Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Insolent
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"Greetings, Alliance Leader."
Yeon Harin offered a respectful martial arts salute.
The Leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance smiled faintly.
"So you are Yeon Harin. I have heard much about you."
The Alliance Leader glanced behind Yeon Harin.
"I suppose the boy who came with you is inside?"
His question also carried an unspoken inquiry: why was she out alone instead of with him?
Yeon Harin looked troubled.
"It seemed... he was in the middle of something important, so I couldn't call for him."
"Oh?"
The Alliance Leader looked puzzled. It seemed she hadn't even asked or checked what he was doing.
'Are they actually on bad terms?'
He had heard their bond was exceptionally close.
The Alliance Leader decided it was probably nothing. Young people like them were bound to fight now and then.
They would likely be inseparable again soon, if what he'd heard was true.
"Well, I would like to meet the boy inside. What will you do?"
Yeon Harin grew anxious.
A part of her wanted to go with the Alliance Leader and see what Byeok Taesan was doing.
But she felt the Alliance Leader shouldn't disturb him.
That meant she had to tell him not to, but how could she dare say such a thing to the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader?
Seeing Yeon Harin's fretful expression, the Alliance Leader smiled faintly.
"If you're uncomfortable, you can go on your way. What's there to worry about?"
"It's not that..."
Yeon Harin squeezed her eyes shut.
"I believe that you, Alliance Leader, should not disturb him either."
The Alliance Leader's eyes widened.
He never imagined that was what she had been so anxious to say.
"Hah."
The Alliance Leader murmured in admiration.
He couldn't help but be impressed, knowing it was no easy thing to say to him.
He could clearly feel that she genuinely cared for the boy inside, Byeok Taesan.
Seeing this made him covet Yeon Harin quite a bit.
'She would be a perfect match for my Munryang. What a shame.'
But she already had a fiancé. If not for that, he would have done anything to pair her with his grandson, Baekri Munryang; she was that desirable.
The Alliance Leader smiled faintly.
"My level is not low, so I will certainly not be a disturbance. Logically speaking, wouldn't I be of more help than harm?"
"Ah...!"
It occurred to Yeon Harin that he might be right. The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader was a formidable master. There were few in the world stronger than him.
So, if he truly put his mind to it, he could certainly be of help to Byeok Taesan.
"My thinking was shallow."
Yeon Harin said, bowing her head slightly.
A deeper sense of regret flickered in the Alliance Leader's eyes as he watched her.
"Then you should go and enjoy the gathering. I will just meet your fiancé inside for a moment before I leave."
At the sudden mention of her fiancé, Yeon Harin's face instantly turned bright red.
Yeon Harin gave a half-hearted farewell and quickly departed.
The Alliance Leader watched her with a pleased expression before entering the lodging.
He had already found out which room was Byeok Taesan's, so there was no fear of getting confused.
The Alliance Leader approached Byeok Taesan's room.
Just as he was about to announce his presence, he felt something strange.
He immediately understood what Yeon Harin had meant earlier.
It truly felt as if someone inside was at a critical moment. He had a strong feeling that he absolutely must not interfere.
'This kid... there's really something to him.'
The Alliance Leader steeled his will.
This was just a strange feeling. It couldn't possibly break his firm resolve.
Just as he steeled himself and was about to speak, someone blocked his path.
It was Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon.
The two offered the Alliance Leader a respectful martial arts salute.
Yet they said not a single word, as if determined not to make any unnecessary sound that might disturb Byeok Taesan.
The moment he saw them, the Alliance Leader's firm resolve crumbled.
He had lowered his will himself.
He gestured outside with his chin and left the lodging.
Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon followed cautiously behind him.
* * *
Byeok Taesan slowly opened his eyes.
A considerable amount of time must have passed. He had fallen into a meditative trance after absorbing Soso's spiritual energy.
Byeok Taesan estimated the time.
Normally, when one enters a trance, they lose all track of time. Whether a day or ten days have passed, it feels like merely blinking.
But Byeok Taesan was different.
He had established his sense of time in a way completely different from ordinary people, so even after being in a trance for so long, he knew exactly how much time had passed.
It was a standard only those who practiced the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts could possess.
"A little over a day."
He had essentially wasted the entire second day.
But it didn't matter. He hadn't planned on doing much here anyway.
This was just a gathering for the younger generation of Hubei's martial families.
The Golden Jade Trading Company, where Byeok Taesan belonged, wasn't a martial family, and even if it were, he had no intention of mingling with them.
If Yeon Harin insisted, he might reluctantly join them once or twice, but that would be the extent of it.
There was nothing here for him to gain.
If anything, these people would be lucky to gain something from him.
In any case, Byeok Taesan rose to his feet.
Having sat for over a day, he needed to stretch his body.
Of course, if his body were in perfect condition, it wouldn't be necessary, but he was still far from perfect, so for now, he needed a thorough warm-up.
Byeok Taesan began to move slowly.
Just as he seemed to walk forward, he would suddenly change direction; just as he seemed to step back, he would appear several paces ahead.
He moved his limbs and torso ceaselessly, his form resembling a dance, a sword art, and a fist technique all at once.
After moving like that for some time, Byeok Taesan's entire body was drenched in sweat.
"Hoo. It's been a while, but this is actually fun."
It used to be tedious and boring training, but doing it again after decades made it quite enjoyable.
Every form and flow came back to him with perfect clarity.
No, it was more than that.
What Byeok Taesan had just performed was a footwork technique called the Heavenly Evasion Steps.
Its creator was the first Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, the same one who created the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
And despite its grand name, it was a basic art.
But as he performed it just now, Byeok Taesan felt it with certainty. The Heavenly Evasion Steps was a technique that truly lived up to its name.
Having reached a higher realm, he saw the basics in a new light. The fundamentals he had learned weren't wrong, but there was a better path.
It was a profound principle of advancement, a realm of enlightenment that couldn't simply be taught and accepted by others.
"I should do this once every day or two from now on."
Byeok Taesan muttered to himself as he opened the door.
"Soso, prepare my bath."
As if they had been waiting, a nearby door opened at his words, and Soso, Danyeong, and Chaewol came rushing out.
They began to move about busily.
In an instant, a warm bath was ready, the water lightly infused with medicinal herbs.
Byeok Taesan took a leisurely bath and emerged from the tub feeling refreshed.
He grinned at the three maidservants standing respectfully before him.
"Shall I take a look at your martial arts?"
At his words, Soso's head snapped up, and she looked at Byeok Taesan.
Her eyes were sparkling.
Her expression and gaze were those of someone dying to show something off.
She must have done some training while he was in his trance.
Seeing eyes like that, wasn't it only human nature to want to tease her a little?
'But... her face has gotten strangely cuter.'
Soso had never been ugly, but she lacked that certain something to be considered a beauty.
But now, that missing piece had fallen into place. She had become a beauty.
Moreover, most of her beauty was concentrated in her cuteness.
Anyone who saw her would likely soften their expression. With her added innocence, even the most guarded person would let their defenses down after seeing her.
Looking at him with sparkling eyes and such a face made her all the more adorable.
Most people would have probably granted her wish the moment they saw that look.
The problem was that the person looking at her was Byeok Taesan.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I had something to do, didn't I?"
Soso's face immediately fell at his words.
That, too, was incredibly cute.
Danyeong and Chaewol, standing on either side of Soso, were already captivated by her cuteness, covering their mouths as they smiled softly.
They knew Byeok Taesan was teasing her.
"Should I put it off for a bit?"
Life returned to Soso's face. She lifted her head and looked at Byeok Taesan, her eyes sparkling.
Though unseen, it was as if a puppy's tail were wagging furiously behind her.
"Ah, but it's something I can't put off, right?"
Soso slumped again, her face crestfallen.
"Still, if I say I'll do it later, who's going to say anything?"
At this point, even Soso couldn't help but notice.
"Aish. Young Master, you're teasing me, aren't you?"
Byeok Taesan grinned and looked at Soso.
"So, you don't want to train?"
"Hehe. Of course I do. Are you going to check on me now?"
"Is there a quiet place to train around here?"
Danyeong immediately answered Byeok Taesan's question.
"There's a small training ground attached to the lodging. I believe no one is using it."
It seemed she had been training diligently even while Byeok Taesan was in his trance.
"Let's go there."
Soso excitedly started to lead the way. Or rather, she was about to.
If Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon hadn't suddenly appeared.
Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon were just entering the lodging. The moment they saw Byeok Taesan, they were startled and rushed over.
"Young Master, is your important task finished?"
Cheon Gyeongwan asked that first.
Byeok Taesan looked at him with a puzzled expression.
In truth, even in his trance, he had been vaguely aware of the changes happening around him.
He knew that people had approached and then left.
This was possible because the martial art he practiced was the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
Even in a trance, his soul remained wide open, taking in faint sensations from his surroundings.
But he hadn't known it was because they thought he was at a critical moment and were trying not to disturb him.
"Have you all just been waiting all this time so as not to disturb me?"
The five people here looked at Byeok Taesan with affirmative gazes.
A strange feeling washed over Byeok Taesan.
It wasn't bad.
'Maybe I've gotten sentimental since being reborn.'
In his past life, his emotions had rarely stirred. It wasn't that he had no feelings, but they were so dulled that it was difficult to provoke a change.
But since his rebirth, that had changed distinctly.
Byeok Taesan gave a light but meaningful nod.
"Yes. Thanks to no one disturbing me, an important matter has been concluded successfully."
At Byeok Taesan's words, Cheon Gyeongwan offered a respectful martial arts salute.
"Congratulations."
Though he didn't know what it was, he assumed that concluding an important matter meant a great achievement had been made.
Everyone offered their congratulations.
"Congratulations."
Receiving their congratulations, Byeok Taesan was once again enveloped in that strange feeling.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"But where have you been?"
Cheon Gyeongwan quickly answered his question.
"We are just returning from meeting the Hubei Martial Alliance Leader."
"The Hubei Martial Alliance Leader?"
"Yes. He came to see you, Young Master, but he left for now. He left a message for you to come see him as soon as you emerged."
Byeok Taesan scoffed.
"He told me to come see him immediately?"
"Yes."
As he said this, Byeok Taesan glanced at Soso.
Her expression was clouded with disappointment.
"If he wants to see me, he can come find me himself."
"Pardon?"
Everyone stared at Byeok Taesan in shock.
But Byeok Taesan didn't even blink as he spoke to Soso.
"What are you doing? Have you decided not to train?"
"Ah...!"
Soso's eyes widened in surprise. A storm of emotions swirled within her. It wasn't just Soso; the others felt it too.
Byeok Taesan paid no mind to their expressions and strode toward the training ground.
They all watched his back with complicated gazes.
"Who does he think he is, ordering me around? How insolent."
Hearing Byeok Taesan's mutter, they were so startled they nearly had a fit.