Chapter 48
As the Hao Sect Leader and Dokgo Ryeong went inside the soundproof barrier to talk privately, Wi Ilcheong felt a little awkward.
‘…Even if they told me to make small talk with these two…’
Wi Ilcheong prided himself on being sociable, but even so, it would be hard to chat and laugh with these two.
Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Peng Woo-deok fortunately spoke first.
“So… Young Master Wi, how did you come to meet Dokgo Jin’s daughter?”
“Ah… I met her by chance. I was nearby because I had business with Senior Dokgo Jin, and ran into her.”
“I see. May I ask where you met?”
“Haha… I can’t quite remember.”
When Wi Ilcheong seemed reluctant to answer, Peng Woo-deok quickly gave up and changed the subject.
“If you can’t remember, then it can’t be helped. More importantly, may I ask you a vulgar question?”
“…I imagine it has something to do with my epithet.”
“Have you already consummated your union with Dokgo Jin’s daughter?”
“…May I ask why you’re asking?”
“Well, I came here hoping to take her as my daughter-in-law, only to find her right next to a man whose epithet is ‘Lewd Demon.’ Wouldn’t that naturally concern me?”
“…Don’t worry. We haven’t consummated our union yet.”
“…Yet?”
Peng Woo-deok’s eyebrows rose.
He looked at Dokgo Ryeong, who was talking inside the soundproof barrier, then turned back to Wi Ilcheong.
“That ‘yet’ is bothering me.”
“I mean exactly what I said. I promised to take Miss Dokgo’s maidenhead in the near future.”
“Take back that promise.”
“I refuse. That’s for Miss Dokgo to decide.”
“Hoho… Young people these days have all forgotten their manners.”
When Huangbo Gi interjected from beside him, Wi Ilcheong retorted.
“Well… it’s strange to discuss the virginity of a young woman whose marriage hasn’t even been decided.”
“You brat…!”
When Huangbo Gi couldn’t contain his temper and clenched his fist, Peng Woo-deok raised a hand to stop him.
“Our Fist Venerable seems to be getting angry rather often today.”
“…My apologies. I’ve seen too many unpleasant things today.”
“Indeed… I agree.”
Peng Woo-deok lifted the liquor bottle and offered it to Wi Ilcheong.
“Will you have some?”
“I will.”
As Wi Ilcheong politely held out his cup, Peng Woo-deok began pouring liquor into it.
Even after the cup was full, he kept pouring, and liquor spilled over the rim.
But Wi Ilcheong silently maintained his posture, paying no heed to his hand getting wet or the liquor spilling, and Peng Woo-deok did the same.
Only after pouring until the bottle was empty did Peng Woo-deok draw it back.
“Oh dear… The liquor’s all gone.”
“Thank you. I’ll accept it gratefully.”
“There’s no need to thank me…”
As Wi Ilcheong nonchalantly accepted the cup and drained it in one go, Huangbo Gi glared again.
“Ahem…! It’s impolite to drain a cup in one go!”
“It’s also impolite to pour until it overflows.”
“…Are you trying to pick a fight?”
“Of course not. I’m simply trying to keep my promise.”
Wi Ilcheong set down his cup and looked Peng Woo-deok straight in the eye.
“Saber Immortal.”
“Speak.”
“What do you wield the saber for?”
“Hmm…?”
“I wield it to keep my promises. You said yourself that a man who goes back on his word can hardly be called a man. Yes, that’s right. In my life, I’ve never once broken a promise I made to a woman.”
“And what are you trying to say?”
Peng Woo-deok’s eyes grew a little more interested.
“So, no matter how I think about it, I’m sorry, Saber Immortal, but Miss Dokgo is off-limits.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. After talking with Miss Dokgo, I’m certain.”
Wi Ilcheong declared,
“I love Miss Dokgo Ryeong.”
“Y-you crazy bastard!!”
“Y-you startled me, Miss Dokgo.”
“W-what kind of nonsense are you talking about?!”
Watching Dokgo Ryeong start thrashing about, Eun Yak-byeok clutched her throbbing head.
“Haa… I just told our guest that a moment ago.”
Without caring about the eyes around her, Dokgo Ryeong grabbed him by the collar.
“What the hell are you suddenly saying…!”
“But… you said it earlier, Miss Dokgo.”
“What did I say!”
“You said if you thought, ‘I can’t do without this bastard,’ then it was love. I thought about it carefully, and I don’t think I can do without you, Miss Dokgo.”
“U… whoa…”
Hearing him look her straight in the face and confess that he couldn’t live without her, Dokgo Ryeong’s face turned bright red.
At the same time, her hair turned pink.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk… Young people these days…”
“The world’s gone to ruin, gone to ruin.”
“I agree with you both. It’s so innocent that I’m embarrassed just watching.”
Seeing the young couple’s innocent lovers’ quarrel, Peng Woo-deok and Huangbo Gi clicked their tongues, and even Eun Yak-byeok chimed in from the side.
As the strength in Dokgo Ryeong’s hand holding his collar slackened, Wi Ilcheong instead took her hand and said,
“Miss Dokgo.”
“H… huh?!”
“I want to take your maidenhead, Miss Dokgo. I mean it.”
“N-no…!”
“To do that, I want to keep the promise I made to you. So let me ask you.”
“Y-you… move your face…”
As Wi Ilcheong’s serious face drew closer, Dokgo Ryeong’s heart began beating faster and faster.
Her lower dantian throbbed, and she could feel yin energy flowing through her whole body.
Whether or not Wi Ilcheong knew Dokgo Ryeong’s state, he said,
“Will you come with me? Don’t marry into the Peng Clan.”
“Ah… um…”
“Please answer me. Is it me, or the Peng Clan?”
“N-no…”
“I…”
“Wait! I get it, that’s enough. Stop.”
Peng Woo-deok was the one who rescued Dokgo Ryeong from her predicament.
When Wi Ilcheong let go and looked at Peng Woo-deok with an awkward expression, Dokgo Ryeong was sincerely grateful to him.
‘Thank you, Peng Clan… I never thought I’d owe you bastards a debt like this…’
Clutching her pounding heart, she turned to Peng Woo-deok, who was frowning deeply and covering both eyes.
“…Why are you doing that, Saber Immortal?”
“I’ve seen something terribly embarrassing.”
“I was only telling the truth.”
“…You’re young, all right. Haa…”
Peng Woo-deok picked up the liquor bottle to pour himself a drink, then realized he had emptied it earlier and looked at Eun Yak-byeok.
“…Did you leave it in my care?”
“After seeing that, would I not want a drink?”
“…I’ll let it slide just this once.”
At Eun Yak-byeok’s gesture, a fresh bottle of liquor flew into Peng Woo-deok’s hand.
He opened it, took a few swallows, then let out a long sigh.
“Phew… As expected of Dokgo Jin’s daughter.”
“W-what…?”
“Even her love is fiery! Truly Dokgo Jin’s daughter! I give up!”
“N-nooo…!”
“Truthfully… I was hoping that, if I got lucky, I might take Dokgo Jin’s daughter as my daughter-in-law, so I tested the waters in various ways, but with a lover like that…”
“H-he’s not my loverrr!!”
“Kwahaha, of course not. Yes, yes. I know.”
Peng Woo-deok looked at Wi Ilcheong.
“Young Master Wi.”
“Yes.”
“I’m impressed by your spirit. There’s no one in the martial world these days who could say something so brazen in front of me and still look me in the eye.”
“…”
“So let me ask you once more. Would you consider learning the saber from me?”
“How could an outsider learn your clan’s martial arts?”
When Wi Ilcheong tactfully phrased his refusal, Peng Woo-deok laughed.
“I saw this coming, so I made sure to have both sons and daughters. What do you say?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Heh-heh-heh… What a shame. I should have met you sooner.”
“Then please pour me a cup of liquor.”
When Wi Ilcheong handed him the cup he’d just emptied, Peng Woo-deok’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Kgh… Kwahaha!! I like you! I really like you!”
Peng Woo-deok poured liquor into Wi Ilcheong’s cup.
This time, he poured it until full without letting a drop overflow.
“I see you carry several swords.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then you wouldn’t mind adding a saber to the collection, would you?”
“…Of course not.”
“If you ever have reason to come to Hebei, come find me. I’ll teach you a thing or two anytime.”
“Ah… You don’t have to…”
“This is the price of my apology for all the discourtesy I showed today. Is that not enough?”
“…Understood. Whenever I have reason to go to Hebei, I’ll visit the Peng Clan.”
“You promise?”
“…I promise.”
Eun Yak-byeok, who had silently listened to the two of them, made a sarcastic remark.
“Oh my. It seems I’m the one who took the loss, while Young Master Wi reaps the benefits.”
“Kwahaha! I’ll apologize to the Hao Sect Leader, too. What would you like?”
“Let’s see… I’ll have to think about it.”
“How about this?”
Peng Woo-deok suddenly fell silent, and Eun Yak-byeok’s eyes widened.
After their conversation by voice transmission ended, Eun Yak-byeok bowed her head.
“…That’s more than enough to settle the debt.”
“You don’t need to verify it?”
“I had my suspicions, so it’s fine.”
“You’re frightening, Hao Sect Leader.”
After finishing his conversation with the other two, Peng Woo-deok looked at Dokgo Ryeong.
“So… Dokgo Jin’s daughter.”
“What.”
“You still know nothing of manners, huh? Heh. If you were a boy, I’d have spanked you long ago.”
“…”
“Truth is… the real reason I came here today was because I genuinely wanted you as my daughter-in-law. Though I’ve given up now.”
“Do you think I would’ve agreed…?”
“That’s why I said I’d even go to war with the Tang Clan and Murong Clan.”
“…That’s an obvious lie.”
“Does it sound like a joke?”
Peng Woo-deok looked at her and said,
“The Poison Immortal has poisoned the Alliance. With the vile poisons of ‘money’ and ‘drugs.’”
“…”
“The beggars, full of righteous indignation, got hooked on the drugs the Tang Clan distributes, while the elders who enjoyed comfortable positions in the Alliance got hooked on the Tang Clan’s money.”
“So?”
“The Sword Immortal is too soft. He’s always been interested only in martial arts, and the position of Alliance Leader doesn’t suit him.”
“…Do you want to become Alliance Leader?”
“That’s right. And if I take the seat of Alliance Leader, the first thing I’ll do is clean up Sichuan and Liaoning.”
“…That won’t be possible.”
“That’s why I’m gathering like-minded people. Huangbo Clan’s Thunderclap Fist Venerable here is one of them, and the Shandong Ak Clan, Sima Clan, and Zhuge Clan have also agreed to join us.”
“…”
Hearing the names of more clans than she expected, Dokgo Ryeong was a little surprised.
To her, Peng Woo-deok had always been nothing more than an annoying bastard, and she’d never once thought of him as a man with grand ambitions, which made this even more startling.
Dokgo Ryeong’s eyes turned to Eun Yak-byeok to confirm whether it was true, but she too looked surprised.
‘No, shit. How am I supposed to tell whether that’s true or not…’
Dokgo Ryeong faced Peng Woo-deok again.
“But why do you need Dokgo Jin?”
“Because he’s fought them the most. Dokgo Jin has fought the Tang Clan more than anyone, so we need him. Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can win a hundred battles without peril, right?”
“…”
As the points Eun Yak-byeok had cited to argue that it was a lie were gradually refuted, Dokgo Ryeong grew confused.
“Ah… Wait a minute. Is my marriage really necessary?”
“…That isn’t a gift for you, but for Dokgo Jin.”
“Huh?”
“I thought Dokgo Jin was a man with nothing left to lose, but it turns out he has such a lovely daughter. Wouldn’t he want his child to be safe?”
“…”
Peng Woo-deok naturally had no idea that Dokgo Ryeong and Dokgo Jin were the same person. As a father himself, he could see why he might think that way.
“But if you’re going to crush the Tang Clan anyway, I’d join in on my own. Why not just attack them now?”
“Because we need time. Time for me to become Alliance Leader. It would be hard to justify attacking another clan without a just cause.”
“…”
Dokgo Ryeong was confused.
Just as her thoughts grew tangled wondering whether this was really true or not, Eun Yak-byeok sent her a voice transmission.
[It seems to be true. The Peng Clan has been visiting other clans frequently lately, and their contact with the Martial Alliance has also increased.]
“…”
When Eun Yak-byeok confirmed it was true, Dokgo Ryeong frowned.
“…Can’t we just crush them?”
“That won’t do, you ill-mannered girl.”
Huangbo Gi interjected.
“It would lead to a civil war splitting the Orthodox martial world in two. The smaller sects and clans in the middle would try to side with whoever had the just cause, so we need a pretext first.”
“What if we just exposed the existence of ‘gu poison’ and ‘deadly poison’?”
“They’d blame it on the Blood Sect or the Demonic Cult. And since the Beggars’ Sect is in cahoots with them, we’d inevitably lose in the war of deception.”
“Shit…”
“Watch your language… Phew… I’ll let it go.”
Leaving Huangbo Gi to cool his temper on his own, as if this had become routine, Dokgo Ryeong pondered.
‘…If they’ll take care of crushing them as soon as I marry, that’s kind of tempting…’
She also hated handing her revenge over to someone else.
Just as Dokgo Ryeong resolved to refuse, marriage or no marriage, Peng Woo-deok spoke first.
“So, Young Master Wi.”
“Yes.”
“I have a favor to ask of you, too.”
“…Go ahead.”
“Well… Hmm… I’ve actually been filling my son’s head with all sorts of expectations, you see?”
“…”
Wi Ilcheong thought he could guess what kind of favor Peng Woo-deok was about to ask.
“So would you go and show him how sweetly you and Dokgo Jin’s daughter get along? Get him to give up on his own?”
“I will.”
“Y-you bastards! Why are you deciding for me?!”