Chapter 137
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Chapter 137
Splash!
With the sound of water, Jeok Soya's small body plunged beneath the surface of the Palace Pond in an instant.
Glub. Glub—
As I sank deeper into the pond, I opened my eyes underwater.
'Just now, I'm certain....'
I wasn't mistaken. Someone had pushed my back.
It was a small hand, but one filled with malice.
And I couldn't possibly fail to recognize whose hand it was.
―Little bird!
―Little bird!
The Divine Beasts appeared with a pop! pop! pop! and called out to me in urgent voices.
'Divine Beasts!'
I looked at them with relief flooding my face.
―Are you unharmed?
―That wretched thing...!
The Vermillion Bird Goddess ground her teeth in fury.
―This is no time to remain calm, little bird. Quickly, draw upon my power.
Cheong Hae Yong Sin urged me, his gaze fixed upon my form.
'Understood, Divine One.'
I opened my palms and drew forth the power of the Blue Dragon.
Then a single seed brimming with pure white light bloomed upon my palm....
Pop!
With a cheerful sound, it burst and became a massive bubble of air that enveloped my body.
Now that breathing came easier, I opened my mouth that had been clenched shut.
"That girl pushed me, didn't she?"
―Yes.
The Divine Beasts nodded, their expressions burning with anger, confirming my suspicion.
It had been Riri's doing.
I remembered long ago when Riri had asked me to disappear.
She had been young then, and I believed her resentment was justified—that she felt I had stolen her family and her life from her.
Though harming others could never be justified for any reason, I had still tried to understand her however I could.
But now Riri was no longer a child. She was fourteen, the same age as me.
What she had just done—pushing me beneath the pond—was no light matter to overlook.
It could only be interpreted as an act with the intention to kill me.
This was, unmistakably, a crime.
Even after learning the truth surrounding my birth, I had deliberately chosen not to concern myself with the Jujak Family.
Whether they regarded Riri as their true daughter or not.
Whether they hated and resented me because of it or not.
After all, they were people with whom I no longer had any connection.
Yet the actions Riri displayed upon our reunion here kept trying to shift my resolve.
The direct bloodlines of the Four Divine Beasts Families that rule the four directions bear the duty to protect young beasts.
The Jujak Family, master of the Southern Lands and sovereign of 360 species of winged creatures, is no exception.
The direct line of the Jujak Family must naturally protect young birds.
Yet moments ago, Riri had shouted at and chased away baby ducks playing in the water, splashing about.
She had raged that dirty water was splashing on her.
That was an improper attitude for a direct descendant of a Divine Beast Family.
And....
Jeok Ahyun, the family head, who knew Riri's past deeds were wrong yet could not speak a single word of reproach to that child.
Jeok Hwayou, who had answered without hesitation that he would grant a young child's malicious request to eliminate me.
They were equally at fault.
They had failed to teach what was wrong as wrong, instead concealing and ignoring all of that child's wicked actions.
For a very long time, the Jujak Family had been broken and twisted somewhere deep within.
Not for the sake of the Jujak Family itself, but for the young birds who would live under their rule, it had to be corrected.
Growing up and protecting young birds in the future.
That was also the precious dream that young Jeok Soya, once a lady of the Jujak Family, had desperately cherished.
'But first, I must deal with the evil beast.'
Jeok Soya thought with resolute determination and asked the Divine Beasts.
"How did this happen? Why did an evil beast appear? When Dool died, the evil beasts were supposed to be gone. Could it be that Dool didn't die and is still alive?"
―That is not the case, young bird.
White Tiger Mountain Lord shook his head and explained.
―Dool's ability was to tear open space and create a passage connecting the world of evil beasts to this place. Through that passage, he summoned evil beasts here. But only animal-form evil beasts could be summoned in such a manner.
"Then this is...."
―An evil beast that had been sleeping beneath this pond for ages was awakened by someone. And the one capable of such a deed is likely....
―The vile beast Dochul. That wretched creature managed not to die and has fled—it seems to be in this vicinity.
"...."
A vile beast exists within the Imperial Palace.
The thought sent a chill down my spine.
'Perhaps it was also Dochul who lent Riri the power of dark magic....'
Jeok Soya clenched her fists tightly for a moment before asking.
"Please tell me how to eliminate the evil beast."
―Plant-form evil beasts also originate from plants at their core. Thus, the source of their life also resides in their roots.
Cheong Hae Yong Sin explained.
―Sever the evil beast's roots. Then it will no longer regenerate and will meet its end.
Jeok Soya turned her head toward the direction where the evil beast lay.
Beneath the pond, light barely penetrated, and murky water obscured the view ahead.
Jeok Soya retrieved the luminous orb gifted to her by Baek Gahyun.
The light orb then brilliantly illuminated the dark waters.
With her vision secured, Jeok Soya discovered the evil beast's body without difficulty.
Jeok Soya slowly approached toward the evil beast's body.
Following the thick, sturdy trunk downward with my gaze, I could see equally robust roots anchored firmly to the bottom of the pond.
―The strongest force in water is the power of the Blue Dragon, who carries the essence of wood. So use my strength, little bird.
Jeok Soya shook her head at Cheong Hae Yong Sin's suggestion.
"If it becomes known that I, a bird-form Divine Beast, used the Dragon God's power, everyone will find it strange."
The essence of wood grows stronger when it meets water.
But if Jeok Soya used the Blue Dragon's power, her identity as the Yellow Dragon's bride would be immediately revealed.
"Since so many eyes are watching, I'll use only the Mountain Lord's power here."
Though I was a bird-form Divine Beast, I was the guardian of the White Tiger Sword.
So it wouldn't be particularly strange if I defeated the demonic beast using the White Tiger Sword.
"And the Mountain Lord's power is more than strong enough."
Jeok Soya smiled brightly and looked up at the White Tiger Mountain Lord.
―There's no breaking the little bird's stubbornness.
―Our little bird has a keen eye for Divine Beasts.
As Cheong Hae Yong Sin chuckled and stepped back, the White Tiger Mountain Lord responded with an air of arrogance.
"Then I'm counting on you, Mountain Lord."
Jeok Soya summoned the White Tiger Sword.
Then she brought the white blade down with all her might upon the exposed roots of the lotus demonic beast at the bottom of the pond.
Thwack―!
At that impact, the lotus demonic beast trembled violently in the water.
My small body was nearly swept away by the shockwave.
"Ugh...!"
―Little bird!
I gripped the hilt of the White Tiger Sword embedded in the demonic beast's roots tightly, squeezing my eyes shut and holding firm.
Moments later, as the shockwave subsided, I quickly pulled the White Tiger Sword from the roots and struck the same spot again.
Crack―!
As the repeated strikes began to carve deeper into the roots, the demonic beast trembled even more violently than before.
Sensing something attacking it from below the pond, sharp spines sprouted all over the demonic beast's stem.
―It's dangerous, little bird!
The newly formed spines shot outward in all directions.
Because of this, the air bubble protecting Jeok Soya was pierced by the sharp spines, sending faint shocks through it.
But I clenched my teeth and didn't stop, continuing to strike the demonic beast's roots.
The roots, as thick as my torso, were gradually being severed.
'I can do this. Just a little more....'
―Be careful, little bird! The air bubble is about to burst!
At that warning, I quickly looked up.
Just as Cheong Hae Yong Sin warned, the air bubble surrounding me for protection was swollen and looked ready to burst at any moment from the spines embedded throughout it.
'No. Just a tiny bit more now....'
I prayed earnestly in my heart and raised the White Tiger Sword high.
The White Tiger's power grew stronger when protecting something.
With the heart to protect the people who had returned home after long wars and found peace.
With the desire to protect the happy moments of those reunited with their families after such a long wait.
And so Jeok Soya struck downward with even greater resolve than before, pouring all her strength into the blow.
Crash!
With that single, decisive strike, the roots of the lotus beast finally severed.
Screeeeeech!
A piercing cry accompanied the beast's stem as it began to writhe and coil violently, and then in an instant....
Boom!
The lotus beast crumbled into black mud, sinking to the bottom of the pond. The beast was dead.
"I did it...!"
As Jeok Soya cried out with a radiant smile, the air bubble that had enveloped her burst with a pop and scattered away.
—A baby bird...!
Glub, glub—
Water rushed into my mouth.
Jeok Soya quickly clamped her lips shut and held her breath with a gasp.
'This isn't the time. I need to get to the surface.'
I needed to swim upward, but perhaps because the tension had drained from me, my limbs felt strangely heavy and unresponsive.
To make matters worse, I had lost the luminous orb I'd been holding during the beast's violent thrashing.
'Oh... I need to get to the surface soon....'
Ping—
My head spun dizzily.
Just as I felt consciousness beginning to slip away.
'What...?'
Beyond my fading vision, a glimmering light appeared.
Warm arms wrapped around my small frame.
And then my body surged upward through the water's surface—
Splash!
A man emerged from the water's surface alongside the sound, having pulled Jeok Soya to safety.
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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