Chapter 37 – A Fateful Encounter (1)

‘Oh!’

Yu-jin’s eyes widened. A truly beautiful woman stood before the group. He hurriedly flipped through the list of beauties stored in his mind.

‘Aha, so this is the last of the Five Phoenixes, the Violet Cloud Phoenix, Lee Hye-yeon.’

Still unaware of the unimaginably immense battle that lay ahead, Yu-jin was simply delighted that another woman he had to embrace had appeared.

“You must be from the Martial Alliance. I am Lee Hye-yeon, the Violet Cloud Phoenix, the only daughter of the Cheonsan Lee Clan. Thank you so much for coming all this way for our family.”

Lee Hye-yeon bowed her head respectfully, expressing her gratitude. But that alone was not enough for the group to understand the situation. Naeng Jin-cheon frowned at Lee Hye-yeon and opened his mouth.

“I am the Iron-Blooded Swordsman, Naeng Jin-cheon. Could you explain what’s going on? The damage seems far greater than expected. Where are the warriors of the Demonic Cult?”

Naeng Jin-cheon’s question was one shared by everyone except Yu-jin. Lee Hye-yeon nodded as if she understood their confusion and began to speak.

“The battle has ended, and the forces of the Demonic Cult have completely withdrawn from Gansu. We can discuss the details at our home. Please stay with us for the time being.”

Everyone nodded at Lee Hye-yeon’s words, and they headed toward the Cheonsan Lee Clan’s manor.

Only then did the group realize the sheer scale of the battle that had taken place. The Cheonsan Lee Clan’s manor was famous for its immense size, yet more than half of it had completely vanished. In its place was nothing but a massive crater.

“What is this absurd scale of…”

Martial arts masters like Naeng Jin-cheon and Dokgo Jun, as well as the members of the Eight Dragons and Five Phoenixes, excluding Yu-jin, were all utterly astonished by the sight before them.

They couldn’t believe that human martial arts, no matter how great, could cause destruction of this magnitude. Lee Hye-yeon nodded, as if understanding their reactions, and spoke.

“I had evacuated to another location with the masters of the Guardian Hall, and I couldn’t hide my surprise when I returned and saw this. But considering two absolute masters clashed, I suppose such a result is to be expected.”

There were only ten people in the martial world who could be called absolute masters. The Ten Great Heavenly Masters, the strongest warriors whose martial arts were said to reach the heavens. Or the transcendent ones, called war gods in human form.

“Does that mean…”

At Je-gal Min’s words, Lee Hye-yeon nodded.

“My father and the most wicked of demons, the Heavenly Demon, clashed on this very spot. My father did his utmost and succeeded in forcing the Heavenly Demon to retreat.”

It was hard to believe that he had defeated the Heavenly Demon, the warrior known to be the strongest in both the Central Plains and the outlying regions.

“He made the Heavenly Demon retreat? Does that mean the Hegemon Heaven Saber Emperor won?”

When Mo Yong-jin asked, Lee Hye-yeon shook her head.

“Father said he only managed to make him retreat, and that was all. He said there was no victor. However, my father is currently recuperating after suffering a great blow from the Heavenly Demon’s dark arts.”

‘Of course he has to recuperate.’

Everyone felt sympathy at her words, but Yu-jin was different. In fact, he thought Lee Hwan was incredibly lucky.

Yu-jin knew well the power of the absurd existence known as the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon’s attacks annihilated a person’s life force. Therefore, the concept of defense was meaningless against him.

In the duel between the Hegemon Heaven Saber Emperor Lee Hwan and the Heavenly Demon that Lee Hye-yeon mentioned, the moment Lee Hwan was struck by the Heavenly Demon’s final blow, the affected area had immediately begun to rot.

If he hadn’t hastily amputated the rotting part, even he, a master who had reached the absolute state of the Profound Realm, would have already turned to ash and disappeared.

‘He may have hidden his true power, but the same goes for the Heavenly Demon. If he were to reveal his full strength, not even the Hegemon Heaven Saber Emperor could win.’

It was less a difference in martial arts and more a matter of their fundamental nature. While Yu-jin was lost in thought, Lee Hye-yeon continued.

“My older brother, the young lord, was also gravely injured fighting the Demonic Cult’s strongest combat unit, the Blood Sword Brigade, and is unable to move for the time being. Because of this, I’m afraid we won’t be able to host you properly. I don’t know how to apologize… You all came so far for our family, I’m truly sorry.”

“There’s no need to worry about such trivial things. You should take good care of your father and brother.”

As Na Ye-jin said this, Lee Hye-yeon gave a faint nod and withdrew. Then, the warriors standing beside her guided the group to their rooms.

“They’re overdoing it.”

Entering his assigned room, Yu-jin let out a bitter smile. With two-thirds of the manor gone, it was clear that more than a few people had lost their homes.

Even in such a situation, giving each member of their party a private room meant that others would have to stay outside.

To make the manor’s residents stay outside right after a major battle showed that the Cheonsan Lee Clan was clearly pushing themselves too far.

“Well, that’s their problem. The real issue is that the Western Heaven Demonic Cult hasn’t completely left Gansu.”

Yu-jin muttered as he lay down on the bed. While fighting the Cheonsan Lee Clan, the Western Heaven Demonic Cult had ordered its numerous combat units to attack other sects in Gansu, and the more well-known sects were annihilated in an instant.

The Western Heaven Demonic Cult would soon occupy the vacuum that had been created.

“Though they’ll probably launch a major attack on us before that.”

However, Yu-jin wasn’t particularly worried. At most, the Demonic Cult would dispatch a Vice-Patriarch, and with Eun Seol-rin and the others joining them, they could handle that much.

* * *

“Hah…”

Ja Ye-eun, the Orchid Phoenix of the Emei Sect, let out a deep sigh. The person on her mind right now was none other than Yu-jin.

“What in the world is wrong with me…?”

There was a trigger. It was when the mysterious assailants had attacked before they arrived in Gansu.

The men in black were weaker than her, but they charged with a disregard for their own lives, and the inexperienced Ja Ye-eun had been overwhelmed.

‘Such utter lack of courtesy.’

If Yu-jin hadn’t saved her by unleashing his sword energy then, she would have lost her life. Looking at Yu-jin in that moment, Ja Ye-eun had thought he was magnificent.

She had always been interested in his strength, but to have such a powerful man save her, even the great Ja Ye-eun couldn’t help but be swayed.

“Hah…”

Feeling her body heat up unknowingly, Ja Ye-eun slipped a finger inside her skirt and caressed her petals. When she pulled her finger out, she could see it was thoroughly slick.

“Master Yu-jin…”

Thinking of Yu-jin, Ja Ye-eun slipped her wet finger back inside her moist flower and began to move it.

“Haaah! Haaah! M-Master Yu-jin!”

Although she knew he had a fiancée, Ja Ye-eun couldn’t deny her feelings for Yu-jin. And so, another of the Five Phoenixes had lost her heart to him.

The superhuman senses of an absolute master were truly terrifying.

Yu-jin, who had been sleeping, had clearly heard the sounds Ja Ye-eun was making.

Ja Ye-eun had created a sound barrier to prevent any noise from leaking out, but to Yu-jin, it was less than paper.

Moreover, whether by chance or by fate, Yu-jin was staying in the room right next to hers, which made it even easier to hear.

“Looks like helping her during the ambush was the right choice.”

Ja Ye-eun, who possessed a naturally haughty disposition, was the type to ignore most men.

But Yu-jin was a newly risen master. On top of that, he had quickly become known as the most outstanding of the Eight Dragons, so even the proud Ja Ye-eun couldn’t help but be interested.

Yu-jin had immediately noticed her interest in him and had quickly put his mind to work.

“No matter how haughty she is, she can’t escape my grasp.”

He had waited for the right moment, and the instant Ja Ye-eun was in danger, he had rushed in to save her. With almost no immunity to men, Ja Ye-eun couldn’t help but fall for him.

As everything went according to his plan, Yu-jin smiled, got out of bed, and quietly opened the door.

“Hnng… Hnng…”

Unaware of who had arrived outside, Ja Ye-eun continued to stimulate her petals. Yet, as her lust remained unquenched, she moved her fingers more stimulatingly and roughly.

Then, with one hand, she rubbed, kneaded, and flicked her nipple. With each touch, her nipple grew harder.

Ja Ye-eun bit her lip hard as she pushed her fingers inside her flower. As one knuckle, then two, burrowed into her tender flesh, a moan escaped her lips despite her clenched teeth.

‘She’s getting ready on her own.’

Satisfied with how well things were going, Yu-jin slowly opened the door, slipped inside quietly, and formed an even stronger sound barrier to block any noise from escaping. But Ja Ye-eun, lost in her own actions, failed to notice.

“Master Yu-jin… Master Yu-jin…”

With every call of his name, her fingers grew rougher and moved faster.

Now, she was lying face down on the bed, her hips pushed back high, with three fingers thrust inside her petals. This allowed Yu-jin a perfect view of all her secret parts.

“I didn’t realize you desired me this much.”

Only then did Ja Ye-eun notice Yu-jin’s presence, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at him.

“Y-Young Master Kang!”

Yu-jin looked at the startled Ja Ye-eun with a smile and opened his mouth.

“If you wanted me that badly, why didn’t you just call for me?”

At Yu-jin’s question, Ja Ye-eun’s face turned red, and she couldn’t say a word. Yu-jin slowly approached her and caressed her face. But Ja Ye-eun quickly slapped his hand away with a furious expression.

“To enter a lady’s room at this late hour, I’m disappointed! Besides, d-don’t you already have Lady Namgung Hwa-rin?”

“Oh? Are you saying you would have accepted me if Hwa-rin wasn’t in the picture?”

“O-Of course not!”

Ja Ye-eun shouted, but Yu-jin simply ignored her and forcefully spread her legs.

“Kyaa!”

Ja Ye-eun tried to close them with all her might, but she was no match for Yu-jin’s strength.

And so, with her legs wide open, she was forced to reveal her drenched bush and the flower hidden within to Yu-jin.

“To say such things while being this wet… Lying is unbecoming of you, Lady Ja Ye-eun.”

With those words, Yu-jin untied the front of her top. Ja Ye-eun’s pale, smooth breasts were revealed.

A perfect size, skin so soft it felt as if one’s hand would melt, and perky nipples. Yu-jin could tell that Ja Ye-eun was truly a magnificent wellspring.

Contrary to her haughty personality, she was obsessed with the sword and lived only for it, never bothering to adorn herself like a woman. Otherwise, Ja Ye-eun was also an incredible beauty.

‘I have to embrace Lee Hye-yeon too, but first, the prey in front of me.’

It was only a matter of order; the fact that she had to be embraced by him remained unchanged.