Chapter 127
Experiencing the unexpected isn't all that surprising in itself.
After all, how often in life do things really go according to plan?
Even the simplest things—what to eat today, when to train, or where to take a walk—often go awry.
You might suddenly crave a different dish, or it could rain, forcing you to use a different training ground, or Tang Sowol might beg to walk a different path.
Even when it comes to one’s own matters, full control is extremely difficult. If anyone claims otherwise, they must be the very definition of arrogance.
That’s because most things we think are entirely our own actually involve others too.
Yes, like yesterday. I thought it’d be fine to relax for just one day, so I fell asleep holding Seol Lihyang in my arms—only for our separated companions to find the room we were in the very next morning.
Clack!
The door opened with a half-shattering sound.
“Cheon Sohyeop! You're safe—... huh?" Tang Sowol, who had been rushing in with a voice full of worry and urgency, froze mid-step.
Actually, it wasn’t just Tang Sowol.
Seo Mun-Hwarin, who looked like she was barely holding back her anger, Peng Woojin, who radiated a heavier, more mature aura, and even Yeon Ga-hye, who had a determined look in her eyes.
All the companions from the Hubei trip, who’d arrived with serious expressions, now had blank looks of stunned disbelief.
And it didn’t take long for that bewilderment to turn into contempt.
“...Wait. Let me explain. I can explain everything.”
“Yes, Uncle said something similar when he got into trouble outside and ran back home to the main house. I guess it runs in the family.”
Uncle—did she mean Tang Yujin, the personal guard of Tang Jincheon?
I think I heard he had three or maybe four wives...
A cold sweat trickled down my back.
Maybe the commotion woke her—Seol Lihyang rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up.
“Uugh... what’s going on? Is it morning already? I was tired yesterday, so I thought I’d sleep a little—huh?"
Seol Lihyang’s drowsy eyes gradually sharpened.
And the moment she was fully awake, she opened her mouth in shock, slowly turning her head back and forth.
Once toward Tang Sowol and the others, once toward where I was.
There wasn’t much to think about.
Faces filled with betrayed expressions, as if we were traitors to our country, or as if they were looking at human trash.
And what about our side?
A man and woman clinging tightly together under one blanket in the middle of summer (to warm Seol Lihyang, whose yin energy was surging out of control).
The green robes I wore as a member of the Tang family were nearly shredded, like they’d been torn apart (they were burned during the fight with the Blood Flame Fist Demon).
Seol Lihyang’s clothes had slipped, revealing the curve of her shoulder (from absentmindedly brushing it in her sleep while shivering).
And to top it off, she’d just said something ominous about sleeping more because she was tired yesterday (we were exhausted from fighting the Blood Flame Fist Demon).
To anyone looking, this was unmistakably the scene of a scandal...!
Seol Lihyang’s face turned pale as she grasped the situation.
Her yin energy outburst should’ve subsided by now, yet her shoulders trembled as if she were freezing.
“Sister Ta-Tang??”
“Yes. I see you still call me ‘Sister,’ huh?”
Her lips smiled sweetly, but her eyes didn’t budge—an eerie smile.
Seol Lihyang's breath caught in her throat.
As she stood frozen like someone who had forgotten how to breathe, I tried to speak up—
“Cheon Sohyeop. I did say it would be fine if you had permission. Permission, remember?”
“I’ll just say this now—I have no intention of saying anything stupid like ‘it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.’”
“You kidnap me on a whim, and this time you run away with me too???”
Well... I had no excuse.
As my words dried up, my eyes darted nervously.
Watching this, Tang Sowol sighed deeply.
“Haa. I suppose it can’t be helped.”
“! You’ll listen to me, right...?”
“At this point, the only option is to kill Cheon Sohyeop and then die myself.”
Tang Sowol slid her hand into her sleeve.
Seeing her eyes turn a deeper shade of green, I panicked and lunged at her.
“Just—take your hand out of the sleeve first, and then we’ll talk!”
Fortunately, the surprise tackle was a success.
To be precise, Tang Sowol let herself be pinned down without resistance.
***
Holding Tang Sowol’s hand tightly, I led her to sit on the bed.
Seol Lihyang had already adjusted her clothes and made room beside us.
Tang Sowol, knowing how things would play out, allowed herself to be caught in the smooth flow of events.
But now, she was the one grabbing my wrist—maybe to stop me from running.
Letting the thought pass, I calmly explained everything that had happened over the past few days.
How we barely escaped the river, finding solid ground at last.
How we moved cautiously along the river and eventually encountered the Blood Flame Fist Demon.
How Seol Lihyang and I worked together to defeat him.
And how Seol Lihyang’s body froze due to the rebound from the yin energy.
“That’s everything that happened yesterday. Sharing a blanket and sleeping close was all for emergency treatment.”
“Is that... really true?”
“Of course. If you don’t believe me, ask Seol Lihyang.”
“It’s true! Nothing happened between us! Sister Tang was so kind to me, there’s no way I could... but what did you mean earlier by permission...?”
Waving her hands to calm Tang Sowol, Seol Lihyang tilted her head in confusion.
Tang Sowol let go of my hand, then cupped Seol Lihyang’s ear and whispered something.
Whisper whisper.
“Huh...? Huhh??”
“We’ll talk about the details later, Hyang-ah. What I was really asking was something else.”
“Something else?”
Instead of answering, Tang Sowol held out one hand to each of us.
Drawn by instinct, I reached out and took it.
Seol Lihyang followed suit.
Tang Sowol gently clasped our hands together and let out a deep sigh.
“I meant—was it really true that you fought the Blood Flame Fist Demon? He’s a seasoned martial artist who reached Peak Stage long ago. Did either of you suffer serious injuries?”
“I have a few burns here and there, but I’m fine. I did push my internal energy a bit too far, but the internal injuries were minor. However, Seol Lihyang...”
“Mn. I’m okay too, Sister Tang. I still feel a bit cold, but it’s definitely better than yesterday. I think a few days of rest will do the trick. Actually, maybe I even grew stronger? I almost grasped something during the fight.”
“That’s a relief.”
Tang Sowol gave a faint smile, paused as if thinking, then gently pulled Seol Lihyang closer.
“Eh? Sister??”
Surprised, but not resisting, Seol Lihyang was drawn into Tang Sowol’s lap and embraced from behind—
Just like I had done the night before.
“If you're still not fully recovered, someone needs to warm you up. It doesn’t have to be Cheon Sohyeop. I can do it, right, Hyang-ah?”
“Y-yes... of course!”
Seol Lihyang responded stiffly, her body frozen in awkwardness.
Tang Sowol chuckled and whispered something again—
And this time, Seol Lihyang melted like a limp doll, becoming Tang Sowol’s cherished plush toy.
I shook my head and spoke up.
“Anyway, now that the misunderstanding’s cleared up, I’d like to move on to the next matter.”
“Next? There’s something else? Didn’t you explain everything just now?”
Seo Mun-Hwarin, who had been quietly observing, blinked.
Peng Woojin, now composed again, and Yeon Ga-hye, who at some point had placed a hand over his eyes, also looked puzzled.
Did she cover his eyes earlier when Seol Lihyang was disheveled? Thorough.
I gave a small nod of thanks in Yeon Ga-hye’s direction.
She responded with a faint smirk, as if saying it was no big deal.
With the greetings done, I unfolded a cloth that had been stashed in the corner.
Inside was the severed head of the Blood Flame Fist Demon, eyes wide open in death.
“Wh-what the—! I thought you were just shoving something gross in our faces, but yes, that’s definitely the Blood Flame Fist Demon. He was ranked above the Black Sky Sword Emperor, and his Flame Yang Technique was no joke. You did well.”
“I couldn’t have done it alone. As I said, it was thanks to Seol Lihyang’s help. Her qi might not have matched him in volume, but the coldness of her energy wasn’t easily overwhelmed by his heat.”
“Huhhh?”
The companions now looked at Seol Lihyang with admiration.
But Seol Lihyang, still mentally drained and curled up in Tang Sowol’s lap, didn’t even notice.
Shrugging, I continued.
“Anyway, this happened after we took him down. Neither of us were in good shape, so I searched the Blood Flame Fist Demon’s body for anything useful. There were no elixirs, but I did find this letter.”
“A letter? Don't tell me it contains orders from the Demonic Cult?”
“Something like that. It seems to be a mid-mission report meant for the Demonic Cult.”
I pulled the letter from my robes.
“It details everything—the plan to capture the heirs of the Peng and Yeon clans, the reason for spreading elixirs in Hubei Province...”
“Oh! That’s a relief to uncover!”
“But the contents are pretty serious. It’s beyond what we can handle. This needs to be reported not only to the heads of the Peng and Yeon clans but also to the Murim Alliance Leader.”
I handed the letter to Seo Mun-Hwarin. She hesitated for a moment before looking around.
Peng Woojin, who had just regained vision, and Yeon Ga-hye, quietly watching her.
Tang Sowol, still holding Seol Lihyang.
Maybe she felt some pressure.
After a moment, Seo Mun-Hwarin began reading the letter aloud.
“If you succeed in capturing the Peng and Yeon heirs, use the Shaman sent with this letter to...”
Her voice echoed through the room.
Though it sounded like a child reading an essay, the content was far from innocent.
By the time she finished the last line, the room fell completely silent.
Some gasped.
Others trembled in anger.
But in the end, all were left speechless.
“So... they planned to use sorcery on me to make me kill Ga-hye?”
“And use me, who died at the hands of the Peng clan, to pit our families against each other.”
“Grinding down those turned into living poison vessels to make elixirs... It’s too horrific. Even demonic paths should have limits.”
The three of them sighed heavily.
Tang Sowol, meanwhile, remained quiet for a long time before speaking softly.
“I understand now that the situation is worse than we thought. I also agree that everyone should be informed. So—what will you do now?”
“You said the Yeon Clan is the closest, right? Let’s head there first. We need to inform the clan heads who are probably investigating elsewhere right now.”
“And tell Father, too.”
“Yes, the father-in-law should come as well.”
Whether I should hide behind Tang Sowol or kneel and beg first—That’s what I need to start thinking about now.