Chapter 140
Bu Eun-seol, having completed his qi circulation, looked out the window with a startled expression.
"Has it already gotten this late?"
In the distant sky, a bright moon had already begun driving away the darkness.
'This is the first time I've entered the state of no-self while circulating qi.'
Bu Eun-seol could perform qi circulation in any posture and could even perceive external stimuli while doing so.
But this time, as he focused his mind against the external noise, he had fallen into the state of no-self for the first time during his practice.
'It's dangerous... but the benefits are undeniable.'
Circulating qi within the state of no-self had shortened the time needed to cycle his true qi, and he could feel his internal energy had grown deeper.
Feeling hunger stir within him, he rose and stepped outside.
Though he could have ordered food in the separate garden, he decided to head to the guest inn once more to make up for his earlier regret.
"Welcome, Young Master!"
As he ascended to the inn, a young waiter spotted him and scurried over.
"Is there a seat available?"
"Of course! Please follow me."
The waiter guided him to a window seat on the third floor with the best view.
Though the inn was still crowded, it wasn't as packed as before.
After ordering a few side dishes and wine, Bu Eun-seol gazed out the window, lost in thought.
'It's already been two months since I arrived here.'
Not a single day had been wasted in preparation for the impending battle against the Great Righteous Experts.
Now, only about two months remained.
To obey the solemn command of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he would have to face the Great Righteous Experts again within that time.
Clamor, clamor.
Just then, six men entered noisily.
"This Cloud Arrival Inn is famous for its views. Hey! Get us a seat by the window."
"My apologies, but there aren't any tables left that can accommodate all six of you."
At the waiter's words, one of the young men in the group noticed Bu Eun-seol sitting alone.
Stunned for a moment by his radiant, sunlit features, the man soon nodded.
"There's a seat open over there."
Striding forward confidently, he spoke.
"The view from the third floor is the best, but our party doesn't have enough space."
The young man grinned, flashing white teeth.
"If you don't mind, could you move to another seat? We'll treat you to food and wine in return."
"No need."
At Bu Eun-seol's cold refusal, the young man's eyebrows shot up.
"Then, would money persuade you?"
He placed a large gold tael—easily worth forty taels—on Bu Eun-seol's table.
"This should be enough to compensate you for moving."
'Seems like there are plenty of wealthy people these days.' Bu Eun-seol sighed, recalling Gu Cheong-jeong, who had once flashed a banknote at him.
Then, from his sleeve, he placed a thousand-nyang banknote on the table.
"I'll pay you instead. You go sit somewhere else."
In an instant, the young man's pride seemed wounded as his face twisted in anger.
"Are you looking down on us?"
Judging by his attitude and speech, he was definitely not from the Righteous Faction.
"Or do you think you can disrespect people just because you have money?"
"How hypocritical. Weren't you the one who brought out money first?"
Left speechless, the young man scowled as he scrutinized Bu Eun-seol.
"What's with that look? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
Bu Eun-seol, unarmed and with his delicate, handsome features and slender frame, appeared to anyone as nothing more than a white-faced scholar with no martial prowess.
That was why—whether they were martial artists, merchants, or street thugs—people always felt bold enough to provoke him.
"Or do you think you can hog this prime spot all to yourself just because you're rich? Huh?"
Just as the young man's harassment was about to cross the line—
"What's going on here?"
A woman's voice rang out as she arrived belatedly on the third floor.
"Young Master Bu?"
It was none other than Gu Cheong-jeong.
As it turned out, the six men were the "longtime friends from the martial world" she had mentioned meeting.
"Cheong-mae, you know this guy?"
The young man furrowed his brow as Gu Cheong-jeong gasped in surprise.
"This is the very Young Master Bu who lent us the West River Courtyard."
The young man clicked his tongue in annoyance.
After all, it was an awkward situation—picking a fight with someone who had shown them kindness.
"But what's the matter?"
At Gu Cheong-jeong's question, the young man smoothed his furrowed brow and stammered.
"Well, there weren't any good seats left..."
"I see. That can't be helped."
Gu Cheong-jeong blinked as she looked at Bu Eun-seol sitting alone.
"Then let's go somewhere else."
"Somewhere else?"
The young man blinked, then shook his head.
"But when it comes to scenic guesthouses, Cloud Arrival Inn is the best. Where else could we possibly go?"
"What else can we do? There aren't any seats..."
As Gu Cheong-jeong laughed with an awkward expression, the young man suddenly brightened.
Then, abruptly adopting a polite demeanor, he approached Bu Eun-seol and clasped his hands together.
"I am Ma Han, the Young Clan Head of the Sea Tower Sword Gate."
The young man, Ma Han, gestured to Gu Cheong-jeong and the others as he spoke.
"And these companions are all successors of the Seven Sword Gates of Qinghai."
The Seven Sword Gates of Qinghai.
In Qinghai, there were seven sword houses that carried on the legacy of the Demonic Path.
Originally, they had little interaction, but recently, the young successors had begun gathering together, actively building friendships.
Because of this, the martial world collectively referred to them as the Seven Sword Gates of Qinghai.
"So you are the heroes of the Seven Sword Gates of Qinghai. I had no idea."
Bu Eun-seol deliberately feigned surprise.
Currently, he was lying low here to refine his martial arts and evade pursuit by the Zhongnan Sect.
There was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble in the meantime.
"Then, Miss Gu, you are also a martial artist?"
"Yes. Actually, my name isn't Gu Cheong-jeong—it's Guyang Cheong-jeong."
Gu Cheong-jeong spoke with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry for deceiving you. I thought you weren't part of the martial world..."
She bowed her head slightly, looking genuinely remorseful.
In truth, she was Guyang Cheong-jeong, the only daughter of Guyang Mu-gung, the sect leader of the Wind-Shooting Sword Sect.
'Come to think of it, this is my first time seeing the younger generation of the Demonic Path.'
Langya Pavilion had no young disciples, and the only peers he had met in the martial world were the Ten Demonic Heir and Sim Wol of the Demon Hall.
But seeing these young warriors of the Demonic Path gathered here in the martial world gave Bu Eun-seol a strange feeling.
"It's fine. It's quite common for martial artists to conceal their names."
Since he was already hiding his identity, he decided to play along with their rhythm.
"I failed to recognize the heroes of the Demonic Path."
Bu Eun-seol deliberately put on a surprised expression as he spoke.
"I'll vacate my seat. Please, enjoy your meal here."
"No, there's no need for that..."
Gu Cheong-jeong—no, Guyang Cheong-jeong—reached out in surprise, but Bu Eun-seol lightly waved his hand.
"It's fine. I was about to leave anyway."
"Hahaha! Now I see—you're someone who knows a thing or two. Much obliged."
Ma Han laughed heartily and glanced at Guyang Cheong-jeong.
With just a few words, he had taken the seat, and now he wore a triumphant expression, as if expecting her to praise him.
"Well, the seating issue is resolved. Cheong-mae."
But contrary to his expectations, she frowned.
On the table where Bu Eun-seol had been sitting, the food and wine were still mostly untouched.
"Young Hero Ma. This doesn't feel right."
Then she hurriedly followed after Bu Eun-seol.
"Young Master Bu."
Guyang Cheong-jeong rushed down the stairs after him and blocked his path.
"I'm sorry. We'll leave, so please go back up and finish your meal."
"It's fine. I've already eaten."
"No, you haven't. You even lent us the West River Courtyard—I can't impose on you any further."
Then she bowed her head respectfully.
"I'm truly sorry."
Bu Eun-seol looked slightly taken aback.
This was a far cry from the way she had stubbornly demanded the West River Courtyard earlier.
'So she wasn't entirely unreasonable after all.'
As Bu Eun-seol made a slightly surprised expression, Guyang Cheong-jeong widened her eyes as if to say, What's that look for?
"What's with that expression? Did you really think I was the type to shamelessly steal someone's seat and laugh it off?"
"Was it not?"
When Bu Eun-seol let out a quiet chuckle, Guyang Cheong-jeong wore an expression of utter indignation.
"I already told you—the reason I stubbornly insisted on using the West River Courtyard was to keep a promise! It wasn't for my own benefit!"
"It's fine either way. I can just eat in the Separate Garden."
Bu Eun-seol turned away with a faint smile.
"Enjoy your time with your friends."
"Young Master Bu—"
"Wait!"
Just then, Ma Han—who had somehow already descended the stairs—approached Bu Eun-seol.
"What is it?"
"Well... I feel as though my behavior earlier was inexcusably rude. No matter how you look at it, forcing a guest who arrived first to give up their seat..."
Ma Han's apology was directed at Bu Eun-seol, but his eyes lingered far longer on Guyang Cheong-jeong.
Bu Eun-seol understood his actions immediately.
'He likes her.'
He had seen through it—Ma Han's behavior was solely to impress Guyang Cheong-jeong.
"It's fine. Enjoy your meal."
When Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly, Guyang Cheong-jeong's eyes suddenly sparkled as if struck by an idea.
"Then, why don't we all move to the West River Courtyard and share a meal together?"
"Huh?"
As Ma Han gaped, Guyang Cheong-jeong nodded firmly.
"This is fate, isn't it? Besides, we're all around the same age."
In that instant, Ma Han's face paled.
Truthfully, he had been deeply wary of Bu Eun-seol's striking good looks. But now, his attempt to impress her had backfired—resulting in the very person he wanted to avoid being invited along.
He felt like crying.
"It's fine. How could I possibly presume to share a table with the heroes of the Seven Sword Gates?"
Though Bu Eun-seol had said it half-jokingly, Guyang Cheong-jeong took it as him genuinely fearing their reputation.
"Young Master Bu, you seem to be from a renowned clan yourself... Why not take this chance to build ties with us? Becoming friends with us will only bring you benefits. Right, Young Hero Ma?"
She turned to Ma Han with an innocent expression.
At this point, Ma Han had no choice but to reluctantly play along.
"Many prestigious clans of the martial world seek ties with our main house. For us to extend an invitation first is unprecedented."
In truth, compared to Bu Eun-seol—a successor of the Demonic Path Ten Gates—they were merely heirs of minor sword sects from the remote frontier of Qinghai.
It was like a country squire puffing himself up before a prince residing in the imperial palace.
"I..."
Bu Eun-seol had originally intended to refuse.
But when he met Guyang Cheong-jeong's stubborn gaze, a sigh escaped him.
'She doesn't know the meaning of giving up.'
Even if he refused, she would likely pester him relentlessly—just as she had when demanding the West River Courtyard.
"Very well."
Bu Eun-seol nodded with a deep sigh.
"Let's do that."
And so, Bu Eun-seol moved with Guyang Cheong-jeong and her companions to the banquet hall of the West River Courtyard.
Guyang Cheong-jeong ordered the servants to bring out enough dishes and wine to cover the massive banquet table.
"Do you really expect us to finish all this?"
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Guyang Cheong-jeong's eyes curved into crescents.
"It's fine if you don't. Since I'm the one treating you, eat as much as you'd like."
As the guest of honor, Bu Eun-seol naturally ended up seated at the head of the table—right beside Guyang Cheong-jeong.
This meant he had no choice but to engage in conversation with her while eating.
Meanwhile, the six young men seated around the table drank with their eyes burning red.
The same emotion burned in each of their eyes.
That emotion was envy.
'So that's how it is.'
Six men. The only woman among them was Guyang Cheong-jeong.
And she was a stunning, vivacious beauty—how could young men in the prime of their vigor not be infatuated with her?
'Now I understand why the successors of the Seven Sword Gates keep gathering.'
The reason these heirs—who had never been close before—now met regularly was none other than Guyang Cheong-jeong.
And this gathering was, in truth, a silent succession battle—a competition among the heirs to win the heart of this beautiful woman.
'Getting involved with her is going to cause all sorts of trouble.'
Feeling the weight of six pairs of scorching gazes, Bu Eun-seol forced a bitter smile.
And as expected—that ominous premonition soon became reality.