CRS Chapter 19
by BlossomTLOn the top floor of the Moonless Pavilion.
There was a figure looking down at Eunho.
“Throwing punches right off the bat…”
“Should we intervene?”
A voice came from the darkness.
“Let’s watch for a bit. There’s something I want to confirm.”
“Understood.”
Curiosity was piqued.
How impressive could this man be?
At least his visible appearance was…
Good. No, excellent.
“Huh?”
Eunho looked in this direction.
For a moment, it seemed their eyes met, but she quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought.
“That’s impossible.”
This window couldn’t be seen from the outside.
There was no way her concealed energy could be detected.
It was just her imagination.
No, it had to be her imagination.
***
The eyes of the doorkeeper who had been hit by Eunho turned fierce.
Occasionally, there were people who tried to force their way in like this.
He could tell the young man before him was quite capable, but at most, he’d be a late-stage master.
“You’ll regret this.”
Eunho nodded in agreement.
“Yes. You’ll regret not recognizing your guest.”
“I meant you’ll regret it, not me!”
Regardless, Eunho took a deep breath and shouted towards the pleasure house.
“Enemy! An intruder has appeared!”
Yi-ryang was dumbfounded.
Doesn’t he seem to be enjoying this situation?
Yi-ryang’s guess wasn’t far off.
‘Look at that. That…’
When martial artists poured out in droves at Eunho’s shout, he was smiling as if he was enjoying it.
Yi-ryang shook his head and moved to a corner.
He even deployed a formation to hide his presence.
Eunho carefully observed the martial artists pouring out.
‘This is no ordinary pleasure house.’
What kind of crazy pleasure house would invest so much in martial artists?
Eunho slowly spread his energy perception.
He could clearly see the number and levels of martial artists hidden throughout the pleasure house, not just those in front of him.
There were even two quite powerful masters.
“One at the peak realm, and one… huh, transcendent? And close to breaking through the barrier?”
Yi-ryang, who was listening in hiding, had his mouth wide open.
Even reaching the peak realm makes one a formidable master in the martial world.
A transcendent? That’s like the sect leader or elder of a decent major sect, right?
Although he didn’t have the eyes to discern martial artists’ levels, seeing that Wudang’s sect leader hadn’t made it into the Twenty-Four Martial Arts Masters, he must be at the transcendent realm.
It was hard to believe such a figure was in a place like this.
‘Moreover, to be close to breaking through…’
Even more surprising was that Eunho had noticed it instantly.
Yi-ryang couldn’t even guess Eunho’s level.
He was beating down the martial artists pouring out one by one.
Indeed, there’s nothing as satisfying as facing a human wave tactic.
It reminded him of when he slaughtered six million ant yokais for seven days and nights in his previous life.
Unlike Eunho who was enjoying himself, the inside of the Moonless Pavilion was in utter chaos.
-Report to the Madam immediately! Run, I said run!
-My lord, look here. That’s right. When I count to three, you close your eyes. One…
-Sword! Where’s my sword?
Martial artists were running around, and courtesans were using their charms on guests.
Not a single guest at the Moonless Pavilion was insignificant.
If they learned of the commotion outside, it would tarnish the pleasure house’s reputation.
Eunho’s eyes turned towards the entrance of the Moonless Pavilion.
He could feel a peak realm master approaching.
The one who roughly opened the door and came out was…
“A woman?”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
When she shouted sharply, the martial artists flinched.
The woman with a cold impression exuded an alluring atmosphere, and the fine silk flowing over her body further accentuated her mature beauty.
The red light from the lanterns illuminated her face.
She was a beauty that would captivate any man.
The doorkeeper who had been knocked down by Eunho earlier approached the woman and said,
“Madam! That bastard tried to forcefully enter the pleasure house…”
“Man-cheol. Are you crazy?”
“Pardon?”
“How dare you show such disrespect to the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild!”
The doorkeeper called Man-cheol’s head began to spin.
‘Young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild… Wudang…’
The words Eunho had said earlier flashed through his mind one by one.
“Could it really be Ha Eunho?”
As Man-cheol looked at him with disbelieving eyes, Eunho smiled at him.
Didn’t I say you’d regret it?
Man-cheol lowered his gaze helplessly.
“Are you the madam?”
The woman met Eunho’s gaze at his question.
‘Was the rumor about him single-handedly bringing down Aso true?’
She could see the martial artists sprawled around haphazardly.
These men’s levels were by no means low.
After all, they were martial artists that the Moonless Pavilion had carefully nurtured.
Even at this moment, she was continuously evaluating Eunho.
A woman with the ability to gather and organize all kinds of information from around the world.
“Yes, I’m Surin, the owner of this Moonless Pavilion.”
The voice that escaped between her red lips was enough to shake the hearts of most men.
“However… even if you are the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild, it’s quite troublesome for you to come in like this. It was a mistake that I didn’t personally verify, but that doesn’t justify injuring our pleasure house’s martial artists like this.”
It was a polite but thorny statement.
“Ridiculous.”
Eunho pointed somewhere on the upper floor of the building, and Surin flinched.
‘So he did know?’
Eunho was right.
Far from not personally verifying, she had been watching.
No, rather, she had hoped for a situation like this.
A young martial artist who single-handedly subdued Aso.
She wanted to verify the truth of that rumor.
The problem was that Eunho’s martial prowess far exceeded her expectations.
She had come down thinking that at this rate, all the martial artists would end up dead.
Eunho looked at Surin and spoke calmly.
“Wasn’t I just trying to become an influential martial artist? Isn’t that what the Moonless Pavilion wanted?”
“…”
Who knew the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild would be so reckless?
‘I thought he was just a young hot-blooded hero who took down Aso, but…’
“Make your choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you want me to enter the Moonless Pavilion as the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild? Or as a martial artist?”
The meaning was clear, and Surin wasn’t stupid enough to not understand.
If the young man before her was a martial artist, this incident would be just a fight between martial artists.
However, if he was the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild, it would mean the Moonless Pavilion had openly disrespected Cheonha Merchant Guild.
Surin smiled brightly and bowed her head towards Eunho and Yi-ryang.
“We always welcome strong martial artists. Please let go of your anger and come in.”
“Good.”
Eunho looked satisfied.
And so, after much trouble, Eunho and Yi-ryang entered the Moonless Pavilion.
A courtesan with a pure impression greeted the two.
“Let me guide you to your room.”
When Eunho and Yi-ryang entered the room, a table full of delicacies that could be called a feast for kings was prepared.
One courtesan played the seven-stringed zither, while others filled wine cups.
They had already received their mission from the madam.
No matter what, seduce the young master!
Surin had evaluated Eunho as a master close to the transcendent realm.
Considering Eunho’s age, he was an incredible martial prodigy.
If she could keep him, he would surely be of great help to the Moonless Pavilion someday!
The courtesans appeared demure, but each was using their words, scents, and sounds to deploy their seduction techniques.
A sticky energy began to permeate the entire room.
Eunho was genuinely impressed.
Even though it was just a seduction technique, it contained quite a bit of the principles of ascension.
It seemed like ordinary martial artists would fall for it without even realizing.
“Did you already fall for it?”
Look at that, Yi-ryang has already started grinning.
Of course, Eunho wouldn’t fall for it.
The seduction techniques had many similarities with the arts used by fox spirits, and Eunho had been the leader of those fox spirits.
Nevertheless, he felt that this seduction technique did quite affect the taste of the wine.
As they say, wine should be enjoyed in the most refreshing state.
‘I should resolve this before the Yanghe Daqu comes out.’
An invisible energy began to spread from Eunho’s entire body.
Formless Energy!
Literally, it was an invisible energy without any presence.
Unless one was at least at the same level or higher, they wouldn’t even realize they were affected by the Formless Energy.
Even decent masters wouldn’t dare to use it, but…
Eunho was now using it to suppress the seduction techniques.
Eunho’s Formless Energy overwhelmed everything in the room, including the seduction techniques.
The courtesans deploying their seduction techniques flinched momentarily.
“Oh, they’re well-trained.”
Even those who were deploying strong seduction techniques showed no signs of discomfort, despite their internal energy likely being twisted.
They had swallowed back the blood that had risen to their throats.
No matter how you looked at it, the Moonless Pavilion was no ordinary pleasure house.
Anyway, without the seduction techniques, it felt much more refreshing.
Eunho, with a satisfied look, suddenly asked the courtesan playing the seven-stringed zither.
“Are you the best musician here?”
The courtesan in blue clothes spoke with a worried expression.
“Young hero, is there something about me that’s making you uncomfortable?”
“Not that, but you don’t seem particularly skilled in playing.”
It was true.
The courtesan before him was new to the Moonless Pavilion.
She was a woman whose appearance shone more than her musical skills.
Ordinary martial artists valued a woman’s appearance more than music, which is why she had been deployed.
However, Eunho had been enjoying human alcohol and music since his previous life.
With over a thousand years of experience, his appreciation was bound to be different.
At that moment, the door opened with a thud.
“This girl is the best artist in this pleasure house.”
It was a face familiar to both Eunho and Yi-ryang.
Surin, the owner of the Moonless Pavilion!
The courtesans were quite surprised by the madam’s personal appearance.
‘The madam is going to play herself?’
However, she seemed to have failed to capture Eunho’s interest.
“You don’t seem like a girl to me.”
“Hmm.”
Surin’s brow furrowed for a moment before returning to normal.
She sat down demurely and took the zither brought by another maid.
Soon after plucking the strings a few times, a clear tone resonated throughout the room.
“Oh?”
Eunho looked at her while pouring wine into his cup.
Just as a martial artist’s posture when holding a sword reveals whether they are a master or a novice,
The same was true for artists.
Just from plucking the strings a few times, one could tell she was a skilled artist.
When she started playing in earnest, it felt like the air in the room completely changed.
It was a performance that felt both clear like dew and sorrowful like mist.
Unlike the other courtesans, she didn’t deploy any seduction techniques.
After all, she had great pride in her performance.
Surin was focusing as if she had forgotten everything else in the moment of playing.
The same was true for Eunho.
“Impressive.”
It was a simple evaluation, but full of sincerity.
This was one of the finest performances he had heard throughout his previous and current lives.
She bowed her head slightly in gratitude.
“As a reward for your performance, I’ll grant you any one request.”
It was a performance worthy of such a reward.
Surin smiled mysteriously.
It was the kind of thing men usually said while putting on airs.
However…
‘A request, not money or a gift.’
It’s not like what the son of a merchant family would say.
Clearly, Eunho was sitting before her not as the young master of Cheonha Merchant Guild, but as a martial artist.
‘Is he saying he doesn’t speak carelessly? How cute.’
So she decided to play along a bit.
“What do you think we would request?”
“What would the Hao Sect want from a martial artist? Power, I suppose.”
“!”
The expressions of Surin and the courtesans instantly hardened.
Some courtesans secretly gripped hidden daggers in their bosoms.
They were ready to plunge the daggers into Eunho’s neck if necessary.
Surin calmed her trembling heart and spoke.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Is that so?”
Eunho stared intently at the courtesan holding the dagger.
“There are calluses in the shape of a river on your index and ring fingers. It’s a characteristic that appears on martial artists who mainly use daggers.”
The courtesan who met Eunho’s eyes swallowed hard.
“If you take that out, I’ll kill you. You too, next to her.”
The young man’s words before them were full of sincerity.
The relatively cordial atmosphere right after the performance rapidly cooled.
In the end, Surin had no choice but to acknowledge it.
“Everyone, leave.”
“Madam!”
“Is my word a joke? Everyone leave. He says he’ll kill you.”
At Surin’s firm attitude, the courtesans began to rise one by one.
After everyone left, only Eunho, Yi-ryang, and Surin remained in the room.
“How did you know?”
“Only the Hao Sect would teach martial arts to courtesans to this extent and have them carry hidden weapons.”
The Hao Sect, along with the Beggar Sect, was the most famous information organization in the martial world.
From back-alley thugs to gamblers and courtesans, the Hao Sect’s eyes and ears existed in all shady places.
She glared at Eunho, grinding her teeth.
“Knowing we’re the Hao Sect, you still offer to lend us your strength? Do you know how much power we need?”
“How would I know?”
“You’re arrogant.”
“Calling yourself a girl at that age is more…”
“Do you want to die?”
“Can you kill me?”
Surin snorted and said,
“I can see you’re an extraordinary person. Not only are you the eldest son of Cheonha Merchant Guild, but you’ve also proven your martial prowess at Aso and here. However…”
She raised her hand.
“Did you know that a formation is deployed throughout the entire pleasure house? Even if you were one of the Twenty-Four Martial Arts Masters, once you’ve come this far, it would be difficult to leave unscathed.”
She didn’t intend to kill Eunho.
She just wanted to scare him a bit and gain the upper hand.
The famous craftsman Ou Yezi[1], hailed as a great blacksmith and formation master.
It was a formation she had commissioned from him for an enormous sum.
Even a master at the Transformation Realm would have to sacrifice an arm to escape alive.
However, contrary to expectations, nothing happened.
“Wait a moment. The formation will…”
Seeing her flustered, Yi-ryang scratched the back of his head and said,
“Sorry to interrupt, but… that formation was already broken a while ago.”
“Huh?”
“Well… I’m really sorry. It seemed like it would interfere with drinking…”
Seeing Surin’s expression crumple more and more, Yi-ryang hastily shouted,
“I-I only broke the one in this room, and I’ll restore it to its original state when we leave, so don’t worry!”
“Hey! Do you know how much that formation cost!”
Surin’s face was flushed with anger, while Yi-ryang looked troubled.
Eunho, who had been watching the two with his arms crossed, burst into laughter.
Surin glared at Eunho with cold eyes.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing much. It’s just amusing to see the Hao Sect, which prides itself on having eyes and ears everywhere, being caught off guard like this.”
Surin’s expression hardened even more.
“You… How much do you know about us?”
“Enough to know that you’re not just a simple pleasure house. The Hao Sect is quite ambitious, isn’t it?”
Eunho’s gaze swept across the room.
“Using a pleasure house as a front to gather information, training courtesans in martial arts, even deploying such an expensive formation… You must have big plans.”
Surin’s eyes narrowed.
“And what if we do? What does that have to do with you?”
Eunho smiled mysteriously.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’ll grant you any one request as a reward for your performance. If the Hao Sect needs power, I’m offering it.”
Surin couldn’t hide her surprise.
“You’re serious about this? Do you even know what you’re getting into?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
Surin hesitated for a moment, then seemed to make a decision.
“Very well. If you’re truly offering, then I have a request. There’s a certain item we need to acquire…”
As Surin began to explain, Eunho listened attentively. Yi-ryang, on the other hand, looked increasingly worried.
After Surin finished explaining, Eunho nodded.
“I see. That doesn’t seem too difficult.”
“Don’t underestimate it,” Surin warned. “Many have tried and failed. Some even lost their lives.”
“Well, I’m not ‘many’, am I?” Eunho said with a confident smile.
Surin couldn’t help but be impressed by his confidence.
“Very well. If you can accomplish this, the Hao Sect will owe you a favor. And believe me, our favors are worth a lot in this world.”
“I’m sure they are,” Eunho replied. “Now, shall we drink? I believe I was promised some Yanghe Daqu.”
As they settled in to drink, Yi-ryang leaned close to Eunho and whispered urgently.
“Are you sure about this? Getting involved with the Hao Sect is dangerous.”
Eunho just smiled and patted Yi-ryang’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. This could be interesting. Besides, having the Hao Sect owe us a favor could be quite useful.”
As the night wore on and the wine flowed, Eunho chatted amiably with Surin, seemingly unconcerned about the task ahead. Yi-ryang, however, couldn’t shake off his unease.
Little did they know that this simple request would set in motion a chain of events that would shake the very foundations of the martial world.
- Also known as Gu Yaja[↩]