Chapter 76
Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Sect Exchange (2)
I stared at Yun Seong-guk, who had asked such an abrupt question.
Was he joking right now? That was my first thought, but looking at him, it didn't seem like it.
Having grown used to the gazes of women looking my way so often, I recognized this one immediately. It was the look of someone truly in love.
But how to get along with women...? Even if he asked me, I had nothing to say on the matter.
Not to put it too bluntly, but in my previous life, I was a total virgin who'd never so much as held a woman's hand.
And after reincarnating... thanks to Yong Yoo's handsome features, women always warmed up to me no matter what I did, so I'd never made any real effort to get close to them.
I decided to be honest.
"Uh, Senior Yun Seong-guk. Even if you ask me, you're not going to get an answer."
"Pardon? Why not?"
I pointed at my own face.
"Do I look like someone who's put in any effort to spend time with women?"
"......"
Yun Seong-guk stared at my face, then shook his head in stunned agreement. I nodded back to confirm it was the truth.
"Ughhh...!"
Seeing the agonized look on his face—like a heart demon had come calling—I tried to console him.
"Come on, Senior Yun Seong-guk, aren't you a genius who's reached the first layer of the Nascent Soul Realm at your age? Any woman would take interest if you approached her."
"Y-You think so?"
"Of course. Doesn't the world of cultivators revolve around power? A powerful man claims the beauties."
"R-Right. Yeah, that's how it is."
Yun Seong-guk, who held his own talent in the highest regard, started to buy into my words right away.
I encouraged him with all sorts of advice.
After being recognized as the Heavenly Prodigy, I'd gained a fan club of followers; heroes indulging in lust with multiple wives and concubines was because women adored heroes; believe in yourself; women like confident men; your looks aren't bad... probably... maybe... not terrible. I threw out all kinds of things like that.
"To begin with, Senior Yun Seong-guk, nothing's going to change if you just sit around here like this."
"I-Is that so?"
"Yes. First, go meet that woman you've got your eye on and talk to her. Anything goes. A passing greeting on the street, or just walk up, get close, and confess. Sure, challenges and failures might feel embarrassing, but experience is experience. Do nothing, and nothing happens."
"R-Right! And I'm a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator...! The Heavenly Prodigy...! Yeah, that's right! Who'd dislike me?!"
"Hahaha. Exactly. So, who is this woman you're interested in?"
I asked just in case it was one of the women around me, but apparently not.
"Ahem. To be honest, our Ha-seong Sect is all men, so... this is the first time in my life I've seen so many women."
"I see."
I knew that already.
The Ha-seong Sect—meaning "Achieve the Dao in summer"—was composed entirely of men, specializing in fire-element techniques and spells.
Rumors had it that the sect's overwhelming yang energy was so intense that any female cultivator who joined would suffer from imbalances in yin and yang, leading to inner demons and an early death.
The rumor had spread so widely that places near the Ha-seong Sect were considered off-limits among women.
I had no idea if it was true or not, but I figured the odds leaned toward truth.
Otherwise, why would they spread tales like "Our sect's techniques don't suit you women, so stay away," effectively limiting their own recruitment?
'If he's never ventured far from the Ha-seong Sect until now, this might really be his first time seeing women up close.'
No wonder he'd been staring at the women who'd come in with me like he was entranced.
"After laying eyes on women, I realized something. My heart shakes way too easily in front of them!"
"Ahh."
"I knew I couldn't let it go on like this, so I sought out a place where women serve men! I planned to conquer my weakness there and fortify my Dao heart!"
......Huh? This was taking a weird turn.
"My master grilled me on where I'd been wandering off to so much, but I snuck around diligently and met women at that establishment."
"......"
"That's where I met her......"
Yun Seong-guk gazed wistfully at the stars in the sky as he spoke.
What was I supposed to do with this guy? I glanced at A-han, who was shadowing me like a ghost. She looked just as perplexed, staring at him.
No way. A cultivator falling for a courtesan like some worldly fool?
"She played beautiful music with such sad eyes. I fell for her performance right away, and she was drawn to me too."
......You just paid spirit stones for it.
"That night, we confirmed our feelings for each other! Yes, she definitely has feelings for me! Poor thing... I don't know why she's in a place like that, but she doesn't belong there! I have to save her!"
......Uh, those women are probably cultivators who specialize in dual cultivation techniques. They work there to practice their methods.
What to do with this idiot? I gave him a look, but Yun Seong-guk—lost in his own world—ignored me and kept rambling on.
He must've been dying to spill about his relationship with that courtesan.
"Yeah... uh-huh... right... sure... good luck with that."
In the end, I brushed him off vaguely and headed back to the eastern wing.
Whew. What a headache.
Lying down to sleep with A-han, I recalled Yun Seong-guk's antics and couldn't help but chuckle.
'Yeah. Immortal's soul fragment or whatever... before awakening past-life memories, he's just an ordinary guy.'
I'd worried pointlessly over people I hadn't even met.
I closed my eyes and recalled the original story's characters, villains, and major events.
Then I erased them all from my mind.
Just like with Yun Seong-guk, nothing's certain until it happens. No point agonizing over distant futures and strangers. Focus on what's in front of me.
Man, relationship troubles are tough.
Even among narrow-minded cultivators, Dao companions or spouses—those sworn to walk the path together—are special. That's why so many get tangled in romantic scandals with their partners.
Not that it's ever happened to me!
Mun Yoo eventually split with Hyang Mae before things got serious, no issues there. And Yeom Suk found new love after pining for Elder Geum So-ryeo, sorting everything out nicely.
People's lives are so unpredictable.
In the original, Yeom Suk kept chasing Elder Geum even after her rejection, but my interference crushed him once—only for him to bounce back with new love.
'Oh Su-un barely appeared in the original, so I didn't know she liked Yeom Suk.'
Conversely, Han Chun-oh and Du Hye—lovers in the original—ended up with nothing because I broke Han Chun-oh.
As for Yun Seong-guk... well.
Getting involved with courtesans or gigolos never ends well. Word was he clashed with other cultivators who fancied the same one.
Courtesans vary, and the one who stole Yun Seong-guk's heart was a core disciple of the High Heaven Sect who'd reached Nascent Soul Realm via dual cultivation arts. Things blew up with accusations of her toying with elders from other sects.
If her cultivation had been lower, the blame would've fallen on Yun Seong-guk. But since she outranked him, it became her scandal.
I wasn't involved, so details were fuzzy, but some deal went down between High Heaven Sect and Ha-seong Sect to settle it.
I blocked out all the outside clamor and focused on cultivation.
I divided my routine into ten-day cycles: first ten days building spirit energy with techniques; next ten practicing arts and brewing spirit liquor, researching the Nectar Spirit Liquor; final ten reviewing the Three Evils Illusory Lotus Palm Projection, Dragon Subduing Hand, and Anti-Dragon Five Paths for Nascent Soul insights.
The Three Evils Illusory Lotus Palm Projection and Dragon Subduing Hand were spells evolved from divine abilities. As I'd mentioned before, mastering them stimulates the Nascent Soul, accelerating its growth.
A growing Nascent Soul swiftly expands its vessel—my body. If growth outpaces the vessel, it risks shattering, but for me freshly in Core Formation Realm, that's far off.
One year......
Two years......
Time passed uneventfully.
Growing two cores kept me at Core Formation 4th layer, but Hyang Mae hit the same, and A-han reached Foundation Establishment 8th layer.
Soon it'd be time to help her break through to Core Formation.
The past two years had been remarkably peaceful.
Wi Ja-seok—the only Foundation Establishment disciple among Sea Severing Peak's direct disciples—successfully advanced to Core Formation.
Elder Geum visited midway but, after hearing about Nak-seong Sect, refused to meet her disciples. She holed up at the main peak, obsessed with Nak-seong meetings, and never delivered the Refined Flying Sword.
Hyang Mae's Black Tortoise egg had grown larger, and she suggested joint training with it.
Over two years, High Heaven Sect thoroughly scouted Mystic Chim Valley, found a way inside, and launched full Nak-seong Sect hunts.
War loomed ever closer.
The cultivator I'd maimed—both arms lost in that sect ruin—resumed activity. High Heaven Sect's spirit herb fields and spirit stone mines faced raids.
In the reports, I learned his name: Ye Ga-seok.
Thinking of Ye Ga-seok stirred the heart demon I'd buried deep.
Rage consumed me; my Dao heart wavered; energies boiled.
Each time, I recited the Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art sutra and chanted the Tranquilizing Hymn to calm myself.
Initially, this subdued the demon easily. But my cultivator's intuition sensed impending events, and lately, quelling the surging demon grew harder.
Did the Anti-Dragon's nascent spirit crave battle? Maybe I should leave the sect soon, hunt some suitable demon beasts, and vent.
As I pondered, a huge uproar erupted in High Heaven Sect.
"Yoo Lang! Yoo Lang! Did you hear?!"
I welcomed Hyang Mae warmly to my eastern quarters and heard astonishing news from her.
"High Heaven Sect's summoned representatives from all nearby righteous sects!"
My eyes widened in shock. Having been dragged to a few Nak-seong meetings myself (to brief late-arriving elders on Ye Ga-seok), I knew this wasn't some friendly gathering.
Calling righteous sect reps? That meant... they're about to hit Nak-seong Sect, warning everyone else not to interfere.
War was coming.