The Gate of One Chi
The morning after obtaining the wooden halberd, Seoryeong woke a little earlier than usual. The reason was simple. She wanted to see the halberd. Even though it had stood untouched through the night, the weapon felt strangely present to her. The ebony pole rested beside it. The broken spearhead lay by her pillow. The first spear. The ebony pole from the road. The wooden halberd meant for the polearm. With all three in one room, the air itself seemed heavier.
Seoryeong rose from her blanket and looked at the halberd at once. A practice weapon bound with a blue cord. A mark that it belonged to the Cheongseong Sect. It was not hers. She had borrowed it. That meant she had to be even more careful. Hwarin had said the more you liked something, the more carefully you had to handle it. Seoryeong remembered those words. Because she liked it, she wanted to swing it more. Yet because she liked it, she had to be more careful. At first the words had sounded strange. They still felt a little odd. But yesterday, when the halberd struck the pillar, grazed it, stopped far away, and finally halted one chi short, the meaning had begun to settle into her body. If you used what you loved carelessly, it would break. If you struck recklessly with a weapon you loved, someone would get hurt. The greater your affection, the more hasty your hands became. Holding that haste in check. That was what she had learned yesterday.
Seoryeong rose quietly and stood before the halberd. She drew a breath before reaching out. Lowered her shoulders. Pressed her soles to the floor. Then she slowly took hold of the weapon. Its weight settled into her hands. She still liked it. It felt different from the ebony pole. The pole was simple and straight, good for striking, pressing, and pushing. The halberd was more complex. Its head followed late, and the side blade teased her thoughts. She wanted to thrust, hook, swing, and chop. It felt as though many paths opened in her grip. That was why it was more dangerous.
Seoryeong lifted the halberd and took her stance. She did not swing. She only set her feet, let her breath fall, and felt whether the weapon’s weight reached the soles of her feet. It was a little better than yesterday. When the tip threatened to waver, she did not hold it with her hands alone; she caught it with her waist and legs. She was still clumsy. Even so, it worked a little. Seoryeong spoke softly.
“One chi.”
Hwarin’s voice came from beyond the door. “You’re not planning to smash the pillar first thing in the morning, are you?”
Seoryeong looked toward the door. “I didn’t smash it.”
“Of course not. There are no pillars inside the room.”
The door opened. Hwarin paused for a moment when she saw Seoryeong standing still with the halberd. Her posture was steadier than yesterday. Seoryeong was not merely imitating training; she was truly listening to the weight. That much was clear. Hwarin spoke.
“You didn’t swing it.”
“Eung.”
“Good.”
Seoryeong asked at once. “Praise?”
“Praise.”
Seoryeong carefully set the halberd down. The first praise of the day. A good start. Hwarin held up a hair ribbon. “Hair, today as well.”
Seoryeong sat down naturally. She no longer reacted strongly to having her hair tied. The discomfort remained, but if she thought of it as straightening the cord before a fight, she could bear it. While combing the silver strands, Hwarin said, “Elder Ungak said he would conclude the first gate today.”
Seoryeong’s eyes brightened a little. “The first gate?”
“Etiquette, patience, fundamentals, and stopping. It means he intends to check everything he has shown you these past few days at once.”
“Fight?”
Hwarin’s hands paused briefly. “I knew that word would come out.”
“You said he would check.”
“He won’t check through fighting alone.”
“Then what will he do?”
“I don’t know exactly either. Elder Ungak never reveals the contents of a test in advance.”
Seoryeong thought for a moment. If she did not know beforehand, preparation would be difficult. But that was how fights in the martial world always were. Ambushes were never announced ahead of time. Sawoldo had not shown his poison blade in advance. Seol Hajin’s incense, Cheongmu’s pride, Mak Cheol’s iron polearm—everything had been learned only when it arrived. Was the test the same?
“Then I can just go and see.”
Hwarin smiled as she tied the silver hair. “Yes. That attitude is good.”
“Praise?”
“You’re collecting too many compliments this morning.”
“I like praise.”
“Fine. It’s praise.”
Seoryeong looked satisfied. Once her hair was done, she tried to take the halberd outside. Hwarin raised a hand. “You may carry it today as well, but you must receive permission before swinging it.”
“Eung.”
“Not even as a joke.”
“Eung.”
“No matter who teases you.”
Seoryeong paused. Hwarin narrowed her eyes. “Why did you stop again?”
“I was thinking how much teasing isn’t allowed.”
Hwarin pressed her forehead. “None of it is allowed.”
“Ye.”
“Your ‘ye’ came out quickly today.”
“Because I’m holding the halberd.”
Hwarin finally laughed.
At breakfast, a strange atmosphere filled the dining hall. When Seoryeong entered carrying the halberd, every disciple’s gaze turned at once. The rumors had already spread yesterday. The practice halberd permitted by the Sect Leader. The one-chi stop ordered by Elder Ungak. Seoryeong halting before the pillar. All of it had circulated through the Cheongseong Sect. Yet actually seeing her hold the weapon was different. A silver-haired child carrying a long polearm far taller than herself—not like a toy, but carefully, mindful of its weight. Curiosity outweighed fear in the disciples’ eyes. There was still some fear, of course, but the look that saw a monster had lessened.
Seoryeong paused at the entrance, unsure where to place the halberd. If she leaned it against a table it might fall. If she set it on the floor someone might step on it. If she stood it against the wall it might block the path. While she hesitated, Dogyeom approached.
“Weapons can be hung on the weapon rack along that wall.”
Seoryeong looked where he indicated. Because the dining hall was near the training ground, a wooden rack stood against one wall for temporarily hanging wooden swords and staves. Seoryeong carefully hung the halberd. The blue cord swayed. Dogyeom watched it and said, “Not setting it down carelessly was a good decision.”
Seoryeong looked at him. “Praise?”
Dogyeom now wore an expression accustomed to the question. “It is.”
“Thank you.”
Dogyeom nodded. Cheongmyeong spoke from the side. “Senior Brother answers so naturally now.”
Dogyeom looked at him. “You talk too much before a meal.”
Cheongmyeong immediately closed his mouth. Seoryeong sat quietly. Today’s meal was again rice, greens, tofu, and clear soup. No meat. Seoryeong stared at the table and closed her eyes for a moment. Even though today was said to be an important test, there was still no meat. The frugality of the Cheongseong Sect truly never wavered. It was strong. She inwardly reassessed the enemy called frugality. A very powerful foe. Seeing her expression, Cheongmyeong nearly laughed but held it in under Dogyeom’s gaze.
After the meal, on the way to the training ground, Cheongmu appeared. He carried his wooden sword as usual. The scent of medicine on his shoulder had faded considerably. His expression was calmer than before. He paused when he saw Seoryeong’s halberd. “Is that your new weapon?”
Seoryeong looked at the halberd. “Borrowed.”
“I heard the Sect Leader permitted it.”
“Eung.”
Cheongmu frowned briefly but did not correct her this time. “It suits you.”
Seoryeong lifted her head. “Praise?”
Cheongmu’s face stiffened. “No.”
Seoryeong tilted her head. “But it sounded like a good thing to say.”
Cheongmu gave no answer. Dogyeom spoke from the side. “If it’s a good thing, it’s praise.”
Cheongmu looked at him. “Senior Brother.”
Dogyeom remained calm. “It isn’t wrong, is it?”
Cheongmyeong lowered his head, shoulders shaking. Cheongmu finally muttered, “…It is praise.”
Seoryeong nodded. “Thank you.”
Cheongmu looked strangely more uncomfortable. Watching them, Hwarin thought that Seoryeong disarmed people in an odd way. A straight line without malice. That line was sometimes harder to dodge than a sword.
Many disciples had already gathered at the training ground. Elder Ungak stood at the center, with Elder Unso beside him. A little apart, Sect Leader Cheonghyeonja had also taken a seat. The atmosphere grew heavy the moment the Sect Leader appeared. Hwarin’s expression turned serious as well. Seoryeong offered a cupped-fist salute to Cheonghyeonja. “Ye.”
Elder Unso chuckled softly. Cheonghyeonja did not hide his smile. Hwarin whispered, “It’s a greeting. Don’t just say ‘ye’; bow your head too.”
Seoryeong bowed again. “Sect Leader.”
Cheonghyeonja spoke gently. “Good. You’re improving little by little.”
Another compliment today. Seoryeong’s expression brightened. Elder Ungak spoke at once. “Don’t get pleased. Prepare yourself.”
Seoryeong immediately grew serious. “Ye.”
Elder Ungak pointed to the center of the training ground. Today there was no circle. No stones. Only one pillar instead of three. Instead, small flags had been planted throughout the ground. Blue flags, white flags, red flags. In the center stood a low wooden frame. Seoryeong tilted her head as she looked at them. “What are we doing today?”
Elder Ungak answered, “The final confirmation of the first gate.”
Silence settled over the training ground. Seoryeong gripped the halberd. “Fight?”
“There will be fighting, and there will be things that are not fighting.”
Difficult words. Elder Ungak continued. “Over the past few days you have learned etiquette, patience, footwork, breathing, and how to stop. Today we will not examine them separately. We will see them all within a single situation.”
Seoryeong narrowed her eyes slightly. One situation. She still did not understand what that meant. Elder Ungak called the disciples at the edge of the ground. Cheongmyeong, Cheongmu, and two younger disciples stepped forward. Seoryeong recognized the younger ones. They were the children who had greeted her that morning. One carried a wooden sword; the other held a small cloth pouch. Cheongmyeong looked more serious than usual. Cheongmu’s expression was slightly tense. Elder Ungak spoke.
“I will explain the situation.” He pointed to the blue flags. “That is the safe path.” The white flags. “That is the person who must be protected.” The red flags. “That is danger.”
Seoryeong looked at the flags. The blue flags ran along the left side of the training ground. The white flags were near the center and on the right. The red flags were scattered throughout, blocking the way. Elder Ungak went on. “You will start at the center holding the halberd. Your goal is to bring the two younger disciples marked by the white flags to the blue path.”
Seoryeong looked at the younger disciples. The two children watched her with slightly nervous faces. Elder Ungak indicated Cheongmyeong and Cheongmu. “Cheongmyeong and Cheongmu will play the role of obstacles. They will not launch real attacks, but they will block your path, strike at openings, and try to make you move hastily.”
Seoryeong looked at Cheongmu. Cheongmu gave a slight, serious nod. Today there was no scent of provocation. Only the scent of someone fulfilling a role. Elder Ungak finally pointed to the wooden frame. “This frame is a collapsing load. During the bout, when I give the signal, it will fall. At that moment we will see whom you look at first, where you place your feet, and how you stop your hands.”
Seoryeong blinked. There was a lot. Truly a lot. She had to bring the children. Cheongmyeong and Cheongmu would interfere. She had to avoid the red flags. She had to reach the blue path. The frame would also fall. She would be holding the halberd. Even if she wanted to swing, she had to be careful. This was fighting and pathfinding at the same time, protecting while stopping. Elder Ungak asked, “Do you understand?”
Seoryeong thought for a moment. She was not sure she understood completely. But she knew what she had to do. Bring the children to the blue path. Do not let them get hurt. Overcome the interference. Stop. “Ye.”
Elder Ungak nodded. “Rules. You may strike Cheongmyeong and Cheongmu directly with the halberd. However, you must stop one chi short, just as in the pillar training. If you make contact, points will be deducted. If the tip of the halberd points toward a younger disciple, points will be deducted. Stepping on or knocking over a red flag deducts points. If you reach the blue path alone, you fail.”
Seoryeong listened to the last words. Going alone meant failure. That was important. This path was not one she walked by herself. It was similar to the mountain path where she had protected Yu Soha. If she went ahead alone because she was fast, the rear would be exposed. She had to bring the younger disciples. Elder Ungak spoke to the children. “Do not actually run away or play around. Move as instructed.”
The children nodded with nervous faces. “Ye.”
Seoryeong looked at them. They were small. A little younger than herself. Their bodies were weak. Even holding a wooden sword, their hands trembled. She would take these children with her. Seoryeong felt strength enter the hand gripping the halberd. She loosened it at once. She could not be too strong. The halberd was long and heavy. Swinging it near the children would be dangerous. From the edge of the training ground, Hwarin watched Seoryeong in silence. Today’s test was difficult. More difficult than the bout with Cheongmu. Because it was not a fight she faced alone. What Seoryeong did best was charging in herself. But today she had to consider not only her own body but also others’ positions, others’ speeds, and others’ fears. This would be the true first gate.
Elder Ungak raised his hand. “Begin.”
Seoryeong did not run immediately. She looked first. Blue flags. White flags. Red flags. Cheongmyeong would come from the left. Cheongmu would block the path from the right. The two younger disciples stood near the white flags in the center. The one with the wooden sword was a little ahead; the one with the cloth pouch was behind. Their speeds would differ. Seoryeong lowered the halberd. “Follow me.”
The younger disciples’ eyes widened. Seoryeong had spoken first. Hwarin’s gaze brightened slightly. She started with words. Seoryeong did not run toward the children. She placed her feet as she had during footwork training. She could move quickly, but if she went too fast the children would not be able to keep up. First step. Second step. Instead of stones, she avoided the red flags. She made a path. Cheongmyeong came in from the left. “I will pass.”
His words were polite, but his movement was fast. Cheongmyeong blocked Seoryeong’s left path with his wooden staff. Seoryeong could have struck the staff with the halberd. But if she did, the children might be startled. Direct strikes had to stop one chi short. Seoryeong halted the tip of the halberd one chi before Cheongmyeong’s wrist. Cheongmyeong flinched. In that instant the left path opened. “This way.”
Seoryeong called the children. The child with the wooden sword moved first. But the child with the cloth pouch was slower. Seoryeong wanted to run. She needed to go ahead and block the path. Yet going alone meant failure. She shortened her stride. Cheongmu entered from the right. His wooden sword stretched low, blocking the children’s path ahead. Cheongmu did not attack for real, but his positioning cut the route effectively. Seoryeong could have swung the halberd wide to force Cheongmu back. But the children were close. If the tip pointed toward them, points would be deducted. Seoryeong did not use the halberd broadly. Instead she stepped in. She cut between Cheongmu and the children with her feet and pressed Cheongmu’s sword down with the middle of the halberd. Thud. Wood met wood. If she pressed hard, Cheongmu’s wrist would shake. But right now she only needed to open the path. Seoryeong eased her strength as though stopping one chi short. The sword dipped slightly. Enough space opened for the children to pass. “Go.”
A short word. The child with the wooden sword passed. The child with the cloth pouch tried to follow. At that moment Elder Ungak moved his fingers. The wooden frame creaked. Seoryeong’s ears heard it first. Danger. The frame began to topple toward the child with the cloth pouch. It was a training frame, made light, but if it struck the child it could still hurt. Seoryeong’s body moved reflexively. She could strike it away with the halberd. But the child was too close. If she swung wide, the tip might point at the child. Seoryeong drew a breath in that instant. She kept only what was necessary. The frame. The child. Cheongmu. The red flags. The ground beneath her feet. Hwarin’s presence drifted far away. The breaths of the watching disciples also drifted. Seoryeong changed her footing. She did not charge straight ahead. The space behind and to the left was open but held a red flag. Half a step forward to the right. From there, turning her body would let her slip between the frame and the child. She moved. Without swinging the halberd, she planted it upright like a shield to catch the frame. Thud. The frame struck the halberd. Weight pushed into her hands. Seoryeong did not endure with her hands alone. Feet. Breath. Waist. She let the halberd’s weight and the frame’s impact sink into her feet. Deep footprints marked the dirt floor. The child’s eyes widened. Seoryeong did not push the frame away. If she did, it might rebound toward the child. She simply held it. She stopped. It was a different kind of stop from halting one chi short. This time she had stopped danger, not a weapon. Elder Ungak’s gaze shifted. Cheonghyeonja also quietly lifted his head. Still supporting the frame, Seoryeong said, “Pass.”
The child with the cloth pouch walked past on trembling legs. But in his nervousness his foot drifted toward a red flag. Seoryeong could not move while holding the halberd upright. The child with the wooden sword saw this and reached out. “This way.”
That child pulled his friend’s sleeve. The foot of the child with the cloth pouch stopped just before the red flag. Seoryeong watched the scene. This was not a test she took alone. The children had helped each other as well. Seoryeong slowly laid the frame on its side. Without breaking it. Without throwing it. Simply setting it down. Cheongmyeong came in again from the left. “It isn’t over yet.”
Seoryeong nodded. He was right. They had not reached the blue path. The children were ahead. Cheongmu was trying to block the path again from the right. Cheongmyeong was trying to tie her down from the left. Seoryeong gripped the halberd with both hands. Now she could swing. But how far? Cheongmyeong thrust his staff first. Toward her shoulder. She had to block. She hooked the staff with the side of the halberd. She could hook with this weapon. Seoryeong’s eyes brightened for an instant. Good. Truly good. The halberd’s shape came alive. She tried to pull Cheongmyeong’s staff. If she pulled hard he would pitch forward. But this was a test. She could not hurt him. One chi. Seoryeong stopped while pulling, just enough to disturb Cheongmyeong’s balance slightly. In that gap she sent the children forward. Cheongmu planted his sword at the final choke point. This time he blocked not Seoryeong but the space in front of the children. Accurate. In a real fight it would be a move aimed directly at the protector. Fire rose inside Seoryeong. Blocking the path in front of the weak. She did not like it. Of course Cheongmu was only playing a role. He was not truly trying to harm the children. Even knowing that, her body reacted. She wanted to swing the halberd wide. She wanted to push Cheongmu away. Just then Cheongmu spoke quietly. “It’s a role. Don’t waver.”
Seoryeong’s eyes widened slightly. Cheongmu had spoken. It was not provocation. It was a reminder. Seoryeong let her breath fall. “Eung.”
Cheongmu’s gaze shifted a little. Seoryeong corrected herself. “Ye.”
A very small laugh escaped somewhere in the training ground but quickly vanished. Seoryeong advanced toward Cheongmu. She did not swing the halberd straight at him. Footwork. The path beneath her feet. To Cheongmu’s right was a red flag. To his left was the blue path. What he blocked was the direct front before the children. Then Seoryeong only needed to make him move. She thrust the halberd low. Cheongmu blocked with his sword. In that moment Seoryeong did not push with the tip; she hooked the sword with the protruding side blade. She did not pull. She turned. The tip of Cheongmu’s sword shifted slightly to the side. The path opened. “Go.”
The children ran toward the blue flags. Cheongmyeong made one last attempt to grab the child with the cloth pouch from behind. Seoryeong reflexively spun the halberd. Whoosh. Air resonated. One chi before Cheongmyeong’s hand. The tip stopped. Cheongmyeong’s eyes widened. It was exactly one chi. It had not touched his hand. But it was close enough that another step would have sent his hand flying. Seoryeong spoke quietly. “That’s far enough.”
Cheongmyeong slowly withdrew his hand. “Ye.”
The children entered the area marked by the blue flags. Seoryeong tried to follow. At that moment Elder Ungak spoke. “Stop.”
Seoryeong halted one step before the blue flags. Truly instantly. Elder Ungak asked, “Why did you not enter?”
Seoryeong answered, “Because you told me to stop.”
“What was the goal?”
“To bring the children to the blue path.”
“And you?”
Seoryeong thought for a moment. Did she also need to enter? The goal had been to bring the children. Going alone meant failure. But if the children had entered? She was still outside. Did that mean success or not? Seoryeong answered honestly. “I don’t know.”
Elder Ungak nodded. “Good. Stopping when you did not know was the correct judgment.”
Seoryeong blinked. Stopping when she did not know was also praise? Elder Ungak continued. “If you had taken one more step, you would have stepped on a red flag.”
Seoryeong looked at her feet. It was true. Right in front of the blue flags, beside her left foot, the cord of a red flag nearly touched her. She had missed it while watching the children. If Elder Ungak had not told her to stop, she might have stepped on it. Seoryeong exhaled. “I didn’t see it.”
“Knowing that is also important.” Elder Ungak looked around the entire training ground. “First confirmation complete.”
The disciples quietly exhaled. Seoryeong lowered the halberd. Her arms trembled slightly. She had not swung it many times. But her head was tired. The children’s positions, Cheongmyeong, Cheongmu, the flags, the frame, the tip of the halberd, the lines beneath her feet. There had been too much to think about. Elder Ungak asked the children, “Are you hurt anywhere?”
Both shook their heads. “No.”
The child with the wooden sword glanced at Seoryeong and said, “The halberd came close but didn’t touch.”
The child with the cloth pouch spoke softly as well. “You stopped the frame for me.”
Elder Ungak nodded. “Cheongmyeong.”
Cheongmyeong cupped his fists. “Ye.”
“How was it?”
Cheongmyeong thought for a moment. He did not speak lightly as usual. “At first she was a little slow. But she looked at the path and moved. When I reached out… honestly, it was frightening.”
Seoryeong looked at him. “It was frightening?”
Cheongmyeong nodded. “The halberd stopped right in front of my hand and really didn’t touch. That’s why it was more frightening.”
“Why?”
“Because it could have touched but didn’t.”
Seoryeong mulled over the words. It could have touched but didn’t. That was more frightening. Strange, yet somehow understandable. Showing that you had power but not using it. That could reach the opponent more clearly.
Elder Ungak looked at Cheongmu. “Cheongmu.”
Cheongmu cupped his fists. “Ye.”
“You.”
Cheongmu looked at Seoryeong. Then he said, “She wavered in the middle.”
“Who.”
“Seoryeong.”
Seoryeong lifted her head. Cheongmu continued. “When I blocked the children, her presence changed completely. In the past she would have charged straight through. But she stopped. When I said it was a role, she calmed her breathing.”
Elder Ungak’s gaze shifted. “Continue.”
“And when she hooked my sword with the halberd, she could have pulled but turned it instead. Instead of taking it by force, she opened the path.”
Cheongmu paused briefly before speaking again. “I probably would have pushed hard in that situation.”
Those words were acknowledgment. Not perfect, but clear acknowledgment. Seoryeong looked at Cheongmu. Cheongmu did not avert his eyes. Elder Ungak finally looked at Hwarin. “Hwarin.”
Hwarin cupped her fists. “Ye.”
“How did it look to you?”
Hwarin looked at Seoryeong. Seoryeong stood holding the halberd. She looked a little more tired than yesterday, but her eyes were clear. Hwarin spoke slowly. “It was not perfect. She missed the final red flag, and when the frame fell her first reaction was to try to knock it away with the halberd.”
Seoryeong nodded. That was true. At first she had tried to knock it away. “But she quickly changed her judgment. She looked at the child first and planted the halberd like a shield. When Cheongmu blocked the path she grew excited but stopped. She also stopped just before touching Cheongmyeong.”
Hwarin took a breath before continuing. “The Seoryeong I first met could never have done these things.”
A quiet resonance spread through the training ground. Seoryeong looked at Hwarin. The Seoryeong she had first met. Back then she would charge at the scent of a strong person, stab when curious, and strike when she disliked something. That impulse still remained. But today had been a little different. Elder Ungak looked at the Sect Leader. Cheonghyeonja quietly nodded. Elder Ungak turned back to Seoryeong. “Jin Seoryeong.”
Seoryeong straightened her posture. “Ye.”
“You pass the first gate.”
For an instant Seoryeong’s eyes widened. A small murmur rose in the training ground. Cheongmyeong smiled brightly. Dogyeom nodded. Cheongmu looked away with his arms crossed, but the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. Hwarin smiled quietly. Seoryeong looked at Elder Ungak. “Pass?”
“Yes.”
“Meat?”
The training ground froze. Hwarin covered her face. Cheongmyeong finally burst out laughing. Elder Unso laughed loudly, and even Cheonghyeonja chuckled. Dogyeom closed his eyes. Cheongmu wore an incredulous expression. Elder Ungak’s eyebrow twitched. “The first thing you think of upon hearing you passed is meat?”
Seoryeong was serious. “Hwarin said she would buy meat if I passed the first test.”
Every gaze turned to Hwarin. Hwarin slowly raised her head. “It is true.”
Elder Unso could not stop laughing. “A fine promise.”
Elder Ungak drew a deep breath. Then he said, “If you do not neglect your training, I will order meat served at the dining hall this evening.”
Seoryeong froze in place. Her eyes widened. “Really?”
Elder Ungak said, “Shouldn’t you say ‘ye’?”
Seoryeong cupped her fists at once. “Ye.”
This ‘ye’ was the fastest and most precise yet. The training ground shook with laughter again. Elder Ungak pretended to disapprove, but a faint smile lingered in his eyes.
The rest of the morning training continued with light review. But it was not light for Seoryeong. Passing the first gate. Those words remained in her mind. She had not fully entered the sect yet. There was still much to learn. Etiquette was difficult, footwork was difficult, breathing was difficult, and stopping the halberd one chi short was difficult. But she had crossed the first gate. The gate of one chi. The one chi that stopped the halberd. The one chi before Cheongmyeong’s hand. The one chi that did not hurt the child. The one chi that stopped before the red flag. Those small distances seemed to have gathered into a gate. At lunch there was still no meat. Seoryeong looked at the table and felt a brief disappointment, but Hwarin said, “He said this evening.”
Seoryeong nodded. “I’ll wait.”
Dogyeom spoke. “A lesson in patience.”
Seoryeong nodded seriously. “Strong training.”
Cheongmyeong struggled to hold back laughter while eating. In the afternoon she went to see Yu Soha. Yu Soha was walking slowly in the medical hall garden. Today she walked a little longer than yesterday. Seoryeong left the halberd at the garden entrance and approached. “I passed.”
Yu Soha’s face brightened. “The first gate?”
“Eung. I mean, ye.”
“Congratulations.”
Seoryeong nodded. “Meat at dinner.”
Yu Soha paused, then burst out laughing. “Is that what pleases you most?”
Seoryeong thought. The halberd was good. Passing was good. Hwarin smiling was good. Elder Ungak acknowledging her was good. But meat was also good. “I like all of them.”
Yu Soha smiled as though she liked the answer. “Then it truly is a good day.”
“Eung.”
Seoryeong watched Yu Soha walk. Her steps were steadier than yesterday. Slow but stable. “You’ve improved too, Yu Soha.”
“Little by little.”
“Little by little is important, they say.”
“Who does?”
Seoryeong thought for a moment. Hwarin had said something similar, and Elder Ungak taught in that manner. Her body had learned that way too. “Everyone.”
Yu Soha nodded. “Then I will improve little by little as well.”
Seoryeong looked satisfied. When evening came, the atmosphere in the dining hall was different from usual. There really was the smell of meat. Seoryeong stopped the moment she entered the entrance. It was real. Meat. Thinly sliced meat stir-fried with soy sauce and green onions was served on small plates. Each disciple received a small portion. Not much. But it was meat. Seoryeong’s eyes shone. Hwarin spoke beside her. “Don’t run.”
Seoryeong stopped. “Ye.”
“Stand in line.”
“Ye.”
“Wait your turn.”
“Ye.”
Dogyeom spoke quietly after hearing the quick answers. “Meat completes etiquette.”
Cheongmyeong could not hold back his laughter. Even Cheongmu could not hide his smile this time. Seoryeong lined up seriously. This too was patience. Very strong patience. The moment her turn came and she received her plate, Seoryeong returned to her seat with extreme care. She must not drop the meat. She must not spill it. She must not have it taken. No one would take it, but she was still careful. Before the meal everyone observed proper etiquette. Seoryeong followed as well. Then she ate the meat. Flavor spread. Salty, warm, and rich with fat. After days of bland meals, the taste felt stronger. Seoryeong’s face completely relaxed. Hwarin smiled at her expression. “Is it that good?”
Seoryeong swallowed the meat in her mouth and said, “Eung. I mean, ye. Very.”
Laughter erupted here and there in the dining hall. Seoryeong sniffed the laughter for a moment, wondering if it mocked her. There was almost no mockery. Mostly enjoyment. So it was fine. Cheongmyeong tried to push a piece of meat from his plate toward Seoryeong. Dogyeom spoke at once. “According to dining regulations, it is not good to freely exchange allocated food.”
Cheongmyeong stopped his hand. Seoryeong looked at the meat, then at Dogyeom. Regulations. Meat. A powerful conflict. Hwarin spoke quietly. “Endure.”
Seoryeong closed her eyes. Enduring was also fighting. Stopping was also winning. Wanting to eat more meat was also fire. She had to grasp that fire. Seoryeong slowly opened her eyes. “I’ll endure.”
Dogyeom spoke as though genuinely impressed. “You passed the most difficult test today.”
This time even Hwarin could not hold back her laughter.
After the meal, Seoryeong returned to the annex. Her stomach was satisfied, her body was tired, and her heart felt strangely light. She had passed the first gate. She had eaten meat. She also had the halberd. It was a good day. Upon entering the room, Seoryeong carefully stood the halberd upright. Then she picked up the broken spearhead. For a moment she looked back and forth between the two. “I went a little further.”
Hwarin asked from the doorway, “Who are you talking to?”
Seoryeong looked at the broken spearhead. “This.”
Hwarin fell silent. Seoryeong did not speak at length. She simply placed the broken spearhead back by her pillow. Perhaps she had been speaking to the first spear. Telling it that she had moved a little forward. That she had crossed the first gate. That she had obtained the halberd. That she had not forgotten it. Hwarin could not know exactly what was in her heart, but she did not interfere. Instead she said, “You did very well today.”
Seoryeong looked at Hwarin. “The children weren’t hurt.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t break the halberd either.”
“Yes.”
“I ate meat too.”
Hwarin laughed. “Yes. That was well done too.”
Seoryeong nodded in satisfaction. When night came, Seoryeong thought she would fall asleep more easily than usual. But the dream came quickly. A blood-red battlefield. This time flags were planted in the middle of the battlefield. Blue flags. White flags. Red flags. The Cheongseong Sect’s training ground and the battlefield had merged. Seoryeong stood holding a weapon that might have been a halberd or a polearm. In the distance soldiers gathered. Behind them were the small shadows of children. Yu Soha’s back was visible. Hwarin’s red robes were also visible. Not everyone faced the same direction. The path was complicated. Before, she could simply run straight toward the enemy. But this time she could not. Going to the blue flag alone meant failure. Seoryeong looked at her feet. There were empty spaces between the blood-soaked earth. Red flags were danger. White flags were people to protect. Blue flags were the path. Seoryeong let her breath fall. Her hand held the weapon; her feet sought the path. A soldier charged. Seoryeong swung. But she did not cut all the way through. She stopped one chi short. At that stop the soldier’s form scattered. Next, instead of the falling frame, a toppling cart appeared. Seoryeong did not strike it away. She planted the weapon upright to catch it. The children passed. A voice like Cheongmu’s spoke. It’s a role. Don’t waver. Hwarin’s voice followed. The you I first met could never have done this. Elder Ungak’s voice. You pass the first gate. In the dream Seoryeong lifted her head. Far away stood a massive gate. A gate standing in the middle of the battlefield. The gate was not wide open. Only a little. Open by about one chi. Seoryeong stood before it. If she pushed the weapon in her hand, she could break the gate. She had the power to break it. She wanted to do so. But Seoryeong did not. She stopped before the gate. Let her breath fall. Set her feet. Stopped her hand. Then the gate opened a little more. It had not been broken. It had opened. Seoryeong tried to see inside. But the dream blurred there. When she opened her eyes, the room was quiet. Dawn was still far away. The halberd stood in one corner. The ebony pole stood beside it. The broken spearhead lay by her pillow. Seoryeong slowly exhaled. She had crossed the first gate. But the true gate had only opened by one chi. She still did not know what lay inside. Even so, it was fine. Breaking was not the only answer for a gate. If she stopped and waited, it might open. Seoryeong found the thought a little strange. And a little to her liking. She closed her eyes again. Tomorrow would be difficult too. But if she went one chi at a time like today, it would be enough. One chi at a time. Stop. Look. Make a path. And swing only when truly necessary.