Chapter 445: Bestowing Grace
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 445: Bestowing Grace
Kang Ha-yoon was dreaming.
It was an incredibly ominous and terrifying dream.
In the dream, her body was filled with a sinister and foul energy. Unable to control it, she was being consumed by the darkness.
Agonizing pain surged through her, and soon her entire body began to be stained black.
She fell into despair.
She lacked both the strength and the will to drive the energy out.
She gave up.
She decided to let go of everything and meet death with humility.
She felt that a peaceful death was better than a life of suffering.
But then, a sudden anomaly occurred.
The evil energy staining her body began to move.
The energy that had burrowed into her internal organs...
The energy that had pierced her heart...
The energy that had invaded her Dantian...
Even the energy that had seeped into her very marrow—it all began to shift.
At first, it was a mere trickle.
An amount smaller than a mosquito’s tear.
But that microscopic movement gradually grew in scale until all the energy invading her body began to migrate.
Toward a completely different place.
She was curious.
She wondered where this demon-like energy was going.
To satisfy her curiosity, she forced her eyes open with great effort. And then, she saw him.
She saw Jang Sun-woo, holding her pulse point.
The moment she saw him, an inexplicable sense of relief and happiness began to swell within her.
She felt as though all the pain tormenting her had vanished.
"Young Master Jang, thank you."
She expressed her gratitude to Sun-woo.
She thanked him for saving her, for allowing her to live.
"It was nothing. I only did what was natural. After all, Lady Kang is a very precious person to me."
Sun-woo replied.
Hearing those words, Kang Ha-yoon’s face flushed.
To hear such things from someone she already felt a strong attraction toward made her overcome with bashfulness.
"I... I want to... repay you... Is there... perhaps... anything you desire?"
She asked.
"It is fine. I did not act in hopes of a reward."
Sun-woo shook his head, declining her offer.
"B-but my heart will not be at peace!"
Confirming Sun-woo’s refusal, Kang Ha-yoon replied urgently.
She couldn't let this opportunity to repay him slip away.
"It is truly fine."
"No. It is not fine for me. How can I not repay the grace of my savior? It is preposterous. I will grant you anything. Please, if there is something you want, speak without reservation."
Kang Ha-yoon looked at Sun-woo with an expression of utmost sincerity.
".........Anything?"
Sun-woo asked, as if to confirm.
"Yes, anything!"
She continued in a voice full of conviction.
"......Then... there is one thing... I would like to receive from Lady Kang."
Sun-woo replied, his face reddening as if he were embarrassed.
"What is it? Please, tell me anything. On my name as the Phoenix Hall Master—no, as the martial artist Kang Ha-yoon—I will grant any wish."
Kang Ha-yoon made a grand promise.
She declared she could do anything for him.
".........What I desire is a kiss from Lady Kang."
Sun-woo opened his mouth, his face flushed with shame.
"What!?"
Kang Ha-yoon looked bewildered at Sun-woo’s words.
What on earth was he saying?
He saved her life, and all he wanted was a kiss?
And a kiss with an older woman like her, who was well past her prime?
".....Is it too much to ask?"
"I don't understand... why such a wish..."
"It is because I love you, Lady Kang."
"Y-you love... me?!"
"I have admired you since I was young. And after meeting you in person, I fell in love. To the point that I forgot the fact that you are a married woman with a husband."
"T-that's..."
Kang Ha-yoon’s face turned beet red as she struggled to speak.
"But because you have a husband, I had no choice but to fold my feelings. I could not force infidelity upon the most righteous and beautiful woman I know."
Sun-woo spoke with a bitter expression.
"However, if you are willing to grant me one wish, I would ask for a kiss. So that for just a moment, you might commit an act of infidelity. Under the pretext of repaying a debt of gratitude."
".............."
Kang Ha-yoon fell silent.
She was dazed by the confession of love from such a handsome young man.
"Of course... if it is a burden, you may act as if you never heard it... It is merely my greed... I cannot force you....."
Sun-woo continued, looking like a puppy caught in the rain.
And that sight made Kang Ha-yoon’s heart flutter even more.
An absolute master who could kill an expert of the Upper Stage of the Transcendent Realm with a mere gesture was trembling before her like a soaked puppy.
How could her heart not race in such a situation?
"I'll do it."
"Pardon?"
"I will kiss you."
Kang Ha-yoon spoke, looking at Sun-woo with burning eyes.
"But only a kiss..."
She added, her face flushed.
"Thank you... Lady Kang... thank you."
Upon hearing her permission, Sun-woo thanked her repeatedly.
He seemed overcome with happiness at the thought of receiving a kiss from the woman he admired and loved.
Soon, Sun-woo slowly approached her.
Kang Ha-yoon slowly closed her eyes.
And she slowly puckered her lips.
Chuap.
Soon, a soft sensation began to be felt against Kang Ha-yoon’s lips.
Feeling that touch, she was certain.
It was definitely the sensation of Sun-woo’s lips touching hers.
Chuap, chuap.
Kang Ha-yoon began to move her lips fervently.
She wanted to savor the moment even more deeply.
‘Haah... I’m happy.’
She thought.
It was such a blissful time.
It was the first time in fifteen years she had felt another’s lips.
Yet, rather than feeling foreign, it felt nostalgic.
A longing for the touch of another that she had always craved.
She prayed and prayed again.
That this moment would last forever.
Churub, churub.
Suddenly, she felt a moist, soft sensation against her lips.
‘Ah.’
She realized it instantly.
Sun-woo was sliding his tongue inside.
‘Th-this boy...’
She was flustered.
She had permitted a kiss, but she didn't recall permitting tongues.
However, she soon accepted his tongue.
She didn't want to be stingy toward her savior, and the feeling of his tongue entering wasn't bad at all.
Chwap, chwap, chwap.
She pushed her tongue out in return and licked his.
Soon, their tongues began to entwine like snakes mating.
Thump.
Suddenly, she felt the sensation of a firm hand on her thigh.
Sun-woo had grabbed her thigh.
‘N-no...’
A sense of panic rose within her.
This was not okay.
She had permitted a kiss, but she didn't recall permitting this far.
She tried to push Sun-woo away in a hurry, but it was no use.
Sun-woo’s tongue, which had already completely occupied her mouth, had broken her will to resist.
‘Ah... th-this shouldn't be happening...’
Soon, the hand that had been fondling her thigh began to slide slowly inside her skirt, and she wore a troubled expression.
Of course, she didn't actually put up any resistance.
Jjil-geok.
‘Aaaaaaaah!’
Soon, Sun-woo’s finger touched her underwear, and she let out a violent moan internally.
She must have felt an immense stimulation from a man’s touch for the first time in fifteen years.
And so, she continued her troubled yet happy dream.
*
Sol, sol.
A very savory aroma began to tickle the tip of her nose.
Bogle, bogle.
Furthermore, the sound of something boiling delighted her ears.
It was likely soup.
And a very savory soup at that.
Gurgle.
Soon, a loud sound erupted from her stomach.
It was surely a signal from her body that it wanted to eat that savory soup.
Kang Ha-yoon slowly opened her eyes.
She instinctively turned her head slightly toward the smell.
Then, the silhouette of a person stirring a pot came into her blurry vision.
‘Huh?’
She focused her eyesight to clear her vision.
And then, she was shocked.
The sight of Jang Sun-woo stirring the soup entered her view.
"Young Master Jang?!"
She shouted loudly with a startled face.
"Oh, you’re awake."
Sun-woo spoke with a welcoming expression.
"Just... what... did you... No... more importantly... where... is this..."
"It’s a cabin used by hunters."
Sun-woo continued in a calm tone.
"A cabin?"
"Yes. Fortunately, there was one not far away."
"I... see..."
"Well, it seems to have been abandoned, though."
"How... did this happen?"
Kang Ha-yoon asked him with a questioning look.
She had clearly lost consciousness after being consumed by the Black Death Qi that had invaded her to the marrow.
She had been driven to the brink of death.
So how could she be alive and well like this?
"How did what happen?"
"Yesterday... I clearly... was consumed by... Black Death Qi... and lost consciousness..."
Her voice trailed off as she spoke hesitantly.
"I was lucky enough to drive it out with my internal energy."
Sun-woo replied calmly.
"You did... Young Master?"
"Yes."
Sun-woo nodded slightly in response.
".........."
Seeing that, Kang Ha-yoon fell silent.
‘It wasn't a dream.’
She realized that the image of him driving out the Black Death Qi that had consumed her body was not a dream.
‘Then, could the kiss have been real too?!’
She suddenly wore a look of horror.
The thought that the kiss might have actually happened crossed her mind.
Shake, shake.
But she quickly shook her head from side to side.
She didn't think she, who had fainted, could have engaged in such intense behavior.
"Whew."
Exhaling a sigh, Kang Ha-yoon regained her composure.
Then, she looked at Sun-woo with a steady gaze.
"Young Master Jang."
She called him in a soft voice.
"Please, speak."
"....You saved my life."
Kang Ha-yoon’s eyes welled with tears as she spoke.
In her most desperate and fearful moment...
She realized that the one who had saved her was Jang Sun-woo.
Tears naturally filled her eyes.
A surge of overwhelming emotion began to rise.
"I only did what was natural."
Sun-woo replied to her words in a calm tone.
From his perspective, saving her was only natural.
No matter what anyone said, she was the primary reason he was able to finish reading that boring, tedious wuxia novel where he spent his time counting pages until the end.
His affection for her was special.
"No.... it is not natural."
Hearing Sun-woo’s words, Kang Ha-yoon shook her head and spoke.
"It is by no means natural. Even though I was unconscious, I could feel it. I felt that Young Master Jang took all the malice and evil energy surrounding my body into himself."
She spoke while looking at Sun-woo with eyes full of emotion.
"How could anyone else do such a thing so recklessly? Something that could put their own life at risk if something went wrong."
She slowly pushed herself up.
Then, she began to walk straight toward Sun-woo.
Step by step.
"It is because it was you that I was saved."
Grab.
Kang Ha-yoon grabbed Sun-woo’s hands with both of hers and continued.
"Young Master Jang.... I... I want to repay you."
Kang Ha-yoon spoke, her face flushing.
".....I did not act in hopes of a reward."
Sun-woo replied with a reluctant expression.
As she said, taking the deathly energy into one's own body was extremely dangerous.
If something went wrong, it could clash with one's existing energy and cause the acupoints and Dantian to explode.
However, that didn't apply to Sun-woo.
Had he not already completed the Ethereal Body?
There was nothing stored in his Dantian to begin with, so what was there to clash?
He felt awkward.
Since it hadn't been that difficult, he wondered if it was something that deserved this much gratitude.
"No... even so, I must repay you... Otherwise, my heart will not be at peace."
Kang Ha-yoon placed one hand over her exceptionally large chest and continued.
Seeing that, Sun-woo’s face flushed slightly.
He felt inexplicably embarrassed.
"It is truly fine. Are we not comrades? I simply did the right thing."
Sun-woo refused again.
He hadn't acted for a reward, and he didn't particularly want to leave her feeling indebted.
"No... you mustn't... Young Master Jang.... you must ask for what you want from me... absolutely..."
She spoke, raising her voice as if she were getting worked up.
As if she were determined to get the answer she wanted.
"Pardon?"
At this point, Sun-woo felt quite bewildered.
The one who bestowed the grace was refusing so adamantly, so why was she clinging so persistently?
"How can I not repay the grace of my savior? It is preposterous. I will grant you anything. Please, if there is something you want, speak without reservation! Any wish, any demand.... I will grant it on my name as the martial artist Kang Ha-yoon.......... anything at all."
Kang Ha-yoon, her face completely red, emphasized the words "anything at all" as she tried to persuade Sun-woo again.
She was showing her determination to repay the debt no matter what.
And Sun-woo wore a bewildered expression.
He was taken aback by her stubborn attitude.