Chapter 398
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## Chapter 398. Baek Sojeo, Can You Handle This?
Son Gain’s question made Baek Seolyeon pause for a moment.
It wasn’t an easy question.
How many could easily say “yes” or “no” about an expert of a level surpassing the heavens?
Of course, she knew something about him.
The named disciple of Cheongbulno and classmate of “Yeodongbin.”
A man who uses mystical techniques to manipulate wind and clouds, and who defeated the Asura Demon Lord with his sword control technique.
A man shrouded in mystery, as enigmatic as his hidden face.
A hermit who, despite his age, doesn’t openly display his exceptional abilities.
Therefore, it was difficult for her to say she knew him, even a little.
“I don’t know. But I do want to know. Though I’m not sure if I’ll have the opportunity.”
Baek Seolyeon subtly revealed her affection for him.
Son Gain, with a surprised expression, replied:
“Sister, you share the same lodgings and learn mystical techniques together. How is it that you know nothing about him?”
Son Gain’s words had a deep connotation.
And her negative feelings were directly transmitted to Baek Seolyeon.
“What are you saying?”
“They say that although female practitioners now use ‘Haseongo,’ before, men used it, right?”
“Yes.”
Before the disciples of Baekhwa Palace arrived, that was indeed the case.
Was she insinuating something because of the rumors about the men who used to be close to Yeon Namcheon?
—Tsk, tsk… What foolish and stupid people!
Man Hwangju and Cheon Sangdong are famous people, although for different reasons.
When Yeon Namcheon ascended to “Yeodongbin,” gossip filled the place.
After a period of silence, it seems they are doing the same with the new practitioners.
“The people who shared lodgings with Yeon Namcheon…”
“Sister.”
Baek Seolyeon interrupted Son Gain.
She no longer wanted to hear the malicious comments of people blinded by jealousy and envy.
“Yes?”
Son Gain, intimidated by Baek Seolyeon’s firmness, cautiously observed.
“Yeon Namcheon is a great albatross (大鵬). The men you met are field mice living in the weeds. They only saw the albatross’s shadow on the ground and interpreted things as they pleased.”
“An albatross?”
“When you also ascend to ‘Yeodongbin,’ you will understand why I said that. It’s advice from your older sister. If you want to know about Yeon Namcheon, come to ‘Yeodongbin’.”
“I’m not very curious about him.”
Son Gain subtly drew a line, fearing Baek Seolyeon would misunderstand her.
What’s the point of getting to know a man like that?
“Ha! The sisters of Baekhwa Palace also thought the same at first, but now they are his followers.”
“Followers? I don’t understand. What are the ladies of Baekhwa Palace lacking…?”
“Ascend to ‘Yeodongbin’ soon, sister. Then you will discover how vast the world is.”
“Ah, yes…”
Son Gain nodded with an uncomfortable expression.
“Yeodongbin” is only one of the eight pavilions of the Five Dragons Palace, so saying “the world” is an exaggeration.
Baek Seolyeon’s strong breath unintentionally struck Son Gain’s inferiority complex.
‘Even so, it’s not the whole world.’
She felt disappointed in Baek Seolyeon, whom she admired.
The self-confidence of “Yeodongbin” was excessive, even a little delusional.
That negative feeling transferred to Yeon Namcheon, whom Baek Seolyeon had praised so much.
After her conversation with Baek Seolyeon, Son Gain became closer to Man Hwangju and Cheon Sangdong.
For Man Hwangju and Cheon Sangdong, it was unexpected luck.
After all, Son Gain, the most beautiful woman of “Haseongo,” joined their group.
***
It seems that fate exists.
Son Gain trained tirelessly after entering the mountain, but repeatedly failed the oral exams.
Man Hwangju and Cheon Sangdong were in a similar situation.
Sharing the same situation, the three became closer, and their resentment towards Yeon Namcheon deepened.
Time passes like flowing water.
When July arrived, Man Hwangju and Cheon Sangdong abandoned their lives as practitioners.
Son Gain had no problem staying at the Pavilion of the Eight Immortals thanks to her family’s support.
However, after her acquaintances left, she felt lost and unable to control her emotions.
The influence of Yeon Namcheon was also significant.
He was like a needle in a sack.
Over time, his mastery of mystical techniques became known among the practitioners.
Finally, when summer arrived, the practitioners of the Pavilion of the Eight Immortals called him the best mystical techniques practitioner of the Five Dragons Palace.
The more Yeon Namcheon became the center of the practitioners, the more Son Gain lost her position.
Not all practitioners strive.
The Wudang Sect recommends abstinence from alcohol during training.
Even so, some practitioners managed to smuggle alcohol from the villages near Mount Wudang.
Son Gain, wandering around the Pavilion of the Eight Immortals, began to mingle with them.
She, still beautiful, was welcomed by the unrestrained people.
Thus, Son Gain distanced herself from “Yeodongbin.”
Baek Seolyeon, seeing this, severely reprimanded her, but it was in vain.
For Son Gain, who was full of inferiority complex, Baek Seolyeon’s advice was just a complaint.
One night with a beautiful moonlight.
A sigh escaped Baek Seolyeon’s lips, who had been reading sacred texts late into the night.
“Ah!”
The image of Son Gain drunk kept appearing to her.
Thinking about the man who had given her alcohol the night before, she felt uneasy.
Did he say he was a practitioner of “Icheolgoe”?
His eyes, shining with greed, didn’t match the simple atmosphere of the Wudang sect.
Since entry isn’t prevented unless they are criminals, sometimes people of that type mix in.
Baek Seolyeon, biting her lip as she thought, got up and went out.
And she walked towards the outer courtyard of the Pavilion of the Eight Immortals.
The outer courtyard was near the lodgings of the workers of the Pavilion of the Eight Immortals, so it was a place that practitioners avoided.
Approaching the outer courtyard, she heard murmurs.
It seemed that five or six practitioners were secretly drinking.
When she entered the outer courtyard, the whispers ceased.
They had recognized her.
The slightly surprised gazes of the practitioners turned to a corner.
Yang Sagang, the man who had Son Gain drunk on his shoulder, looked at the intruder with sleepy eyes.
He didn’t seem very surprised to see Baek Seolyeon, an inner disciple.
He even smiled.
Baek Seolyeon walked directly towards the man.
“That girl is my younger sister. It seems she’s drunk, so I’ll take her.”
“Miss Baek, a younger sister? Isn’t she a stranger without a drop of shared blood? Miss Son is here of her own free will. If you don’t want to have fun with us, just leave.”
While saying this, Yang Sagang smiled and put his hand on Son Gain’s chest.
Son Gain, drunk, didn’t resist his touch.
Seeing this, Baek Seolyeon said coldly:
“How dare you?! A practitioner of the Wudang Sect committing immoral acts! What is your name?!”
“Do you want to know? It would be better if you pretended not to see me and left.”
“Tell me right now!”
An icy gleam came from Baek Seolyeon’s eyes.
Even so, Yang Sagang showed no signs of backing down.
No, he even stared at her with an amused expression.
“Miss Baek, can you handle this?”
Suddenly, Yang Sagang’s words became short.
Seeing her opponent’s firm attitude, Baek Seolyeon couldn’t help but be surprised.
In daily life, practitioners are careful with inner disciples.
The hierarchy of inner disciples is determined by the order in which they pass the initiation ceremony.
And now, a man has committed a crime.
How dare he be so insolent?
But she couldn’t just leave after seeing the immoral act he committed against Son Gain.
“No matter who you are, your guilt won’t disappear. Tell me!”
“Ha, ha, ha! This is really funny. After you know who I am, and still act like this, I will appreciate you.”
“Crazy!”
“Oh, even insults? Yes, a woman should have some resilience. Miss Son is too easy, she’s not graceful. Look, she doesn’t move.”
While saying this, Yang Sagang squeezed Son Gain’s breasts as if kneading them.
“You’re really looking for death!”
Just when Baek Seolyeon, full of anger, was about to act.
Yang Sagang opened his mouth.
“Baek Seolyeon, the eldest daughter of Baek Seungwon, the leader of the Dongsimmun Sect (Child’s Heart) in Sibeonjuksan prefecture?”
Baek Seolyeon was petrified.
Suddenly, the man who knew her past became frightening.
“Who are you?”
“Why? Are you scared now? You should have left when I told you to.”
“I asked you who you are.”
“Do you know who the magistrate of Juksan prefecture is?”
“…”
Baek Seolyeon’s eyes moved upon hearing the man’s words.
Seeing that he mentions the magistrate with a proud expression, he seems to be the son of an official.
“This unfamiliar face? I am Yang Hoju. Make sure you know the name of the magistrate of your hometown.”
“…”
Baek Seolyeon swallowed.
Could he be a relative of the magistrate?
A malicious smile appeared on Yang Sagang’s lips as he saw Baek Seolyeon tense.
“Did I ask you who I am? I am Yang Sagang, the eldest son of the magistrate of Juksan prefecture, who came to the Wudang Sect to learn mystical techniques. How about it? Can you handle this?”
Baek Seolyeon, plunged into despair, gritted her teeth.
As she suspected, it was so.
With that kind of backing, they didn’t fear the Five Dragons Palace and held parties.
‘What to do…’
For the small Dongsimmun Sect, the magistrate was more fearsome than the leader of the Infinite Heaven Alliance.
Even so, she couldn’t leave Son Gain like that.
“If you do this in the Wudang Sect, you will tarnish Mr. Yang’s reputation.”
Unlike Baek Seolyeon, who had weakened, Yang Sagang’s eyes became sharp.
“Do you dare to advise me?”
“It’s not advice, I’m just stating the truth. I’ll forget about today, so give me Miss Son.”
“What if I can’t?”
“Then I’ll tell the Wudang Sect. Do you think I can’t do it?”
Faced with Baek Seolyeon’s determination, Yang Sagang gritted his teeth.
In this place, fighting would only cause him losses.
How dare she resist so brazenly, even after knowing that he is the magistrate’s son?
“Fine. Take her. Today, you used the authority of the Wudang Sect to oppress me, so next time, I will use my power to impose my will. Expect it.”
“The magistrate is Mr. Yang’s father, not Mr. Yang himself.”
“Nonsense! You are also the daughter of the leader of the Dongsimmun Sect, but you are not treated well in the Dongsimmun Sect, right? Don’t feel aggrieved. Having good parents is also a skill.”
“…….”
Baek Seolyeon didn’t respond and separated Son Gain from him.
Then she helped her leave the outer courtyard.
After walking for a while.
Son Gain’s staggering steps, who seemed about to fall, became a little firmer.
“Are you feeling a little better?”
“You could have left me there.”
Belatedly, Baek Seolyeon realized that Son Gain had been feigning drunkenness the whole time.
“How can you do that? You’re my younger sister.”
“He, he. Younger sister? Didn’t you hear what that guy said? We don’t share a drop of blood.”
“You don’t have to share blood to be sisters. They say a woman dies for someone who understands her, and a man arranges himself for someone who makes him happy [女 爲知己者 死, 男 爲說己者 容].”
She modified Sima Qian’s saying, “A gentleman dies for someone who understands him, and a woman arranges herself for someone who makes her happy [士 爲知己者 死, 女 爲說己者 容],” from the Ye Yang chapter in the “Records of the Grand Historian.”
Son Gain laughed upon hearing Baek Seolyeon’s joke.
She felt ashamed and grateful.
She didn’t understand why she had been wandering for the past few months, leaving such a good person.
“I also didn’t know that Yang Sagang was the son of the Juksan magistrate. If I had known, I wouldn’t have approached him. What do we do now? This is all my fault…”