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Three days later.
The final day of the Two Phoenixes Decisive Battle—the day set for the One Phoenix Decisive Battle—drew a massive crowd.
Though the numbers were far fewer than the twenty thousand from before, their eyes brimmed with anticipation.
- Maybe they'll duel again?
The Taiji Flower, and the Little Princess.
Sagong Hee, who had set aside the sword for the fist, and the Little Princess, whose twin swords rivaled the finest of the Murim Orthodox Faction—their duel had thoroughly satisfied the spectators.
After all, some had left satisfied even when the arena collapsed from an unfortunate incident on match day.
- Honestly, I'm not expecting much. I'm just here to see the Black and White Two Flowers one more time.
- Hey, man. That's rude to the Emei Sect.
- Who expects just that? We have to re-rank the Six Phoenixes too!
Just as Namgung Pae stood as the greatest of the Nine Dragons, the Six Phoenixes had to be re-ranked to determine the strongest. And the people were looking forward to it.
- Dokgo Yeon, Yoo Seol-ra. If they fought, who would win?
- If Dokgo Yeon fought the other four Phoenixes, could she beat them all?
- If Dokgo Yeon fought the Taiji Flower and the Little Princess, could she really defeat everyone?
Everyone's expectations swelled like clouds. On the day of the One Phoenix Decisive Battle, the spectators entering the Murim Alliance's Martial Arts Arena underwent thorough inspections before taking their seats, each picking up the pamphlet placed at their spot.
"Dokgo Yeon and Yoo Seol-ra are fighting?!?!"
1. One Phoenix Decisive Battle Opening Ceremony.
2. Murim Alliance Leader's Address
3. Emei Sect Leader's Address
4. Beggar Sect Leader's Address
5. ....Address
.......
8. Henan Provincial Governor's Address
9. Yoo Seol-ra vs. Abbess Jeongja
10. Closing Ceremony
"There's... nothing...."
They stayed in their seats out of conscience, but murmurs began to spread that this was just wrong.
- Ah! The Alliance Leader intends to surprise us!
- Heh, I was almost thoroughly tricked!!
- Huhuhu! The Alliance Leader does enjoy his jokes.
And so everyone laughed heartily and cheered for the match between the Emei Sect disciples. Unexpectedly, the duel was a close contest, and Yoo Seol-ra defeated Abbess Jeongja after a hard fight.
The Ice White Phoenix, Yoo Seol-ra.
The Sword Phoenix, Dokgo Yeon.
The Two Phoenixes were decided, and everyone gave their praise.
But the person who had already become the Fifth Phoenix, Dokgo Yeon, was nowhere to be seen. Everyone's eyes turned to Seop Jeomgeom.
"Ah, um. Sword Phoenix Dokgo Yeon is absent due to poor health."
Dokgo Yeon was sick? It was possible. She was a patient, after all. It was, in fact, impressive that she had fought until now without coughing up blood even once.
Then what about the absent Sam-bong?
"...Swallow Maiden Phoenix Moyong Ran urgently departed yesterday due to family matters. Crouching White Phoenix Jegal Seon is also recuperating for personal reasons. Ah, um, Mountain Lord Phoenix Bang Cheol-su's Green Forest Stockade caught fire, so she hurried back with the Green Forest King."
Sam-bong, absent.
Each reason sounded plausible, but who would believe them? People's gazes fell upon the remaining empty seats with great disappointment.
- So what happens now?
- What happens? It ends here.
Yoo Seol-ra, now the Ice White Phoenix, stood alone and dazed in the middle of the arena. With the atmosphere threatening to erupt into a riot at any moment, Seop Jeomgeom once again wanted to give up on everything.
"I shall be her opponent."
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
Three swords flew in from one side of the spectators' seats and encircled Yoo Seol-ra. Everyone let out a roar of cheers at the freely controlled Sword Control Art.
Swish, swish.
A massive presence appeared from one side of the arena. The clouds above parted, illuminating the Taiji Flower's path as she stepped forward.
"Once, for a very brief time, as the former Taiji Phoenix, I wish to request a duel with the Ice White Phoenix."
Wooooahhh!!
Everyone let out a roar. The Taiji Flower—the White Path's Number One Flower—who hadn't even glanced at Sam-bong, was personally challenging the Ice White Phoenix?
"Wooooah!! Sagong Hee! Sagong Hee! Sagong Hee!!"
Among those chanting the Taiji Tiger's name fanatically was the Henan Provincial Governor. The soldiers standing guard behind him were waving flags at the tips of their spears that read 'Central Plains' Greatest Beauty: Taiji Flower.'
Clang.
Yoo Seol-ra drew her sword as well. Unlike the confident Sagong Hee, Yoo Seol-ra looked like she was on the verge of tears.
"Huk, it's not like I committed a crime...."
Yoo Seol-ra understood the look in the Taiji Flower's eyes. It was remarkably similar to the glare her mother—the former Ice Palace Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace—used when her husband took a concubine.
- So you're the bitch who flirted with my husband!
She hadn't flirted; the Sex Demon had simply gotten hard and thrust it in. But her opponent was not a being who could be calmed by logic and reason.
It wasn't about martial arts rank. The Taiji Flower was one of the mistresses of the Paeng Family Estate—the household of physician Mubung, of which Yoo Seol-ra was a part.
In other words, her opponent held the same standing as the Little Princess in terms of status.
"Still, I can't just lose."
Goooooo.
Yoo Seol-ra's eyes turned white. As she activated the Ice White Divine Art just enough to avoid detection, a cold energy began to spread from her sword.
"You took what was mine, so I will take it back."
Wooooahhhh!!
Everyone was ecstatic at the challenger's spirited words. The scene everyone had longed for was slowly taking shape.
Martial artists are, by nature, those who go wild for the sight of someone challenging the strongest. Even those cheering for the Taiji Flower began rooting for the Ice White Phoenix as she challenged the White Path's Number One Flower, this young master of the Emei Sect.
"Hmph."
The Taiji Flower placed one hand over her dantian, extending the other to grip her sword. The other two swords, like a black and white phoenix spreading its wings, began to trace a sword formation.
"It was originally mine."
Waaaaaaaaahh!!
The final match of the One Phoenix Decisive Battle.
The defense match for the title of White Path's Number One Flower, which everyone had been eagerly awaiting, had begun.
* * *
"Yeon, aren't you disappointed? If you went out there, the White Path's Number One Flower would be yours."
As I inserted needles into her blood meridians, I asked Dokgo Yeon, who was lying on the bed. The Eighteen Yin Torment Severed Meridian was cured, but the remnants of immortal qi still in her body had to be drawn out with needles.
"It's fine. That belongs to Hee-unni."
Dokgo Yeon smiled and humbly declined the title of White Path's Number One Flower. She had already, before treating the Eighteen Yin Torment Severed Meridian, knocked down a full-power Sagong Hee with a single sword stroke.
"May I ask why?"
"I don't really have any greed for titles like that."
Was it the influence of the immortal qi remaining in her body? Seeing her so detached from a title that all martial artists thirsted for, she looked like a Taoist who had reached enlightenment.
"More than that, I want to possess something else."
"What do you wish to possess? Do you need a sword like the Twin Old Eagle Swords as well?"
"Yes. The hottest and biggest flesh-sword (肉劍) in the world."
"......."
This wasn't enlightenment. The Celestial Maiden bound to the earth hadn't just realized the Five Desires and Seven Emotions—her focus had simply shifted somewhere else.
"Well, you'll have it for the rest of your life anyway. Why do you want it so badly?"
"Hmph."
Dokgo Yeon puffed up her cheeks and pouted.
"I still haven't been able to fully digest it yet."
"Oh my, look at this kid. Putting on airs because she couldn't even fit half the member in her mouth?"
Ssaaa.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold. There was no Ice Demon or Ice White Divine Art, but a little Heavenly Demon descended from a sky colder than the highest snowy peak and rained on her parade.
"Hey. This is mine. The Sky-Soaring Lust Demon belongs to the Little Princess."
"How stingy of you, Unni."
"Stingy...?! Are you making fun of me because I'm small right now?! You think I don't know?"
"Hee, no one said anything like that...."
I couldn't count how many verbal clashes they exchanged in that short conversation. I sat Lee Si-a down beside me before she could shout in anger.
"Calm down. I know your heart is as wide as the Yangtze River. Yeon, don't provoke Si-a."
"Yes, Physician. As you say, Si-a-unni has a truly generous heart."
Thwack. With the hand I was using for the needles, I lightly smacked the top of Dokgo Yeon's head. It couldn't have hurt much, but she clutched her head, blinking in great surprise.
"Do not fight with each other. My head hurts."
"...You're the one who made us fight."
"I agree with that."
Suddenly the dynamic reversed. When I tried to mediate, Dokgo Yeon and Lee Si-a suddenly took each other's side and began pressing me.
"Yeon. What do you think about a guy who wants to have many women but wants those women to only look at him?"
"It's selfish and male-centric. Seems like the type to go around making many women cry."
"Right?"
"I like that kind of thing."
"Hey! At times like that, you're supposed to pressure this guy along with me!! Tell him to stop adding more women!!"
Lee Si-a shouted shrilly. But to my ears, it just didn't register as human speech.
"Ah. I'm sorry. Let me correct myself. I do find that kind of man distasteful after all."
"Right? Look here. You need to have some principles from now on."
"But I don't particularly mind it when the physician does it."
"...She's definitely messing with me, isn't she?"
"Hoot."
Celestial Maidens really are terrifying. The fact that the future Heavenly Demon was a notch below the Sky-Shattering Divine Sword seemed to hold true whether in the future, past, or present. In many aspects, Dokgo Yeon was just slightly ahead of Lee Si-a.
However, the height difference of more than a span was unavoidable. Unlike Lee Si-a's nearly completed figure, Dokgo Yeon still had a long way to grow. At present, she barely reached Sagong Hee's eye level, let alone Lee Si-a's.
"Haaah. Whatever. I win when night comes anyway."
"Eut...!"
Correction. There is one element where Dokgo Yeon is completely overwhelmed by Lee Si-a. Lee Si-a laid herself sideways against my shoulder and brazenly lowered her face toward my groin.
"S-So shameless!"
"Look at you. You lewd thing."
"L-Lewd?! Physician, Unni is calling me...!"
"......."
I can't deny... can't exactly say she's wrong. I barely managed to swallow the thought that had been about to leap out of my mouth. At this, Lee Si-a grinned, looking thoroughly triumphant.
"A princess who's about to leave home, saying she wants to taste my husband's member one more time—if that's not lewd, what is it?"
"Husband?"
"Look at you. So you're not going to marry me, then?"
At Lee Si-a's words, I was completely tongue-tied. Since I had originally declared I would take her as my wife, I couldn't deny it. I was just concerned about Dokgo Yeon's reaction.
"Physician."
"Hm."
"I'd like to have two children."
"Whoa, this girl really!!"
Lee Si-a pointed a finger at Dokgo Yeon and yelled, her face turning bright red.
"Hey! Can you really call yourself not lewd after saying that?! No, you're beyond lewd—you're wanton!"
"Is there anything wrong with being wanton as the Sex Demon's wife? As long as I'm only wanton toward one person, it's fine."
She said this with an innocent, naive look, tilting her head. Lee Si-a couldn't say another word. Instead, she clutched at her hair and buried her face in my groin.
"Bi-cheon, I'm starting to get scared of her."
"The feeling is mutual."
"Oh my, Yeoni, why are you scared?"
Creak.
The door opened, and Dokgo Yeon and Lee Si-a held their breath. The woman who walked in with clicking footsteps stood right behind me and continued speaking.
"I just find her cute. Isn't that right, my lord?"
"...What happened with the Ice Demon?"
"Yoo Seol-ra? I naturally won and came back."
Sagong Hee lightly wiped near her cheek with her thumb.
"Since she didn't know her place and eyed my position, I gave her a proper taste of the Taiji Wisdom Sword. Huhuhu."
Sagong Hee covered her lips with her hand and laughed quietly. At that laugh, my expression stiffened, along with Dokgo Yeon's and Lee Si-a's.
"Oh my, why are you all like that? As if you've seen something you weren't supposed to."
"...Ah, n-no reason."
"Oh, right, my lord."
Sagong Hee embraced me from behind, stroking my cheek. She rested her heavy breasts on top of my head and began swaying me left and right.
"What will you do now?"
"We do as planned. Don't worry, the plan is perfect."
"Huhut, right? As expected of my lord."
I lifted Sagong Hee's breasts from below, then pointed to the empty space beside me.
"I'll go ahead to Hubei and wait. Huhu, you two enjoy your time together for now."
Sagong Hee looked back and forth between Lee Si-a and Dokgo Yeon.
According to the plan, we needed to split into three.
Sagong Hee, returning to Hubei with the Wudang Sect.
And Dokgo Yeon and Lee Si-a, who would have to endure until I returned from the Bewildering Nine Palaces Formation. The two were to set up the Bewildering Nine Palaces Formation in an abandoned house deep in the mountains near Xuchang City and wait for several days.
Until I drew the Murim Alliance's attention away.
"Uu, what am I going to do... Bi-cheon, you have to come back quickly. Otherwise, I'll be stuck alone with her the whole time."
"Don't worry. Because I'm perfect at housework."
"......."
Sagong Hee's expression turned decidedly sour, but when it came to housework, Dokgo Yeon was a being among us who could rival even me.
After all, she was the very person who single-handedly managed the Dokgo Clan's Wuling Island Garden and even created beautiful flower beds there.
She was the perfect talent for managing the 'Paeng Family Estate,' as the Ice Demon had called it.
"Speaking of which, my lord."
"Where are you going to flee? You haven't told us that."
Left Si-a, right Gong-hee.
"Where will the Ice-Colored Demon, who has decided to kidnap me, be heading...?"
Dokgo Yeon was right in front of me. Behind me was a chair with a backrest, so my retreat was blocked.
"Hmm...."
It didn't matter where. There were many places near Henan to flee. Shandong was fine, Shaanxi wasn't bad. I know Anhui well.
But the destination was set. Incidentally, it was the exact opposite direction of Hubei, perfect for causing confusion in the Murim Alliance's encirclement net.
"Hebei."
The Flying Heaven Ice Demon who kidnapped Dokgo Yeon would flee to Hebei.