Ian was startled.

She had been surprised many times since meeting me, but never like this before.

Her eyes, once hidden beneath flesh, began to tremble.

“Ian, the day has finally come.”

She said nothing. Though her face betrayed nothing, I could tell without asking how long she had waited for this moment.

“When will the procedure begin?”

“Now.”

“Really now? The moment I’ve waited for just comes all of a sudden like this?”

“Changing fate always comes suddenly. That’s why, looking back, it all feels like fate and coincidence.”

“I’m nervous.”

“It’s okay. You can be nervous. As long as I’m not.”

I pretended to fumble with the needles, my hands shaking. It was a joke to ease her tension, but Ian was so tense and excited she seemed dazed, unsure if I was joking.

I wished I could open a magnificent space with the Time-Space Transformation Technique and perform it there, but the internal energy required to maintain such a space was too great.

“Lie down on that bed.”

Ian lay on the bed as instructed. She took deep breaths several times. When she woke up this morning, she surely never dreamed she’d be lying down for the Divine Poison Purification Technique today.

I began inserting needles into the predetermined acupuncture points. Each needle was inserted with all my strength and utmost care. From the outside, it might look like something any village healer could do, but in truth, it required supreme skill.

I had to infuse precise internal energy into each needle and sometimes recite incantations while inserting. A single mistake would mean failure, and Ian would suffer grave internal injuries.

Between inserting needles, I infused energy into her body to control the rampant qi and blood flow.

Her body radiated heat, sweat pouring down like rain. She groaned in pain, struggling against the overwhelming agony.

“It hurts a lot, doesn’t it? That’s normal.”

She tried to speak, saying she could endure it, but I couldn’t hear clearly. The procedure was so grueling and painful.

I continued cautiously until the very end.

After inserting all the needles, I stepped outside for a moment.

Sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, I calmly controlled my internal energy. The mental strain was tremendous.

The procedure wasn’t finished with just one round of needles.

After removing all the needles, I inserted them again in a different order. As the procedure went on, the energy drained more and the pain she endured grew.

“Ugh!”

A scream escaped her lips.

Though usually very stoic and tolerant, this pain was unbearable.

‘Hang in there, Ian.’

I felt sorry but knew only she could overcome it.

After the second round, I prepared a medicinal mixture by pounding herbs and mixing them into water in a container. The dosage and herb combinations had to be exact.

Then I resumed the needle insertion.

This was the final hurdle for her. I whispered softly to Ian, unsure if she could hear.

“This is the last time. Hold on well.”

She gritted her teeth and endured the pain. I intermittently infused energy, soothing her qi and blood, trying to lessen her suffering.

‘Endure it, Ian.’

Only after three difficult rounds of needle insertion did I immerse her in medicine. I fixed a long tube to her throat so she could breathe.

There was nothing more I could do. I could only pray the procedure would succeed.

Ian dreamed.

It was a dream from her very early childhood.

“Can you learn the Stoneflesh Body Art for the Master?”

I wanted to ask what Stoneflesh Body Art was, but the atmosphere didn’t allow it. The master had always been fearsome.

“Yes.”

“There are side effects to Stoneflesh Body Art. Your body will swell.”

She didn’t fully understand what swelling meant.

“The swelling will never go away. Ever.”

At that time, she didn’t grasp the weight of that one word “ever,” or how much it would torment her life. She was only eight years old then.

“Will you still do it?”

“Yes.”

It seemed she had no choice but to say yes.

But it wasn’t just fear that made her decide.

She wanted to be by Geom Muguk’s side. She had liked him from the first time she saw him.

Do you regret it?

Time passed in the dream.

She stood before a broken bronze mirror. A strange girl inside the shattered glass glared at her. The girl had grown too fat; it was unclear if it was her or not, and the girl was angry.

‘Why are you angry? I’m so sad because of you.’

Time passed again.

She watched drunken Geom Muguk from behind.

“Damn it!”

She understood what Geom Muguk wanted to say now.

What is it that makes me worse than my brother!

Those unspoken words must have been it. The Sect Leader trusted the Elder Prince more, and rumors openly said the Elder Prince would be the successor.

After the Heavenly Demon War announced anyone with ability could become successor, people openly started to ignore Geom Muguk. Some thought disparaging him would please the Elder Prince. Everyone believed Geom Muguk would lose the succession battle and die.

Only she knew how hard Geom Muguk tried to please his father.

Bang!

Geom Muguk slammed the table. A bottle of wine fell and shattered.

She went to clean up the broken bottle.

Stay strong, Master.

Since some time ago, Geom Muguk hadn’t once cast a warm gaze at her. His mind was fully consumed by whether he would become successor. Still, she liked him.

The dream took her to another day.

The day fate began to change.

Geom Muguk, returning from the Divine Martial Contest, stood before the bronze mirror.

His gaze had changed.

Geom Muguk asked,

―How do I look?

Such warm eyes were rare. He must have felt good from winning the contest.

―You’re the most handsome in Jianghu.

―Boring.

―Questions from those giving a monthly stipend always have predetermined answers.

When was the last time they exchanged jokes like that?

Geom Muguk in the mirror stared intently at her.

―Why do you look at me like that?

At that moment, she woke, opening her eyes.

A strange ceiling came into view.

After a moment, she realized this was the place where the Divine Poison Purification Technique was performed.

‘Is the Divine Poison Purification Technique all done?’

She slowly raised herself. Her body felt different.

Then she looked at her hands.

Delicate, slender, white hands.

‘!’

Her heart dropped, then started pounding wildly.

She shut her eyes tightly.

‘Maybe I’m still dreaming.’

Please don’t be a dream!

With desperate hope, she opened her eyes again. Her hands were no longer the huge, bear-like ones from before. She had dreamed that just becoming a bit smaller would be good, but now they were beautiful, delicate hands.

Holding back a scream, she slowly pulled back the blanket. Strange legs appeared—long, white, and beautiful.

Finally, she screamed. She experienced for the first time how someone shouts without realizing it when overcome by joy.

She got off the bed. The moment her feet touched the floor, fear surged that her legs might grow huge again and wake her from the dream.

But that didn’t happen. It was the first step of her new life.

She slowly walked to the bronze mirror.

“Ah!”

In the mirror stood a strange woman—familiar yet unfamiliar. It was her younger self. How long had it been since she’d seen her true self?

Her face was pretty, her figure perfect.

How could one face hold both brilliance and innocence at once? Her kind eyes seemed intelligent, and her proud aura forbade any reckless approach.

No other words were needed. She was overwhelmingly beautiful.

Tears welled up, but surprisingly, none fell.

The dazed feeling of not knowing if this was a dream or reality remained.

Then she saw the underwear and white palace robe laid beside the bed. Seeing them, her chest tightened, and she realized this was no dream.

―Whose are these? For a very slim woman.

―Someone to gift them.

―If it’s underwear as a gift, that must be someone very close.

―Very close.

The clothes Geom Muguk had prepared for someone close were for her.

She put on the underwear and palace robe and stood before the mirror again. «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» More beautiful than before.

She was so happy Geom Muguk had bought these clothes for her. The thought that someone cared for her felt better than the Divine Poison Purification Technique fixing her side effects.

She slowly stepped outside.

The person she longed to see was standing outside, turned away.

Ian called to him softly.

“Master.”

Geom Muguk slowly turned to her.

He saw her wearing the palace robe. His eyes widened instantly.

He had already seen her beautiful change when she lay down after the procedure. But now, standing before him with eyes open, she looked even more beautiful. He was at a loss for words.

“The Divine Poison Purification Technique succeeded. Congratulations, Ian.”

Tears finally streamed from her eyes.

“Your eyes will swell. Don’t cry on a day like this.”

“It’s okay to swell. I’ve lived with swelling all my life.”

“Now you have to live differently.”

“No, my life hasn’t changed. Before or after the technique, I’m still the same Ian.”

“Yes, you’re the same Ian to me.”

Ian ran up and hugged Geom Muguk, crying for a long time in his arms. She didn’t say thank you—she felt that saying it would lessen her gratitude.

“Can I ask again?”

“What?”

“Why are you so good to me?”

“Don’t ask. You’ll have to ask that again soon.”

“Yeah?”

Geom Muguk smiled mysteriously and took her hand.

“Let’s go. I have to show you off.”

“To whom?”

“To the worst bastard who called you an ugly heart.”

Ian smiled brightly at Geom Muguk’s words.

Ian walked down the street.

People parted left and right as if water was dividing. Everyone stared at her in awe—men and women alike, children and elders, monks and Taoists. Even barking dogs stopped and looked.

―Everyone’s looking at you. How does it feel?

―Too overwhelming.

―Enjoy it.

―How can I enjoy it when they all look like that?

―Enjoy their gaze. Ah, I wish someone would look at me like that too.

―Please take me away!

―Once you get used to it, you won’t say that.

The same happened when we arrived at Cheonhwa Pavilion. All eyes were on her. Admiration burst out everywhere.

Among the courtesans were famed beauties, but they couldn’t compare. Ian had a noble dignity. She wore no makeup, but her face shone.

We entered the room where Geugak Sima and Cheonhwa Rujoo waited.

Geugak Sima lay on Cheonhwa Rujoo’s lap.

“Luckily, you’re still here.”

“We waited until you came. What kept you so busy?”

Sima glanced at me, then at Ian, and was surprised. He got up.

Ian’s beauty seemed to sum up everything.

Beauty that could even get Sima up from lying down.

“Who is she?”

“My new heart.”

“What about your old heart?”

“I threw it away.”

“Did you kill that ugly heart?”

He genuinely asked, so I smiled.

“Yes, I killed it with my own hands.”

“How could you kill it?”

“Why? Do you want to see the ugly heart again?”

“No, I haven’t finished paying for the carriage repairs yet.”

Ian smiled brightly at that. When she smiled, it felt like the whole room lit up.

Then Cheonhwa Rujoo asked Sima quietly,

“You’re even prettier than when you were young, right?”

I hurriedly looked at Sima.

‘Be careful! It’s a trap, Sima.’