The aura around Seop Mugwang flickered for a moment before stilling.
"Seolhwa?"
The name Ilhwa had chosen was the one she had heard just before Namgung Cheongun’s death—her real name. If he, too, was searching for a child of the Namgung family, then this small suspicion might be enough to keep him from killing her outright. And her guess was correct.
Seop Mugwang withdrew his killing intent.
"Hmph. Ridiculous brat. Why would I be your senior? I’ve never taken in a junior who reeks of such an unpleasant aura like yours."
Though his tone remained gruff, the hostility in his voice had noticeably lessened. A strange emotion flickered across his face as he studied Ilhwa.
"How old are you?"
"I believe I’m thirteen."
"You believe? You don’t even know your own age?"
"I lost all memories before the age of five due to an accident, so I can only go by what I’ve been told."
Seop Mugwang’s expression darkened. The playful mischief from earlier had completely vanished.
"Let me see the back of your neck."
"..."
Ilhwa slowly turned and lowered her head. Beneath her tightly tied hair, a gruesome sword scar was revealed. The moment Seop Mugwang saw it, his face visibly stiffened.
"How did you get that scar?"
"I don’t know."
"Who taught you martial arts?"
"Until now, I considered the Pavilion Master of the Fire Crow Pavilion in Yunnan as my master."
"Sounds like that’s no longer the case."
"She tried to kill me."
Seop Mugwang frowned. His gaze shifted to the pouch containing the Great Rebirth Pill.
"That thing could easily become poison for someone like you. Do you realize that?"
The Great Rebirth Pill’s energy was pure inner power, infused with the essence of Shaolin’s legacy. In contrast, Ilhwa’s inner energy was chaotic and violent. Though the pill’s effects were astonishing, if Ilhwa—who possessed conflicting inner energy—took it, the risk of Qi Deviation was dangerously high.
Assuming she intended to consume the pill, Seop Mugwang was warning her. Ilhwa nodded calmly.
"I plan to use it as a means to purge my inner energy."
"What?"
Seop Mugwang stared at her in shock. For a moment, he was speechless before letting out a hollow laugh.
"Do you even understand what it means to purge your inner energy?"
"I’ve made my peace with it."
To purge one’s inner energy was to abandon all the cultivation one had painstakingly achieved—to return to being a third-rate martial artist, or worse, an ordinary person with no inner energy at all. Though she was still young, giving up the strength she had bled and sweated for was no easy decision.
Yet, there wasn’t a trace of hesitation in her eyes. Seop Mugwang scoffed in disbelief.
"Why? Why would you want to purge your inner energy?"
"I want to go home."
If she returned to the Namgung family without purging the blood energy within her, she might be cast out again.
"If I go back with this kind of power, my family might not accept me."
Seop Mugwang’s expression froze for a moment. His gaze deepened as he studied her.
"Do you know where your hometown is?"
"From some fragmented memories that resurfaced, I believe it’s Hefei, Anhui."
"..."
Over the past eight years, Seop Mugwang had met hundreds of girls who shared the same name as the family head’s granddaughter. So even when Ilhwa mentioned the name "Seolhwa," he hadn’t held much hope. But when he saw the sword scar on the back of her neck, he sensed something unusual.
And now, she claimed her hometown was Hefei? Hefei—where the Namgung family’s main estate was located? Seeing the shock plainly written on Seop Mugwang’s face, Ilhwa realized she had just cleared a major hurdle and inwardly sighed in relief.
If Seop Mugwang now suspected she might be the Namgung family’s lost child, the immediate danger to her life had effectively vanished. As if to confirm this, the oppressive aura he had exuded upon his arrival had completely dissipated. Unconsciously, Ilhwa relaxed the grip she hadn’t realized she’d been clenching.
"Ahem!"
Seop Mugwang, realizing he had been staring blankly, quickly schooled his expression.
"Fine."
Ilhwa tilted her head. ...
Fine?
He pointed at her and smirked.
"I’ll help you out, brat."
With a confident grin, he jabbed his thumb at his own chest.
"If you’re going to perform energy circulation, you’ll need a guardian, right? I’ll stand guard for you, kid, to make sure your rebirth goes smoothly. That’s what I’m saying."
Ilhwa was inwardly stunned. For him to offer to be her guardian meant he would protect her while she was defenseless during energy circulation—ensuring nothing could interfere with the process. Given that assassins from the Fire Crow Pavilion, sent by the Blood Demon, might still be pursuing her, having the Storm Thunder God’s assistance was nothing short of miraculous.
However— "May I ask why?"
"What?"
Clearly not expecting her to question his offer, Seop Mugwang looked genuinely taken aback. But her next words were reasonable.
"I have no means to protect myself, so I’m in no position to refuse your kindness. But I don’t understand why you’d offer to help a girl you just met today."
"... Hmph."
Seop Mugwang sighed quietly, stroking his chin. The reason, of course, was that this child might be the family head’s granddaughter. But he couldn’t say that outright.
"There’s no reason. I do what I want. But if you need one, I’ll give you one."
He chuckled and pointed at her.
"First, I absolutely despise people like you who reek of filthy energy."
His eyes narrowed. The same intense aura he had exuded upon his arrival now sharpened in his gaze.
"Second, I find it admirable that you’re willing to purge all that disgusting inner energy. And third, I pity you for wanting nothing more than to return home."
(She had said she wanted to go back, not that it was her wish—but he didn’t need to know that.)
"Well? That enough for you?"
Satisfied with his own answer, Seop Mugwang crossed his arms. Though his last point was slightly off, there was still no reason to refuse his offer.
"I am grateful for your magnanimity, Senior."
"Good. That’s more like it."
Seop Mugwang chuckled.
"Ghk—!"
The Black Cloud Gang Leader stared in terror at the sharp blade pressed against his throat.
"W-What is the meaning of this?! This wasn’t part of the deal!"
Above the mask of the assailant, a red crow was embroidered on the forehead—the symbol of the Fire Crow Pavilion.
"Where did you take the item?"
"T-Take it?! The Young Pavilion Master of the Fire Crow Pavilion took it less than an hour ago!"
The blade dug deeper into his neck. A chill ran down his spine as the masked figure stared down at him.
"What did the Young Pavilion Master look like?"
"A—A girl, barely over ten years old...!"
The sharp eyes visible through the mask studied him for a moment. Then, the figure sheathed the sword and turned away.
"Let’s go."
In an instant, the masked figure vanished. The other masked assassins stationed around the area followed suit. Watching the black figures disappear over the distant wall, the gang leader slumped to the ground.
‘Just as that child said!’
He recalled the words of the Fire Crow Pavilion’s Young Pavilion Master before she left.
‘Once I leave, evacuate your men and flee as far as you can. The Fire Crow Pavilion’s assassins will soon descend upon this place.’
‘But why would they attack after we’ve handed over the item? Didn’t you say you were the Young Pavilion Master?’
‘I am—but the moment I step out of here, I won’t be anymore.’
‘What does that—’ ‘If they come, tell them the Young Pavilion Master took the item. There’s no need to hide it.’
‘Won’t they chase after the Young Pavilion Master then?’
‘It doesn’t matter. And...’
The child had warned that soon, Mount Hua and Shaolin would move to eradicate the Black Cloud Gang—and when that happened, the Fire Crow Pavilion would step in to "save" them, only to absorb their forces.
The true purpose behind the Fire Crow Pavilion’s order to steal the Great Rebirth Pill had always been to swallow the Black Cloud Gang whole.
‘At first, they may treat you kindly, but eventually, they’ll kill you and take over. Since I’ve already eliminated the factions within your gang today, use this time to prepare.’
Looking back, the ones the child had killed were all the elders and their followers who had been causing division within the gang. Just as the gang had been struggling with internal strife, the child had wiped them all out in one stroke.
The gang leader pulled out a black pouch from his robes—the last thing the child had pressed into his hands.
‘Follow the instructions in this pouch a week from now, and you’ll survive the purge from Mount Hua and Shaolin.’
He couldn’t help but marvel at how the child had effortlessly dismantled every threat to the gang with just a few words.
‘Just how many steps ahead is this child thinking...?!’
Surely, this was no ordinary child—but a master who had reversed their aging.