Receiving By The Doe, Repaying By The Mal (2)

After the Soul Hunters disappeared, breaking through the Necromancer Cult’s perimeter became very easy. Knowing this, the Martial Alliance decided to seriously begin the grain removal operation in Hagok Plain, which had failed last time.

Neung Je-gang could not agree with the Martial Alliance’s opinion. The situation was now favorable to the Martial Alliance. The Black Alliance would soon advance from Kunlun, and here, he would eliminate the Kunlun people one by one. Then they should be able to win before winter comes, even without burning the grain.

But the Martial Alliance did not reflect Neung Je-gang’s opinion precisely because of that point. Learning about Cheon-geum Domain had instead made them impatient. And because they knew that the Black Alliance had already occupied Kunlun, they hurried even more. It was because they could not allow the Black Alliance to take all the great merits.

“They truly do not listen.”

Neung Je-gang, who had expressed his opposing opinion through Go Won-gi, shook his head. The men who called themselves leaders of prestigious great sects, whose minds were deeply stained by old-fashioned ideas, absolutely would not bend their stubbornness. They officially declared that they would carry out an operation by the Martial Alliance alone, unrelated to the imperial army.

“What will you do?”

Cheong Yeon asked.

“If something is blocked, I can break through it, but right now, there is no time to quarrel with the Martial Alliance. We have no choice but to let them do as they want. Instead, we can make the Martial Alliance take responsibility for the famine that will occur later.”

“Understood. But, um……”

Cheong Yeon hesitated again, as if he had something to say.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

“Um…… may I participate tonight?”

“Hm? Why? You dislike stealing, don’t you? Ah! Is it because you want to stop Gyeong-in or Ma-jil from coveting the wealth?”

“N-no. It is just that, somehow, I feel as if I alone am pretending to be noble……”

“But you are noble. It is good for one person among us to have such a personality. You are a breakwater that prevents others from seeing us as a band of scoundrels. Hahaha!”

At Neung Je-gang’s joke, Cheong Yeon’s face reddened.

“No one will say anything to you, Cheong Yeon, so stay here and protect the princess well. For the time being, your job is to protect the princess in my place. You know, right? If something happens to the princess, we all die. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Right! Go and bring Ja-myeong. He is all right now, isn’t he?”

“Yes. When I saw him this morning, he had already gotten up and was eating alone. I will bring him.”

Cheong Yeon went to the Martial Alliance and brought Je So-yeon, Jo Su-won, and the father and son Jo Ja-myeong all together. Jo Su-won still refused to leave his son’s side.

“I brought them.”

Cheong Yeon reported first.

“Tell only Ja-myeong to come in.”

“Yes.”

Jo Ja-myeong took a deep breath and entered the tent. Then, when he found Neung Je-gang staring straight at him, he lowered his head deeply.

“Come in. Do not be afraid.”

“Yes.”

Jo Ja-myeong finally came and stood before Neung Je-gang. Then he prostrated himself on the floor in order to bow. Je So-yeon had told him. She said that when he met Neung Je-gang, he should first offer nine bows. Only then would they formally become master and disciple.

“Wait!”

But Neung Je-gang did not yet intend to receive Jo Ja-myeong’s bow. There was still one thing left to confirm, was there not? He had to confirm whether he was a talent worthy of fulfilling his promise with the Black Cloud Demon.

Jo Ja-myeong’s knees, which had been bending, straightened. His waist, which had been lowering, also stood upright. Jo Ja-myeong’s eyes widened. He was amazed by Neung Je-gang’s ability to move his body freely with a single gesture.

“Do not bow yet. There is one thing I must confirm.”

“Yes.”

Jo Ja-myeong grew anxious. He worried that he might be rejected. The fact that Neung Je-gang had forcibly stopped him from bowing made him even more anxious.

Tak.

At that moment, Neung Je-gang took a pitch-black cudgel from his robes. It was a strange cudgel, short but solid-looking. It looked as if it imitated a blunt dagger.

“This is called Pungroe. Come here and try holding it.”

Jo Ja-myeong looked at Pungroe with eyes full of curiosity, then slowly reached out at Neung Je-gang’s words. And he grabbed the thing called Pungroe.

Tingle.

At that moment, he felt an unknown force come out of Pungroe and sweep through his body as if piercing through it. His body trembled by itself.

“How is it? Do you feel anything?”

“Yes, it feels like something tingling swept through my whole body.”

As Jo Ja-myeong spoke, he watched Neung Je-gang’s expression. He was wondering whether what he had said was the correct answer.

But at that instant, he saw it. He saw three or four veins stand out clearly on Neung Je-gang’s forehead. It had not been the correct answer.

Neung Je-gang had Jo Ja-myeong keep holding Pungroe, then looked to see what change had occurred in Pungroe. The Black Cloud Demon had said that when it met one fated for it, martial arts would appear on Pungroe.

He tilted his head. There was no change in Pungroe. It was strange. Judging from what Jo Ja-myeong said, it was clearly a different reaction from when he himself had touched it.

“You will keep this from now on. It is a very important item, so you must absolutely not lose it.”

“Yes.”

“And if any change occurs in this, you must not forget to tell me.”

“A change?”

“Yes. Something like letters appearing on it, its shape changing, or a pattern you have never seen before appearing.”

“Um……”

Jo Ja-myeong nodded slightly as if he had something to say.

“What is it?”

“What if this is speaking?”

Jo Ja-myeong asked while looking at Pungroe.

“What? Pungroe is speaking?”

“It doesn’t seem like it is speaking, but something is appearing in my head.”

“What is it?”

Neung Je-gang showed interest. Indeed, writing or characters were difficult methods for keeping secrets. He did not know who had made Pungroe, but if that person had even foreseen such a thing, it would not be incomprehensible if they had used some other method.

In any case, Pungroe was a mysterious thing. Was it not like a living thing, despite being something whose material could not be identified at all? It even chose whom it wished to associate with.

“It seems you were chosen by Pungroe.”

“What? Th-then I cannot become your disciple?”

“Yes. The person who will be your master is someone else.”

Clang.

Jo Ja-myeong dropped Pungroe.

“Then I do not want to have this. I do not want to become someone else’s disciple.”

Tears flowed from Jo Ja-myeong’s eyes. He did not know how Je So-yeon had spoken to him, but Jo Ja-myeong seemed determined not to learn martial arts unless it was from Neung Je-gang. Pungroe suddenly ended up abandoned by the being it had chosen.

“It seems you are misunderstanding something. Just because your master is someone else does not mean you will learn martial arts from someone else too. I will teach you martial arts. It is only that you cannot inherit my direct lineage.”

“What?”

“The martial art you must take responsibility for is the very one Pungroe transmitted to you. The thing you say appeared in your head. You must learn that martial art.”

“That is a martial art?”

“Yes. It may perhaps be a martial art stronger than any martial art I know. The person who learned that martial art, in other words, your master, was certainly stronger than me.”

“……!”

Jo Ja-myeong could not close his mouth. During that time, Je So-yeon had brainwashed him into believing that Neung Je-gang was the strongest. But there was someone stronger?

“Then where is that person……?”

At Jo Ja-myeong’s question, Neung Je-gang raised his finger and pointed at the sky.

“H-he died?”

“No. He left to become an immortal. He entrusted that to me and asked me to find a disciple to inherit his martial art, then left, saying he would become an immortal.”

It was a story different from the truth, but it was not completely absurd either. Since he had secluded himself in the mountains because he disliked the mundane world, was that not essentially the same as living freely like an immortal?

“An…… immortal?”

Jo Ja-myeong was stunned. If the master whose face he had never even seen was said to be an immortal, it would be stranger if he were not shocked.

“In any case, until you can learn Pungroe’s martial art on your own, I will teach you. Though it will only be everything related to the fundamentals of martial arts. You will not be my direct-lineage disciple, but I will accept you as a nominal disciple, so from now on, you may call me Master. So now, complete the bow you did not finish.”

“Ah……!”

At the words that he would be accepted as a disciple, Jo Ja-myeong quickly bowed. After the nine bows ended like that, Neung Je-gang picked up Pungroe and gave it back to Jo Ja-myeong.

“I do not know what it was made from, but it is probably the hardest weapon in the world. So handle it with care.”

“This is a weapon?”

“Yes.”

Neung Je-gang’s feelings as he handed over Pungroe were also unusual. Had he not saved his life twice thanks to Pungroe? For that reason alone, he could not steal Jo Ja-myeong away from Pungroe. He could not repay grace with enmity, could he?

‘Damn it! Where am I supposed to find another clever disciple now?’

He had handed over Pungroe, and his stomach burned. It was as if he had only done something good for someone else.

“Cheong Yeon!”

“Yes.”

Neung Je-gang called Cheong Yeon.

Cheong Yeon entered the tent.

“Can you teach Ja-myeong the basics until we return to Antang Mountain?”

“What? Me?”

“Yes. Teach him the way they build basic physical strength at the Depot Martial Academy. As for matters related to full-fledged martial arts, I will personally handle those after this war ends.”

“Understood.”

“Ja-myeong must build his physical strength for the time being. The basics are important in everything. Physical strength is also a very important foundation for learning martial arts. So you must not be lazy.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then go out now.”

Jo Ja-myeong bowed to Neung Je-gang once more and went outside. Cheong Yeon followed after him. He intended to start teaching right away. In such cases, Cheong Yeon was the person who could best play the role of a strict instructor. He was someone who never let anything pass carelessly.

After Jo Ja-myeong and Cheong Yeon went out, Je So-yeon came in.

“Senior Brother! May I teach Ja-myeong medicine?”

“Medicine? That would not be bad either. But may you teach him without getting your grandfather’s permission?”

“I will only teach him about as much as Senior Brother learned.”

“Then that much should be fine. Try teaching him. But since he will be doing physical training, I do not know whether he will have the mental energy to learn medicine.”

“Physical training? Is it difficult?”

“Yes, almost to the point of wanting to die……”

The physical training of the Depot Martial Academy could not be compared to that of other sects. How bad had it been, considering he had thought he wanted to die even though he had already learned martial arts at the time?

“Oh my, that is good. Then I should make medicine for Ja-myeong so he does not suffer. And, hmm…… after training ends, I can loosen his muscles.”

Je So-yeon was happy that she had something to do. She believed she had gained an opportunity to stay close to Neung Je-gang through Jo Ja-myeong as a connection.

She did not know. She had not heard that Cheong Yeon would be the one teaching the physical training.