Chapter 98
Shortly after the incident with the Righteous Sect, the martial arts competition resumed as scheduled.
However, the Demon Cult no longer participated in the martial arts competition.
There was no one good-natured enough to meekly participate after having their qualifications revoked once and then restored in a state of hurt pride.
What the Demon Cult wanted was not participation in the martial arts competition, but to restore their qualifications and maintain their pride.
Once they obtained that, there was no need to drag things out.
However, they had agreed to stay in Luoyang as they were supposed to attend the final closing ceremony of the martial arts competition together.
Because of that, the Demon Cult members who came here were given some free time in their schedule and allowed to rest as they pleased.
“Kyaha!”
As always, it was a leisurely day playing with Harang clinging to my arms and letting him bite my finger.
Hyuk Dojin had also left saying he had somewhere to go for a while, so only about ten people remained at the Jinhua Pavilion to keep watch.
When I was having snacks and chatting with Joo Hwarin while holding Harang in my arms on the first floor, the tightly closed door of the Jinhua Pavilion opened and a group of people entered.
The guard keeping watch at the door turned his body to block the people coming in.
Before the Demon Cult completely purchased the Jinhua Pavilion to use in Luoyang, it was said that many people used to come for meals or lodging.
Thinking it was more of those people, I was ignoring them and playing around, but the guard’s voice didn’t stop.
Wondering what was going on, I raised my head to look towards the door. Six people were explaining something in front of the guard, and the person in the middle looked familiar.
Who was it? A small face with distinct features. She was quite a beauty.
I blinked my eyes and suddenly remembered someone, letting out a low exclamation.
It was the woman who had been sticking close to Moyong Do on the day of the martial arts match recently.
I handed Harang to Joo Hwarin and stood up from my seat.
“Even if it’s one of the Five Great Clans…”
“It’s alright.”
I approached the guard making a troubled expression and restrained him, then looked at the woman.
Seeing her up close, her beauty was even more striking. She looked at me with wide eyes as if surprised that I had come forward, then composed herself.
“I apologize for the sudden visit and causing trouble. I am Peng Muryeong of the Hebei Peng clan.”
“Are you the younger sister of Heroine Peng Lingnyeong?”
“You know my older sister?”
“How could I not? She’s a famous hero in the Righteous Sect. Please come inside.”
While I was guiding them to the guest room, Joo Hwarin quietly moved while reading the situation.
I offered Peng Muryeong a seat after settling in the guest room.
She bowed her head slightly and sat down, then told the five people who had come with her to wait behind.
Meanwhile, Joo Hwarin came in and served fragrant tea.
“Please have some. We didn’t know who would be visiting since there was no notice, so the hospitality may not be adequate.”
“It’s my fault for coming suddenly. Ah, please accept this.”
“What is this?”
I examined the red box she handed over.
Peng Muryeong smiled quietly.
“It’s partly because I came suddenly, and also a token of apology to the Young Madam.”
When I opened the lid, there were six roots inside.
“These are roots of thousand-year-old ginseng gathered from Mount Soo-oh.”
“Such a precious gift… Is it alright for me to accept this?”
I asked solemnly while closing the lid.
Peng Muryeong smiled gently and nodded as if to say it was fine. Her expression was harmless, as if saying not to worry as there was no ulterior motive.
But I couldn’t simply believe that. It wasn’t just anything, but precious thousand-year-old ginseng.
Giving six roots of that must have a meaning beyond simply wanting to become close.
I smiled while examining Peng Muryeong’s intentions. From what I had heard, Peng Muryeong felt an inferiority complex towards her older sister Peng Lingnyeong.
That was understandable, as Peng Lingnyeong was a supreme master who had mastered the family martial art Five Tiger Breaking Gate Saber to near perfection, uniquely as a woman in the Hebei Peng clan known for its strong physiques.
There was an age difference of nearly twenty years between Peng Muryeong and her, so comparisons between the two were rare, but even small comparisons were known to upset Peng Muryeong’s mood.
However, Peng Muryeong was also quite outstanding, a genius among geniuses who had mastered the Heaven and Earth Revolving White Saber to perfection.
Moreover, with her beautiful appearance added, it was only natural that she was counted as one of the Four Flowers with a great clan behind her.
What could be the reason Peng Muryeong, who had nothing to be lacking, came to see me?
After pondering for a moment, I opened my mouth to try to probe a little.
“Do you perhaps have some request for me?”
“No. How could I make a request of the Young Madam? I’m just here to apologize and build a friendship.”
It’s too subservient. I was the Young Madam of the Demon Cult, not a Young Madam of the Righteous Sect.
There was no need for her to be so subservient in front of me.
“Is that so? Thank you.”
I smiled gently and deliberately cut off the conversation.
Silence fell.
Peng Muryeong carefully rolled her eyes to examine my reaction amidst the awkwardness brought by the disconnected conversation.
I quietly tilted my teacup while waiting for Peng Muryeong to say something.
“Um…”
Not much time passed before Peng Muryeong finally opened her mouth first.
I put down my cup and raised my head. Peng Muryeong was making a slightly embarrassed expression.
“The incident last time was really regrettable. It seems we ended up antagonizing each other due to misunderstandings arising between us, so I feel bad about it.”
“I don’t think it was a misunderstanding. There’s too much for it to be called a misunderstanding.”
At my words, Peng Muryeong nodded her head hurriedly with an embarrassed face.
“Y-yes. It certainly wasn’t something that could be dismissed as just a misunderstanding. How should I put it…”
Her mouth rambled on, losing direction and bumping here and there without focus on the subject.
What on earth does she want to say? She must have something she wants, but her constantly beating around the bush was frustrating.
Is it an aftereffect of being sick? I didn’t particularly like people beating around the bush.
If it hurts, say it hurts; if treatment is impossible, say it’s impossible – I preferred drawing a clear line. That way you don’t have false hopes.
Therefore, Peng Muryeong’s current appearance was not welcome.
“…So my senior brother also…”
“Haa.”
I let out a long sigh, cutting off her words.
Peng Muryeong’s shoulders flinched. I put the cup in my hand on the table and stared intently at Peng Muryeong.
Her eyes turned towards me as if anxious.
I tapped my hand rhythmically with my finger for a moment, then leaned back in my chair and spoke quietly.
“Please get to the point. What do you want? You came all the way here because you want something from me or the Demon Cult, right?”
“…”
At my direct words, Peng Muryeong bit her lip inwards and chewed on it while pondering.
When will words come out of that mouth?
After waiting for some time, her mouth slowly opened.
“…I need help.”
Didn’t she say earlier she didn’t need help? I laughed inwardly and spoke calmly.
“What kind of help?”
“Do you know Cha Yeonhwa?”
Peng Muryeong answered quickly to my question. Cha Yeonhwa, Cha Yeonhwa…
“Are you talking about Mount Hua’s First Beauty? Mount Hua’s cherished First Beauty, the only phoenix?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“I know of her. She’s very famous. But why her?”
“…Then do you also know that Hero Moyong Do is in love with Cha Yeonhwa?”
The words that flowed from her mouth were quite shocking.
I was wondering why Cha Yeonhwa was being mentioned, and now my brother Moyong Do’s name was brought up, and it didn’t end there.
As I looked at her with a hardened face, Peng Muryeong quickly opened her mouth as if she had expected this.
“Cha Yeonhwa is Mount Hua’s First Beauty. Mount Hua is a Daoist sect, and if you’re chosen as a Plum Blossom Sword Master, it becomes extremely difficult to have a wedding. Of course, it’s possible if they take in a son-in-law, but it has to be someone who’s not a martial artist, or even if they are a martial artist, they can’t be a master from a famous clan or sect. But Hero Moyong Do is a master counted as the next clan leader of the Moyong clan who is learning the Complete Nature Transference. So…”
“Wait, wait a moment.”
I quickly stopped Peng Muryeong’s words that were pouring out like a machine gun.
Peng Muryeong closed her mouth that had been opening repeatedly and looked at my outstretched palm, then tilted her head.
Her eyes were filled with puzzlement as if asking why. I quietly looked at her face, organized my thoughts, then opened my mouth again.
“So, my brother is in love with Mount Hua’s First Beauty, but their relationship can’t work out, is that it?”
“I didn’t say everything, but that’s right.”
“…And so?”
“What do you mean ‘and so’?”
I stared intently at Peng Muryeong who countered my question with a question.
Peng Muryeong had a look of not understanding me.
“Why are you telling me that my brother is in love with Mount Hua’s First Beauty and that the two of them can’t be together? Is that a problem?”
“What?”
“It’s like this. According to what Miss Peng Muryeong said, the two of them can’t be together. No matter how much my brother loves and desires her, he won’t try to enter Mount Hua while turning his back on his clan. And Mount Hua wouldn’t want to be at odds with the Moyong clan either. So naturally, the two of them won’t be together. But is that a problem?”
“That’s…”
I sensed something strange in Peng Muryeong’s hesitant appearance.
As I stared blankly at her words and actions, I formed one hypothesis. My eyes narrowed.
‘…It’s the opposite?’
If I thought that way, everything roughly fit together.
“The Moyong clan isn’t a Daoist family, so there’s no problem with marriage even if she’s a Plum Blossom Sword Master of Mount Hua. No, rather, if the renowned Mount Hua’s First Beauty becomes the mistress of Moyong, the Moyong clan would welcome it with open arms.”
Peng Muryeong’s face twisted.
At her reaction, my hypothesis changed to certainty.
I relaxed my body slightly and sat diagonally, leaning on the armrest while looking at her and letting my voice flow mixed with a small breath.
“Miss Peng Muryeong.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t particularly like people who lie. I dislike people who beat around the bush even more.”
“…”
“Speak honestly. What you said, isn’t it the opposite? Miss Cha Yeonhwa is in love with my brother, and if Miss Cha Yeonhwa gives up being a Plum Blossom Sword Master, there’s no problem with their marriage… Isn’t that it?”
Her mouth opened and closed, then bit down hard.
This is the crux of it. I slowly raised the corners of my mouth and spoke quietly.
“And, you who are displeased with the relationship between those two are in love with my brother… That’s it, right?”
“…”
Peng Muryeong’s mouth was completely stuck shut in a straight line.
I was certain from that appearance, and that certainty was accompanied by a sigh.
‘This person and that person.’
Just a few weeks ago, there was a commotion because Jeok Biwol of the Golden Blood Sand Sect was coveting my brother, and now Peng Muryeong appears before me and declares she’s in love with my brother.
Is this the sorrow of a younger sister with a popular older brother?
Even if she won’t go confess to Moyong Do, why is she coming to me like this?
I reached for the teacup and lifted it slightly. The cup was already empty of tea.
I clicked my tongue and removed my hand from the cup, then looked at Peng Muryeong who was still keeping silent.
Unlike Jeok Biwol, Peng Muryeong was the granddaughter of Peng Yecheol, the master of the Hebei Peng clan. She was also of the direct line. When the time comes, she would probably learn the family martial art Five Tiger Breaking Gate Saber. Moreover, the Hebei Peng clan was at the peak of sects with outstanding physique as their strength.
A child born between Peng Muryeong and Moyong Do would probably have all those advantages. They wouldn’t be weak like me.
Thinking that way, Peng Muryeong wasn’t bad. At least better than Jeok Biwol.
But if Cha Yeonhwa was in love with Moyong Do as Peng Muryeong said…
To be honest, Cha Yeonhwa was better than Peng Muryeong. In terms of skills and reputation in the world.
Moreover, it’s true that Mount Hua, the master of one of the Five Mountains, is better than the closed-off Hebei Peng clan.
When my thoughts reached that point, I could understand why Peng Muryeong came to me to tell this story.
While I was organizing my thoughts, Peng Muryeong seemed to have organized her thoughts too as she faced me and opened her mouth as if resolved.
“I have a request.”
“Please speak.”
At most it would be asking me to put in a good word so she can get together with my brother.
I waited after preparing myself mentally.
Peng Muryeong faced me and opened her mouth with emphasis.
“Please tell me how you seduced the Young Cult Leader!”
“…?”
What did I just hear?
