Chapter 22

"Daddy will grind some cooler water and put a fresh damp cloth on you." Daddy was always ready to do anything I needed. 'No matter how dirty or dangerous the job.' "No, Daddy. I think it'll be fine if I just rest against your cool hand." "Are you sure this will be okay?" When I tugged his hand, Daddy cupped my face with his large hands and asked worriedly. "Yeah!" Puhihi. As I let out a hot breath and grinned happily, a faint smile soon spread across Daddy's face as he watched me. 'I loved Daddy like that.' And I firmly believed he would protect me by my side forever

"Heavenly Demon." Until I learned that he would go berserk from my death and get killed by the Nangong Family Young Master. "This is the end. Heavenly Demon." The moment I recalled that fact again, I saw a blade aimed at Daddy's throat. 'No! Daddy, run! Daddy, please don't die!' But there was nothing I could do. "Die!" The blade mercilessly sliced Daddy's throat, and dark red blood sprayed everywhere. "Daddy... no! Daddy!" At that moment, I jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat. "Did you have a nightmare or something, human?" 'Ah, it was a dream?' It had felt far too vivid; my body was still trembling

'Hold on... but that voice shouldn't be coming from in here, right?' I pinched my cheek, wondering if this was a dream too. "Did you hit your head when you collapsed? Why are you hurting yourself?" The Golden Immortal Lotus looked at me with fearful eyes and asked. 'This is definitely the room I was staying in at the cult...' "Why are you in here? Did you sneak in?" Instinctively, I tried to hide the Golden Immortal Lotus by throwing my blanket over it. "Sneak in? I'm no stray cat. Hiding this precious form would be a loss for everyone." Unlike my panic, the Golden Immortal Lotus slipped out from under the blanket, casually showing off its beautiful figure

"If you didn't sneak in, then how are you in this room? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The Young Cult Leader wouldn't have allowed it." "I don't like the word 'allowed,' but yes, I got permission." "What? The Young Cult ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Leader permitted you to enter the cult?" "Yes." The Golden Immortal Lotus answered my question with a thoroughly displeased expression. 'Why? Isn't the Young Cult Leader sensitive about letting outsiders into the cult?' I only got to stay here after proving my ability to see the future and agreeing to serve as his attendant

'So why the Golden Immortal Lotus?' "Did you agree to become the Young Cult Leader's attendant?" "Are you insane? Me, a human's attendant? Even the birds in flight would laugh." The Golden Immortal Lotus waved its hand dismissively, as if it were absurd. "Then did you promise to give him the spring water from your cave?" "I'd love to see the Young Cult Leader's face when he learns that's the water I bathe in every day." The Golden Immortal Lotus wore an amused expression, looking genuinely intrigued

'Ah... come to think of it, since it's a lotus, the spring water in its cave is basically its bathwater...' I drank that water too... 'I didn't want to know that.' Feeling nauseous, I grimaced and sat right in front of the Golden Immortal Lotus, cutting straight to the point. "So how did you get the Young Cult Leader's permission? He said no one without an assigned task can set foot in the cult." "You." The Golden Immortal Lotus pointed at me with its index finger in response to my question

"Me? Why me?" "He said the only one who can heal your internal injuries is me. So he let me in." "You're the only one who can heal my body right now?" "Because I'm the owner of the flower seed inside your body." The Golden Immortal Lotus answered matter-of-factly. 'He let the Golden Immortal Lotus into the cult just to treat me?' That prickly Young Cult Leader I knew? "That doesn't sound like him at all..." "Maybe you're someone he cherishes." "Cherishes? Who?" "You." 'The Young Cult Leader cherishes me?' I was so flabbergasted I couldn't even laugh

"Lotus, do you make someone you cherish carry heavy boxes as big as me at every meal and climb steep hills even adults struggle with to fetch spring water?" "No." "The Young Cult Leader is the one who made me do all that. So please don't say such scary things." As I ranted on, the Golden Immortal Lotus tilted its head with an inscrutable expression. "Anyone could see he cherishes you..." 'Anyway, at least there's no major incident between the Golden Immortal Lotus and the Young Cult Leader.' But now that the Golden Immortal Lotus was in the cult, the real trouble was just beginning

"Lotus, you can't just turn people into invalids here because you don't like something." 'If you do, forget deviating from the original story—the cult might get wiped out by your hand.' "I can't anyway." "What?" "I don't have the power to make invalids anymore." "Why not?" The Golden Immortal Lotus lightly pressed my dantian with its fingertip. A brilliant light seeped out, and a small golden lotus bloomed. "The flower seed. I gave it to you." 'Compared to before I swallowed the seed, my condition is completely different.' I felt like energy was surging through me, ready to do anything

As the Golden Immortal Lotus withdrew its hand, the lotus vanished back into my dantian. "Giving me the flower seed meant you lost your power?" "Something like that." It was a big deal, but the Golden Immortal Lotus didn't seem too fazed. "I won't even be able to live in the cave anymore. I can't turn humans who covet spirit beings into invalids." The Golden Immortal Lotus continued calmly, a sad look on its face. 'The flower seed was that precious to it. I thought its power wasn't connected since it gave it up so easily...' Listening to it made me feel a sense of responsibility toward it

"Maybe it's a good thing you came to the cult. If there's anything I can do to help you here, I will!" "Really? You'll help me with anything?" The Golden Immortal Lotus blinked its sweet, honey-gold eyes like a cute cat. 'It gave me the flower seed and lost its power, so now it's just a pretty lotus.' No danger there. That thought quietly dismantled my wariness of the Golden Immortal Lotus. "Yeah, anything." 'It gave me something precious, so I should do the same.' "Then help me, human." The moment I answered, it immediately asked for help

"Sure, tell me. What do you need?" In response, the Golden Immortal Lotus looked at me with a poignant expression. "Protect me." Its seductive gaze, framed by curly golden hair that almost looked like fox ears, was captivating. "You."

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "As per the Young Cult Leader's orders, we've investigated the truth of Seol's claims, and everything she said was correct." The Secret King reported the results of his investigation into Seol Cheon-seong's claims and the assassins who attacked the cult to Red Cloud

But Red Cloud wasn't fully focused on the Secret King's words. "Your answer..." "I don't need to hear it all." Having seen Seol Cheon-seong's disheveled state, as if she'd gone through some ordeal, Red Cloud assumed the Golden Immortal Lotus was the cause. In Red Cloud's mind, the Golden Immortal Lotus was already marked for immediate execution. "You want to kill me?" Whether it knew it was in mortal danger or not, the Golden Immortal Lotus wore a relaxed expression. "It wouldn't be wise. You can see it too, right? How unstable this girl's condition is." Regaining his reason at the mention of Seol Cheon-seong's unstable state, Red Cloud examined her body

'A powerful, unknown force is chaotically entwined inside her. The rampaging power is causing internal injuries.' This phenomenon was new even to Red Cloud, leaving him perplexed. "I'm the only one who can treat it. Will you still kill me?" "Prove your words are true, and you might live." With no alternative, Red Cloud reluctantly allowed the Golden Immortal Lotus into the cult. And as it claimed, its energy temporarily stabilized Seol Cheon-seong's condition. "Young Cult Leader, it's the Secret King." At that moment, the Secret King arrived to report on the Three Secret Squad's activities

'Of all times...' "Five Elements, have the maids clean Seol's body and change her clothes." "Yes, understood." Red Cloud glanced at the peacefully sleeping Seol Cheon-seong, then turned to leave the room but paused to look back at the Golden Immortal Lotus. "Make any wrong moves, and you're dead." "If you can kill me, be my guest." Red Cloud's composure frayed at the memory of the Golden Immortal Lotus's leisurely smile. "We've sent assassins from the Tang Clan of Sichuan to deal with the culprits

Now, the only matter left is how to handle Seol. What are your orders?" After pondering the Secret King's question, Red Cloud smirked faintly. "As for Seol..."