NOVEL WEB Chapter 2
2nd Episode: A Hungry Person is Better Than a Full Pig
“Hoo.”
I calmed the boiling excitement, bloodlust, and male pride within me.
Heaven and Earth, I am the only one.
It was said that upon being born from the side of Queen Maya, Siddhartha Gautama stood upright after walking seven steps in all directions and declared his stance to save sentient beings from the cycle of life and death.
Literally, the Buddha, having been born extraordinarily, announced that he would save beings from suffering.
Though I am not a great saint like the Buddha or have any desire to save sentient beings, I still wanted to make a declaration after my rebirth.
This time, unlike in my past life where I was a eunuch and couldn’t fulfill my desires, I would live solely for my own desires.
I would live only for myself.
After shouting out what I wanted to say, my heart felt lighter, and I rummaged through the belongings of a dead middle-aged merchant sitting near the canal, pulling out dried meat to chew on.
Chew, chew.
The tough and salty jerky crumbles in my mouth.
“Now I feel a bit better.”
With some nutrients flowing in, I felt slightly revitalized.
I sensed a pleasant heaviness in my lower body and began to devise my future plans.
I had clumsily declared my intentions, emulating the great Buddha.
Now I needed to seriously paint the blueprint for my life.
What is Cloud and Rain Pleasure?
It is humanity’s greatest mystery.
If you’re a man, unless you’re a eunuch, you must have contemplated and struggled with it.
Even though my physical age is 12, if I exert a little effort, it wouldn’t be hard to make a few coins, and with that money, I could possibly visit a Courtesan House.
‘Such simple pleasures are unnecessary.’
But I am a modern person.
Moreover, I am someone who dislikes sex work, equipped with very modern morals and ethics.
I don’t really like it.
No, I hate it.
I despise relationships purely based on physical pleasure without affection or love.
So how can I enjoy true pleasure?
During the preparation period for the Rebirth Great Method, I coldly explored and pondered what supreme pleasure truly is.
As a result, I was able to derive what I believe to be the most rational answer.
‘A hungry person is better than a full pig.’
The meaning of this proverb was simple.
No matter how full a pig is, it remains a pig and can never become a person.
One should not pursue quantitative pleasure but qualitative pleasure.
Simple pleasure, meaningless pleasure that is merely abundant, is unnecessary.
I seek qualitative pleasure, supreme pleasure, and exalted pleasure that involves mutual emotional exchange and physical enjoyment—that is my ultimate pursuit of the Color Spectrum.
From the perspective of pursuing true Color Spectrum, a Courtesan House purely seeking quantity is but a base, vulgar pleasure.
I have no intention of pursuing such cheap Cloud and Rain Pleasure.
I shall not recklessly throw away my precious virginity.
I will absolutely not become a full pig.
A hungry person, no, a full person must be the goal.
‘Simple physical relationships are unnecessary. It should be a relationship where both share physical and emotional affection, and the partner must be an absolute beauty!’
A relationship where I reciprocate affection with a stunning beauty who loves me.
Not merely simple physical pleasure, but a relationship that seeks mutual mental satisfaction and love.
That is what I pursue in the Color Spectrum.
Enjoying alone has no meaning.
My partner must enjoy as well.
My partner must love me.
Of course, if following modern moral principles, it might demand monogamy, as one must have only one partner.
‘Is that really necessary?’
This is not modern South Korea, but a lawless medieval martial world.
For a capable man, it is a given to have a Three Storey Tea House.
Yet, I would not insist on just monogamy.
There’s a saying: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
I am a modern person, but I’ve lived as a native of the Central Plains for 50 years.
I, Lee Cheol-soo, having regained the pride of a man, vowed to remain true to my desires.
Besides, didn’t I live as a eunuch for a whopping 50 years in my past life?
Having not experienced it for 50 years, am I now to be satisfied with just a single Cloud and Rain Pleasure?
‘That won’t do.’
It cannot be.
Since I’ve regained my pride as a man, I will enjoy love with multiple beauties within the bounds of Color Spectrum.
Naturally, I have no intention of forcing a relationship on someone who does not want it.
I won’t stop women who come, but those who wish to leave, I will bound and keep.
Thus, I will build my Three Storey Tea House and enjoy Cloud and Rain Pleasure together with my stunning beauties.
That is the ultimate Color Spectrum I pursue!
The ultimate goal of my life!
Given that I have regained my male pride, shouldn’t I aim to be a harem king?
Three Storey Tea House! Wine Pond and Meat Forest! Cloud and Rain Pleasure!
Having established my ultimate goals for the Color Spectrum, I settled back down and resumed chewing on the jerky.
During the preparation for the Rebirth Great Method, I had mapped out not only the contemplation of the Color Spectrum but also the roadmap for my male life after rebirth in detail.
The Rebirth Great Method is a spell that transmits the subject’s soul to a future individual based on the time of casting.
If the method succeeded, I would have reincarnated in the body of someone physically deceased, perhaps even into mine, from a future time.
Naturally, choosing the body to reincarnate into is impossible.
It would be fantastic if I could merge with the legendary family member of the Namgung Family, but it is also possible that I might reincarnate into the body of a normal-level street bum.
Therefore, I prepared thoroughly to carry out the Color Spectrum regardless of the status and position of the body I would reincarnate into.
‘That was my tomb.’
The means to prepare became my tomb.
The tomb of Lee Cheol-soo, a dignified public official.
I intentionally built an extravagant tomb using the authority that could make even birds drop dead and included treasures, as well as supreme martial arts manuals and elixirs under the guise of burial goods.
Moreover, the installation of devices that only I could decipher was added for good measure.
I personally prepared the opportunities that my future self could utilize upon rebirth.
Normally, after reincarnation, I would have located my tomb made near Beijing and gathered treasures, elixirs, and martial arts manuals buried inside to confidently emerge as a new master in the martial world.
The plan was perfect.
The problem was.
‘But I’ve regressed, not reincarnated?’
I’ve ended up returning to the past instead of the future.
The inheritance left by my past self, my tomb of Lee Cheol-soo, does not exist in this time.
The accommodations I prepared have vanished.
‘Then I must redo the roadmap from the beginning.’
But I was not flustered.
Although my tomb disappeared, I now possessed future information that only a regressor could have, which might well be a stronger advantage than what I had prepared in my previous life.
Moreover, in my past life, I was the head of the supreme information organizations, Dongchang and Seochang of the Central Plains.
For the next 50 years, I would know nearly all events that would unfold.
‘To win the love of women, wealth and honor are necessary.’
I was quite good at self-objectification.
If I were handsome, I could achieve the Color Spectrum in no time, but regrettably, my looks could not even be said to be handsome, even as a compliment.
Nor was I ugly, just plain, perhaps a bit fierce, resembling a street punk.
With looks like these, gaining the favor of stunning beauties and, moreover, enjoying a Three Storey Tea House and Cloud and Rain Pleasure to attain the ultimate Color Spectrum would require wealth and honor.
‘There’s a saying, A hero loves beauties, and heroes do not shun a Three Storey Tea House.
Reversing that, it means that you need to be a hero to enjoy a Three Storey Tea House.
That means I needed to become a hero first to enjoy a Three Storey Tea House and Cloud and Rain Pleasure.
The means to attain Color Spectrum was wealth and honor.
If one had wealth and honor enough to be called a hero, women would naturally be attracted to me.
It’s only logical that a rich and honorable man would be more appealing than a broke vagrant.
Then I needed to seek methods for acquiring wealth and honor to become a hero, and currently, I had about three methods.
1. Join the army, achieve military merit, and gain promotions to earn wealth and honor to attract the favor of beauties.
2. Pass the civil service exam, enter the political scene, and gain honor and wealth as a bureaucrat to attract the favor of beauties.
3. Immerse myself in the martial world, build my reputation through martial exploits, and earn wealth to attract the favor of beauties.
Three choices.
In gaming terms, it was akin to a first job change—one of the most critical junctions.
Once a job change is made, there’s no turning back.
Thus, I had to choose wisely.
Soldier, bureaucrat, or martial artist?
My choice is.
‘Naturally, I shall choose the martial artist.’
I chose to be a martial artist.
‘Not a soldier. I should join the army, but it’s just full of men, and I’d end up fighting against foreign tribes every day. It would take forever to get promoted.’
More than anything, having experienced military life during modern times myself, even the “advanced military” of South Korea in the 21st century had its fill of nuisances.
But what? A medieval martial world army with no sense of human rights?
Having only heard rumors about the military when I was a eunuch in my previous life, the level of absurdity was beyond imagination in this rudimentary medieval martial army.
Additionally, having just regained my male pride, I cannot re-enlist in a damn army where I cannot even catch a whiff of a woman, brimming only with filthy men.
Re-enlisting? I’d rather fear that in my dreams.
‘Neither bureaucrat. How long would it take me to break into the cartel of elite families in Beijing?’
While passing the civil service exam itself might not be too hard, the real issue is advancing in ranks.
The cartels formed by prestigious families in Beijing are robust.
Breaking into that cartel isn’t impossible, but it would certainly take a long time.
Becoming a high-ranking official would likely take me until my 30s at the earliest and possibly my 40s at the latest.
In addition, this is a medieval Confucian land that worships Confucianism.
All bureaucrats are also gentlemen.
Having just been reincarnated, should I live like a gentleman and suppress my desires until I’m 40 years old?
That’s impossible. Absolutely not.
So, the martial world it is.
If I can combine strong martial skills with future information, I could quickly build a name for myself and gain recognition as a rising star in the martial world.
What if I participated in the Yongbong Society and created a stir?
Becoming a hero would be a piece of cake.
Achieving a Three Storey Tea House in my 20s is entirely feasible.
“Ho ho ho ho ho.”
Just as laughter came naturally from my mouth.
I reflexively shrank my shoulders, covered my mouth with my hand, and shuddered, shaking my head.
Drip.
Cold sweat poured down my back.
Here I am, perfectly intact, but laughing like a shy eunuch!
Is it from living as a eunuch for 50 years that such habits have come to pass?
To laugh like a eunuch in front of stunning beauties? They would all see me as a buffoon.
That cannot happen.
To become the strong man who commands the Three Storey Tea House, I must correct such trivial habits.
“Hehehehe, hahahaha!”
I took my hand from my mouth, opened my shoulders and chest wide, letting out a hearty laugh—not the eunuch’s laugh, but the robust laughter of a hero.
Yes. Now, that’s better.
As a man, I should be like this.
A rosy future unfolded before my eyes.
A Three Storey Tea House in my 20s!
I already felt the stunning beauties flickering before me.
Bam!
The black dragon in my pants stirred.
‘Speaking of the martial world, I suddenly think of a sect that’s perfect for me to join, or rather, that comes to mind.’
I corrected my internal monologue.
There was no more need to remain in eunuch speech.
To build a Three Storey Tea House through love with a stunning beauty, I had to be reborn in spirit as a man, not a eunuch.
I must change all my 50-year-old eunuch habits and adopt the spirit of a robust man.
That is the great first step toward the Color Spectrum.
While rummaging through thoughts in my mind, I discovered a sect that would be just right for me to join.
Gongdong Sect.
Gongdong Sect.
Once a prominent sect holding one of the positions within the Nine Sects, but 50 years ago it faced near annihilation during the Demonic vs. Orthodox War, led by the Cheonma of the Demon Sect.
Due to the scars from the Demonic War, it now finds itself relegated even from the Nine Sects, its family dwindled.
But I knew their future.
Five years from now, the fallen Gongdong Sect will rebuild itself, and a talent who will elevate it to the best in the world will emerge.
Geomseong Yujinhwi.
I was well aware that the future leader of the Orthodox Sect would emerge from the Gongdong Sect.
And I also knew well that Yujinhwi was central to many events occurring in the martial world, hence why his reputation spread rapidly.
A quintessential protagonist in a martial arts novel about the revival of a fallen sect.
That person is Yujinhwi.
After joining the Gongdong Sect, if I can exploit Geomseong Yujinhwi and resolve all matters concerning the martial world, I would certainly rise to become the hidden power in the Orthodox martial world.
Power, wealth, and honor—the means to establish my Three Storey Tea House would all be in my hands.
With the fierce court politics of the Hwanggung, I had already been the ultimate victor, crushing all competitors.
Becoming the behind-the-scenes power in the Orthodox martial world would be akin to a walk in the park.
Moreover, there is someone in the Gongdong Sect more important than Geomseong Yujinhwi.
‘The future Baekdojeilhwa was also part of the Gongdong Sect.’
Baekdojeilhwa.
The most beautiful woman in the Orthodox martial world was originally from the Gongdong Sect.
Having determined my goals, methods, and means, I smiled while quickening my steps.
“Everything is for my Three Storey Tea House.”
I muttered softly to myself, taking the dead merchant’s bundle and leaving the canal.
I felt a pleasant heaviness in my lower body, a feeling I could never experience in my past life.
My destination is Gansu Province Gongdong Mountain.
It would be the core of my Three Storey Tea House plan.