48. Morning Qi Cultivation

The sun had set and the moon had risen.

Yoo Jinhwi was facing Seo Harin near the secluded corner of the main mountain of the Gongdong sect, near the outhouse.

Her hand trembled.

Yoo Jinhwi had been worried because the disciple who went to the outhouse had not come out for a long time.

After waiting, she decided to check on the disciple herself.

But what Yoo Jinhwi found was the disciple and Seo Harin having a conversation.

Instinctively, Yoo Jinhwi reduced her presence without realizing it.

“…Tonight, at this young master’s place…”

“…Young master’s consort…”

Hearing Seo Harin’s words through her senses, Yoo Jinhwi bit her lip.

Consort.

For her, who was born with the Heavenly Martial Body and could not have children, it was a position she could not even dream of.

No one in the world would take an infertile woman as a consort.

So she could never live as a woman.

Seeing Seo Harin made her realize this fact.

She had resolved herself, but still…

Seeing Seo Harin’s eyes, Yoo Jinhwi bit her lip.

Seo Harin, with platinum blonde hair and sky-blue eyes, was one of the rare beauties in the world.

Any man would desire her as a consort.

Seeing her hips, it seemed she would bear children well when she grew up.

“Young master Yoo?”

“What were you talking about with the disciple?”

Yoo Jinhwi suppressed the emotions that were slowly rising.

As the future leader of the Gongdong sect, she could not be swayed by personal feelings.

She had resolved this, but in front of Seo Harin, she kept breaking down.

“That is…”

Seoharin trailed off.

Although she couldn’t cook, Seoharin possessed almost every other talent to an almost omnipotent degree.

Yujinhwi was particularly obsessed with Lee Cheolsu. Moreover, Seoharin felt an inexplicable, sticky, and clingy emotion towards Yujinhwi.

Yujinhwi had changed since meeting the master.

And the gaze that kept her in check, that was the reason Seoharin did not make a deal proposal to Yujinhwi.

In her view, if she told Yujinhwi everything about her conversation with Lee Cheolsu, it might provoke Yujinhwi’s inner demons.

That was not what Seoharin wanted.

If the martial arts competition ended in the victory of the Gongdong sect, Seoharin had almost decided to join the Gongdong sect.

For that to happen, Yujinhwi had to perform well in the competition. Furthermore, she had to maintain a good relationship with Yujinhwi, who would become her senior brother in the future.

However, Yujinhwi had a tendency to become sensitive whenever the topic of the master, Lee Cheolsu, came up.

So she spoke as gently as possible.

“…I said I wanted to become this young master’s companion.”

Companion.

Although he had guessed, hearing the words he didn’t want to hear caused a rough wave to rise in Yujinhwi’s heart.

Yujinhwi clenched his fist tightly.

“Companion, you say?”

And it wasn’t the master, but Seoharin who made the proposal first.

Why.

Why now, of all times…

As countless thoughts flashed through Yujinhwi’s mind, Seoharin added.

“But this young master rejected my proposal… He said that no matter how much of a woman I am, I shouldn’t entrust my fate entirely to my husband.”

He rejected it.

Hearing that, Yujinhwi’s face slightly relaxed.

Her heart beat slightly.

“As expected of the master… He doesn’t fall for temptations easily!”

Any ordinary man would have fallen for Seoharin’s proposal.

But the master was different.

The master was not swayed by a woman’s temptations.

‘Master… I’m sorry for doubting you…’

At the moment when Yujin Hui was reflecting on himself for doubting his master even for a moment.

Seoharin’s words reached her ears.

“The Master said that even if one is a woman, they can decide their own fate. He then advised that if I wanted to pioneer my own destiny, I should join the Gongdong Sect after the duel. He also said that neither the Great Hero nor my father would oppose it…”

Joining the Gongdong Sect.

Upon hearing those words, Yujin Hui’s eyes widened slightly and then soon calmed down.

The master was right.

If Seoharin wanted to join, neither the Great Hero nor the master would oppose it.

Even before the master proposed the duel as a solution, both the Great Hero and the master had decided to let Seoharin join the Gongdong Sect.

Moreover, the Gongdong Inn, though called a branch business, was in fact the only source of funds for the fallen Gongdong Sect and was like a family. Yujin Hui had no reason to oppose Seoharin’s joining.

“I see.”

Therefore, Yujin Hui could only nod.

After the master, now there would be a junior sister.

If it had been a year ago when he was training alone in the Gongdong Sect, he might have been purely happy. But not now.

There was only one reason why the master rejected Seoharin’s proposal and advised her to join.

‘It must have been for the sake of our sect again.’

The reconstruction of the sect cannot be achieved by her becoming an absolute master alone.

The reason why the Nine Great Schools are called prestigious sects even without an absolute master is because of the countless elders who protect the sect’s traditions and the disciples who follow them.

Therefore, to rebuild the sect, they must open the doors and accept disciples.

But now, there is no one who wants to join the Gongdong Sect.

Even if they win the duel, the real talents might not want to join the Gongdong Sect.

In that sense, although her martial skills were unknown, Seoharin, with her verified trustworthiness and meticulous personality, was a useful talent.

The master must have seen through that.

‘The master… never thinks of herself.’

Even after a year.

A bitter smile appeared on Yujin Hui’s lips.

Indeed, the master cannot do without me, her senior brother.

“…Does Master Yu not find me satisfactory?”

But even so.

Yujin Hui found Seoharin uncomfortable.

If she were to be taken in as a junior sister, of course, she would be treated well, but she did not feel as much affection for her as she did for her senior brother.

Marriages between senior brothers and sisters were quite common.

Moreover, unlike her, who was infertile, Seo Harin was a proper woman who could conceive a son, wasn’t she?

Although the senior brother had resisted Seo Harin’s temptation for now, could he continue to do so after she became a junior sister?

‘…No.’

Eugene Hui’s hand trembled as he imagined the senior brother and Seo Harin together.

He did not want to see such a sight.

Indeed, Seo Harin was still not qualified to be the senior brother’s partner.

Even if she became a junior sister.

But since he couldn’t prevent her from becoming a junior sister, as a senior brother, he had no choice but to verify whether she was qualified to be the senior brother’s woman.

Thinking so, Eugene Hui spoke in a trembling voice.

“How could that be? If it’s Miss Seo’s initiation, it is always welcome.”

Seo Harin bowed her head.

“Thank you.”

But she did not miss it. The countless lights of worry passing through Eugene Hui’s eyes.

‘As expected…’

There was something.

Just as Seo Harin was thinking that.

“Tomorrow, I plan to leave for Nanjoo with the senior brother.”

Eugene Hui declared to Seo Harin.

“You are going to the Seomun family.”

“Yes. Since it will be a long journey, Miss Seo should stay safely at the main mountain with the master.”

“I understand. I will take good care of the master.”

Hearing Seo Harin’s words, Eugene Hui turned his back.

A smile drew on her lips.

Seo Harin could not join this journey as she had not mastered martial arts.

So, the journey to the Seomun family would be just her and the senior brother.

It felt like a victory.

Thinking that made her heart race.

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

After leaving his farewell, Yujin Hui’s figure disappeared with lightness skill, captured in Seoharin’s blue eyes.

‘Martial arts…’

If I had mastered martial arts, could I have accompanied him?

Her hand clenched tightly.

*

The morning after Weisoryeon visited and had a deep conversation with Seoharin.

As always, I felt the pleasant heaviness of Hamul’s towering presence, stood up with Kegel exercises, and sat cross-legged.

“Inhale, exhale.”

As I performed the morning energy circulation exercise, the natural energy that entered through my inhalation followed the energy path of the Soyang Heart Method and ran through my acupoints.

Twitch!

I started Kegel exercises along with the energy circulation.

As the stimulated pubococcygeus muscle met the yang energy of the Soyang Heart Method, I felt an overflowing vitality throughout my body from the morning.

Feeling a pleasant stiffness, I completed the circulation of energy and stood up.

‘Indeed, morning energy circulation is the best.’

The fatigue from the morning flew away, leaving me feeling refreshed.

After checking the bundle I had packed yesterday, I was about to calm my yang energy and open the door.

“Sir, did you cough?”

Creak.

As the door opened, Seoharin’s doll-like face appeared before my eyes.

Having already sensed her presence with my energy sense, I greeted her without surprise.

“Yes. Did you sleep well last night, Miss Seo?”

“Yes.”

Seoharin lowered her head.

“I heard you are leaving for Nanjoo today.”

“Yes. Is there anything you want?”

Nanjoo is the largest city and capital of Gansu Province. It is a city where all the goods of Gansu gather.

Naturally, the number of items handled there is vastly different from that of Huajeong County, which is at the level of a rural town.

“…Not particularly.”

“Alright.”

I put on my shoes and stepped off the porch.

There were many things to do before leaving.

I had to pay my respects to my master and inform him of my departure, and there were things to take care of before visiting the Seomun family.

“Young master.”

Just as I was about to adjust my attire one last time and depart.

I heard Seoharin’s voice from behind.

I turned my head.

There, under the morning sky, stood a dazzlingly beautiful platinum-haired girl.

A slight spark of life filled her empty eyes.

Seoharin faintly smiled and bowed her head.

“Have a safe journey.”

A smile that was awkward to no end.

But I liked it.

Yes, people should live with a bit of a smile.

I nodded as I looked at her.

“Understood. You take care as well.”

After finishing my farewell, I leaped towards Hyeoncheongung.

When I arrived in front of Hyeoncheongung, the person I met was my senior brother.

“Junior, you’re late.”

Unlike usual, my senior brother had a somewhat sulky expression.

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Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

“I’m sorry. I was chatting with Miss Seo for a while…”

Hearing my words, my senior brother kicked a stone for no reason.

He looked at me and spoke.

“Miss Seo? I see. What did you… talk about?”

Why is he suddenly interrogating me?

I took a step back from him and spoke.

“We exchanged farewells. She wished me a safe journey…”

“I see… Alright.”

My senior brother nodded at my words.

His face brightened up.

Suddenly, it felt like the atmosphere changed from low pressure to high pressure.

I don’t understand why he’s acting like that.

Well, there’s no need to know the details of a man’s heart.

After all, we’re just business partners.

Ignoring my senior brother’s demeanor, I said,

“Then, senior brother. Let’s go pay our respects to the master.”

“Alright.”

My senior brother and I paid our respects to the master inside Hyeoncheongung.

After finishing the greetings, I sent my senior brother away and obtained the master’s handwritten letter needed for my plan during a private meeting with him.

“Disciple! Hurry up!”

Carefully placing the letter in my bundle, I used my martial arts to arrive at the mountain gate.

My senior brother was waving his hand with a joyful expression.

“Let’s go, senior brother.”

Tap.

When I briefly stopped beside him and spoke, my senior brother nodded with a smiling face.

“Yes!”

At the same time, Yujinhwi and I leaped towards the foot of the mountain.

It was the moment my first journey in the martial world began.

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