NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 110
Chapter 110: The Youthful Blossoming – Illustration
After the competition ended and Sahyeong declared the Martial World Prominence Journey.
There wasn’t much of a big deal after Sahyeong returned to the Gongdong Sect without him.
Following that, it was a continuous cycle of training in seclusion on the mountain. The Hangshan Sect Competition was certainly a large event, and finding the secret cave and our remarkable activities improved the perception of Gongdong Sect somewhat.
However, compared to the Yongbong Society, which was an event for the entire Orthodox Faction Martial World, the Hangshan Sect Competition felt more like a local affair.
Thus, the Yongbong Society.
A chance not only to elevate the name of Gongdong Sect across the Martial World but also to make Lee Cheol-soo’s name known as well; that opportunity was only the Yongbong Society.
So, I endured a hellish year of relentless martial arts practice and color spectrum training.
Finally, the new year came, and the Yongbong Society returned.
‘This year, I am finally in my youthful blossoming, 16 years old!’
Whoosh.
In January, not long after the new year, I headed down the snow-capped Gongdong Mountain, my mind racing.
Indeed.
With the new year, I had reached the age of youthful blossoming, a sprightly 16 years old.
In modern times, that’d be about finishing middle school and ready to glance over into high school.
In this medieval fantasy world, it was regarded as an age to marry and start a family.
Of course, due to the nature of the Martial World, people often marry at a later age compared to ordinary society, often around 20, but nonetheless, I had reached that age.
Tap.
Arriving at the entrance of Hwajeong County, I slightly lifted my pant cuffs to check on my growth.
The greenery that had once flourished was now a forest-like thicket. The once enormous growth had now transformed into a perfect specimen that every man would envy, thanks to my color spectrum training.
Hehehe.
I was beyond satisfied.
If it continued to grow like this, reaching the pinnacle of the greatest man in the Martial World, or even the greatest man in the world, would be no dream.
Of course, color spectrum training isn’t solely about physical growth. The skillful flair to charm women, the right attitude, and above all, the sincerity to share true love with a woman are vital.
I had grown quite tall and was now almost 180 cm. I was steadily approaching the ideal alpha male, the image of a manly man.
Feeling a satisfied smile spread inside, I quickly headed towards the Hwajeong County Entertainment District.
Hwajeong County Entertainment District.
Another year had passed, and with Gongdong Sect’s influence slowly rising and the number of visitors increasing, the entertainment district had significantly expanded.
Now, it stood on par with many small-town entertainment districts.
Moreover, despite having such a large entertainment district, there was virtually no noise in Hwajeong County. In fact, even when the Gongdong Sect’s main base was vacant, nobody dared to touch it. This was all thanks to Jeoksawol, the head of Gonhwa Pavilion, who effectively unified the entertainment district.
No matter how much she concealed her identity, there was no one brave enough to stir trouble when the top figure of the unorthodox was present.
I arrived at the splendid entrance of Gonhwa Pavilion, now a towering 10-story building, with familiar movements.
It was hard to believe this was the same Gonhwa Pavilion I had once seen so shabby. Was this really the two-story Gonhwa Pavilion I knew? My heart swelled with pride.
The blue lantern at the door, indicating whether they were open, was off.
Meaning it wasn’t open yet. I strode forward confidently to enter.
“Welcome, noble sir! The branch manager is waiting for you in the 10th-floor VIP room!”
Hajung, who greeted me with a smile as soon as I entered.
Having evolved from the two-story courtesan house manager to the manager of the ten-story Sky Tower, now the top courtesan house in Gansu, he looked far more refined and spruced up.
I nodded in acknowledgment of his words and slowly made my way up to the 10th floor.
Arriving on the 10th floor.
The entire floor had been lavishly decorated as a VIP suite, and being the tallest building in Hwajeong County, the view of the village and Gongdong Mountain through the window was impressive. There she was.
“Welcome. Gaga.”
Jeoksawol, now referred to as the foremost courtesan of Gansu, had taken on the guise of Neungwolhyang.
I took a seat next to her with familiar steps.
Whether she was wearing perfume or not, a sticky and sweet fragrance wafted from her body.
Slurp.
As she poured tea from my teapot into my cup, she whispered softly.
“This is Tieguanyin from Fujian.”
Tieguanyin.
An exquisite oolong tea specialty from Fujian Province.
I sipped the tea she poured without a word. Not bad at all. Memories of my past life at the Imperial Palace flooded back, where I had savored all kinds of high-end teas including Tieguanyin and Xihu Longjing.
It’s been a while.
It felt similar to when I once enjoyed afternoon tea alone with the Emperor at a pavilion overlooking the Central South Sea.
“This is tasty.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Gaga. Hehe.”
At my words, Neungwolhyang, or Jeoksawol, smiled mischievously. Her eyes crinkled with delight. She was, by all accounts, a stunning beauty.
Not quite matching the beauty of the Jeoksawol from my past life, though.
Even so, as of today, Jeoksawol still hadn’t revealed her true identity.
Swipe.
She crossed her arms. Naturally, her ample bosom pressed against my arm.
Having visited Gonhwa Pavilion and being teased by her ample assets every day, I had grown accustomed to it.
Well, it wasn’t too bad. I stole a glance at her cleavage before turning to her face and saying, “I came to gather information today.”
“You mean the information on Gongdong Alliance’s You So-hyeop? Of course, I have it ready.”
Swipe.
Jeoksawol pulled out a document from between her bountiful breasts and placed it in front of me.
Over the last year.
I had made it a habit to check in at Gonhwa Pavilion daily, using Hao Mun to keep tabs on Sahyeong’s related information.
While I had noted down tips for a good life in the Martial World along with introductions, my concern remained; Sahyeong was the biggest fool of all.
I was worried.
My poor fool of a Sahyeong could end up losing an ear to a con artist, which would be a disaster. He was an unparalleled talent, crucial against the Blood Sect’s Divine Horseman, and if he were lost, I’d have to shoulder the annoying position of being the leader of the Gongdong Sect.
Plus, it felt empty without Sahyeong around.
‘Have I grown too fond of him?’
This couldn’t be like the schemes of a treacherous courtier from a thousand years ago. I was a man with feelings.
That’s why I had arranged for real-time location tracking through Hao Mun and even special bodyguards.
Naturally, I got a hefty discount thanks to Jeoksawol’s special rates.
I opened the document, still fragrant with Jeoksawol’s scent.
“Hm. After defeating the Black Dragon in Sichuan and winning again, he’s on his way to Hunan for the Yongbong Society…”
During this time, Sahyeong had been traveling the Martial World, aptly named Martial World Prominence Journey, facing challenges from various martial artists.
Of course, as expected from the chaotic medieval Martial World, it was nothing unusual for bandits and the likes of the Divine Horsemen to jump out at him.
Thanks to Sahyeong competing under the name of Gongdong Sect, our faction’s status had been consistently on the rise.
“No injuries… This time, he annihilated a corrupt regional sect where the Gongdong Alliance was stationed, distributing the assets back to the common folk…”
What was interesting was that alongside Sahyeong’s Martial World Prominence Journey, a mysterious female martial artist appeared.
Ilgeumyuhee (One Sword Play).
A mysterious female martial artist clad in black and covering her face with a veil.
Given the glimpses of her jawline and figure visible between the black fabric, she was presumed to be an unmatched beauty, always punishing corrupt regional sects and the Divine Horsemen who oppressed the common folk wherever Sahyeong stayed, elevating her status as a noble vigilante.
The alias Ilgeumyuhee was birthed from her ability to kill her opponents in one swift movement with an unparalleled blade technique.
The name sounds similar to Ilgeumyuhee (One Sword Play), which was also what her martial techniques and her name were known for.
“Ilgeumyuhee and Gongdong Alliance must know each other clearly. She might be a companion of You So-hyeop from the Martial World. Or perhaps they’re a couple?”
Jeoksawol chuckled seductively, placing her hand gently on my thigh as she continued speaking.
Her cheeks flushed red.
I was unsure why her hand was on my thigh.
Well, it wouldn’t be too bad, considering I was getting tremendous discounts on information and requests.
“A companion or a lover, huh?”
Ilgeumyuhee.
A mysterious female warrior who had made her name known across the Martial World after a year. An embodiment of a hero who punishes evil without bias.
And a presence that never emerged in my past life.
It was commonly said that many hidden masters thrived like grains of sand in the Martial World. Thus, like a cliche from a martial arts novel, it wasn’t unusual for mysterious masters to suddenly appear or for past masters’ legacies to spawn successors emerging from reclusion.
However, in Dongchang, we had tracked down those hidden masters as if we maintained a separate list.
Therefore, I could confidently assert.
There were no masters like Ilgeumyuhee or martial arts that existed in my past life.
‘Something feels off.’
Could she be connected to the Blood Sect?
That didn’t seem likely. Their behavior patterns differed too much from Ilgeumyuhee.
Sahyeong in my past life was a textbook hero who couldn’t tolerate injustice.
Yet, Ilgeumyuhee’s actions bore an astonishing resemblance to Sahyeong’s past endeavors.
Didn’t the routes of both even align?
Sahyeong, the sword master Yujinhwi, challenging the six great sects.
And the sword master Yujinhwi, punishing injustices and looking after innocent lives.
It felt like the future sword master Yujinhwi had now split into two figures: Gongdong Alliance’s Yujinhwi and Ilgeumyuhee.
Wait, split?
‘Could it be role allocation?’
Among the tips I had given in the Martial World was the suggestion to create a disguised identity if one were to engage in suspicious activities.
There were specific methods for that.
Buying an imitation mask from the black market, learning reverse transformation techniques and disguise techniques, or simply veiling one’s face with a mask.
There were even tips on how to conceal traces of martial arts by cleaning up after dealing with enemies.
‘What if Ilgeumyuhee is Sahyeong, but Sahyeong is a male? Could he be cross-dressing…?’
Sahyeong’s looks were undeniably fair. An androgynous pretty boy. He was a male more beautiful than a girl.
If he were to cross-dress… even concealed by a veil, he could still be perceived as an unmatched beauty.
And with the supreme elixirs he had consumed, he would certainly lean more towards the female shape rather than male.
‘There’s always a slight possibility Sahyeong could be a woman.’
The possibility of Sahyeong being female.
It wasn’t 0%.
But it was also an utterly futile probability.
It contradicted all the information I had gathered from my past life.
‘… Sahyeong is a male with the Heavenly Body constitution exclusively born in men, and he’s never had menstruation, not once… At the very least, the cross-verified information from Dongchang and Seochang also pointed to Sahyeong being male…’
The top intelligence agencies, Dongchang and Seochang, had astounding capabilities to uncover hidden identities, even down to Sado Ryeonju’s side character.
Their collusion confirmed that Sahyeong was male.
It was practically impossible to be wrong about it.
Sure, there had been small mistakes regarding the Blood Sect, but that was simply because they were experts at hiding.
Moreover, the Heavenly Body constitution had been passed down exclusively to males throughout generations.
Above all, Sahyeong had never menstruated. No matter how hard he tried to conceal his identity as a woman, one could never hide that.
How oblivious do I look to not realize that?
‘Hmmm…’
Still, a tiny part of me felt suspicious.
Given how the information from Dongchang and Seochang had declared inconsistencies due to the appearance of the Blood Sect, it proved there was a slim chance their conclusions could be wrong.
So the possibility that Sahyeong’s gender might be inaccurate was no longer 0%.
Is Sahyeong a female?
Or perhaps a third gender?
I never thought I’d get caught up in such absurd dilemmas at this point.
If, by some minuscule chance, Sahyeong were truly a woman?
‘… I suppose I’ll think about that when the time comes.’
It’s a truth I can’t handle.
Moreover, nothing was certain yet. The odds were significantly higher that he wasn’t—rather, 99.9% was not the case.
So, there was no need for such pointless deliberation.
I set this topic aside, continuing to read the report.
As I read further, I was left aghast.
A shocking phrase that made me forget the gender debate surrounding Sahyeong.
“… The Gongdong Alliance has developed a friendship with Goeui Dang Yeong-ryeong?”
“Yes! Gaga, is there any problem…?”
A problem.
Oh yes.
Many problems.
Goeui Dang Yeong-ryeong.
The top tier of the notorious infamous figures across the Martial World, known as the Seventeen Pillars of Shocking Heavens.
Among them, a female martial artist of the Double Monsters fraternity, originally from Dangmun.
I knew this damn girl would earn another alias in twenty years from now.
Her future title would be Divine Doctor.
Whether as a Goeui or a future Divine Doctor, her other title would still be the World’s Greatest Physician.
That’s right.
This wretched girl had been the one who deceived me in my past life with ridiculous prescriptions telling me to get that damn precious elixir when I couldn’t even reattach my severed limbs!