Chapter 582: To Kaifeng
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 582: To Kaifeng
There are three main ways to travel between provinces in the Central Plains.
The first is on foot—just walking blindly.
Walking across the absurdly vast lands of the Central Plains might seem foolish, but surprisingly, the situation here was better than back on the Korean Peninsula. At the very least, "hungry street cats" didn't pop up here as often as one might eat a meal. Of course, you might run into some very "loyal" bandit friends, but that wasn't much different from the other methods I’m about to mention.
The second is using a carriage.
The advantage is that it’s more comfortable than walking; the disadvantage is the cost. As a side note, one must be careful, as the coachman might suddenly turn into a robber or be in league with bandits.
The third and final way is by boat.
Even though the Central Plains is mostly inland, there are rivers like the Yangtze and the Yellow River that traverse the continent, so traveling by water isn't unusual. It’s faster and more expensive than a carriage, and it’s a "premium course" that includes a "tourist package" where you might encounter the chivalrous warriors of the sea—pirates.
The course Kang Hyun-woo chose was the carriage.
The reason for not taking a boat was simple: because of the Grand Martial Arts Tournament, every boat going from Wuhan to Kaifeng was fully booked. Of course, there were ways to secure a spot by paying extra, but I didn't want to go that far just to be stuck on a crowded boat.
Crucially, the fact that I had requested and received a magic carriage from the Duke of Winchester during my stay in London played a big part. It was a top-of-the-line carriage from Brand B, something you couldn't even buy without a title, no matter how much money you had.
The ride quality went without saying.
Brand B is a carriage brand with an unrivaled status in Europe. Their reputation was built on the achievement that even if the carriage was racing over rough terrain, not a single drop of wine should spill from a glass. European nobles aren't exactly known for being easy to please, after all.
In short, with this carriage, even a rugged forest path would feel like a well-paved road without even needing to cast additional magic.
“...You call this a carriage?”
“The official name is an 'All-Automatic Mana-Driven Carriage,' but you can just think of it as a carriage that runs without a coachman.”
“Ho...”
Yeo-hwa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she inspected the vehicle. It was only natural. On the outside, it looked like a slightly luxurious carriage, but the interior was a masterpiece of technology, integrating Earth's most advanced magic engineering.
It featured suspension and cushions that absorbed 120% of shocks, a perfect climate control system, and even bulletproofing and ventilation functions for emergencies. Even the horses and the coachman were sophisticated AI robots, disguised so well they were indistinguishable from the real thing.
Clop, clop—
Leaving behind the people of the Sleeping Dragon Caravan who gave us a warm send-off, we passed through the streets of Wuhan and exited the city. The ride quality was as perfect as expected. Thanks to that, I could lie down comfortably with my head in Yeo-hwa’s lap.
By pressing a button, the ceiling turned into transparent glass, revealing the sky and adding a refreshing sense of openness. It would have been great if we could have made it all the way to Kaifeng like this, but unfortunately, we hit a practical problem before long.
Beep—!
—System error. System error. System error. Please update map information.
“...I figured this would happen.”
About ten minutes after leaving the city, the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The reason was simple: the navigation currently installed in the carriage operated based on Earth's maps.
But this was the Central Plains. Forget well-paved roads; you were lucky if there was even a recognizable forest path. No matter how brilliant the AI was, finding a path automatically in a place like this was impossible.
“Whew, can't be helped.”
Thud—
After putting the coachman into my inventory, I climbed onto the driver's seat myself. To be honest, my driving skills weren't exactly stellar, but as long as I held the reins, the horses moved on their own. Furthermore, the system monitored road conditions in real-time, automatically braking if danger was detected and even turning the carriage if necessary. Even if the road was rough, the chance of a major accident was extremely low.
In the end, all I had to do was point the way. However, a problem arose before we even started.
“...Yeo-hwa?”
“What is it?”
Yeo-hwa, who had boldly taken the seat next to me, tilted her head as if wondering what was wrong. Looking at that innocent face, my jaw dropped involuntarily.
Wow, she really is impossibly beautiful.
Facing Yeo-hwa’s face at such close range without warning made my heart race as if it were about to explode. Every time I saw her, I felt the same way—her face was always fresh, thrilling, and left me in awe. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the greatest beauty under heaven—no, the greatest beauty of all time.
“No, I mean, you don't really need to sit out here on the driver's seat. Besides, the ride won't be as good as the back seat. Wouldn't it be better to stay inside?”
“I refuse.”
“Huh?”
Yeo-hwa gave a seductive smile and hugged my arm.
“The place where this lady belongs is not the seat of honor, but by her husband's side. As a wife, I must attend to my husband; how could I stay inside alone just for my own comfort?”
“...”
When she put it like that, I had nothing to say. Knowing she had won, Yeo-hwa leaned her head against my shoulder as if celebrating her victory. I let out a faint chuckle and gripped the reins.
Well, this is what traveling is all about.
.
.
.
“Hahaha!! You rascals!! Do you dare set foot here, knowing this is the territory of the Great Lord Do Jang-soe, the 'Life-Ending Blade'?! If you value your lives, kneel at once!!”
Vwooom!!
“Hahaha!! My apologies!!”
Upon seeing the vivid Hand Aura covering Kang Hyun-woo's hand, the bandit retreated at incredible speed and vanished into the forest. It was as if time had been rewound. I saw similar sights four more times while driving the carriage.
At first, I considered just killing them, but suppressing bandits was strictly the responsibility of the government and the Orthodox Faction. Or, to be honest, it was just a hassle. I was too busy chatting and eating the snacks Yeo-hwa fed me to bother with bandit subjugation.
Anyway, aside from those minor interruptions by uninvited guests, it was a generally peaceful journey. After traveling for about five hours, as the sun began to set, a fairly large city wall appeared in the distance.
It was our first destination, Macheng.
*
Macheng was a reasonably large city located in the northern part of Hubei Province, known as one of the fertile granaries. While it couldn't compare to Wuhan, it was a well-to-do town, so finding a good inn wasn't difficult.
After helping Yeo-hwa put on her veil, we entered the inn. As expected, everyone's eyes turned toward us simultaneously. Originally, a veil was meant to hide an ugly face, but that's a case-by-case thing. There is a certain elegance that cannot be hidden no matter how hard one tries.
And Yeo-hwa was the greatest beauty of all time, as far as I was concerned. It was only natural for the men to stare. But that only lasted for a moment.
Tap, tap—
As soon as I tapped the hilt of my sword, everyone quickly lowered their gaze or turned their heads. It’s the same on Earth, but here, the fist is always closer than the law. Especially in the Central Plains, where public authority barely exists, a person with no sense getting stabbed to death was nothing more than a minor incident.
In that sense, I liked that this inn seemed to have only quick-witted customers. It’s always a bit unpleasant to see blood before a meal.
“Welcome! I'll show you two, who look like a celestial couple, to a nice window seat!”
“Hmm? Wait, how does a mere innkeeper know Yeo-hwa is a celestial maiden... Ow.”
After getting my arm pinched by Yeo-hwa for my cheesy comment, I followed the innkeeper to the second floor. It stung a bit.
“Innkeeper, what's good here?”
“Our Mangok Hall is famous for our 'Three-Grain Fragrant Porridge,' a blend of rice, barley, and millet, and our 'Fragrant Grain Braised Pork,' made from pigs raised on grain feed and simmered in soy and bean paste. Our 'Jade Dumplings,' bursting with juice, are also a favorite among our regulars.”
“Then give us three of each. And for drinks?”
“Our best-seller is the 'Grain Fragrant Cloudy Liquor,' but masters of the Orthodox Faction often look for the 'White Flower Rice Wine.'”
The innkeeper spoke with a friendly smile, but his subtext was clear: if you're a master of the Orthodox Faction, buy the expensive stuff. One could ask what he’d do if the customer was a master of the Evil Faction, but this was Hubei Province. Since the influence of the Wudang Sect and the Jegal Family was strong here, he had calculated that no martial artist from the Evil Faction would dare cause trouble. Well, things happen, and if he ran into the wrong person, that was just bad luck.
“Bring five bottles of the White Flower Rice Wine.”
“Yes!! Thank you!! Here is the Three-Grain Fragrant Porridge!! Fragrant Grain Braised Pork!! Jade Dumplings!! And the White Flower Rice Wine!!!”
When I flicked a few silver ingots, the innkeeper caught them skillfully, bowed 90 degrees, and dashed toward the kitchen. For the record, the reason I ordered five bottles was simple.
“Wine after three days... Fufu, I am already looking forward to it.”
“You know you shouldn't overdrink, right?”
“With my current body, it would be difficult even to get drunk, so you need not worry.”
“...I suppose.”
Yeo-hwa was currently on the verge of the Flower Realm. At that level, one develops significant immunity to poisons, and that includes alcohol. Of course, it would be a different story for liquors with abnormally high alcohol content, like the Hundred-Day Drunkenness or Thousand-Day Drunkenness.
“That aside, it seems men have no sense of constancy. To steal glances at a married woman who is not even a virgin.”
Yeo-hwa toyed with the tip of the hairpin in her half-tied hair, a slight smirk playing on her lips. It was the hairpin I had given her as a gift.
“Well, at least the vermin have eyes.”
Whoosh—!!
““?!!!””
In that instant, Yeo-hwa released her killing intent, instantly clearing away the lingering gazes in the inn. Most people turned pale and trembled, while a few even fled the inn entirely.
Thanks to that, we finished our meal peacefully and took a room at the inn. I thought there might be no vacancies because of the crowds heading to Kaifeng, but fortunately, it seemed not many people were traveling on foot.
Click—
I opened the door to the room on the fourth floor and stepped inside. It was a fairly decent room for the Central Plains. Of course, I didn't forget to swap out the bed.
I can't exactly have sex on an inn bed, after all.
Additionally, I set up a soundproofing barrier and a portable shower booth for Yeo-hwa. Once the setup was mostly finished, the desire to pounce on Yeo-hwa began to crawl up. It was only natural, considering I had been living a celibate life for three days now.
But there was something I had to do first.
“Yeo-hwa. I happened to get my hands on a martial arts manual. Could you take a look at this for me?”
“A martial arts manual? With your enlightenment, I do not think you need my help. What kind of manual is it?”
“The Heavenly Demonic Divine Art.”
“......?”
Hearing my words, Yeo-hwa just blinked. It was the reaction one has when the brain fails to process information. I took the manual out of my inventory and handed it to her.
“Th-this is...”
Upon seeing the title carved into the book, Yeo-hwa’s pupils began to tremble. It was proof that she felt the mysterious energy contained within the words Heavenly Demonic Divine Art (天魔神功).
Flip, flip!
Yeo-hwa hurriedly opened the manual, her eyes shining as she scanned the text rapidly. After about five minutes...
Thud—
With an expression that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking, she carefully closed the book.
“What's wrong? Is it a fake?”
“...No, it is not.”
Yeo-hwa shook her head. She then stared at me with a complex, subtle gaze.
“...Hyun-woo, how much do you know about the Heavenly Demon?”
“The Heavenly Demon? Isn't he the one who founded the Heavenly Demonic Cult?”
“That is not wrong, but it is an answer that requires many footnotes.”
Yeo-hwa gave a faint smile.
“First, the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art is a peerless divine art bestowed upon the Progenitor Heavenly Demon by the Demon God. And the successive Cult Leaders can be considered the successors of that art.”
“...The Demon God?”
“Ahriman.”
Thud—
Yeo-hwa sat on the windowsill and pointed toward the night sky. The moonlight faintly illuminated her profile.
“He is the Great One who will one day descend upon this world to purify this filthy land. And the Progenitor Heavenly Demon received His revelation, founded the Heavenly Demonic Cult, and established its foundation. The Cheon family, the lineage of the Cult Leaders, are the successors who carry His blood. However, it was impossible for a mere human body to fully master the martial art bestowed by a god.”
“Hmm? Then was the Progenitor Heavenly Demon not human?”
“Well, opinions are still divided on that even within the Cult. Some claim he was an Apostle created by Ahriman, while the theory that he was a half-blood born between a god and a human is also famous. Or some interpret it as him having talent so great he was chosen by the god.”
A faint smile soon touched Yeo-hwa’s lips.
“But whatever the truth may be, the fact remains that the Progenitor Heavenly Demon was a being who transcended human limits. And he personally modified the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art so that it could be handled by a human body, and he taught that martial art to the first Cult Leader.”
“Then this is...”
“I have never practiced the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art myself, but just by reading the oral formula for a moment, my instincts rang an alarm. A warning that I must never practice it. It was likely a sort of warning not to dare approach the power of a great god with a human body. Although there is no clear evidence, I believe without a doubt that this manual is the original Heavenly Demonic Divine Art, before it was modified.”