Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 28

028. Parting

Thud.

“Hoo.”

Having completed the Twelve Forms of the White Tiger Training Sword, Unhyun closed his eyes and quietly regulated his breathing.

The excitement he felt while performing the sword forms did not subside easily.

Performing the sword forms without holding a sword was a truly new experience for Unhyun.

Unhyun, who had been slowly regulating his breathing, opened his eyes. Then, he lowered his body towards Ilchunghyun.

“Brother…”

Ilchunghyun greeted Unhyun with a gentle smile.

His eyes were filled with undisguised joy and pride.

After a long silence, Ilchunghyun slowly opened his mouth.

“Well done.”

Ilchunghyun’s eyes were moist. With those wet eyes, Ilchunghyun smiled and said,

“Now that I think about it, there was one more thing I could leave you with.”

“Yes?”

Unhyun asked in a questioning voice, but no answer came back.

Instead, Ilchunghyun’s stern voice struck Unhyun’s ears.

“Kneel.”

Unhyun was surprised and looked at Ilchunghyun.

However, his eyes were serious, without a hint of wavering.

Unhyun jumped up from his seat.

Tap, tap.

With rather exaggerated movements, Unhyun straightened his clothes and knelt before Ilchunghyun.

“The first opponent a martial artist must fight is not others, but himself.”

Ilchunghyun, sitting on the jade, said in a stern tone.

“Those who possess power are bound by responsibility. If you cannot control your power, it will control you and eventually lead you to ruin. Therefore, always uphold truthfulness, become one who governs his mind, and one who governs his sword.”

“I will do so.”

Unhyun answered without delay.

It wasn’t that he understood the meaning and answered.

Nor did he think that Ilchunghyun’s teachings were truly necessary for him.

What power could a scholar like himself, who wasn’t even a martial artist, possibly have?

However, this was Ilchunghyun’s last will.

Ilchunghyun was asking Unhyun to hold onto something he himself had never forgotten and had always cherished.

Before he knew it, Unhyun’s eyes began to grow hot.

“Good.”

Ilchunghyun, hearing Unhyun’s answer, said with a satisfied smile.

“Now, turn around.”

Unhyun looked at Ilchunghyun, but there was still no explanation.

Awkwardly, Unhyun got up and turned around.

“A little closer.”

At Ilchunghyun’s words, Unhyun brought his body close to the jade.

Ilchunghyun’s voice came from behind.

“And if possible, do not get involved in the grudges of the Jianghu [the martial arts world]. Though it may be a useless piece of advice…”

He felt Ilchunghyun’s hand touching the area below his back.

“Calm your mind and regulate your breathing. No matter what happens, do not speak or lose your breath.”

Before Unhyun could say anything,

Whoo-ook.

Something tremendous began to pour into Unhyun through the blood points on his back.

It was a vast energy that Unhyun had never experienced before.

***

Thud, thud.

Tears fell onto Unhyun’s clothes as he knelt.

Ilchunghyun was sitting upright in front of him with a haggard face, shedding tears without a word.

“I have something to tell you.”

Ilchunghyun began to speak in a calm voice, but Unhyun couldn’t bring himself to look up.

Ilchunghyun’s voice, which had been so confident, was now thin and about to break.

“Just because I have transferred my inner energy to you does not mean you should neglect your training. To truly make someone else’s power your own requires bone-carving effort. Depending on the perspective, it may even be more difficult.”

A gentle smile spread across Ilchunghyun’s face.

“But I pride myself on having cultivated my inner energy to be quite pure, and I can’t help but be relieved that your White Tiger Training Sword has the efficacy of the Jin’gi Taoist [a method of cultivating inner energy]. Knowing that you never neglect your training, I don’t have much to worry about…”

Unhyun raised his head.

Ilchunghyun’s expression still held a smile.

However, the eyes of Ilchunghyun, which had shone strongly even in the face of adversity, were now completely overshadowed.

“You, just train your sword.”

“Brother…”

Ilchunghyun knew what Unhyun meant by calling him, but he didn’t let go of his talk about his training until the end.

For Ilchunghyun, who could no longer look after Unhyun’s training, this was the last chance.

“Be especially mindful not to neglect your training even for a moment, but from now on, do not hold a sword when you train.”

Unhyun couldn’t say anything.

Ilchunghyun’s words continued.

His frail voice was filled with concern for Unhyun, who would be left alone.

“Do it by setting up the sword in your mind, just like you did just now. For you, holding a sword might actually be a hindrance. Do you understand?”

“I don’t understand.”

It was an unexpected answer, but Ilchunghyun’s expression did not change.

Unhyun looked at him with a tearful face.

“Why did you do that? Why to someone like me…”

Unhyun couldn’t continue speaking and lowered his head, but the thick tears flowing from his eyes spoke for him.

Ilchunghyun looked at Unhyun with warm eyes.

“There’s no need to worry so much. I don’t need it anymore anyway.”

The choice was made, and there were no regrets.

Ilchunghyun smiled at Unhyun.

With a gentle but unwavering gaze.

“Now, go.”

Ilchunghyun said quietly.

“Brother!”

Unhyun called out, but Ilchunghyun closed his eyes.

His upright figure remained steadfast, unmoved by Unhyun’s voice.

“Brother…”

Unhyun’s throat tightened.

But Ilchunghyun did not open his eyes.

Unhyun knew that he would never answer again.

Rustle.

Unhyun rose from his seat.

Then, he slowly knelt down and buried his face in the rough floor, giving Ilchunghyun a deep bow.

“I will not forget that I am your brother. Brother, please, please…”

Unhyun’s voice choked, and he couldn’t finish his sentence.

What could he say to someone who was about to face death?

The famous phrases he had learned all night, the knowledge filling his head, could not express Unhyun’s feelings now.

Unhyun’s heart tightened again, and hot tears began to well up.

Rustle.

Shedding tears, Unhyun rose from his seat.

Then, he slowly turned his steps.

Thud.

Tears streamed down, but he didn’t wipe them away.

His heart was filled with sorrow, but he didn’t make a sound.

He couldn’t be a weak brother in front of his strong brother.

Thud, thud.

Unhyun didn’t stop walking for a moment.

Thus, Unhyun sent off his sworn brother, and Ilchunghyun parted ways with his sworn brother.

Creak, thud.

The sound of footsteps faded away, and the door closed.

Only then did a small voice flow from the mouth of Ilchunghyun, who still had his eyes closed.

“Azure Dragon Hall… So it was a place where dragons lived.”

Ilchunghyun’s mouth closed tightly again.

Under the dim light, only the swaying darkness embraced Ilchunghyun’s instructor position, but the smile never left his lips.

***

Clang.

The wind chime hanging from the eaves of the palace rang.

The passing wind brushed his cheek, but Unhyun was just looking at the sky.

“Scholar Unhyun.”

At the sound of someone calling from behind, Unhyun turned his head.

“Ah, Instructor Gwan Cheolhun.”

The person who called Unhyun was Instructor Gwan Cheolhun, who was tall and handsome.

He was the top graduate of the military examination and a military officer who almost suffered a great misfortune while sparring with Bang An.

After completing his training, he volunteered as an instructor for the Geumwi [royal guards] and worked under Instructor Dojin, and is now a formal instructor.

As Unhyun rose from his seat, Instructor Gwan Cheolhun bowed his head first.

Unhyun also lightly bowed his head in response.

“What brings you here? All the way to this place…”

As Unhyun asked with a smiling face, Instructor Gwan Cheolhun replied with his characteristic expressionless face.

“I was just passing by.”

It was a blunt tone, but Unhyun could sense the consideration within it.

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun, who had been staring at the empty space in front of the palace for a moment, turned to Unhyun and asked.

“Do you not come to the training grounds anymore?”

At Instructor Gwan Cheolhun’s question, Unhyun smiled lightly.

“There’s no one to welcome me anymore, so what would I do there?”

It was a soft voice, but the content was not so soft.

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Others are laughing.”

At the unexpected words, Unhyun raised his head.

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun continued in a calm voice.

“Everyone knows that Scholar Unhyun collected Instructor Ilchunghyun’s belongings, and that you were the last to see him.”

Unhyun stood there listening to him without saying anything.

“But how can people not laugh when you show such weakness?”

It was a calm tone, but his intense gaze seemed to be driving Unhyun.

“They say that the person Ilchunghyun entrusted his legacy to was just a weak scholar.”

Clang.

The quiet sound of the wind chime echoed in the palace.

Unhyun stared at Instructor Gwan Cheolhun with a stiff face, but he did not back down.

After his last meeting with Unhyun, Ilchunghyun was beheaded along with others in three days.

Even that was done secretly, and Unhyun heard the news through Eunuch Park.

Fortunately, Instructor Dojin and the others were able to save their lives, but they were also dismissed and had to leave the imperial palace.

And they were soon forgotten.

The charge of ‘treason’ that had driven many people to their deaths quietly disappeared, and the Forbidden City quickly adapted to new people.

However, there are always people who cannot forget those who have disappeared.

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun, who is talking to Unhyun now, was one of those people.

Clang.

A small wind chime sound was heard as the wind blew.

Unhyun, who had been staring at Instructor Gwan Cheolhun for a while without saying a word, finally lowered his gaze.

He was right.

Instructor Ilchunghyun did not lose his composure even as he was dying, and he, as his sworn brother, could not show a disheveled appearance to others.

“Hoo.”

In the end, a sigh escaped from Unhyun’s mouth.

“Well, it’s not like I ever went there because there was someone to welcome me…”

Unhyun raised his head, looked at Instructor Gwan Cheolhun, and smiled.

“Then I’ll be back to bother you from tomorrow.”

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun bowed his head to Unhyun without saying anything else.

Instructor Gwan Cheolhun is not in a position to take care of Scholar Unhyun, but he still cares because the two of them are the only ones who remember Ilchunghyun now.

Scholar Unhyun also lightly bowed his head in return.

Thud, thud.

As Instructor Gwan Cheolhun walked away with light footsteps, Unhyun raised his head and looked up at the sky.

The blue sky fills Unhyun’s vision.

He unknowingly placed his hand on his chest and stroked the small ring hanging inside his clothes.

It was after the sound of the wind chime had been heard several times that a long sigh escaped from Unhyun’s mouth again.

“Hoo, I will.”

Unhyun rose from his seat.

“No, I must. How can this foolish sworn brother neglect the work that my brother has ordered?”

Unhyun, who had muttered as if lamenting, slowly walked out to the open space in front of the palace.

Then, Unhyun took a stance, regulated his breathing, and slowly closed his eyes.

Whoo-oong.

A rough wooden sword clearly emerged in his vision, where the blue sky and the splendid Forbidden City had disappeared.

And Unhyun slowly reached out his hand and grasped that sword that no one knew about.

***

Swaaa.

The sound of heavy rain pounding on the golden roof echoed loudly.

The streams of water falling from the eaves all at once, and the rainwater flowing from the dozens and hundreds of dragon head sculptures with their mouths open on the building’s foundation, were a spectacle in themselves.

But whether he knew it or not, Unhyun’s invisible sword was cutting through the rain without hesitation.

Chwaaak.

Every time Unhyun moved his feet, water splashed.

The soaked clothes were heavy, and the water droplets flowing down his eyebrows obscured his vision.

However, Unhyun’s movements were seamless for a moment.

Whee-ing.

As a strong wind blew, Unhyun’s clothes fluttered greatly.

However, Unhyun’s sword, which had sharpened its edge with his mind, passed through the sky full of dark clouds, regardless of the rain and wind.

Whoo-oong.

The invisible sword of the mind could not cut anything, but at the same time, there was nothing that it could not cut.

Not the rain and wind, not the dark clouds, and not even the various regrets and thoughts that constantly arose.

Unhyun’s sword had nothing to fear.