A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 60

60. Cultivation on the Road (2014.03.29.)

‘Master Son, a master of swordsmanship, is providing martial arts guidance.’

That shocking news spread among the group in an instant.

Indeed, this escort claimed to have received guidance from Master Son, and according to this escort, he had overcome a wall in his martial arts that he couldn’t break through.

“Ah, you see, he showed me once, saying, ‘The flow of that stance seems to be like this originally,’ and it was just incredible.”

This escort spoke with an excited voice, spitting as he spoke. He didn’t seem to care that the other escorts were either skeptical or completely indifferent.

“He also gave me advice on breathing, and I realized I had only been scratching the surface of the Mind Arts [Qigong] all this time. It felt like my eyes were opened wide. From now on, I’ve decided to walk instead of ride a horse. Walking is actually very good for training breathing.”

“Even breathing techniques?”

Teaching about Mind Arts is on a different level than simply teaching swordsmanship.

To provide guidance on breathing techniques and Mind Arts, even if it’s just advice on what one already knows, is something one wouldn’t dream of doing without a considerable amount of trust.

Like the relationship between a master and a disciple.

“Hey, does that make sense?”

“What do you mean it doesn’t make sense! It’s clearly the same swordsmanship I’ve been doing, but when Old Master Son does it, it looks so amazing. You guys wouldn’t know unless you saw it.”

“Old Master? No, he’s the youngest of us all, what Old Master…”

At someone’s words, this escort finally flared up.

“What does age have to do with receiving guidance! And your reaction has been strange since earlier? Are you daring to criticize Old Master Son in front of me right now? Do you want to be enemies with me?”

“Woah, woah. Calm down. There’s no way I would.”

The fellow escorts hurriedly calmed him down at the sight of this escort getting seriously angry.

Most of them thought this escort was exaggerating, but his attitude was so passionate that they couldn’t help but wonder if there might be something to it.

The only thought that came to everyone’s mind as they stopped this escort was:

‘Then maybe I could too…….’

∴

There’s no way that the news of the escorts asking Son Bin for guidance wouldn’t reach Chief Jang and Eun Chobin. Eun Chobin asked Chief Jang.

“Is this okay? I’ve never even heard of this before. Giving martial arts guidance to others without any compensation.”

“Well, I’ve never heard of it either.”

Chief Jang said with a troubled expression. As far as he knew, martial artists were extremely secretive about their martial arts.

Even if he wasn’t teaching his own swordsmanship, giving advice and guidance on martial arts to complete strangers was an unimaginable story.

“He did say he would help with the escort mission, but I didn’t expect it to be to this extent…”

Muttering to himself, Chief Jang turned to Eun Chobin.

“Could it be that he has feelings for you, Miss?”

“For me?”

Eun Chobin was even more surprised at Chief Jang’s words.

“If not, there’s no reason for him to go this far…”

“T, that can’t be. That person is with Sehwa…”

He was introduced by Sehwa. If he had feelings, they would be for Sehwa rather than for herself.

Eun Chobin quickly changed the subject.

“M, more than that, please tell the escorts to be careful. He definitely won’t like being called Old Master either. It seems like there’s a reason, so tell them not to talk about him carelessly. A person like that can be really serious when they get angry.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Chief Jang nodded.

“The seamstresses also seem to be hoping for guidance, what should we do?”

“The seamstresses?”

“Yes.”

“Leave them be.”

Eun Chobin said.

“People who are thirsty dig their own well. If they really want it, let them talk to Master Son themselves. There’s no need for us to ask Master Son on their behalf. The decision is up to Master Son.”

It’s hard to imagine that he would even teach the seamstresses martial arts. And there’s no need for them to step in.

As Eun Chobin said, the decision is up to Son Bin.

“More than that, how about asking Chief Jang to ask for guidance once?”

“N, no, I’m fine.”

Eun Chobin smiled slightly.

“No. If there’s anyone among us who needs Master Son’s guidance right now, it’s Chief Jang. The master won’t refuse either, so why don’t you say something? Or should I speak on your behalf?”

“No.”

Chief Jang said with a blunt expression.

“I’ll do it myself.”

He’s going to do it after all. Eun Chobin smiled. Then suddenly, she remembered what Chief Jang had just said.

‘Could it be that he has feelings for you, Miss?’

‘There’s no way.’

Eun Chobin gave a bitter smile. And she thought.

‘If only I were as pretty as Sehwa…….’

Compared to Sehwa, who is pure, delicate, and feminine even to another woman, she is like a tomboy.

Eun Chobin sighed without realizing it. For some reason, her heart felt empty.

*

*

*

Son Bin stood alone in the empty space where the moonlight was pouring down.

‘Haa.’

It’s a quiet and solitary, and therefore comfortable time. It’s also a time when he can be free from the gazes of people who call him ‘Old Master’ with shining eyes.

‘Old Master, huh.’

Son Bin chuckled.

‘Well, at least they call me Teacher now…….’

It started because he felt burdened by the title of Master, but it went all the way up to Old Master.

The escorts, who insisted on bowing and showing respect no matter how much he declined, had settled on calling him Teacher from some day.

He doesn’t know if it’s because he’s a teacher at the academy that they call him that, or if it’s because he gives them guidance that they call him their teacher, but anyway, it’s much better than Old Master.

‘Still, it’s gotten better.’

The atmosphere of the escort mission, which had been dominated by anxiety and impatience, has definitely improved.

Now, instead of watching Son Bin’s every move, they are focusing on their own training whenever they have time.

There are hardly any complaints about the road becoming rough and the march becoming more intense.

If they can successfully complete the escort mission like this, it feels like there couldn’t be a better atmosphere.

‘Come to think of it, the seamstresses also said they wanted to learn martial arts…….’

Unlike the escorts, the seamstresses had very poor martial arts skills.

Unlike the escorts, who at least had a basic system for martial arts, the seamstresses basically had no Mind Arts at all.

Most of them are just relying on brute force with clumsy martial arts.

‘Hmm. I’ll have to think about this again.’

Still, he didn’t dislike it. Because giving martial arts guidance to the escorts was a new experience for Son Bin.

‘They say you learn while teaching, and it was really true.’

Looking at the escorts’ basic martial arts, discovering their original meaning and flow, and pointing out what was lacking was also enjoyable for Son Bin.

It was like discovering a new aspect of a road he had always known. If it were the seamstresses who didn’t even have Mind Arts, it would be a new challenge.

“I hope this escort mission ends without any problems.”

Son Bin muttered as he looked at the moon filling the sky.

And at that very moment, Son Bin turned his head. Someone’s presence faintly stimulates Son Bin’s senses.

Rustle.

The owner of that presence that stimulated Son Bin soon revealed themselves.

The figure of a small, frail girl, her face hidden behind a long, soft white veil, stood under the moonlight.

“Ah!”

Perhaps her eyes met Son Bin’s, the veiled girl stopped, startled.

Son Bin gave a bitter smile. It was clear that she had intentionally come to find Son Bin, but he couldn’t understand why she was surprised to see him.

‘Besides, she’s so wary, but she’s not leaving…….’

The white hand holding the hem of her clothes tightly tells how wary she is of Son Bin. But she doesn’t seem to have any intention of going anywhere else.

“Is there something you…….”

Son Bin spoke as gently and politely as possible. However, the veiled girl was startled once again. Son Bin gave an awkward smile and continued.

“Is there something you need, Miss?”

The girl’s veil is lowered slightly. She lowered her head to avoid eye contact.

Son Bin smiled bitterly again. It seemed clear that she had difficulty dealing with people.

‘She didn’t say anything when she was out of the carriage either…….’

Looking back, the girl had always been alone. She is with Eun Chobin, but he has never seen them talking.

‘But if she came to find me even so.’

Then it must be something very important. At least to her.

“It’s okay.”

Son Bin said. The girl who lowered her head flinched again.

“I’ll wait patiently, so you can say it anytime.”

The girl’s veil is lifted slightly. She is lifting her head and looking at Son Bin.

Son Bin responded to her unseen gaze with a light smile. Although her eyes were not visible at all.

Now that he said it was okay to say it anytime, Son Bin was the one who had nothing to do.

He was just waiting quietly for the girl to speak, and he wanted to do the training he was originally going to do.

‘Hmm, is it okay?’

He hesitated to show his training, but when he thought about it, she had already seen him anyway. However, what he was worried about was the girl’s reaction.

She was surprised even when he just spoke to her, so if he drew his sword, he was worried that she might turn pale. Of course, her face wouldn’t be visible.

Son Bin quietly took a step back. As expected, the girl’s shoulders, who had been looking at Son Bin, trembled slightly.

However, Son Bin quietly took a few steps back as he was, and then slowly drew Baekro [his sword].

Swish.

Contrary to Son Bin’s expectations, the girl was not surprised at all. No, rather, he could clearly tell that she was looking straight at him.

‘That’s a relief.’

Feeling relieved, Son Bin raised his sword. The straight blade of Baekro shines blue under the moonlight.

“Hoo.”

Son Bin slowly calmed his breathing. The warmth of Baekro is conveyed along with the Hyeoncheon Daeganggyeol [a martial arts technique], and a great flow embraces Son Bin.

By the time Baekro’s blade began to cut through the air like flowing water, the girl’s existence was no longer in Son Bin’s mind.

Woo-oong.

In the sword’s hum flowing softly like moonlight, the girl could not take her eyes off the trajectory drawn by Son Bin’s sword for even a moment.

∴

Swish, Tak.

Baekro’s blade concealed its form, and Son Bin quietly savored the lingering afterglow of the training.

“It’s a sword art worthy of being called the best under the heavens.”

A low, rough, small voice suddenly came. Son Bin raised his head.

“May I ask the name of the sword art?”

The girl’s voice, except for being rough unlike girls of her age, was flowing out very naturally.

So much so that he forgot that she had been surprised by even the smallest movements until then.

“The name, you say?”

Son Bin thought for a moment. But the answer was already decided.

“It’s called Hyeoncheon Daegang Sword Art.”

“Hyeoncheon Daegang Sword Art…….”

The girl murmured quietly.

“Hyeoncheon (玄天) means Jinmu (眞武) [a Taoist deity] and Taegeuk (太極) [the Supreme Ultimate], so…… it’s a truly arrogant yet truly fitting name.”

‘Ah, that’s not it.’

It was just that the origin was Saja Hyuk’s Hyeoncheon Gyeol and Hyeoncheon Sword Technique.

“Could I take a look at that sword for a moment?”

At the girl’s words, Son Bin hesitated for a moment. The girl seemed used to such a reaction and immediately continued.

“I know too. A martial artist’s sword is not given to others carelessly. You can just show me the sword blade slightly.”

That wasn’t the reason, but anyway, Son Bin lifted Baekro and drew the sword halfway.

Swish.

Sabeok, Sabeok [sound of footsteps].

The girl walked towards Son Bin. And she bent her back and brought her face close to Baekro’s blade.

So close that Son Bin was surprised and took a step back.

Sak [sound of cutting].

The lower part of the fluttering white veil touched Baekro’s blade and was immediately cut off.

However, the girl was looking at Baekro’s blade as if she couldn’t even see that.

Woong.

He could feel Baekro trembling faintly.

“It’s an amazing sword. And it hates me.”

Saying so in a low and rough voice, the girl straightened her frail body.

“But I can’t understand it even more. It’s such a good sword, but why…….”

She looked up at Son Bin. She, who was only about up to Son Bin’s shoulder, lifted her head and looked at Son Bin.

“Did you intentionally suppress your energy just now? No, that couldn’t be. If you had, such an uninhibited sword path couldn’t have come out. But if that’s the case, then it’s even stranger, isn’t it? I clearly heard the sword’s hum, but why didn’t the sword energy manifest? Can I check your pulse?”

Son Bin was overwhelmed by her sudden outpouring of words.

“Ah, Miss, just a moment.”

Son Bin raised his hand and said as if to calm her down.

“Um, first of all, can you tell me what you came to me for?”

“Ah!”

The girl suddenly seemed to come to her senses and was startled, and immediately took a few steps back.

Sasak [sound of footsteps].

Still, she didn’t go as far as before. Now it was about the distance of a normal conversation.

“S, sorry…….”

A thin voice that seemed like it would break at any moment.

“No, it’s okay. It’s okay.”

Son Bin desperately waved his hand, thinking that she might start crying at this rate.

He even felt self-reproach for making the situation awkward again by trying to calm her down when he should have just left her alone.

She lowered her head deeply. The white veil flows down. Her collar was slightly visible through the gap in the veil that had been cut by Baekro.

‘Huh?’

At that moment, Son Bin felt a sense of incongruity again. The strange feeling he had felt when he first saw the veiled girl came to mind again.

“Um, perhaps…….”

Son Bin asked, just in case.

“Is there something wrong with your body somewhere? For example, a place that hurts or a place that is uncomfortable…….”

He didn’t know why he asked that.

However, the sense of incongruity he felt when he saw the girl was like seeing someone who limped subtly, a sense of something being off.

And at that moment, he felt the girl’s atmosphere turn cold.

“As expected, I can’t hide it from you.”

A cold and chilly rough voice. The girl said.

“That’s right. I’m not an ordinary person. No, rather…… you could say I’m a monster.”

The girl’s voice was cold and dull.

It was a sound that would make ordinary people frown and cover their ears, but Son Bin rather felt a desperate sadness in that voice.

“I am the hidden blade of the Tang family. The Poison Blade, Tang Wora.”

The girl said under the cold moonlight.