Chapter 56: Where did This Fortuitous Encounter Come From? (3)
Translator: hwarang
Editor: Klaurem
I decided to make a trip to the Heavenly Gate Mountain.
I was considering making this trip the next time I went to Ho Book, but I decided to make this trip now.
“I plan on making a trip.”
Since it was a long trip and my parents might get worried about me, I told them about this trip.
“Where do you plan on going?”
“To Ho Book.”
“Why do you want to go to Ho Book?”
“I want to visit the Murim Alliance Headquarter as well as make future plans while I’m on this trip.”
“Good. You need to experience many things if you want to be a real man.”
My father believed in me since I not only had changed for the better, but I also acted more grown up. After learning from Seo Jun that my Sword Sect was truly following me, my father was even happier. He believed it was harder to gain the trust of people than to raise one’s strength. He gave the same warning as before.
“You must always be respectful towards your subordinates.”
It was a shame that my father couldn’t give me this sort of advice when I was the Mengju. What sort of life would I have had if my father was constantly giving me advice and reminders? In a human relationship, power wasn’t everything, something else was more important.
As I left their room, my mother followed me and said, “When you weren’t here Rin-ee came by.”
“Why did she come here?”
“She just came here to see me. I spent some quality time with her.”
She came here to see my mother? It seems that Song Hwa Rin had also changed after experiencing various things.
“What are your true feelings for her?”
“As I have told you before, I don’t plan on marrying her yet, since I have many things I must accomplish.”
Of course my mind could change. However as of now, there were too many things I had to do and there was not enough time to be dating someone.
If I did fall in love with someone in the future, my heart would give me the sign. It could be Song Hwa Rin or it could be someone else. Nothing was predetermined.
“Is the thing that you are doing right now what you want to do?”
“Yes”
My mother was worried that I might get lonely in life so she wanted me to have a companion.
I said to my mother confidently, “Mother, I am very happy right now.”
My mother gave a slight smile, “Are you? That’s all I want from you.”
“I will visit the Song Clan on my way.”
My mother said while smiling, “You don’t have if you don’t want to.”
“No mother. I was planning on going there.”
I was thankful that she visited my mother when I wasn’t here. There was also that promise I made with Song Wu Kyung, which was to visit Song Hwa Rin every so often as a punishment.
“Hahaha, good, good. You are always welcome here.”
Song Wu Kyung was greatly happy about my visit. This wasn’t that treatment that I was expecting since it was my punishment.
“Now, that you have greeted me, go meet Rin-ee.”
“Yes”
Song Wu Kyung sent me away as if he was pushing me in her direction. Seeing his expression. I believed it was a good thing that I had come here.
Soo Ran escorted me to where Song Hwa Rin was, but her eyes weren’t very nice at all. However, I pretended I didn’t see anything.
When we got near the training ground she stopped and said, “I have something to say.”
“Yes, please say it.”
“Please don’t do what you did in the future.”
Her face was full of worries about her master.
“Don’t worry I won’t do it again.”
“Thank you.”
She gave me a proper bow. She may look rough and impolite on the outside but this made me have a second opinion about her. Saying this wasn’t an easy task for her. However, her loyalty for Song Hwa Rin gave her the courage that she needed to speak to me. I felt happy for Song Hwa Rin since she had such a reliable servant by her side.
Song Hwa Rin was practicing with her sword at the training ground. Seeing her slim figure practicing the techniques made her even more beautiful. She was glistening with sweat, which made this truly a beautiful scene.
She was practicing the technique that had she lost to. She was trying to fill in the weakness that I highlighted.
“Master Byuk had arrived.”
After hearing Soo Ran’s words she stopped her practice and came this way.
“You have come?”
“I’m sorry for being such a bother when you were practicing.”
“No. I was about to finish now.”
Most of her swelling had gone down, but it seems that she became even more beautiful than before.
“I heard that you visited our house.”
“I visited your mother.”
Now that I thought about it, I had heard that her mother had passed away when she was young. In my previous life, I was raised by my mother. It seems that she was raised by her father.
She looked at me and said, “Will you look at my techniques?”
“Anytime.”
She showed her techniques once more.
“Last time you dodged my techniques this way and broke through my technique. So this was what I thought up with.”
This time she showed the improved version of her techniques. She was able to reinforce it in such a short amount of time.
I didn’t draw my weapon and stretched out my hand, “What if I attacked you from here?”
Song Hwa Rin was surprised. After changing the technique another flaw that didn’t previously exist was created.
“The answer that I was looking for wasn’t the correct one.”
I smile and nodded.
She smiled and said, “Thank you. I will think about it more.”
She could have asked me to perfect the technique for her, but she didn’t and asked me to give her advice.
“But why are you here?”
“It is punishment.”
“What?”
I told her what Song Wu Kyung said to me last time.
“Father is…” She had a helpless expression.
We had a conversation about different things. Now my conversations with her were easier.
After about an hour of talking, we said our farewells.
“You said you were going to Ho Book right? Have a safe trip.”
“Thanks”
As I was walking away she whispered, “Next time don’t come just because of punishment but… because you want to.”
She thought that I hadn’t heard, but I heard her loud and clear.
I left pretending that I hadn’t heard her last sentence.
Three days later I arrived at a village near the Heavenly Gate Mountain. There were many villages near the Heavenly Gate Mountain, but the one that I had arrived at was the closest to White Crane Peak. I had climbed the mountain many times, but this was the first time I actually stayed at one of the villages. Now that I am back here I am reminded of how much I missed out in my previous life. Fate was teaching me another lesson; let’s live this life enjoying it to the fullest.
In the village there was a small inn. Since it was a small village the owner of the inn was usually out farming. I asked the village chief and he confirmed my assumption. White Crane Peak was the peak of Heavenly Gate Mountain. It was truly dangerous to go up to the peak.
I borrowed a room and stayed there for a night.
The next morning, I started climbing the mountain. What would be waiting for me at the peak? What was the thing that I must find? So I decided to reach the peak. From the contents of the paper I determined that something was waiting for me along the path to the peak.
The path was truly treacherous, even though I had mastered many martial arts it was still difficult. On top of that as there were no signs of a pathway made by previous travelers it made it more difficult. I chose one path and it led to a cliff. I chose another path which led me to another part of the mountain. I couldn’t even just jump up toward the peak since the thing that I was looking for was going to be in one of these paths.
Since it was the first day, I decided to call it a night and came back down to the inn.
The next morning, I went up the mountain again. I was able to go further up the mountain since I had the experience from yesterday. However, like yesterday it was still very difficult. I went up and down the mountain trying to find the right path. Then I stopped at a ditch in the mountain.
That night I had some wine in the inn. The owner of the inn was curious as to why I had come here
“Why did you come to our small village?”
“So that I can reach the White Crane Peak.”
“Why White Crane Peak?”
“My friend said that the view from white crane peak was beautiful so I wanted to see it for myself.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. The reason why it’s called White Crane Peak is that the rock looks like a crane. But most people can’t climb that mountain since it is so treacherous.”
“It is truly difficult. Is there someone who familiar with that mountain?”
“Some of our men who pick herbs know it well. However they went to another mountain to collect herbs. So they won’t be back for another month.”
“Oh, it’s too bad then.” I wasn’t too depressed about it since I was going to find it with my own strength.
“It is famous being harsh. So it’s a place that many Kang Ho-In come to train. I heard that someone very famous visited that place a long time ago.”
My eyes lit, “Do you know who that might have been?”
“It’s a story that I heard from my grandfather so I don’t remember it that well. But I do remember him saying that he was a very famous expert.”
“Oh so that how it was”
With this I was certain. Just as how old the paper from the box was, that’s how old that person was.
“Now eat this so you can have more strength tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
The wine tasted even better while listening to the sound of an owl.
After four days, I finally found the right path to the peak. However, there was nothing at the peak besides the beautiful view of the surroundings. I felt good coming all the way here with my own strength, but I knew that this wasn’t what the paper was pointing to.
At the peak I yelled, “Yahhhooo!”
As I was going down the mountain I found a small cave that couldn’t be seen if one didn’t have a keen eye. It was a small cave that a person would barely be able to fit in. I tried focusing everything on my vision, but the cave was too dark, so I was nervous to go in.
I was nervous about what was inside the cave. There could be poisonous insects or creatures inside the cave or maybe even some animals.
Was it this place? What must I do?
Then something came to my mind. This cave was made so that normal Kang Ho-in wouldn’t be able to enter it. Only those who had fate on their side would be able to find this cave.
Then this could be a test.
So, I decided to go in.
The cave was small and it felt as if something could pop out at any moment. I wanted to turn around many times, but I didn’t.
Luckily there weren’t any poisonous creatures that jumped out at me.
As I got deeper into it the cave started to become larger and larger and I was able to stand up.
At the end of the cave I was able to see a bright light.
So I rushed toward that light.
“Huh!”
I was surprised. If I took another step I could have fallen down the cliff.
I looked up and was able to see some sort of ledge higher up.
This ledge was so well hidden that it was impossible to see unless you were standing at this location, but I knew that the paper was pointing to that ledge.
It was truly a hard place to find. Not only was the climbing difficult, finding the ledge was even harder.
This must have been another one of the tests that the creator of this figures had created.
If you weren’t able to get to the ledge you would fall down this cliff. So I had to concentrate on every move. After concentrating, I jumped up towards the ledge. It was further than what I had expected but I was able to grab onto it.
I was able to catch my breath after getting on top of the ledge.
Standing on top of the ledge I saw another cave that was large enough for me to walk in.
After taking in a large breath, I slowly entered the cave.