Chapter 139

In Jinyang, there’s a large lake called Yunmeng Lake. Poets and artists, as well as tourists, gather here to enjoy the arts, float boats, and sip wine.

Bu Eunseol, seeking a change from the Courtyard of Primal Fragrance, found himself alone on a small boat floating on Yunmeng Lake. The sounds of boatmen rowing, people drinking and chatting, and the music and songs of gisaengs boarding the boats filled his ears. He appreciated the harmonious blend of sounds and occasionally admired the moonlight reflecting on the lake. Before he knew it, he had emptied a jar of wine, yet he felt no drunkenness. Instead, his eyes deepened with contemplation.

The purpose of Demonic Martial Arts is to swiftly cut off the enemy’s life. Perhaps the flaw of Demonic Martial Arts lies in such a purpose?

Even during simple pleasures like eating, drinking, and sleeping, Bu Eunseol couldn’t find any enjoyment or joy.

Despite his relentless research and rapid advancement in martial arts, Bu Eunseol couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness. Perhaps it was the constant push and harsh training he endured since entering the Murim that had taken away his ability to find joy in even the most simple pleasures.

Yeo Hwan-jin’s Hundred-Bends Linked-Chain Form also could not escape that point. Considering even the flaws of Demonic Martial Arts made his head complicated.

Anyway, the current objective is to achieve the Masters of Great Righteousness. Since he had chosen to follow the path of a Ten Demonic Successor, clashing with the Masters of Great Righteousness was an unavoidable consequence. If he allowed his mind to be distracted by trivial matters, Bu Eunseol might lose to them.

There are sixteen Masters of Great Righteousness remaining… or maybe seventeen.

Yeong Ji-wi, who had lost to Bu Eunseol at the Martial Arts Tournament, possessed exceptional senses but neglected his martial arts training. However, human beings can develop extraordinary abilities once they attain enlightenment. If Yeong Ji-wi had achieved enlightenment after that defeat, perhaps another formidable warrior could emerge in the Murim.

Swish.

At that moment, accompanied by the sound of cutting water, a splendidly decorated boat began to slowly approach where Bu Eunseol’s boat was.

“Oh my?”

A very familiar woman was riding on that boat. It was the woman he had seen at Courtyard of Primal Fragrance.

“To see you here, what a coincidence!”

Harboring a smile brighter than the moonlight, the woman sent a friendly gaze to Bu Eunseol.

“This is also fate, so shall we have a drink?”

Changed tactics.

Bu Eunseol smiled bitterly.

Her nature was tenacious beyond measure, so it seemed she intended to build friendship and ask to rent the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.

“There is plenty of wine here too.”

Bu Eunseol, naturally, intended to refuse. “……!” But far away, he spotted a large boat cutting through Yunmeng Lake. On top of it, martial artists clad in blue martial attire were surveying their surroundings with bright eyes. They were none other than the masters of the Zhongnan Sect.

They have come this far.

Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed as he observed the lake. Among the boats floating on the water, he was the only one drinking alone. If he remained still, he might attract the attention of the sharp Zhongnan Sect masters.

“This isn’t just any wine.”

At that moment, the woman opened her eyes wide and said, ”This is Hundred Herb Wine, aged for a hundred years, which is hard to find even with a thousand gold. Moreover…”

“Fine.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s have a drink.”

Bu Eunseol boarded the large boat she was riding without hesitation.

“I knew you were someone who knows true taste!”

She smiled broadly, revealing even teeth.

Perhaps because Bu Eunseol was a wealthy idler, she seemed to think he knew the true value of Hundred Herb Wine.

“Let’s drink.”

Boarding the boat without hesitation, Bu Eunseol sat in front of the drinking table set on the boat.

Then, she extended a large bowl-like cup to Bu Eunseol. “They say that to truly appreciate the value of Hundred Herb Wine, it must be consumed in a wide and spacious cup like this,” she explained. With that, she filled the cup with Hundred Herb Wine.

Hundred Herb Wine, said to be made by mixing a hundred kinds of medicinal herbs. But there was no smell of medicine at all, and a profound scent like wine made from rice was spreading.

Gulp, gulp.

Bu Eunseol emptied the cup in one breath without delay.

At that, she clapped her hands and laughed as if watching something fascinating.

“Your way of drinking is refreshing. It would be perfect if your personality were also unhesitatingly refreshing usually. For example…”

While she chatted incessantly, the boat carrying the Zhongnan Sect masters approached this way before he knew it.

“……”

The masters of the Zhongnan Sect observed the two from afar, captivated by their intimate interaction. A picturesque handsome man and beautiful woman sat face to face, sharing wine. After a while, they passed by, leaving the masters to their thoughts.

They’re gone.

Watching the boat carrying the Zhongnan Sect masters disappear into the distance, Bu Eunseol inwardly felt the potential of the Nine Great Sects.

The layer of their masters is thick.

Judging by their unusual aura, they seemed to be first-generation disciples of the same generation as Yeo Hwan-jin.

“Ah, come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves.”

At that moment, the woman looked at Bu Eunseol and held out her hand.

“My name is Ou… Ou Cheong-jeong.”

A lie.

Seeing her subtly avert his gaze and stammer, it was evident that she had fabricated a name. However, Bu Eunseol remained indifferent. He was uninterested and didn’t require any knowledge of her true identity.

“I am Bu Eunseol.”

“Bu Eunseol…”

This time, Ou Cheong-jeong made a puzzled expression. She thought for a while, but no one came to mind. Since there are no traces of practicing martial arts and no weapons visible… he must just be a wealthy scholar.

“I see.”

As she smiled broadly, Bu Eunseol rose from his seat and said, “I enjoyed the wine. Then I will return.”

“You’re leaving already? You only drank one cup?”

“How could I waste more precious hundred-year-old wine?”

“Then are you returning to the inn?”

“That is correct.”

“Do you really have to use all five annexes?”

Ou Cheong-jeong had a truly persistent and tenacious personality.

Looking at her for a moment, Bu Eunseol asked calmly, ”It can’t really be because of Master Sam-muk’s plaque. Why on earth do you demand the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness so much? Did you agree to meet someone there?”

“How did you know?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Bu Eunseol sighed. “Unless you are a calligrapher, there would be no need to appreciate Master Sam-muk’s writing for days on end, would there?”

If she only wanted to see Master Sam-muk’s plaque in the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness, there was no need to insist on staying there.

“Fine. I’ll tell you honestly.”

This time, Ou Cheong-jeong smiled bitterly.

“I agreed to meet friends of the Gangho, with whom I’ve shared friendship for a long time, here.”

“Friends?”

“Yes. We said we’d book the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness, one of the annexes of the Gathering Clouds Inn where Master Sam-muk’s writing is, and meet there.”

“Then shouldn’t you have come a little earlier?”

“Of course, I had already sent someone about a month ago. However, they informed me that it was fully booked even then.” She shrugged her shoulders. “In fact, we had to come out to the Gangho despite our parents’ objections. We simply couldn’t book it leisurely.”

Although she was recounting circumstances that he hadn’t inquired about, her tone and demeanor were friendly and devoid of malice. It was evident that she was the child of a family in the Demonic Path that was quite moderate and had extensive social interactions.

“It can’t be helped.”

Sighing deeply, Bu Eunseol spoke, “Use the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

He had been mentally prepared for this since he had already drunk a cup of wine. In the Murim, if you receive anything, you must pay the price accordingly.

“Instead, only the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness. Never enter other places. Because I dislike troublesome things.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

When things worked out easily, Ou Cheong-jeong smiled brightly and said, “You’re not as stuffy a person as I thought?”

Bu Eunseol shook his head, harboring a dry laugh.

“I will return first.”

“Wait.”

Ou Cheong-jeong blocked Bu Eunseol as if anxious and said, “A man’s word is worth a thousand gold. Never take it back or regret it.”

“That won’t happen.”

Answering shortly, Bu Eunseol turned away abruptly.

***

Bu Eunseol regretted it.

No matter how diligently he suppressed the senses of the Way of the Beast, Bu Eunseol’s senses were several times more acute than those of an ordinary human. However, due to the friends Ou Cheong-jeong had brought, who were engaged in animated conversations and drinking all night in the Courtyard of Western Tranquility, he eventually found it difficult to circulate his energy effectively.

—Hahaha! That time was truly refreshing!

Even now, at dawn, drunken chatter could be heard from the direction of the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.

They intend to drink for a whole day.

The drinking party that started in the afternoon was continuing until dawn. Looking at the situation, it seemed they would drink until morning.

I shouldn’t even dream of circulating energy until they leave.

Circulating energy requires concentrating all senses and mind inwardly. If he made a mistake, he could suffer minor internal injuries or, at worst, Qi Deviation.

—Anyway, Master Sam-muk is truly amazing!

At that moment, someone’s voice was heard from the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.

—Even when he wrote this plaque. He wrote it even after drinking three mal (measures) of wine!

Master Sam-muk liked wine and had a very large drinking capacity. Therefore, there is an anecdote that he drank three mal of wine even when writing the plaque for the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.

He drank three mal of wine and wrote the plaque… huh.

Bu Eunseol, listening to the chatter from the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness, suddenly had a thought. The neat writing on the plaque Master Sam-muk had written wasn’t simply due to his strong drinking capacity.

Even if he was drunk enough to lose his mind, sick, or his body wasn’t in good condition, he had practiced enough calligraphy to write correctly.

And that should be the same for martial artists.

If one’s energy circulation is hindered by external disturbances, how can they claim to have learned the Cultivation Art?

So-called ‘controlling the mind to create True Energy’ is Mind-Governed Qi Creation, which is the Cultivation Art. Therefore, martial artists only seek silence during energy circulation. But if one thinks about it the other way around, shouldn’t they train against any disturbance?

This is a good opportunity.

Bu Eunseol changed his mind. He intended to try starting energy circulation amidst that endless chatter.

Endless devotion and challenge.

And just like eating and breathing… Bu Eunseol connected martial arts to all of life and developed it.

The reason he could become stronger faster than anyone else, even though his physique was not outstanding, was precisely because of this.

Wooooong.

As the energy circulation began, faint points of light poured from his body. And without ignoring the pouring chatter, he concentrated his mind and began circulating energy.

How much time had passed?

Wooooong.

With a low vibration sound, Bu Eunseol finished circulating energy and opened his eyes. The strange thing was that unlike usual, points of light did not bloom from his body, and the Reversal of Extreme Fiery Radiance pouring from his eyes also thinned a little.

Returning to Simplicity.

As internal energy deepens, unique points disappear, and rather, one changes into an ordinary appearance.