Dang Soran slowly withdrew her fingertips.
Sweat trickling down Han Seojin's nape moistened his skin along with a faint heat.
"Is it... over?"
His voice was dazed, drained of strength.
But Dang Soran couldn't answer easily.
She bit her lip carefully, suppressing the lingering traces of damp pleasure still inside her.
If she spoke now, the emotions seeping into her voice would surely give her away.
Instead, Dang Soran checked the energy emanating from him.
"..."
Faint, but unmistakable.
The energy of the Tang Clan of Sichuan that she had imprinted was trying to take root along this man's meridians.
A chilling thrill swept over Dang Soran.
She had given in to desire and acted on her whims.
Implanting a sect's energy into another's body without permission was one of the taboos.
Transmitting the Tang Clan's internal energy cultivation method was the same.
All those restrictions, and Dang Soran had cast them aside solely by her will to leave a mark on Han Seojin.
"...Young Master, I asked if it's over."
"..."
Han Seojin's ignorance only heightened her sense of depravity.
This man had no idea what had just happened inside his body.
Every time the thought struck her that she had done something she shouldn't have, she could barely hold herself together.
"...Yes. It's done."
Dang Soran answered with difficulty, calming her pounding heart.
Han Seojin wiped his sweat with a sigh.
"My body feels heavier than I expected. Like I've been running."
"..."
But Dang Soran focused only on the energy she sensed from his body.
No matter how many times she checked, it was certain.
The Tang Clan's energy remained in his body.
An irreversible trace.
...What if Han Seojin found out about this later? Would he get angry?
Would he scold her again? Would it lead to another round of play?
A little scary, a little exciting.
And in this situation, that feeling was rather pleasant.
After all, it created a pretext to meet him again next time.
However, if left like this, her energy would soon fade.
Even if the trace remained, without the cultivation method, the internal energy would dissipate quickly, so precautions were needed.
Han Seojin tilted his head and asked anyway.
"Young Lady, but... I feel some kind of energy here too..."
Dang Soran hurriedly spoke to Han Seojin, who was touching his dantian with a puzzled expression.
"I-it's your imagination! I just slightly opened your meridians—what kind of great energy did you expect...? Young Master, you're too arrogant."
"Hmm, really?"
"If I had to compare it, your dantian is like a newborn. You'll have to fill it yourself... But since you're completely clueless, Young Master, I'll give you a rough idea of how. I do want to teach you in detail, but transmitting the Tang Clan's internal energy method is taboo, so you know I can't."
"I have no desire to learn it. I just want to feel internal energy, not become a member of the Tang Clan. Haven't I told you that several times?"
...You're already as good as one.
Dang Soran continued to deceive Han Seojin while feeling a ticklish sensation.
The flow is the mind, and the mind is the energy.
Depending on whose teachings one follows to cultivate what energy, one's internal arts inevitably resemble those teachings.
However, what was currently positioned in Han Seojin's dantian... was Dang Soran's personal energy.
And the cultivation method she would soon teach him... was also based on Dang Soran's mindset and philosophy.
Her energy would be overlaid with her mental image.
"You must accumulate internal energy exactly as I tell you. It's dangerous otherwise, so be careful?"
"Yes? Dangerous how—"
"—In the beginning, yes. So my recommendation is to keep accumulating it my way until it stabilizes. Got it?"
"Understood."
"Then, when gathering energy, think of the responsibility and influence that comes with that power..."
Assuming things went according to plan, the energy growing in Han Seojin's body would undoubtedly resemble hers very closely.
Han Seojin nodded along, listening intently to Dang Soran.
He would think he was cultivating internal energy by his own standards... but in reality, he would be developing it based on Dang Soran's philosophy.
That fact was sweeter to Dang Soran than anything.
****
"We'll part ways tomorrow."
From here, north leads to the capital. West to Emei.
We had reached the fork where we'd go our separate ways.
Honestly, I felt relieved.
Unlikely as it was, I'd been on edge the whole journey about running into Cheongwol.
Still, good.
I've gotten stronger.
Before, I'd avoided weapons because carrying one felt awkward, but now, dropped into the evil sects' territory and facing beast after beast, I had to change.
Of course, all I've learned is acupoint strikes, and my internal energy is still weak... but it was better than nothing.
A pocket knife wouldn't save my life against a tiger, but it still felt reassuring.
I need to build this internal energy solidly.
If I'm lucky, I might reach third-rate warrior level right before I die.
Having experienced it myself, I realized even more clearly... that Cheongwol and Dang Soran were insane monsters.
Cheongwol, younger than me, already a first-rate warrior.
With her natural talent and dedicated effort, a monster like that was bound to emerge.
...And that's why it hit me how chilling it was to be marked by such a monster.
It's fine.
Tomorrow, I'll part with Dang Soran too.
I have nothing to feel guilty about. I can just deny it.
Out of habit, I tapped the hairpin I carried in my bosom.
The gift for Cheongwol—my final safeguard—felt reassuringly solid.
Across the fire, Dang Soran was watching me intently.
Maybe because tomorrow was the end, our time together felt like a beautiful conclusion.
I didn't want to get involved with her in the end... but since we were involved, even I had grown fond of her over the past month.
Like asking a friend, I said,
"Why are you spacing out like that?"
"...Oh, no reason."
"Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I made some good memories. Keep at it, Young Lady. I wasn't just saying it—you'll become someone great someday."
Dang Soran blinked, then whispered,
"...Do you say that to everyone?"
"Huh?"
"Do you say that to Cheongwol too?"
"...No."
Cheongwol will become great, sure. But I don't feel like praising her...
Maybe because she knew tomorrow was the last day?
She'd seemed excited while opening my meridians, but now she was quiet.
It even felt like she was disappointed.
I didn't want to say anything.
If I hadn't known Dang Soran was a key figure I shouldn't touch, I might have felt a bit regretful today.
"...Young Master, can I ask you one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"...Do you like the Moon?"
"..."
I was so flabbergasted I couldn't speak.
I couldn't fathom why she was asking.
...Me? That crazy bitch?
I'd been trembling in fear of running into her again today, so how did Dang Soran arrive at that conclusion?
"...What?"
"No... You always watch out for the Moon's mood. You keep your promises to the letter, buy her gifts before leaving... Honestly, I've never seen anyone so attentive to a nun. Like you're afraid she'll hate you."
"..."
...Yeah, what would you know.
That nun would become the most fearsome being in the Central Plains.
In a surge of frustration and injustice, I gave Dang Soran some advice too.
Maybe because of the bond we'd built.
"You should watch Cheongwol Young Lady's mood more. Stop trying to tease her all the time."
"Why? What can a nun do to me? And you keep forgetting—I'm the older sister?"
Right. You're older.
But that nun will kill you. You and your whole clan...
"...Sigh."
But seeing her like this, no matter how much I advised, those two would probably fight like cats and dogs every time.
So instead of wasting effort on something pointless, I shut my mouth.
"Young Master. I saw it."
"Saw what."
"The Moon's gift. It was a hairpin, right?"
"..."
"But... do you know what it means to give a hairpin as a gift?"
"...Huh?"
I hadn't thought about it, but realization dawned late.
...Isn't this what you give when proposing?
Dang Soran whispered pityingly.
"You just realized?"
"..."
"Why do you think I asked if you liked her..."
"...Even if she receives it, as a nun, she won't think too deeply about it."
"Maybe, but when giving gifts, consider the meaning. Women nitpick that stuff on purpose?"
Dang Soran extended her hand.
"...? What."
"Lend me the hairpin for a sec."
"...No thanks."
"I'll give it back. What, you think I'll steal it? If I need one, I can buy it. And my hair isn't long enough to wear one anyway?"
"Tell me why first..."
"I'm wrapping it for you! You're so thoughtless! Just handing over a bare hairpin—Moon'll love that! Don't you know the fun of unwrapping a gift?"
Is that a thing? Hesitantly, I pulled the hairpin from my bosom.
Dang Soran snatched it roughly.
Soon, she took out a handkerchief of appropriate size from her bosom.
After fiddling with the hairpin and handkerchief, Dang Soran rolled the hairpin tightly and handed it back to me.
"Here. Now put it in your bosom so you don't lose it."
I took the hairpin and tucked it away as she said.
It seemed like her own way of saying goodbye.
"...It was fun while it lasted, Young Master."
Dang Soran said.
"Cultivate your internal energy diligently. At least until it takes root."
"Got it. Thank you again."
"...Yeah."
Dang Soran slowly lay down on the ground and nodded.
"Good night."
Unlike when we first met, she had fully adapted to the ground.
****
Cheongwol slowly opened her eyes.
A cold dawn breeze brushed over her.
Kneeling with her sword in her arms, Cheongwol had leaned against a tree and slept through the night.
She hadn't lit a fire yesterday, nor eaten anything.
She hadn't felt the need, nor the will.
Day 40.
That vast number filled Cheongwol with a sour emptiness.
Day 40 since parting with Han Seojin.
As she emerged from her short sleep, the pain in her chest returned.
...No, right?
Upon waking, Cheongwol asked herself a question that wouldn't get an answer.
...No. You're not abandoning me again to be with Dang Soran, are you?
You, who even watched me... do that.
You're not leaving someone like me behind.
Her emotions swung wildly.
Extreme highs and lows she couldn't even understand herself.
One day calm and quiet.
The next, furious to the point of madness, suffocatingly frustrated to the point of tears.
It wasn't just from not seeing him.
The mere assumption that Dang Soran and Han Seojin were together—that discrimination was incomprehensible.
She could only be with him every 10 days, and never more than two shichen at most.
But with Dang Soran, maybe they'd been together for 40 whole days?
...You knew me first.
We share the same hometown.
Dang Soran is the outsider.
She's the one disrupting us.
"..."
Cheongwol squeezed her eyes shut, forcibly pushing away those negative thoughts.
Otherwise, it was unbearable.
"Hoo."
It was true that Han Seojin had helped her control her heart demon.
Her life at the sect had become several times more bearable than before.
However, the side effect was clear.
When Han Seojin was gone, the heart demon came back several times stronger than before.
When struggling with that heart demon, if she encountered evil sect scum, she couldn't show mercy.
She couldn't find any reason to.
Cheongwol was wandering not far from Mount Emei.
That made sense—she had briefly returned to Emei at the 30-day mark.
Because she believed Han Seojin would keep his promise.
It was also true that she'd stormed out of Mount Emei at the possibility he might have vanished with Dang Soran.
But finding a mere leather shop owner in this vast Central Plains was nearly impossible.
When day 30 passed, she'd given up and returned to Mount Emei...
...What she faced was still the coldly shuttered leather shop.
And news that Dang Soran hadn't been found either.
"...Hoo..."
It couldn't be.
Just imagining those two indulging in that sticky play every day made explosive emotions surge from her chest, her hands trembling... but believing it wasn't so, Cheongwol steadied herself.
From the start, what good would Dang Soran get from tangling with such a pathetic man?
If need be, she should inform the Poison King.
That his precious daughter was fooling around with a strange man.
Tell him to keep her in check.
If asked to name one regret in Cheongwol's life, it was seeking out Han Seojin when the Tang Clan of Sichuan visited Mount Emei.
Had she not, she could have hidden his existence from Dang Soran forever.
That small mistake had ballooned into this agony for Cheongwol.
But once more, believing Dang Soran wasn't with Han Seojin, she endured.
She had mountains of questions to ask Han Seojin when they met.
Why didn't you keep the promised time?
Were you with Dang Soran all this time?
Did you run off with Dang Soran again?
Do you like Dang Soran? Time to wake up? What's so good about that girl that she'd even meet a shop owner?
...Why didn't you ask me to go with you?
Where are you? What are you doing?
Are you safe?
Are you okay?
Are you eating well?
"..."
Then, her expression darkened.
From her time on Mount Emei and with Han Seojin... one lesson she'd learned was that being good only led to suffering.
Sometimes, it took courage and resolve to do bad things for clear gains.
Cheongwol pulled something from her sleeve.
An item she'd found while wiping out various evil sects recently.
A bottle containing a transparent liquid.
The box it came in even had a leaf guarantee for the item.
Thousand-Mile Tracking Incense.
"..."
The moment it was used, she could precisely track him for a truly long time.
...But she didn't want to use it.
Absolutely not.
She still clung to the desire to stay connected to him through trust.
...However, if Han Seojin had deceived her.
If he'd been spending time with Dang Soran again.
"...Ha."
Cheongwol unwittingly let a faint smile slip.
...Cheongwol prayed they hadn't been together.
But if they had, she hoped undeniable proof would emerge.
That way, she could act as she wished without guilt.
What a pity, but she might have to sprinkle this incense on Han Seojin.