Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Soso is a Little Different
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The Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric were meeting with the Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance.
They had actually expected to meet him a few days later.
They anticipated getting acquainted with some of the minor figures first, and only meeting him briefly later on.
But for some reason, the man was in such a hurry that he had requested a meeting right away, not long after their arrival, which was a bit of a surprise.
It seemed he had even pushed aside his own duties to make this meeting happen.
They had noted the grim expressions on the scholars' faces on their way here. It was likely because things weren't running smoothly.
"It is an honor to meet such renowned physicians."
At the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader's polite greeting, the One-Needle Eccentric and the Divine Doctor of the Ages returned the bow.
"You flatter us. We are the ones who are honored to meet the man who commands the martial world of Hubei."
"Hahaha. Command? I am merely a worker. I've been dealing with so many complicated matters lately, it's giving me a headache."
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader feigned a slight complaint before engaging in a few more pleasantries.
Having dealt with many high-ranking individuals, the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric had no trouble keeping up with the conversation.
"I heard that you two are staying with the Golden Jade Trading Company... is that correct?"
"That is correct," the Divine Doctor of the Ages answered.
The One-Needle Eccentric simply nodded beside him.
"I found that quite surprising. You two were famous for not belonging anywhere. In fact, I heard quite a few factions tried to recruit you..."
The Divine Doctor of the Ages nodded.
"That is true. We received offers from the Namgung and Jegal families."
As if feeling a sense of rivalry, the One-Needle Eccentric added.
"People from the Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance also came to see us."
"My. You are truly remarkable. The Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance, you say."
A chill ran down the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader's spine. What would have happened if the One-Needle Eccentric had joined the Black Alliance?
The thought only fueled his ambition.
If the Hubei Martial Alliance could embrace those two, couldn't they transcend their current status as a mere "minor Martial Alliance"?
The power of an outstanding physician was that great.
It wasn't just about their individual skills; it was about the physicians they would train.
Furthermore, being skilled in medicine meant they could create exceptional remedies.
At the very least, if the efficacy of their wound salves or internal injury medicines improved, the Hubei Martial Alliance's overall strength would skyrocket.
But it was too early to bring that up. He hadn't laid enough groundwork yet.
That was something to be approached slowly, over a long period.
"That's why I was so curious. How did such esteemed individuals come to be under the care of the Golden Jade Trading Company? I grew curious as to what kind of place the Golden Jade Trading Company is to have achieved such a great feat."
The Divine Doctor of the Ages smirked inwardly. In short, the man was asking them to spill information.
He wanted to know what they stood to gain by settling down there.
"In my case... I simply decided to work for someone who truly understands me."
This was the truth. There wasn't a hint of falsehood in it.
If Byeok Taesan hadn't seen through him completely, he would never have settled down at the Golden Jade Trading Company.
His sincerity must have been plain in his expression and gaze, as the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader flinched in surprise.
"I would think there are plenty of people in the world who recognize your divinity..."
The Divine Doctor of the Ages smiled faintly.
"Everyone saw only my surface, but our Young Master was the only one who looked deep inside and acknowledged me."
"Hah!"
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader was genuinely impressed. He could clearly feel that the Divine Doctor of the Ages was sincerely serving the second young master of the Golden Jade Trading Company.
He was suddenly reminded of Seo Mundeok's assessment of Byeok Taesan.
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader then turned to the One-Needle Eccentric.
The One-Needle Eccentric hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"A bet is what's holding me here."
"A bet?"
"I don't know how much the world knows about me... but I am quite fond of wagers."
"I have heard as much."
"I was caught in one. Well... I suppose it would have ended up this way even without the bet."
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader asked cautiously.
"Then... are you also under the care of the second young master, rather than the Golden Jade Trading Company itself?"
"Precisely. Frankly, I couldn't care less what happens to the Golden Jade Trading Company. As long as our Young Master is safe, that's all that matters."
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader's mind was in a whirl.
If this was the case, was there even a need to investigate the Golden Jade Trading Company? No, he still had to investigate, as these two could be creating a smokescreen.
But something more important had come up.
'Byeok Taesan, was it?'
The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader decided to meet Byeok Taesan.
***
Soso glanced around, her head darting this way and that. Then, she crouched like a cat and tiptoed forward.
It was late at night, but the bright moon made it easy enough to move.
Soso's face was a mask of tension.
She had to go to Byeok Taesan's room tonight.
Yeon Harin's gaze from earlier had been weighing on her mind, but she couldn't help it. To Soso, Byeok Taesan was more important than Yeon Harin.
And to be honest, it wasn't as if she had no expectations at all. She was trying to ignore them out of sheer embarrassment and guilt towards Yeon Harin, but they were there.
In any case, her stealthy steps soon brought her to the front of Byeok Taesan's room.
As she hesitated there, unsure what to do, a voice came from inside.
"You're being distracting. Either come in or go away."
At first glance, the tone was heartless and cold. But Soso knew very well that wasn't what Byeok Taesan truly meant.
"He always has to be so mean about it."
Soso carefully opened the door and slipped inside.
She saw Byeok Taesan sitting cross-legged on the bed. Soso unknowingly swallowed a dry gulp.
"Come here and lie down. It'd be better if you took off your clothes, but it's fine if you don't."
Soso's face turned crimson.
How could he say such things without a single change in his expression?
She couldn't let herself overthink it. Soso quickly scurried over, climbed onto the bed, and lay down under the covers.
Byeok Taesan looked down at her and grinned.
Just as Soso, seeing his mischievous smile, was about to say something, Byeok Taesan placed a hand on the crown of her head.
And drew out her soul.
***
Soso left Byeok Taesan's room before sunrise and returned to her own.
She shared a room with Danyeong and Chaewol, and to her surprise, the two women had stayed up, waiting for her.
Soso's eyes widened in surprise.
"Uh... sisters, you see, I... um..."
Her thoughts were in such a tangle that she didn't know what to say, or even what she was saying.
Danyeong approached her and gently hugged her.
Feeling an indescribable sense of comfort, Soso slowly closed her eyes.
Once she had calmed down a bit, Danyeong and Chaewol sat down with her.
The two women stared at Soso, their eyes sparkling.
Soso averted her gaze, nervously watching them.
"How was it?"
Soso flinched at Chaewol's question. Then, noticing the slight playfulness in Chaewol's eyes and expression, she giggled.
For some reason, Soso's skin seemed to glow.
"Just as I thought."
Confirming it, Danyeong nodded.
She didn't know why, but every woman who slept with Byeok Taesan became more beautiful. There were some differences in degree, but it always happened.
Soso's change was significant. Her skin was much smoother, and her features had become more defined.
And she exuded an incredibly serene aura.
"If this is how she looks right after... it's going to be a real spectacle later."
Chaewol said, her eyes gleaming.
Chaewol had heard more rumors about Byeok Taesan than Danyeong and had watched his exploits at the pavilion for longer.
All the women who slept with Byeok Taesan became more beautiful. But the change wasn't drastic overnight.
It happened gradually over time. It usually took about five days, sometimes as short as three, or as long as ten.
The longer the process, the more stunning the final result.
Danyeong and Chaewol were such cases, as were all the women who had come seeking to serve Byeok Taesan.
And how much one changed on the first day was an indicator of the final transformation.
Based on that, it seemed Soso's transformation would last for a long time. And she would become incredibly beautiful.
'Judging by the changes so far... it seems her cute side will be much more emphasized, though.'
Chaewol smiled gently and asked.
"Your expression says it was really good, huh?"
Soso gathered her thoughts for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
"I'm not sure how to describe it... but it was an incredibly warm and comfortable feeling."
"Warm and comfortable?"
At those words, Danyeong and Chaewol looked at each other, their eyes wide.
This was completely different from their own experiences.
When they had slept with Byeok Taesan, they had felt their entire bodies submerged in a pleasure beyond words, then pulled back out.
That must be why they hadn't heard anything.
Honestly, they had been a little worried. Based on their experience, they had expected a constant stream of scream-like moans that would have made it difficult for anyone nearby to sleep.
"Do you remember? Do you remember what you did?"
Soso shook her head weakly.
"No. Unfortunately..."
This was the same as their experience. Only the feeling and sensation remained; the memory was completely gone.
Danyeong suddenly found it strange.
It was the same for everyone who had spent a night with Byeok Taesan.
Only the feeling of writhing in immense pleasure remained, while their memories vanished.
But everyone accepted it so nonchalantly.
As if it were completely natural.
Even the people who lived with them, who weren't directly involved, felt the same.
But that was by no means a normal or ordinary situation, was it?
The truly strange thing was that even when this question arose, it felt like nothing, and the situation itself felt perfectly natural.
Even if a doubt arose, it was quickly accepted.
Just like now.
"That's a bit of a shame. It was a feeling... I don't think I'll ever experience again."
At Chaewol's words, Soso shook her head back and forth.
"No. I really liked it. It was a feeling I'd never experienced in my entire life. I probably... will never experience anything like it again, right?"
Danyeong and Chaewol looked at Soso with wonder.
What they felt was different, but the result was the same.
And they weren't the only ones who found it strange.
***
Byeok Taesan calmly absorbed the soul's power he had obtained from Soso.
Soso was a little different from the others.
For one, the moans of the soul that had echoed all around when he burned the dregs from the courtesans were absent.
Throughout the burning of her soul, Soso looked genuinely comfortable.
As if she were being meticulously cared for by someone.
She groaned from time to time, but it seemed to be out of relief, not pain.
No one had ever shown such a reaction before.
He had once jokingly told Soso that her soul was getting stained, but it hadn't been entirely a joke.
Soso was indeed a very pure child.
Her soul was certainly less tainted.
But when he actually burned her soul with the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts, he found that far more spiritual power had accumulated than he had imagined.
How much? More than when he had burned the man he had captured from Hyanghwaru in the early days.
And it wasn't the kind of useless spiritual power that was bloated from mixed souls, but pure spiritual power.
It was superior to any soul he had burned so far.
Byeok Taesan naturally directed Soso's spiritual power to healing his meridians.
Then, something strange happened.
His mind calmed, and his body and soul felt at ease.
At the same time, the meridians he had been healing so far settled in more firmly.
Byeok Taesan instinctively felt that today's healing would be a crucial turning point.
If his healing until now had been haphazard, today's session served to solidify that foundation.
To use martial arts as an analogy, it was as if he had been struggling to learn advanced techniques every day and had only just now built his foundation.
The sense of stability it brought was indescribable.
"This is truly... a magnificent martial art."
The more he learned, the newer it became. What he thought was the end was not the end, and what he thought was the beginning was not the beginning.
He might even gain an enlightenment that would completely overturn everything he had learned today.
But today's work would ultimately be beneficial.
Just as the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts he learned as the Heavenly Demon had been completely overturned by the enlightenment he gained through death, the fact that he had learned it in the first place was proving to be a great help.
Byeok Taesan calmly felt Soso's spiritual power throughout his body.
A pleasant smile constantly played on his lips.
***
The official exchange had begun.
The entire Hubei Martial Alliance was buzzing.
There were several reasons for holding a gathering of the younger generation.
The primary purpose was to foster connections among the martial families of the Hubei Martial Alliance from a young age.
Also, seeing each other served as a stimulus, becoming a foundation for development.
And it was also to provide a real opportunity for growth.
During this time, everyone in the Hubei Martial Alliance fully supported the rising stars.
It was a time when one could easily see adults from all over the Hubei Martial Alliance sincerely answering the questions of the younger generation.
Questions, answers, and discussions on martial arts, world affairs, or knowledge were happening everywhere.
If things went well, they could even arrange for a spar.
The Hubei Martial Alliance had grown so much in a short time that it was even called a minor Martial Alliance, all thanks to such efforts.
So, how precious must this time be for the rising stars attending this gathering?
They had to gain as much as possible within a limited time.
Yeon Harin, who had to make the most of her time, looked at Byeok Taesan's room with a slightly gloomy expression.
Today was the morning of their third day in the Hubei Martial Alliance.
The first and second days were for resting at their own pace, and today was the real start, but Byeok Taesan hadn't shown any intention of leaving his room since the second day.
Yeon Harin couldn't rashly call for him.
She felt as if he was experiencing a very important moment.
Common sense dictated that someone who didn't even practice martial arts would rarely face such a moment, but she truly felt that way.
Especially whenever she got close to Byeok Taesan's room.
It wasn't just Yeon Harin; the entire party felt the same.
Even when Yu Seoyeon, who had rolled up her sleeves with renewed determination, stepped forward, it was the same.
"I wanted to go around with him..."
Yeon Harin muttered softly, then turned away dejectedly and left the lodging.
As she was leaving, she saw someone approaching in the distance.
When she identified who it was, her eyes widened like saucers.
"Alliance Leader?"
To her surprise, the Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance was approaching with hurried steps.