Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Peach Blossom Curse
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A child is an object of affection, care, and cuteness.
It must be that way. They should never become the target of any other emotions.
...
Je-gal Seol-ha had once believed that too.
Once upon a time.
Peach Blossom Body. A temperament and constitution that descends upon girls born under the influence of the Peach Blossom Star, one of the heavenly stems' constellations.
However, the Peach Blossom Body was practically a heavenly punishment, as the Peach Blossom Aura resided in the upper dantian.
The upper dantian, closest to the Baihui acupoint, known as the gateway to communicating with the heavens.
Those whose upper dantian opened typically became shamans, fortune-tellers, or sorcerers.
Because divine energy allowed them to see what mortals could not and do what mortals could not.
Je-gal Seol-ha, with the Peach Blossom Aura in her upper dantian, had also gained special abilities. She discovered this at the age of five.
"Seol-ha, as a member of the Je-gal family, the time has come for you to begin learning martial arts."
Most martial clans started teaching martial arts as early as three years old, but the Je-gal family was an exception.
On the contrary, according to family law, they strictly forbade direct descendants from beginning martial arts before their fifth birthday.
The reason was simple.
The Je-gal clan's true martial art stemmed from the Profound Origin Complete Altar Divine Art.
Profound Origin. The mysterious and profound root.
Complete Altar. A tree fully rooted in the altar.
In other words, the Profound Origin Complete Altar Divine Art was an internal cultivation method that nurtured divine energy based on the upper dantian.
This was the secret behind why every member of the Je-gal clan was intelligent, clever, and deeply versed in formations and mechanisms.
"The upper dantian is an extremely sensitive and dangerous place. Pour your mental energy into it and operate the Profound Origin Complete Altar Divine Art with utmost care."
"Yes, Father!"
It was merely the initiation ceremony that all direct descendants of the Je-gal family underwent.
The problem was Je-gal Seol-ha's constitution, which hadn't manifested yet and was unknown to everyone.
The encounter between the Profound Origin Complete Altar Divine Art, which awakened the upper dantian's power, and her Peach Blossom Body became a curse upon Je-gal Seol-ha.
"Kyaaak!"
"Seol...! Ugh!"
The moment the scream filled with Peach Blossom Aura echoed through the training hall.
Je-gal Seol-ha saw it.
Her father's eyes, always brimming with love, changed in an instant.
Too young to identify the emotion, it simply terrified her.
And Je-gal Seon's next action made Je-gal Seol-ha scream once more.
He had stabbed his own palm with a knife, piercing it straight through.
Puuk!
"Kyaaak! Father!"
Je-gal Seol-ha rushed to Je-gal Seon in a daze and clung to him.
Blood dripping down. A pool of blood forming on the floor.
Yet the eyes of her father, holding her and looking down, were once again filled only with love.
"Seol-ha, it's okay. Everything's okay. So don't worry."
The rampage of the Peach Blossom Body stimulated by the Profound Origin Complete Altar Divine Art.
Three years passed after that.
The bright, innocent child had become a girl afflicted with mutism, terrified to leave her father's embrace.
Because of what she had seen and realized during that time.
'I'm a being that wounds those around me.'
Her father, hearing her scream, had pierced his palm with a sword to dispel his lust.
And the first time she met her older brother after that day, she inflicted an indelible wound on the kind-hearted youth.
Many others had to endure the filthy experience of feeling desire for a child, leading to self-disappointment, guilt, and contempt.
All because of her.
'I can't be with other people.'
So Je-gal Seol-ha shut herself away from everyone, locking the doors of her heart.
Except for her father and mother, who had built resistance to the Peach Blossom Aura by carving dozens of scars into their own bodies.
It was the only way to ensure she never wounded anyone for the rest of her life.
That had been her plan.
She had intended to live that way.
-Je-gal Seol-ha.
-No matter what, don't hide behind others.
The Peach Blossom Aura in her upper dantian granted Je-gal Seol-ha special abilities.
One of them was faintly reading others' minds and emotions—in other words, their heart-images.
'A rock full of wounds but sturdy. It feels like it could never break.'
That was her impression upon sensing Baek Yang-hui's heart-image.
She couldn't believe a boy her age possessed such a tough and resilient heart-image.
'But... compared to that, I...'
Suddenly, Je-gal Seol-ha realized one fact.
No matter how much she covered her face with cloth and stayed silent.
Baek Yang-hui's heart-image showed no trace of desire toward her.
Even after spending days together nearby, exposed to the faint Peach Blossom Aura.
'Could he... be withstanding the Peach Blossom Aura's influence?'
Thump!
Her heart raced. How could that boy do such a thing?
To the young Je-gal Seol-ha, there was only one answer.
A will so strong it was unbelievable for someone her age.
Something she lacked.
She had locked her heart's doors because she didn't want to hurt others.
She had avoided, hidden, and run away.
But the boy before her seemed like he wouldn't have chosen that, even in the same situation.
In that moment, the truth she had ignored deep in her heart surged up.
'...I don't want to live like this forever.'
Je-gal Seol-ha took in Baek Yang-hui's heart-image once more.
A massive rock covered in wounds everywhere, yet never broken.
Her head turned. Toward the other person present.
The owner of a heart-image mismatched with her appearance.
"......"
A lake reminiscent of Dongting Lake, said to be the widest in the world.
As vast and deep as it was serene, with ripples dancing to a beautiful melody.
'Not an ordinary girl. Probably...'
In this situation, someone with such an immense heart-image appearing?
Her identity was obvious.
She escaped her father's embrace.
With unsteady steps, she approached the rippling lake.
Then knelt down.
'Lady Eun-hu.'
Her lips moved silently, but no words came out.
She hadn't spoken in so long.
The maid girl gazed down at her impassively.
In that moment, Je-gal Seol-ha realized she needed even greater courage—a greater act of will.
And so.
Je-gal Seol-ha removed the cloth covering her face.
Revealing a face so devastatingly beautiful it belied her childlike age.
"Lady Eun-hu."
How long had it been since she last spoke aloud?
A stinging pain rose from her long-unused vocal cords.
Finding joy in that fact, Je-gal Seol-ha bowed deeply and politely.
"This girl, Je-gal Seol-ha, humbly requests to become Lady Eun-hu's disciple."
* * *
"This girl, Je-gal Seol-ha, humbly requests to become Lady Eun-hu's disciple."
The moment Je-gal Seol-ha spoke, Peach Blossom Aura spread throughout the inn.
Baek Yang-hui immediately circulated the Harmonious Heaven Principle Origin Art.
'Incredible.'
Any ordinary person would have lost their reason and fallen under her spell.
As expected of the future Enchantress Demon Queen. Her innate constitution was no joke.
Meanwhile, Je-gal Seon approached his daughter in shock.
"Seol-ha, you, you, spoke...?"
It had been years since he last heard his daughter's voice, and the impact was immense.
To the point he didn't even register her calling the maid girl "Lady Eun-hu."
But.
Soon, Je-gal Seon had to halt his steps.
"What is this!"
The terrifying intangible aura emanating from the maid girl forbade any approach.
"......"
The maid girl—no, Eun-hu—silently gazed down at Je-gal Seol-ha.
As the silence stretched, Je-gal Seol-ha bowed her head again and pleaded.
"May this girl become Lady Eun-hu's disciple?"
Peach Blossom Aura spread once more. A chilling yet heated energy.
However, neither Eun-hu nor anyone else in the room was affected.
Because the aura emanating from Eun-hu confined Je-gal Seol-ha and sealed the spread of the Peach Blossom Aura.
Baek Yang-hui's senses captured it all clearly.
'Controlling intangible qi to that degree—such powerful Telekinesis!'
Telekinesis normally meant moving objects without touch via qi projection.
But Eun-hu's Telekinesis had reached a realm where she could confine and manipulate even formless auras.
'As expected of one of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords. And Je-gal Seol-ha noticed it too.'
Je-gal Seol-ha had shown mysterious signs since they first met.
He had suspected as much, and sure enough, she had seen through the maid girl's identity the moment she appeared.
In other words, the only one here unaware of Eun-hu's true identity was Je-gal Seon.
'Ah, well, I was in the dark too at first.'
Baek Yang-hui quickly ran to Je-gal Seon and feigned ignorance.
"Uncle, did you hear what Seol-ha said? Calling the maid sister 'Lady Eun-hu'—what in the world—"
Baek Yang-hui's words were cut off by Eun-hu's single remark.
"That's enough with the act, Young Master."
"...Pardon?"
The maid girl sighed.
"Young Master. At my level, I can read what you're reading."
In that instant, Baek Yang-hui realized.
He had underestimated the realm of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords.
'So she knew all along.'
Even knowing that, Eun-hu had continued playing the maid.
To see how Baek Yang-hui and the others would react.
"...I apologize for my rudeness, Lady Eun-hu."
"I was the first to act improperly, so I'll accept your apology."
Listening to their exchange, Je-gal Seon muttered in bewilderment.
"Lady Eun-hu... Lady Eun-hu...? How do you and Yang-hui know that...? What in the...?"
Ignoring Je-gal Seon, who still hadn't grasped the situation, Eun-hu gazed silently at his daughter.
"Even the heavens show no mercy, bestowing heavenly punishment upon such a lovely child."
Only then did Je-gal Seon snap to his senses.
"Lady Eun-hu, we are grateful for your gracious visit, and at the same time, I shamelessly make this request."
He dropped to his knees.
"Please accept Seol-ha as your disciple and free her from this heavenly punishment!"
"......"
No matter how desperate the wish, for the young head of a great clan to kneel.
Yet Eun-hu accepted the gesture as a matter of course.
Such was the prestige of the Heavenly Martial Ten Lords in the current martial world.
The girl gazed briefly at the middle-aged man kneeling with bowed head.
Soon, her delicate lips moved.
"Sigh. Becoming my disciple won't free her from heavenly punishment."
"But the ultimate arts of the Sacred Sound Jade Spirit Sect should at least prevent the Peach Blossom Aura from spreading through her voice!"
Sacred Sound Jade Spirit Sect. A mysterious sect passed down through single successors unbroken for centuries.
As the name implied, a soundless school aiming for immortal transcendence through sound.
"I won't deny that. However, I have no intention of taking a disciple who won't grow into a virtuous person."
The Je-gal clan head raised his head abruptly.
"Seol-ha is a child of our Je-gal family!"
The Je-gal clan, one of the Five Great Clans bearing the orthodox banner.
Naturally, they walked the righteous path, upholding justice.
But Eun-hu shook her head.
"Walking the righteous path offers no guarantee of virtue. Especially for a great clan."
"......"
A piercing truth. Je-gal Seon and Je-gal Seol-ha might be virtuous.
However, the Je-gal clan pursued worldly interests as a clan, and thus could never be purely virtuous.
"...Lady Eun-hu."
Je-gal Seon, the young head of the Je-gal clan and possessor of a brilliant mind, realized he couldn't persuade her with logic.
So, he made a proposal skipping several steps.
Clenching his fists tightly, in a voice trembling with emotion.
"Seol-ha... I will sever ties with Seol-ha. So please...!"
"Father! No! I don't want that!"
The startled Je-gal Seol-ha clung to Je-gal Seon, but he pushed her away with a hardened face.
Then bowed his head once more.
"Please accept Seol-ha as your disciple."
"......Haaa......"
The pleading father and daughter. Eun-hu merely sighed, showing no willingness to accept.
A long silence descended upon the inn.
Baek Yang-hui realized it was time for him to step in.
"Then how about we do this!"
Eun-hu and the Je-gal father-daughter pair turned toward Baek Yang-hui.