Chapter 108: Lotus (16)

Boom Boom Boom!

As the light exploded, Kim Young-hoon was struck by my Formless Sword and hurled into the middle of the desert.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

From within the dust cloud, Kim Young-hoon can be seen coughing as he struggles to his feet.

"Ptui, ptui! Damn it, Seo Eun-hyun, you cunning guy! To say such a thing at this moment?"

"Ha ha, sorry."

He spits out sand and holds his saber, letting out a hollow laugh.

"Damn it, phew..."

After shaking off the sand, he sighs.

"Alright, fine. My attack couldn't match yours anyway... But still..."

He thumps his chest, continuing,

"Now you decide to confess! Aargh! I thought I'd vomit blood from frustration!"

"......"

I sigh.

"It really wasn't an easy decision..."

"You're so frustrating. What's so difficult about it?"

"Just... there are things hard to explain. Please understand."

Fighting against Kim Young-hoon, who has obtained the Surpassing Radiant Saber, I felt it clearly.

Even as I wielded the Formless Sword, even while executing techniques, even while focusing my best.

The pinkish color of love in my heart never left.

If martial arts have become a part of my life that I never give up,

Then my affection for her has also become an integral part of my life.

'If it's impossible to shake off, then let's accept it.'

I can no longer endure.

Nor can I leave.

Being with Buk Hyang-hwa brings comfort.

Learning artifacts from her makes me forget the pain of my return, if only momentarily.

The pain of those numerous losses would subside, even if just for a moment.

That comfort has become so strong that hiding my feelings is no longer possible.

"So! When will you confess? Do you need my help?"

"Ah, I will confess, but..."

I smile wryly and say,

"Recently, I've been practicing making flowers out of glass."

"So?"

"But whenever I make a flower, she says it looks like a starfish. So, I plan to wait until I get the shape of the flower right."

Hearing this, Kim Young-hoon scowls again.

"Damn it, waiting again! It's maddening for those watching!"

"Hmm, hmm..."

"You frustrating guy... Just confess quickly!"

"Calm down, Kim Hyung."

I sweat trying to calm down the annoyed Kim Young-hoon, who is thumping his chest.

"If you really insist..."

"Oh, wait a moment, Kim Hyung."

Suddenly, I take out the transmitting device that’s ringing in my pocket.

"Ah...!"

"What now?"

"Oh, sorry, Kim Hyung. I need to return to the city quickly."

"Wait, you scoundrel!"

Using the transmitting device as an excuse, I fly towards Cheon-saek City.

Admittedly, escaping Kim Young-hoon's annoyance was part of it, but it was also due to something truly important.

Cheongmun Ryeong has returned.

"How have you been, Daoist Seo, Cultivator Buk?"

"It's been a while, Daoist Cheongmun"

I greet Cheongmun Ryeong respectfully as he approaches.

Cheongmun Ryeong laughs heartily as he descends from his flying artifact and enters Buk Hyang-hwa's magic artifact shop.

Buk Hyang-hwa and I head into the conference room.

She brews tea, and we chat briefly over it.

Then, Cheongmun Ryeong starts the main topic.

"The formation is 99 percent complete."

"Ah...!"

"The remaining 1 percent will be finished after Cultivator Buk makes the final adjustments to the formation artifact and we go to Serving Command Palace to install the formation, while making some final tweaks."

Cheongmun Ryeong looks at us and says,

"You've both worked really hard so far. The clan head also said that once the Longevity Fruit blooms safely, you will both be rewarded, and the Cheongmun Clan will give you one or two more corresponding rewards."

"I am thankful."

He looks at me and speaks,

"Especially Daoist Seo, since you have means like the Nether Crossing Ship to enter Serving Command Palace, if you wish, we can even offer you the position of a guest elder in the Cheongmun Clan. Of course, corresponding rewards will also come your way."

"I'll accept it gratefully."

I convey my gratitude to Cheongmun Ryeong, filled with burgeoning expectations.

'Now, perhaps Kim Young-hoon's lifespan can be extended a bit.'

If only the Longevity Fruit can bloom!

Just then.

"Seo Eun-hyun, you rascal! Where are you going while an elder is speaking?"

Kim Young-hoon enters the magic artifact shop.

"Hmm?"

Cheongmun Ryeong looks at Kim Young-hoon, and their eyes meet.

My martial arts master and my cultivation master are facing each other.

Before the atmosphere becomes awkward, I quickly introduce Cheongmun Ryeong and Kim Young-hoon to each other.

They greet each other, albeit awkwardly.

"Daoist Cheongmun, Kim Hyung here has mastered a unique method... His spiritual power is undetectable, but he possesses skills beyond the stage of Qi Building."

"I see."

"And Kim Hyung, Daoist Cheongmun here is among the top three scholars among Qi Building cultivators, so please show him the respect his knowledge deserves."

"Uh, okay."

After introducing them, I have a brief discussion with Cheongmun Ryeong and then leave the conference room.

Cheongmun Ryeong also finishes discussing with Buk Hyang-hwa and leaves the room.

"Have you been well?"

"I had my fun. But..."

Cheongmun Ryeong looks at me and asks,

"Daoist Seo, have you married Cultivator Buk?"

"...Pardon me?"

"Just before entering the conference room, it seemed like Daoist Seo's traces of life were everywhere. It looks as though you were living here, so I wondered if you were married."

"Ah, that's..."

Before I could respond, Kim Young-hoon interjects with frustration.

"Don't even bother. Seo Eun-hyun here hasn't even properly dated Miss Buk yet."

"Hmm?"

"Just listen to this. This guy..."

Cheongmun Ryeong and Kim Young-hoon began a conversation about my relationship with Buk Hyang-hwa.

A little while later.

Both of them looked at me, shaking their heads in frustration.

"Daoist Seo, it's really unbearable. I've been curious since 10 years ago when you two would get engaged, and you're still not officially dating?"

"That's what I'm saying, Cheongmun Hyung. This frustrating guy. Back in our hometown, there was someone who liked him, but no matter how much she showed it..."

"Hem hem...! Enough, please!"

I cough and hurriedly escape into the conference room where Buk Hyang-hwa is still present.

"Hmm, Miss Buk."

"Ah, Daoist Seo, it’s time for your practice today, isn’t it?"

"Yes, let's start right away."

I join her in the workshop to make glass crafts.

Recently, she’s been teaching me the basics about magic artifacts.

"Once you’re familiar with the terms I’ve taught, reading this 'Compendium of Artifact Refinement' I’ve compiled will definitely deepen your understanding of magic artifacts."

"I understand, I’ll read it later."

I followed her lead and made some glass crafts.

After a while, she moves to another side of the workshop to adjust the formation artifacts brought by Cheongmun Ryeong.

For a moment, the only sounds in the workshop were of us working on our respective tasks.

After making a glass craft of a sword, I tried to create a white magnolia sculpture, which I know Buk Hyang-hwa likes, and showed her the glass magnolia.

'It doesn’t look like a starfish, does it?'

At least it somewhat resembles a flower.

"...Miss Buk."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I apologize for the trouble caused by my inadequate skills."

"No, Daoist Seo. The pieces you’ve made are also wonderful, aren’t they?"

"Wonderful? Compared to the magic artifacts you make, Miss Buk, what I make is just... chunks of glass."

"Hmm..."

She pauses her work on the magic artifacts and turns her attention to me.

"Daoist Seo, you know what glass is made of, right?"

"I’m aware. It’s made from the sand around here."

"Correct. May I see it for a moment?"

She takes the glass flower, which resembles a starfish, and begins working on it again.

"Sand is just common stone fragments. But when the right person handles it, it becomes a glass craft."

She continues.

"I've mentioned this before, haven’t I? There’s no waste in the world, just things that haven’t found their fate or connection."

Gradually, in her hands, the glass starfish I made started to take on the proper shape of a flower.

"That means, if the right fate touches it, anything can become a beautiful craft. Right?

Fwoosh!

She hands me a glass quince flower she just made.

"I wasn't sure what kind of flower you wanted to make, so I made a quince flower that suits Daoist Seo. Do you like it?"

I take a moment to look at the quince flower she had handed me.

"People of Byeokra like glass. It's easily made from desert sand, and though its true value is not seen in the dark, it reveals itself in the light.”

"...Miss Hyang-hwa."

I look at the quince flower and then at her.

"I have something to tell you."

I had planned to confess once I am skilled enough to make a proper flower.

But now, it seems I can no longer wait.

Yes, I like this person.

"Yes?"

"I..."

Thump, thump...

I can hear her heart beating.

She seems to have sensed my mood, as her face gradually reddens.

Numerous thoughts swirl in my mind.

What should I say?

What would be the best...

Just then.

"Wait, just a moment!"

She speaks with a flushed face.

"I also have something to give you, Seo Orabeoni! I'll give it to you by tomorrow, so can you please wait until then?"

"...Understood, Miss Buk."

"Ah, and I need to concentrate in the workshop for a bit, so could we stop here for today and you step out for a while?"

"Understood."

I obediently leave the workshop.

"Hmm?"

Outside, I see Cheongmun Ryeong, Kim Young-hoon, and Buk Joong-ho coughing.

I had sensed their presence since earlier.

Buk Joong-ho nods at me with a proud expression.

"Do well."

Thump, thump

He pats my shoulder and leaves the magic artifact shop with a smile, while Cheongmun Ryeong and Kim Young-hoon sigh.

"Finally, this dense guy..."

"Cultivator Buk doesn't seem likely to reject him."

They can't hide the satisfied smiles on their faces as they look at me.

"Ahem, it's not certain yet."

"Not certain!? If you had eyes, you would have read the mood! Just pretend you don't know!"

I listen to Kim Young-hoon's nagging and Cheongmun Ryeong's advice and briefly step out of the magic artifact shop.

It seems unlikely that I will get much sleep tonight.

Buk Hyang-hwa sits inside the workshop with a flushed face.

'Miss Hyang-hwa...'

She covers her reddened face with her hands.

'Finally, Orabeoni called me by my name.'

She sits still for a while and then finishes adjusting all the formation artifacts and turns her attention elsewhere.

In a corner of her workshop is a small wooden box.

Buk Hyang-hwa opens the box and takes out a piece of paper.

On it is a diagram of a dharma treasure.

The result of her constant contemplation and observation of Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword over the past 10 years.

It’s the nearly completed blueprint of his dharma treasure.

'Let's finish it now.'

It’s a dharma treasure perfectly suited for Seo Eun-hyun.

She recalls when she first heard Seo Eun-hyun’s conditions for the dharma treasure.

'I thought he was crazy.'

A magic artifact with such impossible conditions!

Yet, she was driven by the challenge, which eventually turned into earnestness.

She wanted to make a weapon genuinely for Seo Eun-hyun.

The words Seo Eun-hyun was about to say to her today.

She realized what they were by the atmosphere.

But that's why she wanted to hear them tomorrow.

It will be complete by then.

Scratch, scratch...

As she draws with her brush, the diagram receives additional strokes.

Each stroke fills her mind with thoughts of Seo Eun-hyun.

Soon, patterns appear on Buk Hyang-hwa's face.

Chiiii!

And those patterns shine brightly.

The intertwined black and purple patterns gradually merge into one.

It is said that the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent grows with strong emotions.

Although she had worked hard until now, it is the strongest emotion she has ever felt that began to develop her talent.

Buk Hyang-hwa continues to draw the diagram, entranced.

Unaware that her Four-Patterns are transforming into Three-Patterns.

As the three patterns emerge, her hand moves faster.

She feels like she can grasp the ideal way to perfect the dharma treasure.

The dharma treasure she had been contemplating and perfecting for 10 years is completed by her with even more perfection and novelty.

She, with purple, gold, and pink patterns on her face, tirelessly details the structure of of her gift to Seo Eun-hyun.

And thus, the next day dawns.