It's been ten years since I was possessed into this damned murim world.
"...Master. Can't you at least handle your own undergarments?"
"Too bothersome."
"Sigh..."
I was rolling around under my crabby master.
Anyone else might envy me.
She was a beauty so stunning that calling her a nation-toppling one felt like an understatement, and getting to handle such a woman's intimates wasn't an everyday opportunity.
But that only lasted a day or two.
"Master... I'm a man too. Don't you have even the bare minimum of propriety as a woman?"
"Oh? So you see this master as a woman, do you?"
"That's not what I meant..."
She might look the part, but there was nothing womanly about her in any other way.
She couldn't even cook properly, couldn't do laundry, had a foul temper, and wouldn't stir even when the sun was high in the sky...
After ten years of that, even a thousand years of love would cool.
-Splash, splash
"Forget it. I've said it over a hundred times already. What's the point now? You weren't listening anyway."
"You know me well."
Was I taken in as a disciple or a housekeeper?
Sure, in this world, it was common for disciples to tend to their masters, but she was the opposite sex—and this defenseless?
At least she kept her promise not to let me starve, but I was taking a huge loss here.
-Glance
A Central Plains-style outfit blending red and white.
Lush golden hair gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight streaming into the room.
And a figure boasting curves that would crush most Western women I'd seen on screens in my past life.
'Damn, my standards are ruined for no reason.'
After ten years staring at her, the future worried me.
No ordinary woman would catch my eye anymore.
"By the way, Master. I have a question."
"What is it?"
"When can I descend the mountain?"
Ten whole years.
Time enough for rivers to change course.
Now in my late twenties since possession, wasn't it time to head into the jianghu?
"Ridiculous! You still don't grasp how terrifying the outside world is!"
"I know that, but..."
I hadn't read many murim novels before possession, but I knew it wasn't a safe place.
A world where one wrong provocation could cost your head.
Even without personal trouble, you could get caught in martial artists' fights and end up crippled.
I knew it was brutal.
"But I can't stay cooped up in these mountains forever."
Living like this was no fun.
If I were diligently cultivating martial arts up here, I could endure with dreams of a glorious life awaiting outside.
But vague divination? No patience for that.
No real sense of achievement anyway.
What use was fortune-telling in the mountains?
At best, predicting tomorrow's meat.
"...You hate this mountain life that much?"
"Not hate, exactly, but it's boring and monotonous. Life lacks flavor."
Coming from modern Earth with the world's entertainment at my fingertips online, mountain life was pure tedium.
"Better to risk the jianghu and savor life than grow old and die here. Meet people, drink, travel, taste worldly delights."
"...Wait just three years. Then I'll take you out myself."
"You said that last time and dragged me back after three days."
"Tch... You listened so well when I first brought you. When did you grow so bold?"
That day passed quietly too.
But my longing for the outside world kept building.
...
One day, Master made a sudden declaration.
"I'm entering closed-door training."
"...Pardon?"
Closed-door training.
Sealing oneself away from the world, surviving on dry rations, wholly devoted to cultivation.
And she was doing it now?
"Suddenly?"
"It's about time."
"Uh... how long?"
"Three years at most. Two and a half at least."
Two and a half to three years.
A long stretch.
"...And me?"
"You'll wait, of course. My disciple."
Alone for three years?
In these empty mountains?
"..."
I had crops, so no starvation, but no meat without her.
Three years on grass? As if I were some monk.
This made no sense.
'Wait.'
This was my chance to escape.
"I'll pray fervently for your safe attainment of the desired realm."
I bowed deeply.
"Don't worry about me at all. Focus solely on your training. I'm of age now; living alone is no issue."
"You look almost happy."
"How could I not rejoice as your disciple, when you're on the verge of the achievement you sought?"
"...No ulterior motives?"
"Haha, where would I go, leaving you after ten years of your nurturing grace? I'm no ungrateful wretch to betray my benefactor. And you know I couldn't harm even a hair on your precious body."
Master was an enigma.
She'd taken me in, intrigued by my warped affinity, and I thought she'd teach martial arts—instead, it was divination, peeking into heaven's records.
Following Heaven and Defying Heaven. Sorcery somewhere in between.
[In good terms, attuning to heaven's energy. In bad, daring to spy on heaven's records—true sorcery.]
Fancy talk for foresight, but useless for surviving this iron-and-blood land.
Couldn't see my own future, and useless against armed thugs.
I'd begged for talismans—could ward off misfortune, summon luck, but no folding earth or summoning winds like real Taoists.
Best I had for self-defense? Less stamina drain when running.
Good for fleeing.
Anyway, pitiful disciple that I was, Master was different.
Lazy as she seemed, when she went out, she'd vanish like a ghost, return with game. No ordinary person.
I'd thought Taoist at first, but ruled it out.
Now figured hidden jianghu warrior.
"...Fine. It'll be lonely alone, but endure a bit. I'll be back soon."
"No problem. Tending crops will make time fly. Ten years passed before I knew it. Three is nothing, Master."
"I'm grateful you see it that way."
She patted my shoulder.
"See that tree? Planted when you were this tall—now it towers over you. Back then, the path barely reached your knees."
"...By your return, it'll bear fruit."
"Time flies..."
Ten years.
Enough to fade Earth memories.
Most spent with her.
"After I emerge..."
"Master, don't say it. That's inviting misfortune."
"...Even at parting, such a proper disciple."
I stopped her flag-planting; she hugged me, resting her head on my shoulder.
-Squeeze
"..."
"..."
We embraced silently for a while, then I headed to the kitchen for a farewell meal.
When I brought it out...
Her room was sealed tight with dozens of golden threads and talismans.
'Three years.'
Long or short, depending.
After ten like this, three more wasn't bad.
Lonely without company, though.
I'd cursed her temper, but deep down, there was affection.
Complaining about burnt rice,
Stains not fully gone,
Undercooked meat,
Hoarding treats I'd bought, then devouring most,
Mocking failed divinations,
Teasing harassment when bored...
'Time to go.'
Ptooey.
Live well and eat well.
I'll survive out there.
...
"Hm!"
I double-checked my gear for the outside, slung my bundle.
Over inner clothes, a massive cloak shrouded body and face.
[Master! Look! Can you see my face?]
[A marvelous item. Where do you keep finding these artifacts?]
Hard-won cloak.
Nearly half my ten years invested.
But unused artifacts are pointless.
Now it proved its worth.
No one picks fights with a suspicious cloaked figure.
"Well then, Master. This unworthy disciple will take a quick look around the world."
-Tadadak!
I hurried, lest she follow.
New lands.
New people.
Food, drink, pleasures.
Untasted experiences awaited.
Thus began my jianghu journey.
...
"Anyone there?"
After Yuseong left, the mountain dwelling felt devoid of life, save the firmly shut door.
A merchant stood before it, cart laden with goods.
"Not here?"
He set the cart down, pulled a map from his bosom.
Recently, a nation-toppling beauty had appeared suddenly, offering a decorative accessory as collateral.
[I'm entering closed-door training soon, leaving my disciple alone—worrisome. Grains are fine; deliver meat and treats periodically to the mountains.]
She was stunning, but the accessory screamed wealth—dozens of taels of gold easy.
[Prefers beef. Likes jeonbyeong pastries. Seemed fond of tanghulu too... If money left, bring books to stave off boredom. Seems worldly-curious; tales of various regions would suit.]
[Uh... rumors say dangerous beasts in those mountains...]
[Follow this map; I've cleared the path. No beasts for at least three years.]
Cold impression, but doting on her disciple.
True—no wild animals en route.
Wasted hiring an escort.
"This is the place?"
In the end, after lingering long and pondering, he left the cart and descended.