NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 109
Chapter 109: Nine Decades
“More acting?! D-Does he really think that?! What’s wrong with my appearance?!”
So Geom-hu’s sharp voice filled the chamber.
A sense of injustice was evident on her face.
So Geom-hu’s hands trembled shiver-shiver.
‘The benefactor of the sect? This can’t be happening!’
Lee Cheol-soo.
From the moment he discovered Geumhu Bidong, her master, Geumhu, proudly declared him as the benefactor of their sect.
But that wasn’t all.
While others might not know, So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin was well aware. Her master was treating Lee Cheol-soo with an unexpected kindness. The usually strict master, famous for her expressionless demeanor in the Martial World, was showing such warmth to a boy 30 years her junior. Sobin, the only disciple, could hardly believe her ears when she heard that gentle tone from her master.
‘Oh no! If I leave her like this!’
Cheon Sobin bit her lip.
She could no longer let her master fall into the clutches of Lee Cheol-soo. But in this competition, he had proven himself a worthy contender before the Orthodox Faction Martial World. Not to mention, he had risen to the status of the sect’s benefactor.
In the martial society that valued debts more than anything, Sobin could no longer treat Lee Cheol-soo casually.
So all that was left was to woo him with all her might.
And Cheon Sobin had already made up her mind.
For her master, she would go to hell. Embracing Lee Cheol-soo, marrying him? Of course, she could do that.
The problem was, Lee Cheol-soo was resolutely shutting her out.
Cheon Sobin rubbed her forehead.
The swelling from when Lee Cheol-soo had flicked her was long gone, but the swelling in her heart had yet to subside.
“Ugh… What is this… Really… Is he serious? Won’t he accept it unless it’s genuine…?”
Cheon Sobin bit her lip.
Her head drooped. Ever since she was born, she had never failed to get what she wanted.
Born as the precious daughter of Shanxi First Sect’s Heavenly Day Sect, Cheon Sobin had grown up in a loving and affluent environment, always getting what she desired.
Except for one thing—the destined political marriage that had blocked her path—she managed to avoid that fate through her entry into the Hangshan Sect and her rise to the position of Geumhu.
Moreover, she was quite talented and exceptionally beautiful.
Everything was perfect. There was nothing she couldn’t have. Men all over admired her.
Among the talented heirs of prominent families gathered in Yongbong Jiyeo, she stood out like a peacock amongst pigeons.
Cheon Sobin was always the best and perfect.
Her plan to end up in Lee Cheol-soo’s embrace came from that confidence.
Logically, there would be no man who would reject a perfect lady like her.
But Lee Cheol-soo rejected her.
“…How incredibly arrogant… What am I that makes him act like this…?”
So Geom-hu felt bitter. She was born noble and had always been on the path to success. Who had treated her with such coldness until now?
No one.
“…Ugh… Really… If it’s not genuine…”
So Geom-hu bit her lip. She couldn’t let a mere man bring her to tears.
Wiping the moisture from her eyes with her sleeve, she bit her lip again.
He won’t accept it if it’s not genuine.
Then…
She must make it genuine.
With that resolve, So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin stood up.
One year until the Yongbong Jiyeo.
Next year, she planned to be in his embrace for sure.
*
“Master…”
Yujinhwi, separated from her party in Shanxi Province, bit her lip.
It hadn’t been long since they parted, and already she missed her master.
She pulled out the introduction letter her master had given her, along with the handkerchief he had gifted her as a child.
Yujinhwi possessed a perfect memory with no forgetfulness.
As soon as she saw the items her master had given her, vivid memories of all the years spent together flooded her mind.
She had spent half her life with her master. To her, he was family, someone to protect… her first love and the man she still longed for.
He had always distanced himself from her. But at the end, when she said she would leave for the Martial World Prominence Journey, he had tried to stop her.
He showed concern, asking if they couldn’t stay together.
That made her so happy.
She wasn’t hated by her master. It brought her joy to know he worried about her too.
She felt so happy… that she almost blurted out that she wanted to cancel the Martial World Prominence Journey and stay with him.
But that was impossible, it couldn’t happen.
Yujinhwi bit her lip.
‘I can’t be weak already.’
The journey she chose was to protect her master.
No longer could she entrust her master’s safety to an older woman like Geumhu.
One year.
One year would be enough for her to surpass Geumhu.
Yujinhwi thought this way as she put the items back into her arms.
She wiped the flowing tears with her sleeve.
‘In a year, I’ll see you again at Shaolin, Master. By then… I’ll protect you.’
As Yujinhwi made that vow, she turned her steps towards Shaanxi Province.
The place she headed was a region where Mount Hua and Zhongnan Mountain faced each other, home to the Sword Dragon of Mount Hua Sect, the Orthodox Faction’s top Post-Stimulation Indicator.
*
Beijing.
Central South Sea.
A magnificent garden established by the Jin Dynasty and rebuilt by Emperor Yongle, located west of the Forbidden City.
This vast garden, consisting of two large lakes, the Central Sea and the Southern Sea, featured a pavilion.
The view of the pavilion, named Su Yun Xia, built by the waters of the Central Sea, was breathtaking.
Standing in front of it was a girl.
A pretty girl in a red dress.
Currently ten years old in physical age, but mentally entering her ninth decade, Taepyeong Princess Juga-yul.
In front of her stood a middle-aged man in eunuch clothing, bowing low.
“I greet Taepyeong Princess.”
He was none other than the leader of Dongchang, Jang In-taegam.
Over the past year since her reincarnation, the Taepyeong Princess had taken complete control of Dongchang based on her future knowledge and was not only gathering elixirs but also integrating part of the Golden Restricted Position Technique into her faction and even winning over some of the civil and military officials in the Beijing court.
All of this was being carried out secretly through Dongchang’s maneuvers.
By now, she had grown powerful enough to stand equal among the First and Second Princes.
Jang In-taegam trembled, unable to dare meet the Princess’s eyes.
His intuition was what had placed him in the position of leader. Near instinct, a wild animal-like intuition that recognized who held power.
That instinct whispered to him. The Taepyeong Princess was no ordinary individual. While he could not trust she would be the next ruler of the Forbidden City, she would undoubtedly be. Being a woman would not hinder her pursuit of the throne.
In fact, the Princess wielded the prowess of someone gifted, skillfully leveraging the weaknesses of the officials unbeknownst to Dongchang, sometimes persuading, sometimes threatening, and frighteningly increasing her influence.
‘She can’t possibly be seen as just a ten-year-old girl.’
She had the emperor’s charisma that made others submit regardless of age.
“Speak.”
With her chilling gaze, Juga-yul directed her attention to Jang In-taegam.
“…The competition between the Gongdong Sect and Hangshan Sect has concluded. Geumhu Bidong has been found, and the martial techniques and elixirs that were in practice have returned to Hangshan Sect. During that process… we’ve received intel about traces of the Blood Sect.”
Upon hearing his report, Juga-yul fell silent.
‘The Blood Sect.’
The Blood Sect.
Having lived longer in the future than Lee Cheol-soo, Juga-yul could surmise the existence of the Blood Sect.
They definitely existed, yet never revealed themselves. Thus, it was only assumed they were there. But they definitely posed a danger to the Ming Empire.
So before executing the Rebirth Great Method, Juga-yul adopted a prince who had no ties to the Blood Sect and designated him as the Crown Prince, stealthily alerting the Orthodox Faction Martial World to prepare for the Blood Sect’s existence.
It was for the Ming Empire, but also for Noya.
If the Ming Empire fell to the Blood Sect’s reign upon her reincarnation, then her rebirth would have been in vain.
For the future she wanted to share with Noya, the Blood Sect had to be eradicated.
Now that back in the past, her preparations had faded, but…
Likewise, their schemes would have returned as before.
‘One of the brothers must be a puppet of the Blood Sect. It might even be both.’
In her previous life, the Blood Sect hadn’t been able to stir up trouble due to Noya preemptively crushing their plot to seize the imperial palace.
‘Noya, my Noya. To handle the Blood Sect for the sake of me… Truly, I can only depend on Noya.’
Noya.
The moment Lee Cheol-soo came to mind, her heart raced.
To her, Lee Cheol-soo was her only family.
Her parents abandoned her. Her half-brothers didn’t consider her family at all.
Only Lee Cheol-soo.
Noya treated her like family. He took care of her when she was closed off and acting foolish.
It was he who made her an empress. He was the one who stood by her side.
How could she… not love him?
How could she not hold him dear?
For Juga-yul, love was synonymous with Lee Cheol-soo.
He was everything to her. This was not the trivial feeling of love but a word in its literal sense.
Without him, the world had no meaning. She couldn’t breathe. That’s why she enacted the Rebirth Great Method.
The world had to have him. Only with him could she breathe, her heart beat, and she could continue living. She needed him.
Thump, thump.
Thinking of him made her heart pound naturally. Her face flushed. Her breathing quickened. Under the same sky as Noya, breathing the same air made Juga-yul infinitely happy and excited.
“Blood Sect is a national traitor of the empire. You will keep an eye on their movements and who among the traitors are in collusion with them.”
“I will comply.”
Jang In-taegam bowed his head.
As Juga-yul turned her head, the sunlight sparkled on the surface of the Central Sea like a mirror.
Noya, in particular, loved this pavilion. That was why even after her return, Juga-yul kept coming back here. When she came here, even in his absence, she could feel his lingering presence.
I miss you.
I miss you. She knew it was wrong, but she missed him desperately. Just as her focus faded, overwhelming emotions surged within Juga-yul.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through her mind.
“Jang In-taegam.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“I hear the next Yongbong Jiyeo will be held at Shaolin?”
“That is correct.”
Hearing Jang In-taegam’s answer, Juga-yul smiled.
“Alright. Then I shall go to Shaolin to pray after a long time. For the matters of the Blood Sect, I will need some cooperation from the Martial World.”
“I understand.”
Listening to Jang In-taegam’s words, Juga-yul smiled.
One year left.
Time before meeting Noya, who was practically all of her.
‘Noya, just wait a little longer. I will be there soon.’
Gazing at the rippling waters of the Central Sea, recalling memories shared with Noya from her previous life, Juga-yul grinned.
This was what transpired at the Central South Sea.