53. Growth (2)
However, for Gu Cheon-woo, now that he had raised the banner of Susin Jegah, he needed time to reorganize the clan and grow stronger. If he had started by tidying up the surroundings with Mireok Paedo, this wouldn't have been a concern in the first place. What a shame.
"Ugh! There's a mountain of work to do."
"I believe in you, Father."
Short-term, three years. Long-term, five. Even that wouldn't be enough to solidify the merchant group's scale and foundation. On top of that, he had to open trade routes with Unnam. Unnam was called the land of poisons and toxic herbs, but depending on their use, they could become medicine. To secretly stockpile herbs while avoiding the eyes of the Sacheon Tang Clan, dealings with Unnam were essential.
"I'll trust you too. That's why I'm saying this—do we really need to burden Great-Grandfather, who hopes for your ascension? Let me handle the hard work."
"You wish for my quick death."
Hey, you punk. Why interpret it like that! Ascension, I said! How is that wishing for death?
The interpretation was off. It was merely a small wish from a grandfather-in-law to fulfill his granddaughter's husband's aspirations. He dreamed of a peaceful ascension amid pristine mountains and rivers, bathed in pure energy. The more ties to the mortal world, the further ascension slipped away.
Gu Seo-jin's mouth was especially long-winded today. After his lengthy explanation...
"Will you tell Mother?"
"Should I hide it?"
I must be the idiot for talking to my son! Gu Seo-jin cursed his own mouth. He'd only stirred up trouble by speaking up. Asking him not to tell was proof of guilt.
Gu Cheon-woo couldn't understand his fidgeting father. If being with Great-Grandfather was a burden, just don't seek him out. What was there to ramble on about like this? Utterly baffling.
To gain his father's understanding, Gu Cheon-woo explained Great-Grandfather's necessity once more.
"Great-Grandfather is exceptional at teaching. Moreover, his martial prowess surpasses Mother's at present. He can resolve the clan's future military needs. Leaving him to pass away like this would be a great loss to the family."
"He's that impressive, huh? I truly had no idea. If I knew, would I have acted like this? It's because I'm no martial artist—don't tell your mother, right?"
"You mean don't consult Mother?"
"Who said that! It's a promise between us men, you and me!"
"No dealings with women?"
"You want to see me die?"
"I'm joking."
...?
Really? In the past, he could pass it off as a joke, but now it was hard to believe. The guy making jokes felt awkward in itself. When had he become like this? It hadn't been long, yet it didn't suit him at all. He'd seemed like a stone-faced man who'd never joke in his life.
"Tricky."
"You look troubled. Learn well."
"I'll do my best."
"That's a joke."
"I see."
My son, but damn, he's no fun. Dry as a bone—utterly flat. At this rate, he might never marry.
That's it!
If his son became romantically inept, that would be trouble. To continue the lineage and live enjoyably, he needed love experience. That way, he'd meet someone good and live happily like him...
Sniff! Tears!! Happy tears!!
"You become a real man by starting a family."
"Settle it for me, and I'll do it."
"No, you have to fall in love!"
"Isn't following parents' will the children's duty?"
Gu Seo-jin was speechless at his son's rebellious gaze that said anyone would do. It was as dry as a merchant deal—pure transaction.
"Above all, I hope to contribute to the clan and merchant group."
"No dating?"
"Is that necessary?"
This won't do. Table it for now. Anything else aside, marriage had to be with someone he loved. He hoped his son would too, yet here he was advocating political marriage.
It feels like a joke, sort of.
No man in the world hated beauties, they said. Once he experienced the world and met them, his mindset would change.
Unlike Gu Seo-jin's thoughts, Gu Cheon-woo sought only the optimal path for Susin Jegah. The means were the same as Mireok Paedo—just differing direction. Maximize efficiency for family harmony.
Marrying the princess would kill two birds with one stone.
Quick calculations for an emperor's sister. A talent fitting the merchant group. The emperor followed him well, so he could rightfully claim various interests.
***
"You killed the Windstorm Unit's Tenth?"
"From the traces, they were defeated individually without proper resistance. The opponent is as proficient in combat as in martial arts—likely at least Transcendent realm."
"They know how to fight."
"Yes."
Strength in martial arts and combat proficiency meant different things. Only possessing both qualified one as a warrior. The Windstorm Unit boasted exceptional individual prowess, but fell short against Transcendent. Yet in battle, they could overcome even that. Especially with their group tactics that multiplied strength with numbers. The Tenth alone could crush a Transcendent master. A force capable of fierce fights beyond realms.
But they lost their strongest tactic, played in the enemy's palm. Central Plains fools raised in greenhouses might call it cowardly, but fights were life-and-death, not duels. Only survivors proved strength. The winner is strong—not the strong wins. That was Iron Blood Fortress's foundation.
The foe deserved such qualification.
"Impressive. To think there's still a warrior worthy of the name in the Central Plains."
"They vanished without a trace. Pursuing them would draw the Central Plains' eyes to us."
"A guy like that won't be easy to track. The more we chase, the more we'll fall into their trap."
"My apologies."
He revealed nothing of himself. No way he'd leave a trail. Pursuit would only heighten vigilance, disrupting grand plans.
"No, it's quite intriguing."
Iron Blood Demon Emperor Cheol-geuk-gyeong. Lord of Iron Blood Fortress, incarnation of battle—the grassland's greatest warrior, forged to extremes beyond noble blood.
Capturing his interest was monumental. None on the plains dared challenge him.
"Take your time—investigate discreetly."
"Understood."
An uncanny unease pierced his heart. Fear of the unstoppable. A novel emotion for him. Boredom stirred with rare battle lust. Perfect sacrifice for reconquering the Central Plains.
Fun.
***
Gu Cheon-woo introspected, linking to his mindscape. He discerned the direction from intent built over 100 regressions. He repeated this mindscape refinement daily.
He once believed he'd reached the ultimate dominance controlling all creation.
Denying the Path of Dominance.
All creation demanded harmony, not control. A fragment felt through Mu-myeong. Only by yielding and completing balance.
But Gu Cheon-woo...
I won't accept it.
The natural order of yielding, balance, harmony. Flow like water, become one with it. They demanded transcendence beyond extremes.
Yet the Paewang pursued dominance. Fundamentally opposed from the start. Abandon dominance now for balance?
Woooong!
Formless Paewang Qi rose naturally. Geukcheon Paedo.
Rejecting all creation's demand for yielding fusion. The harder it pressed, the greater the repulsion crumbled dominance. A transcendent realm unfelt without mindscape pinnacle.
Woooong! Paaaat!
His mindscape shook all creation's balance, intensifying repulsion. Ultimately, failure to control.
Good.
Total failure. Gu Cheon-woo felt great. Everything achieved with this fist. Nothing beyond reach. Believed endpoint became starting point. More vitality than ever. A challenge proved he lived.
I stand by dominance.
He'd only seen all creation's shell till now. Never faced its true meaning. Approaching demanded harmony's submission. Post-mindscape confrontation, introspection. Merely self-reflection, yet effects clear.
Stimulating internal-external force with Paewang Qi alone wouldn't suffice now. Compared to past loops, absurd—current steady build versus mushy quantitative growth, but destructive power topped all.
Blindly smash, unify by dominance. Crude, dangerous path—possible only for Paewang.
Not wholly negative. Below certain level, no better means. Examples nearby.
Gu Cheon-woo left his room for the training ground.
Sacheon Three Heroes, Ga-bok, Cheon-gi, Cheon-ye sweated profusely.
Training foundation: stamina-based, melting inner energy. Inner energy? Stimulate meridians with Paewang Qi, stockpile in dantian. With efficient body for use, no need fixate on forms.
Extremes converge, but not all arts seek same. Methods differ in direction, pinnacle. Half-baked convergence worse than none.
Talent-limited, but transcendence later fine.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sacheon Three Heroes repeated downward strikes. Sword basics. Unrecognized by clan-sect, but long-practiced.
Yet no complaints. Discarding lifetime swordsmanship for saber arts.
To mortals, sword vs. saber mere double vs. single edge. But deep practice revealed vast chasm. Deeper dive, clearer divide. Higher single-cut perfection, starker difference.
Hooook! Hooook!
In truth, no room for complaints. Slight focus lapse threatened stable Toryong Qi with latent Paewang Qi. Paewang Qi playful maybe, but hell for Toryong Qi—Toryong Saint Body foundation, one body. Crushed, backlash full force. Habitual pain at least; daily fresh torment.
"Toryong Qi roots in earth—don't forget."
"Yes, my lord!"
Gu Cheon-woo switched to saber for Toryong Saint Body fit. Earth energy's sturdy pillar—better focus destruction over flashiness.
Thus taught Sacheon Three Heroes Paecheongong and Paecheondo-gyeol.