Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: What an Odd Person? (1)
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Song Mountain.
One of the most famous peaks in the world, but to the people of the martial world, this mountain held an even more special significance.
A certain temple nestled around Lesser Room Peak on Song Mountain—no, it felt somehow lacking to simply call it a temple, given its overwhelmingly great name.
Some even proclaimed it the root of all martial arts in the jianghu. That place was none other than Shaolin Temple.
The original Shaolin would have been silent save for the shouts of warrior monks honing their skills, but things were different lately.
The air even carried the scent of meat, something all but forbidden in the temple, making the place bustle like a marketplace.
In the midst of it all, a middle-aged monk watched with a sigh.
"What a sinful deed... Amitabha..."
Muttering his invocation out of habit, the middle-aged monk—Ho-myeong—made his way to a hermitage near Repentance Cave deep in the mountains.
Repentance Cave was where disciples who had sinned were confined.
But true to Shaolin's emphasis on cultivating the mind and emotions, serious offenses were rare, and the cave was almost always empty.
The hermitage Ho-myeong headed to housed the disciple in charge of managing that cave.
Due to the Abbot's decision to open the Nine Dragons Contest, this was where the disciple who had chosen to leave Shaolin temporarily for a time resided.
"Senior Brother Ho-myeong."
A voice clear and composed.
Ho-myeong arrived just in time—or perhaps a bit too late—as she was already packing her things to depart.
"Junior Sister Ho-yeon."
"I'm glad I could at least pay my respects before leaving, Senior Brother."
Her long hair, unusually unbound for a Buddhist nun, was tied back carelessly. Ho-yeon bowed her head with an expressionless face.
"You were just going to leave without a word if I hadn't come?"
"..."
A listless face. They said true enlightenment came from emptying oneself of all worldly defilements.
But her face, stripped of emotion in a way that had nothing to do with enlightenment, held no peace.
Her unstable, haggard features looked ready to crumble at any moment. Was it really okay to send her into the secular world alone, even briefly?
"If you need it, I can write you a letter of introduction to White Horse Temple nearby. You could stay there for a short while..."
"I'm fine, Senior Brother."
A faint smile formed in her hollow eyes as she shook her head.
"I know it's foolish for one who has taken Buddhist vows... but if you'll allow it, I'd like to visit the graves of my husband and child."
"Junior Sister..."
She still hadn't let go. The deaths of her husband and son continued to torment her.
No matter how many thousands or tens of thousands of sutras she recited in worship, her deep wound showed no sign of healing.
'Buddha preserve us...'
Ho-myeong could only curse his own powerlessness, turning to the Buddha in prayer.
"Then I'll be off, Senior Brother. Take care."
"You too, Junior Sister. Be cautious out there alone—watch for everything."
"...Yes."
Ho-myeong watched her retreating figure grow distant.
'Junior Sister... you must live. Surely your departed husband and son wouldn't want you to join them too soon.'
His master had worried about her until his dying day. He was the one who saved her from the brink of death and stubbornly forced the no-nun-admitted Shaolin to take her in.
Ho-myeong chanted his invocation, hoping she would at least honor her master's heart and cherish herself.
"Amitabha..."
"Amitabha..."
The one who came looking for me was some nun. Or had she come looking for this place?
"Uh, Sister? What brings you here...?"
"..."
Silent as the grave. She stared off at weird angles like I wasn't even there. It was driving me nuts.
And yet her face was pretty. The problem was the bitchy expression plastered all over it.
Her body, hidden under those robes, had to be stacked. Sexy curves for sure.
She looked about my mother's age, but even as a nun, she had that appeal. This woman definitely had a husband once.
In other words, prime milf material. Shame about the shaved head, though...
"Sister...!"
But whether she was a hot milf or not was separate from her attitude.
I'd let her in as a guest, and now she was straight-up ignoring me?
How many times had I choked down curses with a sip of tea?
Clunk.
Right then, the door opened, and Mother finally appeared.
Okay, good. Come at my mother, you damn bitch. Let's see you try...
"Lady Zhuge! It's been too long! Do you remember me?"
"Aren't you Sister Mong-a? Likewise."
The bitch nun—Mong-a, apparently—lit up as Mother greeted her.
Now that I got a proper look, yeah, she was pretty cute.
"You look well, Sister. I trust you've been free of trouble?"
"What troubles could a poor nun like me have? I simply live day by day, following the Buddha's teachings."
As they chatted away, Mother introduced me.
"This is my son. Yun, pay your respects. This is Sister Mong-a of the Ami Sect."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kang Yun."
"Mong-a."
And that was it. Even Tang Jo-myeong had tossed some empty flattery my way, but this one? Nothing.
Straight-up ignored. I'd been holding back, hoping for a real talk, and this is what I get? What the hell...
[Son, bear with it even if it's uncomfortable. The Alliance said someone else is coming anyway, so you can talk to them instead.]
Mother sent a transmission, somehow sensing my bottled-up irritation.
She didn't give details, but it seemed I wouldn't have to deal with this one and raise my blood pressure.
No point in the conversation anyway. I circulated my qi, probing for presences around us.
Hurry up and come. Don't leave me with this weirdo nun—send the real Martial Alliance guest...!
My prayers must have worked, because soon Peng Yeon-hwa's presence and another approached.
As the door opened, I greeted them warmly, expecting normal people this time—desperately fighting to keep my face straight.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Huangbo Hyo-seon, deputy leader of the White Tiger Unit under the Martial Alliance."
Why the hell are you here?
Huangbo Hyo-seon was in a great mood.
Her visit to Sichuan last time had been hijacked by her grandfather before she could meet the woman she wanted to see.
Fire Festival Iron Butterfly Peng Yeon-hwa.
The sole absolute master among righteous faction women to step into the transcendent realm.
If her grandfather was the one Huangbo Hyo-seon respected most, Peng Yeon-hwa was the one she aspired to be.
She'd accepted her grandfather's casual request without much thought, but meeting Peng Yeon-hwa now felt like a special gift.
Even the short walk and talk with her felt more precious than the original letter recipient.
But their steps inevitably led to the Tang Family's guest quarters, and Huangbo Hyo-seon swallowed her regret to get to business.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kang Yun."
'Impressive.'
A sturdy build and handsome face. A relaxed yet refined demeanor, confident voice.
His sharp, spirited eyes hinted at deep cultivation.
"Your young master's training seems no small feat. Astonishing that a dragon hid where the White Tiger Unit's eyes couldn't reach."
"You're too kind. I've learned much lately, but I need more training to truly call myself a dragon."
Despite his words, Zhuge Mi-ryeong beamed with pride. I'd heard she'd only recently adopted him as her son...?
'I can see why.'
He'd supported her through her emotional turmoil and even healed it in the end.
It would be strange if their bond wasn't tight.
After a brief exchange of compliments, Huangbo Hyo-seon got to the point.
"Young Hero Kang, as the letter likely informed you, the Alliance Leader worries you might skip the approaching Nine Dragons Contest."
"..."
"You said you'd build more strength before challenging it. But your current skill is more than enough for a seat among the Nine Dragons. Why?"
Huangbo Hyo-seon chose her words carefully to avoid sounding coercive.
The Leader of the Righteous First Man's concern carried heavy weight.
"...I've heard the Huangbo Family has a next-generation World's Greatest Swordsman."
"You're speaking of Kang Yun, I assume."
"At my age, he claimed the top seat among the Nine Dragons with overwhelming power."
"Something like that."
"As a man, I want to challenge for the title of World's Greatest someday. But if I can't even compete at the Nine Dragons Contest, what will people think?"
"..."
"See? Huangbo Kang lives up to his name. The World's Greatest is none other than Huangbo Kang. They'll say the same even thirty years from now."
Huangbo Hyo-seon read immense obsession in the young man's eyes. My god, he was truly fixated on becoming the World's Greatest!
Unable to guess it was lust for her body, she could only shudder.
"I'm grateful for the Martial Alliance Leader's consideration toward a lesser disciple like me. Thank you, Lady Huangbo, for coming all this way, and Sister Mong-a for joining her."
"Young Hero..."
"But this matters more to me than any slander from the masses. I hope you'll understand."
His stance was unyielding, unshaken by others' words.
Huangbo Hyo-seon sighed inwardly. She regretted boasting to her grandfather that she'd handle it.
He had a point. To overturn public opinion, he'd need a tournament—but winning would make enemies of the Huangbo Family.
Still, bonding with such spirited juniors was fate. Huangbo Hyo-seon felt good about it.
"To think... I had no idea my Yun felt this way..."
It seemed even Zhuge Mi-ryeong hadn't known his true feelings. She added with a wry smile.
"Son, if you change your mind, just say so. A Nine Dragons title is best claimed early..."
"Mother!"
Kang Yun's flushed cry at Zhuge Mi-ryeong warmed her heart.
It felt like a bond forged not by blood, but by heart.
'But that voice... calling her Mother. It sounds familiar, but I can't place it.'
Yeah, her mouth worked fine.
World's Greatest my ass. If it was World's Greatest at pounding milfs, I'd care.
Even peak masters numbered only a few hundred across the entire jianghu.
Medieval China had tens of millions of people. Even one percent as martial artists made hundreds of thousands.
A few hundred among them? Elites, no doubt. With the world's best martial arts around, peak realm was the goal anyway.
Good thing Huangbo Hyo-seon didn't recognize me.
Somehow, I'd held out with the mask on till the end back then. Never dreamed I'd run into her like this.
'If she'd figured it out, she'd have thrown a fit and botched everything.'
Probably why the Sword Saint pulled the same crap, stressing out my master. Mad dog and mad bitch. Fits the grandpa-granddaughter duo.
Still looked hot as hell, though.
'Focus. Drop those thoughts.'
Night was deepening. Time to head to Peng Yeon-hwa's quarters.
Normally milf-mother time, but she'd been stuck with those two Martial Alliance pests all afternoon when we had scheduled sex...
[Mother and I will come to you tonight, Yeon-hwa. Wait for us.]
I sent her a secret transmission. Peng Yeon-hwa's face brightened.
Threesome beat nothing. Mother, though, seemed miffed at being downgraded from duo to threesome.
I'd just have to pound her extra hard.
Ah, cock feels proud. Happy sex life!
It was about haishi now—around 9 PM.
As I thought of escorting Mother to her place and opened the window, dangling a leg out, an unnatural breeze slipped in.
No, not a breeze.
"Master."
"Close the window, quick."
My master, whom I hadn't seen in quite a while, was already sitting in a chair, watching me.
Hey, don't interrupt peak master sex timing, okay? Seriously?