Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Yeom Baek and Yu Seol-ah respectfully bent at the waist and performed a clasped-hands greeting.

“The Iron Soul Unit greets you, Vermilion Bird Flag Master.”

Behind them, the Iron Soul Unit members standing in formation also performed clasped-hands greetings.

“We greet you!”

The one receiving all their reverent gazes was a dazzling woman who did not suit the battlefield’s gruesome state at all.

She was a mature woman dressed in red silk clothes like flames.

Beneath her abundant hair, pinned up with a phoenix hairpin, her red lips contrasted against skin like white jade, giving off a bewitching yet chilly elegance.

What stood out was her equipment.

In one slender hand, she held a long-stemmed pipe, and on her back, she carried a uniquely shaped bow called the ‘Short-Tipped Bow.’

The Short-Tipped Bow was a famed bow distinguished by how unusually short and sleek both ends, the bow ears, were compared to an ordinary bow.

On top of water buffalo horn, it had been coated with rare vermilion lacquer, giving it a dark red hue as if it had been made from solidified flame.

At a glance, it looked small and delicate, like nothing more than a gorgeous ornament, but the elasticity condensed within that short bowstave was truly astonishing.

This woman in red was one of the Five Pillars of Northern Heaven.

She was the foremost female master of the Northern Heaven Alliance and a master of archery, Vermilion Bird Flag Master Ju Bi-yeon.

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master bit down on her long-stemmed pipe, exhaled a long stream of smoke, and waved a hand.

“Enough. Judging by the state of you all, this is no time to receive greetings.”

Her gaze swept over the Iron Soul Unit members, who were forcibly holding up their trembling legs.

They looked as though they would collapse at any moment if they tried to maintain their manners, due to their extreme fatigue and injuries.

“Stop and take care of the wounded.”

“As you command!”

Only after the Vermilion Bird Flag Master gave her permission did the unit members relax their tension, sit down, or examine their comrades’ wounds.

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master turned her gaze and glanced at Yong Chae-rin, who was being protected.

“Is Grand Elder Yong’s granddaughter safe?”

Yu Seol-ah immediately answered.

“Yes, Flag Master. She lost most of her guards, but Lady Yong is safe.”

“Hmm, that is fortunate.”

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master nodded indifferently and stared into the darkness of the forest.

The presences of the Corpse-Blood Demon and the Blood Mist Corps had already disappeared. As soon as they confirmed her arrival, they had fled without even looking back.

Yeom Baek wanted to pursue and kill them, but he could not leave behind his subordinates, who had been battered to pieces, and Yong Chae-rin, whom he had to protect.

“May I ask how you came all the way here, Flag Master?”

At Yeom Baek’s question, the Vermilion Bird Flag Master replied.

“Ah, Grand Elder Yong sent me a letter and asked me for a personal favor. It seems he could not feel at ease with only your Iron Soul Unit.”

It was fortunate that she had happened to be outside on another mission. If she had been staying in Northern Heaven Castle, it would have been difficult for her to move in secret.

Yeom Baek felt bitter inside.

‘It seems the Grand Elder did not trust me completely.’

On the other hand, he understood. Since his granddaughter’s safety was at stake, he must have been anxious.

In truth, he did not know what would have happened if the Vermilion Bird Flag Master had not appeared.

Yeom Baek lowered his head once more.

“Thank you very much, Flag Master. Thanks to you, we were able to complete the mission safely.”

“I merely granted Grand Elder Yong’s request. More importantly, are your injuries all right?”

At the Vermilion Bird Flag Master’s question, Yeom Baek flinched and touched his side.

“This much is nothing.”

“Of course, Captain Yeom is not the sort of man who would whine about a wound of that degree. But the Corpse-Blood Demon’s Corpse Poison should be a different matter, should it not?”

“That is…….”

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master approached Yeom Baek.

“Stay still.”

Before Yeom Baek could say anything, her hand touched his side.

“This will be a little hot.”

“……!”

SSSSSS!

Soon, acrid smoke rose with the sound of something burning.

‘Ngh!’

Even through the searing pain of his flesh burning away, Yeom Baek did not so much as frown.

“With this much, you should be able to drive the rest out through Qi Circulation and Breath Regulation.”

Only then did the Vermilion Bird Flag Master remove her hand.

Feeling that more than ninety percent of the poison had disappeared, Yeom Baek could not help but greet her again.

“Thank you, Flag Master.”

“It is nothing, so do not concern yourself with it. More importantly, you truly are worthy of being called the strongest Captain. To think you fought so well against that Corpse-Blood Demon.”

Yeom Baek gave a bitter smile.

“I am still lacking. If the Vermilion Bird Flag Master had not appeared at just the right time, I would have been defeated.”

“Is that so? That is not how this Flag Master saw it.”

“Furthermore, before I arrived, there was a unit member who endured alone against the Corpse-Blood Demon.”

A strange light appeared in the Vermilion Bird Flag Master’s eyes.

“Oh, is that so?”

She looked surprised.

‘Yeom Baek is not one to speak nonsense…… but not a squad leader, an ordinary unit member endured against the Corpse-Blood Demon?’

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master had no choice but to ask.

“Who was it?”

“His name is Dokgo Jin…… He is a new unit member who joined the main unit this time, and he is also the Dragon-Tiger Tablet Holder.”

“Ah, do you mean the unit member who recently became the Dragon-Tiger Tablet Holder?”

“Yes.”

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master’s gaze naturally turned toward the Iron Soul Unit members. She found Dokgo Jin without difficulty.

It was not because she had sensed his energy. It was simply because, on that desperate battlefield, he alone looked far too unharmed, so he quickly caught her eye.

‘That must be him.’

Dokgo Jin, who had been wrapping a bandage around a wounded person’s arm, felt the Vermilion Bird Flag Master’s gaze and turned his head.

“…….”

When his eyes met hers, Dokgo Jin lightly lowered his head. Seeing that, the Vermilion Bird Flag Master gave a subtle smile.

‘He really is no ordinary man. Then again, the Master of the Dragon-Tiger Hall would never give the Dragon-Tiger Tablet to just anyone.’

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master stared at Dokgo Jin for quite some time.

***

After taking care of the wounded, the Iron Soul Unit slowly descended Mount Kongtong. Yong Chae-rin and Han Seo-ryeong were with them as well.

Since the injured Han Seo-ryeong could no longer carry Yong Chae-rin on her back, Yong Chae-rin walked down on foot.

Strangely enough, when Yu Seol-ah held her hand and guided her, she did not stumble at all and walked well, as if she were someone who could see.

‘Is that because of her ability too?’

The Vermilion Bird Flag Master, who had traveled with them, left as soon as they escaped the dangerous territory of Kunlun Demon Palace.

Since she had granted the request in secret, returning together with them would have been troublesome.

To Dokgo Jin as well, the Vermilion Bird Flag Master had left a deep impression.

‘Though she has the body of a woman, the energy she contains is no less than the White Tiger Flag Master’s.’

No, if one considered only the inner arts she carried, she might even be above the White Tiger Flag Master.

He thought there was a reason she was one of the Five Pillars of Northern Heaven.

Still, once the Vermilion Bird Flag Master left, he felt somewhat more at ease. During the entire journey, she had kept looking at him with an expression of interest.

‘Did she recognize my Nine Nether Dark Heaven Scripture?’

Since she had observed him for far longer than the White Tiger Flag Master had, she might have noticed something.

‘But if she had, she would have said something. Since she only looked at me, I can’t tell.’

She was certainly a difficult person to read.

In any case, after they entered Shaanxi Province, everything proceeded smoothly.

They could not move quickly because of the wounded, but they were able to return safely to Northern Heaven Castle without any particular incident.

***

After returning, the Iron Soul Unit was granted three sweet days of rest.

Since there was hardly anyone uninjured, including their Captain, Yeom Baek, everyone focused on recovering.

Except for one person.

On the second day, Dokgo Jin received a visitor.

“Are you Dokgo Jin of the Iron Soul Unit?”

“I am.”

“Grand Elder Yong wishes to meet you.”

The place Dokgo Jin reached under guidance was the deepest part of the Northern Heaven Alliance, the residence of the Council of Elders.

Among them stood a hall that gave off the most dignified presence.

It was Grand Elder Yong’s residence.

‘What tremendous energy.’

Dokgo Jin inwardly marveled as he felt the heat radiating from the entrance of the hall.

The Extreme Yang energy that Grand Elder Yong, the owner of this place, had cultivated for his entire life dominated the space itself.

“He says you may enter.”

Following the maidservant’s guidance, Dokgo Jin opened the heavy door and stepped inside.

The interior was simple, but the weight of years could be felt from the objects placed throughout the room.

And at the center of it all.

An old man with a long white beard sat in a chair covered with tiger skin.

It was Yong Mu-seong, the Flame Dragon Divine Lord, who had once been called the ‘Fire God of the Battlefield’ in the Northern Heaven Alliance.

Yong Chae-rin was seated across from him, and the grandfather and granddaughter were drinking tea.

Dokgo Jin respectfully performed a clasped-hands greeting.

“Dokgo Jin of the Iron Soul Unit greets the Grand Elder.”

“Ah.”

Grand Elder Yong set down the teacup he had been drinking from and slowly raised his head, while Yong Chae-rin turned her head toward Dokgo Jin with a slightly nervous expression.

“…….”

Dokgo Jin met Grand Elder Yong’s gaze. The old man’s eyes blazed so fiercely that they made his age seem irrelevant.

Instead of answering, Grand Elder Yong observed Dokgo Jin with a heavy gaze, as if seeing straight through him.

His eyes were sharp, as though he were examining Dokgo Jin’s bones and muscles, and even the energy latent within them.

After a moment, Grand Elder Yong looked at Yong Chae-rin and opened his mouth.

“Is this young man the one?”

Yong Chae-rin nodded.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Grand Elder Yong looked slightly displeased.

“You can tell just by his voice?”

“Ho ho, really, Grandfather. You know I can tell by other means.”

“That is true.”

Grand Elder Yong looked back at Dokgo Jin and said,

“Come closer.”

“Yes.”

When Dokgo Jin came closer, he offered him a seat.

“Sit.”

“Yes, Grand Elder.”

Once Dokgo Jin sat down, Grand Elder Yong personally poured him tea.

“Drink.”

“Thank you.”

“…….”

In the silence, Yong Chae-rin barely drank her tea and kept stealing glances at Dokgo Jin.

‘When I first saw him, I felt a little uncomfortable…….’

She had not known that Dokgo Jin had cultivated the Nine Nether Dark Heaven Scripture, but with her innate senses, she had glimpsed a little of the deep abyss Dokgo Jin was hiding.

‘Very deep darkness and a vivid ink-black.’

It could have been frightening, but she had not felt that it was particularly threatening.

It was simply something she had never felt before, so it was an emotion similar to fear of the unknown.

But conversely, that also meant Dokgo Jin held no prejudice whatsoever toward ‘color.’

In the end, she had no choice but to judge that through his actions, and that had led to goodwill.

Once Dokgo Jin emptied his teacup, Grand Elder Yong opened his mouth again.

“I heard from my granddaughter. She said that Captain Yeom and the Vermilion Bird Flag Master also played great roles in saving her, but that your merit was greater than anyone else’s.”

“You overpraise me.”

Yong Chae-rin said,

“No, Great Hero Dokgo. Truly, if not for you, I would not have been able to meet Grandfather alive again. Thank you very much.”

She bowed her head deeply.

“There is no need for that, Lady Yong. I merely carried out my mission faithfully.”

Yong Chae-rin gave a faint smile.

“You said the same thing then, too. Even so…… thank you.”

Grand Elder Yong added, “I understand that you do not boast of your achievements, so there is no need to be too modest.”

Then something astonishing happened.

Grand Elder Yong of all people bowed his head toward Dokgo Jin.

“……Thank you. If not for you, I would not have been able to see this child again.”

It was not an expression of gratitude as the Grand Elder of the Northern Heaven Alliance, but the sincere thanks of a grandfather.

“I owe you a great debt.”

For once, a troubled look appeared on Dokgo Jin’s face.

“As I said…….”

“There is not much this old man can do for you. Still, would you tell me what you want? If it is something I can do, I will grant anything.”

He said that, but he was the Grand Elder of the Council of Elders.

There were countless things Grand Elder Yong could do with his authority that a mere unit member could not even dream of.

“…….”

At that extraordinary offer, Dokgo Jin’s gaze deepened.