Bu Eunseol, having finished circulating his energy, looked out the window with a surprised expression.
“Is it already this late?”
In the distant sky, a bright moon was already driving away the darkness.
It’s the first time I’ve fallen into a Self-Forgetfulness Trance while circulating energy.
Bu Eunseol could circulate energy in any posture and sense external stimuli even while doing so. However, by concentrating his mind while resisting external sounds, he had entered a Self-Forgetfulness Trance for the first time during his cultivation.
It is dangerous, but… there are certainly advantages.
Circulating energy in a state of self-forgetfulness reduced the time required to cycle True Energy, and his internal energy felt more profound. Feeling hungry, he rose and went outside. Although he could have ordered food from the annex, he chose to visit the inn again to soothe the regret he felt from earlier.
“Welcome! Young Master!”
As he ascended to the inn, a young waiter spotted Bu Eunseol and ran over quickly.
“Is there a seat?”
“Of course. Please follow me.”
The waiter led him to a window seat on the third floor, one that offered the best view. There were still plenty of patrons inside, but the crowd was far thinner than before. After ordering a few light dishes and some wine, Bu Eunseol gazed out the window, his thoughts drifting.
It has already been two months since I came here.
In preparation for the decisive battle he would one day face against the Master of Great Righteousness, he had not wasted a single day. Now, only about two months remained. To comply with the Divine Demonic Emperor’s uncompromising command, he would have to confront another Master of Great Righteousness within that time.
Murmur, murmur.
At that moment, six men entered with boisterous noise.
“This Gathering Clouds Inn is famous for its good view. Look here! Give us a window seat.”
“I apologize, but there are no seats left where six of you can sit together.”
At the waiter’s words, one young man in the group spotted Bu Eunseol sitting alone. Startled for a moment by his appearance, which seemed to hold sunlight, he soon nodded.
“There’s a seat left over there.”
Striding over, he spoke, “The view from the third floor is indeed the best, but unfortunately, there aren’t enough seats for all our companions to sit comfortably.” The young man smiled, revealing his white teeth. “If you don’t mind, would you kindly move to another seat? In return, we would be delighted to treat you to a delicious meal and some fine wine.”
“No need.”
At Bu Eunseol’s cold reply, the young man’s sword-like brows shot upward. “Then will money do?” He placed a large gold ingot on Bu Eunseol’s table—one that looked to be worth nearly forty taels. “This should be more than enough to compensate you for changing seats.”
It seems there are many rich people these days.
Recalling Ou Cheong-jeong holding out a bill of credit, Bu Eunseol sighed. And taking a thousand-tael bill from his bosom, he placed it on the table.
“I will give you money, so go eat somewhere else.”
The young man, instantly frowning as if his pride had been wounded, exclaimed, “Aren’t you also looking down on people too much?” Judging by his attitude and tone, he was definitely not a person of the Orthodox factions. “Or do you look down on people because you have a lot of money?”
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Weren’t you the one who took out money first?”
Left speechless, the young man scanned Bu Eunseol and frowned. “What are you staring at? Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?”
Bu Eunseol, with his handsome face and slender body, appeared like a pale-faced scholar who knew no martial arts. This made him an easy target for martial artists, merchants, and thugs alike, who could pick fights with him comfortably.
“Or do you think you can monopolize this seat with a good view just because you have a lot of money? Huh?”
Just as the young man’s continuous provocation was about to cross the line—
“What’s going on?”
At that moment, a woman who had just arrived on the third floor approached, letting out a small sound of surprise.
“Young Master Bu?”
It was none other than Ou Cheong-jeong. The six men with her, it seemed, were the “friends from the Gangho she had long known” she had mentioned earlier.
“Is he someone you know, Sister Cheong?” the young man asked, frowning.
Ou Cheong-jeong looked taken aback. “This is Young Master Bu—the one who lent us the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.”
Hearing that, the young man clicked his tongue. Of course, he had picked a quarrel with someone who had shown them kindness.
“But what’s going on?” Ou Cheong-jeong asked again.
The young man smoothed his furrowed brows and stammered, “Well… there weren’t any good seats…”
“I see. It can’t be helped,” Ou Cheong-jeong said, blinking as she glanced at Bu Eunseol sitting alone. “Then let’s go somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else?” The young man blinked, shaking his head. “The Gathering Clouds Inn has the best view. Where else would we go?”
“There’s nothing we can do, right? Since there aren’t any seats…”
Ou Cheong-jeong gave a small, troubled smile. At that, the young man’s eyes suddenly lit up. Adopting a polite posture, he approached Bu Eunseol with his hands clasped.
“This is Ma Han, Young Patriarch of the Sea Tower Sword Sect,” he introduced himself. Then, pointing toward Ou Cheong-jeong and her group, he added, “And these are all successors of the Seven Sword Sects of Qinghai.”
Seven Sword Sects of Qinghai.
In Qinghai, there were seven sword families continuing the lineage of the Demonic Path.
Originally, there wasn’t much interaction, but recently, the young successors had been banding together and actively building friendships. Because of this, the Murim referred to them collectively as the Seven Sword Sects of Qinghai.
“So you were heroes of the Seven Sword Sects of Qinghai. I didn’t know at all.”
Bu Eunseol feigned a surprised expression.
Currently, he was hiding his identity here to train his martial arts and avoid the pursuit of the Zhongnan Sect. There was no need to create troublesome matters unnecessarily in the meantime.
“Then was Lady Ou also a martial artist?”
“Yes. Actually, my name isn’t Ou Cheong-jeong, but Ouyang Cheong-jeong.”
Ou Cheong-jeong spoke with an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry for deceiving you. Since Young Master Bu didn’t seem to be a person of the Gangho…”
Ou Cheong-jeong bowed her head apologetically.
In truth, she was Ouyang Cheong-jeong, the only daughter of Ouyang Mu-gung, the Sect Leader of the Wind Shooting Sword Sect.
Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen young people of the Demonic Path.
In the Wolf Fang Pavilion, there were no young disciples. The only peers he encountered in the Gangho were the Ten Demonic Successors. Apart from Sim Wol of the Demonic Palace, there were no other young people of the Demonic Path there. Seeing a gathering of young people of the Demonic Path in the Gangho, Bu Eunseol felt a peculiar emotion.
“It is fine. It is very common for martial artists to hide their names.”
He was hiding his identity and staying in seclusion anyway. He decided to play along with them.
“I failed to recognize the heroes of the Demonic Path,” Bu Eunseol spoke with a feigned surprised expression. “I will give up my seat, so please eat here.”
“No, there is no need…”
When Ou Cheong-jeong, no, Ouyang Cheong-jeong reached out in surprise, Bu Eunseol waved his hand lightly.
“It is fine. I was about to leave anyway.”
“Hahaha. Now that I see, you are someone who knows a thing or two. Thank you.”
Ma Han laughed boisterously and looked at Ouyang Cheong-jeong. Having taken the seat with a single word, he wanted her to praise him with a triumphant expression.
“Now the seat is settled. Sister Cheong.”
But contrary to expectations, she frowned. Because on the table where Bu Eunseol had been sitting, the food and wine laid out remained almost untouched.
“Young Hero Ma. I don’t think this is right.”
And she hurriedly followed Bu Eunseol.
“Young Master Bu.”
Ouyang Cheong-jeong, who hurriedly followed Bu Eunseol down the stairs, blocked his path.
“I’m sorry. We will leave, so please go back up and eat.”
“It is fine. I ate everything.”
“No. You even lent us the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness just like that; we cannot cause you any more trouble.”
And she bowed her head politely.
“I’m really sorry.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression was slightly unexpected. It was a stark contrast to her reckless request to borrow the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.
So, she wasn’t entirely reckless.
When Bu Eunseol’s expression shifted to surprise, Ouyang Cheong-jeong’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if questioning when she had ever been like that. “What is it? That expression? Did you perhaps think I was someone who shamelessly takes seats and laughs about it?”
“You weren’t?”
When Bu Eunseol smirked, Ouyang Cheong-jeong made an expression of injustice. “The reason I insisted on using the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness was, as I said, to keep a promise. It wasn’t for my own benefit.”
“Anyway, it is fine. I can just eat in the annex.” Bu Eunseol turned around, harboring a faint smile. “Play comfortably with your friends.”
“Young Master Bu.”
“Wait!”
But then, Ma Han, who had come down the stairs before anyone knew it, approached Bu Eunseol.
“What is the matter?”
“Well… I feel like I did something very rude. No matter what, to take a seat from a guest who came first.”
Ma Han’s eyes, coming to apologize, lingered longer on Ouyang Cheong-jeong than on Bu Eunseol.
Bu Eunseol could understand Ma Han’s behavior at once.
He likes her.
He grasped that Ma Han’s behavior was solely to look good to Ouyang Cheong-jeong.
“It is fine. Eat comfortably.”
When Bu Eunseol smiled broadly, Ouyang Cheong-jeong’s eyes twinkled as if a brilliant idea had occurred to her.
“Then, how about we move to the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness and eat together instead?”
“Huh?”
As Ma Han let his jaw drop, Ouyang Cheong-jeong nodded vigorously.
“This is also fate. Since our ages are similar anyway.”
In that instant, Ma Han’s complexion paled. He was actually quite wary of Bu Eunseol’s handsome appearance. However, the action he intended to take to look good had inadvertently invited him back. It was truly enough to make him want to cry.
“It is fine. How could I dare sit together with the heroes of the Seven Sword Sects?”
It was said half-jokingly, but Ouyang Cheong-jeong thought Bu Eunseol was truly intimidated upon hearing the reputation of the Seven Sword Sects.
“Young Master Bu also seems to be a descendant of a famous family… let’s build friendship with us on this occasion. You absolutely won’t lose anything by becoming close with us. Right? Young Hero Ma?”
Ouyang Cheong-jeong looked back at Ma Han with an innocent expression.
With the situation like this, Ma Han chimed in as if eating mustard while crying. “Countless famous families of the Gangho request to form ties with our families. We have never extended our hands first like this.”
In truth, compared to Bu Eunseol’s status as a successor of the Ten Demonic Sects, they were merely successors of small sword families in the remote region of Qinghai.
It was truly like a country bumpkin showing off to a prince living in a palace.
“I…”
Bu Eunseol had initially intended to refuse. However, seeing Ouyang Cheong-jeong’s unwavering gaze, a sigh escaped his lips involuntarily. She possessed an indomitable spirit, refusing to give up easily. Even if he declined, she would likely persist in pestering him until he relented. This was reminiscent of his experience when the woman rented the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness.
“Fine.”
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply and nodded.
“Let’s do that.”
Bu Eunseol and Ouyang Cheong-jeong’s group proceeded to the banquet room of the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness. Ouyang Cheong-jeong instructed the clerks to bring an abundance of dishes and wine to fill the large table of the banquet seat.
“Can you eat all this?”
Bu Eunseol’s words elicited a crinkling of Ouyang Cheong-jeong’s eyes into crescents.
“You can leave some if you want. I’m treating you, so please indulge yourself.”
Since Bu Eunseol was a guest, she found herself seated in the seat of honor, sharing the table with Ouyang Cheong-jeong. Consequently, she was compelled to engage in conversation with her while eating.
At that moment, the eyes of the six young men seated in their respective seats, engrossed in their drinks, turned crimson.
A shared emotion coursed through all their eyes—jealousy.
So it was decided. There were six men, and the sole woman present was Ouyang Cheong-jeong.
Given her beauty and lively demeanor, it was inevitable that the vigorous young men would be drawn to her.
I understood the reason behind the successors of the Seven Sword Sects’ frequent gatherings. The reason for their regular meetings, despite their lack of interaction, was precisely Ouyang Cheong-jeong.
This meeting was essentially a silent struggle among the successors to capture her heart.
Getting involved with this woman would undoubtedly bring about various complications.
Feeling the intense gaze of six pairs of eyes, Bu Eunseol couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
And as expected, that ominous feeling materialized.