NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 122
122nd Chapter: Love Rival – Illustration
The Geumhu Eun Seol-ran was feeling great these days.
Yongbong Society.
It was the place where she could officially meet her beloved Sangong. Just that fact made her eagerly await the Yongbong Society since last year’s competition ended.
And on the day of the Yongbong Society.
Eun Seol-ran finally met Sangong. She was overjoyed. But she couldn’t just settle there.
The Hangshan Sect had chosen the Shaolin Guest Hall as their lodging. They wanted to bump into Sangong as often as possible in the same space.
Gyaaah! Sangong, you look even cooler than a year ago! Hehe.
Moreover, after a year apart, Sangong had grown even more dignified and reliable.
That was Lee Cheol-soo, now transitioning from boyhood to young adulthood. The muscles showing through his martial attire, now more toned, made the Geumhu fall for him again.
Now, during the Yongbong Society, they’d share the companionship and reunion they had missed.
Soon, a union with Sangong would be a smooth journey.
Right.
That’s what she thought.
Until she encountered Neungwolhyang in front of the Main Gate.
The moment she faced Neungwolhyang, her feelings, which felt like paradise, plummeted to the depths of hell.
Shiver shiver.
Eun Seol-ran’s hands trembled. Her face hardened.
Neungwolhyang…
Yeomhee Neungwolhyang.
She already knew something about her. The only “Heavenly” courtesan of the Baekhwa Pavilion and the number one courtesan of Sichuan. Her beauty was said to rival the Most Beautiful in the World, Yeomwang Jeoksawol, a stunning beauty known far and wide.
…And after the Orthodox Faction Competition, she was the courtesan rumored to have had a connection with Lee Cheol-soo.
That much younger girl, not even in her thirties, was right there.
Moreover, her courtesan house was located precisely in Hwajeong County, the village just below Gongdong Mountain.
With a scandal about Sangong and the courtesan’s location… could it all really be just a coincidence? I don’t think so.
It was definitely not a coincidence.
It was fated. Of course, she didn’t think Sangong would have been involved with that courtesan. The Sangong she knew was a solid man. Rather, it was clear that the courtesan, Neungwolhyang, had been persistently pursuing Sangong.
With nothing but her youth to offer…!
Eun Seol-ran’s eyes turned icy.
How dare that young girl, without any sense of understanding…
Jeoksawol, watching that scene, chuckled.
Her mood wasn’t good to begin with. But now, with the jealousy and spite Eun Seol-ran was sending her way…
Normally, she would have been sick of experiencing a woman’s jealousy, but today, it wasn’t so bad.
No, rather, it felt good.
That young girl was feeling jealous.
About her and Sangong’s relationship.
That realization made Jeoksawol happy. Geumhu. That young girl could never surpass her. Not now, and not ever.
“…So you are Yeomhee Neung, the courtesan known as the best in Gansu. What brings you to Shaolin?”
Eun Seol-ran’s cold voice pierced Jeoksawol’s ears.
Hearing her question, Jeoksawol slowly lifted the veil covering her face.
The moment Neungwolhyang’s beautiful countenance and red eyes were revealed…
Hooook!
“…I see. The beauty of Yeomhee Neung truly does contend for the title of the most beautiful in the world… The rumors were not wrong…”
“I never expected to see the true face of Neung!”
The men around gasped in astonishment.
Though not as stunning as the Most Beautiful in the World, Jeoksawol, Neungwolhyang’s beauty was enough to leave a lasting impact on them.
Eun Seol-ran’s hands trembled as she beheld Neungwolhyang.
Of course, Eun Seol-ran was beautiful in her own right. The title of the number one beauty in the Orthodox Faction was not merely for show.
But even through the eyes of another beauty, Neungwolhyang’s elegance was breathtaking.
And Neungwolhyang was still in her twenties. Twenty years younger than the forty-eight-year-old Eun Seol-ran.
A young and pretty woman sticking close to Sangong all day long…
…No, no. Sangong…
Eun Seol-ran’s vision grew distant.
She didn’t suspect Sangong’s feelings. But the distance between them felt unbearably far.
It was the distance between the Gongdong Sect in Gansu and the Hangshan Sect in Shanxi. Meeting every day was practically impossible. Besides, Eun Seol-ran was the master of the Hangshan Sect.
It was impossible to abandon her main base so recklessly when they weren’t officially engaged yet.
That’s why, without justifiable reason like the Yongbong Society, she couldn’t even dare to meet Sangong.
But what about Neungwolhyang?
She was a courtesan, and the courtesan house she lived in was in the foothill village of Gongdong Mountain.
If she wanted, she could see Sangong every day.
Eun Seol-ran bit her lip. The vision of that temptress flirting with Sangong in the village flashed vividly in her mind.
“I came here with the incense offerings.”
“…Is that so? Is that really all?”
Responding to Eun Seol-ran’s question, Jeoksawol smiled faintly.
“…Of course, our Gongdong Alliance’s Gaga intended to participate in the Yongbong Society, so I wanted to see her in action.”
Jeoksawol winked slyly.
She was no longer the 62-year-old Yeomwang Jeoksawol of the past, but the 24-year-old Yeomhee Neungwolhyang of Gansu now.
So…
Right now, she is much younger than that young girl.
At this moment, she felt younger than Eun Seol-ran.
That thought brought a smile to Jeoksawol’s lips.
Eun Seol-ran turned pale at Jeoksawol’s natural provocation. With a white face, she bit her lip.
Gaga, Gaga…?! How dare you call yourself Gaga, when you’re older than Sangong…! No matter how much of a courtesan you are, you need some decency…!
Gaga.
A term used by women to affectionately call their intimate partners. The moment it slipped from Neungwolhyang’s lips, Eun Seol-ran barely held onto the thread of reason that was about to snap.
She knew too.
Neungwolhyang’s mention of “Gaga” was merely an act of provocation. While for average women, “Gaga” referred to someone’s partner, for courtesans, it was just one of many titles for frequent customers.
But it was also infuriating.
Now it was confirmed.
…Neungwolhyang is also… vying for Sangong…
Yeomhee Neungwolhyang.
She was aiming for Sangong. If not, there would be no reason to use the term “Gaga” to provoke Eun Seol-ran.
Being a woman herself, she instinctively knew.
That the courtesan standing before her was a love rival.
“If you’re calling him Gaga, what kind of relationship does Neung have with Eungong?”
Eun Seol-ran asked with a cold voice. Neungwolhyang smiled seductively upon hearing Eun Seol-ran’s question.
“…Why would you, Geumhu Eun, wish to know our relationship… It’s not like, for a woman close to the heavenly mandate, that she has an affair with a young man like me…”
Jeoksawol’s gaze turned to Eun Seol-ran.
Hmph. Eun Seol-ran. How dare a young girl with little experience think she could interfere between me and Gaga? She’s a century too early for that.
Like Eun Seol-ran, Jeoksawol also realized the moment she faced her.
That Eun Seol-ran, known for not being interested in men, was currently in love with Lee Cheol-soo.
The moment she realized that, jealousy flared up within Jeoksawol like wildfire.
…Right now, you can’t deny what I say. Hehe. You and Gaga have nothing between you yet.
So she provoked.
Eun Seol-ran liked Gaga. However, due to her position and status as the master of the Hangshan Sect, she wouldn’t be able to openly acknowledge her feelings here.
But Neungwolhyang didn’t care. After all, she was a courtesan.
Hehehe.
Jeoksawol chuckled inwardly.
Amidst that moment of triumph, Eun Seol-ran bit her lip.
It was nothing between them.
Neungwolhyang’s words precisely hit Eun Seol-ran’s weak spot.
She couldn’t retort.
Not yet were they anything. But she already considered him Sangong, her husband. She couldn’t let such a courtesan take him away.
It hurt. She felt like crying.
At that moment, the refined martial arts she had achieved through the stage of transcendence, the honor of being Geumhu of the Hangshan Sect, all felt like cumbersome weights.
If only she were not Geumhu, not the master of the Hangshan Sect, not Hwakyung’s master…
Then she could boldly confess her love to Sangong right here.
But she was neither a mere woman nor an outsider but Geumhu, and the master of Hangshan.
There was no way that could happen.
At that moment, feeling critical of herself, Eun Seol-ran was biting her lip.
“…If it’s about the Master, then I care!”
Suddenly, a sharp voice interjected between Eun Seol-ran and Neungwolhyang.
Soon after, a strikingly beautiful young girl, distinguished by her silver hair among the black-haired crowd, confidently entered the front yard of the Shaolin Temple.
That was So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin.
Cheon Sobin’s gaze fell upon Neungwolhyang.
“Because that girl is… in love with this so-called hero! Seeing a courtesan calling him ‘Gaga’ without knowing their relationship, how could I not be curious?”
A smile painted Cheon Sobin’s lips.
She still didn’t genuinely like Lee Cheol-soo. However, she couldn’t bear to watch her precious Master being toyed with by some courtesan.
So she stepped up.
That wasn’t all.
…I said my acting was lacking, didn’t I? Just you wait!
There wouldn’t be many opportunities to announce to the world that she had feelings for Lee Cheol-soo as there was right now.
Though her image might take a little hit, she didn’t care about that anymore.
As long as she could protect her Master, she could do anything.
“Confessing my feelings so boldly in the middle of the courtyard, how can you be so shameless, even for a young lady?”
“Then, the rumor that you and I had feelings for each other during the Hangshan Great War… perhaps that was true.”
“Neung, what about you? I just figured out that you call this so-called hero ‘Gaga.’”
“Just as the rumors said, it seems that this so-called hero is indeed involved with the Gongdong Color Association.”
The murmurs of the crowd brushed against Jeoksawol’s ears.
Her cheeks twitched. So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin.
She never expected that young girl would make such an entrance.
Does she not understand vanity at all?
Unlike Neungwolhyang, a courtesan, So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin was a future successor of the Hangshan Sect.
Moreover, she was the daughter of the number one family in Shanxi.
For someone of her high status to loudly confess her feelings for a man, totally disregarding face…
That simply invited scandal behind her back; it was evident.
And she was willing to take all that?
Jeoksawol couldn’t understand.
“So what is your relationship? I want to ask about the relationship between Neung and this so-called hero…”
So Geom-hu took a step forward, approaching Neungwolhyang.
This time, Neungwolhyang bit her lip. She wished she could simply say they were lovers.
But she couldn’t.
If she spread such a rumor again, just like last time…
Gaga won’t come looking for me…
Like last time, Lee Cheol-soo wouldn’t seek her out. She would be left alone.
The horrifying memories and emotions of being left alone still lingered vividly within her heart.
Two young girls, ganging up on me…
Jeoksawol turned her back.
“…Why should I share my relationship with this so-called hero with you, Cheon Sobin? Hmph. That’s enough. Let’s end this argument here. It’s time to offer the incense.”
She would never forget the humiliation she faced today.
Hmph.
Jeoksawol snorted as she entered the Main Gate.
Watching that, Cheon Sobin shrugged her shoulders.
She turned to gaze at her master.
“Master! I did well, right?”
Eun Seol-ran, hearing Cheon Sobin’s words, forced an awkward smile.
Her disciple had just driven off her love rival.
It was surely something to be glad about. But Eun Seol-ran couldn’t fully rejoice.
Sobin… You don’t still have feelings for Lee Cheol-soo, do you?
Cheon Sobin.
The fact that she hadn’t yet given up on Lee Cheol-soo still weighed heavily on Eun Seol-ran’s heart.
“Yeah, you did great.”
Eun Seol-ran suppressed her unusual feelings and offered praises to her disciple.
“Now, let’s head to our lodging.”
“Yes, Master!”
To quickly wipe away the uncomfortable feelings, Eun Seol-ran changed the subject and walked towards the Main Gate.
Following behind were So Geom-hu and the disciples of the Hangshan Sect.
Thus, the first round of conflict between Eun Seol-ran and Jeoksawol unexpectedly ended in a victory for So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin.
*
Hwang Sang had snuggled in my arms for some time before pulling away.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve and said to me.
“…It seems our time is almost up.”
Apparently, the time she had set for our private meeting was drawing to a close.
Suddenly.
Hwang Sang grabbed my wrist.
“I don’t want to part with Noya…”
She said, her voice trembling. Looking at her, I smiled faintly.
It brought back old memories.
Back when Hwang Sang had just come of age, and I told her I would temporarily leave her side to move to Dongchang.
She had clung to me just like this and cried.
I held Hwang Sang’s hand and said.
“I want to stay by your side as well. But I also have things I must do.”
“…I understand. Once everything is done… you’ll stay by my side, right?”
Upon hearing my words, Juga-yul looked up at me and asked.
Once everything is done.
Was that referring to sorting out the Blood Sect and working on the Samcheosacheop? If so…
“…Yes, I will do that, Hwang Sang.”
I would certainly stay by Hwang Sang’s side. After all, she was my only family.
Leaving my family was unthinkable.
Juga-yul wiped her tears with her sleeve.
A blush rose to her cheeks.
“I understand. In the meantime, I will… help Noya from the throne in the Hall of Great Harmony.”
The throne in the Hall of Great Harmony.
Juga-yul boldly proclaimed her intention to become the Emperor of the Forbidden City.
It wasn’t surprising. She would do just fine without me.
“And for Noya… I’m using Dongchang to gather all the elixirs in the world for the palace.”
Juga-yul told me.
Using future knowledge to collect elixirs, huh? It seemed the Demon had kept an eye on Hwang Sang due to her elixir collection.
Elixirs, huh? In my past life, to reach the stage of transcendence, I needed a lot of elixirs due to my lackluster talent. I needed them not just for consumption but also for improving my physique with the revitalization techniques.
But this life was different. I was already experienced and had gained insights reaching transcendence. I didn’t need that many elixirs now.
I gently patted Hwang Sang’s head and said.
“I’m fine. I don’t need that many elixirs. Instead, you should take them and grow stronger than before to preserve your health.”
What concerned me was Hwang Sang. Now that the Blood Sect had singled her out as an enemy, she needed to strengthen her martial prowess in advance. Though Hwang Sang had reached the stage of transcending the Imperial Palace Martial Arts in her past life, she was still facing the Blood Sect.
It wouldn’t hurt to prepare in advance.
Hearing my words, Hwang Sang wiggled her fingers.
“I understand. Thank you for worrying. But…”
She rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a small pendant. Clank.
Once she opened the pendant, a refreshing fragrance wafted out, and within it was a stone resembling a pink gem, pulsating with spiritual energy that made one feel tingly upon contact.
I recognized the identity of that stone.
“This is the Inner Pill of the Eternal Fire Carp… You’re giving me this precious item…?”
Eternal Fire Carp.
The inner pill of a giant golden carp that had evolved into a spirit by harboring immense yang energy for countless years. It, along with the Inner Pill of the Ultimate Blood Gem and the Inner Pill of the Golden Turtle, was regarded as one of the three greatest energy elixirs in existence, famed as the ultimate tonic.
The best energy elixir in the world was right before my eyes.
Thump.
My heart raced with excitement. My hand trembled.
“Hohohoho.”
A joyous laugh slipped from my lips.