Morning Make-Up and the Massive Murim Alliance
My eyes fluttered open naturally after a good night's sleep following the Yongbong Branch Meet. As I sat up feeling refreshed, the first thing I saw was Hong Yeonhwa's back, wiggling around as she did something.
My still-groggy brain instinctively recalled the last memory from yesterday. I'd relentlessly targeted Paeng Soso's weak spots until she passed out completely before drifting off. I'd done some cleanup beforehand, but not thoroughly. I was tired too, after all. Judging by how the surroundings looked reasonably tidy now, she must've woken up first and finished what I hadn't gotten to.
As if confirming my guess, Hong Yeonhwa turned at the sound of my presence, holding her cleanly washed tail and ears. Our eyes met, and she stared at me with a sullen expression.
“……”
She turned her head away sharply without a word and resumed her cleaning.
Hmm, still sulking over yesterday, huh. I did tease her a bit too much because she was so cute.
I approached Hong Yeonhwa from behind and started kneading her small shoulders.
“Mad at me?”
“No such thing.”
“Pouting?”
“Hmph!”
Not mad, but pouting, then.
“No good morning for me?”
“What makes you think this lady has to greet the man who tormented her?”
…Her reaction was colder than expected. She seemed seriously upset. If I left it like this, she'd sulk all day, so I needed to fix it now.
I slid my hands from her shoulders to pull her upper body into a hug. A back hug, basically. Due to our height difference, her head fit perfectly into my chest. I rubbed my cheek against the top of her head and whispered.
“You really won't…?”
I channeled the desperate cry of a lost baby animal calling for its mother. Since I'd never acted like this before, the effect would be huge.
“Eut…!”
Sure enough, Hong Yeonhwa froze, stopping what she was doing with a big flinch. She probably felt like someone had gripped her heart right now. That's how I felt when she acted cute, anyway.
I leaned in deeper, lightly nipping her earlobe.
“Heu….”
I didn't use my tongue or let my hands wander to her breasts. I had to maintain pure interest and affection.
“You there…? Um, you there?”
Never imagining our positions would reverse, Hong Yeonhwa started fidgeting anxiously. I didn't answer. Instead, I bowed my head and gently rubbed my cheek against hers, as if seeking permission—very carefully.
“Uh… ah!”
Unable to bear it, she shoved me away and shot to her feet.
“Stop acting so pitiful! Yesterday was clearly your fault! Even when this lady said she didn't want to go further, no, it was impossible, you still chased after me and grabbed me…!”
She pinched both my cheeks and stretched them out, growling.
“If that's an expression of affection, then isn't this one too?!”
“…Wasn't it? I've always pinched your cheeks with love, Yeonhwa.”
I replied calmly, my pronunciation slightly slurred from the pulling. She froze, momentarily speechless, staring blankly like someone who'd just learned platypus eggs have thin, leathery shells that are tough and elastic.
Well, yeah. That's more like reptile eggs than bird ones!
A moment later, she shook her head vigorously to snap out of it and spoke in a much softer tone.
“Even so, yesterday was too much. It wasn't unpleasant, but that's not what this lady wanted.”
“……”
I blinked innocently, feigning confusion. Hong Yeonhwa sighed deeply.
“Let me see… for example…”
She released her grip and began gently caressing my face instead.
“Start softly, so this lady can feel your presence.”
From my forehead to the bridge of my nose, down to my lips, and finally my chin. Just brushing my peach fuzz. The ticklish warmth made my body tremble involuntarily. My heart was racing.
“Once you've heightened this lady's senses, kiss her.”
She pressed her small lips exactly where her fingers had been. Peck. Peck. Peck. A strange pleasure, like her lips scratching an itch. And with each approach, her unique body scent filled my nose, making my mind hazy. Everything around me floated away, leaving only Hong Yeonhwa and her stimuli in sharp focus—a wondrous state.
I gazed at her expectantly. What next? I was still sitting; she'd stood up, so for once, I looked up at her while she looked down.
“Finally……hmm?”
Our eyes met, and she tilted her head at my dazed expression.
“No way?”
Realizing my utterly entranced state, she stepped back a couple paces.
“Ah…”
A voice full of unconscious regret slipped out. But it wasn't time to despair yet—she was grinning mischievously.
“I was just giving an example, but this lady's charm must be too overwhelming.”
She glanced around slyly, then spoke in a suggestive tone.
“You know? Soso went downstairs right now to fetch breakfast.”
Ah, that explained why she wasn't around.
“We have little time, but for once, it's just you and this lady alone.”
She seemed pleased by how she had me wrapped around her finger. Hong Yeonhwa spread her arms confidently.
“Want to touch?”
“But next time, no teasing—do it just as this lady showed you. Deal?”
“Obviously…”
The answer was a given.
During the day, we ate delicious food and wandered around. At night, I played with Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso in bed. The first night was my way; the next, Hong Yeonhwa's; then Paeng Soso's requests.
Well… not everything they wanted. When I joked about stuffing nine tails in to make her a fox spirit, she freaked out and ran. Did she think I meant nine dildos instead of one with nine tails? Cornered, Hong Yeonhwa tried blocking for Paeng Soso, trembling while acting like the senior wife—adorable.
Anyway, under the guise of extra nighttime training, I cut back daytime sessions a bit and indulged in Luoyang's pleasures for several days until Mo Yong Hwi's pouch and our budgeted funds ran dry. Regretfully, we set off for the next destination.
I hadn't liked Mo Yong Hwi or Jegal Yeongyeong at first, but thanks to them, we had a blast. Now they felt like guardian angels. Good luck, or had they left Luoyang after meeting us? We didn't run into them again, sadly.
After leaving, training resumed—more rolling on the ground than in bed. Fully digesting my insights, I reached the early Peak realm, able to faintly manifest sword qi without Martial Spirit Divine Art.
Finally, passing Henan Province, we arrived at the Murim Alliance HQ in Shaanxi.
And my jaw dropped immediately.
“…It's huge.”
A massive plot of land ringed by tall walls, packed with countless buildings. Like a palace. Bigger than Gyeongbokgung from my past life's school trip, at least. And so many people—especially warriors. Murim Alliance martial artists in uniforms emblazoned with "Martial" on the back, wandering ronin, and well-dressed young heirs.
Obviously, even in a wuxia world, trained fighters are outnumbered by civilians. Seeing so many gathered like this was a first.
Amazed, I gawked around until—
“It's the Murim Alliance, after all.”
“Yeah, because it's the Alliance.”
Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso shrugged like they were stating the obvious, akin to saying a platypus isn't a duck or a beaver.
Weird… why was I the most shocked? I'd seen taller, flashier buildings in the modern world. Was it the horizontal sprawl after vertical skyscrapers?
I tilted my head, unconvinced. Hong Yeonhwa smirked.
“Think about it—the power of the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects. Each dominates a region.”
“Hong-unnie's right. Add all the mid-to-small clans and sects under them, and this is just right.”
“Fair point, but… wait. Yeonhwa, you took down a place like this in your world?!”
Hong Yeonhwa puffed out her chest—bigger than her head—and snorted arrogantly.
“Indeed! It was a bit smaller, but still, this lady's perfect victory!”
“Whoa.”
Until now, I'd thought "Heavenly Demon" meant she could pull it off. But seeing the Alliance's scale firsthand made her seem truly impressive for once. I stroked her head enthusiastically in admiration.
“Nyeoong….”
She melted into her usual cuteness right away.