Chapter 50
When he returned to the room, Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwan-yeong welcomed Wi Ilcheong.
With swords in hand.
“Brother Wi, you’re back?”
“Brother Wi….”
“…Why are the two of you like that?”
Seeing the two young ladies ready to head out at a moment’s notice, Wi Ilcheong burst out laughing.
“Heh heh… Were you getting ready to run away?”
“Yeah…”
“You never know…”
“I appreciate the thought. It seems everything has been resolved.”
“Really?”
“Truly?!”
The two women set down their packed bags and embraced Wi Ilcheong.
“Thank goodness… I’ve been worried ever since Gwan-yeong told me…”
“Me too…”
“…Is that so?”
Suddenly, a question occurred to Wi Ilcheong.
“Miss Baekri, Miss Eun. There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Hm?”
“Ask me anything!”
“Do you two love me?”
The two reacted differently to Wi Ilcheong’s sudden question.
“…Yeah. I love you. But you asking all of a sudden is a little embarrassing…”
Baekri Sohyeon blushed and answered him with a warm smile,
“O-of course. I love you, you know?”
while Eun Gwan-yeong reacted somewhat uncertainly.
“Well… Someone I know told me that I don’t understand love.”
“Ah…”
“Mm…”
“Huh? Why are you both reacting like that?”
When the two young ladies didn’t respond as he’d expected, Wi Ilcheong was the one who grew flustered.
Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwan-yeong exchanged glances, and finally Baekri Sohyeon spoke.
“Um… Brother Wi.”
“Yes, Miss Baekri.”
“…I love you, Brother.”
“I know. You’ve told me many times.”
“But… I don’t know if you love me?”
“Pardon?”
Wi Ilcheong was shocked by Baekri Sohyeon’s words.
“Well… As you know, I spent my whole life confined to the Sect Leader’s residence. I’ve never been loved, so I don’t know much about love. But I thought love meant wanting to do this for someone… So I let you hold me every time, Brother Wi. Sometimes I hold you, too.”
“…”
“It’s the same with Miss Ryeong and Gwan-yeong. I always thought, ‘I wish someone would hold me like this.’ When I was little, I was held just once by my mother, whom I barely remember, and it felt wonderful. So I hold you, Brother Wi, and Miss Ryeong, and Gwan-yeong often, too. This is the ‘love’ I know.”
“…Yes. But…”
“But you’ve never hugged me first except when we were having sex.”
“Pardon?”
Baekri Sohyeon answered him with a kind smile that seemed somehow bittersweet.
“I love you, Brother Wi. I don’t know what love is either, but this is how I express mine. Hugging someone, sharing warmth with them. Doing those things all the time, even when there’s nothing lewd about it.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah. But do you love me, Brother Wi?”
“I love you. Truly.”
“Thank you. But I think the way you and I think about love is a little different.”
“…”
Seeing that Baekri Sohyeon had nothing more to say, Wi Ilcheong looked at Eun Gwan-yeong.
“Miss Eun. Do you love me?”
“Yeees… um… nooo…”
“Pardon?”
“…Actually, rather than loving you, Brother Wi, I admire you…”
“Admire me?”
“…You saved me.”
“…”
Eun Gwan-yeong lowered her head, blushing all the way to her ears, and fidgeted with her hands as she spoke.
“I’m… satisfied just being doted on by you, Oppa. I don’t expect you to love me…”
“I love you, Miss Eun.”
“Just hearing you say that makes me happy. But…”
Eun Gwan-yeong glanced at him.
“I’m just a little… unsure whether Brother Wi loves me…”
“What makes you think that?”
“…When I said before that I was going back to the Hao Sect partway through…”
“Yes.”
“…You didn’t change your expression.”
“Pardon?”
“…I said I’d be away for a while… and you just seemed to think, ‘Oh, she’s going somewhere,’ or ‘Have a good trip’…”
“…”
“I’d be sad to be apart from you, Brother Wi… but I don’t think you would be.”
“No… ah…”
Wi Ilcheong felt his breath catch in his throat.
“…Miss Dokgo told me that love is a feeling of ‘I can’t live without this person.’ Do you two think so too?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeees…”
Then Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwan-yeong delivered the final blow.
“But I think you’d probably be fine even without me, Brother.”
“But I think Brother Wi would be fine without me too…”
*
Dokgo Ryeong couldn’t hide her laughter as she entered the inner chamber.
“Heh heh… Hey, Hao Sect Leader.”
“…Yes, Guest.”
“Has anyone in the history of the martial world undergone a complete rebirth twice?”
“It is difficult to experience even once.”
“Then I’ll show you how it’s done.”
“…Then the entire martial world would suffer a great loss.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Such a lovely young lady…”
“Once I’m back in a man’s body, the first thing I’ll do is smack your ass.”
Eun Yak-byeok smiled as she answered Dokgo Ryeong’s threat.
“Oh my, you like that sort of thing too? Not bad.”
“U… you lewd woman!!”
“Hehe, hurry up and get ready to absorb the yang energy from the Sunfire Carp. I’m a busy woman too, you know?”
“…Fine.”
Dokgo Ryeong sat cross-legged and placed the Sunfire Carp’s core in her hand.
“I’ll absorb the yang energy, so help me from outside.”
“Of course. But do you need my help?”
“…Because my yin energy is too strong.”
“What?”
“I told you. When I absorbed the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade, its yin energy was so powerful that almost all the yang energy in my body was wiped out.”
“Guest, wait a moment.”
When Eun Yak-byeok stopped her, Dokgo Ryeong looked at her with displeasure.
“…Why?”
“Then wouldn’t absorbing it be pointless?”
“Huh?”
“I mean… The yin energy was strong enough to wipe out all of your yang energy. Did you really think the Sunfire Carp’s core alone could neutralize it?”
“Wouldn’t it help at least a little?”
“Could you hand me the core for a moment?”
“Here.”
Dokgo Ryeong tossed it over, and Eun Yak-byeok placed it in her palm and closed her eyes.
The Sunfire Carp’s core flared briefly, then quickly settled down.
Eun Yak-byeok opened her eyes again and looked at Dokgo Ryeong.
“…Guest.”
“What?”
“Absorbing this won’t help at all, will it? Save it for when your lust flares up later.”
“Huh?! What kind of nonsense is that?”
“…Since it was given to you by Daoist Seon, it’s a high-grade one, so it contains a lot of energy. Probably more than one jiazi (60 years’ worth) of internal energy. But if the yin energy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade is as strong as you say, this won’t come close.”
“Shit, I’m just saying let’s give it a try!”
“It’s too precious to waste like that.”
“…”
“It’s yours, so I’ll respect your choice, but if you decide to absorb it, I can’t help you.”
At that, Dokgo Ryeong sprang to her feet.
“Ah, why not?! Come on! Just help me!”
“…You said the yin energy ran wild. You want me to die with you? Besides, the yin energy I have and yours are subtly different.”
“How would you know that… Wait?! You know?”
“It doesn’t seem worth risking that much for this.”
“Shit, seriously…”
Eun Yak-byeok handed the Sunfire Carp’s core back, and Dokgo Ryeong stared down at it for a long time, considering her options.
‘Ah, shit. Should I just do it on my own?’
She was somewhat confident in her ability to control her internal energy.
Honestly, even without Eun Yak-byeok’s help, she’d spent so many years handling yang energy that she wondered how she could possibly fail to control a bit of yang energy stored up by some beast.
But at the same time, she remembered her first rebirth and hesitated.
Eun Yak-byeok did have a point.
The first time, she’d simply taken in the yin energy, hoping to increase her internal power. But in the end, the yin energy took over her whole body, and she came down with some unknown illness, something like a meridian disorder.
It was only natural to hesitate at the thought of testing something she’d never experienced on her own body—especially with her body weakened.
“Guest, how about this?”
“…What?”
“You’re on your way to the Mount Putuo Sect anyway, so why not meet Divine Doctor Un-yeong and consult with him? Jiangsu is just south of Shandong, so it won’t take long.”
“…”
“Besides, Un-yeong knows how to refine inner cores, so he can help you absorb the Sunfire Carp’s yang energy safely. He might even find an answer to your mysterious illness. You know how skilled a physician he is, don’t you?”
“Tsk…”
When Dokgo Ryeong seemed to hesitate, Eun Yak-byeok spoke with a hint of exasperation.
“You know how impulsive you are, Guest, but there’s still too much we don’t know to take that risk.”
“I know. I do, but…”
Dokgo Ryeong spoke hesitantly.
“…Shit, then I’ll have to travel around with that pervert again for a while. And tomorrow, I have to do that… that thing too.”
“Ah…”
Eun Yak-byeok’s smile deepened.
“Are you embarrassed?”
“N-no! It’s not that… Haa… Right. It’s a shameful thing to do.”
“Oh my, what’s wrong with two young lovers who care for each other spending sweet time together…”
“Kyaaa! I don’t like that bastard!”
“Hehe, then I’ll take it that way. You look nice when you’re embarrassed too.”
“I said I’m not!!”
Even though Dokgo Ryeong started throwing another fit, Eun Yak-byeok only smiled at her.
‘Thank goodness. I wanted to see this side of her more.’
Eun Yak-byeok had actually lied to Dokgo Ryeong.
As someone who specialized in techniques requiring precise control of internal energy, like telekinesis, there was no way it would be difficult for her to handle the yin energy she’d cultivated her whole life.
If Dokgo Ryeong had insisted on absorbing the Sunfire Carp’s yang energy right away, Eun Yak-byeok had already decided to grant her wish.
But.
Seeing her transformed into such an adorable young lady, bickering with Wi Ilcheong, had put Eun Yak-byeok in a good mood—and made her a little envious.
‘I’ve always wondered. After you’ve avenged yourself and achieved all your goals, what kind of life will you lead, Guest?’
And that question applied to Eun Yak-byeok herself, too.
When she stepped down as Hao Sect Leader and accomplished everything she wanted to…
She wasn’t sure she could live a peaceful life like everyone else.
‘So I hope you can stay like this for a long time, Guest.’
Dokgo Ryeong would be her guide.
Thinking so, Eun Yak-byeok looked at Dokgo Ryeong again.
“So, what will you do, Guest?”
“W-what about?”
“Are you going back to your room to sleep? You seemed to be going out of your way to avoid Young Master Wi. Am I wrong?”
“…”
Dokgo Ryeong couldn’t answer. She blushed and looked away.
Seeing her hair gradually turn pale pink from the roots, Eun Yak-byeok’s heart ached.
‘Y-you’re so cute!!’
Suppressing her urge to hug Dokgo Ryeong and shower her with affection, Eun Yak-byeok waited for an answer.
After a long silence, Dokgo Ryeong couldn’t even meet her eyes as she mumbled softly.
“…Help me sleep.”
“Pardon? I can’t hear you.”
“Damn it! Your upper dantian’s open, so you must have unlocked Thousand-Li Hearing too! Help me get to sleep!”
“Hehe, all right. But I have a condition.”
“What now…”
“I can’t sleep if there’s no one beside me.”
“Bullshit!”
“Oh my, it’s true. Should I call Gwan-yeong?”
“Oh, fuck, seriously…”
Eun Yak-byeok smiled as Dokgo Ryeong grumbled.
“Hehe, so if you sleep in my room, you’ll have to stay in my arms the whole time. Are you okay with that?”
“…”
“I won’t do anything. We’ll just hold hands while we sleep.”
Seeing Dokgo Ryeong’s hair turn completely pink, Eun Yak-byeok could already guess what she would say.
“…Y-you really will just hold my hand while we sleep?”
“Of course. I’m very good at keeping promises.”
“Shit…”
When Dokgo Ryeong muttered as if she’d given up, Eun Yak-byeok couldn’t hold back any longer and hugged her.
“Wh-what are you doing, you crazy woman!”
“Aww, why are you so cute, our Guest? I should’ve let you hold me once when you were still a man, too.”
“U… you lewd woman!!”
“Hehe, come here. Let’s go to bed just like this. Wait, should we wash up first? I’ll wash you.”
“Kyaaaah!”
“Hehehe, how adorable.”
Thus, all night Dokgo Ryeong was doted on by Eun Yak-byeok—in an entirely wholesome way, not a lewd one.