Chapter 356: I Am the Primary Wife!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 356: I Am the Primary Wife!
Cr-cr-crack!
The snow wind howling around Bukgung Yeon began to freeze the Ice Palace.
Whoosh!
Then, the flames erupting from Neung So-hwa began to melt the frozen palace once more.
Boom!
Simultaneously, the two women’s palms collided.
A thunderous roar erupted, and both women were pushed back. It was proof that their strengths were evenly matched.
"I’ve hated your pretentious attitude for a long time," Bukgung Yeon said, her expression icy.
"I feel the same! Your barbaric nature is deeply irritating," Neung So-hwa retorted with a sneer.
"Then why didn't you just come at me from the start?"
"Hmph, I couldn't possibly lower myself to your level, could I?"
"Then why are you acting like this now?"
"Because you dared to covet what is mine!"
"Yours?" Bukgung Yeon asked, feigning ignorance.
"I am talking about Sun-woo!"
"How amusing." Bukgung Yeon let out a mocking laugh. "Didn't you clearly state that Sun-woo isn't an object? And yet here you are, treating him like one."
"..."
"I’ll give those words right back to you. Sun-woo isn't an object. And he certainly isn't yours."
"I am the primary wife!"
"Oh? And when did you two get married?"
"...We will!"
"So you haven't yet. Then by what right do you try to restrain him?"
"Eek! You are impossible to talk to!"
"Resorting to force because you lack logic? This is why stupid girls are hopeless."
"I am not stupid!"
"You seem plenty stupid to me."
Fwoosh!
As soon as Bukgung Yeon finished speaking, a massive fireball flew toward her.
Thump!
An ice wall rose from the floor, blocking the fireball instantly.
Sssssss!
Hiss!
Fire and ice clashed, and the surrounding area began to crumble under the pressure.
"Ha..."
Sun-woo let out a hollow laugh, staring blankly at the destructive scene in despair. He realized exactly what he had done.
He should have been more careful. He should have given her more time to prepare her heart—time to accept the fact that he had taken Bukgung Yeon.
Boom! Rumble!
Another explosion rang out. Cracks began to spiderweb across the marble floor of the Ice Palace, unable to withstand the relentless onslaught of cold and heat.
"I won't forgive you! I will never forgive you!"
"Who asked for your forgiveness? I don't need anything from a wench like you!"
Their emotions reached a fever pitch.
"Die!"
"You die!"
The energy radiating from their bodies began to surge to a level incomparable to anything before.
Vroooom!
Neung So-hwa launched a massive sphere of condensed, overwhelming heat toward Bukgung Yeon. The heat radiating from it was so intense it felt as if a miniature sun was scorching the skin.
Whoosh!
Bukgung Yeon thrust her palm forward, releasing a torrent of condensed, frigid energy. A cold so absolute it could only be described as a blizzard poured toward Neung So-hwa. It was the Ice White Divine Palm, the secret technique of the North Sea Ice Palace.
C-c-c-crash!
The two massive forces collided with a deafening roar, and the entire Ice Palace began to tremble. The impact was so great that the structure itself seemed to groan under the shock.
'I have to stop them.'
Sun-woo watched the scene and realized he had to intervene. If this continued, the Ice Palace would be completely leveled.
Hummmmmm.
Sun-woo pushed his Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art to its absolute limit. The Yin-Yang Harmony Qi began to shimmer around his body before sinking into his skin. Soon, the energy was circulating through his system at an incredible speed.
'Good. Now, I add the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth.'
While maintaining the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art, Sun-woo began to chant the mnemonics for the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth.
Throb. Throb.
A sharp pain shot through his head from the mental strain. But he didn't falter. To stop a fight between these two Transcendents, he needed to combine at least two of his greatest powers. These women were on a level that made the likes of Ju Do-san or Kang-pae look like children.
Vroooom.
Sun-woo felt his senses sharpen to an extreme degree.
'Ugh... it's working.'
His head throbbed with an agonizing ache as a side effect, but he didn't care—as long as he could stop the fight.
Sun-woo blurred into motion. Using the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, he began to seize control of the flow of energy they had unleashed.
By its nature, the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth allowed one to deflect massive forces with minimal internal energy. However, trying to twist the full-power attacks of two masters who had reached the Profound Realm put an immense strain on him.
'...So this is the Profound Realm.'
Sun-woo was struck with awe at the magnificent power of those who had reached such heights.
'Twist!'
Channeling the Great Shift, Sun-woo caught the flows of cold and heat. He used his internal energy to wrench them off course. He had to do it simultaneously; if he only deflected one, the other woman could be gravely injured.
Grit.
He gnashed his teeth, pushing both the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art and the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth to their absolute peak.
"Turn!"
He directed the forces upward. Immediately, the full might of the two women’s attacks surged toward the ceiling.
K-boom!
Ssssss!
The two women looked on in shock. How could their attacks have been redirected so easily? They turned their heads and saw Sun-woo, drenched in cold sweat.
"If you don't stop this instant, I will never see either of you again for the rest of my life!"
Seeing that he had their attention, Sun-woo roared his declaration. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was dead serious. His demeanor gave his words undeniable weight.
"But this woman—!"
"But this wench—!"
Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon both raised their voices in protest.
"I said it once. I won't say it twice."
Sun-woo glared at them with a cold gaze, issuing a final warning. He had to be firm. If he let these Transcendents have their way, a true catastrophe was inevitable.
"..."
"..."
Perhaps moved by Sun-woo’s absolute sincerity, the two women silently withdrew their surging energies.
"Follow me."
With an icy expression, Sun-woo turned his back on them. The two women glared at each other as if they wanted to commit murder, but they slowly followed behind him.
*
"Sit."
Back in the room, Sun-woo gestured for Bukgung Yeon and Neung So-hwa to take a seat. They hesitated for a long moment, fidgeting.
Sun-woo looked at them with a stern gaze and spoke again. "Now."
Thud.
Intimidated by his serious eyes, both women sat down. Sun-woo gave a small, satisfied nod.
"First, I want to apologize."
Sun-woo began, his expression solemn. "So-hwa, it was my fault for accepting another woman without consulting you first. I understand why you’re angry."
Sun-woo bowed his head in apology. "I'm sorry."
"...No... it's all that woman's..." Neung So-hwa started, looking flustered by his apology.
"No, it was my choice. It was my will to embrace Bukgung Yeon and accept her. She did nothing wrong."
Sun-woo stated the plain truth. While her temptation played a part, the final choice had been his. It was wrong to pin all the blame on Bukgung Yeon.
"..."
Neung So-hwa bit her lip. She had no words. Her reason for charging at Bukgung Yeon like an enraged bull was to justify her own feelings—to maintain the belief that Sun-woo would never cheat on her. But hearing him deny that made her mind a chaotic mess.
At the same time, a crushing sense of betrayal washed over her. How could he sleep with such a wicked woman when he already had her as his lover? Especially when he knew how much she despised her.
Neung So-hwa looked at him with resentful eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Seeing her resentment, Sun-woo apologized again. He knew that anything he said would just sound like an excuse.
"I won't make excuses. I only ask for your forgiveness."
Sun-woo kept his head lowered.
"...You are a bad man," Neung So-hwa said, her eyes welling with tears. "You already have so many women. Is that still not enough?"
"..."
"I am in no position to speak, having joined the group later myself, but you truly have the temperament of a philanderer."
A few tears escaped as she continued. "I can understand. How can a woman interfere in a man's affairs? It is only natural that many women would flock to a hero of the age like you. Is there not a saying that 'heroes love beauty'? I believe it is a man's instinct to want to spread his superior seeds far and wide."
Neung So-hwa’s expression hardened into a calm mask. "However..."
Her eyes flashed. "Not that woman."
She spoke with absolute conviction. "How can you take such a wicked and lawless woman as your partner? I can never accept it. It was surely just a one-night mistake, was it not? Treat it as nothing more than a memory."
"Hey, do you want to die?" Bukgung Yeon interjected, her voice chillingly cold.
"What!?"
"Who are you to decide whether I become a memory or not? If you want to be a memory, do it yourself."
"What?! I gave my purity to Sun-woo! I gave him my everything!"
"I did the same!"
"It was just a one-night mistake!"
"The only mistake here is you!"
"What!?"
"I woke up this morning and we did it several more times," Bukgung Yeon said fiercely. "How many times did you do it?"
"...What are you talking about?" Neung So-hwa asked, her face flushing at the blunt question.
"I'm asking how much of Sun-woo's affection you received."
"...Once," Neung So-hwa whispered shyly.
"What?" Bukgung Yeon asked, as if she couldn't believe her ears. "You acted like the primary wife after receiving his affection only once?"
Bukgung Yeon wore a look of utter mockery.
"There simply wasn't enough time! He promised to do it more once we reached the North Sea!"
"Hmph. If he had enjoyed it with you, he wouldn't have stopped so abruptly and left."
"How dare you!" Neung So-hwa’s voice rose in anger.
"Sun-woo seemed truly happy when he was with me. That's why we kept going until lunch today, isn't it?" Bukgung Yeon’s voice was cold and cutting. "Unlike you, who he stopped with after just one round."
"Don't be ridiculous! I told you! The circumstances weren't right!"
"If it felt good enough, he would have kept going regardless of the circumstances."
"No!"
"Yes!"
Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon began shouting at each other again. They had narrowly avoided a bloodbath, but it seemed their verbal spat was far from over.
"Enough."
Sun-woo spoke in a low but powerful voice. "Stop fighting."
He looked at them with absolute seriousness. "So-hwa."
He turned his gaze to Neung So-hwa. "Unfortunately, I have no intention of giving up on Bukgung Yeon. How could I heartlessly cast aside a woman who gave me her everything? I can't do that. I'll pretend I didn't hear your request."
"...But!"
"I understand how you feel. But this is my conviction. I cannot abandon my people just because it's convenient."
"..."
Neung So-hwa lowered her head, realizing Sun-woo’s mind was made up. Seeing this, Bukgung Yeon looked triumphant, feeling as though Sun-woo had taken her side.
"And Bukgung Yeon."
Sun-woo turned his stern gaze toward her.
"Yes?"
"Stop provoking So-hwa."
"Provoking? Whatever do you mean?" Bukgung Yeon feigned innocence.
"Do you think I don't know you're intentionally getting under her skin?" Sun-woo glared at her with sharp eyes. "Just like you, she is a woman I love. Do not torment my woman."
"..."
Bukgung Yeon fell silent. She hadn't expected such a direct warning.
"Your answer?" Sun-woo pressed, his expression stern.
"...I understand," Bukgung Yeon muttered, reluctantly nodding as she met his gaze.
"You are both women I love. I don't expect you to be best friends, but I won't tolerate you trying to kill each other."
When neither woman spoke, Sun-woo continued slowly and gravely.
"This is my final warning. I can't help it if you argue, but I will not forgive you for unleashing your energy and attacking each other. If this happens again, I will never see either of you again. Do you understand?"
"..."
"..."
Even after Sun-woo finished, neither woman spoke. They couldn't be sure—sure that they wouldn't lunge at each other again.