In Jinyang, there is a vast lake called Unmongho.
Poets, scholars, and travelers come here to enjoy the refined pleasures, floating boats on the lake and drinking within them. Bu Eunseol, too, had taken a rare break from Jinhangwon and was now alone on a small boat drifting on Unmongho, sipping his drink.
The sounds of oars rowing, the chatter of people drinking, and the music and songs of courtesans aboard the boats filled his ears. Listening to the medley of sounds, he occasionally gazed at the moonlight reflected on the lake.
Though he had already emptied a full jug of wine, there was no trace of intoxication, and his eyes grew ever deeper.
‘The purpose of demonic martial arts is to swiftly end an enemy’s life. Could their flaws stem from that very purpose?’
Even while eating, drinking, or sleeping...
Bu Eunseol never ceased studying the principles of martial arts, and his mastery of them was rapidly advancing. But perhaps because he had relentlessly pushed himself and trained harshly since entering the martial world?
Even when eating delicious food or indulging in the lavish lifestyle of a wealthy wanderer, as he was now, he felt no joy or pleasure.
‘Even Yeo Hwanjin’s Hundred Links Form couldn’t escape that flaw.’ As he pondered the shortcomings of demonic martial arts, his mind grew tangled. ‘For now, my goal is the Great Righteous Masters.’
Having chosen the path of the Ten Demonic Warriors, a clash with the Great Righteous Masters was inevitable. If he let unnecessary distractions scatter his focus, Bu Eunseol might fall to them.
‘There are sixteen… no, perhaps seventeen Great Righteous Masters left.’
Young Jiwi, who had been defeated by Bu Eunseol at the Martial Alliance Conference. Though he possessed a genius-level talent, he had been negligent in his martial training.
But humans can grow exponentially upon achieving enlightenment.
If Young Jiwi had gained such insight from his defeat, perhaps another formidable warrior could emerge in the martial world.
Swish, swish.
At that moment, the sound of water parting signaled the approach of an ornately decorated boat toward Bu Eunseol’s.
"Oh?" On that boat was a woman whose face was strikingly familiar.
It was the same woman he had seen at Jinhangwon.
"To meet you here—what a coincidence!" With a smile brighter than the moonlight, the woman sent a warm, friendly glance toward Bu Eunseol. "Since it’s fate, how about a drink together?"
‘She’s changed her approach’ Bu Eunseol gave a wry smile. Her persistence was unmatched, and it seemed she now aimed to build rapport to borrow Seogangwon.
"I have plenty of wine here." Bu Eunseol was about to refuse, as expected.
"…!" But then, in the distance, he spotted a large boat cutting through Unmongho.
On it were martial artists in blue robes, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. They were none other than the masters of the Zhongnan Sect.
‘They’ve come this far.’ Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed.
Among the boats floating on the lakeshore, he was the only one drinking alone. If he stayed as he was, the keen eyes of the Zhongnan Sect masters might spot him.
"This isn’t just any wine." At that moment, the woman widened her eyes and said, "This is Baekchoju, a century-old brew you couldn’t buy even for a thousand gold. And…"
"Fine."
"What?"
"Let’s have a drink." Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol climbed onto her larger boat.
"I knew you’d recognize fine taste!" She flashed a bright smile, revealing neat teeth, likely assuming Bu Eunseol, a wealthy wanderer, appreciated the value of Baekchoju.
"Let’s drink." Bu Eunseol, who had boarded without hesitation, sat at the table laden with drinks.
She handed him a large wine cup.
"They say Baekchoju’s true value shines when drunk from a wide, large cup like this."
She filled the cup to the brim with Baekchoju. Made from a hundred herbs, Baekchoju carried no medicinal scent, only the rich aroma of rice wine.
Gulp, gulp.
Bu Eunseol drained the cup in one go. She clapped her hands and laughed as if witnessing something fascinating.
"You drink so boldly! If your personality were as carefree and spirited as your drinking, it’d be perfect. For example…" As she chattered on, the boat carrying the Zhongnan Sect masters drew closer.
"…" The Zhongnan masters didn’t approach further, instead observing the two from a distance.
To them, it must have looked like a picturesque scene of a refined man and woman sharing drinks and conversation. After staring for a while, they eventually passed by.
‘They’re gone.’ Watching the Zhongnan masters’ boat fade into the distance, Bu Eunseol inwardly acknowledged the strength of the Nine Great Sects. ‘Their ranks of masters are deep.’ Judging by their formidable aura, they were likely first-generation disciples on the same level as Yeo Hwanjin.
"By the way, we haven’t introduced ourselves." The woman extended her hand toward Bu Eunseol.
"My name is Gu… Gu Cheongjeong."
‘She’s lying.’ Her averted gaze and hesitant speech made it clear she’d given a fake name. But Bu Eunseol didn’t care. He had no interest or need to know.
"I’m Bu Eunseol."
"Bu Eunseol…" Gu Cheongjeong’s expression turned puzzled. After racking her brain, she couldn’t recall anyone by that name.
"No trace of martial training, no weapons in sight… just a wealthy scholar, I suppose."
"Indeed." She smiled softly, and Bu Eunseol stood, saying, "Thanks for the wine. I’ll take my leave."
"Already? You’ve only had one cup!"
"How could I waste such a rare, century-old vintage?"
"Are you heading back to the inn?"
"Yes."
"Do you really need to use all five of the annexes?" Gu Cheongjeong’s persistence was as tenacious as ever.
Bu Eunseol looked at her calmly and asked, "It’s not really about Master Sammuk’s calligraphy, is it? Why are you so desperate for Seogangwon? Are you meeting someone there?"
"How did you know?"
"It’s obvious." Bu Eunseol sighed. "Unless you’re a calligrapher, there’s no need to linger over Master Sammuk’s work for days." If she only wanted to admire the calligraphy at Seogangwon, she wouldn’t be so insistent on staying there.
"Fine, I’ll be honest." Gu Cheongjeong gave a wry smile. "I’m meeting old friends from the martial world here."
"Friends?"
"Yes. I reserved Seogangwon, with Master Sammuk’s calligraphy, for our gathering."
"Then why not come earlier?"
"I sent someone a month ago, but they said it was already fully booked." She shrugged. "To be honest, we came to the martial world against our parents’ wishes. We couldn’t exactly plan leisurely."
She spilled her story freely, her tone and demeanor friendly without malice. She was likely from a relatively moderate and well-connected demonic clan.
‘No choice, then.’ Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh.
"Use Seogangwon."
"Really?"
"Yes." He had already prepared himself for this when he accepted the drink.
In the martial world, you pay a fair price for what you receive.
"But only Seogangwon. Don’t set foot in the other annexes. I dislike complications."
"Got it. Thank you!" Pleased that things had worked out easily, Gu Cheongjeong beamed. "You’re not as rigid as I thought!"
Bu Eunseol gave a dry smile and shook his head.
"I’ll head back now."
"Wait." Gu Cheongjeong, looking uneasy, blocked his way. "A man’s word is worth a thousand gold. No takebacks or regrets."
"There won’t be."
With a short reply, Bu Eunseol turned and left.
***
Bu Eunseol regretted it.
No matter how much he suppressed his beastly senses, his perception was several times sharper than an ordinary human’s. Yet, because of the friends Gu Cheongjeong brought to Seogangwon, who drank and made noise all night, he couldn’t properly meditate.
"Haha! That was so exhilarating!" Even now, as dawn broke, the sound of drunken revelry echoed from Seogangwon.
‘They plan to drink all day.’ The drinking that began in the afternoon had continued into the early morning. At this rate, they’d likely keep going until morning.
‘I won’t be able to meditate until they leave.’ Meditation requires focusing all senses and mind inward. A single mistake could lead to minor internal injuries or, worse, qi deviation.
"By the way, Master Sammuk is incredible!" A voice came from Seogangwon. "Even when he wrote that calligraphy, they say he drank three measures of wine and still wrote!"
Master Sammuk loved wine and had an immense capacity for it. It’s said that when he wrote the calligraphy for Seogangwon, he did so after drinking three measures of wine.
"He wrote such neat calligraphy after drinking three measures…" Listening to the chatter from Seogangwon, a sudden thought struck Bu Eunseol.
‘Master Sammuk’s calligraphy was remarkably precise.’ It wasn’t just because of his tolerance for alcohol. Even when drunk, in pain, or unwell…
Calligraphy masters practice to write perfectly. And martial artists should be no different.
‘If external distractions disrupt my meditation, how can I claim to have mastered profound techniques?’ The so-called "controlling the mind to generate qi," or Sim-eo-jogi, is the essence of profound martial arts. Thus, martial artists often seek only silence during meditation. But on the flip side, shouldn’t they train to overcome any disturbance?
‘This is a good opportunity.’ Bu Eunseol changed his mindset.
He would attempt meditation amidst the endless chatter. Endless pursuit and challenge. Living and breathing martial arts, integrating it into every aspect of life—that was Bu Eunseol. This was why, despite lacking exceptional physical talent, he had grown stronger faster than anyone.
Humm.
As he began meditating, faint glowing points emanated from his body. Instead of blocking out the incessant chatter, he focused his mind and started his meditation.
How much time had passed?
Humm.
With a low hum, Bu Eunseol finished his meditation and opened his eyes. Curiously, unlike usual, no glowing points rose from his body, and the radiant light in his eyes had softened slightly.
Return to Simplicity.
As his inner power deepened, its distinctive traits faded, giving way to a more ordinary appearance.
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