Chapter 45

### Glorious Retreat

After a month had passed since the final operation, General Ok Yeongjin, believing that the Mongols no longer posed a threat, ordered the expeditionary force to retreat. The Mongol nation, being a poor and barbaric land with little wealth, yielded only about three cartloads of gold and jewels, which was not a significant amount. However, they captured a large number of slaves to compensate for the losses.

With this victory, the threat from the north would be eliminated for a while. The war against the Jurchens, known as the wolves of the East, was also progressing favorably, and it was likely that victory would be achieved soon. Already, two of the five capitals had fallen to the Song territory. Thus, after this large-scale expedition, it was unlikely that any force capable of threatening the Song in the northeast would re-emerge for at least a hundred years.

Goryeo, situated in the East, was a peaceful nation with a strong military but no desire for conquest, so it could be left alone. As for the Japanese, while they were powerful, they were not a unified group. Even if they were to unite, they would have to face the formidable Goryeo, which had a military force of 300,000 and controlled the strategic points, making them no threat.

In the West, according to the information from silk traders, numerous small states were in turmoil, lacking the courage or the means to challenge the mighty Song Empire. Indeed, the situation with all neighboring countries guaranteed the solid future of the Song Empire.

General Ok Yeongjin's Black Wind Corps returned triumphantly, presenting the emperor with the captured treasures and slaves before returning to their original positions. Although the war against the Jurchens was still ongoing, and a grand celebration was not held, the emperor congratulated him, which made Ok Yeongjin quite pleased. Despite the rift that had developed with the emperor due to the interference of courtiers, he believed that this valuable victory would bring them closer again and solidify his position in the imperial court.

After the triumph, General Ok Yeongjin was busy with a mountain of tasks. The emperor's rewards were limited to a few high-ranking officers receiving promotions or monetary rewards. However, he had to distribute silver to nearly 10,000 subordinates who had contributed to the victory, using the treasures and slaves he had received from the emperor. He also had to pay the overdue salaries and replenish the supplies of weapons, horses, and food.

With General Ok Yeongjin busy and the cruel war having aged Ok Hang, Guoguang enjoyed a rare period of peace. The only thing that marred his days was the occasional chatter of the obnoxious servant, Mahua, which he could not avoid for long. One evening, while trying to block out Mahua's nagging, he heard the sound of a qin (a traditional Chinese zither) through the tranquil moonlight.

While it was not unusual to hear the qin occasionally, the moment Guoguang heard the melody, he felt a shock as if struck by a hammer, followed by an indescribable sense of longing. He listened to the qin for a long time, drenched in the dew, and though he could not recall where he had heard this melody before, he felt a deep familiarity with it. The next phrase came to him even before it was played, confirming his feeling. By the fifth piece, the emotions evoked by the music left him with a strange sense of unease.

"I must go and see."

Before he finished his thought, his figure darted through the darkness.

As Guoguang approached the mansion where the qin music was coming from, his curiosity about the player grew. Initially, the music was not very loud but was clear, suggesting it was not far away. However, as he searched, he found it was surprisingly distant.

'Quite a skilled practitioner. To play the qin so skillfully by subtly controlling their qi... Who could it be?'

In the spacious garden of the mansion, a small pavilion stood in the middle of a neatly arranged garden. Through the round window of the pavilion, a young woman in a light blue robe was seen playing the qin. Her expression alternated between a slight frown and a dreamy, nostalgic look as she continued to play, catching Guoguang's attention.

Guoguang perched on a large tree with a clear view of the pavilion and thoroughly surveyed the surroundings. After confirming there was no danger in the entire mansion, he settled in. The garden was safe within the limits of his abilities.

'It doesn't seem to be a trap... Then who is this woman? She looks young, but she must be at least in her forties, a skilled martial artist... Yet, how can she maintain such a pure and beautiful appearance? It's incomprehensible.'

The qin music continued for about half an hour before stopping, and the woman closed the window, preparing to go to bed. The shadow of her changing into nightwear was visible on the window. Guoguang, watching this, conducted one last thorough search of the area, raising his qi to the maximum.

'No one is around. Then...'

Guoguang silently approached the pavilion. As he neared, only the sound of insects could be heard, and there was no other sign of movement.

When Guoguang entered the room, the woman, who seemed well-prepared, was slightly startled but did not scream. She quickly composed herself, straightened her clothes, and looked at Guoguang with a nervous voice.

"How did you get here?"

"First... sit down."

Guoguang looked around the room and saw no weapons. The only thing that could be used as a weapon was a jade flute about a foot long on a table beside the bed. The room was decorated with various small ornaments, and a dressing table was visible. A sweet fragrance filled the room, and a small incense burner in one corner suggested that the woman enjoyed the scent.

'The fragrance is pleasant, and there's no killing intent... Yet, a skilled female martial artist playing the qin at night... Each element is fine on its own, but together, it's strange. The fact that she's a skilled female martial artist is particularly concerning.'

The woman sat awkwardly and asked again.

"Who are you?"

While speaking, she casually picked up the jade flute, as if it was something she must protect from a thief. Once she held it, her tone changed slightly, becoming a bit more anxious but also more composed.

"Hmph! If you don't speak quickly, you might not leave here alive."

The woman's sharp tone and caution actually reduced Guoguang's own vigilance. If there was a mastermind, they wouldn't need to be so cautious...

"Who taught you to play the qin?"

Guoguang's question was met with a cold sneer.

"Hmph! Did you come here in the middle of the night to ask such a trivial question?"

Guoguang's expression darkened, and he spoke coldly.

"I'll ask one more time. Who taught you?"

The woman's tone softened slightly.

"Master Jiang E..."

"Jiang E? What is your name?"

"My name is Xue Ruobi."

"Xue Ruobi? I've heard that name before, though I can't recall where... The problem is that the qin music you play is somewhat strange. It seems familiar, and the pieces sound familiar to me. Can you explain?"

"I don't know. I've never met anyone as rude as you before, so I don't know what to say."

"Then one more question... Are the pieces you play known to many people?"

Xue Ruobi looked puzzled.

"No, not many people know those pieces. It's strange that you've heard them. Where did you hear them?"

A moment of silence followed, and Guoguang, having organized his thoughts, spoke again.

"I can't recall. I can't remember my past, so I came here to confirm a few things with you. But... Huh! What trickery is this?"

Guoguang's urgent tone contrasted with Xue Ruobi's calm response. However, her face showed a mix of regret and sympathy.

"There's no need to confirm anything. The incense you're smelling is Qianle Mala Xiang... Once inhaled, there's no cure. Your martial arts are too strong, so I made it slowly take effect, bit by bit, until now."

Guoguang's face turned red with the rising desire, and his veins began to bulge. He wanted to leave, but his body wouldn't obey. The presence of the beautiful woman in front of him made it increasingly difficult to control his desires.

'I have practiced the Child's Art. So... I've been tricked. There's no more...'

Seeing Guoguang struggling to control his desire, Xue Ruobi spoke with a tone of pity.

"Deputy Leader of the Black Fragrance Sect, you are too strong, so the sect had no choice but to use this method to eliminate you. If we had faced you in a direct confrontation, many of our brothers would have died. When the leader gave the order, I volunteered for this task... Perhaps because I admired you, even though you were beyond my reach. Don't hold back. Come to me and find peace..."

Xue Ruobi opened her arms, and Guoguang, unable to resist, fell into her embrace. Xue Ruobi, with her experienced touch, guided him naturally.

She gently pushed away Guoguang, who was roughly tearing at her clothes and sucking on her breasts, and slowly undressed herself. She carefully undressed Guoguang and led him to the bed. Blinded by desire, Guoguang had no time to appreciate the beautiful woman before him.

Guoguang, his body burning with the effects of the drug, could no longer control his desires. Despite his experienced appearance, Xue Ruobi could see that he was a novice. His clumsy attempts to embrace and penetrate her were obvious. The sight of a respected master, who had dedicated over 50 years to martial arts, succumbing to a drug was shocking to Xue Ruobi. However, she knew that if his memory remained intact, he would not have such vulnerabilities. She tried to make his last moments as gentle and clean as possible.

Xue Ruobi, lying on the bed with Guoguang inside her, felt the intense heat from the drug. Once he began moving instinctively, she watched him panting and struggling. Tears formed in her eyes, but soon she too was overwhelmed by the continuous stimulation, moaning and responding to his movements.

As Guoguang's body stiffened and he climaxed, Xue Ruobi also reached her peak, but her pleasure was short-lived. She realized what his climax meant.

Soon, Guoguang's Child's Art would collapse, releasing a vast amount of qi, causing immense pain and weakening his body. Xue Ruobi, out of respect, had not used the technique of Caiyang Buxin (absorbing yang to nourish yin), so he would not die, but his body, which appeared to be in his early twenties, would revert to its original state in his fifties.

If he started cultivating his inner energy again, he might recover some of his martial arts skills. If he avoided being killed by the sect's other masters...

While Xue Ruobi was lost in these thoughts, Guoguang's strength did not wane, nor did his body weaken. After a while, he began moving his hips again, attacking Xue Ruobi.

'What is this...? Perhaps because he is a high-level practitioner, it takes longer for his qi to be depleted? This is unbelievable...'

But her thoughts were cut short as her body also began to heat up rapidly. Despite the cool autumn weather, Xue Ruobi felt nothing but the intense heat. That night was a night of intense pleasure for her.