Chapter 831
"Palace Mistress."
Bu Eun-seol bowed with utmost courtesy.
"Commander Seon-u."
Jeok Mu-mi greeted him with a delighted smile.
Her Internal Power had deepened considerably since their last meeting, and her Qi was now incomparably superior to what it had been in the past.
She had reached the realm of Heart Fire Returns to One and Inner Fire Unites as One, where the fire within her heart gathered into a single point and merged within her body.
Her hair had taken on a crimson hue, as if aflame, and her beauty had grown even more striking—like a radiant fairy born from fire.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
Jeok Mu-mi, still smiling warmly, took both of Bu Eun-seol's hands and teased him.
"Even here, you remain a Commander. Aren't your promotions coming a bit too slowly?"
The Blazing Flame Sacred Palace was located Beyond the Frontier,
and unlike the martial artists of the Central Plains, they paid little mind to trivial formalities.
"It's only because I've accomplished nothing worthy of advancement."
Fully aware of this, Bu Eun-seol shook her hands warmly in return.
"The Palace Mistress has achieved the rank of Grand Duke in this time. My sincerest congratulations."
"How could my meager Internal Power ever compare to the divine sword of a Commander who is called the Sword King?"
After lavishing praise on Bu Eun-seol, she finally noticed So Eun-hyang and blinked in surprise.
"This is So Eun-hyang, the Young Mistress of the Snowflower Sect."
Sensing Jeok Mu-mi's gaze, Bu Eun-seol swiftly introduced the two women.
"Young Mistress. This is Jeok Mu-mi, the Palace Mistress of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace."
Though their ages appeared similar, Jeok Mu-mi's status was far higher.
With no choice, So Eun-hyang clasped her hands together and bowed.
"Palace Mistress Jeok."
Her icy gaze quickly swept over Jeok Mu-mi's figure.
Not only was the woman young and beautiful, but she was also looking at Bu Eun-seol with affectionate eyes.
"The Snowflower Sect—isn't that the mysterious sect of the Central Plains, said to rival the North Sea Ice Palace?"
Jeok Mu-mi smiled and spoke to So Eun-hyang in a friendly tone.
"To meet the Young Mistress of such a renowned sect in person is truly a great honor."
When Jeok Mu-mi addressed her warmly, disregarding rank and status, So Eun-hyang softened her cold expression and replied.
"You flatter me. But our sect has long been inactive, and in the Central Plains, we are already a forgotten, nameless faction."
"How could that be? Just from the Young Mistress's Qi, one can tell how prestigious the Snowflower Sect is, and how rigorously it trains its disciples."
Jeok Mu-mi, as befitting a palace mistress, possessed the eloquence to sway hearts.
As pleasantries were exchanged in the amiable atmosphere, Bu Eun-seol cautiously asked,
"But, Palace Mistress, what brings you here?"
"I heard Commander Seon-u had joined a new sect, so I came to lend some prestige."
"You intend to join the Azure Heaven Alliance?"
"Wasn't joining the Martial Alliance also because of you, Commander Seon-u?"
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"Your words alone are thanks enough. But there's no need to go that far."
Then he spoke frankly.
"Though our alliance has established its own system, it is still just a newly formed coalition. It wouldn't be of much help to the Palace Mistress."
"That's alright."
Jeok Mu-mi laughed.
"After all, we'll soon be family—why stand on ceremony?"
"Family? Suddenly, what do you—?"
Jeok Mu-mi declared boldly.
"Don't you remember? Our palace has certain unspoken rules and traditions."
—Surely you don't think it was just out of loyalty?
In the past, Jeok Mu-mi had trusted Bu Eun-seol—then a Third-grade Commander—and concluded a peace agreement with the Martial Alliance.
When explaining her reasons, she had said:
—Our palace has certain unspoken rules and traditions.
—What kind of rules are you referring to?
—Let's discuss that the next time we meet.
Recalling their parting conversation, Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
"Then, the rule you mentioned... could it be...?"
"Exactly."
Jeok Mu-mi beamed, about to elaborate, but then she glanced at So Eun-hyang.
'Oh no.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
So Eun-hyang, who had barely managed to maintain her composure,
was now glaring at him with eyes blazing with jealousy.
—After all that mood-setting, was lying to marry the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's Mistress your real plan?
Reading her thoughts from her gaze, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
—No, this is a misunderstanding.
Then he quickly addressed Jeok Mu-mi.
"My apologies, Palace Mistress. I haven't even offered you tea, and here we are standing in the meeting room. Please, this way."
He then turned to So Eun-hyang.
"Lady So. It seems I must speak privately with the Palace Mistress. Please excuse me for a moment."
Bu Eun-seol wisely attempted an escape.
No matter how impulsive So Eun-hyang was, she was the Young Mistress of the Snowflower Sect—the future leader of her faction.
She wouldn't dare interfere when he needed to discuss important matters with a palace mistress like Jeok Mu-mi.
Click.
Before So Eun-hyang could react, Bu Eun-seol swiftly opened the office door with the agility of a waiter.
But as the door swung open—
A stunning woman in a flowing, water-like gown passed by.
Her long hair cascaded like ripples across a lake, and with every step, tiny droplets seemed to dance around her.
One of the Three Beauties of the World, renowned as the most beautiful women under heaven.
Among them, she was Gongson Dan-a, hailed as the Flower of Eloquence.
"Young Lady Gongson?"
Just as Bu Eun-seol, frozen stiff like a block of ice, was about to speak—
"Dan-a."
At that moment, So Eun-hyang, who had been standing behind Bu Eun-seol, stepped forward cheerfully.
Gongson Dan-a's eyes widened in recognition.
"Hyang-a."
Though unknown to the wider Murim, the Snowflower Sect and the Divine Water Palace had maintained close ties for many years.
Moreover, the two women were of similar age and had been close friends since long ago.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
As Gongson Dan-a happily clasped both her hands, So Eun-hyang nodded.
"Of course."
"But what brings you to the Azure Heaven Alliance?"
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol quickly interjected.
"T-The Young Mistress of the Snowflower Sect has... previously extended much assistance to me..."
He tried to continue speaking, but—
Rustle, rustle.
From the opposite corridor, a woman in white robes, her hair elegantly pinned up, approached.
Her perfectly balanced features, flawless skin, and large, tranquil eyes that shimmered with a mysterious light marked her as a peerless beauty.
It was none other than Gongson Dan-gyeong, the Chief Strategist of the Azure Heaven Alliance.
"Seon-u... Commander."
Just as Gongson Dan-gyeong's widened eyes met Bu Eun-seol's gaze—
"I came to see my sister."
Gongson Dan-a, seizing the sleeve of the newly arrived Gongson Dan-gyeong, beamed brightly.
"After all, my sister has become the Chief Strategist of the Azure Heaven Alliance."
"Elder Sister."
So Eun-hyang greeted Gongson Dan-gyeong warmly.
Though they belonged to different sects, their closeness led disciples of both factions to address one another as martial siblings.
"It's been a while, Young Mistress."
When Gongson Dan-gyeong acknowledged her, So Eun-hyang unhesitatingly took her hand and spoke with familiarity.
"Congratulations on becoming the Chief Strategist of the Azure Heaven Alliance."
Unlike the bright and vivacious Gongson Dan-a, Gongson Dan-gyeong had always carried an air of calm detachment since childhood.
Yet So Eun-hyang's cheerful and guileless nature allowed her to approach even the formidable Gongson Dan-gyeong with ease.
"But what brings you—"
Just as Gongson Dan-gyeong began to speak, Gongson Dan-a suddenly cut in with a question.
"Hyang-a, why are you here?"
At her question, So Eun-hyang bit her lip.
Then, pointing decisively at Bu Eun-seol, who stood beside Jeok Mu-mi, she declared:
"To see my husband."
Her bombshell statement sent not only Gongson Dan-a but also Gongson Dan-gyeong and Jeok Mu-mi into stunned silence, their expressions turning icy.
Only Bu Eun-seol remained, looking like a thief caught by the guards—eyes shut, wearing an expression of utter resignation.
"What did you just say? Your husband... No, you mean Commander Seon-u is your husband?"
Gongson Dan-a's eyes widened in disbelief.
Seon-u Jin was firmly tied to her elder sister, Gongson Dan-gyeong—hadn't he even visited the Gongson Clan recently to formalize their relationship?
How could he possibly be So Eun-hyang's husband?
"Commander Seon-u. Have you married in the meantime?"
Jeok Mu-mi, observing the situation, asked him incredulously.
"Impossible. I would never—"
Just as Bu Eun-seol raised a hand to deny it, So Eun-hyang stepped forward and stated firmly:
"He took my purity. And afterward, we promised ourselves to each other."
Her words, even more explosive than before, froze the atmosphere solid.
As silence stretched on—
"It seems there's nothing more to discuss with Commander Seon-u."
Jeok Mu-mi's expression turned cold as she turned away.
"Then I'll take my leave."
"That's a lie."
Gongson Dan-a suddenly lifted So Eun-hyang's arm.
"The Cinnabar Palace Mark is still clearly visible—what do you mean he took your purity?"
A vivid red mark stood out starkly against So Eun-hyang's pale forearm.
"I lost it. But my husband restored it for me."
Her casual reply left Gongson Dan-a dumbfounded.
"What kind of nonsense is that? How can lost purity be restored?"
So Eun-hyang had no choice but to explain—
How Bu Eun-seol had absorbed her True Yin, and how he had returned it.
After listening for a while, Gongson Dan-a burst into laughter.
"That wasn't the Yin-Yang Grand Ritual through dual cultivation—he just restored your True Yin!"
"But the Cinnabar Palace Mark disappeared and reappeared, didn't it? It's no different from him taking my purity and then restoring it."
So Eun-hyang stood her ground.
"His True Qi flows within my body now. In essence, we've become one."
At her stubborn insistence, everyone present let out sighs of relief and exasperation.
Even Jeok Mu-mi turned to Bu Eun-seol with an apologetic expression.
"My apologies. I misunderstood."
Only now did she realize—
So Eun-hyang, though as beautiful as a dazzling flower, had the temperament of a willful child: pure-hearted yet utterly self-centered.
"Young Mistress. You mustn't speak so carelessly."
Jeok Mu-mi chided So Eun-hyang as if scolding a child.
"Do you not realize such words could ruin Commander Seon-u's reputation?"
"Why would it ruin his reputation? I only spoke the truth."
"That's precisely why—"
The two continued bickering in the corridor for some time.
Yet, as she watched them, Gongson Dan-a couldn't shake a strange feeling.
'Why did Big Sister bring Commander Seon-u to the main house but refuse to admit they're officially together?'
After observing the situation for a while, Gongson Dan-a noticed that Bu Eun-seol's expression had darkened considerably.
In stark contrast, Gongson Dan-gyeong wore a detached expression, as if she were merely watching someone else's business unfold.
'Commander Seon-u lacks courage, and Big Sister is too embarrassed to confess.'
Having arbitrarily interpreted Bu Eun-seol's expression, Gongson Dan-a let out a huff.
'In that case, I should help them!'
Gongson Dan-gyeong excelled in many things, but expressing emotions was not one of them.
Even when she had visited the Martial Alliance before—
Didn't she adore Commander Seon-u so much yet fail to properly convey it, even going so far as to slander him instead?
"Commander Seon-u—!"
Just as Gongson Dan-a was about to shout—
Murmur, murmur.
A group of people approached from a distance, chatting amongst themselves.
Among them was Tang Cheong—younger sister of Tang Gon, head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, and now the newly appointed leader of the Poison and Toxin Hall under the Azure Heaven Alliance.
And trailing behind her were her subordinates.
"Commander Seon-u."
Tang Cheong spotted Bu Eun-seol standing in the distance and approached with a dazzling smile.
Originally, she had only known that Seol-so and Bu Eun-seol were one and the same.
But thanks to a tip from Tang Gon, who had played a pivotal role in the Azure Heaven Alliance's recent establishment—
She had also learned that the Sword King, Seon-u Jin, was yet another identity of Bu Eun-seol.
Of course, Tang Gon hadn't done this to spite Bu Eun-seol.
Rather, it was because Tang Cheong had been threatening him—saying she'd either bring Bu Eun-seol to her or go straight to the Demon Hall.
—Well, since Cheong-i has already made up her mind, I have no choice but to place her by his side beforehand.
Tang Gon had resolved himself.
After all, Bu Eun-seol's fiancées were none other than—
Yeon So-ha, A Glance Worth a Thousand Gold, one of the Three Beauties of the World, and Dan So-ok, one of the Flower Jade Twin Phoenixes, the most beautiful woman of the Demon Hall.
Even Tang Cheong, hailed as Sichuan's Greatest Beauty, would inevitably pale in comparison to them.
Not to mention, her temperament was rather brash... She never stood a chance from the beginning.
But the one glimmer of hope was—
Bu Eun-seol's apparent disinterest in women.
Besides, wasn't he also Tang Gon's one and only close friend?
—But he would never become a matrilocal son-in-law of the Tang Clan.
No matter how much he liked Bu Eun-seol, he couldn't possibly break the clan's rules with his own hands.
After much deliberation, Tang Gon had recommended Tang Cheong as the leader of the Poison and Toxin Hall under the pretext of aiding the Azure Heaven Alliance—
And the alliance leader, Bukgung Ryeong, had readily accepted.
—This brother has done all he can. The rest is up to you now.
Thus, Tang Cheong immediately joined the Azure Heaven Alliance and sought to meet Seon-u Jin at every opportunity.
But what she hadn't realized—
Was that the early days of a newly formed alliance were so hectic that one barely had time to blink.
And yet, here she was, running into Bu Eun-seol like this?
'This is my chance!'
Tang Cheong inwardly cheered.
She had been frustrated that their busy schedules made it difficult to even see each other—
But now they had met by sheer coincidence? She absolutely couldn't let this opportunity slip away.
"Leader of the Poison and Toxin Hall."
Upon spotting Tang Cheong, Bu Eun-seol greeted her respectfully.
He had been planning to use her as an excuse to escape this situation.
"Actually, I had some business at the Poison and Toxin Hall—"
"Oh? What kind of business?"
But the moment he saw Tang Cheong's expression—as if she had just eaten a piece of sweet candy—Bu Eun-seol immediately understood the situation.
'I miscalculated.'
This was like fleeing from a fox only to enter a tiger's den.
Just by looking at Tang Cheong's expression—
Bu Eun-seol realized that Tang Gon, whom he had trusted, had revealed his true identity.
"Ah, rather than standing around, let's go to my office first and talk."
As if completely oblivious to Gongson Dan-gyeong and the others nearby, Tang Cheong boldly took Bu Eun-seol's hand and began leading him away.
'This won't do.'
Gongson Dan-a, who had been watching the situation unfold, narrowed her eyes.
'If I stay quiet, Big Sister will fall prey to those vixens!'
Having made up her mind, she clenched her lower abdomen and shouted at So Eun-hyang.
"Sorry, but Commander Seon-u can't be your husband. Because he's already engaged to Big Sister in a prenatal betrothal!"
At this shocking declaration, an icy northern wind once again swept through the corridor.
A prenatal betrothal? Out of nowhere?
"Commander Seon-u. What is the meaning of this?"
When Tang Cheong asked in a daze, Gongson Dan-gyeong spoke up.
"Commander Seon-u is already engaged to my sister in a prenatal betrothal."
"Prenatal betrothal?"
At that moment, So Eun-hyang blinked.
Gongson Dan-gyeong was roughly ten years older than Seon-u Jin.
So how could they have had a prenatal betrothal?
"But he wasn't even born yet? What kind of prenatal betrothal is that?"
Gongson Dan-a let out an ah sound.
"Ah, sorry. What I meant was—"
Gongson Dan-a was beautiful, but ever since childhood, she had preferred martial arts over scholarly pursuits.
As a result, she failed to recall the simple term formal engagement and instead blurted out something absurd.
"An engagement—I meant an engagement!"
"You're saying you're engaged to the Commander? That's strange."
Then Tang Cheong interjected.
"A few years ago, when the Gongson Clan Head visited our main house, he mentioned in conversation with my father—'The Chief Strategist is of marriageable age, but we're struggling to find a suitable match for her.' Wasn't that the case?"
Gongson Dan-a's pupils dimmed.
When had her father ever met the Sichuan Tang Clan Head and said such a thing?
"Ah, about that—"
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she quickly explained.
"Actually, I was the one recently engaged to him, but as time passed, Big Sister and he grew closer... So I stepped aside and let them rekindle their engagement!"
It was utter nonsense.
But unfortunately, So Eun-hyang, too—
Her personality was pure, and having devoted her childhood solely to martial arts training, her thoughts were exceedingly simple.
Because of that, she was the only one who wholeheartedly believed Gongson Dan-a's words.
"If yielding is possible, then couldn't Dan-gyeong Big Sister yield back to me?"
"Huh?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected response, Gongson Dan-a shot a glance at Gongson Dan-gyeong.
But Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression remained composed, showing no change whatsoever.
Gongson Dan-a assumed that—
Because she was somewhat ignorant about romantic relationships, she must have frozen up in embarrassment.
'I'm sorry, Big Sister. I'll fix this mess!'
Steeling herself, Gongson Dan-a turned to Bu Eun-seol and began chattering loudly.
"Further yielding is impossible, right? Right?"
Gongson Dan-a was not skilled at lying.
And so, with every word she spoke, she was digging her own grave.
"Oh, how wonderful."
Before Bu Eun-seol could even respond, So Eun-hyang nodded her head.
"Then that means I'll become part of the same family as Elder Sister, right?"
Then, as if seeking confirmation, she beamed brightly at Gongson Dan-a and asked again.
"Isn't that so?"
So Eun-hyang's eyes brimmed with a purity so intense it bordered on madness.
In the end, Gongson Dan-a could only avert her gaze without saying a word.
"How fortunate."
At that moment, Jeok Mu-mi, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.
"Well, Commander Seon-u has long since become the Retired Palace Master of our palace... So in a way, I've gained many sisters."
She, too, was quick to assess the situation.
Knowing that Bu Eun-seol had not married but that many women admired him—
She had shifted her strategy entirely, aiming to secure the position of main wife first.
Just like Yeon So-ha, who had once visited the Demon Hall.
"What do you mean by that?"
When Gongson Dan-gyeong asked, Jeok Mu-mi replied,
"During his time as a Third-grade Commander, Commander Seon-u obtained the legacy of our palace's founder, the Blazing Flame Holy Venerable. And according to our palace's rules, anyone who inherits the founder's martial arts must become the Retired Palace Master and lead the palace."
Jeok Mu-mi was a seasoned individual.
Without revealing any affection for Seon-u Jin, she invoked the rules of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, emphasizing his time as a Third-grade Commander—
Reminding the women that she had known him since he became a commander in the Martial Alliance.
"That's actually why I came here. But I found it difficult to bring up... Now that things have turned out this way, I feel rather relieved."
"A Third-grade Commander, you say."
Then Tang Cheong stepped forward.
"I have known Commander Seon-u since before he joined the Martial Alliance. My father also acknowledges him as family."
Then, turning to Bu Eun-seol, she asked,
"Am I lying?"
Tang Cheong's rhetoric was cunning.
Everything she said was true—
But the phrase "acknowledges him as family" made it sound as though their relationship had been formally recognized.
And considering the special bond between Bu Eun-seol and the previous Family Head, Tang Pae—
Bu Eun-seol couldn't exactly refute it.
Just as everyone fell into a heavy silence from Tang Cheong's unexpected move—
"Commander Seon-u."
Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had been silently observing, approached Bu Eun-seol.
Her eyes sparkled like red gemstones, and a confident smile played at the corners of her lips.
Tap, tap.
She stared intently at Bu Eun-seol, who was somewhat dazed.
Then she straightened his disheveled collar and brushed the dust off his shoulders.
"No matter how distracted you are, you shouldn't leave the Command Plaque lying around like this."
And with practiced ease, she placed the Pinnacle Squad's Command Plaque into Bu Eun-seol's hand.
Ever since their days in the Martial Alliance, Gongson Dan-gyeong had been Bu Eun-seol's superior.
So things like patting his shoulder—
Or handing him the Command Plaque for missions—these small physical gestures were entirely natural between them.
In other words, the way she handled Seon-u Jin carried—
A naturalness that none of the other women here could hope to replicate.
"Now, once you've finished your business..."
Leaning even closer, Gongson Dan-gyeong brought her lips near Bu Eun-seol's ear and whispered softly,
"Come to the Strategy Pavilion."
Her boldness made Bu Eun-seol's cheeks flush crimson.
When he lifted his head, Gongson Dan-gyeong flashed him an utterly bewitching smile.
Then, slowly, she turned and walked away.
"..."
For a moment, the expressions of the women standing in the passageway stiffened.
It was as if an infinitely dark and oppressive weight pressed down on their heads.
An effortless grace that none could rival.
The composure of one who already possessed him, the conviction in her gaze.
The dignity of the main wife...
That was what they sensed from Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"Ah."
Then, as if remembering something, Gongson Dan-gyeong turned back.
She cast a clear, deliberate glance at So Eun-hyang, Tang Cheong, and Jeok Mu-mi before speaking.
"If all you do is fight amongst yourselves... In the end, none of you will be able to stay by Commander Seon-u's side."
Then she added,
"But if you support and respect one another... Perhaps everyone can have what they desire."
"What do you mean by that?"
When Tang Cheong asked, Gongson Dan-gyeong responded not with words but with a sweet smile.
And that smile—
Instilled in those who saw it an inexplicable sense of defeat.
Tap, tap.
As Gongson Dan-gyeong finally departed—
Clang.
Somewhere, the sound of metal crashing echoed, and then all surrounding noise ceased.
Before anyone realized it, the passageway was filled with a suffocating silence.
The women's gazes met one another's, yet the silence persisted as if unseen hands had sealed their mouths shut.
"Wait... Should we all talk for a moment?"
In the end, it was Jeok Mu-mi who broke the silence.
"I think we have much to discuss among ourselves."
Nod.
With expressions darker and more somber than ever, they nodded.
Then, like jiangshi following a Taoist priest, they trailed wordlessly behind Jeok Mu-mi.
"Ah, no, I—"
Gongson Dan-a waved her hands frantically.
After all, she had absolutely nothing to do with Seon-u Jin.
But under the scorching intensity of Tang Cheong's blazing gaze and the sheer momentum of her approach,
she had no choice but to be dragged into the office like a scruffed Puppy Type—utterly powerless to resist.