The Second Eunuch Regains His Manhood

Chapter 120: Taepyeong Princess

Having come out of Dalma Cave, I immediately descended the mountain and arrived at the Forest of Pagodas.

Forest of Pagodas.

True to its name, the cluster of pagodas densely packed like trees was a sight to behold.

The landscape dotted with stupas built by high monks who left behind their remains in the ashes seemed to illustrate why Shaolin was the number one orthodox faction.

And there he was, among the stone towers.

“Disciple!”

A now-familiar, sweet voice. With the faint scent of wildflowers, Same rushed towards me.

I did not shy away and embraced him.

“I missed you. I was worried since it took so long. Was everything okay?”

“Thanks to Won-geuk Dae-sa’s teachings, I’ve made a small achievement.”

Same, nestled in my embrace, whispered in my ear.

As I gently pulled Same away from my arms, I spoke.

Of course, I couldn’t tell Same about my scuffle with Sinseung, so it was best to wrap it up like this.

Besides, I did indeed experience a breakthrough.

Same’s eyes widened slightly at my words.

His gaze locked onto me, and then Same beamed with a smile.

“Disciple, you’ve deepened your achievement! Congratulations!”

Same seemed happier than me, grinning innocently, all the more charming with questions about his gender lingering in my mind.

Get a hold of yourself.

He’s a guy.

I thought to myself, studying Same before I said, “Also, Won-geuk Dae-sa has proposed an alliance between our sect and Shaolin. He also promised two Daehwan Dans and three Sohwan Dans.”

“Really? That’s great! More than that, I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Same grabbed my hand and said.

With that innocent smile, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if Same really was a girl?

It made me feel weird. I withdrew my hand from Same’s grasp and said, “It’s getting quite late. I think I should head to the lodging now.”

“Okay!”

Same nodded.

I re-entered the Shaolin Temple grounds while keeping a safe distance from Same.

Shaolin, which should have been tranquil, was now crowded with martial artists like a gathering storm.

As I pushed through the crowd towards the inn with Same.

[Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect.]

A familiar yet unsettling voice echoed in my ear, a voice that belonged to a eunuch.

Transmitted sound.

It was the sound technique primarily used by Dongchang. That perverse voice was undoubtedly from a court official.

Dongchang was after me? Why on earth?

Countless possibilities rushed through my mind. Just as I prepared to be on guard.

[Taepyeong Princess wishes to see you. Come to the Great Hero Hall.]

With the next transmission, I found myself halting in my tracks.

Taepyeong Princess.

There was no way I wouldn’t recognize the owner of that title.

‘The Emperor?’

The Imperial Family had come to find me at Shaolin Temple.

Perhaps they used the excuse of offering prayers. It’s fairly common for royals to visit such places given Shaolin’s status as the pinnacle of Central Plains Zen Buddhism.

Even so, I never expected them to come at this time.

I felt an odd sensation.

“Disciple, is something wrong?”

Same, who had been ahead, turned back to me.

At the sound of Same’s voice, I snapped out of my thoughts. Since the Emperor summoned me, I indeed had to go meet them.

“Oh, I just remembered I left something in Dalma Cave. I’ll be back shortly. Please head to the inn first.”

“Something left behind·····. Can I not accompany you?”

Same asked me.

I had already anticipated Same’s response. We had spent over three years together. We were in sync.

I prepared the excuse I had in mind.

“I’m fine. I can’t trouble you over a personal matter. Besides, Same and the others must be waiting for us. So please go ahead and reassure them, as the prominent disciple of our sect. I will follow shortly.”

Hearing my emphasis on personal matters and Same’s responsibility as a prominent disciple, Same’s shoulders slumped.

He said, “Okay. I’ll go ahead then. Please come back quickly!”

“Understood.”

I watched as Same vanished toward the inn, turning away to meet the Emperor.

I retraced my steps back through the temple grounds.

As I approached the inn, the crowd steadily thinned until, by the entrance to the Great Hero Hall, not a single shadow remained.

Instead, there stood eunuchs dressed in court robes, armed warriors.

Dongchang agents. Their smooth jawlines and the lack of any facial hair made them appear more feminine due to their eunuch status.

They surely had binding bandages wrapped around their chests to hide their size.

They would have nothing below.

Flashes of my eunuch past came to mind. It was horrifying. A eunuch’s life was akin to death itself. The first life I lived was unlivable without a certain… thing.

‘Thank goodness I got it back.’

I gazed upon the Dongchang warriors with sympathy as I crossed the courtyard lined with stone tablets leading to the great incense burner at the entrance of the Great Hero Hall.

Great Hero Hall.

A structure that enshrines the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama; it can be considered the core of every Buddhist temple.

Grand and magnificent, Shaolin’s Great Hero Hall lived up to its millennial legacy.

Above the red-painted pillars was a plaque inscribed with “Great Hero Hall” in golden letters.

And.

Beyond this door stood her.

My Emperor.

The unique family member who had traveled back through time to meet me.

I had thought I’d eventually meet her someday. I had countless things I wanted to say.

Yet, standing just before our meeting, I hesitated. It felt like I might be unable to speak if I confronted her right away.

As I stood there contemplating.

“······Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect, enter the Great Hero Hall.”

A familiar voice came from beyond the hall.

It was the now-familiar voice of the Emperor.

She was the one with whom I shared every meal and played around daily. We practiced martial arts together. When she wept wanting to sleep every night, I’d read her bedtime stories, subtly adjusting them to lull her to sleep.

That’s right.

That was how it was.

Though I was a eunuch, I felt a bit of happiness during those times.

I seemed to have found a family—a concept non-existent in the modern world.

What had I been afraid of so far? The Emperor is still the same. Hearing her voice made me think so.

“Understood, my lady.”

As in my previous life, I replied that way, opening the door to the Great Hero Hall.

Creek.

The sliding door opened. Within the vast hall, a golden Buddha statue sat illuminated beneath its glow.

There she was.

With her flowing brown hair, she bore an innocent yet beautiful face akin to my mother’s, dressed in a splendid red princess robe.

Taepyeong Princess Juga-yul was looking at me.

Thud.

I closed the door behind me as I stepped in.

Her appearance was the same as I remembered from my past life, but her demeanor was not. The Empress back then had opened her heart to me, but she was a mischievous girl like any other.

Yet the Empress now was different. She seemed composed, as if to prove that she too was a reincarnate.

Her eyes were profound.

Though her body was that of an eleven-year-old, the aura radiating from her was just like that of the Wonghwa Emperor, Juga-yul, who wielded power over the world.

Juga-yul’s gaze shifted towards me. Her eyes trembled as she beheld my form. Her hands were shaking.

“······.”

Juga-yul’s lips quivered. Tears welled in her eyes.

She fidgeted with the hem of her dress.

Just seeing her struggling to say something made me chuckle.

She was adorable.

The Emperor, now and then, was my family.

Somehow I felt a sense of relief.

I knelt down on the floor of the Great Hero Hall, just like when we always met.

“······Lee Cheol-soo, a martial disciple of the Gongdong Sect, greets you, your Highness.”

At the moment I bowed to the Emperor.

Swish.

The sound of her garments rustling echoed.

Along with that, her hand enveloped mine.

“······Noya······.”

The Emperor’s choked voice resonated in my ear as she held my hand and pulled me up.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“······Noya, I’ve, I’ve missed you······.”

Pulling me upright, the Empress embraced me.

As always, her body exuded the fragrance of blooming flowers. I naturally began to pat her head.

It had been a long time. It felt good to caress her hair like this again.

The Emperor had always loved getting her head patted and being hugged. Even after ascending to the throne, whenever we were alone, she would insist on cuddling and coaxing her, wanting affection.

“Yes, I missed you too.”

“······Inside the Great Hero Hall······ there are only the two of us.”

The Emperor whispered in my ear, raising onto her tiptoes.

I already knew that much.

As expected, she had Dongchang at her disposal, making them her limbs. I could sense that no one else was around.

Furthermore, there were no ears nearby to eavesdrop on our conversation.

Truly, it was just the two of us here.

“······I’m glad to hear you say that you missed me······.”

“You think I wouldn’t want to see you, your Highness? It’s been a long time since I’ve referred to you as your Highness instead of just the Emperor.”

“Indeed. It’s been a long time. Noya.”

I wasn’t worried about the Emperor. She could manage on her own just fine.

But I still didn’t want to be away from her.

After all, she was my family.

Hearing my words, the Emperor burst into tears again.

With my familiar hand motions, I gently stroked her hair.

How long had we been like this?

She slowly pulled away from my embrace. Wiping her tears with the edge of her sleeve, the Emperor looked at me, her face flushed red.

“Noya······ that······.”

The Emperor stuttered, unable to find words.

She kicked the floor of the Great Hero Hall in frustration.

“······Your complexion looks brighter······. You’ve grown robust as well. If the Noya of my past life was beautiful, then the current Noya is dignified and handsome, akin to a noble jade. I appreciate every part of you. How is life in the Gongdong Sect? Is your regained manhood treating you well? How was the long-desired cloud and rain pleasure·····?”

The Emperor’s face turned crimson as her words spilled out.

Cloud and rain pleasure.

She appeared embarrassed simply mentioning it, which I found adorable.

Suddenly, the previous life flashed in my mind.

I recalled the Emperor crying out, lamenting the joys of cloud and rain pleasure.

That same Emperor was here, defying time.

As I patted her head, I said, “I still have yet to share the joys of cloud and rain pleasure with anyone.”

“Really? I see. Why is that?”

Her speech quickened suddenly. She drew closer to me.

“······True cloud and rain pleasure can only be achieved when two hearts connect, not merely through bodily interaction. Not to mention, I am still yet to reach adulthood myself.”

“…The hearts must connect… I see. Truly, Noya’s words hold wisdom.”

Upon hearing my words, the Emperor broke into a broad smile.

A radiant bloom of joy blossomed on her face.

I gazed at the Emperor, lifting my hand from above her head.

“Ah······.”

The Emperor made a face of disappointment.

Since we had already reunited to some degree.

Now it was my turn to ask what I had wanted.

I looked at her and said, “Your Highness.”

“Speak, Noya.”

“······Why······ did you perform the Rebirth Great Method?”

It was the question I had longed to ask.

Why had she chosen to carry out the Rebirth Great Method?

As soon as I voiced this question, the Emperor’s expression grew serious.

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