Chapter 176

In the Sima Family Estate, Yeonghwa’s room.

Yeonghwa, with a calm face, placed her palm on her cheek and sighed.

“Ha~ I must have been under a huge misconception.”

Yes, a misconception. She had been mistaken.

Even if they were a married couple, since they hadn’t officially held a wedding, she thought she was being scolded for excessive displays of affection…

It was a ridiculous misunderstanding.

Yeonghwa’s eyes darkened as she heard from her mother-in-law, Jang Chunhwa, that a brother and sister couldn’t marry.

“Could it be that Mother is a supporter of uncivilized exogamy? What a shock.”

Yeonghwa smiled slyly and asked Jang Sam-i, who had come to check on her and was standing awkwardly.

“Don’t you think so, Mr. Jang Sam-bung?”

“Huh? Uh… uh… well… culture differs by country. Unlike the Baehwa Church, the Central Plains don’t allow incestuous marriages.”

Yeonghwa widened her eyes in a deliberately surprised expression.

“Heh~ So they draw the line like that? The Sima Family, of all places? The Sima Family revived with the support of the Baehwa Church? The culture of the Central Plains is impressive~ So thick-skinned.”

“Th-that’s not for me to say. You should talk to the Young Master.”

Jang Sam-i, overwhelmed by Yeonghwa’s intensity, answered meekly. Dozens of retorts came to mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

Her elegant, lovely appearance and the Young Master… In front of Mantian, her face turns red like a fool~ a fool~ easy to forget she’s a sister.

The girl before him could turn the estate into a sea of flames with a single finger.

Jang Sam cautiously looked at Yeonghwa, who smiled slyly without any warmth in her eyes, radiating heat around her.

A living flame, a walking powder keg.

‘Damn… this is unfair…’

He couldn’t bring himself to curse out loud.

Jang Sam could only close his eyes tightly, resigned to his role of monitoring the powder keg that could explode at any moment.

Others who only saw Yeonghwa’s rational, perfect side wouldn’t know…

But Jang Sam, who had long assisted Mantian and watched over Yeonghwa, knew.

Yeonghwa was never a demure lady when it came to matters involving Mantian.

And as Jang Sam expected, Yeonghwa sighed and then…

“Ha~ I wanted to take it easy. But if this is how it is, then I-”

With a blazing red eye and a refreshing smile, she dropped a bombshell.

“I guess I’ll have to have a ‘baby’ with my brother.”

A dazzling smile and shocking words struck Jang Sam’s mind.

“…What? What are you going to have with the Young Master?”

“A baby. A very lovely and cute baby that looks like me and my brother.”

“No, that’s… impossible. The Master and Madam are so against it.”

“Why should I care about that?”

“…Huh?”

Yeonghwa brushed off Jang Sam-i’s words as if they were foolish.

“If the Sima Family ignores my feelings and my love for my brother, then I don’t care about their stance.”

She smiled with a seductive smile filled with burning anger.

“And if my brother and I love each other and have a baby, what can they do about it?”

Ding-!

Jang Sam-i felt like he had been hit on the head with a hammer again.

‘Well, when you put it that way!’

Even if Mantian and Yeonghwa ignored their parents and had a baby, what could the Sima Family do?

They couldn’t mistreat Yeonghwa, the saintess of the Baehwa Church.

And they couldn’t kill their own son, Mantian. They couldn’t do anything!

Thinking about it, we’re pretty incompetent!?

“It sounds crazy, but it’s… persuasive!?”

Or maybe he was just so mentally confused that it seemed persuasive.

At Jang Sam’s words, Yeonghwa smiled triumphantly.

“Huhu~ Well, I am the sister of the genius Sima Mantian, who deceives even the heavens. I’m a genius sister.”

Anyway, the important thing now is-

“Then I’ll go meet my brother now. Prepare a small escort unit for me.”

Yeonghwa was very angry.

I gave them money for the Sima Family’s reconstruction!

I helped establish the Silk Desert trade route for a steady income!

I did everything! But…

Can’t a brother and sister who love each other kiss a little!? To separate them!

The right to marry her brother.

The anger of a sister denied her sacred right to marry burns.

A golden necklace shaped like a bird’s lower body and a human’s upper body. The symbol of Zoroastrianism around Yeonghwa’s neck glistens.

This too is a trial and guidance from the creator god Ahura Mazda.

The saintess of the Baehwa Church, who will purify the world by burning it.

The normalization of the Sima Family by Sima Yeonghwa begins.

“Choose the escort members from the troops that came from the Baehwa Church to the Sima Family, and you, Jang Sam-bung, will be the captain.”

Jang Sam forced a bitter smile at the unreasonable young lady’s command.

“Haha… just like the Young Master’s sister.”

The family was in chaos, and it seemed even more chaos could erupt here.

At this point, it’s admirable.

And it’s not a situation where stopping her would work.

After all, he was Mantian’s guard. Jang Sam himself wanted to see Mantian.

A spark of life returned to Jang Sam’s dull gray eyes.

“Going to see the Young Master is good, and being an escort is good too. The Master also ordered me to care for the Young Lady’s safety after the Young Master.”

Though it probably didn’t mean aiding Yeonghwa’s escape.

Well, at least it’s safer than letting her run wild alone. It should be fine.

“However…”

“However what?”

Yeonghwa tilted her head, and Jang Sam spoke cautiously.

“The Young Master only knew you as a cousin sister. He just found out you’re his half-sister, right?”

“…Considering the Young Master’s personality, it’s unlikely, but if he reconsiders his relationship with you, what will you do?”

Yeonghwa, without hesitation, dismissed Jang Sam’s ‘subtle suggestion.’

“No need to consider it. As you said, such a thing won’t happen.”

Yeonghwa thought of Mantian. Who held her and said he loved her.

My only brother, my only Xiaoxiante.

Even if we’re apart, the warmth my brother gave me still remains within me.

But if… really if… though it’s not worth considering…

If my brother pushes me away, then…

Yeonghwa’s dark red eyes looked at the extinguished brazier.

Click-.

She flicked her slender finger, and the brazier burst into flames.

Looking at the burning flames.

‘Bi Yi Lian Li – Birds with shared wings and trees with intertwined roots.’

She quietly recited Bai Juyi’s poem she learned while studying Central Plains culture.

“On the seventh day of the seventh month at the Palace of Eternal Life – In the Palace of Eternal Life on the seventh day of the seventh month.”

“In the dead of night, with no one around, we made a promise.”

“In heaven, we wish to be birds sharing wings.”

“On earth, we wish to be trees with intertwined roots.”

“Though the heavens and earth may last long, they will eventually end.”

“But this regret will continue endlessly.”

If I can’t be with my brother in this life…

Click- click-.

Yeonghwa’s red eyes looked down at the burning brazier.

“……….”

Then we’ll burn together and become a single divine bird, soaring into the sky.

***

I never had any intention of parting with Yeonghwa.

Having shaken off my own hesitation through Uncle Mukgang’s advice, I returned to my usual self, the genius who deceives even the heavens.

I spoke with Uncle Mukgang again.

“Uncle, thank you for everything. Ah, but since we haven’t met in a while, can you teach me a new esoteric martial art?”

Of course, Mantian returning to his usual state meant his conscience had burst regarding martial arts.

“…Shaking off hesitation and straight to martial arts? You really haven’t changed.”

“Well, there’s no harm in learning more.”

Mukgang stood up, faintly smiling, then looked at Mantian with a bland expression.

“I have no intention of teaching you a new martial art. But I’ll see how much you’ve grown.”

His voice was calm.

But one could feel the master’s care, anticipating the young disciple’s growth and offering proper advice.

“Have you mastered the King’s Fist? You haven’t neglected the Immutable King’s Step training, have you?”

A quiet aura rose from Mukgang’s body, and I stood up without hesitation.

To meet the stone-like master’s expectations, I drew upon my inner strength.

Like the genius who deceives even the heavens, whose name is on the Immutable King’s plaque, I smiled confidently.

Though there was no need to answer that question.

Because from now on-.

Without anyone saying start, Mukgang and Mantian stepped forward simultaneously.

Immutable King’s Step (不動明王步) / Immutable King’s Step (不動明王步)

-We can show it directly through martial combat.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa-!!

The mountain roared, and startled birds flew up as master and disciple displayed the Immutable King’s Step.