Chapter 299: Variable (2)
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The situation changed rapidly. The reclusive masters bound by the covenant emerged one by one into the world, and the Zhuge Clan burst out of the Palace of Heavenly Worship and declared an independent line.
It was chaos. Amid it all, the Imperial Palace tried to draw every martial force into the Palace of Heavenly Worship. And so rising orthodox powers like Kwaehwal Grove and Yeonhui Manor were brought in, and even the Private Martial Union was pulled inside the Palace of Heavenly Worship.
It was truly astonishing. No matter how short-handed they were, for the Imperial Palace to openly take unorthodox martial groups under its wing—
Naturally, among unorthodox martial artists as well, there were certainly those who disliked being attached to the Imperial Palace, and they were naturally filtered out within the Private Martial Union.
Factions split and merged. In that chaotic state of the Central Plains, neither the Imperial Palace nor we could move easily. If the Imperial Palace designated the New Justice Association a rebel force too easily here, resistance from martial artists would surely be fierce.
In many ways, it was a stalemate in a complicated state. In another sense, it felt like a tangled peace.
I decided simply to observe. In truth, rather than observing, it was time for training.
The grandmasters of the sage-rank disciples had now come and were reviewing our martial arts. I had been using Wudang sword methods in altered form rather than in their original state, so I had tried not to receive instruction, but Hyeon-wol shut my mouth and told me not to put on airs.
“Show me once. Your martial art. I want to see how complete a martial art it is that you insist on using alone.”
“It is not that I insist on using it alone……”
“Tsk. Do not talk back.”
“Chop.”
I moistened my lips and unleashed my own independent sword art, the Hunwon Muhui Sword Art. The Hunwon Muhui Sword Art felt like the distilled essence of all the martial principles I had learned so far, and its forms were concise by nature.
So until now I had used only two forms in actual combat. The first form, New Moon, and the second form, Extreme. The third form, Full, was something I was showing another person for the first time.
“Only three?”
“Yes.”
“The power alone is excellent.”
Hyeon-wol nodded. Honestly, I believed without a shred of doubt that my Hunwon Muhui Sword Art was a flawless sword style for me.
But Hyeon-wol said something different from what I expected.
“But there is nothing of you in it. It feels like things learned here and there, with only the essentials arranged. You seem to have some misunderstanding about martial artists.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“You seem to think of the martial artist as something separate. The you before you became a martial artist, I mean.”
For a moment I felt as though I had been struck across the back of the head with an iron club. Because that was exactly what I had done.
I was someone who had agonized for a long time on the boundary between merchant and martial artist. Right now I was not doing merchant activities in the New Justice Association. In this life I had thought I had become a martial artist.
“Is that wrong?”
“Is it not obvious? Martial arts contain all of you. How can you defeat someone who has put all of himself into them when you have only put part of yourself in?”
Hyeon-wol spoke as though it were only natural. I felt a little aggrieved. The time I had spent trying to break free of the merchant’s frame had been too long.
“I think there are clearly parts where merchant life and martial life cannot coexist.”
“Why is that?”
“Why is that……”
I was briefly at a loss for words.
“The values themselves are different. Martial artists place value in chivalry, and merchants place value in money.”
“What do you think of Na Han-geol? Is he a martial artist, or a merchant?”
“That is a difficult question.”
“It is difficult because you dare try to answer a question that has no answer.”
“……”
It felt like the first time in a long while that I was left speechless. Hyeon-wol continued.
“Do not throw yourself away needlessly. Why waste what you have built? Today is the summation of all the days you have lived until now.”
“I understand. I will think about it.”
“I have nothing to say regarding sword craft or movement. You are handling that well on your own.”
Hyeon-wol finished guiding me that quickly. After Hyeon-wol left, I returned to the New Justice Association master’s chamber and thought deeply.
“This is difficult.”
While I was sighing, someone knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
“It is me. Gaga.”
A gentle voice came from outside. It was still Peng Chae-hyang, stationed at the New Justice Association.
“Ah, yes. Come in.”
Peng Chae-hyang was carrying two steaming teacups. I smiled.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because it is curious.”
“Curious about what?”
“It seems Chae-hyang knows exactly when I want tea. It is not as though she is watching me all the time.”
Peng Chae-hyang’s face reddened. She quietly set a teacup before me first, then took her own.
“You went into the master’s chamber with a troubled look on your face.”
“Ah. That is right.”
“That is one thing, but I am disappointed.”
“About what?”
Peng Chae-hyang pouted.
“You came back and did not even come to see me.”
“Ah. I was too busy.”
It was an excuse that was awkward even to say. Peng Chae-hyang pouted even more.
Peng Chae-hyang did not say it without knowing I was busy. She was upset that even knowing I was busy, I had not come to see her. And honestly, no matter how busy I was, it made no sense that I could not spare time to visit one person and greet her.
“……Mm, sorry.”
“It is all right. In truth, Gaga has no obligation to come see me.”
“When you say it like that, I feel even more sorry.”
Peng Chae-hyang smiled. Fortunately, she did not seem to have been sulking that seriously from the start.
“Anyway, what has you so troubled? I will listen.”
“It is a problem that is hard to sympathize with.”
“Still, try saying it. You may untangle it while you speak.”
It was a persuasive argument. In my previous life as well, when I faced problems I could not solve alone, I had talked them over with Gwan Seo-ye. Thinking back, rather than solving each other’s problems, it seemed we had each untangled them while telling one another our troubles.
I slowly explained. That I had cast off my identity as a merchant and found my identity as a martial artist, only to be told to return to my identity as a merchant, and that I was troubled by it. Only to that extent.
“By the way, how did I seem when you first saw me?”
I asked suddenly out of curiosity. Peng Chae-hyang rolled her eyes upward.
“You were on some ship then.”
“That is right.”
“You gave the impression of being at ease. A little like someone who had attained the Way?”
That was right. At that time I had possessed the identity of someone who had stood at the peak of merchant life. Because of that, I treated most people comfortably.
“Not anymore?”
“You have changed a lot. At some point you started to look pursued. Before it felt like you had come to play. Now it feels like you live fiercely.”
“Living fiercely.”
This was my first life as a martial artist, so perhaps it was only natural to live as fiercely as I had when I first became a merchant. But Hyeon-wol had asked me whether I really needed to cast off that merchant side of myself.
“Come to think of it, you do give the impression of having become a different person. Before you seemed somewhat carefree, but now you move steadily without any ease. I wish you would allow yourself a little more room.”
“Did you like that better?”
“Gaga would be less tired. Without ease, people collapse before long.”
“Ease. This is not really a situation where I can afford ease.”
“A burden shared is a burden halved. You do not need to shoulder everything yourself. Everyone in the New Justice Association shares it.”
Peng Chae-hyang’s fresh smile seemed to loosen my complicated thoughts a little. Nothing was exactly solved, but my heart did feel a bit lighter.
“Somehow, I feel at ease when I am with Chae-hyang.”
“Ah. Me too.”
Peng Chae-hyang blushed. Ah, I seemed to have misspoken slightly. I had grown so comfortable that such words slipped out.
“Sorry. That must have sounded strange.”
“It is all right. I really feel that way too. Strangely enough, I really do.”
Peng Chae-hyang responded more actively than I expected. It almost felt as though she was sympathizing so I would not feel embarrassed.
“Then, Gaga.”
“Hm?”
Peng Chae-hyang stood. Then she went around the desk and sat beside me.
“……Mm.”
Embarrassingly, Peng Chae-hyang did not stop there and leaned her shoulder against mine. Along with a pleasant fragrance, I felt the soft curves of her body.
“Comfortable?”
Peng Chae-hyang asked, lifting her head. This was another first, seeing Peng Chae-hyang’s face so close. I had known she was pretty, but I had not known she could be this beautiful. For a moment her beauty was so noble I had to catch my breath.
“You really have changed a lot.”
“Changed how?”
“You could not even go near men before.”
“Ah, that is right. But I think that was because I stayed too much inside the clan. After meeting and working with many people in the New Justice Association, I naturally got better.”
“That is fortunate.”
If she was uncomfortable dealing with half the world’s men, life would naturally be hard. In that respect, it was truly good news that Peng Chae-hyang’s androphobia had improved.
“It is all thanks to Gaga.”
“What did I do?”
“You are the one who brought me out. Truly.”
“You came out on your own. What did I do?”
“No, it is not.”
Peng Chae-hyang shook her head. With that motion, Peng Chae-hyang’s silk-like hair brushed the nape of my neck.
“Usually Gaga is right, but this is my story. I am right.”
“……All right, we will go with that.”
“Good.”
Peng Chae-hyang smiled bashfully. Apart from when we first met, this seemed to be the first time Peng Chae-hyang had tried to get the better of me.
“And please know this.”
“Know what?”
“That I do not act like this with just anyone because my fear of men got better.”
It was a somewhat strange thing to say. I answered with a small smile.
“Thank you.”
“But do you not really feel more at ease?”
Peng Chae-hyang asked. I nodded. It was not empty words. With Peng Chae-hyang beside me, my heart really did feel a little more stable.
“You are right. It really is strange.”
“Then let us allow a little more time.”
Peng Chae-hyang lifted her chin as though doing me a favor. It was so cute I burst out laughing.
We sat quietly side by side and drank tea. After Peng Chae-hyang finished her tea, she suddenly rested her head on my chest. Having only been leaning shoulder to shoulder, now nearly half our bodies overlapped.
“I will make you even more comfortable.”
“……My body is getting uncomfortable.”
“What matters is that your heart is at ease.”
I could feel Peng Chae-hyang’s heart pounding through vibration. A martial artist’s sharpened senses could catch even such minute vibration.
“But it really is strange. I am so at ease I could fall asleep.”
“You are right.”
But as Peng Chae-hyang said, it was truly true that my heart was at ease. Right now I did not want to worry about anything. Everything felt meaningless.
“At this rate I really think I will fall asleep. Gaga.”
“You can sleep.”
“Can… I really……”
Honestly, I thought she was only saying it. But Peng Chae-hyang really closed her eyes.
Before long, a soft snoring sound came from Peng Chae-hyang’s lips.
“Are you really asleep?”
I looked at Peng Chae-hyang lying facedown on my thigh. No matter how much she trusted me, this seemed far too defenseless.
For no reason, mischief stirred in me, and I poked Peng Chae-hyang’s soft-looking cheek.
“Mmn……”
Peng Chae-hyang’s brow furrowed and she tossed in her sleep. This could not be an act. If it were an act, it would be on the level of the sleep acupoint technique. I could feel her metabolism itself slowing. She really had fallen into deep sleep with remarkable speed.
“Cute.”
I thought about taking a brief moment of ease myself. Though the situation was a stalemate and therefore incomplete, was this not a peaceful moment when nothing was happening? It felt as though if not now, there would be no time to enjoy it.
So I too leaned my back deep into the chair. My body grew languid.
Then it happened. For an instant I thought I was hallucinating. Mixed into Peng Chae-hyang’s breath as she slept was purple energy.
I snapped awake and opened my eyes. The moment I sensed Peng Chae-hyang’s demonic qi, the demonic qi within me resonated and began to stir as well.
“……What is going on?”
Unable to hide my bewilderment, I looked at the sleeping Peng Chae-hyang. Peng Chae-hyang was still sleeping with an untroubled, comfortable feeling.