The Mountain Gate
The great road grew noisy once more. After descending the mountain path, the official road beneath her feet felt strangely wide. Jin Seoryeong walked slowly, the ebony pole resting across her shoulder. The earth underfoot had been packed hard by countless travelers. Deep wheel ruts crossed the path, overlaid with countless hoofprints. The damp soil and moss scent of the mountain trail faded behind her. In its place came the smell of people. Sweat. Horses. Alcohol. Oil. Old blood. Cheap perfume. Half-eaten meat. The metallic tang of coin purses. There were too many people.
Caravans moved along the official road. Their carts carried bolts of cloth and ceramics, with porters groaning under their loads. Scholars in robes covered their noses with sleeves to avoid the dust. A few wandering martial artists with worn swords sat by the roadside drinking. A medicine peddler shook a small bell and raised his voice, while beggars held out cracked bowls at the feet of passersby.
Jin Seoryeong walked through it all. When she had first stepped onto a great road, every scent had felt overwhelming and novel. Now it was different. She could see the layers. It was not merely the smell of people, but the distinct scent of those who had long held weapons versus those who had worked the fields. The smell of riders differed from those who had walked mountain paths for years. Those who smiled yet kept their hands near their weapons breathed differently. Those who pretended to be drunk yet never let their steps falter carried a different scent.
The road was loud, yet Jin Seoryeong could now sift through the noise and pick out what mattered. Hwarin watched her quietly and asked, “Are you getting used to the main roads now?”
Jin Seoryeong tilted her head slightly. “Still loud.”
“But better than the first time.”
“The smells separate.”
Hwarin raised an eyebrow. “Separate?”
“Yeah. Weak people. Strong people. People hiding things. People lying.”
Hwarin fell silent for a moment. Yu Soha also glanced at Jin Seoryeong from behind with careful eyes. Yu Soha’s body had not fully recovered. Her shoulder wound had been rebandaged, and her fever had eased, yet fatigue still lingered on her face. Even so, stepping onto the main road seemed to bring her some relief. Crowds meant danger, but they also meant it was harder for anyone to openly draw a blade. Of course, in the martial world even that common sense could be broken.
Hwarin scanned their surroundings and said, “We are a little more than a day from Cheongseong Mountain. If we reach the midway inn before nightfall, we can arrive at the mountain gate by tomorrow afternoon.”
Jin Seoryeong’s eyes brightened slightly. “Are there many strong people?”
“At the Cheongseong Sect?”
“Yeah.”
“There are.”
“Stronger than you?”
Hwarin gave a small laugh. “There are plenty stronger than me.”
Jin Seoryeong’s face brightened further. Hwarin quickly added, “That does not mean you can challenge anyone the moment we arrive.”
“Why not.”
“If someone seeking entry challenges an elder right at the mountain gate, they will be expelled.”
“Are the elders strong?”
“They are.”
“Then I want to fight them.”
“That is exactly why I am telling you not to.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded with a faintly disappointed expression. “Do I have to talk first?”
Hwarin looked at her in surprise. “You remembered.”
“Yeah. You said orthodox sects talk first.”
“Not only orthodox sects. Most people do.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. People speak first. If words fail, then they act. But someone like Sawoldo had not cared even when spoken to. Seol Hajin had only spoken, yet Jin Seoryeong had still disliked her. Words were harder than she had expected. Maybe harder than fighting.
Jin Seoryeong adjusted her grip on the ebony pole. Words were difficult. Still, she had to learn. Hwarin had said it was right, and Jin Seoryeong felt she understood a little. If she struck without speaking, the people she needed to protect could be hurt. Yet if she only talked for too long, Yu Soha would waver and villains would say strange things. Where to strike and where to endure—that line was still hard to see.
Jin Seoryeong asked, “Hwarin.”
“What.”
“When do I hit someone while talking?”
Yu Soha coughed softly behind them. Hwarin pressed a hand to her forehead. “Your question is far too direct.”
“I am curious.”
“When the other person tries to harm you. Or when words can no longer end it.”
“How do I know that?”
Hwarin was silent for a moment. “Through experience.”
“Then I have to do it a lot?”
“I mean you should speak with many people. Not strike many people.”
Jin Seoryeong looked faintly disappointed. “Yeah.”
Yu Soha finally failed to hold back a laugh, then winced as her shoulder pulled. Hwarin turned to her. “Do not push yourself.”
“Sorry…… I mean, I am fine.”
Yu Soha stopped herself mid-apology. Jin Seoryeong looked at her immediately. “You did not do it.”
Yu Soha smiled. “Yes. I did not.”
“Good job.”
Hwarin gave Jin Seoryeong a strange look. “You are giving praise now.”
“Should I not?”
“No. Do it.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. Praise. She had learned that too. When people heard kind words, their faces softened. The village children had smiled, and so had Yu Soha. Hwarin smiled sometimes as well. Words were difficult, yet strangely useful.
Around noon they stopped at a small roadside teahouse. It was too modest to be called an inn, closer to a simple shelter. Four old tables stood beneath a thatched roof. The owner sold only barley tea, steamed dumplings, and simple noodles. Hwarin seated Yu Soha in the shade. “We will rest here for a short while.”
Jin Seoryeong leaned the ebony pole against the table and sat. A dull thud echoed as the wood touched the surface. The teahouse owner flinched. Jin Seoryeong noticed and laid the pole down more carefully. Hwarin remarked, “You are being careful.”
“The table might break.”
“A wise choice.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. Caution could also be learned.
Soon dumplings and tea arrived. Jin Seoryeong picked up a dumpling and bit into it. It was hot, yet delicious. A little meat filled the inside, and the scent of green onions rose with the steam. She reached for a second dumpling, then remembered the potato bundle in her robe. One potato remained. She hesitated. Dumplings were tasty. Potatoes were tasty. The potato had been given by a child. Perhaps she should save it for later.
At that moment, two wandering martial artists at the next table began whispering.
“Have you heard? They say the Eight Styles of the Blood Cloud is heading toward Cheongseong Mountain.”
“Is there anyone left who does not know that rumor?”
“They also say Cheongseong Sect’s Hwarin is carrying it.”
“Not Hwarin. A wounded woman is supposedly hiding it.”
“The silver-haired monster is with them too.”
Jin Seoryeong’s hand stopped. Hwarin closed her eyes. Yu Soha’s face tightened slightly. The two men seemed unaware that their targets sat right beside them and continued speaking.
“That silver-haired monster supposedly chewed up and swallowed Black Snake Hall martial artists.”
“Chewed them up?”
“That is what the rumor says. They say she even laughed after being poisoned.”
“They say she is just a child.”
“A ghost must be possessing the child’s body.”
Jin Seoryeong looked down at her own arm. No ghost was visible. She had not chewed anyone. Why would anyone chew people? It probably tasted bad. She tilted her head. Hwarin spoke quietly. “Pay them no mind. Rumors are always like that.”
“They said I chewed them.”
“Obviously not.”
“It would probably taste bad.”
Hwarin nearly spat out her tea. Yu Soha covered her mouth with a hand. The two wandering martial artists finally glanced their way. When they saw Jin Seoryeong’s silver hair, red eyes, and the black ebony pole beside the table, they froze. Color drained from one man’s face.
“Uh……”
Jin Seoryeong looked at them. Both men were weak—far weaker than Sawoldo, weaker even than the red-cloth man among the ambushers. Yet their mouths were large. Jin Seoryeong asked, “Did I chew them?”
Both men shook their heads at once. “N-no, miss.”
“I-it was only a rumor we heard.”
“Who said it?”
“Well…… at an inn……”
Jin Seoryeong looked at Hwarin. “The words went strange.”
Hwarin sighed. “Yes. That is why rumors are frightening.”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. Rumors traveled faster than people and twisted strangely. Striking someone became chewing them. Smelling poison became laughing after eating it. Then what would people think of her once she reached the Cheongseong Sect? A monster. A child possessed by a ghost. Something dangerous that might be drawn to the Eight Styles of the Blood Cloud. Seol Hajin had seen her that way.
Jin Seoryeong chewed a dumpling and thought. She felt neither pleased nor displeased. Only slightly annoyed.
The two men rose quietly to leave, intending to pay and go. Jin Seoryeong spoke. “I did not chew them.”
Both nodded with stiff faces. “Y-yes.”
“Y-yes, miss.”
“Speak properly.”
“Y-yes. We will.”
The two nearly fled the teahouse. Hwarin looked at Jin Seoryeong. “That was well done.”
“I did not hit them.”
“Exactly. That is why it was well done.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. She had used words. It had not been as difficult as she expected. Perhaps because the other side had been weak. What would she do if a strong person said such things? Could she still rely on words then? Jin Seoryeong was not confident. Still, she had not struck anyone just now. That was worth remembering.
Before they left the teahouse, the owner approached cautiously. “Are you perhaps heading to the Cheongseong Sect?”
Hwarin nodded warily. “We are.”
The owner held out a small slip of paper. “Some Cheongseong Sect disciples passed through this morning and left this. They asked that it be delivered if we saw a swordswoman in red robes and a silver-haired child.”
Hwarin’s expression changed. “Cheongseong Sect disciples?”
“Yes.”
Hwarin accepted the note and unfolded it. The handwriting was neat.
Hwarin, senior sister.
The rumor has already reached the mountain gate. The elders are waiting. Bring the manual and your companions straight to the gate. However, do not clash with outsiders in front of the mountain gate.
— Cheongmyeong
Hwarin folded the note, her face grim. Jin Seoryeong asked, “What does it say?”
“The Cheongseong Sect has heard the news.”
“The rumor?”
“Yes.”
“Are they waiting?”
“The elders.”
Jin Seoryeong’s eyes brightened slightly. “Are they strong?”
Hwarin answered reflexively, “They are. And you must not fight them.”
“I have not said anything yet.”
“Your face said it.”
Yu Soha looked worried. “Will the elders be angry?”
Hwarin exhaled a long breath. “They will be.”
“Because of me……”
Yu Soha stopped mid-sentence. Jin Seoryeong was watching. Yu Soha bowed her head very slightly. “It is nothing.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Good job.”
Hwarin watched the exchange with a strange smile. Jin Seoryeong was correcting people’s speech. Her methods were odd, yet effective.
They set out again. Cheongseong Mountain drew steadily closer. The peaks that had once been distant now showed clear shape. It was a green mountain. Clouds wrapped around its waist, and ancient pine trees stood in rows at the higher elevations. Small stone markers pointing toward the Cheongseong Sect began to appear along the road. The two characters for “Cheongseong” were carved into the stone. Jin Seoryeong paused before one.
“Is it here?”
Hwarin nodded. “The mountain gate is still far, but this is already Cheongseong territory.”
“The smell is different.”
“How so.”
Jin Seoryeong drew a deep breath. The mountain scent was clear. There were human smells, yet they differed from the official road. There was less alcohol and coin, more wood, stone, and old incense. There was also the scent of weapons, yet far less freely spilled blood. Instead there were suppressed presences. People were scattered throughout the mountain. Training. Guarding paths. Watching from afar. Jin Seoryeong felt them. Many strong people. Still distant, yet present. The knowledge made her heart beat faster.
Hwarin spoke at once. “Calm yourself.”
“I have not done anything yet.”
“That is why I am speaking now.”
“Yeah.”
Jin Seoryeong lowered the ebony pole slightly. The path up to Cheongseong Mountain was far cleaner than the official road. Stone steps appeared gradually, and a small clear stream ran alongside. The pine trees by the path were ancient, their branches spreading wide. Occasionally disciples in the sect’s white-and-blue robes passed by. They recognized Hwarin and clasped their hands in greeting.
“Senior Sister Hwarin.”
“You have returned.”
“You are not injured, are you?”
At first their faces were welcoming. Soon, however, their gazes turned to Yu Soha and Jin Seoryeong—Yu Soha’s bandages, the wooden box in her robe, Jin Seoryeong’s silver hair and red eyes, the ebony pole, the broken spearhead tied at her waist. The disciples’ eyes wavered. They had already heard the rumors.
Jin Seoryeong walked beneath those gazes. Fear. Curiosity. Caution. And a trace of hostility. She felt them like scents. Hwarin spoke quietly. “Pay them no mind.”
“They are looking.”
“Because you are unusual.”
“Because I am a monster?”
Hwarin hesitated. “Do not accept such words from anyone.”
“Why.”
“People do not have to live only by the names others give them.”
Jin Seoryeong chewed on the words. Names given by others. Monster. Silver-haired spear wielder. Dangerous child. Calamity. Those things. Then what should she live as? Jin Seoryeong. The name her father and mother had called her. Would that name be enough? Jin Seoryeong gave a small nod. “Yeah.”
Hwarin looked faintly relieved.
After climbing the steps for a long while, a young Cheongseong Sect disciple hurried down from ahead. He looked around twenty, with bright eyes. The moment he saw Hwarin, his face lit up.
“Senior Sister!”
Hwarin’s expression softened slightly. “Cheongmyeong.”
He was the disciple who had left the note. Cheongmyeong began to clasp his hands, then noticed Yu Soha and Jin Seoryeong. His eyes widened especially at Jin Seoryeong. “Your hair really is silver.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. Cheongmyeong was not strong, yet not weak either. He carried a bright scent. Almost no lies or hostility. Jin Seoryeong answered, “Yeah.”
Cheongmyeong quickly collected himself and coughed. “Ah, my apologies.”
Hwarin asked, “What is the situation?”
Cheongmyeong’s face tightened. “It is not good. The rumor has grown too large. The elders have already gathered, and there has been word from the Baekryeon Sword Sect as well.”
Hwarin’s gaze turned cold. “Fast.”
“Yes. It seems the one called Seol Hajin sent word first.”
Jin Seoryeong looked up. “The one who smelled of incense.”
Cheongmyeong looked confused. “Pardon?”
Hwarin gave a brief explanation. “We met on the road.”
Cheongmyeong’s face grew even grimmer. “Then you have already made contact.”
“They demanded the return of the manual and custody of Seoryeong.”
“Custody……”
Cheongmyeong looked at Jin Seoryeong. Jin Seoryeong tilted her head. “They want to take me away?”
“W-well, yes.”
“I do not want that.”
Cheongmyeong nodded helplessly. “Yes. Of course not.”
Hwarin asked, “Have the elders heard this as well?”
Cheongmyeong looked troubled. “Yes. That is why it is even noisier. Some elders are saying that rather than the manual……” He glanced at Jin Seoryeong. Hwarin spoke coldly. “Speak.”
“They say we must examine Lady Seoryeong first.”
Jin Seoryeong pointed at herself. “Me?”
Cheongmyeong nodded carefully. “The rumor has become too……”
“That I chewed people?”
Cheongmyeong looked greatly flustered. “Pardon? No, that is……”
Hwarin closed her eyes. “That rumor reached them too.”
Cheongmyeong spoke carefully. “It arrived…… somewhat altered.”
Jin Seoryeong said seriously, “I did not chew anyone.”
Cheongmyeong bowed his head in a hurry. “Yes. Of course not.”
Yu Soha bit her lip to keep from laughing even in this situation. Hwarin exhaled deeply. “We will go to the elders at once.”
Cheongmyeong nodded. “I will guide you.”
They followed Cheongmyeong toward the mountain gate. The path grew more orderly. The stone steps widened, and ancient stone lanterns stood on either side. The mountain gate came into view in the distance. Cheongseong Sect. Blue-tiled roofs, white walls, an old wooden plaque. The two characters for “Cheongseong” were powerfully carved above the gate. Disciples stood in front. Two were official gatekeepers, while several others appeared to have come after hearing the rumors. Their gazes converged on the group.
Hwarin walked ahead. Yu Soha followed carefully, the wooden box held close. Jin Seoryeong brought up the rear, carrying the ebony pole with the broken spearhead tied at her waist.
When they reached the gate, the gatekeeping disciples clasped their hands. “Senior Sister Hwarin.”
Hwarin nodded. “I heard the elders are waiting.”
“Yes. They instructed us to bring you straight to Cheongheo Hall.”
One gatekeeper’s gaze turned to Jin Seoryeong. Wariness showed in his eyes, though he tried to hide it. Jin Seoryeong saw it clearly. He looked at her ebony pole and said, “Outsiders must surrender their weapons inside the mountain gate.”
Jin Seoryeong looked down at the pole. “This?”
“Yes.”
Hwarin spoke. “This child was ordered to be brought directly before the elders. The weapon matter will be decided there.”
The gatekeeper looked troubled. “But according to regulations……”
Jin Seoryeong asked, “Why must I surrender it?”
The gatekeeper answered with a slightly stiff voice. “To prevent disturbances inside the mountain gate.”
“Am I a disturbance?”
The surroundings fell silent. The gatekeeper hesitated. Hwarin’s gaze turned cold. “Watch your words.”
The gatekeeper bowed quickly. “My apologies. However, the instructions……”
Then another voice came from inside the gate. “Regulations are regulations.”
All eyes turned. A young man in blue robes descended the steps. He looked about twenty-five, his posture neat, a Cheongseong Sect sword at his waist. His presence was more stable than the other disciples. Strong. Jin Seoryeong felt it immediately. Weaker than Hwarin, yet far stronger than Cheongmyeong. Cheongmyeong’s face tightened when he saw him. “Senior Brother Dogyeom.”
Hwarin’s expression also soured. “Dogyeom.”
Dogyeom clasped his hands toward Hwarin. “Senior Sister. You have returned.” His tone was polite, yet carried firm resolve. His gaze moved to Jin Seoryeong. “Is that child the one from the rumors?”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. More rumors. “Yeah.”
Dogyeom frowned slightly. “Inside the mountain gate one must observe proper etiquette.”
Jin Seoryeong tilted her head. “Etiquette?”
Hwarin spoke quietly. “Dogyeom, going to the elders comes first.”
Dogyeom did not yield. “Before going to the elders, we must confirm the basics. Whether it is the Blood Cloud manual or anything else, the Cheongseong mountain gate is not a place where anyone may enter carrying weapons.”
“I will take responsibility.”
“This is not a matter Senior Sister can take responsibility for.”
The air grew heavy. Jin Seoryeong looked between them. Hwarin was irritated; Dogyeom believed he was right. He resembled Seol Hajin a little. Yet there was no incense scent. The scent of lies was also faint. He simply valued regulations highly. That made him more frustrating.
Dogyeom said to Jin Seoryeong, “Surrender your weapon.”
Jin Seoryeong gripped the ebony pole. “I do not want to.”
Dogyeom’s gaze turned cold. “Does that mean you refuse to follow Cheongseong’s regulations?”
“It is uncomfortable without it.”
“Who do you intend to fight inside the mountain gate?”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. They had said there were many strong people. There were elders, and Dogyeom was strong. Yet Hwarin had told her not to fight. “I will not fight.”
“Then there should be no problem surrendering it.”
Jin Seoryeong thought again. His words seemed correct. Yet she disliked it. The ebony pole had been given by Mak Cheol. It was the new weapon she had received after her first spear broke. She was not yet fully accustomed to it, but she did not want to drop it from her hands now. There was also the broken spearhead at her waist. She did not want to surrender that either.
Jin Seoryeong said, “It is mine.”
Dogyeom was firm. “Before Cheongseong’s regulations, the safety of the mountain gate takes precedence over personal ownership.”
Jin Seoryeong furrowed her brow. The words were difficult, yet she understood the meaning. Even if it is yours, set it down here. She did not want to. Hwarin stepped between them. “Dogyeom, move aside. The elders will judge this themselves.”
Dogyeom looked at Hwarin. “Senior Sister is too lenient with this child.”
Hwarin’s gaze turned cold. “That is not for you to judge.”
“I have already heard the rumors. The Black Snake Hall, wandering martial artists, even the Baekryeon Sword Sect are involved. There are also whispers that this child showed interest in the Blood Cloud manual.”
“Do not judge people by rumors.”
“Did Senior Sister not return in haste because of rumors as well?”
Hwarin fell silent. Dogyeom’s words were not entirely wrong, yet she could not say they were entirely wrong either. That made it more troublesome.
Jin Seoryeong looked at Dogyeom quietly. She did not dislike this person the way she disliked Sawoldo. He was not trying to take her away like Seol Hajin. Yet he blocked her. He demanded she set down her weapon. He pressured Hwarin. She did not like it. Still, she was unsure whether she could strike him immediately. Hwarin had said orthodox sects spoke first. This was the Cheongseong Sect. It was like Hwarin’s home. Then she should speak more.
Jin Seoryeong spoke slowly. “I will not fight.”
Dogyeom looked at her. “Words alone are not enough.”
“Why.”
“Because I do not know you.”
The words strangely made sense. If you do not know someone, you cannot trust them. Jin Seoryeong felt the same. You had to smell a stranger, watch their movements, and clash with them to understand. Dogyeom did not know her. Therefore he did not trust her.
Jin Seoryeong asked, “Then how do I make you trust me?”
Dogyeom hesitated. That was not the reaction he had expected. Jin Seoryeong was asking in earnest. Dogyeom thought for a moment, then said, “Prove it by following the regulations.”
“By surrendering the weapon?”
“Yes.”
Jin Seoryeong looked down at the ebony pole. Surrender it. Just for a short while. While they went to the elders. Hwarin had said she would stop her. There were many strong people inside the Cheongseong Sect. If she forced her way through here, Hwarin would only suffer more. She had promised to prevent anything that would trouble Hwarin, yet causing trouble herself would be strange.
Jin Seoryeong pondered for a long time. Everyone watched her quietly. Hwarin did not stop her. She believed this decision belonged to Jin Seoryeong alone.
Jin Seoryeong slowly extended the ebony pole forward. “Only for a little while.”
Dogyeom’s eyes moved slightly. “What do you mean?”
“Surrender it only for a little while. It must not disappear.”
Dogyeom looked at Jin Seoryeong as though she were unexpected. Hwarin let out a very small breath. Jin Seoryeong added, “It is mine.”
Dogyeom was silent for a moment. Then he nodded. “Understood. I will take responsibility for its safekeeping.”
Jin Seoryeong handed over the ebony pole. The weight vanished from her hands. It felt strangely empty. Yet she endured. Dogyeom’s gaze then turned to the broken spearhead at Jin Seoryeong’s waist. “That is also a weapon.”
Jin Seoryeong’s eyes changed at once. Hwarin spoke quietly. “Dogyeom.”
Dogyeom said, “According to regulations, all bladed weapons must be surrendered.”
Jin Seoryeong pressed a hand over the broken spearhead. “Not this one.”
“Why not.”
“It was the first one.”
Dogyeom looked as though he did not understand. “It can still be used as a weapon.”
“I will not use it.”
“Words alone……”
Before Dogyeom could finish, Hwarin stepped forward. Her voice was low and firm. “I will vouch for that one.”
Dogyeom looked at Hwarin. “Senior Sister.”
“She surrendered the ebony pole. Leave the spearhead as it is.”
“But the regulations……”
“Do not look at people through regulations alone.”
Dogyeom fell silent. Hwarin’s gaze was far stricter than usual. “You saw how much she hesitated before handing over the ebony pole. Taking even the broken fragment of her first weapon is not regulation. It is thoughtlessness.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at Hwarin. Hwarin had spoken the words Jin Seoryeong could not say. First weapon. Broken fragment. Something she did not want taken. Jin Seoryeong’s chest felt strange.
Dogyeom remained silent for a long while. Finally he bowed his head. “Understood. I will follow Senior Sister’s guarantee on that matter.”
Hwarin nodded. Jin Seoryeong touched the broken spearhead once with her hand. Only then did she feel a little better.
Dogyeom handed the ebony pole to a gatekeeper and said, “Store it without a single scratch.”
The gatekeeper bowed quickly. “Yes.”
Jin Seoryeong watched, then looked at Dogyeom again. She still did not entirely like him, yet she did not completely dislike him either. At least he had made a promise.
Hwarin said, “May we go now?”
Dogyeom stepped aside. “I will guide you to Cheongheo Hall.”
The inside of the Cheongseong Sect was vast. Jin Seoryeong looked around as she passed through the gate. In the courtyard, young disciples swung wooden swords. Thud. Thud. Thud. The sound of wood striking wood rang at regular intervals. Beside them, older disciples matched sword forms. Blue robe hems fluttered in the wind, sword tips flashing in the sunlight.
Jin Seoryeong watched them. Some were strong, some weak, yet all moved along the same flow. It was completely different from swinging a wooden spear alone in the village. Someone had decided the path. Same posture. Same steps. Same breathing. Jin Seoryeong found it fascinating. At the same time, it looked somewhat stifling. Everyone moved in only one direction. What if the opponent was different? What if the ground was different? What if the weapon was different? What if a strong person entered strangely? Jin Seoryeong walked while thinking these thoughts.
Dogyeom saw her gaze and said, “Those are Cheongseong’s basic sword forms.”
Jin Seoryeong asked, “Everyone does them the same?”
“The basics must be the same.”
“Why.”
“Only when the basics are the same can one build their own sword upon them.”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. That made some sense. A wooden spear also had to be carved straight at first. If it was crooked from the beginning, it would not fit the hand. Yet if it remained perfectly straight forever, it would break against a strong opponent. Then was the basics similar to carving wood straight?
“Then should I do it too?”
Dogyeom looked at her. “If you are accepted as a disciple.”
“I want to learn the halberd, not the sword.”
Dogyeom’s brow furrowed. “Cheongseong is a sword sect.”
“Hwarin said I could learn the spear too.”
Hwarin quietly looked away beside them. Dogyeom looked at her. “Senior Sister.”
Hwarin coughed. “I only said I would speak to the Sect Leader.”
Dogyeom turned back to Jin Seoryeong. “You are choosing a weapon before even entering?”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah.”
Dogyeom looked as though he were holding back a sigh. Hwarin seemed slightly amused. Dogyeom would soon learn how difficult it was to converse with Jin Seoryeong.
Cheongheo Hall was a large building deep inside the Cheongseong Sect. Two disciples stood at the door, and multiple presences could be felt inside. Strong presences. When Jin Seoryeong reached the door, her body reacted naturally. Strong people were inside. Several. Some stronger than Hwarin. Deep, quiet breaths. Presences that pressed down like mountains. Jin Seoryeong’s hands felt empty. The absence of the ebony pole made it worse. Yet the broken spearhead at her waist remained. She did not touch it. If she did, Dogyeom would notice.
Hwarin spoke quietly beside her. “When we enter, greet them first.”
“How.”
Hwarin demonstrated a simple clasped-hands posture. “Like this. Bow your head and state your name.”
“I cannot say let us fight?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Yeah.”
Yu Soha’s hands trembled with tension. The wooden box was still in her robe. Dogyeom spoke at the door. “Senior Sister Hwarin has arrived.”
A low voice came from inside. “Enter.”
The door opened. Cheongheo Hall was wide and calm. The scent of incense filled the air, yet it differed from Seol Hajin’s. It was not a scent that weighed on the mind, but a mixture of old wood and clean smoke. Three elders sat at the front. The middle elder had a long beard and deep eyes. His presence was quiet yet vast, like a distant mountain. The elder on the right had sharp eyes, while the one on the left appeared somewhat round and gentle. Yet none of the three were weak.
The moment Jin Seoryeong saw them, she knew. They were strong. Especially the middle elder. He was far stronger than Hwarin. How would he compare to the old man at the inn? He was different from Mak Cheol. Different from No Jingang. Not a heavy pressing force, but the feeling of an entire mountain standing still. Jin Seoryeong’s eyes were about to sparkle when Hwarin gave a very small cough. Jin Seoryeong collected herself and clasped her hands. It was somewhat awkward. “Jin Seoryeong.”
It was short. Cheongheo Hall fell briefly silent. The gentle elder on the left curved his lips. The sharp-eyed elder on the right furrowed his brow. The middle elder looked at Jin Seoryeong quietly. Hwarin clasped her hands. “Disciple Hwarin, I have returned as ordered.”
Yu Soha also bowed with difficulty. “My name is Yu Soha.”
The middle elder spoke. “You have worked hard.” His voice was low and gentle, yet carried strength. Hwarin bowed. “Sect Leader.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at the middle elder. That person was the Sect Leader. The highest person in the Cheongseong Sect. A strong person. Jin Seoryeong wanted to ask how strong he was. Yet Hwarin had told her never to challenge anyone. Asking about strength might be similarly dangerous. So she held back.
Sect Leader Cheonghyeonja looked into Jin Seoryeong’s eyes and smiled faintly. “Your eyes hold many questions.”
Jin Seoryeong answered at once. “Yeah.”
The elder on the right coughed. Hwarin closed her eyes. Cheonghyeonja’s smile deepened slightly. “Yet you are holding back.”
“Hwarin told me not to speak.”
The gentle elder finally gave a small laugh. The sharp-eyed elder furrowed his brow more deeply. “She has no manners at all.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. A sharp-eyed elder. Strong, yet weaker than the Sect Leader. Jin Seoryeong asked quietly, “Do I need to learn manners?”
The sharp-eyed elder stiffened for a moment. He had intended to scold her, yet Jin Seoryeong’s eyes were so sincere that he found himself at a loss for words. Hwarin spoke quickly. “She will learn.”
The gentle elder said, “Before scolding a child for what she does not know, teaching comes first, Elder Ungak.”
Elder Ungak, as he was called, wore an uncomfortable expression. Cheonghyeonja raised a hand slightly, and the atmosphere settled. “Let us see the manual first.”
Yu Soha’s body trembled. Hwarin stood beside her. Yu Soha took the wooden box from her robe. Her hands still shook, yet they no longer threatened to collapse. She held the box with both hands and lifted it. “My master…… instructed me to entrust it to the Cheongseong Sect.”
Cheonghyeonja nodded. “I will accept that will.”
Dogyeom received the box and placed it before the Sect Leader. Cheonghyeonja did not open it himself. He signaled the gentle elder beside him. That elder carefully opened the box and took out a booklet wrapped in silk. The Eight Styles of the Blood Cloud. The moment they saw the cover, the air in Cheongheo Hall grew subtly heavier. Elder Ungak’s gaze turned cold, and the smile disappeared from the gentle elder’s face as well.
Cheonghyeonja spoke quietly. “It appears genuine.”
Hwarin said, “Mak Cheol, senior of the Cheolmu Sect, also judged it so on the road.”
“Mak Cheol?”
Cheonghyeonja’s eyes moved slightly. “If he saw it, then it must be correct.”
Elder Ungak said, “Sect Leader, this must be sealed immediately. No, if possible, it should be burned.”
The gentle elder spoke quietly. “Burning is hasty. If it is the original, it may itself be connected to old incidents in the martial world.”
“It is a blood-soaked unorthodox art of the demonic path. Keeping it will surely bring calamity.”
“Calamity has already come. Therefore we must be even more cautious.”
The two elders exchanged words. Jin Seoryeong watched them and thought. More words. Burn it. Seal it. Keep it. Everyone looked at the manual and said different things. Because of that single small book, so many people truly moved.
Cheonghyeonja spoke as though ending the debate. “The manual will be sealed in Cheongseong’s archives for the time being. We will inform outsiders only that we are storing it, and keep the details confidential.”
Elder Ungak looked displeased yet bowed his head. “I will follow your command.”
Cheonghyeonja’s gaze turned to Yu Soha. “Yu Soha.”
Yu Soha stiffened. “Yes.”
“You have upheld your master’s final will and come this far. Your merit is not small. Remain at Cheongseong until your wounds heal.”
Yu Soha’s eyes welled with moisture. Something she had been holding back all this time trembled as though about to break. “Thank you.”
This time Jin Seoryeong did not stop her. This seemed like a thank-you that needed to be said.
Cheonghyeonja’s gaze finally turned to Jin Seoryeong. The air in Cheongheo Hall shifted subtly once more. Jin Seoryeong felt it. Now it was her turn.
Elder Ungak spoke first. “The Sect Leader must have already heard the rumors about this child.”
Cheonghyeonja nodded. “I have.”
“She has clashed with the Black Snake Hall, demonic path wanderers, and the Baekryeon Sword Sect. She detected poison by scent, enjoys fighting, and has shown interest in the Blood Cloud manual.”
Jin Seoryeong listened quietly. Some statements were wrong, some were right. She enjoyed fighting. Correct. She detected poison by scent. Correct. She had shown interest in the Blood Cloud manual. That was also correct. Yet she had not chewed anyone. It was fortunate that part had not been mentioned.
Elder Ungak continued. “Accepting such a child into Cheongseong is dangerous.”
Hwarin’s face hardened. “Elder.”
“I am stating facts. Having outstanding talent and being acceptable are different matters. Uncontrollable talent harms the sect.”
Jin Seoryeong recalled Seol Hajin’s words. Uncontrollable talent is a calamity. Similar words. Did orthodox sect people like such words?
The gentle elder said, “Elder Ungak, we have not yet properly seen the child.”
“I have heard enough.”
“We all know that one should not judge people by rumors.”
Elder Ungak looked at Jin Seoryeong. “Then I will ask directly. Jin Seoryeong.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. “Yeah.”
“Why do you wish to become strong?”
Cheongheo Hall fell silent. Both Hwarin and Yu Soha looked at Jin Seoryeong. Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. Why did she want to become strong? Yu Soha had asked something similar. At that time she had said she did not know. It simply felt like she should. It was not much different now. Yet in between, a little more had been added. The village children’s smiles. Hwarin’s words that she would stop her. Yu Soha’s trembling hands holding the wooden box. The broken spear. Mak Cheol’s iron halberd. Seol Hajin’s incense. Sawoldo’s dirty saber.
Jin Seoryeong spoke slowly. “I want to fight strong people.”
Elder Ungak’s gaze turned cold. Hwarin swallowed. Jin Seoryeong continued. “If I lose, I want to become stronger, and if I win, I want to find even stronger people.”
The air in Cheongheo Hall grew heavy. Yet Jin Seoryeong did not stop. “But.” She chose her words carefully. Words were difficult. Still, she had to speak. “I dislike those who strike the weak.”
Elder Ungak’s eyes moved slightly. “I also dislike those who use poison. I dislike those who shoot from behind. I dislike those who shake Yu Soha with words.”
Yu Soha’s eyes trembled. Hwarin looked at Jin Seoryeong quietly. Jin Seoryeong kept speaking. “I want to become strong. Yet I do not want to become like Sawoldo.”
Cheonghyeonja’s gaze deepened. “Then how do you wish to become strong?”
Jin Seoryeong looked at the Sect Leader. That question was harder. How. By fighting. By being hit. By learning. And…… Jin Seoryeong glanced at Hwarin once. “So that Hwarin does not dislike it.”
Hwarin’s eyes widened for an instant. Elder Ungak also fell silent at the unexpected answer. The gentle elder quietly curved his lips. Cheonghyeonja asked quietly, “So that Hwarin does not dislike it.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah. Hwarin makes strange faces often. She worries when I become too heated. She said I have to hold it back then.”
“The fire inside you?”
Jin Seoryeong looked slightly surprised. The Sect Leader knew as well. “Yeah.”
“Can you hold it back?”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. Mak Cheol had also said it would be difficult. More difficult than any strong person. Jin Seoryeong did not want to lie. “I do not know yet.”
Elder Ungak furrowed his brow. Jin Seoryeong immediately continued. “But I will learn.”
Silence fell. Hwarin unconsciously clenched her hand slightly. That answer was not perfect. It was not the answer of an orthodox sect disciple. It did not speak of chivalry, nor of righteousness. It did not speak of the peace of the martial world. Yet it was an answer worthy of Jin Seoryeong. Honest, rough, dangerous, yet without falsehood.
Cheonghyeonja looked at Jin Seoryeong for a long while. Then he said, “Good.”
Elder Ungak reacted at once. “Sect Leader.”
Cheonghyeonja raised a hand. “That does not mean I am permitting her entry.”
Jin Seoryeong tilted her head. “I am not?”
“Not yet.”
“Then?”
“I will administer a test.”
Jin Seoryeong’s eyes brightened slightly. “A fight?”
Hwarin spoke almost simultaneously. “Seoryeong.”
Cheonghyeonja gave a small laugh. “Fighting is included.”
Jin Seoryeong’s eyes brightened completely. Elder Ungak looked displeased, while the gentle elder did not hide his smile. Cheonghyeonja said, “However, it is not a simple test of winning and losing. I will see whether she has the qualifications to remain at Cheongseong. Manners, patience, basics, and how well she can handle the fire she mentioned.”
Jin Seoryeong furrowed her brow slightly. “Manners too?”
The gentle elder laughed. “That as well.”
“It seems difficult.”
Cheonghyeonja nodded. “It will be difficult.”
Jin Seoryeong thought. Difficult. Then there would be much to learn. And fighting was included. Not bad. “I will do it.”
Elder Ungak said, “You speak too easily.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. “If I am hit, I can just do it again.”
Cheonghyeonja laughed quietly. “I hope that spirit does not break.”
He said to Dogyeom, “Return Seoryeong’s ebony pole. However, do not allow her to swing it arbitrarily inside the mountain gate.”
Dogyeom bowed. “Yes.”
Jin Seoryeong’s face brightened slightly. The ebony pole was returning.
Cheonghyeonja continued. “Hwarin.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Since you brought her, you will be responsible for her for the time being.”
Hwarin’s face stiffened for an instant. “Me?”
“Yes.”
The gentle elder laughed as though amused. Elder Ungak did not object this time either. Rather, he seemed to anticipate Hwarin’s hardship. Hwarin was silent for a moment. Then she bowed. “I will follow your command.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at Hwarin. “We will be together again?”
Hwarin sighed yet curved her lips slightly. “It has been decided.”
“Nice.”
At those words Hwarin paused briefly. Then she gave a small laugh. “Yes. It is not bad.”
Elder Ungak coughed. “Save the affection for later and teach her the rules first.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at Elder Ungak. “Is the elder strong too?”
Cheongheo Hall fell silent once more. Hwarin pressed a hand to her forehead. Elder Ungak’s brow twitched. The gentle elder now laughed openly. Cheonghyeonja narrowed his eyes and asked, “Were you curious?”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah. I have been curious the whole time.”
Elder Ungak spoke quietly. “She must learn manners first.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded seriously. “Yeah. It is difficult.”
Strangely, Elder Ungak could not scold her further at that answer. Cheonghyeonja lowered his hand. “That is all for today. Take Yu Soha to the medical hall for treatment, and Hwarin, stay with Seoryeong in the annex. The test begins tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Hwarin, Dogyeom, Cheongmyeong, and Yu Soha bowed their heads. Jin Seoryeong followed a little late. When they left Cheongheo Hall, Jin Seoryeong drew a deep breath. Away from the incense and tension, the mountain scent became clear once more.
Dogyeom handed Jin Seoryeong the ebony pole he had received from the gatekeeper. “I stored it without damage.”
Jin Seoryeong accepted the pole. Weight returned to her hands. She nodded. “Yeah.”
Dogyeom looked at her for a moment, then said, “Surrendering it earlier was a wise decision.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at him. “Praise?”
Dogyeom looked slightly flustered. “Yes.”
“Then thank you.”
Dogyeom grew even more flustered. Hwarin held back laughter beside them. Dogyeom coughed and looked away. “However, do not swing it arbitrarily inside the mountain gate.”
“Yeah.”
“Do not strike people either.”
“I will speak first.”
Dogyeom looked as though he could not decide whether that was a good answer or a bad one. Hwarin said, “That is a good answer right now.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
Cheongmyeong looked at Jin Seoryeong from behind with curious eyes. “You truly are unusual.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “I hear that often.”
Yu Soha was moved with the support of medical hall disciples. Before leaving, she looked at Jin Seoryeong and Hwarin. “I will receive treatment and return.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah. Rest.”
Yu Soha smiled slightly. “Yes.”
She no longer held the wooden box. The Eight Styles of the Blood Cloud would be moved to Cheongseong’s archives. Yu Soha’s hands were empty. It was the first time Jin Seoryeong had seen her like that. Because of that, Yu Soha looked slightly empty, yet at the same time a little lighter.
Jin Seoryeong watched her and thought. When you set down the box, your face becomes like that. Someday, if she herself set something down, would her face become like that too? She did not yet want to set down the broken spearhead. Nor the ebony pole.
Hwarin led Jin Seoryeong toward the annex. Along the way, the gazes of Cheongseong Sect disciples followed them. Some stared openly, others glanced while pretending not to see. Jin Seoryeong felt all of them. “They are looking a lot.”
Hwarin said, “After a few days they will get used to it.”
“Me?”
“Them.”
“Me?”
“You too.”
Jin Seoryeong looked around. Disciples training with swords. People guarding the mountain gate. Buildings that smelled of incense. The sound of water heard from afar. And the quiet presences spread throughout the entire mountain. The Cheongseong Sect. A place with many strong people. A place with stifling regulations. A place where one must speak first. A place that would test her. Jin Seoryeong found it somewhat to her liking. Difficult, yet full of things to learn.
The annex was not large but quiet. It had two rooms and a small courtyard. In one corner of the courtyard stood several old wooden swords and a training wooden post. The moment Jin Seoryeong saw the post, she lifted the ebony pole. Hwarin spoke at once. “Rest for now.”
Jin Seoryeong stopped. “Just once.”
“No.”
“Why.”
“Today you arrived at Cheongseong, met the Sect Leader and elders, and the test begins tomorrow. You must rest now.”
Jin Seoryeong looked at the wooden post with regretful eyes. “Do I fight starting tomorrow?”
“It is a test.”
“You said fighting is included.”
“Included, not everything.”
“Do I do manners too?”
“You do.”
Jin Seoryeong wore a genuinely troubled expression. “That seems the most difficult.”
Hwarin laughed. “I think so too.”
Jin Seoryeong entered the room. It was old yet clean. Pine trees were visible outside the window, and the sound of mountain wind could be heard in the distance. Jin Seoryeong leaned the ebony pole against the wall and untied the broken spearhead from her waist, placing it beside her. Then she took the last potato from her robe. The potato the village child had given her in the morning. It had completely cooled. Jin Seoryeong split it in half and held one piece out to Hwarin.
Hwarin looked at her with a surprised face. “You are giving it to me?”
“Yeah.”
“Why.”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. Why? Because it was tasty. Because she had saved it. Because Hwarin looked tired. Because it felt strange to eat alone what the village child had given. All those reasons mixed together. Jin Seoryeong ultimately chose the simplest words. “It seems nice to eat together.”
Hwarin was silent for a long while. Then she accepted the potato. “Yes. Thank you.”
Jin Seoryeong put her share in her mouth. The cooled potato was a little harder than in the morning, yet still delicious. Hwarin also took a bite. “It is tasty.”
Jin Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah.”
Outside the window came the sound of Cheongseong Sect disciples training. Thud. Thud. Thud. The regular sound of wooden swords. Jin Seoryeong chewed the potato while listening to that sound. After leaving the village, she had come this far. Mountain paths. Inns. The manual. Black Snake Hall. Assassins. Mak Cheol. Sawoldo. Seol Hajin. The Cheongseong Sect. She had encountered too many things. And starting tomorrow, something else would begin. The test. Manners. Basics. Patience. How to hold the fire.
Jin Seoryeong still did not understand most of it. Yet it was fine. If it was difficult, there would be much to learn. If she learned, she would become strong. If she became strong, someday she might be able to wield a halberd. And at that time, she might be able to push Mak Cheol’s feet not a little, but greatly.
Jin Seoryeong looked at the ebony pole. It was not yet a halberd. Yet it was a path. The new path she had obtained for the first time in the martial world.
Hwarin asked quietly, “What are you thinking?”
Jin Seoryeong answered, “Tomorrow.”
“Are you worried?”
Jin Seoryeong thought for a moment. Worry. There was a little. Manners were difficult, the elders were strong, and the Cheongseong Sect people looked at her a lot. Yet greater than that was anticipation. “I am looking forward to it.”
Hwarin gave a small laugh. “As expected.”
“What about you, Hwarin?”
“I am worried.”
“Why.”
“Because I do not know what kind of trouble you will cause.”
Jin Seoryeong spoke seriously. “I will speak first.”
Hwarin laughed. “Yes. That is enough for today.”
That night, Jin Seoryeong slept for the first time in the Cheongseong Sect annex. A strange room. A strange mountain. A strange incense. Yet Hwarin was in the next room, the ebony pole was within reach, and the broken spearhead was at her bedside. Therefore it did not feel entirely strange.
The dream came again. A red battlefield. Blood and dust. The neighing of horses. A giant halberd. Yet this time, for a brief moment, another sound mixed between the sounds of the battlefield. Thud. Thud. Thud. The sound of Cheongseong Sect disciples swinging wooden swords. The shouts of the battlefield and the training sounds of Cheongseong intertwined. Someone in the dream laughed. Jin Seoryeong could not tell whether that laugh belonged to herself, the man from her past life, or a future self she had not yet met. Only that the weight in her hands was changing little by little. From wooden spear to ebony pole. From ebony pole to a halberd someday. And the place where she stood holding that weight was not a simple battlefield, but the martial world with people, promises, and rules. She could feel that too, little by little.
When morning came, the test would begin. Jin Seoryeong knew that fact even in her dream. Therefore she smiled. She had crossed the threshold of Cheongseong. Yet the true gate had not yet opened.