Ep518 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

Since the inception of the martial world, there has always been a name that resonated alongside it. The Heavenly Demon Sect. But now, that name has finally faded into the annals of history. With the death of the Heavenly Demon, hailed as the mightiest in history, surpassing all ages in strength, their legacy was inevitably repeated. The rise of the Demonic Cult. The death of the current Heavenly Demon. The emergence of a new Heavenly Demon in the future. However, this time, such a cycle failed to continue. For there was no successor to take her place as the Heavenly Demon. The elders had advised her to appoint a successor as a contingency, but she vehemently refused to listen. Of course, it wasn't that the spark had been completely extinguished. Many managed to escape and dream of rebuilding the cult. Moreover, in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, there exists an ancient text containing the secrets of the Heavenly Demon Arts. However, it would not be easy for them to reveal themselves to the world. The complexity of the Heavenly Demon Arts made it nearly impossible to master using just the text alone. It would likely require a genius that appears perhaps once every few centuries. Thanks to this, the world was abuzz with excitement. “The Alliance of Justice has vanquished the Demonic Cult!” “Heavenly Light Sword God beheaded the Heavenly Demon, bringing peace to the martial realm!” The villages and cities were filled with cheers of joy. Revived vitality. Waves of hope. Everyone celebrated the end of a relentlessly repeating history. Thanks to this hope, the martial world swiftly regained peace and tranquility. And the disbanding of the Justice Alliance, which had been together for a considerable time, was imminent. “You’ve worked hard all this while.” “You’ve worked hard too.” “Ah… next time we meet, I’ll buy you a grand drink.” “Oh, I look forward to that.” The atmosphere was not bad. Because they had fought with unity against one of the most formidable adversaries in martial history. The boundaries and hues dividing justice had become blurred, inspiring each other. Thus, they hurriedly chose to part ways. For a vague boundary could shake their ideologies and potentially invite chaos. To address this, the righteous sects elected a new leader to guide them post-alliance. The new leader was none other than the Sage Master. He persistently refused, citing his age, but eventually accepted to hold the position only until stability returned, as the key figures of the righteous martial world kneeled before him. Thus, he became something of an interim leader. Under his command, the scars healed rapidly. The Qinghai Fortress, devastated in the war against the cult, was restored. The battlefield on Mount Kunlun was replenished. Other places uprooted by the pull of the black sun were filled once more. The scars that recalled memories of that day vanished, and time passed. Six months after that day. Instead of recalling those memories, they pondered an enigma. “It’s been half a year since the God of War vanished.” “They say he was severely injured in the life-and-death duel with the Heavenly Demon.” “Exactly. Just how severe could those injuries be…?” “Rumor has it that the God of War might already have passed away.” “Nonsense! Don’t you dare utter such ill-omened words!” The God of Martial Arts. A new moniker conferred upon Baek Woo-jin, who slew the Heavenly Demon with his Celestial Light Swordsmanship. His story stirred the world. At first, the focus was on his prowess, which stood against the Heavenly Demon the moment the black sun disappeared. Now, half a year later, it was concern over his continued absence. “…Any news of him?” “No, nowhere at all.” “Sigh.” The ladies shook their heads as they read the letter delivered by the Hao Clan. The story that Baek Woo-jin was recuperating from severe injuries originated from them. It was the best excuse they could muster. After all, how could they tell the world that he and the Heavenly Demon were lovers in a past life, and he had left to honor her memory? “…How long do we wait?” “Who knows.” The women lamented. They waited in silence. Hoping that he, having shed his sorrow, would return on his own. They somehow endured through six months. By forcing themselves to tackle more tasks, they reduced the time they had to think of him. But now, as peace began to settle in the martial world, they found themselves with idle time. So much so that it was hard to find work, even if they wanted to. Meanwhile, Baek Woo-jin had perfectly vanished. There wasn’t even a single rumor of someone seeing someone resembling him. Thus, they couldn’t easily embark on a search. All they could do was sit together, drink tea, and reminisce about him. As they sipped their tea and consoled each other, it happened. “Um…, there’s something I’ve been curious about.” The one who spoke up was Yong Seol-ran. As everyone's eyes focused on her, she voiced the question that had been lingering in her mind. “When he returns... where will he come back to?” Her inquiry left everyone puzzled. “Where... do you mean?” “Well, obviously...” “Uh...” “...” And then words failed them. Where would he appear upon his unexpected return? No one could easily answer that question. His family home in Shaanxi? It couldn't be there. Everyone knew he had a strained relationship with his family. But aside from that, no place came to mind. Because he was an outsider. Not born here, merely a wanderer who stumbled upon this world by chance. Recalling this, Dang Seonyeong put down her cup and spoke. “It seems I've found something we need to do.” Jegal Yeonji nodded in agreement. Yet Do Gyeong, still oblivious, asked with wide eyes. “What is it, sister?” She replied, “Let’s build a home.” “A home?” “Yes.” If there isn’t a place for him to return to, then we must create one. Eventually, he will return to us. So, while waiting for him, let's build a house. “A house for all of us to live in together.” A home for Baek Woo-jin. A place where the women who vowed their lives to him could live together. And the name of that house was already chosen. “Baek Family Manor.” The dream began to take shape and grow. “Where shall we build it?” “Shaanxi... isn’t suitable.” “Sichuan doesn’t sound bad.” “Since it’s come to this, why not head to the North Sea?” “...Seol-ran, please go outside.” “Aah, my apologies, sister!” The heated discussion commenced. * * * He wandered aimlessly. Disguised and invisible, whether on a path or not, he continued to walk silently. Moments shared with her. And moments that could have been shared with her, floated in his mind only to vanish swiftly. Once all had been let go, only one thing remained. “We talked about going on a journey, didn’t we?” Nine out of ten moments with her had been during their travels. A journey not taken by choice but by force, laden with heavy, dark burdens. Thus, she suggested taking a journey once everything was over. “A journey without burdens, duties or destinations.” Simply moving wherever their feet would take them, to stay, depart, and savor. A journey, blurred yet full of happiness, with only feelings for each other at the forefront. This lingering sentiment was the last thing left, a sign of unfinished business. So, he decided to shake off those lingering feelings. He knew the connections he'd built and the women awaiting him with longing, yet he felt remaining burdened by lingering feelings while living with them would be a greater wrong. “Yes, let’s go.” He gently laid the cherished body in a sunlit resting place. A tranquil spot with a towering mountain behind and a shallow stream flowing in front. Before burying her, Baek Woo-jin carefully removed the hairpin from her hair and placed it in his possession. Aside from her garments and sword, it was the only item left of her existence. He carved a sizable stone into her headstone and inscribed upon it. In a language only Baek Woo-jin could read. “First Love.” He inscribed just these three words. For they were sufficient. For what could be more cherished and perpetually remembered by a man? He spent three days there. In tribute to her, shedding copious tears. On the fourth day, he finally set off. Just as they had promised, without any destinations or plans. Wandering wherever his feet took him, pausing for a day before beautiful landscapes he or she might have loved. By the time he had roamed all over the Central Plains, one season had passed. He spent another three days by her grave and then set off again. Why travel again after touring the Central Plains already? “Because the season has changed.” Spring, summer, autumn, winter. Even in the same location, different flowers bloom and the scenery changes with the seasons. Having circled the Central Plains over four rounds across the seasons, At last, the thoughts that had gripped his mind flew away with her, soaring high. It was enough now. He realized that lingering any longer was not what she would have wanted. At that moment, he felt certain. Like most people, Baek Woo-jin had buried his first love deep in his heart. Yet, he felt a certainty that he could now move forward, focusing solely on the future, together with the women who had stood by him through his difficult times. Standing one last time before her grave, Baek Woo-jin whispered. “I’ll come visit again. Maybe when we have a child?” He intended to show her the new life when it was born. After speaking those words, Baek Woo-jin finally returned to the path from which he had veered for the past year. “…When I get there, I suppose I’ll start by getting an earful.” He chuckled bitterly, thinking of the women who must have been waiting for him. He paused briefly, pondering. Where should he go? Where were they waiting for him? Having been so disconnected from the world for a while, he needed information. As always, he planned to head towards a branch of the Hao Clan for answers. Just then, an intriguing conversation caught his attention. “I heard the Baek Family Manor is finally completed?” “Yes, they’re holding the completion ceremony in ten days.” “Do you think the God of War will make an appearance then?” “Surely, he will.” Baek Family Manor. God of War. These names, though unfamiliar, resonated deeply with familiarity. Their conversation continued. “They say that house is extraordinary?” “Well, it must be, considering which prestigious families worked together to build it.” “That’s true. I’ve heard the Jegal family, the Sichuan Tang family, the Black Mountain tribe... even the Northern Sea Ice Palace and the Golden Merchants’ Guild provided various expensive materials.” “I heard it’s built to last a thousand years.” Familiar family names began to reach his ears one by one. “……” Baek Woo-jin realized that the conversation was somehow related to him. Author's Note Sorry for the delay. I was trying to maintain that mixed feeling of heaviness and calmness, which took more time than expected. I hope I managed to convey it well… I’ll see you in the next chapter. Thank you for always reading. Have a peaceful night. (_ _)