Soun asked.
Her voice was calm, but the anger contained within it could not be hidden.
“Our children... where are they?”
“Mind your manners, Junior Sister Soun. Our statuses are equal, after all.”
Yeongcheon was a disciple of the Sword Sovereign. Accordingly, his seniority matched Soun's.
Soun ground her teeth and continued.
“...You've truly fallen far. I'm not in the mood for jokes right now, so you'd best speak quickly.”
“A nun of the Emei Sect resorting to threats. Well... that's how people are. They act all noble on the outside, but the moment things get inconvenient, their true colors show.”
“You bastard! Right now—”
At that moment, Yeongcheon cut Soun off.
“One more time you provoke me, and I'll end this conversation. Find your disciples on your own. Of course, in their current state, they can't do a thing... They'll be beast food within three days.”
He flashed a smile.
“...This is how you make a threat.”
Anger flickered in Soun's eyes, but she couldn't move an inch under Yeongcheon's threat.
There was no wavering in Yeongcheon's gaze. Everyone instinctively knew his words were no bluff.
Only Cheongwol had to suppress the slowly rising fury within her.
His arrogant attitude toward Soun grated on her.
Yeongcheon put on a playful air.
“Did you think I went to all this trouble just to get scolded by you, Junior Sister Soun? I have my own reasons for this, but instead of listening, you're just giving orders... How hurtful.”
Onbin, standing beside her, stepped forward and quietly asked.
“...What do you want?”
Only then did Yeongcheon's gaze slowly shift.
It landed on Cheongwol.
“...I wish to speak with the Thousand-Year Flower.”
Cheongwol frowned.
A conversation?
His proposal only soured her mood further.
Cheongwol asked.
“You caused all this just to talk with me?”
Yeongcheon let out a mocking laugh.
“Watch your tone, junior. I'm the same seniority as your master.”
Cheongwol snorted in response.
She quietly drew her sword.
“Wol-ah...!”
Soun gasped in horror, but Cheongwol paid it no mind.
In moments like this, when she had to live as a martial artist, the old personality she'd suppressed deep inside reared its head.
She hated having to hold back these days.
All just for a mere conversation? Was that why she'd suffered these past few days?
All just for that reason she'd had to rush here from the Holy City without lingering even a bit longer?
Yeongcheon's threats didn't work on Cheongwol anyway.
...Her senior brothers and sisters? Honestly, she didn't care what happened to them.
She might feel a twinge of regret. But that would be it.
It might even be more comfortable if they vanished from the sect.
“Stop...!!”
But then, Soun grabbed her and brought her back to her senses.
“If we fight now, I can't guarantee your senior brothers' and sisters' lives. There's no reason to spill blood!”
Yeongcheon shrugged.
“I don't want to spill blood right now either, junior. Just one conversation, and I'll withdraw. I'll even tell you where your seniors are.”
Cheongwol glanced to the side.
Her master and the senior disciples were watching her.
No matter what, the pressure from these elders of higher seniority was hard to bear.
She worked her mouth and spoke.
“...In the end, I have to be the one to talk, don't I?”
“...”
Once again, the burden fell on her.
With so many senior disciples around, why did all the unfairness pour onto her?
Couldn't she just break this Yeongcheon?
He'd already declared war—why did she have to hold back?
Didn't they know the fight had already begun?
What if he pretended to talk, then tried to kill her once she let her guard down?
What if this whole thing was a trap aimed at her?
Why did she have to walk into the enemy's lair of her own accord?
...She hated them. She hated the senior disciples.
She hated her master.
Once again, they were making her the bad one.
Making her the bad girl—
“—You're a bad child.”
—Flinch!
Cheongwol shuddered at the sudden sound of Han Seojin's voice.
“...Wol-ah?”
Soun expressed concern at Cheongwol's strange trembling.
Cheongwol stood rigid for a long moment, then quietly sheathed her sword.
“It'll just be a conversation.”
She looked at Yeongcheon and asked.
“Nothing more than that.”
Yeongcheon raised both hands and said.
.
.
.
Not too far from her masters, nor too close, Cheongwol followed Yeongcheon to a spot.
She kept a fixed distance between them as they walked.
It was a distance prepared for any sudden attack.
A conversation could happen from far away anyway.
“Cheongwol, you too are—”
—Swish!
Yeongcheon looked at the small stone that grazed his ear.
Blood faintly seeped from his ear.
“Don't call me by my name so casually.”
Yeongcheon shrugged.
“Our junior is prickly. But I understand.”
“What did you want to talk about?”
“...Junior, can you endure it?”
“...?”
“Life in the sect. Can you endure it? That's what I asked.”
Those dagger-like words shook Cheongwol.
Endure it?
...She couldn't. Wasn't this the proof right now?
Heavy expectations from the Sect Leader and her master.
Hatred from her senior brothers and sisters.
...Nothing was endurable.
Yeongcheon shook his head.
“I couldn't endure it. We were all the sect's promising later-generation disciples, so our situations must have been similar.”
“...”
“No long talk. I'm gathering people to shake this Central Plains. I've already got quite a few.”
“What?”
“Join us. I'm recruiting people to help with revenge. Help me with mine first, and I'll help with yours.”
“What... are you talking about?”
Bloodshot veins suddenly appeared in Yeongcheon's eyes.
Unconsciously, Cheongwol's hand went to her sword.
With a murderous expression, Yeongcheon smiled. He spoke.
“...I'll kill them all, junior. The master who forced a heavy burden on me, the senior brothers who tormented me endlessly, the fellow disciples who pretended not to see. I'll crush them all—that's what I'm saying.”
“...”
“Why should strong ones like us bow to the weak? Let's crush them all. Put the world beneath us. Wouldn't that feel good?”
Cheongwol steadied her heart and spat coldly.
“...You've gone mad. I heard you'd been possessed by a heart demon—”
“—And you're any different?”
Yeongcheon's retort shut Cheongwol's mouth.
“Wasn't it you who massacred those bandits on Emei Mountain?”
“...”
“Was the Emei Sect that perfect? Could you really get along well with your senior brothers and sisters?”
“...”
“Of course not. People are ugly by nature, junior. I saw your senior sister. Plainer than you in looks, inferior in skill, foul-mouthed. You think such an ugly creature didn't envy you?”
Memories of countless conflicts with Senior Disciple Hye-yul flashed by.
Unwittingly, Cheongwol felt her heart demon creeping up.
Yeongcheon extended his hand.
“Come with me, junior. Discard useless loyalty and leave the sect. The sect abandoned us. Shouldn't we do the same?”
“What do you even know about me?”
“Those whose talents shine all meet the same end.”
“...”
“Leave with me now, and you can have your revenge too. Your senior brothers and sisters will meet their deaths here on Mount Qingcheng. It'll be a perfect new beginning with us.”
Hye-yul and Baekhui's deaths.
...It would be a lie to say she hadn't imagined it.
In dreams, in fantasies.
...When her heart demon deepened, she'd fantasized killing them countless times.
The violent nature within her kept bringing it up.
Was this where she made her choice?
Would that fantasy really become reality?
Could she escape this suffocating Emei Sect?
No more torment from the Sect Leader and her master?
No more time with her senior brothers and sisters?
Her heart demon writhed slowly.
She could feel that tickling sensation.
Surrendering to it was always easy... but pulling back was hard.
She knew this moment was crucial.
If she gave in here... things might get much easier.
‘...Was our Wol such a bad child?’
Cheongwol startled again.
That voice rang too clearly in her.
Cheongwol squeezed her eyes shut.
That voice barely stopped her on the edge.
Cheongwol shook her head.
Yeongcheon looked genuinely surprised.
But as if in no rush, he said.
“Fine. Remember this—my offer stands anytime. I'll keep drawing blood paths across the Central Plains for easy access, so come whenever you change your mind.”
He turned away.
“...The location of my senior brothers and sisters.”
Cheongwol called him back.
“Ah, right. My bad. Head south from here, and you'll hit a valley. I've got them there, acupoints sealed and laid out. Hurry—they're probably still thrashing like live fish trying to breathe.”
No matter how much she disliked her seniors, treating people like that was an insult to the Emei Sect.
Cheongwol promised him.
“Next time we meet... I'll definitely kill you.”
Yeongcheon let out a hollow laugh.
“...You're beyond being called a nun already. We'll meet again soon, junior.”
Soon, he departed into the distance.
.
.
.
“—Cough! Cough!!”
From afar, Cheongwol watched her senior brothers and sisters vomiting valley water and shedding tears.
The other senior disciples comforted Hye-yul and Baekhui.
Cheongwol felt faint relief that they were alive, yet her heart weighed heavy all the same.
It would have been a bit easier if they'd died.
“...”
Cheongwol squeezed her eyes shut again and steadied her mind.
Having such thoughts showed how twisted she was becoming.
Her heart demon still lingered deep, unresolved.
Sorry, but it seemed she'd have to rely on Han Seojin for a good while longer.
“...What did you talk about?”
“...Nothing important.”
To Soun, who quietly asked beside her, Cheongwol whispered back weakly.
These were grueling days.
Now, she just wanted to go back and rest.
The one silver lining in this mess...
...By the time they returned to the Emei Sect, over ten days would have passed since parting with Han Seojin.
It would be fine to approach him again.
“...”
At that thought, Cheongwol unwittingly smiled faintly.
What would he say if she told him about today?
Wouldn't he praise her for not giving in to malice?
No. She dreaded even telling Han Seojin about the conflict itself.
Word of facing Yeongcheon would spread, but she'd keep the conversation secret.
“Haa.”
Thinking of Han Seojin cleared her mind even more.
“Master.”
“Yes?”
“...Let's go back now.”
“...Yes. Let's.”
Just seeing his face would ease her heart.
No need for outings—even a simple chat would be fun.
Absurd as it was, could she wear a veil and stroll the Emei village?
...If she could hold his hand like before, she would.
...If not, maybe even a collar...
“...Fuu.”
Whatever, it was time to head back first.
“Wol-ah, your expression's brightened.”
“Hm? Ah... I'm just glad my senior brothers and sisters are safe.”
Cheongwol suppressed her smile and replied.
Then, she rose from her spot.
.
.
.
“...What?”
Cheongwol couldn't believe what she heard.
Before her, two beggars lay sprawled as leisurely as ever today.
“Seojin hasn't come back yet... Hep!”
“Hup!”
The two beggars immediately averted their eyes at Cheongwol's expression.
But Cheongwol herself didn't know what face she was making right now.
Forcing a smile, she whispered.
“...Shopkeeper, this is amusing.”