Chapter v20c18

## Ruler of the Sky, Ruler of the Earth

– The Wind Brought by Wings

“Pant, pant, pant!”

The slender girl gasped for breath. The cool, yet sharp scent of the mountains brushed past her throat and seeped into her lungs.

Clear sky, hot sun, steep mountain path. Sichuan was originally famous for its high and rugged mountains, and Mount Emei was famous even within Sichuan. They had taken a carriage to the foot of the mountain, and their destination was said to be halfway up, but Rin’s slender legs were already finding the rough mountain path difficult. It was fortunate that she was wearing comfortable men’s clothing.

The two had to argue with Namgung-Jin when they left Cheonhyang Pavilion that morning. Na Baek-Cheon, having heard from Rin, had left Namgung-Jin and three guards behind before his departure. Naturally, Rin detested having guards follow her, and Yeon-Bi and Namgung-Jin had finally reached a compromise after a war of nerves.

‘Rin in men’s clothes, one guard. Carry a flute for contact’ was the compromise. However, because Rin said she was scared of burly guards, the guard from the back garden, whom Yeon-Bi had recently become acquainted with, was to follow them from a distance, as if he were there and not there.

Namgung-Jin secretly followed behind with three guards. A pigeon with feathers dyed red was perched on his shoulder. It was a search pigeon that flew to the exact location following the sound of a special flute for birds. The guard would blow the flute once every hour, and Namgung-Jin’s group would track it with the search pigeon, following a beat behind. This way, even in an emergency, they could catch up within half a shichen (one hour) by moving at maximum speed.

‘I wonder if that guard can even last one hour in an emergency.’

Namgung-Jin was anxious. Guards were originally used to stop stragglers; when things actually happened, it was fortunate if they even screamed before collapsing. At least the girl named Yeon-Bi seemed somewhat skilled, so he could only pray that the two of them would somehow hold out in an emergency.

Even at that moment, the guard, branded as expendable, was climbing the mountain path anxiously, keeping a distance of about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) from Yeon-Bi, completely unaware. He was terrified of losing sight of the two. Ten zhang was indeed an enormous distance on a mountain path where one could lose sight of their companions even a short distance ahead due to bushes and curves. Even if he wanted to subtly close the distance, the cat-like girl at the front kept increasing the distance with her leisurely steps.

Yeon-Bi led the way as effortlessly as if she were walking on flat ground. The way she hopped between rocks like a deer made it difficult to think of her as a girl of the same age as Rin.

“Yeon-Bi…”

Rin, out of breath, called out to Yeon-Bi. She couldn’t go on any longer.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m so used to this path that I quickened my pace without realizing. Shall we rest for a bit?”

Yeon-Bi handed Rin the gourd she had tied to her waist and sat down on a rock. It was a beautiful spot, with elegant rocks and drooping old pine trees on one side, and a clear stream on the other.

“Don’t drink too much, or you won’t be able to move. Just two or three sips.”

Rin, having quenched her thirst, returned the gourd, still panting.

“Yeon-Bi, in a place like this, hooo… how…”

She couldn’t speak properly, trying to catch her breath.

They had taken a carriage to the foot of the mountain where there were passersby, and only started hiking when they reached a hidden path, so they hadn’t encountered any strangers yet. If she sensed someone’s presence from afar, Yeon-Bi would take Rin on a detour through a side path or behind bushes. They had endured such inconvenience and only passed through paths with almost no trace of people, so in Rin’s eyes, this place must have seemed like a harsh, wild world.

“You mean how do I live in such a rugged place?”

Yeon-Bi, guessing her unspoken words, wet a handkerchief and handed it to Rin.

“Well, my master is here. Still, it’s a decent place once you get used to it. It’s a bit troublesome to go back and forth to the upper reaches of the valley several times to fetch water, or to travel over ten li (about 4 kilometers) to go to the market. If you can just get past the occasional poisonous snakes, centipedes, wild beasts, poisonous insects, landslides, and avalanches, it’s quite livable. The scenery is good, it’s quiet, and there’s no land price, right?”

Rin was dumbfounded by Yeon-Bi’s nonchalant enumeration. She suddenly hesitated and came over to poke Yeon-Bi’s side a couple of times.

“Ouch, what’s wrong?”

“Indeed, you’re alive.”

Yeon-Bi asked with a dumbfounded expression at Rin’s relieved reaction.

“Then did you perhaps think I was a ghost?”

“…A little.”

It was an ambiguous answer. Rin had actually harbored a sliver of doubt about Yeon-Bi since they first met. Not only her eyes and dance, but her actions were also so elusive, and didn’t she fly up to high places like a bird?

Of course, for any decent master, leaping as high as Yeon-Bi was no big deal. Her father, Na Baek-Cheon, was a master who could not only run on mountains but also on water for short distances, but she, having been cooped up in her room, had never witnessed such a sight.

“Pfft, where would you find a ghost 열심히 wandering around in broad daylight like me? It’s people like Rin who stay in their rooms all the time who are like ghosts. Look, you look like you’re about to melt right now.”

The word ‘melt’ was not an exaggeration. Even though Rin’s forehead had just been wiped with a handkerchief, sweat was already beading on it again.

“Tsk, tsk, completely out of shape.”

Yeon-Bi shook her head pityingly and re-wet the handkerchief to cool it down.

“Out of shape?”

“It’s natural since you’ve been cooped up in your room every day. Still, the fun of exercise is that it becomes refreshing as you do it! This path isn’t very rough compared to other places. Well then, shall we make up for the lack of exercise again?”

“Ugh…”

Rin unknowingly groaned as she saw Yeon-Bi stand up abruptly. Yeon-Bi grinned at the sound but mercilessly resumed hiking.

Truly, there was no one else. No one who would make her exercise while mixing such blunt remarks and advice, calling her a recluse or out of shape. Yeon-Bi was the first to treat her both comfortably and strictly. Everyone else had treated her like a fragile piece of glass.

Yeon-Bi, who had been walking silently for a while, suddenly turned around and asked.

“How is it? Don’t you get a little used to it as you walk?”

“No, not at all.”

It was a surprisingly firm and quick answer, unlike Rin. Her expression also showed firm conviction. Yeon-Bi asked with an expression that made it unclear whether she was regretful or suppressing laughter.

“Oh dear. Is it still hard?”

*Nod, nod!*

Rin nodded her head vigorously.

“Whew, it’s only been a little over an hour since we entered the mountain. We really need to exercise a lot from now on. Shall we go hiking every time we meet from now on?”

“Ugh, ughhh…!”

“Puhuhuhut, I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”

Yeon-Bi, who was laughing at Rin’s tearful face, suddenly felt her heart drop.

‘Gasp, come to think of it, was this the kind of fun Master had when he was tormenting me!’

It was a moment when she truly understood the meaning of the saying that the cycle of evil repeats.

‘This… might become a habit…’

“Ahem, anyway, if you walk every day like me, Rin, even a path like this will be a piece of cake, so hang in there. I can walk here with my eyes closed now, you know?”

It was a boast that proved that realizing something and reflecting on it were two different things.

“Really?”

“Of course. Here, look.”

“St-stop it.”

Rin hastily tried to stop her, but Yeon-Bi had already closed her eyes.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Rin followed behind Yeon-Bi with anxious eyes.

And so, on exactly the eleventh step. Yeon-Bi tumbled down under a small rock with a clatter.

“Yeon-Bi!”

“Ouch, ouch… I-I’m okay. Ugh, this naughty rock suddenly stuck its head out. You rascal, where did you suddenly come from!”

Yeon-Bi blushed and 괜히 kicked the innocent rock with the tip of her foot.

“Pfft!”

Rin also let out a small laugh. Whether it was due to the whisper of nature or Yeon-Bi’s pretense, Rin’s laughter was gradually brightening.

Two hours after climbing the mountain. The slope became even steeper. Yeon-Bi, though full of余裕, silently slowed her pace. It was to match Rin’s speed. Rin, who was catching her breath and looking up at the sky for a moment, unknowingly let out an exclamation.

“Wow! It’s beautiful!”

White wings cut diagonally across the blue sky. It was a snow-white hawk. The white hawk, freely traversing the sky, was full of dignity. A hawk soaring high, high, with the wind under its wings. It was a completely different existence from herself, cooped up in her room.

“You mean the White Eagle? It’s a big shot on this mountain. The sky around this mountain range is all its territory.”

‘Free wind, I wish I could be like that…’

Rin couldn’t take her eyes off the white wind, the white hawk. Infinite longing filled her cloudy pupils. The White Eagle soon became as small as a white dot and then disappeared from sight. Perhaps the wind truly couldn’t be tied down.

“Ah, it’s gone. But we’ll be able to meet it again soon. Their throne is near where we’re going. You want to see it too, Rin?”

Yeon-Bi asked, as if reading Rin’s mind. Rin silently nodded and wiped her sweat. Even though she was clearly lacking stamina, she felt increasingly refreshed as time went by. It seemed the white wings had brought a good wind.

“Well, in a little while, our arduous adventure will end! I’ll show you an amazing place soon, so you can look forward to it!”

And it happened just as Yeon-Bi said. However, Rin had not expected it to end in such a way.

A short while later, Yeon-Bi’s footsteps, which had been climbing the mountain path without hesitation, came to an abrupt halt. Rin also stopped walking and looked up at Yeon-Bi. Yeon-Bi’s face was slightly stiff.

“Hmm, isn’t this strange?”

Rin tilted her head. Her face showed that she didn’t know what was strange.

“Isn’t it a bit quiet?”

Yeon-Bi tensed up at the subtle silence that was encroaching on the entire mountain. Even on a deserted mountain path, many sounds mingled within it. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves, the sound of water brushing against rocks, the occasional sound of animals rustling through the undergrowth… But now, something among them was completely missing.

“Ah, I can’t hear any birdsong!”

*Flap!*

As soon as Yeon-Bi finished speaking, a bird flew up from the front and landed on a tree. Startled, Rin flinched.

“There are birds, though?”

“W-well, that’s true.”

Yeon-Bi still couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. It felt as if the mountain was quietly stirring.

“Rin, it’s a pity, but shall we just see this much today and go back?”

“Go back?”

Rin’s eyes widened in shock. Even though it was difficult, she felt like she was finally getting the hang of stepping on rocks, and she was starting to enjoy the mountain path a little. Besides, she had been secretly looking forward to reaching the destination soon.

“Is the White Eagle’s nest still far?”

“That place? Hmm, we just need to go past that thicket over there, but… I feel uneasy today for some reason.”

It was difficult to explain, but there was an ominous scent mixed in the gently blowing wind. She wouldn’t mind if she were alone, but she felt uneasy taking Rin.

But what was this? Rin, who had approached and grabbed Yeon-Bi’s sleeve at some point, had an unusual look in her eyes. There was no trace of anxiety, only eyes filled with regret and determination. It was clear at a glance that she didn’t want to go back. It was like that day when she jumped from the window, when she grabbed Yeon-Bi’s sleeve before going back.

“Just seeing the White Eagle for a moment…”

A small voice, mumbled words, but filled with a powerful longing. Had the White Eagle been that impressive? It was rare to see Rin express what she ‘wanted to do’ like this.

“Haa, I wonder if it’ll be okay.”

Just those words made Rin’s face brighten even more. Yeon-Bi glanced down at where the guard was standing.

The guard happened to be taking out that damn inaudible flute and blowing it. Had it already been two and a half hours since they started climbing the mountain? Seeing him calmly put the flute back into his bosom, it seemed he didn’t feel anything unusual.

‘Hmm. Since there are people, I wonder if it’ll be okay?’

Come to think of it, it was a bit ridiculous to bring her all the way here and then suggest going back, and with such an ending, it would be much harder to drag Rin out of her room again. Besides, lunchtime was already slowly passing.

‘Right. Might as well eat it anyway. It’s best to eat while looking at that rainbow-arched waterfall.’

The place she intended to take Rin. It was a famous spot where one could see a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall.

If one took a slight detour through the side path behind the cypress tree that Yeon-Bi called the throne of the birds, the view would suddenly open up, and six waterfalls would miraculously unfold. Perhaps due to the curtain of water rising in a misty spray in a semicircle, it was a natural temple where a colorful rainbow arched over the center where the streams met on clear days.

The place where Yeon-Bi was standing now was so close that if one listened quietly, one could faintly hear the sound of water rushing. Yeon-Bi shrugged her shoulders as if to shake off her worries. Listening to the sound of the waterfall, her heart felt much lighter.

“Well, it should be okay, right? Let’s go, let’s go.”

Rin smiled brightly, clenching her small fists. It was a smile that had become even clearer, imbued with the scent of the mountains.

Pushing through the thicket, what appeared was a massive reddish-brown pillar, and a curtain of dark blue coniferous needles enveloping that pillar like a cloud. A giant cypress tree that must have weathered all sorts of hardships for hundreds of years. It was so tall that it was dizzying, a magnificent tree that looked to be well over fifteen zhang (approximately 50 meters) high.

Within two or three zhang of that majestic cypress tree, no other notable trees were visible. Perhaps because the tree was so large and cast a wide shadow, only weeds below knee height grew profusely, naturally forming a roundish clearing. Behind that clearing, large rocks were layered like a folding screen.

*Swaaaaah…*

The sound of a powerful waterfall, as if washing away one’s thoughts, echoed off the rock wall. If one went around the narrow crevice between the overlapping rocks, they would finally reach their destination. Yeon-Bi took a deep breath of the refreshing cypress scent and looked back at Rin.

“This tree is where the White Eagle builds its nest. The White Eagle’s home, so to speak, the throne where the king of birds resides.”

“Throne…”

Rin tilted her head all the way back and looked up at where Yeon-Bi was pointing. The White Eagle’s nest was shrouded in layers of branches and a mist of countless coniferous needles, making it difficult to find, as if it were there and not there. Only after Yeon-Bi pointed her finger again to indicate the exact location could Rin finally find the White Eagle’s nest.

*Flap, flap, flap!*

It was right then that the sound of urgent wingbeats was heard, and a few white feathers fluttered down before their eyes.

The owner of the feathers was none other than the White Eagle. The majestic king of the sky was now circling the cypress tree anxiously, its feathers sharply on end, as if in a great hurry.

“Haak!”

Rin suddenly gasped and threw herself into Yeon-Bi’s arms. Yeon-Bi, puzzled, followed Rin’s gaze to the side of the cypress tree and gasped in a low voice.

“Th-that’s!”

Something that had stealthily revealed itself from behind the trunk of the magnificent tree came into view. A long, thick body, as thick as a grown man’s waist, glistening white scales that shone eerily like the whites of overturned eyes, red pupils that shone like lodestones, it was…

“White Jiao a type of flood dragon!”

She had forced herself to lower her voice. Yeon-Bi, embracing Rin whose small shoulders were trembling, hardened her face like stone. She heard the rustling sound of someone pushing through the undergrowth behind her, but Yeon-Bi didn’t have the luxury of turning around. Just by the sound of the footsteps, she knew it was the guard. He must have heard Rin’s startled cry and arbitrarily closed the distance. Yeon-Bi warned in a calm and firm tone.

“It’s a creature that’s over a hundred years old and failed to become a dragon. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem interested in us, so don’t provoke it with loud noises or big movements.”

The guard, who had reflexively taken out a flute from his bosom, quickly stopped his movement at those words. If it was a flute sound that birds could hear, there was a possibility that it could provoke the White Jiao. He held the flute as it was and observed the situation.

“I’ve only heard about it, but they say if you make eye contact with that thing once, it’s over in an instant. Let’s slowly back away like this, Rin.”

Yeon-Bi kept her eyes fixed on the White Jiao and firmly held Rin’s hand. Rin had no objection to retreating this time, but there was one thing that bothered her.

“Can’t the White Eagle escape either?”

“No, because it has wings. Oh, no way…!”

Yeon-Bi quickly shifted her gaze to the White Eagle’s nest.

The White Eagle had its wings raised like blades and was continuously circling the nest. Seeing something whitish stirring inside the nest, it seemed there were still young chicks.

“There are young birds in the nest!”

Despite the White Eagle’s desperate attempts to stop it, the White Jiao did not give up and continued to approach the nest. The White Eagle, presumably the mother, stood guard in front of the nest, its feathers bristling.

Rin, surprised, couldn’t close her mouth and stared intently at the nest. As her retreating footsteps faltered, the guard watching from behind became even more anxious.

“Indeed, it’s troublesome if the White Eagles increase, so it’s trying to eliminate them beforehand.”

“Troublesome?”

“Snakes naturally dislike eagles. Since they always have to stick to the ground, winged creatures are tricky opponents, aren’t they?”

Until now, even if it was an eyesore, they had maintained a distance without much conflict, but now it seemed it no longer wanted to face them.

“But this time, the White Eagle is in big trouble. Since one of them is out, it will be difficult for it to protect the chicks while fighting the White Jiao alone.”

“Then what do we do?”

Yeon-Bi looked at Rin quietly, then glanced at the guard. One had a pure face, wanting to help the White Eagle somehow, and the other had a desperate face, urging them to retreat quickly if they were in their right mind. Emotionally, she leaned towards Rin, but Yeon-Bi eventually decided to face the harsh reality.

“It’s dangerous, so we have to retreat for now. The White Eagle…”

Yeon-Bi gave a bitter smile. Honestly, there was nothing much they could do.

“We can only cheer for it.”

Now was the time to leave it to the laws of nature.

In the human world, there are plenty of parents who clip the wings of their children trying to become independent and then chain them down saying, ‘It’s for your own good!’, or parents who endlessly coddle their grown children, saying, ‘Yes, you’ll always be my baby.’ However, it is the law of nature for the creatures of nature to leave their parents’ side and become independent when it is time for them to fly on their own. A bird that cannot fly is bound to fall someday, so it is knowing the right time and following the natural order to push a cute chick out of the nest at the appropriate time.

However, even they protect their young chicks by any means necessary. The maternal instinct of the mother White Eagle to protect her children was strong.

Every time the White Jiao’s fangs and eerie tongue spewed out dizzying venom, the White Eagle blocked it like lightning with its sharp beak and talons. Thanks to its agile and precise movements, it was able to dodge all the dangerous venom, but the problem was the White Jiao’s steel-like scales.

Due to the hard scales, the White Eagle couldn’t inflict much damage on the White Jiao even with its sharp talons. Moreover, when the White Jiao twisted its body and its scales scraped against it even slightly, crimson blood immediately seeped from the White Eagle’s feathers. Eventually, the White Eagle gave up attacking the body and persistently aimed for the White Jiao’s eyes, repeating ascents and dives, continuing its relentless attack.

The battle between the eagle and the snake was desperate.

The White Eagle’s wings, once as white as snow, were now stained red like peach blossoms. It was a慘혹한 sight, with feathers plucked out here and there. The White Jiao had also lost a few scales, but it was in much better condition than the White Eagle.

*Screeeech!!*

Another White Eagle flew in from the sky, letting out a sharp cry like a high-pitched whistle. The father, who had been out, had returned.

Yeon-Bi and Rin, who had retreated into the bushes and were holding their breath, clasped hands and rejoiced. The moment the White Jiao urgently turned its body, the blood-stained mother White Eagle dived in like a flash of lightning and pecked at the White Jiao’s eye. Rin, cringing at the gruesome sight, squeezed her eyes shut.

*Screeeaaak!!*

A terrible sound, like metal scraping, was heard, along with the White Jiao’s agonized thrashing.

“Ugh!”

Rin, opening her eyes at Yeon-Bi’s groan, was shocked.

“Huh? Why, why is the White Eagle…!”

In front of the White Jiao, whose one eye had been gouged out and was now empty, the mother White Eagle was thrown down like a crumpled piece of cloth.

“It couldn’t… dodge the tail.”

Rin, surprised by her heavy, choked voice, looked back at Yeon-Bi. Something was quietly smoldering deep within Yeon-Bi’s pupils.

The mother White Eagle had barely managed to gouge out the White Jiao’s right eye and was trying to quickly return to the nest. Since her mate had returned and the tables had turned, she had intended to escape while the White Jiao was thrashing and protect the nest herself. However, her mind was urgent, but the mother White Eagle, having suffered numerous wounds, was not flying well, perhaps due to her tension easing. It was then that the writhing White Jiao swung its tail at the White Eagle.

“It should be… okay for now.”

Yeon-Bi’s voice drifted emptily in the air. The mother White Eagle was rolling on the ground like a rag, staining the grass red. Even Rin could see at a glance that there was no hope. The remaining White Eagle let out a mournful cry that seemed to tear the sky apart and clashed with the White Jiao.

Something welled up in her throat. Yeon-Bi gritted her teeth so hard that a sound was made and forcibly swallowed that unknown something. Objectively judging her current skills, the White Jiao was completely out of her league. With Rin beside her, it was natural to stay hidden and quiet in such a situation. Why then, even though she knew that coolly, was her heart boiling so hotly?

‘To be unable to do anything like back then, something like that…!’

She thought she had forgotten, but a memory she wanted to hide was slowly crawling out from the abyss.

* * *

Parched land. Rough clods of earth crumbled at his fingertips. His fingernails crumbled too. Dirt clung stubbornly to his hands, raw and bleeding where the skin had peeled off. His shoulders, his body, felt like they were breaking. But still, he didn’t stop, digging and digging and digging.

He couldn’t borrow anyone else’s strength. He was the only one left in the village. He couldn’t even remember how many days had passed.

A daily routine of digging and burying, digging and burying. Still, he couldn’t run away. He didn’t want to. He just kept digging and burying with his small hands, digging and burying. As if it were the mission of a child left alone.

His father’s body no longer held any warmth. It was incomprehensible, but it was true. That’s why he was burying him. Even if he covered him thickly with earth, he wouldn’t become warm again inside. The earth was cold, like his father’s body. But there was no choice. If he didn’t bury him, he would be eaten by beasts and insects. He didn’t want that. So he had to bury him.

The place was already decided. Even before his body grew cold, when he saw his weak eyes flutter, he had already thought about where to bury his father. Right next to his mother’s grave, there was nowhere else.

Watching the clods of earth fall on his father’s face, the world briefly turned hazy. But that was all; it seemed no tears flowed. As he covered the villagers one by one with earth, the tears had flowed out little by little, and embarrassingly, there were no tears left to shed for his father. Perhaps what had dried up was not his tears, but his heart.

But he was busy. His mother, his friends, their parents, as everyone’s body grew cold one by one, nothing he did was of any use. All he could do was help the adults cover them with earth. And in the end, even the adults who had covered them with earth returned to the earth.

Finally, the grave was completed. Now, there were no more graves to make. Because one couldn’t make a grave after dying. Would this body be eaten by beasts and insects? He didn’t want that. As he sat there blankly, he couldn’t understand anything anymore.

He couldn’t bear it, something like that. As he wandered around looking for something to do, something to do, something to do, he suddenly saw them. A knife and wood. It was fortunate. There was still work left to do. So it was okay to survive a little longer.

Recalling his memories, he slowly began to carve the wood. When this work was finished, there would be no more work left. He didn’t want that. It was a hundred, a thousand times worse than not being able to enter a grave alone and rotting on the ground. He couldn’t finish this work. But he couldn’t stop either.

Then, eventually, the carving was finished. The result, created with desperate effort, was satisfactory, incomparable to anything he had made before.

It was then that he heard a voice.

“Did you make this grave?”

A person. And a person who spoke. Wait, how should he answer in a situation like this?

“Yes.”

It seemed like a slightly strange answer, but it probably didn’t matter. More importantly, that, that old man was still alive and talking to him.

“Did you carve this wood too?”

“Yes, sir.”

He tried to vary it a little, but it was still a somewhat awkward answer. However, with his following words, he no longer had the luxury to worry about such things.

“Will you come with me?”

The old man suddenly extended his hand. As he stared blankly at that large hand, doubt suddenly arose. Was it okay to do this, was it okay to just take this hand?

“What will I get if I follow you?”

He chuckled and said.

“I’ll help you become strong, with the best martial arts in the world.”

He couldn’t believe it. When he asked back how he could believe those words, he lightly waved his hand and sent a dozen or so pine trees flying away at once.

“Well, don’t you want to learn?”

The old man’s eyes came close to his face. It was a deep and calm gaze, as if seeing right through his heart.

“At least you’ll have something to do.”

“…”

He had been read.

There was work to do. He could become strong.

He unconsciously looked back. Those lying in the cold earth said nothing.

“Alright!”

It was an unavoidable answer. He needed something to do. He wanted to become strong. He had to become strong.

* * *

*Flap, flap!*

The remaining White Eagle fiercely beat its wings and flew towards the White Jiao. In the nest, the chicks were trembling, holding their breath. Was it because it was enraged by the death of its mate? The White Eagle’s attack was reckless beyond measure.

‘In front of me, in front of me…!’

Another one would be made alone.

Yeon-Bi glared at the White Jiao with burning eyes. Rin, looking at her worriedly, and the presence of the anxious guard behind her, were gradually fading from her mind.

The White Jiao’s tail once again flew with a terrifying sound of tearing air. The White Eagle barely managed to dodge the tail, but it lost its balance slightly due to the gust of wind caused by the tail. A clear opening. The White Jiao did not miss that moment and bared its venomous fangs.

“Stop!”

Her body was moving on its own. Something cut through the wind and flew towards the White Jiao.