Episode 128

Yu Jinsan gulped and watched.

An unbelievable sight was unfolding before his eyes.

The flashes of light continued, accompanied by the sound of enhanced qi colliding.

Chaaang! Kakakang!!!

A strong whirlwind arose around Yu Seol and the Kunlun Martial Emperor.

It was impossible for Yu Jinsan to approach them with the winds blowing out from their clash.

‘Is this what a fight between absolutes is like?’

It was truly a situation he couldn’t intervene in.

Yu Jinsan cheered for his granddaughter, his hands sweating.

“You can do it, Seol! Show that guy our family’s strength!!”

The two moved so fast that it was hard to follow them.

Yu Jinsan, watching, couldn’t relax for a moment. He expected his granddaughter to subdue him, but the result didn’t come, even after a long time.

Although the Kunlun Martial Emperor was formidable, he didn’t seem stronger than the apostate monk they encountered from Shaolin.

On the other hand, Yu Seol had awakened the 8th consciousness of Buddha’s sacred self and attained enlightenment.

Was it due to the Martial Emperor’s experience and the power of his sword? Even so, there was no reason for the fight to last this long.

No matter how much he pondered, it felt strange.

‘Please…’

Crack! Crack!

The ground cracked, and the surrounding tree branches were caught in the storm of qi and broke.

In battles between such skilled individuals, the outcome should be swift, as each technique at their level carries deadly power.

Yet, the fight continued even after 30 minutes had passed.

At that moment, Yu Jinsan, with a serious expression, suddenly widened his eyes.

‘Could it be?’

Suddenly, something flashed through his mind like lightning.

There was one possibility he could consider.

It was absurd, but without it, this situation wouldn’t make sense.

Yu Jinsan took a deep breath and shouted with all his might.

“You rat! Stop playing around and get it over with!!”

At that moment, as if in response to his plea, a change occurred.

Finally, there was a shift in the battle that seemed to drag on endlessly.

Chak!!

“Kuak!”

With a dull sound, the Kunlun Martial Emperor took a step back.

His movements were staggering, and his face was pale. At first glance, he appeared shocked.

On the other hand, Yu Seol didn’t even seem to be out of breath.

Watching her twirl the spear around her opponent, she appeared to be brimming with power.

“How did you know?”

A child born with the blood of a warrior.

It was instinctive for her to engage in martial arts and to feel joy upon encountering a strong opponent.

But who was this opponent? He had never imagined she would be taking her time against the world’s greatest warrior.

“You should have told me in advance! Do you know how worried Grandpa was?!”

“Fine. I won’t do it next time.”

Seeing her half-hearted response, he had little faith in her promise, but now wasn’t the time for a leisurely lesson. They had to finish this before the exhausted Kunlun Martial Emperor could regain his strength.

“We still have a long way to go, so end this quickly. When we arrive, there will be more than just him.”

Instead of replying, Yu Seol spread three fingers behind her back.

“You will finish it in three moves?”

“No, count to three.”

The face of the Kunlun Martial Emperor, who was observing this, darkened.

His eyes trembled as if he couldn’t believe the situation.

“Just what are you…?”

Before Yu Seol could answer, Yu Jinsan shouted.

“That’s a ploy to waste time, attack now!”

At that moment, his granddaughter’s entire body transformed into light and shot forward.

Her movement was as fast as the speed of light.

Tak!

Sensing the end was near, the Kunlun Martial Emperor reflexively prepared to use his best defense technique.

A blue dragon made of qi appeared at the tip of his sword and opened its mouth.

The Dragon Flower Spear, wielded by Yu Seol, showcased its resolve by conjuring a multitude of illusions.

Kwaang!!

A figure was hurled backward in astonishment.

Their clash concluded in the blink of an eye.

All Yu Jinsan could witness were flower petals drifting into the gaping maw of the Blue Dragon.

“Cough!”

The Kunlun Martial Emperor fell, blood spurting from his mouth.

His Kunlun sect robe was in tatters. Yet, the sight of him gripping the shattered sword was nothing short of majestic.

Yu Jinsan quickly made his way over, crouching beside him.

“Didn’t I warn you? Battling that person would only bring regret.”

“…Spare me the agony and end my life.”

Even uttering those words was a struggle. It was almost a mercy that he hadn’t died yet.

“Is that all you wish to say?”

“…Leave and never come back.”

“I regret to say that’s not possible. I plan to wrap up our affairs here and head to the Murim Alliance.”

The Kunlun Martial Emperor’s eyes grew cold.

Regret filled his gaze as he watched this unfold.

“There’s no escaping… the doom that awaits…”

His final words carried a profound weight.

Even if they swore to return and overthrow the Justice Faction, calling it the end wasn’t right.

“What do you mean?”

“…”

He fell silent, as though protecting a significant secret.

Then there was no need to waste any more time.

He made up his mind to finish off the Kunlun Martial Emperor.

Suddenly, a thought struck Yu Jinsan.

He glanced at his granddaughter and gestured to her.

“Fetch my belongings.”

Yu Seol quickly went to retrieve the bag he had placed down earlier.

“Here.”

Digging through the contents, he pulled out a wooden doll.

Back when he was captured by the White Bone Witch in the Ghost Forest, he had formed a connection with an old man in the prisoner’s hut.

This man had shared his internal arts with him and revealed himself to be Cheong Heo from the Kunlun Sect.

As there happened to be a distinguished member of the Kunlun Sect in front of him, he couldn’t help but inquire.

“Does the Taoist place have a disciple named Jin Seong?”

“…?”

The Kunlun Martial Emperor suddenly gave him a look, questioning why this was being brought up.

“I believe he is the owner of this wooden doll. It even has his name written on it.”

“If you have any grudges against that child, direct them towards me.”

For some reason, Yu Jinsan took a liking to this man.

How many times had he seen people beg for their lives? Yet this man was protecting his disciple until the end.

Although he was a bit narrow-minded, he at least appeared to possess faith and loyalty.

“This is a keepsake that a person named Cheong Heo kept until his death.”

“…Cheon Heo?”

“Yes, Cheong Heo of Kunlun. He was a friend who endured a painful life and sadly passed away.”

Suddenly, the eyes of the Kunlun Martial Emperor glowed.

“Yin Yang Twin Monsters, you people! You killed my disciple, too!”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something. We were actually aided by him.”

Yu Jinsan proceeded to explain what had happened. He told him the story of Cheong Heo, who was captured by the so-called White Bone Witch of the Ghost Forest and had to endure a painful life.

And he told him everything, including the fact that he died, without omitting any details.

After hearing the story, the Martial Emperor burst into tears and sobbed.

“Uhh…”

It seemed he had been close to Cheong Heo.

He was deeply affected, forgetting his own predicament.

Who would have thought that the renowned leader of the Kunlun Sect would show such a humane side?

Yu Jinsan, reflecting on this, sighed.

And then, he placed the doll, which Cheong Heo had cherished all his life, on his chest.

“With this, my debt to the Kunlun Sect has been repaid.”

With that, Yu Jinsan turned away.

After securing the bag to his granddaughter’s back, they passed by the village and headed towards their destination.

“Did you forgive him?”

His granddaughter asked, curious.

Her grandpa never once let go of an enemy who could pose a threat in the future, so she wondered why.

“It isn’t like that. I simply repaid him. Isn’t it a fundamental rule of our family to always return what we receive, whether it’s a favor or a grudge?”

“Yes, right. I felt sorry for that person and wanted to help.”

Yu Jinsan held his granddaughter’s hand with a faint smile.

“Our Seol has a compassionate heart like Buddha. Always remember to cherish that.”

“Hehe. Yes!”

The two walked in silence for a while, lost in their thoughts.

As time passed, a happy smile formed on Yu Jinsan’s face, sparked by the events from a while ago.

Soon, he broke the silence and said,

“My granddaughter is the best!”

Yu Seol, at 9 years old, finally defeated one of the top ten warriors officially.

After arriving at a village, the two of them headed to the market.

Beyond this place lay the barren desert. They needed to stock up on enough water and snacks for the journey.

Perhaps because it was on the trade route to the west, the village, despite its small size, boasted a well-developed market.

The items they purchased included a water bottle wrapped in sheepskin and a few snacks like jerky.

Anyone would think they were insane if they knew the two of them planned to travel to Dunhuang with just these supplies. However, with a warrior skilled in footwork among them, it was a different story.

According to Yu Jinsan’s judgment, the journey would take them at most two days.

“Fine, let’s go.”

Even though she was ready, Yu Seol hesitated to step forward.

“Grandpa, look there. They’re wonderful.”

His granddaughter was looking at the camel-riding merchants with envious eyes.

“Those are camels. They’re mainly used as a means of transportation when crossing the desert.”

She was caught in the throes of curiosity, surely amazed by the unfamiliar animal before her.

Yet Yu Seol wasn’t content with merely observing.

“I want to ride it too. Camel…”

“No, it’s too slow.”

Yu Jinsan promptly dismissed the idea, fully aware of the lengthy journey a camel ride would entail.

But Yu Seol was already sulking.

“Everyone else is riding it, but why can’t I?”

“It wouldn’t be practical for us to ride one.”

“It’ll be fine.”

Yu Jinsan shook his head decisively.

“What’s fine about it? When I say no, it means no!”

“…”

No response came for a while.

Observing her pursed lips and glaring eyes, it was evident she was upset.

Yu Jinsan crossed his arms, pondered for a moment, and sighed.

How many grandfathers could successfully handle their stubborn grandchildren?

“Will you regret this decision?”

“No. I never regret anything.”

It was clear that, after just one day, boredom would set in.

Though the journey was long, he eventually relented.

“You’ll understand once you try it. Grandpa knows best.”

“So, are we buying camels then?”

“Yes. But you’ll be the one buying.”

He planned to sell it to a merchant they’d encounter shortly.

Upon hearing his decision, Yu Seol jumped around, clapping her hands.

“Hehe! My grandpa is the best!”

He hadn’t expected her to be this thrilled. Despite the unnecessary expense, he chose not to dwell on it, seeing how much joy it brought Yu Seol.

Coincidentally, a camel merchant was nearby, and they approached him with smiles.

“Interested in our camels? Take your time to choose.”

It wasn’t too late to discuss the details after choosing a camel.

Yu Jinsan used his eyes to find the healthiest ones. There were many aspects to consider, including its health, such as muscles and joints.

‘Hmm. I don’t like any of them. What do we do…?’

It was difficult, but there was no need to worry. Because his granddaughter had picked one.

“Hello, Chorang. I am Seol.”

When he looked to the side, Yu Seol had named one of the camels.

Of all the choices, it had to be the weakest and skinniest one.

Yu Jinsan felt his head ache.

‘I guess our journey to Dunhuang won’t be easy.’