Hyeonjilmusin - Chapter 8



Only Krnovel

8. Gokjeongak (1)

The sound of a flute rang out. It was time to wake up.

I returned to the place where my disciples were. When I returned, my fellow disciples were fast asleep, and no one was awake.

So my brief escape ended in failure without leaving any trace.

“Who didn’t come out while you were sleeping last night?”

“Well? I don’t remember.”

“Did you just dream?”

“Did you even dream? You must have been less tired. I just closed my eyes and when I opened them, it was morning.”

From what the kids were saying, it seems like there was a presence. It seems like they didn’t catch me trying to run away. But of course, no one would think that a lay disciple would run away.

“You couldn’t sleep?”

Jeon O-su asked from the side. I looked at Jeon O-su.

“Why are your eyes so wide? Your pupils also look a little red. Isn’t that what happens when you stay up all night?”

“No. I slept well.”

In fact, just like Jeon Oh-su said, I couldn’t even sleep a wink. As expected, he was a quick-witted guy.

Cheonghwa told me to wait for her because she would be there tomorrow morning. She also added that she had already told the guards, so they shouldn’t think about running away. Honestly, I was so discouraged that I didn’t even think about running away anymore.

“Come out quickly, you lazy bastards!”

Cheong-hyeon’s voice was heard outside. The children who had been moving slowly immediately started moving briskly. I couldn’t move quickly at all because I had done the foolish thing of climbing Mt. Mudeung once at dawn yesterday.

When I was the last one to come out, Cheong-hyeon clicked his tongue as if he was displeased. When I looked at Cheong-hyeon, he pretended not to see me at all.

Instead of scolding someone if they don’t like you, you become indifferent. That was actually better for me.

“Today I will teach you the Samjae Sword Technique. Everyone, come forward and take a wooden sword.”

Cheong-Hyeon opened the heavy-looking box. Inside were stacks of wooden swords.

My classmates each took a wooden sword, and I tried to take one too, but Jeon O-su handed me one. I had originally brought two.

“thanks.”

“You don’t look so good today.”

“Are you worried?”

“I’m not worried because I’m the one getting hurt. I can do a lot for you.”

“A consistent kid.”

Cheong-hyeon glared at us who were talking. To be exact, he only glared at me. Jeon O-su sighed and looked forward again.

“It is a very famous martial art, so there may be those who have already learned it, but please approach it with the mindset of learning again. As you all know, the Samjae Sword Technique is comprised of the styles of Taishan Apjeong (泰山押頂), Palbangpungwoo (八方風雨), and Hoengsocheongun (橫掃千軍)… … ”

Haam. I barely managed to hold back my screams. I was tired and sleepy because I went up and down Mt. Mudeungsan yesterday morning.

I opened my eyes as wide as I could, but my eyelids continued to press heavily on me.

“Silence!”

Suddenly, a scream that felt like my ears were going to burst rang in my ears. I grimaced and covered my ears.

Looking ahead, Cheong-Hyeon’s face had turned fierce.

“You’ve been sleeping really openly since yesterday. I tried not to touch you as much as possible.”

“… … Oh, I’m sorry.”

I also apologized sincerely. I had slept a little bit on purpose before, but this time it was different. Since I couldn’t leave the shaman without Cheonghwa’s permission anyway, I didn’t really need to sleep. However, the early morning mountain climbing was too shocking.

“I will listen carefully.”

“Shut up! It is a disgrace to a shaman to be a disciple of a layperson like you! Pack your bags and get out now!”

“… … Uh, yeah?”

“Get out! Can’t you hear me?”

“omg.”

I trembled with the joy that filled my whole body at that moment. But Cheong-hyeon seemed to have mistaken the sound of that emotion.

“Why, do you regret it now? Go down and tell your ignorant father that you were kicked out. Farming and all, that’s how your son ended up like that. You don’t even know your place, and you dared to put him in the shamanist group. Tsk.”

I frowned slightly. It was my fault, but those words were too harsh.

“Do you ever curse at your parents?”

“They say that children are the mirror of their parents. It wasn’t me who insulted your parents, it was you.”

“I don’t think taking a nap during class is something that would warrant swearing at your parents. Of course, I admit that I was wrong.”

“If you know you did something wrong, get out quickly. It’s too late to regret it.”

“No, thank you.”

“… … ?”

“I have to say this. Farming is the foundation of the world, and it is a noble task of producing food for people. If there were no one to farm, we would all starve to death.”

I took a moment to catch my breath and then continued.

“But what about the warriors? Are they doing anything helpful to the world? If there were no warriors, wouldn’t the world be more peaceful? As the Great Elder said, “A weapon is not an auspicious tool, but a weapon is not a tool for a gentleman.” Weapons are inauspicious objects, and should not be used by a gentleman.”

Cheong-hyeon’s mouth fell shut at my words. He must be a bit embarrassed to be writing a letter after being called a worm. And since he quoted Lao-tzu from the Taoist school, it would be difficult to refute him.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you again for sending me away. I didn’t want to be here. I’ll pay you back later when I earn some money.”

“You, you… … .”

Cheong-Hyeon couldn’t even speak properly, perhaps because it was the first time he had been attacked by a mere disciple.

There was no reason for me to wait for that. I could just go out without having to pack anything. In the end, the sleeping strategy worked. I had a reason to ignore Cheonghwa’s words. Cheonghyeon, who was in charge of the disciples, had kicked them out.

As I was about to go out whistling, the person I hated the most in this situation was slowly walking towards me.

“Haha. We were having an interesting conversation.”

“……capital punishment.”

It was none other than Cheonghwa. Cheonghwa smiled at me.

“Didn’t you say you can’t go to the shaman’s office without my permission?”

“I am being kicked out because of my bad attitude. Even the Qinghua Jinren cannot say anything.”

Cheong-Hyeon added, getting angry at what I said.

“Yes! Even the death penalty would want to kick that guy out right away if it saw the kind of shit he’s doing! You’ll have to do one of the two: kick him out or kick me out.”

Okay. I was secretly rooting for Cheong-Hyeon Jin-In. But Cheong-Hwa just had a faint smile on her face.

“Oh, so you kicked me out of the secular disciples altogether?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That’s fortunate. I was just trying to get you out of the secular discipleship.”

“yes?”

Cheong-hyeon was puzzled. I was the same. While everyone was puzzled, Cheong-hwa came to me.

Cheonghwa handed me something from her bosom. It was a wooden plaque with a Taegeuk pattern engraved on it.

Cheong-Hyeon’s eyes opened wide as if they were going to tear apart.

“That, that is… … .”

“This is a badge that proves you are a disciple of the main mountain of the shamanist sect. Your name is engraved on the back.”

“Huh.”

At Cheonghwa’s words, everyone seemed to hold their breath and the room became quiet. Hiccup. An insensitive hiccup was the only sound heard.

“What does that mean?”

“That’s exactly right. I originally planned to come right in the morning, but I was a little late because I had to negotiate with Jang Moon-sa.”

It wasn’t just Cheong-hyeon and the kids who were dumbfounded, I was the same.

“Me. I am a disciple of the main temple?”

“okay.”

“I’ve never learned any martial arts before?”

“Do you think I’m a fool? I’ve heard that twice.”

“Besides, I’m at the end of my rope now. The toxins in my body have piled up and my muscles and bones are already stiff.”

“I know that. Would you mind reading the small letters engraved beneath your name?”

I looked at the back of the plaque. Just as Cheonghwa had said, my name was engraved, and underneath it was another letter written very small.

“Temporary… …?”

“Yes. No matter how much I tried to persuade Jang Moon-sa, he wouldn’t allow anything more than that. You’ll have to work hard to become a formal disciple under me. As you said, you’re a minor and have never learned martial arts before, which is probably the problem.”

“Isn’t that normal?”

“That might be because I didn’t see your talent. I saw your talent.”

What kind of talent did he see? Ah. It was clear that he was talking about the thing he avoided when fighting Sakonghyun.

“That’s not mine.”

“What kind of fresh nonsense is that? Do you hate the nonpartisan faction that much?”

“No, it’s not my talent anyway. And at best, it’s footwork. I have no other talents.”

How could I make money and buy talent as a disciple of the main temple without a party sect? If I became a disciple of the main temple, it would be a waste of time.

“Then it is my fault, my eyes were wrong. It is not your fault.”

Cheonghwa’s will was already firm. I was speechless. It was so unfair that I was stopped just before being kicked out, and now I’m suddenly called a disciple of the main temple.

I didn’t want to live my life risking the edge of a knife.

“No veto?”

“does not exist.”

I looked around and everyone had eyes of disbelief.

It was a good thing that I was chosen as a disciple of the main temple, but I couldn’t believe it anymore that I was reluctant to become a disciple of the non-partisan main temple.

“That’s ridiculous!”

At that moment, someone shouted among the classmates. When Cheonghwa and I looked in that direction, we saw Sa Gong-hyeon’s eyes filled with anger.

“That guy has not learned a single martial art, and is the son of a farmer, so his roots are extremely shallow. How can he be a disciple of the original mountain? Isn’t this Sagonghyeon more worthy of being a disciple of the original mountain?”

“Yes, death penalty. I think there is some mistake.”

Cheong-hyeon encouraged Sa-gong-hyeon’s words. However, Cheong-hwa’s eyes remained firm.

“No. I don’t doubt my eyes. And shallow? As Whiyoung said, farmers are not shallow. In fact, they are noble like water in that they do hard work on behalf of others. As the saying goes, “Water benefits all things without fighting” and “Wherever people live, they are evil”! Water benefits all things without fighting and stays in places that everyone dislikes. How could farming not be like this, not the Way?”

When Cheonghwa scolded them, Cheonghyun and Sagonghyeon’s faces turned red as if they were going to burst. Although others might not know, Cheonghyun seemed to find it quite humiliating to be scolded in front of the lay disciples.

“Anyway, just know that. I’ll take Whiyoung.”

“I’m still not convinced.”

When Cheonghwa tried to lead me, Sagonghyeon blocked his way. Even Cheonghyeon, who was on the same side, was shocked by his actions.

“What kind of rudeness is that to a death row inmate!”

However, Cheonghwa met Sakonghyun with the same faint smile.

“If you want to make that guy your main disciple, let me have a duel. And if I win, you can make me your main disciple instead of that guy.”

Cheonghwa, who had been silent for a moment, opened her mouth in a soft voice.

“I have to convince you.”

Suddenly, he felt a chill. In fact, it felt as if the air around him had become cold. Cheong-hyeon shut his eyes tightly as if he knew what was going to happen.

“Listen. In the Central Plains martial arts world, the strong don’t need to convince the weak. They can just kill them. The only ones who need to be convinced are the weak.”

The Qinghua Jinren now was not the empty Jinren who had been reciting the Tao until just now. He was a martial artist who was like a sharp sword. Fear filled Sagonghyeon’s eyes.

“So, it’s not me who needs to be convinced, it’s you. You need to prove to me that you have the qualifications to be a disciple of the main temple.”

Sa-gong-hyeon opened his mouth and couldn’t continue speaking. The atmosphere dominated by Cheong-hwa was that cold and murderous.

“Prove it.”

Cheonghwa pulled out the sword from her waist. The anticipation of the icy blade made my heart shiver. If I, who was watching from the side, was like this, the pressure that Sa-gong-hyeon was feeling was beyond imagination.

“If you can swing a sword at me right now, I will consider that proof.”

Sa-gong-hyeon shivered. However, Sa-gong-hyeon’s feet were blocked by an invisible wall and he could not move forward.

They say that if you just swing a sword, you can become a disciple of the main temple. How can you not swing it? I looked into Sa-gong-hyeon’s eyes. His eyes quickly became bloodshot, and his nose started bleeding.

Cheong-hyeon hurriedly intervened between Cheong-hwa and Sagong-hyeon.

“Death penalty! If you do this any longer, you may be subject to the Coin Possession Demon.”

“You can’t even come near me, let alone swing your sword.”

Cheonghwa taunted Sagonghyeon and put the sword away. As soon as he put the sword away, Sagonghyeon coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

“This is the difference between you and Whiyoung. Whiyoung endured the same level of bullying.”

It was only then that I realized what had happened to Sa-gong-hyeon. When I tried to sell the flute, Cheong-hwa had pressured me with her invisible force.

Sa-gong-hyeon looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it. It seemed like he couldn’t believe that I could endure the pressure that he couldn’t endure. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it either. I’ve never been under pressure that strong enough to vomit blood.

“Let’s go.”

Cheonghwa turned around. No matter how much I was a country, I didn’t have the courage to make a fuss there.

I followed Cheong-hwa and then glanced back. Everyone was just blankly following my back.