Chapter 132

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 132

Chapter Title: New Year's Eve (3)

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Yeon Hongun fell into deep contemplation for a moment.

Because Geum Sihyeon's words had directly denied and shaken his world, his very values.

He had no idea what a gun really signified, but even as he vaguely assumed it was something like an arrow...

Martial World Hero, Radiant Sword Palace.

Those eight characters—more precisely, the weight carried in that single word Palace 宮—

rattled fiercely through Yeon Hongun's upper dantian, which hadn't yet fully recovered.

Taken purely as a character, it simply meant "house."

But when you tacked on the character for punishment to make Palace Punishment 宮刑—

it was one of the five punishments of ancient China.

Depriving a man of his reproductive ability by slicing off his manhood—the ultimate humiliation for any man, short of being violated by a woman he despised...!

And to do it to himself, no less.

Of course, the sacred mission of spreading Jade Transformation Preservation across the entire martial world was profoundly noble.

Bongmu. Seolhwa. Ayeong. Jaeyeon. Chaseo. Worlyeon. Yeon-eum. Cheongryeong. Biyeon. Mongjeop. Sangwol. Damhwa. Nakyeong. Byeokso. Yuran. Bingsim. Ajin...

In an instant, the names of his beloved wives and concubines flashed before him like a lantern show.

Along with the genuine smiles they offered him, and the sweet whispers they breathed in the night...

At that moment.

Yeon Hongun made his decision.

A sorrowful vow was still a vow, but could he bear to lose the smiles of those he loved just to fulfill it?

He had reached the pinnacle of self-justification.

"......I yield, Geum Sihyeon. I admit my defeat. How could I abandon all my beloved women, when I haven't even gathered a hundred wives and a hundred concubines? How could I cut away something that isn't wholly mine anyway? Haven't you ever heard the saying 'body, hair, skin—all come from one's parents; wives and concubines too'?"

"You lunatic, it's 'body, hair, skin from one's parents.' But seriously, how do you even tell the difference between a wife and a concubine?"

Having already cast everything aside, Yeon Hongun chuckled softly and answered without resistance.

"If she's cultivated martial arts, she's a wife. If not, a concubine. Husband and wife must face all hardships together by nature. But a concubine just needs to be pretty and cherished—that's the difference."

"Oh."

Geum Sihyeon clapped his hands with a look of sudden realization, and Yeon Hongun smiled faintly.

"Exactly. You'd qualify as my principal wife. Why not change your mind right now and cut yours off?"

"Maybe I'd rather slice yours clean off and force Jade Transformation Preservation straight into your skull."

"My apologies."

The apology came instantly.

A brief, awkward silence followed.

"Gaga! Gaga! Are you in there?"

The moment the voice he'd been waiting for rang out, Yeon Hongun flashed a triumphant smile.

As he'd told Geum Sihyeon earlier.

Husband and wife shared old age and burial alike—detached in life, together in death.

His concubines, lacking in martial prowess, were beyond help, but he had absolute faith that his wives would rush devotedly to his rescue.

Scattered energy poison?

Dang Sangwol, from a Tang Family branch line, would surely have a solution.

That was precisely why he'd only brought a select few wives from the start.

"Heh heh. Geum Sihyeon. This is as far as your arrogant smirk goes."

"What other nonsense are you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spouting now?"

"Can't you hear it? The voices of my wives coming to save me! Ah, of course. You've stayed a virgin—no, preserved your purity all this time, so you can't comprehend. Makes sense. It's still too early for someone like you—"

At the end of that passage, Yeon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hongun locked eyes with Dang Sangwol—and lost his words in an instant.

Husband and wife were of one mind and body.

They could communicate with just a glance.

- You came to save me!

- No... I got caught too...!

Geum Sihyeon glanced back briefly, then looked down at Yeon Hongun clinging to the iron bars with a sardonic smile.

"Palace punishment does seem fitting for the penalty, doesn't it? I'll strongly recommend it to the Academy Head."

"Please, I beg you, don't...!"

Yeon Hongun became pathetic once more.

"You've had a rough time. Truly... the legends don't do you justice."

"Haha, you've been through plenty yourself, Instructor."

What a tragedy.

Yeon Hongun.

I had no clue what gave him that confidence.

But compared to when the sex demon first infiltrated, the Hundred Flowers Academy was now an impregnable fortress.

With the Academy Head inside, plus the Chicken Division Head who'd rushed in urgently from Xi'an—two absolute powerhouses at the Flower Realm level.

And if I mentally screamed Uwééé Luriemon, Mokka-beom would swiftly drop a sword demon tactical nuke right on my position, making it effectively three.

Thinking he could escape from a place like that?

Utterly naive.

What utter slander.

A clean, gentle, sweet guy like me—where else would you find one?

Even in the face of Nanguri's violent presence,

I hadn't possessed Zangpoti Ham and gone euhehe, come here—that alone proved my exceptional self-control.

I reported the interrogation details to the Academy Head.

And pushed once more for the strict enforcement of palace punishment before leaving the main hall.

The Martial Alliance was sending investigators too, so until then, the sex demon and his wives would enjoy some cozy time in the prison cells.

Though separated, of course.

They'd love platonically or whatever.

Somehow, even after winning the argument, I chewed over the lingering sense of defeat as I walked through the snow-covered academy grounds.

"Hm, well then..."

Normally, I'd whip out my smartphone for some gallery scrolling to kill time.

But great power comes with great responsibility.

As Geumhyeon Sect Leader and Student Council President, how could I waste time on such trifles?

The Hundred Flowers Academy Gallery was basically in a content blackout right now.

With tons of students still not back from Xi'an, it was already quiet—and then those two simp alts went on a dual rampage, draining all the nutrition from it.

Kyongdujang was in her usual high gear, as always.

And Luri had picked up some weird Mutube video lately, mastering that "darong" speech and bombing the gallery nonstop.

What was the mod doing?

Not banning those clowns.

"Great power, great responsibility."

Before my train of thought derailed again, I reminded myself of my duties and refocused on my memo.

Tasks to handle this week.

Visit the Shaanxi Monkship Announcement Purification Temple elder, hand over a box of Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress's specialty apples, and finalize Geumhyeon Sect's corporate registration.

Once that's done, register Geumhyeon Sect officially as a righteous faction with the Martial Alliance—more admin stuff.

Inspect the reconstruction site of Neo-Geumhyeon Sect after Ttibuni wrecked it.

And attend the banquet Mother prepared as a "great opportunity"...

Even as the year-end rushed toward December's tail,

my heart piled up with nothing but work, work, and more work—no warmth or joy in sight.

What was the point of importing the week concept if they ignored Nazareth Monkey-Spanner's Advent? Truly lamentable.

Primitive ancient barbarians in the Central Plains.

Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress's inner gardens, women's quarters.

Moyong Seol had endured a day of harassment from some mystery posse of women, but she still sat brightly in the reception room, awaiting her summons.

It had been a week since her marriage contract mysteriously vanished into the desk drawer.

Of course, Mother had hinted that she wouldn't pass it to Geum Sihyeon and to handle it herself.

Of all people!

The mother-in-law herself!

Had singled her out!

For a polite invitation to the family home!

"Hee hee."

Her fingers danced like lightning.

Crunch.

'll', who'd started rampaging in the gallery since early last year, was picking a fight again today—slightly souring Ice Kyongdu's mood.

There couldn't be two suns under the heavens.

How dare she dirty her playground like this?

No.

Patience. Hold it in.

Moyong Seol took a deep breath and gazed out the window.

Far off in the garden,

Cheon Luri fiddled boredly with her smartphone while letting Myo Narang style her hair—her cute, soft face drawing Moyong Seol's eyes.

A natural, gentle smile curved her lips unbidden.

Cute truly was justice and truth.

However.

Her gaze shifted to Myo Narang's massive bosom as she diligently rolled Cheon Luri's hair into cute buns.

And Moyong Seol couldn't help a tangle of complex emotions.

Geum Sihyeon had said

she'd soon become his first disciple—er, girl—er, ...woman.

Of course, the brief story she'd heard was tear-jerkingly moving.

...But no matter how she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thought about it,

she was the most threatening rival.

Sure, distance-wise, Cheon Luri was far closer to Geum Sihyeon.

But Luri felt more like a pet.

And when it came to bust size, she wasn't even competition...

"Sigh."

The moment she let out her breath,

"Lady Moyong Seol. This way, please."

"Y-yes!"

Startled by the maid's voice, Moyong Seol shook off her thoughts and followed her into the inner quarters.

And there,

"Instructor Moyong? Long time no see."

"Ah, Senior. How have you been?"

A prior guest had arrived ahead of her.

Moyong Seol bowed politely to Seo Dohee.

Their positions in the academy, their standings in the martial world—it could've been awkward.

...But as fellow women who'd missed their prime marriage window, they shared a bond of quiet camaraderie.

"Sit comfortably, both of you."

"Yes, Mother."

She offered the same courteous bow to Yeon Hwaran, whose refined smile seemed untouched by time despite not being a martial artist,

then knelt primly beside Seo Dohee.

Yeon Hwaran watched the pair for a moment.

"You're both martial artists, but... I hope you won't take my words the wrong way."

Her expression soft, she tossed out a topic heavy with import.

And then,

"Forgive me for bringing this up first as a mother, unseemly as it is... but despite appearances, our Sihyeon does have a bit of a weakness for feminine charms."

Moyong Seol and Seo Dohee nodded in unison, no need to decide who first.

Both had laid eyes on Geum Sihyeon's impressive physique, after all.

"So... no matter how I think about it, he won't be satisfied with just one. Not my place to say, but... I know righteous sect martial artists often take multiple wives. Have either of you considered... that possibility?"

Yeon Hwaran's words pierced straight to the heart, resounding through the inner quarters like a declaration.