Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 521

Afterword (2)

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s hut looked as shabby as ever.

The wooden platform in front, and the hunched figure of the Hermit sitting on it, sipping tea, were also the same as always.

Clack.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha put down his teacup and turned his head.

“What are you doing standing there?”

The Hermit said in a grumpy tone.

It had been a long time since his last visit, but the Hermit didn’t care.

“If a guest comes, you should offer tea. What are you standing there blankly for?”

Yunhyun smiled faintly.

“I am the guest, though.”

“What guest? You’re a thief who’s been fleecing this old man.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha pouted.

“Stop talking nonsense and bring tea. A beautiful guest has come after a long time, so don’t keep her waiting.”

At those words, Yunhyun turned to M容yongmi without realizing it.

It seemed that M容yongmi was the only guest to the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha.

Yunhyun and Gaekong, who were standing next to her, were not even in his eyes.

Rustle.

M容yongmi took a step forward.

And she bowed with a graceful posture.

“Nice to meet you, Master. My name is M容yongmi.”

A satisfied smile spread across the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s face.

He put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

“I am the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha. Such a beautiful lady has come to visit; even this hut seems to brighten up. Hehehe. Come up here quickly.”

Yunhyun opened his mouth wide.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha looked like a gentle old monk.

When had he ever shown such a bright smile?

Moreover, the Hermit, who would usually scrape tea leaves from his teacup and chew on them, was now sitting upright with his eyes shining.

He looked like a high priest who had attained enlightenment, and even his old and shabby robe looked dignified.

“Thank you, Master.”

M容yongmi bowed her head in gratitude.

And she sat demurely on the wooden platform.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha looked at her with a satisfied expression.

Then he looked at Yunhyun and frowned.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you bringing tea?”

Yunhyun chuckled at the blatant discrimination.

But he didn’t feel bad.

He seemed to see the Divine Monk Buryoung in the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha.

Since they were master and disciple, how could it not be so?

“Yes, I’ll bring it right away.”

“You can take your time.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha immediately changed his words after telling him to bring it quickly.

But Yunhyun hurried behind the hut.

Because it was clear that he would say something else if he was late.

Tap, tap.

As Yunhyun disappeared behind the hut, the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha turned his gaze to Gaekong.

“Why are you standing there? You’re an eyesore, so go somewhere….”

“The medicine I mentioned seems to be ready soon.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s eyes lit up at those words.

Gaekong continued in a calm voice.

“The man called Euino has entered the Tang Clan. Although he is excessively biased, his talent is outstanding, so the medicine I mentioned will be completed soon.”

Euino, who had left Iltaesang-in, appeared in the Tang Clan.

Tang Seol-yeon immediately informed Gaekong, and according to Gaekong’s wishes, Euino was accepted into the Tang Clan without anyone knowing.

Euino indulged in Gaekong’s unique poisons and released everything he had researched into the Tang Clan.

Although limited to some fields, Euino’s knowledge and skills were surprising even to the Tang Clan.

Thanks to this, the Tang Clan’s doctors, who were already busy with reconstruction, had to stay up all night working on research.

One of the results is about to bear fruit.

“Hehehe, very good.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha chuckled.

Then he said to Gaekong.

“What are you doing standing there? Why don’t you come and sit down?”

The tone was similar to before, but the content was clearly different.

Gaekong silently took a seat on one side of the wooden platform.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha turned his head and looked at M容yongmi.

“So, where is the young lady’s home?”

“M容yong Clan.”

“Ah, M容yong Clan!”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s face brightened.

M容yongmi asked with a soft expression.

“Do you know our family?”

“I don’t.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said without hesitation.

There was no way that Shaolin wouldn’t know the M容yong Clan, but it seemed that it was not in the memory of the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who had already erased his ties with the secular world.

M容yongmi gave an awkward smile, but the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s voice continued.

“But if you have raised such a beautiful daughter, I can know without seeing it. It must be a great and good family.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said with a smile.

M容yongmi’s face brightened.

“Yes, it really is. Thank you, Master.”

“Hehehe.”

The already good atmosphere became even more friendly.

M容yongmi said as if she suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, and this is.”

Rustle.

M容yongmi placed a small bundle in front of the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s eyes widened.

“Oh my. Isn’t this tea leaves?”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha recognized the contents without even opening the package.

M容yongmi said with a smile.

“I brought it because I heard that the Master enjoys tea. It’s Longjing [Dragon Well tea] from Hangzhou.”

“Longjing! Such a precious thing!”

Without even a single refusal, the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha reached out to the bundle of tea leaves.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s expression brightened as he put his nose to it and sniffed.

“It’s genuine. Moreover, it’s the highest quality that is presented to the Emperor.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha couldn’t hide his happy expression.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha hid the bundle of tea leaves inside his loose robe and smiled at M容yongmi.

“Thank you. To think that you would care about even this old and insignificant monk, your heart is as beautiful as your appearance.”

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

At that time, Yunhyun came with tea.

It was thanks to the teapot already boiling.

“Tea….”

“Not that.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said in a blunt tone.

“Are you going to give our precious guest what I was drinking? If you look carefully in the back, there are tea leaves that have been set aside separately, so bring them.”

Yunhyun hesitated for a moment.

He wondered if it was really necessary since it was the same tea anyway.

But the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha glared at him.

“Aren’t you going? Do you think this monk’s words are a joke now?”

“Ah, no.”

Yunhyun quickly waved his hand.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said bluntly.

“Look carefully! I’ve hidden it well! Be careful not to make a mess!”

Yunhyun disappeared behind the hut, and the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha clicked his tongue with a dissatisfied expression.

M容yongmi gave an awkward smile, but Gaekong said in a low voice next to her.

“Yunhyun will have something to say.”

“I know.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said, looking at the back of the hut where Yunhyun had disappeared.

“It’s obvious even if I listen. He saw something that doesn’t belong in this world, or something like that, right?”

Gaekong’s eyebrows twitched.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha had already guessed the story that no one knew except Yunhyun and Gaekong.

“I knew it as soon as I saw your faces. I could barely glimpse what I could only glimpse after giving up my life’s worth of internal energy….”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha frowned and said to Gaekong.

“Aren’t you? You must have just gotten lucky being next to Yunhyun.”

Gaekong gave a bitter smile.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha was right.

“Tsk, what an absurd world. Some guys are just born lucky, huh?”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha grumbled as if he was dissatisfied.

He didn’t even care that M容yongmi was in front of him.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who was about to drink tea, realized that his teacup was empty.

He shouted towards the back of the hut.

“What are you doing! Are you still not done yet?”

“I’ll be there soon!”

Yunhyun’s voice was heard.

But he wouldn’t be able to come quickly anyway.

He must still be looking for the tea leaves.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha knew that too, so he frowned and muttered.

“I’ve never seen you come quickly when you say you’ll be there soon.”

M容yongmi smiled at those words.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha and Yunhyun looked like a friendly grandfather and grandson.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who had been grumbling, turned to M容yongmi.

“So, what is your relationship with Yunhyun?”

M容yongmi said in a soft voice.

“Scholar Yunhyun is a benefactor of our family. And I am in charge of external affairs for the Azure Dragon Alliance….”

“I like you, so I’ll tell you something special.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said, cutting off M容yongmi’s words.

“That guy is so clueless that if you just wait aimlessly like that, something big will happen. Even if your pride as a woman is a little hurt, you should be proactive….”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

M容yongmi said in a soft voice.

“But I want to wait. For when Scholar Yunhyun’s heart moves.”

“A man’s heart moves when he sees a pretty woman.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha frowned.

“How long are you going to dilly-dally like that before you bring that guy’s child? After I die?”

“Th, that’s….”

M容yongmi’s face turned red.

She wasn’t even a lover yet, but even the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha was talking about children.

“What are you going to do if your beautiful days pass and you’re left alone? It’s a mistake to think you’ll always be young.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s tone had changed to a lecture.

M容yongmi was troubled about how to answer, but Gaekong suddenly said.

“She won’t be left alone.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha frowned and looked at Gaekong.

“There are many family heads who like Miss M容yongmi as a granddaughter-in-law. If she wants, she can….”

“You’re such a fool.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said, cutting off Gaekong’s words.

“Do you think this child will readily go to another man just because Yunhyun doesn’t recognize her? I’m saying this because I don’t think she’ll ever look back at another man, even if she has to live alone for the rest of her life.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s frustrated words were right.

In the past, when the M容yong Clan was declining, M容yongmi didn’t want her marriage.

Rather, she rolled up her sleeves and took care of the family and did her best to support the collapsing family.

There was no way she would think about a good marriage now.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s insight, which grasped that at once, was truly amazing.

“So that’s why you don’t have a woman even though you’re so old? You’re….”

“I do.”

Gaekong said, cutting off the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s words.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who had been scolding him, flinched.

“……What are you talking about?”

Gaekong didn’t answer.

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha realized that Gaekong’s words were definitely not a joke or a boast.

“Th, this guy….”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who was trembling with his skinny shoulders, finally sighed.

“Hoo.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who lamented as if the ground was sinking, chanted a Buddhist prayer with a hollow expression.

“Even this taciturn guy has a woman, so why am I….”

M容yongmi gave a bitter smile.

There was no way a woman could be with a monk who had left home.

Tap, tap.

At that time, Yunhyun came out with the teapot and teacups.

Yunhyun, who was happy to have found the tea leaves faster than he thought, said with a bright expression.

“I brought tea. As you said, it’s very good….”

“Leave.”

Yunhyun flinched.

It was because the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha’s expression looked more hollow than ever.

“I don’t need anything. Life is fleeting and everything is empty, so what’s the use of good tea and what’s the meaning of a beautiful lady? Don’t disturb the pure dojo and go back to the secular world.”

Yunhyun was bewildered.

“Wh, what’s suddenly wrong….”

“Everyone, leave.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha said, glaring.

Yunhyun flinched.

But before he knew it, not only Gaekong but also M容yongmi were standing up demurely.

“It was nice meeting you, Master. I’ll come again later.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, who had been frowning, gave a gentle smile.

“Yes. Come anytime.”

Yunhyun had a dumbfounded expression.

But the Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha didn’t care.

It was because the Hangzhou Longjing tea was still in his arms.

“Let’s go.”

Gaekong said to Yunhyun.

Yunhyun didn’t know what was going on, but since the atmosphere was like this, he had no choice but to promise to come again later.

“Then I’ll come again.”

“Hmph. Whatever.”

The Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha replied bluntly.

That appearance was like the usual Hermit of the Sleeping Buddha, so Yunhyun couldn’t help but smile.

The three returned to the Shaolin Temple.

Yunhyun was looking at the pilgrims coming and going, waiting for Hyecheon, when he suddenly turned his head.

Swish.

A man who looked like an ordinary pilgrim quietly approached Yunhyun.

He was one of the Seolyeongdae [Snow Shadow Unit] from Bukhae Ilmun [North Sea First Clan].

“What’s going on?”

Yunhyun asked with a soft expression.

The Seolyeongdae warrior said in a low voice.

“There is a message from the Great Palace Lord.”

“From the Great Palace Lord?”

The Great Palace Lord of Bukhae Ilmun had already left for Bukhae Ice Palace [North Sea Ice Palace].

Yunhyun asked with a puzzled expression, since it was a message from her, and the Seolyeongdae warrior said in a low voice.

“We have found the bereaved family of Great Warrior Dokgo.”

Yunhyun’s expression hardened in an instant.

“……Is that true?”

Yunhyun had no choice but to say that, even though he knew that such a question was meaningless to Seolyeongdae.

The warrior nodded slightly.

“Yes. That’s right.”

Yunhyun gritted his teeth.

His foolish younger brother, Dokgo-rang, who gave his life for him.

They had finally found the bereaved family he had left behind.