Chapter 607
Clatter, clatter.
The carriage climbing the mountain path shook incessantly.
'How tedious.'
Bu Eun-seol, bundled inside a large swaddling cloth among the carriage's cargo, wore an expression of boredom.
Around the third watch of the night, two shadowy figures had stealthily infiltrated the guest inn where he was staying.
In an instant, they suppressed his pressure points and abducted him.
'If they're bold enough to kidnap someone from an inn, they must've done their reconnaissance flawlessly.'
Yu In-gwang, the merchant from Fujian, and his daughter Yu Seol—both were real, documented individuals.
No matter who investigated, there would be no discrepancies.
'The same must apply to the chief strategist.'
Outstanding intelligence networks or assassination sects of the Murim often created numerous fabricated identities for special missions.
Hadn't the Divine Calculator himself, over a long period, meticulously crafted the identity of Seon-u Jin—one that no intelligence agency could find fault with?
This "Yu Seol" identity hadn't been Bu Eun-seol's creation but one personally handed to him by Gongson Dan-gyeong.
'Judging by their abduction methods, they're quite experienced.'
Despite knowing that Yu Seol—Bu Eun-seol in disguise—was an extremely frail woman, the martial artists had infiltrated the inn with extreme caution.
Like lightning, they sealed his pressure points, stuffed him into a pre-prepared swaddling cloth, and immediately fled the inn.
Simultaneously, they loaded him onto a carriage waiting outside the village and swiftly departed Chengdu.
Given how seamlessly this entire process unfolded,
it was clear they had abducted an uncountable number of women before.
'But why use a carriage?'
For covertly transporting people,
it would be far more efficient to employ Lightness Skill and traverse the shortest distance at high speed.
So why would they waste time hauling captives in a carriage?
Clip-clop.
Just then, the rapidly moving carriage came to an abrupt halt alongside the sound of hooves.
Thud.
Another swaddling cloth dropped beside Bu Eun-seol.
'I see.'
Only now did Bu Eun-seol understand.
They weren't just targeting Ban-gye Temple—they had scouted the surrounding areas,
abducting all the beauties they found in one sweep.
'But this is far too reckless.'
Someone of the Mount Hua Sect's elder status, like Chae Ju-hong, would have countless ways to obtain women without resorting to such methods.
Yet they were willing to invest this much manpower and resources,
risking utter ruin if even a single misstep exposed them?
'Then there must be another purpose.'
Moreover, the current Mount Hua elder, Chae Ju-hong, was suspected to be an impostor.
Wouldn't that make them even more cautious about their conduct? And yet they committed such heinous crimes?
That could only mean there was a special reason—one so critical they were willing to take these risks.
Click.
At that moment, the carriage finally stopped, and movement could be heard outside.
Before he knew it, hands grabbed the swaddling cloth, and someone began darting away like the wind.
Whoosh! Swish!
The Lightness Skill of the person carrying the bundle was both swift and silent.
What stood out was how they twisted their soles like coiled springs to propel themselves forward with explosive force.
'The Bima Palace?'
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
The footwork of the runner closely resembled the secret technique of Flying Demon Tak Il-hon—
Ghostly Moonlit Stride.
Swish! Thud!
The Sound of Breaking Air scattered in all directions.
Not just Bu Eun-seol—numerous masters were sprinting toward a single location, each carrying a swaddling cloth.
'The carriage was just a gathering point.'
Bu Eun-seol clicked his tongue at the sophistication of their abduction method.
The flower-gathering agents, hidden across regions, would abduct women and gather them at a central location.
There, masters with exceptional Lightness Skill would lie in wait,
then transport all the bundles to their destination in one coordinated rush.
Rustle.
Finally, the runners halted at a certain point.
Though still inside the cloth, Bu Eun-seol could tell they had arrived deep in the mountains.
'They've built a mountain cabin deep in the wilderness.'
Swoosh.
Then, the swaddling cloth opened, revealing the surroundings.
'No wonder they've avoided detection.'
Surprisingly, the bundle had been unwrapped inside a serene monastic chamber, its air faintly scented with incense.
The one who opened it was a stern-looking nun with a shaved head and sharp eyes.
"Hmm."
The nun clicked her tongue after examining the cloth's exterior.
"A mute? Even better."
Snap.
With a flick of her Finger Wind, she unsealed Bu Eun-seol's pressure points.
He had already formed an Internal Core within his body—
a level of concealment even a Martial Extreme Realm master couldn't detect.
"Ahh—"
As Bu Eun-seol feigned panic and gestured helplessly, the nun spoke coldly.
"Take off your clothes."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath at her command.
'So it comes to this.'
He had anticipated this scenario.
Gongson Dan-gyeong had provided a potent Soul-Dulling Drug to induce hallucinations, but Bu Eun-seol had refused it.
During the process of suppressing pressure points to administer the drug,
others might notice, or traces could be left behind.
'I'll handle this myself.'
Zing.
As Bu Eun-seol channeled his Internal Power, a faint glimmer flashed in his pupils.
Though he had never formally studied mind-subduing arts,
his encounters with Hyeokryeon Eung's mental techniques and Ak Mu-ryeong's Phantom Restoration had given him insight.
He could roughly grasp the Essentials of Mind-Subduing —how to captivate another's soul.
"Oh-ho."
The nun stared at him with hollow eyes, then nodded slowly.
"Not only your face, but your figure is also exceptional."
And she smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. At this level, being mute won't be a disadvantage at all."
A look of satisfaction flowed from the nun's eyes.
Because the inability to speak, in fact, only enhanced a calm and serene beauty.
"Hmm."
The nun seized Bu Eun-seol's wrist and nodded.
"Though your constitution is a pity."
Shaking her head, the nun muttered as if to herself.
"But with such peerless beauty, he will surely be satisfied."
"Ah—"
As Bu Eun-seol parted his lips slightly, the nun spoke.
"Listen well. If you follow my words from now on, you may yet live."
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol wore a fearful expression and rushed to open the door of the meditation room.
After all, any ordinary woman would have done the same.
"..."
Once outside, Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but widen his eyes.
From the countless sacks piled in the courtyard of the Great Hero Hall, drops of blood were trickling down.
"Did I not tell you?"
As Bu Eun-seol froze, trembling uncontrollably, the nun approached and whispered.
"You, though lacking Extreme Yin Qi, have beauty so peerless that you were spared. Otherwise, you would have been treated like a rag on the spot."
'So they were practicing Yin Absorption and Yang Nourishment.'
Only now did he understand.
Chae Ju-hong had been selectively kidnapping women who carried Extreme Yin Qi.
Which meant his purpose was more likely to practice the Yin Absorption and Yang Nourishment Art rather than mere lust.
For those who mastered the art, the True Yin of a woman with Extreme Yin Qi was as precious as spirit medicine.
"Follow me."
The nun led Bu Eun-seol to a spacious chamber.
Inside, women of breathtaking beauty, all clad in the same faintly pink robes, stood waiting.
"Change into these robes as well."
The nun handed Bu Eun-seol a set of pink garments.
"This is where those like you—lacking in constitution but blessed with beauty—reside."
Bu Eun-seol studied the women in the room.
They seemed to have been abducted long before him, their expressions and movements very natural.
Yet, likely having suffered countless abuses from the nun,
they dared not meet her gaze, keeping their heads bowed.
'So they don't take them all at once.'
Rather than transporting the abducted women in bulk,
it seemed they underwent a selection process here, and only upon reaching a certain standard... would they be taken to the secret manor.
"You arrived late, so you must train diligently in the arts."
The nun's voice was icy as she regarded Bu Eun-seol.
"If you even think of escaping, it would be quicker to slit your throat right now."
'As if I'd be so foolish.'
Suppressing a bitter smile, Bu Eun-seol let out a soft "Ah—"
From the next day onward, Bu Eun-seol began learning various arts alongside the other women.
—Only those among you who master dance and music will survive.
He had assumed they would be taught the Four Arts of the Scholar—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting.
But what they taught here were all things meant to ensnare a man's heart—dance, song, and the playing of instruments.
"Ah—"
Since his throat was injured, Bu Eun-seol was exempted from singing and focused solely on instruments and dance.
Blessed with an exceptional memory and nimble fingers, he swiftly attained a masterful level of zither-playing.
Dance, however, made his skin crawl the more he learned.
'This is torture.'
The dances they taught emphasized feminine grace and allure.
No matter how flawlessly the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art crafted the face of a beautiful woman,
attempting to embody the coquetry and mood unique to women made him shudder with revulsion.
'But I can't stop here.'
Part of him wanted to slaughter everyone in this place and torture the overseers for the manor's location.
But many Unit Members had already failed attempting just that.
Moreover, even if he uncovered the manor's whereabouts, the information would inevitably leak, allowing Chae Ju-hong to escape.
'Having come this far, why hesitate?'
Bu Eun-seol clenched his eyes shut.
Since things had come to this, he resolved to embody the perfect image of a woman.
"Truly remarkable."
The nun gasped in admiration.
Once he changed his mindset, his dancing improved by leaps and bounds.
Within less than four days, Bu Eun-seol's skill in dance and zither surpassed that of all forty women gathered there.
"With such peerless beauty and flawless dancing... from today onward, you need not return for training."
'How tearfully kind of you.'
Just as Bu Eun-seol turned to leave at the nun's words—
"Yak Bing. Now it's your turn."
At the nun's command, a beautiful woman across from Bu Eun-seol stepped forward.
Sarak, sararak.
Her movements were as graceful and fluid as her delicate features.
'She's trained in martial arts.'
She pretended to be frail, without internal energy.
But Bu Eun-seol saw through her at a glance.
She had trained in martial arts for years, her muscles toned and resilient.
Moreover, judging by the well-developed calves glimpsed beneath her skirt, she seemed to have honed an exceptional movement technique.
'She's not from the Martial Alliance.'
Her beauty was wild and vivid, like a flower blooming in the wilderness.
A temperament impossible for a sheltered noblewoman or a daughter of a renowned clan to possess.
"You are hopeless."
The nun's voice was cold as she addressed Yak Bing.
"If you fail to master the Joyous Sound and Delight Dance and the Bee and Butterfly Forked Maiden Dance within two days, you will be moved to another chamber."
Thud.
As the nun left, Yak Bing lowered her head.
"Absolutely not."
Her voice carried not despair, but rage and deep-seated resentment.
Yet none of the other women offered Yak Bing any comfort or concern.
After all, in this place, everyone was a competitor, and only a limited number could survive.
Since Bu Eun-seol had practically secured his survival through zither-playing and dance, the number of survivors among them had effectively decreased.
Step, step.
The remaining women dispersed to their own rooms.
As Bu Eun-seol began to rise unsteadily, Yak Bing approached him.
"Could you play the zither for me?"
When Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in question, Yak Bing spoke with desperate sincerity.
"I have to survive."
Her eyes burned with urgency—but her desperation was not for survival.
'She must have some unresolved story.'
Now that Bu Eun-seol knew the location of this place, all the abducted women would eventually return safely to their families.
In that case, helping Yak Bing—who was so desperate to rise—wouldn't be a bad thing.
Nod.
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Yak Bing exhaled in relief.
"Thank you."
The moment Bu Eun-seol began playing the zither, she launched back into the Bee and Butterfly Forked Maiden Dance.
The Bee and Butterfly Forked Maiden Dance was a secret art of the Forked Maiden Sect, a legendary women's sect that once rivaled the Joyous Union Palace.
With nothing more than light, graceful movements, it could steal men's souls and ignite their yang energy.
But the dance was notoriously difficult—its footwork and motions so complex that mastering it was impossible without innate memory.
Plink, plunk.
As Bu Eun-seol's playing reached its peak, Yak Bing matched his rhythm, swaying passionately.
Yet she kept stumbling, unable to smoothly connect the steps.
'I really can't do this, can I?'
She bit her lip.
Her memory was sharp—she had memorized every movement and step perfectly.
She kept the rhythm and executed even the most difficult footwork flawlessly.
But her performance lacked fluidity, devoid of beauty.
The problem was her blunt personality—she instinctively rejected the idea of acting coy or flirtatious.
Just like Bu Eun-seol had when he first resisted the dance.
"This isn't working."
After dancing for a while, even Yak Bing sensed something was off and stopped.
Thud. Thud.
Tears spilled from her eyes as she clenched her fists.
—I risked my life to come here.
Though she didn't voice it aloud, her thoughts seemed to echo in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'It must be emotions she can't express due to her nature.'
"Ah."
After a moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol retrieved paper, brush, and ink.
—Instead of forcing melancholy, why not express it brightly and powerfully?
Yak Bing frowned as she read his words.
"How?"
Both the Bee and Butterfly Forked Maiden Dance and the Joyous Bliss Dance emphasized delicate, sorrowful femininity.
How could she possibly perform them with strength and vigor?
"Ah."
With no other choice, Bu Eun-seol began demonstrating the very dances he had once despised.
His mastery of martial arts allowed him to perceive the intent behind movements—just as he could discern Sword Intent in blade techniques, he could subtly adjust the Dance Intent with ease.
Swish. Sway.
The dances, originally meant to flow like moonlight on a tranquil lake—soft and melancholic—
suddenly transformed into something dazzling, like flower petals shimmering under the blazing sun.
A style that perfectly matched Yak Bing's robust beauty.
"How did you—?"
When Yak Bing gaped, Bu Eun-seol waved his hand impatiently.
'No time. Practice now.'
"Right. Got it."
As a martial artist who had trained deeply, Yak Bing memorized the modified footwork instantly.
Yet her movements still emphasized strength over feminine grace.
With no other choice, Bu Eun-seol began physically correcting her posture.
"Ah." (Too stiff.)
He adjusted her rigid stance and gently lifted the corners of her lips.
"Ah." (Your waist is too tense.)
Then he widened her movements to emphasize her slender waist.
"Oh. I see."
Yak Bing had been half-ready to give up.
But as Bu Eun-seol stepped in, guiding and refining her motions, the dance gradually took shape.
"Ah."
Each time she reverted to brute strength, he reached out to correct her again.
After repeated adjustments—their bodies pressed close—Yak Bing's skin began to burn.
'Why am I like this?'
Even though they were both women, the proximity—her breath, her scent—was making her dizzy.
And whenever those soft hands brushed her waist, she nearly gasped aloud.
'Am I... actually like this?'
Yak Bing had always despised men.
Being forced to learn seductive dances here had only deepened that revulsion.
But now, with this woman—Yu Seol—pressed so close, she felt something indescribably strange.
"Haah. Haah."
"Ah." (Rest for a moment.)
"A-Already?"
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Yak Bing—her face flushed—panted heavily, trying to steady herself.
"F-Fine. If I have to."
The reluctance in her voice was belied by the undeniable allure now radiating from her.
'So that's it.'
Bu Eun-seol finally realized one more truth.
Yak Bing had lived her entire life like a rough, hardened man—never once acknowledging that she, too, was a woman.
'Her body may be compliant, but her mind still feels a sense of rejection.'
Though her appearance was disguised as a woman, Bu Eun-seol remained unshakably male in essence.
And as his touch reached her, as his body scent enveloped her senses... Yak Bing was gradually revealing the lovable, beautiful demeanor of a woman.