Chapter 4

The aura of Seopmugwang suddenly faltered.

"Seol-hwa?"

The choice Il-hwa made was the real name she had heard from Namgung Cheungyun just before her death.

If he was also looking for Namgung's child, this small doubt would be the reason he couldn't easily kill her.

And her guess turned out to be correct.

Seopmugwang retracted his killing intent.

"Hmph. What a funny kid. Why would I be your senior? I've never had a disciple who gives off such an unpleasant aura."

His tone was still grumbling, but the hostility in his voice had noticeably diminished.

A strange emotion appeared on his face as he looked at Il-hwa.

"You. How old are you?"

"I believe I am thirteen."

"Believe? You don't even know your own age?"

"Due to an accident, I lost my memories before the age of five, so I can only estimate based on what I've been told."

Seopmugwang's expression turned cold.

There was no trace of the light-hearted playfulness from a moment ago.

"I need to see the back of your neck."

"..."

Il-hwa slowly turned around and bowed her head.

A terrible sword scar was revealed beneath her tied-up hair.

Seopmugwang's expression visibly hardened when he saw the scar.

"How did you get that scar?"

"I don't know."

"Who taught you martial arts?"

"Until now, I have been learning from the head of Huailou in Yunnan."

"Does that mean you won't be learning from him anymore?"

"He tried to kill me."

Seopmugwang frowned. His gaze shifted to the pocket containing the Daehwandan.

"That thing could be poisonous to you. Do you know that?"

The power of the Daehwandan is pure internal energy imbued with Shaolin's inner strength. In contrast, Il-hwa's internal energy was turbid and rough.

While the effects of the Daehwandan are remarkable, if someone with conflicting internal energy like Il-hwa were to consume it, the risk of falling into madness would be high.

Seopmugwang was warning her about this, thinking she intended to take the Daehwandan.

Il-hwa nodded and replied calmly.

"I plan to use it to expel the internal energy I possess."

"What?"

Seopmugwang looked at her in surprise.

After a moment of silence, he let out a hollow laugh.

"Do you know what will happen if you expel your internal energy?"

"I am prepared for that."

Expelling her internal energy meant she would give up all her achievements and return to being a third-rate, or even a layperson who knows almost nothing about internal energy.

Even though she was young, giving up the achievements she had earned through hard work was not an easy decision.

However, the determination in the child's eyes was unwavering.

'Pfft!'

Seopmugwang, bewildered, asked.

"Why? Why do you want to expel your internal energy?"

"Because I want to go home."

If she returned to Namgung without expelling her blood energy, she might be chased away again.

"Returning with this power, your family might not accept you."

Seopmugwang's expression stiffened.

His gaze on Il-hwa became even more profound.

"Do you know where your hometown is?"

"Based on some memories that surfaced, it's Hefei, Anhui Province."

"..."

In the past eight years, Seopmugwang had met hundreds of girls with the same name as the head's granddaughter.

Thus, when the child said her name was "Seol-hwa," he didn't have high hopes.

But when he saw the sword scar on the back of her neck, he thought something was off.

And now, her hometown being Hefei?

Hefei, where the main house of the Namgung family is located?

Seeing Seopmugwang's surprise, Il-hwa realized she had passed one hurdle and felt relieved.

If Seopmugwang thought she might be Namgung's child, the immediate danger of dying here would be gone.

As proof, the aura he had when he first appeared was now completely gone.

Il-hwa unconsciously relaxed her grip on her hand.

"Ah, hmm!"

Realizing he had a blank look on his face, Seopmugwang composed himself.

"Fine."

Il-hwa tilted her head.

'...Fine?'

He pointed at her and smiled.

"I'll specially help you."

Seopmugwang confidently raised his thumb and tapped his shoulder.

"To practice the circulation of energy, don't you need a protector? I'll be your protector to ensure your rehabilitation is successful."

Il-hwa was inwardly surprised.

Offering to be her protector meant he would guard her while she was vulnerable during the energy circulation.

To prevent anything from interfering with her energy circulation.

In a situation where the assassins sent by the Blood Demon might come after her, the help of the Wind Thunder God was almost a stroke of luck.

However,

"May I ask why?"

Seopmugwang, who didn't expect her to refuse, showed a surprised look.

But her following words were quite reasonable.

"I have no way to protect myself, so I can't refuse your kindness, but I don't understand why you would help a girl you just met today."

"..."

Seopmugwang sighed and stroked his chin.

The reason, of course, was that this child might be the head's granddaughter. But he couldn't say that outright.

"There's no reason. I do what I want. But if you need a reason, I'll make one up."

Seopmugwang chuckled and pointed at Il-hwa.

"First, I extremely dislike people who give off a dirty aura."

His eyes narrowed.

It felt like the intense aura he had when he first appeared was now piercing through his gaze.

"It's commendable that you want to expel that dirty internal energy, and it's pitiful that you want to return to your hometown."

She said she wanted to return, not that returning was her wish.

"Well, that should be enough, right?"

Seopmugwang, satisfied with his own words, crossed his arms.

Despite the last part being a bit strange, there was no reason to refuse his offer.

"Thank you for your generous offer, senior."

"Good. That's what I want to hear."

Seopmugwang chuckled.

* * *

"Ugh...!"

The Black Cloud Sect leader looked down at the sharp blade at his throat with fear.

"Wh-Why are you doing this...! This is not what we agreed on!"

Above the mask, a red crow was embroidered on the forehead.

The symbol of Huailou.

"Where did you take the item?"

"Take, take it? The young head of Huailou took the item less than an hour ago!"

The blade pressed into his throat.

The Black Cloud Sect leader trembled as he looked up at the masked figure pointing a sword at him.

"What did the young head look like?"

"A girl, about ten years old...!"

The sharp eyes revealed through the mask stared at him for a moment.

Then, the figure sheathed the sword and turned around.

"Let's go."

The masked figure disappeared in an instant.

The other masked figures, stationed around, followed him.

Watching the black figures leap over the wall in the distance, the Black Cloud Sect leader collapsed.

'So, it was as the child said!'

The Black Cloud Sect leader recalled the words of the young head of Huailou before leaving.

"If I come, tell your subordinates to leave this place and run as far as possible. The assassins from Huailou will soon arrive here."

"But if I've handed over the item, why would the assassins come here? You said you are the young head of Huailou?"

"That's true now, but once I leave here, I won't be anymore."

"What...?"

"If they come, tell them the young head took the item. There's no need to hide it."

"Then they will chase after the young head?"

"It doesn't matter. And..."

The child said that soon, Huashan and Shaolin would try to exterminate the Black Cloud Sect, and when that time came, Huailou would help and absorb the Black Cloud Sect.

The true purpose of Huailou instructing the Black Cloud Sect to steal the Daehwandan was to absorb the Black Cloud Sect's power.

"Initially, Huailou might be friendly, but eventually, they will kill you and absorb the Black Cloud Sect's power. I have cleaned up the factions for you today, so prepare to strengthen your power for that time."

Upon hearing this, the Black Cloud Sect leader looked back and saw that the dead were all the elders and their subordinates who formed factions within the Black Cloud Sect.

These factions had been causing internal strife, and the child had eliminated them all.

The Black Cloud Sect leader took out a black bag from his robes. It was the last thing the child had given him.

'If you follow the instructions in the note in this bag a week from now, you can protect the Black Cloud Sect from Huashan and Shaolin.'

The child's foresight, which solved all the elements that endangered the Black Cloud Sect with just a few words, was truly impressive.

'How many moves ahead can this child see...!'

She must be a high-level expert who has returned to youth.