A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 248

248. Abandoning Sagehood and Discarding Wisdom

The clash between Old Master and Guigyeon Shura defied imagination.

Guigyeon Shura charged in like a Yaksha [a fierce, demonic figure] from hell, heedless of his own safety, and Old Master met him head-on, not yielding an inch.

Clang, crash!

Sharp metallic sounds and explosions erupted in succession. Keen sword energies tore at each other’s clothes and cut into flesh.

Blood splattered, but neither flinched. A precarious scene unfolded, where even a slight mistake could cost them a limb.

Crash!

The training ground trembled, unable to withstand their collision. The Namgung Clan members wanted to flee, but no one dared to move rashly.

Above all, the Clan Lord still held his ground. One of the elders seemed to advise him quietly, but Clan Lord Namgung Kwon paid no heed.

Thud, thud.

Meanwhile, Sohn Bin approached the fallen Hyeolbong, unfazed by the explosions erupting nearby.

“Don’t come closer.”

Shin-ui said without looking. Sohn Bin stopped immediately. Sasu-yeon and Dang Wol-ah, who were following, also halted.

“It’ll be over soon.”

Hyeolbong’s collar was already undone. The large and small silver needles gleaming here and there, and her blood-stained chest, were exposed.

Rustle.

Shin-ui’s hands moved swiftly. He carefully applied medicine to Hyeolbong’s wounds and covered them with a clean cloth.

Only then did Shin-ui let out a soft sigh.

“It’s done.”

Sohn Bin approached Shin-ui.

“How is she?”

“It was fortunate that I knew about this child beforehand. Otherwise, I might have misjudged several things.”

Sohn Bin knelt on one knee and lowered his body. Shin-ui was meticulously examining Hyeolbong’s condition again.

“Fortunately, her heart wasn’t damaged. Her breathing is weak, and her pulse is barely detectable, but that’s due to this child’s severed meridian disease. It’s worsened since I last saw her.”

Shin-ui said in a low voice.

“Her lung was deeply pierced, but the muscle contraction naturally sealed the wound. The pierced area is relatively small and smooth, so the dagger must have been quite a masterpiece.”

With a bitter smile, Shin-ui continued.

“However, the biggest problem in this case is actually… No, you wouldn’t understand even if I explained it, so I’ll just give you the conclusion.”

Shin-ui raised his head and looked at Sohn Bin.

“The medical treatment is complete. But the problem is the child herself. It’s already a miracle that she’s alive.”

With a look of pity, Shin-ui looked down at the fallen Hyeolbong.

“If things continue like this, this child will die.”

That was Shin-ui’s conclusion.

All necessary measures had been taken. But her life was fading away moment by moment.

“I know how pathetic it is for a doctor to say this, but…”

Shin-ui gritted his teeth and said.

“There’s nothing more I can do.”

Sohn Bin saw Shin-ui’s troubled expression. Then he lowered his gaze and looked at the fallen Hyeolbong.

Her pale face was as serene as if she were asleep. In some ways, she even seemed to be smiling.

“Although it may not be perfect…”

Sohn Bin stood up.

“There will be a way.”

Sohn Bin, who had been speaking with a calm expression while looking down at Hyeolbong, turned his head. And he looked at Sasu-yeon.

“So please don’t make such a sad face, Miss Suyeon.”

Sohn Bin said with a gentle smile.

“I will return. I promised I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

“I know.”

Sasu-yeon said softly.

“I, I know.”

Sohn Bin could tell that she was desperately suppressing her emotions. But even that 모습 [Korean: appearance] looked beautiful, so Sohn Bin smiled faintly.

Sasu-yeon, noticing Sohn Bin’s smile, glared at him.

She knew this wasn’t the time, but she couldn’t help it. She was worried sick, but this headstrong man was smiling, oblivious to her feelings.

“Ahem.”

Sohn Bin quickly turned his head.

“Miss Wol-ah, please protect the Namgung Clan members.”

Dang Wol-ah, who had her face covered with a veil, silently nodded.

That was all; she said nothing. There was no way she didn’t know what Sohn Bin was about to do.

Sohn Bin knelt in front of Hyeolbong. Her blood soaked his knees, but he didn’t care. And he closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to calm his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, Sohn Bin stood before a vast current.

Whoosh.

A majestic current that embraced and flowed through the entire world. Sohn Bin did not know what to call it.

Like a river of light, countless sparkles flickered and flowed within it. No event, no matter how significant, had any meaning before that great torrent.

Death, life, sorrow, joy, even truth and falsehood, lost their original light and faded into nothingness within that current.

Woo woo woo woo.

That current had always revealed itself to Sohn Bin. The biggest influence was probably due to encountering the glacial essence, Binghon, in the Northern Sea. But the beginning had already started before that.

Leaving the Northern Sea and competing with Geomhee in Yewon, Sohn Bin was once swallowed by that current. Sohn Bin did not remember what he had become at that time. But that experience fundamentally changed Sohn Bin.

From then on, Sohn Bin had to consciously try to avoid that current. In that sense, Old Master’s advice to ‘talk a lot’ was correct. Just being still made him feel like he was gradually disappearing.

An overwhelming current that seemed to swallow him without him even knowing.

Old Master’s restlessness was probably due to instinctively recognizing that. That Sohn Bin actually wanted to return to the midst of that current.

It was like a forgotten but never disappearing, instinctive return consciousness engraved in human nature.

Rustle, rustle.

Faint clusters of light flowing from the vast current wrapped around Sohn Bin as if they were familiar. That alone was enough to make him forget everything and melt into the current.

—Sometimes you have to leave what you love most.

That was what he had told Namgung Soyu. But it was also a word that awakened Sohn Bin himself.

—What you love most.

He had worried. What he had to leave, what he had to abandon.

He had even feared that it might be the people he loved. He had even thought that perhaps it was the realm of abandoning the sword, as they often said.

But now he could clearly see. What he had to leave was not people, nor the realm of the sword.

Thud.

It wasn’t an actual movement. But at that moment, Sohn Bin turned his back on that vast and beautiful current.

Whoosh.

It quietly disappeared. There was no sound, no shock. As if there had been nothing from the beginning, it vanished.

That tremendous presence that had filled the sky and the earth, no, that had made even the sky and the earth fade before it, disappeared in an instant.

It was like a person who had been seeing perfectly suddenly going blind.

But Sohn Bin was not afraid. He did not regret it. Hadn’t Hyeolbong Geumsaryeon already shown him?

Wooong.

In the darkness, a slender, soft, and beautiful stream emerged before Sohn Bin.

It was not as powerful as the aura that Saja-hyeok had emitted. It was not as tyrannical as the previous Jade Dragon.

Compared to the brilliant light emitted by the giants, it was rather shabby, but it was the path that Sohn Bin himself had chosen.

Sohn Bin reached out his hand. The stream, which had been faintly shimmering as if it would disappear at any moment, gently wrapped around him. And a warm warmth permeated his chest.

Woo woong.

Sohn Bin smiled. It was strange for him to feel emotions in the humming sound, but Sohn Bin could tell that the sound was happy.

“Yes, it’s good to see you.”

Even though he thought it was foolish, Sohn Bin couldn’t help but answer.

Woong.

Baekro was softly crying in his hand.

∴

Sasu-yeon and Dang Wol-ah were watching Sohn Bin. But in an instant, Sohn Bin’s presence disappeared.

It wasn’t that Sohn Bin had gone anywhere. But he was no longer here. He was clearly still in front of them, but it didn’t seem like they could reach him even if they reached out.

Sasu-yeon gritted her teeth.

She couldn’t lose Sohn Bin. Even if this caused him to hate her, even if she could never be with him again, it would be better than losing him forever.

Thinking of the worst-case scenario she had to prepare for, she gripped the hilt of her sword, Myeongmi.

On the other hand, Dang Wol-ah still didn’t move. She was just watching Sohn Bin with her beautiful eyes under the veil.

But Sasu-yeon could tell. If Sohn Bin couldn’t return like this, Dang Wol-ah would never stand still.

Only heaven knew which would be a greater disaster: the return of the Blood Demon or Dang Wol-ah’s despair.

It was an extremely short moment, but it was a dark and long time like a cold winter night for the two women. And that moment of pain was broken by a soft sword cry.

Woong.

It was Baekro. The straight, silver blade was already shining its beauty in Sohn Bin’s hand.

“Yes, it’s good to see you.”

Sohn Bin said softly. And Sasu-yeon could tell. That he had returned as he had promised her.

Sreung.

Sohn Bin sheathed Baekro. And he turned around and said.

“Miss Suyeon, Miss Wol-ah.”

He was calling them. Always in that usual way.

Sasu-yeon felt like tears would burst out. But she barely suppressed her emotions and nodded.

“Please watch the surroundings for a moment.”

She couldn’t answer. If she opened her mouth, her uncontrollable feelings would spill out.

“Shin-ui, I entrust Miss Geumsaryeon to you.”

Shin-ui had already said that there was nothing he could do, so what was he asking for?

But Shin-ui understood Sohn Bin’s meaning and nodded. Sohn Bin was about to do something.

“Hoo.”

Sohn Bin took a soft breath. And he reached out his hand towards the exposed chest of Hyeolbong Geumsaryeon.

Between the shy breasts of a lovely young lady, Sohn Bin’s hand stopped with a slight gap. And the next moment, a warm wind gathered towards Hyeolbong Geumsaryeon.

‘W-what on earth…’

Sasu-yeon couldn’t understand what was happening before her eyes.

“Kaa!”

“Be careful!”

A gruesome shriek and Old Master’s voice were heard at the same time.

Pak.

Sasu-yeon turned around and drew Myeongmi at the same time, swinging it with all her might. At the same time, Dang Wol-ah’s Soweol was also seen emitting a poisonous energy and cutting through the air.

Kwaang! Kwajajak.

The crimson energy of the Blood Wolf, blocked by Myeongmi and Soweol, surged furiously. The face of Guigyeon Shura, visible beyond the Blood Wolf, was distorted like a demon.

“You bastard!”

Whooook.

With Old Master’s roar, his sword Soryeong struck towards Guigyeon Shura’s back. Guigyeon Shura immediately pulled his body back.

In the meantime, Old Master stood as if blocking Sohn Bin and Hyeolbong, and Seorin also landed next to him.

Ttak.

Guigyeon Shura, who had landed on the ground, gritted his teeth inwardly.

Sohn Bin didn’t even look at them, with his hand on Hyeolbong’s chest. But Guigyeon Shura clearly knew what was happening now.

He wanted to tear Sohn Bin in two and take that right away. But between Sohn Bin and Guigyeon Shura were Old Master and Seorin, as well as Sasu-yeon and Dang Wol-ah.

“Heh heh heh.”

Guigyeon Shura, who had been staring with eyes full of resentment, suddenly let out a sneer.

“How foolish. To cast it away yourself… Could it be that you still have attachments you haven’t severed?”

Old Master’s eyebrows twitched.

“What are you talking about?”

“As you wish (如意) [Ruyi, a scepter symbolizing power and wish fulfillment].”

Guigyeon Shura reached out one hand as if grabbing something. And as if he were a different person, no, in fact, as if he were a different being, he said in a gruesome voice.

“If you hadn’t turned away, you could have controlled the life and death of all things under heaven as you wished [如意]. Even I would have had to step back if you had commanded. But you cast aside that supreme seat and chose only that?”

The one Guigyeon Shura was talking to was not Old Master, but Sohn Bin.

Realizing that, Sasu-yeon unconsciously tried to turn around. Dang Wol-ah did too. But Old Master’s words stopped the two.

“Hey, you talk well?”

Old Master said with a smirk. Of course, it wasn’t a compliment.

“You were like a stone just a moment ago, why are you suddenly so eloquent? Well, there are guys like that. When they realize they’re not going to make it, their tongues start wagging.”

Old Master, who had been sneering, muttered to himself.

“Just that…”

Whoosh.

The wind blew. Old Master stared straight at Guigyeon Shura.

“Abandon sagehood and discard wisdom [絶聖棄智] [a Taoist concept of letting go of conventional knowledge]. Only then will the path of humanity be visible.”

The eyes of Namak Old Master, who was speaking, were shining like those of a saint. The being occupying Guigyeon Shura’s body hardened his face at that gaze.

“You chose only that? Then what else should I choose?”

Old Master’s voice was heavy and deep. Although it contained no inner strength or energy, his voice was shaking people’s hearts as much as a lion’s roar.

“Don’t you still understand? You…”

Old Master suddenly laughed. That laugh was brighter than ever and shining with pride.

“Failed.”

A moment of silence flowed. But it wasn’t long.

“Keu heu heu.”

A sinister wind-like sound flowing from the abyss leaked from Guigyeon Shura’s mouth.

“Yes, it seems so.”

Whoooook.

Another energy rushed towards Guigyeon Shura. It was extremely different from Sohn Bin’s soft wind.

“So I have to end it in a spectacular way. Don’t you think?”

Parararak.

Guigyeon Shura’s uniform fluttered madly, unable to withstand the energy. Anyone could tell that his momentum was different from before. He was prepared for the end.

Whoooooong.

The crimson energy swirling around the Blood Wolf was erupting as if it would swallow Guigyeon Shura whole.

“Although I may not be able to tear all of you apart and kill you…”

The one occupying Guigyeon Shura’s body said, shining his eerie eyes. He was smiling.

“One of you will surely die.”

People instinctively knew that those words would soon become the truth. A chilling cold ran down everyone’s spines, and even the Namgung Clan’s masters, who had trained for a long time, felt their chests tighten with fear.

“That is not true.”

What broke that fear was a low and soft voice.

Thud.

Sohn Bin quietly stepped forward.

Behind him, Shin-ui was busily moving his hands for Hyeolbong, and Old Master and Seorin stepped aside, making way for Sohn Bin.

They were smiling. Not only Old Master, but also Seorin and Sasu-yeon, and even Dang Wol-ah’s lips under the veil were drawing a faint curve.

“No one will die here now.”

Sohn Bin said, looking at Guigyeon Shura, no, the Blood Demon. His expression was extremely natural, as if he had come out for a walk.

Woong.

Baekro, held in his hand, cried softly as if showing off its beauty.