Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Challenge
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The Challenge!
As night fell, Byeok Taesan headed to the courtesan house as usual.
Cheon Gyeongwan, his expression much more relaxed than during the day, followed closely behind him.
Of course, Byeok Taesan had no idea whether Cheon Gyeongwan’s expression had relaxed or not. He only assumed so because Soso had told him.
For some reason, Cheon Gyeongwan’s disposition felt even more solid.
Now he seemed more like a proper bodyguard.
“Are you going to the Fragrant Flower Pavilion again today?”
Byeok Taesan nodded in response to Cheon Gyeongwan’s question.
“I have to. I was thinking... it might be time for a challenge.”
At the word 'challenge,' a flicker of confusion crossed Cheon Gyeongwan’s eyes.
Soon, the two arrived at the Fragrant Flower Pavilion.
Byeok Taesan smoothly entered the pavilion.
A courtesan who spotted him exclaimed with a fuss.
“The Young Master is here!”
At that, courtesans literally poured out from inside.
Even courtesans who were clearly in the middle of entertaining guests were among them.
The courtesans lined up on both sides of the hallway. They eagerly sent glances filled with fluttering hearts toward Byeok Taesan.
They were all speaking with their eyes, begging him to choose them tonight.
This was the scene Byeok Taesan had created in just ten days.
Thinking this was perfect timing, Byeok Taesan scanned the courtesans.
But the person he was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
“She’s not here?”
The courtesan closest to him, Hwaryeong, heard him.
“Is there... a particular girl you are looking for?”
Hwaryeong asked, adding a desperate look that pleaded for him to choose her just one more time.
Byeok Taesan nodded nonchalantly.
Hwaryeong smiled sweetly and said,
“Most of the girls at the Fragrant Flower Pavilion are here. If she isn’t here, she must not be worthy of the Young Master’s attention…”
Byeok Taesan chuckled.
“Who dares decide who is worthy of my attention?”
“Ah…!”
In that moment, overwhelmed by a forcefulness she could hardly process, Hwaryeong let out an involuntary gasp.
Until now, she had admired Byeok Taesan only for his prowess at night, but that had just been shaken.
Byeok Taesan was a handsome man, so striking that it was hard to look away,
but his delicate features made him seem slightly lacking in manliness. That wasn’t to say he was feminine.
He was a man of exquisite, subtle beauty.
But just now, Byeok Taesan’s masculinity had struck Hwaryeong with full force.
“Go and bring the rest of them. All of them.”
Hwaryeong nodded distractedly and gestured to the other courtesans.
They, too, seemed to have felt something similar to Hwaryeong, as they scattered in all directions to find the courtesans who weren't present.
And so, three more courtesans appeared.
A faint smile touched Byeok Taesan’s lips.
‘Found her.’
It was the courtesan he had seen on his first day.
The reason he hadn't sought her out from the beginning was to build up his capabilities.
Byeok Taesan approached the courtesan standing on the far left of the three.
“What is your name?”
“It is Danyeong.”
A satisfied smile formed on Byeok Taesan’s lips as he looked at the courtesan named Danyeong.
And as they watched, the same emotion arose in the eyes of the other courtesans.
Confusion.
Because no matter who looked at her, the girl named Danyeong was not pretty.
No, it wasn’t a matter of being pretty or not. Her expression was so dark that it made one reluctant to approach her.
The problem was that even that expression was the result of her trying her best to look bright.
‘Our Young Master certainly has unique tastes.’
That was the thought that uniformly crossed the minds of the courtesans.
“Tonight, you are all I will need.”
Dealing with just one would be more than enough.
The Danyeong that Byeok Taesan saw was a girl like a crystallization of darkness.
Who knew what she had endured at her age, but a murky darkness clung thickly to her soul.
And as if her body followed her soul, the aura she exuded and her appearance were utterly bleak.
If he had touched this girl’s soul on the first day, it would have been dangerous, no matter how accomplished Byeok Taesan was in the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
First of all, his body wasn't in a normal state.
But now, it was worth a try.
Over the past ten days, he had connected important minor meridians.
Now it was time to touch upon a truly major meridian.
It was an important challenge in many ways.
‘This one girl is more than the last ten combined.’
With that thought, Byeok Taesan strode upstairs.
Byeok Taesan passed through the faint energy of a formation enveloping the room and entered.
In that instant, he sensed a strange dissonance.
‘Ha, look at these bastards.’
Even if he had lost the martial arts from his time as the Heavenly Demon, and even if his senses were greatly diminished, he was still the Heavenly Demon in name.
Deceiving the senses of such a man and approaching stealthily was no easy task.
To do so, one would have to rank at least within the top hundred of the Martial Alliance.
In any case, Byeok Taesan detected a presence hiding in the ceiling, their breathing almost completely suppressed.
Their stealth skills were considerable, but their martial arts were somewhat lacking in comparison. Of course, since his senses weren't yet perfect, there might be a slight margin of error.
The problem was that no matter how unimpressive the intruder’s skills were, they would still be stronger than the current Byeok Taesan.
No matter how much Byeok Taesan used his aura, if that person just closed their eyes and swung a sword, it would all be over.
He considered taking Danyeong and leaving, but he held back for now, as that approach might not work.
But he had no intention of letting the intruder witness what was about to happen in this room.
Byeok Taesan sat down.
Danyeong sat demurely beside Byeok Taesan and began to pour him a drink.
“No wine. I’m not feeling well; if I drink, I might pass out. You can drink as much as you like, though.”
“I am fine as well.”
Even Danyeong’s voice was dark.
It was as if she had been thoroughly steeped in darkness and then brought out.
There were probably people who would find Danyeong incredibly alluring. And such people were likely not ordinary.
‘Going through something like that would only make her darker.’
Byeok Taesan said to Danyeong.
“Go out and tell my bodyguard to come here.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Danyeong quietly stood up and went outside. A moment later, she returned to the room with Cheon Gyeongwan.
“You called for me.”
Byeok Taesan nodded and held out his hand.
“I need to borrow your sword.”
“Pardon?”
Cheon Gyeongwan stared at Byeok Taesan. His expression didn't change, but it was clear that a wave of displeasure had washed over him.
“Are you asking for… my sword?”
With his hand still outstretched, Byeok Taesan nodded nonchalantly.
“Why? Are you still shackled to your weapon?”
Cheon Gyeongwan’s face hardened slightly.
It was the third expression Byeok Taesan had seen on Cheon Gyeongwan’s face.
“So, are you going to lend me the sword or not?”
As if mesmerized, Cheon Gyeongwan offered his sword.
Byeok Taesan drew the sword and took a few steps.
Then he looked up at the ceiling.
“I wonder if this will work.”
He swung the arm holding the sword in a full circle, building centrifugal force, and then hurled it at the ceiling.
Thunk!
The sword sank deep into the ceiling.
In that instant, Cheon Gyeongwan’s eyes flashed. And his figure vanished from the spot as if extinguished.
Crash!
In the next moment, Cheon Gyeongwan had burst through the ceiling, his hand gripping the neck of a man dressed in black.
Byeok Taesan nodded at the sight.
He was indeed quite skilled. Seeing his actual movements, he was slightly stronger than expected.
‘If today’s challenge succeeds, this margin of error will be a thing of the past.’
What Byeok Taesan was aiming for today was one of the seven major meridians considered most important in the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
If he could connect just that one properly, the fear of sudden death would vanish.
His body and senses would also improve significantly.
“You were very surprised, weren't you? I don't think we can stay here any longer.”
Danyeong, who had been staring at Cheon Gyeongwan with wide eyes, finally exhaled sharply upon hearing Byeok Taesan's words.
She had been so shocked that she had forgotten she was holding her breath.
“Hah... hah... I... I…”
Danyeong looked at Byeok Taesan, her eyes filled with fear.
Byeok Taesan smiled gently and patted Danyeong’s shoulder.
“I know it’s not your fault. The one at fault is the master of the Fragrant Flower Pavilion. We’ll deal with that later. For today, I want to focus on spending time with you.”
After saying that, Byeok Taesan looked at Cheon Gyeongwan.
“I can leave the rest to you, right?”
“Leave it to me.”
Cheon Gyeongwan’s gaze wavered slightly.
Everything that happened today was incomprehensible. No, it wasn't just today. The recent Byeok Taesan was truly strange.
It was as if he had become a different person.
‘No, that’s not it. In a way… maybe he’s just returning to his original self.’
Byeok Taesan hadn't always been weak and cynical. A long, long time ago, he wasn't like that.
Perhaps if he hadn't fallen ill, this is how he would have grown up.
Thinking this, Cheon Gyeongwan tightened his grip.
“Gurgle!”
The man in black, whose neck was caught in Cheon Gyeongwan’s hand, shuddered violently.
***
Byeok Taesan left the Fragrant Flower Pavilion with Danyeong.
Staying in the pavilion after what had just happened would have been foolish.
There were those who tried to block their way out, but they couldn't stop Byeok Taesan.
He merely glanced at each of them, and they all broke into a cold sweat, unable to step forward.
But once they were out of the Fragrant Flower Pavilion, there was nowhere suitable to go.
Returning home felt a bit awkward.
No matter how little he cared about others’ opinions, there were still lines to be drawn.
Tonight, there was a high chance of much more intense sounds than usual, and he didn't want that to happen at the Golden Jade Manor.
If he did, there might be some problems communicating with Soso for a while.
‘There’s no need to endure such inconvenience.’
Even so, Byeok Taesan strode purposefully somewhere. Danyeong, clutching his sleeve, hurried to keep up with short steps.
‘Wait, this is Wuhan, isn’t it?’
Byeok Taesan stopped in his tracks, a sudden memory surfacing.
A fragment of a memory from his time as the Heavenly Demon had abruptly emerged.
Normally, he wouldn't have even remembered such a thing, but as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. At this perfectly opportune moment, the scene unfolded in his mind as if it had been cut out and inserted there.
It was a report from a subordinate.
A report about establishing safe houses throughout the lands, stating that the first one had been prepared in Wuhan.
Naturally, being the first report, it was quite detailed, but the Heavenly Demon had listened carelessly and moved on.
But now, that scene came back to him as vividly as if he were experiencing it again.
Byeok Taesan started walking again.
He had to find it based only on what he'd heard, but it wasn't too difficult.
He ended up at a small estate quite a distance from the Fragrant Flower Pavilion.
The walls were high, and the gate was firmly shut.
But Byeok Taesan wasn't worried. This wasn't a place you entered through the gate.
“A-Are you planning to go in here?”
Hearing the sudden question, Byeok Taesan stopped and turned around.
Danyeong was looking at him, her face full of fear.
“What about it?”
“Th-This place has ominous rumors.”
“Ominous rumors?”
“It’s an estate rumored to be a place you never return from if you sneak in.”
It was probably just a rumor. A rumor spread by the Heavenly Demonic Cult.
The report about the safe house had included that detail as well.
“Don’t worry. It’s mine.”
“Pardon?”
Danyeong’s eyes went wide as saucers.
“This estate, it’s mine. What? You don’t believe me?”
Byeok Taesan said it with such confidence that Danyeong couldn't bring herself to shake her head.
And it occurred to her that for the Golden Jade Trading Company, secretly operating a few estates like this wouldn't be too difficult.
“Now, I’ll show you the proof, so follow me closely. Don’t let go of my sleeve.”
With a look mixed with a bit of fear and tension, Danyeong nodded.
With Danyeong in tow, Byeok Taesan walked along the wall, then suddenly veered and walked toward it.
Danyeong was startled, thinking Byeok Taesan was about to walk into the wall. She almost screamed but couldn't.
Because the scene before her eyes had suddenly changed.
The two of them were now inside the estate.
As Danyeong stood blankly, staring at the massive building in the center of the estate, Byeok Taesan’s voice reached her ears.
“Come on, let’s go. There isn't much of the night left, so we have to be diligent. I’m going to drain you completely tonight, so look forward to it.”
With a flushed face, Danyeong lowered her head and followed Byeok Taesan.