Chapter 59
Chapter 59
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Enlightenment (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Yuguang Mine?”
“Yes. There's a mine there that produces high-quality iron.”
“Is that so?”
“There's this grumpy old man there.”
The blacksmith gave a wry smile as he pointed to the iron ore.
“He sells good iron cheaply only to skilled blacksmiths.”
He opened the box and showed him a piece of iron ore.
“This is it.”
He said he wasn't a skilled blacksmith himself but had received it from a friend.
Dang Yu-wol examined the iron ore.
It was definitely high quality.
“I see. Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. I've learned a lot thanks to you.”
Dang Yu-wol's handiwork was extraordinary.
Just watching from the side had been a lesson.
“These are materials I had set aside for my own use.”
With that, he handed over the box containing the iron ore from earlier.
“Please use them as a token of gratitude for your guidance.”
“I can't accept all this... Thank you.”
There was no need to refuse when the man said he'd learned from watching his hands.
Dang Yu-wol accepted the gift and stood up.
‘Yonyeong...’
-Shouldn't we find a skilled blacksmith in Chang'an too?
‘You're right.’
He had already instructed someone to look into it while in Ami County.
The lack of word so far meant the search was ongoing.
‘I should go myself or send someone.’
His business at the forge was done.
Now that he had free time, he thought he should do some training before heading back.
“Oh! Brother Dang!”
“Brother! You're here?!”
Seol Ryu-a happened to be at the training ground, and Hwan-gyu was instructing his disciples.
“Young Master Dang. Here to train?”
“I've just finished teaching the disciples, so I'll take a look.”
“Thank you. Everyone.”
“What are you saying? No need for that between us.”
Hwan-gyu hadn't known Dang Yu-wol for long.
But he already thought of him like a real little brother.
“We've overcome so many hardships together.”
That was why his gaze toward him was so warm.
“We're practically blood brothers now!!”
“Yes. I've received so much help from you too, Young Master.”
Seol Ryu-a felt the same.
She was loyal to the imperial family.
Someone like Dang Yu-wol was better the more there were.
“But... the way you use martial arts isn't orthodox.”
“I heard about what Young Master did in Sacheon from Elder Gu Hwan-gae.”
The two approached Dang Yu-wol calmly.
“If poison works better than martial arts for you, you focus on poison, right?”
“That's right.”
The spar with Hwang-no earlier had been full of traps.
-Not just with her.
‘Hm. I rarely go for direct confrontations anyway.’
He dug traps with words, luring carelessness with poison and hidden weapons.
He didn't hesitate to attack the enemy's allies if needed.
Even after reaching the Martial God realm, his style hadn't changed.
‘It's too ingrained in me.’
A wry smile tugged at Dang Yu-wol's lips.
Seeing it, Hwan-gyu shrugged lightly.
“Of course, you could call my words old-fashioned.”
Hwan-gyu, who had always walked the righteous path, couldn't help but worry.
“But without a solid center, you can topple at any time.”
“I don't think it's a problem.”
But Seol Ryu-a disagreed.
“As long as the results are good.”
Their opinions clashed.
Hwan-gyu smiled after a brief silence.
“So even wrong paths are fine? Too soft, and there's no center.”
“There's a saying about being flexible and resolute, isn't there?”
“Haha. Talking flexibility to a Taoist?”
Hwan-gyu grinned and drew his sword.
Facing him, Seol Ryu-a drew hers as well.
“Little brother. Remember this. The soft becomes hard at death.”
“But the newly born is only soft.”
Hwan-gyu swung his sword leisurely with a smile.
Seol Ryu-a matched him, swinging hers.
Hard and soft.
The forceful energy of Jeomchang's Four Seasons Sword Technique.
Clashed with Seol Ryu-a's dance-like soft sword.
‘Softness overcomes hardness, but it too eventually hardens.’
A realization from his past life as Martial God.
He contemplated it.
‘Then where does another softness come from?’
Countless martial arts dormant in his mind swirled.
Within them, he began seeking answers.
Hard, soft, and hard again.
The Four Seasons Sword Technique before him wielded both hard and soft simultaneously.
‘Not possessing just one?’
Among Wudang's martial arts was Taiji.
They saw it as the origin of all things.
Follow the principles of yin and yang, circulation and natural flow.
‘Then what of the Three Yang Return to Origin Art?’
Defying heaven's dao to achieve the three yangs.
In other words, defying heaven.
But was it merely that?
‘What's the real difference between defying heaven and natural flow?’
Dang Yu-wol's mind sank deep.
Seeing it, Hwan-gyu and Seol Ryu-a stopped clashing swords.
“Wow...”
“Shh. He's gaining enlightenment.”
Yi-kyeong and Yi-yul, seeing it for the first time, covered their mouths in awe.
“Miss Seol.”
“Yes.”
The two super first-rate experts didn't hesitate to stand guard.
How much time passed?
The surging energy from Dang Yu-wol subsided.
As he opened his eyes, Seol Ryu-a gave a soft smile.
“Congratulations on your achievement, Young Master Dang.”
“Haha... Yes. Thank you.”
He had gained enlightenment in an unexpected place.
One he hadn't known even before regression.
He had reached the Martial God realm, but martial arts had no end.
‘Haha.’
Unlike when learning the Blood Arts.
Back then he was impatient, but now he had leisure.
That let him see different paths.
‘I can grow even stronger.’
Good news.
More power was always better.
“I didn't quite reach super first-rate.”
Enlightenment didn't arbitrarily raise one's realm.
“But my dantian has expanded, and my internal energy flows more freely than before.”
“That's joyous too.”
“These small insights will accumulate...”
Seol Ryu-a's voice was full of goodwill.
“And greatly help surmount the great wall of the Enlightenment Realm.”
She flushed, embarrassed at her words as a mere super first-rate.
“Still, thank you.”
“It's all thanks to you.”
“It's just the fruit of Young Master Dang's efforts.”
Hwan-gyu and Seol Ryu-a smiled and congratulated him.
Listening, Ye-ui said softly.
-Congratulations. Having much doesn't make new bad.
‘Nothing you can help with?’
Dang Yu-wol chuckled.
He'd asked just in case, but Ye-ui was negative as expected.
-Well. As you know, everyone perceives differently.
He was right.
Same sight, different thoughts for all.
Enlightenment was the same.
What Ye-ui knew couldn't guide Dang Yu-wol.
“Not satisfied?”
As Dang Yu-wol fell silent, Hwan-gyu asked with concern.
‘He mustn't grow impatient...’
Some grew greedy, unsatisfied with enlightenment.
Their ends were rarely good.
“Rushing too fast leads to many falls.”
‘As expected of little brother.’
No impatience in his voice.
Calm and leisurely as always.
“I think steadily progressing is important too.”
“Yes. Righteous martial arts are just that.”
Relieved, Hwan-gyu smiled contentedly.
‘If even Jeomchang's disciples followed half as well as little brother...’
“Still, a celebration's in order.”
Gu Hwan-gae, watching from behind, spoke up.
Couldn't pass up a reason to celebrate.
“Shouldn't we have a feast?”
Missing a chance to eat? Not for a beggar.
Gu Hwan-gae grinned, and Dang Yu-wol shrugged lightly.
“Not like I did anything grand.”
“Fool. A warrior taking one step forward is worth celebrating and rejoicing.”
“Sigh. Alright.”
He still had plenty of money left.
A few drinks were nothing.
“But drinking out feels off.”
“True.”
“I'll buy some and we drink here.”
“Sounds good.”
By dusk, Gu Hwan-gae returned, money in hand from Dang Yu-wol.
Two large jars of liquor slung over his shoulders.
“Hey. Gave the leftover coin to the beggar kids here.”
“Good job. While doing charity, why not check the surroundings?”
“Knew you'd say that, so I did.”
Gu Hwan-gae set down the jars.
“The thugs outside seem unorthodox faction types, for now.”
“Well... Orthodox don't rob.”
“And... quite a few from Zhejiang.”
Why would Zhejiang folk come here for scraps?
Seol Ryu-a and Hwan-gyu were puzzled, but Dang Yu-wol couldn't afford to be.
-There's a major Blood Cult branch in Zhejiang, right?
As Ye-ui said, a massive Blood Cult branch was there.
One ruled by the Iron Fist Tyrant Gil Yeong.
-Those guys. Their martial arts aren't to be trifled with.
‘This could go bad.’
The martial branch under Gil Yeong was brutal.
Where they struck, only blood remained.
Knowing that, he couldn't overlook it.
“Anything else notable?”
“Several villages have lost contact.”
“Hmm...”
“Beggars' Sect dispatched there missed their regular check-in.”
Worry filled Gu Hwan-gae's voice.
“No word at all.”
-Be cautious.
‘Better that way.’
Preparation hurt no one.
Dang Yu-wol crossed his arms, deep in thought.
‘Is the Blood Cult involved?’
-Unknown. But assume they are.
Ye-ui fixed the scenario and asked.
-Can O-gang Ji-hyeon alone stop them now?
‘Even if Blood Cult's in... Gil Yeong wouldn't bring all his Blood Guards.’
-Then victory's possible.
But damage couldn't be ignored.
-Without Blood Cult, just run?
‘No way.’
Run?
‘I must lead Tang Clan to world's best. No fleeing from this.’
Without Blood Cult, easier to handle.
Chance to save people, raise Tang Clan's fame.
Why miss it?
“Know something?”
“Not sure, exactly. But caution's wise.”
If Dang Yu-wol said that, it wasn't minor.
Gu Hwan-gae's face darkened.
“Can we get aid elsewhere?”
“Elsewhere...”
His gaze flicked to Seol Ryu-a.
Soldiers remained in O-gang Ji-hyeon.
They could help?
“Getting military aid won't be easy.”
“Worth asking.”
Gu Hwan-gae approached Seol Ryu-a with Dang Yu-wol.
Her face hardened at the situation.
“If it's that, we can get help. I'll go...”
“What's wrong?”
A leisurely voice came from behind.
It was Bi-seon.
“Heard from Yi-kyeong Taoist. Dang Yu-wol. Throwing a celebration for your enlightenment?”
“Haha. Yes.”
He had asked Yi-kyeong.
To invite Bi-seon and Hwang-no to the feast.
That must be why.
“Something up? You look serious.”
Dang Yu-wol hesitated.
This man was the Great Empire's Third Prince.
He could move troops easier than Seol Ryu-a.
‘But Third Prince is on excursion.’
Requesting troops here would complicate that.
Would he help?
“Well...”
Still, worth trying.
Better than nothing.