"How troublesome."
Watching the scene, Seo Jinha furrowed his brows and toyed with the chopsticks in his hand.
He intended to use the One-Strike Soul-Seizing Technique to drive Maeng Mukgeuk away in an instant.
'No, that won’t do.' But he quickly realized he had lost his internal energy and gave a bitter smile.
Standing up, he shouted.
"An old has-been, shamelessly causing a scene in broad daylight!"
"What? Has-been?" Furious, Maeng Mukgeuk whipped his head around to glare at Seo Jinha. "You madman! Are you itching to die?"
As Maeng Mukgeuk leapt to his feet and approached Seo Jinha,
Thud, thud.
The sound of someone ascending the inn’s stairs echoed.
The footsteps were so distinct and heavy that it felt as though a massive creature, not a person, was moving.
Swoosh.
When the figure finally emerged at the top of the stairs, the inn seemed to darken momentarily.
The figure was a towering woman, nearly seven feet tall.
Her round face was quite pretty, but her physique, honed by external martial arts, was robust, with arms as thick as logs.
"What’s this?" Having overheard Maeng Mukgeuk’s antics while climbing the stairs, the woman scowled down at him.
"A filthy rat in heat in broad daylight."
"What did you say?" Though Maeng Mukgeuk was a formidable martial artist, he harbored an inferiority complex about his short stature and unimpressive build.
Being called a "rat" by this giant woman ignited a volcanic surge of killing intent within him.
"A parade of lunatics." Maeng Mukgeuk took a step forward, standing before the woman.
But her towering height and sturdy frame made him appear even more diminished.
"Hmph, acting tough just because of your size?" With a sneer, Maeng Mukgeuk gathered his internal energy, preparing to use his Blood Wheel to cut her down in one strike.
"Twin Blood Wheels, Maeng Mukgeuk." Fearing the woman might get hurt, Seo Jinha stepped forward and shouted sharply. "If you want to play, do it alone in the Great Desert. Do you want to die here?"
Maeng Mukgeuk’s eyes glinted as Seo Jinha boldly challenged him, despite knowing his name.
"Who are you?"
"No need to know."
Maeng Mukgeuk’s eyes flashed as he stared at Seo Jinha. A sickly-looking man with no trace of internal energy daring to act so arrogantly?
"You…" As Maeng Mukgeuk opened his mouth, the woman waved her hand dismissively.
"Stop yapping and get lost. I need to eat."
At that moment, a surge of murderous intent flared in Maeng Mukgeuk’s eyes.
He decided his order of business. First, he’d deal with this insolent giant woman, then turn that pretty boy’s face into a bloody mess.
"Pathetic fools." Maeng Mukgeuk flicked his fingers in an instant.
Without even using his Twin Blood Wheels, he employed the Soul-Seizing Punishment Technique, aiming to twist the woman’s meridians and muscles.
Pop, pop!
As his energy struck her, Maeng Mukgeuk sneered.
Soon, she’d be writhing on the floor, screaming in agony.
"I spared you because you’re a woman." With a cold smile, Maeng Mukgeuk turned toward Seo Jinha, but—
"What’s this?" The woman looked at her torn clothes and frowned. "Ripping my clothes and trying to run?"
Then, a hand as large as a pot lid grabbed Maeng Mukgeuk’s head and began lifting him off the ground.
"What—what is this?" As Maeng Mukgeuk flailed in surprise, the woman bared her sharp teeth and scowled.
"You dare put a hole in my new clothes?"
"You—you wretch!" Maeng Mukgeuk swiftly drew the blood wheel from his back and slashed at her arm.
But as if anticipating his move, she had already set him down on the ground.
"Scum like you needs a beating to come to their senses!" She struck Maeng Mukgeuk’s cheek with a single hand.
The blow was so lightning-fast and powerful that he had no time to dodge.
Smack! Crash!
Struck in the face, Maeng Mukgeuk’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed. The infamous killer of the Great Desert, had been knocked out with a single slap.
'Hmm.' Seo Jinha, witnessing the scene, showed a slightly surprised expression.
Maeng Mukgeuk was a renowned master of the Absolute Realm, yet she had closed the distance and subdued him barehanded in an instant.
"Among everyone here, you’re the only man with any backbone." The woman pointed a thumb at Seo Jinha. "Young man, you’ve got spirit. I like it."
Laughing heartily like a seasoned martial artist who’d roamed the martial world for decades, she casually approached Seo Jinha.
"Nice to meet you. I’m So Okrim." She grinned broadly, speaking informally from the start.
But her eyes held no malice.
"I see." Seo Jinha forced a smile and nodded.
He had never heard of the name So Okrim through any of his sources.
"Though I’m more commonly known as the Celestial Goddess."
'Celestial Goddess.' Seo Jinha’s eyes widened.
'So Okrim, the Heaven-Collapsing Strike?'
Two years ago, a female martial artist had appeared like a comet in the Yangguang martial world.
A seven-foot-tall woman with a robust physique, she had defeated renowned masters and even previous-generation experts in a single blow, regardless of whether they were from orthodox or unorthodox factions.
What was shocking was her technique. She always felled her opponents with a single strike before vanishing.
Those defeated by So Okrim consistently said:
—"When she struck, it felt like the heavens were collapsing."
Thus, her nickname naturally became Heaven-Collapsing Strike.
—"Heaven-Collapsing? Heaven-Collapsing?! For a peerless beauty like me?!"
Upon hearing this, So Okrim had flown into a rage.
She renamed herself the Celestial Goddess.
But as she continued to defeat countless masters with a single blow, the martial world still called her Heaven-Collapsing Strike or One-Strike Heaven-Collapse.
Over time, it was shortened to simply "Heaven-Collapse."
—"Heaven-Collapse is here!"
—"Heaven-Collapse? You Heaven-Collapse bastard!"
Eventually, it was said she’d fly into a fit and beat anyone who uttered the word "Heaven-Collapse."
For three months, she wreaked havoc across Yangguang before suddenly disappearing. Some said her madness led to her demise, while others claimed she sustained severe injuries from fighting too many masters. But since her rampage was so brief, few remembered her clearly.
And yet, here she was, appearing in a rundown inn in Namugnim?
"What? I greeted you warmly, so shouldn’t you return the favor?" Realizing So Okrim’s brash personality, Seo Jinha reluctantly clasped his hands.
"I’m Seo Jinha. This is my friend, Seolso."
Seo Jinha was part of the secretive Cheonsal. Since his name was unknown in the martial world, he used it without hesitation.
"I see. Nice name." She gave a thumbs-up and approached Seo Jinha. "Since it’s fate, how about we share a table?"
Without waiting for permission, she sat down.
Not only did she speak informally from the start, but she didn’t even consider their opinions. She was the epitome of someone who carried manners on the soles of her feet.
Seo Jinha glanced at Bu Eunseol with a troubled expression.
"We’re in the middle of an important discussion." Trying not to escalate things, he spoke politely. "There’s an empty seat over there now. Why not eat there?"
"That’s harsh." So Okrim pointed at Maeng Mukgeuk, unconscious with broken teeth and blood streaming from his mouth. "That’s the only seat left, and you expect me to eat while looking at that ugly creep?"
"Hmm." As Seo Jinha showed a troubled expression, Bu Eunseol nodded.
"Sit."
"Now that’s a straightforward guy." Quickly taking a seat, So Okrim called to the waiter.
"Ten bottles of fruit wine!" As the waiter brought the wine, she chugged a bottle and said. "You seemed to recognize me."
She flashed her white teeth at Seo Jinha.
"Aren’t you curious why I came here?"
Seo Jinha nodded without realizing it. For someone who had turned the Yangguang martial world upside down two years ago to suddenly appear here? He was curious about her purpose.
"Do you know who the greatest sage and diviner in the martial world is?"
"The Divine Evaluator?"
The Divine Evaluator.
Known as the greatest sage or diviner in the martial world.
His true name was unknown.
It was said he could read the heavens and possessed wisdom beyond human limits. Some called him the Infinite Sage due to his immeasurable knowledge. But since the Divine Evaluator moved in secrecy and never revealed himself, no one knew his whereabouts.
Even paying a fortune to intelligence organizations yielded no results. Rumors claimed he had leaked too many heavenly secrets, incurring divine punishment that wiped out his family and afflicted him with an incurable disease.
"Exactly. The Divine Evaluator. That old man." So Okrim smiled brightly. "I’ve been roaming the martial world for two years to find him."
"And you found him?"
"Yup. To find my fated match."
Seo Jinha couldn’t believe it. Not only had she found the elusive Divine Evaluator, whose trail had long gone cold, but she had received an answer?
So Okrim flashed her white teeth and said. "He told me I’d meet my fated match here."
'Fated match?' Seo Jinha felt a chill.
Though So Okrim acted half-crazed, her martial prowess was undeniably formidable. The single strike that floored Maeng Mukgeuk surpassed even Seo Jinha’s peak condition.
'Is she after him?' As Seo Jinha’s already pale face grew whiter, So Okrim said nonchalantly.
"He said my fated match would have skin so fair it seems pale, long hair tied in twin braids… a neutral, peerless beauty."
When she mentioned the pale complexion, she stared blatantly at Seo Jinha.
"Could this fated match be…?"
"Yup. The one I’ll marry." As So Okrim smiled shyly, Seo Jinha felt as if someone were strangling him.
"Who’d say such a serious thing?"
"That old man."
"The Divine Evaluator?"
"Yup."
Something felt off.
Even if he was the greatest sage who could read the heavens, to describe someone he’d never seen so vividly and call them her fated match?
'Hold on, the heavens… if it’s about the heavens.'
The legend of the Divine Evaluator, the greatest sage, was no lie.
As a thought struck him, Seo Jinha glanced at the disguised Bu Eunseol and asked.
"Didn’t he say something like… skin extremely fair, with deep black eyebrows, strikingly beautiful eyes, and a hint of red in the pupils—a heavenly beauty?"
"Huh?" So Okrim let out a gasp without realizing it.
'How did he know?'
In truth, she had lied.
—"Skin so fair it seems pale, long hair tied in twin braids, a neutral peerless beauty."
That was just her tweaking the description because she liked Seo Jinha’s appearance.
The Divine Evaluator had actually described exactly what Seo Jinha said.
"No, no. He said pale skin, hair in twin braids, a neutral beauty." So Okrim waved her hands, her eyes and expression filled with unease. But she couldn’t fool the eyes of the third commander of the Cheonsal.
'As expected, it’s not me.' Regaining his composure, Seo Jinha glanced at Bu Eunseol with a slight smirk.
‘I see. So he’s the fated match.’ Feeling Seo Jinha’s persistent gaze, Bu Eunseol stood up.
"We’re done eating. Let’s go."
In truth, Bu Eunseol had just picked up a piece of barley bread to eat.
But upon hearing their conversation, he realized he was So Okrim’s fated match. An unprecedented unease washed over him, prompting him to stand.
"Let’s leave this village quickly." Leading Seo Jinha, Bu Eunseol hurriedly left the inn and swiftly departed the village.
Holding Seo Jinha’s hand, he used his internal energy to lighten his body. This allowed Seo Jinha, who had lost his internal energy, to perform qinggong with ease.
Whoosh.
The two shot forward, stirring a gust of wind.
How far had they gone? Bu Eunseol, using qinggong, gradually slowed to a stop.
"Why are we stopping?" Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol pointed to a large tree about ten zhang ahead.
There, a towering woman was smiling brightly and waving. It was So Okrim.
"What’s going on?" Seo Jinha asked in surprise, and Bu Eunseol gave a bitter expression. "While we used qinggong, she employed the Ten-Thousand-Mile Phoenix Flight to soar above us."
Seo Jinha’s expression grew gloomy.
With his energy greatly diminished, he hadn’t even noticed her presence passing overhead.
"No need to feel down. Even I barely sensed her presence."
"What?"
"She’s incredibly strong."
Seo Jinha couldn’t hide his astonishment. Not only was it the first time he’d heard Bu Eunseol call someone "strong," but for this brash woman to have such formidable skill that her presence was hard to detect?
"What a coincidence! Running into you here?" Spotting Seo Jinha, So Okrim approached with a casual wave. "Resting here? Want me to guide you? I know this area well."
Looking at the grinning So Okrim, Bu Eunseol spoke in a stern voice.
"This is far enough." He had seen the flicker of distress in Seo Jinha’s eyes. "Don’t follow us anymore."
At Bu Eunseol’s words, So Okrim raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, who are you to say that?"
"No need to know."
"Why do you keep speaking informally?" So Okrim said in an irritated tone. "Do you know how high my status is? In fact, I’m…"
About to say something, she waved her hand dismissively.
"Forget it. Stay out of this." A powerful gust of wind surged, pushing Bu Eunseol’s body back.
No more talk was needed.
Bu Eunseol unleashed the South Peak True Fist with his left hand. To conceal his identity, he used an orthodox martial art instead of a Demonic Path technique.
"Hey, your martial arts are pathetic." As So Okrim tilted her head to dodge the South Peak True Fist with a sneer,—
Swish!
The force of the Thirteen Guiding Energies grazed her cheek.
Drip, drip.
Her eyes widened as she looked at the red blood dripping down. For someone who had been invincible, to have her cheek scratched by a single move?
"You." A fierce killing intent began to rise in her eyes.
"You dared to scratch this snowflake-pure skin?" A tremendous energy surged from So Okrim’s pot-lid-sized palm, shimmering like a heat haze.
"You made my blood spill!" Expressing her bleeding in the crudest way, she unleashed a ferocious fist toward Bu Eunseol’s face.
It was as swift as lightning, its path nearly invisible.
Even Bu Eunseol couldn’t dodge it.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a red glint flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes, and a faint light emanated from his left fist. Unable to dodge, he immediately unleashed the Demon Fist Manifestation Form.
Boom!
With an explosive sound, a shockwave of energy soared into the sky, kicking up clouds of dust.
Whoosh.
As the wind blew and the dust settled, Bu Eunseol and So Okrim stood revealed.
So Okrim had taken a step back, but Bu Eunseol stood firm.
'Her internal energy is remarkable.' Bu Eunseol couldn’t hide his surprise. The recoil through his hand indicated her internal energy surpassed four jiazi (240 years).
"Wow, your internal energy is stronger than mine?" So Okrim’s eyes widened.
Her internal energy had never been outmatched by previous-generation masters, yet Bu Eunseol’s single strike had pushed her back?
"What did you eat to have such energy? Did you undergo Reverse Aging or something?"
Bu Eunseol maintained a cold expression, showing no reaction. With a scoff, she cracked her knuckles.
"Hmph, think you’re something just because you’ve got strong energy?"
Hummm!
A strange vibrating sound emanated from her hands. Simultaneously, a powerful wave of energy rose like mist.
"Alright, this elder will show you there’s a heaven above the heavens!" Such words were typically spoken by previous-generation masters.
But So Okrim declared it with an arrogant expression, as if she were the supreme ruler of the martial world.
"Take this!" As she threw a punch, countless radiant points of light surged toward Bu Eunseol.
It was as dazzling and beautiful as if an entire galaxy had been transplanted.
Whoosh!
Hundreds of light points began raining down on Bu Eunseol. It was as if the stars of the night sky were falling all at once.
Bu Eunseol stood resolute.
Drawing his Black Blade or using Wishful True Binding to create a vacuum would feel like admitting defeat.
'I won’t back down.' Simultaneously, he unleashed the Dragon-Slaying Fist with his left arm and the Water Dragon Palm with his right.
His legs executed the Golden Ridge Steps in succession.
Crack!
A massive crescent-shaped force erupted from Bu Eunseol’s body.
Boom!
The immense force instantly erased the falling points of light. Instead of retreating, he had unleashed the three guiding flows to thwart her ultimate technique in one stroke.
"What?!"
Perhaps shocked by the power of the Thirteen Guiding Energies?
So Okrim leapt back, flailing her hands.
"Ugh!" Having barely deflected the force of the Thirteen Guiding Energies, her expression froze like ice.
"You." After a long pause, she shouted.
"Are you a successor of the Martial Emperor?"
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