Soyeon, terrified beyond asure, barely managed to scream, her throat feeling as if it would tear open.
She cried out, begging to be spared.
Her energy had already been emptied by her flight, yet she dragged together every last trace of power scattered through her ridian vessels, clutched even her trembling soul, and forced out that scream.
And yet, at that sound, the man clutched his stomach and burst into laughter as if he might shake heaven and earth.
“Pwahahahaha!”
Soyeon’s desperate cry seed to him no more than a ridiculous clown’s performance.
No—rather than that, it looked as though he found it exhilarating to see his prey struggle and beg for its life.
Despair dyed Soyeon’s heart a dull gray.
The color of all hope being extinguished.
The cultivator who had seized her was not in his right mind—and worse, he seed to be a particularly vicious type.
The kind who took pleasure in watching others despair right in front of him.
At that mont, a gentle voice, like a spring breeze, tickled her ear.
“Eating you? Ah, you’ve made a big misunderstanding. I’d never do sothing so horrible, so don’t worry.”
Truly, it was the kindest, softest voice in the world.
Soft enough that Soyeon might have been fooled by it.
But within that kindness, Soyeon sensed a chill like that of a venomous snake.
Manic laughter one mont, then kindness so perfectly gentle the next.
That was not sothing human.
There were creatures like that even in the deep sea.
Cruel predators that did not swallow their prey at once, but toyed with it for a long ti, deepening its despair, before finally tightening their grip and killing it.
In her chest, the certainty stabbed deep that the man holding her now belonged to exactly that kind.
Handing out a scrap of hope, only to fling it into the deepest despair—such a vile taste.
Truly a demon worse than demons.
Worse even than those who simply reveled in excitent with prey right before their eyes.
“Huaaah—!”
Realizing reality, Soyeon scread again.
That was when won’s voices reached her ears.
—Chii. 『Why does she keep crying? Don’t worry. What you’re thinking won’t happen. So-ryong isn’t that kind of person.』
—Tsurur. 『Yeah, don’t worry. Our dad isn’t that kind of person.』
The voices weren’t even human.
They were the typical voices of spirit creatures, carrying spirituality within their sounds.
Soyeon cautiously extended one eye from her shell to look around.
Her energy was completely depleted, so she hadn’t been able to sense how many were nearby—but it seed there had been more than one who saved her.
As she popped out an eye and looked about, the first thing she saw was a long body.
It was enormous, but it was a form she had seen many tis back in the human world.
A centipede.
And behind the human man holding her, she saw red, jewel-like wings.
A butterfly.
A butterfly spirit creature, and a centipede spirit creature.
Feeling a bit more at ease at the sight of the spirit creatures, Soyeon asked in a cautious voice.
“R-really?”
“Of course.”
—Chiii. 『That’s right. So-ryong isn’t that kind of person. We’re all living just fine right beside him, aren’t we?』
—Tsururur. 『Yeah. Our dad isn’t soone who eats spirit creatures.』
Only then did her tension finally ease.
The tension drained away with a dull snap, and Soyeon’s body nearly slid right out of her shell.
“H-hic. I... I lived.”
“A-are you okay?”
“Y-yes. I’m fine. I-it’s just that the tension suddenly let go.”
The man made a worried expression at her body half-sliding out.
Until she had been captured by bad people and sold off, Soyeon had learned a little about this Cultivation World while she was being kept confined.
From the conversations shared by those who guarded her.
She had learned what kind of place this was, and how it worked.
This Cultivation World was filled with small beings living by instinct, much like the sea itself, where creatures live exactly as they are born—to eat and be eaten.
If you are weak, you are eaten.
If you are strong, you eat.
That was the natural order of this world.
So in such a world, honestly, there was no one who would save a complete stranger like her out of kindness, much less speak to her gently.
This was not a world where the weak could expect rcy from the strong.
And yet, this man had truly saved her—and was even worrying about her.
Everything had been a misunderstanding.
Soyeon quickly ca to her senses and bowed her head repeatedly atop the man’s palm.
“Th-this discourtesy... Thank you for saving . Thank you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just glad I could save you. Ah—my na is So-ryong.”
“So it was Lord So-ryong? My na is Soyeon. I have no idea how I should repay this kindness...”
To save her out of goodwill in a world of pure survival of the fittest—while enduring the pursuit of nurous cultivators.
A hero she had heard rumors of back in the lower human world.
A hero-like person who pitied those weaker than himself and would risk his life to save common folk when they were in trouble.
She couldn’t even begin to fathom how to repay such a great debt, when the man spoke in a careful voice.
“Cough. Soyeon, huh? That’s a nice na. But this place seems pretty dangerous. Do you happen to have any cultivator you live with?”
“Ah, n-no. I ascended alone and was captured and sold right away, so I don’t have any friends or cultivators I know.”
“Those rotten bastards...”
Captured the mont she ascended and sold as Spirit Pill material—how could she have any cultivator acquaintances?
The only cultivators she knew were the ones who had captured her, and the ones who had managed her.
Then the man asked in a gentle voice.
“Then... would you like to be with us?”
“Be... with you?”
“I an, beco family.”
“F-family?”
In that instant, Soyeon realized.
Surely, the one who saved her wished to take her as a disciple.
In the Cultivation World, wasn’t “family” simply another way of saying to beco one’s disciple?
It wasn’t her, but even while she had been captured, she had heard it said that those with exceptional spiritual roots were sotis sold as disciples.
Soyeon burst into tears again from gratitude and said,
“You an... you’ll take in as your disciple?”
“Huh? Disciple?”
“Yes, a disciple. You saved my life, and would even take as a disciple... How could this Soyeon ever repay such kindness? Sniff...”
As Soyeon cried atop his palm, the man spoke as if it were no big deal.
“W-well, yeah, sothing like that. So then, you want to be my disciple? Ahem.”
What was there to hesitate over?
The other party was a high-level cultivator.
Soyeon imdiately prostrated herself atop his palm.
“Soyeon greets Master.”
And so, bowing in the form of a snail, Soyeon beca the man’s disciple.
***
I thought family was the closest bond, so family had naturally been what I had in mind—but maybe because this was the Cultivation World, she interpreted it as becoming a disciple.
At the ntion of “disciple,” before I even realized it, I had accepted her as one.
Up until now, I hadn’t had any disciples, but I had thought it might be nice if I did.
She was one I wanted to raise anyway, so I allowed her to beco my disciple.
Raising a pet venomous creature was raising sothing; raising a disciple was also raising sothing—there wasn’t that much difference, really.
You could say soone with low martial attainnt had no right to teach anyone, but as for ways to raise her cultivation realm, I had more than enough.
If I registered her under the Beast-Heart Technique, I could guide her growth with extre precision.
‘That said... my first disciple being a scaly-foot snail. Sohow, that feels good.’
My heart lifted at the thought that my first disciple was a scaly-foot snail.
A disciple of mine should, by default, be venomous and unusual—and she t all those conditions.
On top of that, I hated it when the ones I raised got hurt or injured, and while I didn’t know about other things, this one boasted incredible defensive power, which alone made her perfect.
She might get beaten up wherever she went, but the chances of being beaten to death were slim.
After we finished talking amongst ourselves, I conveyed it to my wives through our mind-link.
『“So, this friend here wanted to beco my disciple, so I accepted her. That’s okay, right?”』
“Did you say... a disciple?”
“A disciple?”
A flurry of question marks poured out at the word disciple.
I decided to introduce my disciple to my wives.
『“Then, I’ll bring her in, so say hello.”』
I placed Soyeon straight into Dokmul-hyang.
***
At the news that So-ryong had taken in a disciple, everyone rushed to the entrance of Dokmul-hyang.
Not only So-ryong’s four wives, but the other venomous creatures as well.
—Bwoong.
—Tsurut. 『Where are you going? Dad took in his first disciple. The moms said this is sothing really important, so we all have to go see.』
[Hoho, Eun-eun took in a disciple? Then of course we should go and have a look.]
—Skaa. 『If it’s big brother’s disciple, then we should definitely go.』
And so, everyone gathered at the entrance of Dokmul-hyang.
All the venomous creatures and So-ryong’s wives who had gathered there couldn’t help but feel bewildered.
Because there was nothing to be seen at the entrance.
『“So-ryong? Did you really send the disciple inside?”』
“Hasn’t she co in yet?”
The wives and venomous creatures, looking all around, couldn’t find So-ryong’s disciple and asked him.
In response, they heard that she had already been sent in.
『“I already sent her in. Is it because she’s small?”』
“Small?”
At the word “small,” So-ryong’s wives and the other venomous creatures checked the grass.
Soon, in one corner of the grass, they found a single snail glimring orange.
A snail with beautiful scales, like a general clad in armor.
She was pretty, but—this was the disciple?
Everyone thought that and spoke up.
“This child... So-ryong’s disciple?”
“This one is So-ryong’s disciple?”
“This child?”
“No, big brother’s disciple is this one?”
At that mont, Soyeon, who had been crouched in the grass and peeking out with one eye as she examined So-ryong’s wives and venomous creatures, cautiously asked,
“W-who might you be...?”
They were taken aback by her unexpected form, but So-ryong’s wives introduced themselves with solemn expressions and dignified manners.
“So-ryong, whom you have taken as your master, is our husband. Therefore, we are your senior mistresses.”
“S-senior mistresses!?”
Soyeon was shocked by how many senior mistresses there were.
But she quickly pulled herself together and hurriedly ford a human form.
And then, the next motion.
“Nice to et you. My na is Soyeon.”
Using the energy she had recovered a little by now, Soyeon completed her transformation and bowed deeply to her senior mistresses.
While she was politely greeting them in human form, Zihwa stepped forward and asked,
“But your cultivation seems to have only just passed Opened Wisdom and reached the level of Spiritual Awakening. How are you able to assu a human form?”
A high-handed voice, and an expression that looked down on her.
Feeling intimidated by that pressure, Soyeon showed her wrist and said,
“I-it’s because of this. As long as I have enough energy, I can assu a human form just by channeling my energy into this.”
A treasure Soyeon had received from the Dragon Palace before ascending.
When worn on the body, it would smoothly sink in, and by channeling energy there, it would allow her to assu human form—a Magic Treasure.
It was the mont she showed it.
Zihwa, still carrying that imposing air, asked Soyeon with sparkling eyes,
“Oh? A Magic Treasure like that? Hm... Sorry, but may I borrow it for a mont?”
She was asking to borrow the Magic Treasure.
How could Soyeon refuse, when it was none other than her master’s senior mistress asking?
As Soyeon timidly held it out, questions ca from the other senior mistresses.
“Zihwa, what are you planning to do with that?”
“Why are you borrowing it?”
At those questions, Zihwa smiled broadly and answered,
“For the ti being, So-ryong won’t be able to co in here, and if I go outside, I’ll be in bird form, won’t I? So tonight, I’ll assu a human form and instill a sense of responsibility in So-ryong.”
“Responsibility?”
“A sense of responsibility?”
“I an copulation. He said having children without the process doesn’t build responsibility, didn’t he?”
Silence fell over the surroundings.
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