Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 221
Chapter Title: Dang Clan Manor
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Of course, among Fairy Hwayeon's countless indirect experiences, there were no cases like Mok Wana and Dang Mujin.
Men who turn away an approaching woman are rare in the world, and women who decide on their own to become a concubine without even asking the man's intentions are just as uncommon.
And above all, a woman as naive as Mok Wana, who goes to the legal wife to seek permission because she wants to become a concubine, is one of a kind in the world.
Yet Fairy Hwayeon's confidence pierced the heavens. To her, Dang Mujin was no different from a problem with the answer already revealed.
Mok Wana asked Fairy Hwayeon,
"What should I do now?"
"For an ordinary man, reciting tender poems under the moonlight or gazing at lanterns together would capture his heart. But Dang Mujin is different. Far more direct methods work best on him."
"A direct method?"
"Yes. Somehow expose your fair skin to Dang Mujin and seduce him aggressively. If you get even the slightest chance to pounce, don't hesitate—pounce."
"Pounce?"
Mok Wana's face flushed red enough to see even under the dim moonlight.
"Yes. I'll create some pretext to lure Dan Seolyeong out of the Dang Clan Manor. You make up any excuse to get Dang Mujin to drink strong liquor, then sneak into his chambers and slip under the same blanket with him."
It was a bold, audacious solution unimaginable from a nun of the Emei Sect.
Of course, Fairy Hwayeon didn't particularly like such methods. Her tastes ran toward the tender, almost-touching, ethereal relationships in novels.
Scenes like vaguely sensing each other's feelings while admiring the moon together, or a man defying his family to protect his woman.
But Fairy Hwayeon didn't want to ignore Mok Wana's desperate heart just to stage a romance to her own tastes. Especially after her past failures.
Unexpectedly, however, Mok Wana voiced opposition.
"That feels a bit off."
"What's so off about it?"
"I'm trying to find a way to win his heart, but that's a way to win his body. Isn't there a better method?"
Fairy Hwayeon scolded her in a stern tone.
"To discriminate between methods? It seems you're not desperate enough yet."
"That's not it, but..."
"Seolyeong succeeded that way. The most reliable example is right by your side—what are you agonizing over?"
Mok Wana hesitated but answered firmly.
"Seolyeong's situation was different from mine. Back then, Mujin already had feelings for her; he just lacked the trigger."
"With such a wishy-washy mindset, do you think you'll accomplish anything? You'll end up growing old alone."
The time Mok Wana had spent alone thus far wouldn't even compare to the years Fairy Hwayeon had endured in solitude.
It came from an advisor who seemed far from trustworthy, yet carried immense weight.
Fairy Hwayeon's words couldn't continue. A familiar presence had approached.
From the darkness emerged a giant with ashen skin, who said,
"Excellent, Wana. You have insight."
Fairy Hwayeon shrank back slightly and snapped at him.
"Why are you butting in?"
"I've never properly learned the Buddha's teachings, and it's been decades since I fled the temple. But I do know we can't let sentient beings stray down the wrong path."
Fairy Hwayeon said in anger,
"Are you saying my advice is leading her down the wrong path?"
"Yes. In matters of life and martial arts, I've walked the path of the Leftist Dojo Gate, but in male-female relations, it seems you're the one about to choose the wrong path."
Fairy Hwayeon's confidence began to scatter like mist.
She knew well that in such matters, Three-Eyed Buddha was several steps ahead.
Mok Wana glanced cautiously at Fairy Hwayeon and began inching toward her room.
Fairy Hwayeon rushed to Mok Wana and grasped both her hands tightly.
"Alright. I'll teach you a much more ordinary method, even if it's slower. Don't worry—just wait. Understood?"
Mok Wana nodded and withdrew. She didn't seem particularly reassured in Fairy Hwayeon.
But Fairy Hwayeon wasn't too concerned. After all, Mok Wana had no one else to turn to for advice but her.
Mok Wana entered her room.
Three-Eyed Buddha shed his playfulness and asked in a serious tone,
"Anyway, what brings you here? You didn't come all the way from Zhongqing just to meddle in the youngsters' love games and offer pointers."
Three-Eyed Buddha's guess was spot on. Fairy Hwayeon hadn't come to Chengdu for romance advice. She'd come for another purpose and stumbled upon this intriguing situation.
Though the guest and host roles had somewhat reversed, Fairy Hwayeon saw no need to mention it. With two problems at hand, she could simply resolve both without weighing priorities.
Fairy Hwayeon said,
"I've heard that Dang Mujin and his friends returned to Chengdu with a conical-hat-wearing man in their group."
It had been less than five days since Dang Mujin's party disembarked. Yet a single night was enough for the news to reach Fairy Hwayeon's ears.
She could gather information through the beggars under Red-Faced Old Beggar, or through courtesans, boatmen, and other Lowly Gate members. All interesting or important tidbits from Zhongqing inevitably reached her.
Three-Eyed Buddha replied nonchalantly,
"Hasn't it happened once or twice that they've picked up new companions?"
"That would be fine for ordinary folk. But the problem is the rumor that their companion is the Blood Rain Guest. Three-Eyed Buddha, is that rumor true?"
"It is."
Fairy Hwayeon's voice sank.
"You know how people will take that, right?"
"They won't look kindly on it. But plenty know that escapees from the Demonic Cult, myself included, are staying at the Dang Clan Manor. Adding one Blood Rain Guest won't change much."
Hearing this, Fairy Hwayeon sighed deeply.
"From the looks of it, you didn't know either."
"Know what?"
"Well, you've never been a righteous sect warrior, so it's no wonder you can't grasp the difference."
Fairy Hwayeon shook her head and began her explanation.
"The way righteous sect warriors view unorthodox sects and the Demonic Cult is similar yet vastly different. Do you know where the last Righteous-Demonic War took place?"
"At Tianshan in the New Frontier."
"Do you know where the one before that was?"
"I believe it was also at Tianshan."
"Why do you think all Righteous-Demonic Wars happen only at Tianshan?"
"Because righteous sect warriors invade Tianshan, sparking the wars. It's only natural."
The process of a Righteous-Demonic War is simple.
When a criminal from the righteous martial world flees far west to save his life, the Demonic Cult shelters them rather than turning them away. It serves as the final refuge for fugitives.
Naturally, this breeds resentment among righteous sect warriors toward the Demonic Cult.
But that alone doesn't ignite a Righteous-Demonic War. A few individuals or even a single sect lack the power to challenge it.
However, as dissatisfaction accumulates over time, the situation changes. When five or ten sects and clans harboring grudges band together, they can match the Demonic Cult.
Once the atmosphere ripens for an assault, countless opportunists pile on.
Those seeking fame by joining the fray. Those aiming to plunder the Cult for wealth. Those craving to kill freely without restraint. Even those simply yearning for desperate duels.
This motley horde marches to Tianshan, unleashing a storm of blood. That's a Righteous-Demonic War.
Righteous warriors might not easily accept it, but after turning her back on the righteous sects, Fairy Hwayeon had gained conviction.
The aggressors in Righteous-Demonic Wars were always the righteous warriors; the victims, the Demonic Cult.
Conversely, the Demonic Cult rarely ventures beyond Tianshan.
They might secretly reach into the Central Plains through outer halls for critical matters, but such instances are exceedingly rare.
Fairy Hwayeon continued,
"But Righteous-Unorthodox Wars are different. Do you know where the Righteous-Unorthodox War twenty years ago took place?"
"The north suffered especially, but... if we must pinpoint, it was across the entire Central Plains."
"Yes, the entire Central Plains. Past ones were the same, and future ones will be too."
Unlike the Demonic Cult, unorthodox sects don't meekly accept their fate. Strictly speaking, unorthodox warriors are the aggressors in Righteous-Unorthodox Wars, with righteous warriors as the victims.
These wars erupt when unorthodox forces consolidate to advance into the Central Plains heartland. When northern unorthodox warriors beyond the Yellow River or southern ones south of the Yangtze seek to escape barren lands and seize the prosperous Central Plains' hegemony.
Naturally, the battlegrounds lie in righteous martial territories, inflicting commensurately heavy losses on them.
Fairy Hwayeon pressed on,
"The Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect—even Shaolin know you've settled in the Dang Clan Manor. Yet no hordes have come charging to attack you. Why do you think that is?"
"Because of the merits Dang Mujin accumulated on his journeys."
"Correct. But at the same time, it's because the malice toward the Demonic Cult isn't strong enough that the goodwill toward Dang Mujin can offset the ill will toward you. Righteous warriors may disdain you, but they don't see you as mortal enemies."
Fairy Hwayeon caught her breath and added,
"However, few righteous warriors harbor no malice toward unorthodox ones. Especially against someone who's entered the transcendent realm, not some small fry."
It had been just over twenty years since the last Righteous-Unorthodox War.
Yet its scars remained unhealed.
Including the Sword King of the Je Clan Hundred Families, many core warriors from major clans had perished.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say no martial artist emerged from that war without losing family.
Countless fell victim to the war's madness, like the son of the Divine Physician.
"I can say with certainty: even the goodwill toward Dang Mujin won't shield against the hatred for the Blood Rain Guest."
A figure in a conical hat emerged from the darkness.
Yet neither the shadows nor the hat could conceal his tension.
The Blood Rain Guest suppressed his fear of Fairy Hwayeon with effort and spoke.
"But I've never killed a righteous sect warrior, not even in the last Righteous-Unorthodox War."
Three-Eyed Buddha also defended the Blood Rain Guest.
"I've only known the Blood Rain Guest a short while, but I can tell his nature isn't wicked. He simply wields the sword exceptionally well—far more faint-hearted than most warriors. It's undoubtedly true he never killed any righteous warriors."
Fairy Hwayeon silently regarded the Blood Rain Guest before speaking. A succinct phrase.
"Hatred and rage aren't so rational."
As the Blood Rain Guest bowed his head deeply, his conical hat slipped off and rolled away.
He hastily retrieved it and placed it back on, but for that brief moment, his face was revealed. He had an exceptionally kind impression, the face of a man worn to exhaustion.
In a trembling voice, the Blood Rain Guest asked Three-Eyed Buddha,
"Brother, if I go to the Demonic Cult, will they accept me?"
Three-Eyed Buddha pondered briefly before replying.
"They'd accept you, sure. But you won't find the peaceful retirement you crave. The Demonic Cult now differs from the old days."
It was now clear: the Blood Rain Guest had nowhere to go. He couldn't return to the unorthodox martial world, stay in the righteous one, or join the Demonic Cult.
Yet the Blood Rain Guest clung to hope.
Before him stood Fairy Hwayeon, an eccentric between righteous and unorthodox who had discarded her righteous affiliation to melt into the shadows.
A faint hope tinged his voice once more.
"Fairy Hwayeon, Elder. Couldn't I become a warrior between righteous and unorthodox like you?"
But Fairy Hwayeon answered flatly,
"Impossible."
"Why can you do it, but not me?"
"Look at it from the righteous warriors' perspective. Righteous affiliation is like an official post or honor to them. Few wish to discard it, but if they do, they can. Unorthodox affiliation is a brand. You can't shed it just because you want to."
Fairy Hwayeon continued,
"The Dang Clan Manor still stands between righteous and unorthodox. But your mere presence gives grounds to call it an unorthodox den. Unless you harbor resentment toward Dang Mujin..."
Fairy Hwayeon paused briefly, then ended with a heartless command.
"Leave."
The Blood Rain Guest collapsed to the ground with a sigh.
It might have been better if nothing had happened in Wuchang.
If he'd lived his whole life as before—fleeing, hiding, fighting—it might have been easier. If he'd never realized what he'd lacked until now, it might have been bearable.
But now he knew. The leisurely time on the boat with Dang Mujin's group had been too comfortable, and even a single night within the Dang Clan Manor's embrace had been too sweet.
Time tailor-made to soften a already soft man like the Blood Rain Guest.
With a voice thick with tears, the Blood Rain Guest said,
"What crime have I committed?"
Fairy Hwayeon answered immediately.
"The crime of being born south of the Yangtze. The crime of entering an unorthodox master's tutelage. The crime of possessing exceptional talent. The crime of surviving until now."
"Are those crimes?"
"I don't think so. But the enraged call them crimes, and the voices of the hateful ring ten times louder than others."
The Blood Rain Guest let out a deep sigh.
Then, with trembling hands, he adjusted his conical hat and rose.
He lightly massaged his legs. He'd have to wander in search of some refuge somewhere. Just as he had his whole life.
The Blood Rain Guest awkwardly pressed his palms together toward Fairy Hwayeon.
"Thank you for your wise words. Having dreamed such pleasant dreams, this too is a joy."
As the Blood Rain Guest turned away, Fairy Hwayeon murmured,
"Yet the Buddha will embrace you. The pure light of Vairocana Buddha envelops all phenomena, and surely from the Lotus Throne above, He will gaze upon you."
A nun who abandoned the Buddhist path, and a monk who slew monks.
Two clerics who turned from the sangha yet couldn't forsake the Buddha clasped their hands together, watching the Blood Rain Guest's back.
But before he could depart far, a black-clad figure emerged from the darkness, blocking his path.
"Where do you think you're going in the dead of night?"
Fairy Hwayeon clicked her tongue, recognizing the man at once.
"Don't block him unless you have a solution. Lingering only breeds regret."
"Well, I don't have any solutions popping up either."
The black-clad man removed his mask with only his right arm, revealing a familiar face. It was Namgung Myeong.
"But from what I've seen so far, Dang Mujin somehow always finds an answer. Even if you must leave, rest a bit longer before going. That much should be fine, right?"