Crossed Signals
Dokgo Ryeon’s footsteps were light as if she were walking on clouds.
A chance encounter, disguised as an accident.
She slipped naturally into the atmosphere, chimed in at all the right moments as if she agreed wholeheartedly, and won people over with effortless goodwill.
And all of it came thanks to the How to Make Friends with Girls Your Age crash course that Left Guardian Sarmacheon had passed on to her.
Dokgo Ryeon combined everything she had learned so far and, just as planned, succeeded in joining her teacher’s journey.
Sarmacheon, excellent. I’ll have to reward him generously later.
His claim that he understood women was no lie.
Dokgo Ryeon smiled in satisfaction and moved close to the chatty Cheongha, then hooked her arm through hers.
“Is that really true?”
“Of course. The scene where the healed sacred beast rubbed its head against Song Unni’s hand was like something out of a fairy tale.”
“Honestly, now. Cheongha, you’re praising me too much.”
As Cheongha gushed in her clear, ringing voice about Song Hyeon’s exploits, Song Hyeon looked modest on the surface, but she only shrugged with a faint air of pride and didn’t bother to stop her.
Teacher is surprisingly weak to praise.
Dokgo Ryeon memorized every little thing they did as she watched them.
Their gestures, their tiny habits, the changes in their expressions, the way they spoke.
Song Hyeon was a teacher she revered without reserve, her soul’s one true companion who would stay with her forever.
As far as Dokgo Ryeon was concerned, she didn’t want to miss even the smallest detail about her.
The possessive look in her eyes was sticky enough to feel dangerous to anyone who saw it.
Cheongha had already noticed that look for what it was and quietly glanced at Song Hyeon for her reaction.
But Song Hyeon didn’t care at all.
She keeps staring at me. Well, my face is impossible to get tired of, so I can’t blame her.
It was only that, thanks to the curse on her body, she felt so good from Cheongha’s nonstop compliments that she had no room in her head to think about anything else.
But the other two had no way of knowing that.
Seems like she’s fine.
As expected of my teacher. She understands my heart.
The bizarre journey of three people, each interpreting the exact same phenomenon in a completely different way, had continued like that for days.
In the midst of a silence tangled with hot stares, uneasy glances, and careless calm, Song Hyeon spoke again.
“By the way, Ryeon. You said you’re attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering too, right?”
“That’s right. Teacher, are you taking part this time as well?”
“I’m not sure. Cheongha has her reasons for not wanting to make a name for herself, so I think I’m the only one entering.”
Dokgo Ryeon’s gaze flicked briefly toward Cheongha before locking firmly back on Song Hyeon.
She had no interest in Cheongha’s circumstances.
They had learned under the same master, so she might have been called a junior sister, but that was all.
Dokgo Ryeon’s head was filled entirely with Song Hyeon.
That was because Dokgo Ryeon had no proper understanding of the etiquette between master and disciple.
An exhibition match featuring a predecessor who achieved profound mastery of Cheonmashingong...
Dokgo Ryeon’s heart was already beginning to thud.
Cheongha was inwardly grateful that Dokgo Ryeon hadn’t asked about her circumstances, but she had grown up as the youngest daughter of a prestigious family for a reason; her instincts for reading a room were sharp.
In that brief moment, she already understood why the other girl had no interest in her.
Dokgo Ryeon wasn’t paying her the slightest attention.
Her interest was focused entirely on Song Hyeon.
Her friendly behavior toward Cheongha was only there because she needed a stepping-stone to get closer to Song Hyeon.
Cheongha swallowed dryly.
...At least she doesn’t seem dangerous.
They had been traveling together for days already, but to Cheongha, the attention Dokgo Ryeon gave Song Hyeon was bordering on obsession.
She had asked Song Hyeon in passing whether the two of them had known each other for a long time, but the answer had been that they’d only met once.
She was curious about Dokgo Ryeon’s true identity, but there was no way to know it yet.
Or maybe that’s exactly what makes her dangerous?
Cheongha watched Dokgo Ryeon, who was now clinging to Song Hyeon’s arm as if they were already inseparable. A bright, flower-like smile was blooming across the mysterious girl’s face.
But what might be hiding behind that smile, Cheongha couldn’t begin to guess.
For now, the girl didn’t seem to have any intention of hurting Song Hyeon, so she decided to keep watching.
Cheongha’s judgment was correct.
Dokgo Ryeon had even abandoned her post as the Heavenly Demon Cult’s leader to come all the way here and remain at Song Hyeon’s side.
She might do her utmost to protect Song Hyeon, but any desire to harm her did not exist now and would never exist in the future.
Ignoring Cheongha’s suspicious look, Dokgo Ryeon hung onto Song Hyeon’s arm and asked carefully, “Then does Teacher intend to make a name for herself at this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?”
“I think that’s probably how it’ll go. It seems like the better path for what I want.”
Song Hyeon said that with a faint smile.
Her goal was to recover every secret manual that had spread through the world.
To do that, she needed fame.
Besides, from what she’d heard, quite a few secret manuals had already made their way into Shaolin.
In that case, she’d need to become famous enough to approach Shaolin, a place where women were forbidden.
A late-generation prodigy who descends like a comet at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering... If I want to stand out, I guess I really do have to follow the standard debut route of the martial world.
Song Hyeon closed her eyes and imagined the future.
She would emerge as the best at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, leave her mark on the Orthodox Faction of the martial world, and ride the support of Wudang to spread her fame, then receive from Shaolin the authority to decide what became of the secret manuals.
That way, she could be admired, satisfy her self-esteem, and achieve her goal all at once.
One stone, two birds.
As expected, I’m a genius.
Envisioning a future built on a thoroughly sloppy, convenience-driven chain of events, Song Hyeon nodded in satisfaction.
There wasn’t a trace of her usual caution or sharpness in Song Hyeon when she was in Ttuyutaya mode.
Dokgo Ryeon smiled warmly at how happy Song Hyeon seemed.
As expected, Teacher is weaving some grand design. In that case, I must absolutely see her will fulfilled.
She firmly resolved to do something dazzling at this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, something that would ensure all eyes turned to Song Hyeon.
Just then, the clouds parted and bright sunlight poured over them.
Basking in the warmth, Song Hyeon slipped out of her daydream and looked down at Dokgo Ryeon, who was still looped around her arm.
“By the way, Ryeon. How strong are you?”
With Song Hyeon’s limited knowledge, it was obvious that Dokgo Ryeon’s ability to snatch up objects by firing formless bursts of qi was no small thing.
In that case, maybe she could help while Song Hyeon prepared a new finishing move?
When Song Hyeon sent her an expectant look, Dokgo Ryeon let go of her arm, placed a hand at her waist, and drew herself up proudly before answering.
“I’ve just reached the late stage of the Transformation Realm, and I’m beginning to look toward the Mystic Realm.”
A gust of wind swept around Dokgo Ryeon.
At her bombshell statement, both Song Hyeon and Cheongha came to a dead stop.
“Did I hear you wrong? You said the Transformation Realm?”
“Yes. I’m still lacking compared to Teacher, but I’ll catch up soon, so don’t worry.”
For a moment, Song Hyeon felt as if the world had gone dark before her eyes.
Ah. Right. This girl’s mind was already a little broken. I forgot because she’d been behaving herself so quietly after we reunited.
In Song Hyeon’s memory, Dokgo Ryeon was just a crazy woman pretending to be the Heavenly Demon.
That was why she dismissed the girl’s confident words as nothing special.
“I see. Keep working hard.”
“Yes!”
But Cheongha, who had been listening from the side, was not so casual.
The imposing aura Dokgo Ryeon had released when she struck that proud pose was absolutely not ordinary.
Just that brief burst of qi had been enough to shake the surrounding air and stir up a wind.
Her claim to be at the Transformation Realm didn’t seem false at all.
Cheongha’s hand had moved reflexively toward her sword hilt, but when Song Hyeon brushed it off so lightly, the aura that had spread so abruptly vanished in an instant.
She put on that much pressure just to show off her own strength.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Cheongha’s back.
“Come to think of it, Teacher, your energy is different from before.”
“Oh, this? The sacred beast gave it to me.”
“Really? As expected of Teacher! To think you can communicate with the energy of nature!”
Cheongha stared blankly at the backs of the two as they walked away together, chatting softly.
...Unni’s level is higher than I thought.
Cheongha had only just come out onto the jianghu.
She hadn’t even properly learned martial arts yet, so her understanding of cultivation realms was still shallow.
She knew Song Hyeon was strong, but it had only ever been an abstract impression.
Now that she had a clear point of comparison, it was obvious Song Hyeon was far from ordinary.
Maybe she really is...
If Dokgo Ryeon’s claim about the Transformation Realm was true, then what level was Song Hyeon at?
Well, that would explain why even the Hao Moon Lord, the current leader of the demonic sects, had acknowledged her and handed over the Iron Wrench.
And even a Wudang elder had bowed and scraped before her, so it had to be true.
The scattered pieces in Cheongha’s mind finally felt as though they were snapping into place.
Song Hyeon, now some distance ahead, turned back and said, “Aren’t you coming?”
Cheongha met her eyes.
Those black, deep pupils that seemed ready to swallow her whole felt even more distant than usual today.
The more she learned about Song Hyeon, the less she understood her, and somehow that only made her want to keep watching her from beside her all the more.
“…Sorry.”
“What are you apologizing for?”
When Cheongha hurried to catch up, Song Hyeon smiled with obvious pleasure.
Cheongha really is polite. And her reactions are great.
Song Hyeon wasn’t thinking about anything.
As always.
**
By the time the sun began to set, the forest clearing had turned the color of orange dusk.
Song Hyeon and Cheongha were once again playing catch with a sparkling qi bullet.
It was their daily routine by now, repeated for several days in a row.
“Catch!”
“Hup.”
Bang!
A sharp explosion rang out, and the dazzling qi bullet flashed past Cheongha’s face by a hair’s breadth.
“Hmm. Was that a little faster this time?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“No, no, nothing to apologize for. I’ll slow down a bit this time.”
Song Hyeon lifted her hand again without concern.
Qi compressed fiercely above her palm, and before long a radiant qi bullet hovered there as casually as if it had always belonged.
After repeating it for days, she had now grown so skilled that she could create the bullets on her own without difficulty.
“Here I go again!”
Bang!
Song Hyeon sent the qi bullet flying with another booming crack.
Cheongha clenched her teeth and struggled to catch it.
What a strange training method.
Dokgo Ryeon sat quietly beneath a tree a short distance away, watching the scene in silence.
The act of throwing and catching lumps of qi like a brute.
No matter how she looked at it, it seemed terribly inefficient to her.
But this was training personally conducted by Teacher, so Dokgo Ryeon assumed there must be some profound meaning behind it and watched without complaint.
She was doing the same thing on the day we first met.
It had been easy to find them thanks to the huge noises and flashing light visible even from far away.
Bang!
Another qi bullet was launched.
There was no special trick to it, no deep manipulation of a profound technique.
It was just a pure mass of force.
Of course, Cheongha, whose level was still lacking, struggled to catch even that simple ball of qi.
Is she trying to build the foundations?
In the end, Cheongha collapsed to the ground as though her strength had given out, and Song Hyeon clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“Shall we stop here for today?”
“…I’m sorry. I’m just not good enough.”
“No, no. It was fun.”
Song Hyeon had already forgotten the original purpose of developing a finishing move and was now enjoying this qi-bullet catch entirely on its own.
A fun little game to enliven an otherwise boring journey.
As they kept at it, she’d even begun to pick up the rhythm and found it more and more entertaining.
Meanwhile, Cheongha found it harder by the day to keep receiving the bullets.
So her pitching talent is the kind that would make the major leagues cry. What can I do? I’m a genius.
Refreshed from the exercise, Song Hyeon was still too blissfully unaware to notice anything strange and merely enjoyed her carefree thoughts.
It had become more fun with each passing day as she developed a knack for it, but Cheongha, meanwhile, had an increasingly difficult time receiving the qi bullets.
As the two trudged back to camp, kicking up dust beneath their feet, Dokgo Ryeon welcomed them with a warm smile.
“You worked hard.”
“…Thank you.”
Cheongha took the offered waterskin and sank down weakly beside her.
Her arms were trembling from the accumulated impact.
“Then I’ll go wash up.”
With the satisfied feeling that comes after a good sweat, Song Hyeon told them that and vanished like the wind toward a nearby stream.
Her steps were light, with no sign of fatigue at all.
Once Song Hyeon disappeared from view, Cheongha set down the waterskin she’d been drinking from and collapsed fully into the grass, finally relaxing.
“You’re the one doing all the hard work every time.”
At Dokgo Ryeon’s offhand remark, the exhausted Cheongha gave a tiny jolt.
“No, not at all. It’s nothing like that.”
After catching her breath for a moment, Cheongha sat up again and asked Dokgo Ryeon a question.
Fatigue still lingered in her eyes, but so did a deep curiosity.
“You said you’re Song Unni’s disciple, right?”
“That’s right.”
“You said Unni was staying on Mount Hua, so were you there too?”
“Not exactly.”
“Huh?”
If they hadn’t been together, then how could she possibly be her disciple?
Confusion flickered in Cheongha’s gaze.
Dokgo Ryeon saw that curious look and let out a soft snort of amusement.
“You don’t necessarily have to be together to learn. There are things like secret manuals, too.”
“Ah, so you’re a secret-manual user too, Unni.”
Cheongha nodded as if she understood at last.
She had grown stronger through a secret manual herself, so she could easily accept the meaning of that.
“But what does the secret manual have to do with being Song Unni’s disciple?”
“Well... that’s a long story.”
As Cheongha leaned forward, unable to suppress her curiosity, Dokgo Ryeon smiled meaningfully and opened her mouth.
Girls chatting to build common ground.
This was the perfect chance to grow closer to the favored disciple who had won Teacher’s affection.
Maybe I should score some points in advance?
Dokgo Ryeon recalled the day she first met Song Hyeon.
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