Chapter 61: Water Too Clear Has No Fish (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: Water Too Clear Has No Fish (9)
As the hot liquor slid down his throat, only its fragrance remained in his mouth and nose.
It was like the scent that bursts forth when cold water is sprinkled on parched earth in the height of summer. A mysterious, nostalgic aroma bloomed behind the liquor’s heat, unveiling a world he had never known.
A strange, magnificent vista Yeon So-wol had never visited appeared before him. A river flowed majestically beneath sheer, towering cliffs.
A few boats poled their way forward, their long poles rhythmically striking the riverbed. Listening to the creak and groan of the wood cutting through the water, Yeon So-wol blinked.
The scent of sunlight, grass, and water filled his senses.
His body and mind were clearer than ever. No, they felt as light and free as if he had no physical form at all. It was as if his soul had slipped out on its own to wander and witness the world directly.
Creak. Creak.
No one told him what to do. He never felt hunger. It was a world that seemed to repeat a single moment for all eternity.
Time lost all meaning. Whether it was seven days and nights, a month, or a year, he couldn't tell, but it flowed on endlessly. As he stared blankly at the magnificent scenery, he would lose himself, becoming entirely immersed in the moment.
Sometimes, Yeon So-wol practiced his swordsmanship; other times, he trained his footwork. He never once felt that it was arduous. Nothing was tedious; nothing was difficult.
After spending an eternity in that state, he would suddenly open his eyes.
By the second time it happened, Yeon So-wol began to lose his grip on the boundary between dream and reality. Was he dreaming of drinking with the three old men after a bout of sword practice, or was he dreaming of practicing his lightness technique while drinking with them?
The old men smiled as they watched him. They no longer bothered to speak to him directly. They simply treated him as an amusing spectacle, pouring him a cup of liquor whenever the time was right. They seemed more interested in talking amongst themselves than with Yeon So-wol.
“The Three Heroes of the Yangtze River! Yes. We went there, too. Seon-ye... Oh, Seon-ye. You truly distilled every one of our memories over all those long years… and steeped them all into this liquor…” the Old Beggar lamented.
He muttered to himself as he rolled an empty bottle across the table.
“I should have visited more often when she was alive. I shouldn't have let her brew liquor all by her lonesome. No… if only we had done more together when we were young…”
The distinguished, noble-looking elder cut him off.
“Beggar, that was what was right for us then. It’s only a memory now. Back then, it was all anxiety and youthful passion.” He snatched up a new bottle. “Look. Look at those young ones’ eyes. They’ve entered the same memories as us, breathed the same air, and felt the same emotions, yet their eyes aren’t those of someone savoring the past. To them, it’s just scenery. Even inside those memories, they’re each finding what they need to do. With every cup they drink, their path becomes clearer and more settled. That’s youth for you. They look forward, not back. And we were young then.”
Trickle—
The old man filled Yeon So-wol’s cup to the brim. With a dazed expression, Yeon So-wol gulped down the new drink.
A searing heat passed through him.
This time, the scent of white snow nipped at the tip of his nose. The air was thin and so crisp it felt like it could shatter.
Yeon So-wol looked around. A single, massive tree stood in an endless field of snow. The world was boundlessly white, yet his breath was strangely hot.
Is this also one of the old men’s memories?
Yeon So-wol vaguely recalled the conversation he had heard as if in a dream, then promptly forgot it again. With a pounding heart, he drew his sword and began to swing. He infused it with the harmony of his qi, honing and polishing his gyeong. He linked that to his footwork, and that footwork to his lightness technique.
He didn't care if it was clumsy or if the transitions failed. He practiced until it became natural. Until it became endlessly natural. He swung his sword and raised his energy.
Then he would open his eyes to find the three old men talking again.
“A shame. It’s such a shame. A little more. Just a little more. If only I had then…”
“I have no regrets. Was it just us? It was the same for Seon-ye. She could have sought us out whenever she wished. She could have even settled down near us. But she didn't, did she? She was the one who chose to wander the world without a home, hailed as an Immortal Doctor, practicing her medicine. That was the life she chose. And we chose our lives, just as she chose hers. We all chose as we pleased, so what is there to regret?”
As the distinguished elder spoke as if delivering a lecture, the Old Beggar snorted.
“Of course. A man who got rejected after proposing would think differently, wouldn’t he?”
“…”
“Then why is a man like you here? If it was all just our individual choices, you’d have no reason to come here for ten years, sharing memories and wallowing in sentimentality, would you?”
“This is the completion of it all, you foolish beggar.”
“Hah.”
This time, the quiet Old Daoist filled Yeon So-wol’s cup. He muttered to himself, “Isn’t this the lad’s fourth cup already? He holds his liquor well. His mental cultivation must be deeper than I thought.”
The cycle repeated. He would be pulled into a time of unknowable memories, intoxicated by their scents. Then he would come to his senses and find the three old men talking.
The last conversation Yeon So-wol heard was the refined Old Daoist murmuring to himself.
“Whether we loved, whether we dreamed, whether we regretted, it’s all in the past. The heavens may be eternal, but human life is so short and fleeting. How could even a thousand years ever be enough to satisfy the heart? It’s enough to be able to remember it all so fondly like this. It’s enough that it was a good karmic bond, one to look back on and savor for a long, long time.”
Thud!
Yeon So-wol’s head finally dropped onto the table. Beside him, Jin Geol had already passed out after his third cup.
“Hoh.” The Old Beggar let out a sound of admiration. “That young man drank nearly ten cups, didn’t he?”
“Aye. He finished more than a whole bottle by himself. Hey, Long-face. A man like that is no ordinary talent, don’t you think? His internal energy has already reached the state of Lingering Fragrance, and his mind is just as polished.”
“…It would be difficult to find his equal even among all those I have seen in my life.”
The Noble Elder nudged the Old Daoist in the ribs with his elbow. “Why not take him with you? He drank ten cups of liquor brewed by an Immortal Doctor once renowned throughout the Jianghu. His Qi Sense must be as clear as a mirror now, and the martial arts he possesses will have settled into his body as if he’d trained for ten years. He’s a real talent. Enough to make even me covet him.”
The Old Beggar chimed in. “Right. He seems to have a good character, too. Wouldn’t he make a fine disciple?”
But the Old Daoist simply stared down at Yeon So-wol before shaking his head. “A bond made over drinks is best left at the drinking table. If it’s a true karmic bond, we are bound to meet again.”
“Aish. That long-faced bastard. You’re only saying that because the young man doesn’t look all that young, aren’t you? Daoists like you, always so full of greed.”
“Hmph. Well, I suppose a worldly man like you would find the concept of a karmic bond a bit difficult.”
“What did you say, you bastard?”
The three old men bickered as they finished the rest of the liquor. Thanks to the young men who had drunk so heartily, they were finally able to finish it all.
Ten years of remembrance had come to an end. They would not be coming back to this place again.
* * *
Chirp. Chirp-chirp.
Morning came, and noon was approaching.
Yeon So-wol and Jin Geol awoke on the bank of the Jipseong River, which cut through the heart of Xinxing County. To be precise, they awoke in a small pavilion built by the river.
“Ugh… my head.”
“Nngh…”
The moment they sat up, they clutched their heads, suffering from a brutal hangover. Both were first-rate experts who could manifest True Fire. Even though they had burned away the alcohol with their internal energy, a vicious hangover was somehow still making the world spin.
Waking at roughly the same time, the two sat there blankly, holding their heads, before their eyes shot open. They looked at each other.
“Jin Geol.”
“So-wol.”
“Was it a dream?”
“Was I dreaming?”
They asked each other the same question, then hastily turned their senses inward. No, they went beyond mere introspection, drawing their swords and moving as if in a lilting dance.
A hazy light flowed from the tip of Yeon So-wol’s sword, while Jin Geol’s blade danced with a newfound lightness.
“Ha.”
“Hah.”
They both let out a gasp at the same time.
“Jin Geol, I don’t think it was a dream. The flow of my True Qi is so natural, it feels like I’ve been swinging a sword for ten years.”
“Same here, So-wol. A problem I’d been struggling with became crystal clear in there. I solved it with ease. I trained to my heart’s content.”
Both of them were utterly dumbfounded. They looked around, but there was no trace of the three old men. Only the faint scent of liquor mingled with the morning smell of the Jipseong River.
It felt as if they had met immortals, or perhaps been bewitched by ghosts. Whatever it was, one thing was certain: it hadn't been a dream. They had stumbled upon an incredible stroke of fortune.
The two looked at each other and chuckled, then staggered to their feet and began to walk away from the river. They figured they should go back to their respective homes, wash up, and change their clothes to get their heads straight.
But before they had taken more than a few steps—
“If it isn’t Young Hero Jin.”
A familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.
“Great Hero Seong?”
It was Seong An-jin, the first-rate martial artist from Foshan. He was glaring at Jin Geol with menacing eyes.
“Perfect timing. We made a promise back then, didn’t we? That you’d let me witness that vaunted Biyik Sword of yours. Now seems like a good time to proceed.”
Seong An-jin’s words were a question, but his actions were not.
Shhhwing!
As if a duel was already a foregone conclusion, he drew his sword. The fabric of Seong An-jin’s clothes billowed, and a heat shimmer, like rising flames, emanated from his back and shoulders.
Fierce Fire Piercing the Heavens!
Yeon So-wol tensed. Seong An-jin’s target was Jin Geol. But as far as he knew, Jin Geol’s cultivation realm was Soaring Dragon Fire, a step below Fierce Fire Piercing the Heavens.
Jin Geol must have drunk the liquor too, so he’s probably mastered the Biyik Sword, but even so, if there’s a difference in their fundamental cultivation realms…
However—
“Fine. I will show you the Biyik Sword today.”
As Jin Geol drew his sword without hesitation, his clothes also began to flutter and swell. Just as Yeon So-wol’s eyes widened, a Sound Transmission from Jin Geol reached him.
「Since I hadn’t properly mastered the art, my control over my Fire Phase was clumsy. The truth is, I reached the realm of Fierce Fire Piercing the Heavens a while ago, but it was hard to control the heat at that level, so I only used enough power for Soaring Dragon Fire.」
Ah.
「So you don’t have to worry about a thing.」
Jin Geol stood confidently before Seong An-jin, who looked triumphant, as if ready to avenge his past humiliation.
“Great Hero Seong, considering the situation during our Sword Debate back then, the flow was that I would thrust with the Biyik Sword, and you would evade with the Straight Walk Footwork. Is that correct?”
“It is.”
“Then I shall thrust.”
“Be my guest.”
Fwip!
Jin Geol kicked off the ground and charged toward Seong An-jin. Seong An-jin smirked.
“Hmph! This is nothing.”
Fwoosh!
Straight Walk Footwork. True to its name, which meant to walk in a straight line, it was an exceedingly simple movement—just two steps back diagonally. But the movement was so swift that it was bound to make an attack miss its mark.
And yet.
Whoosh!
Jin Geol’s feet struck the ground in quick succession. He was as nimble as a hawk swooping down.
“What—!”
Seong An-jin tried to evade by using the Straight Walk Footwork repeatedly, but he couldn’t shake Jin Geol, who accelerated and changed direction with the swiftness of a bird’s wingbeat. Finally, he swung his sword to defend himself, but—
Shweek!
Jin Geol’s sword tip darted in at an off-beat rhythm and came to a soft stop against the nape of Seong An-jin’s neck.
“…”
The skin, lightly pressed by the sword’s point, flushed red.
“Great Hero Seong, the Biyik Sword is an art that combines the subtleties of footwork and swordplay into one. A footwork technique like the Straight Walk, which is fast but lacks subtlety, is the Biyik Sword’s favorite prey. This is what I meant when I said the Straight Walk Footwork could not stop the Biyik Sword.”
“…I… I see…”
Seong An-jin seemed to be in deep shock. He was in his mid-thirties. Jin Geol was just twenty, only a year older than Yeon So-wol. To be defeated by a martial artist more than a decade his junior, using the very art he had polished his entire life—his feelings were bound to be complicated.
Yeon So-wol desperately maintained a calm expression. Inwardly, he was astonished by the incredible progress Jin Geol had made overnight, but he forced himself to remain composed, worried that showing such an emotion would be rude to Seong An-jin.
Seong An-jin suddenly looked at Yeon So-wol.
“Ah…”
A bolt of realization struck him. Young Hero Yeon isn’t surprised at all. He knew this would happen from the start.
Then, the memory of their last encounter flashed through his mind. His own voice, boasting, ‘I’m letting this go today only because I’m giving face to Young Hero Yeon…’
Seong An-jin lamented inwardly. I wasn’t the one saving his face. He was the one saving mine.
What if he had stubbornly insisted on witnessing Jin Geol’s Biyik Sword back then? He would have suffered the same defeat he experienced here today, but in front of all those people.
Young Hero Yeon knew, and he deliberately intervened. To save me from humiliation…
Of course, it was a misunderstanding. At the time, Jin Geol hadn't been able to use the Biyik Sword. But it was only natural that Seong An-jin couldn't imagine the kind of fortuitous encounter that would allow someone to master a sword art in just a few nights.
Seong An-jin bit his lip. He gave Yeon So-wol a fist and palm salute.
“Young Hero Yeon, I see now that I was the one in your debt.”
“Pardon?”
Yeon So-wol was confused, but Seong An-jin had already made up his mind.
“I will repay this debt, no matter what. There will be plenty of headaches regarding the expedition, and when they arise, I will unconditionally take your side. I am truly grateful.”
Having said that, Seong An-jin didn’t bother to continue the conversation. He was the type of person who believed that once a debt was acknowledged and a promise to repay it was made, the matter was settled.
“Young Hero Jin, as well. Thank you for today. Thanks to you, I have greatly broadened my horizons. I apologize for my stubbornness, born from my own lack of insight. As a token of my apology, let’s consider this another wager.”
Flick!
Seong An-jin tossed a pouch of silver taels to Jin Geol. Jin Geol caught it, weighed it in his palm, and smiled gently.
“For Great Hero Seong to resolve this so magnanimously, this Jin can only be deeply moved.”
“The words are mine to say. Well then. We shall meet again.”
Seong An-jin gave another salute and strode away. Yeon So-wol watched his retreating back and muttered, as if to himself, “Headaches regarding the expedition… will there be many?”
“A tremendous amount. How to handle tactics, how to manage command. Everything from that to dividing the spoils of war after a victory.”
“Ah.”
“Just because people came with good intentions doesn’t mean they’ll work for free. This is a business of clashing blades, after all.”
“That makes sense. Hmm. Then would it be helpful to secure people’s support like this beforehand?”
“Your father is probably already doing that.”
“But wouldn’t it be better if I helped?”
“Of course, it would be better.”
“Hmm.”
Yeon So-wol continued to think for a moment, then furrowed his brow. “Uh… but I feel dizzy.”
Jin Geol suddenly staggered as well. “Yeah. Me too.”
“Let’s go home and get some rest for now.”
“Yeah. Let’s rest and see.”
The two friends staggered through the morning streets, reeking of liquor in broad daylight.