Book 23 Chapter 21

The Mother-in-Law Attack

-Troubled Beauty

There was once a man who sat by the window, sighing and gazing at the lonely moon in the sky.

Is the moon lonely because it's all alone in that empty, empty sky, or is it less lonely because the sun is there? But the sun and moon rarely see each other. Even when they do, it's only for a brief moment, floating together, facing each other. Even then, the moon's presence is dwarfed by the sun's brilliance. Does that make the moon any less sad? It seems less lonely, knowing that they have each other, even if only for that brief moment. At least there is someone who recognizes them, someone who recognizes their loneliness.

And then there was Bi Ryuyeon, and now there is Yeon-vi, and it was Dokgo-ryung, the hand lion, who recognized him before.

"Ryeong sister……."

Ever since her encounter with the spirit at Kanghorando, it had been the only thing on Na Yerin's mind. Her complexion was dark with worry, and as she immersed herself in the water, she exuded a sense of loneliness, as if a dark cloud had fallen over the beautiful white rooftops.

Na Yerin was confused: Why were the spirits denying her? Why doesn't it recognize me? Her heart grew heavier and heavier as her chest tightened and her worries piled up, but there was nothing she could do to lighten the weight. She wanted to soothe and comfort her, but in the end, this was a problem that could not be erased until the root of the problem was addressed, and knowing that, there was only so much she could do.

However, there was someone who knew what was going on, and simply being there for me gave me some comfort. Carrying your worries alone is as heavy and painful as carrying a mountain, so to be able to support you is like carrying half a mountain. So even if it was still painful, it wasn't for the lack of help…and that help was Yunbi, who was now gone for a while for work. When I was truly alone, the loneliness washed over me like a wave and made my heart ache.

Loneliness?

It was a sensation I hadn't known before. No, I wanted to be lonelier and more solitary. I wanted to be an island, away from people, unable to communicate with anyone. I thought that way I would be unharmed. It was an illusion, it was an escape, and it was Ryuyeon who taught him that it was an escape. He taught her the joy of being with others, the joy of communication. He taught her that the more you share, the more you grow, and the closer you get, the deeper you get. But now he's not here. But he also doesn't feel far away. She wondered where this contradiction in sensation came from. Perhaps it was the Yeonbi. It was the Yeonbi that allowed her to forget for a moment the absence of Bi Ryuyeon. Then a commotion entered her senses.

Quickly and impatiently, he raced up the stairs and across the hall.

"Is my Yeonbi back?

Na Yerin's dark complexion suddenly lit up. It was clear she was a woman, judging by the size of her steps and her stride. Not many people walked so confidently and boldly. It could have been because something had upset her. Judging by the sound, it was clear that this person was very upset right now.

Bam!

The door swung open. Na Yerin's eyes widened in horror as she turned around with a happy face. The nostalgic face was definitely a nostalgic face. It was a face she missed. But it didn't belong here.

"Mommy's home!"

A beautiful lady who opened the door without asking exclaimed. Na Yerin was so surprised that she cried out.

"Uh, Mother?!"

But the surprises didn't stop there, as Na Yerin was surprised by another person who came running in after her.

"Oh, your father?"

It was none other than his own father, the martial artist Nabaxian, who entered, calling out, "Madam, come with me.

"Uh, how did you two get here……?"

Na Yerin asked, hurrying to greet him, still feeling nervous, but Ye Qing's eyes darted around as if searching for something.

"……?"

Na Yerin could not help but be dumbfounded, but her father stood behind her, his mouth tightly shut. He's waiting for her to finish. It was a familiar sight, so it was nothing new, but it was frustrating for Na Yerin, whose questions were piling up. After looking around for a while, Ye Qing finally looked straight at Na Yerin. Ye Qing's stern gaze was accompanied by a bluish anger in his brow, causing one to wonder.

"Where is he?"

Ye Qing asked.

"Mother, who are you referring to, the child? I don't recognize the girl."

Na Yerin replied politely.

"The one who seduced you."

Ye Qingyu said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Flirting?"

For Na Yerin, who had no such memories, Ye Qing's anger was unfamiliar.

"You're already covering for her! You don't need to cover for her. Yunbi, the bitch who pushed you into speculation!"

Finally, an expletive came out of Ye Qing's mouth.

"What do you mean, flirting? Yeonbi never did."

Na Yerin couldn't figure out what was going on.

"You're not hitting on me?"

Ye Qingyu looked at Na Yerin with a glint in her eye. Although she loved her daughter deeply, she was a much more strict mother than her father, who was constantly weakening in front of her. Perhaps she felt that she had to make up for her father's shortcomings.

"Yes, Mother, that's where you're wrong. Yeonbi never tricked me, never lied to me, I volunteered to help Yeonbi."

"Why?"

"Just because I wanted to."

"You just wanted to?"

"Yes!"

"I can't believe it, I can't believe it!"

Ye Qingyu shook his head vigorously and exclaimed.

"Oh no, I don't think I can talk to you anymore. The mother will have to speak to the child herself. Where is she now?"

"I had to leave for a few minutes to run an errand."

Na Yerin replied, praying inwardly that her Yeonbi would not return for a while. Knowing her mother's sharp, knife-like personality, she could only hope that the two of them would not collide. Besides, her father, Bai Chen, was also here. When her mother was being strict with her, he would gently tell her to calm down and listen to what she had to say without getting too excited, and that Ye Lin must have had her own reasons, but he didn't know how she would react when she met Yan Bi. In fact, there was one person in Yan Bi's life who was more capable of unleashing fiery anger than her mother, and that was her father, Na Baiqian. Although she was outmatched by her mother, her father's actual martial arts level was higher, so incurring his wrath would not be beneficial to her reputation.

But once things started to go wrong, they seemed to go wrong forever. Coincidentally, the sound of footsteps came from far down the hall. I fervently hoped it was the footsteps of one of the maids working in the guest room, but I quickly dismissed that hope. The footsteps were undoubtedly Yunbi's usual ones, and as they grew closer, Na Yerin's heart grew smaller and smaller in her chest. Later, she could barely breathe.

"Yunbi, please don't come, go back, it's dangerous here!

However, it seemed that even though she could hear the minds of others, she could not convey her own mind to others. Na Yerin couldn't help but resent this half-assed ability today. Ever since she had sensed his presence, Ye Qing and Na Baichen had stopped talking at some point and had been exchanging meaningful glances with their lifeless faces, fearing that the culprit might escape. They were trying to sense each other's presence and prevent the other from escaping. At times like this, it was as if the two of them were in sync.

'Please… please…….'

Yay!

But Na Yerin's hopes were in vain, as the door to the guest room opened far too easily. And from it came…….

For some reason, Diane's complexion was darker than her usual bubbly self. She also seemed to be panicking a bit. I hadn't seen her so flustered since the first time I got off the train at Kanghorando not long ago, but I was even more suspicious that it wasn't because of the two new customers.

"Ohora, are you the bitch who seduced my child?"

Ye Qing immediately recognized the suspect.

"Well?"

Yan Bi, who was already in a bad mood after being treated so ridiculously by his master, heard Ye Qing's rude question and answered peevishly.

"Whatever you say, be sure to answer!"

Ye Qing, who hates anything that isn't him, is like a man who likes to break things, and Na Baichuan, who is always indecisive when it comes to his daughter, has to duck under Ye Qing's barrage of criticisms.

"By the way, I don't think we've met before, who are you? Shouldn't you identify yourself before you ask a question?"

After all, the Yeonbi was definitely something to be reckoned with. When asked to reveal his identity, Ye Qing, who didn't want to reveal more, replied in a fierce voice.

"What if you don't want to be identified?"

"Well, I guess you're going to be wrong forever, so why don't you just give up and go home?"

Na Yerin winced, her heart clenching in her chest with each word. Knowing full well the enormity of her mother's anger, and how it could overwhelm even her father once unleashed, she couldn't help but feel a sense of danger as she watched her mother's anger levels rise and rise, and as she seemed to be subservient to it.

"What shall we do if we hear by might?"

Ye Qing asked in a cold, quiet voice that sounded like it had calmed down.

"Pete, can you do that?"

Smirking, Yeonbi replied.

"No, Yeonbi, it's dangerous!

Na Yerin was stunned by the Yeonbi taunt.

Her mother Ye Qing's ragged breathing had calmed down, and her eyes, once burning with fury, had cooled to the calm of a cold lake of ice. This was a very dangerous state, her mother was always coldly angry rather than hotly angry.

Tsk!

With the clear, crisp sound of jade beads rolling on a silver tray, Ye Qing's dao was drawn. It was a slender saber with a bluish halo, curved in a graceful curve as if it had been torn from the night sky.

"Ice Moon!

Na Yerin marveled at the beautiful, exquisite, and magical Doshin. It was beautiful to behold. The dao that emitted such a delicate radiance that it could even mesmerize a person's soul was almost ethereal. The dao that emitted the cold light from this curved white dao shrine was the Frozen Moon Dao, the dao that had given Ye Qingyu the title of Frozen Moon Master. With the cold dao emanating from this dao, she had risen to the position of Female Zhongzhi in the Heavenly Palace over twenty years ago. She had set the record for the youngest instructor at the age of twenty, a record that had not been broken.

Parallax!

As graceful as butterflies dancing, their slender, sharp edges sparkling with life, they scattered the moon. The shifting shadows of the waxing moon, in dizzying swarms, swept across Yunbi's entire body.

Surprised by the suddenness of the attack, Yan Bi quickly raised his left hand to block the flying moon shadow. It was a graceful yet sharp qi. Realizing that a head-on collision would be dangerous, Yan Bi swung the blade at an angle, deliberately avoiding a head-on collision. His skin had been specially processed from the skin of the Muklin Blood Net, making it extremely tough and hard, and while it had been unharmed by most swords, there was no telling what would happen to such a sharp and sharp sword. However, Na Yerin felt awkward when she saw Yan Bi's movements.

"Why is she slower to react than usual, and why only her left hand?

As far as Na Yerin could tell, Yunbi was not left-handed, and if she were, her movements would be much smoother. Upon closer inspection, Na Yerin realized the cause of the awkwardness: his right arm was almost like a log, stuck to his body. With lesser eyesight, she would have easily missed the subtlety of the car, but she couldn't help but notice.

"You're pretty good, huh?"

A trace of surprise appeared on Ye Qing's face as he continued to speak without stopping his Unyielding Dance. He hadn't expected that even though he wasn't a powerhouse, he would be able to block his own pottery so reliably.

"You."

Even though he received the answer so casually, Yun Fei was deeply puzzled. This woman's movements were much better than I thought, and she might even be stronger than the Black Dragon King. I was barely blocking it, but it wasn't a full strength attack. I didn't have a problem up to this point, but then there was the next problem. I couldn't help but wonder who this person was who possessed such a pottery. Moreover, the man fidgeting behind me looked very familiar.

"Suddenly I'm wondering who you are."

"Now?"

Ye Qingyu shouted as he swung the Bing Yue in a series of strokes, pressuring Yun Che on all sides.

He nodded, agreeing that the Yeonbi was correct.

"Great, then I'll let you know if you block this technology!"

With that, Ye Qing's ice moon began to emit a cold chill. Na Yerin recognized that it was her mother's naming ceremony, the Raising of the Skills.

Ice Moon Twelve Swords (氷月十二刀).

Seasoning.

Ice Moon Dance.

The moment the technique was triggered, the room was filled with a thin, sharp shadow of the moon. Half of the room was shining as coldly as the moon, and the other half was as dark as the shadow of the unmoon. Normally, the shining was the real thing and the shadow was the false thing, but there were some that were a mixture of the two, so one could never be too careful.

"Whoa, I can't use this on a whim, my room is cramped!"

Startled, but not forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, Yun Bi opened his umbrella and spun it sharply, wrapping it around himself.

Gentian Eunlin (玄天銀燐).

回天.

The moon's shadow, blocked by the wall of umbrellas spinning at a terrifying speed, began to bounce in all directions. Once it started spinning, it showed no signs of stopping. When the moon finally set, the black sky also stopped spinning.

"I can't believe you stopped that!"

I was honestly impressed. Not many people could have stopped this herbivore unscathed.

"You shouldn't be so surprised," I said, "it took a lot out of me to stop it, and I almost broke my skin."

Yeomdo's complexion was truly pale as he said that. His left arm was also his left arm, but the explosive rush of Inner Gong's entire body had caused his right arm, which had been subdued, to explode. Because of that, I had to concentrate my consciousness to keep my right arm down. Honestly, it was dangerous to continue fighting.

"Should we stop here? I don't think it's safe to fight anymore."

Yunbi replied with honesty.

"You or me?"

Ye Qing asked.

"That's you, of course."

Once again, I answered honestly about Yeonbi.

"Ho-ho, you have a swollen liver, but I don't mind that kind of ridiculous confidence, especially when it comes from a girl!"

There was no way Ye Qingyu, who had a strong sense of honor, would back down after hearing those words.

"But you did stop me from eating earlier, so you have to keep your word."

"What promise? Oh, you mean the one where you said you'd tell me who I am if I could stop this herbivory?"

Shhhhhhhhhh!

Yeomdo nodded as he blocked the incoming cold crescent sword slash with his left hand's Hyundai Silver Lin. A slight smile appeared on the middle-aged woman's face.

"Do you want to know who I am? If so, I'll teach you."

Ye Qing paused for a breath before speaking.

"I'm his mother!"

Yeonbi's eyes widened.

"Are you sure, Rin?"

She's a stunning beauty, but their personalities are worlds apart, so I had to run the Yeonbi numbers by Lin.

"That must be my mom. Sorry, Yeonbi."

With Na Yerin's confirmation, there was no longer any doubt.

"Oh, this is awkward, I didn't mean to meet you like this…….

I had calculated that I would meet her as another version of myself, the real me. But by some twist of fate, I ended up meeting Na Yerin's mom while I was still in the form of Yunbi. And she's wielding a sword before she's even said a word……. If there was a twist, it was a tight one. And that wasn't the only thing that went wrong.

"But what brings Rin's mother all the way out here?"

"I'm here to find out who cheated on my child!"

"I didn't cheat, did I?"

Yeonbi said bluntly.

"If you hadn't pestered her, how would our little Ye Lin have gotten to participate in such a competition?"

"Why are you asking me that, I don't even know?"

In the middle of the question and answer, Ye Qingyu still hadn't stopped attacking, drawing dizzying moon shadows in the air.

"Then who am I supposed to ask?"

"You'd have to ask him, of course."

Touro Yanbi replied, "Why do you have to ask for something so obvious? When Ye Qing was confused, she didn't forget to explain further. As Na Yerin's mother, she was trying to be extra friendly. Of course, we don't know if her intentions worked.

"I don't have the answer to that, so ask my daughter, because she has the answer."

Yeonbi, he replied. She didn't look the least bit intimidated. She hadn't flinched when she heard the name Martial King, and she didn't flinch at the title of Mrs. Martial King. But she didn't flinch at being called Yerin's father, and she flinched a little at being called Yerin's mother. Maybe he was subconsciously preparing himself for a future visit, but in such cases, he usually had to be wary of his father. After all, a man's enemy is usually a man, and a woman's enemy is usually a woman.

"Oh, I'm in trouble if you keep attacking me."

When the offense still didn't stop, Yunbi said euphemistically. Of course, defense was not forgotten.

"They're attacking you to embarrass you!"

Ye Qing replied, as if it were obvious.

"No, I could really get in trouble, Mother!"

Yanbi's face was genuinely troubled, and the look on her face made Na Yerin wonder.

"What could possibly go wrong, and who's your mother?!"

Ye Qingyu replied, exasperated.

"Well, what about a son 'like me'?"

"I don't approve of that!"

Bai Xiaochun, who had been silently watching the two of them duke it out, shouted out, "I won't admit to that," and an aura of "I won't admit to that" rose up behind him like a thick, dark cloud.

"Are you making fun of me?"

Shhhhhh!

Thinking that he had been teased, Ye Qing's sword became faster and more ferocious.

"Oh my God, I wasn't kidding, and I'm really in trouble."

The Yeonbi had had enough.

"You've been stumping me since the beginning, but what is stumping you?"

Yeonbi said, dodging the two moon shadows that were once again flying toward his neck and shoulders.

"Oh, if I do this wrong, I could hurt you, and I don't want to hurt Yerin's mom."

Hearing that, Ye Qing was stunned.

"A little bitch as young as you hurt my feelings, I'm an ice maiden?"

Yun Fei blocked each of the three swords flying at him in turn, then nodded without hesitation.

"I can't guarantee your safety, because I could be facing something out of my control, so please stop. Because I'm at my limit."

As I was attacked and forced to defend myself, the energy I had been holding back was activated and began to flow furiously into my unbound right arm.

"Too soon?

Not while it was still out of control. Things were moving too fast. This was too dangerous. Trying to restrain her frantic arms, Yunbi felt like she was trying to hold on to a swollen dike during the rainy season. Once the levee burst, he wasn't sure what to do next.

"I don't believe it. If you can do it, do it!"

Rather than slowing down the sword technique, Ye Qingyu's aura increased its momentum, and the cold shadow of the moon swooped down to carve Yun Che to pieces like a northern blast of snow. Unable to use his right hand after the seal was broken, Lian Bi struggled to block the flying Ice Moon Sword with his left hand, but he could only parry and not attack. Right now, she was using most of her strength to stop her right arm from going on a rampage, which was distracting her and preventing her from using her power smoothly.

"Woe is me, Master, I knew it!

Even though his right hand had been unbound, he couldn't be too happy about it; if he left it untouched, he could potentially lose the use of his right arm forever instead of gaining a one-time boost of destructive power. To do such a crazy thing… It was clear that the master had lost his mind. It was one thing for him to be insane, but it was another thing for him to be humble and try to grab a student. But the water had already been spilled, and all Yun Che could do now was to somehow prevent the spill from becoming a flood.

"Why have you been using your left hand the whole time? It's an awkward movement for a left-handed sword."

Ye Qing's eyes were sharp, and he couldn't miss a detail, so when he noticed that the behavior of the Yeonbi was not smooth, he asked.

"Oh, I used to be left-handed," is what I'd honestly like to say now, "but it's a shame that I can't."

Yunbi replied with an accusatory glare. The fight was still going on.

"Then why are you not using your right hand, is it injured?"

Yeonbi shook his head.

"No. You'll get hurt using it."

Yeonbi replied obediently.

"Who's getting hurt?"

"You, of course."

"That's ridiculous, I don't approve of such nonsense!"

An indignant Ye Qing exclaimed. Of course I imagined it would be like that, and it was.

"Use your cold right hand! I don't want to hear that you've caught a kid that's not even worthy of you!"

Her high and mighty pride would not allow it.

"I think I told you before, you can't use your right hand, and I don't want to make a big deal out of it, but you're really hurting."

The sincerity in those words made Ye Qingyu feel even more offended, so he stopped attacking and stood still. Ye Bi also naturally stopped, keeping his distance.

"Are you sure you don't want to use your right hand?"

With his head slightly bowed, Ye Qing asked in a casual tone.

"None."

Yunbi's answer was the same. When Ye Qing didn't seem to change his mind, he made up his mind.

"Great! If you insist on using it, I'll make you use it by force!"

Click!

Ye Qingyu placed the ice moon in the middle of his body, then placed his left hand on the handle and gently manipulated it, and with a clanking sound, the once single piece split apart and turned into two moons.

Separating months. The one moon became two unmoon. He held the two divided moons in both hands and crossed them to either side. The two moons wrapped themselves around Ye Qing. The crossed hands fell into silence.

Crossing the crescent pieces, one in each hand, the Master of the Two Moons gave a final, cold warning as he took up the mantle of the highest season.

"If you don't want to die, you'd better show me what you can do with that right hand."

The look in Ye Qing's eyes as he issued the warning was uncharacteristic.

"Oh, you must be serious.

Based on Yeonbi, this seemed like a risky move.

"Hah, that's really bad……."

I sighed anxiously, then said Yeonbi.

"If you go that far, I have nothing to say to you. You shouldn't regret it. Alas, I don't want to hurt you……."

But Yunbi didn't move the black umbrella to his right hand. Instead, he tensed his entire body and prepared for the attack. He was going to hold out as long as he could.

Eek!

As if dancing, Ye Qing's feet slithered forward. Her waist, as soft as a willow branch, plunged forward, digging deep. Unfazed by the swiftness of the change, Yun Fei pushed off the ground and pushed herself backward. This was the moment Ye Qingyu had been waiting for.

Sarak!

Spinning like a fan, it sliced through the crescent on the left. This was followed by the crescent on the right. He rotated his body diagonally on the axis of his spine, slashing out one after another. As the sharp razor-like attacks swept across his face, Yan Bi quickly blocked them with his Xuan Tian Ning Lin.

Boom, boom, boom!

The crescent moon shattered the moment the moon and Shen Tianlin collided, sending dozens of moon shadows flying dizzily from the shards.

Ice Moon Twelve Swords (氷月十二刀).

Ultimatum.

Gibbous.

Two moons began to dance within Ye Qing's grasp. Dozens of moon clusters rushed into Ye Qingyu's body, dancing in the wind. His cultivation had reached a state of unbridled freedom, and there was not the slightest hint of disorganization as he executed these intricate formations. In the shadow of the dancing crescent moon, Yun Fei couldn't help but look dejected.

He didn't know when these crescents, fluttering around him like butterflies, were going to bite him with their teeth, and it wasn't as if there was any way out of the completely surrounded yard.

'Oh my God, maybe I've really been cornered for once…….'

Normally, he wouldn't have gotten this far, but with his identity concealed and the Mighty Dragon Ring removed from his right hand, Yun Che was barely able to exert half his usual strength as he tried to suppress the power of a raging bull. The moon butterfly stopped moving.

"Yeonbi, that's really dangerous, surrender!"

Sensing the danger of manipulation, Na Yerin called out in an urgent voice.

"You can't come this far and quit."

Yeonbi replied with a smirk.

The calm before the storm is said of these things.

Chorus!

At last, Ssangyul's last stand has begun.

Twilight (雙月夜).

Final transformation (最終變幻).

Twelve (十二夜).

The paused moon fragments rushed toward Yun Che in unison, like petals falling in a gale. It wasn't that he was getting beaten; it was that it had been so long since he'd been able to control his powers, and with one of the four Dark Dragon Circles now unleashed, he wasn't sure he could. If he made the wrong move and hurt Lin's mother, it would be a disaster. He could even kill her. Of course, his own right arm wouldn't be safe after that. It was the worst thing that could happen. But as Ye Qing's attacks became more and more ruthless, and the sword taxes became more and more unrelenting, it was almost impossible to stop them.

I thought I'd do it in moderation, but Na Yerin's mom had a different kind of competitive spirit than her daughter. The moment the moon split into two, I was sure of the Yeonbi. This person clearly wasn't interested in moderation. And then, in the darkness of the night, two moons began to dance.

Hundreds of shards of the moon flew into the night sky and wrapped around the Yeonbi. It seemed impossible to avoid. And then…

'I also put my right hand on…….'

The moment I did, I heard Na Yerin's voice screaming at me that it was dangerous, that I should surrender. But I couldn't stop the fuel. There was no surrender. There was nothing to ask for forgiveness. If I was sorry, I owed it to Yerin to be sorry, and if I was grateful, I owed it to Yerin to be grateful. She could respect her as her mother, but she wasn't her mother, so she could never surrender.

"Please don't die, mother-in-law!

Yan Bi finally raised her right hand.

The power of the New Moon Nights, the final phase of the Ice Age Zodiac, was extraordinary. Especially its final transformation, the twelfth, was dazzling to the senses. The twelve shards of the moon, split into twelve stalks, rushed ferociously toward Yun Che's entire body.

Yeonbi cried out as she fixed Lin with her right hand.

"Be careful. I can't be held responsible if something really goes wrong!"

That was the best the Yeonbi could do to warn me.

Boom!

Yun Bi's right hand pulsed. The force he'd been holding back was rampaging outward, trying to break free.

Boom! Boom!

Yunbi's face contorted painfully for a moment.

Creepy!

Seeing this, Bai Xiaochun felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. Yun Che's amber eyes began to burn with a golden glow.

Boom!

At that moment, something exploded in Yunbi's body.

Gentian Eunlin (玄天銀燐).

Righteousness (奧義).

玄天包月.

Pah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah!

Yun Fei's right hand blurred into existence, and from it, black lightning shot out in all directions like hundreds of meteors. The black night expanded its territory, devouring the faint moonlight in an instant. The twelve streaks of moonlight were instantly extinguished, and the path that had once glowed was painted even deeper in darkness. It was a terrifying technique. The black lightning seemed to know nothing but destruction, ravaging its surroundings with no acknowledgment, no reasoning, just pure power.

"Oh, my God!"

Ye Qingyu could only stare in disbelief as the black thunderbolt flew by, neutralizing his strongest herbivore. A split second felt like an eternity. At this rate, the black lightning would sweep through Ye Qing's entire body without a second thought, and even Ye Qing would not be able to escape unharmed.

"It's dangerous, honey!"

Sensing that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, Bai Xiaochun quickly drew his sword and deployed the sword herb.

Shhhhhhh!

As befits a sword named the Qin Thunder Wall Sword, the sword's swiftness was matched by the black thunderbolts that flanked it.

Ting-ting-ting-ting!

Surprisingly, however, it was Bai Xiaochun's sword qi that was able to pierce through the weak side.

"Oh, my God!"

While Bai Chen was panicking, Na Yerin jumped in between Ye Qing and the Black Thunderbolt. This was because her mother would be in great danger if she left things as they were.

"No, Rin!"

Scrambling to his feet, he tried to control the black thunderbolt. Power was ebbing and flowing through his right arm. It was out of control, rampaging madly, as if it didn't belong to him. The power had tried to hurt his mother, and now it was trying to hurt the person he loved most.

"I can't do that!"

Puck!

Yunbi slapped the blood vessel in his right shoulder with his left hand, twisting the direction of the force that was shooting out.

Boom!

A black thunderbolt struck the ground. With a terrifying roar, the ground shattered, dust rose in clouds, and a gale blew.

"Boom!"

Unable to deal with the aftermath, Ye Qing's body flew backwards. A desperate scream erupted from the mouth of Na Yerin, who was able to escape the attack thanks to Ye Qingyu's sacrificial move.

"Mother!"

"Ma'am!"

Startled by this unexpected turn of events, Bai Xiaochun flew out like a sculpture and caught Ye Qing's body. However, there was still some energy left, so he continued to step backwards to dissipate it, but when he was unable to do so, he bent down to protect Ye Qing's body and wrapped his arms around her, forming a self-defense formation.

Boom!

Bai Xiaochun's back, carrying Ye Qing, crashed into the wall of the building, cracking and denting in all directions. There were also two furrow-like marks on the floor.

"Are you okay, honey?"

Na Baiqian asked in a worried tone, unperturbed by the dust and stones falling from above her head. Looking at her husband, who was looking down at her, Ye Qing replied.

"I'm fine, thanks to you holding me up. What about you, are you hurt?"

How could she not be overwhelmed by the fact that he had flown out to save her from danger without taking care of his own body. Looking at Ye Qing, who looked like she was about to burst into tears, Nie Bai Tian smiled gleefully.

"Hehe, don't worry. I'm a martial artist with a great reputation, so I won't be hurt by a blow like this."

"But make sure you see a doctor afterwards, you're the one who carries the weight of the world on your shoulders, you can't afford to get hurt, not even for me, do you understand?"

Hearing her voice filled with concern, Bai Chen couldn't help but be moved. It was extremely rare for him to hear such affectionate and warm words from his wife, so he couldn't help but be moved every time. A feeling of pride rose in his heart.

"By the way, what happened to Yerin?"

Crazy about the safety of her daughter, Na Yerin, who had put her husband before her, Ye Qing cried out.

"Oh, don't worry, Yerin, you're safe because that Yanbi kid pushed you away by redirecting the force. It's just that the aftermath could have made you crazy."

If it wasn't for Bai Xiaochun supporting him from behind, it was clear that his body would have been greatly injured.

"Thank you, honey, for saving me!"

side!

Ye Qing wrapped her arms around Bai Chen and sneakily kissed him on the cheek. In an instant, Bai Xiaochun's face turned as bright red as if it had been set on fire, and his expression turned as slippery as a finger in hot water.

"Hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph, hmph. A hundred times, two hundred times, if you're in danger, I'll come running to you, and I'll spare this old body for you."

Nie Baiqian, whose mind was playing in the flower garden, said hesitantly and hesitantly.

"Hmph, I'm not happy at all if you hurt yourself, I told you before to take care of yourself. By the way, what happened to that kid named Yan Bi, who the hell is he? To have such a strong martial art at such a young age……."

"But I don't think it's something you can use often."

With a serious look on his face, Bai Chen pointed to a spot where Yan Bi was kneeling on one knee, clutching his right shoulder, with a pained expression on his face. Beside him, Na Yerin watched with concern. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead from the pain he was enduring.

"Boom!"

Yunbi frowned and gritted her teeth.

"Yeonbi, are you okay?"

Na Yerin asked in a worried voice.

"……."

Yeonbi had no answer. The pain was unimaginably intense. It was as if the muscles in my arm were being torn apart and the nerve bundles were being set ablaze. It was the kind of pain that made it hard to stay awake. I'd be forgiven if my shoulder didn't fall off and my bones didn't separate. So much for power. I thought I was going to lose the use of my arm forever after using it once. I thought it was going to be torn apart. It's amazing that I still have my right arm. If the veins were cut, I would lose the use of my arm forever. That would be the end of my life as a martial artist. He was only able to survive because he had been practicing with the Muklong Ring. Any water that overflowed the bowl would shatter it.

"What about my bowl?

Yunbi cautiously moved a single finger in her right hand. The pain was like being poked with a thousand needles, but Yunbi refused to let go. Sweat poured from his forehead like rain.

Cringe!

Finally, there was a signal. The tip of my index finger twitched slightly. The nerve had been damaged, but it was okay. Encouraged by her first success, she tried the rest of her fingers in turn. The pain was still there, but they all moved slightly.

"Yeonbi……."

Yeonbi smiled through the pain.

"Luckily, I think you're okay, you'll be fine after a little rest."

"You're lying!"

His bare arm looked very pale and weak. Here and there, I could see a bluish tinge of bruising, but it couldn't be real.

"You'll be fine once you get some rest, but for now, you'll have to use your left hand for the umbrella."

I felt like I needed to put a splint on my right arm. What it needed right now was absolute stability. If I put it through any more abuse, there was a chance that I would lose the use of it forever.

Just then, a shadow covered the kneeling Lian Bi's back. Yan Bi looked up at the shadow, hiding his pain, and saw Ye Qingyu standing there with Nie Bai Tian, his eyes filled with complexity. Smiling weakly, Ye Qingyu said.

"See? I told you it would be dangerous."

"It was definitely dangerous. I don't know how many years it's been since I've felt the fear of death."

Ye Qingyu looked at the person who had awakened a fear in her that she hadn't felt in nearly twenty years. Even when Nie Bai Tian, who had earned her ire, was occasionally gripped by the fear of death, she was always strong and dignified. But this time, in front of the black thunderbolt, Ye Qingyu had been able to engrave true fear into her heart.

"But I guess I wasn't the only one in danger, huh?"

Yunbi smiled bitterly and nodded laboriously.

"What is a double-edged sword?"

"Certainly as far as the power I just used is concerned. It's not a power I want to use very much, no, in fact, I don't want to use it at all."

"But you look very tired right now. Think of it as a rebound from your unbelievable strength earlier. I will admit my defeat. But my husband is still alive and well. I can have him subdue you and take Yerin with me."

Ye Qingyu said as he silently stared at Yan Bi with unwavering cold eyes. Not liking the idea of someone looking down on him, Yeomdo pushed himself up, enduring a pain that felt like he was being torn apart.

"You mean they're in lockstep? Well, sure, we might be at a disadvantage if we fight now, but it's not going to work."

Yan Bi looked at Ye Qing with eyes filled with determination.

"What an absurd confidence!"

Who would dare to be so dignified in front of Martial Saint Nie Bai Tian and his wife, the Ice Moon Sage Ye Qing, especially when he'd already exhausted himself to this extent?

"I hear that a lot."

"Are you sure you don't want to give up?"

"Give up? That's a word I don't recognize, what does that mean?"

Yeonbi was asked without any intention of learning.

"I don't hate a rabid girl like you. But I'm going to do what I have to do as a mom."

Ye Qing declared. At that moment, Na Yerin leaped forward, spreading her hands wide and blocking Yan Bi's path.

"What are you doing, Yerin?"

Stunned by his daughter's unexpected behavior, Ye Qing asked. She had never rebelled against her parents before. In fact, the couple had been the only reliable people in Na Yerin's life. In particular, she had never disobeyed her mother, Ye Qing. Na Yerin shook her head and cried out.

"Stop it!"

"You mean you're going to go against your mother's will?"

Ye Qing angrily exclaimed at the unexpected rebellion.

"……."

Na Yerin didn't answer. It was an unspoken answer.

"Yerin, I don't think you're……."

A determined Na Yerin said.

"Forgive me mother, father, and infidelity, for this time I cannot comply. I'm going to the speculative system with my fuel, and no matter what you say, it won't change my resolve!"

Na Yerin stated her intentions in a stern voice.

"Why!"

Ye Qing's indignant exclamation erupted. How can you not understand your parents' feelings?

"The Yeonbi didn't trick me, the speculative work is something I chose to do on my own, and I chose to do it knowing everything, so I'm going to stick to my guns."

"Do you mean to defy your mother's command and drive a stake through the heart of those of us who have raised you?"

Ye Qingyu asked, unable to control his emotions.

"Thank you for raising me. But I'm not that crying child anymore, I'm an adult. I will choose my own path."

"Why do you go to such lengths, is it because of him, is it because of what he is to you?"

Ye Qing exclaimed, pointing to the Yeonbi.

"Yeonbi is my friend, my most precious!"

Without hesitation, Na Yerin replied.

"Friends?"

"Yes, we're friends."

Ye Qing's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected words. She had never heard the word "dear friend" come out of her daughter's mouth before. Besides her trusted elder sister, Dokgo-ryung, and her joke-taking younger brother, Lee Jin-sul, she hadn't thought of anyone else as a friend. For a moment, Ye Qing was puzzled.

"Accept bows from father, mother, and girl."

Suddenly, Na Yerin bowed in front of Ye Qing and Nai Bai Chen. Then, without looking up, she spoke.

"I've been grateful to you both, and I haven't forgotten. But Ryuyeon said this to me. She said that it is only human parents who try to keep a bird that can fly on its own in a cage and put shackles on it. But no matter what kind of parents you have, the greatest filial piety a child can show to its parents is to leave the nest and soar into the high sky on its own. I have wings given to me by the two of you. Under the protection of the two of you, I have been able to grow big and strong wings. So now I will leave the nest and fly on my own wings, please allow me to do so."

"Do you really mean to leave the nest, to take upon yourself the responsibility for the harsh fate that lies in your path?"

"I was taught that you are the only one who can create your own destiny."

"I knew there would be a day when I'd blow it up. But I didn't think that day would be today."

A single tear fell from Ye Qing's eyes. His heart was filled with pain, joy, and loneliness, and he didn't know what kind of emotional state he was in.

"It is painful, but if it is your way, you must go your way, for how can the blue sky before you be obscured by the greed of a parent? Fly, my daughter, high and wide, far beyond our reach, far beyond the reach of our wings!"

"Thank you, Mother."

Na Yerin's back shook faintly as she bowed her head, and tears like crystal droplets fell from her eyes and rolled down her pewter cheeks.

It was a declaration of independence for Na Yerin to stand alone as a human being, as an unmanned person, and as a woman.

And just like that, the girl was a little more grown up.