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A festival was underway in Xi'an, Shaanxi.
"Hmm..."
At the heart of the festival sat a woman—the Demonic Sword Consort—clad in an outfit that clung to her form and set the hearts of countless men ablaze.
The black garment that hugged her from neck to waist was already enough to stir things below, but the skirt that split from her hips was slit at the sides, baring her pale legs for all to see.
Lewd.
The exposure was so extreme that if the skirt flipped or the fabric merely brushed the wrong way, not only her buttocks but even her undergarments would be in full view. And the woman wearing it showed not a hint of embarrassment; she sat in her chair and crossed her bare legs.
In the dark shadows between the folds of her cascading skirt, men's imaginations ran wild. By now, someone should have drawn a sword and accused her of inciting indecency, or reported her to the government office... but—
—Guard the Demonic Sword Consort closely. Ensure no rabble interferes with her, so that she may face the Sex Demon's challenge at full strength.
The orders had come from none other than the Governor of Shaanxi himself.
It was a shallow ploy: set up the Demonic Sword Consort as a sacrificial lamb to sweep up every Sex Demon in the Shaanxi region, while simultaneously using the crowds drawn by her presence to invigorate Xi'an's economy.
No matter how much of a demon she was, one might expect a woman to feel some shame about putting her body on the line like this—yet no one dared find fault with the Demonic Sword Consort's unflinching beauty.
The men enjoyed the eye candy and saw no reason to slit the goose's belly for its liver.
The women might grumble out of jealousy behind her back, but they were grateful that she had stepped forward and made herself the Sex Demon's target.
Confucian scholars who revered the classics even submitted direct petitions to the Governor of Shaanxi condemning the Demonic Sword Consort's conduct, but they could not raise much discontent when the frequency of Sex Demon appearances genuinely declined following her arrival.
"Hahaha! This lord's epithet is Flying Thief Lust Demon! I have come to ravish the Demonic Sword Cons—gurk!"
"Take that one away, please."
Indeed, she had been apprehending the most notorious Sex Demons in Shaanxi. The people of Shaanxi praised the Demonic Sword Consort's martial arts as she flew like a black swallow and subdued each Sex Demon in a single exchange.
A necessary evil.
To eliminate the Sex Demon, that great evil, the people of Shaanxi turned a blind eye to the Demonic Sword Consort's conduct and sang her praises.
And through such deeds, a following began to form around the Demonic Sword Consort.
"Hmm... it seems there are no more today. You've worked hard. Have a drink on your way home."
"Haha, we are men with families, my lady."
"Is that so? Then we'll save the drinks for another time. On your way home, buy a chicken or something for your children."
The Demonic Sword Consort handed silver to the guards escorting her and waved them off. Those who saw her actions disparaged her, calling it all a virtuous act meant to deceive people, but some clicked their tongues, unable to understand why such a person was considered a demon.
"Heh-heh..."
The Demonic Sword Consort slipped away under cover of darkness. The Sex Demons, who could not reveal themselves so brazenly in broad daylight, routinely ambushed her late at night—and that was when she truly went to work.
Step.
The Demonic Sword Consort's eyes gleamed at the two figures who stood blocking her path.
"Oh my, what's this? The daughter of the Moyong family and the princess of the Green Forest?"
"Please, speak plainly."
The woman who had tipped back her black hat slightly, Moyong Ran, clasped her fist in salute alongside the large-statured Bang Yeong-hui.
"Senior. Do you truly intend to capture every last Sex Demon?"
"Of course. There is one particular Sex Demon I am searching for."
"...If that is so, please allow us to assist you."
"Hmm..."
The Demonic Sword Consort traced her lips with a finger, as though amused.
"Why would you wish to? If something were to go wrong, as women, the consequences would be... irreversible, you understand?"
"I am someone who has already received a notice from the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon. And... even hiding my identity as I traveled, I could not escape the clutches of the Sex Demons."
"...And I am someone who has already been violated by a Sex Demon."
Crunch, crack.
Bang Yeong-hui released her Body Transformation Art and revealed her true appearance. Then she pulled open her collar to reveal the marks the Sex Demon had left behind.
"Heavens...!"
Bang Yeong-hui's breast bore bite marks and lip marks left by a Sex Demon, like bruises. The Demonic Sword Consort could not hide her shock at the countless marks, which would take at least a week to heal.
"I am already one who has renounced the secular world. I will not be able to rest easy until every Sex Demon rampaging through the Central Plains has been eradicated. I beg you, please let us aid you, Senior."
"...Are you prepared for it? Helping me means you could be ravished by a Sex Demon yourselves."
"Of course."
"This body has already been violated once—if it is for revenge!!"
In the face of their resolve, the Demonic Sword Consort nodded solemnly. Beyond the logic of black and white, they were people who shared the same sex.
"Very well. However, I alone will appear before the public during the day. ...But I will still need to test whether your skills are as good as I've heard."
Snap.
The Demonic Sword Consort snapped her fingers. In an instant, two black-clad women sprang out beside her and drew their swords.
"...The Sword Pavilion!"
"Fufu, surely you didn't think I came out into the Martial World alone?"
"I am also a woman, so I do need to sleep at night. Fufu, so I brought a few of my disciples along."
Demonic Sword Consort, Wang So-hyeon.
She was the Demonic Cult's former Sword Demon, and at the same time, the master of the Sword Pavilion that once produced the strongest female swordswomen of the Unorthodox Faction—the Taiyi Sword Lord.
"Shall we see what the Six Phoenixes and a woman of comparable caliber are made of? Show the young ladies of the White Path exactly what the Sword Pavilion's strength looks like. Fufu, then, a phrase I haven't spoken in a long while..."
Whish.
The Demonic Sword Consort laughed as she whistled.
"Strike."
"......!!"
The instant Moyong Ran and Bang Yeong-hui raised their respective weapons, the two black-clad women charged with swords drawn.
* * *
The moon rose, and the appointed hour arrived.
Before I knew it, I had wagered my bed with Sagong Hee and was set to duel Seon Ju-hee.
"Master, I am troubled."
"What is troubling you?"
"How hard I should fight."
I had fallen into a dilemma with no good way out.
The existence of 'A-bung' would become officially known to the Wudang Sect as well. There would be times when he had to show himself in public. No matter how much of a secret disciple the Taiji Flower was raising, how long could Sa Jeong-hu keep the existence of A-bung hidden?
Even now, talk must be buzzing within the Wudang Sect. Who exactly was this disciple named A-bung that the Taiji Flower had brought along on her journey to Mount Hua?
If I were to defeat the Plum Blossom Swordwoman of the Mount Hua Sect, the interest in A-bung would skyrocket.
"It'd be troublesome to get famous for beating a Peak Expert for no reason."
"If they came looking for me at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, it would be a headache."
"...Then how about this approach?"
"Huh. Please, go ahead."
Whisper, whisper.
I decided to follow Sagong Hee's plan.
"Then I'll go fetch Ju-hee for a moment."
Sagong Hee went to retrieve Seon Ju-hee herself, all for our grand scheme. And I waited in our room while Seon Ju-hee finished her preparations.
Creeeak.
Late at night, the door opened and Seon Ju-hee stepped into the room.
Dressed in the crisp red martial uniform distinctive of the Plum Blossom Swordwoman, she smiled brightly toward Sagong Hee behind her, then turned to me with a murderous grin and clenched her fist.
"I never imagined that A-bung here had trained his fist as his primary weapon."
"It is for disciplining with my fists those who would seek to harm my master."
"Right, right. I agree, A-bung."
Crack, crackle.
"I also discipline nasty people who make Hee unnie cry—with my fists."
Seon Ju-hee showed off her strength and took a stance before me. She meant to face me not with the Plum Blossom Swordwoman's sword art, but with the fist technique she had learned.
Sagong Hee had confiscated Seon Ju-hee's sword in preparation for certain eventualities.
—No matter how skilled a Plum Blossom Swordwoman she is, swinging a sword against A-bung is... a bit much, isn't it?
If the Plum Blossom Swordwoman, Seon Ju-hee, faced A-bung with a sword, a grave accident could easily occur, so why not use palm art or finger technique instead?
—In exchange, so long as it does not involve striking vital points or inflicting serious injury, I will turn a blind eye. This is something my disciple has accepted as well.
Seon Ju-hee was genuinely delighted that she could directly strike my body. Although the match would take place not in a martial arts arena but in a room, simply exchanging fists, the guest quarters were spacious enough for us to trade blows.
"Master, I am ready. Sister Ju-hee, please come at me anytime."
"Then shall we see what A-bung's skills are made of?"
"Friendly spar... begin."
At Sagong Hee's signal, Seon Ju-hee lightly thrust her fist forward with a confident smile. It was an ordinary but swift punch, devoid of any named technique whatsoever.
"Hup!"
I quickly moved my hand and received the fist. The level was a mere second-rate at best, but Seon Ju-hee was surprised that her own punch had been blocked so cleanly.
"Oh my?"
"Haat—!"
I swung my arm in a circular motion with a spirited shout. Compared to my fight against the Sword Immortal, it was slow as a turtle crawling, but this was the maximum speed the current 'me' could produce.
"Hmph."
Seon Ju-hee lightly seized my wrist with one hand, then twisted the corner of her mouth at me.
"Not bad, huh?"
For a moment, irritation surged within me. I hadn't used even a tenth of my Inner Energy—no, not even a hundredth—yet Seon Ju-hee was smug, thinking this second-rate martial artist's level of power was all I had.
"But still not enough."
Seon Ju-hee stepped forward with one foot and closed the distance. Then, holding the wrist I was about to swing again, she grabbed my manhood with her other hand.
"Huk...?!"
I was startled by the unexpected touch. Could it have been an accidental grab? But no—Seon Ju-hee's technique, reaching straight into my trousers and precisely seizing my shaft, was flawless and without a single wasted motion.
"Chaotic Flower Hand. With this, you've died once already, A-bung. Fufu."
"Targeting a man's vital spot with martial arts... that's underhanded, Sister!"
I felt genuinely wronged. Of course, my manhood was sturdy enough that it wouldn't burst, but at Seon Ju-hee's underhanded move, I shot a pleading look toward Sagong Hee.
"Master, please stop Sister Ju-hee!"
"Fufu, my disciple. This is a good opportunity."
"...Pardon?"
What was Sagong Hee talking about? I felt an inexplicable dread as she calmly sipped her tea.
"Palm art, finger technique, fist art, leg technique. Use every ounce of power you possess and defeat Ju-hee. With 'the current disciple's' strength, you cannot injure Ju-hee, so please, unleash your full power without restraint."
Sagong Hee knew exactly how much power I could currently bring to bear. Since I was displaying skill equivalent to a Wudang second-rate martial artist without any embellishment, she knew full well I couldn't wound Seon Ju-hee.
"For reference, we've agreed to count each time your manhood is grabbed as a serious injury."
"Th-that's...!!"
"That's not all."
Slide, slide.
Seon Ju-hee gripped my manhood and began to pump it back and forth. At the sudden stroking, I hurriedly tried to pull away, but Seon Ju-hee held my shaft tight and closed the distance further.
"Consideration for a weaker fighter. I'll go easy on you with this one hand, see?"
I could not suppress my shock at this vicious form of consideration. And I was reminded once more how utterly helpless a weaker fighter was against a martial artist stronger than oneself.
"Guh...!"
I diligently deployed Taiji Fist, trying to break free of Seon Ju-hee's grasp, but Seon Ju-hee leisurely suppressed both my hands with her one remaining hand.
"Fufu, how about this?"
With one hand she deflected the path of my fists, and with the other she gripped my manhood and kept pumping it back and forth. I realized then that the hand holding my shaft was not mere consideration for a weaker fighter. I couldn't move my legs. With the center of my lower body locked down, every leg technique was completely neutralized.
"Fufu, you thought you could defeat me with just this much?"
Seon Ju-hee toyed with me using a single hand. Her five fingers moved like five swords, each with its own will, cutting off every path of my fist. Fearing my blood meridians might be pressed and my Body Transformation Art dispelled, I couldn't even make large movements, and Seon Ju-hee's one-handed finger technique was a level that easily surpassed first-rate.
"Wh-what kind of martial art is this?!"
"Oh my, you don't know this one?"
Shimmer.
A violet energy began to burst from Seon Ju-hee's hand. A current shot down my spine at the energy, familiar yet different.
'Violet Mist Divine Art?!'
"This is called the Violet Mist Finger Divine Art."
"......!!"
Was she talking about the advanced finger technique blocking my Taiji Fist, or the hand gripping my manhood?
"From now on, you... every time I take a step back, you're dead. Understood?"
"...Th-this isn't Mount Hua martial arts!!"
"Who cares! As long as I protect Unnie in the end, that's all that matters!!"
Seon Ju-hee.
She had set her mind on extracting my essence. Sagong Hee merely smiled and nodded at me.
Whisper, whisper.
"......!!"
A single word from the master can reverse victory and defeat when the disciple is at a disadvantage. Following Sagong Hee's suggestion, I set both legs slightly forward. Then I drew my waist back.
"I'm not letting go!"
Seon Ju-hee wound her wrist and seized my manhood. Her momentum seemed less like she was trying to draw out my Essence Energy and more like she intended to tear it out by the roots, but I caught Seon Ju-hee's hand using the technique of the Eighteen Lesser Capture Hands.
"......!!"
Sagong Hee had told me to use my full power without restraint. So I drew out the bodily techniques that this current body could manage—techniques anyone could imitate with their body if they only knew the method.
Bow Body Flickering Shadow!
Fwit.
"Uh, hiiiiik?!"
With a powerful elastic recoil, I closed the distance even further inside the Violet Mist Finger Divine Art's guard. Seon Ju-hee, now pressed tight against my body, flinched in alarm and shrieked.
"Who said you could play around with martial arts?"
I began to slowly awaken the Violet Mist Divine Art lingering within my body.