Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: A Reclusive Expert Appears (6)
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Late evening.
Even as deep night fell.
The fragrance of plum blossoms wafted through Mount Hua.
A small girl swung her sword relentlessly, accompanied by the crackling roar.
"Haa..."
The same age as Ji-yeon.
At just sixteen, she already stood on the cusp of peak mastery.
She was the prized direct disciple of Mount Hua, renowned as the Little Sword Phoenix.
Fire Whispering Mist Dew Rain
Coal blossoms shimmer like heat haze, raining down like dew.
From the tip of her sword, exquisite coal blossoms bloomed, only to vanish as she swung again.
A sword drawn like a bell.
As she sliced through the coal blossoms that had bloomed at its tip, their charred, distinctive fragrance spread around her.
Mount Hua's signature flashy, swift swordplay—quick strikes and illusions.
The coal blossoms granted only to those who had honed themselves to the limit and attained enlightenment.
She bloomed them endlessly, and Hwa-ryeon gradually felt her body growing hotter.
Now... I can do it.
Channeling her inner energy into her legs, Hwa-ryeon leaped high, linking her forms seamlessly.
Coal blossoms bloomed along her trajectory, releasing the scent of ash.
Inhaling it, she closed her eyes briefly while suspended in midair, then decided to unleash one of Mount Hua's secret techniques.
"Fire Whispering Mist Dew Rain."
Fire Whispering Mist Dew Rain.
A technique that whispered the principles of fire, sending heat-hazed coal blossom petals cascading from the sky like dew-laden rain.
True to its evocative name, as the girl plummeted sword-first toward the ground, she struck the earth.
-Roooar!!!!
-Plip... plip plip.
-Roooar!!!
Around her, coal blossom petals shimmered like mirages, scattering profusely like misty dew.
"...Beautiful."
Thrilled by her successful execution, Hwa-ryeon gazed at the full moon overhead and the petals she had conjured.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Just like Mount Hua, where she had grown up since childhood.
Beautiful.
Was there any sword art more beautiful in all the world?
They touched the ground and vanished fleetingly.
But until then, like these coal blossoms that burned everything to protect Hwa-ryeon.
To safeguard the eternal glory of this Mount Hua where she stood.
Hwa-ryeon, too, would not spare her life in her final moments.
Even if she burned away pointlessly, leaving behind much soot and ashes, her everything dissolving into nothingness.
In that blazing instant, she would shine brighter and more beautifully than anyone.
And cut down Mount Hua's enemies before fading away.
That would be enough.
"Strange Fire Spirit... I'll be off."
She offered a formal bow toward the spirit beast of the blazing plum tree in the distance, the Strange Fire Spirit.
And watching Hwa-ryeon from the shadows behind her was a woman.
"...How cute."
The woman's moniker was the Plum Blossom Sword Empress.
Though she had refused the position of Mount Hua's Sect Leader, choosing instead to watch over her junior disciples.
Her swordsmanship was the real deal.
Having already shed her mortal form like an enlightened elder.
"May you carry that spirit with you always."
The Little Sword Phoenix glanced around, sensing the gaze.
But no matter how genius she was, detecting the fairy-like Sword Empress was impossible.
Late evening.
Ji-yeon and Ji-cheon, who had come to my room, were prostrated and trembling violently.
I pretended to be a little angry, and it seemed they were quite frightened.
"Th-the young lady and her brother wish to apologize for their rudeness..."
"We're sorry, benefactor."
Ji-yeon was trembling especially hard.
Perhaps because she had locked eyes with me after I cut off the transmission and smirked.
Honestly, I wasn't that angry.
After all, I had smacked Ji-cheon's head, and the poor guy still seemed a bit out of it.
"Young master, is your head alright?"
I smiled sweetly as I asked, and Ji-cheon hesitated, glancing at Ji-yeon.
She shook her head vigorously.
...No, she's not going to scold you even if you're honest.
Did she really think of me as some Blood Demon?
Despite being a proper young lady of the righteous sects.
[The young lady seems truly fearsome.]
Snow Python snickered beside me, flicking her tongue.
I stroked her head with a finger and pulled a candy from my bosom with a gentle smile.
"Here, take this."
"...Pardon?"
Ji-yeon looked flustered, while Ji-cheon bowed and accepted it.
Ji-yeon shot him a sharp glare, but eating it wouldn't kill him.
"Ji-yeon, you take one too."
"Ah... Yes..."
She nodded, took the candy, and popped it into her mouth along with Ji-cheon.
I'd heard Ji-cheon was twenty and Ji-yeon sixteen.
One's twenty, the other's sixteen...
True to their four-year age gap, the siblings bickered in their own way but got along fine.
Siblings are best when they squabble just right—it's easy on the eyes.
"Does the informal speech bother you?"
When I asked, Ji-yeon froze, then gave an awkward smile.
She looked younger than me, so it might feel off. After a moment's thought, I decided to switch to polite speech.
"I'll speak politely from now on."
Her face drained of color.
[Young lady, bullying her too much isn't good.]
Snow Python scolded me.
No, wouldn't polite speech between us be more comfortable?
She seemed so uneasy that I accepted their apologies graciously and asked them to leave.
"I gratefully accept your apologies, young lady, young master. Please don't worry—I'm not so narrow-minded."
"We're sorry... Using transmission in front of a guest was thoughtless of me."
"Just remember it."
"Ugh..."
Ji-yeon was on the verge of tears, while Ji-cheon smiled as if to say it was all forgiven now.
Ji-cheon stood first, bowed, and helped the spirit maiden out.
The sniffling sounds from outside didn't stop.
The next morning.
I stared into the mirror without properly combing my hair.
What to even say.
...Wow, I really look like the Heavenly Demon.
In another wuxia tale, I'd be mistaken for one.
These days, with all the dark wuxia stories...
Even if they called me a rejuvenated Heavenly Demon, I'd believe it.
"Snow Python, how's this Heavenly Demon?"
[He looks like a young man, but having shed his mortal form, he's an old man inside.]
"I see."
For the first time, this place felt comfortable.
[Hard to tell right now...]
"......"
Did the Heavenly Demon get gender-swapped or something? Snow Python dropped a meaningful hint.
[During the Righteous-Evil War, he vowed to eradicate the Blood Ghosts from the world and aided the righteous sects.]
[The Righteous-Demonic Non-Aggression Pact was forged then too.]
As I listened to Snow Python's history lesson.
I could feel that spirit beasts lived at least thousands of years.
That's why she started with a middle-aged man's voice.
With that thought, I tidied my hair and checked the mirror again.
"Ugh... Can't get used to it."
[You've already adapted to 'young lady' and seem to enjoy it, honestly.]
"Quiet."
[So cold to this lord...! Be a bit kinder.]
"You're the one annoying me."
As I scolded Snow Python, a voice came from outside.
"Benefactor, are you ready to depart? If not, we'll wait longer."
Ji-yeon called out to me.
My preparations were perfect.
I only had the iron fan and the black sword sheath to begin with.
"Let's go, Snow Python."
I extended my hand, and she slithered up my body, tucking neatly into my clothes.
I nodded and opened the door, signaling it was fine to enter.
"Zhuge young lady, did you sleep well?"
"...Yes."
She was managing her expression, but she looked tired.
The Dragon-Phoenix Tournament is right around the corner, so she's naturally anxious.
A few days remained, but.
The journey started from the moment of departure.
We'd be traveling by carriage for several days.
"Let's go."
"Yes, benefactor."
I took the bamboo hat and wore it for the first time.
The veil slightly obscured my face.
...Hmm, I can see just fine?
Maybe my eyes were good; it wasn't uncomfortable at all.
It covered my hair too.
And it gave off that reclusive martial expert vibe, making my heart race.
To the point where a weird "Fuhihi" chuckle escaped me.
"Fuhihi..."
"......"
Ha-yeon, walking ahead of Ji-yeon, wore a bamboo hat and let out a strange laugh.
And seeing that, Ji-yeon thought:
Scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary scary...!!!
Her legs went weak from fear.
This old monster had been politely addressing her since yesterday.
And now she was cackling like a senile fool.
If this wasn't scary, what was?
"Young lady."
"Y-yes, hek...?"
"...?"
Startled into a weird reply, Ha-yeon looked at her like she was wondering what was wrong.
Ji-yeon bowed her head with a groan, and Ha-yeon asked why.
"What's wrong...?"
"Do you know which families and sects will attend the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament?"
"Ah... The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families will all participate."
"Plenty of experts too."
"Y-yes, of course...?"
Ji-yeon answered, sweating coldly.
She was terrified of what rampage this mad old monster might unleash upon seeing the martial world's experts.
And she couldn't even stop her—that was the scariest part.