36. Promise (6)
Promise (6)
36. Promise (6)
The feast ended. Everyone ate and enjoyed themselves to their satisfaction, and throughout it, they earnestly prayed that I would safely complete the expedition ceremony at the Murong Clan and return. I had already made the trip to Shenyang and the Murong Clan several times, but on this journey, I was determined not to get hurt at all. They would truly grieve. Sharing a table with the women who already felt like family in my heart made me feel much closer to them now.
Unlike me, who had handed the rites over to Hwangseong and done nothing but use Spirit-Binding Art, Lee Eun-ha had spent days preparing the food. Even after the meal, she never stopped moving as she swiftly cleaned up. Perhaps I was too accustomed to Baek Clan Estate, where servants handled everything. Perhaps her habit of belittling herself as a servant had influenced me. Either way, it only now occurred to me how thoughtless I had been: I had never even praised her excellent cooking. The other senior sisters helped, but Lee Eun-ha disliked letting anyone else into the kitchen, her sanctuary. In the face of Yeongsan Sect's hardships, she had supported us not merely through private worry but through real, daily labor.
Tomorrow I would leave for Shenyang. After completing the expedition ceremony and returning, however, I resolved to pay more attention to her labor. Even outside winter, a kitchen always needed firewood. Thick logs were too much for her, so she roamed the mountains every day gathering twigs. On my way back, I would buy an axe and at least prepare the firewood myself. Yeongsan Sect had a hot spring, but its water was unsuitable for drinking or cooking because natural hot springs contained many mineral impurities. I would also help Son Yeong, who went to the stream every day, and fetch water myself from time to time.
As I soaked in the hot spring and thought about what would come after the expedition ceremony, I heard a presence that should not have been there. Master appeared beneath the yellow moonlight, dressed not in her drab Martial Uniform or the skirt she wore while menstruating, but in beautiful yellow Formal Martial Attire. It seemed the outfit was finally complete. A pretty dress would have suited her better, but as the head of a martial sect, she had apparently chosen Formal Martial Attire that could be worn both in combat and daily life. Formal Martial Attire was, simply put, clothing meant for archery. Yet whether used for archery or swordsmanship, all formal combat clothing was called the same thing. Whenever I encountered such baseless terminology, I could only laugh hollowly at this world. If thick, sturdy Martial Uniforms for harsh training were cheap gym clothes, Formal Martial Attire was high-end sportswear that doubled as going-out clothes. Gyeong Su-yeon and Murong Rin always wore this kind of outfit.
"Why are you silent? Shouldn't you tell me I'm pretty?"
"You're so beautiful that I was at a loss for words."
She had seemed ready to pout, but my answer pleased her. She spun once to show off the clothes, then gave me a gentle smile.
"Honestly, this is the first time in my life I've worn such pretty clothes. I'm giving thanks to Taishang Laojun for blessing me with such a wonderful disciple."
Delicious food and pretty clothes. What woman in the world would feel bad? Ever since I came to Yeongsan Sect, my master had been laughing more joyfully than ever.
"A wonderful disciple, that's a little embarrassing."
"Why are you embarrassed? I was talking about Eun-ha. Eun-ha, who tailored such beautiful clothes, is truly a wonderful disciple."
My master teased lightly with a mischievous expression.
"I'm grateful to you, too, of course, but you are different from Eunha. After all, having dressed me up like this, I'll end up belonging to you anyway."
Perhaps Master's true talent was her astonishing ability to change expression and mood in an instant. Before I knew it, a captivating smile had entered her purely happy eyes. She slowly removed the yellow Formal Martial Attire piece by piece, displaying her naked body from different angles as though performing a striptease for me. It was the second time I had seen her naked at the hot spring. After loosening her hair, she entered the bath and pressed herself closely against my side.
"Disciple. You absolutely must come back safely."
"Don't worry. Where in Liaoning Province is safer than the Murong Clan? Besides, I've visited the Murong Clan numerous times since childhood, and when I went to buy supplies last time, I contacted an escort agency in advance. I'll be riding in an escort cart, so you don't need to worry at all."
My master rested her small head on my shoulder and nodded quietly.
"Disciple. To be honest, I have failed you terribly. I'm truly ashamed to face you."
"What are you ashamed of?"
"As a master, I've taught you nothing, and as a woman, the only thing I can offer is relief for your lust. And there were those ten taels of gold last time. A woman who takes money and offers her body is a prostitute, not a master, is she not?"
I had thought all her anxieties were now completely resolved, yet my master still harbored such thoughts.
"What are you talking about? As my master, you already taught me the Yin-Yang Art, even using your virgin body to do it. And I told you that money was the dowry for my bride. If you speak that way, the dowry I offered with such resolve becomes nothing more than a courtesan's fee."
I gently embraced my master and kissed her on the forehead.
"Thank you. While you are in Shenyang, I'll diligently practice the techniques at the back of the Yin Blossom Art for pleasing a man. I'll eat well too and make my face as pretty and round as the full moon. So please, just return safely."
"I told you not to worry, didn't I?"
A full, moonlike face was not my taste, but in barely a fortnight she could not even gain enough weight to look normal, much less make her face round as the full moon.
"You've already reached the Fourth Stage with Hyang-a, haven't you?"
"Yes. I don't know about the Yin Blossom Art, but the Yang Blossom Art hasn't shown any particular changes."
"Didn't Hyang-a hurt a lot?"
"Not really. The Yin-Yang Art is inherently a bedchamber art for the union of man and woman, so she hardly felt any pain."
In the past, when I slept with a tight-cunted courtesan who had only just entered a pleasure house, she could not walk properly the next day. I had lived with this cock for more than twenty years, and while it was not superhuman, it was certainly beyond Asian standards. Yet even after I had thrust so much into both Jeong-hyang's cunt and anus, she walked out perfectly well and returned with wash water.
"Are you worried?"
Even for a practitioner of bedchamber arts, the first experience could be frightening.
"Yes. I'm afraid. So, Disciple, I have a request."
"Slowly, so it doesn't hurt?"
"No. We can't do that. I might push you away or run away out of fear, so please tie my hands."
Master spoke with her head slightly bowed. But I saw it. There was not a trace of fear on her face, only fierce anticipation of pleasure. She slowly rose from the bath and held out her hand. When I took it and stood, she led me, still naked, to a small tree beside the hot spring.
"You can't mean, here?"
"Yes. I'll be holding onto the tree, so please tie my hands. So I can't run away."
Run away? Master, your nipples were already standing stiffly erect!
Ever prepared, my master handed me a cord made of white cloth placed under the tree.
"Hurry. No matter how I may seem, I am a virgin. I'm embarrassed, so please do it quickly."
Clinging to the tree, Master spread her legs wide and exposed her buttocks and cunt. We had only just left the bath, so I could not be certain, but the fluid beading on her thighs was probably not hot-spring water alone. I had known and prepared myself, but my future bride truly was a pervert—an extremely twisted masochist. Even so, I had never imagined she would insist on making her first experience outdoor bondage play.
I felt pathetic. I could not firmly tell Master, now soaked with anticipation, that I absolutely refused to do this. In the end, I followed her wishes, binding her hands securely to the tree with the white cloth as she embraced the trunk. A soft moan escaped her before I had even finished.
"Di... Disciple. May I ask one more favor?"
"What is it this time?"
"I told you earlier that I was shameful both as a woman and as a master. So I want you, my disciple and future husband, to discipline me."
Now I truly wanted to run away. Master had asked me to tie her to the tree so she could not flee, but I was the one desperate to escape.
"There's a switch at my feet, is there not? Please strike me only ten times. My buttocks, back, or private parts—anywhere is fine. Ah, you needn't worry about the other disciples seeing marks. The Yin-Yang Art rapidly heals light wounds to the skin for situations like this."
"Can we please not do this? You want me to strike my own master with a switch? It was hard enough to resolve to take you as my bride despite the entire martial world pointing fingers at me. I can't do this while sane."
"Please. You are my disciple and the man who will become my husband. Guide this foolish woman onto the proper path."
Already panting heavily, Master revealed her tastes to me. Put another way, since she was going to become my woman, she was asking me to indulge them.
The proper path? This? I began to miss Jeong-hyang, who had stubbornly shoved my thing into her anus without giving me any choice. I lacked the confidence to flee and had no way to change Master's mind, so I finally picked up the switch at her feet. It was a thin willow branch, so flexible that it was closer to a whip than a rod. Even I would have found it painful. For my small, soft Master, it would hurt terribly. But there was no point agonizing forever. Yeongsan Sect kept proper hours, going to bed and rising early, and I could not stand stupidly all night behind Master while she remained tied naked to a tree with her cunt exposed. Jeong-hyang would come looking at dawn, and even to a fellow practitioner of bedchamber arts, I absolutely could not reveal this scene.
In the end, I lightly brought down the switch. I applied almost no force, but perhaps because I had swung the whip-like willow branch in the correct way, it tore through the air faster than I expected and left a red welt on my master's buttocks.
"O... One."
"No. Why are you counting?"
"Qu... Quickly. If I fail to count properly midway, please start again from the beginning."
Now my master spoke even in groans, her voice steeped in sticky lewdness.
This was serious. Truly serious. Light SM play was something ordinary couples did. Yet I felt such resistance because, like Dan-yeong, I was Father's son. Between Master's spread legs, thick arousal fluid was now plainly distinguishable from the hot-spring water, accompanied by beads of sweat and a voice drenched in supreme pleasure. By the time I realized it, my enormous cock had swollen as though it might burst.
"Master."
Even my own voice had changed now to a dry, low tone.
"Yes. Disciple."
"Master, you are at the Third Stage of Yin Blossom Art, correct? I have already reached the Fourth Stage. Now I am the one teaching you, and it is time for me to embrace my woman. From this moment, I will stop speaking formally. Do you dislike that?"
"Ah... No! Please, do exactly that!"
After a moment of surprise, Master welcomed it more than anything. I brought the switch down a second time, carving a red welt across her pure white back.
"T... Two!"
"Your counting is slow. If you do this again next time, it's back to the beginning."
"Y... Yes. I understand."
The third strike, accompanied by the sound of tearing air.
"Th... Three!"
Even though the switch fell on her thigh unexpectedly, this time my master counted quickly. But...
"Kyaaaah!!!"
For both men and women, the genitals—always concealed more carefully than any other part—were the most sensitive to stimulation. When the switch struck directly along the cleft of her cunt, Master screamed for the first time.
"Again. From the beginning. Put strength into your legs and stand up straight."
"Yes... Thank you."
By an absurd coincidence, I, with my sadistic proclivities, had met her, with her masochistic ones. I had worried about our future, but there seemed to be no reason at all to question our compatibility.