Episode 35
After wandering for quite some time, the Black Scar Gang finally caught a trace of us and began the chase anew. We had been weaving through them, teasing and evading at every turn, but at last, they managed to catch up.
That’s when Ko Ju-yong, who looked like he’d aged ten years overnight, shouted at us.
“You damn bastards! I swear, I won’t let you slip away this time!”
We glanced back.
Though we were surrounded, breaking through didn’t seem impossible. The enemies looked utterly exhausted—there was no way they could stop us.
Honestly, it almost felt like we could just fight it out right there and be fine.
Then, from somewhere, a young woman’s voice rang out.
“What?! You’ve already been rescued?! That can’t be!”
Turning toward the voice, we saw a stunning beauty in red, arms casually resting on her hips, watching us from atop a tree.
She looked barely into her early twenties at most—big, expressive eyes, a faint dimple, and a fresh, youthful aura that made even her casual stance adorable.
Her beauty rivaled even that of Dang Ye-eun.
With a graceful leap, she landed beside us and said,
“Hey, you guys! You’re the ones who saved Saengsa Gwae-ui? And you’re going to take the elixir too? Ah, this isn’t good!”
I smiled knowingly at her.
Finally, the person we’d been waiting for had arrived.
I bowed slightly and replied,
“I don’t know who you are, but we can’t say we’ve fully rescued Elder Saengsa Gwae-ui yet. As long as those guys remain, they’ll keep trying to get to him.”
She scrunched her nose, then cutely scratched her chin as she asked the elder,
“So, you’re Saengsa Gwae-ui? What do you think? If I wipe them out, does that mean I’m the one who saved you?”
She was young—too young, really—and her tone bordered on disrespectful toward the middle-aged elder.
But Saengsa Gwae-ui seemed to sense something from my reaction. After a moment’s thought, he answered,
“I wouldn’t say that. These young heroes have done their best and have already saved me. But if someone kills those scoundrels to prevent future trouble, then yes, that person would also be counted among my saviors.”
She nodded brightly.
“Alright! That’s something! Then wait here a moment!”
And in an instant, she vanished.
We were stunned.
Even the three of us, each confident in our own spiritual techniques, couldn’t track her movement at all.
It was an incredible skill.
Bi Sa-young muttered in shock,
“Yi-hyung… Hwanwi?”
At that moment, the dazed Saengsa Gwae-ui asked me,
“Who on earth is that young lady? Seonwoo, do you know her identity?”
I didn’t answer immediately but looked at Chief Seol-pung instead.
He had been pale since the moment he saw her.
I asked,
“Chief, do you know who she is?”
He swallowed hard and replied,
“That young lady… could it be…?”
Then Bi Sa-young suddenly shouted in horror,
“Look over there! What is that?!”
Following his pointed finger, we turned our eyes and had to widen them in disbelief.
She had moved toward the Black Scar Gang and was floating in midair, looking down on them.
We were dumbfounded.
She stood as if on an invisible platform in the air, perfectly stable.
Seeing this, Bi Sa-young screamed,
“N-N-Nung Gong Heo-do?!”
Even I, who knew her identity, and Chief Seol-pung, who had a rough idea, were speechless.
Nung Gong Heo-do… I thought that was just a legendary technique from myths.
Honestly, I’d always thought it was nothing more than a storyteller’s fantasy.
But here we were, witnessing it firsthand.
Yet, this shock was only the beginning.
She looked down at the Black Scar Gang and said, her voice low but clear enough for us to hear,
“You’re all bad people, so dying won’t be unfair, right?”
Ko Ju-yong, already in a daze, suddenly snapped to attention and stammered,
“W-What… what do you mean by that?”
But he got no answer.
She raised her hand high into the sky, and a red sphere began to form in her palm.
Probably a concentrated mass of energy, it quickly grew larger than a person, blazing fiercely.
With a powerful downward strike, the sphere became a fiery red meteor and crashed toward the stunned gang.
Then came the massive explosion.
KRAAAASH!
The deafening roar and blast forced us to crouch low, struggling not to be knocked over by the heatwave.
WHOOSH!
“Ughhh!”
“W-What the hell is this?!”
When the heat finally subsided and we opened our eyes, the sight was unbelievable.
The ground where they had stood was gouged out in a perfect circle about four meters across, as if struck by a meteor.
There was no sign anyone had survived near the crater.
They were completely wiped out.
As we stood there, stunned and speechless, she reappeared before us and asked,
“This is a bit of a hassle, but should I take care of the little pests behind us too?”
She pointed at the lower-ranked warriors surrounding us.
At her gesture, the warriors trembled as if struck by lightning, collapsing to the ground and begging desperately,
“Please, fair lady! Spare us!”
“We’ll live good lives! Please, have mercy!”
Frowning at their cries, she muttered,
“Too noisy. Guess I’ll have to kill them after all.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere fell eerily silent.
Not a single breath was heard from any of them.
Saengsa Gwae-ui stammered, “Wh-Who exactly is this young lady?”
She smiled like a girl and answered,
“Me? I’m Son Eun-sang.”
Bi Sa-young gasped, about to shout,
“Th-Then you’re the Se-!”
I quickly clamped his mouth shut to stop him and hurriedly said,
“As the rumors say, you’re truly beautiful, Senior.”
She shot a quick glare at Bi Sa-young, then chuckled softly and said to me,
“You’re quick with your words. Pretty mouth, too. And a handsome face. I like you. I’ll spare your friend.”
“Thank you, Senior!”
Her name was Son Eun-sang, also known as the Lady of Eternal Youth, the Scarlet Demon.
She was one of the absolute powers of this era, belonging to the Four Great Demonic Masters alongside Cheonma, the leader of the Cheonma Cult, Hyeolma of the Blood Cult—our enemy—and Gweima.
Though she appeared to be a young woman barely in her twenties, her true age was well over sixty, a seasoned nomad.
She said to the shocked Saengsa Gwae-ui,
“Well? If this isn’t saving you, then should I wipe out those pests too?”
Now fully alert, Saengsa Gwae-ui shook his head vehemently.
“No, no. It’s fine, it’s fine. But Senior Son, did you come all this way to get my Saengsa Ring?”
She scratched her head shyly and replied,
“No, not exactly. I just wanted some help from a doctor who can make an elixir comparable to the So-hwan Dan.”
“Help? What kind of help?”
“Well, you see… I want to get younger. I want to age a bit less. So I’m looking for some assistance.”
“…!”
Her unexpected words left us blinking in surprise.
Of course, I, who already knew, feigned shock.
True to her nickname, the Scarlet Demon had mastered the seductive arts of the Che-yang Bo-eum technique.
Since her twenties, she had seduced countless men, draining their vital energy to build unimaginable internal strength.
But that didn’t mean her martial arts were weak.
Without enlightenment, she couldn’t have built such power.
Because of this, the Martial Alliance, which utterly despised succubi, had declared her a public enemy.
Her life had been stained with bloodshed ever since.
Yet, nearly forty years later, she was still alive.
No one could kill her.
Boldly revealing her identity, no one dared to challenge the Scarlet Demon—one of the few in martial history to achieve such a feat.
Her beauty had long been famous.
There were even men willing to risk death to be with her, despite the danger of having their life force drained.
Moreover, she never aged.
Whether due to her immense internal power or the nature of her martial arts, she remained youthful, earning the nickname “Lady of Eternal Youth.”
Rumors even said she was growing younger.
Looking at her now, it seemed those rumors were true.
It was impossible to imagine how strong her martial arts truly were.
And yet, here she was, saying she wanted to grow older.
It was a statement that would enrage every woman in the martial world.
Saengsa Gwae-ui, confused, asked,
“So, Senior Son, you mean you want to grow older? Why on earth would you want that?”
She sighed deeply and answered…
“Well, I suppose it’s hard to understand. But I’m tired of living young. My heart isn’t young anymore, yet my appearance is. From now on, I want to live a life that suits my age.”
We fell silent after hearing that. It was a realm completely beyond our grasp, so all we could do was nod and try to accept it as best we could.
She spoke again.
“That’s why I want you, Life-and-Death Doctor, to help me. Would you?”
After a moment of serious thought, the Life-and-Death Doctor asked,
“If what you desire is to grow old, Senior, then that might be more a matter of martial arts than medicine. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?”
Son Eun-sang nodded.
“Exactly. It’s about the nature of my martial arts and internal energy. I’ve been researching this for over ten years now. But martial arts knowledge alone has its limits. Lately, I’ve concluded that understanding humans—not just martial arts—is necessary. Like medicine, for example.”
The Life-and-Death Doctor nodded as if he finally understood, but his expression remained grim.
“So, what you’re asking is for us to research together. And that would be a long-term endeavor.”
Son Eun-sang quickly replied,
“One year, that’s all I need! I won’t be a bother beyond that. Besides, I’m a restless soul anyway, so I have no reason to stop you from living as a wandering knight. You can go wherever you want—I’ll just follow along.”
Despite her words, the Life-and-Death Doctor’s face didn’t brighten.
At that moment, I stepped in and said to him,
“I think it would be good if you accepted Senior Son’s request.”
He looked at me, puzzled.
“Oh? And why is that?”
“First, because it’s the right thing to do. You owe Senior Son a debt of gratitude. Destroying the Black Upper Sect and ending their threat was something we couldn’t have done ourselves. Second, being with Senior Son will also help keep you safe. Now that the rumor has spread that you possess the Life-and-Death Pills and can make them, can you be sure that the kidnapping attempts by Maeng Un and Ma Yongji will only happen once?”
He let out a low groan.
Apparently, he had only thought about the Black Upper Sect and hadn’t considered what might come after.
I continued.
“Lastly, third, Senior Son is someone you can truly trust. Though she’s not part of the orthodox sect, she has never broken her word or harmed the innocent.”
It was true.
Though she was a libertine, she never drained or harmed anyone unless she deemed them deserving of death by her standards.
That was why so many men wanted to be with her.
Of course, she never forgave those who tried to kill her and dealt with them mercilessly, walking a path stained with blood. But even among the orthodox sect, few had maintained such steadfast principles for so long.
No, it was extremely rare.
Hearing this, she brightened and said to me,
“You’re quite open-minded for a kid. You seem orthodox, but you’re unusual.”
Kid…
No matter how much I knew she was older, being called “kid” by someone who looked barely in her early twenties felt strange.
I forced a wry smile and replied,
“Among my close comrades, many come from the heterodox sect. On the other hand, I’ve met orthodox members who don’t seem very human. I believe what matters isn’t orthodox or heterodox, but whether a person is right or wrong. For example, my squad leader here isn’t from the orthodox sect.”
She smiled warmly and patted my shoulder.
“I like you. I really like you. Handsome and thoughtful—what a combination.”
Then she glanced at the squad leader and added,
“Come to think of it, you’re handsome too. Are you two thinking of having some fun with me? If so, I’ll play along wholeheartedly.”
“What?!”
I was stunned by her unexpected proposal. And the fresh innocence she’d shown earlier was gone, replaced by an overwhelming sensuality that took my breath away.
Just a slight change in expression transformed her from a lively girl into a bewitching temptress. She was truly a sorceress.
Her intoxicating allure made my blood rush, and my face flushed instantly.
I should have refused outright, but my mouth wouldn’t move.
She was far too tempting.
Then, I caught sight of Squad Leader Seolpung’s face.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
He was even more frozen than when he first saw her martial prowess.
Apparently, her overwhelming charm had completely stunned him.
Thanks to that, I was able to smile and politely decline.
“Thank you for the offer, but knowing your true identity, we couldn’t possibly accept.”
Her eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.
“You’re amazing. I can’t believe you’re only in your early twenties and so composed. Anyway, the offer stands anytime. If you ever feel like it, just say the word.”
Her aura was truly overwhelming. I swallowed hard.
But sadly, I doubted there would be a next time.
By then, she’d probably have a husband.
In her past life, she had saved the Life-and-Death Doctor, helped him utterly destroy the Black Upper Sect at his request, and eventually traveled with him.
A few years later, they became husband and wife.
It was a famous story that had stirred the martial world for a long time.
Of course, there was no guarantee the same would happen this time.
But still, how could I say I wanted to be with a woman in front of the man who might become her future husband?
Anyway, with that, the Life-and-Death Doctor incident, which had taken up most of this vacation, was neatly resolved.
We went together to the inn where Bae Jong-hwan and the Life-and-Death Doctor’s children were staying, and witnessed a heartfelt family reunion.
The Life-and-Death Doctor gave us seven Life-and-Death Pills—more than promised—and emphasized several times that he would never forget this favor before departing.
Son Eun-sang, who was by his side, also promised to join us anytime if she changed her mind.
It was a bit embarrassing.
However, the Doctor’s children didn’t leave so cleanly.
The eldest son, the handsome Maeng Un, seemed to have grown close to Bae Jong-gwan during their time together.
He was reluctant to part, his eyes moist with emotion.
The second child, a daughter named Ma Yongji, unexpectedly confessed her feelings to someone.
With a flushed face, she approached Bi Sa-yeong and said,
“When I turn twenty, I’ll come find you, Brother Bi. So… please take care of yourself until then.”
Then she ran off like she was escaping, leaving Bi Sa-yeong staring blankly.
Squad Leader and I burst out laughing and teased him.
“Hey! Popular guy! That’s no joke!”
“Hahaha! Sa-yeong, turns out you’re a thief after all.”
Bi Sa-yeong snapped back, annoyed,
“Hey! Don’t make fun of a young girl’s innocent feelings!”
But despite his feigned anger, a fond smile lingered on his face.
This vacation was likely a great gift for him.
Not just because of the Doctor’s daughter, but also because I had promised to send half the wealth we’d swept from the Black Upper Sect to the Bi Jongmun.
I remembered hearing that Bi Jongmun was struggling.
He was moved to tears and thanked me, and both the Squad Leader and Bae Jong-gwan gladly offered their shares to send as well.
The remaining wealth I entrusted to Jeon Jang for safekeeping.
Thanks to this vacation, Bi Sa-yeong had reached a first-rate level, filled his internal energy to the first rank, acquired excellent weapons, and even gained support for the sect’s disciples who had been a burden on his heart.
And on top of that, he’d received a confession from a beautiful girl—he must have felt like he was in heaven.
But until then, we didn’t know.
Bi Sa-yeong wasn’t the only thief who had stolen the woman’s heart.
Rumors travel faster than words anywhere, but nowhere more so than in the martial world.
The incident involving the Life-and-Death Doctor spread like wildfire throughout Guizhou and the surrounding regions.
When martial artists heard that the man who could make Life-and-Death Pills was traveling with the seductive Son Eun-sang, some felt pity, some were amazed, and others just laughed.
Especially the sects in the southwest of Guizhou City, long oppressed by the Black Upper Sect, suddenly rose up.
They began to unleash their pent-up grievances on the remaining remnants.
The balance of power in southwest Guizhou was shaking.
Along with this incident, the names of three men rose anew among martial artists.
When word spread that the warriors of the Flying Dragon Corps, on leave, had rescued the Life-and-Death Doctor and his children from the Black Upper Sect, all the nearby heroes praised their exceptional chivalry and martial skill.
Especially notable was Seol Poong, the seventh leader of the Biryong Thirteen, who instantly killed Heuk Gwangryun Gak Gi-hyo, a top master of the Heuksang faction despite being only in his twenties. Seol Poong earned the new nickname “Gwangpoong Biryong” — the “Gale Dragon” — and rose as a legendary figure in the martial world.
No one would have known, but it was the very same nickname Sunwoo Jin had carried in his past life.
Sunwoo Jin himself, not only mastering Mu-Wi and Shinbeop but also possessing extraordinary talent, had saved Saengsa Goeui and slain Heuksalpyo Dong Paek-gyeong, another supreme master, earning the moniker “Bicheon Heukrang” — the “Flying Black Wolf.” Meanwhile, Bi Sa-yeong, the top disciple of Bi Jong-mun, who stunned even the Heuksang faction with a single display of his Shinbeop, was known as “Jilpoong Bi-eung” — the “Gale Wind Flying Eagle.”
Nearby, in a remote inn close to the fallen Heuksang faction, a woman who had heard these rumors quietly murmured one name.
“Gwangpoong Biryong… Seol Poong, huh?”
The woman who spoke was Yeonhyang, a dreamlike figure with a pale face and a languid expression — once affiliated with the Yeomjak Blood Scrolls, but now lost and without a home.