"It's obviously because it's fun, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Seeking fun. Isn't that the primordial instinct of humans?"

At Zhuge Wuhyun's extraordinary answer, Baek Yoonjun's mind went roughly blank.

The question of what on earth this human was kept popping up.

'No, he said he'll put it back, so isn't that better than just taking it?'

Perhaps because he had already seen the bottom, a rather positive thought came to Baek Yoonjun's mind.

"Then let's go put it back."

"That was my intention, but..."

Zhuge Wuhyun turned his gaze.

Baek Yoonjun also moved his gaze following Zhuge Wuhyun's.

"Normally, I would have arrived just in the nick of time and put it back, but..."

The place where Zhuge Wuhyun's gaze landed was a place where large buildings with the sign 'Zhongnan Sect' were gathered.

-The Heavy Yang Sword has disappeared!!

-Is there anything else missing?

-The Quanzhen Seven Stars Seal is also not visible!

Thanks to his sharp senses, the commotion happening there entered Baek Yoonjun's ears clearly.

"It seems the plan went a little off course because the White Robed Sword Immortal struck up a conversation."

At those infuriating words, Baek Yoonjun narrowed his eyes and glared at Zhuge Wuhyun.

But Zhuge Wuhyun had a shameless face, as if he had not an ounce of shame.

Baek Yoonjun was on the verge of exploding with anger, but.

-Find it!

Since it seemed that the Zhongnan Sect would search the surroundings as if with a fine-toothed comb at any moment, it seemed better to get out of this place.

"Let's retreat for now."

"I think we should."

Zhuge Wuhyun, who seemed to have some sense, retreated without a word, following Baek Yoonjun's words.

And so, the two returned to the inn.

"Master, where did you go?"

Tang Yuhwa greeted them.

Although it was her usual sullen face, the blush on her cheeks showed that she was not sober yet.

Even though Baek Yoonjun had done nothing wrong, he felt needlessly uncomfortable.

Therefore, he couldn't say anything and just stealthily glared at Zhuge Wuhyun next to him.

"I was on my way back from a walk with the White Robed Sword Immortal to sober up."

Zhuge Wuhyun answered Tang Yuhwa's question with utmost shamelessness.

Baek Yoonjun forgot he was glaring and looked at him with an incredulous eye.

'How can a person's face be that thick?'

At his shameless behavior, Baek Yoonjun was even filled with admiration.

'If my face were as thick as that human's, I would have quit everything long ago and been cooped up in a corner of my room.'

And so, as Baek Yoonjun was admiring him inwardly, the conversation between the two continued.

"A walk in the middle of the night?"

"Originally, a walk is best enjoyed in the middle of the night."

Baek Yoonjun automatically nodded at Zhuge Wuhyun's words.

'A walk is best enjoyed in the middle of the night. There are no people. The best thing is just not to go out, though.' 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

For Baek Yoonjun, for whom the absence of people was the measure of comfort, it was content that made him nod automatically.

"Stop the nonsense and you two go to sleep too. They said someone from Zhongnan is coming to visit tomorrow."

"We will. Divine Doctor of Sichuan, you should rest too."

Fortunately, Tang Yuhwa didn't seem to notice anything unusual and returned to her room.

Only then could Baek Yoonjun relax a little.

In the vision of the relaxed Baek Yoonjun, Zhuge Wuhyun's bundle came into view.

'Now what do I do with that?'

Baek Yoonjun was anxious.

"Then let's each return to our rooms."

Zhuge Wuhyun's shameless face reminded him of someone.

'He looks similar to that man.'

A conversation with a certain human came to Baek Yoonjun's mind.

-No, why am I the elder's master?

-If the one who has given me a teaching that is second to none in the world is not a master, then what is he? So please, speak down to this disciple.

Baek Yoonjun recalled the appearance of the shamelessly shameless Zhuge Hyun, and he felt that appearance overlapping with the Zhuge Wuhyun in front of him.

'Although that man is trustworthy...'

Baek Yoonjun did trust Zhuge Hyun.

While he did trust him.

'He also caused a huge accident.'

In fact, there was an incident in the past that had become very troublesome.

'The fact that the village at the foot of the mountain grew was also partly thanks to that man.'

Although Zhuge Hyun's atrocities came to Baek Yoonjun's mind one by one.

'Let's think about the old days later, but for now.'

Baek Yoonjun's gaze turned back to Zhuge Wuhyun's bundle.

'It's unsettling to leave that with that human.'

Baek Yoonjun stealthily reached out his hand towards the bundle.

"I'll hold on to that, so give it to me."

"Here you go."

Even the fact that he gave it obediently without a word when asked was similar to Zhuge Hyun.

Receiving the bundle, Baek Yoonjun unconsciously asked.

"What is your relationship with Zhuge Hyun?"

"If I had to say, he is my master, isn't he?"

At those words, Baek Yoonjun pondered.

'If I am that man's master as that man Zhuge Hyun said, then does this human become something like a grand-disciple?'

At the ominous thought, Baek Yoonjun quickly shook his head.

'This thing is a grand-disciple?'

Baek Yoonjun had raised several disciples so far.

'They grew up well even though I didn't do much for them, right?'

He didn't know what Baek Sowol was doing, but it seemed she was leading a group and doing quite well, and Tang Yuhwa had become famous as a doctor.

And for some reason, Hong Yungae was leading beggars, and Zhuge Hwaryeong was just doing well without causing any particular trouble.

'As expected, that man Zhuge Hyun is not my disciple.'

Baek Yoonjun quickly removed Zhuge Hyun from his list of disciples.

Since he hadn't put him in in the first place, the word 'removed' was a bit of a misnomer.

"Then I will be going in."

Baek Yoonjun gave a nod to Zhuge Wuhyun, who was returning to his room, and then untied the bundle to examine its contents.

'He definitely said it was the Heavy Yang Sword.'

Baek Yoonjun recalled that the word 'Heavy Yang Sword' was in the noise he heard from Zhongnan.

'Seeing how they're looking for it, it means it's not an ordinary sword...'

Baek Yoonjun stealthily drew the sword and swung it.

Putting aside the fact that its appearance was not ordinary.

'It seems like there's a martial art hidden inside the sword.'

Although Baek Yoonjun felt a strange sense of incongruity from the sword.

'If I examine it here, someone might see, so let's go back to the room for now.'

He timidly put the sword back in the bundle and returned to his room.

Baek Yoonjun, who had returned to his room.

'Hmm?'

He went back outside.

It was because someone was lying on the bed inside.

'Did I find the wrong room?'

Baek Yoonjun checked the room.

'This is my room.'

He opened the door again.

As expected, there was a person lying on the bed.

Not just lying down, but seemed to be sleeping very soundly, breathing softly.

'Was it the great disciple of the Emei Sect, Su Yeohyang?'

Baek Yoonjun carefully identified the other person's identity.

'Why is she sleeping here?'

Having identified her, Baek Yoonjun felt a sense of absurdity along with a flustered feeling.

Of course, he was angry, but since Baek Yoonjun didn't have the courage to wake a sleeping person, he quietly came out of the room.

'To have my room taken away!'

Despairing at the loss of his corner to hole up in, Baek Yoonjun walked down the corridor with heavy steps.

In the middle of that, he discovered a man walking with heavy steps from the opposite direction.

A heavy gait that seemed as if he had lost the world, unbecoming of his large frame.

It was the disciple of the Divine Monk, Hyejin, whose shaved head was gleaming even though it was the middle of the night.

The two looked at each other at the same time.

For some reason, they understood each other's situation at the same time.

"Could it be?"

"You too?"

A sense of kinship sprouted in both of their hearts at the same time.

"In my room, Miss Hwaryeong has taken a seat and is sleeping."

"In my room, Su Yeohyang is..."

Feeling the friendship sprouting at this moment, the two quietly took a seat in a corner of the inn.

Hyejin scratched his shiny head with his thick hands.

"As a Buddhist practitioner, it's a bit... to touch a sleeping woman."

"I understand."

"The White Robed Sword Immortal, although your lineage is different from mine, you are a Taoist practitioner, so you would know."

Although Baek Yoonjun was not particularly a Taoist practitioner.

'There's no need to explain it, right?'

He just decided to keep his mouth shut without clearing up the misunderstanding.

It wasn't that he couldn't refute it because of his extreme homebody introvert nature.

The two moderately grabbed the remaining alcohol and glasses that had not yet been cleared away and filled each other's glasses.

"I suppose those young ladies' rooms are empty, but sleeping in a room where a woman has stayed and lived is something that a person who has devoted himself to Buddhism cannot do."

"I understand that as well."

"As expected, your insight is extraordinary, befitting the title of White Robed Sword Immortal."

Baek Yoonjun sipped his alcohol.

There were things in Hyejin's words just now that bothered Baek Yoonjun greatly.

Normally, the words would not have come out due to his rock-bottom self-esteem, but perhaps because he felt a little closer to him now, he was able to say them.

"That... could you not call me the White Robed Sword Immortal?"

At Baek Yoonjun's words, Hyejin seemed to fall into thought for a moment, but after a very short time, he gave a cheerful answer.

"Indeed, you have humility in addition to your character and skill. I understand. I will do so. Great Hero Baek."

At Hyejin's unbearably respectful gaze, Baek Yoonjun turned his eyes away.

'Both the gaze and the words 'Great Hero' are a bit burdensome.'

Although the title 'Great Hero' was also quite bothersome, since the other party had already backed down once, it was burdensome to say more, so he just kept his mouth shut.

In such a Baek Yoonjun's vision, Hyejin bringing a glass to his mouth came into view.

Since he had already talked about the title, and since it came to mind, he asked about the other bothersome thing.

"Isn't alcohol forbidden in Shaolin?"

In a way, a sight more bothersome than the title.

When Baek Yoonjun mentioned that sight, Hyejin paused the glass he was bringing to his mouth.

After a very short silence that followed.

"That is."

Hyejin, unlike before, moved his lips slightly slowly, as if making an excuse.

"It is training."

"Training, you say?"

"It is training not to be consumed by alcohol."

The words 'What kind of bullshit is this?' came to Baek Yoonjun's mind, but he couldn't say them.

"I see."

Since he didn't have the courage to question the other person's words more deeply, he could only say words that ended the topic.

'Come to think of it, wasn't this human's master, the Divine Monk, also a human who spouted the sophistry that the person was hitting the fist with his body while beating people up?'

Recalling his first meeting with the Divine Monk, which he had forgotten because he had been showing a normal appearance until now, Baek Yoonjun.

'Since he's that human's disciple, he can probably say such nonsensical things and practice them.'

He forced himself to be convinced.

Although he was not convinced at all, since he didn't have the courage to refute, he decided to just let it slide.

'Both the Divine Monk and this human are not bad people, except for their strange points.'

To Baek Yoonjun, human relationships were a difficult task, and conversation was like a disaster.

'It's still hard these days, but is it not that much?'

Since he had gotten a little better, he was tilting glasses with the man in front of him like this, but.

'Anyway, I've grown up a lot too. To be able to drink so casually even when I'm alone with a grown adult.'

And so, as they were exchanging glasses without a word.

"Come to think of it, I'm the youngest among the group."

"Pfft."

At Hyejin's sudden words, Baek Yoonjun almost spat out the alcohol he was drinking.

"Then how old are you...?"

"It's embarrassing, but it hasn't been long since I stopped being a child monk."

Baek Yoonjun stared blankly at Hyejin, not even realizing that alcohol was trickling down the corner of his mouth.

"Ah, but you don't have to worry. Since I passed the age of learning a while ago, I've reached the age where I can enjoy drinking at an inn."

"Ah... yes..."

With his mind in a daze, Baek Yoonjun examined Hyejin.

A much larger frame and build than Hong Yungae, who had a fairly sturdy build.

On top of that, a rough face that looked like he was well past the age of majority.

'Where does that look like a face that has just passed the age of learning?!'

At that time, what came to Baek Yoonjun's mind was, ironically, Tang Yuhwa.

Tang Yuhwa, who was much older than the burly monk in front of him who had just passed the age of learning, but looked younger than the age of learning.

'They're complete opposites.'

Baek Yoonjun seriously considered whether the order of the world would be right if he swapped their ages.

And so, the drinking party, laden with Baek Yoonjun's agony, continued through the night, and the companions woke up one by one and showed their faces at the inn.

Among them, of course, were Su Yeohyang and Zhuge Hwaryeong, who had illegally occupied Baek Yoonjun's and Hyejin's guest rooms.

"I-I'm sorry! Great Hero Baek!"

"It's alright."

"I will atone for this sin with death!!"

"There's no need to go that far."

While moderately accepting the apology of Su Yeohyang, who was fidgeting and continuously bowing her head, Baek Yoonjun observed Hyejin and Zhuge Hwaryeong.

"Sorry, Brother Hyejin. I think I drank too much yesterday."

"Haa, didn't I tell you to drink in moderation? Older brother."

It seemed that after Baek Yoonjun had stealthily slipped out of the drinking party, the two had become 'older brother' and 'younger brother'.

'This guy's reaction is the same as Hong Yungae's.'

Although Hyejin was treating Zhuge Hwaryeong politely, Baek Yoonjun's senses could see it.

A subtle blush.

And next to him, although he wasn't showing it on the outside, he could also see the slightly fidgeting appearance of Hong Yungae.

Baek Yoonjun scratched his chin and stealthily examined Zhuge Hwaryeong.

'What a sinful brat. When will this kid stop cross-dressing?'

In the middle of that, a strange sense of incongruity brushed past.

'Come to think of it, yesterday my mind was occupied with the things from Zhongnan, so I couldn't think, but didn't Monk Hyejin definitely call Hwaryeong 'Miss'?'

With eyes that had become even more intrigued, Baek Yoonjun observed the three.

(End of Chapter)