Chapter 104: I Must Be Going Crazy

[That’s far enough, you rascal.]

As I steeled my resolve and tried to go inside, Master Zhang Sanfeng stopped me.

“Master?”

[I was planning to just stand by and watch, but that will not do. This is not a situation you can touch at your current level. If you do not want to kill an innocent person, abandon the thought of touching her.]

“…….”

He had never been wrong when it came to martial arts.

However, perhaps because it was related to Sister Seol-ah, it was not easy to accept.

[What do you think would happen if you poured ice water into boiling hot oil?]

A massive explosion.

I had seen it when I was young.

More accurately, I should say I had caused it.

In the aftermath of that, the kitchen became a mess. Naturally, Baek Mu-ho, who had committed the deed, and I were beaten until our buttocks turned bright red.

“……The backlash would be massive.”

[That is what will happen in that child’s body.]

The disaster of the kitchen would happen inside Sister Seol-ah’s body.

Perhaps because of the experience, I was able to picture a terrifyingly vivid result in my head.

[Did I not warn you in Sichuan! You must not carelessly inject a different kind of energy into someone else’s body. Especially if it is an energy that can cause a backlash!]

“Even if that is the divine power of the earth?”

The divine power of the earth was a power that had worked even on Aunt Han San-wol. If Sister Seol-ah’s origin was the same as Aunt Han San-wol’s, I thought it would work well enough.

This was because I judged that divine power was a force superior to internal energy.

If so, I thought I would be able to easily suppress and subdue the backlash.

However, Master’s judgment seemed to be different.

[If you can control it, it would be of help. That is, if you have the precision to build a thousand-tier stone pagoda using only a single finger in a place where the winter wind is raging. However, if you fail even once, there will be a price to pay. Can you control that?]

Through Master’s rebuke, the difficulty of what I was trying to do became clear.

My boiling emotions also gradually settled down.

“I am sorry.”

To me, who was showing a calm appearance, Master Zhang Sanfeng presented the path to take this time.

[It is not that there is no way at all. The point is to eliminate the conflict. Even if a conflict occurs, you just need to embrace and manage it.]

“The Three Talents Unified Qi Art……”

Master Zhang Sanfeng’s Three Talents Unified Qi Art was a martial art that embraced even Master Bodhidharma’s Heavy Earth Divine Art and Master Heavenly Demon’s Heavenly Demon Kalpaless Hand.

[Of course, it is not something that can be done at your current level. Do not rush. That child’s mother has also survived safely until now. Does this not mean that there is a way to get through this situation in its own way?]

“……That must be the case. I know it to be something that happens about once or twice a year.”

It was something that had happened before, and Sister Seol-ah had gotten through it safely.

But conversely, it meant that this kind of pain had existed all this time.

I wanted to correct it.

‘But since they say now is not the time…….’

My heart began to ache.

[Hmm……]

On the other hand, Master Zhang Sanfeng went into his own thoughts.

[Cold-Yin Qi that exerts this much power at such a young age…… That there is such a backlash means it is not a normal martial art…… It is also a martial art whose lineage is easily severed. Yet, she inherited it?]

It seemed to be a martial art that had not made a name for itself when Master Zhang Sanfeng was on earth. Even Master Zhang Sanfeng, who was knowledgeable in various martial arts, could not give an answer right away.

[I should look into it. In any case, wait. Well, if worst comes to worst, I can just create a martial art.]

“……Pardon?”

[Did I not tell you to pull if pushing does not work? If it is difficult from the outside, you can catch it from the inside. Although it would be difficult to pass down the Three Talents Unified Qi Art to that child since it was tailored to you…… well, if I modify that part appropriately, something will come out.]

“Ha…… ha……”

A hollow laugh came out.

‘My masters were this kind of people.’

They were people who could easily create martial arts that others would risk their lives to covet.

[So, trust your master and do not act rashly.]

“Yes!”

Not a single one of Sister Seol-ah’s problems was resolved, but my mind felt much easier.

Those for whom nothing was impossible. That was who my masters were.

I just had to trust them and wait.

It was then.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

A clear voice was heard from the inside.

Sister Seol-ah must have heard me talking to Master.

“Can I come in?”

“In the past, I would have said no, but since you have also learned martial arts now. Since Mother was greatly surprised to see your achievement…… it will be fine.”

At times like this, Sister Seol-ah did not let anyone close to her except for family. Certainly, with this level of coldness, even a decent expert would be in danger.

“Then I am coming in.”

Although it was stepping foot into a woman’s room, we were not in a relationship to care about such things, so I opened the door without hesitation.

‘It’s cold.’

The moment I put my hand on the door, I felt a chill. The cold doorknob was no different from ice.

What hit me as soon as I opened the door was cold air reminiscent of midwinter. Cold air flowed out to the point where one’s breath would freeze.

In the past, I would not have been able to even approach the building.

But now there was no problem.

I stepped inside without showing any sign of it.

In the middle of the room, Sister Seol-ah was lying down, covered in silver silk bedding.

I calmly approached and sat down next to her, asking how she was doing.

“How is your body?”

“I am fine. Because it is not as hard as when I was young.”

There were several times I had seen Sister Seol-ah suffer while emitting coldness as if having a seizure. Her emphasizing that it was more bearable than back then was to show consideration for me.

That made me care even more.

Whether such thoughts showed on my face, Sister Seol-ah smiled quietly.

“It is just something that happens once or twice a year. Don’t worry too much. My ancient ancestors were like this every day.”

“Even so, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t having a hard time right now, Sister.”

“If you put it that way, I have nothing to say either, but.”

At my words, Sister Seol-ah stuck out her tongue as if she was embarrassed.

It seemed I had made a slip of the tongue because my emotions had unintentionally flared up.

I needed to change the subject.

“……Your ancestors must have suffered a lot too.”

“Yes, they said so. They said it was very hard. Many died, and some……”

Sister Seol-ah, who was about to say something, trailed off.

I could roughly guess what kind of words would come out.

‘If they experienced this every day, their thinking couldn’t possibly be normal.’

Sister Seol-ah also stealthily changed the subject.

“By the way, weren’t you talking to someone outside?”

“There was a child in a bad situation, so I took her in this time.”

“A child?”

“Yes.”

“……Is that so?”

Sister Seol-ah tilted her head, as if there was something different from what she had thought.

“Did I hear wrong?”

If she had heard the conversation I shared with Master Zhang Sanfeng, it might have sounded strange. After all, it was a time when my emotions had flared up, so there were parts I spoke without thinking.

Sister Seol-ah suddenly gave me a coy look.

“A girl?”

“Yes.”

“……I think there are too many women around our Cheong-un lately. Our Cheong-un is so nice that he shouldn’t get involved with strange girls.”

At Sister Seol-ah’s words, my heart winced. It was because Lady Tang Sa-yeon suddenly came to mind at the mention of strange girls.

Sister Seol-ah’s eyes became even coyer.

“Hmph.”

Pinch!

A cold hand pinched my cheek.

Since she pinched lightly, it did not hurt.

Even if she had pinched painfully, I would not have particularly resisted.

Sister Seol-ah’s coy eyes also gradually softened.

“It’s warm.”

“Is that so?”

Perhaps because her entire body was freezing cold, she seemed to feel my body temperature as warm.

‘Although I decided not to inject divine power…….’

‘Wouldn’t this much be fine?’

Drawing up the divine power of fire to make my body hot, I placed my hand on Sister Seol-ah’s forehead.

Sister Seol-ah smiled softly.

“……It feels good.”

“……I am glad.”

Perhaps because it was a sound made because it really felt good, for a moment, Sister Seol-ah’s answer sounded like a somewhat strange nasal sound.

‘Begone, lewd thoughts!!’

Although I was extremely flustered inside, I tried my best not to show any sign of it.

“Shall we stay like this a bit longer?”

“Yes.”

Whether she knew my mind at all, Sister Seol-ah answered without any hesitation.

Thanks to that, I was able to spend some time with my hand placed on Sister Seol-ah’s forehead for a while.

***

Yeon Cheong-un stayed in Baek Seol-ah’s room for about half a shijin before leaving.

Left alone, Baek Seol-ah closed her eyes tightly as she recalled what had happened with Yeon Cheong-un just a moment ago.

“……I think I’ve lost my mind.”

If her physical condition had not been like this, her face would have turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

It was certain that if her body had been even slightly normal, she would have kicked the blanket and writhed around, turning the room into a complete mess.

“It feels go…… Ah!”

Baek Seol-ah suddenly trembled as if having a seizure. After writhing in pain like that for a while, Baek Seol-ah’s body went limp.

“It is fine……. I can…… bear it…….”

Without her realizing it, Baek Seol-ah’s two hands gathered over her forehead where Yeon Cheong-un’s hand had touched.

Although the warmth from the time Yeon Cheong-un was touching her was no longer there, Baek Seol-ah still felt warm.

“With this…… I can endure it…….”

For a person enduring coldness where they could not even control their body, even the warmth of a small ember was precious.

Moreover, what Yeon Cheong-un had left behind was no mere ember.

“Tomorrow…… we should meet…… under the warm sunshine……. Mmh……”

Like a child dreaming a good dream, Baek Seol-ah curled her body and waited for the warm tomorrow that had not yet come.

***

The Queen Mother of the West was the mistress of Kunlun who oversaw the immortals of the Celestial Realm. She, too, had tasks she had to bear in her own way.

This meant it was difficult for her to leisurely fool around and enjoy entertainment day and night.

This was the reason why she could not seek out the Meridian Mirror often.

“I know what is needed.”

However, she observed Yeon Cheong-un without missing anything through the treasure created by the Heavenly Demon. Thanks to that, she was able to decide on a gift to give Yeon Cheong-un.

Originally, she had intended to look for whether any treasure that Yeon Cheong-un could use remained on earth, but seeing the child named Baek Seol-ah, she was certain he would prefer this side.

“Although I will have to ask the neighbor next door, I have rights as well. It will suffice to go through Bodhidharma. According to rumors, that arrogant guy also looks favorably upon that child, so there should be no problem.”

There were several departments in heaven depending on affiliation. Among them, the neighbor next door that the Queen Mother of the West mentioned while referring to Bodhidharma meant the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

However, perhaps because she was entangled with a side she did not get along with, the Queen Mother of the West’s expression was not good.

“There is one more thing to check.”

Contemplating something, the Queen Mother of the West left her residence and headed somewhere.

Crossing through space in an instant, the Queen Mother of the West arrived at the place she wanted.

The place the Queen Mother of the West arrived at was a massive palace.

Although it was a large and massive palace, it was a lonely place where no signs of presence could be felt.

Entering inside, the Queen Mother of the West felt a gaze watching her and spoke.

“Old geezer.”

The young boy who was half-reclining on the throne smirked and replied.

“Why are you calling me, you old hag?”

As if it were a trendy necessity, Xuan-tian Emperor, who was holding the treasure gifted by Zhang Sanfeng just like the Queen Mother of the West, sat up.