No Words Were Spoken
There were no words.
I waited a moment, holding her close. Part of me thought a reply might come... and part of me didn't.
The child's body was light. Narrow shoulders, a slightly warm temperature. When I touched her cheek, her skin was astonishingly smooth and plump. So soft and vibrant that I wanted to keep stroking it. Her body and clothes were impeccably clean, too—hard to believe for an orphan.
One look into her eyes told me everything. These weren't a child's eyes. The face gazing up at me looked sad. On the verge of tears, almost... I couldn't bear to let her go from my arms.
They were black and large. Deep. They held an intimidating presence few adults could match. And when I first released my poison qi at her, she didn't even furrow her brow. No panic, no tension. She brushed it off casually, as if it were nothing.
I'd heard the rumors. A celestial maiden had descended.
At first, I figured it was just a kid who'd learned some basic martial arts. In these remote mountains, even a little training could make someone seem like a mountain spirit. But this child defied explanation. She was a monster beyond common sense.
What surprised me more was that no one was with her. So... maybe I could take her for myself.
"You'll be the most precious daughter in the world."
No response. No refusal, no agreement. Interpreting silence as consent might be a stretch, but that's how I always took it. The convenient way. Complication was my enemy.
What I wanted, I got. Anytime. This child wouldn't be an exception.
I wanted her. To raise her. It wasn't a fleeting impulse. My chest burned, ached. I didn't know why. Even I found the emotion unfamiliar.
"...Then."
No one around. No one to stop me, no one to object. So I decided alone.
"Let's go together."
No reaction to that, either. She just stayed in my arms. Not stiff, not limp. Not resisting, not yielding. Not resigned, not giving up. She kept her mouth shut, clutching my sleeve tightly.
...Somehow, that was adorable.
I scooped her up higher. Those black eyes stared at me clearly. Like she wanted to say something but was holding back. Or carefully choosing hidden words.
...I didn't know which yet.
Holding her made my energy feel at ease. A stranger, yet not strange. A new face, yet familiar somehow. Like being next to someone with a similar aura. My body accepted her as if we'd known each other forever.
That sealed my decision to take her. Instinct before logic.
I'd learn the rest later. We had time.
I started walking, carrying her through the forest path. Then, a sound from behind. Heavy footsteps, too big for a normal animal.
I turned. A white beast. Massive. No ordinary mountain creature.
Spirit qi brushed my skin. Dense, ancient. A divine beast. An old one at that.
My hand twitched toward my shuriken. But it stopped. No hostility. It just lumbered forward slowly.
Pumpkin-orange eyes fixed on the child. Not me. It was following her.
So that's her beast. A White Tiger.
I'd heard the Tang family once had an ancestor who contracted a divine beast of similar caliber. Ancient history, though.
But how did this child claim one like that?
The White Tiger approached slowly. Unstopping. Its huge nose turned toward me, sniffing.
I didn't reach out or dodge. I accepted it.
Our eyes met briefly. No wariness. No enmity. It inhaled deeply once, then stepped aside.
...Maybe the similar energy meant no guard up. I felt the same holding the child. The beast sensing it first made sense.
Her poison-handling qi differed from the beast's texture. That was clearly Tang family.
"What's your name?"
I asked as we walked, holding her tight so she couldn't slip away. My hand on her small nape. Fine, beautiful hair. I stroked it gently.
She stiffened a bit. Thinking.
"Heukyeon, ma'am."
Low voice, dry. Too mature for her age. Not forced.
...Just naturally like that. A shame—no cuteness factor.
"How old?"
"...Four, ma'am."
A kid answering age questions with "four, ma'am." I skipped it without reaction. Probably awkward still. She'd warm up.
"Where from?"
"From far away, ma'am."
No lies. But no real answer. Dodged with words that sounded like one. Even adults couldn't pull that off.
No need to pry. The truth would slip out eventually. I'd wait.
The forest path widened. Sky visible through branches. The White Tiger followed quietly behind. Steady steps. Guard down.
Her tension eased. Shoulders once rigid now leaned naturally. Unconsciously... getting comfortable.
I liked that.
Now her head rested against my chest. That small warmth relying on me. Trusting me. Not bad.
She seemed to like head pats. Cheeks twitched despite hiding it.
For a second, I wanted to touch them.
"Why didn't the poison work?"
I asked again. She knew a lot. Tang martial arts, her constitution... deeply connected somehow.
She went quiet.
"...Not sure, ma'am."
"Liar. You expelled all the poison qi."
I knew best how hard that was. And so skillfully. She repelled pure Tang poison arts.
"Who taught you that poison art?"
I didn't lower my voice. Just asked. But this wasn't casual.
Tang poison arts. Never leaked outside. Only blood kin or direct disciples could wield it that well. Impossible otherwise.
She couldn't hide it. Tang arts were special in the murim world.
She shut her mouth briefly.
"I've heard of it, ma'am."
"Heard it and got that good?"
"...Some innate talent, maybe."
Dodged again. Slyer this time. Not wrong. But not an answer.
She knew. Wasn't clueless. Just wouldn't say.
The difference was clear.
I stopped. Held her out to look properly. Faced her squarely.
Black eyes looked up. Unshaken.
Finger to her wrist. Traced qi flow. Froze.
No way. Impossible.
Bone Washing Marrow Cleansing. Perfect. No impurities.
Hard to believe, I probed deeper. Qi under skin flawlessly pure. Spotless.
Needed massive inner energy infusion. Impossible alone. And filled with Tang qi. Denser, clearer than mine.
Poison style, qi paths, acupoints. All matched direct lineage.
Who are her parents?
I pulled her back in. Soft warmth.
Forest path continued. White Tiger's steps steady behind. Light filtered through branches.
Thoughts as we walked. Child with Tang qi Bone Washing. Few direct kin could implant that much now.
Countable on fingers. But not a face I knew. Hair not Tang purple.
One person came to mind. Deceased grandfather, former Tang patriarch. Best poison master of his era. Only he could leave such qi.
His women were many. Concubines aplenty. Rumors of illegitimate children persisted. Never confirmed, never denied.
Grandfather's hidden child.
...Explains the pull from the start. Instinct recognized blood.
Tang qi calling to Tang qi.
She took my gaze silently. Wind tousled hair, eyes unmoving. Strange kid. I liked it.
"More questions later."
"...Anything, ma'am."
"Later."
Short. No rush now.
Walked on. Forest ended, open road. Distant mountains. Sacheon direction.
Sacheon Dangga beyond. Still far. White Tiger back? One day.
She gazed that way from my arms. Thinking? Remembering? Not sad. Just deep.
I glanced too.
Sacheon Tang family. Lately chaotic. Father's health decline surfaced successor issues. Brothers scheming. My betrothal piled on.
Betrothal. Word alone soured mood. Excitement plunged.
Stupid to think it. Just depressed me.
Political. For family gain. Groom irrelevant. What he brought mattered.
I hated marriage. No need to explain. Just hated it.
Bloodlines, heirs... zero interest.
Looked down at her. If Tang blood... shakes successor race. Brothers won't sit.
But if I claim her, changes. Betrothal pressure shifts. Could solidify my position.
Good call bringing her.
Not all reason, though. Heart first. Logic followed. Right order.
Her small body leaned more comfortably than expected. Beyond calculation.
"Let's go."
She nodded. Small, once.
White Tiger matched pace. Three toward Sacheon.
Wind from there. Neither cold nor warm. Faint familiar scent. Hometown.
She stayed quiet. Heading somewhere too. Unknown to me. For reasons unknown.
Didn't matter. Same direction for now.
Enough.