Book 1 Chapter 25: When Spring arrives at the Crossroad (4)
Translator: Hwarang
Editor: Kidyeon
In the dead of night, with only the moonlight to guide me, I ran along the edge of the pond.
I was able to clearly see the fruits of my work. There were definite changes to my body.
The reason that most people fail to improve themselves is because they can’t overcome barriers, which come in various stages and forms during one’s development.
In my previous life, I had to overcome many barriers to get to where I was. I still wonder how I managed to overcome all those barriers to this day, as they were things I’d achieved among my most difficult times. There were some days where I’d just wanted to quit.
However, hardship isn’t the only form of barrier. At one point I became so complacent that I didn’t want to do anything. I wanted a reason to do something, anything, but everything had simply become annoying. That was when I first stumbled upon a barrier more troublesome than the barrier of hardship; I stumbled upon my internal demons.
Since I have experiences overcoming these barriers, my training was rather easy. It felt was if time slowed down when I trained. Barriers may get in my way one day, but I’m confident that I will be able to overcome them.
I stopped running and looked out across the pond. There was a cool mist hovering over the pond’s surface.
I kicked one of the small logs that was lying near the pond into it.
Splash!
After the log had landed in the water, I jumped towards it.
After gently landing on top of the log, I jumped upwards. Whilst midair, I slashed my sword downward at the water.
Slassssh!
Slassssh!
The water parted for a moment, before quickly returning to its natural state. But those with keen eyes would have seen it. The water had parted in a cross shape before returning to normal. This was my first stance, the Unwavering Stance.
Whip!
Swish!
Now a vortex had formed in the calm water.
My second stance, the Life Devoting Stance, was displayed
Shiiing!
Boooom!
There was a loud explosion, followed by a pillar of water, as if a cannon had been fired. My third stance, the Nothingness Stance, was an attack that turned a certain area into nothingness.
Tap!
I soared through the sky once more using the log as a stepping stone. I kept practicing the same three stances until I’d exhausted all of the energy from my dantian.
The reason why I was repeatedly training like this was so that I could become more accustomed to my technique. I wanted these techniques to come to me as naturally as breathing. When you breathe, you don’t feel anything. For these techniques, I needed it to be the same. I shouldn’t have to consciously think about these techniques; I should be able to execute them naturally.
This is why real experts can execute their techniques faster than they think.
After exhausting all of my energy, I landed on the log once again. I’d fall into the water if I were to lose my balance, but I was able to balance myself perfectly. In a stable position, I started to utilize my breathing technique as I began cultivating. In any situation, and any position, I’m able to utilize my breathing technique.
After a full cycle I was able to recover a quarter of my energy. After the second cycle, half, the third, three quarters, and by the end of the fourth cycle, I managed to completely recover all of my energy.
It wasn’t hard to recover my energy. The hard part was increasing the size of one’s dantian and thus the overall quantity of energy. That was the reason that I was continuously training.
Since my rate of cultivation was nine times the rate of a normal cultivator, I spend most of my time training my body so that it can withstand all the energy that I cultivate.
Even though I’ve gotten stronger than before, I still need to get stronger.
After I finished training, I came back home.
When I reached my room after washing up, Kwang Du was waiting for me.
“I heard that Lord Song and Lady Song visited yesterday?”
“Yeah, they did.”
“Did you have a private drink with Lady Song?”
“No, we just went our separate ways.”
Kwang Du made a disappointed look.
“You should’ve had a drink with her. You know, catch up on things since you scored some points with her.”
“I didn’t do it because of her.”
“They’re the same thing. Ai, young master... it seems that you’ll have to receive a special lesson from me. I’ll teach you how to flirt with a girl!”
“Before you teach me anything about flirting, I need to verify something. Have you ever held a girl’s hand?”
Kwang Du became nervous due to my sudden question.
“Ahem, aren’t you belittling me a little too much?”
“How about a kiss? And not counting the ones from before you were ten.”
Kang Du flinched a bit.
“Of course I have! Don’t you know how smooth I am… Ehh, do I really have to tell you these things? If I wanted them to, girls would just…”
This punk, he’s a real bachelor!
He shook his head when he saw me give him a doubtful smile.
I opened the window with a smile.
The maids’ clothing became lighter, and the flowers and trees in the yard started to bud. Even the cold weather stopped.
“I think that spring’s going to arrive soon.”
“…no, that’s really... no....”
“HAHAH!”
The long winter had finally ended and spring had arrived.
The Byuk Clan was livelier than ever.
It seemed that, ever since the debt problem had been solved, everyone had some more breathing room.
Jung Yeo, who’d become the new Head of the Yang Clan, convinced my father that he couldn’t take the money as an atonement for the previous Yang Clan head’s actions. Thus, father simply had to comply with his wishes, allowing our debt problem to be solved.
The only flaw that the Byuk Clan had was me, but that flaw was now gone. Now that Byuk Lee Dan had grown up, and now that the debt had been resolved, new recruits started filing in, and the family’s mood improved.
In addition to that, I heard that they’d recruited more members into the sword sect.
Last time they’d only recruited twenty or so men with the money I gave them. This time however, they’d recruited thirty men. More than two hundred people had shown up for the recruitment. This showed how much face these martial artists gave my father and Seo Jung.
I later heard that, on the night of recruitment, my father and Seo Jung had emptied a couple bottles of wine. It has been a while since this sort of thing had happened, which shows just how emotional a thing this was for them.
And my mother was still boasting about how I’d turned over a new leaf. Everywhere I went I heard compliments.
I was truly happy.
I was happy that my rebirth was meaningful, since it ended up becoming hope for others.
Kwang Du was deeply focused on his training.
He spent the whole night practicing the new techniques that I’d taught him, devoting almost all of his time to training.
“Allow me to give you some pointer.”
Kwang Du was surprised that I’d offered to give him some pointers.
“Why so sudden, young master? Is there something that’s bothering you?”
“Ho ho ho...”
“Please don’t laugh like that.”
“Now, now, hurry up and take your sword out.”
Kwang Du was shocked.
“We’re sparring with real swords?”
“Then do you want to spar with sticks?”
“But isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”
I stared at him cautiously and said, “If you don’t intend to use that sword outside, then you shouldn’t even take it out.”
Kwang Du understood my true intentions. If he wanted to become a real Murim-In, this was something that he had go through. In peaceful times like this, it was hard for one to experience a real fight.
In a normal School and Clan, fighting with real swords was banned unless it was between people who’d trained for a long time. This was because even the slightest mistake could harm the other person. Thus, in peaceful times like this, real experiences were hard to come by.
Kwang Du was shaking as he took out his blade.
“I’m scared, young master.”
“Of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be when this is the first time you’ve drawn it against another person. It’s natural to be scared.”
“Yes!”
“However, you can’t be nervous just because you’re scared.”
I don’t know how Kwang Du took it, but every word that I said was from my personal experience.
It feels like the one who’s truly learning something from this process is me. As I was teaching him, I was able to rediscover things that I’d forgotten.
What I’d just said to him is an example. When I hold my blade now, I feel comfort and reassurance. But when I think back to when I first held a blade, I can remember that I was just like Kwang Du is now: scared of the blade. In this life, I’ll try my best to go down a different path.
“I’m scared that I might hurt you, young master.”
“Don’t worry about me, come.”
“Yes.”
Kwang Du used the first technique. However, he wasn’t able to display it to its fullest extent, since he was hesitant over the fact that he might hurt me.
“Do it right! Open your eyes and do it properly!”
Kwang Du came at me once again.
I received his attack, then proceeded to counter him whilst controlling my strength.
I did this so that he could experience what a true fight was like.
“Clang! Clang Clang Clang!
After our blades had clashed with each other a couple of times, Kwang Du lost his balance and closed his eyes.
“Open your eyes! If you close your eyes you’re dead! Concentrate!”
“Yes!”
Kwang Du bit his teeth and used his techniques again.
The sound of blades clashing resounded once again.
He managed to display the first six techniques.
When he used his seventh technique I easily countered it and swung my sword towards his face.
“Ha!”
I stopped my blade right in front of his face.
“This is what a real fight feels like.”
“…Yes, young master.”
His voice was shaky. Since this was his first real experience, I’m sure that this moment was something that he wouldn’t ever be able to forget.
Kwang Du quickly sat down once I withdrew my sword.
I sat next to him.
“Kwang Du-Ya.”
“Yes.”
“You can stop learning if you’re scared. There’s no need to push yourself too hard.”
After some time, he reaffirmed himself. “Young master, I want to go as far as I can with this. I like learning martial arts. Even though it was scary... I felt excited. I felt both happy and excited to fight.”
It was the first time that I’d seen Kwang Du this serious.
Yeah, if he was the type to easily give up, he would’ve done so by now.
“Then we should see it through to the end.”
“I plan to do that, young master. But you can’t forget me and leave me behind!”
“That will depend on how you do.”
“Ehh, don’t be like that!”
At that moment…
Drop, Drop.
Drop.
“Eh?”
A few water drops fell from the sky as it began to rain.
“It’s spring! It’s the spring rain!”
With an excited look, Kwang Du gazed up at the sky and said, “I think that spring is finally here.”
For some awkward reason, I started to feel happy.
Even when I saw the first snow I hadn’t had this sort of reaction.
But this time, the spring rain had somewhat moved my heart.
I couldn’t wait for spring. I was also curious about what fate had in store for me.
“Yeah, it looks like it’s finally spring.”
A few days later, as if it was riding the spring wind, news reached us.
“A new Mengju has been decided.”
The news that I’d been waiting for had finally arrived.
“Who is it?”
“The Heavenly Dao gate master has become the new Mengju.”
“What?!”
I was truly shocked. Including my previous life, there weren’t many times that I’d been this shocked.
“Bullshit!”
Seeing me throw a fit, Kwang Du was surprised.
“Why?”
Why? It’s because of Ma Bong GI! I never thought that Ma Bong GI would be suited to be the Mengju.
Ma Bong GI was the leader of the Heavenly Dao Gate that I’d disguised myself as before. He was someone who had a very complicated relationship with women. He was someone that you could fully see through after just seeing through one of his faults. He was someone who was greedy for money and power, and whose character is questionable.
Someone like him will be the next Mengju? Someone like him will be my successor?
“Did you hear it wrong?”
“No, young master, The entire city has been pretty boisterous because of this news.”
There’s no way that Kal Sa Ryang would’ve picked Ma Bong GI. That means that something must’ve happened.
I looked towards where the Murim Alliance Headquarter was located...
“Something must’ve gone wrong.”
End of Book 1