Chapter 9
Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Encounter with Somwol
Seven days and nights had already passed since my affair with Choyeonn at the Azure Moon Pavilion.
I had practically been living at the Azure Moon Pavilion during that time.
I had enough pocket money saved up from before, and there had been no interference from the family yet, so it was possible.
'Even so, the internal energy I've built up is barely the size of a mouse's tail...'
Despite cycling through courtesans every day and circulating the Blissful Creation Art, the efficiency was dismal.
I'd known this beforehand, but the profession of prostitute simply didn't stir my heart.
In that one week after my regression, visiting the Azure Moon Pavilion daily, the new internal energy I'd accumulated was barely a ladleful.
It had roughly doubled my existing internal energy, but it was still woefully insufficient.
My family or that Jeong Mutae guy would be shocked if they knew.
But having already escaped the well of Shanxi Province to swim freely in the ocean of the Central Plains, I knew full well how lacking this amount of internal energy was.
It wasn't even enough to match a decent late-stage disciple, let alone the Five Dragons and Five Phoenixes.
I couldn't help but feel impatient.
'If only I could take Somwol soon, my internal energy would skyrocket...'
But I still hadn't even seen Somwol's face.
No matter how often I visited the Azure Moon Pavilion, she was always out.
And that wasn't the only problem.
'Even if I manage to meet her with great difficulty, it won't be easy to bed her...'
Somwol wasn't a prostitute selling her body; she was an artist courtesan who sold her arts for gold.
No matter how much money I threw at her, without winning her heart, there would be no intimacy.
Of course, if I shoved a fortune at her, maybe—but I didn't have that kind of money right now.
I was just a guy living off an allowance from the Mok Family Clan.
'Sigh, if that were possible, I would've bedded her in my previous life.'
I'd even learned to play the qin to seduce her once, but in the end, I never took her.
That's why she still moved my heart to this day.
But I couldn't force her like I did in my Lecherous Demon days.
No matter how strong I got, it'd just make me a public enemy of the martial world like before.
So I was full of worries.
The easiest solution was to give up and just embrace other prostitutes...
'How could I give that up?!'
Bedding Somwol would at least triple my current internal energy.
Since I'd already taken all the prostitutes at the Azure Moon Pavilion who stirred my heart, continuing like this would take at least half a year to gain that much.
She was a woman who could shorten that time in one go.
I just couldn't let her go.
So today, too, I headed to the Azure Moon Pavilion.
Or rather, I tried to.
Until my brother Mok Jicheon grabbed me.
"Jimyeong, you're heading out to Taiyuan again today?"
"Ah, yeah... well..."
Mok Jicheon.
To me after regression, he was a rather troublesome figure.
My one and only brother, who always took my side unconditionally, no matter the situation.
Unlike my father, who tried to shatter my dantian when I brutalized Aeng-i, or Yeon-i, who tried to kill me after I became the Lecherous Demon.
'At least I have my second sister...'
I still didn't quite know about Mok Jieun.
Well, I hadn't seen her since the day of my regression anyway.
But Mok Jicheon was different.
He sought me out for every little thing and always nagged.
"I know you're feeling empty since Yeon-i left, but drowning it in wine and women doesn't seem right. Why not train in martial arts like Eun-i?"
If Father said that, I'd ignore it completely.
It'd just be for the Mok Family Clan's reputation.
But when Mok Jicheon said the same thing, it carried a different weight.
It was purely for me, Mok Jimyeong.
He was giving sincere advice out of care for me.
The old me would've let it go in one ear and out the other.
But having experienced the future, it wasn't that easy for me.
'That doesn't mean I want to hear this nagging every day.'
After a moment's thought, I came up with a brilliant idea.
The perfect way to avoid these conversations from now on.
I opened my mouth with a serious expression.
"I think it's right for you, brother, to become the head of the Mok Family Clan."
"What do you mean by that?"
Mok Jicheon tilted his head at my out-of-left-field remark.
But I continued nonchalantly.
"And second sister and Yeon-i can't become head due to their gender."
Sensing something odd in my words, a slight furrow formed between his brows.
He asked me back in a subdued tone.
"What does that have to do with you going out to Taiyuan?"
"But I'm past twenty now. That opens the possibility for me as heir."
"You don't mean..."
Finally realizing my intent, his face filled with shock.
But I pressed on casually.
"In as little as half a year, or at most a year. If I keep visiting the pavilions that long, you'll be a shoo-in as head of the Mok Family Clan."
"You brat! Do you think I wanted that from you?! If you're suited to be head, I'd yield it anytime..."
Mok Jicheon finally bellowed in anger.
I cut him off and continued with what I had to say.
"Brother, after that, I'll leave the clan."
"...What does that mean now?"
"Born a man and became a warrior—shouldn't I make my name echo across the Central Plains? So please take the role of head of the Mok Family Clan."
Honestly, I had zero interest in the head position of the Mok Family Clan.
It was nothing but a hassle.
'The Alliance Leader seat might be different.'
A mid-tier clan in Shanxi Province at best.
But Mok Jicheon, the frog in the well who'd only known the Mok Family Clan, was moved—his eyes reddened.
"You rascal, so that's what you were thinking. You've grown up. But going to Taiyuan now..."
As the nagging resumed, I quickly raised my voice.
"So I'll live like this for half a year to a year! In that time, win over the elders and Father to become head!"
With that, I bolted from the clan like I was fleeing.
My destination was, of course, the Azure Moon Pavilion in Taiyuan.
'Let brother have the head of the Mok Family Clan.'
I'd build a new force in the Central Plains.
Of beautiful women, naturally!
Seven days and nights since my regression.
In that time, I'd become quite the celebrity at the Azure Moon Pavilion.
A handsome young man who came to the pavilion alone every day.
Jin-ae and Choyeonn had spread word of my qin skills from day one, so every courtesan I met brought up the qin.
Especially with my trait of 'never calling the same courtesan twice,' new ones always greeted me when I visited.
Though most tasted the same, really.
Anyway, I entered the Azure Moon Pavilion as usual today, but the courtesans' reactions were different.
"Ah, you've arrived, young master."
"We were worried you might not come today."
The two who approached had already been with me.
Choyeonn, who on day two insisted on serving me only to be rejected and avoid me since, was one of them.
"What's going on?"
Choyeonn smiled at my question.
"The Somwol you've been seeking so eagerly has finally appeared at the Azure Moon Pavilion today."
"Oh, really?"
Good news for once.
I might not bed her today, but at least seeing her face would let me make a move.
As my expression brightened, Choyeonn stepped closer.
"But young master... as you know, Somwol is an artist courtesan. If you want drinks and bed, we need another courtesan... How about I join? I at least know the qin, our shared interest."
'Ah, so that's why!'
I'd thought it odd for Choyeonn to greet me.
Not to brag, but I was popular among the courtesans here.
Handsome, great at qin, no troublemaking.
And my bedroom skills went without saying.
Even Choyeonn, after our first night, wanted to serve me again the next day.
I thought she'd given up after rejection, but she'd been waiting for this chance.
After a brief think, I nodded.
"Sure. You join me today, Choyeonn."
There weren't any heart-stirring prostitutes left anyway.
So talking qin with her sounded good.
'That might score points with Somwol too.'
Under Choyeonn's guidance, we headed to the wine chamber.
Snacks filled the table, wine poured into empty cups, but Somwol hadn't arrived.
"When's Somwol coming?"
Choyeonn smiled sweetly at my grumble.
"Just a bit longer. She's preparing, so probably..."
Then the wine chamber door opened.
And in walked the person I'd been waiting for.
A stunningly beautiful face with minimal makeup, untypical for a courtesan.
An exquisite figure sensed through her elegant attire.
Exactly as I remembered 'Somwol.'
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Somwol. I've heard so much about you."
She carefully set down her qin and greeted me.
Her voice, like jade beads rolling, made my heart tremble.
But...
'Well, well?'
From Somwol, who should have been an ordinary artist courtesan, I sensed 'internal energy.'
Subtle internal energy I never noticed before.
And the amount...
Was even greater than mine currently.