Chapter 73: Just Scratched. (2)

I got a little scratched (2)

Gu Linghwa’s day begins early in the morning.

Like most disciples of Mount Hua, rather than waking up at sunrise (日出),

she preferred to wake up earlier and wait for the sunrise.

Gu Linghwa changed into neat clothes and carefully went outside, mindful that her master might wake up at the sound of her footsteps.

Normally, she would go to the nearby forest to train a bit, fetch water, or clean, doing chores around the house, but

today, she had business to attend to in the county.

it was a task directly assigned by the Divine Physician.

Holding the silver coins pressed into her hand with the instruction to buy a few ingredients for making medicine, Gu Linghwa set off.

Usually, when trading medicinal herbs, sellers would give poor quality ingredients or overcharge customers if the buyer was naive or young, engaging in malicious practices, but

things were different when she wore the plum blossom robes of Mount Hua.

They would give her more herbs if anything, as there was no way anyone would dare to pull a fast one on a disciple bearing the plum blossom insignia in Huayin County, which was under the jurisdiction of the Mount Hua Sect.

Perhaps the Divine Physician had intended precisely that.

Gu Linghwa found a herb shop and made her purchases, holding the paper with the necessary medicinal ingredients written by the Divine Physician.

‘…It smells so bitter.’

She came back outside, clutching the box containing plants she had never seen or heard of.

As soon as she returned to the street, foods that tickled her nose were being sold everywhere.

The sun was starting to rise, so they must be preparing for business.

The fragrant smells and delicious-looking food made her steps slow, but she didn’t stop.

Her master was more important than that.

“I need to hurry…!”

Has Master woken up?

Since her body weakened considerably, she had been sleeping much more, and Gu Linghwa worried if she had woken up yet.

By the time I arrive, the meal preparations should probably be all done.

The boy, who was said to be the Divine Physician’s grandson and lived with them half the time, was quite an uncomfortable presence for Gu Linghwa, but

separately from that, the child was an amazing cook.

Although he was someone whose thoughts were completely unknowable, he was quick-witted and handled chores perfectly, which seemed impressive.

‘…I wish I could do that too.’

If I could do more things, I could be of help by her side until Master fully recovers.

As such thoughts crossed her mind, her steps, which had been walking diligently, stopped on their own.

-She won’t make it past this year.

The Divine Physician’s firm voice kept echoing in Gu Linghwa’s ears.

Drip.

Gu Linghwa hastily wiped the tears suddenly flowing down her cheeks with her sleeve.

Even if she cried secretly in the back, calmed down, and reappeared, Master would notice it like a ghost, so she didn’t want to worry her.

Nevertheless, her tears wouldn’t stop easily.

Once tears burst forth, they don’t stop easily.

That’s why Gu Linghwa hated crying.

While desperately wiping her streaming tears, she thought.

‘…If Master passes away….’

After Master leaves, what will be left for me, who will be left alone?

Nothing will be left.

Gu Linghwa was convinced of that.

Family?

‘No…’

At the chilling word that suddenly came to mind, Gu Linghwa instinctively flinched.

Gu Linghwa still remembered that dark night.

The blurry yet precise memories still held Gu Linghwa captive.

The day the light crumbled.

My crying mother, and my father looking down with a cold expression.

And Gu Yangcheon, who was slumped down.

Gu Linghwa could not possibly forget.

That was her mother’s last moment, and the day everything was ruined.

Then, what about the Mount Hua Sect?

She didn’t even know that, so Gu Linghwa could only shake her head.

Whenever she tried to connect with someone, they would just growl.

Moreover, Gu Linghwa was the second disciple who joined late, so she couldn’t mingle with the third disciples.

After Master leaves, can Mount Hua embrace me?

Moreover, even if it could, could she endure it?

Gu Linghwa continued to wipe away her dripping tears.

Walking like that, she arrived at a place where the hut was visible.

She had to quickly pull herself together and show a composed appearance.

Because she thought that was the least she could do as a disciple.

As Gu Linghwa composed herself and took a step towards the hut, her appearance visible from the outside vanished in an instant.

Just like smoke, in a single moment.

Perhaps because of that.

The men who had been quietly watching Gu Linghwa spoke with strange expressions.

“…Where did she go?”

“Was she discovered?”

“Discovered by some chick who looks barely second-rate? It’d be more realistic to say the Plum Blossom Immortal disguised herself as that girl.”

“Shut up and scout, she looks like she found something.”

A small man wearing a black hood began to examine the area where Gu Linghwa had disappeared.

There was nothing particularly unusual, but he felt a chilling sensation.

‘Is it a formation?’

If so, why would a formation be set up in such a deep mountain valley? Thinking this, he carelessly reached out his hand.

Thump-!

“…!”

His hand bounced back with a dull sensation in the empty air.

It was quite a rough repulsion.

Rubbing his tingling hand, the man corrected himself inwardly.

‘It wasn’t just a formation.’

A formation to distract the eyes seemed to be included, but fundamentally, this was simply a barrier.

And it was a solid barrier, packed tightly as if a bet had been poured into it.

“…Is this the Plum Blossom Immortal’s doing?”

It might not be, but among martial artists capable of setting up a barrier of this level, only the Plum Blossom Immortal came to mind in Shaanxi right now.

Even the Branch Chief, who looked like a monster and made one question if he was even human, couldn’t deploy a barrier of this caliber.

“It seems she found something…”

Will the person she’s looking for be inside?

‘For now, I should return to the branch.’

Not only can I not deal with the barrier immediately, but acting recklessly would draw the attention of the Mount Hua Sect.

“We’re returning.”

Behind the man’s statement, a stout, well-fed giant let out a sound of regret.

“Are we just going back…?”

Grind! At the giant’s regretful sound, the man gritted his teeth.

That piglet must be acting like that because of the girl who just disappeared behind the barrier.

“What’s the problem now, Dusum?”

“…It’s about the girl just now. She was quite pretty, couldn’t we just have a taste before leaving, Captain?”

At Dusum’s words, the man’s brow furrowed deeply.

“For god’s sake, you fucking bastard, I told you not to stir up unnecessary trouble. Are you serious?”

Despite the man’s scolding, Dusum merely clicked his tongue regretfully.

“…No, but it’s been so long since I’ve had a taste… Wouldn’t you enjoy it too, Captain?”

“Stop spewing that disgusting crap, you fucking brat. What pleasure could you possibly get from tasting a kid whose body hasn’t even fully developed? Get a grip, you damn kid.”

“Besides, the girl was wearing Mount Hua Sect clothes. Wouldn’t the Branch Chief like it if we caught her and brought her back?”

“She’s just a kid anyway, what vitality could you possibly extract…! Fuck, just leave the kid alone, please!”

“Right, we shouldn’t touch the kid.”

“Yeah, let’s just go back now….”

The man stopped speaking mid-sentence.

At the same time, the actions of the men lingering in front of the barrier stopped abruptly.

It was because a voice they hadn’t heard before cut through their conversation.

Hesitation was brief.

The man immediately drew his sword and swung it in the direction the voice came from.

Swish!

Even though he swung with all his might, imbued with sword energy, the sword merely cut through the empty air.

There was definitely a presence here…?

Crack-!

“Gurgle…!”

Along with the sound of bones snapping, Dusum’s gurgling cry was heard.

As the man turned his gaze, Dusum’s massive body was slowly collapsing.

He wasn’t as massive as the Branch Chief, but he was almost as large.

Thump!

Just like that, the hulking figure fell with a heavy sound.

His neck was bent at an unnatural angle; it was obvious he was dead.

“You… who the hell are you?”

The man asked.

Behind where Dusum had fallen, a boy stood majestically.

Black hair with a very faint reddish tint, and crimson eyes that seemed filled with blood.

From his neatly worn red martial arts uniform and upright posture, one could sense that the boy was no ordinary martial artist.

The boy’s gaze turned towards the man.

With a sneering lip, the boy answered the man’s question.

“What business is it of yours, you motherfuckers.”

Sparks flew along with the coarse profanity.

---

The serene forest instantly turned into chaos.

Crackle-!

Fiercely flickering flames engulfed the surroundings.

The man, Baechong, couldn’t comprehend this wretched situation.

What the hell was this crazy monster brat?

He had only stepped out to scout the vicinity, but this was unexpected.

He thought he had moved safely, avoiding the Mount Hua Sect’s movements, but he never expected to encounter someone like this.

He glanced towards Dusum’s corpse.

Other than his neck being twisted in death, no other injuries were visible.

It was only natural, given how instantaneous it was.

‘No hesitation in killing.’

It was a disposition that a boy of that age shouldn’t possess.

It would be even harder for a martial artist who primarily uses their hands.

Could a boy not yet even twenty years old be like this?

‘Moreover.’

Whoosh!

“Fuck…!”

He barely managed to block the flames attacking from all directions with his sword and evade.

What in the world were these wildly swirling flames?

‘Pyromancy…? There shouldn’t be any sects in Shaanxi that use pyromancy…!’

Despite appearing hot and chaotic, the flames clearly followed a pattern.

Baechong could tell that all these flames were moving according to the caster’s intent.

Just seeing that told him the boy had reached a level he couldn’t dare to contend with.

It meant that he, who had surpassed the first-rate, couldn’t handle that young boy.

‘Is he a monster wearing human skin?’

Just as Baechong gritted his teeth.

“Kyaaaak!”

One of his companions who had come with him had his head grabbed by the boy.

The boy enveloped his hand in flames and then burned him.

“…Huu… Hwaa!”

The screams of the one burning to death filled the forest, but the boy’s sharp eyes remained as emotionless as before.

“I made a slight mistake.”

The boy’s words.

Baechong felt goosebumps rise all over his body at that voice.

An abyss where nothing could be felt.

He felt as if he had entered that deep place right now.

“I should have burned that piglet from the inside out, but it’s been a while since I killed anyone, so I made a few mistakes.”

How could the way he casually brushed his hands look so familiar?

Moreover, that appearance even suited him.

Baechong asked, hiding his cold sweat.

“…You, who the hell are you?”

“Didn’t you hear me earlier? I asked what business it was of yours.”

“Do you know who we dare to be…”

“Who else but the Prince’s lackeys.”

“…!”

At the boy’s answer, Baechong froze instantly.

“How could you know…”

The boy took a step towards Baechong, a smile forming.

The blazing flames were still hot, and as the boy approached, he grabbed and killed another subordinate who charged at him.

“Kiiiaak!”

Screams echoed once more.

“Let me ask you something too.”

A ball of fire.

To Baechong, the boy slowly approaching seemed less like a human and more like a flame.

The flame approached slowly and asked.

“I didn’t know much about your side, but I’ve noticed something interesting.”

To Baechong’s eyes, it was as if the world was melting.

How could a person take on such a form?

It was different from the fear he felt looking at the Branch Chief.

The fear was the same, but the level was different.

What in the world am I facing…?

Finally, the concentrated flames attached themselves to one of Baechong’s arms.

“…Kkeu-eup…!”

Even as he watched his arm burn under the weight of fear, he couldn’t let out a scream.

He could only stumble backward in fear.

The flame looked at Baechong like that and spoke again.

“Why are you guys.”

The crimson eyes within the sharply slanted eyes were now shining.

“Possessing demonic energy?”

At the boy’s question and the thick smell of burning.

Baechong couldn’t say anything.