A person’s help was needed for a natural visit to the garden.

“Moving out?”

Ian looked up from the pile of clothes and luggage filling the room.

“You’re here?”

Ian was busy preparing to leave the sect. She was about to go meet Seojin, the younger sister of the Spirit Warden.

“There’s so much to prepare for a long trip. Clothes to change into, uniform to wear when meeting Lord Seo, food in case I get hungry, brought the Golden Herb and antidote, no need for the purification medicine, right? I packed the map, and also...”

“What are these?”

“Oh, those are dishes in case we camp, these are seasonings, and this is for laying on the ground and sleeping on.”

I took out all the dishes from the travel bag.

“Don’t cook anything needing dishes. Just bring salt for seasoning. What’s this?”

“A book to read when I can’t sleep.”

“When did you ever read so much! Pick only one!”

I helped her pack—or rather, helped take things out.

“When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow morning. I was just about to say goodbye.”

“Going alone?”

“Yes. As woman to woman, I’ll try to persuade her.”

If Seojin, a descendant of the Spirit Warden’s family, joined the Spirit Guard, our strength would increase greatly. She was skilled in formation techniques and spirit arts.

“No matter how much luggage you have, you can take this much. Here, wear this.”

I handed her a leather belt studded tightly with small daggers.

“This is a special dagger made by craftsman Cheolbang Kwak. Use it if you’re in danger. A gift for leaving the sect.”

“Ah! Thank you, young master!”

Ian was deeply moved by the unexpected gift.

After strapping the belt on her waist, she quickly pulled out a dagger and threw it at the wall.

Four daggers stuck in the wall. If there was a human figure painted there, the daggers would be at the arms and legs.

I pulled one dagger from her belt and threw it at the wall.

It stuck at the neck.

“Always here.”

It was advice to harden her heart when facing enemies.

“Remember this. My clumsy mercy could cause someone else to die.”

Ian nodded once, then threw another dagger.

It landed right beside mine.

I nodded approvingly.

Ian retrieved the daggers from the wall and strapped them back to her waist.

“I really like it! Thank you, young master.”

“No ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) need to be so precious. If you use them all, I’ll make more.”

“I’ll be careful and come back safe. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. Why worry about the direct chief of the Spirit Guard and daughter of Quonma? On that note, shall we take a walk for a bit?”

“As you see, I’m busy. Please pick up those clothes over there. And bring down the hanging clothes, too.”

“A woman who turned down the Spirit Guard’s direct chief!”

Of course, Ian was only joking about being busy.

“Even if you said ‘not just a walk, but a walk to the outer garden,’ I’d still go.”

She came beside me and tried to link arms but pulled back in surprise. Back then, she might have climbed on my back or linked arms, but since becoming the direct chief, it seemed harder to be casual.

When we left the quarters, guards waiting outside greeted her.

Ian greeted them in return. These were my two closest groups, so they were somewhat conscious of each other—especially Jeokyeon, the head of the guards, who was a bit more attentive.

As the guards followed, Ian showed slight surprise.

She probably didn’t expect to bring guards on what was supposed to be a rare moment alone.

I apologized for not telling her beforehand, but today’s outing was more official than personal.

Leaving the main branch, we entered Maga Village.

Walking with Ian after a long time felt good. We looked at items sold in the marketplace and chatted casually until we reached the Pungnyujujeom tavern. Passing by it, Ian asked, surprised,

“Huh? Weren’t we going to the Pungnyuju tavern?”

“No.”

She must have assumed naturally that coming to Maga Village meant visiting the tavern.

We kept walking and arrived at the garden on the outskirts mentioned in Seodaeryong’s report.

“Buy a flower. One that blooms well all winter.”

“Really? You came just to buy flowers?”

When I nodded, she was happier than when she received the daggers.

“It’s my first flower gift!”

Before entering with her, the guards went inside first to search the interior.

A plump-looking woman who seemed the owner came out to the back garden carrying a flowerpot.

As she put it down, surprised by something,

‘Familiar face.’

She was definitely someone I had seen somewhere, but I couldn’t recall where.

Of course, I didn’t remember because I bought her flowers.

‘Something’s going on.’

I observed her spirit energy. If glanced at casually, I wouldn’t have noticed she was a martial artist. She was hiding her spirit well.

Then I was right.

Saujong’s frequent visits here were for that woman. If it were a simple meeting, he would have come once or twice, but he came nearly every day. So she must have been teaching him something.

“Owner, please recommend a flower that suits this beautiful young lady.”

The middle-aged woman bowed politely and said,

“There are flowers that suit noble and beautiful people. Please come this way.”

She took Ian and introduced flowers with knowledgeable expertise, clearly the garden’s owner.

‘If she’s a master who can disguise herself this well, I should remember her.’

I looked around the garden in puzzlement. At Baek Cheong-gyeong’s workshop, I felt spiritual energy from the dolls. But here were ordinary flowers and trees.

She wasn’t one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings who followed the Flower Weapon.

Then was she someone I saw during my ronin days? Or while searching for other rare ingredients?

I observed her figure. If not her face, maybe I could recall someone from her body or gait, but still no one came to mind.

Meanwhile, Ian chose a flower.

“This one lives the longest. From this bud will bloom a really pretty flower.”

Then she suddenly flinched.

“Oh! Come to think of it, I have to leave the sect tomorrow?”

I smiled and answered,

“Don’t we have a flower cultivation expert?”

Ian guessed who that was and smiled in relief.

I paid the middle-aged woman for the flowers.

She might have been suspicious of my sudden visit.

But she must have been even more confused. I brought Ian without saying a word, and she was genuinely pleased, not acting.

I even deliberately brought guards. I figured if I were here on some casual search, I wouldn’t make such a fuss. She must be wondering about a lot of things.

Hey, who are you? If I met you for the first time, why do you seem so familiar?

The next day at Seodaeryong’s office, he was watering plants. Now there were two pots by the window.

“This is the flowerpot left by the martial artist.”

Seodaeryong joked,

“Do you know what she said when she left this?”

“What, that if I kill the flower, she won’t spare me?”

“I’d rather that. At least then I could resist being threatened while asking a favor.”

Seodaeryong imitated Ian.

“Oh! Look at this bud. It’ll be so pretty when it blooms. I’m really excited. This is the first flower I ever got from the young master. It’ll be blooming when I return, right?”

Seodaeryong shook his head.

“You should’ve seen her eyes then. Tears glimmered in her hopeful eyes. How could I kill this flower?”

Seodaeryong was truly bested by Ian’s high-level threat, scarier than any direct threat.

“Why are all the flowers I’m entrusted with ones I must never kill?!”

Sighing, Seodaeryong looked at the pot.

“Grow well here, beside your brother.”

“Why brother?”

“Because they look alike. The flower tree given by the Sword Lord...”

The next moment, I dashed out of Seodaeryong’s office.

I remembered who she was.

Hwanyeo (Illusion Lady)!

I had never seen her before. But I mistook her for someone because I knew a person who looked like her.

She was one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings who followed the Flower Weapon: the Fifth King.

Hwanyeo was the twin sister of Hwanwang (Illusion King), an absolute master of illusion and spirit control arts.

The fact that Hwanwang had a twin sister was revealed long after he rose to the Zodiac Kings.

The reason Hwanwang succeeded so well and became a Zodiac King was because Hwanyeo had secretly worked behind the scenes.

Hwanyeo and Hwanwang were known to be cruel and vicious. They killed anyone who stood in their way without mercy. Using spirit control arts, they forced parents to kill children, wives to kill husbands, friends to kill friends—heartless and ruthless. Everyone feared them.

‘Hwanyeo’s target is Seophon Mazon!’

“The Sword Lord has a secret message to deliver.”

When the Sword Sect’s Ma Sword arrived, Cheongseon sighed. The one bowing deeply was Saujong.

Having refused to meet before, now he brazenly came under the pretext of the Sword Lord’s errand.

“Follow me.”

Cheongseon dismissed his men and took Saujong to the guest hall.

Left alone, Cheongseon’s expression turned cold and stern.

“Don’t you know impersonating a Mazon is a grave crime? If the Sword Lord finds out, he won’t spare you.”

“Then go tell him.”

Saujong acted like a petulant child brokenhearted.

“Are you really going to do this? If you’re a man, you should know how to give up.”

“Just because I became a Mazon doesn’t mean I kicked you away.”

“Do you think I abandoned you because I became a Mazon?”

A cold sneer crossed Cheongseon’s lips.

“You like someone else, don’t you?”

She had just realized that Saujong liked Ilhwa Sword Lord.

“Did you think I didn’t notice you thinking about that woman when you were with me?”

As a woman, it was a blow to her pride, a painful thing she didn’t want to say.

At first, she never even dreamed it was true. No matter how beautiful, she never imagined a woman would like the Ilhwa Sword Lord, who was her parents’ generation.

Sometimes she stared fiercely at a painting on the wall but thought it was out of respect.

But seeing through the illusion, she realized those were eyes looking at a woman. She even looked at the sword lord’s portrait when they were together. Thinking about that now, she just wanted to kill him immediately.

But since I had entrusted this matter to Geom Mugeuk, I had to calm her down and send her back safely.

“You should be grateful I saved you. Now leave.”

Saujong provoked her to the last moment.

“There’s nothing I can do. The Sword Lord is more attractive. Any man would be the same.”

Cheongseon clenched her fists tightly. What irritated her most was that Saujong spoke recklessly, thinking she wouldn’t kill him.

“Did you know? Surprisingly, the Sword Lord had better skin.”

Saujong chose the most infuriating way to insult her. He compared and compared again.

“Stop it if you don’t want to die.”

Cheongseon held back until the end. But Saujong pushed her, making up things to provoke her.

“The Sword Lord smells good. Maybe because he learned spirit arts? You stink. I even covered my nose because of you…”

Cheongseon spun around sharply. Her eyes were pitch black, even the whites.

Kiiiiiiiii.

A strange sound came from her eyes as black energy poured out.

Haaaaaah.

At the same time, red energy poured from Saujong’s eyes. If Cheongseon’s spirit control made ghost sounds, the yin-yang reversal technique made male-female intercourse sounds.

The red energy flew like a snake, wrapping the black energy, rushing toward Cheongseon’s eyes. A one-time chance only possible with a partner who shared a bed.

‘Got it.’

As the red energy flew along the black energy and pierced her eyes, Saujong was ecstatic. The moment he became a Mazon and made Ilhwa Sword Lord his woman was at hand.

Then!

‘!’

Saujong’s eyes widened.

His right hand began drawing a sword against his will.

“What? No!”

The garden woman had said clearly that when the yin-yang reversal technique takes effect, Cheongseon’s spirit control would be broken.

‘The yin-yang reversal technique should have taken hold perfectly.’

Even now, red energy dominated her eyes, pushing out the black.

But Cheongseon’s spirit control still ruled her body.

Sssleek.

She pointed the drawn sword at her own neck.

Only then did Saujong realize.

‘She tricked me.’

He realized too late he couldn’t break the opponent’s spirit control. Even with his careful and suspicious nature, he had been bewitched by her.

‘Could it be me too?’

At the moment he suspected the garden woman might have cast some hint on him—

Shing!

He slashed his own throat.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk burst into the guest hall.

Saujong collapsed, blood spraying from his neck.

Beyond him was Cheongseon.

The red energy of the yin-yang reversal had completely driven out the black energy from her eyes. The red that had filled her eyes shrank to a dot, then returned to normal.

Geom Mugeuk realized.

‘Cheongseon was affected by spirit control.’

Originally, their target was the former Spirit Mazon.

But since I killed the Spirit Mazon in this life, the target naturally shifted to Cheongseon. Now I was sure.

‘The traitor before regression was the Spirit Mazon.’