NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23
[Just before the meeting, Mo Yong Family’s mansion central office.]
“Trash is running rampant.”
Sword Saint Mo Yongcheon gathered the letters brought by the messengers into one pile and placed them on a ceramic dish, then extended a finger towards it.
Fwoosh.
A red spark erupted from his index fingertip.
Rather than shooting up into the sky, the flame shot out diagonally towards the dish, igniting the papers with wild abandon.
Three Mystical Transformations!
Concentrating vital energy at his fingertips to create flames.
This technique requires a mastery of internal energy, a skill possible only for those who have reached the level beyond the peak of cultivation.
Others may allow their flames to rise naturally toward the heavens, yet Sword Saint Mo Yongcheon possessed the unparalleled ability to direct the flames in the direction he desired when managing his energy.
Someone might say:
Given that the world’s strongest utilizes the Three Mystical Transformations to display godly might, it’s understandable, but to use that against the ‘marriage proposal’ letters flying in from all corners of the martial world?
“Crazy bastards.”
The Sword Saint cast a contemptuous glance at the remnants of the marriage proposals now reduced to burnt ash on the ceramic dish.
More precisely, it was aimed at those who sent the proposals.
“The bastards who didn’t come when my daughter was dying and in pain. Those who didn’t even bother to attend her funeral feast.”
Sword Saint Mo Yongcheon was clearly expressing his fury.
“They’re all scrambling now that they hear my daughter has recovered. Even knowing that Physician Seok’s become her formal partner.”
He chuckled bitterly.
Though the marriage proposals had already turned to ash, some words among them distinctly triggered a mocking laughter from the Sword Saint’s lips.
“I’ll fight against Physician Seok to prove who is a worthy match for Mo Yongseol? Ha, crazy bastard.”
There was indeed someone daft enough to think winning a fight against a physician would make him Mo Yong Family’s son-in-law.
Moreover, another lunatic claimed he would take Mo Yongseol as his wife and bring her into his family.
These idiots were among those in the martial world known as ‘Late Bloomers.’
Refereed by a matchmaker known as ‘Three Divine Matchmakers,’ who specialized in uniting martial families, they assigned scores to potential marriage candidates. They rated an average of 4.8 out of 5, classifying them as so-called ‘excellent prospects.’
Yet from the Sword Saint’s perspective, they appeared as nothing but madmen attempting to disrupt a perfectly normal relationship by messing with a couple that genuinely loved each other.
To them, the fact that Mo Yongseol was romantically involved with Seok Muwol was of no importance.
Some see it as an achievement to possess the world’s most beautiful maiden.
Some see it as the thrill of having impregnated the daughter of the world’s strongest person.
Some have ambitions to raise a strong martial artist born from the woman of the Divine Heavenly Demon.
Of course, any man who sees Mo Yongseol would likely fall in love at first sight; hence, the phrase ‘not even intending to fall in love’ doesn’t apply here, but it’s undeniably uncomfortable.
“Even if a miracle didn’t occur, he’s the kind of man who could have been a son-in-law to the end.”
Should Mo Yongseol not have been healed.
Or if they had developed feelings for each other despite the failure to heal.
Still, the Sword Saint would have insisted that once Mo Yongseol’s funeral was underway, Seok Muwol would take full responsibility as her partner.
He’s that kind of person.
He isn’t just some young beast that can be treated carelessly because he’s at a certain pivotal point in his cultivation.
Surely, in some hypothetical scenario, if a guy like Seok Muwol had no prior romantic interests and had a daughter past marrying age like his brother Mo Yongsan?
– Sounds perfect for a nephew-in-law. What do you think, brother?
The Sword Saint would have likely recommended Seok Muwol to his brother as a perfect match.
Now, however, having reversed roles makes it quite awkward to bring up.
Seok Muwol is not someone with any flaws or who could be disregarded.
Therefore.
The Sword Saint was concerned.
He worried that men in the martial world, hoping to win over Mo Yongseol, might create trouble for Seok Muwol.
While they might claim to love his daughter, wielding swords against him to assert dominance must feel entirely different than how a woman is treated.
He couldn’t help but think about how best to teach Seok Muwol martial arts.
What if a rival showed up and caused problems?
“Could it be that trouble would arise in this shape?”
Honestly, the Sword Saint was astonished.
“Could someone aiming for my daughter… actually come in the form of a woman?”
A woman emerged to snatch Mo Yongseol away from Seok Muwol.
This would be a shocking revelation even for the remnants of the marriage proposals the Sword Saint had burnt.
“…….”
The Sword Saint quietly closed his eyes.
“It won’t be easy.”
It isn’t easy.
Though he had spoken to Seok Muwol himself, he still struggled to suppress the curiosity bubbling up within him.
“A woman who likes women.”
If only.
“If she wished she could be born a man, wanting to love women as a man.”
If she desperately hoped for a miracle from Seok Muwol’s ‘miraculous chemical ability.’
“…Would she turn into a man?”
* * *
“I’ll formally introduce myself, Mo Yongseol. I’m the abandoned child of the Dang House, Dang Yoori. Just call me ‘Yoori’ in public.”
Dang Yoori smiled brightly at Mo Yongseol.
Even while hiding behind me like a shield, she stared at me, directing her gaze not at me but at the Mo Yongseol behind me.
She wasn’t peering through me.
It’s simply that she was showing more concern for Mo Yongseol than for my presence.
“Maybe it’s time to redirect those eyes toward my woman a bit?”
“But it’s hard to look away from such beauty.”
“I understand, but you need to hold back since that’s another man’s woman.”
“Even if I want to hold back, it’s really not easy with such a gorgeous beauty. Where else can you find a beauty like this?”
“I won’t let you go?”
“Ugh, fine. I’ll hold back. Can you loosen up a bit now?”
Dang Yoori pointed at her own body with her eyes.
“Ah, come on. Swear it.”
“Swear?”
“If you don’t, I can’t trust you.”
“But you said I was a trustworthy woman earlier?”
“Among the sleeping ones, I find you the most trustworthy, but my trust in the very being of the sleeping ones is rock bottom.”
That’s at least an improvement.
At least Dang Yoori wouldn’t treat me as a mere romantic interest, unlike other sleeping ones trying to take Mo Yongseol by ambushing her.
“If you don’t swear, I won’t ease up. And I’ll kill you.”
“…….”
“Whether you entered through the Purple Sword Gate or not, this is the Mo Yong Family domain. The Mo Yong Family will eradicate any intruders, so who would dare intervene with that death?”
“Perhaps the Poison Demon?”
“The Poison Demon? It’d be better to say the Heavenly Demon has regained its sanity and is preparing for a revival of the Demon Cult.”
“Ugh, fine. You truly don’t give any leeway, really.”
Dang Yoori sighed deeply and clicked her tongue as if genuinely disappointed.
“If I lie, my heart will explode and I’ll die. I swear. Alas, it truly pains me to say this, but I will abandon my desires towards Seok Muwol’s woman, Mo Yongseol.”
Thump.
My heart pounded once hard.
Both Dang Yoori and I were people containing loneliness in our hearts, so I clearly understood what this heartbeat meant.
“Alright. If you cross the line even once, I will explode you. Keep that in mind.”
“Understood… Are you really planning to give up your emotions?”
“Do you want to explode?”
“That truly signifies how badly I desire.”
Dang Yoori exhaled a deep sigh, and I reached out my hand towards her.
“Um, Physician. Touching other women carelessly is…”
“Consider this person a man, my lady.”
“Pardon?”
“A man in a woman’s body. Though she appears a heavenly maiden, inside lies the vile thoughts of a pervert aiming at women drawn by her beauty.”
This is simply a man possessing a woman’s body.
“I’m not that knowledgeable about spirits, but there’s no doubt a man possesses this woman’s body. Or perhaps someone who was a man in their past life, had never held a woman’s hand, and now has been reborn a woman with those memories, plays the role.”
“Seriously, what do you take me for?”
“Do you remember how many women have been toyed with by you? No? Have you ever inquired about how many flowers you have swallowed whole?”
“Twelve.”
Dang Yoori tilted her head back proudly.
“It’s fine. I’m Dang Yoori. You know I don’t mess with women who have been touched by men, right?”
“…….”
“Let me be direct. Physician Seok Muwol. You’re aware there are sleeping ones that are targeting you…and many women from the martial world, right?”
Dang Yoori squinted her eyes and smiled in a peculiar manner.
“I’ll help you as long as I’m here.”
“You want to take action?”
“That’s right. So… Mo Yongseol?”
Dang Yoori asked Mo Yongseol, not me.
“Do you know how many girls are fond of Physician Seok Muwol?”
“Um… how many?”
“From what I know, it’s over seventeen just from the orphanage.”
“…….”
“Isn’t that a shameless accusation, my lady?”
That’s absurd.
“That’s merely due to the lack of a decent man in the Demon Cult, and it’s just a misunderstanding of gratitude towards a physician who healed them.”
“And what do you think, Mo Yongseol? If you help me, I’ll make sure those women cannot approach Physician Seok and will only be able to be by my side. Hehe.”
“…What?”
Even while hiding behind me, Mo Yongseol peeked her head over my shoulder.
“Yoori, are you…not a woman?”
“Of course, I’m a woman.”
“Then, perhaps, you’re longing to be a man or… hoping for some sort of ‘gender transformation’?”
“…….”
Mo Yongseol seemed intrigued.
If she wished to become a man desperately, this woman before us could potentially become a man.
“Me? A man?”
Dang Yoori chuckled softly.
“No? I just enjoy being with women.”
“Ah….”
“Thus, I’ll help you out, especially this time.”
Chuckle.
“The people from Yu Giyeon and the Purple Sword Gate, I know methods to send them back to their sect.”
“What methods?”
“Well, it involves using some drugs.”