Divine Doctor's Valley (7)
The first thing Dokgo Ryeong felt upon waking was someone's touch.
Warm…
She felt the pleasant sensation of fingers stroking through her hair. Following pure instinct, she nuzzled her cheek against that hand—and the moment her eyes opened—
"Have you awakened, Miss Dokgo?"
"Hyaek?!"
Wi Ilcheong's face was right in front of her nose.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
Dokgo Ryeong sat up in a flustered panic and immediately realized both of them were completely naked.
"Hiiiek!!"
She shrieked and yanked the blanket up to cover herself.
But that only left Wi Ilcheong fully exposed, and she had nowhere safe to look, her eyes darting wildly around the room.
"Ah… uh… uugh…!"
"Heh. That's a relief."
"Wh-what's a relief?!"
"Your polite speech seems to have stuck completely now."
"Grr…!"
Dokgo Ryeong's insides boiled, but she couldn't say a word.
If she slipped back into casual speech here, there was no telling what humiliation she'd suffer this time.
"Why don't you calm down a little first."
"Th-this… wha…"
"…Is there something you wish to say?"
"No… I mean…"
Wi Ilcheong smiled and waited for her words. Dokgo Ryeong flushed crimson in pure fluster.
Fuck… what is this?
She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.
When the panicking Dokgo Ryeong spun around, Wi Ilcheong caught her by the shoulder.
"D-don't touch me!"
"Lie face-down for a moment, if you would."
"I-I don't want to."
"If you keep this up, I'll do something you hate again."
"Shii…"
Dokgo Ryeong bit back the rough words rising in her throat and reluctantly lay face-down. Wi Ilcheong held something out for her to see.
"Ointment. I'll apply it for you."
"Wh-where?"
"Your backside."
"Hyaek?! I-I'll do it myself!"
"No. I'll apply it."
"Haaauu…"
Dokgo Ryeong's hair flushed pink as she buried her face in the pillow. Wi Ilcheong lifted the blanket.
"…I should have applied this last night. I was rather out of my mind myself."
"I-is it swollen?"
"A little red. Shall I begin?"
The cold ointment touched her rear, and Dokgo Ryeong clenched the pillow tightly.
"Hnn…!"
"Are you all right?"
"I-it was cold. Startled me."
"Good. I'll continue."
"…Yes."
Wi Ilcheong's hand moved as he carefully spread the ointment over Dokgo Ryeong's backside. An awkward silence settled between them.
Just as Dokgo Ryeong was about to say something—anything—to break the tension, Wi Ilcheong spoke first.
"…I apologize for yesterday."
"Eh?"
"…What is that 'eh'? Your reaction is rather odd."
"S-sorry."
"No need to apologize… When I struck Miss Dokgo's rear yesterday… well… that was out of my own greed."
"…What greed?"
"The Sword God elder said he would teach me a technique if I did so."
"That old fart…!"
Dokgo Ryeong nearly slipped back into her old speech, but Wi Ilcheong pressed firmly on her backside.
"…Shall I hit you again?"
"I-I won't…"
"…That is why I spanked you yesterday. I do not particularly enjoy such things. And… Miss Dokgo was acting quite the tomboy as well."
"…"
Even though Dokgo Ryeong gave no reply, Wi Ilcheong continued working his hands diligently while keeping the conversation going.
"And I also apologize for finishing so suddenly yesterday."
"Hiiik?!"
"…Your reactions remain wonderfully varied, Miss Dokgo."
"Wh-why would you bring that up?! D-don't say it!"
"How could I not? I claimed I would teach you manners, then finished as I pleased. I was rather flustered myself, wondering if Miss Dokgo might have been displeased."
"I-I wasn't, so stop talking about it!"
Dokgo Ryeong cut him off desperately, trying to change the subject—only to realize that had been a mistake.
"N-no, I mean… it wasn't that it felt good either!"
"Heh. Understood."
"I-it's true…"
"Yes."
"…"
The conversation died again.
Then Wi Ilcheong's hand left her backside.
"…I've finished applying it."
"…Yes."
Wi Ilcheong pulled the blanket back over her rear.
The awkward silence between them stretched even longer than before.
But once again, it was Wi Ilcheong who spoke first.
"Miss Dokgo."
"Y-yes?!"
"About last night."
"D-don't talk about that!"
"The matter at the very end…"
"Th-that was…!"
The memory she had shoved into a far corner of her mind came flooding back.
Wi Ilcheong wiping her face clean.
Opening her eyes to find his face so close their breaths mingled.
And the moment their noses nearly touched.
"…I nearly kissed Miss Dokgo."
"Hyaek?!"
"My heart simply raced… and it happened naturally."
"Th-th-that was…"
"Even if yesterday's events have somewhat diminished your trust in me, I have nothing to say in my defense. However, I still intend to keep our promise."
"Wh-what promise?"
"The one where I am to receive Miss Dokgo's virginity."
"…"
Dokgo Ryeong's heart began pounding hard again.
Her hands clenched the pillow tightly.
"Our promise remains unchanged. I will not approach Miss Dokgo first to take her virginity."
"Ah… yes."
At those words, the tension drained from Dokgo Ryeong's body.
Whether it was a sigh of relief or one of disappointment, she couldn't tell—but as she relaxed, Wi Ilcheong continued.
"However… if Miss Dokgo finds herself truly unable to endure it… come to me first."
"Nyehet?!"
"I know Miss Dokgo is quite shy. I also know that joining with Miss Baekri and Miss Eun is still rather overwhelming for you. But when you truly cannot hold back any longer…"
"Hnn…!"
Wi Ilcheong gently took hold of Dokgo Ryeong's pinky finger.
"Secretly squeeze my pinky. Then that night, I will come to you."
"Wh-why would I do that?!"
"…Just something to keep in mind. You need not come looking for me if you do not wish to."
Wi Ilcheong rose from the bed and began dressing as he spoke.
"Then I shall take my leave first. I've prepared warm bathwater in the tub—if you wish to wash before coming out, please do so."
"…Yes."
"I will see you later."
Click.
The door closed. Alone now, Dokgo Ryeong lifted her head and stared at the door Wi Ilcheong had just left through.
Wh-what the hell…
Her hand drifted to her chest.
Her heart was still hammering violently against her palm.
Wh-what the actual fuck…!
Dokgo Ryeong was thoroughly confused.
Once outside, Wi Ilcheong hurried straight to Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwanyeong's quarters.
The two women greeted him as he roughly opened the door and stepped inside.
"…Hm? Brother Wi, you're up?"
"Ah, Oppa Wi. You're awake?"
"No. I barely slept a wink."
"Eh?"
Wi Ilcheong hastily shut the door and came fully inside.
"…Forgive the abruptness, but we need to do it right now."
"D-do what?"
"Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation."
"Hyaek?!"
"I nearly went mad standing at attention all night."
"I-I still have a report to write though…"
Eun Gwanyeong answered with clear regret. Wi Ilcheong turned his gaze to Baekri Sohyeon.
"And Miss Baekri?"
"…Mm. All right, let's do it. But why so suddenly?"
"Yes. I simply wish to finish once, then sleep comfortably."
"Heheh. So it wasn't that you tormented Ryeong-mae—Ryeong-mae tormented you instead?"
"…"
Hearing Baekri Sohyeon's words, Wi Ilcheong hesitated a moment before nodding.
"…Yes. Thanks to her, I couldn't sleep a wink all night."
"Oh my, what happened?"
"…It's a secret."
"…Hm?"
At Wi Ilcheong's answer, Baekri Sohyeon's eyes widened.
Brother Wi is hiding something about last night… Something really did happen, didn't it?
Baekri Sohyeon smiled softly as she looked at him.
"I'm curious what it was… but if Brother Wi says so, I won't ask."
"…Yes. Thank you."
"But I haven't washed this morning…"
"It doesn't matter. I rather like that as well."
As Wi Ilcheong began removing his clothes, Baekri Sohyeon nodded.
"…Mm. All right."
She naturally settled into his arms, and the room quickly grew heated.
After finishing her bath with the water Wi Ilcheong had prepared, Dokgo Ryeong dressed and felt a twinge of regret.
If I'd circulated the Moon Shadow Divine Art yesterday, it would've been perfect. Damn it…
It was something she would have had to go through anyway, so not being able to circulate the Moon Shadow Divine Art left her thoroughly disappointed.
It was a bit late, but with some residual lust still lingering, she thought she might as well try now. The moment she settled into a cross-legged position, Dokgo Ryeong froze in shock.
Eh…? Why is the Yin Linking Vessel open?
Following the previous ones, yet another of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians had opened.
With the Yang Linking Vessel, Yang Heel Vessel, Yin Heel Vessel, and now the Yin Linking Vessel all open, Dokgo Ryeong's body was incomparable to before.
And there was one more astonishing development…
…Why the hell has this bastard calmed down?
The Yin energy in her lower dantian had become remarkably obedient.
Dokgo Ryeong cautiously drew up as much as she had previously considered her limit—yet the Yin energy no longer went berserk and flooded wildly through her meridians as it once had.
Now able to freely manipulate roughly four-tenths of the total Yin energy in her lower dantian, a natural smile curved Dokgo Ryeong's lips.
…With this much, how far could I go?
She hadn't seen the full extent of Eun Gwanyeong's abilities, but she felt confident she could thoroughly overpower someone of that level now.
…No Sunpyeong might still be a stretch, but I could take down most of the small fry without issue.
With the amount of internal energy she could control having increased, her mental ranking of opponents had skyrocketed overnight.
It made sense—until now, even at her absolute maximum, she could only draw upon about one-tenth of the Yin energy in her lower dantian.
That had already been a considerable amount, yet it had been pitifully lacking compared to Dokgo Jin in his prime.
But now it was different.
Four-tenths of her total Yin energy was roughly equivalent to eighty percent of the total internal energy Dokgo Jin had possessed at his peak.
With this much, she would never have to limp around anywhere again.
…Not bad at all.
Satisfied, Dokgo Ryeong opened her eyes and organized her thoughts.
Her achievements in mental cultivation methods and sword techniques were still low, which was regrettable, but she figured those would improve quickly once she grew more accustomed to them.
If anything, her internal energy had become excessive relative to her current martial arts level.
"…What am I supposed to do about this…"
Her internal energy had increased, yet the sudden, unexplained rise left her slightly unsettled.
Especially since this was the same unidentified Yin energy that had turned her into a woman in the first place.
Dokgo Ryeong racked her brain trying to figure out what could have caused this, but only one answer presented itself.
…No matter how I look at it, it has to be because of what happened yesterday…
Unless it was that, there was no explaining the sudden increase in controllable Yin energy or the opening of the Yin Linking Vessel.
But if that were the case, it meant Dokgo Ryeong would grow stronger the more she engaged in lewd acts with Wi Ilcheong.
"…"
Dokgo Ryeong raised her hand and stared at the pinky finger Wi Ilcheong had held.
Secretly squeeze my pinky. Then that night, I will come to you.
Her hair gradually flushed pink.
"Wh-who said I'd ever grab it…"
Even though no one was listening, she muttered to herself as if trying to convince herself, then stepped outside.
The moment Dokgo Ryeong stepped out, she ran straight into Namgung Woncheong, who happened to be passing by.
"Ugh."
"…Is that all you have to say upon seeing this old man?"
"…Did you sleep well?"
"Hm?"
Hearing Dokgo Ryeong's changed speech, one of Namgung Woncheong's eyebrows rose.
"…I slept well."
"Yes… then I'll see you later…"
"Something must have happened last night."
"Hyaek?!"
Dokgo Ryeong flushed red in panic.
Watching her hair turn pink from the roots, Namgung Woncheong grinned slyly.
"Keul-keul-keul. So this old man's choice was correct after all."
"Wh-what bullshit are you spouting?"
"Just sticking a 'yo' at the end doesn't make it proper polite speech."
"…"
"Haa… Still, it's remarkable progress. I'll overlook it."
Dokgo Ryeong had no idea what nonsense the old man was going on about.
Just then, Namgung Woncheong glanced around and spotted a tree growing in the courtyard.
"Mm… I'll have to beg the Divine Doctor's forgiveness later."
Snap!
Namgung Woncheong broke off a tree branch, held it in his hand, and looked at Dokgo Ryeong.
Seeing that, Dokgo Ryeong gulped.
"How about it? Care to try dodging again?"
"All of a sudden?"
"You must have suffered quite the ordeal last night, so this is the only thing this old man can offer you."
"…"
"Besides, it seems you've made progress overnight that even surprised this old man… or am I wrong?"
"It's still a bit lacking, but…"
Dokgo Ryeong scratched her head, then bared her teeth in a grin.
"Let's do it."