Red Light District's Martial God Chapter 134

With an earth-shattering roar, the spirit beast of the Celestial Realm made its grand appearance. Yet, compared to its entrance, the spirit beast was astonishingly small.

Kkiiing!

What stepped out from the light was a very small fox. Its entire body was covered in snow-white fur, and its eyes shimred like amber. The peculiar thing was that three fluffy tails stuck out from behind it.

Kkiiing!

The baby fox wled as it wagged its tails. The beastly roar from monts before had vanished, replaced by a sound as cute as a kitten.

'What in the world is this...?'

The one who revealed the baby fox's identity was Lü Dongbin, whose voice echoed in Jaseong's ear.

—In recognition of your rits for the Kill List, I bestow upon you the Gumiho.

'... Is this guy really that Gumiho?'

With a bewildered look, Jaseong looked down at the baby fox. The legendary Gumiho was reputed to freely transform into a human or other animals, using a variety of mystical arts.

But right now, this creature just looked like a cute little cat.

—Though rely a frail cub at the mont, its potential is infinite. Raise it well, and one day it will ascend to the realm of the Celestial Fox.

Lü Dongbin spoke.

At that mont, the baby fox toddled over and rubbed its head against Jaseong's leg.

Rub, rub.

It acted affectionately, as if it had t its mother, leaving Jaseong dumbfounded.

'It's more like a regular animal than a spirit beast... Can this thing really help fulfill Heaven's Mandate?'

Just then, Lee Rin approached and asked,

"Great hero, what's with this fox?"

"......"

"It looks a bit like the foxes of the Northern Sea... but amazingly, it has three tails."

Lee Rin's sorrowful countenance briefly lit up from the baby Gumiho's mysterious yet adorable appearance.

Not wanting to go into a grand explanation about rewards from the Celestial Realm, Jaseong replied carelessly.

"It seems to be a spirit beast from Zhongnan."

"... A spirit beast?"

"It doesn't seem hostile to us, so why not bring it along for now."

But the mont Jaseong said that, Lee Rin suddenly burst into tears.

"H-heuk...."

"Why are you crying?"

"To have a spirit beast from Zhongnan appear before us... could it be a gift from my master...?"

It might've been a stretch, but it was understandable for Lee Rin to feel that way, since a spirit beast suddenly appeared while they were leaving Zhongnan after burying the Eternal Divine Physician.

"Co here. Let's go together with big sis,"

Lee Rin said, wiping her tears and reaching out her hand.

But the baby fox instantly turned its head away, ignoring her.

Instead, it hid behind Jaseong's leg, wagging its tail, as if declaring it would only follow him.

"H-heuk. I'm sure Master liked more... so why is it clinging to the great hero...?"

Jaseong sighed, squatted down, and hugged the baby Gumiho to his chest, preparing to leave Zhongnan once more.

They had to depart before the Zhongnan Taoists arrived. Besides, the sun was setting, and night was falling upon the mountain.

Just as Jaseong and Lee Rin were making their descent from Zhongnan—

"I saw that flash of light right around here!"

"That cry must've co from a demon beast invading Zhongnan! Hurry and find it!"

In the distance, voices and torchlight could be seen more than a hundred yards away.

As feared, the Zhongnan Taoists had arrived.

"Lee Rin. Let's hurry,"

Jaseong said in a low voice.

Shuak! Shuaaak!

Jaseong and Lee Rin unleashed their lightness skills, descending the mountain in haste.

Until now, neither had been able to fully use their lightness skill due to their injuries, but given the urgency, they could not afford to hold back.

Unfortunately, Zhongnan no longer belonged to them.

Red torches flickered all along the descent, all held by Zhongnan Taoists.

"There's no way the sect leader would leave the sect for so long without notice! That flash of light must be related!"

"Search every inch of this area! Don't let a single ant slip by!"

Urgent cries echoed all around the mountain's midsection.

Jaseong and Lee Rin stopped using their lightness skill and began searching for another route of escape.

At that mont—

"?!"

The Zhongnan Taoists fell silent.

Then, all the torches rapidly moved towards where Jaseong and Lee Rin were hiding.

It seed there was an expert among the Taoists who could sense their presence from afar.

'Damn...!'

Jaseong and Lee Rin had no choice but to stop. Their escape was sealed off from all sides.

'No other way....'

Jaseong's gaze turned cold. He gripped the hilt of the Wicked Fla Sword tightly.

By using the restored innate true ki in his middle dantian, he could probably carve open a path for escape.

But just as he was about to draw his sword—

Kkiroorook!

An unexpected sound ca from his arms. The baby Gumiho poked its head out and let out a strange cry.

Whoosh!

In the next instant, sothing unbelievable happened.

Three tails on the baby fox's backside burst into brilliant white light, instantly enveloping Jaseong and Lee Rin.

Wuuuuung—

With a sensation as if space itself was distorting, a faint barrier ford around them, rendering their forms hazy like a mirage and, at last, blending them completely into the darkness.

'What is this...?'

Jaseong and Lee Rin looked at each other in shock.

They could see one another, but the landscape around them was oddly shimring.

Before they could exchange a word, their pursuers arrived.

Whish! Whish! Whish!

Out of the underbrush appeared the elite experts of Zhongnan, their prowess ranging from 1st-rate to peak master.

As befit the top seat of the Nine Great Sects, all were enveloped in a formidable presence.

If Jaseong and Lee Rin had been in good condition, they might have repelled them, but now their bodies were at their worst.

Step, step—

At length, the Zhongnan experts approached right up to Jaseong and Lee Rin.

The pair watched apprehensively as the Taoists drew near.

But there was no need for them to fight.

"......?"

The Zhongnan Taoists failed entirely to notice Jaseong and Lee Rin standing right before them.

They rely stared blankly into space or walked right past the pair.

"What...? I distinctly sensed unfamiliar energy here..."

A middle-aged Taoist looked around, puzzled, his gaze locking directly with Jaseong's eyes—only to drift away as if he'd seen nothing.

"Have they already moved to another spot?"

"They're fast... We're not dealing with ordinary foes."

Anxiety filled the Taoists' faces.

"... They might even be truly great experts, brothers."

"Could it be that they're headed for the main sect building?"

"The main building?"

"Perhaps, with the sect leader away, they're aiming to attack the sect itself."

The Taoists' faces turned ashen at that suggestion.

"That's terrible. We must return to the main building at once!"

An elderly Taoist with graying hair shouted in a voice like a lion's roar.

"All of you, back to the main building! Defend the mountain!"

Imdiately, all the torches turned and sprinted up the mountain towards Zhongnan's headquarters.

Swap—

With only the sound of wind left behind, the presence of the Zhongnan Taoists faded away.

Only then did the white light surrounding Jaseong and Lee Rin dissipate.

"Hoo...."

Lee Rin collapsed weakly, clutching at her chest in relief.

"I feel like I lost ten years of my life. What was that barrier just now? Was it this spirit beast's ability?"

At her question, Jaseong glanced down at the baby Gumiho in his arms, who looked up at him with its tail wagging.

Kkiroorook.

It wore an expression that said, 'I did well, right?'

'Definitely not an ordinary animal. Since it was bestowed by the Celestial Realm, it is truly extraordinary.'

Jaseong's eyes grew thoughtful.

The concealnt technique displayed just now would be enough to completely fool most experts' perceptions.

'If I can make use of this creature's abilities well... it could be invaluable on the journey ahead.'

As he muttered inwardly, the baby Gumiho nuzzled its cheek against his hand, like a puppy awaiting praise.

Jaseong smiled faintly and stroked the little fox's head with his fingers, its small, soft body nestling under his touch.

Kkiroorook, kkiiing.

With Jaseong's praise, the fox narrowed its eyes in contentnt.

Before long, all signs of pursuit had disappeared from the surroundings. Lee Rin and Jaseong resud their descent down Zhongnan.

Repeatedly, they glanced back.

The hillside of Zhongnan veiled in darkness—the small thatched cottage, and an even smaller grave.

The true righteous one who shone alone amid the hypocrisy of the martial world.

The master who taught Jaseong and Lee Rin things beyond martial arts—the Eternal Divine Physician, who now rested there.

When they finally exited Zhongnan fully, Jaseong and Lee Rin bowed deeply toward that direction.

'Then... I'll be back, master.'

Jaseong bade his silent farewell.

He promised himself to beco the unrivaled master of the world, to create the world his master had wished for—and return soday.

"Let's go."

Jaseong turned his body slowly. At this mont, his gaze shone more resolutely than ever.

* * *

A few days later.

Jaseong's group had left Shaanxi. Before returning to Ansun, they stopped at an inn in a nearby village to rest and recover.

A remote, run-down inn far from the crowds. Far from luxurious, it was aged and shabby, which was precisely why Jaseong liked it.

Should word spread in the martial world of the Zhongnan sect leader's death, the entire orthodox faction would relentlessly hunt for the culprit.

"Innkeeper,"

Jaseong said, carelessly tossing a few bits of gold to the innkeeper.

"We'll rent out the entire inn for three days. Don't accept any more guests."

"Y-yes! Understood, sir! As you command!"

The innkeeper's eyes grew wide at the sight of gold—more wealth than he would ever touch in his lifeti.

Once the owner disappeared, Jaseong turned to his group.

"Let's each recover from our injuries before we return to Ansun. You need to be in good shape to prepare for the next fight."

Thus, the group began nding the internal and external injuries sustained in the fierce battle with the Zhongnan sect leader.

Jaseong and Lee Rin took out the heirloom left by the Eternal Divine Physician, the dical text Eternal dical Sutra, and aided their companions' treatnt.

"It says here that pressing this point speeds up energy channel circulation."

"You're right. Master taught us this before. You have to loosen up this Blood Blade point and infuse internal energy to lt the congealed blood."

Papapat!

Jaseong and Lee Rin's hands moved swiftly.

Though not at the level of the Eternal Divine Physician's divine energy, their application of Heaven Evading Alchemy and Ice-Blood Divine Arts made for effective treatnt.

Thanks to them, Gu Janghu and the North Sea protectors recovered much more quickly.

Jaseong also tended to the baby Gumiho, bestowed by the Celestial Realm.

The creature made itself perfectly comfortable in his embrace, as if it were its ho.

Kkiroorook... kkiroorook....

Snuggled up and sleeping soundly, head peeking from Jaseong's robe, the white fluff made Jaseong click his tongue.

"This thing's barely the size of a fist, but it eats like a bandit chief."

"It ate twelve of my sugar candies—only picking the expensive ones, too."

Lee Rin pouted as she grumbled.

"... Is it all right to feed candy to a spirit beast?"

"It eats just fine! The only problem is that there's never enough."

"... Don't just feed it anything."

"It never cos to , but when there's food, it sneaks up, grabs a treat, and hurries back to you! So annoying, honestly."

Lee Rin scowled at the creature, but the baby fox simply kept dozing in Jaseong's arms, clearly pleased by the energy of the Heaven Evading Way.

"By the way, shouldn't we na it? We can't keep calling it 'hey', 'you', or 'fox'."

At her words, Jaseong pondered for a mont.

What would make a good na? Snowy fur, three swishing tails, a spirit beast descended from the Celestial Realm...

"How about Baekmi—White Tail?"

"Baekmi? Why?"

"It's white and, you know, has tails."

"......"

Lee Rin stared at Jaseong in disbelief.

"... Are you naming it after rice? Seriously, White Tail?"

"Is it that bad?"

"It's not just bad—it's the worst. Please promise you'll never na a child if you ever have one."

"Ch."

At Jaseong's poor naming skills, Lee Rin shook her head.

He might have unrivaled martial talent, but naming was certainly not his forte.

In the end, it was Lee Rin who nad the baby Gumiho.

"How about Mansul—Ten Thousand Snows?"

"Mansul? What does that an?"

"'Man' cos from Master's nickna, Eternal Divine Physician; 'sul' ans snow, because it's as white as snow."

Lee Rin's voice grew quieter.

"It's like a gift from Master... As we travel together, it'll be a reminder not to forget Master's teachings. What do you think?"

But as soon as she finished, kkiiing!

The baby Gumiho in Jaseong's arms suddenly raised its head and barked.

Normally, it paid Lee Rin no mind, but clearly, it liked the na she had given it.

"Oh? Looks like it likes it, too!"

"Fine. Mansul... not bad."

Jaseong nodded, thinking the na both honored his master and suited a spirit beast from the Celestial Realm.

"Very well. From today, your na is Mansul."

"Kkiroorook!"

As soon as it was nad Mansul, the baby fox spun around happily in Jaseong's arms, its tiny claws tickling his chest.

"... Hey, settle down."

Lee Rin watched, smiling softly. Jaseong, always obsessed with martial arts and burning with vengeance, now displayed an expression of genuine fondness as he bonded with the little creature—a side of him she'd never seen.

'So, even the great hero... can look that way sotis.'

Finding the scene endearing, Lee Rin rested her chin in her hands and simply watched him for a long while.