Chapter 7: Friends
The beauty standards of the Central Plains weren’t all that different from modern times.
Pale skin and ample curves.
A slender waist and a light, graceful frame.
Long, glossy black hair.
Bright, clear eyes with a striking contrast between black and white.
Red lips and white teeth.
But above all, the top priority was a petite and delicate physique with a graceful demeanor.
In modern terms? An obsession with extreme slenderness.
Specifically, short and slender.
But that didn’t mean a lack of curves.
A full chest was still a requirement.
Just the right size—about two adult fists.
Anything beyond that was considered vulgar.
This was a trait desired in concubines, not wives.
Which was why men in Murim often favored their concubines over their wives.
A society where people couldn’t openly admit what they truly wanted.
In the end, the beauty standards of the Central Plains weren’t so different from modern ones.
Rather, Murim’s standards were included within modern beauty ideals.
And now, the Jade Qilin, the most handsome man in the world, had arrived in Luoyang.
People who had seen his divine countenance rushed to spread the news.
The most eligible bachelor of the Murim world, descended!
Luoyang’s beauties gathered in one place.
And what they saw—
A lowly, cheap-looking woman, clinging shamelessly to the noble Jade Qilin!
—
A-Qing had followed the guide’s recommendations when creating her character.
In Murim Survival Guide, stats increased through martial arts training, and every martial art in the game could be learned.
This meant that initial stats didn’t matter much in the long run.
So, she had dumped all her points into stamina and strength, completely neglecting appearance.
A build purely focused on surviving the early game.
Thus, when A-Qing first appeared in the Murim world, she was the ugliest woman alive.
However, martial arts classified under the Fairy Techniques category gradually improved one’s appearance.
Among them, the three core techniques of the Moon Maiden Sect were classified as Fairy Techniques and were also high-tier skills, so her appearance stat skyrocketed.
Now, A-Qing wasn’t ugly.
But she wasn’t particularly stunning either.
Just… average.
Yet here she was, standing next to the Jade Qilin.
A complete mismatch. The relative squid theory in action.
And to top it off, she was dressed in the cheapest possible martial robe—an absolute eyesore.
Hostile gazes flooded toward her.
But A-Qing was, at her core, a single, self-sufficient gamer.
She had no complaints about that lifestyle.
The only thing that ever bothered her was the existence of rich brats.
Romance? Just another exhausting emotional labor.
Even with a sea of elegantly dressed women glaring at her, she simply grinned lazily and brushed it off.
She had enough money to live comfortably alone.
She had hobbies that kept her entertained.
Marriage had never even crossed her mind.
As a result, A-Qing didn’t care about the hostile glares.
Instead, she whistled, taking in the spontaneous Luoyang Beauty Contest unfolding before her.
She could guess why they had all gathered here.
Luoyang wasn’t some Amazonian Queendom, after all.
Elbowing Peng Daisan, she grinned.
“Whoa, San. You really do have a face worth its weight in gold.”
“This is annoying.”
“Thitssh itsh annoyinggy. Oh wow, our San is so cool! A true man’s man! Cold on the outside, but surely warm to his woman, right?
Kya~!”
Her teasing lightly brushed against Peng Daisan’s reverse scale.
He should have been annoyed, but for some reason, he wasn’t.
Why?
He pondered the question.
Well, it was probably because Qing’s words were the kind of teasing men used among themselves.
After all, men also admired handsome men.
Even if they cursed them, deep down, they couldn’t help but feel a grudging fondness.
The people men truly despised weren’t the handsome ones.
They were the rich kids flaunting their wealth in luxury cars.
The young CEOs who got their positions through nepotism.
“Just now…”
“So! Where must we go in Luoyang? There’s gotta be a famous spot, right? It’s too early for dinner!”
Peng Daisan was about to ask something, but A-Qing expertly cut him off, distracting him.
It probably wasn’t that important anyway, so he let it go.
“…White Horse Temple. Or the Longmen Grottoes.”
“A temple and some caves? Then caves sound better.”
Peng Daisan didn’t even try to hide his exasperation.
“What?”
“You’re probably the only person in the world who calls the White Horse Temple and Longmen Grottoes just a ‘temple’ and some ‘caves.’”
“So what? Isn’t it a temple? Isn’t it a cave?”
“Don’t say that in Luoyang. The locals have extreme city pride. You’ll start a fight.”
Surprisingly, this was true.
“Well, guess we have no choice. Let’s check out the Longmen Grottoes.”
“…It’s far.”
“How far?”
“Quite a distance outside the South Gate.”
Even A-Qing had to admit that was too far.
“But the temple sounds boring…”
“If you don’t like it, we’ll leave.”
“C’mon, buddy. Show some enthusiasm!”
“I never had any to begin with.”
“Let’s go. White Horse Temple it is. Ready, San?”
“……”
"You’re terrible at setting the mood. Thish itsh annoyinggg Tch."
A-Qing lowered her voice, mimicking someone’s tone.
Peng Daisan let out a deep sigh.
—
Everyone has different travel styles, but they can be categorized into a few types.
First, there are the Planners.
These people structure every part of their trip meticulously, moving according to prearranged schedules.
A relaxed planner is the ideal travel companion, as they significantly enhance the overall experience.
However, some superhuman-level planners break down their itineraries into ten-minute increments.
These travelers end up seeing, eating, and experiencing a lot, yet ironically retain little after the trip is over.
Then, there are the Recluse Travelers.
For them, traveling is simply the act of not being at home for a few days.
Their satisfaction comes not from experiencing new things, but from just not having to go to work.
They care little for good food, unique sights, or famous landmarks.
Their main priority is comfort.
At the slightest sign of fatigue, they retreat indoors.
They frequently clash with Wanderers.
"Why even come if you’re not going to do anything?"
"I came to rest, not to suffer."
And then, there are the Wanderers.
These people simply love moving around.
They get along well with Planners but struggle with Recluses.
They eagerly try new foods, appreciate new sights, and take pleasure in the journey itself.
However, once they lose interest, their focus and enthusiasm vanish, and they look for the next thing to do.
For them, sightseeing is practically an endurance test.
Finally, there’s the Ultimate Travel Companion: the Wealthy Traveler.
A bonus category consists of those who travel solely for social interactions, but they tend to stick to their own groups, rarely mingling with others.
A-Qing belonged to the Wanderer type.
Specifically, she was part of the "Foodie Wanderer" subtype.
Whenever she saw something edible, she shot an expectant gaze toward Peng Daisan.
She was getting her fair share of "friend fees."
From Peng Daisan’s perspective, the cost was negligible—mere pocket change.
Besides, A-Qing had a way of making anything she ate look irresistibly delicious.
However, her impressions of White Horse Temple were mixed.
To A-Qing, it was just a slightly redder version of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Something vaguely familiar.
Like a giant red Bulguksa Temple, minus Seokguram Grotto.
She had neither the eye nor the interest to appreciate the pinnacle of Buddhist art from that era.
The only thing that caught her attention was the Cloud Pavilion Pagoda.
Still, she gave it a proper look.
Then, in true Wanderer fashion, she quickly lost interest.
By the time they exited, the timing was awkward.
Peng Daisan, noticing A-Qing was about to resume wandering, grabbed her and sat her down in a tea house.
The defining trait of Wealthy Travelers was that they solved everything with money and avoided unnecessary hassle.
Having walked around for nearly two hours, Peng Daisan was already exhausted.
So, he figured if he kept A-Qing occupied with food, he could get some rest.
And it worked.
He ordered a table full of snacks and sat her by a window with a good view.
A-Qing, now busy eating and people-watching, finally went quiet.
Satisfied, Peng Daisan sank into thought.
The escort journey would continue to Yongcheng, and five days beyond that was Mount Hua—his true destination.
The Absolute Sword Wall had been revealed.
The reason the previous-generation Murim Leader, the Celestial Martial Emperor, was so revered was because he truly loved Murim.
Even the imperial palace raid had been a warning to the royal court, which sought to manipulate Murim into launching a northern campaign.
His devotion to the Nine Great Sects was particularly strong.
Thus, he personally imparted teachings to them.
But as always, the Peerless Martial Emperor had an unconventional way of doing things.
With a single strike, he split a cliffside and carved six sword scars into it—a personal testament of his insights.
Only the Nine Great Sects received his teachings.
Not the Unorthodox Sects, nor the Five Great Clans.
The Peerless Martial Emperor’s disdain for the Beggars’ Sect was well known.
He dismissed them as mere street rats unworthy of recognition.
As for the Five Great Clans, he simply had no interest.
The only thing he ever said about them was, "There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing family over righteousness."
The Peerless Martial Emperor’s insights were passed around exclusively among the Nine Great Sects.
He was direct and never held back his words.
If he had wanted his insights to be made public, he would have said so—but he hadn’t.
He simply left them to be interpreted as one pleased.
Amidst this, a letter arrived for the noble families.
It was filled with talk of virtue, unity, and an invitation for the next generation of leaders to view the Absolute Sword Wall.
Two things were clear from this.
First, mere peak-level martial artists wouldn’t gain much from staring at the Sword Wall’s insights.
The number of great masters from Mount Hua had remained relatively unchanged over the years, proving this point.
Second, Mount Hua was in dire need of assistance.
Nothing in this world came for free.
The price of witnessing the Peerless Martial Emperor’s insights had to be paid.
But what could that price be?
And why would they turn to the noble families instead of the Nine Great Sects?
As Peng Daisan pondered over this, A-Qing called out to him.
“San, take a look at this.”
A-Qing only called him ‘San’ when she wanted something.
He was starting to recognize the pattern.
She tapped an empty porcelain plate.
“What is it?”
“Someone told me it’s rude to leave an empty plate.”
A-Qing drummed her fingers on the plate impatiently.
Peng Daisan thought of the black hound raised in his family estate.
The beast was a lion-sized dog, standing as tall as his waist.
Whenever it was hungry, it would bring its bowl over and nudge it with its paw.
Even though there were other people who fed it, it always came to him.
"You are remarkably shameless."
“Friendship fee.”
A-Qing puffed out her chest, her expression brimming with unjustified confidence.
It was exactly like that dog.
An attitude that said, "You are obviously supposed to feed me."
The expectation that, of course, he would provide food.
Just then, she glanced at the street.
“…But is illegal dumping a trend in Luoyang?”
“No way.”
“Then why is there so much trash lying around?”
Outside the tea house, the main road was littered with abandoned items.
Colorful handkerchiefs, embroidered pouches, and, in some cases, stray shoes or even pieces of undergarments were scattered across the stone pavement.
A-Qing marveled at the sight.
So, was the act of littering a proud and ancient tradition of the Central Plains?
