“I foresee that it will take at least five years.”
Azazel shared her vision of the future with her fellow disciples. She didn’t mention anything about tricking and kidnapping Bingyeon.
“…How can you be so sure?”
Bi Wol glared at Azazel, seemingly skeptical. If she believed only her words and waited for five years, by then, their master Bingyeon could already be dead.
“I possess the ability to glimpse possible futures. That was what I saw when I first met you, brother.”
Azazel calmly clasped her hands as she spoke. She knew that ultimately, to prevent the woman named Bing Seolhwa from making the first move, they would need to join forces.
Though they were fighting to establish dominance now, things would change if a common enemy arose.
“There’s no way Master will survive until then. The Nine Pulse Meridians is not as trivial as you imagine.”
Bi Wol shook her head, declaring it impossible. No matter how much Bingyeon extended his life, he didn’t seem capable of withstanding five years in his current condition.
Unlike others, she could check a person’s status through Qi Perception, which is why she hovered near Bingyeon, sharing his waking and sleeping hours.
“But I don’t think Azazel is lying!”
Verdandi suddenly interjected, believing that Azazel was speaking the truth based on her own observations.
If that’s the case, it meant at least Bingyeon would survive for the next five years.
“It would help if you could tell us more about that future, junior!”
In moments like these, cross-verification was essential. Merging the abilities to see the future and perceive the truth could maximize the likelihood of uncovering the most probable future.
“What I see is only a ‘possible’ future. You must keep in mind that the affairs of humans are unpredictable…”
Azazel deliberately trailed off at Verdandi’s words. Even if she admired Bingyeon, she didn’t want to outright say that something inappropriate between men and women was happening.
After all, she was a saint. Chosen by the gods, her aim was to defeat the demon king of this world.
Although she had been born a succubus, she wanted to develop her affection for Bingyeon through natural encounters rather than through enchanting magic.
“…Aren’t we the legendary hero and saint? If you could share what you foresaw, isn’t it possible we could truly save our master?”
As if piercing through that fact, Verdandi raised her voice towards Azazel. After all, the life of the person she cherished most was at stake.
Even if it meant risking everything, Verdandi could wager her life for the cause.
“Sister, do you understand what ‘body nourishment’ means?”
Azazel asked, wondering if Verdandi knew the true meaning of the solution Shin Ui had told her.
She knew from her visions that it involved the physical relationship between a man and woman.
Bi Wol, however, kept this knowledge from the other disciples to minimize her competition.
“I don’t know! Maybe it means I have to sacrifice my life!”
Verdandi replied nonchalantly, even though her one hand trembled and her blinks became more frequent.
It was the first time she felt such overwhelming fear of death. Before meeting Bingyeon, she had wished to die somewhere no one would find her.
“…That’s not it. It means having a shared bed and nurturing a deeper relationship.”
“How do you… Oh, I see, you said you can see the future.”
As a succubus, Azazel was well aware of such matters, while Bi Wol had accumulated various knowledge in preparation for any future encounter with Bingyeon.
However,
“What do you mean by ‘a deeper relationship’?”
Unlike the others, who were ready to pounce on Bingyeon, Verdandi was different.
“So… it involves making a child that looks just like each other.”
“Children are brought by storks or found under bridges, right?”
She had never learned the basic facts like this from her parents. She was like a blank sheet of paper, as Bingyeon had described.
“Could it be that you really don’t know anything?”
“Isn’t it you all who are misunderstanding? The content I heard clearly stated it was the truth!”
Bi Wol gasped in surprise at her. From their earlier kiss, she’d thought Verdandi would have some semblance of knowledge about such playful behavior.
Every action of Verdandi was a natural result of ignorance regarding love between men and women.
“You don’t even know what a kiss is?”
“I do know! It’s like pressing lips together or kissing on the cheek like I do with my mother! I thought it was something done to someone you like!”
“No, it involves mixing tongues…”
“? What on earth does that mean?”
Bi Wol felt a chill as she realized Verdandi was more innocent than she’d anticipated. Such innocence could easily ensnare a man without her even realizing it.
Unlike herself and Azazel, who harbored ulterior motives, Verdandi’s purity could become a different weapon.
Somehow, it made sense why Bingyeon was unusually cautious around Verdandi. He certainly couldn’t have missed that kiss.
“This won’t do. We need to settle this properly today.”
Feeling a sense of crisis, Bi Wol glared at Verdandi and Azazel, suggesting they fight amongst themselves.
Though they had fought together before, that time had been under Bingyeon’s guidance, and they hadn’t given their all, merely learning third-rate martial arts.
“Why the sudden shift in conversation?”
“The advancement of skill comes from consistent practice and enlightenment…”
Looking at each other now, it was clear there was too much they were hiding or ignorant about. It was uncertain who would topple Bingyeon first and take the role of the mistress.
“…I just thought it was essential to clarify who among us is suitable to be Master’s official partner.”
She had decided to take the initiative. Rather than using devious and underhanded methods, she believed she could secure the position of mistress through fair and legitimate means.
Jealousy and interference were the acts of amateurs. True masters become unparalleled women and captivate men, which Bi Wol realized through her dialogue with Azazel.
“…Very well. I, too, want to keep my future to a minimum.”
Nodding at her, Azazel felt a sudden urge to act before being outmaneuvered by Bing Seolhwa.
They could have peacefully resolved this issue merely by seducing Bingyeon and using blindfolds according to Azazel’s vision.
“I also want to change the future if possible.”
Azazel didn’t want to concede Bingyeon to anyone.
“What future did you see that would lead you to say that? Last time, you even ended up with a nosebleed.”
“…You don’t need to know.”
Before fighting, Azazel gazed into Bi Wol and Verdandi’s eyes, attempting to predict the future.
At the Yong Bong Gihwa, they had succeeded in exploiting this to defeat the Chimera, so she thought her victory was already sealed.
“Then I’ll fight too! If it’s a shortcut toward enlightenment!”
Her future predictions were blocked by Verdandi, who had summoned her divine armor early on. This armor had a blue hue, protecting the wearer from all attacks.
Seeing that, Azazel bit her lower lip.
*
Today was a day that rushed by like no other.
My disciples won the title of Three Phoenixes at the Yong Bong Gihwa, and thus, it all landed in my sect.
“Sigh… Just because they suddenly ask to be accepted as disciples, I can’t just take in anyone who wants to become stronger.”
As a result, an increasing number of people were coming to me, knowing I sought to avoid drawing attention due to my declining health and my desire to preserve the storyline.
“If I die, perhaps the only one who can lead this sect will be… Bi Wol.”
I sighed deeply and stretched out. Lately, I had been coughing up blood more often and couldn’t sleep well, waking up frequently in the early hours.
To avoid worrying my disciples, I increasingly bit my tongue and bore the pain in secret.
The growing sense that life was flickering away felt akin to the descriptions in Seolhwa’s will.
– It feels like being buried alive.
– Like someone shoveling damp, hard earth and placing handfuls upon my head each day.
“The weight of death feels so light…”
I muttered to myself while reminiscing about Seolhwa. Despite being known as a genius, she was also very emotional and had a wealth of tears.
If I could remove the outsider embedded in Seolhwa as Shin Ui suggested, I wanted to reunite with her rather than with my disciples.
I thought that would be the right thing to do.
But then,
“Master Bingyeon! It seems you need to come out for a moment…!”
I heard my disciples urgently calling for me from outside. Now that the Yong Bong Gihwa was over, and apart from the demon king trying to dominate the Western Region, there shouldn’t be anything too serious.
“Right now, Master’s top disciples are suddenly sparring…!”
“What?!”
It was common for disciples to train or practice their martial arts with one another in the sect. I tilted my head while seeing the pale-faced child speaking to me.
“Things are getting smashed in the training ground! Please come quickly and stop it!”
