At Last, We Meet.
After returning from the Southern Ming Conference, nothing much happened, so I took the time to observe the lives of those who had failed.
Originally, I was an expert in failed lives.
Hyun-cheol was in the state of being delivered to Yongducheolbang.
I recalled the Plum Blossom Sword Technique and requested that Hyun-cheol forge a sword this time.
Whether it would return as a proper sword or whether even Hyun-cheol would fail depended on the life of Geumcheolyong.
The Black and White Society sent Mo Yong-yi to study abroad.
If she grew into a proper medical woman, she would remain with the Mo Yong family, but if she failed again, she would return to the Black Cat Room.
In that sense, I was also an expert in failed lives.
With nothing to do, I looked around outside and saw Cha Seong-tae, who had been living a failed life for over twenty years, diligently swinging his sword.
His master was Ho Yeon-cheong.
A swordsman from an inconsequential family, he had become more of a failure because of me and was now a guest lingering in the Black Cat Room.
The failed master and the failed disciple were comforting each other.
When the two looked at me, I nodded my head once.
"Thank you for your hard work. Keep it up."
"Yes."
Cha Seong-tae and Ho Yeon-cheong slightly bowed their heads to me and continued their training.
To be honest, I didn’t think that this would help Cha Seong-tae rise to fame as a swordsman in the Jianghu.
But since one can never know how things will turn out, I thought I would cheer him on.
So Gun-pyeong was harshly training even more failed subordinates than Cha Seong-tae today.
I crossed my arms and watched So Gun-pyeong.
Still, our So Gun-pyeong was a man of rare diligence in the Black Path.
I thought I should pass on the Black Cat Room to him later.
After all, I was the lord of the Hao Clan, so I could shift various responsibilities onto my subordinates.
After observing a round of failed lives, I moved to the training area.
I sat cross-legged under the plum tree, which would never fail to bloom.
As I occasionally heard the painful groans of my subordinates, a river-like peace washed over me.
The peace in my heart mixed with a sea-like madness, creating waves.
Today, there was nothing particularly angering, but I engraved the word "patience" in my mind as if reciting a sutra.
"I must endure."
"Lord, it's the wall commander. I have something urgent to report."
I opened my eyes and calmly looked at the wall commander, who had lived a failed life in the Black Path for nearly fifty years.
"What is it regarding our great military officer?"
I almost referred to him as a failed life wall commander but quickly corrected myself, leading to an excessive remark.
"Great military officer? You flatter me. Hehe."
"Um."
"Lord, I have news that we have finally found a man who looks very similar."
I was instantly alert.
"Where?"
"The location is somewhat dangerous. Do you know Bai Yingzhi, where the young masters of the White Path often gather for social purposes?"
"I know."
"He was spotted in the bustling area of the street trees. However, the one who went to investigate got caught following him and seems to have been beaten by that man. He returned late because he was receiving treatment at a nearby clinic. I heard his face was bruised and his right arm was broken."
"How did you manage to find him?"
"I combined your words and instructed my men to inquire mainly at famous taverns within the White Path where good-looking men often frequent, and we had some success."
"Indeed, the wall commander's instructions were very appropriate."
"Yes. However, since he resembles the man in the picture, we need to confirm if it’s really him. If it’s too troublesome for you, I can send a faster man again."
I shook my head.
"No need for that. If he catches my subordinate again, it won’t just end with a broken arm. How dare he hit my subordinate? I must take revenge. What’s the name of the subordinate with the broken arm?"
"Everyone calls him Gong-cheol."
"Gong-cheol, got it."
Gwangmyeong Jo-sa was originally from the White Path, so he was quite skilled.
He had been training martial arts since he could walk, so he could easily defeat most masters of the Black Path.
The position of Gwangmyeong Jo-sa in the Demon Sect was not one that just anyone could attain.
Regardless of his personality, he could be considered a rare genius in martial arts.
I commanded the wall commander.
"Let’s prepare."
"Please instruct."
"Ask Gong-cheol and prepare a white uniform and martial attire that matches the current trends there as much as possible."
"Yes."
"Send someone to the Mo Yong family to request poison and an antidote from Master Mo Yong-baek."
The wall commander asked again.
"Poison?"
"If I ask for something like a laxative poison, Master Mo Yong will understand what I mean. Just in case, we should prepare thoroughly."
"Understood. I will prepare quickly."
With the confrontation with Gwangmyeong Jo-sa approaching, I closed my eyes again and entered a state of meditation.
I intended to build up my internal energy as much as possible before facing him.
This man would either be killed or turned into a subordinate; there was no way I would send him to the Demon Sect.
If I failed this time and that time, I would stomp on him to make him a eunuch.
That way, at least the women of the White Path would not suffer.
The women of the White Path probably wouldn’t even know that I was changing their lives like this.
After finishing my meditation, I stood up and murmured in a trance.
"I will make you a eunuch."
Cha Seong-tae, who was training, opened his eyes wide and responded.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Yes."
I began practicing kicks aimed at the groin.
I also extended my punches low.
As I practiced low kicks and low punches while circling around the plum tree, Cha Seong-tae, who was resting, asked.
"Lord, what are you doing?"
"Shut up."
"Yes."
I performed lightness skill and floated low in the air, showcasing a series of strikes aimed at an imaginary groin before landing.
Cha Seong-tae and Ho Yeon-cheong applauded my Eunuch Skill.
"Impressive."
"Well done."
I was the man training to turn a perfectly healthy man into a eunuch.
Bai Yingzhi was named after the white hawk that resided there, but I had no idea why people drank heavily there.
Human affairs often lack clear reasons.
In any case, I arrived at a place where the young masters of the White Path gathered to drink, meet partners, and fight, eventually leading to their downfall.
There were many pathetic fellows in the Black Path, but it wasn’t much different in the White Path.
Those with great ambitions would either be reading books or training martial arts.
Occasionally, there were those who played well, drank well, and were popular with women, yet were also strong in martial arts; such people were just born that way.
The world is inherently unfair.
There were so many inns and taverns here that I wandered around places with many guests.
I pretended to look for friends, entered as if attending a gathering, and then slipped out as if I had made a mistake.
It might seem a bit pathetic, but there was nothing I could do.
After wandering around a few more inns and taverns, I was hungry and had no choice but to settle at a table by the window of the Cheonpung Inn, which was frequented by Jianghu people.
I could confidently say that I had more money than the rich young masters who frequented this place.
I called over the waiter and ordered one representative meat and seafood dish from the inn, along with two jars of strong liquor, ice noodles, sea cucumber known as Geumhaesu, tofu with chili, and dumplings.
It was a bit too much for one person.
However, a country bumpkin like me couldn’t be intimidated in the bustling streets of the White Path.
As the food arrived, I moved my chopsticks and ate like a soldier on the battlefield.
As the day grew darker, the lanterns hanging from the shops illuminated the streets brightly.
Indeed, it was a light that would make women’s hearts flutter and a seductive light that would make fellows like Gwangmyeong Jo-sa’s hearts race.
The number of people increased compared to when it was bright.
In no time, the Cheonpung Inn was full, and a few people glanced at me sitting alone at a round table before turning away.
As the seats became scarce, it seemed they wanted to say something since I was occupying one alone.
However, this was the territory of the White Path.
Everyone gathered here kept a certain decorum, so there were no ruffians or anyone demanding to share a table.
In any case, those who outwardly valued manners were the people of the White Path.
Thanks to that, I ate while looking at the crowd of men and women in the inn, feeling like a country bumpkin, a loner, and a pretentious swordsman.
Fortunately, the waiter was often refilling my water and kindly asking if I needed anything else, so I gestured for him to come over.
The waiter approached and said, "Yes, young master."
I took out a silver coin from my pocket and handed it to the waiter.
The waiter skillfully pulled out a towel he had tucked into his pants and quickly took the coin to the table.
His hand movements were as swift as drawing a sword.
As the waiter wiped the edge of the table with the towel, he muttered, "Please speak."
I took out the portrait of Gwangmyeong Jo-sa and showed it to him.
"Do you know who this is?"
The waiter pondered for a moment after looking at the portrait and then poured me some water, saying, "It’s the face of a scoundrel from the Meng family."
"Meng family?"
"Yes."
"What’s his name?"
"I don’t know exactly, but everyone calls him Mong-rang."
It sounded like a childhood name rather than a nickname.
It meant the wolf cub of the Meng family.
I put the portrait away and asked the waiter one last question.
"Is he a bad guy?"
The waiter looked straight at me and answered firmly, "Yes, young master, be careful too. He’s not someone you can handle."
I finished my meal.
If Gwangmyeong Jo-sa was from the Meng family, there was no need to rush.
The Meng family had once produced generals.
Now, they had completely cut ties with the military and established themselves in the Jianghu.
The entire Meng family was likely a branch family now.
I understood that the main family had been exterminated long ago.
I thought it was highly likely that Gwangmyeong Jo-sa belonged to that family.
As I drank the strong liquor, I recalled Gwangmyeong Jo-sa’s cold aura.
I wondered how strong he was now.
Thanks to Cheonok and my return, I had become incredibly strong at a rapid pace, but the young masters of the White Path had likely dedicated over fifteen years to martial arts training since they could walk.
The children of families that had produced generals or high-ranking officials had immense pride.
If they were treated like a concubine there, their anger would be greater than others.
After finishing the strong liquor, I stood up and went down to the first floor.
Feeling slightly tipsy, I wandered around the bustling Bai Yingzhi, chewing on an ice noodle.
I asked a street vendor where the Meng family was located and paused to watch some performers on the street.
While watching the performance without any particular thoughts, I scanned the crowd and noticed a striking couple.
Their appearance was so outstanding that they seemed to blend in with the onlookers.
They laughed as they exchanged a few words while watching the performance.
Just as I glanced at them, the handsome man holding a folding fan looked directly into my eyes.
“…”
The annoyingly handsome guy folded his fan and pointed it directly at me.
His gesture seemed to say, "If you keep staring, you’ll regret it."
I could only confirm his face after he folded the fan.
I nodded as if I understood and smiled.
The young Gwangmyeong Jo-sa was watching the performance with a beautiful woman.
I was smiling on the outside, but a sea of madness surged within me.
How leisurely he was meeting women.
I knew he was the type to meet many women, yet my anger boiled.
I was furious that he was taking advantage of women, and I was doubly furious that the women he met were so perfectly beautiful.
He hadn’t yet been labeled a lecher, which made me angry for the third time, and his arrogant gesture of pointing at me made me furious for the fourth time.
The alcohol was rising in me, making me angry for the fifth time.
I glared at Gwangmyeong Jo-sa again and whispered to myself, "For the White Path..."
From today, I would temporarily act as a righteous hero.
For the sake of the leader of the martial arts alliance, for the innocent members of the alliance, for the naive women, for justice, and for the foolish men...
I pointed my finger arrogantly at Gwangmyeong Jo-sa standing across from me, silently declaring, "I will deal with your manhood."
I was the man who had returned to deal with Gwangmyeong Jo-sa’s manhood.