She immediately distanced herself from the land of Sacheon, burying that day's strange experience in a corner of her heart, without looking back.
Of course, she handed over half of the Elixir of Revitalisation she had received to the sect leader. She never intended to give it all away from the start.
Why on earth would she? She'd have to be out of her mind to give it all away.
Immediately, the sect leader of the Gongryeong sect, frowned as he lifted the nearly empty jar, feeling its lightness.
"This is far too little. I was told there should be one full jar."
"No, risking my life to bring this much was already a lot. You're asking for too much. If you don't like it, give it back. I'll take it all for myself."
"No, you did well. You must be exhausted from the long journey. Go rest. We'll talk about the details tomorrow."
Then the sect leader boasted that he had prepared a grand drinking feast for Ihwa.
“Yes, yes, I'm so thankful that I'll die,” While responding casually, Ihwa cursed inwardly.
'You really love your liquor. You probably mixed something suspicious into it. When I fall asleep, you'll try to take the opportunity to search through my belongings. I won't fall for such an obvious trick.'
As soon as she left the room, she told those following her that she had contracted diarrhea after drinking bad water on the way. Feigning urgency to go to the toilet, she quickly slipped away and scaled the wall. As she escaped from the Gongryeong sect’s base, a rush of exhilaration surged through her, unlike any other time.
"Hahaha, how exhilarating is this life that's like the wind?!"
Yet, that man told her to enter the Tang clan, saying he would take her as a disciple and train her. It was preposterous. In the first place, the Tang clan would only pass down their unique poison techniques and secret martial arts to their own family members. How could they possibly accept her, an outsider and a former bandit?
Yeonsin might have been caught up in the night's atmosphere, or maybe he was just senile, looking rejuvenated on the outside but crumbling inside. But despite all that, his manhood was actually quite enjoyable.
"Tsk."
She clicked her tongue in brief disappointment. Of course, she had no intention of keeping her promise to the elder of the Tang clan.
Who in their right mind would willingly walk back into the tiger's den after escaping once?
Ihwa planned to take the remaining Elixir of Revitalisation and flee to a place far, far away from Sacheon. With her skills in scaling walls, picking pockets, and identifying who the wealthiest person in the marketplace was, she had no doubt she could take care of herself. And if she sold the elixir on top of that...
“...Should I sell it?”
Ihwa sat in a noodle shop, staring at the empty bowl in front of her, muttering to herself.
What should she do? She couldn't help feeling regret at the thought of letting go such an incredible item. Drinking it could double, or maybe even triple, her internal energy. Especially after hearing the troubling remarks from Yeonsin, like how her internal energy was no more than the size of a palm, and how her martial arts were insignificant, her mind was even more unsettled.
So, after much deliberation, Ihwa finally opened her bag and took out the jar. She drank every last drop of the thick, white liquid it contained, leaving nothing behind. The elixir had a wonderfully fragrant and refreshing scent, unlike anything she had ever smelled before.
She even turned the jar upside down and shook it, but nothing more came out. Feeling disappointed, she licked the rim. Just then, she overheard the loud chatter of a nearby group of peddlers. The merchants, heavily drunk, had been excitedly gossiping about the martial artists of the world for a while.
"Well, I think the current greatest swordsman in the world must be that swordsman from Mount Hwasan. If you consider his achievements and the masters he's defeated..."
"However, it’s said that with the same level of internal energy and martial arts, a sword can’t defeat a sabre. So, the leader of the Peng clan from Hebei must be the best. Though, since they’ve never fought, it’s hard to say who would have the upper hand."
“What about the Poison King of the Tang clan?”
"Ah," suddenly, the people let out a sigh.
‘What’s going on? Why are they reacting like that?’
Ihwa hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but when the Tang clan came up, her attention was naturally drawn.
‘Tell me more about the story. So, what about the Poison King? Who is that?’
"They say the Poison King hasn’t participated in any duels for the past 10 years. If you want to test his skills, you’d have to risk your life to challenge him. So, it’s difficult to gauge his martial arts level. Who would dare challenge the Tang clan in these peaceful times?"
"But the Poison King, in his youth, single-handedly destroyed two sects. Now that he’s twice as old, his internal energy must have grown significantly. Do you think that young Peng clan brat could stand a chance against him?"
‘What do they mean by 'brat'? Didn’t they just say that the master of the Peng clan’s sabre is the family head? If he’s the family head, he must be at least in his sixties. If someone like that is considered a brat, then the Poison King must be…’
"If he’s undergone rejuvenation and now has the body of a young man with stronger internal energy, then there’s no one in the current martial world who can match him. He’s underrated because he doesn’t seek fame. I believe the Poison King of the Tang clan is the greatest in the world."
"But the Poison King isn’t a swordsman. Weren’t we trying to choose the greatest swordsman in the world to begin with?"
Someone who had been silent the whole time spoke up.
“Ah, now that you mention it, that’s true.”
From here and there, people chimed in. It seemed like the conversation was about to fizzle out like that.
Ihwa carefully rose from her seat and approached the man who had just claimed that the Poison King was the greatest. She asked him a question.
"By any chance, do you know the Poison King's name?"
"Oh, you startled me. Are you asking me?"
"You were the one who first brought up the Poison King. So, do you know his name or not? I’m talking about his real name, not his nickname."
"Oho, well then."
The man clicked his tongue. He lowered his headband to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then took a drink of water. Ihwa knew he was deliberately stalling, but she couldn’t rush him and could only wait. Why was he dragging things out over just a name?
In the martial world, once practitioners reach a certain level, they were often given a nickname that became more widely known than their real name. For commoners like Ihwa or the merchants here, it was difficult to know the real name of someone as high-ranking as a clan's elder, unless they were close acquaintances or members of the same clan. Naturally, she never entertained the thought that the poison king currently being discussed could be Yeonsin, but...
‘Damn, I'm getting chills down my spine. Not everyone can achieve rejuvenation. What if he really is the Poison King? It's too late to go back now, the deadline I promised has long passed, and I don’t have the elixir to return. But even if he is the real Poison King, how could he possibly find me? This is just pointless worry, utterly pointless…’
Ihwa bit her lip, deep in thought. This wasn’t the time for this. Wouldn't it be better to get even farther away from Sacheon? Even now, travelling at her fastest speed using her agility techniques had taken a month and a half to reach Shaanxi. Still, she had great confidence in her own skills.
"So, the Poison King's name is... his name is..."
"Ah, this is really frustrating."
She took out a few silver coins from her pouch and placed them on the table. Only then did the merchant grin and speak.
"The Poison King should naturally be the head of the clan, both because of his martial arts and his seniority, but he doesn't like being in the spotlight, so he has stepped back. Because of that, the people in the clan call him Elder Yeonsin. Whether that is his real name or just another alias, I do not know.”
“I-I'm doomed...”
‘Oh my goodness. Did I seriously dine and dash with that thing belonging to the Poison King, the one hailed as the greatest under the heavens? I must be out of my mind. How am I supposed to deal with this? To make matters worse, he even entrusted me with an elixir, telling me to resolve things cleanly with the Gongryeong sect and return.’
“He's married, right? That Elder Yeonsin.”
Ihwa asked, clinging to a glimmer of hope. But cruelly, the merchant shook his head.
"Hmm? Well, as far as I know, I’ve never heard of the Poison King having a wife."
"What? How can he be that old and not married?"
"It's not just marriage; there's no talk of him being involved with any woman at all. He must be extremely old-fashioned. Among men who devote their lives to martial arts, there are occasionally people like that..."
"That’s absurd! He’s got to be over 100 years old — how could he still be a virgin? Even a dog wouldn’t believe that!"
"Who dares to claim that I am a virgin?"
Clutching her head in despair, Ihwa let out a wail. From behind her came a voice that should never have been heard.
'No, this can’t be happening. How did he find me here?'
Though tears threatened to spill, Ihwa, seasoned by years in her distinctive line of work, swiftly assessed the situation. As she turned around, she dropped to her knees with a resounding thud.
“I was wrong."
"Indeed. You left and failed to return even after the promised day had passed, which caused me great worry. If there was a reason you couldn’t return, you should have at least sent word. Does your sect lack any means of communication?"
"What sect? We’re just bandits. Anyway, I have committed a grave offence. I took half of the elixir you gave me, but the remaining half is with the sect leader. I’ll tell you the location of our base so you can retrieve it. And I swear we’ll never again covet the property of the Tang clan.”
"I, too, have greatly sinned for carelessly laying hands on a woman and failing to take responsibility. Let us consider that matter as if it never happened."
As if it never happened? Was he talking about the night they spent together, or the promise to return after taking the elixir but didn't?
Despite the situation, Ihwa couldn’t help but be curious. She cautiously raised her head.
Unlike two months ago, Yeonsin was now dressed in neatly arranged attire, with a dark green robe. His broad physique and upright posture made him look like a warrior at first glance, but what stood out was the absence of a sword at his waist.
"You should speak plainly. I’m the one who dined and dashed. I caused you great trouble."
"I was so worried because I sent something else in the jar instead of the elixir. Didn’t the sect leader find out and give you a hard time? If you have any injuries, I will repay you double, so show me."
Yeonsin bent down and grabbed her hand, which was on the floor, pulling her up. When their eyes met unexpectedly, she caught a glimpse of laughter in his eyes. It was completely baffling.
"What on earth are you talking about... so-something else?"
"The jar I gave you contained the Fragrant Orchid. It’s a fragrance that holds a unique marker for each member of the Tang clan. No matter how far away, it allows us to trace their whereabouts. Thanks to this, I’ve just found and handed over the sect leader and his subordinates to the authorities. They won’t bother you anymore."
“...What about the Rejuvenation Elixir?”
"Why would I trust a bandit who came to steal from our secret vault and give them an elixir? Besides spending one night together, what other connection do you and I have?"
Yeonsin smirked as he spoke. Ihwa was speechless for a long time, feeling as if she had been hit on the back of the head.
So, in other words, she had been tricked. She carried a jar filled with the Fragrant Orchid, not the elixir, as if it were some precious treasure, and travelled for two months. Moreover, she drank it. What would happen to her now? Would she ever be free from his grasp for the rest of her life?
Yeonsin suddenly reached into the bosom of the dazed and seated Ihwa. She was so overwhelmed that she didn't even notice what he was doing. In an instant, Yeonsin's hand emerged holding a heavy pouch.
“I’m already having a headache thinking about how I can fix this kleptomania so I can live with you.”
“Ah, my money pouch!"
Until then, the merchant, who had been sitting huddled in a corner of the shop, eavesdropping on the sudden conversation between the Poison King and Ihwa, shouted.
It seemed he hadn't even realised what he had been robbed of until now. When Yeonsin flicked the money pouch and tossed it in his direction, he hurriedly stretched out both hands to catch it, flustered.
‘Tch, how can you even run a business with those eyes? It’s money that’s going to be lost anyway, so what’s the harm if I spend a little?’
Ihwa's lips twitched nervously.
‘This is bad. I’ve really been caught. How am I going to get out of this situation with this man?’
She spoke in a disgruntled tone, "Living together? Don’t say such horrible things."
"What should I say then? You acted like an emperor, doing whatever you wanted and then ran away. Now it's time to settle the bill. By the way, my body is quite expensive."
After saying something that sent shivers down her spine, Yeonsin helped her to her feet. Then, without saying a word about whether to come or go, he led the way out of the store. Of course, Ihwa had no choice but to follow him, despite her reluctance. After all, it was obvious that he would catch up to her quickly if she tried to run away.
“So, where are we going now?”
Unable to contain her growing curiosity, she asked.
He didn't interrogate her about breaking her promise and not returning, nor did he get angry. In fact, it seemed like nothing bad would happen to her. With that thought, she suddenly didn't find meeting this man again so unpleasant.
Truthfully, no one had ever been this kind to her before. Her parents had abandoned her at birth, so she didn't even know their names, and her sect leader, despite her bringing him the precious elixir, only thought about what else he could take from her, with no reward in return.
"Ahem, since you came here to be nice, how about buying me something tasty? I haven't eaten properly in days, and even after finally having a bowl of noodles, I'm still hungry."
"You didn't just eat noodles, did you? The scent of the Fragrant Orchid emanates strongly from you. From now on, be careful when you meet someone from the Tang clan. From head to toe, you're practically labelled as belonging to the Poison King."
"...Shit."
Somehow, Yeonsin heard her quiet muttering and burst into laughter. Listening to his carefree, hearty laugh, she sighed. She felt completely captured, but strangely, it didn't feel bad.
Yeonsin went even further by taking her to another store and ordering so much food that the table was filled to the brim. She couldn't believe he would actually buy her everything she wanted.
She felt a bit like a poor stray animal taken in from the streets, but Ihwa, not one to dwell on things, soon cheered up and focused on filling her stomach. Yeonsin even teased her, saying he had never seen a woman eat so much.
・・・・・
A month later, Ihwa, following Yeonsin back to Sacheon, unpacked her belongings at an inn. During that time, she attempted to escape five times and was caught six times.
Although she had only tried to escape five times, she was caught the sixth because she had once again disappeared without a word. Yeonsin misunderstood, thinking she had run off, and chased after her, even though she had just gone to the store to buy something.
Before Ihwa could even explain, he suddenly lifted her by the waist and threw her onto the bed in the room she was staying in. Then, for over half a day, he made sure she couldn't put either foot on the floor.
“Aaah, ah...!"
She moaned and writhed as the thick shaft continually thrust deep into her. She had lost track of how long he had been doing this; her stomach ached, and her intimate parts were numb from overstimulation. Her waist, gripped tightly by Yeonsin to prevent her from escaping, throbbed with pain.
"Go ahead, try to escape again. I'll bring you back even if I have to go to the Northern Ice Palace or the Southern Barbarians. Thanks to you, I've enjoyed travelling around the martial world. Isn't it fun?"
“Ugh, st-stop it...”
"Since everything here is loosened up, it shouldn't hurt anymore. Why are you acting so pained? I'm just doing what you like."
"Ah, we-well… th-that's... to-too much. Stop... Heuug!"
Ihwa couldn't finish her sentence and trembled slightly. The pleasure that had built up again threatened to overwhelm the barrier leading to the climax.
In just one day, she had reached this peak countless times, and now she couldn't tell if she was beyond it, below it, or if she had never come down and was being swept away like a storm. It felt like lightning was striking her head, and her whole body was being repeatedly plunged into and pulled out of scorching flames.
“Haa, haaa... Ang...! Ah! It feels… so good...!"
"First you say stop, and now... ugh, you moan that it feels good. You really are full of complaints. If you run away, you won't be able to feel this good again. Won't you miss it?"
“That's why... Hngh... I'm not… running away, ahh...”
Ihwa weakly dropped her head and moaned. Her dishevelled hair was sprawled messily over Yeonsin's shoulders and back. Her entire body was marked with his releases, the taste of him lingering in her mouth, and his scent permeating her skin. She felt as if her whole body was branded as his.
"Huuu..."
With a long exhale, he released his hot essence into Ihwa once more. At first, he had been careful to pull out, but later, even the great Poison King lost his self-control.
What if she got pregnant? Given his personality, he would surely pressure her to become a woman of his clan, which was out of the question. She had to escape before that happened.
After relentlessly going at it for half a day, Yeonsin finally seemed satisfied and laid her down on the bed. He slowly pulled out his thick member, the sensation of him slowly withdrawing making Ihwa shudder. Watching her reaction, Yeonsin, despite being drenched in sweat, looked at her with a smiling face.
"Damn it. Stop, please... get off..."
"I was already thinking of getting off even without you saying that."
His nonchalant response was truly annoying.
After catching her breath, Ihwa asked Yeonsin what he planned to do if she got pregnant from his intense actions. In response, he gave a confused look, as though he didn't understand what she was talking about.
Ihwa muttered a curse under her breath and barely managed to sit up. She then knelt and spread her pussy wide open to show him. The pussy, which Yeonsin had ejaculated into multiple times, was dripping with white fluid.
"Take a look. You've cum so much inside me. It would be strange if I didn't get pregnant like this."
"Ha, it's a magnificent sight. You are truly... a rare gem that can't be found anywhere else."
“What on earth are you talking about... huh?"
Ihwa witnessed his eyes dart around in front of her and belatedly thought, 'Oh no, what is he fixated on now?'
Yeonsin threw aside the clothes he was about to put on and lunged at her again.
"Since things have come to this, should we make one? If it's a child between you and me, it would be truly exceptional. Until now, I've been using medicine and acupressure to prevent it from happening."
"Y-you were doing that?”
"I wonder what you think my nickname means."
‘Well, I thought it meant he was a master who had reached a high level through poison techniques. Using his martial arts for something like this, isn’t it a bit of a waste of talent?’
Amidst all sorts of useless thoughts, Yeonsin plunged into her again.
‘Damn, I thought it had shrunk a bit, but when did it get like this again…’
“Ugh, ah...!”
"This time, it's your fault for provoking me. Next time, I promise not to push you too much."
"Wasn't what you've done so far too much?"
As Ihwa began to be shaken vigorously again, she spoke. She couldn't understand why this man desired her so much, but that very mystery was what stirred her heart. She cursed for a while but eventually became excited herself, clawing at Yeonsin's back and moving her hips vigorously.
It was the moment when a one-night chance encounter turned into a precious connection.
— The End
Translator's Corner:
That's the end of the second short story!~ Hope you enjoyed it 😊✨
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