As Prophet - Chapter 95



Only Krnovel

Episode 95. The Mountain Man’s Life

“Phew.”

After running for about half an hour, I stood on a rock on the mountaintop and checked my position. Unlike the back alleys of Hanyang, the smooth flow of the mountain range and ridges is the road. As I was in a hurry, Yangju quickly became distant. The time spent struggling in the narrow space disappeared like dust. There was nothing to look back on.

How far did I go? When I had gone about half an hour more, I looked down at the ridge extending from the mountain peak and felt a faint vibration.

‘Was there a mountain man here… … .’

It doesn’t feel bad. The feeling I had when I was practicing it a few years ago was just coming back. Dalcheon didn’t wait and went out to meet me where I could feel the vibration.

Soon after, a hermit wearing black clothes and a yellow hat turned over appeared on the ridge path under the moonlight. He must have sensed the movement of the Dalcheon River and appeared. There are people like this all over the mountains and rivers of Joseon.

He was carrying a sword, clearly an ascetic. His beard was still black, so he seemed to be in his early 40s.

Dalcheon greeted first.

“hello?”

“Where are you from?”

“I am Woo-Heo, who was studying at Taebaek Mountain.”

“Ohhh, huh?”

I know it just by its name. No, it would be stranger if I didn’t know it.

“I am on my way back after coming down from the mountain to study the world for a while.”

“Oh! I have heard of your great studies and meaningful news, but I have not had the chance to meet you, so I was curious. So-saeng is said to be a Taoist who studies in this mountain.”

“Hello. I was on my way back to Taebaeksan. I had no intention of interfering with the mountain man’s practice.”

“No. The moon was bright and I couldn’t sleep, so I was walking around the mountain behind me. I felt a large flow and was startled, wondering which mountain it was coming from, so I hurried up.”

“I had a lot of distracting thoughts as I was leaving the world, so it was a bit difficult. I hope I didn’t interfere with the studies of the mountain man.”

“It has been several years since I heard of the name Wuheo. I once said I would visit him, but I was too poorly educated to make time. Now that we have met like this, it would be a shame to leave without doing so. There is a small hermitage built in the valley over there. It is not in a good shape, but the earth is gentle and the sunlight is warm. Would you like to rest for a while?”

The situation in the mountains is roughly like this. When someone comes, you greet them and treat them with respect, even if they are weak. Sometimes you even face each other with swords, and it is not uncommon to compare studies. Dalcheon truly felt that he had returned to the mountains.

“I didn’t know that So-saeng’s name was known here. Ahaha. I left in a hurry, but now that I think about it, it wasn’t something I had to rush for. Since the true man has requested this so earnestly, how could I just pass by?”

“I will take the lead.”

Do-saeng ran ahead, but I used my lightness to jump over him. It seemed like he wanted to see how good my lightness was. It was an invisible competition.

Dalcheon mixed the shrinkage and followed Do-saeng silently behind him.

Do-saeng glances back after skipping a few dozen pages. Dal-cheon’s white face appears right behind him, and Do-saeng is startled and runs with more speed.

The forest disappeared like the wind, and the rock that seemed to collide with me quickly moved away. I looked back once more, but the distance to Dalcheon was the same. No matter how much I ran, the distance did not increase. He was a great man.

‘Wow, that’s amazing! Running like this while keeping the distance just right.’

Do-saeng jumped over a rock. He did a somersault and landed on a flat surface. Dal-cheon followed right behind him. You can see that I tested my skills.

A thatched cottage stood affectionately, with its back to a large black rock, in a not-so-large yard to the south.

“This is my training ground.”

“It is lovely and beautiful to be alone in the deep mountains.”

“I will take you this way.”

The monk guided him to a table that was the same height as the small floor. Dalcheon sat down on the table, and a small table was brought out as if it had been prepared, with a teacup neatly placed on it.

“Do you have any tea?”

“Now, it is not difficult to obtain because it is grown directly in the land down there in the south.”

“Huh, in this mountain? Is that possible?”

“Nothing much. It’s been about two years since I left my master and settled down here.”

“Where are you from?”

The monk fanned the brazier to warm the kettle. It was a rather familiar hand movement.

“I was in Gyeryongsan for quite some time.”

“Ahem. If it’s Gyeryongsan, who taught you?”

“This is Gapjin from Gyeryongsan. You may or may not know him.”

Dalcheon traced the geographical distance and the history he had experienced while traveling back and forth, but there was nothing he could grasp. He was not a Gyeryongsanin. He was an old man, so I did not know his real name, but all of Gyeryongsanin’s disciples knew.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know your high name, Master.”

“Ahahaha! The Great Master of the World cannot possibly know the names of all the Taoists whose realms are not high.”

“Yes. He knows me, but I don’t know him, so I suddenly blush.”

“Ahaha, no. Master Wuheo is so famous that it’s actually harder to not know him while living in the mountains.”

Rumors of his having reached the realm of self-sufficiency began to spread a few years ago. What surprised people was the achievement of Sodong, who had just turned ten. It is difficult to achieve a realm even after decades of hard training, but the achievement of a young boy drew attention from all over the mountains, and many people came to visit him in person. Many even asked to fight swords.

This is a hermitage in the mountains where conversations like this continue endlessly. It is hard to meet people, so when you do meet them, you are happy. You listen closely to hear any news.

The world of Taoists is smaller than you think. Word spreads quickly, and the news of someone attaining Taoism spreads throughout the eight provinces in a matter of days.

The monk took out the kettle of boiling water and set it aside to cool. The warmth of the brazier soothed his cheek, which had become cold due to the night air.

“So, where are you going this time?”

The soft, moderately brewed tea emits a pure blue light in the chill of the night.

“I am on my way back from studying the world. It has been two years since my teacher ordered me to come down from the mountain because I entered the mountain at a young age and I do not know much about the world, that is, society.”

“Oh, so you’ve been going down to the summer and back for two years.”

They belittle the world as the underworld with a word that is half-deprecating. It probably means that it is not a mountain, but it does not sound good. Does that mean that the people who eat, live, and die in the underworld are servants?

“Yes.”

“I wonder what you did.”

Dalcheon said that while serving as the chief of Gyeongsan County, he learned how to manage the government, while suppressing the Japanese invasion, he learned how to apply strategies and tactics that he had only learned from books, and while establishing a school to teach children, he solidified his previous studies.

He only said good things. Do-saeng was amazed. Most people who enter the mountain are around twenty years old, but they have already eaten enough of society and many of them come with bad memories and live their whole lives with them. He was especially amazed by the part about the Japanese invasion.

“We also heard the news of the Imjin War. It is very fortunate that we were able to repel it with only the Gyeongsang Province troops.”

“That’s fortunate. It wouldn’t have been easy if the army had come from the mainland.”

The student asked about the school.

“How did you come up with the idea of ​​running a school?”

“I decided to do something that would be helpful to society. I wanted to teach children in the neighborhood so that they would grow up healthy in mind and body, and I wanted to train adults to pass the military service examination and become generals who would become the backbone of the military.”

“I see. That’s great. I hope it went well?”

“Three people passed the last special exam and the children followed along well. Among them, there was one who opened his eyes to my qigong.”

“But why did you quit?”

“I got too involved in the world and got caught up in politics. That dirty world. I thought this couldn’t go on, so I got angry and left.”

“Whew, politics is always the problem. They talk about ruling, but they usually end up holding back the people’s livelihood. There are many countries where the people are obedient and honest, but if politics collapses, they end up ruined.”

“Is that so? I just thought it would be better to stay away, so I left.”

I did not mention my personal meeting with the king for fear that it would make things more complicated.

“They say that if you go down to the summer, your studies will progress more slowly. Was that the case for you too, Master Wuheo?”

“I don’t really have enough time to study. Instead, I learned a lot through work. When I do things like checking the quantity and condition of the armory, I have to really focus. I learned how to work efficiently, and I learned how to use really great arithmetic.”

“It may not be like a mountain, but it sounds like you’re saying there are other areas to learn from.”

“Yes. It’s definitely a different area, but it helped me study. If you think about it, leading is mostly a study of the mind. I guess that would be the answer if I said I was able to see that wisdom from a different angle.”

The conversation grew longer. The full moon that had started in the garden rose high in the sky.

“I know this is a shameless request, but I would like to ask you to do a duel. I have met the most skilled Wuheo in the world. I would like to cross swords with him even if it means dying.”

It is a polite request. Dalcheon has already grasped the realm of Doseng. When he was learning, his request for a non-combat was not only unacceptable but also a great request, but now he has many thoughts. Above all, I am not Doseng’s teacher. I am only a little ahead of him, but I have no talent to teach him. Furthermore, I do not know how Bimu’s defeat will affect him. I have many thoughts, but I cannot refuse. Dalcheon could not refuse his earnest request and went out into the yard.

“Okay, then come. It’s not a matter of life or death.”

“Of course.”

Dalcheon took out his sword and aimed it at the middle of the sword. The virtuous Do-saeng drew his sword and raised it to the side. It was a unique posture. The riding style was different. Where did he learn it? I can’t think of anything.

The Japanese man’s reckless charge came to mind as he held the sword close to his face. I mean, the clumsy gesture of raising the sword and running at a brisk pace. I still remember him falling like a frog after just one sword strike. It’s a pity that the little guys were so poisonous.

The wind was blowing. It was sweeping through the ground, and the dust on the ground was flying high. No, the wind was blowing even though there was no wind. The wispy grass on the ground was lying flat.

“Come.”

He signaled to the Do-saeng who couldn’t run first, and he jumped forward while changing his shoulders left and right, shortening the distance and cutting horizontally. It looked like he was striking down, but he was actually swinging horizontally. It was an illusion. Dal-cheon dodged back half a step and struck the sword passing by sideways.

Kagan.

When he struck after the swordsmanship that had passed by in vain, Do-saeng was startled and withdrew his sword, twisting his body. He almost dropped the sword.

“Come.”

“profit.”

The distance became close without the need to go back in. Do-saeng’s sword made several sword strokes in the shape of the letter “爻”. Dal-cheon slightly turned his upper body to avoid the diagonal attack, and struck the sword blade just above the handle.

Kagan!

At the powerful strike, Do-saeng’s sword and hand turned around. He jumped backwards to hide the weak spot in his waist. Dal-cheon stuck to him like a shadow and struck Do-saeng’s sword strike.

It was difficult for the Taoist to even hold the sword due to the gentle counterforce. He held the sword with both hands like a double swordsman, held it up vertically, and stepped back. The difference in power was evident.

If you are pushed by strength, it is speed.

Do-saeng took a short breath and then shot forward at a rapid pace.

“ha.”

With a short shout, the silver sword danced. It quickly attacked Dalcheon’s entire body. It filled up and down, left and right, front and back, without missing a single spot. Was it a round hemisphere woven with silver soul? The world through which Do-saeng’s swordplay passed turned into a silver wave. It was fast, strong, and splendid.

Dalcheon’s eyes turned transparent. He avoided most of them by twisting his upper body and using short stepping techniques to gain distance. He blocked only excessive attacks with his sword and pushed them away with his strength. He deflected them.

But every time the swords clashed, Do-saeng’s hands would waver. Dal-cheon would strike with the power of Jin-gak combined with his inner strength, and he would be pushed back helplessly, and every time, a weak point in his swordsmanship was exposed.

“It’s Gintama.”

“That’s a great name.”

Dozens of silver blades flew towards Dalcheon. When the countless swordsmanship that seemed impossible to avoid or block surrounded Dalcheon’s entire body, Dalcheon’s sword drew a circular circle. Countless silver souls of Do-saeng were shattered and disappeared in the slowly rotating sword path.

When the silver light changed into a space of black darkness, Dalcheon stepped back. The sword that Do-saeng had dropped was on top of Dalcheon’s sword that was stretched out in front. It was incredible. Not only did he take the sword, he also placed it on top of the sword without even touching it.

“I lost.”

“Wow! I’ve never seen such a flashy, fast, and complete inspection.”

“how…….”

“I hit the middle of the flow. I could see the pulse.”

“ah!”