Chapter 63: Qing's Return

During the day, it almost felt like the warmth of spring was returning.

Before she knew it, the cold had faded, and the air had turned gentle.

How does time fly by so fast?

Flowers bloomed, the skies were clear, and the world was drenched in the full glory of spring.

Qing had been wandering around half-naked from early winter to the chilly days of early spring—
over four months in total.

Her hut was finally restored.

Windows and doors were reinstalled, and her blankets returned to their rightful place.

Even her long-lost clothes and undergarments were back.

But—

This outfit… was too comfortable.

It was a simple, sleeveless garment made of ultra-thin, semi-transparent fabric, loosely fitted together in a cylindrical shape.

It was so light it practically floated,
and since it only reached her thighs, there was nothing restricting her movements.

A perfect pajama set had been born.

Lying down in this comfortable outfit, wrapped in blankets, was pure bliss.

More than anything—

Not wearing undergarments was a revelation.

At first, it had been so embarrassing she wanted to die.

But once she got used to it, she wondered if there was any greater sense of liberation in the world.

This was true freedom!

Of course, this was all because of ancient Murim’s primitive textile industry,
which had yet to invent elastic fabrics.

Having to tie everything up with strings was an absolute nightmare for Qing.

As a result, she suffered through days upon days of nuclear noogies.

Damn it, how the hell does she always know when I’m not wearing any?

Do martial arts masters gain X-ray vision or something?

Wait—when it was freezing, she wouldn’t let me wear them…

Now that it’s warmer, she beats me for not wearing them?!

Qing pouted in protest.

Ximen Surin sighed deeply.

"Should I have just let you walk around completely naked…?"

"It wouldn’t have made much of a differ—ACK!"

Qing got smacked before she could finish.

However—her screams were noticeably quieter now.

Thanks to the Self-Defense skill (Internal Qi Guard) she had developed over the winter, she could now withstand basic attacks.

WHACK!

"GAAAAH!"

Qing rolled on the floor.

Humans evolve.

And when that human was Ximen Surin, a woman who had risen to the top as one of the top ten Masters in Murim by overpowering countless men.

Her entire life had been a struggle, so adjusting the strength of her attacks was a trivial matter.

In the first place, no matter how great the protective Qi of the late Peak Realm was, it was no better than a piece of paper in front of the fist of the Profound Realm.

"My disciple is getting more and more careless."

"Ugh… that really hurt…"

"I hit you so it would hurt. Would you rather it tickled? How is it that you grow older, yet act more and more like a child?"

"Hehehe…"

Qing awkwardly chuckled.

Ximen Surin turned her head away.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t understand why Qing was acting like this.

The closer she got to her master, the more she wanted to act spoiled.

Ximen Surin was also aware that she had been growing too soft on her disciple.

At first, Qing had been nothing but a rough tomboy, acting just like a man.

Now, though she was still wild, she at least resembled a girl.

Was this… an improvement?

"So, you plan to leave soon?"

"Mmm. Not sure where, though. Maybe I’ll just wander wherever my feet take me?"

"Then, you should stop by the Emei Sect."

"Ooooh. Emei Sect?"

Qing barely held back a "wow."

Emei Sect… that name sounded impressively grand.

Somehow, it gave the impression of a deeply virtuous place.

"That’s right. This master is good friends with the head Abbess[^the head of a monastery] of the Emei Sect, so you should visit and pass on my regards. While you're there, you should also learn the basics of Buddhist martial arts."

"Wait, will they really teach me just like that?"

"Of course. If it’s Abbess Zheng Cheol-yeon, she will gladly pass on her knowledge. You need not worry."

"But… is Emei far away?"

"The journey won’t be easy, but it’s not too far. It’s in Sichuan, just west of here."

"SICHUAN!"

Qing shouted in excitement.

To a modern-day Korean, Sichuan was one of the most familiar names in China.

The things that came to mind—

Sichuan Jjajangmyeon.[^A spicy, Sichuan-style version of Korean black bean noodles]
Sichuan Tang Suyuk.[^Korean-Chinese adaptation of sweet and sour pork]
Sichuan Jjamppong[^A fiery, seafood-based noodle soup with Sichuan peppercorns.], Mala Tang[^A spicy and numbing soup, often with customizable ingredients like vegetables, meats, and noodles.], Mala Xiang Guo[^A dry stir-fry dish with a spicy and numbing "mala" flavor, featuring a variety of ingredients.]…!

A land of gourmet fire, where spicy chili oil flowed like rivers! (Not really.)

Qing had always loved spicy food.

Back when she was weak, she had been too busy surviving to even dream of going.

After becoming strong, she had forgotten about it entirely.

"However, you don’t need to bother with the Absolute Sword Cliff until you reach the Transcendent Peak. At your meager level, even if you obtain insights left by the Celestial Martial Emperor, it would be nothing more than a pearl hung around a dog’s neck."

"Master?"

What the hell?

Wasn’t this suddenly getting insulting?

Even her own master was looking down on her now?!

"Haa… also. And it seems you keep stumbling into high-level martial arts, don’t you? But just because you find them doesn’t mean you should learn everything. And above all—don’t even think about learning more demonic arts."

"Ehhh? I wouldn’t do that anymore."

Ximen Surin’s eyes narrowed.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I know better now, okay? I mean, it’s not like someone’s gonna put a sword to my neck and force me to learn demonic arts, right?"

Thwack!

Qing rolled on the ground again.

"The words that come out of your mouth are getting more and more outrageous. And your choice of words—think carefully before you speak. Words carry power. Careless speech will always come back as karma."

Qing rubbed her throbbing head and grumbled to herself.

Karma, my ass.

Seriously, who in their right mind would ever hold a sword to someone’s throat and force them to learn demonic arts…?

“Having you grace us in person is an honor for a thousand generations.”

"Enough of that. What about that girl? Is she still with the Divine Maiden Sect?"

"Yes, she is."

"Aren't those Divine Maiden Sect bitches the type to just lock themselves up and stew in their own little world? What if she never comes down? Can't we just march in and take her?"

"The sect’s Grandmaster is said to be at the Profound Realm. If she has advanced beyond that, the cult would suffer great losses..."

"Tch. Are you telling me I should hold back because of some wrinkled old woman? Me?"

"Forgive me."

"Fine. We’ll wait until summer. We've got people stationed there, right? Will we get word immediately?"

"Yes."

"What if she doesn’t have Bokshinjeok?"

"Bokshinjeok is a priceless treasure. In the face of such riches, even parents would betray their children."

"And what if she’s already played it? I’m not waiting another forty years. Do you really think some righteous brat would just hand it over?"

"We can simply force her to learn demonic arts. If we make her a fugitive with no place to return to, she’ll have no choice but to seek refuge in the cult."

"Righteous sect bastards are so fucking naive. See? This is why I like you, Vice Hall Leader."

"It is an honor that spans three lifetimes. Glory to the Heavenly Demon. The Cult shall rule the world."

"Ugh, I think I tied this too tight."

Even if it was something familiar, if one didn’t do it for a long time, they could lose their touch.

Qing awkwardly tugged at the fabric wrapped around her lower half.

"Weird… It keeps riding up. Did I gain weight?"

Her baggage was packed. It was time to venture back into Murim.

Leaving home wasn’t heartbreaking—

If anything, she had suffered more inside than out.

Even now, the thought of enduring winter in a single pajama set felt like outright abuse.

That thought made it much easier to walk away.

With light steps, she made her way down—

Until Jin Jangmyeong blocked her path.

"Unni, you’re leaving again?"

"Of course. I have to."

"Can’t you stay?"

"Nope."

Qing had a long list of things to do.

First, she had to reach the Transcendent Peak.

Then Unrestrained Realm.
Then Profound Realm.
Then whatever came next.

And ultimately, she had to settle things with Status Window.

Until then, she could never feel at ease.

"Ples—"

"Don’t even try that. It’s not cute."

"Tch."

"You’re so predictable. Boring."

"What are you even saying?"

Even as she complained, Jangmyeong’s voice lacked any strength.

Watching the little one’s gaze sink lower, Qing softened her tone.

"At the very least, shouldn’t you reach Peak Ralm first? If you manage that, I might be able to convince Master to let us travel Murim together."

Jangmyeong’s head snapped up.

"Peak Peak is enough?"

"Who knows? It depends on Master. But if we ask nicely, maybe she’ll allow it. Even if it’s somewhere close."

Knowing Ximen Surin’s personality, Qing had a feeling it wasn’t impossible.

Though the other disciples would strongly disagree.

"Alright! Travel safely. I’m going to train!"

"Wait, what? Where are you going?"

"To train!"

She was brimming with determination.

Qing chuckled and waved.

And with that, she set off once again.

The Divine Maiden Sect disciples greeted her with bright smiles as they saw her off.

"Grand Martial Junior! Bring back something delicious!"

"Grand Martial Junior! My hair feels empty~ If you see a cute hairpin, get me one~"

"Grand Junior, in case you get hungry while traveling!"

One disciple handed her a pouch.

"Grand Martial Junior… take this."

"Huh? This is for me?"

"Please… be careful."

Inside was a red silk chest wrap.

That was… thoughtful.

Though, it probably wouldn’t fit.

If she actually wore it, she’d just end up sweating.

"Thanks. I’ll put it to go—"

Before Qing could finish thanking her,

The disciple covered her face and ran away.

…What?

Why did she run?

Qing had no idea.

Over the winter, she’d unknowingly become an idol to many in the Divine Maiden Sect—their “Reborn Divine Maiden.”

Her stage outfit had left that big an impression.

The performance itself was stellar too, of course.

Among the ones most entranced by her, there were those who called out to her with bittersweet farewells.

"Grand Junior, when you come back, let’s go shopping for supplies together, okay? Promise?"

"Please… come back."

"Grand Martial Junior, I secretly buried a bottle of wine. Let’s drink it together when you return, okay?"

"Grand Junior, when you return, there’s something I need to tell you. Something… really, really important."

But—

Why did all of them sound so ominous?

Like she was someone who wouldn’t come back.

Still, Qing preferred to live simply.

And being sent off so warmly made her feel good.

Humming a cheerful tune, she passed through the main gate and started down the mountain path.

She had a great feeling about this journey.

Somehow, this time, it felt like things would go smoothly.

Like she’d only encounter pleasant experiences.

…

At least, up until an hour later—

When she got kidnapped.