...Flower of Evil...

Iseul opened her eyes to find herself inside a cave. It was dark at first but when she adjusted her sight, she could vaguely see sun light coming from her right side. Her body was covered in a black outer robe. She tried to sit up but groaned feeling a searing pain in her stomach.

"Don't move if you don't want your wounds to reopen"

She stiffened hearing a deep male voice. She tried to look where she heard the voice from. As she turned her head to her left,there she saw him. A man was lying on the ground in a carefree way. Under him was some dried grasses which gave him warmth. He was only wearing an inner white robe and was still covering his face with a black cloth.

"Where am I?", she tried asking.

"Who knows? Deep inside the woods? I'm not familiar with this area", The man answered casually. "No need to get worked up. You can leave once you are healed"

Iseul didn't get worked up. She was calm and steady with her appearance. For now,she only needed to know if she is safe or not.

"You saved me -", she coughed loudly,feeling her throat itchy. She groaned in discomfort.

The man stood up and walked towards her making her panick a little. She tried to grab her sword but to her surprise, she couldn't find it.

"Yes,I saved you. So,don't worry. I didn't save you just to kill you after you regained your consciousness"

There was a bag on the ground next to her. After reaching it,he took out a bamboo water bottle and helped Iseul to drink water. "Drink slowly. Your throat is injured because of the poison which blocked your spiritual energy"

Iseul was helpless and decided to be obedient even though she was wary with this stranger. The only thing she could do now was be an obedient girl and not to anger up this stranger.

She slowly drank water with the help of this stranger and lied back down. The man put down the water bottle and removed the black robe on Iseul to examine her injuries.

That's when it clicked her. She was naked under the robe! She didn't know how she gained energy but she gave a big slap across the man's face.

The clueless man was dumbfounded and was shocked for a moment. He felt wronged for getting slapped for no reason. Just as he was about to explode,he understood why she slapped him with the way she was gripping into the robe with a pale face.

"Your injuries were server. A sword had pierced through your chest and stomach. How did you expect me to treat you?",He asked coldly, still feeling wronged.

"How can I believe you?!", she freaked out.

"I don't care if you believe me or not. For your information, you are not my type. Get the fuck out of your imagination and try to heal your injuries using your spiritual energy. I wasted enough power of mine to save you. I saved you. And you don't owe me. Just heal yourself or kill yourself. I don't care"

Iseul couldn't believe that this fella dared to utter such words to her. What did he say? She was not his type! She scoffed loudly. How can she not be his type?! She is everyone's type! Men would die to sleep with her!

"What are you glaring at? Ungrateful brat. I'm leaving. Do whatever you want",the man stood up and was really about to leave Iseul like that.

For now,Iseul needed help. She wasn't perfectly fine and needed assistance of someone. She had no choice but to gulp down her ego and ask help. A little bit of humiliation wouldn't hurt,right? She just wanted to survive.

"Fine fine! I'm sorry! Please!", she cried helplessly.

The man stopped in his track. Even though his face was hidden, she was sure that the man was smirking.

"Please what?"

Iseul wanted to cursed the shit out of him. "Please,help me, sir"

The man chuckled and came back before sitting next to Iseul. "How pitiful. Asking help from a demonic cultivator"

Iseul frowned. "What do you mean?"

The man scoffed. "Aren't you in royal army? You people hunt down us and think of us as filthy and evil. And look where you are. Getting help from a filthy man"

She could feel the resentment in his voice. "I don't hunt down demonic cultivators. I don't have anything against you people. So,don't compare me with those losers in the royal army"

The man was stunned for a second. He could clearly see that she is a high rank official but yet this girl was talking as if she is not one of those corrupted government official. He didn't want to waste his time thinking if she is bad or not. In his mind,he is just paying back.

"Whatever. Just shut up and heal yourself. Your spiritual energy had been restored few days ago"

Iseul widened her eyes as if she remembered something very important. How many days had she been unconscious?!!

"How many days have I been unconscious?!", she voiced out her thoughts immediately.

"Almost four days. Your colleagues must be already celebrating your funeral thinking you are dead"

Iseul looked at up and stared wide eyed. Four days? Four days?!! She has been lost for four days! Indeed, the Palace must be getting ready for her funeral!

She had promised her mother to return back after a week and now she had broken her promise. Also,her brothers,they must be worried sick and she was scared that they would stop her from going to another war when she returned back.

"I need to get well soon", she mumbled to herself.

The man shrugged his shoulders as if nothing was matters to him. "Upto you. Your spiritual core is quite powerful. You will get better within two more days"

Iseul sighed as she could do nothing right now. She closed her eyes and started meditating.

She tried to concentrate but she couldn't. When she opened her eyes,the man was no where to be found. He must have left for somewhere when she was trying to meditate. Taking advantage, she scanned the cave. There were talismans at the entrance of the cave which surely was to protect the cave from outsiders. It didn't seem like a permanent place to stay. The man must have found this place to treat her.

Meanwhile,the man was out,trying to find something to eat. As he caught some some fish,he returned to the cave to check on his patient.

When he entered inside,he was shocked to see no one around. The cave was really big and was deep. He doubted if she went inside out of curiosity. He was sure that no one except himself could enter and exit the cave. So,he started to going inside the cave. The area was pitch black and could see nothing at all.

Just as he took another step,his breath hitched feeling a cold sharp metal pressed against his throat. Someone was behind him,holding a knife.

He chuckled, "Should have known. Hm. What's wrong now? Changed your mind and decided to catch the demonic cultivator to execute?"

Iseul pressed the knife a bit,"My apologies. I need to make sure I'm safe. It doesn't have anything to with your cultivation. Tell me,where is my sword?"

"Oh,it's all because of it? Follow me"

"No,tell me where is it?"

"Outside the cave. I used both of our swords to create an array. It was a tactic to create a protective array",he answered carefully.

Iseul was silent for a few seconds. "Remove your mask"

"Now,isn't it a bit unfair? I saved you. And you are going too far"

Iseul smiled," I know. This is my personal curiosity. I like to see your face"

"But I don't want to",he replied with a playful shrug.

"Oh really?", Iseul suddenly turned him around and tried to grab his mask but he was quick enough to grab her wrist. He pressed her wrist against the cave wall along with her body. He scanned her body and smirked seeing her wearing his robe.

The man looked down to see Iseul's other hand pressed the tip of the knife to his abdomen.

"You can't be ungrateful now,my lady",he said.

Iseul let go of the knife and smile. Using her free hand,she again tried to reach for his mask but he caught the wrist again. "Don't"

"Why? We won't meet again. What are you afraid of? I said earlier, I don't hunt you people. I don't have any business with your cultivation", she tried to coax with him but he wasn't giving in.

"That's exactly why you shouldn't mess with me now. If you see my face,we will get involved with each other if we ever happen to bump into each other. Let's stay as strangers"

Iseul sighed in defeat. He was right. What was she thinking. She would be in trouble if he ever bumb into her in the future. What's forbidden should stay forbidden.

"Alright. I get it"

He saw her guilty face and decided to let her go. Slowly, he let her hands go and backed away. Just as he took another step backward,his feet tripped over a stone and gasped feeling himself falling backwards.

Iseul widened her eyes and grabbed his hand but it was too late. She fell forward with him.

She hissed in pain. Her wounds must have reopened. She slowly opened her eyes only to meet a pair of black inky eyes,staring back at her. A scar across his right eye and a sharp nose. A pair of cherry coloured lips were infront of her blessed eyes.

His mask had been fallen off!!

She stared at the handsome face with wide eyes.

So handsome that she couldn't avert her eyes away from him.

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Hey guys

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