Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (1)

"Hyaaap! Hap! Haaap!"

Just because I'd caught wind of the Heavenly Demon's scheme didn't mean there was a damn thing I could do about it. It wasn't like I was going to cross the Ten Thousand Mountains and storm the Demonic Cult, nor could I simply run to the Murim Alliance and plead my case. The latter, I could do, but I had no desire to watch the sects suddenly unite over it.

In any case, I'd secured the Hao Sect's cooperation, and the trouble that had been stirring up all over Shaanxi had been quietly resolved. In a way, it was an outcome that benefited both the Heavenly Demon and myself. So the only task left to me was to kill time and cultivate leisurely until the Dragon Phoenix Gathering began.

Right before my eyes, Seon-go, seated in her wheeled chair, was training earnestly, letting out fierce shouts, and Sannyeo was watching her with a pleased smile, as if she were watching a puppy frolic. When I reached toward her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cheek, Sannyeo arched back like lightning and dodged, as if she'd been ambushed.

"Whoa, that's harsh."

"You reaching for a woman's cheek is harsher. Your wife is training so splendidly right now, and you're ignoring that to focus on another woman's face? Look. That's my masterpiece."

Sannyeo said that and extended a hand forward. With her manacles on, it looked just like she was firing off a palm wind. When I followed her gaze and turned my head, Seon-go was blushing and smiling awkwardly.

That was just how training was. When you're absorbed in it alone, you don't realize how embarrassing it is, but the moment you feel someone watching, your limbs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠start to twist and your voice grows quieter.

The wheels of the chair spun at various angles every time Seon-go twisted her waist or moved her hands busily, and her shoes were caked in dirt. I rubbed my chin for a moment, watching her training method. Sannyeo asked.

"What. You're not going to praise her? Your wife worked hard not to be a burden."

"That's a fine thing."

I said that and rose to my feet. I stood right up and strode over to Seon-go, and she, seated in her chair, flailed and stretched her arms out to me.

"Do, Docheol, why are you—?"

"Heave-ho."

Then I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her right up. As she floated into the air like a grandchild being lifted by a grandfather on a holiday, Seon-go seemed delighted but hid her face with her hands.

"R-really.... I don't know."

"Whoa there, good job. Good job."

I bounced her up and down once and patted her on the bottom. Like a cat in heat getting pats, Seon-go blushed and her tongue flicked out. If I'd prodded her a little more, she probably would've let out a sound. I smiled at her, then headed toward the inner quarters with her in my arms.

Sannyeo watched me do that and muttered.

"He's a regular beast."

I ignored her grumbling and sat Seon-go down on the wooden floor. She, who had been expecting something quite lewd, tilted her head at my action, and Sannyeo was also watching with an intrigued expression. She glanced around and chimed in.

"You're not thinking of doing it here, are you? Have you decided to become a real beast?"

Seon-go blushed.

"Do, Docheol, I'm not yet at the point where..."

"No, wait."

I ignored their nonsense and raised a hand. The two of them shut their mouths, looking curious about what I was going to say. I stared intently at Seon-go and asked.

"If you can only fight from a chair with wheels, what would you do in a situation like this?"

"...Huh?"

Sannyeo tilted her head too. I ran out to the yard, brought back Seon-go's chair, and then looked at Sannyeo again, gripping one of the wheels.

"Here, look. If I were to grab the chair like this during a fight, wouldn't Seon-go just lose her balance and topple over helplessly, getting neutralized? Then what's the point of learning martial arts?"

Sannyeo nodded at my words. She had an expression that said she found it a bit odd, but she seemed to think my point was valid.

"That's a fair point, I suppose. But it's not like I know a method to make Seon-go walk, do I? I'm no Hua Tuo."

"How about a prosthetic leg? We could have a fairly sophisticated one made. Something where you could just... click some sort of device on the side when needed, and the leg would let her walk. Even if it's temporary."

"...And who's going to make that?"

"What if we mentioned it to the Zhuge Family? Wouldn't something come of it?"

There's always the guy who makes the plans, and a separate guy who does the actual work. The Zhuge Family was a place where geniuses gathered, and weren't they a clan quite skilled in engineering too? If I said I wanted to see my wife walk, wouldn't they manage to make one?

Seon-go's eyes grew moist and she said this.

"You've thought of me that much. As expected, there's no one but you, Docheol."

"Mm, indeed."

To be honest, it wasn't that I didn't care about Seon-go. But my true motive was simply that I wanted to see a martial artist who fought with a prosthetic leg. Seon-go was a martial artist who'd trained since childhood and had a decently established foundation.

And you know, a martial artist who usually rides around in a wheeled chair pretending she can't walk, but then briefly stands up with her prosthetic to fight when necessary—isn't that just kind of cool?

Since I couldn't exactly cut off a passing martial artist's healthy leg and attach a prosthetic, wouldn't it be perfect to give this role to Seon-go, whose legs already didn't work?

That was just the thought that crossed my mind.

Because the setup of a 'hidden master' always tends to set a person's heart ablaze.

I just wanted to see something cool.

That was all.

"I, I'll devote myself further and become a true master! And! By your side, Docheol... heuhehe..."

Seon-go stopped mid-sentence and laughed with a loose expression. Seeing her rub her legs together and her mouth stretch into a wide grin, it was clear she was having lewd thoughts. I covered her mouth with my hand and sat beside her. Then I fidgeted with my fingers and said.

"Well then, while we're at it with the further devotion, shall we go together to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?"

"Th-the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?"

Seon-go jumped up in surprise, bouncing in place. The way she popped up with just the strength of her butt was childlike and cute. Sannyeo smiled happily at Seon-go's state and said.

"Since she's a first-rate master now, you can protect her if someone picks a fight. Is that it?"

"There's that, and I should also meet face-to-face with Hong Ye while I have this chance."

This was the most important part. It was because if not now, I figured there wouldn't be a time for Seon-go and Hong Ye to meet separately. Since suddenly living together might be awkward, my idea was to let Seon-go see the outside world and have her get acquainted with Hong Ye at the same time.

"Ah, you mean the one in Sichuan... the Taijiquan master?"

"That's right. The Taijiquan master."

I said.

"If not now, when else would we have a chance to see each other's faces and exchange greetings? Later on, she might come directly from Sichuan to the Crimson Ring Sect, but visiting her like this and seeing her face beforehand would be the proper thing to do."

"It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a long journey. Wouldn't it be hard? You've never done long-distance travel before."

At Sannyeo's question, Seon-go shook her head and said.

"It's okay. I'm sturdy now, you know."

She was a woman who'd had a somewhat sickly constitution, but she was gradually recovering her original health by training in martial arts again. If before she often showed a pale and gloomy appearance, these days Seon-go was transforming into a sturdy and gloomy woman.

A woman who smiled brightly on the outside but always had lewd and insidious plans on the inside. Seon-go fidgeted her fingers and asked me. It was the decorous tone of a virtuous young lady from a noble house.

"...Um, Docheol. At the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, could we maybe get two rooms?"

The request was so unexpected that I tilted my head.

"...You want to use separate rooms?"

"In case Docheol brings a martial arts woman over, my presence would make things uncomfortable..."

Was this her own kind of consideration? I shook my head at her words.

"If that were the case, I'd just go sleep in that woman's room."

"Ah, no... I'm supposed to not be there, and then you're just panting wildly... Docheol on top of a woman, crushing her down... while I watch that sight... heuhehe..."

Seon-go's face went slack again. Sannyeo was glaring at me with a reproachful gaze. She kept throwing looks at Seon-go and asking with her eyes, What are you going to do about this?

Of course, I had nothing to say for myself. I'd never taught Seon-go this kind of thing. This was simply the innate perversion that had been latent in her heart, manifesting on its own.

"Ah, before you bring a woman to the room, you absolutely have to tell me her sect and realm, okay?"

"...If that's the case, wouldn't it just be better to go in together? I'd find that more exciting, personally."

When I suggested a normal, decent arrangement, Seon-go shook her head and said.

"Th-that's good too, but... for now, I first want to watch from the next room. Because, because... it's good, isn't it. Knowing your wife is in the next room, holding her breath, the martial arts master pinned beneath Docheol... her vulgar moans stifled, her expression falling apart..."

The way she gradually got immersed as she spoke was quite a sight. I wrapped my arms tightly around her shoulders as she sank deeper into her fantasy.

"Kyaa."

Seon-go's scream was still that of a girl, at least.

I'd thought there would be a lot of things Seon-go would need to be careful about at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, but it seemed the one to watch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out for at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering was Seon-go herself.

I stroked her hair and thought.

If I said I wasn't taking her now, she'd probably hate me for it.