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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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Stroking the back of the man’s head as he buried his face in her chest and wept, Wei Ha-yeong thought,
‘Weak. Truly.’
To be sobbing just because he killed a few bandits.
Moreover, until he was confirming the bandits’ deaths, he maintained his composure, calmly killing each and every one. Ignoring their pleas for mercy. Ruthlessly, without a shred of pity.
And yet, the moment he finished, he became like this.
Perhaps he felt that he’d done something terrible, something he should never have done, but something he had to do, so he gave himself over to madness and did it.
Judging by his recent decision-making, it seemed he had a tendency toward madness. But fundamentally, he was kind and exceedingly weak. That’s probably why he could be so close with the Jade Flower Sword.
At first, it was to tease her, but after spending time together, she had come to understand this man completely.
‘And a demon core constitution, at that.’
To cultivate such pure internal energy with demon cores, and to be able to wield it. Such an unprecedented being, yet so weak.
‘That ability… it’s truly tremendous.’
Those who didn’t know would simply find it curious, but Wei Ha-yeong knew.
Squeeze
The hand stroking his hair tightened.
Her childhood came to mind.
There were two Taoist priests obsessed with demon core research. They were Wei Ha-yeong’s parents, and she had witnessed firsthand how they fell. Spewing madness as they died. Right before her eyes.
‘But is he really rubbing his face against my chest and kneading my butt with both hands right now? Hilarious. This perverted guy… well, I’ll let it slide since he’s crying… but why does he keep tugging left and right? Stop spreading them, seriously. Alright, I need to push him away now.’
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Ha-yeong laughed heartily, but I couldn’t react. Ha-yeong’s ’embrace’ was that powerful.
The image of her snow-white skin and hormone-rich figure still lingered before my eyes. And the three talismans attached to her, too. Her uniquely sweet scent as well.
Oh, man.
Would I be able to look Ha-yeong in the face properly from now on?
“Chuckle, chuckle, why are you so red? Are you that embarrassed?”
“We’re friends, how could I be…!”
“Oh my, it seems like you’ve completely fallen for me!”
“Busted…!”
“Kyahahaha! Busted, he says! Anyway, consider it an honor to have seen this Taoist master’s naked body!”
It truly was an honor.
But to embrace me like that… Even if we were friends, we were a man and a woman. Were friends that close in the minds of the Jungwon people? Or was it Ha-yeong’s heart that allowed her to do such a thing for me?
“But, you weren’t completely naked, were you? Those talismans were properly attached. All three of them.”
“Sigh. What kind of perverted talk is that?”
“Being completely naked means not having the talismans…”
“Hey. Even so, would I remove the talismans for a man I haven’t even had a wedding ceremony with? I won’t take them off, no matter how much you beg!”
I didn’t say anything like that…!
“So, even if you say you want to practice Bangjungsul(Taoist Sexual techniques) with me, I won’t do it, so don’t get your hopes up!”
“What, Bangjungsul? What was that again? I think I’ve heard of it.”
What was it?
I’d heard it somewhere, but I couldn’t quite remember. Since it had “sul” (technique) in the name, it must be some kind of martial art technique, right?
“Don’t make me say it!”
Slap!
Suddenly, Ha-yeong smacked my back with her hand and walked ahead.
“Ouch!”
What did I do?!
“Come on!”
“Hmph! Follow me if you want!”
“Oh, come on! I can’t do anything without you!”
I absolutely had to move with Ha-yeong.
So, I followed Ha-yeong, who was pretending to be sulky. But wait a minute. She can’t remove the talismans for a man she hasn’t had a wedding ceremony with? In other words, she can do more as long as the talismans aren’t removed? Then next time, I can just ask her again…!
“Hehehe, such silly thoughts.”
As I walked along with Ha-yeong, my mind slowly cleared.
Today.
I committed a tremendous massacre.
I’d been the most brutal since coming to this world.
But for Ha-yeong, this sort of thing didn’t seem to be a big deal. She was accustomed to this martial world.
A world that wasn’t safe, a world overflowing with enemies.
A world where people didn’t practice righteousness through martial arts, but sought to commit evil.
While I was with Serin and Ha-yeong, I hadn’t thought about the cruelty of this world, so I was truly at ease. However, today I realized it very intensely. Even more so than when I killed the Dark Earth gang leader, Yeon Mi-pyeong.
To uphold righteousness by saving a friend, I had to be able to commit such a horrific mass murder without hesitation.
“Um, by the way. I saw it.”
“Saw what?”
“A purple aura.”
Ah.
Right.
“It was swirling around your sword when you were fighting that leader, right? At the end, that energy even exploded at once, and a strange power burst forth, splitting him apart.”
“…”
Demon Fury Slash.
I felt an extremely ominous energy at that time, and when I exploded it and cut the bandit down, that name came to mind.
“It was a very powerful force. Was it always like that?”
I shook my head.
“No. There have been a few times when a purple aura has appeared, but this is the first time it exploded like that. I didn’t think I had that kind of power.”
“Then it seems likely that your level has increased, or you gained some sudden enlightenment. Can you do it now?”
“I’ll try.”
I was exhausted, but I could at least try.
Grip
I held the Sky Thunder Sword, circulated with the Azure Wing Heart Technique, and observed the remaining internal energy within my body. Surprisingly, about 90% of my internal energy had been consumed. Only the bare minimum remained.
“Ooh.”
It seemed I had used up all my internal energy at once to split the leader in two. This was the first time I’d used my internal energy in this way.
Since I had succeeded in something I hadn’t been able to do before, wasn’t this what an increase in level meant?
Whoosh
I drew up the remaining 10% of my internal energy and spread it throughout my body. As I focused and controlled my internal energy, the moment I swung my sword—
Crackle!
A faint purple aura flickered from the sword and then disappeared!
“Wow! It worked! Ha-yeong, did you see that? I did it!”
Even though it wasn’t a critical situation and I had already taken care of everything, I still succeeded!
“Waaaaah!”
Great joy seized my whole body.
At this rate, I could do it normally too.
“This is what an increase in level feels like!”
I was certain.
By cutting down the bandit leader today, I had achieved a level up. Overjoyed, I shouted and did a robot dance.
“What is that strange movement…?”
Ha-yeong opened her mouth, bewildered.
“It’s a robot dance. Anyway, I finally did it! I think I can use it normally now!”
“Yes, yes. Congratulations on your level up. Well done, well done.”
Ha-yeong stroked my head and continued.
“But, you know. I just saw it. That purple aura.”
“Hmm?”
“It definitely seems similar to demonic energy.”
“What? Similar to demonic energy?”
Really?
“But you said my internal energy is pure? To the point where no demonic energy is felt at all?”
Actually, I also felt that it was an ominous energy when I used Demon Fury Slash. I thought it might be my imagination, but was the energy I just emitted similar to demonic energy?
“Yes. That’s right. I’m certain. I checked it myself. But strangely, when you emitted the purple aura, it felt like demonic energy.”
“That means…”
“I have a hypothesis. Your dantian’s internal energy is normally pure, but… surprisingly!”
Ha-yeong’s eyes widened.
“It seems to transform into demonic energy when it passes through your body and emerges!”
“Whaaat?!”
My internal energy transforms into demonic energy when it passes through my body?!
“This is truly amazing! Maybe this isn’t a characteristic of your dantian or internal energy, but of your body itself!”
A characteristic of my body.
“This is helpful! Let’s go back and research it again after this is over! I’m sure there will be progress this time!”
“Alright. Let’s do that.”
Ha-yeong, burning with academic zeal, smiled with great joy, but I was just dumbfounded. What on earth was going on with my body to cause such a phenomenon?
“Those bandit trash were useful after all.”
“Ah.”
The moment Ha-yeong mentioned the bandits, the memory of the pile of corpses and confirming their deaths came flooding back.
…It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.
“Right. Hayyoung.”
“Yes? What?”
“We need to collect the spoils from the bandits.”
“What? Hey, what’s this! You were so depressed just now!”
Why?
“I didn’t want to touch the bodies anymore because I thought you’d have a hard time, so I just came back, and now you’re talking about spoils!”
“Ah. Right.”
Was that it?
“You were being considerate of me because you thought I’d be distressed. Thank you, Ha-yeong.”
“Hmph! You idiot! What are you doing! Hurry up and go collect the spoils!”
“Right away!”
I ran, and Ha-yeong followed.
The corpses were disgusting, but I rummaged through them and took everything worth taking. As expected, the small fries had nothing, and the leader had the most.
“There’s some silver. But nothing else seems particularly valuable.”
Even their clothes were ragged, so there was nothing to take.
The leader was the same.
The weapons also seemed to be made of cheap scrap metal. The leader’s axe was also broken from our fight and looked useless.
So, I only took what was decent.
“Let’s go! Now that you’ve reached a new level, maybe there will be a big change if you consume the Kappa demon core!”
“Hehehe, I’m looking forward to it.”
After looting, we immediately left.
Finally, I asked Ha-yeong what I was curious about.
“By the way, Ha-yeong.”
“What?”
“Why do you only wear talismans without wearing undergarments…”
“What is this pervert asking again!”
Thwack!
Ha-yeong’s low kick slammed into my calf!
“Aagh!”
But who are you calling a pervert when you’re exposing half your chest!
Finally, we arrived at my hometown, Anhui Province.
After seeing only mountains and fields for so long, arriving at a county like this, with the scent of people and all, felt really good. My friends Jaemison and Song were here. It was a truly beautiful county.
“Hehehe, we’re back here again, huh? So Ha-yeong, let’s rest here for a day and then go catch the Kappas. Shall we get a room first?”
“Yes, yes. Let’s do that.”
Ha-yeong and I immediately got a room. As expected of a renowned Taoist, she took me to quite a nice building. It was incomparably better than the inns I usually stayed at.
Naturally, the price was equally high, but Ha-yeong paid for everything, including mine, without hesitation.
“Are we only getting one room?”
“It’s a waste of money to get two.”
“That’s true.”
Actually, I was used to sleeping together these days, so it didn’t really matter. Anyway, Ha-yeong said she wanted to rest, and I said I was going to inform my friends and left.
“Jaemison, come out!”
I went to the inn where he always stayed and asked, but that bastard had gone to work again. I guess I wouldn’t be able to see him again.
Disappointed, I tipped the waiter to relay the message and decided to return to the inn. But did I need to go back right away?
“I should buy some snacks.”
I should check the news at Haengdomun and buy some sweets or something on the way back.
With that thought, I went to Haengdomun.
It was still bustling.
But then.
“Did you hear? The Jade Flower Sword has come here again.”
“Is something going on because she caught Hayagriva last time?”
“Maybe… but didn’t Calamitous Fire Hibiscus come last time?”
“We chose such a good place to settle!”
The wanderers were talking about Serin!
“Oh.”
Serin said she wanted to meet again. Did she come looking for me here? Then I should go and see her. Even if I couldn’t meet Jaemison because he was at work, it seemed like Serin was here.
I immediately went to the market, bought some sweets, and returned to the inn.
“Ha-yeong, I’m back.”
“Ah… you’re back? Your friend?”
Ha-yeong, still lying on the bed, spoke in a sleepy voice without getting up.
“He went to work and isn’t here right now. Here, I bought you some sweets.”
“Oh my! You went out and bought me sweets?!”
“Yeah. I thought of you on the way back.”
Did she like sweets?
Ha-yeong sat up abruptly and took the sweets from my bag.
“Wow! You really bought them! I didn’t expect it! Thank you!”
“Hehehe, eat a lot.”
I should buy them more often.
“Oh, and Ha-yeong. I heard a rumor while I was out. Serin is here?”
“What?”
Ha-yeong, who was eating the sweets, looked at me.
“That bitch Jade Flower Sword is here?”
“Hey. Don’t call her a bitch. Anyway, so I was thinking of going to say hello.”
“Well… alright! It’s good to greet her! Let’s go see her now!”
“Do you know where she is?”
“We’ll find her!”
Ha-yeong put down the sweets, tidied herself up, and led the way out. Seeing her like this, she seemed quite happy. Were they really close?
So, I went out with Ha-yeong to look for Serin.
“Since we don’t know where she is, let’s split up and look. You go that way!”
“Okay. If we find her, we’ll meet there since it’ll be crowded anyway.”
“Yes!”
Alright, let’s find Serin.
Let’s go back to Haengdomun first.
It was the best place to find someone.
“There she is! The Jade Flower Sword has appeared over there!”
“Is it that way?!”
“Let’s go see!”
Was this the right place?
Everyone was going crazy.
So, I tried to go that way too, when—
“It’s been a while.”
Suddenly, I heard that voice in my ear, and someone grabbed my wrist and pulled me. I thought it was an enemy, but it turned out to be Serin.
“Oh! Serin! Wow! I was just looking for you!”
I missed seeing this pretty face!
“It’s been a while! How have you been!”
“I’ve been well, of course.”
“This celestial beauty hasn’t changed a bit!”
But after seeing Mount Tai’s breasts, Serin’s chest seemed a bit small. Of course, even so, her slender waist and firm hips were truly like a celestial being.
“Heehee, from the way you speak, it seems Geun-hyeop has been well too. It’s good to hear such praise.”
“Hehehe, I’ve been doing great too.”
“Ah, this way first. We’re attracting too much attention.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Serin took my arm and led me away.
But right at that moment.
“Ah! Found you! Both of you were here!”
Ha-yeong’s voice rang out, and—
“Huh?”
We both turned at the same time.
“Hey! You should have brought her to me right away! Where are you going?!”
“Uh.”
Whoosh!
Ha-yeong, who had rushed over, tightly hugged my arm. Mount Tai’s breasts immediately pressed against my arm. At the same time, Serin’s eyes widened, and she looked at my face and then at Ha-yeong.
“I don’t quite understand.”
Then she looked back at me.
“Do you two know each other…?”
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