CHAPTER 37: ONE OF THOSE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS EH, MISS TANG?

The woman rubbed her brow, eyeing Tang Ayeon’s weary demeanor and guessing just how intensely she’d been training.

’That kind of passion must be why she reached peak level at her age.’

"Understood. Anything else you’d like to request?"

"Oh, and these are things I’d like you to get for me personally—keep it secret from the clan..."

A genius barely past her youth asking for personal items? The woman opened the note Tang Ayeon handed her, a mix of faint dread and anticipation stirring within.

"...Miss?"

The list included manuals on bedroom arts, various aphrodisiacs, and stimulants. She looked at Tang Ayeon with trembling eyes, but—

"You can get them, right?"

"Y-Yes! I can get them!"

Meeting Tang Ayeon’s gaze, she quickly averted her eyes.

"..."

"Hey, it’s not what you’re imagining. Just future planning. For a fun life."

"Haha... right?"

"Harmony between spouses matters too..."

The drugs listed far exceeded that level, but she didn’t dare say it aloud. The Tang Ayeon she saw was a bit shadowed but unmistakably a woman in love. At an age when she should be engrossed in martial training, if she ever abandoned it for love, the woman would have to block her path desperately—but—

"...Miss, just in case, these drugs need caution. Overuse could lead to trouble..."

"I know. You think I wouldn’t?"

She didn’t have the courage to stop her. She’d long given up wondering which scoundrel had seduced this "innocent(?)" lady.

’...Stay safe.’

At this point, she was more worried about the other party. She could only pray the man’s vitality was strong enough to keep Tang Ayeon from becoming a widow.

"She said she trusts me... so I should trust her too... She wouldn’t betray me after saying that..."

Tang Ayeon mumbled sleepily, resting her head on the table.

"Oh... by the way, is there a drug to reduce libido?"

"For an antidote, you mean something for men—"

"No, for me."

"..."

The woman began to suspect Tang Ayeon’s exhaustion might not just be from training.

"Miss, how about this accessory? It suits you."

"...No, the one from earlier is enough..."

"With a base this good, anything looks fine on you. Here, try this too."

After arriving in Henan, I was wandering the market with the woman.

Click.

"See? Doesn’t it suit you? A little more effort, and you’d be even prettier—why resist so much?"

"D-Does it really suit me? I can’t tell even with a mirror..."

"You’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen, so no need to worry."

"Urk..."

Honestly, Master still held the top spot, but I wasn’t dumb enough to say "second prettiest" here.

"Didn’t I tell you? To avoid that future, you need to care for yourself. Training in martial arts isn’t the only cultivation—this counts too."

"It’s not like that interpretation’s impossible..."

"The gods of heaven and earth don’t like giving obvious answers. If it really bothers you, I can’t help it, but to prevent that ominous future, you should do everything you can—"

"Fine! I get it!"

They say you can’t spit on a smiling face—she threw up her hands quickly.

Saying that caring for oneself could include appearance wasn’t a lie. From experience, the heavens are so twisted they’d toss out wordplay like this whenever they felt like it. And since appearance is the first thing others see, tending to it naturally fosters a healthier mind.

’Not that I’m one to talk.’

Hiding my face and figure like this—I’m hardly in a position to preach. But my case is special. I don’t want to be kidnapped and sold off. What’s the point of beauty or handsomeness without the strength to protect it?

’Thank goodness for the shop window.’

Without it, I’d never have dared leave the mountains. A regular cloak can only hide so much.

"...Still not done?"

Unlike me, still brimming with energy, she asked in a tired voice.

"Already worn out?"

"...I’m just not used to this sort of thing."

Spending time with her revealed something surprising—she didn’t bother with her appearance at all.

’To look like that without effort?’

A statement that’d spark murderous rage in women obsessed with every 0.1kg or wrinkle. Even Master put some effort into her looks.

["Master, what’s this?"]

["Herbs I dug up recently. They only grow under a full moon’s light, so they’re rare. Grind them fine, mix with water, and they get sticky. Apply it to your skin, and it draws out impurities—good for beauty, they say."]

["Oh... Then we could sell it for meat—"]

["It’s for me."]

["...Do I have to grind it?"]

["You catch on quick."]

My arms ached from grinding, and after handing her the finished product, she topped it off—

["You apply it."]

["...Huh?"]

["There’s a limit to where I can reach myself. It’s rare stuff—shouldn’t we use it evenly?"]

’...Ugh.’

Best not to dwell on that. There were other times too—like when she clung to me, too lazy to get up, and I had to wash her.

Anyway, back to the point—

"You’d be so much prettier with just a bit more effort—don’t you think it’s a waste?"

Even slight makeup and accessories elevated her beauty dramatically. As a man, I felt a swell of pride at the result(?). Before she pulled her cloak back down—embarrassed by the stares—people couldn’t stop looking. If the plum blossoms on her sleeve hadn’t peeked out, clueless guys might’ve approached her.

"Anyway, I’m heading back now. That’s enough for today—"

"I was about to grab some food—leaving already?"

"...Food?"

"Yeah. I asked a merchant earlier—they said there’s a decent inn a quarter-hour’s walk from here. If you’re too tired, we can part here—"

"...I can hear the excitement in your voice already."

"..."

"Famous for liquor, I assume?"

"...Yep."

"Sigh..."

Her sigh rang out. But I had to know how Henan’s liquor tasted! A Taoist shouldn’t go back on their word! She said she’d cover drinks—told me to enjoy myself!

"...I’ll drink in moderation—can’t we make it work?"

She was right, but that dawn display of skill lingered in my mind, making it hard to argue.

"Fine, lead the way. I promised it as an apology—can’t take it back now. Drink as much as you want; I won’t mind."

"T-Thank you!"

It felt like our roles flipped for a moment, but she’d been the one in charge all along.

’What’s Henan liquor like?’

Licking my lips, I headed for the inn I’d scoped out.

"..."

"Kuh—! How is it? As good as the rumors?"

"Man, just like they say! Who’d have thought he’d down it in one go? Imagine Shaanxi’s famous figure coming all the way here!"

Tap... tap...

I drummed my fingers on the table. The Masked Golden Ghost had already bonded with the other drinkers and was fooling around.

"..."

I went through the trouble of coming along, and this is how I’m treated? I wished he’d pay a bit more attention to me—

Twitch.

’W-What was I just thinking?’

How ridiculous. My body might be young, but at my age, to think like this?

"Sigh..."

Guess I’d been away from the world too long—my heart was getting too excited. A Taoist seeking a woman’s happiness? If my younger self’s master knew, she’d have scolded me hard. Especially when I hadn’t even found that boy yet...

"..."

Slurp.

Warm tea slid down my throat, warming my heart too. I had a lot to focus on. Finding that boy to atone for my disciple’s sins, preparing for the Demon Cult and Heavenly Demon whenever they might strike—I’d come on this trip to find him and ease my training fatigue, but now it felt like another inner demon was brewing.

He didn’t seem to approach me with any impure intent, but that was the problem.

’I thought I was used to these tricks...’

I’d faced countless ploys like this in my youth. Time might’ve passed, but experience doesn’t fade—yet this man kept stirring odd feelings in me. Was it because I suspected he might be that boy, or something else? I couldn’t tell.

’What’s the point of martial prowess if I can’t even control my own heart...’

As I considered leaving him with the drinkers and heading upstairs alone—

"...Miss, sorry. I’ll apologize properly later."

His whisper suddenly brushed my ear.

"""Oooooh!!!"""

Cheers erupted around us, and—

"Will you go out with me?"

The Masked Golden Ghost held out a white flower to me. For a split second, my mind nearly blanked, but my years of training kicked in, and I grasped the situation fast. Probably a bet with the drinkers—he lost and was carrying out the penalty. That had to be it.

Thump.

Just a silly tavern gamble.

Thump.

So I shouldn’t react—just ignore it...

Thump.

"...Huh?"