Chapter 52
After the quiet breakfast ended, those who heard that the Peng Clan’s eldest young master was almost here gathered on the brothel’s first floor to enjoy some tea.
Peng Woo-deok, Huangbo Gi, and Eun Yak-byeok were seated at another table, enjoying tea,
while Eun Gwan-yeong sat close beside Wi Ilcheong.
And Baekri Sohyeon sat behind Dokgo Ryeong, hugging her.
“…Sister Ryeong. Are you all right?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“…You’re letting me hug you without putting up a fight today.”
“Ah… I’m just a little tired.”
“…”
Seeing Dokgo Ryeong looking somewhat listless, Baekri Sohyeon felt a little guilty.
‘…Something must have happened after that conversation yesterday.’
Ever since Wi Ilcheong suddenly brought up ‘love’ and then left their room early that morning, both of them had been like this.
Dokgo Ryeong and Wi Ilcheong.
Both of them looked noticeably downcast.
It was easy to guess why Wi Ilcheong was feeling low.
The common sense he’d held onto all this time had been shattered, so the shock must have been considerable.
The shock must have been great indeed, since he’d slept alone last night without hugging either Eun Gwan-yeong or Baekri Sohyeon.
But Dokgo Ryeong being like this was a little unexpected to Baekri Sohyeon.
‘…Could Sister Ryeong also… have feelings for Brother Wi?’
When Baekri Sohyeon lowered her gaze, all she could see was the back of Dokgo Ryeong’s head, drooping a little.
When Baekri Sohyeon reached out to stroke Dokgo Ryeong’s head, she looked up.
“…Why?”
“N-nothing.”
Baekri Sohyeon gently stroked her head, hoping Dokgo Ryeong would feel better soon.
Dokgo Ryeong enjoyed Baekri Sohyeon’s touch for a moment, then took her hand.
“…Hey, airhead.”
“Yeah?”
“I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“…My chest has been hurting since yesterday.”
“How?”
“…It aches deep inside.”
“…”
Hearing that, Baekri Sohyeon’s heart ached too.
‘…Sister Ryeong must have feelings for Brother Wi, too…’
Without answering, she hugged Dokgo Ryeong tightly.
“…What the hell? I said answer me.”
“No, Sister Ryeong. It’ll get better soon. Time will heal it.”
“No, shit… I don’t think that’s it…”
“I’ll comfort you until then.”
“What do you mean, comfort me…”
Just as Dokgo Ryeong was about to start flailing and ask what nonsense she was talking about,
someone entered the brothel.
“…Had you all gathered here?”
“Kwahaha! Welcome, son!”
“It’s been a while, Father. And…”
He greeted them with a hearty laugh befitting his imposing frame.
“It’s an honor to meet you. My name is Peng Mun-hwi.”
*
The moment she saw Peng Mun-hwi, Eun Yak-byeok frowned.
‘Damn it. That Saber Immortal…! Who exactly does he think he’s fooling?!’
Peng Mun-hwi was far more decent than she’d expected.
He had the boldness of a man from Hebei, but not so much that he made others uncomfortable.
There was a grace to everything he did, and watching him somehow put people at ease. That was what made him so striking.
Peng Mun-hwi was the sort of person who naturally drew those around him in.
‘How on earth did someone like that father a decent son?’
Eun Yak-byeok hurriedly turned to look at Dokgo Ryeong.
Fortunately, she showed no reaction.
Not yet, anyway.
“Kwahaha! Well? What do you think, daughter of Dokgo Jin?”
“What about?”
“My son. Don’t you like him?”
“Like him? As if.”
Dokgo Ryeong gave Peng Mun-hwi a quick once-over.
‘Good build. He probably knows how to use a saber, too. And…’
“Huh?”
Dokgo Ryeong suddenly sprang to her feet.
“Hey… you.”
“Yes?”
“That saber… Let me see it.”
“…”
Peng Mun-hwi glanced at his father, who nodded.
“…By all means.”
When Peng Mun-hwi handed her the saber strapped to his back, Dokgo Ryeong took it.
“Whoa… Damn… This is insane. Is it made of meteoric iron?”
“Kwahaha! I see Dokgo Jin’s daughter likes sabers. I brought the wrong gift.”
“What martial artist doesn’t like sabers?”
Dokgo Ryeong examined Peng Mun-hwi’s saber intently.
‘It’s this light? And the blade is still sharp…’
She suddenly thought of the Demon-Slaying Saber she’d left behind.
It was a crude, enormous saber, but despite its appearance, it was made of black iron.
For now, she had no choice but to use the soft sword Wi Ilcheong had given her, but she’d always wanted to wield a familiar saber again if her body would only cooperate.
And the saber Peng Mun-hwi carried was exactly to Dokgo Ryeong’s taste.
Dokgo Ryeong asked,
“By the way… Didn’t the Peng Clan prefer heavier sabers?”
“That’s true, but I thought a lighter saber would be fine as long as I could still put enough weight behind it.”
“You must lose a little cutting power, though.”
“In return, I gain speed. Perhaps because my training is still insufficient, my weaknesses show more clearly when I use a heavy saber.”
“It’s fine if a weapon can cover your weaknesses. Anyway… what a fine saber. Thanks for letting me see it.”
“Would you like to have it?”
“Huh?”
Dokgo Ryeong looked at Peng Mun-hwi in surprise, and he answered with a hearty laugh.
“You seem to know your way around a saber, miss. I think it would be wonderful if it could be put to use by someone like you.”
“Ah… no… this is made of meteoric iron, isn’t it?”
“As you said, it’s ideal for our clan to use heavy sabers. I was already thinking of changing mine soon. Once I do, this saber will no longer be used, which would be a shame. So it might as well go to someone who understands the saber.”
Dokgo Ryeong’s chest gave another pang as she looked at Peng Mun-hwi.
‘Damn, this guy’s actually pretty damn decent.’
She’d come in with nothing but negative thoughts because he was Saber Immortal Peng Woo-deok’s son, but after meeting him, he seemed like a pretty decent guy.
“Hey, Saber Immortal. Are you really sure I can take this?”
“Go ahead. It was my son’s decision, so I won’t interfere.”
“Heh. Thanks.”
“But, miss, I have one condition.”
“Huh?”
Peng Mun-hwi looked at Dokgo Ryeong and said,
“Would you take a walk with me and talk for a little while?”
“Ugh…”
When Dokgo Ryeong openly grimaced, Peng Mun-hwi added,
“Haha, there’s no need to avoid me so blatantly. I’d just like to talk a little about sabers.”
“…Are you going to pull that ‘Do you know the Saber?’ crap too?”
“…Our clan can be a little overzealous about that. I won’t push you too hard. It’s just that you’re the first female saber wielder I’ve met outside my family. There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“…What do you want to ask?”
“Actually, my younger sister has hit a wall in her training, and I’d like to help her… But a woman’s body and a man’s body are different, aren’t they? So I’d like to ask your advice.”
“…”
Dokgo Ryeong still hadn’t let down her guard.
Then Peng Mun-hwi reached out his hand.
“In that case, I’ll take the Meteor Saber back…”
“I can give you some damn good advice, you know.”
“Th… that’s settled, then.”
“Let’s go! The manor would be best, right? We can swing our sabers around a bit.”
“…Yes.”
Dokgo Ryeong eagerly walked ahead, and Peng Mun-hwi followed after her.
Watching the two of them head outside, Eun Yak-byeok spoke.
“You’re quite the crafty one, Saber Immortal.”
“Hmm? Me?”
“…That saber. I haven’t seen it before. I remember Peng Mun-hwi used to wield a much larger one. Besides, it’s clearly made for a woman, isn’t it?”
“Kwahaha! I did hurriedly snatch it away from the gift I’d planned to give my daughter.”
“Spiritual medicines, a fine saber… How much preparation did you make?”
“Everything.”
Saber Immortal Peng Woo-deok grinned, baring his teeth.
“I’ll tell you this: I genuinely have my eye on Dokgo Jin’s daughter.”
“…”
Eun Yak-byeok drained her cup of tea and stood up.
“I’ll be going ahead.”
“Kwahaha! Go on, then. When something good happens, I’ll be sure to invite the Hao Sect Leader.”
Hearing the Saber Immortal’s teasing voice, Eun Yak-byeok turned away and began biting her lip.
‘Damn it…! Just when our Guest was finally getting along with Young Master Wi…!’
She’d underestimated Saber Immortal Peng Woo-deok far too much.
She resented herself for letting her guard down after getting distracted by how adorable Dokgo Ryeong was.
And the timing of Dokgo Ryeong’s falling out with Wi Ilcheong couldn’t have been worse.
‘The only one who can fix this is Young Master Wi…’
She glanced back at Wi Ilcheong’s face, but he still looked downcast.
‘This is so frustrating, seriously!’
She didn’t particularly like Wi Ilcheong.
But Dokgo Ryeong was especially adorable when she was with him.
Besides, she thought that if someone as emotional as Dokgo Ryeong spent time with Wi Ilcheong, perhaps he might change a little, too.
She’d also hoped that change might benefit Eun Gwan-yeong and Baekri Sohyeon, even if Dokgo Ryeong and Wi Ilcheong didn’t end up together, so she’d had high hopes for Dokgo Ryeong.
‘I need to come up with something…’
Eun Yak-byeok bit her lip as she considered what to do.
‘Some way… Ah!’
Something occurred to Eun Yak-byeok.
She turned on her heel as she was heading toward the inner chamber and started for the upper floor.
Then she beckoned to a disciple nearby.
“What is it, Sect Leader?”
“Do we have a tongso?”
“We do.”
“Bring it here right away.”
“Yes, understood.”
As the Hao Sect disciple hurried off to fetch a tongso, Eun Yak-byeok glared at Peng Woo-deok with a confident expression.
‘You said you’d do everything you could, Saber Immortal? So will I.’
Eun Yak-byeok had no intention of sitting back and taking it.
The Yin Venerable’s sound-based martial art could control not only a person’s emotions, but even their mind, if she so chose.
Eun Yak-byeok intended to use everything at her disposal, too.
*
“Phew…”
Clap, clap, clap.
Peng Mun-hwi applauded beside Dokgo Ryeong as he watched her swing her saber.
“That was truly remarkable. I’m genuinely impressed. How can a single strike be so clean?”
“It was nothing.”
“Nothing? If the saber wielders of the martial world saw that, they’d praise you as the reincarnation of the Yama Saber Wielder.”
“You’re exaggerating…”
Dokgo Ryeong answered carelessly, brushing off his praise.
‘You punk, I’ve been swinging sabers for years.’
Dokgo Ryeong looked once more at the saber in her hand.
The Meteor Saber.
As befitted a saber made of meteoric iron, it was light, sturdy, and well-balanced.
She was a little disappointed that it lacked some heft when cutting, but it was easy to swing even with her current body, which put Dokgo Ryeong in a good mood.
‘Should I try a few moves from the Asura Rakshasa Saber Technique?’
There was no way Peng Mun-hwi would recognize it, and she still had a little yang energy left in her Tianhui acupoint. She thought she might be able to draw on it and perform a couple of forms.
“Miss Dokgo.”
“Hm?”
“Would you consider visiting our clan?”
At that moment, Dokgo Ryeong’s chest gave another pang.
‘…Shit, there it goes again.’
Ignoring the ache in her chest, Dokgo Ryeong said,
“…Why would I?”
“I was hoping you might teach my younger sister a thing or two. You’re both women and saber wielders, so I thought you could be of great help to each other. I’m also personally interested in you, Miss Dokgo.”
“Interested in me? What for…”
“I should’ve been more direct. I’ve fallen for you, Miss Dokgo.”
“Crazy bastard.”
Even though Dokgo Ryeong cursed at him, Peng Mun-hwi’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
“At first, I thought I wouldn’t like the match my father had arranged for me. I wasn’t particularly interested in it, either. But after meeting you and talking with you, I realized there could be no woman better than you.”
“Haa… Shit. Why is there no one sane around me?”
“…Do you dislike me that much?”
The moment she heard Peng Mun-hwi’s words,
Dokgo Ryeong’s chest gave another pang.
‘…Is this some kind of illness?’
Just as Dokgo Ryeong was about to tell him to stop talking nonsense and send him away,
the sound of a flute began to drift over from far away.
“…Hm?”
The mournful notes made Dokgo Ryeong feel strangely unsettled.
“Miss Dokgo, please give me a chance.”
“No, what nonsense are you talking about? If you’re going to be like this, just take your saber back, you punk.”
“…Miss, I’m not going to give up on you so easily.”
“Crazy bastard. Want me to hit you once before you go?”
“I wouldn’t mind. How about we have a spar instead?”
“Oh? You’re confident, are you?”
When a youngster so much younger than her challenged her to a spar, Dokgo Ryeong’s eyebrows rose slightly.
‘I can use yin energy, so there’s no way I’ll lose.’
Peng Mun-hwi didn’t seem like he was going to back down easily.
‘Well, like father, like son.’
Dokgo Ryeong tossed him the saber and said,
“Let’s do this. If I win, stop pestering me. It’s so annoying I could die. And I’m keeping that Meteor Saber, too.”
“And if I win?”
“You decide. There’s no way I’ll lose.”
“…Even that confidence of yours is attractive.”
“Kwahaha! You crazy bastard. You really are the Saber Immortal’s son.”
Dokgo Ryeong loosened the soft sword in her hand and let it hang down.
Using the Moon Shadow Divine Art, she began to draw up the yin energy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade, which was settled in her lower dantian.
The mournful melody continuing to sound in her ears was a little distracting.
“Are you ready?”
“Of course.”
“Shall I give you three moves?”
“Cut the crap.”
“Then… I’ll make the first move!”
The moment Peng Mun-hwi charged in,
“All right!!”
Dokgo Ryeong drew on her inner energy and swung her soft sword, and
‘…Huh?’
Dokgo Ryeong collapsed.