That Grass, That Rice
‘The Supreme Old Lord isn’t that stingy, is he?’
Baek Seung-mu was dumbfounded by Jeong Gwang’s words.
“…Sajae. Still, a Taoist kicking his unit leader is a bit…”
“Oh dear. Junior brother, you’re never going to make a good Taoist.”
“…Pardon?”
Jeong Gwang, the ultimate demon who transcended mere wrongness, was discoursing on the Dao.
“Why split Taoism and Buddhism so rigidly? Have you ever seen the common folk fuss over that?”
“…No, I haven’t.”
It was true enough.
These were people scraping by day to day. If something could grant health, longevity, or fortune, they didn’t care if it was the Supreme Old Lord or Buddha.
They sought blessings from anyone, believing in both without discrimination.
And as Jeong Gwang had pointed out, wasn’t believing in both better than one? Doubled the odds, right?
Hitting the nail on the head, Jeong Gwang preached like a true immortal.
“Whether it’s a Taoist mumbling Muryangsubul or a monk chanting Amitabha all day, both end in ‘Buddha.’ That’s how close they are. They both forbid meat, liquor, and women too.”
Taoism pursued the Dao unbound by form, so it had borrowed quite a bit from Buddhism.
Muryangsubul was one such Daoist title, where ‘Buddha’ didn’t mean Shakyamuni but the Supreme Old Lord.
Baek Seung-mu had to concede at least part of Jeong Gwang’s point.
“That’s true, but… they’re still different, aren’t they?”
“Buddha or Supreme Old Lord, it’s all that grass, that rice. What’s there to nitpick?”
“Sajae!”
Baek Seung-mu cried out in shock, but Jeong Gwang calmly countered.
“Why?”
“…I’m afraid others might hear. How can you use such irreverent words?”
“Who’s ‘others’ here? It’s just us.”
Jeong Gwang, Baek Seung-mu, Jao.
True enough.
“…Sorry. Unit leader, just kick it.”
“Of course.”
Jeong Gwang stroked the half-Buddha beads fondly, then shook his head.
“Oops. This isn’t what matters right now.”
“…?”
Jeong Gwang addressed the baffled Baek Seung-mu and Jao.
“Pack your things. We’re leaving soon.”
“…S-so suddenly?”
“…Where to?”
Jeong Gwang grinned at the flustered pair.
“We’ve got everything we came for. Time to have some fun. Where to?”
* * *
Baek Seung-mu, and surprisingly Jao too, had plenty of places they wanted to visit.
Their fluster didn’t last. They rattled off countless place names, sparking a heated debate.
Quite some time passed.
In the end, the next destination was decided unilaterally by Jeong Gwang.
“Should’ve done this from the start. Wasted time for nothing.”
“…”
“…”
“Junior brother, go prepare. You too, Jao.”
“…Yes, sajae.”
“…Understood, True Jade Dragon.”
The two trudged out with sullen faces.
Alone now, Jeong Gwang shed his torn beggar robes and donned his Daoist garb.
The luxurious robes that had become Kunlun’s symbol.
‘Haaa. This feels right, doesn’t it?’
He’d only worn it because nothing else was available, yet it felt so comfortable.
‘After nearly twenty years in nothing but Daoist robes since reincarnating, maybe it’s just habit.’
Jeong Gwang checked his appearance, then packed his meager belongings.
Most things would be carried by Baek Seung-mu and Jao, so there wasn’t much.
Then came a knock.
“Elder, come in.”
Pang Man-so opened the door, shoved his grandson inside, and shut it again.
“Tsk tsk. He’s out of it.”
Jeong Gwang approached Paeng Gang-ung, who stood with vacant eyes.
He tripped him with a foot.
“Kuh.”
As Paeng Gang-ung toppled with a low groan, Jeong Gwang’s quick hands turned the fall into a cross-legged seat.
Jeong Gwang placed a hand on the Baekhoe acupoint atop Paeng Gang-ung’s head and let out a shout.
“Hah!”
“Keurk!”
Pure inner energy seeped into the acupoint.
It erased the evil qi in Paeng Gang-ung’s mind, filling the void.
Soon, the energy solidified there.
Paeng Gang-ung’s vacant gaze returned to normal.
“Young lord, feeling better?”
Paeng Gang-ung stared at Jeong Gwang for a long moment, then sighed deeply.
“Hooo. I could hear, but now I can speak too. Tell me, True Jade Dragon—what technique was that?”
“Huh? How’d you know it was me in disguise?”
“Grandfather told me earlier. That rude speech and Kunlun robes confirm it.”
“Ah, seriously. Didn’t peg the elder for such a blabbermouth. Spreading it everywhere.”
“…It’s not Grandfather’s fault. He had to explain what happened to me.”
“Fair enough.”
Paeng Gang-ung eyed the nodding Jeong Gwang with complex emotions.
“…Was I under some evil spell?”
“Yes.”
“…And you broke it?”
“Yes. How much do you remember?”
“…Up to drinking the liquor Your Highness offered.”
Paeng Gang-ung sighed deeply before continuing.
“…Then I had a dream. Something familiar tried to swallow me. I couldn’t even resist. It felt… inevitable.”
Sang So-un’s demonic qi.
The evil art Paeng Gang-ung had cultivated made the spell irresistible.
“Just before it consumed me, something utterly eerie appeared and clashed with it. I could only watch.”
The Reverse Heaven Scripture had emerged to battle Sang So-un’s qi.
“I don’t know why, but it terrified me. The clash felt like it would erase me. But then…”
Paeng Gang-ung’s eyes darkened deeply.
“…Something pale yet black? Indescribably wondrous—it joined the fray. The second backed off; the first fought on but was outmatched. The last one won.”
His sunken eyes flickered.
“That was you, True Jade Dragon?”
“Yes.”
“…Haha. Hahaha.”
Paeng Gang-ung laughed hollowly before continuing.
“That’s all I remember. I came to in my room.”
Jeong Gwang clapped softly.
“Broke clean, no side effects. Lucky.”
Paeng Gang-ung lacked even the energy to get angry.
The sense of loss was too vast.
“…But here’s the thing. The qi I built in my upper dantian with that nameless heart method—it’s gone. Was that the spell’s seed? Did I nurture it myself and fall into it?”
“Exactly. That was the method’s name? Pretty lame.”
“…It was precious to me.”
“Why so down? It was just an evil spell.”
“…Grandfather relayed your words. You said I’d become a cripple?”
“Yes. Still looks that way.”
“…Yeah. Maybe. No, it will be.”
Paeng Gang-ung sank into deep despair.
He’d lost the power that had propelled him forward from behind.
‘And it was an evil spell, of all things.’
He’d been arm’s length from the Crown Prince. Imagining what he might’ve done if the spell activated then—without Jeong Gwang—was horrifying.
Anger at himself surged.
‘You stupid bastard! What the hell were you doing?’
He’d nearly destroyed the Paeng family he’d grown up in, the one he craved so badly.
No thoughts of what to do next, how to face his retainers.
Seeing Paeng Gang-ung suffer, Jeong Gwang consoled him gently.
“Chin up. No one knows the details.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The highest good is like water; it benefits all yet contends with none. Let it flow like water—no issues.”
“…”
To the incredulous Paeng Gang-ung, Jeong Gwang explained patiently.
“Only the elder knows even roughly what happened. Others might suspect, but not truly doubt.”
“…Grandfather knows. I cultivated that nameless method knowing it was off. No face to show him.”
“Elder’s fine with it.”
“…?”
“Young lord. You didn’t scheme this on purpose, right?”
“Of course not.”
“Think about the elder.”
“What about him?”
Jeong Gwang realized.
‘Oops. That was a secret.’
Whatever. Pang Man-so had blabbed his identity nonstop anyway.
‘Not like I lose anything.’
Jeong Gwang told Paeng Gang-ung about Pang Man-so and the Crown Prince.
“…Get it? Elder didn’t intend it, but he effectively betrayed His Highness. Did the prince blame him? Nope.”
“…”
“Elder won’t blame you either.”
“…”
“He’s probably worried. Like how your unwitting mistake wrecked the elder, afraid you’ll waste away in self-loathing.”
“…”
“So train harder, give your all to the family. Your skills will grow, you’ll claim the patriarch seat. Elder’ll be thrilled.”
“…”
Jeong Gwang’s casual words pierced Paeng Gang-ung’s heart deeply.
“Huh? Crying?”
“…No. Just dust in my eyes.”
“Huge dust in both eyes at once? Amazing.”
Paeng Gang-ung covered his face with his sleeve.
Moments later, he lowered it. Tears stopped, his face carried a hint of calm resolve.
His voice matched.
“I misunderstood you. Sorry. And thank you.”
“Words are cheap…”
Paeng Gang-ung grew serious.
“I’m too lacking now. I’ll become greater and repay you properly.”
He was a prideful man.
He held grudges, but repaid favors in full.
“As expected of Paeng. That grass, that rice—you’re a true hero.”
The old Paeng Gang-ung would’ve raged, but not now.
Experiencing Jeong