Episode 191

Drrrr…

Although it was nothing more than the pressure exerted the wind, the body of White Tiger was pushed back nearly five feet.

But the White Tiger quickly regained its faculties and bared its fangs without losing its balance.

In an instant, the White Tiger pushed off from the ground to narrow the distance and swung a huge paw.

Swish!

As Dan Woo-hyun avoided it, a massive tree behind crumbled down.

But as if that wasn’t the end, it came close again and opened its jaws, aiming for Dan Woo-hyun’s neck.

Kuak!

“In the end, you are but an animal.”

And he lashed out.

As soon as its mouth opened, Dan Woo-hyun’s palm smacked the chin of the White Tiger.

The jaws of the White Tiger, which possessed a strength that superseded that of a normal human, clamped shut in an instant and its body rose up into the air.

In the first place, humans and animals possess different body structures.

The White Tiger which emerged twisted around on the spot and landed comfortably. It swiped its face as if the area where it had been hit was a bit numb but it didn’t seem to be stunned either.

“You are pretty good.”

Dan Woo-hyun was really surprised.

That move just now was meant to be a fatal blow. But the fact that this White Tiger survived it meant that it was on the level of a Spiritual Beast.

And it reminded him of the time he caught an Imoogi in the past.

Just recalling that time, when the fight was increasing in intensity, he had lost any sense of day and night, and all he did was battle the Imoogi in excitement.

But Dan Woo-hyun drew a deep breath and calmed himself down now.

This wasn’t a place to relive such feelings. Since he had to retrieve Dan Somi now, he couldn’t go around relishing the fights.

The wind blew past them.

Dan Woo-hyun was standing with the wind blowing past him.

That appearance alone was enough to pressure the opponent.

Kwang!

In the first place, even as he saw Dan Woo-hyun with a massive vortex encasing him, the White Tiger rolled on the ground and glared at him without retreating even a inch.

The force was so intense that a large hole was being dug out in the ground.

It was at that moment that Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

As he sensed that the other was being sincere, there was a slight change in his mood.

The playful expression on his face disappeared.

Although it was a Spiritual Beast not even on par with Namgung Chun or Sa Dohak, the pressure he was exuding was comparable with that.

The White Tiger adopted a low stance. He could feel its legs clenching like the tiger was planning to leap right then. The extremely ferocious force erupted like an active volcano, and it stepped on the ground and rushed for Dan Woo-hyun.

For a moment he even missed the swift movements of the tiger, but…

Bang!

“Humans and animals are so different. Hence, for the same amount of strength and force, it is only natural that the beast is several times stronger.”

Dan Woo-hyun looked back.

At some point, the White Tiger had swung its huge paw to strike him. But those heavy claws couldn’t penetrate the vortex enveloping Dan Woo-hyun.

Its strength wasn’t enough to cause a rift in the storming wind around him.

“But, brute strength, be it human or animal - cannot break through the five elements.”

Dan Woo-hyun extended his finger. The moment his fingers made contact with the sharp claws, the vortex, which was contained, spread outwards and hit the body of the cat, engulfing the White Tiger now.

Chachachachachak!

A force so powerful that it couldn’t even make a sound when it was being swept away.

The body of the White Tiger, spinning through the air, was being torn apart with blood spreading around.

Who could even stop this?

Thud!

And the White Tiger fell down, with thick blood flowing down.

Although it was trembling, it no longer had the energy to move. The intensity in its eyes continued to lessen.

Even though its vitality was plummeting, it gazed at Dan Woo-hyun sharply, and its fangs were exposed.

‘Should I just kill it?’

He once heard that the Spiritual Elixir of the White Tiger was very beneficial for health. If he gave it to Dan Somi, it seemed like she would grow up to be a strong woman.

Dan Woo-hyun thought about it, and laughed.

“And we’re done here. You only get to capture a Spiritual Beast once… That’s good enough….”

Dan Woo-hyun laughed, recalling Imoogi in the past.

The look of that dying one was similar to that of the White Tiger before his eyes. This was worth experiencing because it made him feel nostalgic of the past.

After the fierce battle between them, he felt a refreshing breeze blowing.

It gently steered Dan Woo-hyun as if it understood him and he slowly moved to where the wind flowed.

Dan Woo-hyun, who had been walking for a while, looked ahead. When he reached out and parted the bushes, a now familiar place was giving him the strangest feeling, as this was where he trained Namgung Sohye.

And when he saw the scene unfolding in front of him, he smiled without realizing.

“Grrr…!”

Dan Somi was jumping around, bursting into laughter. Next to her was this pure white cat running away with a somewhat gloomy look.

Contrary to Dan Woo-hyun’s worries, she was safe.

Although her skirt was torn, it didn’t seem like she was hurt.

The sound of laughter continued to linger in his ears, as if nothing about the falling snow mattered to them anymore.

The cat, which had been chased for a while, seemed to have grown horns, turned its back and rushed to Dan Somi.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun, surprised to see its sharp claws clenched his fist, but without another thought, Dan Somi opened her arms and embraced the cat and fell to the ground.

It would be a shame were it not for the many bushes around, she might hurt herself.

“Ahahahaha! You are so cuteee!”

The smile on Dan Somi’s face didn’t fade. Even though her clothes were dirty she didn’t seem to care. Actually, she showed great care by removing the dirt off the cat’s body and shaking it off.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was clenching his fist, relaxed his hand and laughed.

‘That child is so…’

She, who thinks of others before herself.

Unlike a child, she cared more about other people. As if that feeling rubbed off onto the Spiritual Beast, its claws vanished and it licked Dan Somi’s cheek.

“Ah! Dad?”

At that moment, Dan Somi noticed him and got up. It seemed like the cat was surprised too.

Kiiik!

It raised its tail and threatened Dan Woo-hyun.

But Dan Woo-hyun ignored it. He casually walked to Dan Somi and looked at the cat.

Flinch!

As soon as it made eye contact with Dan Woo-hyun, the cat lowered its tail and cautiously moved behind Dan Somi.

Although it was just simple eye contact, it instinctively realized that it could not defeat Dan Woo-hyun.

“You have tamed something interesting.”

“It is cute, isn’t it?’

She raised her voice, lifting the cat up from behind her.

Meow…!

The sound was so adorable that Dan Somi held it in her arms and stroked the cat with a happy face.

“Can I raise it?”

“Haha, do you like it that much?”

“Yes! Somi will be the mother to this child!”

“Uh?”

Dan Somi extended her finger and pointed to a spot.

A small burial mound had been erected there. It must not have been easy to excavate the frozen ground, but it seems like a burial mound was eventually created by constantly bashing into the ground numerous times with a stone.

Because of this, Dan Somi’s hands were blistered here and there.

Dan Woo-hyun sighed.

“You mean it?”

“Yes, I promised! To take care of it for the rest of my life.”

“Haha, you cannot even handle yourself yet, and you want to take care of that?”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Dan Somi pouted with an angry look.

“Somi will handle it for the rest of her life! Dad too and this child too!”

“Me too?”

“Of course. You are father to Somi right?”

Dan Somi looked at Dan Woo-hyun oddly.

Didn’t they plan to stay together for the rest of their lives? She wondered if this was just all an illusion and tears began to well up at the corners of her eyes without her realizing.

“And if you get married, you cannot stay by your father’s side, right?”

Only then would Dan Somi come to her senses and say, ah! If she gets married she will have to leave their manor; she cannot stay by Dan Woo-hyun’s side anymore.

But Dan Somi smiled and held Dan Woo-hyun’s hand.

“It is fine! Somi will not marry and stay with dad her whole life.”

She laughed at how she enunciated ‘her whole life’.

That one line softened Dan Woo-hyun’s expression.

Like all parents, he didn’t think it would be true. How many children keep their promises made during childhood?

But it was enough to melt his heart right then.

Dan Woo-hyun patted her on the head with a look of gentleness.

“Fine, let us stay together for the rest of our lives.”

“Yes! Then can I raise it?”

Dan Woo-hyun smiled at the sight of her not missing the chance.

“Let us head back now.”

Meow-!

There was a sudden gust of wind. The cat in Dan Somi’s hands, catching a scent carried by the wind, jumped out of her embrace and ran off.

“Uh?! Where are you going!?”

Dan Somi shouted and ran after it.

Even though she was small, she could run swiftly and Dan Woo-hyun slowly followed her.

Was it a long way?

Dan Somi, who ran ahead, reached first looking exhausted, and Dan Woo-hyun who saw the scene there, had an awkward expression.

“T… tiger….”

“Right, tiger.”

“It’s hurt….”

Dan Woo-hyun was slightly shocked to see that she was more worried about it being injured and bleeding than the fact that it was a tiger, so he smiled and looked ahead.

And the little cat was licking the tiger’s wounds.

It seemed like those two were acquainted. There was no doubt that this White Tiger was protecting the little cat in its territory.

“I need to help it!”

At that time, Dan Somi clenched her fist. Although she was afraid, she couldn’t let a wounded animal die.

“You might get bitten though?”

“Even so, this is so sad…”

Grrr!

The White Tiger bellowed too. It seems being called sad was not something it liked. However, it seemed unable to stand either.

Dan Woo-hyun sighed.

“Help it!”

“The tiger?”

“Yes! Be it tiger or human, life has the same value.”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded with the realization that there was nothing more he could do to stop Dan Somi anymore.

Dan Woo-hyun approached Somi, who tried to stop him from running.

And he met the gaze of the bleeding White Tiger.

Grrng!

A warning sound was emitted, but Dan Woo-hyun didn’t even pay any attention. As he slowly approached and wiped off the bloodstains, the White Tiger’s head moved.

The White Tiger and Dan Woo-hyun exchanged glances again.

Dan Woo-hyun turned away, pretending not to notice, with a gaze that said he would bring medicine.