Jin Geum-ryeon could not bring himself to kill the So-cheon group that relentlessly pursued him. As he had once told Ahn Do-hyun, the first blood on his hands should belong to Ahn Do-hyun, the enemy of his parents.

However, whenever he thought about it, a discomfort twisted in his gut. This was always followed by a certain question.

“Why did he spare me after killing my parents?”

Originally, if someone intended to kill in this vast Central Plains, they should eliminate every potential threat from the very beginning, anticipating a deep-seated grudge. Yet Ahn Do-hyun did the opposite; he sent Jin Geum-ryeon to a master who would nurture him, allowing the roots of vengeance to grow. Even now, after more than a decade, the question remained unresolved. He had asked once, but it seemed Ahn Do-hyun had no intention of answering.

Strictly speaking, it was not Ahn Do-hyun who killed his parents, but he was undoubtedly one of the figures who had driven them to their extreme circumstances.

Yet, for some time now, Jin Geum-ryeon had begun to feel a sense of aversion toward the idea of “killing Ahn Do-hyun.” No, in fact, he had felt that way from the very beginning. Such thoughts were surely wrong for a son whose parents had sacrificed their lives for him. So, every time that thought surfaced, Jin Geum-ryeon suppressed it with great effort.

And now, here he was, forcing his way back into Illusion Valley to save Ahn Do-hyun.

Since arriving in Illusion Valley, he had merely watched Ahn Do-hyun from a distance, observing how far he would go. He intended to listen to him lament and call out his own name in regret. However, one thing he had overlooked was that no matter how much Ahn Do-hyun regretted, he would have to go rescue him in person to witness that scene.

If he were spotted by the disciples of Illusion Valley, all the guards would swarm in, and he would be in a difficult situation. Not wanting to waste his energy unnecessarily, Jin Geum-ryeon evaded the assassins and infiltrated the West Annex Chamber where Ahn Do-hyun was staying. However, after taking down a few guards, he found the place completely empty, as if no one had ever stayed there.

“…….”

Jin Geum-ryeon narrowed his eyes.

“Should I just leave?”

In truth, there was no need for Jin Geum-ryeon to save Ahn Do-hyun. If he left Ahn Do-hyun as he was, he would crumble under Seo Moon-gwang’s grip. Perhaps for Ak Mujin, it would be more painful to see Ahn Do-hyun humiliated by Seo Moon-gwang than to die himself. For someone who had lived as an Ordinary Person until recently, being defeated by another man would surely be a form of torture.

However, the more he thought about it, the worse he felt. It was as if Ahn Do-hyun’s shame was his own, and Ahn Do-hyun’s humiliation was his humiliation, making him feel quite dirty.

Jin Geum-ryeon sensed that this was an inappropriate emotion. Who on earth identifies with whom?

Still, the image of Ahn Do-hyun standing before him, his clothes fluttering, kept surfacing in his mind. Jin Geum-ryeon irritably rubbed his face with his palm.

Whenever he thought of Ahn Do-hyun, it was always like this.

Once his parents’ revenge was complete, he would be able to return to normal. Perhaps.

With his eyes heavy with gloom, Jin Geum-ryeon scanned the surroundings and exited the West Annex Chamber.

Seo Moon-gwang had undoubtedly harbored lust for Ahn Do-hyun from the moment he first laid eyes on him. If he took someone he could consider a beloved in his own territory, where would he take him?

He quickly ran toward the Main Chamber.

What Jin Geum-ryeon faced was an unpleasant sight, even though he had somewhat anticipated it.

A long robe and belt haphazardly strewn beneath the bed, two pairs of legs entangled, and beneath them, a pale man gasping for breath, his clothes disheveled.

Ak Mujin, looking as if he had already been through a brutal assault, gazed at Jin Geum-ryeon with tears welling in his eyes, his lips trembling. His lips, stained with blood as if he had coughed it up, somehow evoked a sense of lust.

However, seeing Seo Moon-gwang atop his body stirred a boiling rage in Jin Geum-ryeon, twisting in his gut. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

“Jin…, haah….”

It was true that Ak Mujin called out Jin Geum-ryeon’s name with all his might. However, he had not actually expected him to return, so he could not discern whether what he saw was reality or not. Filled with shame and desperation, he concentrated on hoping it was not an illusion and that he would be saved.

After using his Inner Force, it seemed that Ak Mujin’s Qi and Blood began to surge, and a bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

“Tsk, what are the guards doing?”

Seo Moon-gwang, holding a fan, quickly leaped off the bed and swung it toward Jin Geum-ryeon without noticing Ak Mujin’s subtle change. Immediately, Jin Geum-ryeon deflected the fan with his scabbard, and the somewhat cluttered interior filled with the sound of metal clashing.

Once again, their fight began, but this time Ak Mujin had no leisure to watch. It was already exhausting enough to hold onto his sanity, so he curled up in a corner of the bed with half-closed eyes.

“I was under the impression everything was already settled. Why do you interfere with the time between beloveds, Young Master Jin?”

Seo Moon-gwang asked leisurely, yet he seemed eager to wrap things up quickly. As he opened the fan, a sharp sound echoed, and flat metal pieces shot out from the tips like arrows.

Jin Geum-ryeon hurriedly unsheathed his blade to deflect them, but one of the unexpected projectiles struck his left shoulder before he could evade it. He checked his shoulder and immediately began to fend off Seo Moon-gwang’s incoming attacks.

“I tend to be a bit capricious. So, I must take back Young Master Ahn.”

“Haha. It’s too late. Young Master Ahn has already become mine.”

Seo Moon-gwang’s eyebrows twitched, and he smirked, pressing the attack even more fiercely. He kicked a chair toward Jin Geum-ryeon, who skillfully dodged while occasionally looking for openings to strike back at Seo Moon-gwang. However, each time, his blade merely grazed the cuffs of Seo Moon-gwang’s sleeves.

“It seems the outcome has already been decided. Why are you struggling so much?”

The fact that he was pushing Jin Geum-ryeon back with a short-range fan was clear evidence of Seo Moon-gwang’s superiority. However, Jin Geum-ryeon merely smiled back at him without any further reaction.

Seo Moon-gwang sensed something was off. Just a few days ago, Jin Geum-ryeon’s movements had not been this passive.

As the fight continued, Seo Moon-gwang’s fluttering sleeves began to slow down. The moment he sensed something and glanced sideways, he felt something sticky on his sleeve and forearm.

“…What is this…?”

Before he could figure out what it was, the sticky substance began to burn hot against his skin. Seo Moon-gwang inhaled sharply.

“You…!”

“I borrowed some medicinal herbs from Illusion Valley. As a friend’s disciple, I hope you can overlook this much?”

Seo Moon-gwang visibly panicked. It was no wonder; his arm was already covered in red welts, and the area around his neck was rapidly heating up. As he examined Jin Geum-ryeon’s blade closely, he noticed a transparent mucus on it. If it was a medicinal herb that clung to the skin and caused toxicity, it must be the sap of the poison ivy that grew all over Illusion Valley.

“Jin Geum-ryeon…!”

“Yes.”

Seo Moon-gwang did not call Jin Geum-ryeon’s name because he had something to say. However, Jin Geum-ryeon responded with a polite demeanor. Seo Moon-gwang gradually felt the poison from the poison ivy rising, causing his chest to heave heavily. The movements of the fan he was holding in front of Jin Geum-ryeon also became slower, making it seem pointless to continue fighting.

Thud.

Finally, the fan slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Seeing Seo Moon-gwang’s face filled with despair, Jin Geum-ryeon thought he could easily swing his sword and end his life. Just as he gripped the hilt of his sword and raised it toward the sky—

“Jin… Geum-ryeon….”

A small voice pulled Jin Geum-ryeon back to reality. When he suddenly turned to the source of the sound, he saw Ak Mujin gasping, half-collapsed outside the bed.

Jin Geum-ryeon’s focus shifted entirely to Ak Mujin. He quickly sheathed his sword and approached Ak Mujin, grabbing his arm to help him up. The warmth of Ak Mujin’s body was so intense that even through his clothes, Jin Geum-ryeon was taken aback.

“Ahn Do-hyun?”

“…It’s hot….”

Ak Mujin murmured about the heat with his eyes closed. Jin Geum-ryeon looked around, unsure of what to do with Ak Mujin.

At that moment.

“An intruder has entered!”

“Spread out and capture him!”

From a distance, Hwaseo’s voice rang out. He could vaguely hear So-cheon’s voice, which seemed to be chasing after him. Seo Moon-gwang, panting heavily, staggered toward the doorway and shouted.

“Over here…! Jin Geum-ryeon is here!”

By Zephyria

Hello, I'm Zephyria, an avid BL reader^^ I post AI/Machine assisted translation. Mostly BL. Check my Ko-fi for more HSA chapters~

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