LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 51
Chapter 51: That’s Not Necessary
Beyond the veil.
Jeoksawol’s eyes shone red.
‘Men are all the same. Can’t trust them. Especially that one flaunting his colors.’
Jeoksawol bit her lip behind the veil.
Lee Cheol-soo. She realized from their first encounter that he was not shy about flaunting his colors.
In fact, Lee Cheol-soo didn’t even try to hide it.
He openly flouted the techniques of the dao, blatantly mentioning cloud and rain pleasures while teasing her.
‘He’s definitely just a crazy man who gets excited over any skirt.’
What Lee Cheol-soo said about the beauty of Hwa Myeon-ho-gyeom was true.
But the world is vast and full of people.
What if Lee Cheol-soo were just another crazy man who could indulge in cloud and rain pleasures just because he was a woman?
And what if he was a colorfully flamboyant saekma swinging his sword around everywhere?
‘There’s no way I can let someone like that into Hwa Myeon-ho-gyeom’s heart.’
She had passed her test, but she couldn’t accept a madman like that.
It wasn’t Hwa Myeon-ho-gyeom. It was Jeoksawol who pondered this while clenching her delicate hand.
Thump, thump.
But contrary to her reason, her heart—responsible for emotions—was racing wildly.
Jeoksawol tried to ignore the pounding of her heart as she summoned her inner strength.
It was only a second-rate method; it would only take one star of the Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique to seduce him.
That was all that was needed.
Jeoksawol felt confident.
‘All men are the same.’
No man could resist the allure of the Most Beautiful in the World.
If there were such a man, he would be one of two things.
A homosexual or a eunuch.
Since Lee Cheol-soo was neither, he would definitely fall for her.
Just like all the other men in this world who had lusted after her.
Whether they were ruffians from the dark paths or prominent noble young masters, there were no exceptions.
So, when she saw him coming, she intentionally called for him.
What if he gave in?
What comes next…?
An image of Lee Cheol-soo’s face, flushed as he approached, suddenly filled Jeoksawol’s mind.
In this special room, it was just the two of them. Swoosh.
As she pictured their bodies entangled on the silk quilt, her heart was racing at its peak.
‘I can’t allow that! I have to suppress the blood flow immediately!’
Jeoksawol denied her own fantasy with a red face.
It couldn’t happen.
She would suppress the blood and take him to the secret chamber of Hao Mun to make him pay for his sins.
In the secret chamber, they could be alone without anyone interrupting…
‘It’s about making him pay for his sins. There’s no other intention.’
As she rationalized, Jeoksawol began to unleash the prayer of the Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique.
‘…I won’t let him easily take my heart.’
Thump, thump.
Jeoksawol turned her gaze towards Lee Cheol-soo beyond the veil, ignoring the throbbing of her heart.
*
Jeoksawol is a master of Beauty Temptation Technique.
So what is this technique? Simply put, it’s an art of seduction.
It’s a martial art that charms men for women and vice versa.
One could say it’s the foundation for all Color Techniques.
To practice coloring, one must first allure their target into bed. Thus, those who embark on this path usually start with the fundamentals of Beauty Temptation Technique.
While third-rate users might rely on smiles, glances, and gestures to enchant, Elevated Beauty Temptation Technique introduces an element of mental debuff to disrupt the target’s mind.
And Jeoksawol’s unique martial art, Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique, was an example of this elevated technique.
‘How dare he use Beauty Temptation Technique against me?’
I despise Beauty Temptation Technique.
What’s the difference between it and a hypnosis app? True cloud and rain pleasures can only be felt when the bodies and minds of a male and female are in sync.
But Beauty Temptation Technique isn’t. It leads one into bed by disrupting their reason. How is that any different from modern drug-induced sex?
In truth, a woman’s heart should be earned through legitimate means and not through foul methods like Beauty Temptation Technique. You can’t truly win someone’s heart using such underhanded means.
Even if you tempt someone with Beauty Technique and Soul Connection, you can only gain physical union. It doesn’t yield true affection.
That’s not real intimacy.
So, I had no intention of falling for Jeoksawol’s Beauty Temptation Technique. Even if my body was second-rate, I was already a master of Hyeongyeong’s proficiency in mind.
All forms of martial techniques and magic that act on the mind wouldn’t affect me unless they came from a higher-level master.
So even if Jeoksawol genuinely unleashed her Beauty Temptation Technique and Soul Connection, it would be useless against my mind, which possessed the same level of mastery. Unless I intentionally got caught or willingly succumbed to her charms.
I gazed directly at Jeoksawol while taking a sip of the tea on the table.
It wasn’t the exquisite tea like the Seohoyongjeong or Cheolgwan-eum I used to enjoy in the palace, but it was still high-quality tea, and the aroma was quite pleasant.
“I have something to discuss.”
I let Lee Cheol-soo’s Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique flow through me like water.
The technique didn’t touch my mind at all.
I maintained my focus, staring directly at Jeoksawol as I spoke.
“I followed the disciples of the Gongdong Sect on behalf of Hao Mun. Isn’t it a bit too coincidental timing with the upcoming martial arts competition? Perhaps your gathered information led the Heukryongbang to put in a hit on us during the competition. If the participants were to disappear, the competition wouldn’t take place either, just like how the disorganized scum often employ such tactics.”
While looking straight at Jeoksawol, I voiced what I had originally intended to say.
Of course, unless the Heukryongbang had lost their minds, they wouldn’t have hired people to target me and my sahyeong.
But in politics, the truth doesn’t matter.
Even if it’s incitement or fabrication, it only needs to be presented in a way that favors me. It’s a strategy often employed in modern politics.
Jeoksawol’s hand trembled at my words.
Was she disturbed because the Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique didn’t work?
“Hohoho. I wonder why you’d think that, young sir. Hao Mun was merely tracking the activities of the two disciples out of routine. The battle between Heukryongbang and Gongdong Sect is a hot topic in the martial world right now. Naturally, our information business can’t help but be involved in it. We have no ties to Heukryongbang, of course. However, I do apologize for the surveillance.”
Jeoksawol smiled seductively.
Her body exuded a sultry and sticky aura once more.
The Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique, this time, was at the level of one star.
Even top-tier masters couldn’t help but feel their faces redden and their heart rates increase from such an attack.
But even if Jeoksawol used a twelve-star Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique, it wouldn’t work on me. Unless she physically overpowered me, I would allow her seduction to wash over me, maintaining unwavering eye contact.
“Apology? Are you just going to apologize with words?”
We were almost there.
In truth, the point I was raising was grey-area stuff in the Martial World.
Everyone knew that both the Gaebang and Hao Mun were collecting information. Everyone knew they employed surveillance as well. But what if one got caught red-handed?
No one in the martial world would forgive you for being caught surveilling them. It’s a matter of face.
From that point onward, it would turn into the realm of negotiation.
The theories I proposed were mere bluffs to inflate the bargaining power. Still, if I pushed too hard, it could backfire, so it would be better to hold back.
Jeoksawol’s body trembled again.
She let out a hot sigh and said, “Of course not.”
Slide.
She took off her veil.
Hair black as ebony and eyes sparkling like jewels appeared. The beauty of the Three Thousand First Beauty in Sichuan, Yeonhui, was revealed before me.
Though not as stunning as Jeoksawol’s actual form, she was a beauty nearing that level.
Without using Beauty Temptation Technique, she could enthrall men with her astonishing looks.
A sticky aura from the Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique began to rise from her.
This time, it was fifth-star power.
With her veil removed, even a regular man would easily collapse under such pressure.
In fact, my physical body was already responding.
At the age of 14, it was the stormy period of adolescence, and there was no escaping that.
But I utilized my superhuman willpower to calm my body.
“Naturally, I must be compensated accordingly.”
Shuffle, shuffle.
Jeoksawol poured tea into my cup with her delicate hand.
The tea’s aroma wafted gently in the air.
She wore a seductive smile.
As she moved, her body formed graceful curves and her bosom briefly caught my eye.
From the tea to the lighting angle, the arrangement of furniture, the outfit Jeoksawol wore, and her previous poses.
Everything was calculated meticulously to seduce a man.
This entire room felt like a trap trying to ensnare me.
“What kind of compensation do you seek? If you’re a noble man like a young lord with exceptional talents and looks, I could invite you to Baekhwa Pavilion for a night.”
Swish.
She naturally took my hand with her soft fingers.
Her warmth transmitted through.
A sweet aroma wafted from her, a clear sign that Jeoksawol was unleashing her Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique at full power.
Even an elite master would find their reason faltering, unable to discern the world around them as they succumbed to Jeoksawol.
While my body was indeed swayed, my mind remained chillingly calm.
One night.
This was an obvious trap.
Jeoksawol was overtly testing me.
It’s humiliating for a man to not eat what’s set on the table, but to eat something with poisonous intent is the mark of a fool.
My goal was the Samcheosacheop. But that didn’t mean I would just accept any offer like a lovesick saekma.
I was the master of color techniques with a cool head.
And, as I’ve said multiple times, I didn’t enjoy the one-sided sex that these mental manipulations led to. Instead, the true pleasures of cloud and rain arise from mutual longing, not coercion.
“That’s not necessary.”
I withdrew my hand from Jeoksawol’s grasp.
“Ah…”
Jeoksawol’s expression dimmed slightly.
She let out a disappointed sigh, her shoulders drooping slightly.
A pose deliberately designed to garner sympathy from a man.
I had no intention of falling for it.
Instead, I pulled out a letter from my robes and placed it before her.
“Deliver this letter to the six great families of the Guba-ilbang, avoiding the eyes of the Seomun Family.”
The real reason I contacted Hao Mun was to distribute a notarized letter I had obtained directly from my master before heading into the martial world, excluding the Seomun Family.
Of course, I didn’t expect all of them to comply.
They were all heavy-footed fellows, after all.
However, the factions tied to the Heukryongbang—Dangmun, Qingcheng, and Ami—would definitely act.
Perhaps the Hangshan Sect that had replaced the fallen Gongdong Sect might come too.
‘I can’t lose the upper hand in negotiations with the Seomun Family.’
The Seomun Family.
When I arrived there, Jincheongyeomwang would definitely try to gain something in exchange for allowing me to enter as a notarized expert.
The Seomun Family would have no justification to intervene in the situation, but if things continue as they are, they’d lose big time. There’s a 100% chance they’ll fabricate an excuse for intervention because they don’t want to take a loss.
Even if they took such a risk, it wouldn’t be a loss for the Seomun Family. They are a mighty faction in the martial world, while we’re just a failed sect. The martial world is ultimately a jungle of the strong feeding on the weak. If the Seomun Family gives strength to a flimsy excuse, there’s a high chance for things to spiral out of control.
Even if things go awry, a mere expression of regret will suffice.
But would other factions or martial artists in Gansu accept the request for a notarized expert? Most martial artists operating in Gansu are under the thumb of the Seomun Family.
I couldn’t just sit back and wait for their machinations to unfold.
But confronting Jincheongyeomwang in the main family of the Seomun Family for political maneuvering would be foolish. Of course, I wouldn’t lose, but there’s no need to fight hard while winning.
The smart play is to set the stage where victory is guaranteed.
Draw them into a game that I can’t lose.
‘In that sense, using Hao Mun is preferable to either the Pyo Guk or Gaebang.’
All Pyo Guk stations in Gansu are directly or indirectly influenced by the Seomun Family.
So, if I used a Pyo Guk to send the letter, the information would leak out.
Then, Jincheongyeomwang would inevitably launch countermeasures.
But it’s impossible for my sahyeong and me to go around the entire martial world distributing letters.
The same goes for the Gaebang factions in Gansu. The regional elite, including Jincheongyeomwang, are deeply intertwined.
If I approach, they would immediately realize it was me and my sahyeong.
That’s why I chose Hao Mun.
As a faction roaming the dark paths, they have no connections to the Seomun Family.
By the time we arrive at the Seomun Family, Jincheongyeomwang wouldn’t notice that the letters have arrived at other factions.
Of course, my intent wasn’t merely to get the Seomun Family in a bind by sending the letters.
‘The larger the game, the better.’
This is my debut stage as the gallant Lee Cheol-soo, captivating hearts.
The bigger the game, the better. This way, my legend can spread further within the martial world.
The more rumors that spread, the faster my popularity will rise.
I chuckled, envisioning a scenario where I was courted by countless women in the martial world.
Yes, a woman’s heart can be won through genuine means.
Not through the crooked methods of Beauty Temptation Technique or Soul Connection.
“Will you do it? If so, I will turn a blind eye to your attempt to gain the upper hand in negotiations using your Beauty Temptation Technique to disrupt my mind.”
Jeoksawol’s red eyes trembled as they locked onto mine.
*
At the same time.
Forbidden City Hall of Peace.
In the innermost part of the Inner Palace, where the third princess resided, men’s entrance was forbidden.
This was home to the owner of the palace.
Third Princess Taepyeong, Juga-yul.
At the age of 9, her eyes sparkled brightly.
“Nanny, tell me more about the Martial World today.”
“Your Highness, you seem truly fond of news from the Martial World. Very well, I shall tell you. The Sword Dragon, renowned as the foremost martial artist in the Mount Hua Sect, has officially entered the upcoming martial arts contest, marking preparations for the upcoming Yongbong Jiyeo…”
Sitting on her nanny’s lap, Juga-yul giggled.
But contrary to her expression, her heart felt cold.
‘I still haven’t heard any news about Noya…’
Taepyeong, Juga-yul.
Or rather, the future Emperor Yuanhe, Juga-yul.
She would become the second female emperor in the history of the Central Plains, following Empress Wu Zetian, wields absolute power as an iron-fisted empress alongside her comrade, who is also a former master of the sect, Lee Cheol-soo.
After Lee Cheol-soo’s death, Juga-yul spent decades watching over his grave in mourning attire, praying for his reincarnation but never managed to find the one she longed for.
In the end, the only way she could meet him again was through the Rebirth Grand Method.
Without him, the empire and the throne meant nothing to her.
Yet, contrary to her expectations, the outcome of the Grand Method led her not to a reincarnation but to a return to the past.
Ultimately, the current Juga-yul found herself back at age 9, having lived for 80 years as the 89-year-old Emperor Yuanhe.
‘Is Noya truly alive?’
Her father, brother, lover, friend, and the one she respects and adores—he was her everything.
Unlike the records of previous lives, he hadn’t entered the palace.
The man who sold him to the palace, Jang Yi-hyun, had already been captured and killed, but even that didn’t reveal the whereabouts of the one she loved.
After that, she tried to trace the whereabouts of Wang Sam, who had once kidnapped him, but Wang Sam had gone missing as well.
What if he’s experiencing some suffering? How is he doing now? Is he uncomfortable while sleeping? Are the meals to his liking?
The thoughts consumed Juga-yul, whose real age was 89, entirely focused on Lee Cheol-soo.
‘I must quickly find a way to help Noya.’
Without Noya, even the air felt suffocating, the sun, moon, and stars lost their light.
Even if her feast was filled with delicacies, she couldn’t feel the taste; there was no joy in play.
The entire world felt so hollow. Each passing day drained her vitality, leaving her withered and desolate.
It was as if her internal organs were blocked by stone, making it hard to breathe properly.
Thus, she needed to find Noya as soon as possible.
To breathe freely once again.
Love?
Her feelings towards Noya weren’t trivial or laughable emotions. There were no words that could express how she felt about him.
‘To help Noya, I must ascend to the throne once more, just as in the future.’
But, as the third princess, her abilities were limited.
Though she had the knowledge of the future, her only options were to get rid of Jang Yi-hyun, the top official, and find out Wang Sam’s whereabouts.
Even that was a significant risk.
Listening to tales of the Martial World from her nanny stemmed from the thought that if Noya experienced a regression like hers, then the chances of him being in the Martial World were high.
Thus, to achieve more significant outcomes…
She needed to gain power.
She had to take the throne from her father, the previous ruler, whom she didn’t want to refer to as ‘Abama’.
‘For Noya’s sake…’
And Juga-yul knew she could do it.
Even alone without Noya, she could accomplish it.
She could do anything to meet him.
Juga-yul bit her lip.
Thinking about finding him brought a sense of relief, as if she could finally breathe again.
In her eyes, actual vitality returned for the first time in ages.