Rebirth of the Heavenly Demon

I wasn’t a womanizer who chased after women, but I still had many around me.

At that time, I was the world’s greatest, and to put it crudely, many women threw themselves at me.

As I mentioned before, I even dated the world’s most beautiful woman back then. Of course, the relationship ended because of her family’s attempts to use me for power, rather than because of the woman herself.

I met countless beauties, including the Four Great Beauties of the Central Plains, and the most beautiful women from various regions. I encountered many women where even now, it’s difficult to conclude whether it was love, lust, or just a casual relationship.

After meeting and parting with a beautiful woman, I wanted to meet an even more beautiful one, and then an even more beautiful one after that. It kept going on and on like that…

If I hadn’t become the Alliance Leader of the Murim back then, I might have fallen completely into that pursuit. Even if I knew it was nothing more than an ‘indulgence’ that would leave nothing behind in the end. The swamp of pleasure was the deepest and most dangerous quagmire, and the more I would have struggled to escape, the deeper I would have sunk.

“What are you thinking about?”

Song Hwa-rin’s words snapped me out of my reverie.

Old girlfriends? I couldn’t answer that.

“Nothing. Just remembering a woman who used to dance well.”

“Who?”

“It’s nothing. Here, have a drink.”

I raised my cup. She raised her teacup and clinked it against mine again.

The dancers had left the stage, and soft music filled the hall once more.

She stared intently at my empty cup as she set it down, so I asked,

“Would you like a drink?”

“No.”

She shook her head.

We continued to chat about various topics, from the martial arts world of Shandong to stories about our parents.

“Your mother is really a wonderful person.”

She probably felt that way even more because her own mother had passed away early.

“That’s because you haven’t been hit by my mother’s fist yet.”

“Really? She seemed so dignified.”

“Hehe. You’ll find out later. The one punch hidden behind that dignity!”

I raised my fist, and she chuckled.

The drinking session with her was as pleasant as the atmosphere of this place. We finished a whole bottle of alcohol and continued talking for a long time before leaving.

I don’t know what Song Hwa-rin thought, but I didn’t find my time with her boring.

“I had fun.”

She smiled at my words.

“Me too.”

She was definitely much more beautiful when she smiled.

Just then, a group of martial artists rode past on horses in front of the tavern.

There were about ten martial artists wearing the same uniform, and the aura of the man leading at the front was quite impressive. I could feel it even as they quickly passed by.

The horses that had galloped past us suddenly came to a halt.

The man at the front dismounted and began walking towards us.

I saw it. Song Hwa-rin tensing up as she recognized the man.

The man looked at Song Hwa-rin with a surprised expression and said,

“I thought it might be you, and I was right. Sister! It is you, isn’t it?”

I was also startled by the term “Sister.”

“Senior Brother.”

From Song Hwa-rin’s address, I could tell that the two were martial siblings.

“What happened? Why did you suddenly return home without saying goodbye?”

“It just turned out that way.”

Song Hwa-rin introduced the man.

“This is my Senior Brother Ho Yeon-tak[1] from the Ho Yeon Clan[2], and this is…”

I didn’t even give her a chance to hesitate with my introduction.

“I’m Byeok Ri-dan, Hwa-rin’s betrothed.”

“Ah, the one from the prenatal engagement?”

“That’s right.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m finally seeing you today. I’m Tak, Rin’s Senior Brother.”

He seemed to have a bright and straightforward personality. His gaze towards Song Hwa-rin didn’t show any emotions beyond that of a senior brother.

“Please take good care of our sister.”

“That’s what I should be saying.”

Song Hwa-rin asked Ho Yeon-tak,

“What brings you here?”

“I came down with Master to take care of some business in Shandong.”

At the mention of “Master,” Song Hwa-rin’s expression hardened visibly.

“Master came too?”

“Yes. He came along this time. He’ll be happy to see you. Make sure to visit us. We’re staying at the Gu Clan Manor[3] in Chusong. I have to go now because I’m busy, but make sure you come.”

“Alright.”

Ho Yeon-tak also greeted me.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Of course.”

Ho Yeon-tak left with his group.

I could feel her mood plummet to rock bottom.

“Shall we head back now?”

As I turned to leave first, she grabbed my sleeve.

“Let’s have a drink. For real this time.”

***

There was a shabby tavern not far from there.

This time, we drank there.

Song Hwa-rin downed several shots of alcohol in quick succession, as if trying to drink all the alcohol she had been holding back until now at once.

I silently watched her actions.

Eventually, Song Hwa-rin told me the story she had kept hidden deep in her heart.

It was about her master.

“I started learning martial arts from my master when I was fifteen. My father was so happy that I got a master from the Ho Yeon Clan.”

The Ho Yeon Clan was one of the Four Great Families of the martial arts world, second only to the Five Great Sects of the Central Plains in reputation.

“At first, it was fine. My master really treated me well. But as I grew older, my master’s gaze changed. Even then, I didn’t want to believe it. He had cherished me like his own daughter. When I turned twenty, one night, I opened my eyes to find my master looking down at me. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming. I could tell from his eyes. He wanted to embrace me. My master was hesitating. Whether to pounce on me or not. I jumped up and slapped my master’s cheek. My mind went blank, and I wasn’t thinking straight. I immediately ran out of the sect and returned home.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Now I could understand clearly. Why she hated alcohol.

She had returned home like that. And then I, drunk, went to her house and caused a scene. I really wanted to apologize and bow on behalf of that Byeok Ri-dan bastard.

I could also understand why she wanted to succeed based on her abilities alone, not her appearance. She was sick of men who approached her only for her looks.

“I couldn’t tell my father about it. I just made up a story that I had finished my martial arts training and returned. After that day, I was plagued by nightmares every day. Even now, I dream of that day. No matter how much I try to comfort myself that it’s all in the past, that nothing happened, it doesn’t help.”

It must be because of the betrayal by someone she trusted. Eventually, tears streamed down her face.

Baek Pyo was like that, and so was she. Everyone was suffering from their own wounds, even having nightmares. The thought made my heart ache.

After wiping her tears with her sleeve, she emptied another cup of alcohol.

“Did you hear from your master after that?”

She shook her head at my question.

“No. There was no contact at all. I thought the relationship had completely ended, but…”

“You said you’re still having nightmares? Then it’s not over yet.”

“No. It’s all in the past. Ah… I don’t know either.”

She held up an empty cup, and I filled it for her.

When she drank, I drank with her. I didn’t offer any separate words of comfort. No particular words of consolation came to mind. As a man living in the same era, I just felt sorry.

Yes, if you can relieve it like this, then do it.

Drink, get angry. Shout if you want to shout, curse if you want to curse.

Even small things, if you keep nurturing them in your heart, what starts as a fingernail-sized ball that a dung beetle rolls can grow to the size of a great mountain later.

That shouldn’t happen.

Dung should just end as dung.

***

I carried her on my back as we returned home.

While on my back, she mumbled something.

“… Don’t hate me too much. I’m trying, you know.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Chomp.

Song Hwa-rin bit my shoulder mercilessly.

“Ouch!”

“Liar! You do hate me.”

This girl!

I was about to get angry, but she had already fallen asleep, breathing softly.

I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t dislike her behavior. Today, she had confided in me something that is really difficult for a woman to say. She had shown her trust in me.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve been bitten by a woman.

We arrived home at dawn.

I thought the Song Clan would be in a state of emergency, but surprisingly, their reaction was calm.

Su-ran glared at me sharply, but she couldn’t hide her joy and relief that Song Hwa-rin was safe.

“Since she went out with you, I wasn’t worried.”

Song Woo-gyeong’s unchanging trust made the effort of carrying her back melt away like snow.

Of course, they must have been worried. How could they not be concerned when their precious daughter went out with a grown man and didn’t return until late at night?

But now that she had returned safely, they probably didn’t want to express their worry.

“I’m sorry. We lost track of time while having fun.”

“But for Hwa-rin to drink to the point of intoxication? Did something happen?”

“Nothing bad happened. She drank in good spirits.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s fine. You must be tired, go back and rest. Thank you for bringing her back safely.”

“It’s nothing. I’ll be careful not to let this happen again next time.”

I had no intention of worrying Song Woo-gyeong unnecessarily. Song Hwa-rin probably wouldn’t want that either.

Now that I knew, I could deal with that master on my own.

Whether he’s truly a lecherous bastard who deserves to die, or just a pitiful old man facing the test of lust for the first time. I’ll find out when I check.

“Then I’ll come to pay my respects formally on a brighter day.”

“Please do.”

Song Woo-gyeong’s satisfied smile clearly revealed his true desire to see Song Hwa-rin even one more time.

As I was about to turn around, Song Hwa-rin, who was on Su-ran’s back, suddenly raised her head.

“Hey! Byeok Ri-dan!”

While everyone was startled, she shouted with a dazed face.

“Who’s that woman? Who’s that woman you said danced well?”

Song Woo-gyeong and Su-ran’s eyes widened at this unfamiliar side of Song Hwa-rin.

I pretended not to hear and quickly left the place.

Good heavens! She had been holding onto those words! Song Hwa-rin was truly a woman after all.

****

The next day, I immediately began investigating the Ho Yeon Clan.

Song Hwa-rin’s master was Ho Yeon-nam[4].

He was the third younger brother of Ho Yeon-se[5], the head of the Ho Yeon Clan, and a figure with considerable fame in the martial arts world.

This much was easy to find out, but what was important was why he had come to Shandong. Unexpectedly, I was able to learn this through my father.

“The martial arts world of Shandong is not looking good.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Do you remember Ma Jeongsu from the Heavenly Blade Sect who came down earlier?”

“Of course.”

“I thought he had just retreated, but it seems he actually died.”

I showed a startled reaction.

“What! Who did it?”

“There’s a rumor that the Night Merchants of Shandong killed them.”

“I see.”

Fortunately, the rumors had spread as I had intended.

“Someone named Yeom Hwa[6] has come down from the Heavenly Blade Sect to investigate the matter.”

Yeom Hwa of the Cutting Sword[7].

He was a person I knew about. He was called the Slaughterer within the Heavenly Blade Sect. When the Heavenly Blade Sect wanted to eliminate someone, he would step forward.

He wasn’t an assassin. When someone needed to be overpowered, he would take action. In any case, the fact that they sent him down meant that the Heavenly Blade Sect had made a strong move. It meant they were going for revenge, not negotiation.

“How are the Night Merchants responding?”

The Night Merchants are an organization whose true nature is unclear. There are Night Merchants all over the Central Plains, but it’s not known how they are connected.

“They too have called for help, not wanting to be passive victims.”

Could it be?

“I heard that a master from the Ho Yeon Clan has come to Shandong to mediate this situation.”

Now I could understand why Ho Yeon-nam had come here with his disciples.

It was to help the Shandong Night Merchants.

The fact that they could move the Ho Yeon Clan meant that the Night Merchants were not just some small-time operation.

In the end, both sides would fight fiercely.

Not only the Heavenly Blade Sect and the Night Merchants, but even the Ho Yeon Clan didn’t sit well with me at the moment. There was the issue with Song Hwa-rin, and their alliance with the Night Merchants.

Well, now that things have come to this, I need to closely observe their movements. And if there’s anything to gain in the process, I’ll try to gain as much as possible.

After all, the division among my enemies was an opportunity for me.