Chapter 59

“Sir Sima is my precious benefactor. If you wish to learn, of course, I should teach you. However…”


As her words trailed off, Sososo’s calm eyes darkened.


“It’s not important, but… could you tell me who ‘Yeonghwa’ is and what your relationship is?”


“Huh? Yeonghwa?”


“Yes, Yeonghwa.”


Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I blinked, but Sososo’s expression was serious.


Beneath her usual composed face, emotions were visible. She seemed genuinely curious.


…But my relationship with Yeonghwa?


It’s complicated to explain as just a normal sibling relationship. I looked up at the sky.


Through the drifting clouds, Yeonghwa’s face appeared. Precious memories surfaced.


After the Demon Sect’s attack, Uncle Mukgang taught me the esoteric external training method. While doing muscle training in the yard, Yeonghwa would appear with food or snacks.


“Brother, you must be hungry. Here’s some Khoresh Fesenjân, good for stamina recovery.”


“…Huh? Kho, Khores?”


“Khoresh Fesenjân. A stew made with pomegranate concentrate, walnut powder, chicken, and various spices, simmered for about two hours.”


I never expected to eat such an authentic Persian? Iranian? traditional dish in a Central Plains household.


“It’s a dish that takes time, so in my hometown, it’s prepared for special occasions or important guests.”


Indeed, with ingredients like pomegranate and spices, it wasn’t a dish easily prepared.


“But today isn’t special, and there’s no important guest. Thinking you went through all that trouble in the kitchen just for me makes me feel guilty…?!”


The sweet and tangy, yet light, warm stew filled my mouth.


“Hoho~ No need to think that.”


Yeonghwa, with a radiant smile, spoon-fed me the stew, shutting my mouth and dismissing my unnecessary worries.


“Because to me, Brother is the most precious and important person (husband) in the world.”


It’s no exaggeration. To Yeonghwa, I was the most precious person who came into her bleak life.


Moreover, weren’t we a couple who pledged love under the peach tree?


For her beloved husband and brother, this much hardship was nothing.


“So, Brother, just enjoy the meal.”


As I swallowed the warm stew, I looked into her red eyes gazing only at me. A smile naturally formed.


I gently stroked Yeonghwa’s head, acknowledging her adorable, albeit absurd, logic.


“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”


No more words were needed. It was time to show through actions.


I happily devoured the dishes Yeonghwa prepared for me, savoring each bite.


…


And starting with the stew, including dessert, the Persian traditional full-course meal filled my stomach, forcing me to raise the white flag.


“Whew… Yeonghwa, there’s too much food… I’m not Sima Mantian (司馬瞞天) but Sima Manbok (司馬滿腹)…”


I stuck out my bloated belly as evidence.


Yeonghwa, covering her mouth with an elegant hand, giggled and gently stroked my round belly with her slender, pretty fingers.


“Hoho~ It’s okay. Even if you gain weight, Brother, you’ll still be the most handsome brother in the world. And…”


Suddenly, a dark shadow crossed Yeonghwa’s face. A bewitching flame flickered in her red eyes. She whispered her thoughts quietly.


“To prevent those pesky stray cats from flocking, it’s not bad to become a bit round and cute.”


I don’t understand the connection between becoming round and cute and stray cats flocking, but from then on, Yeonghwa always cared for my health and cooked delicious meals.


From preparing ingredients to cooking. Cooking isn’t easy. She’s truly a kind and affectionate girl.


…So, I stopped reminiscing and introduced my lovely sister to Sososo with gratitude.


“Yeonghwa is my precious sister. And she always cooked for me.”


“…Huh? Cooked?”


“Yes. She always made delicious meals. So much so that when I’m hungry, I think of Yeonghwa’s face instead of my mother’s.”


At my response, Sososo nodded quietly.


“I see… So, when you drank only alcohol in the morning on an empty stomach… you were looking for Yeonghwa… not comparing her to mom…”


Moreover, contrary to her worries, the fact that Yeonghwa was my sister, not my lover, made Sososo sigh in relief, placing her hand on her chest.


Freed from the anxiety that had troubled her since morning, Sososo returned to her calm and gentle demeanor.


Facing my beast-like, greedy yet pure amber eyes, she smiled kindly.


“Sir Sima, thank you for answering my question. Now, I’ll teach you how to apply internal energy.”


Originally, Sososo had rented the hot spring to help with my training. Regardless of my relationship with Yeonghwa, she intended to teach me internal energy application from the start.


…But why did she ask about Yeonghwa, which could disturb her mind before the serious training began? Sososo herself didn’t realize.


In her calm, cold gray eyes, only I was reflected.


In the heart of a girl who didn’t know love, the emotion of possessiveness began to sprout.


***


Just as martial artists are called third-rate, first-rate, or peak depending on their level, lightness skills also have different names based on proficiency and level.


The most basic level is Grass Flight (草上飛).


Literally meaning flying over grass, it’s just using internal energy to hop around.


It’s the level I’m at when using the Jeonjin Sect’s Golden Goose Skill (金雁功).


The second level is Treading Snow Without Trace (踏雪無痕).


As the name suggests, it means walking on snow without leaving footprints, using internal energy to lighten the body and increase lightness skill efficiency.


In other words, to master the Frost Breaking Palm (履霜破氷掌), which requires precise internal energy control, I naturally needed to reach the Treading Snow Without Trace level.


…And to reach Treading Snow Without Trace, I needed to know how to use the Thousand Jin Hammer (千斤錘).


A bitter smile escaped me.


This martial world is endless, wave after wave.


…But what can I do?


A thirsty man digs a well, and a man who wants to learn trains. And because it’s endless, it’s always new and fun.


Truly, martial arts is a long-term content that leaves no room for boredom.


“Sir Sima, your foundation is solid, and your body is well-balanced. If you learn to handle internal energy, you’ll quickly reach the Treading Snow Without Trace level.”


I watched Sososo, using internal energy to reduce her body weight, standing on one foot on a wooden plank floating in the hot spring.


The hot spring water was so calm it was hard to believe someone was standing on the plank.


It was the result of applying the Thousand Jin Hammer in reverse.


Anyway, martial arts training is as much about thinking as it is about physically experiencing.


I followed Sososo’s instructions, applying internal energy, and boldly stepped onto the plank.


…And then I slipped, looking up at the clear sky, soaking in the warm hot spring.


It was a commemorative first dip, marking the start of daytime Treading Snow Without Trace training with Sososo and nighttime Frost Breaking Palm theory lessons with Wang Miaoyang.


***


Three days into serious training.


Thanks to consistent basic training since childhood, as Sososo predicted, I quickly reached the Treading Snow Without Trace level, albeit clumsily.


The problem was I hadn’t successfully executed the Frost Breaking Palm even once.


It felt like being stuck on a steep slope just before the summit during a hike.


It seemed like a little more effort would do it, but it just didn’t work. It was frustrating.


Especially since I had to leave for the Martial Alliance soon after recuperation, I grew impatient.


While waiting for my little master, Wang Miaoyang, who had gone out for a bit, at the inn’s first floor, Sososo suddenly approached me.


“Sir Sima, I have to meet a relative here, so I’ll be back after picking them up.”


“Alright, be careful. But if it’s a relative, are they also from the Namgung family?”


Knowing that some Namgung family leaders targeted Sososo after the assassination attempt, I asked out of concern.


Sososo, understanding my intent, smiled wryly and shook her head.


“No, it’s my mother’s side, my cousin. Then, I’ll be back shortly.”


Actually, Sososo wanted to have a private conversation with me, but fearing her cousin, the princess of the North Sea Ice Palace, might cause trouble, she quickly left to pick her up.


…And unfortunately, as Sososo left the inn towards the village gate.


A beautiful girl with snow-white hair and skin, sparkling golden eyes, strangely resembling Sososo, entered the inn with attendants and guards.


***


“I, Xue Feng (雪鳳) Xue Yuehua (雪月花), sister of Bing Long (氷龍), have specially come to see you! Show yourself, Jian Long (劍龍)!!”


The bold voice echoing through the inn drew all eyes to Yuehua, but her cousin brother, Jian Long (劍龍) Namgung Sososo (南宮小昭), was nowhere to be seen.


“We agreed to meet here, so where are you!”


“It seems we missed each other. I’ll send attendants to find you. Please wait here.”


Yuehua, excited to meet Sososo, grumbled but had no choice, so she sat down and ordered refreshments.


In this situation, the attendants, to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, changed the topic.


“Miss, I heard that Zhuge Guhae, that monster, has arrived at the Martial Alliance to participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Association.”


“Hmph! Let her participate! If she meets my brother, she’ll just become a frozen lizard!!”


They should have stopped there.


The attendants, just trying to pass the time, brought up Guhae’s birth story, turning it into gossip.


As a result, perhaps because they were too noisy.


Creak-


A man with beast-like amber eyes slowly stood up from his chair.


The man, limping on his right leg, walked straight to the table where Yuehua’s group was seated.


And calmly stated his name and purpose.


“My name is Sima Mantian (司馬瞞天). And you insulted my woman. Choose to apologize or-”


Starting a fight is reckless. It’s foolish.


…But I’m not a wise man.


When my adorable disciple is openly insulted, I can’t just stand by and calculate pros and cons.


So, I steeled myself and initiated the fight.


“Stop talking and let’s fight.”


The left arm bitten by Guhae ached, pushing away the emptiness in my right hand.


It was time to return as the genius who deceives even heaven, the Shanks of the martial world, Sima Mantian (司馬瞞天).