Chapter 184
184
The boisterous atmosphere instantly turned awkward, making me feel self-conscious.
As I pretended not to notice and kept gulping down the wine, Jin-sung, who had been silently guarding his seat, asked softly,
“Does it suit your palate?”
“It’s delicious. The aroma is rich, and it sticks to my tongue. If I had known that ritual wine was this delicious, I would have visited the Taoist temple more often.”
“……”
“I’m just joking, so don’t make that face, Do-jang.”
I feigned covering my face with my hands at Jin-sung’s strange gaze, and he said calmly,
“You are welcome to come often.”
“Oh, so you accept pilgrims with impure intentions too? You said alcohol is not allowed in the Taoist temple.”
“That’s a precept limited to practitioners. We don’t force precepts on outsiders.”
Jin-sung replied with a faint smile.
Oh? He smiled.
He’s been smiling a lot lately.
I stared at Jin-sung, amazed by his smile, when Song-gwang cleared his throat and called me.
“Ahem, ahem! Dang Sojeo.”
“Yes, yes?”
Startled, I looked at Song-gwang, who smoothly changed the subject.
“Is your swordsmanship training going well?”
“Not at all. It’s so difficult that I admire the Swordmasters. It seems to get harder the more I hold it.”
“Haha, it’s only been a little over half a year, hasn’t it? It’s amazing that you’ve become so skilled in such a short time, Young lady.”
“You don’t have to sugarcoat it, Do-jang. I know I don’t have talent for the sword.”
Yang Gyo-jin’s words that it would work out if I kept at it had given me a small hope that ‘maybe I could too…,’ but that was only possible because he was a genius. I wasn’t a good fit for the sword.
At my gloomy reply, Song-rim widened his eyes and shook his head.
“Yes? What are you talking about, Young lady? You have no idea what level people who have been to the Martial Arts school for about half a year are at? Even the ones who are said to be fast are only able to imitate the basic stance.”
Wow, that’s exactly me. Should I be happy that I’m at least average?
I smiled bitterly at the clumsy consolation and tilted my glass, and Song-hwa scratched his chin.
“You really don’t know? Young lady. How long have you been learning Hidden Weapons?”
“Um… I wonder. How long has it been?”
I met Grandfather in late winter, so… two and a half years? A little over half?
“It’s been a little less than three years. I learned from Grandfather for about seven months? After that, I practiced alone, so I’m still clumsy. Does it show?”
As I counted on my fingers and answered, Song-rim frowned and asked again.
“Yes? You’re saying that the period you were taught by Poison King was only seven months?”
“Are you drunk? I think you misspoke and meant seven years.”
“I’m perfectly fine. It’s seven months.”
Song-in, with a dumbfounded expression, rubbed his ears and asked again.
“So, you’re saying that you were taught by Poison King for seven months, and before that, you learned from another elder in your Sect?”
“No. I learned from Grandfather from the beginning.”
“Th-then when did you form your Dantian…?”
“I made it while learning from Grandfather, so that’s also a little less than three years.”
Then Song-hwa froze with his wine glass in his hand. Jin-sung also looked a little surprised.
“…Yes?”
“Weren’t you given a Bone Tempering Cleansing as soon as you were born?”
“That’s the Inner Energy you’ve gathered in three years? Did you bathe in Spirit Stone Oil or something?”
“It doesn’t make sense. I thought Young lady was a Martial Artist who had been practicing for at least ten years.”
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of astonishment, I also shrank back. Song-hwa, who slowly put down his wine glass, swallowed hard and opened his mouth.
“J-just a moment, Young lady. Then, when I first met Young lady, it was a time when you hadn’t even been training for a year yet?”
“I think so. Didn’t we meet right after the Start of Spring?”
“What is this…”
A sense of shame appeared on Song-hwa’s face as he gaped.
“Still, I’ve been holding a sword for over fifteen years… So my arm was broken by a Martial Artist who hadn’t even been learning for a few months… Dang Sojeo is no ordinary person, but I can’t help but feel bitter.”
Oh my god. That’s how it sounds.
Feeling like I had unintentionally become a pretentious person, I hurriedly waved my hands.
“That’s not it, I just luckily ate a lot of good things. My Inner Energy cultivation method is also quite unique.”
But that was like pouring oil on a burning house. Song-hwa, who had been serious at my excuse, widened his eyes.
“Not just anyone can build up Inner Energy like Young lady just by eating Elixirs. If you show excessive humility, I’ll become even more miserable, Young lady. Just admit that I’m a bit better.”
“Ahaha…”
“When you look at it, geniuses don’t know they’re geniuses. To think there would be a monster even greater than Uncle-Master.”
Song-hwa, who grumbled, emptied his glass of wine in one gulp and sighed deeply. Feeling a little sorry for his drooping shoulders, I watched him carefully and filled his glass.
“Thank you, Young lady. Haa. I also heard that I was talented in my hometown… I’m starting to wonder if I should go back and farm these days.”
“Yes? Absolutely not, Second Brother. Don’t say scary things. How can we handle Senior Brother without Second Brother? I’m really going to die.”
At the same time, Song-in jumped up and grabbed Song-hwa’s sleeve and clung to him.
“You brat, am I Senior Brother’s leash?”
“Second Brother. Please.”
Jin-sung, who had been quietly watching Song-hwa and Song-in bickering, opened his mouth.
“What’s important isn’t the form. It’s the essence.”
“Yes?”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Jin-sung at the cryptic words, but he continued without paying attention.
“Don’t be obsessed with perfecting the form by comparing yourself to others, Song-hwa. The form doesn’t matter at all. Understanding the Sword Intent is the first priority.”
Song-hwa, who had been pondering Jin-sung’s words, straightened his posture and asked respectfully.
“Uncle-Master. This Disciple is dull and does not understand what you are saying. Could you explain it in detail?”
“Martial art move are signposts left by predecessors for successors. But not all signposts are for me. If the path you want to take and the signposts diverge, don’t be bound by the Martial art move and abandon them.”
“…I will. Thank you for your teaching.”
Song-hwa’s expression became serious at Jin-sung’s advice. I also looked at Jin-sung with interest.
To abandon the Martial art move passed down by the predecessors, it was an advice that was more than bold and unconventional.
It was amazing that a Taoist who followed the precepts better than anyone else and lived an exemplary life showed an open-minded attitude when it came to the sword.
“That’s unexpected. I thought Do-jang would follow all the Martial art move exactly.”
“The form is different, but the essence is the same. It’s just a way to express the mysteries of the Tai Chi.”
The mysteries of the Tai Chi? Are you talking about the harmony of Yin and Yang?
I was curious about what Jin-sung thought the mysteries of the Tai Chi were, but there were too many eyes watching to ask more. It was also not polite to pry into the Martial Arts of another Sect.
I nodded as if I understood and pointed to the ground.
“I see. But Song-gwang Do-jang, you seem to be sleeping on the floor, is that okay? His mouth will turn crooked.”
“It’s okay. It’s better for him to sleep. At least he won’t cause any accidents while he’s sleeping.”
Song-hwa, who replied nonchalantly, rummaged through and took out a blanket, then covered Song-gwang’s face.
It seemed that Song-hwa was used to cleaning up after his younger Senior Brother and fellow disciples.
The unexpected drinking party ended late into the night.
While the boisterous conversation was going on, Song-hwa had been looking like he was thinking about something else the whole time, and when the wine jar was empty, he jumped up and bowed to me.
‘Thank you for today, Young lady.’
Song-hwa, who was mouthing the words and putting his hands together, had a red nose.
‘You’re welcome. Go in.’
Song-hwa grinned at my whisper. Song-in and Song-rim, who were carrying Song-gwang on either side, were also staggering from side to side as if they were drunk.
Jin-sung, who looked at his disciples who were obviously drunk with a pathetic look, turned his gaze to me.
“I’ll escort you to your Guest quarters.”
“Yes. I’ll carry the wine jar.”
“Give it to me. I’ll carry it.”
Jin-sung, who lightly took the wine jar, started walking ahead. The surroundings were quiet as if the guests in the Guest quarters had also gone to bed.
Jin-sung, who had been walking silently, turned to look at me.
“You don’t seem to be drunk at all.”
“It’s my constitution. I’m a bit strong with alcohol.”
As I shrugged and replied, Jin-sung looked puzzled.
“Is there a reason why you drink alcohol even though you don’t get drunk?”
“Because it’s delicious?”
“Are you drinking alcohol instead of Poison?”
I let out a hollow laugh at Jin-sung’s serious question.
“No, it’s not like that. I just like gathering and chatting with a lot of people.”
“You can have a conversation while sober, though.”
“That’s true. But the atmosphere is different. You saw Song-hwa Do-jang earlier, right? If you borrow the power of alcohol, it becomes easier to loosen up and take out the words you’ve been keeping inside.”
“Is that so.”
“Of course. Once you spit it out like that, it’s quite cathartic. I’d like to advise Do-jang to turn a blind eye sometimes. Of course, if it’s too much, you should definitely stop them.”
“…If that’s the reason, I’ll think about it.”
Jin-sung, who replied with a serious face, nodded. I smiled and looked at Jin-sung.
“More than that, I didn’t know you wouldn’t put even a drop in your mouth. Please join us someday.”
“…We’re here, Young lady.”
I burst out laughing at Jin-sung’s appearance of subtly avoiding the answer. It meant that he would rather shut his mouth than lie, even if it was a polite lie.
“I’m not forcing you, Do-jang. Anyway, thank you for today. Go in.”
“Yes. Rest well.”
After sending Jin-sung back, I prepared to sleep and lay down on the bed.
But I couldn’t fall asleep. Rather, my eyes became more and more wide open.
‘Martial art move are signposts left by predecessors for successors.’
The words Jin-sung had said kept circling in my head.
Signposts, signposts…
Then isn’t the Incantation also the same?
Grandfather said it was a roughly attached Incantation, but that couldn’t be true. Since it was a transcription of your enlightenment into letters, you wouldn’t have written a single letter carelessly.
I stared blankly at the ceiling, then jumped up from the bed and picked up a brush.
