A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 226

226. Queen of the Night

Fire Blossom and Sword Queen glared at each other.

Unlike Fire Blossom, who smirked and glared sharply, Sword Queen simply stared at Fire Blossom with an expressionless face.

However, the energy emanating from the two was evenly matched, neither yielding an inch.

Tension filled the silent forest, and the leaves rustled anxiously.

“By the way, it seems we have guests?”

Fire Blossom said in a seductive voice. She slowly turned her gaze towards Son Bin and his group.

“Oh my, how diverse. A grumpy-looking she-cat, five cute kittens, and even a young wolf?”

The children huddled behind Dang Wol-ah.

Their large eyes clearly showed wariness towards Fire Blossom, but they didn’t look frightened. They just gripped Dang Wol-ah’s sleeves tightly and didn’t dare to come forward.

Seo-rin stood beside them, as if protecting the children.

“And one ice-cold woman with a really unlucky aura.”

Fire Blossom’s eyes showed blatant hostility towards Sa Su-yeon. But Sa Su-yeon didn’t react.

“Heung, and this *oppa* [term for older brother used by women] is… Oh my, he’s very handsome?”

Fire Blossom’s gaze towards Son Bin clearly changed. She smiled at Son Bin and said in a sweet voice.

“Won’t you play with me? Cute *oppa*?”

Son Bin gave a bitter smile.

“I am not an *oppa*.”

“Really? Why?”

Her expression as she asked was truly innocent. Son Bin replied in a gentle voice.

“Because you are older than me, madam.”

“Older?”

Fire Blossom frowned. Remembering that she couldn’t read, Son Bin quickly added.

“I mean, you are an adult.”

“Ah, that older. I know that. But I’m young?”

Fire Blossom tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

“Young?”

This time, Son Bin didn’t understand. Anyone could see that Fire Blossom looked older than Son Bin.

“The current her.”

No-gun’s low voice flowed out.

“Her memories stopped ten years ago.”

“Ten years ago?”

Son Bin asked back. No-gun nodded.

He didn’t give any more details, but it was clear that Fire Blossom’s condition was not normal.

“Mister, do you know me?”

Fire Blossom’s gaze turned to No-gun.

Fire Blossom called No-gun mister, but No-gun didn’t answer. Fire Blossom frowned, then shrugged.

“Hmm, it feels like I almost remember. But you seem like a good person.”

Fire Blossom smiled at Son Bin again.

“More than that, *oppa*, shall we go together, leaving that she-cat and ice woman behind? I can make it very fun.”

“How strange.”

Dang Wol-ah’s cold voice instantly blew away the sticky atmosphere created by Fire Blossom.

“Why do you call Son *Gong-ja* [term of respect] ‘*oppa*’ but not us ‘*unni*’ [term for older sister used by women]?”

“This she-cat is stupid.”

Fire Blossom laughed.

“Why would I call someone weaker than me ‘*unni*’?”

Sa Su-yeon’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Dang Wol-ah’s gaze also changed. But Fire Blossom was relaxed.

“Are you upset? But it’s true. You’re weaker than this dumb ice block.”

Fire Blossom looked down at Dang Wol-ah with a provocative gaze.

“But why did you all come here? To watch?”

“She is my master.”

Sword Queen replied to Fire Blossom’s words.

“Master?”

Fire Blossom turned to Sword Queen and frowned.

“Was there a master in this forest?”

“No.”

Sword Queen said in a low voice.

“The master of the place you are trying to go to.”

“Ah, this way?”

Fire Blossom looked beyond Sword Queen.

The forest beyond was shrouded in darkness, and nothing could be seen. But Son Bin and his group could tell what Fire Blossom was looking at.

That place was towards Cheongwon. And it was also where Son Bin’s *Seowon* [private Confucian academy] and the children were.

“Isn’t it strange? I don’t know what’s over there. But my heart is whispering.”

Fire Blossom raised her white hand to her chest. With a dazed expression, as if drunk, Fire Blossom continued.

“There are very sweet things there. Small, weak, and very soft and warm…”

In that moment, a greedy look flashed in Fire Blossom’s eyes. As if unable to bear it, Fire Blossom licked her lips.

*Lick.*

“Things that are unbearably lovely.”

Before Fire Blossom could finish speaking, several voices echoed through the forest at the same time.

“No.”

“You can’t.”

“That’s not allowed.”

Several voices echoed through the forest at the same time.

Because everyone, including Sword Queen and everyone except the five children, said that to Fire Blossom at the same time.

No-gun and even the silent Shin-ui were the same. As if they had made a promise, they replied to Fire Blossom’s words.

“Oh my, what’s going on? Everyone is of one mind?”

Fire Blossom’s eyes narrowed as she smiled.

“So, you’ve all come to stop me? Like this dumb ice block?”

*Hwareureureuk.*

Fire Blossom’s energy blazed like a flame. But it was an extremely cold and dark energy.

“Maybe this is good too.”

She had teased them, calling them she-cat and ice woman, but Dang Wol-ah and Sa Su-yeon were not to be underestimated. If they joined forces with Sword Queen, Fire Blossom would not be safe either.

But Fire Blossom didn’t seem to care about that at all. No, she said in an excited voice.

“If your hands tear me apart, that would be quite thrilling too.”

Fire Blossom’s eyes, looking at Son Bin and his group, were emitting a subtle heat.

“Foolish flower snake.”

The cold voice was Sword Queen’s. As Fire Blossom turned her head to look at her, Sword Queen’s half-sword moved lightly back and forth in the air.

*Whir, whir.*

Fire Blossom frowned. She couldn’t understand Sword Queen’s actions at all. But Sword Queen said to Fire Blossom.

“This is the ‘geon’ character [one of the eight trigrams in Taoist cosmology].”

“What?”

“And the one who stops you is.”

Before she could finish speaking, Sword Queen’s body shot towards Fire Blossom as it was.

*Paaat.*

“It’s me.”

Sword Queen’s voice grew louder in an instant, and the cut-off side of her half-sword rushed towards Fire Blossom’s eyes.

“Heung.”

Fire Blossom pulled her hand back as it was. And the moment her hand turned white-hot.

*Jjeojjeojeok.*

From her hand, a white hand shadow burst out towards Sword Queen. It instantly transformed into the form of a giant hand and swallowed Sword Queen.

Sword Queen’s half-sword also emitted a white light. There was no giant sword body, but the energy in her sword was by no means inferior to Fire Blossom’s palm strike.

*Kwaang!*

The explosion shook the forest. Sa Su-yeon blocked Son Bin’s path, and Seo-rin guarded Shin-ui’s side.

No-gun was watching the clash between Fire Blossom and Sword Queen with a complicated expression.

“How can she do that?”

Sa Su-yeon asked No-gun.

“I can understand deciphering the moves. But Sword Queen’s technique is by no means something that can be imitated with just moves. Even if you know the secret formulas, it wouldn’t be easy, so how…”

“Then that means the two people’s martial arts are fundamentally the same.”

The person who answered Sa Su-yeon was Dang Wol-ah. She also couldn’t take her eyes off Sword Queen and Fire Blossom.

“It’s possible if one came from the other.”

Sa Su-yeon couldn’t hide her puzzled expression. But soon, the image of one person flashed through her mind.

The person who once placed Sword Queen under a ban in the Snow Mountains and intentionally neglected Fire Blossom. Just thinking about him sent shivers down her spine. He was none other than the ‘previous Jade Dragon’.

“What will happen to Fire Blossom?”

Son Bin suddenly asked No-gun. No-gun said in a somber tone.

“We can only wait.”

“Until Fire Blossom is exhausted?”

“Yes.”

“Then it definitely won’t end soon.”

Son Bin said, looking at the clash between Fire Blossom and Sword Queen. Even while fighting Sword Queen, Fire Blossom showed no signs of fatigue.

No matter how much Sword Queen had no intention to kill, it was definitely abnormal to withstand such shocks in succession.

“The night is her world.”

No-gun said in a heavy voice.

“Even in the past, all we could do was block her. When the sun is in the middle of the sky, the world will be full of *yang* [positive] energy, and only then can we try something.”

No-gun glanced at the eastern sky.

But he already knew that he would have to wait a long time for the sun to rise. The night had just begun.

“Can Fire Blossom last until then?”

Son Bin’s question was unexpected. He was asking if Fire Blossom could last, not Sword Queen.

“Are you saying that Fire Blossom will destroy herself?”

Sa Su-yeon asked. Son Bin looked at Fire Blossom and replied in a low voice.

“In my opinion, Fire Blossom is not normal right now. Her appearance is like…”

Son Bin gritted his teeth. And slowly, with difficulty, he continued.

“It looks like she is digging into her own wounds because she can’t overcome the pain.”

*Kukung.*

The shock created by the white palm shadow shook the forest.

“Hoh ho ho, is that all? How can you thrill me like that?”

Fire Blossom’s sharp voice echoed through the darkness. Sa Su-yeon turned to look at Fire Blossom.

Fire Blossom was standing under the moonlight.

Her skin looked particularly pale, and her fluttering hair was scattered and flying around even though there was no wind.

But what caught Sa Su-yeon’s attention was Fire Blossom’s bloodshot eyes.

“Come on, take one more!”

*Jjeojjeojeok.*

White palm shadows poured out from Fire Blossom’s hand.

*Kwaang!*

Sword Queen soared into the night sky, and the trees in the forest were shattered. And Fire Blossom’s eyes were gradually, but definitely, turning red.

“What should we do?”

Sa Su-yeon asked No-gun. But No-gun shook his head.

“There’s no way. For now, we can only keep her here.”

“There might be a way.”

Son Bin said in a low voice.

“No.”

“You can’t.”

The two voices rang out at the same time.

No-gun turned his head sharply and spoke to Son Bin, and Sa Su-yeon also stopped Son Bin in a sharp voice.

The two voices were so sudden that Son Bin gave an awkward smile.

“It’s okay. It’s not like I’m risking my life or anything.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

Sa Su-yeon said in a firm tone.

“There’s danger everywhere.”

“Don’t rush.”

No-gun also said in a low voice.

“When the day breaks and the sun rises, she will be exhausted. I will subdue her then, and then you and Shin-ui can heal her, right?”

“Didn’t you say the sun has to be in the middle of the sky? And it will be too late then. Fire Blossom won’t be able to last until then.”

Son Bin’s voice was low but firm.

No-gun frowned. Knowing that he couldn’t stop Son Bin, No-gun looked at Seo-rin and Dang Wol-ah.

“You guys try to stop him. He’s doing something dangerous again.”

“I’ll just do whatever *hyung* [term for older brother used by men] tells me to do?”

Seo-rin shrugged and said. No-gun frowned.

“Aren’t you going to stop him?”

“If Son *Gong-ja* wants to do it, I will follow. Whatever it is.”

Dang Wol-ah said in a low voice.

“Hoo.”

No-gun sighed. Then he glanced at Shin-ui for the last time. But Shin-ui shook his head before No-gun could even ask.

“It’s something that seeks to save people, so I can’t say anything.”

“Tsk. You’re like a guy who’s never helpful in his life.”

No-gun, who was grumbling, finally gave up and looked at Son Bin.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

Son Bin replied with a smile. No-gun scratched his head and muttered.

“Yeah, when have I ever broken your stubbornness?”

But he couldn’t help but worry, so No-gun bit his lip tightly.

“Be careful. And.”

No-gun looked at Son Bin and said in a low voice.

“Thank you.”

Son Bin responded with a smile to No-gun’s faintly trembling voice.

*Kwaang, kureureu.*

The explosion erupted in the forest. The shock that shook the earth followed, and the figures of two women fell from the air.

*Tat.*

Sword Queen’s bare feet landed on the ground. It was just a light footstep, but it was definitely a rougher movement than before.

On the other hand, Fire Blossom was slowly descending to the ground from the air without a sound.

*Sarak.*

Like a fairy descending from the sky, Fire Blossom lightly landed on a fallen tree trunk.

Fire Blossom’s eyes, looking down at Sword Queen, were ethereal, as if they were not of this world.

“Ah, my clothes are dirty.”

Fire Blossom said, looking down at her clothes.

Through the torn fabric, thin blood vessels stretched out across her pale skin.

“This isn’t the end, is it?”

Fire Blossom’s eyes, speaking to Sword Queen as if provoking her, were dyed red.

“You can do more, can’t you?”

It wasn’t just her eyes that had changed.

Red blood vessels, like ominous spiderwebs, revealed themselves around her white neck.

As if cracked, the crimson blood vessels were faintly but definitely covering Fire Blossom’s entire body.

“If I do more, you’ll die, you foolish flower snake.”

Sword Queen said with an expressionless face.

She was watching Fire Blossom’s changes more clearly than anyone else, but her voice was no different from the beginning.

“That’s what I’ve been saying since earlier.”

Fire Blossom said as if she was dumbfounded.

“That would be quite thrilling too. You dumb ice block.”

Sword Queen didn’t answer. But Fire Blossom smiled at Sword Queen’s expressionless appearance.

“Hoho, you have a very flustered expression. But what to do?”

Fire Blossom, who was laughing, stopped smiling.

“The more you do that, the more fun I have?”

*Baseurak.*

It was a very small sound, but Fire Blossom immediately turned her head. Sword Queen’s gaze also turned to where the sound came from.

Son Bin was standing where the two women’s eyes were directed.

“Oh my, is *oppa* coming out?”

Fire Blossom said in a clear voice. Her voice sounded happy, but her eyes were coldly sinking.

“I’m glad, *oppa* is going to face me. I’ve been thinking since earlier that *oppa* would make me hot.”

“I will not face you, madam.”

Son Bin replied politely and respectfully. Fire Blossom’s eyes smiled narrowly.

“Then, what is that sword?”

Fire Blossom’s gaze reached a sword held in Son Bin’s hand. He hadn’t drawn it yet, but it was definitely a sword.

“Weren’t you going to face me with that?”

“This sword is for me.”

Son Bin said in a gentle voice.

“The people who will face you are others.”

“Others?”

Fire Blossom frowned.

“Yes. Right.”

*Paaang.*

At the same time as a sound like a drum tearing rang out, two people rushed towards Fire Blossom.

“These people.”

*Kwagwagak.*

Blue sword energy rippling fiercely.

The two swords falling towards Fire Blossom were No-gun’s sword, So-ryeong, and Sa Su-yeon’s sword, Myeong.

“Heung.”

Fire Blossom rather smirked as she looked at the two ominous swords falling towards her.

“So that’s how you’re coming at me?”

*Hoo-oong.*

Fire Blossom’s two hands turned white-hot. And the next moment.

*Jjeojjeojeok.*

“Taha!”

Along with Fire Blossom’s sharp voice, countless giant white hand shadows burst out as if to fill the forest.

It was an overwhelming force, like the judgment of a queen who ruled the night.