The Warning Is Given Only Once. (4)

Yu Seol was checking Cult Leader Yeom Hwi’s trinkets.

How long had she waited for this moment.

‘…Please.’

Putting her pounding heart aside, she rummaged through his bosom.

Soon she felt something grasped in her hand.

Small and solid to the touch. She couldn’t tell until she saw it directly.

Yu Seol narrowed her eyes and very slowly withdrew her hand.

She immediately identified the object, clenched it, and cheered.

“A golden frog!? Kyaaa!!”

Yu Seol didn’t know what to do with her excitement.

A pattern was engraved on the flat surface so it could be used as a seal.

To be precise, it was a golden toad seal used by the Cult Leader at the White Flower Blood Cult.

She couldn’t know the exact value, but Yu Seol recognized at a glance that it was expensive.

Perhaps because of that, a tune slipped from her lips.

“I’ll bring this to my cute little sibling~”

She planned to return to the Soyo Mountain Villa and give it to Storm Rider as a gift.

After tucking the golden toad into her possession, Yu Seol continued to examine other trinkets.

A little while later, a groan escaped Yeom Hwi. It seemed he was finally coming to his senses.

“…Kkkuh.”

Cult Leader Yeom Hwi could not move a single finger.

His ribs had been completely crushed by the Yin Monster, and his internal organs were damaged.

All he could do was roll his eyes.

“Cult Leader, I heard everything. You said you learned martial arts through human sacrifices? Why did you do that?”

The vile demonic arts the Cult Leader had cultivated, the Soul Manipulation Technique, was a cruel demonic arts that absorbed people’s vital qi to build power.

Yu Seol had already heard about it at the Soyo Mountain Villa and knew well.

He must have brutally killed countless innocent people over time.

That was why she showed no mercy when punishing the Cult Leader.

Yeom Hwi gave no answer and began to laugh like a madman.

“…Heh heh.”

The situation must have struck him as absurd.

Some unknown girl had appeared claiming to be the Evil faction’s supreme and caused this mess.

On top of that, he was being beaten to death until death’s door—what could he do but sneer.

Moreover, she was rifling through his clothes and taking his trinkets.

“Where did you hide the rest?”

Disappointment slowly spread across Yu Seol’s face; there were no more items coming from the Cult Leader’s possessions.

She had been so hopeful, yet not even a single silver coin came out.

“…Kill me.”

Yu Seol crossed her arms and stared down at him.

“Is there anything else? There should be, right?”

Even if there was, Yeom Hwi wouldn’t tell her.

He strained out a barely audible voice and cursed the Yin Monster.

“H-hurry and kill me… you cruel old hag.”

He looked like a walking corpse; being alive only meant prolonged agony.

It was obvious he wanted to leave this world as soon as possible.

Yu Seol pretended to poke his eyes with two fingers.

“What did you say? Just do it.”

“No matter how much you want it… you won’t find it.”

Yeom Hwi was gravely mistaken.

He mistook the search as if the Yin Monster already knew everything.

At his words, Yu Seol’s eyes widened.

“What? What did you hide now? Right?”

Yeom Hwi, realizing his mistake, quickly tried to change the subject.

“…W-what kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

Yu Seol didn’t believe him.

She half-opened her eyes and scanned Yeom Hwi’s entire body.

Her gaze soon fixed on the sash tied around his waist.

“Hee hee. Do you think I’d give up?”

Yu Seol slipped her hand into his sash and rummaged, and before long realized there was a pouch inside.

When she pulled it out, it was a rolled thin parchment.

As she unfurled it, tiny script in an unreadable language filled the page.

Yu Seol was curious about the contents, but had no way to understand them now.

“What is this? What does it say?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

From his reaction, it seemed he really had been hiding something.

“Hmm. I’ll give this to Grandpa as a present.”

Yeom Hwi squeezed his eyes shut in anguish.

“Kkkuh… damn.”

She was certain that Grandpa would find it interesting, whatever it was.

Yu Seol folded the parchment and clenched her fist.

Then she smacked Yeom Hwi hard across the nose.

Smack-!!

“I told you to speak nicely.”

There was nothing more to see here.

Having completed all her tasks, Yu Seol brushed herself off and stood.

At that moment, a panicked voice came from behind.

“Kill, kill me… please.”

When she turned, the Cult Leader was pleading with a sunken face.

Wasn’t this a remote mountain area completely cut off from human footsteps?

He couldn’t even move a finger, but a body that had been purged of demons did not allow an easy death.

In this state he’d lie here for days and become carrion; wanting a clean death was natural.

But Yu Seol wasn’t one to pity his circumstances.

“Hmph!”

She still had a long way to go.

Turning her back coldly, Yu Seol sprinted full speed toward the direction of Zhejiang Province.

Her lightness skill was relentless, as if someone were chasing her.

At this moment, all she wanted was to get back quickly and share the gift.

Meanwhile, the situation at Soyo Mountain Villa was also coming to an end.

Meng Nam-cheon, with the help of the sect elders, had toppled the ultimate demon he had been facing.

Once he joined Yu Jinsan, things were resolved in an instant.

Only one steward of the White Flower Blood Cult remained, and he was already a wreck.

Thud-!

It was the sound of Meng Nam-cheon’s sword piercing his abdomen.

“Guh!”

Then Yu Jinsan’s Dragon Slaying Spear flew in and severed his head.

Screeech-!!

The last remaining ultimate demon immediately began to collapse.

At that moment, the three sect elders blocking its retreat sank down as if collapsing simultaneously.

“Huff huff!”

“It’s all over now, right?”

“I really thought I was going to die.”

But Yu Jinsan and Meng Nam-cheon were equally exhausted.

Pale-faced, Yu Jinsan exhaled deeply and said,

“I think it’s all over now. Well done, everyone.”

Each had suffered various wounds, but they considered themselves fortunate.

At least there were no fatalities.

Meng Nam-cheon repeatedly clasped his hands to express gratitude.

“Thank you so much. It’s all thanks to Yang Monster warrior.”

“The thanks are noted; let’s go up quickly. Everyone will be waiting.”

It wouldn’t be too late to go up and rest.

The five of them supported each other and headed for the summit.

Despite their exhausted appearances, they couldn’t hide their joy.

At the villa, everyone was anxiously waiting for their return.

Not only the warriors of Soyo Mountain Villa but also martial artists from Zhejiang Province.

When the five appeared, everyone swallowed nervously.

Meng Nam-cheon briefly explained the situation to his disciples.

“We’ve killed the enemy leadership. But there are still many small fry left, so strengthen reconnaissance and don’t neglect the watch.”

At last, the crisis had been resolved.

As if by agreement, loud cheers thundered through the Soyo Mountain Villa.

“Waaaaa!!”

“Waaaaah!!!”

Everyone couldn’t contain their joy.

They were bound to be happy, having repelled the enemies without a single casualty.

Although the gorge remained besieged, the small fry were not a major problem.

Yu Jinsan limped away from them toward a quiet spot.

‘I must first treat my internal injuries.’

His qi and blood were unstable, so he needed to stabilize them through the circulation technique.

As he walked for a while, someone approached and spoke.

“Are you all right, sir? I’ll accompany you.”

It was Cheon Il-ho, who had chased them from the south to this place.

Cheon Il-ho slipped his arm around the slight Yu Jinsan’s side and supported him.

“It’s nothing. A little rest and I’ll recover.”

“That’s a relief. And now the martial artists of the east are also fervently supporting the Yin Yang Twin Monster, like us southerners.”

There was nothing bad about the improved reputation; in fact, this was partly what Yu Jinsan had intended.

“Hmm. It would be good if they support us.”

“By the way, sir, is the crisis truly over?”

Yu Jinsan nodded once.

“You could say so. The entrance is still besieged, but it’s nothing to worry about. The small fry can never climb up here.”

“That’s fortunate. You really worked hard.”

“Worked hard? Nonsense. Would you mind standing guard for a moment instead?”

Standing guard means protecting the person doing the circulation technique at their side.

Cheon Il-ho accepted immediately as if there was no question.

“Of course. Don’t worry, just start calming your qi and blood.”

“Thank you.”

Finding a suitable spot, Yu Jinsan sat cross-legged.

As warm qi began circulating along his meridians, he felt blockages clearing.

Gradually, internal strength filled his dantian and his qi recovered.

But to see significant effect, it would take at least half a day.

How much time had passed?

The commotion made it impossible to concentrate.

“Master, Master! The Blood Cult members besieging the entrance are fleeing.”

“Fleeing? From whom?”

“We’re confirming. More news will arrive shortly.”

Could it be that his granddaughter and Storm Rider had returned?

It would have been welcome news, but Yu Jinsan couldn’t shake a nagging unease.

‘Something’s odd. If it were Seol, she would have broken through and come up before a report arrived.’

Yu Seol wasn’t the type to boast about achievements like this.

They say a bad premonition rarely misses, don’t they?

A short time later, the additional news made Yu Jinsan blanch in shock.

“T-the elders of the Murim Alliance are coming up!”

“Why is the Murim Alliance here? We won’t grant them entry; tell them to go back!”

“They’re relentless. They say they’ve come to capture Yang Monster warrior…”

Yu Jinsan had also heard that the Murim Alliance had formed an assassination squad to seize them.

But to arrive at this very moment? It couldn’t have been worse timing.

‘Could they have been waiting and only now decided to strike?’

Perhaps they had been watching the gorge for some time.

If so, they likely launched action upon confirming his granddaughter wasn’t here.

They were truly crafty scoundrels.

Even the eastern martial artists didn’t welcome the Murim Alliance’s arrival.

“The Murim Alliance came to capture Yang Monster Warrior?”

“Of all times? That’s despicable.”

“Good grief, who even belongs to the Justice Faction and who to the Heterodox factions anymore?”

And the response at Soyo Mountain Villa was no different.

Meng Nam-cheon’s displeased voice followed.

“Show them the way! I’ll personally stop them from coming up.”

It was grateful that he wouldn’t shirk his loyalty, but it wouldn’t be an easy matter.

If the Murim Alliance had come determined, they wouldn’t withdraw easily.

Sure enough, a heavy voice filled with internal qi echoed from somewhere.

“There’s no need for that.”

Yu Jinsan didn’t stop his circulation practice but gently opened his eyes.

Two old men seemed to walk on air as they approached the sect master.

Meng Nam-cheon called out toward one of them.

“Elder Mu-jin! As an elder of the Murim Alliance, what do you mean by intruding into another’s school without permission!?”

A white robe with a taiji emblem on the scabbard, and a name that sounded familiar.

There was no doubt: he was Mu-jin, the Wudang Sect’s greatest sword, who perfected the Taiji Wisdom Sword and earned the title Taiji Sword Saint.

And the beggar at his side needed no further identification.

The bundle of knots hanging at his waist told his identity.

He was Flame Dragon Beggar, successor of the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms and the greatest master in the history of the Beggars Union.

Two of the ten greatest martial masters appeared at once. Everyone except Meng Nam-cheon couldn’t even breathe properly under their pressure.

‘Can we escape?’

Yu Jinsan’s thoughts grew complicated.

If his body were in normal condition he wouldn’t worry, but now it seemed impossible.

At that moment, Taiji Sword Saint, Mu-jin spoke in a low, calm voice.

“We didn’t come to the Soyo Mountain Villa for casual reasons. We’ve come to capture Yang Monster, so step aside.”

Meng Nam-cheon twisted the hand holding his sword and said firmly,

“We cannot. If you intend to harm him, you’ll have to cut me down first.”