A few days later, I arrived at Mosan.
Mosan is located near the end of Jiangsu province next to Anhui. It’s not that far from where I usually operate, so it’s a distance I could comfortably walk back and forth.
“So if I climb this mountain, I’ll be at Mosan Sect? But can outsiders really enter a Taoist sect?”
“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. We’re heading to my house.”
“Your house? What about the Mosan Sect?”
“Hmm, how should I put it? It’s more of a personal research project. Something like that.”
Personal research?
“Such research is essential, but to be honest, ‘Yodan’ research? There haven’t been any successful cases so far, so it’s often seen as a waste of time. If I said I was doing it out in the open, I’d get assigned other research tasks, you know? So I’m doing it privately!”
Hayoung said that as she patted my back, but honestly, I didn’t care much. Who cares who does the research?
“Okay, so we just need to head to your house? Lead the way.”
“Just follow me!”
Hayoung answered cheerfully as usual and took the lead up the mountain, wiggling her backside. Is she doing that on purpose? Every time her chipaos swayed, I found myself extremely curious about whether she was wearing anything underneath.
So here I was, just staring at Hayoung’s behind while following her.
“Oh.”
Suddenly, a magnificent mansion appeared in the forest!
“Wait, what?! Didn’t this just pop up out of nowhere? Just a moment ago there was nothing like this!”
I was struck by that sudden thought. It felt like the scenery had completely changed. There hadn’t been a mansion here just a second ago!
“Hehehe, you feel that? This is my illusion formation. Isn’t it amazing? I hide my house like this in the forest to prevent thieves from breaking in.”
Hayoung said proudly, and I could only stare in shock.
“Can this really be done with an illusion formation?! It can completely conceal a mansion?!”
“Of course! I set up this formation myself!”
“Wow, this is incredible!”
This isn’t martial arts!
“Are you that surprised you could sit there pulling your hair out?”
“Yes!”
“Hahaha! Everything you do is just so silly! Anyway, let’s go inside!”
With that, Hayoung opened the mansion’s front door, and I followed her inside.
“Oh.”
Honestly, I was surprised, but since it was a hidden mansion in the mountains, I thought it would be a bit creepy or eerie. But no, it was quite tidy inside.
“Wow, this place is really nice. Do you live here alone?”
“Yep! Oh, but you must be tired, right? Once you come in, you should rest a bit. You’ve been busy moving around, so let’s just relax today and start fresh tomorrow. Got it?”
“Sounds good! Where do I sleep?”
“Follow me.”
Hayoung guided me to a large room.
The room inside was just as well-kept, not a speck of dust in sight. Does she clean a lot? Very impressive for someone living alone.
“So rest here. I’ll go freshen up. Oh, and don’t peep, okay? Got it?”
“Come on! Do you really think I’d do that in someone else’s house?!”
“What? So peeping is fine if it’s not my house? You naughty boy!”
Hayoung poked me in the side playfully.
“You’ve never peeked before…! Besides, last time in the valley when we bathed, it was you who was peeping at me!”
“Was it? Well, anyway. This is my house, so just listen to me. Then I’ll treat you nicely.”
“What do you mean treating me nicely? Am I a puppy?”
“I don’t know! Anyway, you go wash up over there!”
After sending off the nonsensical Hayoung, I unpacked my things and went to the indicated area to wash up.
“Wow. This also has an amazing mechanism.”
Is this some kind of fancy feature that comes with a grand house? Washing up in this beautifully designed bathroom made me feel like I had returned to the Namgoong Clan.
After a refreshing wash, I changed into new clothes and sprawled out on the bed.
How much time had passed?
“Are you done washing?”
“Yeah.”
Hayoung came back.
“But is that comfy clothing?”
“Sure!”
It was like casual wear at home, not different from what I usually wear… This made it awkward to find a place to look.
“Then let’s eat!”
“Is there food?”
“It’s my house, so there wouldn’t be any?”
“But you’ve been gone for a few days, so there’s no way you’d have supplies left.”
“Don’t worry. It’s my home, why would you fret?”
Hayoung grinned playfully as she turned to walk back.
“Do you need any help? I can assist!”
“Hmm, well then, could you help me clean some fish?”
“Cleaning fish!”
I was totally an expert at this!
Immediately, I followed Hayoung. We went out to the back of the mansion and opened the back door. We walked a little further up the mountain to find a valley.
“Oh. Are we catching fish here? I need to show off my fishing skills.”
“Hehehe, are you seriously saying that? Have you ever seen a Taoist fishing?”
Hayoung laughed at me mockingly.
“No, but even Taoists have to fish to catch fish.”
“With what?”
At that moment, Hayoung inserted a finger into her cleavage and pulled out a talisman. Then, she chanted a light spell and threw it towards the valley!
“Wow!”
The talisman flew through the air like it’s going for a home run, and the moment it hit the water surface—
*Splash!*
Sparks flew, and stunned fish started floating to the surface!
“Alright! Bring them in!”
“Uh, uh oh!”
I quickly scooped up the fish with a net.
“Hey, isn’t this cheating? You can catch fish like this?!”
This is seriously overpowered!
Why would anyone even fish the normal way?!
“This is the difference between martial artists and Taoists. Ah, I’m hungry. Let’s head back to the kitchen.”
“Yes.”
After that, we headed to the kitchen and made spicy fish soup. I cleaned the fish, and Hayoung made rice. Working together, it felt like I was on vacation, and I had a great time.
*Bubble bubble.*
We boiled the fish soup.
This is seriously amazing.
“Let’s eat!”
“Thanks for the meal.”
Maybe because it had fish in it.
It was truly delicious.
“Hehehe, this is so good.”
“It’s because the water here is nice. Come on, eat a lot. You need energy for the research too.”
As she said, I finished my meal quite filling.
“Ugh.”
After eating, it began to get dark outside.
Just a little darkness made me sleepy. Knowing that I wouldn’t have to walk anymore today and could rest comfortably made me feel completely drained of energy.
“I’ll spread the bedding for you. Get ready to sleep.”
“Uh, okay. Thanks.”
After finishing up in the bathroom, Hayoung had laid out the bedding. Just looking at those fluffy blankets made me want to dive in and fall asleep right away.
So I laid down immediately.
But wait, why are there two beds laid out?
“Hey, Hayoung.”
“What?”
“Are we sleeping together?”
“Huh? Didn’t we sleep together before?”
She acted like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The problem was that Hayoung was lying right next to me.
“Hey! Camping with friends is different from sleeping in the same house together!”
“We’re friends, right? Why should it matter?”
There’s a lot that matters…!
“And by the way, I actually wanted to talk all night with a good friend like you!”
“What? That was your purpose?!”
“What else is there? With you here, let’s share some stories.”
“Ugh… I’m sleepy.”
“Just one! Just one!”
What should I tell her?
I quickly thought of a story to share with her, and without knowing when I fell asleep, I shared it with Hayoung beside me.
* * *
The next morning.
Finally, my body constitution research began.
“I’m going to start researching your body constitution now.”
We sat facing each other, kneeling.
Hayoung started to explain.
“As you know, there’s not much known about Yodan constitution. However, since our Mosan Sect… studies demons, we’re also making some research on Yodan.”
Even as she explained, I could only focus on suppressing the rising lust.
Just look.
Due to her revealing attire, her upper chest was almost completely exposed. Thinking about it, not only have I been sleeping with such a woman, but now we were spending the night together indoors.
I was going crazy.
My gaze kept wandering to that valley.
“Are you listening?”
“Y-yeah. I’m listening.”
“Good. I’ve learned some things too, so let’s really get into research. Okay? You have to follow along well?”
“As you command, Master!”
“Great! So let’s start! Lie flat on your back!”
“What?”
She wants me to lie flat?!
“Lie flat, I said. Didn’t you hear me?”
“W-wait a minute.”
“Hurry and lie down. I’m in a rush.”
“Ah!”
Hayoung stood up and grabbed my shoulder, pushing me down! Because of that, I couldn’t contain my tent and just laid down!
No!
I’m going to be found out!
“What’s wrong?”
But Hayoung’s reaction was strange.
“You did it again? You really have a lot of Yang energy, don’t you?”
“W-what? Again?”
Again…?
“Don’t play dumb. This happens every time you sleep.”
“Oh no!”
I’ve been found out!
As I curled up in shame, Hayoung burst out laughing.
“Hahahaha! You’re embarrassed! What can you do! There’s a stunning beauty like me alone with you; how can you suppress your lust? You keep stealing glances at my chest, and that’s why it’s happening!”
“I just… want you to be considerate…!”
“More nonsense. Stop worrying about it and lie straight!”
Is that it?
Hayoung must have known all along that I tented up every time I slept but generously ignored it…!
“Ugh.”
I shed tears of humiliation and lay down flat.
“But hey, it feels like there’s a mountain rising here.”
“Don’t say that!”
“Well, looking at it, shouldn’t I be more embarrassed than you? After all, I’m the one seeing you like this, but whatever.”
“You need to start the research…!”
“Alright! Then let’s really start!”
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, Hayoung stood up and clapped her hands against the floor. Then she took out a talisman, placed it in her mouth, and started mumbling something while walking around me.
*Scrape scrape.*
It was like she was drawing a circle.
As she walked slowly, she kept tossing the talismans, putting them in her mouth, and throwing them back on the ground. I tried my best not to sneak a peek when Hayoung walked over my head.
Anyway.
Soon enough, my surroundings were filled with talismans.
*Thud.*
After that, Hayoung placed something that looked foreboding around me.
“What’s that?”
“This contains gathered Yogi energy. And this talisman is for subjugating evil. It’s the preparation for examining the energy in my body.”
“*Preparations,* huh.”
“Alright, keep still.”
“Ugh.”
Looks like she was done preparing, and Hayoung came closer.
Then she sat on my stomach… what’s she touching? This girl suddenly started unbuttoning my clothes!
“What the…!”
“Stay still. It’s not weird or anything.”
“Okay.”
“Hey! Why are you saying okay? You’re supposed to focus now, so stop being funny!”
That wasn’t exactly a funny line.
With that, Hayoung undid my clothes and began feeling my chest with her bare hands. It seemed like she was checking my pulse.
But what should I say? Since Hayoung was small, her hands were also small. But with those small, soft hands touching my body…
“Ugh…!”
I couldn’t help but let out a groan, feeling like I was flirting. It tickled, and it was turning me on.
This is something I just can’t help. With a beauty whose chest is bigger than my head massaging my skin like this in a tight room, how can I not react?
“Hmmm, your energy is very pure.”
Regardless, Hayoung focused on her task.
“Honestly, I’m surprised. But you mentioned it, right? When wielding your sword, there’s a hint of that purple energy that seeps out.”
“That’s right.”
“I think if it was completely pure energy, it wouldn’t show any purple. Purple or black is, as you know, a color that belongs to dull and dark energy.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s why I think that purple energy might actually be Yogi energy.”
“Yogi energy?!”
Not energy, but Yogi?!
“Yep! Isn’t it like this? If you absorbed Yodan, it wouldn’t be energy but rather Yogi collected, right?”
“Now that you mention it, it sounds right.”
“But you know, I don’t feel that energy in your pure energy.”
“Why not?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out now. Why does only your clean energy emit such a color? I really can’t hold back my curiosity. I’m going to place the needles now, so don’t move your body.”
“Needles too?”
*Stab.*
Hayoung began to insert thin needles into my body. Surprisingly, there was no pain at all.
“Hmmm.”
She was wearing a very concentrated expression.
Hayoung was truly focused on her task. She was inserting the needles into my body and executing careful observations.
“Interesting… really interesting. Hey, can you bring out that purple energy again?”
“Uh, well, it’s not something I can just do.”
I explained that it wasn’t something that could be done at will.
“It doesn’t happen on command. It’s more like it happens occasionally.”
“Occasionally? When was the last time?”
“This is a bit embarrassing to talk about…”
“Hurry up and say it. I’ll keep your secret.”
“Before that, could you get off my stomach?”
“Ah! Sorry!”
Once Hayoung got off me, she sat next to my head. I felt like I might accidentally catch a glimpse between her legs, so I quickly turned my gaze away.
“Actually, recently I had a fight with the Black Dao group.”
“The Black Dao group?”
“They call themselves the Assassin’s Room.”
I explained the bloodshed with them.
But more than an explanation, it was closer to an excuse. After all, I couldn’t just openly confess to a Taoist that I had killed a person.
“…And at that moment, the purple energy burst out from my sword and flowed out. I stabbed him with the sword in that state. But, well, that’s not good. After killing someone, I just felt… a bit… nm.”
“Wow.”
Hearing my story, Hayoung tilted her head in confusion.
“You. You are surprisingly delicate, huh?”
“Delicate?!”
“What’s wrong with killing those Black Dao guys? Even I, as a Taoist, kill bandits and robbers.”
“…”
“Do you have a soft heart as a martial artist? You don’t need to feel bad about killing those guys.”
I couldn’t come up with a reply to such casual words.
“…”
But at least she has a kind heart.
Since she was apologizing for bringing up bad memories, it showed that she was concerned. In the martial arts world, average people are generally pretty harsh, but it seemed Hayoung was nice because she’s a Taoist.
“The bad memories… right. If you’re alright with it, that’s all that matters. I’ll pull the needles out now. Stay still.”
“Okay.”
But somehow, she seemed a bit down.
I’m actually perfectly fine, you know?
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
