Chapter 235: Who Did You Say Slept With Whom?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 235: Who Did You Say Slept With Whom?
"Um... Cheongsu, just how big is this secret that we have to move to a different spot?"
Lee Gyeong-seon, a secular disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, asked as he looked at Cheongsu.
"Just wait. The location is key. The location."
Cheongsu replied with cryptic words, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Lee Gyeong-seon tilted his head in confusion. What on earth did he have to say that made the location so important? His curiosity only continued to grow.
Meanwhile, Cheongsu didn't care whether Lee Gyeong-seon was puzzled or not as he led the way.
`Why can't I see any of them!`
He felt a surge of irritation. He wanted to spread word of Jang Sun-woo’s disgrace immediately, but he couldn't see any Emei disciples around to listen to his story.
Cheongsu began to scout the area with a deep scowl.
After some time had passed...
`Oh!`
He cheered inwardly. Not far off, he spotted several Emei disciples gathered in small groups.
Cheongsu began to approach them slowly. Once he was within a certain distance, he came to a halt.
"Gyeong-seon, did you hear about that?"
He spoke while looking at Lee Gyeong-seon, but he secretly infused his voice with internal energy, letting it drift toward the Emei disciples. To them, it would feel as though they were accidentally eavesdropping on a private conversation.
"Hear about what?"
"This is something I heard from Senior Brother Cheongsong..."
Cheongsu’s mouth began to wag once more.
*
"Hehehehe."
Cheongsu let out a sinister chuckle. Today alone, he had leaked the scandalous rumor to five Emei disciples. Of course, he had simultaneously spread the word among the Qingcheng disciples as well.
It was now only a matter of time before Jang Sun-woo was socially buried. A thick smile spread across his lips, fueled by the satisfaction of his plan coming together.
He hummed a tune as he walked, feeling light on his feet. He felt like he would be able to sleep very well tonight.
It was then.
Shiver.
A sudden, chilling energy swept through his body, making his spine tingle.
Gulp.
Cheongsu swallowed hard. He realized that the source of the chill was none other than murderous aura.
Panicked, Cheongsu quickly placed his hand on the sword hilt at his waist, bracing himself for any incoming attack.
"Turn around."
A woman’s voice, clear as a bell, rang out from behind him.
Cheongsu slowly turned around as instructed. And then, he saw her.
A woman with a cleanly shaven head was glaring at him, her eyes brimming with murderous intent. Upon seeing her, Cheongsu’s face turned ashen.
*
"Is it you? The one going around spreading those foul rumors?"
Un-hye glared at Cheongsu, her voice cold.
"Foul rumors? I don't know what you're talking about."
Cheongsu immediately feigned ignorance. He had no desire to get involved with her.
"Don't try to lie. I saw you spreading them with my own eyes."
Un-hye frowned at his denial. She was telling the truth. She had rushed back to the camp after hearing a scandalous rumor about Seol-hyang on the mountain path.
Upon returning, she had begun searching the area for the person responsible for the gossip, hoping to nip it in the bud. It wasn't long before she spotted him blabbering near the tents where the Emei disciples were staying.
Just in case, she had focused her hearing to listen in, and as expected, he was talking about the scandal between Sun-woo and Seol-hyang.
Un-hye was furious. Why else would he come all the way to the Emei tents to wag his tongue if not to intentionally spread the rumor?
Enraged, she had followed him until they reached a secluded area, where she finally confronted him.
"I have never spread any foul rumors," Cheongsu insisted with a perfectly calm expression.
"What are you talking about! I clearly heard you talking about Senior Sister Seol-hyang and Young Master Jang just now!"
Un-hye shouted, incensed by his brazen attitude. How could he be so shameless even after being caught red-handed?
"I did talk about them, yes. But those are facts, not foul rumors."
"What?!"
Un-hye flared up at his words.
"Lady Seol and Young Master Jang are in a romantic relationship."
"Stop lying!"
"Why do you think it's a lie?"
Cheongsu shook his head as if he couldn't understand her reaction.
"It hasn't even been a week since my Senior Sister met Young Master Jang. How could they possibly be in a romantic relationship!"
Un-hye glared at him with eyes full of rage. It was absurd. How could anyone fall in love with someone they hadn't even known for a week?
"Hehe. Perhaps because you've taken the tonsure, you don't know much about the affections between men and women."
Cheongsu mocked her with a derisive tone. His words carried the sting of ridicule, implying that a nun who knew nothing of men had no right to speak.
"Time isn't what's important in love. It's the attraction between two people that matters. In my opinion, Lady Seol and Young Master Jang felt a fated attraction to one another. That's why they disappeared together in the middle of the night."
He continued to look at Un-hye with a greasy smirk.
"Ah, but of course, a disciple of Emei who has already left the secular world wouldn't understand."
He finished with a light chuckle. Un-hye’s face contorted. She could see he was doing everything he could to mock her.
"Are you... finished?" she asked, her eyes sharp with killing intent.
"I believe I am," Cheongsu replied with an infuriating smile.
"Good."
Shring.
Un-hye slowly drew her sword and pointed it straight at Cheongsu.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Cheongsu looked at her in shock as she drew her weapon. He couldn't believe she had drawn first. Though he had been mocking her, he hadn't expected things to escalate this far.
"It's exactly what it looks like. I have been insulted, and I intend to pay back that insult."
"Do you have any idea how much weight that sword you've raised carries?"
Cheongsu glared back at her. Conflict between sects was strictly forbidden. It was a rule established for the search party before they even set out.
Yet here she was, about to break that rule—and not with her bare hands, but with a live blade. If this became known, the relationship between Qingcheng and Emei would deteriorate beyond repair.
"I am well aware. And this is a conclusion I reached after much deliberation."
"Your 'deliberation' must not have lasted very long," Cheongsu sneered.
"I apologize. Actually, I didn't deliberate deeply at all. Because this isn't a matter even worth deliberating over."
Un-hye met his sneer with a cold smile of her own.
"Is there any need to deliberate over cleaning up a piece of talking trash?"
Un-hye’s words were harsh, unbefitting a disciple of the Buddha.
"What did you say?!"
Cheongsu barked, his temper flaring. He had been the one mocking her relentlessly, but being insulted himself made his blood boil.
"Are you finished talking now?!"
Cheongsu glared at her, his eyes shimmering with murderous intent.
"Yes, I believe I am."
Un-hye replied with a refreshing smile. That smile was so bright that it only made Cheongsu’s rage burn hotter.
Shring.
In his fury, Cheongsu drew the sword from his waist and leveled it at Un-hye.
"Are you sure you won't regret those words?"
"Of course."
Cheongsu and Un-hye stood in a tense standoff, swords pointed at each other. The atmosphere between them was like a tinderbox ready to explode.
*
The standoff between Cheongsu and Un-hye dragged on. A significant amount of time passed, but they remained frozen, neither one making a move. Both recognized that the other was a formidable opponent and couldn't afford to act recklessly.
`I can't find an opening.`
Cheongsu cursed inwardly as he glared at Un-hye. He couldn't find a single gap in her stance. He had thought she was just a stupid woman fun to tease, but it seemed she was not to be underestimated when it came to martial arts.
Cheongsu watched her with wide eyes, waiting and waiting for her to show a weakness. Between experts of similar level, a match could be decided in a single moment of vulnerability. No matter how frustrated he felt, he couldn't move carelessly. That rashness would cost him his life.
After some time...
Both of their swords lunged forward simultaneously.
Cheongsu was the first to move. Catching a momentary opening, he thrust his sword toward her without hesitation.
Swish!
The blade cut through the air, whistling as it aimed for her head.
Clang!
Un-hye immediately raised her sword to block the strike. The sound of clashing metal rang out.
Clang!
Cheongsu quickly retracted his sword and swung again.
Clang!
Un-hye parried his blade and lunged for his chest.
Clang!
Cheongsu pulled his sword back and dropped it low to defend.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A flurry of exchanges broke out between Cheongsu and Un-hye. Their clash was fiercer than anything else. Since both had reached the Peak Realm, the winner wasn't easily decided. Their sword techniques were evenly matched, leading to a grueling stalemate.
After a long time had passed...
"Agh!"
Suddenly, Un-hye let out a cry of pain. Having shown a momentary lapse, she allowed Cheongsu to land a blow. The flat of his blade had struck the back of her hand.
The intense pain forced Un-hye to drop her sword.
Schwing.
The cold, metallic sensation of a blade pressed against her throat.
"I believe I've won?"
Cheongsu looked down at her with arrogant eyes.
Grit.
Un-hye ground her teeth at his words.
"You dared to challenge me with such mediocre skill? How laughable. Do you realize you would have lost your hand if I hadn't hit you with the flat of the blade?"
Cheongsu began to chatter excitedly as he looked at Un-hye. Even if the victory was by a hair's breadth, he was the winner. He couldn't help but be thrilled.
"I think I've seen enough to know the standard of Emei. A woman who is the Sect Leader's disciple falls for a man and commits lewd acts. A third-generation disciple swings her sword recklessly without considering the political consequences. What a pathetic spectacle."
Cheongsu began to heap insults upon Un-hye.
"Senior Sister is not that kind of person!" she shouted.
"How is she not? Is she not a lascivious woman who did 'it' with a man she hadn't even known for a week?"
Cheongsu continued, his excitement peaking. His words had completely crossed the line, but he didn't care. The sweetness of victory had completely paralyzed his reason.
"You bastard!"
Un-hye spat out a curse. She was someone who had never properly cursed in her life, but his infuriating behavior made the words slip out involuntarily.
"Haha, for a disciple of the Buddha who supposedly carries him in her heart, your mouth is quite filthy. The Sect Leader would be saddened to hear this."
Despite her curse, Cheongsu maintained a relaxed smile.
"You will definitely regret this," Un-hye said, staring at him.
"Regret? What regret?"
"Regretting the fact that you spread such ridiculous, false rumors."
"When did I ever say anything false? Isn't it a fact that Lady Seol and Young Master Jang disappeared in the middle of the night? Of course, I don't know exactly what happened after that, but given the circumstances, wouldn't anyone assume they were doing something obscene?"
"The reason I came to you was to give you a chance to live."
Un-hye continued, ignoring his words.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Remember this. You are the one who kicked that chance away."
She looked at him with a calm gaze. He tilted his head. What on earth was she talking about? She came here to save his life? Who was going to kill him?
Chill.
Suddenly, a freezing sensation crept up his spine. It was a coldness so sharp it felt like being hit head-on by the Bitter Cold Northern Wind.
"Hey."
And then, a cold voice carrying a massive chill that went beyond mere coldness echoed from behind him.
In an instant, Cheongsu felt goosebumps break out all over his body. Just hearing the voice made his entire being seize up with terror.
Trembling violently, Cheongsu slowly turned his head.
"You're saying some pretty interesting things."
There stood a beautiful woman with a mischievous, bratty smile on her face.
"Say it one more time. Who did you say slept with whom?"
Cheongsu’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.