The Heavenly Maiden's Healing Touch (3)
“S-suddenly take off my clothes?”
“Are you going to keep wearing those filthy rags?”
“Ah….”
Now that she mentioned it, my clothes really were in tatters.
My current outfit was exactly what I'd left home in this morning. In other words, some old hand-me-downs I'd picked up somewhere ages ago.
And after a day of tumbling down cliffs, getting battered, and fighting, they were torn to shreds everywhere, completely ragged.
“Uh… but right here?”
“What's there to be shy about between women? Ah, right, you were originally a man. Hmm. Hm.”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo alternated her gaze between my face and my chest.
“Bear with it, even if it's embarrassing.”
I have to endure it, huh? Fine, I'll endure.
I stripped off my top and bottoms completely and turned my back to Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo.
Even though we're the same gender now, showing my naked body to her—someone who looked like a little girl—was mortifying.
“Even from behind, your breasts are visible from the sides….”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing.”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo's palm touched my back.
“Eek!”
“Stay still. To check your condition, I'm going to infuse my qi.”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo's pure Daoist energy flowed into me again.
…This is pretty vulnerable.
It was unlikely, but if she had bad intentions, she could burst me apart from the inside and kill me.
Tension naturally crept into my body.
No.
To survive, endless distrust and suspicion are key. That's a fact.
But there's a limit to enduring by distrusting everyone.
No one can tremble 24/7, knife in hand at every angle, forever.
Eventually, you have to find someone trustworthy and lean on them.
And if you're going to lean, do it fully—no half-measures.
Judging by her actions so far and my gut, Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo was trustworthy.
“Hoo….”
I relaxed my body, letting her freely circulate her qi inside me for the examination.
Realizing this, Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo marveled anew.
Hah, what boldness.
Even when guiding Bongrae-pa's disciples, they'd tense up and stiffen whenever she infused her internal energy.
Yet this kid is like a true hero.
Impressive. So impressive.
I want her. I really, really want her.
Baekdu-pa must have taught her martial arts first.
They recognized talent, just like I did.
The mystery was the timing.
She hadn't formally become a disciple, right? Maybe she just stumbled on a manual and self-taught?
If she had a Baekdu-pa master, stealing her would spark a blood feud between Bongrae-pa and Baekdu-pa.
With talent like this, even if it means clashing with Baekdu-pa… Oh dear, what dangerous thoughts.
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo cleared her mind, circulated her qi through my body, and examined my state.
So pure.
The Black Spot Disease taint that had filled her body was gone without a trace.
And her physique itself is exceptional. She'll master any martial art in no time.
Like a Heavenly Martial Body.
First, Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo focused on the most problematic area: my eyes.
She sent qi to the meridians around them.
Jingming acupoint, Chanzhu, Sizhu Palace, Chengqi….
She checked if qi circulated properly along the channels.
And the diagnosis was….
“Hmm….”
“H-how is it?”
Silence. My heart pounded like it would burst. Am I doomed to a lifetime half-blind?
“You're fortunate. We can save your eye.”
“Really!?”
“But it's beyond this humble one's abilities.”
Murim warriors gain some medical knowledge—detecting and correcting qi and blood flow errors.
But proper treatment needs a specialist.
“Let's go to Gaeseong together. The Divine Physician there can surely heal your eye.”
“Divine Physician…? A doctor?”
“The greatest healer I know. She can fix even this injury. And to prevent blindness until then….”
A cool sensation bloomed between my eyes.
“I cleared the blockage between Jingming and Tongziliao. You won't go blind before meeting her.”
“….”
“Child?”
“…Thank you.”
I had my back turned, but the wetness in my voice was obvious.
Damn, no crying.
Men crying just looks pathetic. No one helps anyway.
“…Sniff.”
But then, something unexpected happened.
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo's small arms wrapped around my waist from behind. She hugged me.
“…You've suffered so much.”
Ah, right. I'm not a man anymore.
No sense of loss there.
As a man, crying got me nothing but scorn and kicks.
Getting beaten on broken asphalt? I learned crying that the shards stabbed twice as hard.
But as a woman, crying brings hugs and comfort.
Even someone like Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo would help regardless, but my new form makes this embrace easier.
I can cry when I want, even get consoled for it.
Even if it cost my manhood, no regrets.
“…Hoo.”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo soothed my muffled sobs, deep pity rising.
How much has she endured….
A tender affection toward Cheon Do-yeon swelled within her.
Yet as a murim expert, curiosity stirred.
Had she really learned Baekdu-pa's inner art? Self-taught or with a master? What techniques?
She gently sent qi toward my dantian.
But the moment they touched—
!!
My internal energy was negligible, as expected.
The problem was the space containing it.
Like a vast ocean sucking everything in, her qi surged toward me uncontrollably.
W-what is this!?
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo hastily withdrew her qi.
Her heart raced from the shock.
Just a split-second contact.
Yet in that instant, an amount she'd need a month to accumulate had been sucked into me.
What is this child's body…?
“…Sniff, sob, heuk….”
“…Hoo.”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo hugged the tearful Cheon Do-yeon again.
This time, carefully avoiding her dantian.
New Title Registered: <Peach Blossom Fairy>
You can now select and use your desired title.
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo personally wiped down my body, applied golden sore medicine to the minor wounds, bandaged them, and helped me into women's clothes.
“The Daoist robes suit you well. The white base really highlights your complexion.”
“Ehehe….”
“Bongrae-pa's Daoist robes would suit you even better, though….”
“Ehehe…?”
Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo stood up.
“Then, this humble one must step out for a bit, so rest here.”
“Where are you going?”
“The reason this humble one came to Dobongpa was to formally make them a vassal sect of Bongrae-pa.”
“Dobongpa becomes a subordinate of Bongrae-pa?”
“Exactly.”
Becoming a vassal of a great sect means regular tribute payments.
But in crises, you can call on them, and boast connections for prestige.
“And this humble one's judgment was that, despite flaws, with my personal guidance, they'd be acceptable… until I saw their leader torment you.”
“Ah.”
So Jong In must be sweating bullets now that she took me.
“Do you resent Jong In?”
“Well… yeah, I do.”
I don't want blood feud, but resentment? Obviously. He tried to kill me.
Right then, footsteps approached from outside.
“Are the two fairies present?”
Jong In himself, bringing my returned items.
“I formally apologize for today's rudeness.”
Jong In bowed deeply in a fist salute.
Strange feeling.
Jong In was in his fifties.
Dobongpa wasn't small—it ruled this area. Dozens of disciples, solid martial arts.
Yet their leader bowed politely to me, trying to soothe my feelings.
“Please forgive my failure to recognize a noble guest. Fearing rumors of inaction after our disciple's death clouded my judgment.”
“….”
Hmm. I don't want to, but position-wise, forgive him.
Sigh.
Fine, whatever. Mood's soured a bit, but—
“And this is our sect's atonement for mistaking you for a criminal.”
Jong In offered a modest box. Heavy.
“…What's this?”
“Open it.”
I did. Luxurious purple 100,000-won notes gleamed.
“…Huh?”
All money?
The box was packed with bundles.
100,000-won bundles, each strapped unit 100 bills = 10 million. Bundles: two-four-six-eight-ten… 10 bundles.
“100 million. All our cash, minus change.”
100 million? 100 MILLION?????? ONE HUNDRED MILLION!?!?
“Peach Blossom Fairy.”
Jong In dropped to his knees, head to the ground.
“For attempting your life, we offer our entire fortune as penalty. Will you graciously accept?”
Strictly, this desperation wasn't for me personally.
Baekdu-pa ties, plus Bongrae-pa elder's favor—that's why.
But.
Even knowing the ulterior motive.
“Oh, of course! People make mistakes!”
Hey! People do that! 100 million settlement? Totally forgivable!
“Our entire fortune… Yes, that matches our cash holdings.”
If it's everything they have, sure, I'll settle!!
Gate labor risks life for far less daily.
A message has arrived.
Sender: Geom Hu
Body: How did it go? No qi/blood issues, right? Success or failure? If congestion, treatment is (more)
What? What's this?
Because Jong In called me Peach Blossom Fairy?
Multitasking, activate!
One ear on Jong In and Hyeon Song Cheon Nyeo's talk, the other summoning True Murim Gallery.
Titles
<Anonymous> (Selected)
<Peach Blossom Fairy>
I can choose freely?
Key question: Does True Murim Gallery search by title only, or all posts by the user?
Crucial.
If title-only—searching Anonymous won't show Peach Blossom Fairy posts, and vice versa—
Then 'that' becomes possible.
The nemesis of all gallery ops and mods.
Multi-accounting.