Chapter 285
Chapter 285
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 285
Chapter Title: The Forgotten Worries Master
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After descending Mount Hua.
Hyeok Mulin promptly left Shaanxi Province.
The place he headed next was right beside it.
The rugged province of Shanxi, filled with barren mountains.
Its treacherous terrain stretched endlessly, making it an incredibly harsh environment for ordinary folk just to survive in.
As such, few people traveled through the mountain ranges, and even the bandits who dwelled atop those jagged peaks were a rare sight.
Consequently, Shanxi's population was sparse compared to other regions, with most residents clustered together in just a handful of villages.
And now.
The spot where Hyeok Mulin and Cheon Su-myeong had set foot was Dingxiang, the largest among those few villages.
A settlement of impressive scale, nestled in the heart of the mountains—one that belied its remote location.
Inside the biggest inn there, the two men found themselves surrounded by a bustling crowd chattering noisily.
"Welcome! How many in your party?"
Hyeok Mulin held up two fingers in response.
The waiter guided them to a quiet corner table.
As night had fallen, only one seat remained in the packed inn, and with Hyeok Mulin and Cheon Su-myeong taking it, the place filled up completely.
Subsequent patrons were politely turned away by the waiter.
Seated at the table, Cheon Su-myeong watched the scene and spoke up.
"Last ones in—talk about good luck."
Considering the crowded night streets outside, getting turned away here would likely mean the same story elsewhere.
It was truly fortunate they'd made it as the final guests.
"What'll you have?"
As the waiter approached to take their order, Hyeok Mulin kept it simple.
"A bottle of baijiu. And bring two of your best side dishes."
"Right away!"
The waiter darted inside and soon returned with a bottle of baijiu and two cups.
Not long after, he served up a hearty portion of braised eggplant chunks and a stir-fry of meat and noodles before stepping away.
"Dig in."
During their journey through the Central Plains together, Hyeok Mulin had learned a bit about Cheon Su-myeong's personal habits, including his tastes in food.
Born into the prestigious Cheon Clan, he'd lived a life of luxury.
It wouldn't have been surprising if he'd subsisted solely on fine liquors and exotic delicacies.
Yet surprisingly, he had no picky eating habits and drank cheap booze without a hint of reluctance.
Hyeok Mulin was the same, having lived a solitary and grueling life in his previous incarnation.
Thus, neither had any complaints when choosing inns, noodle shops, or taverns and ordering from their menus.
The same held true now.
They'd entered a typical village inn and ordered commonplace baijiu with ordinary dishes—who would ever guess they were the Heavenly Demon and Sword Demon descended upon the Central Plains?
After a few bites with his chopsticks, Cheon Su-myeong finally spoke.
"So, your destination this time."
On the way down from Mount Hua, Hyeok Mulin had shared their next objective with him.
Not from the orthodox sects, but the unorthodox.
"Tell me about the Ten Thousand Wines Society. I'm not entirely ignorant of them, but I've paid little attention over the years, so much of it's slipped by."
Hyeok Mulin set down his chopsticks at the question.
It was no wonder he wouldn't know much.
They weren't an ancient group with deep history, nor had they prominently featured in the martial world for long.
"The Ten Thousand Wines Society."
Gripping the liquor bottle, Hyeok Mulin poured a stream into his cup.
He lifted it and continued.
"In a word, they're mad for booze."
It was the perfect one-sentence summary.
Fifty years ago, a band of unorthodox martial artists—well-known for drunken brawls in inns—banded together, starting from humble origins.
Thus, they remained an obscure minor faction in the Central Plains, known to few.
But thirty-some years back, everything changed overnight.
After a wanderer called the Wine-Lost Wanderer rose to leadership as their chief.
He roamed the world sampling fine liquors, until one day a thought struck him.
'Why must I seek out the fine wines?'
Now that he was chief of the Ten Thousand Wines Society, why not use his authority to summon them instead?
And so the Wine-Lost Wanderer invited brewmasters from across the land to join the society.
But his plan backfired spectacularly.
To the outside world, they were just a ragtag bunch of booze-hounds who loved starting fights.
The brewmasters saw no reason to accept.
'Damn it all!'
His invitations failing, the Wine-Lost Wanderer drowned his frustrations in a tavern, guzzling away.
A hardcore drinker, he actually enjoyed the liquor there and, before leaving, tried to tip extra.
That's when it hit him.
'......!'
A brilliant idea flashed through his mind.
How had he not thought of it sooner?
Of course they wouldn't come for a pointless summons.
But what if...
'What if I attach purpose and honor to their invitation?'
Inspired, he launched the Ten Thousand Wines Grand Nocturnal Festival.
Held every five years, it was a massive event—a three-day booze extravaganza for the society's martial artists, invited enthusiasts, and select brewmasters.
On the final night.
They judged the finest liquor among all entered, awarding its brewer a huge prize and eternal glory.
"From there, they shot to success."
Drunkards flocked to join the society in droves, and brewmasters lined up to participate in their festival.
Who could ignore the chance for their brew to be crowned the world's best?
Before long, attending the Ten Thousand Wines Grand Nocturnal Festival became the dream and goal of every brewmaster in the Central Plains.
"So the goal is the Ten Thousand Wines Society, but we'll approach them via their Grand Nocturnal Festival."
"Exactly. They operate independently otherwise, with no fixed gathering spot. But during the festival, everyone's there."
Hyeok Mulin nodded and added,
"Word is, this one's their first under a new chief, so it'll be huge."
"I see."
Having grasped the basics from Hyeok Mulin's explanation, Cheon Su-myeong asked again.
"Is this Grand Nocturnal Festival happening here in Shanxi, then?"
"No. The venue's always down in the lower regions."
"Then why come here?"
"The reason for Shanxi."
Hyeok Mulin pointed at the liquor.
"Is this."
"......Booze?"
"Right. We'll find a brewmaster attending the festival from here."
The Ten Thousand Wines Grand Nocturnal Festival wasn't open to just anyone.
Only society members, recognized enthusiasts, and select brewmasters could enter.
Not being a member or famous drinker himself, Hyeok Mulin aimed for the last option.
Joining a brewmaster's entourage to attend together.
But even that wasn't easy.
"At first, most aspiring brewmasters could get in. But now things have changed."
As hopefuls multiplied, they shifted to quality over quantity.
Pitting regional brewmasters against each other, granting entry to just one winner per area.
Still, brewmasters burned with competitive zeal, and the contests grew fiercer by the day.
"So that's why we're here...."
"Yes. To tag along with Shanxi's representative brewmaster."
Cheon Su-myeong finally understood Hyeok Mulin's primary goal. But one thing still nagged at him.
"Why Shanxi specifically? Shaanxi, home to Mount Hua, must have its own entrant—did we really need to come here?"
Hyeok Mulin paused, recalling something.
Soon, he snapped out of it and replied.
"It had to be Shanxi."
"You know a brewmaster here?"
"Roughly."
He'd never met the man personally.
Not even in his past life.
Yet the moment he decided to infiltrate the festival with a brewmaster, no other name came to mind.
What Hyeok Mulin knew about him: youngish at this time, living in Shanxi, and with a deformed left ring finger—stunted short.
So he'd passed the details to the Secret Affairs Hall for intel.
Not knowing how quickly they'd locate him, they'd headed to Shanxi's biggest village first.
"But I don't know his name or face. Starting tomorrow, I'll track down the local brewmasters myself."
Didn't matter who it was.
Comb every young brewmaster in Shanxi, and he'd turn up eventually.
Simplest approach.
Thus, Hyeok Mulin planned to rest tonight and begin the search proper tomorrow.
As he sipped lightly from his cup.
"Argh! Enough already—move it!"
A irritated shout rang out from a distant table.
All eyes turned to the inn's center.
A group of commoners had been drinking amicably, but one heavily intoxicated patron had wedged himself in.
Lamenting his woes nonstop in a gloomy drone, naturally grating on the others' nerves.
Unable to take it, they'd shoved him out yelling.
The drunk tumbled to the floor but soon enough, every patron averted their gaze.
Fearing he'd latch onto any sympathy.
Now, only Hyeok Mulin watched the pitiful figure slumped alone.
But drunks were a dime a dozen everywhere.
Hyeok Mulin was about to dismiss him from mind.
Then.
"......?"
His fingers caught his eye.
The ring finger, unmistakably shorter and stubby compared to the others.
Staring intently, Hyeok Mulin called the waiter.
"Waiter."
"Yes, sir!"
"Who's that guy?"
"Ah... well......"
Hyeok Mulin indicated the drunk, but the waiter hesitated.
Unsure about spilling guest info, and reluctant to get tangled with a drunk anyway.
But.
Slide.
Hyeok Mulin pushed a silver ingot across the table, and the waiter's eyes bulged.
Glancing around, he pocketed it swiftly, then flashed the friendliest smile.
"Ahem, that gentleman's been staying here for half a month. Still checked in."
"What turned him into that mess?"
"Well, he wasn't like that at first..."
The waiter recalled the past.
He'd started out ordinary, like any guest.
But a few days ago, an agonized scream echoed from his room, and everything changed.
He became a booze-soaked nuisance, whining to patrons nonstop.
"No idea what happened to keep it up for days."
"Got it."
The waiter shook his head in bewilderment at the drunk.
Having heard the explanation, Hyeok Mulin spoke.
"Waiter."
"Yes, sir. Ask away."
With a full silver tael in pocket, his tone was all courtesy.
But Hyeok Mulin's next words weren't a question—they were an order.
One the waiter never saw coming.
"Bring him to this table."
"P-Pardon?!"
The startled waiter gaped at Hyeok Mulin in disbelief.
Yet Hyeok Mulin merely offered a faint smile.
He turned to Cheon Su-myeong.
"Looks like we might not need to move after all."
He'd found him.
Shanxi's top.
No—the world's greatest brewmaster.
Master Forget-Worries.