Chapter 158

The headquarters of the Ilwol God Sect.

Ma Yang, having finished her stroll by the Dragon Pond, let out a tired sigh.

“Haa…”

It wasn’t because of the walk. She frowned at the presence she felt behind her.

‘They’re following me blatantly.’

Ma Yang turned around and spoke to the person who had been keeping a certain distance while watching her.

“…If you have something to say, why don’t you just say it?”

A woman with neatly tied-up hair and a gentle appearance, wearing a Taoist robe that couldn’t hide her ample chest.

Jin Hyeryeong, a former disciple of the Wudang Sect, greeted her with a calm tone.

“Ah~ Sorry. The Seventh Elder’s back view was just too beautiful~ I couldn’t help it.”

With an inscrutable smile, she approached Ma Yang.

“I was so captivated that I couldn’t help but stare~ Hoho.”

Hyeryeong stopped half a step in front of Ma Yang.

Both women had ample chests, so naturally—or perhaps intentionally—Hyeryeong’s chest lightly brushed against Ma Yang’s.

Squish~.

Even through their clothes, the sensation of their chests pressing and brushing against each other was unsettling.

“……!!”

Ma Yang, unable to describe the sensation, stepped back in disgust.

“What are you doing!?”

“Oh my~ Hoho~ Sorry. This is always a problem.”

Hyeryeong, with a tone and expression that showed no remorse, calmly placed her hand on her chest.

“As the Seventh Elder knows, when your chest is big, these ‘unintentional’ things happen.”

Her palm rested on the massive hill, leveling it.

“For example, when your chest gets too big to hide in men’s clothing… you get exposed as a woman and kicked out of the sect.”

Unlike the secular Taoist sects like Huashan and Zhongnan, the Wudang Sect forbids women from joining and marrying disciples.

…And Jin Hyeryeong was a former disciple of the Wudang Sect, the hidden child of a Wudang elder.

With her father’s help, she hid her gender and joined the Wudang Sect, where her exceptional talent stood out.

But as she grew into adulthood, her gender was exposed.

She was expelled from the Wudang Sect and ended up joining the Ilwol God Sect.

But that aside…

Hyeryeong, with her index finger on her lips and chin, smiled seductively and winked at Ma Yang’s voluptuous chest.

“Well~ Big is still better, though.”

Ma Yang’s expression twisted at the blatant gaze.

“Good for you. Go play with a mirror or something.”

“Haha~ Mirrors are too hard. I prefer something plump, soft, and warm.”

Hyeryeong’s hand, resting on her chest, slid down and approached Ma Yang’s chest with a flirtatious gesture.

Ma Yang immediately slapped Hyeryeong’s hand away.

Thwack!

“Not really sorry, but thanks. I prefer someone kind, cute, petite, and soft.”

“Hoo… hoho~ That stings.”

Hyeryeong smiled bitterly, rubbing her reddened hand, while Ma Yang got straight to the point.

“Enough nonsense. What do you really want to say?”

“Hmm~ There are two main points.”

Hyeryeong’s voice remained gentle, but her eyes turned cold.

“Is the rumor that the Jeonjin Sect possesses the secret manual of the Sword Immortal Yeo Dong-bin, the Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique, true?”

Ma Yang cursed inwardly.

‘Again- again- that damn Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique! I’m going crazy!’

“Well~ I don’t know. If the Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique really existed, the Jeonjin Sect wouldn’t have fallen so easily.”

Ma Yang feigned ignorance and joked self-deprecatingly.

Hyeryeong smirked and pressed on.

“Well~ Maybe the elders fought over the Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique, causing internal strife and leading to their downfall.”

Ma Yang’s face turned cold.

“…You seem very interested in the Jeonjin Sect.”

Her hand rested on the hilt of the Ten Thousand Swords, Dragon Pond.

“If you want, I can show you the real Jeonjin sword, not some mythical Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique.”

Even without drawing the sword, a sharp sword aura spread around.

Hyeryeong shrugged and stepped back. It seemed she had pushed too far.

“Haha… Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

She calmly stated the remaining main point.

“Ah! The second point. The First Elder is looking for you. It seems there’s something he wants to ask of you.”

“You should have said that first.”

Ma Yang frowned and turned toward the First Elder’s office.

As Ma Yang walked away, Hyeryeong watched her beautiful back with a seductive smile.

Testing the waters about the Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique…

For now, this was enough. Yes, for now.

***

A figure clad in white robes, with a face covered by a white veil.

A being who had been with the Ilwol God Sect since the beginning.

The First Elder of the Ilwol God Sect and acting sect leader, Myeongwon, spoke to Ma Yang in a calm tone.

“Seventh Elder, please infiltrate Jeoseokhyeon in disguise.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected mission, Ma Yang furrowed her brow and asked.

“Haa-?”

Jeoseokhyeon, a village known for its devotion to Jeoseokcheon, the leader of the Twelve Heavens, and its hot springs.

It was the village where Ma Yang and Tang Wu had caused chaos due to an assassination request from the Namgung Family.

…And at the same time.

The Martial Alliance leader’s office, which now felt as familiar as his own home.

But today, instead of Mantian visiting on his own, Jaro had summoned him first.

“Senior Jaro, what’s the matter?”

Jaro, with a bored expression, quickly stated his business while organizing documents.

“Mantian, go to Jeoseokhyeon for a bit.”

And at the unexpected words, I asked in a dumbfounded voice.

“Haa-?”

***

To summarize the situation.

In short, it’s just a chore from Senior Jaro.

To elaborate a bit more.

It’s punishment for trespassing during the Dragon and Phoenix Association, a volunteer service for the Martial Alliance.

Why bring it up now, you might wonder.

Back then, the leader of the Beggar Sect, Old Rou Xin, had shielded me.

At the same time, the Martial Alliance leader, Senior Jaro, and that lunatic Jiegal Yang had defended me.

So it was swept under the rug without escalating.

But now, with the capture of Jang Do, one of the six arms of the Blood Church’s Asura, my name has come up again.

‘That Sima Mantian? Isn’t he the guy who caused trouble before?’

‘What should we do? Should we withhold his reward as punishment?’

‘How can we do that to someone who fought the Demon Sect by setting himself on fire? Give him the reward and a separate punishment for the previous incident.’

After such discussions, I ended up receiving both a reward and punishment.

…This is why you shouldn’t stand out too much. I could have just slipped by unnoticed.

But it was unavoidable.

A needle in a bag—someone with outstanding talent can’t help but stand out.

Well, I’m just that amazing. It’s inevitable.

Who am I? A peak master.

The genius who deceives even the heavens, Sima Mantian.

The hot potato of the Central Plains~ the rolling stone~ the troublemaker.

Anyway, my task was to deliver Senior Jaro’s letter to the Martial Alliance officer supervising the reconstruction of Jeoseokhyeon and handle some minor tasks.

But it’s punishment in name only.

In reality, it was Senior Jaro’s way of telling me to stop wandering around the Martial Alliance and take a break.

…Or maybe he just found it bothersome and turned the punishment into a chore.

In any case, when I explained the situation to my father and Yeonghwa.

“It’s about time to return home. Go ahead to Jeoseokhyeon. I’ll follow after packing.”

“I need to prepare food and check the carriage. I’ll follow soon, brother.”

Father suggested we return home, and Yeonghwa agreed.

But since we had multiple carriages and many people when we came to the Martial Alliance, it would take some time to prepare again.

Naturally, Uncle Poong Baek and Poong Ran also helped with the packing.

With the family matters settled.

I next went to see Namgung Nuna and Guhae.

At my news of going to Jeoseokhyeon on an errand, Sososo looked apologetic.

“…Young Master Sima, I’m sorry. I wish I could go with you, but Grandfather has called a family meeting at the Namgung Family’s main house.”

“I’ll have to go for a while too.”

And then she shyly added.

“Once things are settled… I’ll… come to Young Master Sima’s house…”

Parting with Mantian was lonely but not sad. We’ll meet again.

I’ll definitely come to see you.

“I’ll come to greet you.”

Knowing that, the other girls, Yeonghwa and Poong Ran, also prepared for the journey without showing their feelings.

Moreover, since we’ve confirmed each other’s feelings.

I needed to prepare to return home.

To formally greet Mantian’s ‘parents.’

…But of course.

Even though we knew we’d meet again, there was one girl who didn’t want to part.

In the garden of the Jiegal Family’s villa.

Guhae buried her face in Mantian’s chest, wrapping her arms and legs around him, and shouted.

“No! I don’t want to! You’re mine! Don’t leave! Take me with you!!”

“Guhae…”

I gently stroked Guhae’s beautiful hair, trying to soothe her.

Honestly, I came to Guhae last because I expected this.