Chapter 213: Jin So-eun-1
Chapter 213: Jin So-eun-1
The Guangdong Jin Family Estate, a prestigious clan of Guangdong Province, was renowned throughout the martial world for its staff techniques.
In particular, the former foremost master of the Hainan Sect, the Namhae Sword King In Jeung-ho, and his close friend, the Natural Bound Staff Jin Ji-in, were both such exceptional masters that everyone agreed the title of the world's greatest would have been his had In Jeung-ho not existed.
However, the true transmission of the great Natural Bound Staff's art had not been passed down to the present Jin Family Estate.
No—rather, it seemed more accurate to say no one *could* inherit it.
The Natural Bound Staff Jin Ji-in was a man who had spent his entire life practicing only one thing: the Eight Direction Staff Technique, the fundamental staff art of the Jin Family Estate.
He never learned martial arts like the Mad Demon Eighteen Staff, cultivated by the Jin Family's direct line, or the Raging Tiger Thirty-Six Staff, practiced by other sect disciples. He achieved enlightenment through that single basic staff technique alone, becoming the second-greatest master under heaven, someone no one could match even if he only picked up a tree branch.
While the Natural Bound Staff Jin Ji-in was alive, and even after his death, countless talents of the Jin Family Estate had focused solely on the Eight Direction Staff Technique just like him, challenging the realm of the Natural Bound Staff in an attempt to inherit his true transmission.
But no one could reach that realm.
It was as if that state was only possible for the Natural Bound Staff Jin Ji-in himself.
In the end, as time passed, the talents of the Jin Family Estate had no choice but to regret their wasted years and belatedly learn other staff techniques.
And because many talents missed their timing and failed to increase their martial prowess, the Jin Family Estate only grew weaker in power.
After this vicious cycle repeated several times, there was now virtually no one among the current talents of the Jin Family Estate who challenged the true transmission of the Natural Bound Staff.
The current head of the Jin Family, the Mad Demon Staff Jin Gong-mu, and of course the young family head Jin Gye-gun, both learned the secret technique of the Jin Family, the Mad Demon Eighteen Staff, and all the other sect disciples were also training in the Raging Tiger Thirty-Six Staff.
"So, you could say this eonni is the only person in the present Jin Family Estate challenging the true transmission of the Natural Bound Staff. She hasn't learned anything besides the Eight Direction Staff Technique even though she's already twenty-three."
Jin Ga-in, the daughter of the head of the Jin Family, introduced her half-sister Jin So-eun in this way at a dinner gathering of the later-generation talents of Gwangju, Guangdong Province.
At her words, Jin So-eun, who had cut her hair short like a man and wore shabby clothes, kept her face, flushed bright red, deeply bowed and could not lift her head.
Because for her, having entered the mountain with her grandfather since childhood and done nothing but repeat training, such a social occasion was far too unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
It was then.
Among the gathered later-generation talents, Gyo Gwa-ryong, the young master of the Gyo Family Estate who possessed the most handsome appearance, asked her with an expression of apparent interest.
"Then, Jin Sojeo. Ah, my apologies. Is the reason this Jin So-eun Sojeo, not Jin Ga-in Sojeo, came down from the mountain because you succeeded in inheriting the true transmission of the Natural Bound Staff?"
At those words, Jin So-eun flinched in startlement and hastily shook her head.
"Ah, th-th-there's no way. How could someone like me dare reach such a realm...."
Then, Jin Ga-in, who was standing beside her, also frowned as if it were absurd and said to Gyo Gwa-ryong.
"Gyo Gongja, why are you asking such a question? Eonni is barely twenty-three, how could she inherit the true transmission of the Natural Bound Staff? If it were that easy, the line of Jin's magpie wouldn't have been severed."
At that answer, Gyo Gwa-ryong smiled smoothly and said.
"Then... does that not mean Jin Sojeo is simply wasting time? To have been cooped up in the mountain until the age of twenty-three and only learned the single Eight Direction Staff Technique."
At that remark, Jin Gye-gun, the young family head of the Jin Family Estate who was seated at the highest place among the later-generation talents, answered with an expression of apparent irritation.
"Why wouldn't it be so, Gyo Saje? It's unfortunate to say about So-eun, but her life has only been ruined by our grandfather's greed. A grown girl, living only in the mountains, doesn't even know how to dress properly; with that hair and those clothes, who knows if she can even get married. Tsk!"
Then Jin Ga-in gave a short laugh and retorted.
"Why do you say that, Orabeoni? Still, So-eun Eonni has a decent base, so if she dresses well she could improve a little. Well, she'd have to fix her habit of not washing properly from living in the mountains, though."
"Oh my! She doesn't even wash properly?!"
"Ugh, how filthy!"
At her words, the women among the gathered later-generation talents frowned, asking how one could possibly not wash properly.
The men pretended they hadn't heard, feigning indifference as they stifled their laughter.
Jin So-eun could feel it without difficulty.
That the gazes around her looking at her were full of mockery...
And that, whether intentional or not, it was because of the words of her half-sister Jin Ga-in and her older brother Jin Gye-gun.
But Jin So-eun could offer no response to the words of those around her chattering with her at the center.
She simply kept her head deeply bowed with a timid expression.
She did not know how to respond in this kind of situation.
Because, just as they said, living on the mountain alone with her grandfather meant she had never learned how to deal with people.
She could not distinguish well whether her younger sister Jin Ga-in, who had brought her here, was saying such things because she was truly worried about her, or whether she was doing it to humiliate her.
It was then.
From a corner seat of the gathering, Jin So-eun's full older brother Jin Jeong-gun, who had been drinking alone sip by sip, suddenly laughed as if drunk, "Keu-keu-keu," and opened his mouth.
"Keu-keu-keu-keu! You foolish girl. Do you understand now, that you can't do anything just by being kind? Look at that. Aren't those who lived in comfort and luxury without entering the mountain thanks to you now mocking you? Isn't this just infuriating? Keu-keu-keu-keu!"
At those words, the young family head Jin Gye-gun and his full sister Jin Ga-in frowned slightly.
Others might not know, but they understood immediately what Jin Jeong-gun was talking about.
So Jin Gye-gun hurriedly tried to change the subject with other words.
"Now, now! Let's stop that kind of talk and...!"
But it was then.
Before Jin Gye-gun could even finish his sentence, Jin Jeong-gun began to ramble with a slurring voice.
"Do you all know about that? It was about fifteen years ago, when Grandfather yielded the position of estate master to Father and declared he would from then on focus solely on reviving the Natural Bound Staff. At that time, Grandfather gathered four of us—Gye-gun Hyungnim, myself, So-eun, and Ga-in—and said that one of us had to enter the mountain with him and train only in the Eight Direction Staff Technique."
Then the later-generation talents, who had initially frowned at his voice that seemed like drunken rambling, began to focus on him with increasingly intrigued expressions.
Jin Jeong-gun kept rambling in a drunken voice.
"But! Not one among us could readily answer that we would follow Grandfather's will! Why, you ask? Keu-keu-keu, what's there to ask? We didn't want to. Leaving the comfortable house to get stuck in the mountains for martial arts training, having to challenge the Natural Bound Staff that so many people had failed before—all of it. Think about it. Who would want to spend their whole life training only in the Eight Direction Staff Technique, a basic martial art? Isn't that right? Keu-keu-keu-keu!"
It was when he had spoken up to that point.
His half-brother and the young family head of the Jin Family Estate, Jin Gye-gun, cut in and barked at him.
"Jeong-gun, you bastard! Drunk again?! If you're drunk, you should just go home; where do you think you are that you're making a drunken scene?! Can't you just quietly go back right now?!"
Then Jin Jeong-gun made a startled expression, then shook his head and said.
"I'm drunk? Hyeongnim, do I really seem drunk? I'm asking if this sounds like something said while drunk?"
At that moment, Jin Jeong-gun's half-sister Jin Ga-in approached his side, grabbed his arm, and said softly.
"Orabeoni, you're very drunk. Please go back home now."
And then she tried to pull him up with all her might, so others wouldn't notice.
At that, Jin Jeong-gun looked at Jin Ga-in with a dumbfounded expression.
Then he flung her off abruptly, stood up from his seat, and shouted.
"You must really hate hearing that story! Fine, I'll go! I'll go! Isn't that enough?!"
He sprang to his feet and began to stride briskly out as if he would leave immediately.
Jin Gye-gun and Jin Ga-in looked at his retreating figure with slightly furrowed faces, but said nothing more.
Because if he was leaving on his own, there seemed no need to prolong the matter further.
It was then.
Jin Jeong-gun, who had been about to leave, abruptly stopped, turned back, and shouted at Jin So-eun.
"What are you doing, not leaving?! I made a sacrifice for you and went into the mountain with Grandfather, and what are you doing among these beasts who would rather bite you than be grateful?!"
Then, Jin Gye-gun, startled, shouted at the guards.
"What are you all doing?! Take that bastard home before he disgraces himself further, now!"
At his command, the warriors of the Jin Family Estate lined up around the room immediately rushed over, grabbed his arms, and dragged him outside.
"Please go now, young master."
"Let go! I said I'm not finished talking!"
Jin Jeong-gun shouted at the top of his lungs, but he did not struggle greatly and was quietly led away by the guards.
Others did not know, but he had already said everything he wanted to, so he did not resist further.
Once his voice had completely faded away, Jin Gye-gun abruptly rose from his seat, clasped his hands to the other later-generation talents, and said.
"On behalf of my younger brother, I will apologize for his disgraceful behavior. His drunken antics seem to worsen day by day. I can only hope that our broad-minded later-generation talents of Gwangju will not hold the words you just heard in your hearts and will generously overlook them."
It sounded like an apology, but it was really a request to forget what had just been said.
Then the other later-generation talents vied with each other to respond to his words.
"Young Family Head Jin! This isn't a one-day affair, why go so far as to apologize?"
"Indeed. Isn't that precisely the humane charm of Young Master Jin?"
"Everyone has flaws, doesn't he? Every family has its blemishes."
The person who spoke last was Seo Yoon-jik, the young head of the Sunsa-mun.
At his witty remark, Jin Gye-gun gave an exclamation of 'Oh!' and was about to smile and praise him.
"Oh! Young Head Seo...!"
But at that moment, Gyo Gwa-ryong of the Gyo Family Estate, the most handsome man at this gathering, grinned first and said.
"Hmm? Did something just happen? I don't remember anything. No? Where did Young Master Jin go? Did he get drunk again?"
At his slick words, Jin Gye-gun finally burst into laughter.
"Wahahahaha! Truly, Gyo Gwa-ryong, Gyo Saje's wit is unmatched! With such a handsome face and even surpassing wit, how is someone like me supposed to live without feeling wronged? I beg of you, should I ever take a wife, Brother Gyo, please do not come close."
Then, Seo Yoon-jik of Sunsa-mun stared at Gyo Gwa-ryong with jealous eyes.
But Gyo Gwa-ryong ignored his gaze, smiled leisurely, and replied.
"You are far too modest, Hyeongnim. A martial person's charm is firstly martial arts, and secondly power. How can you say such things to me when you possess both? I, your saje, merely hope that you will not steal away my woman."
"Oh? Is that how it is? Wahahahaha!"
The atmosphere became amiable again in an instant.
The mood that had briefly become awkward because of Jin Jeong-gun had already completely vanished.
"......."
With her short man-like hair and shabby clothes, Jin So-eun sat in one corner and stared blankly at them.
Everyone around her, except for her, was laughing and chatting merrily.
Just as Gyo Gwa-ryong had said, as if they had all completely forgotten what had happened moments before.
Even though this was her first time at such a gathering, Jin So-eun felt she could roughly grasp the atmosphere.
The later-generation talents gathered here all seemed to be followers of Jin Gye-gun.
Their only interest appeared to be currying favor with Jin Gye-gun, the young family head of the Jin Family Estate; everything else seemed utterly unimportant to them.
Not the words Jin Jeong-gun had spoken earlier, nor the truth of why Jin So-eun herself had ended up entering the mountain.
In the midst of that, Jin So-eun suddenly felt a loneliness, as if she were isolated alone within the world.
For some reason, it felt lonelier than when she had been in the mountain, where she truly had to be alone.