203
203
Sagong Hee, Lee Si-a, Dokgo Yeon, Paeng Yuwol.
While continuing my routine of absorbing the remaining Inner Energy from the four women every ten days, I planned a complete tour of the Central Plains—the first since my trip to Shandong.
Wudang presented no major problems.
After Taoist Hyeonta Sa Jeong-hu ran wild during the incident with the Plum Blossom Swordwoman Seon Ju-hee, the Sect Leader's spirit had been broken and he began focusing solely on Wudang Sect's internal governance.
The Hwangbo Clan in the Shandong region also posed no significant issues.
When I left the Hwangbo Clan, I was admittedly a little worried about how the Hwangbo Seven Princesses were no longer virgins, but aside from a few showing Sex Demon tendencies, people cursed the Soul-Seizing Crashing Fist, never the Hwangbo Seven Princesses.
The Hebei Paeng Clan had no major issues either.
The rumors I'd heard were strange, so I visited the Paeng Clan a few days ago. According to Paeng Yuwol,
"They said a Sex Demon broke into the branch family. I got my hopes up, thinking it was you, my lord."
"Why get your hopes up over a Sex Demon breaking in?"
"I thought the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon was announcing to the world that he'd bedded Paeng Yuwol."
"I told you, I don't keep score with my lifelong partners."
During this Age of Sex Demons, a branch family of the Hebei Paeng Clan—a daughter of a collateral line—had reportedly been assaulted by Sex Demons. On closer inspection, a man hadn't simply sweet-talked and violated a woman of the Paeng Clan; he'd raped her until she was utterly broken.
"The psychological shock seemed severe."
"That is the typical state of a violated woman."
"Are you saying I'm not typical?"
"If a Sex Demon just enjoys himself, he's a rapist. But if he makes the woman enjoy the sex too, he's forgiven."
Paeng Yuwol couldn't answer. Having been violated by me not in my current form but as Chu Dae-gwang, she had tried to serve me as Chu Dae-gwang with sincerity, regardless of my appearance.
"Yuwol, honestly, isn't seven-tenths of why you fell for me because of how good my dick felt?"
"...Could you not use such vulgar terms, and just say I fell for the burning love you gave me, my lord?"
"What are you talking about? You're the one who told me to slap your cunt when we met again."
Anyway, Paeng Yuwol had developed a taste for it and even came to harbor feelings for a Sex Demon. The other women's circumstances weren't much different.
Sagong Hee, whom I slowly steeped in lust as her master.
Lee Si-a, whom I made come onto me herself.
Dokgo Yeon, with whom I carefully tread the steps of romantic feelings and then made her surrender her body.
Sex was entangled in all my relationships. There was only one being I'd interacted with where sex wasn't involved.
The Blood Cult Leader.
More precisely, the 'future Blood Cult Leader'.
Where, and what, might 'she'—currently in the position of the Blood Cult's Young Lady—be doing right now?
"Yuwol. Hasn't anyone come around Paeng Shin-hye?"
"No. They seem to have completely lost interest in the Paeng Clan."
Beijing, where the Hebei Paeng Clan is located, is a major city ranking within the top three not just in Hebei, but in the entire Central Plains. In such a major city, would anyone try to squeeze something out of a Hebei Paeng Clan that's so dried up and twisted it's turned bitter?
That would never happen. No Water Bandits plunder a sinking ship riddled with holes.
"If any remnants of the Blood Cult ever appear, you must tell me. ...More importantly, about the Paeng Clan Head, I'm sorry. For not coming in time."
"It's alright. By the time the news reached Hubei, everything was already over."
Evil Slash Sword, Paeng Iwang.
The man who once held the title of Hebei's strongest martial artist had, after treatment with the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill, gradually weakened and passed away. The one called Paeng Iwang no longer exists.
"What name did he change it to?"
"Paeng Do-hwang (彭刀荒)."
"From 'king' to 'emperor', heh heh. As if people wouldn't notice!"
The former Clan Head, Paeng Iwang, had secretly designated a hidden handsome young man of the Paeng Clan as his successor. The collateral relatives who had withdrawn to the branch families, merely waiting for Paeng Iwang to die, were startled and stormed into the main house to protest.
Who on earth was this Paeng Do-hwang!
"Excuse me."
A young man's voice rang out from outside. Feeling oddly self-conscious, I moved from Paeng Yuwol's bed to a chair.
Baa—
Wol-a, the child in the young man's—Paeng Do-hwang's—arms, lit up upon seeing me. I took Wol-a from the youth and hugged her tight.
"I don't know how she sleeps so well the moment she's in your arms."
"Haha, I don't know either, Clan Head."
He was similar in height to me, or slightly taller. If Hwangbo Yeom had the look of a rugged tiger, Paeng Do-hwang had the impression of a sharp eagle.
Click.
Paeng Do-hwang locked the door. With entry blocked for anyone, the only open way was the window.
"What stories were you exchanging?"
"I was worried the Blood Cult might try to make contact."
"Haha, don't worry. Right now, the Yi Cult is watching Shin Hye with fiercely glaring eyes."
Paeng Do-hwang clenched his fist. The veins standing out on his firm, bronze-skinned muscles were so prominent that even a master of External Martial Arts would have to yield.
"If anything should happen, this Evil Slash Sword won't stand idly by."
"Clan Head, shouldn't you also change your alias?"
"Haha. Forgive me. It's just that I've grown more attached to the alias than the name itself."
Indeed.
Evil Slash Sword, Paeng Iwang.
He had undergone Return to Youth.
* * *
About two weeks earlier.
I stopped by Xuchang, where the Murim Alliance is located.
"It's been a while."
"Spread 'em!"
"Yes!"
Squelch, squelch.
I enjoyed passionate sex with the Ice Demon, who was wearing the robes of the Emei Sect. She accepted me, and I consumed the Ice Demon at a stop along the way before heading up to Hebei.
"Is it still... too early to kill the White-Banded Light Moth...?"
"Ah, yes. It'll take at least another ten years."
"That's all right. I can wait twenty years, even thirty."
Yoo Seol-ra believed my promise as though it were an ironclad certainty. Since I, as the man of the next Heavenly Demon, had promised to embrace the North Sea Ice Palace, she trusted and followed me wholeheartedly.
"Here, these are all the Ice Crystals I've collected so far."
"Thank you."
I gathered a full bundle of the Ice Crystals she had made by capturing the Demons who attacked her. And inside her, I poured a generous load of the Spirit Medicine I had brought along on my way up to Xuchang.
"...Um, Lust Demon."
"Hm?"
"The North Sea Ice Palace... can I just bring everyone and move to Hubei?"
"......J-just come to Jin Family Manor."
I won't turn away any woman who comes to me. Still, surely that was just a thought spoken aloud.
'No way. It'd be strange if she fell for me after I took her virginity like that.'
I trusted the Ice Demon's common sense. At the very least, I firmly believed she would make the right decision as the North Sea Ice Palace Mistress.
And so, carrying a bundle of Ice Crystals, I infiltrated the Paeng Clan. Oddly, the clan was extraordinarily crowded, so I headed straight for Paeng Yuwol's room.
"Peek-a-boo."
There, I found a young man playing very kindly with Wol-a. Wol-a was crawling on her knees across the floor, beaming broadly at him, and the sight kindled a thousand fires in my gut.
'Something I haven't even gotten to do yet?!'
The last time I came, Wol-a couldn't really walk yet. Paeng Yuwol had said to look forward to it because the next time, she'd be crawling or able to stand for a moment.
"Oho, that's it. Good job, our Wol-a."
Hapaa—
Wol-a said something toward the young man. I rolled up the bundle of Ice Crystals and turned it into a club.
'The Blood Cult Leader said.'
- An affair must not be recklessly thrown out as an accusation before securing definite proof.
'My master said.'
- Husband and wife are bound as one from being complete strangers. There must be faith and trust, and the relationship can end from even a small lie.
I trust Paeng Yuwol. I trust Wol-a.
So I even restrained myself from following the man into Paeng Yuwol's room.
"Ah, you're here?"
Paeng Yuwol let him into her room far too easily. He even carried Wol-a inside, sat down, and faced Paeng Yuwol.
- If it's a bond to be severed, sever it decisively.
- The surest way to catch it is a surprise raid on the scene, of course!
I hid in the shadows and secretly infiltrated Paeng Yuwol's room. Then I carefully examined the man's appearance, trying to determine his identity.
'If they so much as kiss, I'm taking Wol-a and leaving. Just you watch.'
He bore some resemblance to Paeng Yuwol. Just as I was wondering which of the Paeng Clan's younger members could be so close to Wol-a—
"Hm!"
He straightened his hand and thrust precisely at the spot where I was hiding. More exactly, he pierced the bundle of Ice Crystals with a hand-blade.
Roll, roll.
Struck by the Five Tiger Door-Breaking Blade unleashed through his hand, the Ice Crystals scattered across the floor. I hastily revealed myself and swung my fist at the man.
"Who the hell are you—"
"Shouldn't I be asking that—"
"Hold on, what do you think you're doing?!"
With uncanny speed, Paeng Yuwol burst out angrily—directed at the man—and shouted.
"Wol-a will wake up! I just barely got her to sleep!"
"Yuwol, right now an intruder—"
"That man is the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon."
"!!"
A chill ran down my spine at Paeng Yuwol's revelation.
"Wol-a. Who is this man?"
"Haah.... Well."
Paeng Yuwol spoke.
"...The Paeng Clan Head, sir. The one who was formerly Paeng Iwang."
The person with such exceptional Qi Sense, able to detect my stealth technique, was none other than the dying head of the Paeng Clan—Paeng Iwang.
And just like that, the Sky-Soaring Lust Demon was found out.
* * *
He had fallen to the level of a Second-Rate martial artist and was dying. Day by day, he seemed to waste away, languishing. His skin grew wrinkled, his hair and nails lost their luster, and he seemed on the verge of taking his last breath.
But these were not signs of dying; it was a molt for being reborn.
Return to Youth (返老還童)!
He regained his youth through Return to Youth. He became a handsome young man appearing in his late twenties or early thirties, and his strength too recovered to its peak level.
"I am truly grateful to you. You've allowed me to gain a new alias."
"Even if I say I did something...."
"Yes. Instead of that pig, you took our Yuwol."
Just as I had revealed everything to Paeng Yuwol, I also revealed the truth to Paeng Do-hwang to protect her and Wol-a.
"Even so, aren't you taking responsibility like this?"
"That's also only because Wol-a is here...."
"You came to take responsibility, albeit late, so it's fine. Thanks to you, our Paeng Clan could rise again. As Clan Head, how could I not be pleased? Haha."
He clasped his hands and bowed to me.
"Don't worry about Yuwol. This life I've been given again thanks to you, I think of it as being meant to be used for Yuwol once more."
"......Thank you, Clan Head."
The reason he underwent Return to Youth was simple.
The Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill he took triggered Return to Youth. While the pill's effects stabilized his illness, we had thought his already damaged internal organs could no longer recover. But the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill did not stop there.
During the years since he first consumed the pill, the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill had been waiting for an opportunity for Return to Youth within Paeng Iwang's body. Even after declining to a Second-Rate physique, Paeng Iwang never missed his daily Internal Energy training.
And lo and behold!
He had undergone Return to Youth.
"I'm also sincerely grateful to Yuwol. Almost a third of the Spirit Medicine you gave her, I consumed."
"It's all right. Because I gave that much to my lord through Absorption of Yin to Nourish Yang. From the moment my lord gave it, it was mine. Whether I sold it or ate it, it's my choice."
That was a fair point. I had gathered Spirit Medicine from the Hebei region and given Paeng Yuwol full authority over it. And Paeng Yuwol had fed a portion of it to the Clan Head, Paeng Iwang, to restore his vitality.
Who could have predicted it would become the foundation for Return to Youth? A third of the Spirit Medicine I'd delivered, like a goose bringing food, went to Paeng Yuwol, a third to Wol-a, and a third to Paeng Iwang.
"Ahem, Wol-a. That talk is a bit...."
"What does it matter, Clan Head? We all know about each other."
"Hohoho! Yuwol is dropping hints. Very well, enjoy some cozy time together as a couple."
Paeng Iwang—no, Paeng Do-hwang—grinned slyly and left the room.
"Oh, right. When will I get to see Wol-a's little sibling?"
"Clan Head!!"
"Hahaha! Have a good night."
Paeng Do-hwang laughed mischievously and departed. After he had disappeared, I sighed of relief.
"...Making a comment like that before the world is even stable. Haah."
"Oh my...?"
Paeng Yuwol grabbed my hand tightly.
"Once the world is stable... will you give Wol-a a little sibling?"
"Ah."
"I don't know about the world, but Hebei is stable, so why not just give it to her now?"
"W-Wait a moment. Yuwol, I just arrived and need to rest—"
"Uh-uh."
Paeng Yuwol put a finger to my lips.
"Please just answer yes or no. Do you not want to do it with me right now?"
"......No."
I desperately hoped Wol-a would wake from her sleep, but perhaps wanting a sibling herself, she showed no sign of stirring.
"If you're displeased with me, please resolve it by slapping my cunt."
"...Be prepared to get hit until you cry tonight."
So, I punished Paeng Yuwol until the morning sun rose.