Chapter 23: Ximen Qing

Chapter 23: Ximen Qing

"You're finally here."

A-Qing raised an eyebrow, "You knew I was coming?"

“A woman with such bright eyes couldn't be a cruel villain. So, this is the only place you could bring the child.”

Fate had played its hand, and this time it was a twist A-Qing didn't see coming.

The pure and innocent eyes that had helped her escape Wudang had now led her into trouble.

A-Qing stepped back cautiously, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Yang Chaemu spoke, "Come. It's too late to run."

"Lies. I don't believe you. Last time, you surrounded me with your goons and lied. This time, there's no one around, is there? You think I'll fall for the same trick twice?"

"I never tricked you, though."

He was right.

A-Qing had acted on her own, and Yang Chaemu never said he wouldn't prepare a trap.

"So, what? We're settling this here?"

"If you hand over the child now, I'll let bygones be bygones. You seem like a good person, so I have no reason to harm you."

"Ha, I'm not to be trifled with! Fine, let's settle this. You think I'm afraid? I'm an expert too, an expert!"

This time, Heuksal[^Black Kill, Or Black Assassin. Back in chapter 21. Code name or alias for an assassin.] stepped forward. He drew his sword, and light shone from it.

It wasn't some flashy sword aura like a shining star.

It was a chilling whisper that entered the eyes, a star that didn't blind but shone, embedded in its place.

It was sword force.

"Oh, what's this? A transcendent expert? To catch a measly Peak Realm like me, isn't sending a transcendent a bit... overkill?"

A-Qing's bravado wavered. Back in her ignorant days, when she had just become a Peak Realm and feared nothing, she had seen Transcendent Realms fight while selling swords at a market.

The swordsman's blade had been sliced to pieces.

Even though she wasn't the one fighting, her legs had trembled.

This was the dignity of a true Master.

"Unni?"

"Even I can't handle a Transcendent... That one strike could split you and me in half and send us straight to the underworld."

"It's okay, we'll go together."

"Well, I'm not okay with that."

A-Qing let out a deep sigh.

"Excuse me, wouldn't it be fair to at least give me a sword? It's not right to make a swordsman fight a Transcendent Realm expert without a sword."

Neither Yang Chaemu nor Heuksal answered.

It seemed they were too stingy to even give her a single sword.

A Transcendent Realm expert was a bit too much to handle.

She should just slip away when they weren't paying attention.

First, let's try to get them to lower their guard.

A-Qing shouted loudly on purpose, "Ha. It can't be helped. Myung-Myung! Special attack!"

A-Qing held the baby's carrier and turned around.

Her chest got in the way a little, but as a result, Jangmyeong, who had been on her back, spun around and hung in front of her.

A-Qing proudly shouted, "This is the hostage defense technique! You can't attack, but I can! I'm invincible, and the baby is a god! I'm invincible, and the baby is a god!"

They were after Jin Jangmyeong.

And Jin Jangmyeong was weak. They wouldn't dare touch her carelessly. She was literally an invincible shield.

It was a truly despicable idea and tactic.

Even though they had already agreed to do this if things went south, Jin Jangmyeong was still ashamed and hung his head.

Yang Chaemu, dumbfounded, said, "Are you really going to use such a cowardly trick? Wasn't your goal to save the child?"

“Cowardly, my foot! You guys are the ones who came here in a mob to take down a little kid, and you're calling me cowardly?!”

A-Qing continued to raise her voice, "And should our little baby just stand there and watch like it's none of her business? If she's just going to cheer from the sidelines, why not ask someone else to live her life? Don't underestimate our Jangmyeong , you fool!"

An unexpected response came, “Your words are truly remarkable!”

There was a woman approaching, clapping her hands.

She was a middle-aged woman, but she was undeniably beautiful.

Though she bore the marks of time, her face was still lovely and exuded elegance.

“Last night, the stars were ominous, so I went for a walk and somehow ended up outside the gates. I was going to overlook this worldly matter, but that child's words are truly delightful. Child, what's your name?”

"Me?"

"Yes, you, child."

"My name is A-Qing..."

"A-Qing! What a lovely name. But my goodness, what on earth is that appearance? Even a piglet wouldn't go around looking like that. And your sister too. How can both of you be so unkempt? Answer me. Are you human or piglets?"

She was a lady with a strange sense of authority.

Like a wealthy madam.

"I'm human..." A-Qing replied, shrinking back.

“Then you should act like one. And look at your clothes. A young girl shouldn't neglect her appearance like that. You look like a pile of rags!”

"Excuse me, ma'am, I appreciate your words, but it would be better for you to avoid this place... That guy with the sword and the one with the spear are really bad guys..."

"Are you in any position to worry about me looking like that? You can't even take care of yourself, and you think I need your concern? Ha. This is infuriating, absolutely infuriating."

"Uh..."

What was this situation?

And why was she being scolded?

A-Qing just rolled her eyes.

Then the madam turned to the other side.

"And you, if you had even a little, a tiny bit of sense in your heads, you wouldn't dare threaten a woman in front of Mount Wu's gate. Should I really scold you for having intelligence worse than bugs?"

The two men's faces turned pale.

A-Qing didn't know, but the madam's aura alone was enough to make them feel nauseous.

The two immediately recognized the lady's identity.

If you asked who the strongest martial artist was, the debate could last ten nights. It was the most common type of argument in Murim.

But if you asked who the strongest woman was, there was only one answer.

The Zenith among women, the Matriarch Ximen Surin.

Yang Chaemu, with a bloodless face, bowed.

"Elder Matriarch , I..."

"Stop. You know who I am. If you don't think your excuses are justified, it's better to keep your mouth shut."

Yang Chaemu closed his mouth.

Even if he was desperate, there was no reason to hang himself and choose suicide.

The moment he mentioned innocence in front of the Elder Matriarch, his life would end here.

It was common sense.

"Ugh, get out of here. I don't even want to see you."

And A-Qing received a mission success notification.

An unfamiliar ceiling.

A faint scent wafted comfortably into her breath.

A-Qing sat up.

It was a neatly organized room.

As soon as she arrived at the Divine Maiden Sect with the madam, women with expressions like they had seen the most terrifying thing in the world rushed in and threw A-Qing into a bathtub.

A-Qing realized why cats desperately resisted baths.

If you left them alone, they would keep themselves clean.

Suddenly being picked up, thrown into a tub, lathered with soap, and scrubbed would naturally terrify anyone.

Moreover, her entire body had been defiled by the countless hands of women she didn't even know.

All A-Qing could do was close her eyes tightly and pray for this moment to pass.

Afterward, she received treatment from a female doctor.

They wrapped, smeared, and stuck things all over her body, to the point where she barely needed to wear clothes.

Then she drank some warm soup and fell asleep.

And now she had woken up.

Now that she looked somewhat presentable, the fatigue of the journey weighed heavily on her body.

A-Qing stumbled out the door.

And she saw Ximen Surin drinking tea on the porch.

That madam was the Zenith among women.

The strongest woman in Murim.

It was clear: mastery was the only path.

Ximen Surin possessed such a commanding presence that no weapon was needed

'Get lost.'

With just one phase, the enemies would run away.

"Child. You're awake?"

"Yes, thanks to you. Thank you very much."

A-Qing stealthily observed her.

Observation skill, activate.

"I heard the whole story from the little one. Well done, well done. You've done such a wonderful thing. How could you have done something so lovely?"

"It's nothing. It was something I had to do."

“There are many who can't even do what's considered 'natural.' How can I not praise you?”

Ximen Surin continued with a chuckle,

"By the way, I'm experiencing something truly surprising. How could a child born under the Heavenly Slaughtering Star grow up so upright?"

"Ah."

"You ask how I knew? Didn't I say the stars were ominous last night? A terrifying and ominous star was shining as if it were right in front of me, so I couldn't just sit still and had to look around."

"You can tell that by looking at the stars?"

“Do you think I can tell just by looking at the stars? Here, would you let me hold your hand for a moment? I want to check your pulse.”

A-Qing obediently held out her hand.

Then, smack!

Ximen Surin's finger struck Ah-Cheong's wrist.

Ouch! How could a finger be so painful?

Tears welled up in her eyes.

A-Qing clutched her wrist.

Ximen Surin clicked her tongue.

"Tsk tsk. You fool. A martial artist shouldn't give up their pulse so easily. You ask how I knew? I saw the star up close, and when I checked your pulse, the Slaughtering Qi was inside, so I knew."

"You can tell that by checking the pulse?"

What was this?

Was she a master of medicine as well as a martial arts expert?

"You'll know everything when you reach my level."

As expected, one should become an Master!

If you become an expert, you can do anything!

"So be even more careful. I know your nature is righteous and upright, so I'll let it slide, but others will try to kill you without question if they hear you were born under the Heavenly Slaughtering Star."

"Ah..."

This was truly useful information.

She could have been caught in a bloodbath without even knowing why.

Don't give up your pulse easily. Important. Stamp it with a star.

"So, just in case, I have to ask, do you have any thoughts of joining the Divine Maiden Sect?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm not thinking of joining anywhere yet."

"Well, I thought so. Heavenly Slaughtering Star. The front is blocked by Slaughtering Qi, and the back is the life of a wanderer, so it's not a life meant to settle down in one place."

It wasn't such a grand decision.

She just chose it after reading the guide.

She didn't know it was something you could die for if caught.

A-Qing was just staring blankly, as if listening to someone else's story despite hearing the ominous words.

The Zenith among Women, with a soft smile, asked again, "Then, would you like to be my disciple?"