Just as I had done at the Tyrant Asura Gate, wouldn't they come down on their own if I raised a ruckus in front of the Silver Flower Pavilion?
For a moment, that thought crossed my mind, but it was immediately shot down.
"You can't, young hero Cheon! I heard the Silver Flower Pavilion is a place that even officials—rare sights in Hangzhou—frequent! If you cause a commotion there, there will definitely be trouble!"
"A commotion? I'm just making a legitimate request for a sparring match…"
"That excuse might barely work with fellow martial artists."
She was right.
If they were fellow martial artists—especially those from the Unorthodox Sects—they'd grimace but let it slide, thinking, 'Well, that's possible. But who won?'
But officials are different.
Given the official inviolability, most wouldn't want to stir up trouble with a martial artist—especially one in the Harmony Realm.
But a high-ranking official might hold a grudge against someone disturbing their leisure. No, nine times out of ten, they would.
This sparring trip was for the Righteous-Unorthodox Alliance, but in the end, the combined strength of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects might not be enough, and we might have to join forces with the imperial army. At the very least, we should maintain a friendly relationship.
If that's the case, making an enemy here over something trivial would be the worst of all strategies.
It might look a bit odd, but let's just enter quietly through legitimate means.
"False accusations… I'm used to them…"
"You always say it's a misunderstanding, but was there ever a time it actually was one?"
"It has always been this way."
The world treating me as a holy figure of the Unorthodox Sects, the suspicion that I preferred my sword over women, and being seen as having peculiar tastes for keeping Seomun Hwa-rin—someone so far above me in the martial world that counting from the top would be faster—by my side.
"Of course, it's all a misunderstanding."
"Ah, um… Well. If young hero Cheon says so, then let it be."
Her expression was one of deep pity, but Tang So-wol nodded nonetheless.
The sense that she had wanted to say something but given up was surely just my imagination.
"Anyway, since there's no better option, let's go with the straightforward approach."
"Yes, yes. I'm certain young hero Cheon will manage it."
"What do you mean?"
"A normal conversation?"
"…"
Encouraged by Tang So-wol's not-quite-encouragement, I opened the door of Eunhwaru.
The door slid open smoothly, without even the faintest creak.
The air of Hangzhou, which had reeked of alcohol even in broad daylight, rushed out, and the faint scent of powder mixed with a sweet floral fragrance tickled my nose.
I paused for a moment. Before my eyes stretched a long corridor.
Perhaps because it was so long, it looked dark and gloomy, with no other source of light except the sunlight streaming in from behind me.
But the moment the door closed shut.
Thud.
As the sunlight vanished, the walls and ceiling began to emit a faint glow, illuminating the path of the corridor.
"Whoa…"
Tang So-wol's exclamation of admiration came from behind me. And rightly so. I had merely swallowed the voice that threatened to escape me, but the truth was that I was just as surprised.
"Surely they didn't coat the walls and ceiling with powdered luminous pearls. I can't imagine how much that must have cost."
"It's pretty, like a night sky… Young hero Cheon?"
Tang So-wol looked at me with a startled expression, but that wasn't really the important thing.
Noticing that someone had entered, a figure was approaching from beyond the corridor.
Elaborate makeup. And elaborate attire. Yet she was a woman of ambiguous age who didn't seem cheap or frivolous in the least.
"I was wondering if a guest had come at such an early hour… But this is a rare combination of distinguished visitors."
"You recognized us just from our faces?"
"Of course. The White Moon Sword Lord, Great Hero, and his betrothed, the young lady of Flying Butterfly Poison Peak. And the Twin Ghost Sword, Great Hero, who is practically the right arm of the Lord of the Black Alliance."
"Hahaha! Would you look at that! It seems a place like Eunhwaru knows everyone!"
Was he pleased by the mention of being a right arm? The Twin Ghost Sword began to laugh loudly.
He really was an easy person to read.
Well, it's no surprise. Tang So-wol and I are celebrities, and she's wearing the Tang Clan's martial arts uniform without hiding it, so it's easy to recognize her.
The only thing they might not know yet is what happened at the Tyrant King's Execution Hall…
"Surely you're not the type to bring your betrothed to visit a courtesan, so you must be here for a meal, right? If so, you won't regret it. As long as you don't smash our signboard, we'll serve you with the utmost care."
"…You knew?"
"One of our retired girls lives near the Tyrant King's Execution Hall, so I happened to hear a little something through that old connection."
"You're not even Haomun, yet your ears are sharp."
"But unlike Haomun, we don't extend our reach into other trades. All we can do is serve good liquor and fine food. And sell a smile or two."
A radiant smile. A composed tone. She seemed to have learned just enough martial arts to keep herself healthy, but that was all.
She must have had a rough idea of my purpose, yet she remained this composed—clearly because she had a powerful backer she trusted. Namely, the fact that the Lust Demon was the owner of the Silver Flower Pavilion.
Better this way than making an unnecessary fuss.
"Then go and deliver the message. Tell him the White Moon Sword Lord wishes to meet the Lust Demon."
"Understood. Would you care to wait inside for a moment?"
"Lead the way."
As I gave a slight nod, the woman bowed her head and began walking ahead, as if telling me to follow.
I followed her back through a corridor that evoked a night sky drenched in starlight. After a long walk, we arrived at an open space.
Unlike before, sunlight streamed in through the windows, but perhaps it was the long corridor from earlier. Or perhaps it was the luxurious interior decor I had never seen anywhere before.
It felt as if I had stepped into a different world, and I inwardly marveled for a moment.
"Please, have a seat here. It won't take long."
"Hmm. Very well."
As I sat in the offered seat, I could feel the gazes of those at the other tables around us.
"Those are unfamiliar faces. Who are they? Bringing a woman to a place like this."
"Well, that might just be his taste. Or perhaps he's simply here for a meal."
"Shh! Look at his waist. He seems to be a martial artist, so mind your words."
"Oh, come on. If he's a martial artist capable of entering this place, he's no ordinary master, but still—do you think he can hear whispers from this distance?"
I won't pretend not to hear them, of course.
A martial artist in the Harmony Realm is capable of far more than most people realize.
Just as my Qi Sense had grown by leaps and bounds through the Bone-Exchange Rebirth, so too had my other senses grown beyond all comparison.
If I focused my mind, I could hear every conversation on the First Floor.
Of course, that didn't mean I intended to respond to each and every one. If I did, my days would be nothing but annoyance.
The other patrons pretended to converse among themselves while stealing glances my way.
It was midday, and given how expensive and exclusive this place was, I'd expected few people—yet half of this vast First Floor was occupied.
As for me, I eavesdropped on their chatter and observed them in turn, and none of them seemed to be ordinary folk.
A vice branch head of the Haomun, who—though I couldn't tell which branch he belonged to—kept voicing complaints about the Black Alliance without pause.
A middle-aged official who, though gifted with remarkable ability from the start, had recently caught the emperor's eye and was rising swiftly—this man directed a mix of envy and admiration toward that young official.
And martial artists who were too busy marveling at how good the wine tasted and how even better the atmosphere was to do much else.
Some recognized me, and some had no idea who I was.
Those who recognized me were mostly martial artists or merchants, while those who didn't were often officials.
Well, that made sense. Even I, no matter how high my official rank, knew little about the bureaucratic world, so it was only natural.
At any rate, the people here came from all walks of life, and every single one of them was accomplished in their own field.
And yet even such people couldn't ascend to the Second Floor—they remained on the First, ate their fill, and went home.
This is certainly a place with high standards. Of course, that was only possible because of the immense power of the Lust Demon looming over it all.
From a martial artist's perspective, causing trouble here would put their neck at risk, so they'd enjoy themselves quietly and leave. For officials, this was a place managed by a Harmony Realm martial artist who was treated, albeit unofficially, like a feudal lord—so they could visit with peace of mind.
As I eavesdropped on stories more interesting than I'd expected, I began to understand how Haomun had grown so large.
Even stories that seemed trivial to them could be desperately important to someone else.
"Still, I'd heard the First Floor was just a place to eat, but seeing it in person, it's more than that."
"Yes, indeed. Everyone here is quite skilled."
At the center of the wide-open First Floor, a group of courtesans were plucking at zithers, singing, and dancing.
At this level, they were practically on par with the finest courtesans of any establishment.
So that was why the First Floor only accepted select guests.
I nodded inwardly, and before long, the courtesan from earlier came back down.
"The mistress says she will receive you as guests. Would you please follow me?"
"Very well."
As I rose from my seat, murmurs rippled through the crowd—mostly surprise, confusion over what the Tang Clan could possibly be up to, or suspicion about my tastes.
I let out a long sigh inwardly as the courtesan guiding me spoke in a cautious voice.
"The Silver Moon Pavilion always insists on nothing but the best. So of course, we've paid attention to soundproofing as well…"
It was then I realized she wasn't watching me—she was watching Tang So-wol.
Tang So-wol caught that gaze and let out a soft chuckle. She glanced sideways at me once, then gave a small nod.
"It's fine. As long as it's only sound and not something I have to see directly."
"Ah… yes. Thank you for understanding."
The courtesan, who had always responded with a thoroughly composed demeanor, had a slight tremor at the end of her voice.
It seemed she, too, had some misunderstanding about me… well, she was someone I'd never meet again, so it probably didn't matter.
Someday, when the seal is finally lifted—or even if it isn't, when everyone knows about my regression and I can speak in roundabout ways and still be understood—
When that day comes, I'll grill Tang So-wol about what exactly she saw in my memories.
I made that vow with a half-defeated heart, and walked on. How many steps had I taken like that?
The second floor consisted entirely of private rooms, with nothing visible but the hallway—yet it carried a distinctly different atmosphere from the first floor.
The third floor was likewise nothing but private rooms, offering nothing to see besides the corridor, yet it somehow appeared even more luxurious than the floor below. I passed through it and arrived at the fourth floor.
Here, the entire floor seemed to be a single room, for there was only one sliding door.
"The Alliance Lord is inside."
So saying, the courtesan stepped aside with a courteous posture and opened the door.
Creak.
The moment I stepped inside, my body began to heat up against my will. But the sensation wasn't overwhelming.
It was subtle, restrained—merely a quiet, lingering warmth.
From my perspective—someone with at least some grounding in the Erotic Arts, enough to have treated Seol Ri-hyang before her regression—this was…
"No matter how much this is your own room, letting your internal energy leak out like that is asking for trouble, Lust Demon."
"Hmhm? You have sharp senses. But please, don't misunderstand? This isn't energy I scattered to do something to you—it's merely energy I haven't yet taken back."
The center of the room was unlike the outside, and unlike any of the floors I had passed through so far—so much so that it felt like stepping into another world entirely.
The answer came from the figure seated at the edge of a bed wide enough to comfortably fit five or six grown men rolling around on it.
A beauty with a long pipe in her mouth, wearing a coy smile. Her voice alone dripped with seduction, and the silhouette faintly visible beneath her thin garments traced curves that drew the eye.
A martial artist in the Harmony Realm, merely by breathing, embodied the martial art they had mastered and the way of life they had chosen, radiating a unique aura all their own.
That was why Tang Jincheon exuded a venomous aura, Namgung Dowi a sharp and oppressive one, and the Lord of the Black Alliance a domineering one.
That mass of seductive aura was surely the Lust Demon.
…So that thing was a man?
No wonder men were bewitched and their families ruined.
As a martial artist who had ascended to the Harmony Realm and awakened my own unique mental image and Intent, I felt nothing more than surprise—but others, it seemed, were not so fortunate.
"Pull yourself together, Tang So-wol. And you too, Twin Ghost Sword."
"…Hup! Y-yes, sir! I'm perfectly in my right mind! Yes. Indeed I am!"
Even as she said that, Tang So-wol kept her gaze fixed on my face, refusing to turn her head anywhere else.
It was as if she was deliberately avoiding looking directly at the Lust Demon.
By the time she reached the Twin Ghost Sword, she had closed her eyes entirely.
So this was what a master who had reached the peak through the Erotic Arts was capable of.
I let out a hollow laugh, caught between disbelief and amazement, when I sensed a faint flow of internal energy.
"Sorry about that? I'm a courtesan, you see—I didn't expect anyone to come at this hour, so I didn't have time to prepare for guests."
Saying this, the Lust Demon absorbed all the energy she had faintly spread throughout the surroundings.
Only then did Tang So-wol and the Twin Ghost Sword seem to relax a little, stealing a sidelong glance at the Lust Demon.
There stood an androgynous beauty, still wearing a leisurely smile.
With a woman slumped limp in her arms at her side.
"Hm?"
Because the Lust Demon's presence was so overwhelming, it took a moment to notice.
They hadn't been prepared to receive guests.
In other words, until just moments ago, they had been in no position to let anyone in.
Specifically, he had been having a good time with that woman.
"Indeed, I did come rather abruptly."
"Didn't you? But I am generous. I can overlook this much of a breach of etiquette. After all, you, White Moon Sword Lord, didn't come crashing through the Silver Moon Pavilion's doors either."
"To those who show courtesy, I respond with courtesy. It's a simple matter, but not an easy one. First, let me say that I am grateful for this much."
"A man who enjoys speaking in circles. That's not a bad trait."
"…However, there is one thing I must address clearly."
The woman tucked under the Lust Demon's arm.
Her features were far younger than the ones in my memory, but it was unmistakably the face I remembered.
"That woman. Do you know she's a Demonic Cultist?"
The Soul-Draining Ghost Demon.
That was the alias he went by.