Chapter 147 Baek Yeonyeong’s Favorite Lizard
After Baek Yeonyeong’s declaration, “What’s the best food for a lizard?” was made.
The elders left one by one, pondering over the question.
Only Baek Yeonyeong, the cult leader, and Baek Seolhwa, the shrine maiden, remained in the Celestial Dragon Hall.
“Are you okay, Cult Leader?”
Seolhwa, uncharacteristically, inquired about Baek Yeonyeong’s well-being.
Baek Yeonyeong shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “Since when did you start worrying about me?”
“You’re asking if I’m okay. Is it the shrine maiden who’s concerned, or is it Seolhwa?”
“…Both.”
Baek Yeonyeong, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
One of the top ten martial experts in the world, and the woman closest to becoming the strongest under the heavens.
Had she belonged to the righteous faction, the vacant title of the strongest martial artist would have been hers.
Worrying about such a person was as pointless as worrying about a boulder.
“I heard you dealt with Taese.”
“I didn’t deal with him. It was more like severing his power.”
“So, you used the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill, didn’t you?”
But it was different when Taese was the opponent.
It wasn’t because Taese’s power was comparable to Baek Yeonyeong’s.
Baek Seolhwa also knew that Taese’s main body hadn’t descended.
At most, only a fragment of his power had descended, which was not enough to threaten Baek Yeonyeong.
However, Seolhwa’s worry stemmed from Baek Yeonyeong’s uniqueness.
She was different from other martial artists.
Martial artists refined their internal energy through systematic training.
It was the result of repeated studies and teachings passed down through sects or families.
Even a third-rate martial artist in the market would learn about internal techniques and martial arts through books.
That’s what the current martial world was like.
They used the optimal methods for their constitution to draw out the highest efficiency.
But Baek Yeonyeong was different.
Born as an orphan, she had no one to teach her martial techniques, nor could she read any texts.
The martial arts and internal techniques she used were self-taught, developed through trial and error.
She absorbed the martial arts of her fallen enemies and crafted her own unique techniques.
That’s why she, as the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, could use various martial arts, including those from the Shaolin.
It was an act that completely defied conventional wisdom.
She used Shaolin martial arts without their internal techniques and swung the sword of Mount Hua without their insights.
This was also why she had no disciples.
She had nothing to teach.
To her, martial arts were about pioneering her own enlightenment.
Despite having lived this way, there was one path she had to follow.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Skill.
The legendary martial art said to be recorded by the first Heavenly Demon.
It was impossible to recreate the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill in Baek Yeonyeong’s style.
For someone like her, who had always walked her own path, this sudden change was bound to strain her body.
Thus, despite being the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, she didn’t frequently use the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill.
Besides, there weren’t many surviving records of the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill.
“Yes, I can’t exactly say I’m okay.”
But to drive out Taese, she had to use the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill.
With regular martial arts, it wouldn’t have been possible to strike Taese’s main body.
Normally, Baek Yeonyeong didn’t sleep.
Like many other top-tier experts, she could dispel most of her fatigue through meditation and energy circulation.
However, even top-tier experts needed to sleep when in a safe environment.
There were things that meditation and energy circulation couldn’t resolve.
Despite this, Baek Yeonyeong refused to sleep.
The backlash from forcing herself to learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill caused her to have terrible nightmares every time she tried to sleep.
Although she meditated, Baek Yeonyeong was in a somewhat unstable state.
“How could I be okay when no one tells me what kind of food Seokcheok would like?”
“Are you seriously joking right now?”
Seokcheok.
Seolhwa had an inkling of why Baek Yeonyeong was asking such a question.
That black lizard she saw last time.
The black lizard that ran around on two legs, pulling off strange feats.
Asking about it suddenly was like admitting that the lizard was somehow involved in dealing with Taese.
So, it could be said that Baek Yeonyeong overexerted herself because of that lizard.
“Hm… Well, it seemed to enjoy the dumplings made with Okbong’s honey.”
“…Have you ever given it my dumplings?”
“I didn’t give them. They were just dropped.”
When Baek Yeonyeong had abruptly left for the Silver Dragon Cave, all of Baek Seolhwa’s precious dumplings had disappeared.
Of course, Seolhwa assumed Baek Yeonyeong had taken them, but it turned out she fed them to the lizard.
A lizard back then.
A lizard now.
It was clear that in the future, Baek Yeonyeong would also use the lizard as an excuse to overexert herself.
Baek Yeonyeong might think it’s nothing, but Seolhwa thought otherwise.
It was like a volcano waiting to erupt.
She could end up being consumed by madness and walk the path of a demonic being.
Seolhwa couldn’t understand why Yeonyeong was so fond of that lizard.
Of course, it wasn’t bad-looking, and its squishy texture was kind of nice.
Its biting motions were also somewhat cute.
But that was it.
A lizard was just a lizard.
There was no need for someone of Baek Yeonyeong’s stature, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, to be so obsessed.
Still, it was the cult leader’s will, so as a shrine maiden, Seolhwa couldn’t really argue.
“Instead of dumplings, why not try feeding it some bugs?”
Seolhwa’s response was a small rebellion.
A revenge for the lizard that had stolen her dumplings and a protest against the cult leader who didn’t care for her own well-being.
*
“Gekgek?”
I made an innocent, clueless lizard expression.
You’ve got the wrong lizard.
…Did it work?
Surely.
There’s more than one lizard in the world.
Besides, how would a lizard from the nearby jungle have come all the way here?
Let’s quietly sneak away.
“The only lizard that gekgeks is you.”
Busted.
But all gecko lizards make the gekgek sound.
…It seems like they don’t know of other geckos living outside the Soaring Dragon’s domain.
“Even if you make that face, it won’t work. Hee.”
“Gek.”
“You’re such an odd-looking lizard. What am I even saying?”
You’re starting to sound more and more like Tang So-yeong.
Whoosh!
Baek Seolhwa swiftly grabbed me.
“Gekgekgek!”
Even I, who could react to most speeds, was caught.
Chomp.
Nom.
My secret technique, Biting.
“Why do you keep biting my fingers?”
It seemed ineffective.
“The terms of our trade were to exchange the unicorn horn for your tail, remember?”
“Geek….”
I stopped biting and closed my mouth.
I tried feigning ignorance, but it didn’t work.
“Your tail is serving me well. In that sense, it wasn’t a bad trade, was it?”
Gulp.
“But to dare steal my dumplings?”
“Gekgek….”
“And the whole batch?”
This was bad.
I could feel her immense fury.
Not to mention that overwhelming internal energy pouch of hers.
Baek Seolhwa was undoubtedly a formidable expert.
Even if I tried to pretend I hadn’t noticed, her profound internal energy kept drawing my gaze.
“Why are you staring so intently….”
She caught on to where I was looking.
“Gekgek.”
Let go of me, you fool.
“Kyaa! Where do you think you’re looking?”
Baek Seolhwa released me, and I fell onto a drawer.
“Gekgekgek!”
Good.
Time to escape.
Using the secrets of the Soaring Dragon’s Ascension Step, I sprinted away at full speed.
“Gekgek!”
I didn’t forget to grab the dumplings.
Nice seeing you again.
Just as I was about to flee.
“You think I’ll let you escape a second time?”
Baek Seolhwa quickly lunged at me.
I was only caught earlier because of a sneak attack from behind, but in the current situation, I could definitely escape.
“Come here!”
Baek Seolhwa soared through the air.
She lunged at me with her whole body, like a predator hunting its prey.
“Gek!”
To think she’d use such a brute-force method.
But I could still escape.
I just needed to get away from that massive internal energy pouch….
“…Gekgek.”
Soft.
“Huff, huff… Finally caught you.”
I had fallen victim to her spell.
After distracting me with it, she stuffed me into her arms.
“What’s with this lizard? Why does it look so happy?”
It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.
“Don’t… don’t burrow in!”
*
“…Anyway, it’s strange.”
I sat upright, engaging in conversation with Baek Seolhwa.
Of course, it was more like her complaining to herself than an actual conversation.
“What’s so great about this perverted lizard?”
Luckily, it seemed like she didn’t plan to hurt me.
She seemed intent on scolding me for stealing the dumplings, but seeing the lizard grinning widely made her lose the will to lecture me.
“Hee. You really are a lizard, right?”
“Gekgek.”
“I mean, you were definitely with her, so why are you wandering around alone?”
Baek Seolhwa mumbled to herself.
“If you bring it home, you should take responsibility.”
It reminded me of parents telling their children to walk the dog if they brought one home.
“You may be small, but the other cult members would be startled if they saw you.”
“Gek….”
They’d definitely be surprised.
I once saw a burly man shed tears because he couldn’t catch a single lizard.
“…And why would a lizard refuse to eat bugs?”
“Ggek.”
Despite saying that, she put a piece of dried persimmon in my mouth.
I savored the sweet taste of the dried persimmon, slowly chewing it.
“I can’t keep you with me, so I’ll take you back to your owner.”
“Gekek.”
I shook my head.
Baek Yeonyeong only feeds bugs.
But despite my reluctance, Baek Seolhwa grabbed the nape of my neck, trying to lift me.
“Gek!”
I clung to the ground, resisting with all my might.
“How is such a small thing holding on like that?”
“Gekgek.”
Now she would know that I wouldn’t go quietly.
How could I eat a Death Worm?
Baek Seolhwa seemed to ponder for a while before finally giving up, her expression showing resignation.
Tap, tap.
“Come here.”
Baek Seolhwa resorted to using her spell again.
I may look like this, but I’m a divine beast of the Gecko Religion.
It was embarrassing to fall for that trick twice.
“Good boy.”
“Gek?”
How could this be?
Suddenly, my vision was filled with a mass of flesh.
Soft, snow-white skin.
And a faint scent of honey wafting through the air.
“…Ugh. I need to return you quickly.”
Why are you blaming me when you used the spell?
Confined in Baek Seolhwa’s embrace, we moved toward the building where Baek Yeonyeong was.
Knock, knock.
Seolhwa knocked on the door.
“Cult….”
She stopped mid-sentence and cleared her throat.
“Ahem, ahem. Sister, may I come in?”
Sister?
Was Baek Seolhwa her younger sibling?
Well, there was no point in guessing someone’s age by the size of their internal energy pouch.
If that were the case, Tang So-yeong would be a newborn.
There was no answer from inside.
Naturally, that made sense.
Baek Yeonyeong was probably sleeping.
“That’s strange. She shouldn’t be sleeping.”
Despite this, Baek Seolhwa opened the door.
What greeted us was Baek Yeonyeong lying on the bed.
“Sister?”
Baek Seolhwa’s face was filled with surprise.
“Is she… dead?”
Why would you say something like that?
“No way… Is she really sleeping?”
Why make such a fuss over someone sleeping?
Even if Baek Yeonyeong was absurdly strong, she was still human, someone who needed sleep and food.
“That can’t be right.”
Cautiously, Baek Seolhwa approached Baek Yeonyeong.
“…Look at this.”
Baek Yeonyeong’s body was drenched in sweat.
Her face looked troubled, as if she were having a nightmare.
“Sister. I’ll wake you up.”
Just as Baek Seolhwa was about to shake her awake, Baek Yeonyeong’s pale fingers moved.
Baek Yeonyeong opened and closed her hand repeatedly.
“…Sister?”
Baek Seolhwa looked between me and Baek Yeonyeong for a long time, then grabbed me by the nape.
“Gek….”
Then she placed me into Baek Yeonyeong’s hand.
Nom.
I naturally gave her fingers a light bite.
“This is unbelievable.”
Baek Yeonyeong finally began to breathe softly, as if she had fallen back into a peaceful sleep.
Her expression had also returned to its usual calm state.
She even looked as if she was smiling slightly, maybe dreaming of something good.
Could she be the type who sleeps with a stuffed toy?
She slept soundly, making soft snoring noises.
Baek Seolhwa stared at me in shock.
“What… is this?”
“Gekgek.”
She said she couldn’t sleep, but she didn’t even notice I had left.
It seems my master is a bit of an airhead.
“I even brewed Bittern Fish, but it didn’t help….”
Baek Seolhwa pressed her temples as if her knowledge had been overturned.
Did Baek Yeonyeong really have sleep issues?
“There’s no way she could be sleeping this comfortably….”
Maybe she just had a good day.
No need to get all surprised.
She might wake up from all this talking.
Though, seeing her like this, she probably wouldn’t.
“Hee, what exactly are you?”
What am I, you ask?
…Her favorite stuffed toy?