Camellia 5
by LiliumHow much time had passed? When Seolyeong glanced down, expecting the child to be asleep, he found the boy wide awake, staring up at him. His pupils were black, almost no light reflected in them.
According to the old folks, eyes like that belonged to beasts. Human eyes were supposed to carry a hint of brown.
So Seolyeong became curious. Sometimes old beasts turned into spirit creatures and wore human skin. Could the boy in his arms be one of those?
Before he could even question him, the boy spoke.
“I guess you don’t know how to break the formation.”
The unexpected opening made Seolyeong raise a brow.
“I was curious why you were out there crying and yelling like that.”
The boy’s voice was strangely mature.
It didn’t sound old. But something about his tone felt off. Seolyeong was somewhat surprised and replied,
“I went inside and got thrown out. Those bastards tricked me and knocked me out of the formation. Kid, do you know who they are?”
“Describe them.”
“Mm. They were wearing black martial uniforms.”
“Everyone coming and going here wears those.”
“I think their belts were brown…”
The boy cut him off.
“Then they’re Yeoso’s men.”
“Who’s Yeoso?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
There were plenty of children in the Murong clan too. But the innocence usually seen in their eyes was nowhere to be found in this boy’s. Were all demonic sect kids like this?
Still nestled comfortably in Seolyeong’s arms, the boy asked,
“Hey, do you see the Imugi’s eye?”
Seolyeong turned his head in the direction the small hand pointed. On the jet-black Imugi statue, a green gem glowed faintly in the eye socket.
“You didn’t know? If you spill blood on it, you can get inside.”
“Oh?”
Whether it was true or not, he’d find out by trying.
Well, that entry method was certainly in character for the demonic sect. Seolyeong clicked his tongue and shifted the boy’s body so he was seated on his arm. His well-trained arm muscles served as a perfect seat for the child.
He stood up with an “Up we go,” and was about to bite his thumb when the boy hopped down lightly and approached the Imugi’s eye first.
“Also, one more thing I didn’t mention.”
His prepubescent voice rang out again.
“It only reacts to poisoned blood. Depending on how deep the contamination is, the formation will lead you to different places.”
There was a faint smell of leather. The boy’s clothes were made from multiple animal hides. The fishy stench of blood had been removed, but a musky animal odor still lingered. With his keen sense of smell, Seolyeong sniffed the air.
The boy bit his thumb and scattered droplets of blood. As soon as the dark red liquid touched the Imugi’s eye, the massive gate trembled with a deep rumble. A blizzard suddenly blew in. Seolyeong tried to steady himself, but in that moment, he slipped and fell somewhere again. Thud. He hit the ground hard and quickly lifted his face.
The boy was gone.
As he looked around, he couldn’t help but blurt out:
“This place is…!”
Seolyeong clenched his fist.
Where the hell was he now?
He’d expected to end up at the frozen lake again, but that was a miscalculation.
He found himself in a luxurious bedroom, far bigger and more extravagantly decorated than the one he used in Yonyeong. Through a large window framed in wooden beams, Yeonhu Mountain’s landscape stretched out like a painted scroll. He walked over and placed a hand on the window frame. Seolyeong let out a breath.
As a fellow martial artist, he had to admit it.
“The Madu has truly surpassed human limits…”
Yeonhu Mountain was one of the most famous wastelands in all of Sipman Daesan. It was massive, but nothing profitable grew there, and animals were scarce, making hunting difficult.
He had wondered why someone would choose this place over other mountains filled with wildlife and clean water. But now that he saw this view, he thought maybe he would’ve stayed here too, if it meant seeing this every day.
A snow-white gorge tinged with blue. A wide stream flowing through the center, probably melted snow redirected into an artificial river.
Still mesmerized by the view, Seolyeong only snapped out of it when he sensed someone approaching.
The one who came in was a young man with such a gentle, innocent face that he hardly looked like someone from the Cheonma Divine Sect.
But appearances were not to be trusted. The qi radiating from him was considerable.
“I apologize for the delay. I am Si Pungwoon, and from today, I will be attending to Sogyoju-nim1.”
The term he used caught Seolyeong completely off guard.
“…Sogyoju?”
“The Sect Leader finds it distasteful to refer to a man as ‘wife,’ and he has no intention of bestowing some affectionate nickname either. Therefore, the Supreme One has decided to address you as Sogyoju. He has also chosen, with great generosity, to overlook the fact that a man, filthy and shameless, burdened with such appendages, dared present himself as a bride. So you need not worry.
Also, do not misunderstand, being called ‘Sogyoju’ does not mean you are the heir to Sahyeol Amje. As always, the heir to the Cheonma Divine Sect will be chosen through formal competition, as tradition dictates.”
He was probably sent here to provoke. His manner was polite, but every word dripped with hostility.
“Then what exactly does it mean?”
Seolyeong asked.
The young man smiled crookedly.
“It means nothing. No meaning at all. Don’t expect anything, don’t want anything. Just accept that you were sold here and quietly focus on refining your bedroom techniques. A man’s hole won’t satisfy the Sect Leader properly without oil, so every day you should insert well-lubed fingers and…”
Just as his words became too harsh.
Clack! The wooden lattice door slid open, and a man with the exact same face entered. The difference was, the one who had introduced himself as Si Pungwoon had his short hair down, while this one had his long hair tied neatly in a single knot.
The new man entered with a polite martial salute.
“I am Si Pungjae. Under the Sect Leader’s orders, I’m here to assist Sogyoju-nim in adjusting to Yurigung.”
Now that he thought about it, Si Pungwoon hadn’t offered a martial greeting at all. Si Pungwoon dropped his smirk and clicked his tongue.
Si Pungjae gave him a cold glance, then turned back to Seolyeong and said,
“I know it’s shameless, but could you forgive my twin brother for his rudeness? He lacks basic decency… Every time someone new visits Yurigung, he can’t help but get overly aggressive.”
The man spoke with such poise and respect that Seolyeong naturally felt inclined to let it slide. He didn’t want to make enemies on his first day here anyway. He’d come to be the bride. He would have to live here now.
But Seolyeong didn’t get the chance to nod.
“I knew it. They say you’re the most beautiful in Jungwon, but look at you. Flowers by the roadside should be small and delicate to be pretty. You’re even bigger than I am. How can someone like you be the Sect Leader’s bride?”
Si Pungwoon’s interrupted with a sneer. He was clearly jealous.
Before Si Pungjae could step in, Seolyeong answered.
“…You’re not wrong. Compared to Bonjwa’s2 pretty face, my body is absurdly large. I wasn’t always this burly, but I never slacked on training, and I guess I bulked up over time.”
In the Murong clan, people usually fled when Seolyeong started referring to himself as “bonjwa.” It was a sign he was about to rant and become completely self-absorbed.
“But you… maybe you didn’t train enough, because your build looks about as big as a raccoon’s butt. Bonjwa would like to train you into a real martial artist.”
The blood fiend’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
There was no need to draw a weapon. Seolyeong could handle Si Pungwoon barehanded and even throw Si Pungjae across the room as he tried to interfere.
Crash! Si Pungjae flew backward and rolled across the floor with the shattered door.
Si Pungwoon was lifted off the ground with his face gripped in one massive hand.
“Ugh… gah!”
In an instant, Seolyeong sealed the boy’s acupoints to keep him from moving. Face twisted like it was about to split in two, Si Pungwoon flailed like a bug in a spiderweb.
As Si Pungjae scrambled to his feet and rushed back in, Seolyeong warned him.
“I could send your brother to the afterlife right now.”
“……”
“But I won’t. Because I’m generous, kind, and wise. A man of great virtue, you could say. So if he apologizes sincerely right now, I’ll let him leave this room in one piece.”
Seolyeong threw the gasping Si Pungwoon to the floor. He dropped to one knee and met the boy’s eyes.
“If you refuse, then you’ll have to fight the world’s most beautiful person. Not of Jungwon, no, the most beautiful under heaven, for three seconds. Remember it well. Bonjwa is not the prettiest in Jungwon.”
His eyes narrowed as he smiled with full confidence.
“I am the most beautiful under heaven.”
Regardless of beauty, it was a wicked smile, one that looked more like the Madu than the Madu himself.
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