The Price of Intimacy
Banya said that if Yeongso wished, he would have his subordinates search for the first volume of The Secret Manual of Consummation Cultivation. He added that if she wanted, he was even willing to practice this ridiculous mental cultivation method with her. At that point, Baekri Yeongso's guard went up.
"You... You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
"Caught me," Banya admitted readily.
"To be honest, I am quite curious about the thirty-six exotic ways of consummation. When I glanced through it the day before yesterday, there was a particular position that caught my interest."
"Is that all?"
"What kind of answer do you want?" Banya asked back.
"Once we master this cultivation, I will be able to stoke your desire at will. I readily agreed out of a greedy desire to watch my wife squirm in heat at any given moment. Well, is that the kind of answer you wanted to hear?"
"Of course, that would be part of the reason, but..."
Why is she so certain about the 'of course' part? Banya muttered to himself.
Yeongso stared intently at her husband, as if doing so would allow her to peer into his mind. In truth, the answer that his goal was to constantly arouse Baekri Yeongso's lust was classic Banya. It was an answer only he could give.
Perhaps I am overthinking this.
Hwa Banya had little patience and preferred slaughtering everyone over plotting schemes. Even on the night he first told his wife about his infinite regressions, he had said so himself: he absolutely detested mind games.
Though his scheme of taking me to Chunyangru, feeding me drugged wine, and framing Hwa Mujin was an exception... But that was a one-time thing.
Yeongso quickly calculated the odds in her head. If she had to trade thirty-six nights of consummation or her own physical desire in exchange for completely controlling the murderous impulses of the Alliance Leader of Cheonsaryeon, Hwa Banya, it wasn't a bad deal. Besides, even if he tried to stoke her lust, couldn't she manage it somehow by suppressing it with her internal energy? At the very least, she would be able to avoid being teased mischievously by Banya in front of others.
That should be enough.
Although his promise to Seowangmo was currently keeping Banya in check, Yeongso could not rest easy with just that. She didn't want to leave everything solely in the hands of Banya, who merely wished to avoid being subjected to infinite regression again. She wanted to help him in a more secure way, rather than just cheering on his good deeds.
My husband is a man who could slaughter the entirety of Nagan-seong if he ever loses control.
Therefore, not a single misstep could be allowed in Hwa Banya's current life. Yeongso hardened her resolve.
"Very well. Once you find the first volume, we shall cultivate it together."
"I will command the Heavenly Killing Star immediately."
"But I must read the first volume first. Do not snatch the book away like you did the day before yesterday."
Banya smiled faintly, agreeing. Caught by the look in his eyes, which seemed to find his wife utterly adorable, Yeongso unconsciously averted her gaze.
It must be my imagination.
Banya merely desired, ridiculed, and teased his wife, Baekri Yeongso, while simultaneously wanting to kill her. He would never look at her with genuine affection, not even in her dreams.
The next day, Banya visited the inner quarters again. He announced that he had found the first volume of The Secret Manual of Consummation Cultivation and suggested they begin their cultivation this very day.
Having just bathed, Yeongso had a deep frown etched between her brows. With a face full of discontent, she held out her hand to Banya.
"I have bathed. Satisfied? Now, show me the first volume."
"You didn't really need to bathe," Banya said with a sly smile.
"Surely my lady had already bathed this morning. Why go through the trouble of dousing yourself with water again? Were you really looking forward to our consummation that much—"
"What are you talking about? You said you wouldn't show me the first volume unless I bathed first."
"My lady, I said exactly this."
Banya slowly waved the dark green-covered manual in his hand as he continued.
"I brought the first volume, so prepare to proceed straight to the consummation cultivation. Since we will move directly to the practical application of the second volume the moment we finish reading the theory... I simply meant you only needed to take off your clothes."
"You!" Yeongso stamped her foot lightly, her expression filled with indignation. "If that's what you meant, you should have stopped me earlier!"
"I thought you rushed out to show your sincerity because you were so desperately eager for our consummation."
Absurd. There was no way she would ever do that. The realization that she had been tricked again flashed through her mind. Yeongso glared fiercely at her smiling husband.
"Stop glaring at me, my lady. You look so adorable I want to swallow you alive."
Banya opened the pages of the first volume, turned it toward Yeongso, and handed it over.
"Now, this is the topic of conversation the cultivators must share on the first day."
Didn't he say the first volume dealt with theory? Then what is this about a topic of conversation? Yeongso took the book, her expression still sullen.
How can this be...
The moment she saw the first day's topic, her mind went completely blank.
The occasion that led to the master-disciple bond with the one who taught you martial arts?
This was impossible. It was Baekri Yeongso's secret—one she could tell no one, and must never reveal. The moment she spoke of this to Hwa Banya of all people, her family in Hadong would be utterly ruined.
"Why does a martial arts manual require us to tell each other such things..." Yeongso could not bring herself to finish the sentence.
If they had to have this kind of conversation on the first day, what on earth were they supposed to talk about on the second and third days? Surely all thirty-six questions weren't like this? Yeongso's hands moved faster and faster as she flipped through the pages. The subsequent questions were all utterly shocking.
The reason behind your very first kill? I'm supposed to say this in front of the very person I killed? If my husband hears the reason, flies into a rage, and tries to kill me again, all my efforts up to now will go down the drain.
And I won't be the only one to die...
A crazed Banya would seek to slaughter as many humans as possible. Afterward, Banya would plunge back into the loop of infinite regression, and Yeongso herself would be reincarnated as a beast of burden, overworked day and night. The tragic end was clear as day.
"You... this was your real reason for wanting to cultivate with me, wasn't it? All that talk about stoking my desire..."
"Is there a problem?" Her husband asked nonchalantly.
She wanted to hit him. But the one she wanted to scold most severely was none other than herself. You were so confident that you would hold the reins of the cruel Alliance Leader of Cheonsaryeon, Baekri Yeongso. Look at yourself now. You've been played by your husband again. Tricked once more.
"I'm not doing this."
"Now, now."
"You didn't just find the first volume today, did you? You've had it all along, haven't you? Ah, no. Was it you who gave the second volume to Lady Ten Thousand Poison Hands in the first place and ordered her to present it to me as a gift?"
"My sins must run deep indeed, seeing how you do not trust me in the slightest."
Banya rubbed his temples and let out a sigh mixed with laughter. "My lady, you have gone too far. While it is true that I read the first volume beforehand, I have never manipulated the Poison Hand."
He then asked back if she, now having skimmed through both volumes, hadn't realized the core essence of this manual.
"Once you resolve to control another's desire, emotions, and power, there must be at least no secrets between you. You must entrust your most vulnerable parts into each other's hands."
"But I am at too much of a disadvantage." An honest reply slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.
At this, Banya suppressed a laugh. "Do you truly believe you are the only one at a disadvantage?"
"...My secrets are far greater."
"One can never know." Banya's voice suddenly sank low. "Who knows if even the fearless Alliance Leader of Cheonsaryeon has a fatal secret he wishes to hide."
Yeongso shook her head desperately. She had no intention of falling for Banya's coaxing. This was unconditionally to her disadvantage. Furthermore, if her secrets were revealed, Baekri Yeongso would not be the only one ruined.
"I know what my lady worries about. You must be concerned about my anger, but you are also likely afraid that I will blabber your secrets to the world."
Banya told her to read the final page of the first volume properly. Although she was reluctant to do even that, it was hard to avoid when Banya kindly pointed his finger at it and thrust it right in front of her face. Besides, he was the kind of man who would read it aloud himself if she closed her eyes in refusal.
"Here," Banya tapped with his finger. "There is a warning, is there not?"
If a cultivator carelessly leaks the secrets of their partner heard during cultivation to the outside world, their qi and blood will flow backward, causing them to bleed from every orifice of their body until they become a ruined wreck.
*However, this restriction is lifted after completing all thirty-six stages.
"I will answer first for every single question. If you do not feel any sincerity in my words, or if you are simply unsatisfied, you can stop right then."
Banya's bottomless black eyes stared intently at Yeongso. "So, won't you listen to my story first?"