Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Be Careful
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‘What? Beauty Appreciation Rights?’
“Yeon-hwa.”
I instinctively raised my clenched fist toward the Golden Immortal Lotus as a warning.
“You be careful.”
“Why should I be careful? Oh, is it because I’m so beautiful you nearly fell for me at first sight?”
“Fell for you? If you don’t want to be split in half by my fist, then stop shoving your face in mine.”
‘I’ll admit Yeon-hwa’s looks are spirit-being level beautiful.’
But his excessive confidence in his appearance needed to be reined in.
“This body’s face is already so small that splitting it in half would make it even tinier... I guess I do need to be careful.”
‘Does this guy really have what it takes to teach me internal energy cultivation?’
I genuinely questioned it as I looked at the Golden Immortal Lotus, whose self-esteem wasn’t just high—it was overflowing.
‘The flower seed’s power is almost gone from Yeon-hwa now, right? That’s why he asked me to protect him.’
I needed to test it out.
“Yeon-hwa, let’s spar!”
“You want to spar with me, when you can’t even properly cultivate internal energy and have never learned any martial arts?”
The Golden Immortal Lotus let out an incredulous chuckle.
‘He’s not wrong, but Yeon-hwa gave me the flower seed’s power, didn’t he?’
From the power of the flower seed I’d seen so far, I had a solid chance of winning.
“It’s not like we’re using real swords. We can just spar for experience.”
“Hmm, you’re right. I should check what level your skills are at now. That way I can see if you’ve improved.”
Agreeing with me, the Golden Immortal Lotus picked up a fallen tree branch from the cave floor.
“Here, treat this as your sword and fight.”
“What about you?”
“This body has more than enough with this.”
In response to my question, the Golden Immortal Lotus held up the short fan he had in his hand.
‘It looks way shorter than my branch.’
In a spar, the one who targets the opponent’s throat first wins, so a shorter weapon could be a disadvantage.
‘Is the Golden Immortal Lotus underestimating me too much?’
“The rules are simple: first to touch the opponent’s throat with your weapon wins, like a standard spar. Ready?”
I stood opposite him, carefully adjusting my grip on the branch.
“Ready.”
“Then, begin.”
Even after signaling the start, the Golden Immortal Lotus just stood there without attacking me. He had the look of a superior graciously giving the first move to an inferior.
‘I’ll make you regret underestimating me!’
“Hya!”
My competitive spirit ignited, and I swung the branch toward the Golden Immortal Lotus’s legs.
‘Hit his lower body to make him kneel, then go for the throat!’
I had a plan, so I swung my arm quickly. But before my branch could touch his leg, he swiftly moved his foot and dodged.
‘That fast?’
It looked like a light movement, but in the blink of an eye, the Golden Immortal Lotus was away from me.
“Too slow.”
His golden hair fluttered softly with his quick movements.
Beneath it, sharp golden eyes turned toward my legs.
“Bend your legs as much as possible and extend them powerfully to generate propulsion.”
Even while facing me, he leisurely used his fan to correct my poor stance.
‘Yeon-hwa’s faster than I expected, but I can’t just take it! I have the flower seed’s power!’
“If you can, dodge this too!”
Determined to shatter his leisure, I infused power into the branch and swung again.
“Still slow...”
The moment the Golden Immortal Lotus dodged the branch again.
Suddenly, a fierce flame erupted from the branch.
“Fire?”
Caught off guard, his leisurely eyes widened in shock.
The Golden Immortal Lotus quickly stepped back to avoid the flames and covered his face with his sleeve.
‘Now’s my chance!’
I blew on it to extinguish the fire and thrust the branch toward his legs. The moment I was sure of victory, his fan precisely blocked my branch.
‘No way!’
How could he defend so accurately with his face covered?
As I panicked, his fan moved at blinding speed toward my throat.
“That’s it.”
The Golden Immortal Lotus announced the end of the spar with a gentle smile.
‘How could this happen...!’
Even with the flower seed’s power, I couldn’t even touch his legs...
“...A fragile body?”
“Do you really think that guy is weak?”
Suddenly, I understood the Vice Cult Leader’s baffled look when I called the Golden Immortal Lotus fragile.
‘The Vice Cult Leader knew. That Yeon-hwa is still strong.’
“Don’t be too disheartened. This body is the Golden Immortal Lotus, after all.”
Thinking I was silent from disappointment, he comforted me with a dignified expression.
His confident tone left me dumbfounded, and I blurted out what was on my mind.
“Didn’t you say just a while ago that you lost your power because you gave me the flower seed? That’s why you asked me to protect you. Was it all a lie?”
“Th-that’s...”
As if recalling what he’d said, the Golden Immortal Lotus looked flustered.
“I felt sorry for you deep down, thinking you’d lost your power because of me...!”
“No, this body was honest, but I thought you’d chase me away if I told the truth... I wasn’t trying to trick you...”
Seeing me cover my face with both hands, he panicked, not knowing what to do.
“Huh? Who’s crying?”
“Weren’t you just crying?”
“I was just relieved, thinking it was a good thing.”
He must have mistaken my wiping my dry face for crying.
“Relieved? Weren’t you mad at this body? I deceived you.”
“Well, you didn’t suffer any losses because of me. I really do think it’s fortunate.”
Watching me sincerely relieved, the Golden Immortal Lotus wore an ambiguous expression, neither smiling nor frowning.
“But lying was wrong! Reflect on it properly! Got it?”
Pointing out his mistake, he obediently backed down.
“...Got it.”
“That’s all?”
“This body was wrong... I apologize.”
‘He apologized without argument, so he must feel sorry for lying to me.’
He seemed genuinely remorseful, so I’d forgive him with a broad mind.
“Fine, I accept your apology. And one more thing!”
I pointed straight at the Golden Immortal Lotus with my fingertip.
“Listen well! I’ll train hard and become a supreme master who surpasses you by leaps and bounds!”
“Oh?”
He let out a hollow laugh, as if my dream was ambitious.
I didn’t back down and shouted confidently.
“Then, I’ll protect you, so just trust in me!”
“...This body needs protecting?”
“Yes! I’ll make sure you never regret choosing me as the flower seed’s master!”
Looking at my spirited grin with wide golden eyes, the Golden Immortal Lotus soon curved his eyes into crescents and smiled.
“Do as you like.”
‘I didn’t notice because he usually looks sulky or arrogant, but Yeon-hwa’s brightest smile is the prettiest...’
No matter that he’s a spirit being—Yeon-hwa’s looks are on another level!
At first, I thought my doll-like face was pretty, but his is even prettier...
“I really do need to get stronger to protect you.”
Pretty boys are popular, after all.
As I steeled my resolve, the Golden Immortal Lotus quietly approached me.
“If you get it, what do you think you should do?”
Swish.
I heard the soft sound of his hair brushing my forehead.
Turning my head, his jewel-like sparkling eyes were right in front of me.
“What should I do?”
With a completely clueless look, he pressed down on my shoulders to make me sit, then smiled and whispered secretly in my ear.
“Internal energy cultivation.”
“That’s enough for today.”
“Ugh, I’m dying. I don’t even have the strength to lift a finger...”
The moment training ended, Cheon-seong untied her cross-legged position and collapsed against the cave wall.
‘I was only going to make her do it until she said she couldn’t anymore...’
Surprisingly, Cheon-seong silently maintained perfect posture, focusing all her attention on her internal energy without a single complaint.
‘Her basics are a mess, but her perseverance is commendable.’
“Time to head back.”
But while the Golden Immortal Lotus pondered for a moment, Cheon-seong, leaning against the cave wall, had already fallen into a deep sleep with steady breaths.
“No wonder she’s exhausted.”
He reached out to shake her shoulder and wake her, but withdrew his hand again.
‘She’s sleeping so soundly that waking her feels wrong. ...No helping it. Should I let her rest a bit?’
Naturally sitting beside Cheon-seong, the Golden Immortal Lotus brought a hand to his slightly roughened cheek.
‘If I leave it like this, it’ll get frostbitten. Do I need to start a fire again? My beautiful skin is going to be ruined because of this human.’
After a brief moment of worry, just as he was about to get up to make a fire.
Cheon-seong’s small head gently touched his shoulder.
‘Huh...?’