A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 261

261. Soul Snatching and White Dew

Deep in the night, the Bukgang River flowed silently, reflecting the starlight. Moonlight shimmered on the occasional ripples, and the riverbank buzzed with the clamorous sounds of insects.

Amidst this symphony of chirps and rustles, Son Bin stood.

It was a night that made him feel utterly alone, the only soul awake in the world, but he couldn’t afford to lose himself in contemplation.

The master of the Demonic Path, Soul Snatcher, stood before him, radiating an extraordinary aura.

“A good place,” Soul Snatcher said, gazing down at the Bukgang River.

“I was once ambushed by the Black Demon Clan near a river like this. I swung my sword like a madman, and before I knew it, I was the only one left standing. The sky was already bright.”

Soul Snatcher chuckled, a low, rumbling sound.

“That’s when I learned what it meant for the river to run crimson. But that’s an old story now.”

Soul Snatcher, who had been observing the Bukgang River, raised his head.

“What about you? Have you ever killed anyone?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Any plans to?”

“No, I don’t have any plans either.”

“Hmm…”

Soul Snatcher cracked his neck from side to side, a series of pops echoing in the night air.

“Then why did you take up the sword?”

Soul Snatcher’s gaze bore into Son Bin, intensely sharp. Son Bin smiled calmly.

“Because I saw ‘him.’”

A strange light flickered in Soul Snatcher’s eyes. Son Bin continued,

“The dao [a philosophical concept often translated as ‘the way’ or ‘the path’] he possesses is excessively large and has no blade. Its practical use as a weapon is doubtful, and it’s useless even as a decoration.”

Suddenly, Son Bin chuckled.

“In fact, Breaking Moon looks strange from the start. When I first saw it, I thought he was going to use it to beat people mercilessly.”

Son Bin raised his gaze and looked at Soul Snatcher with a gentle expression.

“But he showed me what he could do with that absurd dao.”

With a calm expression, Son Bin continued,

“He showed me that discussing the Dao with a sword in hand is not meaningless. That’s why I’m holding a sword now.”

With a gentle smile, Son Bin placed his hand on his sword, White Dew.

“Perhaps that’s why I had my heart stolen.”

Soul Snatcher silently stared at Son Bin. Son Bin raised his eyes.

“When I think about it, his dao, Breaking Moon, is the same as his Dao. And since both a sword and a brush ultimately reveal a person’s heart, there may not be much difference. Of course, scholars wouldn’t agree…”

Son Bin smiled.

“But I’m not trying to get anyone’s approval.”

“So, you called him ‘one who walks the path of No Emperor’?”

“Yes, that’s right. But now I know that my path cannot be the same as his, and I am finding my own way.”

“Huhu, a way. Good words.”

Soul Snatcher laughed. He could tell that Son Bin’s words were not just an expression of humility.

“In fact, No Emperor is different from you in many ways. No Emperor would never have sought out a Hwasa [a female shaman or sorceress]. Well, maybe he would have said a word or two? For example…”

With his arms crossed, Soul Snatcher frowned, as if he couldn’t think of the right words.

Son Bin helped him.

“Would he say, ‘Be crushed by the weight of that pain, run away from it, or find destiny within it’ ?”

Soul Snatcher laughed.

“Yes, destiny. That’s exactly what he would have said. You know him well.”

“I worked hard, after all.”

He worked hard. It felt like just yesterday that he was diligently writing down every word No Emperor said.

Soul Snatcher didn’t understand Son Bin’s words, but it didn’t matter much.

“But you and No Emperor have something in common. No, in fact, that’s what matters most to me.”

Soul Snatcher looked straight at Son Bin.

“But before that.”

Whoosh.

Before the last words could be heard, Soul Snatcher was already lunging toward Son Bin.

“I need to confirm a few things.”

Wooong.

With an eerie wail, a large dao appeared from behind Soul Snatcher.

It was a great dao with no decorations or special features, but the energy imbued in its blade was anything but ordinary.

Kwa kwa kwak.

A blue aura surged toward Son Bin. But Son Bin was not idle either.

No, in fact, he had been waiting. Son Bin knew that Soul Snatcher was ready to pounce at any moment.

Sarak.

Son Bin’s body spun. And as Soul Snatcher’s eerie dao lunged toward Son Bin, a sword, White Dew, was already shining its blade in Son Bin’s hand.

Huoong.

Following Son Bin’s movement, White Dew naturally drew a circle and met Soul Snatcher’s dao, which was sweeping horizontally, in mid-air.

Clang.

It was a very small sound, but it was also a sound that could never be made in a clash between a sword and a dao imbued with eerie energy.

Soul Snatcher immediately recognized what this meant. It was the sword of the Yellow Crane True Man, one of the Four Heavenly Swordsmen.

“Haa!”

With a shout, Soul Snatcher explosively raised his energy.

But his dao had already lost its original direction, and Soul Snatcher had to experience the world turning upside down in an instant.

However, Soul Snatcher’s response was not entirely in vain.

Ttaeng.

With a sound like something breaking, the sword and dao fell. And in Soul Snatcher’s other hand, a sharp dagger was already flashing its blade.

Ping.

Soul Snatcher’s flying dagger flew straight toward Son Bin. Considering his loss of balance, it was a surprisingly sharp move.

But Son Bin sidestepped almost simultaneously.

Japbak.

Exactly half a step. That was the distance Son Bin moved.

An exact interval that was neither insufficient nor excessive to avoid Soul Snatcher’s flying dagger.

Normally, he would have admired the neat movement. But now, Soul Snatcher had no room for that.

Paang.

In the meantime, Soul Snatcher, who had regained control of his body, lowered his stance and shot toward Son Bin.

Buuuuk.

Soul Snatcher’s dao, emitting a blue aura, lunged low as if touching the ground and rose up right in front of Son Bin.

Huoong.

The energy contained in his dao, Soul Snatcher, was enormous. It was as if he was going to sweep everything away with force, but Son Bin’s White Dew did not back down either.

Shwik.

The blade of White Dew showed off its beautiful form, drawing a trajectory of light in the air.

Soul Snatcher rising and White Dew falling.

This time, the sword and dao clashed without an inch of compromise.

Kwaang!

With a tremendous explosion, a storm-like force burst out in all directions. In an instant, dust rose, and dry grass fluttered, obscuring the view.

Soul Snatcher’s clothes also fluttered as if they had encountered a storm. But at that moment, Soul Snatcher could only be shocked.

Huuuung.

The blue energy on White Dew’s blade was clearly sword energy, but it was not comparable to Soul Snatcher’s momentum. Yet, Soul Snatcher was blocked by White Dew and could no longer move.

Not only that.

Pababak.

Son Bin’s clothes fluttered, and his hair swayed wildly. But it was an insignificant sight compared to the destructive power that Soul Snatcher had unleashed.

Now, Soul Snatcher’s momentum, which seemed to sweep everything away, was passing around Son Bin, as if avoiding him.

‘This, this is…’

Soul Snatcher widened his eyes.

The hand of Flower Shifting and Tree Grafting, the method of Moving a Thousand Pounds with Four Ounces [a martial arts principle of using minimal force to deflect a greater force]. It all twisted even the opponent’s moves or inner strength to his will.

In the past, in the case of Yellow Crane True Man, even if he was a master of sword energy manifestation, he could not even let go of his sword until the True Man felt like it.

But what Son Bin is showing now is different.

A state of being like a sword himself, without any bias or shaking.

‘The Dao of Tai Chi [a Chinese martial art and philosophy focused on balance and harmony].’

Soul Snatcher’s shock and joy were momentary. His combat senses were already instinctively continuing to the next move.

“Haa!”

At the same time as retracting the dao, Soul Snatcher stomped his foot strongly.

Kung.

The earth shook with a heavy sound. Soul Snatcher’s inner strength shook the surrounding ground.

Pababak.

Dirt splattered, and the ground shook. It was a threat that would instinctively cause anyone to feel fear, but Son Bin was not flustered or lowered his body. And Soul Snatcher had already expected that much.

“Now, then.”

Soul Snatcher said. His dao, Soul Snatcher, was no longer in his hand. But Soul Snatcher’s empty hand was now a more certain threat than anything else at this moment.

Udeuk.

Soul Snatcher clenched his fist and smiled at Son Bin.

“Shall we see how hard it is?”

Before the words were finished, Soul Snatcher’s powerful fist mercilessly lunged toward Son Bin.

And Son Bin did not avoid the blow.

“Ah!”

Someone among the five children who were watching made a sound. But no one said anything.

“Hmm.”

Old Man No frowned with a tense expression. Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Hwasa were also surprised. But at that moment, Seo-rin muttered like this.

“Oh, but Brother…”

Peong!

A sound like a drum rang out.

Hook.

The dust that had been obscuring the view due to the impact disappeared in an instant, and the figures of the two people were revealed before them.

Soul Snatcher’s fist could no longer move forward and was stopped. And what stopped Soul Snatcher’s fist was Son Bin’s index and middle fingers, raised straight like a sword.

“Huh.”

Old Man No couldn’t hide his surprised expression. Hwasa, who knew Soul Snatcher well, also widened her eyes. But Seo-rin muttered quietly as if she knew it would happen.

“…He even blocked me with his bare hands before.”

“With his bare hands? When?”

Old Man No turned his head and asked. Seo-rin shrugged.

“When he came to Mount Wudang to pick me up.”

With a somewhat joyful expression, Seo-rin continued.

“So, there’s no way Brother would get hurt that much.”

“Hmm.”

Old Man No groaned.

Old Man No also remembers when Son Bin brought Seo-rin from Wudang. Although he didn’t see the scene directly, Son Bin was covered in large and small wounds all over his body at that time.

“In fact, once you reach the level of External Master, it doesn’t matter what you have in your hand or not.”

It doesn’t matter what it is. The level of External Master is being able to throw even a single blade of grass like a flying knife.

“Could it be, that’s perhaps…”

Old Man No, who was muttering quietly, shook his head. There is a level of winning against someone holding a sword without a sword.

But it is just a story that has been passed down like a legend without any content.

“Hehe, now he does everything without being taught.”

“I told you he did it before? And Grandpa didn’t teach Brother anything. He didn’t teach him on purpose…”

Seo-rin said. But Old Man No didn’t respond anymore and turned his gaze to Son Bin and Soul Snatcher.

Lady Dang and Shin-ui next to him are completely silent. Geom-hui, who is standing alone a little away, is only watching Son Bin without even moving.

“This, what is this?”

Soul Snatcher asks, looking at his fist. It’s just that his fingers touched it, but he can’t move at all as if he’s bound by something.

Looking at Soul Snatcher’s eyes, which are somehow flashing with joy, Son Bin replied.

“It’s like this.”

Seuk.

Very little, Son Bin’s fingers moved. It was almost invisible, but the result was enormous.

Paang.

The inner strength that had been unable to find a place to go between Son Bin’s fingertips and Soul Snatcher’s fist burst out with tremendous momentum.

Jjwaak.

From the sleeves to the shoulders, Son Bin’s clothes were torn off in an instant. If Son Bin hadn’t turned his head, something much more terrible would have happened.

“What about the rest?”

Soul Snatcher asked. The inner strength he put into his fist is not this much.

Son Bin smiled and slyly pointed to the back of Soul Snatcher with his eyes.

“Hmm.”

Soul Snatcher’s expression hardened as he checked his back. The traces of his inner strength bursting out were spread out like a fan on the surface of the ground.

Excluding exactly his surroundings would be Son Bin’s consideration for Soul Snatcher.

“This is a mess.”

Soul Snatcher couldn’t hide his bitter smile.

With a sorry expression, Son Bin lightly removed his fingers. Only then did Soul Snatcher’s fist find freedom.

Udeuk, udeuk.

Soul Snatcher lightly twisted his wrist and checked his condition. There are no special abnormalities or internal injuries.

‘But this, can’t be said to be the Dao of Tai Chi?’

Until he let go of his momentum, it was still an absurd thing, but he could somehow force himself to accept it.

But how can he explain the momentum that was staying between his fist and Son Bin’s fingertips a little while ago?

‘Could it be.’

Soul Snatcher trembled at the thought that suddenly flashed through his mind. He thought it could never be, but there is no other explanation.

Soul Snatcher raised his head and looked at Son Bin. Son Bin also smiles as if he noticed Soul Snatcher’s change.

“You controlled it as you pleased… ?”

“That’s not it.”

Soul Snatcher did not miss the fact that Son Bin’s eyes, denying it, felt somewhat proud.

“Then?”

“Let’s just say it’s a matter of possibility?”

Son Bin scratched his cheek with his finger and said.

“Oh, Brother is embarrassed.”

Seo-rin’s voice was heard, but Soul Snatcher didn’t hear it.

“Possibility? What kind?”

“There are many flows and they are everywhere. And even at this moment, countless flows are rising and falling.”

Son Bin lightly raised his hand as if feeling the wind.

There are countless small flows in the majestic river. Among them, there are even flows that go against the river.

Of course, it only exists momentarily and partially and does not last long.

“So, if you can choose one of those flows and add strength to it.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Son Bin said.

“The same thing as a little while ago is possible. To be specific, the rotation at the fingertips of the Great Warrior’s fist and my hand…”

Son Bin, who was speaking, realized that Soul Snatcher was not understanding. Son Bin coughed lightly.

“Cough, that’s roughly it. I didn’t think it would work this well, though.”

“Heh.”

Old Man No, who was listening with his ears perked up so as not to miss a single word, let out a hollow laugh.

“Last time, he said the flow was helping him, was that what it was?”

“It’s still not enough.”

Son Bin said. His expression was only serious. It was a word to Soul Snatcher, but Old Man No knew exactly what it meant.

Not long ago, Son Bin clearly said to Old Man No.

―Breaking Moon Style is about creating a flow.

“This is true.”

Soul Snatcher smiled bitterly and took his dao, Soul Snatcher, which he had stuck in the ground.

Seureung.

His dao disappeared, and Soul Snatcher looked straight at Son Bin and said.

“I was going to show you my skill, but it was a useless meddling.”

“What do you mean by skill?”

“It’s called Gale Soul Snatching.”

Son Bin quietly repeated ‘Gale Soul Snatching.’ His eyes are sparkling.

“What is it?”

Soul Snatcher smirked. It’s like a scholar who can’t stand his curiosity.

“Later.”

Soul Snatcher said as if it was nothing.

“I’ll show you when you’re ready to risk your life with me.”

“Ugh, that’s mean. You’re saying you won’t show me.”

The person who spoke for Son Bin’s heart was Seo-rin. Soul Snatcher pretended not to hear.

Anyway, the two people’s sparring seemed to be over. Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wol-ah are relieved, and Lady Dang and Shin-ui’s expressions also soften.

The five children were busily chattering and talking about something.

“Hoh hoh hoh.”

Suddenly, Hwasa’s laughter echoed.

“I still fought with Oppa [older brother or male friend] risking my life, though?”

Hwasa said boastfully as if to be heard by Soul Snatcher. In fact, Hwasa has never sparred with Son Bin. If you have to pick one, she just fought with Son Bin and his party, including Geom-hui.

Still, Hwasa thought it was better than Soul Snatcher, who withdrew on his own. But her triumphant expression did not last long.

“You don’t even remember.”

Geom-hui’s quiet words poured cold water on Hwasa.

Hwasa thought to herself, ‘You heartless thing,’ but she didn’t say it out loud. ‘Teacher Se-hwa’ taught her that people who speak harshly, whether men or women, look vulgar.