Luoyang (3)
Mo Yong Hwi's money pouch that the thieving Heavenly Demon Hong Yeonhwa had swiped was surprisingly stuffed to the brim. If managed well, it could cover all our expenses during our stay in Luoyang with plenty to spare.
Thanks to that, I could rent a room on the top floor—the third story—without a care in the world. This was basically Hong Yeonhwa's earnings too (sort of), so I had to make sure she was fully satisfied.
"Hmm... If you think that way, will you give this lady all the money left over after today's meal?"
"Huh? Even without this, we won't run short, so sure... Do you want to buy something?"
"That's a secret! Soso, after we book the inn and eat, come with this lady to the night market for a bit."
"Me too?"
Hong Yeonhwa whispered something into the bewildered Paeng Soso's ear. She even cupped her hand to block the sound, so I couldn't catch it. But judging from the strange heat rising in Paeng Soso's expression, it must have been something pretty enticing.
We climbed to the third floor amid haha-ho-ho laughter like that.
If the difference between the first and second floors was in the quality of the food, the gap between the second and third was private rooms instead of open space. It seemed minor, but with Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso's stunning beauty drawing stares everywhere, the lack of eyes on us was a huge relief.
Anyway, our signature dishes finally arrived. At first, I thought it was just 24 soup courses or something, but these turned out to be incredibly luxurious fare. According to the waiter, these were dishes favored by Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, passed down through the ages. No wonder they were ridiculously expensive—palace food and all.
But the taste was exquisite. Even Hong Yeonhwa, whom I'd expected to devour everything sloppily, savored each bite with deliberate care.
Hong Yeonhwa's eyes sparkled the whole time, while I kept gasping in admiration as I moved my chopsticks. Paeng Soso, however, was the only one picking at her food with a slightly complicated look.
"Um... Aren't you two going to ask about what happened earlier?"
Aha. So that's what was bugging her?
Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head with chopsticks still in her mouth.
"You didn't even draw your sword. Nothing to fuss over, right?"
"Exactly. We won anyway, so it's fine, isn't it? ...Ah, is that Jegal Yeongyeong girl the type to hold grudges? Or is it a problem that we took his money pouch?"
"That's fine. Yeongyeong can be a pain, but she won't cross the line. And Young Master Mo Yong Hwi has zero grudges at all."
Even if they found out we'd taken the pouch, he'd let it slide because of his own misdeeds.
"Wait. So he knew he was in the wrong but still picked a fight?"
"Yeah. I don't get it either, but that's what the Jin family said."
I had no idea what went down, but apparently one day Mo Yong Hwi fell head over heels for Jegal Yeongyeong. After getting engaged, he'd go along with even her most absurd demands.
"Brainwashing or something...?"
"The Mo Yong family dabbles in sorcery, but they're no idiots. He's actually pretty smart. They checked him thoroughly, of course."
The examination found nothing wrong; he was just utterly smitten. That led to their engagement.
"The problem is Yeongyeong's personality..."
Paeng Soso sighed that she hadn't been like this as a kid, wondering what happened. People do twist as they grow up sometimes. The issue was her picking on Paeng Soso specifically.
"This time too, you two had an unpleasant experience because of me."
Hong Yeonhwa slammed her chopsticks down with a sharp tak! at Paeng Soso's gloomy addition.
"Don't say that. Your matters are our matters now too. This lady isn't bothered at all."
"I think the same. If anything's a shame, it's that Yeonhwa finished them off in a flash before I could step in..."
"Ah, aaah..."
Paeng Soso's expression finally relaxed as she watched Hong Yeonhwa shiver and me teasing her cheeks with my fingers.
"Don't be too bummed, Young Master Jin. I heard those two are joining the Yongbong Branch Meet too. Yeongyeong lives in Shaanxi Province, so she's probably here to pick up Young Master Mo Yong Hwi."
She giggled that we might run into them at the Yongbong Branch Meet, so I should show off then.
"You can count on it!"
I thumped my chest confidently at Paeng Soso.
I still got thoroughly thrashed sparring with her, but that was because she was exceptional. Most prestigious sect heirs topped out at the tail end of first-rate, maybe early peak. I could handle that much now.
Of course, someone with Paeng Soso's talent and ample backing might dominate, so winning was unlikely. Victory would go to Hong Yeonhwa anyway, but I could at least put on a flashy show midway.
...Huh? Isn't that the same mindset as Mo Yong Hwi trying to impress Jegal Yeongyeong?
My head tilted without me realizing.
"I'll be looking forward to it, Young Master Jin."
"This lady too!"
Irrelevant questions flew off to nowhere as their hands slyly stroked my thighs in the private room where no one could see.
Whatever!
After the meal, we rented a room at a decent inn, and Hong Yeonhwa came scampering right up to me.
"......"
Without a word, she clasped her hands at her chest in a begging pose, blinking cutely. Like a hamster or something.
It felt like a waste to just hand over the pouch like that, so I placed my hand atop hers.
"Eung?"
She fidgeted with my hand in mild surprise—stroking the back, lifting fingers, tracing the palm lines. Then she started rubbing her cheek against my palm, giggling.
Seeing that, Paeng Soso crept closer too, peppering my other hand with kisses, lightly nibbling fingers like tickling, even sucking on the tips with her tongue.
The mood turned steamy in an instant.
Naturally, my hands drifted toward Hong Yeonhwa's breasts and Paeng Soso's ass—tak!
"Heok!"
Hong Yeonhwa belatedly snapped to and swatted my hand away.
Too harsh.
"This lady won't fall for temptation!"
"Was I the one tempting?"
No matter how I thought about it, she started it. But Paeng Soso nodded solemnly too, apparently thinking the same.
"Young Master Jin's at fault here. Flaunting such big, sturdy hands... It's too sexy."
"...We're talking about our hands, right? Nothing else?"
After a brief squabble over our differing perceptions, I handed the pouch to Hong Yeonhwa.
"Need anything? Might as well pick it up while you're out."
"Hmm... Can't I come along?"
Ever since hearing how merchants fawned over Hong Yeonhwa alone last time, giving extras and discounts, a twinge of possessiveness—or jealousy?—had stirred in me. So I suggested going together, but...
Hong Yeonhwa shook her head firmly.
"No. Didn't I say? This lady has a secret purchase for you this time."
"Y-yeah, Young Master Jin. Absolutely not this time. No wheedling!"
What the hell could it be...?
I itched to pin Paeng Soso aside and tickle-torture Hong Yeonhwa until she spilled, or have Paeng Soso beg for the same and blurt it out.
One or the other, probably. Though I'd just think it, not act.
"Fine. No need to buy anything for me then—just hurry back."
Grumbling my assent, Hong Yeonhwa smirked and stood on tiptoe, while Paeng Soso grinned and sidled beside me.
"Now I see—the childish one's not this lady, but you."
"Right? Hong-unnie, we should hurry back as fast as we can, yeah?"
Hong Yeonhwa stroked my hair, Paeng Soso patted my butt. Kinda weird, but not bad.
I saw them off like that, then finished my daily training alone.
Swinging my sword through the air felt nostalgic after so long. It was brutally tough when I did it, but now it felt oddly empty without.
In wuxia novels, they imagine phantom foes for practice, but whether it was fiction vs. reality or my lack of talent, I couldn't manage it.
I ran forms until I worked up a sweat, then returned to the room to focus on qi circulation and meditation.
I hadn't fully digested my recent insights yet, so unlike forms, this yielded gains in every way.
According to Hong Yeonhwa, mastering them would let me manifest sword qi without Martial Spirit Divine Art.
Me, reaching the peak realm. My heart raced, shaking my focus, but I reined it in and concentrated on controlling my inner energy.
......
How much time passed like that? As if signaling enough for today, my trance-state mind naturally surfaced.
"Hoo..."
I felt tangible growth—small but clear—as I slowly opened my eyes.
"Eh?"
"Hehe, you finally opened your eyes, my dear."
"Your focus has improved a lot lately, Young Master Jin."
Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso were back before I knew it.
I'd been dying to know what they'd buy when seeing them off, but now there was no need to ask.
"How is it? This lady and Soso's surprise gift for you, after all your hard work."
"W-we thought you'd like this, since you always dote on us so cutely like this..."
Hong Yeonhwa, sporting fox ears and a tail, let out a mewling gyao, while Paeng Soso thrust her ass toward me, wagging her tail.
They spoke in turn.
"Tonight, this lady plans to devour you!"
"I think it'd be fun to be the one hunted..."