Nine Dragons Chronicle (5)
While studying the Disruption Art, Hwa-rin strived to unite martial arts and sorcery, but it wasn’t easy.
Even with the celestial gate opened and being a genius unmatched in centuries, achieving something alone was difficult. Fortunately, he had the ‘Compendium of Martial Arts,’ a book detailing the theory of unparalleled martial arts, which allowed him to achieve this much. Without it, even this level of accomplishment would have been impossible.
To unite martial arts and sorcery, Hwa-rin revisited the Compendium, checking what he had missed. Perhaps because he had been studying the Disruption Art, he perceived things differently than when he first read it.
“I’ve been thinking of martial arts as a fighting technique, which is why these problems arise. I should have approached it as a field of study, researching and exploring. Mastering the forms and stances was merely grasping the surface of the martial art.”
Hwa-rin shifted his perspective. While mastering forms and stances was important, he began to think more deeply about the essence of martial arts.
This led him to reconsider the secret arts of the Baegyo [White Night Sect] he had learned.
Hwa-rin intended to remain in the Imperial Reporting Office until he achieved his goal.
Although his mother spoke of avenging their family, the idea didn’t particularly resonate with him, so he wasn’t in a hurry.
Afterward, Hwa-rin sought to advance his goals through mental training rather than physical exertion.
He ate Byeokgokdan [a type of medicinal pill] to satisfy his hunger, then sat in a meditative posture, contemplating martial arts and sorcery. He also practiced what he gained through meditation, learning from trial and error, striving to achieve his aims.
Time passed relentlessly, and Hwa-rin continued to devote himself to training without disappointment or impatience.
Five years had passed since Hwa-rin entered the Imperial Reporting Office.
Hwa-rin was sitting in a meditative posture in the training hall when a vortex of energy swirled around him.
The vortex lifted Hwa-rin’s figure into the air, and strange words flowed from his mouth.
It sounded like incantations used in Baegyo sorcery, or like gibberish spoken by a possessed person.
Hwa-rin’s words contained powerful energy. As his voice grew rougher, the vortex became more violent and intense, threatening to destroy the training hall. As his words softened, the vortex calmed, becoming as gentle as a soft breeze.
[When emptiness meets emptiness, martial arts become boundless…]
The vortex of energy split into two, then briefly into four.
[Words have power, and the source of that power is belief, which is called incantation…]
The nature of the swirling energy beneath Hwa-rin changed. One became a vortex of fire, one of water, one of wind, and one of earth.
The four different energies coexisted in one space, strengthening and weakening each other through mutual generation and destruction, influencing one another.
Hwa-rin, sitting above them in a meditative posture, appeared utterly serene.
“Disappear!”
A low, quiet voice echoed in the air, and as if by magic, the energies swirling beneath Hwa-rin vanished.
The training hall became silent in an instant, and Hwa-rin’s figure remained floating in the air.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, a look of satisfaction.
Slowly, Hwa-rin’s figure descended, and once he was fully on the ground, he took a deep breath, calming his excited heart.
Hwa-rin had entered the Imperial Reporting Office and, after learning and mastering much over the past five years, had finally achieved fruition today.
It was as if Hwa-rin had completed the theories recorded in the Compendium of Martial Arts.
Hwa-rin slowly opened his eyes.
“The Compendium of Martial Arts was right in saying that dividing the use of nature’s energy into external force, internal force, and sorcery is meaningless.”
As the Compendium’s theory stated, boundless becomes diverse, and diverse becomes one, allowing one to achieve what they desire. Hwa-rin was able to obtain what he wanted.
According to the Compendium, the nature of energy changes depending on the thoughts and approach of the user, and this becomes fixed as they learn and master it. Furthermore, if the user can fully utilize the energy without distinction, they can create more changes or achieve greater effects using pure energy.
Hwa-rin understood this, put it into action, and achieved his goals, making the author of the Compendium his de facto master.
“Let’s organize my thoughts a bit more, refine my martial arts, and then go out into the world.”
It was the achievement Hwa-rin made at the age of twenty, five years after entering the Imperial Reporting Office.
* * *
Dark night. Lights illuminated various parts of the imperial palace. The Imperial Guard was on duty, guarding the palace, and the Geumui-wi [Royal Secret Agents] were guarding the main facilities of the imperial palace, protecting it.
The Dongchang [Eastern Depot, a secret police agency] were guarding the interior of the nine palaces and pavilions, maintaining vigilance against possible intruders.
Sarrararak!
A figure moved in the darkness.
His movements were like a ghost, so the Imperial Guard, Geumui-wi, and Dongchang on guard could not detect him.
The black figure landed in the manor that had once been the Nine Dragons Manor, now transformed into a department of the Inner Court.
The black figure stood in front of the manor for a moment, then turned away.
With a single leap, he soared through the air like a night bird, leaving the place.
The black figure appeared in what could be called the heart of the imperial palace. His figure vanished like smoke, then reappeared inside the heart, which was the Emperor’s bedchamber.
The black figure’s clothes turned white. It was none other than Hwa-rin.
Five years after Hwa-rin entered the Imperial Reporting Office, he had come out into the world.
Hwa-rin bowed to the sleeping Emperor. Although he was seeing him for the first time, he instinctively knew that the sleeping Emperor was his father.
After bowing, Hwa-rin took out the key to the Imperial Reporting Office from his pocket and placed it on the desk on one side of the bedroom.
“May you live a long and healthy life, Father.”
As Hwa-rin turned to leave the bedchamber, a voice came from behind.
“So, did you learn and master much in the Imperial Reporting Office?”
Hwa-rin flinched at the voice and turned around. The Emperor was awake, sitting upright, looking at him.
Hwa-rin prostrated himself at the sight.
“I am still lacking, but I came out thinking I had achieved what I desired.”
“Achieved what you desired… Seeing you now, you don’t look like someone who would get beaten up easily.”
The Emperor also practiced martial arts and could recognize Hwa-rin’s achievements to some extent.
“But that is not enough.”
The Emperor spoke to Hwa-rin, and Hwa-rin raised his head to look at the Emperor.
“Your martial arts achievements may be high, but if you have no practical experience, you will be defeated even by third-rate thugs.”
As he spoke, the Emperor rose from his seat, went to the desk, picked up the key to the Imperial Reporting Office, and examined it.
“For the past twenty-two years, this imperial seal has been missing, causing Us much trouble.”
Hwa-rin was startled by those words.
“Yeong-bi didn’t tell you, it seems.”
The Emperor spoke as if he knew everything, and Hwa-rin could not answer.
Seeing this, the Emperor chuckled, opened a drawer in the desk, and took something out. Then he gave it to Hwa-rin.
It was a golden plaque. On the front of the plaque, the words ‘Nine Dragons King’ were engraved in relief, and on the back, nine dragons were engraved in relief, ascending to the sky, stepping on clouds.
The Emperor returned to the bed and spoke to Hwa-rin.
“That is all We can give you. That plaque will be a tag that shows your identity.”
“Father…”
“We have done many terrible things to you. But if We had not done so, you would have been killed by the other consorts, just as your mother was killed by the Empress.”
Hwa-rin said nothing. The Emperor stared at Hwa-rin for a moment, then asked.
“Will you leave the imperial palace?”
“Yes, I will. My heart lies in the Central Plains [the heartland of the martial arts world], not in the imperial palace.”
“Is it to avenge Yeong-bin?”
At the Emperor’s question, Hwa-rin thought that he knew everything and answered.
“To be honest, I am not particularly moved by my mother’s revenge and am still pondering it.”
“I see. The world is more dangerous and fierce than you think.”
“I know, although I learned it from books. However, I think it will be less fierce and less dangerous than the imperial palace.”
The Emperor nodded.
“Do you know that there are many worlds in the Central Plains?”
“I saw it in a book.”
“In those many worlds, there are those who call themselves kings and reign.”
Hwa-rin did not know what the Emperor meant by these words.
“I don’t know in which world you will go out to the Central Plains and unfold your will, but if possible, become a king in that world.”
Hwa-rin felt his heart pounding uncontrollably at the words ‘become a king.’
‘Become a king.’
The words entered his heart like his destiny.
“You have inherited the aura of a ruler from Ju Han-mu, so We will not allow you to be under someone else.”
“I may be under someone else in the process, but I will become a king who reigns over the world according to your will, Father.”
While meeting and talking with the Emperor, Hwa-rin was able to set his abstract goal.
King of the Murim [martial arts world]!
Hwa-rin thought that he could also avenge his mother in the process of becoming the king of Murim.
“That is good. Do you remember what We said to you a little while ago?”
“What……”
“You have achieved greater accomplishments than I have now, but if you actually take up a sword and fight me, you will be the one who loses.”
Hwa-rin did not answer.
“That’s how much practical experience teaches you, makes you feel, and makes you know. This is essential not only for martial arts but also for living life.”
“I will learn if you give me guidance.”
The Emperor smiled with satisfaction at Hwa-rin’s answer and said.
“Enlist.”
“Enlist, you mean……”
“Go to the military and learn about survival. In the meantime, you will be able to gain practical experience.”
Hwa-rin thought for a moment, and the Emperor’s words did not seem wrong.
“There is a special unit in the Heungchin Imperial Guard called the Mengho Sasahyeoljeondae [Fierce Tiger Death Squad].”
The Mengho Sasahyeoljeondae is a unit composed of the best experts in the Heungchin Imperial Guard. The unit consists of 300 members, and their main mission is to eliminate organizations that threaten the Central Plains in advance. If necessary to annihilate the enemy, they are a special warfare unit that completes the assigned mission even by destroying a village or city.
“In that place where crazy people gather and live with survival as their ultimate goal, five years! If you survive for five years, you will be able to survive in the world you want to go to.”
Hwa-rin bowed his head.
“I will follow your will, Father.”
The Emperor nodded, looking at Hwa-rin.
“Jin!”
When the Emperor called someone, he appeared beside him like a ghost and bowed.
It was the man who had appeared when Hwa-rin entered the Imperial Reporting Office in the past.
“Enlist Hwa-rin in the Mengho Sasahyeoljeondae. Keep his identity a secret.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Jin approached Hwa-rin. Hwa-rin got up and bowed to the Emperor once more.
“Father, may you live a long and healthy life.”
The Emperor nodded.
Hwa-rin didn’t have high expectations, but he was a little disappointed that the Emperor didn’t call his name once in a warm voice.
As Hwa-rin followed Jin out of the Emperor’s bedchamber, the Emperor took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry.”
At times like this, the position of Emperor was not a very good one.