Her heart pounded fiercely.
Her eyes were wide, bloodshot, and filled with helpless frustration. This gave her a strange, twisted look.
An indescribable pain surged through her. The injury she sustained in her duel against Baek Woo Jin was nothing compared to this pain.
As if he was going to collapse, Baek Woo Jin buried his face in Jegal Yeon Ji’s shoulder, who was much smaller than him and wrapped his arms around her.
Jegal Yeon Ji looked momentarily surprised, but soon she returned his embrace and started gently patting his back and shoulder.
“D-Don’t…”
Don’t.
Her weak voice faded into the trees and never reached its target.
When he was weary and worn out, only she could console him while running her hand over Baek Woo Jin’s head and patting his shoulder and back like he was a child needing comfort.
A fiery rage burned within her. And it was entirely directed at Jegal Yeon Ji.
Wretched woman…!
She bit down on her lip hard, until a trickle of blood ran from her mouth and stained her collar.
Words that this wretched woman had once said to her on the martial arts stage echoed in her mind. How she thanked her that she broke off their engagement, and how she was happy to have a chance to step in.
It was as if she’d been waiting to take my place.
She had stolen her rightful place and casually took over roles that had once been hers alone. She wanted to tear Jegal Yeon Ji apart on the spot.
No… I can’t.
Her Gege would hate it.
With only that thought, she suppressed the killing intent that was rising again and again in her heart.
Under the silver moonlight that illuminated the world with a gentle glow, the two people held each other tenderly. They looked so beautiful together that it stirred an intense jealousy within her.
If she could, she would do anything—use every trick she knew—to tear them apart.
Then suddenly, she came to a realization, one that she had tried so hard to avoid acknowledging.
So that’s how it was.
It was the exact feeling Baek Woo Jin must have experienced while watching her with Namgong Soo from somewhere in this very place.
“Shall we go now?”
“…Yes!”
The two people, who were now even closer than before, smiled at each other with a warmth that had become more intimate. They were no longer just friends, but something closer to lovers.
Just as they had come in laughing and joking, they now left the same way.
Watching their distant backs grow farther away, Yoo Hwa Yeon could no longer hold herself together and sank to the ground.
“Yes…”
Her chest was filled with an overwhelming tangle of emotions too complex to put into words. No matter how she tried to unravel them, they were so tightly knotted and twisted together that she couldn’t even tell where to begin.
Among those feelings, the strongest of them by far was anger. She felt a profound, weighty rage toward Jegal Yeon Ji, the one who had stolen her rightful place.
“Fu… fufu…”
Then all of a sudden, she burst into laughter.
“Ahahahaha!”
She lifted her face to the sky and her body started shaking as she laughed. Each time, pain throbbed through her body, but physical pain meant nothing to her at that moment.
“Ah… ha… ha… ha…”
There was no particular reason for her to laugh like a madwoman; it was simply that her own thoughts struck her as revolting and ridiculous beyond belief.
“Stole my place…?”.
It was ridiculous. She had been the one to set the stage for their breakup. She had made up her mind, and that was why they parted ways.
Jegal Yeon Ji had only stepped in quickly to fill the void. To think that her place had been “stolen” made no sense. Blinded by rage, she had wanted to see Jegal Yeon Ji as a villain and herself as a tragic heroine and the thought disgusted her to no end.
Because that made things easier, didn’t it? Blaming someone else for her pain was so much simpler and far more comforting.
“But Gege must have felt differently….”
The feelings she experienced here probably didn’t even amount to a tenth of what Baek Woo Jin must have felt in this very place.
She was the one trying to reclaim something precious she had lost after she was now filled with regret. In reality, she had no right to be involved in what he did or be angry.
But back then, it had been different for Baek Woo Jin. He had seen his beloved with another man, appearing so close and intimate together.
Just imagining that, just trying to grasp a fraction of those feelings, brought an unbearable wave of disgust.
“What on earth have I done…!”
She gripped and tugged at her hair. Its soft golden strands which were often admired for their mysterious beauty were now tangled in her hands.
But the disgust would not subside. She slammed her forehead against a tall tree. She didn’t care about the gash that split her skin or the blood that was flowing freely as she repeated the act.
Thud! Thud!
Whack!
Then it happened. Something soft wrapped around her head as she knelt in repentance with her eyes closed.
She forced her trembling eyelids open and recognized the familiar presence. When she raised her eyes, the face of Baek Woo Jin who was standing with his back to the dazzling moon and looking down at her came into view.
His right hand was cradling her forehead.
Words caught in her throat, nearly escaping, but she forced them down and finally spoke in a shaky voice.
Baek Woo Jin looked down at Yoo Hwa Yeon, who was looking up at him with eyes and expressions filled with so many emotions that it was impossible to read them all.
“…Did you know?”
“Yes.”
A short reply followed.
With each step he took from the peak master level, his sensitivity to his surroundings had noticeably increased.
Although his mind had been occupied with Jegal Yeon Ji, he wasn’t oblivious to Yoo Hwa Yeon’s presence nearby.
At first, he had simply intended to pass by, hoping that after witnessing this scene, she would finally give up. He had left the pavilion, parted ways with Jegal Yeon Ji, and was about to head back to the dormitory.
And yet…
He couldn’t shake his concern.
The wounds she inflicted on herself, both external and internal, were worse now than when she had finished her duel. Her state was so chaotic that, if left unchecked, she was at serious risk of succumbing to inner demons at any moment.
Alongside his pity for her, he felt a faint sense of kinship.
Though their circumstances were distinctly different, both of them had clung with all they had to a love that could never be.
“Stand up.”
With a gentle grip on her arm, he helped her frail body rise naturally.
He felt stifled. Having been down this path before, Baek Woo Jin knew all too well where it led, which made him want to speak even more firmly to her. But now he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
He suppressed his boiling emotions as much as possible and spoke to her as she stood there miserably.
“First, take care of yourself.”
At his words, Yoo Hwa Yeon smiled.
She had seen things she wished she hadn’t, felt herself break beyond repair, yet here he was, looking right at her. He had gone out of his way to come here and gently cradle her wounded forehead.
In the end, her desperate attempts to make him stop, to turn his gaze toward her even for a moment, had finally succeeded after countless failures.
“It worked.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
After mumbling her response, Yoo Hwa Yeon looked up at Baek Woo Jin with a bright smile.
In the long-standing memories left by Baek Woo Jin, she had seen his pure, clear smile only a handful of times; unable to bear the sight of it now, she turned away.
“If things stay like this, both you and I will keep suffering endlessly.”
“I…”
As she tried to say that she was fine, he mercilessly cut her off.
“When you’ve recovered, come find me.”
If they were to discuss this now, it would only lead to the same cycle of actions as before on the martial arts stage. She’d be thrown into turmoil again, and if things went badly, yet another crisis might arise.
At the very least, he felt it was necessary to wait until she found some stability, be it physical or mental, before they discussed it.
It would be incredibly difficult to convince her with whatever words he could bring himself to say, yet he knew he must do it somehow if they were to avoid the impending disaster that would come if they didn’t.
“Alright.”
“Then I’ll be going.”
Leaving his final words, he walked away without a hint of regret. Watching his retreating figure, Yoo Hwa Yeon closed her eyes.
She could guess what he intended to say. It would likely be an extension of the conversation they had on the martial arts stage.
But it doesn’t matter.
As long as she could have the chance to see him again, she didn’t care what the conversation would be.
No matter what he wanted to talk about, she wouldn’t give up, even if it hurt her.
Because you must be hurting even more.
This time, she resolved to see it through even more firmly.
When she saw the affectionate appearance of Baek Woo Jin and Jegal Yeon Ji, her heart bled. But even that wasn’t enough.
Compared to the shock and pain that Baek Woo Jin must have felt, her own pain, both inside and out, was nothing.
So, I will hurt all the more.
She would hurt more, be wounded deeper, and call his name through the pain.
And finally, when her pain was sure to be no less than the suffering he had endured.
When she had grown stronger and tougher, able to walk alongside him on the path he was forging.
Then…
***
Every day, Baek Woo Jin gathered his team members and exhausted them in every possible way.
The longer they groaned under the strain and cried out in pain, the more they grew.
Though they dreaded the training sessions with him, they couldn’t deny how much they had improved. So they were forced to accept it as they looked at themselves in amazement.
“Hey, Sam! Let’s hurry up and go!”
“Good grief, man, couldn’t you have that energy during training too?”
“Just not skipping the sessions is already my best effort.”
“Well, that’s fair enough.”
“Hahahaha!”
Today was another day when Baek Woo Jin’s call to assemble had sounded. Yet, unlike their usual miserable expressions, the two left the dormitories laughing cheerfully.
Even the direction they were headed was different from usual.
The place Baek Woo Jin called his team members to today wasn’t the training room; it was a guesthouse. He hadn’t mentioned why he was calling them there, but considering the location, wasn’t it obvious?
“Fufu, I bet the team leader’s calling us here to treat us to a feast!”
“Of course! It’s got to be a reward for all our hard work.”
He had already once promised the two of them that if they successfully completed the demon subjugation, he’d treat them lavishly at the Golden Sun Pavilion which was renowned as the best pavilion in the Central Plains.
“You don’t think he’s trying to settle that promise here instead of taking us to the Golden Sun Pavilion… do you?”
“Hey now, do you think our team leader is that stingy? And we already got his word on it, didn’t we?”
“Ah, that’s right.”
They had indeed received his word. Soon, he’d secure an overnight permit for them so they could eat and drink to their hearts’ content at the nearby Golden Sun Pavilion.
“Then let’s hurry. Food loses its taste if it gets cold.”
“Let’s go!”
The two people arrived at the guest house with cheerful expressions.
“Welcome!”
When they arrived, a waiter rushed over to greet them. When they mentioned Baek Woo Jin’s name, he bowed even lower as if he was expecting them, and led them to the farthest room on the second floor.
Knock, knock!
After a light knock, they stepped inside where they found Baek Woo Jin already seated with Shin Ye Hwa and Jegal Yeon Ji, who had arrived before them, sitting on either side of him.
“Oooh!”
“As expected!”
On the wide dining table in front of them lay a dazzling array of dishes, enough to make them wonder if they could possibly finish it all. Each plate shone with a beautiful color that tempted the two as they took in the sight.
“Go ahead, take a seat.”
Baek Woo Jin, who was already having a drink while he waited, gestured to them, and as if they’d been waiting for this cue, the two eagerly sat down across from him. Their eyes were shining with anticipation.
“As you can see, today is a celebration to recognize your hard work and dedication in following through with all the training so far.”
With that, Baek Woo Jin reached for the gourd tied at his waist and pulled out the lid.
Pop!
A clear, crisp sound echoed as the gourd opened, and from its mouth came an extraordinary fragrance unlike any they had smelled before. Not only did Jang Sam and Gu Wang Soo breathe it in eagerly, but even Jegal Yeon Ji and Shin Ye Hwa flared their nostrils to savor the aroma.
“I managed to get my hands on a very rare liquor.”
With a deep smile, Baek Woo Jin poured the precious drink into each of their cups and filled his own last before raising his glass high.
“All right, bottoms up, everyone!”
“Cheers!”
They all raised their glasses as if they had been waiting for this moment, then downed the contents in one go.
As the liquor lingered briefly on their tongues before sliding down their throats, a reaction burst forth.
“Ah!”
“Oh…!”
Simultaneous gasps filled the air.
“A fine brew! Truly magnificent!”
Jang Sam shouted excitedly. It was the first time in his life that he had tasted such a unique and delicious liquor. And it was the same for everyone else in the group.
“Wow…! This is really good!”
Shin Ye Hwa, who had tried all sorts of drinks while following her father, and Jegal Yeon Ji, who had tasted all kinds of alcohol as the daughter of one of the five great clans, both found themselves smiling at the mysterious new flavor.
“As expected… coming along with you was the right choice, Woo Jin! Huhuhu…!”
Gu Wang Soo even began to tear up.
Baek Woo Jin glanced around at them and spoke casually.
“This might not be the time for that.”
A strange glint appeared in his smile.
At that moment, something strange began happening in the bodies of the four.
“Uh!”
“What… what is this?”
The liquor that had flowed down their throats now turned into a heavy internal energy that circulated through their bodies in search of release.
“N-No way…?”
Seeing the four pairs of eyes staring at him with shock and awe, Baek Woo Jin quickly spoke up.
“What are you doing? Sit down and start meditating, now.”
What he had given them was a medicinal liquor made by mixing the inner core of the White Tiger, which had undergone constant purification over time, with the liquor from the gourd.
After removing the impurities, the amount left was less than expected, so he had initially planned to drink it all himself. However, seeing his teammates who were still growing, he changed his mind.
The four who were encountering a rare opportunity as martial artists immediately sat cross-legged and closed their eyes.
They began their energy circulation.
“Well then, I’ll just go do my food circulation.”
Kikikiki—oh, my stomach hurts.
Baek Woo Jin muttered a silly remark and started eating the food on the table by himself.
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