Chapter 151
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Sowing the Seeds (1)
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In this world, there are two kinds of connections: the favorable and the ill-fated.
A favorable connection is just as it sounds—a good one. In simple terms, it can be defined as a relationship where two people have a positive influence on each other.
In that sense, even if you don't particularly like someone, they can still be a favorable connection if they motivate you.
Then what is an ill-fated one?
‘This right here is an ill-fated connection.’
Sitting in the pavilion, Hong Yeorin thought to herself as she watched Seo Ryang approach from a distance.
‘A wretched connection, stained by the dregs of failure.’
And one that, for some reason, evoked a sense of regret.
“You’re here?”
There was no other greeting. Seo Ryang walked up into the pavilion and sat across from her as comfortably as if it were his own home.
Hong Yeorin was suddenly struck by a dazzling sight.
Dressed in a white martial arts uniform with a robe of the same color draped over it, Seo Ryang looked every bit the young nobleman.
He looked that way even with his untamed hair toying carelessly with his shoulders and back.
No, perhaps it was that very naturalness that gave him an even greater air of dignity.
It was strange how someone with such a large build could exude such nobility.
His trained physique was reminiscent of a great general commanding an army of a million, yet the aura he projected was one of lofty grace.
‘He’s changed.’
Seo Ryang had changed again.
After waking from his qi deviation, and when he came to the Red Snake House as an inspector.
And now, he was showing yet another different side of himself.
‘On the other hand, I…’
She had changed, too.
Unlike Seo Ryang, for the worse.
An unknown emotion surged within her. Hong Yeorin felt as if she might cry.
‘How did it come to this?’
Born the daughter of the Lord of the Red Snake House, she had lived a life of abundance.
Her martial arts were proficient enough to be called one of the rising stars of the demonic sects, and at her young age, she had even worked as an executive in the Garden of Joy.
One could say her life was on a smooth path. If she hadn't made any mistakes, she might have lived her entire life in peace, knowing no strife.
One mistake led to an ill-fated relationship with her brother, and another mistake led to one with the Cult Leader's disciple. After that, she lived hating even her own father.
‘…’
Hong Yeorin bit her lip.
She had finally realized it. Who had created those ill-fated connections, those mistakes.
It was she who, out of jealousy for her older brother being chosen as the Cult Leader’s disciple, had begun to slander him.
Her relationship with Seo Ryang had been somewhat successful, but after he fell into qi deviation, she came to despise him with a passion.
She never tried to clean up the mess, only busying herself with tearing him down. Worse, after he recovered from his deviation, her pointless pride only aggravated the situation.
It was the same with her house. Her father, the martial artists of her family—everyone worried about her, but it was she who found their concern unpleasant and distanced herself from them.
That’s right. In the end, all the responsibility lay with her. And even if it didn't, she should have reflected on her own actions.
If she had wanted a life without mistakes, if she had dreamed of a life of constant success, she should have.
“Are you crying?”
Startled, Hong Yeorin looked at Seo Ryang.
He was frowning.
“Someone just got here, and you suddenly burst into tears? What’s wrong with you?”
“What?”
Hong Yeorin touched her eyes. As Seo Ryang had said, they were wet.
Wiping them with her sleeve, Hong Yeorin straightened her back.
“It’s been a while.”
“A while? It’s only been half a month.”
“To me, it felt like a sufficiently long time.”
“I understand.”
After staring at Seo Ryang for a moment, she bowed her head.
“My greeting is late. Thank you for saving my house.”
Seo Ryang’s reaction was lukewarm at best.
“Save your house? Don’t make me laugh. I just punished the thieves who snatched my prey.”
“I know. But as a result…”
“Let me draw a clear line. I did not save your house. Understand?”
“…”
“And you are all still my prey. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t forget that.”
Hong Yeorin’s expression hardened.
“Those are not words I can easily dismiss.”
“And what are you going to do if you don’t dismiss them?”
“…”
“The Tang Clan has the antidote to the Immortal’s Ruin. I don’t know if you’re aware, but those Tang bastards are all a bunch of secretive, gloomy perverts. They won’t make an antidote for you.”
Seo Ryang’s eyes deepened.
“Therefore, your house is currently as good as annihilated. Most of your martial artists were poisoned by the Immortal’s Ruin and have lost their internal energy.”
Hong Yeorin bit her lip.
“You’re right.”
“In other words, your house currently has no means whatsoever to stop me.”
“That is also correct.”
“Good that you’re quick to admit it.”
“That’s why I came.”
“Hm?”
“That’s why I’m here. You were the one who cleared away the poisonous mist of the Immortal’s Ruin. I thought you might be able to restore the martial artists of my house to their original state.”
Seo Ryang smirked.
“So, you didn’t come because of the message I left, but because you want something?”
“That’s…”
“Get out.”
Hong Yeorin’s eyes wavered.
“What did you just say?”
“I said get lost. I have no desire to speak with you any further.”
“…”
“Are you not leaving?”
“…You’re as rude as ever.”
“Rude? What’s that? Can you eat it?”
“Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“There are plenty of reasons. For one, you’re still a pain in the ass. Your tone with the Third Young Master is insolent. And considering our past, it’s not like we’re on good terms, is it?”
“But you clearly told me to…”
“Yes, I did. I told them to relay my message to you when you woke up. And you came.”
Seo Ryang’s eyes flashed.
“Now that you’re here, you can cut the bullshit you’re using to drag this conversation out for the sake of your pointless pride. You really want to sit here and trade meaningless drivel with someone you can’t stand to see, just to walk away annoyed?”
“…!”
“You came because you want something from me? Don’t give me that crap. If you truly wanted something, you wouldn’t have waited half a month to show up here.”
“…”
“You want to get your house in order, but you don’t know how. You probably managed to get things somewhat organized with help from others and then dragged yourself all the way here.”
“I…”
“You were screwed from the start. You’re the type to prioritize your own pride over the restoration of your house. That’s why you’d spew insincere bullshit to stroke an ego you don’t even have.”
Seo Ryang wet his throat with tea.
“Then again, even if you had shown some slight improvement, it wouldn’t have changed my mind.”
*Grip.*
Hong Yeorin clenched her fist. Her nails dug into her palm, drawing a thin line of blood.
“That’s enough. You can leave now. And tell the person who came with you to come out.”
For a moment, Hong Yeorin’s eyes wavered.
“You knew?”
“It’s not the kind of demonic energy that can be hidden so easily. That flexible yet resolute demonic energy was quite impressive.”
Seo Ryang looked behind Hong Yeorin.
He spoke toward the empty space.
“I know you’re listening. You can come out now.”
It was then.
“I didn’t intend to eavesdrop.”
*Shhh.*
A shadow appeared at the entrance to the rear garden.
The figure was a middle-aged woman.
Of average height and plain appearance. The clothes she wore were quite faded, as if they had been worn for a long time.
In many ways, she was an unremarkable woman. To put it bluntly, she could have passed for a village wife from the countryside without seeming out of place.
But no one here—no, no one in the world—could ignore her.
“I didn’t expect to see you again like this.”
The woman bowed her head.
“It is an honor to meet you again, Third Young Master.”
“The honor is mine.”
When the woman raised her head, her eyes trembled. She had recognized the change in Seo Ryang at a single glance.
“It’s incredible. I thought you exuded an extraordinary aura without leaking a trace of demonic energy, but…”
The woman knelt on one knee.
“Congratulations on your great achievement.”
“It’s nothing to be called a great achievement. I still have a long way to go.”
“You are too modest. What genius in this world could reach the peak of the demonic at your age?”
A look of shock appeared on Hong Yeorin’s face.
Seo Ryang shook his head.
“I was lucky. Truly.”
“It is also true that such an accomplishment requires an equal amount of effort.”
“Well, if you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
Seo Ryang stood up from his seat.
“Please don’t stand there. Come up here, House Lord.”
The only female lord among the heads of the Seven Demonic Houses, and a merchant magnate ranked among the top ten not just in the demonic sects, but in the entire world.
A formidable woman who drove out the other powerful figures in her house and became its lord by unanimous decision, thanks to her unparalleled business acumen and martial arts that were no less impressive.
She was none other than Geum Ranhwa, the current Lord of the Thousand Treasures Golden House.
“By the way, how did you end up traveling with this half-wit?”
Geum Ranhwa couldn’t help but smile at Seo Ryang’s tone. With Hong Yeorin next to her, she couldn’t laugh out loud, though.
“I heard that the Red Snake House had been taken over. I had to come.”
“You’re loyal.”
“We are both of the Seven Houses.”
“So, did you help get the Red Snake House back in order?”
Geum Ranhwa shook her head.
“Rather than helping, I made a deal.”
“A deal… I suppose a deal is better than goodwill for both the giver and the receiver.”
“I knew you would understand, Young Master.”
Geum Ranhwa wet her throat with tea—the same tea Hong Yeorin hadn’t even touched.
“Is your inspection finished?”
“It is.”
“I thought you would return to the Cult immediately after your inspection was over.”
Seo Ryang smiled.
“You didn’t come here to talk about the inspection, did you? Let’s get to the point.”
“You’re as straightforward as ever.”
“Because my prey is waiting to be caught.”
Geum Ranhwa shook her head as if to say he was incorrigible.
“You’re planning to swallow the Red Snake House whole?”
To use such a tone in front of the Third Young Master, a supreme master who had reached the peak of the demonic, no less.
It wasn't that she was disrespecting him; she knew he preferred this kind of conversation.
Flexibly guiding a conversation according to the other person's personality—it was the art of a merchant's speech.
“That’s right. Originally, that head steward was supposed to be alive.”
“You were planning to install the head steward as the acting lord.”
“He seemed fairly intelligent.”
“Head Steward Jang… He lacks martial talent and business sense, but he has a certain skill in cultivating a faction. You have a good eye for people.”
“But he’s gone now.”
“And on top of that, the Red Snake House was devastated because of the Sword Palace.”
Seo Ryang's expression turned serious.
“I’ll ask you directly. Has the Thousand Treasures Golden House agreed to support the Red Snake House?”
Geum Ranhwa smiled.
“You’re quick on the uptake.”
“On what grounds did you make such a deal?”
Geum Ranhwa turned her gaze to Hong Yeorin.
“On my faith in this child.”
Seo Ryang nodded.
He had no desire to ask what kind of deal had been struck between Geum Ranhwa and Hong Yeorin.
“The position of Lord of the Red Snake House is currently vacant. This girl is the only one who could be called the acting lord.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“However, from the looks of it, if I want to swallow the Red Snake House whole, it seems I’ll have to negotiate with you, House Lord, not with her.”
Geum Ranhwa let out a sigh.
“The acting lord is this child. As you said, Young Master, there is no one else to take charge of the Red Snake House. But she has no experience leading a large organization yet.”
Seo Ryang’s eyes flashed.
“Are you taking charge in her stead?”
“Yes.”
“This is getting interesting.”
A faint tension crossed Geum Ranhwa’s face.
After finishing his tea, Seo Ryang spoke in a low voice.
“I was just planning on chewing on some crushed snake, but it looks like I might get a nine-course banquet out of this.”