Chapter 139
In Jin-yang, there was a vast lake called Cloud Dream Lake.
Poets, scholars, and sightseers who came to enjoy the arts would float boats upon its waters, drinking wine within them.
And Bu Eun-seol, having stepped out of True Fragrance Courtyard for the first time in a while, had also floated a small boat on Cloud Dream Lake, indulging in solo drinking.
In his ears mingled the sounds of boatmen rowing, the chatter of people drinking, and the music and songs of courtesans aboard other boats...
As he listened to the jumble of sounds reaching his ears, he occasionally admired the moonlight reflected on the lake.
Before he knew it, he had emptied an entire jar of wine, yet no trace of drunkenness could be found—only his eyes growing increasingly profound.
'The purpose of Demonic Path Martial Arts is to swiftly sever an enemy's life. Perhaps the flaw of Demonic Path Martial Arts originates precisely from that singular focus.'
Whether eating, drinking, or even sleeping...
Bu Eun-seol had not rested a single day, ceaselessly researching the principles of martial arts, and his martial prowess had grown exponentially.
But perhaps it was because he had driven himself relentlessly, training with brutal discipline ever since entering the murim?
Even when eating delicious food, or playing the part of a wealthy idler as he was now... he could feel no joy or pleasure whatsoever.
'Even the Hundred-fold Linked Ring Technique that Yeo Hwan-jin displayed was no exception to this.'
Contemplating the flaws of Demonic Path Martial Arts only tangled his thoughts further.
'At any rate, my current goal is the Great Righteous Experts.'
Having chosen to walk the path of the Ten Demonic Heir, clashes with the Great Righteous Experts were inevitable.
If he allowed trivial matters to distract his focus, Bu Eun-seol might very well lose to them.
'The remaining Great Righteous Experts number sixteen... no, perhaps seventeen.'
Yeong Ji-wi, who had lost to Bu Eun-seol in the Martial Arts Tournament.
Though he possessed genius-level instincts, he had been negligent in honing his martial arts.
But humans, once they attain enlightenment, can progress with dazzling speed.
What if that defeat had granted Yeong Ji-wi enlightenment? Perhaps another powerhouse had been born into the murim.
Swish, swish...
Just then, the sound of water parting accompanied the slow approach of an ornately decorated boat toward Bu Eun-seol's own.
"Oh my?"
Aboard it was a woman whose face was strikingly familiar.
She was the very same woman he had seen at True Fragrance Courtyard.
"To meet you here—what a coincidence!"
With a smile brighter than the moonlight, she cast a friendly glance at Bu Eun-seol.
"Since fate has brought us together, won't you share a drink?"
'She's changed tactics.' Bu Eun-seol smirked bitterly.
Her persistence was unmatched, and it seemed she now intended to build rapport to persuade him into lending her West River Courtyard.
"There's plenty of wine here already."
Naturally, Bu Eun-seol meant to refuse.
"...!"
But then, far across Cloud Dream Lake, a large boat came into view.
And upon it, martial artists clad in blue uniforms scanned their surroundings with sharp eyes.
They were none other than Masters of the Zhongnan Sect.
'They've come this far.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
Among all the boats floating on the lake, he was the only one drinking alone.
If he remained still, the keen-eyed Zhongnan Masters might spot him.
"This isn't just any ordinary wine, you know."
At that moment, the woman widened her eyes and spoke.
"This is Hundred Herbs Wine, aged a hundred years—so rare you couldn't buy it even for a thousand gold pieces. Not to mention..."
"Fine."
"Huh?"
"Let's have a drink."
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol boarded her lavish boat.
"I knew you were a man of refined taste!"
She grinned, revealing neat teeth.
Likely, she assumed that as a wealthy idler, Bu Eun-seol would recognize the value of Hundred Herbs Wine.
"Let's drink."
Stepping onto the boat without pause, Bu Eun-seol took a seat before the wine table set upon it.
At once, she handed him a large, wide cup.
"They say Hundred Herbs Wine must be drunk from a broad, spacious cup like this to truly appreciate its worth."
Then she filled the cup to the brim.
The Hundred Herbs Wine, said to be brewed from a hundred medicinal herbs, carried no medicinal scent—only a rich, rice-wine-like fragrance.
Gulp, gulp.
Without delay, Bu Eun-seol downed the cup in one go.
Delighted, she clapped her hands and laughed as though watching a fascinating spectacle.
"You drink so boldly! If only your usual temperament were as straightforward and refreshing. For example..."
While she prattled on, the Zhongnan Masters' boat had unknowingly drawn closer.
"..."
The Zhongnan Masters did not approach further but observed the pair intently from a distance.
After all, what they saw was a picturesque scene of a handsome man and beautiful woman seated across from each other, sharing wine in quiet harmony.
After watching them for a while, the Masters eventually passed by.
'They're gone.'
As he watched the Zhongnan Masters' boat disappear into the distance, Bu Eun-seol inwardly acknowledged the depth of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang's strength.
'Their ranks of Masters run deep.'
Judging by their extraordinary presence, they were likely first-generation disciples—peers of Yeo Hwan-jin.
"Ah, come to think of it, we haven't even exchanged names yet."
Just then, the woman extended her hand toward Bu Eun-seol.
"My name is Gu... Gu Cheong-jeong."
'A lie.' Her slightly averted gaze and stammering tone made it clear she had given a fake name.
But Bu Eun-seol paid it no mind. He neither cared nor needed to know.
"Bu Eun-seol."
"Bu Eun-seol..."
This time, Gu Cheong-jeong wore a puzzled expression. She thought for a long while, but no such name came to mind.
'No traces of martial training, no visible weapons... Must just be a wealthy scholar.'
"I see."
As she smiled brightly, Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat and said,
"We drank well. I'll take my leave now."
"You're leaving already? You've only had one drink!"
"How could I waste such precious century-old liquor any further?"
"Then, are you returning to the guest inn?"
"I am."
"Do you really have to use all five annexes?"
Gu Cheong-jeong was stubborn to the point of tenacity.
After studying her briefly, Bu Eun-seol asked flatly,
"It can't possibly be just for Sage Sam-muk's signboard. Why are you so insistent on the West River Courtyard? Did you arrange to meet someone there?"
"How did you know?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Bu Eun-seol exhaled a sigh.
"Unless you're a calligrapher, there's no need to spend days admiring Sage Sam-muk's writing."
If she had only wanted to see the signboard in the West River Courtyard, she wouldn't have stubbornly insisted on staying there.
"Fine. I'll be honest."
This time, Gu Cheong-jeong forced a bitter smile.
"I arranged to meet old friends from the martial world here."
"Friends?"
"Yes. We agreed to meet at the West River Courtyard—the annex with Sage Sam-muk's calligraphy—since I was supposed to reserve it."
"Then why didn't you come earlier?"
"Of course, I sent someone a month in advance. But even then, they said it was fully booked."
She shrugged.
"Truthfully, we defied our parents' wishes to venture into the martial world. We couldn't exactly make leisurely reservations."
She was divulging details without being asked, but her tone and demeanor were friendly, devoid of malice.
She was likely the scion of one of the more moderate and well-connected clans within the Demonic Path.
"Can't be helped."
Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh.
"Use the West River Courtyard."
"R-really?"
"Yes."
He had already resigned himself to this the moment he accepted a drink.
In the martial world, if you took something, you paid the proper price.
"But only the West River Courtyard. Don't set foot in any other annex. I dislike unnecessary trouble."
"Understood. Thank you."
As the matter resolved smoothly, Gu Cheong-jeong beamed.
"You're not as rigid as I thought, are you?"
Bu Eun-seol gave a dry smile and shook his head.
"I'll take my leave first."
"Wait."
Gu Cheong-jeong blocked his path uneasily.
"A man's word is worth a thousand gold. Don't go back on it or regret it later."
"I won't."
With that curt reply, Bu Eun-seol turned away.
Bu Eun-seol regretted it.
No matter how much he suppressed the senses of the Beast Path, his eyes and ears were still several times sharper than an ordinary person's.
And thanks to Gu Cheong-jeong's friends drinking and making noise all night in the West River Courtyard, he couldn't properly focus on his Qi Circulation.
—Hahaha! That was truly satisfying, wasn't it?
Even now, as dawn broke, drunken clamoring still drifted from the West River Courtyard.
'They must be planning to drink straight through the day.'
The drinking that had started in the afternoon continued into the early morning.
Judging by the situation, they'd keep going until sunrise.
'I should abandon all hope of Qi Circulation until they leave.'
Qi Circulation required complete focus of all senses and spirit inward.
A single mistake could lead to internal injuries at best—or Qi Deviation at worst.
—By the way, Sage Sam-muk was truly incredible!
Just then, a voice carried over from the West River Courtyard.
—When he wrote this signboard, he drank three pecks of liquor before picking up the brush!
Sage Sam-muk had loved liquor and possessed an immense tolerance.
Thus, the legend that he drank three pecks before writing the West River Courtyard's signboard had been passed down.
'Drank three pecks and still wrote the signboard...'
As he listened to the idle chatter from the courtyard, a sudden realization struck Bu Eun-seol.
'The calligraphy on Sage Sam-muk's signboard was impeccably composed.'
That couldn't have been solely due to his alcohol tolerance.
No matter how drunk, in pain, or unwell—
True masters of calligraphy could write flawlessly through sheer practice. And martial artists should be no different.
'If external disturbances disrupt Qi Circulation, can one truly claim mastery of the Heart Technique?'
The Heart Technique was often described as "the mind governs the creation of True Qi"—Mind-Driven Qi Creation.
Thus, martial artists sought only silence during Qi Circulation.
But if one thought differently—shouldn't they train to endure any disturbance?
'This is a good opportunity.'
Bu Eun-seol changed his approach.
He would attempt Qi Circulation amidst this endless chatter.
Endless refinement and challenge.
And just as one eats and breathes—Bu Eun-seol intertwined martial arts with every aspect of life, advancing it further.
This was why, despite lacking exceptional physical talent, he could grow stronger faster than anyone else.
Huum.
As Qi Circulation began, faint points of light shimmered from his body.
And instead of shutting out the clamor, he focused his spirit and continued.
How much time had passed?
Huum.
With a low vibration, Bu Eun-seol concluded his training and opened his eyes.
Strangely, unlike usual, no radiant points emerged from his body, and the Counter-Extreme Fire Light in his pupils had dimmed slightly.
Return to Plainness.
The deeper one's Internal Energy, the more unique traits fade, reverting to an ordinary appearance.