The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 175

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 175

“So you do recognize who I am.”

Despite the respectful attitude of White Tiger Mountain Lord, one of the Four Divine Beasts, the man arrogantly lifted his chin and looked down at him as if it were only natural.

“Yet knowing this, you dare to block my path. How audacious.”

As rage seeped into that cold, emotionless voice, White Tiger Mountain Lord’s body trembled slightly.

The man, who was the son of the Heavenly Emperor who ruled the sky and called the Heavenly Tribunal Judge, possessed the most noble blood even among those haughty celestial beings.

He had descended for none other than the young Imperial Dragon on earth who had defied the heavenly order.

Irim had covered countless veils of time to connect Soya’s thread of life.

Because of this, Soya’s life, which should have ended before her fourteenth birthday, was continuing.

That wasn’t all.

Each time he moved time, one world would be covered under the veil of time and meet its end.

The accumulated timelines had become countless in number.

Though interfering with the mortal realm violated the rules of the Heavenly Realm, the young Imperial Dragon had broken far too many taboos.

Judging that he could no longer stand by and watch, the man went to see the Heavenly Emperor.

[Leave it be. The Imperial Dragon will pay the price anyway.]

However, the Heavenly Emperor, who raised his head with a weary expression, answered boredly with an uninterested tone.

He was always like that with everything.

It had been a thousand years already since he lost his one beloved daughter, and he had long since lost interest in all matters.

Therefore, the man thought he himself must establish order.

Though manipulating time was the Imperial Dragon’s power granted by the Heavenly Emperor, those who should die continuing to live and breathe was a separate matter entirely.

‘I shall confiscate the Imperial Dragon’s orb and punish the young dragon on earth.’

Thus, the man had descended to earth to take Soya’s life.

“Step aside, White Tiger Mountain Lord. If you don’t, I won’t spare even you.”

“I cannot step aside…”

But before those words could even finish, White Tiger Mountain Lord collapsed, coughing up blood.

“Mountain Lord!”

Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady rushed out in alarm, spreading her red wings to embrace the fallen White Tiger Mountain Lord, while simultaneously Cheonghae Yongsin drew out a long spear to block the man.

“You’re the one who should stop.”

“…”

“Don’t touch Baby Bird.”

At the commanding tone directed at him, displeasure spread across the man’s face.

“Cheonghae Yongsin.”

She was the only one among the Four Divine Beasts to hold the title of ‘God,’ and had lived far longer than the man.

However, the man, who was born as the most noble being in the Heavenly Realm, could not tolerate anything that went against his will.

“Are you trying to oppose me?”

“If I must.”

Cheonghae Yongsin pointed her long spear at the man.

“I wouldn’t mind doing so.”

“How foolish.”

The man gave a crooked sneer.

“The noble Dragon God opposes the bloodline of a heavenly deity over a mere human girl?”

However, contrary to his smiling face, what slowly rose from his body was sharp anger.

“Dragon God! It’s dangerous!”

Along with Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady’s scream, an invisible force with sharp momentum tore through Cheonghae Yongsin’s skin and struck violently.

“Kugh…”

Cheonghae Yongsin tried to endure by planting her long spear on the ground, but her body, torn and battered beyond recognition, finally collapsed to the floor.

“No…!”

Seeing this, Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady quickly tried to summon flames, but before she could attempt it, the invisible force bound her.

Thoom!

Her body flew and crashed into the opposite wall.

“Hgh…”

The man who had subdued three Divine Beasts in an instant approached Soya with an indifferent expression.

In the stopped time, she lay with her eyes peacefully closed without even a breath, pale as a wax doll.

The man, who had been staring at that face, grasped Soya’s slender nape.

He intended to snuff out her breath just like that.

“You’ll regret this!”

At Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady’s cry, the man scoffed.

“Living so long, I hear all sorts of nonsense. Now I’m curious. What about this child has bewitched three of those great Divine Beasts…”

It was the moment the man was about to apply force to his grip and break her neck.

He hesitated.

The crooked sneer on his face suddenly disappeared.

Bewilderment spread across the man’s face.

“Why… this aura is…”

Whoosh―!

It was when he urgently lowered his head to check Soya’s face again.

Swish―

A cold blade touched his nape.

“…”

The man slowly turned his head.

A platinum-haired boy was pointing a sword at him.

There was only one being who could move despite the mortal realm’s time being stopped.

“…Imperial Dragon.”

At the man’s murmur recognizing him, Irim’s eyes curved elegantly.

“The celestial beings who stood by even when evil threatened the earth cannot tolerate even the slightest challenge to their authority – how utterly petty.”

“A mere earthly Imperial Dragon…!”

The man, his face contorted like a demon, immediately lunged at Irim.

Eagle talons that grew from the man’s fingertips flew mercilessly toward Irim.

It was such a fierce attack that even the slightest graze would tear his entire body apart.

However, Irim gracefully swung his blade without being pushed back even slightly, blocking the man’s attack.

Crash―!

Soon the man’s talons and Irim’s sword clashed, creating a tremendous sound that shook the earth’s axis.

After a tense standoff with neither giving an inch, golden light flashed from Irim’s sword and pushed the man back.

“Kugh…”

Irim placed the tip of his sword against the chest of the man who had fallen from the recoil, curling his lips in a slanted smile.

The man looked up at Irim with disbelieving eyes, his pupils shaking.

‘Is this really… the power of a human?’

The man, who was also one of the finest warriors in the Heavenly Realm, was strong enough to defeat three Divine Beasts in an instant.

However, the young earthly Imperial Dragon had subdued such a man far too easily, as if handling a child.

No matter how much of an Imperial Dragon he was, this was excessive.

Generally, the power of celestial beings was proportional to the years they had lived.

Then how many years had this young Imperial Dragon lived to gain strength surpassing his own with merely the body of a beast-person bound to earth, not even a celestial being?

“Don’t interfere with mortal affairs and return to your world.”

Irim’s blade pressed deeply into the man’s chest.

The man, who had been gritting his teeth and glaring at Irim, soon burst into loud laughter.

“Don’t be arrogant just because you defeated me, young earthly Imperial Dragon. The reason the Heavenly Realm leaves you alone is because they know you’ll self-destruct anyway.”

“…”

“The price for defying heavenly order will be entirely yours to bear.”

With those curse-like words, the man’s body slowly disappeared.

At the same time, the frozen time began to move again.

“….”

Left behind, Irim lowered his sword with a thin breath.

Only then did the scene in the room come into view.

He watched quietly as the Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady rushed to the two fallen divine beasts, then turned his gaze away.

Then his eyes fell on the flower vase placed by Soya’s bedside.

The flower blossom he had left at her window earlier was beautifully arranged in it.

It was when Irim, discovering this, smiled faintly and approached the vase.

He stopped.

Irim’s expression instantly hardened fiercely.

Someone had disturbed the veil of time.

* * *

Half an hour ago, right after Soya’s birthday party had ended.

Seolyeo glanced at the adults cleaning up.

[Please continue to be our Soya’s good friend for a long time, good Seolyeo.]

He remembered the words that the Madam of White Tiger Palace, who was Soya’s mother, had said while stroking his fur.

Good Seolyeo….

‘I’m good Seolyeo.’

It was when Seolyeo reached out his hand to help the adults.

“That’s enough, you little one. It’s time for children to go in and sleep.”

“I, I’m not a child!”

Seolyeo shouted indignantly for no reason.

He wasn’t sure if the word ‘child’ was bad, but hadn’t everyone said so?

We’re not children anymore, so let’s not play hide and seek and play more maturely.

Seolyeo, who had been excitedly expecting to play hide and seek together again this year, had been secretly stung by those words.

“Not really. You don’t even know your exact age, do you?”

“…N-no. I’m fourteen.”

Hit right on target, Seolyeo mumbled in a small voice.

“Since Soya is fourteen, I’m fourteen too.”

“What? Who decides their age like that?”

“I just decided it that way.”

The White Tiger Palace worker burst into laughter with an incredulous expression, then gestured for him to go.

“Fourteen is still young, you little one. Go in and sleep now.”

“Yes….”

Seolyeo scratched his head and backed away.

Was it strange to decide age this way?

But I’m Soya’s friend, so it’s natural to follow Soya.

Just this evening we played together as friends.

Of course, Soya has many friends besides me….

There’s Chirpy, and the brown tiger too….

….

Suddenly, Seolyeo’s cheerful steps slowed down.

‘Soya is my only friend… but Soya has so many friends besides me….’

The buoyant mood from just moments ago sank in an instant.

‘I… only need Soya….’

Recalling Soya surrounded by friends and smiling brightly, Seolyeo’s heart churned again.

‘…I hate it. I hate Soya playing with other friends.’

Gradually, murky darkness settled in his gray eyes.

‘I wish she would only play with me. Yes, so… if I lock her somewhere only I can find….’

Snap!

Suddenly coming to his senses, Seolyeo shook his head vigorously.

‘Why do I keep having these strange thoughts?’

Seolyeo was frightened by the thoughts he had just had.

If Soya found out he had such bad thoughts, she might come to hate him.

Thinking this, tears welled up in his eyes.

In the end, Seolyeo didn’t go into his room but crouched in the dark rear garden, shedding tears.

‘What should I do? Since I’m the son of that bad man who tried to kill Soya, maybe that’s why I have such bad thoughts too.’

Until now, even knowing he was that man’s son, he had pretended not to know and denied it….

But now even that was impossible.

Because from some point on, black water kept following him.

Drip. Drip.

Seeing the black water rippling and pooling at his feet as he cried, Seolyeo squeezed his eyes shut.

This was the same power that bad man had used when attacking Soya.

‘I hate it. I don’t want to become like that man.’

It was when Seolyeo was crying pitifully with his upset heart.

Crash―!

Startled by the massive collision, Seolyeo stopped crying and looked up.

‘Just now….’

It was a collision so massive it made his heart sink.

However, the birds and insects around seemed not to have felt it and remained peaceful.

Looking around, Seolyeo discovered a small crack that hadn’t been visible until just moments ago.

‘What is… that…?’

Seolyeo approached it as if enchanted.

[Saeon! This isn’t scary….]

‘Soya…?’

[Ahaha! Young Master Yul, you look like a snowman, no, a snow tiger!]

From inside the twisted crack, Soya’s laughter seemed to be faintly heard.

‘Why does it seem like I can hear Soya’s voice from here?’

It was the moment when Seolyeo, gulping nervously, carefully touched that crack.

“Uh, uwaah?”

Seolyeo’s body was instantly sucked beyond the fluttering veil of time.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————