Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Good Experience - 2
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Nayerin was a great master, but not so much a great sect leader.
The reason was simple.
She was an exceptional martial artist, but not an exceptional administrator.
Even so, the Crimson Star Sect could maintain its current power thanks to her first disciple, Hongryeon.
If it weren't for her—someone who seemed rough around the edges and bold, yet meticulous and full of talent—the Crimson Star Sect might have already crumbled, leaving Nayerin to wander the martial world as a ronin.
Hongryeon had suffered quite a bit serving a master like Nayerin, who was clumsy with anything unrelated to martial arts and, in vulgar terms, a total mess. But she had never once resented her master, the Sword Saint.
To her, Nayerin was more than just a teacher.
She was the ideal person Hongryeon admired.
Because of those unyielding eyes that refused to bend to anything in the world.
That was why Hongryeon continued to support her utterly hopeless master.
"Hmm..."
One part of that support was maintaining ties with the Murim Alliance.
The Crimson Star Sect was undeniably orthodox, moving according to the logic of the righteous factions.
Especially lately, with the unsettling events unfolding in the martial world, she couldn't avoid external activities as the senior disciple.
She was already one of the top female experts known as the Falling Sun Sword.
By the time she finished her duties outside in Nayerin's stead and returned to the Crimson Star Sect, the sun had already set.
The other sisters were probably doing their evening training. Glancing at the bamboo box in her right hand, she smiled faintly.
The candies packed inside would surely bring smiles to her exhausted sisters.
Thinking of those smiles washed away the annoyances from the Murim Alliance—the unpleasant stares, the lustful gazes at her appearance, the pointless desires aimed at the Sword Saint's martial arts, or those trying to use the Crimson Star Sect's prestige to boost themselves.
"I'm back!!"
She threw open the Crimson Star Sect's main gate with force and shouted loudly. Thanks to the inner energy in her voice, the sisters gathered in the training hall greeted her with joyful laughter.
Holding up the bamboo box toward them, Hongryeon called out.
"Everyone, great job with training! Eat this before washing up! Of course, after sweating like that, your urges must be building up—you might want to fool around with your hands a bit..."
"Sister!!"
Ryuhyeon, the second disciple who managed the sect and looked after the sisters in her absence, shrieked.
The girl was great in every way except for being so uptight.
Especially with these sisters past puberty—in a place like this, if you didn't let them vent appropriately, it could lead to big trouble.
They weren't kids anymore; they needed to know these things, even if just from books, to get along well with the people they'd truly love later.
So Hongryeon grinned at the fuming Ryuhyeon and pulled a book from her bag, holding it out.
"Huh? What's this? A new martial art..."
"It's the excellent Harmonious Spring Dream, a must-read for this era."
"...But what's with this mark?"
"Just read it quick?"
Ryuhyeon's fingertip pointed to a red circle with the bold red character for "spring" inside. Hongryeon answered nonchalantly, but Ryuhyeon was flabbergasted. So she grabbed the senior disciple's ear without hesitation.
"Ow ow ow! Grab gently! Gently! I'm your senior sister!"
"It's a spring book! A spring book! How can you pull this out with the kids here?!"
Unable to hold back, Ryuhyeon whispered hotly into her ear, her face red as a beet. But she couldn't restrain herself.
Her sharp, stinging palm slapped Hongryeon's back with crisp smacks.
Despite the sharp pain that followed, Hongryeon just grinned from ear to ear.
"You've been pent up, haven't you?"
"I haven't! Aaaah..."
Liar. Hongryeon had seen it.
It had been a while since Ryuhyeon sneaked her erotic paintings to some secluded spot for some handiwork.
She'd even devoured all of Hongryeon's spring books and was already on her third read-through.
Hongryeon had brought new ones just for her, yet she didn't appreciate her sister's kindness.
Such a stubborn girl.
But Hongryeon had no intention of exposing her mischievous sister's secret to tease her.
She herself distinguished perfectly between reality and fantasy, so she felt no need to hide it.
She used things like this to relieve the stress and pressure of managing the Crimson Star Sect, but Ryuhyeon was different.
Different people have different ways, after all.
"Ah... So what's that?"
Only then did Hongryeon show the bamboo box in her other hand.
"I was just about to talk about this. Everyone worked hard training—take one each."
"Yes!!"
The sisters quickly lined up. Hongryeon smiled at them gulping as they eyed the candies, placing them one by one into outstretched hands.
As more sisters received the colorful treats, a warm atmosphere filled the training hall.
After handing them out to most, she came to the youngest.
They say you can't bite off ten fingers without hurting, but the youngest, Sayoon, was a finger that worried her a bit more. She was beaming up at Hongryeon.
Those eyes she loved.
Proud and unyielding eyes.
Hongryeon placed a candy in the beloved youngest's palm and flashed a dashing smile.
"Alright! Everyone got one?!"
"Yes!! Thank you!"
"Mm!"
Nodding firmly, she watched as the sisters munched away. Some popped theirs in one bite, others savored them slowly.
But all were happy and delighted.
It warmed her heart. She ate her own candy, set some aside for her master, and spoke calmly.
"After the Crimson Star Sword Formation training twenty-one days from now, the entire Crimson Star Sect will head down to the village."
"Why? We bought everything we need..."
She explained today's events nonchalantly to the curious sisters. They all cheered.
They were at that vigorous age, craving greasy foods, after all.
Of course, such dishes weren't ideal for martial cultivation, but Hongryeon knew better than anyone that the Crimson Star Divine Art wasn't some low-grade technique hampered by sloppy eating.
Amid the joy, one girl shyly raised her hand. The youngest, Sayoon.
"Um... What about Master? Is she coming too?"
Even she knew the Sword Saint rarely joined these outings.
All eyes turned to Hongryeon.
How could they eat out leaving their sky-like master behind?
The good mood plummeted. But credit where due—she was trying to manage her expression.
So Hongryeon grinned and ruffled Sayoon's hair roughly.
"I've got plans to prepare, so don't worry."
The daily routine hadn't changed much. In the morning, I gathered the errand boys and servants to direct the inn's cleaning. By the time it was done, the inn's chef came down from his quarters—he started work at lunch, so everyone ate breakfast out.
Not ideal from my perspective. Obviously.
To achieve my goals, money and power were essential.
I had a decent amount now, but I couldn't spend freely.
I had to save wherever possible.
So I'd started preparing breakfast, something we hadn't done before.
Nothing special.
Indian-style roti made from whole wheat with minimal fermentation, stuffed with chopped leftovers from yesterday's meat or veggies, seasoned and stir-fried, then baked.
Great for using scraps, tasty enough, and above all cheap—which was why lately, local laborers had been coming to buy them.
"Innkeeper! Got any Island Flower Wraps?"
"Yep."
Best hot and fresh, but even cooled and eaten later, they were just a bit chewy, not tough.
Some even took them packaged for lunch.
Thanks to that, breakfast sales brought in surprisingly good money.
Enough to buy Sayoon more candies.
"No ingredients left."
"Today's business over!"
"Aw, I wanted a few more."
A few waiting grumbled, but that wasn't my problem.
"Put away the ingredients that came in at dawn."
In cooking, the chef's skill mattered, but fresh ingredients couldn't be ignored.
But selling like this in the mornings meant fresh perishables rarely went to waste, so we bought new ones daily.
The inn's food tasted better for it. Good for business, from my money-making standpoint.
Alright, morning routine done. Time for my personal errands.
Since Chunsik's group visited last time, Island Flower Village's atmosphere couldn't be called good, even politely.
Unscrupulous evil sect folk had been trickling in.
They weren't causing outright chaos, but their presence soured the vibe inevitably.
After morning sales, while the boys and servants rested, I headed to the market.
I couldn't rule out the Iron Blood Clan's involvement in the village's gloom, so investigation was needed.
As I passed the market toward the alleys for shady rumors, I sensed presences near a deserted alley.
"Who's there?"
I stopped and called out. At once, burly men emerged from both ends of the alley, clubs and blades in hand. They weren't here for friendly chat.
"Yuwol, right?"
"No? Wrong guy. I'm Wang Zhongyang, a..."
"...Beat him."
Ah, not working.
I shrugged and picked up a common wooden stick from the alley. Swung it threateningly, but they just sneered and closed in...
-Thwack!!
"Gah!!"
Then it happened. One aiming for my back clutched his head and collapsed. As the startled thugs turned, I swung at the weakened encirclement.
-Crack!
"Gurk!"
A grotesque scream, and the head-struck man fell, revealing the culprit.
Worn, patched demon tiger martial robes, crudely sewn.
Gray hair cascading to her back.
Oval, slender jawline; snow-white skin.
Slightly upturned eyes full of provocation, small pale pink lips curved in a smile.
A face I knew.
But much younger than the one familiar to me.
The beautiful girl holding a wooden sword eyed me, then snatched my hand.
"This way!!"
Seizing the gap in their net, she pulled me and ran.
The petite girl, not even reaching my chest, swung her wooden sword without hesitation at emerging foes as we fled. I bashed them down with my stick too.
Once we burst into a crowded area, she relaxed, her flushed face breaking into a gentle smile.
But that smile.
Was unfamiliar to me.
"You okay?! That was close!!"
The smile she gave, unknown to Sayoon Faction members.
Was the gentle one she sometimes wore with her sisters at the station.
Sayoon.
The girl I had to make the protagonist.