Chapter 57
Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Sword Phoenix
Flawless snow-white skin and large, transparent eyes.
A straight nose and cherry-like lips to top it all off.
The World's Greatest Beauty, who had stirred my heart the most.
'Cheon Suyeon?'
No way.
Cheon Suyeon hadn't even been born yet, and the man who would become her father, Cheon Woojin, was sitting right in front of me.
That left only one possibility.
'Sword Phoenix!'
She looked so much like Cheon Suyeon that I'd been thrown off for a moment.
But my eyes quickly picked out the differences between them.
'Her eyes and expression are a bit brighter... and her breasts are bigger.'
The difference in their chests was especially striking.
Cheon Suyeon had been perfectly beautiful, almost flawlessly so.
Personally, though, I'd always found her modest bust a touch disappointing. The beauty before me now had swells that strained even against her clothes.
As I finished my quick appraisal, Sword Phoenix seemed to have done the same to us.
"I've heard of the Mok Family Clan from the Shanxi region before, back at the Murim Alliance. They say it's one of the representative families of the area, and indeed...! The rumors of your exceptional swordsmanship aren't exaggerated! If I may ask, how old are you?"
Her eyes widened as she showed keen interest with a bright expression.
But,
"M-Me...?"
Her attention wasn't on me—it was on Cheon Woojin.
Tsk.
I could guess why she was reacting this way.
A martial artist of Sword Phoenix's caliber could roughly gauge an opponent's achievements just from their appearance.
But I had ascended to the Flower Realm and entered the Anti-Reflective Return state.
To her, who had only just stepped into the Peak Realm, I must have looked like nothing more than an ordinary commoner.
'Even within the same Flower Realm, it's hard to recognize each other's achievements.'
I had trouble spotting a passing Flower Realm expert unless I focused.
Maybe if I reached the Present Realm like the Martial Emperor.
So it was only natural that Sword Phoenix ignored me entirely and focused on Cheon Woojin.
"Yes. If you don't mind, how old are you?"
"Tw-Twenty... twenty-six."
The guy grinned ear to ear, clearly thrilled by the beauty's interest.
Even as he did, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Moyong Hui.
"Wow! That's impressive for someone so young!"
"Ahem, no, no. You seem like an outstanding swordswoman yourself. How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-four. I almost made a huge mistake by not coming over after hearing from the gatekeeper."
"You mean the gatekeeper from the Moyong Family?"
Cheon Woojin was trying so hard to impress her that his voice dropped lower than usual as he continued.
I couldn't stand listening anymore and shot a transmission at him.
[Hey. Enough already?]
Only then did he flinch and look guilty.
He covered his mouth with his hand and sent back a transmission.
[My lord, I'm sorry! I got carried away...]
This was natural enough, in a way.
They were originally destined to marry and have children together, so it wasn't impossible for him to fall for her at first sight.
'Even so, not in this life.'
Cheon Woojin was a useful subordinate, but the moment he eyed my woman, I was ready to kill him.
Even with the Martial Emperor as his backer.
'If I feared that, I never would've become the Lecherous Demon.'
I take the women who catch my eye.
I remove any obstacles.
That was my creed as Mok Jimyeong, unchanged even after regression.
'Well, I'll let it slide this once.'
He had brought Moyong Hui here with his resourcefulness, and he'd quickly realized his mistake and apologized. I'd forgive him once.
But this was absolutely the last time.
Sensing that, he hurriedly stood from his seat.
"A-Actually, the person you were looking for isn't me—it's my lord here. Please, make his acquaintance. This is Mok Jimyeong, the third young master of the Mok Family Clan."
Moyong Hui turned to me with a puzzled look at Cheon Woojin's urgent words.
Kya, she's cute.
An adorable expression I'd never seen on Cheon Suyeon.
So cute I wanted to strip her clothes off right then and there.
"This... gentleman...?"
As she tilted her head quizzically, I flashed a brilliant smile and spoke.
"Pleased to meet you, Lady Moyong. I'm Mok Jimyeong, third young master of the Mok Family Clan."
"Yes, hello. But I heard there was an exceptional swordsman...?"
Moyong Hui eyed me up and down with a suspicious expression.
She seemed puzzled that she couldn't sense any internal energy from me.
'She'd never guess it's Anti-Reflective Return.'
A Flower Realm master at my age didn't make sense.
What kind of realm was the Flower Realm?
It required harmonizing the three treasures—essence, qi, and spirit—into one.
Even the entire Moyong Family probably had fewer than five who had reached it.
Only the family head or retired past experts might barely achieve it. Imagining someone my age doing so was absurd.
'But revealing it now would ruin the fun.'
What reaction would she have if I said I was in the Flower Realm?
She'd be skeptical, maybe even dismiss me as a madman.
Proving it would be easy, of course, but now wasn't the time.
'Better to reveal it after we get close—it'll build more favor.'
Announcing it now might come off as arrogant showboating if she took it the wrong way.
So I brushed it off vaguely.
"Ah, I practice a unique internal art, so it doesn't show on the surface."
"A unique internal art...? What kind?"
"It's called Harmonization Art. But more importantly, have you eaten yet, Lady Moyong?"
"...Not yet."
"Perfect timing, then. Why don't we have lunch together since you're here? Please, take this seat."
I gestured to the spot right beside me, and she hesitated with a reluctant look.
But Cheon Woojin was already seated across from me.
Glancing between us, Moyong Hui belatedly smiled and replied.
"Very well, if I may join you briefly."
As Moyong Hui sat beside me, a delightful fragrance tickled my nose.
I lost myself in the scent for a moment before my gaze drifted to the table.
The food had just arrived, so that was fine, but Cheon Woojin and I had already drunk quite a bit of the cheap wine.
Plus, I'd ordered the bargain stuff since we planned to drink properly at the donation hall later.
"Waiter!"
"Yes, young master!"
I placed a new order with the waiter.
"What's the most expensive liquor you have here?"
"W-Well, there's Daughter's Red, brewed in Zhejiang Province..."
Daughter's Red was the Shaoxing wine made and sealed the year a daughter was born, to be opened when she married.
Of course, the version here probably wasn't the real deal made that way, but it was still a famous vintage produced similarly.
And insanely expensive.
I'd only tasted it occasionally during my Lecherous Demon days—and always on someone else's dime.
Moyong Hui recognized the name too, her eyes widening in surprise as she tried to dissuade me.
"That's fine. I don't drink much, so just a bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green or something light..."
"Ho, you have Daughter's Red? Bring it out."
I cut her off and finalized the order with the waiter.
This was a rare opportunity—might as well have the good stuff.
But even after my order, the waiter hesitated, glancing around.
"...It's one nyang of gold per bottle. Is that alright?"
Cheon Woojin looked shocked upon hearing the price.
A single bottle cost ten months of his salary, apparently.
But with the money from Eun Garyeon still left over, it was no issue for me.
"How many bottles of Daughter's Red do you have? Bring two if possible."
I placed two nyang of gold on the table.
Confirming I had the funds, the waiter bowed hastily.
"Right away!"
Once the waiter left, Moyong Hui gave me a slightly appraising glance.
"The Mok Family Clan must be quite wealthy."
"Not at all. We're known in Shanxi, but compared to your esteemed Moyong Family, we're sorely lacking."
The Mok Family Clan was well-off, but not to the point of casually dropping one nyang of gold on a bottle of wine.
'Father's probably never even tasted Daughter's Red.'
He could if he wanted, but our father wasn't one for extravagance.
It wasn't the Mok Family Clan that was rich—it was me, Mok Jimyeong.
But Moyong Hui didn't seem convinced.
"Daughter's Red is something even my father only drinks occasionally, when distinguished guests from the imperial court visit..."
Her father was the head of the Moyong Family.
Our father might not indulge, but someone of that stature could certainly afford it...
'Must be a thrifty man.'
This was the difference between the frugal orthodox sects and the live-fast unorthodox ones.
Anyway, I was surprised they served Daughter's Red here.
Thanks to that, I got to order the stuff I'd only had from the Four Black Alliance—using my own money, no less.
'If this scores points, I can order as much as needed.'
Moyong Hui did seem intrigued, after all.
Of course, leaving it there would be a waste, so I pressed on.
"I'm ordering it in honor of a distinguished guest from the Moyong Family. Have you tried it before, Lady Moyong?"
"I had a sip not long ago..."
"Did it suit your taste?"
True to its price, Daughter's Red loosened up our atmosphere even before it arrived.