A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 329

329. An Unexpected Journey

Guangdong Province, nestled at the southern tip of the continent, is known for its heat. Its coastal location also brings humidity, blurring the lines between the four seasons to the point where they’re barely noticeable.

In Guangdong Province, the year is mostly defined by the heat of summer and the chill of winter. Even in winter, ice is a rare sight, but the persistent wind makes the cold keenly felt.

As the days grow shorter and winter sets in, the people, succumbing to a slower pace, tend to stay indoors, gathering with family to savor Cantonese cuisine and seek warmth.

Sunbin’s Seowon [a private Confucian academy], situated in Qingyuan, a small city in Guangdong, was no exception.

Despite the late hour, the Seowon was brightly lit, and not just for warmth.

Crackle, crackle.

Wood snapped and popped in the large brazier placed in the garden. Though hastily arranged, the brazier radiated enough heat to comfortably warm those nearby.

However, for most of the people gathered there, the brazier was of secondary importance.

They were masters of ‘Outer World Affairs’ [matters beyond the mundane world, often involving martial arts and supernatural elements], belonging to the realm of Beyond the Heavens [a metaphorical realm of extraordinary power and skill].

“Hmm.”

Saja Hyuk, taking a sip of his tea, made a low sound.

As the acknowledged apex of the Outer World Affairs, and the inheritor of the ‘Unrivaled’ title after the previous Jade Dragon from the Snow Mountain disappeared, all eyes turned to him.

“Not bad.”

It was a simple comment, but his deep voice gave the impression of a profound pronouncement.

“Hmph, of course, it wouldn’t be bad.”

The previous Jade Dragon, a man of striking beauty as if from a painting, scoffed softly.

“Having returned from the dead, what wouldn’t seem good? But if you’re hosting guests…”

The previous Jade Dragon glanced down at his tea with a hint of displeasure.

“You should at least offer better tea leaves, shouldn’t you?”

The previous Jade Dragon was also the master of the Yunnan Blood Dragon Sect. Coming from Yunnan, the heartland of tea, and accustomed to only the finest brews, his reaction was understandable.

“What’s wrong with the tea leaves?”

The old man with a long white beard, Nogun, twitched his eyebrows.

“Even so, this is expensive stuff. And if you’re a guest, drink what you’re given. Don’t go finding fault with innocent tea leaves.”

Nogun and the previous Jade Dragon exchanged sharp glances. A tense atmosphere filled the air, but none of the other Outer World Affairs masters dared to intervene.

“Would you like some more warm soup?”

A young woman with a refined air spoke softly. She was Hyeonse Hwaryeon, the daughter of the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center in Qingwon and the adopted daughter of the Hyeonlyeon Family.

Her martial arts skills weren’t particularly remarkable, but as the adopted daughter of the Hyeonlyeon Family, one of the top five great families in the Murim [martial arts world], she commanded a certain level of respect.

But now, she appeared gentle and unassuming.

The fact that they could enjoy warm soup and fragrant tea in the middle of the night was thanks to her. The cook from her paternal family at the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center had willingly prepared the soup at her request, having cared for her since she was a child.

“Um, could I have some more?”

The one who responded to Hyeonse Hwaryeon’s offer was Geum Saryeon, the Blood Phoenix of the Blood Phoenix Alliance. Small and seemingly delicate, she was a symbolic figure of the Blood Phoenix Alliance, which had recently risen to become the largest martial arts alliance in Gangnam [the area south of the Han River].

Having been rescued by Sonbin but left unable to walk, she sat with Gwigyonsura, who stood silently by her side.

“Of course, Miss Geum.”

Hyeonse Hwaryeon personally handed Geum Saryeon, the Blood Phoenix, a bowl filled with clear soup.

The savory aroma rising from the warm soup brought a smile to Geum Saryeon’s face. For her, lacking internal energy, the warmth of the soup was especially welcome.

“Would the Sect Leader like some as well?”

Hyeonse Hwaryeon’s offer was directed towards the new Sect Leader of the Yunnan Blood Dragon Sect, the young Jade Dragon who had only recently inherited the title.

He was also a handsome man with sculpted features, but he lacked the overwhelming presence of the previous Jade Dragon.

“I don’t need it.”

The young Jade Dragon didn’t look at Hyeonse Hwaryeon and spoke coldly. He didn’t even touch his teacup, instead glaring at the previous Jade Dragon.

In fact, the one who had been chasing him to this Seowon, or rather, driving him here, was none other than the previous Jade Dragon.

During the pursuit, his subordinate, Hanwol, had suffered severe injuries and exhaustion. Fortunately, Hanwol was being tended to by the divine physician in this Seowon.

“Give it to me.”

“Me too!”

Some of the Twelve Flying Dragons of the Northern Sea, seated in the back, raised their hands. They were Outer World Affairs practitioners from the Northern Sea, who had arrived with Seomoksu Orhan, another Outer World Affairs master from the Northern Sea, some time ago.

They couldn’t compare to the top-tier Outer World Affairs masters, but they were among the best in the Northern Sea, and fiercely loyal to Sasooyeon, who was also the young palace lord of the Northern Sea.

“Here you go!”

Honga and Cheonga quickly took the soup in both hands and delivered it to the Twelve Flying Dragons of the Northern Sea. These five children with brightly colored hair were the children rescued by Sonbin and Dang Wora.

Their personalities warped and destined to become terrifying poison humans, these children had been given new lives thanks to Sonbin and Dang Wora.

Within the Dang Family, they were known as the ‘Moon Blade Squad,’ practically the most formidable force alongside Dang Wora, but here in the Seowon, they were simply ordinary children growing up with the love of adults.

Even now, the five children were helping Hyeonse Hwaryeon with cheerful expressions, as if they were genuinely happy to be of service.

“Tsk, grown women being served by children…”

Nogun grumbled, seemingly displeased. He was actually concerned about the five children working so late.

“It’s okay, Soonrang [a term of endearment], the children enjoy it too, don’t they?”

Dang Unyeong, an elegant old woman sitting next to Nogun, said with a smile. She was the younger sister of Dang Baekho, the former head of the Dang Family, and the leader of the largest faction within the family.

She had loved Nogun her whole life but had been separated from him due to Dang Baekho’s machinations. After reuniting in this Seowon, they had finally married.

Her pet name for Nogun was ‘Soonrang.’ Though Nogun was always embarrassed whenever he heard it.

Hyeonse Hwaryeon looked at Nogun and Madam Dang with a warm smile before turning her head.

“How is the Princess?”

The person she addressed as Princess was a beautiful woman in traditional, elegant attire. Clearly of noble birth, she was Princess Gyeonghui of the Imperial Family.

Princess Gyeonghui didn’t reply, instead staring at ‘Unrivaled’ Saja Hyuk and Sonbin, who was smiling beside him, with cold eyes.

It was a natural reaction, as her fate had been drastically altered by the two of them.

Her maid, Hanga, nodded in response.

“Thank you. Please.”

“Yes.”

Hyeonse Hwaryeon handed out portions not only for Princess Gyeonghui but also for her maid Hanga, the young warrior Cheongranggeom Wiga Jin who guarded her, and Cheonghye Satae, the Outer World Affairs master from the Emei Sect.

Cheonghye Satae still considered Princess Gyeonghui her junior sister and looked after her.

Princess Gyeonghui, who had once become a lay Buddhist of the Emei Sect for political reasons, now seemed to be accepting Cheonghye Satae to some extent.

“Give me some too.”

Talhondo, who had been sitting silently, suddenly spoke. His long, unkempt hair and overgrown beard gave him the appearance of a bandit, but he was an Outer World Affairs master and the de facto leader of the Black Serpent Alliance, the largest evil faction in Gangbuk [the area north of the Han River].

“You want more? Is it good?”

Hwasa asked quickly, showing great interest in the food her beloved man enjoyed. She was Hwasa, the Outer World Affairs master from the same Black Serpent Alliance.

Originally renowned for her Minor Arts and Soul Absorption Skill, she had lost her mind and gone berserk when invaded by cold energy, but she had escaped her terrible fate with Sonbin’s help. She had recently married Talhondo, whom she had long admired.

“Hmm, how do you make this?”

Hwasa muttered, staring at the soup. Hyeonse Hwaryeon smiled and replied.

“It’s simple once you know the trick. I’ll tell you later.”

Hwasa’s face immediately lit up, and Talhondo looked at her with warm eyes.

Nogun clicked his tongue at the sight, but he wasn’t in a position to criticize.

Because Dang Unyeong, whom he loved, was also by his side.

“Will you teach me too?”

Sasooyeon asked Hyeonse Hwaryeon, holding a bowl of soup. The daughter of ‘Unrivaled’ Saja Hyuk and the young palace lord of the Northern Sea, she radiated striking beauty, resembling her mother.

Her martial arts skills, known as ‘Sword Saintess’ and ‘The Greatest Sword Beauty of Gangho,’ were also exceptional, rivaling those of the Outer World Affairs masters, but she wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for Sonbin.

The reason her eyes were moist now was that the overwhelming emotion of her father, Saja Hyuk, returning from the dead had not yet fully subsided.

“Me too.”

Dang Wora, sitting next to her, said quietly. Veiling her face, she was the hidden blade of the Dang Family and a poison human, practically the embodiment of living poison. She had also gained a new life thanks to Sonbin and stood faithfully by his side.

“Y-yes.”

Hyeonse Hwaryeon hesitated slightly, worried about whether Dang Wora could actually cook properly.

If Dang Wora, who had lived in isolation her whole life as a poison human, made it herself, something dangerous might result instead of warm soup.

“If Wora makes it, I won’t eat it.”

Perhaps Hyeonse Hwaryeon wasn’t the only one with such concerns, as Seorin, clinging to Sonbin’s side, frowned.

Seorin, who had already emptied three bowls, was the last disciple of the Yellow Crane Hermit, known as the Great Patriarch of Wudang [a famous Taoist sect].

Though a young boy, he was the granduncle of the current Wudang Sect Leader in terms of seniority, and his potential, having inherited everything from the Yellow Crane Hermit, was enough to impress even Nogun.

But now, he simply seemed like a younger brother acting spoiled with his older brother, Sonbin.

It wasn’t just them. Janggang Eong, an Outer World Affairs master known for his unwavering righteousness, was silently drinking tea in one corner, and Orhan, another Outer World Affairs master from the Northern Sea, was also present.

The reason these people were gathered in an unnamed Seowon in the small city of Qingwon was all thanks to one person: Sonbin.

And Sonbin was now sitting next to Saja Hyuk, smiling cheerfully.

On the surface, he appeared to be a friendly young scholar, but everyone present knew that appearances could be deceiving.

“Ahem.”

Nogun suddenly cleared his throat. Everyone in the garden turned to look at him.

“So, what’s going on in the middle of the night?”

Nogun’s question was perfectly natural, and it echoed the sentiments of everyone present.

After the sudden warning from Geomhui, the exhausted young Jade Dragon had appeared, the previous Jade Dragon and Saja Hyuk, both presumed dead, had revealed themselves, and even the Blood Phoenix and Gwigyonsura had shown up.

“The Heavenly Demon.”

The one who answered was Saja Hyuk. The previous Jade Dragon simply turned his head away, as if annoyed.

“Opened the Gate of the Abyss.”

Saja Hyuk’s deep voice resonated. Nogun frowned.

“The Heavenly Demon? Are you talking about the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult?”

The Heavenly Demon was the supreme being and object of worship of the Demonic Cult. Even now, the Demonic Cult awaited the Heavenly Demon’s return, hidden somewhere in the world.

However, there had never been a confirmed instance of the Heavenly Demon’s descent in history.

Even the Demonic Cult’s claims of the Heavenly Demon’s descent were relegated to distant myths. In reality, the Supreme Dharma Protectors, known as Hwanma, had led the Demonic Cult for generations.

“So, you’ve been fighting the Heavenly Demon until now?”

Nogun asked again. But Saja Hyuk shook his head.

“No, I only woke up recently. Until then, I was asleep deep in the Snow Mountain.”

That was a truly unbelievable statement. Cheonghye Satae even frowned openly.

However, most of the Outer World Affairs masters, especially those who knew Saja Hyuk and the previous Jade Dragon, didn’t doubt his words. They were, after all, ‘Unrivaled’ and ‘Jade Dragon.’

“But when I awoke from the Great Law [a state of profound enlightenment or power], I knew it clearly. No, I can still feel it now.”

Saja Hyuk raised his head, his eyes fixed on the dark night sky.

“That the Heavenly Demon has opened the gate to the Abyss.”

Nogun glanced in the direction Saja Hyuk was looking.

Of course, he couldn’t sense anything.

But he could clearly understand the implication.

“If it’s west, does that mean Yunnan or Sichuan?”

Yunnan and Sichuan were regions with weak central government control and rugged terrain, making them havens for various groups since ancient times.

Nogun frowned, and a clear voice echoed.

“No.”

The voice belonged to the previous Jade Dragon. Speaking mockingly, he raised his head and gazed at the dark night sky, his enchanting eyes also directed west.

“The land of the Jang people [Tibetans], or at least Tianzhu [ancient India]. Maybe even Persia or beyond.”

“What?”

Nogun was dumbfounded.

The land of the Jang people was the Outer World Murim, known for Tibetan Buddhism.

However, it was only known because monks of Tibetan Buddhism occasionally ventured into the Murim world. In reality, there was almost no interaction with that remote region.

Tianzhu was the same. It was a familiar name as the birthplace of Buddhism, but it was a completely different world for ordinary people. Persia and beyond were regions that could be considered the edge of the world.

“The land of the Jang people or Tianzhu, how would we even get there? No, if it’s such a distant place…”

Nogun tilted his head.

“We don’t really need to worry about it, do we?”

Nogun’s words were perfectly logical. No matter what happened in Tianzhu, what did it have to do with them?

“You can.”

Flap.

The previous Jade Dragon opened his jade fan, covered his mouth, and smiled faintly.

“But if you’re so complacent, the world will no longer be the place you know. I don’t really care, though.”

Nogun felt a chill at that clear voice. It wasn’t just Nogun.

Everyone could sense that the previous Jade Dragon’s words were not a bluff or an exaggeration, but a literal warning.

“What does it mean to open the gate to the Abyss?”

A small, quiet voice suddenly echoed. Everyone’s eyes turned to the veiled lady, Dang Wora.

“I understand recognizing the existence of the Heavenly Demon. Such things happen to those who study the heavenly signs and observe the heavens.”

It was not uncommon to examine the energy of the sky and foresee events that would befall the world. Even the imperial palace had officials who specialized in this.

“But what does it specifically mean to open the gate to the Abyss?”

The previous Jade Dragon’s sharp gaze turned to Dang Wora. Even the Outer World Affairs masters next to her flinched at the intense aura, but Dang Wora didn’t waver.

“Hoo, poison energy… I thought there were only Fierce Tigers in the Dang Family, but you’re quite something?”

Facing the sharp gaze emanating from behind the jade fan, Dang Wora said.

“It’s different from the Fierce Tiger Poison Energy. I am…”

“I can tell by looking.”

The previous Jade Dragon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“And I know who made you that way. So, get rid of that proud look. It’s annoying.”

It was a voice full of displeasure, but Dang Wora was satisfied that her meaning had been understood.

“The Gate of the Abyss is what I call it.”

Saja Hyuk’s deep voice answered Dang Wora.

“Perhaps it should simply be called the Abyss. However, all I can clearly know is that something connected to that place has emerged.”

Dang Wora was lost in thought for a moment, then muttered quietly.

“You know what the Heavenly Demon is, but you don’t know what the Abyss is. Is that what you mean?”

“There’s also this: if left unchecked, this world will surely be destroyed.”

The previous Jade Dragon said with a joyful smile. It seemed to reflect his true feelings, and Nogun gave a bitter smile.

If it was the previous Jade Dragon that Nogun knew, he was more than capable of such destruction.

He was someone no one could predict, ‘a person who roams in the clouds.’

The fact that he was quietly tolerating others and their presence was surprising and unusual, to the point that anyone in the Outer World Affairs who knew the previous Jade Dragon would doubt their own eyes.

Of course, there was a clear reason for his changed attitude.

Nogun turned his head and looked at the ‘reason.’

There was Saja Hyuk, silently sitting with a teacup in his hand, and Sonbin, simply smiling happily next to him.

“Hoo.”

Without realizing it, Nogun sighed.

The thought that spending his old age in peace was not an easy task crossed his mind.

(Author’s words)

I invite you to the new journey of the Fallen Scholar Sonbin.

I am happy and excited to be with you again.

And the illustration for Part 1, Episode 1 has been newly changed. I highly recommend you take a look. Happy New Year~.