Dark Clouds Over the Peony Pavilion
His body trembled violently, as if seized by a seizure, so intense was his rage.
"Miok! It looks like Grandpa's having another fit...! Hehehee, hurry up, hurry!"
It was exactly as Hwangbo Mujin had said—there was something truly vicious about her. The grandfather who had always scolded her with his fiery temper now lay helpless and out of his mind. It was as if she were taking revenge for all the fear she'd felt, tormenting him with glee.
No matter what, he was her own grandfather. How could she act this way? But from the start, she had possessed such a rotten nature, which was precisely why she'd grown up under such constant scolding... It could hardly be called Hwangbo Mujin's fault.
"I-it... won't stand up... It doesn't seem like a seizure..."
"Aish! There's no one here but us, so just keep it a secret! Are you going to disobey me? Do you want to get punished?"
Hwangbo Ji narrowed her round eyes into a stern glare—or at least, what she thought was one. Thanks to her adorable appearance, it only came across as cute. But one should never be fooled by that face. Ever since she'd made a serious mistake as a child and been carried over her grandfather Hwangbo Mujin's knee to have her bottom spanked, the pain and humiliation had been so great that she'd burst into loud sobs. That memory had been burned into her mind, leading her to develop a sadistic tendency—whenever someone didn't listen to her, she would declare they needed punishment and whip the maids' buttocks with a switch.
This wasn't a rare occurrence. Now, whenever she said, "You need to be punished. Come here," the maids would tremble in fear yet obediently approach her and lift their own skirts. It had become routine. Though it hurt more now that she was grown, the shame had lessened. But back when Hwangbo Ji was ten, a maid over twenty would have to expose her bottom before a child and endure being struck by a switch in that little girl's hand. The misery of it must have been indescribable.
The little lady who received endless affection from her relatives was nothing short of a disaster for the maids.
Maid Miok hesitated, clearly anxious that the words "You need to be punished" might come, but she still approached Hwangbo Mujin. With trembling hands, she pulled back the blanket. After glancing once at Hwangbo Ji, who glared at her to hurry, the girl reached out with shaky fingers, pulled down the former patriarch Hwangbo Mujin's trousers, and grasped the limp member between his convulsing thighs. She began rubbing it frantically without pause.
In a way, her touch almost looked desperate. She had guessed that if she failed, she would be the one punished by the youngest miss.
― Rub rub, knead knead…
Yet the true blood hidden within Hwangbo Mujin's body was circulating vigorously even without any seizure…
The powerful true blood, brimming with mighty qi, immediately rushed toward the external stimulation. The previously limp member suddenly sprang up, stiff as a rod.
It wasn't a seizure, so the veins didn't bulge wildly, but the organ, now swollen with blood, was unmistakably erect to anyone who looked.
"Heeheehee! Grandpa's little dick got big! Puhihi, this is hilarious! Oh my stomach—! Kahahaha!!"
Hwangbo Ji clutched her belly and laughed like a madwoman. Seeing the maid's eyes dart around anxiously, she waved her arm up and down rapidly, signaling what to do.
"What are you doing! Shake it hard, really hard!!"
The maid squeezed her eyes shut and began stroking the former patriarch's member up and down with frantic speed.
'That… fucking bitch…! How can such a damnable whore exist…!!'
Hwangbo Mujin wanted nothing more than to slap Hwangbo Ji across the face right then and there. But the body of the world's greatest expert, now filled with fury, could only tremble helplessly before his granddaughter as the maid continued to shake the member in her grasp.
― Slap slap slap! Swish swish swish, slap slap slap!
The maid moved faster than ever, desperate to finish before anyone walked in. Beside her, Hwangbo Ji shook with laughter, unable to contain herself.
"Look at our old man shaking! Does it feel good? Does it feel good when a young girl touches you? Puhuhu, where did that person who always lectured me about maintaining the dignity of a prestigious family go?! Take care of your own dignity first, Grandpa~ What a disgrace at your age, hahaha!"
Hwangbo Mujin felt as if he might cough up blood.
'I should never have returned to the family.'
After being drenched in the Blood Demon's blood and noticing something wrong with his body, he should have secluded himself in a hidden mountain valley where no one could find him. At the very least, he should have smashed his own skull or bashed his head against a wall until he died.
He should have… taken his own life.
The feeling that everything he had achieved was being denied. He had not lived so fiercely just for this. Not for this…
The rage surged through his mind like wildfire. When fury builds up, even a healthy person falls ill. For someone already suffering from the vicious affliction of qi deviation, how devastating would the impact be?
The sound of his granddaughter's laughter rang in his ears even as he kept his eyes closed. The upright spirit that had remained unbroken even through qi deviation now shook violently at the sound of her laughter. Through that tiny crack that had opened, a strand of demonic blood qi began to seep in.
Unlike the body, which mixed with whatever flowed into it, the barrier of his spirit—hardened by a lifetime of orthodox cultivation—had never allowed the blood qi to penetrate. But now, through that small gap, it finally slipped inside.
Hwangbo Mujin, whose unyielding mind would rather die than bend, was now being invaded by the blood qi.
No one could have predicted what kind of consequences this would bring.
The moon hung full and bright in the evening sky. Bright lamplight glowed inside the Family Head's office.
"Khhuhu, so even Elder Cheon has finally joined my side, has he?"
Family Head Hwangbo Jun was reading a secret letter that had been delivered to him in confidence. The elder who had always favored his younger brother Hwangbo Jin and supported him from behind the scenes had finally changed his mind and come over to his faction.
It made sense. After all, the second son had left for the Murim Alliance today, hadn't he? The sharp elders had realized it. The second son had been driven out of the family so he could no longer wield power, and as a result, those who had belonged to his faction would now be isolated… They had no choice but to switch sides before it was too late. What else could they do?
"Hehe, good. Very good…"
He crumpled the letter in his hand and tossed it into the waste bin.
'Now then, let's see…'
Family Head Hwangbo Jun left his office late at night. Was he finally going to sleep? Ever since becoming Family Head, he had used the excuse of being busy to stay in the annex. It had been over two months since he'd last shared a bed with his wife.
Of course, his wife Eon Garyeong was a beauty, but she completely lacked the feminine softness he desired. Shouldn't a woman have a gentle, obedient charm? The kind of virtuous wife who lived only to serve her husband?
True to her bloodline from the Jinju Eon Clan—famous for their robust physiques—she was a captivating woman even in middle age, with her tall frame and toned, elastic figure. But from the moment their marriage had been arranged for political reasons between the families, she had been so strong-willed and haughty that any ordinary man would have shrunk back in fear just standing before Eon Garyeong.
On top of that, after the succession crisis five years ago when he had refused to hold a funeral for their son, she had begun looking at him with open contempt. Any affection between them had long since died.
'How on earth did I share a bed with that tigress of a wife for over twenty years?'
If his wife Eon Garyeong had been born a man, she would have made a fine hero. He preferred women who were soft, graceful, and refined.
Yes. Like his brother's wife, Yeo Suhyang.
The reason Hwangbo Jun hadn't sent his sister-in-law to the Murim Alliance along with his brother wasn't just because of public opinion. There had been a much bigger reason. And now that his brother had finally left for the Murim Alliance… he could no longer hold back.
"Hehe…"
After leaving his office, Hwangbo Jun did not head toward the annex as usual. Instead, he took a different path. The main residence where his wife Eon Garyeong stayed came into view. It was the largest residence in the Hwangbo Family Manor, the one his father had once used. Though he had moved in with his wife after becoming Family Head, he had deliberately chosen to stay in the annex.
The windows of the residence were brightly lit, suggesting Eon Garyeong was still awake, but he paid it no mind. He snorted and walked right past it.
The place he arrived at was a separate building surrounded by a garden where peony flowers bloomed in lush profusion. It was Moranjeong, the residence of the second son and his wife.
Now, only his sister-in-law Yeo Suhyang lived there with her three-month-old nephew. She had loved peony flowers and began planting them herself the day she married into the family. Over time, they had bloomed brilliantly… creating a breathtaking sight.
Hwangbo Jun stared at the soft, pale yellow light leaking from the window and his eyes gleamed with dark lust. His greed for his sister-in-law Yeo Suhyang had only grown stronger with time, and he had no intention of missing this golden opportunity.
He walked down the flower path as if it were his own home and entered the building.
Knock knock.
"Sister-in-law, are you there?"
There was a brief silence. The softly glowing light inside suddenly brightened, and Yeo Suhyang opened the door.
"Brother-in-law?! What brings you here at this late hour?"
She spoke in a surprised voice as she looked at Hwangbo Jun. The woman was dressed in comfortable home clothes rather than formal attire. It seemed she had rushed out while breastfeeding the baby, because her clothes were slightly disheveled. That subtle disarray looked incredibly erotic.
"I'm sorry for coming so late, but I have something urgent to discuss regarding my brother."
Without waiting for Yeo Suhyang's reply, Hwangbo Jun closed the door and stepped inside the room.
Once inside, he saw the infant nephew lying on a small bed prepared just for him. Yeo Suhyang had been about to say that if he had something to discuss, it would be better to wait until morning, but she was startled when her brother-in-law entered without permission… Still, since it was late and he was family, she couldn't react too strongly.
"S-shall I prepare some tea?"
Yeo Suhyang asked as she looked at Hwangbo Jun, who stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. It was late at night. No matter that he was her husband's older brother, having a man who was essentially a stranger in her private quarters made her uncomfortable. She wanted to hear his business and send him away quickly… but once he had entered the room, she had no choice but to treat him as a guest.
"No need, Sister-in-law. I wouldn't be so shameless as to expect you to serve me tea after showing up at this hour. Haha."
"Ah… I see… Then, what exactly did you want to say about my husband…?"
"Ah, well, you see, Sister-in-law…"
Hwangbo Jun's eyes flashed as he approached Yeo Suhyang. He grabbed her shoulders with both hands as she stepped back with an uneasy expression, then violently ripped her top open to both sides.
With that brutal motion, the tie around her waist snapped with a loud rip. Her gown slipped off her shoulders, completely exposing the breasts that only her husband and nursing child had ever seen.
"Kyaaak!!"
As Yeo Suhyang screamed and tried to cover her chest with her arms, Hwangbo Jun seized both her wrists and roughly yanked them apart.