro, well done. Let’s return to our palace now.”

The two left the scene without even glancing at Jin Pyeong’s headless corpse.

On the desolate street, only Jin Pyeong’s body remained, reeking of blood.

Moments later, only stray dogs drawn by the smell of blood began to gather.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep