NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 123
Chapter 123: His Laughter
My hands trembled.
With such an ultimate elixir, I could potentially… share Samcheosacheop and Cloud and Rain Pleasure for seven nights without tiring, gaining a steel-like vitality!
But I didn’t need the elixir.
There’s a tolerance that builds with elixirs, and taking the same kind reduces their effectiveness.
Besides, once you reach the Stage of Transcendence, the absolute amount of internal energy becomes less important.
Starting from the point of being able to freely use my thoughts by opening the Middle Dantian, the efficiency of controlling internal energy skyrockets.
Even a small amount of internal energy is utilized much more efficiently by a Hwakyung’s Mastery practitioner.
So, the higher the level you reach, the less important the elixirs become. Of course, they aren’t just for boosting internal energy, so they’re still needed in absolute terms.
But a vitality-enhancing pill? That’s a different story! I was ready to eat anything for that.
Just as I reached for the supreme vitality pill…
Shudder!
I trembled again.
Suddenly realizing that I had laughed like a eunuch in front of an emperor’s daughter! My face reddened.
How embarrassing!
I wasn’t a eunuch anymore, yet here I was, making such a damn mistake from excitement. Thank heavens this wasn’t at Yongbong Society; otherwise, the whole Martial World would know I’m a lowly eunuch.
Even if I defeated Yongbong Society, I might’ve earned the ridiculous nickname Goeryong instead of Sword Dragon. Just the thought of it was terrifying.
At that moment…
Drip.
Tears fell from the emperor’s eyes.
“W-What, Your Majesty… why are you… crying…?”
I stammered, taken aback. A smile appeared on the emperor’s lips as she wiped her eyes with her red sleeve.
“No, it’s nothing. I’m just… so happy to hear Noya’s laughter after a long time. Don’t worry about me.”
The emperor smiled.
Given my past life as a eunuch, it was only natural the ‘hohoho’ laughter stuck to me.
It’s no surprise she was used to it!
But that wasn’t how it should be now.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. But please forget about ‘hohoho.’ I am no longer a eunuch but a proper man, and from now on, I will laugh as a man!”
Men should laugh… heh heh heh!
The emperor chuckled at my words. She said, “Understood, Noya. I will remember.”
As I sighed in relief at her words…
The emperor extended her neck as if offering a gift.
“… But please accept this, Noya. It’s a small gift from a girl to commemorate our reunion.”
The Mita Sacred Water became visible again.
Exquisite pink color, radiating warmth that felt like it could touch my skin.
Usually, it’s polite to refuse such gifts a couple of times before accepting, but we didn’t have to do that between us.
Above all, I wanted that vitality pill very much.
“To think Your Majesty prepared such a return gift for me… I am immensely grateful, Your Highness.”
I bowed deeply to the emperor and accepted the Mita Sacred Water.
Nice.
Once the meeting was over and I returned to my lodgings, I would take it along with the Grand Rejuvenation Pill.
Heh heh heh.
I felt like I was stepping forward on the path of the King of Vitality.
I quickly tucked the gift into my robe.
“… The time has come. Noya… I pray to Buddha that you pass through the Yongbong Society finals safely.”
“May Your Majesty remain in good health as well. Then, I shall take my leave.”
I expressed a final deep bow to the emperor before slowly exiting the Great Hero Hall.
Leaving the young emperor behind felt oddly heavy on my feet.
But I had to go.
I spotted the Dongchang agents guarding the Great Hero Hall.
I passed by them and headed back to the Shaolin Temple Guest Hall.
Like in other factions’ guest halls, Shaolin’s also categorized lodgings by the guests’ status, rank, and identity.
The space we were assigned was a separate wing with a courtyard and a training area. It was the highest-rated accommodation in the Shaolin Temple Guest Hall.
It seemed Sinseung had put quite a bit of thought into things since before our arrival. As I entered the separate wing, the first to greet me was Sahyeong.
“Disciple! You’ve come! I was waiting! Did you find the items?”
Sahyeong, sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, opened her eyes and spoke to me.
I nodded.
“Yes, I found it.”
I pulled out the jar filled with camellia oil from my robe and shook it. Seeing the jar, Sahyeong nodded.
“That’s great. While you were in Dalma Cave, I also met with the Abbot and received the elixirs alongside our alliance pact.”
Rustle.
Sahyeong retrieved a necklace from her robes. Click. As the necklace opened, a refreshing aroma wafted, revealing five beautiful brown elixirs wrapped in silk.
Two were large, the other three were smaller.
Those were the Grand Rejuvenation Pills and Small Rejuvenation Pills Sinseung had vowed to give me.
“… Since you received the elixirs, I’ll leave the distribution to you. I haven’t informed Same or Seomun Soja or Dang Seonbae yet.”
Swipe.
Sahyeong pushed the necklace toward me.
The distribution of the elixirs was already fully decided in my mind. I instructed Sahyeong to gather all of Gongdong Sect members in the courtyard immediately.
“Did you call? This disciple.”
The first to arrive was the still-expressionless Seoharin.
“… What’s the reason for gathering? Hmph. You’re not planning to give me another errand, are you…!!”
Seomun Cheongha started mumbling irrelevant words.
“Brother, why did you call Yujinhwi?”
“… I didn’t call Dang Seonbae.”
An uninvited guest.
Why is that fool continually meddling in the sacred matters?
“Hmph. You weren’t planning on gathering and secretly enjoying tasty things without Yujinhwi, were you? Yujinhwi will sulk!”
Upon hearing my words, Dang Yujinhwi puffed up her cheeks. At over fifty years old, how is she acting like that?
I felt a bit nauseous.
Ignoring Dang Yujinhwi, I click opened the necklace.
Out came the two Grand Rejuvenation Pills and three Small Rejuvenation Pills.
“These are… the Grand Rejuvenation Pill and Small Rejuvenation Pill?”
The one who first reacted was Dang Yujinhwi. Clumsy as she was, she immediately recognized the elixirs, showing a bit of surprise.
It was only natural; the Grand Rejuvenation Pill is known to guarantee internal energy equivalent to an entire day of cultivation, amongst the finest created by mankind.
Since I had brought such priceless pills…
Of course, even Dang Yujinhwi would be shocked.
“Where did you find such a treasure…?”
“…”
A shocked Seomun Cheongha and Seoharin, whose usually unreadable face slightly flickered.
“Won-geuk Dae-sa gifted these to me.”
Yujinhwi said.
Upon hearing that, Dang Yujinhwi’s gaze changed.
“Oh, this brother is quite capable! To bring back so many treasures that the monks cherish! Yujinhwi, I’ve changed my mind about you a bit.”
Yujinhwi smiled while looking at me. Changing her mind? Give me a break.
Sigh, dealing with that fool was just as tiring.
After that little chat, I directly called on Sahyeong.
“Sahyeong.”
“You called, Disciple?”
Unlike the serious demeanor earlier, Sahyeong approached me with a softer expression.
I handed her one of the Small Rejuvenation Pills.
For Sahyeong, who had reached the Stage of Transcendence with the help of Mita Sacred Water and broken through the Life-Death Gate, the Grand Rejuvenation Pill wouldn’t have much of an effect.
But the Small Rejuvenation Pill was different. It boasted a remarkable healing capability, capable of treating even severe internal injuries. She wouldn’t get hurt easily, but just in case…
It felt right to distribute the Small Rejuvenation Pill to her.
If anything happened to Sahyeong, I would be the most troubled.
“Take this.”
“Thank you!”
Sahyeong took out a cloth and carefully wrapped the Small Rejuvenation Pill. That cloth looks vaguely familiar.
Could it be the one I gave before back at the Honwon Bidong? Is she still holding onto it?
“Same.”
“Did you call?”
Next, I called Seoharin. Upon my call, she stepped forward, bowed politely, and performed a salute.
“You shall receive a Grand Rejuvenation Pill.”
I handed her one of the Grand Rejuvenation Pills. With Seoharin destined to reach the Stage of Transcendence in the future, what she lacked most was internal energy.
In our Gongdong Sect, the earners of internal energy were insufficient to build profound reserves. Thus, she needed to take the Grand Rejuvenation Pill to open her Ren and Du meridians.
As I handed over the Grand Rejuvenation Pill, Seoharin’s cheeks slightly trembled.
“Thank you.”
With slightly flushed cheeks, Seoharin accepted the Grand Rejuvenation Pill. She bowed and offered me a polite salute.
“Call for me when you take it. You will need a proper healer.”
Unlike with Sahyeong, the situation was different with Seoharin.
She wasn’t a genius like Sahyeong, nor a man, so I could even directly place my hands on her to administer the healer’s guidance.
Upon hearing my words, Seoharin’s eyes sparkled with surprise, and her normally expressionless face blushed.
Her face flushed crimson as she nodded in agreement.
“Thank you, Sahyeong.”
After receiving her thanks, I called the next person, Seomun Cheongha.
“Seomun Cheongha.”
“… Why do you call for me?”
“You should take this as well.”
I handed her one of the Small Rejuvenation Pills.
Seomun Cheongha was the golden child of the Seomun Family. Since she was a toddler, she had used the Reforming Great Method to cleanse her body from impurities and consumed elixirs as if they were meals. She didn’t need the Grand Rejuvenation Pill.
Just like Sahyeong, she would receive a Small Rejuvenation Pill. Regardless, even if I didn’t like her, she was still a part of our Gongdong Sect.
Seeing the Small Rejuvenation Pill on my palm, Seomun Cheongha’s eyes widened.
“Why are you… giving me such a treasure? You, foolish Gongzi!”
Seomun Cheongha stared at me.
Her ears turned red. Well, she wasn’t entirely wrong.
While she was a captive and a rival, she didn’t belong to our sect or faction, making her position rather tenuous.
Additionally, the Seomun Family and our Gongdong Sect were at odds over control of Gansu Province. Though we shared the same Orthodox Faction, she was closer to an enemy than an ally.
But that didn’t matter to me. The Small Rejuvenation Pill was merely a very good healing medicine for the Seomun Family, and if I could win her trust with just that, I’d benefit far more.
“What do you mean ‘captive’? You’re my devoted rival. Also—”
I silently held her hand. At my touch, Seomun Cheongha’s face turned bright red. It seemed even a woman of a prestigious family found it embarrassing when a man touched her hand.
As I placed the Small Rejuvenation Pill on her palm with my other hand, I whispered a line I had rehearsed countless times in a manly voice by her ear.
“… You are entrusted to me, so here it is.”
As my words reached her, Seomun Cheongha’s body tingled as if it were struck by lightning, and her face turned as red as a tomato.
I playfully patted her hand holding the Small Rejuvenation Pill and distanced myself from her.
“Ha, you’ll regret giving this to me someday, you idiot Gongzi!”
Seomun Cheongha bolted outside, her face still flushed.
Hoo-hoo.
Could it be that Seomun Cheongha is falling for me? The alphalicious charm that radiates from me? This is troublesome.
The 46-year-old Geumhu and the 16-year-old Seomun Cheongha succumbing to my charm!
I’m quite the homme fatale after all!
Heh heh heh…
A manly laughter escaped my lips. I would strive further until I became the ultimate alpha male.
As I contemplated this…
“Noya!”
The face of Yujinhwi suddenly popped up beside me.
“… Stop with the eerie laughter, and what about Yujinhwi? Isn’t there something for Yujinhwi?”
The fool pouted while looking at me.
What? Eerie laughter? Has this girl lost her marbles? I desperately restrained my urge to smack her head, replying instead.
“… The gift for the senior is here.”
Rustle.
I pulled out the Candy I had bought from a marketplace stall earlier and popped one into Yujinhwi’s mouth, handing her the rest of the wrapped Candy.
Killing two birds with one stone, this works out well!
“Brother! Isn’t that a bit much? Just me and Candy! I’m not a child, you know?!”
Yet she was chewing on the Candy, still whining.
I had no idea where her morals were.
“Whatever’s left of the Grand Rejuvenation Pills will go to our Master, so keep that in mind. Senior.”
I closed the necklace stuffed with Grand Rejuvenation Pills and tucked it back into my robe.
Initially, I had planned to eat one of the Grand Rejuvenation Pills as a vitality booster, but when the emperor handed me the Mita Sacred Water, my mind changed.
The Mita Sacred Water was far superior as a vitality booster than the Grand Rejuvenation Pill.
Thus, I decided to hand over one of the remaining Grand Rejuvenation Pills to our Master. The Master was struggling with her lack of internal energy, and by taking the Grand Rejuvenation Pill, she could break through her limits in no time.
Strengthening our Gongdong Sect was vital. So that someday, our Gongdong Sect could become the number one sect, and I could use that title as its disciple to charm the beauties of the Orthodox Faction!
While I was lost in these thoughts, I ignored Yujinhwi’s protests and left with a laugh.
The feeling of having the Mita Sacred Water nestled in my robe brought me joy.
Heh heh heh…
Great.
Now that the distribution is done, it’s time for the elixirs…
Nah, I should consume the vitality pills and enhance my vitality, along with replenishing my formerly lacking total internal energy.
Only then can I dramatically, overwhelmingly defeat Namgung Cheong, the Crown Prince of the Namgung Family, in front of the beauties of the Orthodox Faction and use that to elevate my reputation as well, ultimately paving the way for gaining the title of Sword Dragon!
Namgung Cheong.
You made a big mistake challenging me.