Chapter 215: Reunion

“Hoo.”

Yong Seo-hee slowly exhaled. At this point, even taking a deep breath was difficult.

Leaning against the wall and gasping for air, she looked different from before.

Though she was dressed in clean clothes, her left arm was gone, and her right eye was covered by a large bandage, likely due to injury.

Moreover, a black awl the length of chopsticks was embedded in her chest, and from its tip, drops of blood turned into red mist and floated into the air.

Staring at the dispersing red mist, Yong Seo-hee waved her hand. She knew it was futile, but doing so was the only way she could endure.

The black awl embedded in her chest was a Dharma Treasure that revealed her location to the pursuers. She couldn’t pull it out now, so she was moving with it still lodged in her chest.

“Hoo.”

Exhaling once again, Yong Seo-hee steeled her resolve.

Jeok Tae-ryung had told her to seek help from the Tai Chi Sect or the Beast King Sect, but those pursuing her had already anticipated that route, making it impossible for her to go there.

The teleportation arrays and wooden paths leading into the domains of the Tai Chi Sect or the Beast King Sect were already guarded by the pursuers.

At first, unaware of this, she headed that way and fell into danger.

The Central Heavens Realm was far broader than she had imagined, and it was only thanks to her using Windstride Path that she escaped with her life. Otherwise, she would have been caught long ago.

‘Let’s move.’

Though her injuries were severe and her body completely exhausted, Yong Seo-hee forced herself into motion.

There was no time to waste — she didn’t know how far the pursuers had followed.

‘It’s not far. Just a little more.’

Unable to head toward the Tai Chi Sect or the Beast King Sect, Yong Seo-hee changed direction. By chance, she heard that Jang Woo-hyun was active in the domain of the Five Elements Cult.

‘I’m sorry, Orabeoni.’

Once again, she sought his help. He was someone who had saved her life, yet she had nothing to offer in return. Worse, she now brought danger to him.

Even knowing this, she had no choice. Right now, Jang Woo-hyun was the only one she could rely on.

“Let’s go.”

Speaking as if to reaffirm her resolve, she pushed off the wall.

Just as she began to move, she felt a gaze piercing through her and shut her eyes tightly. In the end, a pursuer had caught up to her.

“To think you’d make us go through all this trouble.”

The moment she heard the voice, Yong Seo-hee kicked off the ground and tried to escape the alley. But the end of the alley was already blocked by others.

“It’s over. Come with us, Young Miss.”

She turned toward the voice calling out to her.

A middle-aged man with sharp features, patches of snake scales emerging from parts of his visible skin. Strangely, a long scar stretched across his cheek from the corner of his mouth.

The man standing atop the wall she had just been leaning against was someone Yong Seo-hee knew well—he was already a famous figure in the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

“Sa Jong-cheon……”

As she spoke his name, Sa Jong-cheon bowed slightly.

“It has been a while. I heard you left home, but to return only to bring us such trouble—how mischievous.”

His gaze shifted toward her missing left arm.

“I didn’t think you’d cut your own arm.”

There had originally been three black awl-shaped Dharma Treasures embedded in Yong Seo-hee.

One in her chest, two in her left arm. Upon realizing they were being used to track her, she had cut off her own arm to mislead her pursuers.

Thanks to her quick thinking, the pursuers were confused and split into three groups. That confusion had bought her the time to escape.

But in the end, one of those groups found her.

“To think the childish girl would cut off her own arm to throw us off—you’ve grown.”

As Sa Jong-cheon laughed, the scar at the corner of his mouth twitched. Because of the scar, his smile seemed to mock.

Even so, Yong Seo-hee paid it little mind. She was already busy thinking of a way to escape.

‘Just one chance is enough.’

If she could use Dragon Blood Reversion Technique to transform into a dragon and flee, they wouldn’t be able to catch her easily. Her speed was renowned even among the family.

As she subtly shifted her body while watching Sa Jong-cheon, one of the men blocking the alley suddenly lunged at her and struck.

Kwaang!

Smashed into a wall and thrown backward from the impact, Yong Seo-hee clenched her teeth.

‘Perfect!’

She had accounted for this. Rolling across the well-kept garden, she immediately sprang to her feet. Her goal was to create distance.

She kicked off the ground and leapt into the air, preparing to transform using Dragon Blood Reversion Technique.

“Give it up.”

But having noticed her intent, Sa Jong-cheon descended from the air and attacked.

Kwaang!

“Keuk!”

Though she crashed into a corner of the garden, Yong Seo-hee twisted her body to escape. But Sa Jong-cheon wouldn’t let her go so easily.

He approached and kicked her.

She was hurled through decorative trees and landed in a pond, tumbling into the water.

While she was destroying the garden, martial artists rushed out from a nearby building. Perhaps someone of influence resided here, as quite a number had gathered.

“Who are you people?!”

They entered boldly, but Sa Jong-cheon’s subordinates swiftly handled them.

The gap in strength was too vast. The martial artists were quickly overwhelmed without offering any real resistance.

“We have no intention of harming you. Stand down, and we’ll leave as soon as our task is done.”

One of Sa Jong-cheon’s subordinates shouted, and the approaching martial artists all stopped.

They already knew—even if they fought, they couldn’t stop Sa Jong-cheon and his men.

As the subordinates glared in silence, the latecomers helped their injured companions retreat. The surroundings quickly quieted.

Sa Jong-cheon approached Yong Seo-hee, who was collapsed near a rock by the pond.

“I can’t understand.”

His puzzled eyes bore into her.

Sa Jong-cheon was of collateral lineage from the Divine Dragon Clan. His blood was so diluted he lacked even horns, and he couldn’t learn the Dragon Blood Reversion Technique.

In contrast, Yong Seo-hee, though technically collateral, was from a renowned branch family, her blood so thick she might as well be a direct descendant. She enjoyed all the privileges, including learning the Dragon Blood Reversion Technique.

From the perspective of someone who had clawed his way up through sheer effort, her actions seemed utterly insane.

“To forsake such glory and betray your family—neither you nor your kin make any sense to me.”

If Dragon Emperor of the Heavens Yong Cheon-myeong and the Clan Head of the Divine Dragon Clan hadn’t considered those with inherited dragon blood special, they would’ve long since been killed. They were alive now purely because of that bloodline.

Even without lifting a finger, they could sit high and walk a smooth path. Yet Yong Seo-hee had done something so absurd.

“Why would you do something so foolish?”

Coughing, Yong Seo-hee slowly stood up.

Her body was wrecked from getting this far. Dodging Sa Jong-cheon’s attacks would be hard, let alone fighting.

Yet her posture remained proud, and her eyes had not lost their light.

That was the dignity carried by the bloodline of the Divine Dragon Clan, who claimed to be the descendants of dragons.

“Many have died or been wounded. Do you really think this is right?”

“The Heavenly Sovereign spoke of a new world. Sacrifice is inevitable for moving toward that new world.”

“And whose will is that? Your own? Or the Clan Head and the Sovereign’s? If it’s not your decision, does it hold any meaning?”

“My will aligns with the clan. And that is also the will of the Clan Head. So stop being stubborn and hand over what you took. It would be best for you to give it to me now.”

Sa Jong-cheon reached out toward Yong Seo-hee.

“You know how terrifying the Hall Leader is, don’t you? You may suffer agonies far beyond anything you’ve experienced so far.”

Yong Seo-hee also knew who the Hall Leader he referred to was. She had barely shaken him off by sacrificing her arm, but he would soon appear here.

“He’s watching closely. Escape is no longer possible.”

Sa Jong-cheon’s subordinates had already surrounded the area. As he said, there was no way out.

Step.

As Sa Jong-cheon took a step forward, Yong Seo-hee stumbled back. She had already reached her limit.

The fact that she could no longer do anything filled her with rage. Tears threatened to fall, but she clenched her teeth and held them back. Crying wouldn’t change anything here.

“Don’t do anything foolish.”

Yong Seo-hee summoned her strength once again to escape. Even if her body shattered, she intended to make one more attempt.

“If you continue this, I’ll break your arms and legs—”

“Back off, you bastards! Before I break all your limbs myself!”

Before Sa Jong-cheon could finish speaking, a pillar of fire shot up from one direction with a shout of profanity.

Yong Seo-hee tried to use that opening to flee again, but Sa Jong-cheon quickly closed the distance and struck her.

“Keuk!”

“Secure the young lady.”

At his command, his subordinates picked up the fallen Yong Seo-hee. Just then, Lee Ga-hang, with wings of flame spread wide, descended into the garden.

“Stop! Who the hell are you?!”

Following behind her, martial artists of the Five Elements Cult stormed into the garden.

The men surrounding the area all withdrew behind Sa Jong-cheon. In an instant, the two forces were staring each other down.

“I said stop! Stop right now!”

Retracting her flaming wings, Lee Ga-hang stepped forward. Sa Jong-cheon also took a few steps to block her.

“Apologies. I had no intention of causing a disturbance.”

“Then what do you call this?”

Lee Ga-hang pointed to the broken wall and wrecked garden.

“I am Sa Jong-cheon of the Divine Dragon Clan. This happened in the process of pursuing a traitor of the clan.”

Lee Ga-hang looked past him. His subordinates were placing a woman into a large cube-shaped Dharma Treasure that appeared to be for restraint.

Her eyebrows shot up at the sight, then furrowed deeply.

“I cannot share the details as it concerns clan matters. Please understand. We will fully compensate for the damages here. There was a slight scuffle, and we will cover that as well.”

Sa Jong-cheon apologized courteously, his demeanor unlike someone who had caused such chaos.

“I understand the circumstances. Then—”

Yeop Jun-ui stepped forward to mediate, but Lee Ga-hang pushed him aside.

“So you’re telling me to ignore someone being kidnapped right in front of me? A woman, no less?”

“I said it’s a clan matter.”

With a gesture from Sa Jong-cheon, his subordinates briefly showed the unconscious Yong Seo-hee’s head. Small horns protruding from it proved she was from the Divine Dragon Clan, not an ordinary human.

“I don’t care what your internal matter is. Are you telling me to stand by while someone is abducted in the territory of the Five Elements Cult?”

Sa Jong-cheon’s brow began to furrow.

“I clearly told you this was clan business. I don’t understand why you’re acting this way.”

His tone shifted, displeased with Lee Ga-hang’s attitude.

“Are you saying you want to fight us now? Can the Five Elements Cult even handle that?”

“Handle? Haaandle? You’re insane. Barging into our territory, causing a scene, and now you’re threatening us?”

“I already apologized, didn’t I? I said I’d compensate for what happened.”

“You’re seriously out of your mind. You’re kidnapping someone and talking about compensation? If you’re leaving, leave the woman behind.”

Sa Jong-cheon scowled at her resolute response.

“Come to think of it, I never got your name. And you are?”

“Lee Ga-hang.”

“Lee Ga-hang?”

It wasn’t a name he’d heard before. Sa Jong-cheon wondered what this woman was relying on to act so boldly.

“Sir Sa, please wait a moment. Our Captain has only recently ascended, so please be understanding. Captain, just a moment.”

In the tense standoff, Yeop Jun-ui pulled Lee Ga-hang to the corner of the garden.

“Captain, do you know who that man is—”

【Jun-ui, we’re screwed! That bastard’s under Yong Jeok-shim, isn’t he?!】

Before Yeop Jun-ui could finish, Lee Ga-hang’s voice came through telepathy.

【You knew and still pushed him like that? Even Gold Mark Sword Gate didn’t fight him. No one’s been seriously hurt yet, so let’s just send him off. He’s not alone—】

【Contact Master Jang! Hurry and tell him to come! We’re all going to die, I’m begging you!】

Lee Ga-hang’s urgency was palpable.

【Why are you suddenly calling Master Jang? You came all the way out here to avoid getting involved. And even with the Dry Wood Paths, it’ll take at least three days from the Main Division.】

【Master Jang will figure it out! There’s that weird stronghold too! Just go contact him! Tell him we need help! It’s urgent! I’m going to die!】

【Master Jang isn’t some all-purpose fixer. Why do you keep dragging him into our mess? If we just let them go—】

【Let them go?! Didn’t you see?!】

【See what?】

【That woman they’re taking. That woman!】

【That woman? Who is she—】

【The dragon who came with Master Jang, you idiot!】

“What?”

Yeop Jun-ui blurted out loud in shock.

Why would she suddenly appear here?

【Hurry! Contact the Main Division! Tell Master Jang to come here! If Yong Jeok-shim shows up, we’re all dead! Hurry! Run! Run now!】

Faced with Lee Ga-hang’s desperate words, Yeop Jun-ui tightly shut his eyes.

He didn’t know how this situation came about, but Lee Ga-hang had once again become entangled with Jang Woo-hyun. And in a dangerous way, too.

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