Flowers in Both Hands (3)
“Don’t worry! I’ll teach you all sorts of ways to counter the Paeng family saber arts so Young Master Jin doesn’t get hurt!”
“Uh, uh… thanks.”
Paeng Soso, who couldn’t teach me the Paeng family saber arts directly, offered to show me their counters instead.
“Wait, hold on. Anyone looking at this would think you’re bewitched by a guy and handing over your family’s core secrets. You sure this is okay?”
“Hehe… It’s fine as long as we say we got used to each other during sparring matches, and no one’s watching anyway! Of course, it’d be best if we spar a ton to really get familiar with each other for the future.”
Sparring to learn and memorize counters was totally different from sparring and naturally picking up on weaknesses. But according to Paeng Soso, the end result was the same, so it was fine.
…Is it really fine?
“This lady shall head to the market, so you two focus on your training.”
Hong Yeonhwa, dressed for going out, glanced back with those words.
We’d come to this village originally to restock our consumed supplies and shake off the accumulated fatigue. After breakfast, we’d planned to buy preserved foods and portable rations together…
But when Paeng Soso said she’d teach me Paeng family saber counters, Hong Yeonhwa got even more excited than I did and insisted on going shopping alone so we could start training first.
Her over-the-top enthusiasm sparked some mischief in me. As she checked her money pouch one last time, I grabbed her shoulders.
“Nyeang?”
Startled, Hong Yeonhwa looked up at me. Her pink eyes sparkled with faint anticipation.
Yeah. Whatever you’re imagining, it’s not that.
Drawing on a faded memory from my previous life’s childhood that barely came to mind anymore, I spoke softly.
“Even if someone offers to buy you candy, don’t follow them, okay?”
“???”
In a calm, gentle tone like instructing a child.
“If a weird person keeps following you, yell out loud, ‘Officer uncle! Over here!’ Don’t forget.”
“What are you…?”
Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head, still not getting it. Instead of answering, I gently slipped the pouch from her small hand, tied it securely, and tucked it between her breasts.
“Gotta be careful not to lose it.”
I savored the soft warmth and feel of her breasts for a moment before pulling my hand away. Hong Yeonhwa fumbled to adjust the pouch’s position.
She looked satisfied once she found the right spot. But moments later, realizing how I’d treated her, she started jumping up and down in place.
“Eek! Eeeek! This lady is not a child!”
Her breasts bounced furiously with each hop, raging alongside her.
Even like that, the pouch isn’t falling out…
I watched the sight with warm contentment until I was satisfied enough, then pressed down on the top of her head to stop her.
“Don’t you remember?”
“Remember what?”
Her gaze glared up at me, daring me to say it.
You’re making me do it…
I cleared my throat and whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
“Wahhh! This lady baby thousand… Mmph mph!”
“Stop! Stop it!”
The moment she heard my clumsy impression, Hong Yeonhwa frantically covered my mouth. I burned the desperate sight of her on tiptoes, pressing both hands over my lips, into my memory.
That should do it. I patted her head to signal surrender, and her palms slowly pulled away.
She’d removed her hands but was still pouting hard, so I lightly kissed her forehead.
“…That’s not nearly enough. How dare you tease this lady. Show some proper sincerity.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Her demand was vague as hell, but guessing what she meant wasn’t hard. I showered kisses all over her slightly upturned, prim face.
Mwah mwah mwah.
Only then did her expression fully relax in satisfaction. For the finish, I kissed her lips once.
“Ahem ahem. With this much sincerity, I have no choice. This magnanimous lady shall forgive you here.”
“Sure. You really do have a ‘magnanimous’ heart.”
“Hm? It feels a bit off somehow…”
“It’s nothing. Just come back safe.”
In the end, she got the “come back safe” kisses she’d hoped for from the start. Humming happily, her small back faded into the distance as I saw her off.
Turning around, I saw Paeng Soso watching me with a hesitant look.
She’d said she’d just step out briefly to see Hong Yeonhwa off before we started, but I’d gotten all lovey-dovey, so maybe she felt a bit left out?
Paeng Soso was my woman now too, one I had to take responsibility for. Couldn’t make her feel neglected over something like this.
I spread my arms wide, beckoning her. Her face lit up instantly.
Tap, tap.
“Young Master Jin!”
She half-ran over, and I pulled her waist in close, pecking kisses everywhere like a bird’s beak—forehead, nose, cheeks, lips, eyelids, and all over meticulously.
“Alright, shall we get started?”
I’d already slipped the innkeeper some money to keep everyone away from the area. I was just as pumped from the kisses, ready to pour all my energy in, but Paeng Soso’s reaction seemed a bit off.
“Hng… W-wait a sec. I’m feeling way too floaty right now. Can you give me just a little time to calm down?”
“Is it that loosening… Oh.”
Come to think of it, this was our first proper kiss, wasn’t it? We’d done hand stuff and oral, but no kissing yet? What the hell… I’d have to set the mood properly later and go all in.
A moment later.
She’d mostly calmed, though her cheeks were still flushed, and she pointed at her body.
“Let’s start with the theory. As you know, Young Master Jin, everyone in the Paeng family is born with exceptional physiques.”
“Famous for it.”
Paeng Soso right in front of me was huge for a woman of this era, with solid muscles. Memories of her abs from before made my gaze drift, but I forced it back.
Focus. Focus.
“That’s why all Paeng family martial arts have evolved to leverage those natural strong bones and muscles.”
“All of them?”
“Yes. Every single one. No exceptions. I couldn’t learn it since I’m not the heir, but even Father’s Mixed Origin Thunderbolt Saber is the same.”
Unrestrained, straightforward domination. Paeng Soso declared that was the Paeng family’s essence.
“You’re similar, aren’t you, Young Master Jin? Your swordsmanship seems like heavy sword style—simple, but crushing foes with sheer power.”
“Similar, but a bit different. I don’t know any heavy sword subtleties. I just amp up the power itself and smash away…”
“Huh? That’s even cruder than our family, who are born with strong bodies?”
Crude, huh. Even swinging a sword with the same power changes the impact based on grip and stance. Heavy sword maximizes that—one unit of power for ten times the result. Me? Ten units for ten results.
Normally crude like she said, but with Martial Spirit Divine Art reinforcement, not so much for me.
Since Paeng Soso was even sharing family art counters, no need to hide Martial Spirit Divine Art.
She nodded in admiration at my explanation.
“Wow… The martial world really is vast! With something like that, it’ll be even easier, right?”
“Yeah?”
“Of course! So, Young Master Jin, what’s the difference between heavy sword and crushing sword?”
“Never thought about it… If I had to say, crushing sword looks stronger? Feels like it’d smash through any obstacle.”
Paeng Soso nodded wildly, clapping like a seal.
“Exactly! Heavy sword aims for maximum power output, but crushing sword is about pressing down and overwhelming the opponent.”
Thus, crushing sword prioritizes relative strength over absolute. Clash your full power against their weakest moment to always stay dominant.
For example, against a heavy sword user, strike before they turn one into ten—when they’re only at five. With six units of power, you’d crush them.
Theoretically.
“Unless there’s a huge skill gap, catching that big an opening’s tough, right? If there is that gap, you’d win normally anyway.”
She clapped like a seal again, agreeing.
“So sharp, Young Master Jin! Right. Crushing sword doesn’t wait for openings. It creates them.”
“What?”
“Imagine relentless, unblockable strong, fast attacks pouring down. They’d scramble to defend, and their stance would crumble bit by bit.”
According to her, momentum was key. Attacks riding momentum. Opponent shrinking back. Opening born from that.
Hearing it explained, Paeng Soso’s fight with Eon Ju-won looked different now. Hong Yeonhwa created the initial opening, but Paeng Soso seized it with ferocious momentum, never yielding ground, unilaterally shredding the jiangshi.
I’d thought she’d win eventually no problem and charged Eon Ju-won… So that was domination’s subtlety.
Seeing I got it, Paeng Soso raised a finger to shoulder height.
“Here’s the key! In a desperate defensive pinch, what matters most?”
“…Raw power, I guess.”
Before falling back, maybe. Once pinned, you can’t unleash honed techniques. Only built-up internal energy and trained body to rely on.
Against the strength-famous Hebei Paeng family?
“Wow. No answer for that.”
“Now you get why it’ll be easier with your martial arts?”
I nodded, face paling. Martial Spirit Divine Art boosted exactly that—internal energy and body.
She stepped back, drew a massive saber twice my sword’s length.
“Now that you know Paeng arts… Guess the counters?”
“Something to break the momentum flow of chained attacks.”
“Bingo! I’ll show you Five Tigers Gate Severing Saber Art’s weak links and how to weaken them.”
We’d traveled with occasional spars as condition, but somehow this was our first real weapon clash.
A bit wistful, I drew my sword and took stance.
“One bout, if you please.”