Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 136

Baekji saw that there were six women in total, and the woman in white who had answered seemed to be the leader.

The rest looked to be seventeen or eighteen, and there was also a girl who seemed to be Baekji's age, about fifteen.

The woman in white said to her party, "Hurry and get on the boat. We have to hurry."

Baekji clung to the woman in white.

"Don't be like that... I'll pay double."

"I told you it's not about the money."

As Baekji continued to speak informally, the woman in white's words also became short.

"As you can see, we are all women. We cannot take on a man from outside."

"Do I look like a man?"

Baekji made a mournful face. His clear face and pleading eyes shook the woman in white's heart.

"If I can't get on the boat... I might die wandering the mountain paths..."

Baekji muttered in a voice that sounded as if he would burst into tears at any moment.

At this, the woman in white, after hesitating for a moment, asked, "Where are you going that you're like this?"

It was as if she were asking a younger brother.

"I'm going to Chongqing, but the road is cut off."

"You're going far. You'll have to go west for a while to get to Chongqing."

"West? Where is this?"

"It's Dongting Lake."

Baekji took out a map from his bosom and unfolded it.

"If I go from here to here... isn't this lake Fengdu Lake?"

Baekji pointed at the map. The woman in white pointed much further east.

"No, it's here. Dongting Lake."

"Eung? Why did I come this way? What's with this map?"

"The map seems to be correct. Where are you coming from?"

"Hezhou."

The woman in white looked at Baekji with suspicious eyes.

Judging from Baekji's accent, he was not from Guangxi.

Moreover, it was not convincing that he had come this way, saying he was going to Chongqing from Hezhou.

"Why are you looking at me with those eyes?"

"Where is your home?"

"My home is in Sichuan. Around here?"

The woman in white, after examining Baekji and seeing no sign that he had learned martial arts, asked again, "What were you doing in Hezhou from Sichuan?"

"A friend said he would buy me a drink."

Although it was strange that she was asking so many questions, he answered obediently.

At that, the woman in white's eyes hardened even more coldly. She thought Baekji was lying.

A fifteen-year-old brat went on a journey of over ten thousand 'li' (approx. 5,000 km) to have a drink?

"Who is this friend that you went on such a long journey?"

Only then did Baekji realize why the woman in white was looking at him with strange eyes.

"I'm in a merchant sect called the Yang-Bai Merchant Sect. I went to Hezhou on important business. The Guangdong Escort Agency brought me. I have to stop by Chongqing and then go to Sichuan, but I think I took the wrong road."

"..."

"Just take me to a big village here. Then, I'll go on my own from there."

Baekji looked at the woman in white again with pitiful eyes.

He could see the soft-hearted woman in white hesitating.

"What's your name?"

"Yang Baekji."

"Entrust your sword to me. Then I'll take you to the village."

Baekji quickly untied the sword from his waist and handed it over.

When he even brought Oh-ryong on board, the captain looked at him with a displeased expression but said nothing.

"What's your name?"

"You don't need to know. Stay quietly on the side of the boat and get off when we arrive at the village."

The woman in white said and then went into the cabin.

Only three or four sailors were on the deck, and no one paid any attention to Baekji.

Baekji didn't mind.

"They said the scenery of Dongting Lake is beautiful, and it really is. I should come with my master later."

Although he had gotten lost, thanks to that, he was able to see Dongting Lake.

The lake narrowed and widened, and there were places where rough mountains blocked it like a folding screen, and places where sandbars, villages, and fields were spread out.

The boat arrived at a rather large village around sunset.

"Where is this?"

"It's Yuankang County."

"Thank you. Please take this."

Baekji held out a silver coin.

"I didn't give you a ride for money, so don't get lost this time and find your way well. You can get a boat from here and go up the river."

"Yes. I'm indebted to you, but you won't even tell me your name? I have to repay you later."

The woman in white thought for a moment. On the way, she had seen that Baekji was not a very suspicious person. But she could not tell him her name.

"Be careful on your way."

As if speaking to a younger brother, she took her party and disappeared somewhere.

"There are many good people in the martial world."

Baekji, watching the departing party of the woman in white, put the silver coin back in his bosom.

At that moment, someone spoke to him from the side.

"Guest, do you need a boat?"

When he turned around, a man who looked to be about thirty was standing there. He was wearing short pants and only a jacket, and his arm and leg muscles looked firm.

The man, looking at Oh-ryong, said, "You have a horse too. It's difficult to find a boat these days because of the 'Dragon God Festival'. You'll have to wait a few days to even take a horse. Fortunately, my boat is quite big, so I can take a horse too."

The boatman seemed to have heard the conversation between the woman in white and Baekji.

"The 'Dragon God Festival'? What's that?"

"It's an event in this town that is held once a year. Many people come from far away to see it, so it's this crowded."

"Really? That sounds fun."

Gong-chil said, "Tomorrow is the day of the 'Dragon God Festival', so we can't set sail. It would be a big problem if we were to incur the wrath of the Dragon God."

"Ah, I see."

"You can watch the 'Dragon God Festival' and go the day after. I will receive the money then."

"Then shall we see it after breakfast that day?"

"I will be waiting. My name is Gong-chil."

Baekji, who was turning around, asked, "Where is the best inn here?"

Baekji went the way Gong-chil had told him.

Since the 'Dragon God Festival' was approaching, there were many people on the street.

Baekji pushed through the crowd and stood in front of a three-story building with the words 'Suryu Inn' written on it. It was the inn Gong-chil had mentioned.

The restaurant on the first floor was noisy, and there were many people coming and going.

The waiter, seeing Baekji's attire, said, "Young Master, are you planning to stay at our inn? But all the rooms are full right now, and only one annex is left."

"Give me that."

"But the annex is quite expensive. It has three attached rooms and a separate garden. It's a bit of a burden for one person to use..."

"It's fine."

When Baekji gave him a handful of silver coins, the waiter's eyes widened.

Seeing his luxurious attire, he had spoken to him just in case, but he had hit the jackpot.

The waiter quickly handed Oh-ryong's reins to the stable boy and bowed his waist.

"Please come in."

As Baekji was about to follow him in, he saw the party of the woman in white coming out of an inn across the street.

It seemed they had not been able to find a room and were coming out.

"Here!"

Baekji was pleased and waved his hand as he went.

The woman in white looked at Baekji with a dumbfounded expression and said, "Did you follow me?"

"No. I also came to stay for a night."

"..."

"There are no rooms, right? They said people have flocked because of something called the 'Dragon God Festival'. I rented an annex, and they said it has three rooms. I'll give you two rooms."

The woman in white said, "We can sleep in the cabin. Thank you for the thought, but I'll have to decline."

"Hey. Don't be like that. I got a free ride on the boat, so give me a chance to repay you."

As the woman in white hesitated, the girl who looked to be Baekji's age said, "Big Sister Baek, let's sleep at the inn too. The cabin is too cramped."

The other women also looked at the woman in white with expectant eyes.

"Alright. Let's just be indebted for one night."

The woman in white reluctantly agreed.

When Baekji brought the party of the woman in white, the waiter said with a sulky expression, "Weren't you alone?"

"Yes. My party suddenly increased. I'll give you more money."

When Baekji gave him another handful of silver coins, the waiter's waist bent.

The annex was at the back of the inn, and it was quiet because it even had a wall.

Baekji said to the waiter, "Bring all the most delicious things in this house. These people are my benefactors. I cannot be negligent in my hospitality."

"Yes. Our chef will do his best."

The annex also had a separate living room, so they could eat there.

When the food came out, the women's faces brightened, and they ate. It seemed it was their first time eating such food.

Baekji said, "Let's go and see the sights after dinner. They said there's also a lantern festival before the 'Dragon God Festival'."

At Baekji's words, the women looked at the woman in white. At their pleading eyes, the woman in white let out a light sigh again and said, "Let's do that."

After eating dinner, Baekji went out to the riverbank where the lantern festival was being held with the party of the woman in white.

East of the county, there was a tributary that flowed into the lake. The small riverbank was crowded with people who had come to float lanterns, people setting off firecrackers, and street vendors.

There were also people who took pleasure boats and went far out into the lake to float lanterns.

"Let's float lanterns too. They say if you make a wish, it will come true."

At Baekji's words, the girl of his age's eyes sparkled. Baekji bought lanterns and distributed them to everyone.

"I'm fine."

The woman in white refused but then accepted the lantern.

The small river was filled with floating yellow, red, and blue lanterns. It was as if the Milky Way in the sky had come down to the ground.

"What did you wish for?"

"You're not supposed to say that."

When Baekji asked, the girl laughed and said,

"What's your name?"

"Somae"

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's better than Baekji."

Somae, pouting her lips, spoke and then her gaze went to one side.

It was a street stall selling accessories for women.

Baekji saw that not only Somae but also the other women were not wearing even a common bracelet.

"Try this on."

Baekji picked up a red jade bracelet from the stall and held it to Somae's arm.

"I think this jade bracelet suits Somae."

Somae, her eyes fixed on the bracelet, was startled and looked at the woman in white.

When the woman in white silently nodded her head, she finally accepted the bracelet and put it on her wrist.

The red bracelet looked good on her white wrist.

"Everyone, pick one."

When Baekji also encouraged the other women, they looked at each other and then each picked a bracelet, earrings, or a jade pendant.

The woman in white pretended not to see and looked elsewhere.

A young master from a rich family, leading six women and throwing money around, could not help but attract attention.

The street vendors selling women's accessories called out to the party of the woman in white.

"Young ladies, come and see here too. We have many good things."

Baekji encouraged the party of the woman in white.

"Yes, there are many pretty things over there too. Go and pick one."

"Stop it."

Only then did the woman in white stop him. Then she said to the women, "It's enough that you each bought one."

And then she said to Baekji, "I know you're rich, but it's not right to spend money so carelessly. It's money that someone needs. You should use it preciously. This is more than enough, thank you. You've paid more than the boat fare, so stop."

As she spoke with a rather solemn face, she really seemed like a big sister.

"Yes, as Big Sister Baek says, let's go now. It's late at night."

The party headed towards the inn. On both sides of the road, street pubs were lined up.

In each pub, men were gathered in groups of three and five, drinking, and it was quite noisy.

Occasionally, there were also people who raised their voices and fought.

Among them, there was also a brat who was drunk and was harassing a passing woman. One of them, seeing the party of the woman in white, shot up, ran out into the road, and blocked their way.

"Were there such pretty young ladies in this village?"

The woman in white looked at the man and saw that his attire was quite luxurious, and he didn't seem like someone who would drink in a place like this.

The man, who looked to be about twenty, said to his companions sitting in the pub, "Didn't I tell you? There are pearls even in the mud."

The companions who laughed, 'waa', were all young men of about the same age, and they were also dressed in well-put-together attire.

The man who had blocked the road, cleared his throat and then politely bowed, but he staggered as if he were very drunk.

"My eyes, surnamed Zheng, have been opened by the beauty of you young ladies. Would you not like to have a drink with me and play all night?"

"We are on our way back as it is late at night. We will have to decline."

The woman in white politely but firmly refused.

"Haha. It is natural for a beauty to play hard to get once! We are not street ruffians. If you get to know us..."

At that moment, a clear voice was heard.

"If we get to know you, what? Your actions are exactly like that."

A handsome young man with a folding fan and a beautiful appearance was looking this way. Behind the man were two warriors who seemed to be his guards.

(End of Chapter)