Camellia 30

Yuwon was left speechless. Maybe it was because, as her brother said, she too had seen him tear apart others’ lives more than just once.

Yujae muttered, “I’ve already killed more than tens of thousands in the martial world.”

“…”

“Think about it. The real reason you’re angry. It can’t just be because I ruined an innocent martial artist’s life.”

Sahyeol Amje was ruthless. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If someone stood in his way, no matter who they were, he would kill them in the most miserable way possible.

That was why Yuwon still regretted her decision to this day. She bitterly regretted the day she asked the Divine Healer if dhe had a wish and answered that she wanted to find the younger brother she had been separated from as a child.

‘Why did I have to look for you, Yujae…’

She should have left him as just someone she missed and felt sorry for. Even if she had longed to see him to the point of death, she should have left it for the next life. If she had, she wouldn’t have come to hate the brother who saved her.

The Divine Healer was someone who kept his promises to the letter. On Yuwon’s birthday, the pair, who had been holed up on a remote island perfecting their medical skills, came down to the world.

It had taken years just to track Yujae down. The deal was, if five years passed and they still couldn’t find him, Yuwon would accept that her brother had died.

She had promised to survive no matter what and see him again. But Jungwon had already forgotten the Tang clan. Sacheon belonged to the Peng clan now, and the vacant seat among the Five Noble Clans had been taken by the Habuk Peng clan.

Some memories had to be held tightly, while others needed to be let go. Some memories could drive you forward, while others needed to be cast off for your own freedom. Yuwon hadn’t dreamed of revenge for her clan, so even if she erased her past, her path in life wouldn’t have changed.

But human fate worked in strange ways.

It happened on the day the Divine Healer suggested they take a stroll to visit the ailing Mudang Sect leader. By coincidence, that was also the day Tang Yujae emerged from his secluded cave training in Mudang Mountain.

While Yuwon was gathering herbs in the forest, she tripped over a tree root and sprained her ankle. As she groaned, unable to walk, a man appeared and held out a hand with callused palms.

“It’s been a while, Ahwon.”

Had the gods answered her prayers?

Yuwon recognized him immediately. She couldn’t not recognize him. The moment she heard her childhood name, tears spilled over. It was Tang Yujae. Her younger brother, the one she had promised to meet again, alive.

He had grown, but his facial features hadn’t changed much. Most of all, the prayer bracelet on his wrist was one she had given him when they parted. They had promised it would help them recognize each other. Looking back, maybe they didn’t even need it.

The little boy who had run barefoot through the fire with his sister on his back had grown into a full adult. And now he had very little time left to live.

Yujae’s body was heavily poisoned.

Yuwon only realized this after introducing him to the Divine Healer. The moment her master delivered the death sentence:

“That child won’t live past this year.”

So she followed her brother to the Sipman Daesan. The Divine Healer, who was worried about Yujae’s condition, went with them. He wasn’t heartless enough to abandon a patient in front of him.

But when they reached Yeonhu Mountain, the two physicians were stunned.

Martial artists who had scattered after the fall of the Cheonma Divine Sect had gathered. Those who had once devastated the martial world now treated Yujae as the reincarnation of the Cheonma.

Sahyeol Amje, the foundation of the new demonic cult.

At that time, Yujae was already referred to as the Supreme One. He had long achieved the power of an absolute master. His training in the lightless caves of Mudang Mountain had been in preparation to perfect a poison technique that could crush both Mount Hua and the Namgung clan. Once those two were gone, the rest would naturally kneel.

Tang Yujae had become a vengeful killer, driven mad by revenge.

The Divine Healer, who refrained from interfering in worldly or martial affairs, didn’t leave the mountains no matter what Yujae planned. But when a four-year-old child from the Shin Changyang clan joined the sect, he told Yuwon it was time for them to go.

And that was when Yuwon confessed her feelings for Si Pungjae to her master.

His farewell words remained etched in her heart to this day,

“Ahwon, when that love of yours fades someday…”

His light gray eyes were so warm as he looked at her.

“You’ll come to resent yourself, realizing you gave up your future for the sake of one man. When that time comes, don’t hate yourself. Hate me instead. Hate this master who didn’t stop you or persuade you otherwise. That’s the last gift I can give you.”

***

Yuwon stopped herself mid-thought as she avoided Cheonsin’s gaze. Yujae grabbed her chin roughly, as if he couldn’t stand her turning away.

“Ugh…!”

“Think about it. Now.”

He locked his gaze with hers.

“Shall I say it for you?”

“Let go!”

“You can’t just stand by anymore, and it’s eating you up. Maybe before, you told yourself it was my fault, not yours. But now that you’ve saved him, you’ve become an accomplice. You feel guilty, and unless you yell at me, it won’t go away. Right?”

“I said let go, you bastard!”

“That bastard happens to be the lord of Yeonhu.”

Disgusted, Yuwon thrashed against him. Yujae let go without resistance. The moment she regained her balance, she slapped him across the face.

That was the second time.

She was probably the only person in the martial world who could slap Cheonsin twice and live.

Panting, she laughed dryly.

What was truly awful was that she couldn’t come up with any words to refute Yujae’s accusations.

Yuwon cursed herself. It wasn’t enough that she had abandoned her master for a one-sided love, she had now helped ruin another’s life. Even after being treated like this, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the mountain.

Staggering, she left Gwanju Hall. Si Pungjae, worried, followed after her with Cheonsin’s permission, but he couldn’t bring himself to reveal his presence.

Yuwon collapsed outside and cried. Snow swirled around her. Fine white flakes settled on her delicate shoulders. With no cloak or outer robe, she sat exposed to the blizzard, looking heartbreakingly pitiful.

Just as Si Pungjae approached silently to drape his coat over her, he saw something unbelievable.

“Put something on, you lunatic! Can’t you see the blizzard? You’ll catch your death out here, seriously!”

A man was charging ahead like a wild ox, while a woman chased after him, shouting for him to get dressed.

It was the mad bride and Hwang Choseon.

The mad bride wore nothing. Fortunately, he at least had on a pair of underclothes, but that was nowhere near enough for this freezing weather. At this rate, he really might freeze to death tonight. The crazed blood fiend continued to dash wildly.

His danjeon was ruined, so he couldn’t use gyeonggong, but a blood fiend was still a blood fiend. To think he could run that fast without martial arts. Si Pungjae was honestly impressed.

Yuwon, who had been sobbing, saw her patient running around half-naked and stopped crying altogether. She was too stunned to stay sad.

Panting, Seolyeong finally reached the entrance of Gwanju Hall. His hair was a total mess, and the only thing he was wearing was a thin pair of underclothes. There was no point in fixing his clothes, but he still fiddled with his waistband, then declared to Si Pungjae:

“I must see my husband.”

His voice was rough from the long period of unconsciousness. When Si Pungjae didn’t respond, Seol Yeong raised his voice.

“I know he’s inside, so stop hiding and come out to face me properly. I have questions about why you did such a terrible thing to me.”

“…Sogyoju-nim.”

Si Pungjae was stunned.

“You’re a martial artist too. You must know what I’ve been through!”

His tone was getting more aggressive.

“You’re not going to deliver my message? Bastard. Should I rip your throat out and make you a half-blood fiend? Want to crawl around begging for blood like a pitiful wretch?”