012

"Do not forget. This is the opportunity the young lady created, even as she suffered disgrace at the hands of that filthy bastard. There must be no mistakes."

The Paeng Clan warriors steeled their resolve inside the escort bureau. They could not let the chance Paeng Yuwol had created by enduring such shame and humiliation go to waste, and it was a golden opportunity for them to return to the clan.

"'The weather is truly fine today,' the young lady says. What does that mean?"

"It means the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill is a lie, so seize Chu So-gwang on the spot."

"'Oh, a bug over there,' the young lady says. What does that mean?"

"It means the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill actually existed, but he used it to harm her. It means be prepared to seize it by force if its location becomes known."

The warriors recalled the prearranged code signals and raised their internal energy. Stepping forward with the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bold, spirited gait characteristic of the Paeng Clan, they moved out through the main gate to greet Chu So-gwang and Paeng Yuwol, who were walking back from the distance without an escort.

"You've arriv...?"

The warriors had to rub their eyes to believe what they were seeing.

They had left keeping several paces apart, but now they walked pressed together like lovers who had just kindled a romance.

Paeng Yuwol was holding Chu So-gwang's sleeve with her head deeply bowed, and Chu So-gwang walked very slowly, as if showing it off.

"What are you all doing out here? Get back inside. And stop making everything seem so frightening."

"Y-young lord of the bureau. Did you return safely?"

"Yeah. More importantly, among you, who is the swiftest? ...You, and you."

Chu So-gwang pointed a dismissive finger at one man and one woman. Though the phrase 'swiftest' rankled their pride somewhat, they were, in fact, the man and woman among the Paeng Clan guards most talented in the movement arts.

"I have a mission for you."

"A mission? What do you..."

"The Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill..."

In a voice scarcely louder than a crawling ant, Paeng Yuwol extended her hand. The warrior unconsciously reached out with both hands and carefully received the object she dropped.

"Huh?!"

One glance was enough to tell it was the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill. He had never seen it before, but the pill, with its taiji pattern and the distinctive blue aura—imbued with the Divine Doctor's internal qi—clearly possessed the hallmark characteristics of the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill.

"Put it in the case. Then depart for Hebei. He is an elder you must now serve with utmost respect. Shouldn't his illness be treated without even a moment's delay?"

"Th-that is..."

Weren't they supposed to use the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill as leverage to pressure him until the wedding? The warriors could not fathom what had triggered this change. And why was Paeng Yuwol saying nothing?

No, more importantly, had he actually possessed the real pill from the very beginning?

The Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill was genuine—and that petty scoundrel Chu So-gwang had simply shown Paeng Yuwol the authentic item and handed it right over?

Before the ceremony even took place?

"Y-young lady. Whatever happened?"

"...A woman must follow her husband's will."

Paeng Yuwol's voice, tinged with melancholy and what sounded like embarrassment, was quieter than a crawling ant. Dumbfounded, the warriors could only stand with their mouths agape, watching the two of them walk into the escort bureau.

"D-don't tell me the two of you already had intimate relations—"

Smack.

"How could that be! No matter how dire things are, the young lady would never, ever...!"

The warriors fell into chaos.

* * *

"Burp."

After returning to the escort bureau with Paeng Yuwol, I finished a hearty meal in the kitchen. Entering the room right away felt too uncomfortable for many reasons.

"Young lord, the bedchamber has been tidied up."

"Has it? Then I shall head in. Thanks for the meal."

That's why I'd had them tidy up the bedchamber first.

All the items Chu So-gwang had used were disinfected under the sun, and all the windows were opened wide for ventilation. The musty smell still lingered, so scented candles were burned to smother it with fragrance, and every object bearing a trace of Chu So-gwang had been replaced with new ones.

'It's my room now, after all, at least for the time being.'

I was loath to even lay hands on another man's woman, let alone lie in someone else's soiled bed.

After giving those instructions, I demanded a light snack from the kitchen. When I told them to bring out as much as I usually ate, a full banquet spread materialized before my eyes, and I could roughly guess how Chu So-gwang had trained his Water-Flow External Art.

'Damn. I'm going to have a hell of a time eating all this.'

It was an amount of food that would need to be immediately burned away inside the body as internal energy.

Pretending it was a great struggle, I picked out only the meat and ate it, and with every movement of my body, the internal energy filling the space between my skin and muscle sloshed like a flowing current of water.

"Whew..."

The servants of the Chu household held no respect for Chu So-gwang, but that made it easier for me to act as him.

From the faces of the servants who let out sighs when they thought I wasn't looking, I got a clear picture of Chu So-gwang's usual behavior. I figured there would be no problem at all if I acted the part of an arrogant, overbearing bastard.

"What about Wol-a? I think she went straight to her room."

"Wol-a...?"

"Paeng Yuwol."

At my pet name for Paeng Yuwol, the servants' faces twisted as if they were about to retch. I chewed a skewer of meat with perfect equanimity while waiting for an answer, and eventually the highest-ranking among them—an old man who appeared to be the steward—took a martial salute and bowed his waist.

"...The lady of the house is refreshing herself with a bath."

"Is she?"

Paeng Yuwol had gone to wash up as soon as we returned. The moment I imagined her naked body, I feared the internal energy from my Inverse Body Transformation would be undone.

'Calm yourself, Chu Dae-gwang. Right now, you must be Chu So-gwang.'

I hadn't been able to get a good look at Paeng Yuwol's body when I held her in that dark warehouse.

Seeing her bound to the frame and forcibly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spread open had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been erotic, but just as the basics are fundamental to every martial form, the most beautiful sight of a woman is her body without a single stitch of clothing.

- After all, an outright nude is better than a half-nude.

Some say a body only partially covered is the most provocative, but the Blood Cult Leader did not put it that way.

I wholeheartedly agreed with the Blood Cult Leader's words, which I hadn't understood at the time. I didn't grasp the exact wording, but I grasped the feeling from her tone.

Isn't mastering a martial art about embodying and realizing the mnemonic formula written in the secret manual? An outright nude over a half-nude. It had a nice ring to it.

"I will retire to my room. If something comes up, call me with the bell."

"Understood, young lord."

Relief flickered across the faces of the servants as I left. Just my departing seemed to ease their breathing, as if a tightness in their chest had finally been released.

"And for the time being, all meals will be taken in my room. Prepare dishes for two at every meal. Mine should focus on eel, dragon-phoenix soup, and black garlic. Do not bring any food outside of the designated mealtimes."

"Pardon? That... don't tell me...?"

Every servant gaped in surprise. I sympathized deeply with their reaction, that look of 'how could you possibly?'. Indeed, how could Chu So-gwang make Paeng Yuwol so docile?

"What 'don't tell me'? She will soon be your mistress. Is there some problem?"

"W-well, not a problem, but... how on earth...?"

"Because it's me."

I pointed toward Paeng Yuwol's room in front of the astonished servants.

"Tell Wol-a. Tell her to come to my room once she finishes bathing. The time is just about right... to turn in for the night."

The sun had sunk below the mountains, and before I knew it, the moon hung in the sky.

"Steward. The husband and wife will be having some private time, so see that no one disturbs us."

"Yes. Cough."

The steward's eyes reddened, his face choked with emotion. I slowly made my way alone toward Chu So-gwang's room.

"Young lord of the bureau, just you watch. Our young master has finally won over a daughter of the Paeng Clan... uwahaaha!"

That young master is currently buried in the dirt. Humming a tune with leisurely steps, I headed toward 'our room.'

* * *

"Is this truly the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill?"

"......."

The warriors wore complex expressions as they stared at the gold-foiled medicinal pill placed in their midst. Paeng Yuwol had said she was going to verify the authenticity of the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill, but the result was that she had brought the genuine article back.

"I was certain he would never hand it over until the ceremony was held."

"I believed he would hold out until she bore a child."

"It's strange. He isn't the type to show this kind of boldness."

Chu So-gwang had handed over the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill before the wedding. The warriors began to wonder if they had been prejudiced against him.

"Young lady. What exactly happened between you and Chu So-gwang?"

"Hnn."

Paeng Yuwol, who held the key to the conversation, refused to say anything specific. She only stated, 'I asked Chu So-gwang about the pill's existence, and Chu So-gwang gave it to me.'

"Th-that is..."

"Tell us the truth. What did that bastard do?!"

"You idiot, you're making this harder for the young lady!"

The only female warrior among them jabbed his side with her fist.

Having helped Paeng Yuwol with her bath, she had an inkling of what had happened between Chu So-gwang and Paeng Yuwol, and the quick-witted warriors scratched their heads, faces flushing red.

"Huh. Even so, to go that far..."

"...We were to be joined in wedlock anyway. It matters not whether it was before or after the marriage."

Paeng Yuwol herself acted with composure. Lingering in shame was unbecoming of Paeng Clan people, so Paeng Yuwol instead squared her shoulders and pointed at the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill placed in the middle.

"He gave us the pill. And he told you it is acceptable to leave for Hebei. Depart immediately."

"Oh, young lady...!"

This was the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill that Paeng Yuwol had obtained with her own body. The woman who had been forced into an unwanted marriage to save ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her clan head had, even before the ceremony, ultimately surrendered her body to Chu So-gwang's clutches.

"Is anyone inside?"

"Who is it?"

"It is the steward. ...The lord is looking for you."

The warriors drew their blades and released a burst of killing intent, but Paeng Yuwol rose with a demure, composed posture.

"I understand. I will go... shortly."

"Sniff, young lady..."

Yet who among the Paeng Clan could call her tainted? All that remained was grief for the tragedy of a woman who offered up her own body to save the head of the family, remorse, and deep gratitude.

* * *

'So this bastard was one of the Demonic Cult's money lines?'

I was stunned by what I discovered inside Chu So-gwang's room.

While searching for any hidden stashes of money I could skim, I traced the flow of funds and discovered a massive amount of capital being funneled away— its final destination was the Heavenly Mountain.

'This is fucked.'

I'd already explained away my use of Demonic Arts with a vague excuse. But now it turned out the Chuso Escort Agency itself was a pawn of the Demonic Cult. Chu So-gwang must have obtained the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill and learned Demonic Arts while funneling funds to the cult.

'Could this entire thing be a scheme to bring down the Paeng Clan?'

Think about the bigger picture.

The Blood Cult Leader used to ramble to herself endlessly and taught me while I was a Blood Jiangshi. I had no choice but to listen, even when I hated hearing it, so she was practically my third teacher in life.

When a grand conspiracy is afoot, the best way to confirm it is to concoct the most advantageous conspiracy from your own perspective and compare it against reality.

There are none who can match the Blood Cult Leader in stratagems, if nothing else. Just as the Cult Leader said, I assumed 'what if I were the Demonic Cult' and 'how would I bring down the Paeng Clan?'

One: afflict the Paeng Clan Head, Evil Slash Sword Paeng Iwang, with a dark art.

Two: create the bait called the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill and lure in the Paeng Clan.

Three: draw in a daughter of the Paeng Clan and make her learn or become tainted by Demonic Arts. If not a daughter, an heir-level son would make it even better.

Four: have a child of the Paeng Clan learn Demonic Arts to trigger a killing calamity—

'No, not that. That's the Blood Cult's way, not the Demonic Cult's way.'

A second option for four: have a child of the Paeng Clan steal the Paeng Clan's secret family martial arts.

"That's the one."

Apply a Demonic Arts-based forbidden restraint on a partner bound by marriage, so that the day they return to their family, they steal or transcribe the Paeng Clan's secret manual.

Once all truths come to light, the escort bureau will be destroyed, but at the cost of sacrificing one money line—the bureau—the Demonic Cult would steal all manner of Paeng Clan martial arts, including the Five Tiger Door-Breaking Blade.

'How very Demonic Cult-like.'

I felt a chill at how far the Demonic Cult's subtle reach extended. Meanwhile, the appointed time arrived before I knew it.

"...My lord."

The voice calling me from outside was Paeng Yuwol's. The title she used to call me made the corner of my mouth twist, but I suppressed it with effort and let her in.

"Come in."

"......."

She opened the door and entered without a sound, keeping her head deeply bowed, unable to meet my eyes. She must have rushed to my summons because she couldn't control the heat building in her own body.

'She even put on makeup.'

A woman putting on makeup before coming to a man's summons? This fight is effectively already over.

"The night is long. Sit down."

"...The chair is—"

"Where else would your seat be but here?"

I patted the spot right next to me on the bed. At such an overt choice of seating, Paeng Yuwol's face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson, and she hesitated shyly, watching for my reaction.

"It seems you wish to be handled roughly."

"Hnn...?!"

I rose and wrapped my arm around Paeng Yuwol's waist. She didn't even use her martial arts; with a bewildered expression, she was tossed onto the bed without resisting. It looked almost as if she had thrown herself onto it.

'She must be confused.'

There is no being easier to read than a female martial artist who has tasted pleasure.

A martial artist who has realized an ascended realm cannot forget the experience of having their eyes opened, and thus pursues the next realm all the more. Likewise, Paeng Yuwol had already become addicted to the pleasure of having her body newly awakened.

I confirmed the anticipation flickering in her pupils as she looked away, and inwardly I crowed with triumph.

The Indulgence Art.

An unprecedented arousal technique that rewrites a woman's thoughts with nothing but his member.

'Now this is the real Demonic Art.'

It isn't a martial art, but a dark art that subordinates a woman to a man. Just as in the warehouse, I settled beneath her as she assumed the posture.

"You shall not leave this room until I am satisfied, wife."

"...Nnn!"

Paeng Yuwol's lower body began to grow wet.