Everything Changed in an Instant
Everything had changed in the blink of an eye.
Or perhaps the better way to put it was that I had finally received what I was owed.
“Jae-rinji had always been incredibly lazy from a young age, often messing up simple tasks. But even at the very end… he didn’t falter…”
So Yeomgyo said no more.
The Amipa’s new Guardian, who had just completed his opening ceremony, seemed warmly hospitable toward us.
All the benefits that applied with dizzying speed came at the order of Elder Ryu, and I could already guess that the faint breath of the Guardian had been present right beside him when the command was given.
More importantly, the attitude of the Amipa people toward us had shifted dramatically.
Where once they had merely tolerated me as a body, it was now an entirely different world.
No matter where I went, maids followed my every step, personally attending to even the smallest details.
My body was recovering at a shocking pace, thanks not only to the physicians’ treatment but also the blood of the Golden Sun Immortal.
I could now walk with a cane, hobbling about, and my tattered practice robes had been replaced with fresh ones.
“What color would you like?”
When the maid asked what color she preferred, So Yeomgyo’s loud demand for red was surprisingly difficult to refuse.
There were plenty of other benefits, but the most important thing, when your body is still weak, was something else entirely.
“Haa…”
I had never slept in such a spacious room.
The bed was stuffed with cotton, sinking deeply the moment I lay down, and crimson, shimmering silk hung from the ceiling like a canopy.
Every room had been painted white, and priceless porcelain stood everywhere.
“This is the special love room reserved for the Amipa’s most important guests. If you need anything, ring the bell.”
The maid set down a small lacquered bell, bowed, and left, closing the door behind her.
I lay under the covers.
This kind of treatment was something I had never experienced in my life, even as I wandered the depths of the imperial capital.
It felt like a dream—or perhaps it was truly happening.
I felt an odd mix of unfamiliarity and an irrepressible smile tugging at my lips.
Of course, in this world, when good things came, bad things followed.
But if there was one thing that always grated in the best of circumstances…
“It’s really good, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. But there’s one problem.”
“What?”
I looked sideways at her.
So Yeomgyo lay on the next bed, eyes sparkling as she kicked her feet.
“Why are you here?”
“Well, I hired you. And your body isn’t fully recovered yet, right? What? Got a problem?”
“We’re a man and a woman. Even if you’re my employer and care for me, we should still use separate rooms. If we don’t, something will happen.”
So Yeomgyo blinked her glowing red eyes.
“Happen? What kind of happen?”
Her gaze showed absolutely no concern whatsoever.
“….”
It was unmistakable.
It wasn’t the look of a pure maiden who believed I would never be able to cover her in romance, or any other romantic nonsense.
It was the same look an ant eater gives a lizard while they share one hole and tilt their head in confusion.
I pulled the covers up to my chin and muttered.
“…Disgusting self-pleasure.”
During the time she had lived among the Amipa, So Yeomgyo had worn nothing but a thin red silk cloth, loosely tied with a belt, eating, sleeping, and resting in the most comfortable attire possible.
“That thin, fluffy fabric is really nice to wear and sleep in. I should tell Baekho to prepare a few more.”
She had the habit of always sleeping on her side, arms tucked under her head, without pulling the covers up.
The problem was that the fabric she wore was so thin it hugged every curve of her body.
Occasionally, when I woke up at regular intervals to check the breathing from the opposite bed, she would either be lying on her back or, when she noticed me, lying on her side while staring at me.
At this point, it was as if I had become the one she was planning to kill.
Every night I had to lie motionless with my hands clasped over my chest, staring at the ceiling and never once turning my head to look at her.
Fortunately, once I fell asleep, I never moved at all until the first rooster crowed.
My body, built on the Heavenly Demon physique, demanded endless sleep as if to compensate for all the torment it had endured.
So deeply did I sleep that once, when So Yeomgyo had gone to the bathroom, she had drawn a picture on my face with a brush and left. The maid who came to serve me the next morning had failed to notice and had not cleaned it off.
That was when my enormous appetite awakened.
“Waa.”
So Yeomgyo held up a plate, mouth wide open.
She piled the mountain of mountain delicacies the Amipa had prepared onto her plate and devoured them like a starving man thrown into an endless cave.
I could feel my body absorbing every bite.
Bones, flesh, and muscles took shape, filling out the frame that had been as dry as cracked earth.
“So, did you listen to what I said?”
“Uh… yeah?!”
I lifted my head from the bowl of noodles.
So Yeomgyo gave me a pitiful look.
“Waa, you really are the very image of a man when you’re fighting or concentrating, but in daily life you’re nothing but a coward.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“A compliment?”
So Yeomgyo sighed, picked up the wine bottle the Amipa had prepared, and filled her personal cup to the brim.
“Anyway. In my opinion, returning to Cheonsubaekryeonsa the moment this trial ends would be the worst possible move.”
She was the leader of the Blood Death Sect.
Of a similar age to me, she had climbed to the top of a single force from the very bottom of the Jianghu, her path through the Asura realm incomparable to mine.
Therefore, I believed she saw things on a far broader scale than I did.
I hid what was convenient to hide and told her my current situation and predicament.
So Yeomgyo kicked the floor with her toes and summarized what I had said.
“This trial has already secured the Jin-dong fragrance, so success is guaranteed. And if it succeeds, there is only one punishment trial left.”
“That’s right.”
“But the sect that issued the final punishment trial is already in the hands of your eldest brother, or someone else.”
“There’s no evidence, but the situation suggests it’s true.”
So Yeomgyo emptied her cup in one swallow.
“If I were in a power struggle and you were my eldest brother’s position, I would bet everything on this third one.”
“…Bet what?”
“Definitely kill them. And.”
Knowing that I never drank alcohol, So Yeomgyo pushed an untouched pot of tea across the table.
“From the current situation, I believe your eldest brother would never be able to match my skill, let alone surpass it.”
“Then what exactly do you propose? I have to return to Cheonsubaekryeonsa. You say returning isn’t a good idea, but do you have a better one?”
“Of course I do. I always have a backup plan when I speak.”
I looked up at her.
So Yeomgyo’s red eyes sparkled as she smiled.
“Just one more thing. Let’s do one more job together.”
I blinked.
I looked at So Yeomgyo.
I set down my chopsticks.
I pushed my chair back and stood up abruptly.
“What kind of long-winded nonsense is that?!”
“Eek! This guy is really quick-tempered!”
So Yeomgyo grabbed my wrist.
She was an existence on par with the Guardian.
No matter how well I had trained my body, she was stronger than me.
Following her lead, I sat down in the chair like a rotten wooden doll.
“The compensation for serving as the Guardian at today’s Amipa opening ceremony was much larger than I expected. You know that, right?”
“…That makes sense. After all that bloodbath. Wait, but you endured so much hardship, So Yeomgyo, if it were you, you would agree to do another job with me—.”
- Ting!
She struck her plate with her chopsticks and cut me off.
“This compensation will be paid in full after we finish the next job.”
“What? What kind of evil—”
“Instead!”
So Yeomgyo puffed out her chest and declared proudly.
“I swear on my honor that I will pay double the value. It will not be a loss-making proposal. And on top of that, I always keep my promises.”
“You never keep your promises.”
“….”
So Yeomgyo flinched and lowered her head.
The time when she had sworn to save me and then, with a calm heart, stabbed a knife into my chest was a wound that still stung her.
So Yeomgyo, still looking down, muttered to herself.
“I’m not some husband who starves his pregnant wife for the rest of her life.”
“That’s true.”
“Shut up. Listen quietly. Here, I’m really taking back the job request.”
So Yeomgyo frowned and poured more wine into her cup.
“When in haste, the saying goes to return. There are rules in the Jianghu. Although the old saying that the brush defeats the sword is true, in the Jianghu overwhelming power solves everything in one instant. In short, all of this is.”
She pointed at me.
“You are weak. Once you grow stronger, no matter what schemes or traps your opponent lays, you will not fall for them. Grow a little more and then return.”
“How does that have anything to do with my job?”
So Yeomgyo answered simply.
“During the entire job period, I will watch you one-on-one. Of course, this is separate from the compensation.”
“…!”
Seeing that I had understood her meaning, So Yeomgyo smiled meaningfully.
“Moyong Bi, if you know me, you will never refuse this. You are a man who is starving for knowledge more than anyone, and unlike those pampered young masters, you know better than anyone what harsh reality actually is. Isn’t that right?”
I was starving for knowledge.
But in this world, no matter how much passion I had to learn, I had never been given the chance to receive true, pure learning.
A moldy manual I had scraped together with half a year’s savings turned out to be nothing more than a third-rate patchwork martial art.
Even though it was a famous hidden manual that drew countless seekers, it was still heretical.
Time had flowed mercilessly, and I had grown older, missing the best window for learning, and my body had withered.
That was why I understood the true value of this proposal.
‘I need to change my priorities.’
Jin Muje and Moyong Ryu were heading to the Chu-mu-gwan, and my goal had always been to pass through the Dong-mu-gwan as quickly as possible in the shortest time.
Once I passed the Dong-mu-gwan, I would no longer be ignored anywhere in the Jianghu and my unstable position within the Moyong Family would be secured.
If I was lucky, I might even be revered as a hidden dragon in the Jianghu, build up my reputation, and find another path.
Furthermore, the vast support available as I advanced to higher halls was guaranteed.
The total period I could stay at Cheonsubaekryeonsa was six years.
If possible, it would be best to advance as quickly as possible, acquire the highest-level title without any variables, and train.
But all of that meant nothing if I died.
Moreover, having the Guardian, So Yeomgyo, watch me one-on-one during the job period was not just some benefit at the Dong-mu-gwan level; it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I might not face again in this life.
- Knock.
At that moment, the sound of someone knocking on the door broke my train of thought.
“Excuse me.”
The door opened and a tall man entered. I recognized him.
So Yeomgyo called out in surprise.
“Baekho? Why are you here?”
Baekho, who had guarded her side whenever she was attacked, was a former Blood Death Sect member.
He was not wearing a mask, but his collar was pulled up to his nose, hiding his face again.
Yet his eerie, sharp gaze was exactly the same as when he wore one.
Baekho bowed deeply.
Then, seeing me sitting drinking tea on the opposite side of So Yeomgyo, he paused.
“….”
He gave me a light bow.
I, too, reflexively bowed my head. He never asked his lord why or what the reason was.
“What about the others?! Why did you come all the way here?”
“I received top-tier intelligence from the Lower Gate that the Blood Cult and Demon Cult had been repelled. I rushed here alone. Just in case, but thankfully it seems everything is fine.”
His voice was low and carried a heavy, muted tone.
So Yeomgyo propped her chin on the table and said.
“And another thing? The Baekho I know would never come alone.”
“Of course not. I came because I needed to report something important. According to the Lower Gate intelligence, the Blood Death Sect that was in a fierce battle with you suddenly disappeared. Is that correct?”
“That’s right.”
So Yeomgyo’s expression hardened.
“It is also related to that.”
“What is it?”
“It is—”
Baekho looked at me.
So Yeomgyo nodded.
“I grant you permission to speak telepathically.”
“Understood.”
I had never witnessed a telepathic message before, only something that higher-level masters could do.
It was probably related to the Blood Death Sect’s secrets.
I decided it was polite not to pay attention, so I tried not to focus on them.
Even if I became close to So Yeomgyo, that was one thing, but this was another.
So Yeomgyo and Baekho stared at each other in silence for a long time.
Then, at some point, So Yeomgyo let out a deep, heavy sigh and covered her forehead with her hand.
“Damn it. I have to go. If I send the kids, they’ll all die. And now that I’ve just started building up the Blood Death Sect’s scale…”
“That’s why I risked entering to report. Although you ordered me not to approach you, I still…”
Baekho glanced at me again.
What?
Why is he staring at me like that?
So Yeomgyo crossed her legs and said to Baekho.
“I see. Leave a marker and prepare the kids. I’ll leave right away. It can’t be helped.”
“What should we do with him?”
So Yeomgyo made a pinching gesture with her fingers, her expression displeased.
“Five sword users, two stealth experts. That should be enough.”
“I will prepare them immediately.”
Baekho bowed his head.
Creak. The door opened and the Amipa maid entered belatedly.
So Yeomgyo looked at me with an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry. I was planning to leave with you for the next job right away. Could you wait a little longer? There’s something I have to do for about a month. That should be fine, right? Your body needs to rest as well.”
“Ah, of course. Don’t worry.”
“H-hey! How dare you speak to me in such a casual way!”
Baekho cried out in shock.
“Ah, it’s fine. I gave permission. Biryu, right?”
So Yeomgyo waved her hand.
Because the maid was there, she called me by the alias I had set in advance instead of my real name, Moyong Bi.
“Yeah, of course… ugh.”
- Kuaaaa.
It sounded like a volcano erupting from beside me.
Baekho’s eyes blazed as he glared at me.
Why is this guy looking at me like that?
Feeling awkward, I looked away at the ceiling and changed the subject.
Baekho withdrew his gaze and spoke to So Yeomgyo in a furious voice.
“Lord, you just called him Young Master Biryu. Is that correct?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“That name…”
Baekho licked his dry lips.
“No.”
Baekho bowed.
Then he slowly raised his head and looked at me.
- Kuaaaaa.
If he could melt a person with his gaze, it would be like that.
Why is this person acting this way toward me?
So Yeomgyo, paying no attention to whether men should or should not argue, turned to the maid who had been standing motionless beside her.
“But why have you been standing there since earlier? Do you have something to say?”
“Th-that…”
The maid looked flustered.
“Th-there is someone who has requested an audience without hesitation, so I thought I should report like this…”
“Yeah? There is no way anyone would want to see me. Who?”
So Yeomgyo tilted her head.
The maid’s face turned deathly pale.
“Ah, I mean…”
The maid pointed behind her.
I, who had been drinking tea, asked stupidly.
“Me?”
“Yes, so…”
The maid swallowed hard.
“Since the Jinnam Sect disciples who were previously expelled began to gather and cause trouble. They requested a duel with Young Master Biryu, who humiliated the sect’s honor. If he refuses, they said they would not leave until he agreed. So I came like this…”
My head started to ache.
So Yeomgyo said in a stiff voice.
“Where are those bastards? Lead the way.”
The Heavenly Demon Copies Martial Arts.