Master. Murim Debut (4)
"Just one more time."
"Please, just one more."
"...I beg you, just once more."
Apparently, fainting after two consecutive strikes wasn't enough to satisfy her. The moment Cho Yak regained consciousness, she lunged forward again. Once I began to grasp her skill level, I stopped knocking her out from the third bout onward. To save time, I simply disarmed her or pressed my blade to a vital point instead. After losing her sword for the final time, Cho Yak stood dazed for a while before suddenly dropping to the floor, crossing her legs, and slipping into meditation.
Not wanting to disturb her, I picked up the greatsword that had fallen nearby and examined it. Its absurd size was one thing, but instead of a crossguard, two metal bars extended left and right from the hilt, and above them ran nearly a foot of unsharpened blade. In short, it was unmistakably a Western sword, not a Central Plains design.
How was that possible? The Demonic Cult was said to lie far to the west by Central Plains standards, yet that hardly made it close to the West. One would have to cross the trading cities of the Western Regions, pass through the Fire-Seeking Kingdom, and traverse the Great Food Kingdom before finally reaching the Great Qin Kingdom—and only then touch the Mediterranean. In a world without carriages or flying ships, it was an impossibly long journey.
The sword itself was of exceptional quality. It practically begged to be swung.
"...Senior."
While I was still studying the blade—pressing down on the flat, tracing the edge with my fingertips—Cho Yak spoke from behind me. Her meditation must have ended.
"Ah, my apologies. It was such an unusual sword."
Now that I thought about it, handling someone else's weapon without permission was rather rude. I carefully set the sword on the table and turned to face her.
"So, did you gain anything from this?"
From the middle of our exchanges onward, I had felt it too. Each time Cho Yak attacked, she changed her approach, but the shifts weren't random—they followed a logical progression, like climbing stairs. It felt as though she were asking questions with her sword. It was different from teaching Yu Baek, yet it carried its own peculiar satisfaction. I was also quietly pleased that my own skill was sufficient to instruct a master who already possessed a respectable title.
"Yes. I truly obtained a fortunate encounter. Thank you."
Still seated, Cho Yak bowed so deeply that the back of her head was visible. From the very first time I saw her, I had thought she was oddly courteous.
"A fortunate encounter, you say. Still, if you're grateful, perhaps you could look the other way regarding my circumstances."
"Of course. In exchange, may I ask one thing?"
The eyes that met mine burned with fervent intensity. For a brief moment, silence hung between us.
"Just one more time..."
At that, the person who had entered this room at the hour of the Rat, argued, fought a life-and-death duel, then endured four consecutive guidance matches, and finally stood guard through the night while she circulated her energy—only to greet the rising sun without a wink of sleep—unthinkingly raised a hand and answered with a knuckle to the head. Even so, I doubt anyone could blame me for my rudeness.
Cho Yak readily agreed to give up on Yu Baek's life. Since the Demonic Cult's punishments took into account both the severity of the crime and the difficulty of capture—letting the Yama Hall Head Messenger choose an appropriate messenger who would then pursue and punish the criminal at their own discretion—her withdrawal would likely close the matter without issue. Curious, I asked what happened if a messenger lacked the means to capture the criminal. She explained that the messenger would continue to harass the target until they deemed the punishment sufficient; if the messenger died or vanished, a new one would be dispatched to collect the debt of having killed the previous messenger. It was a brutal system, befitting a sect that called itself demonic.
In my estimation, while both Yu Baek and Cho Yak had their respective strengths and weaknesses, if it came down to a fight to the death, Cho Yak held the slight advantage. In other words, Yu Baek now owed me his life once more. The ungrateful brat.
"Then I shall take my leave. I will repay the silver through the Ten Thousand Joys Pavilion, so you need not worry."
"Senior..."
"What is it?"
Don't tell me she still hadn't given up. I understood the desire to test her newfound insight, but surely a person needed to eat and sleep. The sun was already high, and the streets bustled with activity.
"If it isn't too presumptuous, may I accompany Senior Yu?"
"What do you mean..."
Now that I thought about it, she had a point. While the exact punishment was at the messenger's discretion, she had been assigned a task. Returning empty-handed would be awkward. At the very least, she needed to capture Yu Baek, give him a proper scolding, and recover the stolen silver before she could report back. Even though I had won our bet, there was no reason to make things difficult for someone who wasn't inherently evil and was simply trying to fulfill her duty.
"Besides, seeing Yu Baek's face would at least preserve your dignity as a messenger. Very well, do as you wish."
"Pardon? Ah. Thank you."
Upon receiving permission, Cho Yak's usually expressionless face broke into one of utter bewilderment before she quickly composed herself. Had she truly not expected me to agree? Watching her youthful features shift through various expressions was rather endearing. I was about to smile when it occurred to me that, since we were similar in height, anyone who saw us might assume we were just two children playing together. The thought instantly wiped the smile from my lips. I was hardly in a position to comment on others.
Once granted leave, Cho Yak hooked her greatsword to her side and began packing a minimal set of belongings from around the office. Watching her, the reality of traveling together finally sank in. Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong weren't true martial artists, so Cho Yak would be my first genuine murim companion. The realization brought a fresh wave of sentiment. For now, we were merely brief acquaintances met on the road, but in the unpredictable world of murim, after sharing countless incidents, we might one day become the kind of close allies who could entrust their backs to each other. In true murim fashion. If nothing dramatic occurred, we would remain nothing more than short-term travel companions, but even then, being on friendly terms was infinitely preferable to awkwardness. As a first step toward that friendship, I decided to adjust our forms of address.
"Ahem. By the way, continuing to call each other 'Senior' and 'Messenger' feels a bit stiff, doesn't it? How old are you, Messenger Cho?"
"I turned twenty-seven this year."
She was far older than she looked. I nodded to myself. It made sense—her deep knowledge, immense physical strength, and familiarity with her own body all pointed to experience. Even the notoriously eccentric Demonic Cult wouldn't casually assign important positions to children barely in their teens; the sect would have collapsed long ago if that were the case. Once again, I was reminded that one of the side effects of martial arts training could indeed be eternal youth. Of the two examples I had, Yu Baek was the exception; the talented brat's bones seemed to grow even when his aging halted. Even though Yu Baek had grown taller recently, his face had remained babyishly pale.
"I suppose I'm a little older. Then, would it be all right if I called you Sister Cho?"
"Sister Cho... Does that mean Senior Yu and I would become sworn sisters?"
Huh? Was that how it worked? The logic checked out—'sister' did imply a sisterly bond. But then, did that mean everyone who called each other 'Brother Kim' or 'Brother Jang' were actual brothers, and calling someone 'Older Sister' made them sworn siblings? It was just a form of address. Still, faced with Cho Yak's sparkling eyes, I couldn't bring myself to explain that. I simply gave an awkward nod.
"It would be an honor. Then I shall call you Sister Yu."
"Do that... I mean, please do."
Though I had suddenly gained a much younger sworn sister, my plans remained unchanged. Neither Jo Jae-ui nor Chief Eunuch Gong would object to a slight detour to meet Yu Baek before heading to Suzhou. Finding him quickly would also reduce their expenses. As we headed for the door to leave the Ten Thousand Joys Pavilion, I suddenly realized something.
"...Is there any real need to travel together?"
Now that I thought about it, Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong still believed I had been captured by Cho Yak. Since I hadn't broken our contract, Yu Baek would eventually be found, and I would have to visit Hangzhou someday to settle the payment. But did that necessarily mean traveling with Jo Jae-ui? The ten taels of gold I had already received weighed on my conscience, but I could always send a manuscript worth that amount later. There would be inconveniences—navigating unfamiliar places without a guide, covering travel expenses myself—but parting ways with Jo Jae-ui was worth it.
"Aren't you coming?"
"...Sister Cho, could you write a letter for me, following my instructions?"
The result was a resounding success. Upon receiving Cho Yak's forged letter, Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong immediately departed Lanzhou with their entourage. Since following right behind them risked an encounter, we decided to rest for two days before leaving. During those two days of rest, I learned several things.
First, Lanzhou was quite a splendid city. It was exotic in a different way from Xining. One could infer its character from the fact that a single city housed a mosque, a Nestorian church, Buddhist temples, Taoist halls, and a Demonic Cult branch all together. Some buildings had domes, others tiled roofs; some were built of brick, others of mud or concrete. It was a feast for the eyes, but the true charm lay not in the architecture but in the marketplace. Lanzhou's market had everything imaginable—lion pelts, mango preserves in sugar, and more.
Second, my newly acquired sworn sister was an extreme night owl.
"Are you that sleepy? It's already the hour of Wu."
I asked while setting down a cup of hot coffee. Cho Yak, who had been yawning widely, answered with slightly teary eyes half-open.
"...I tend to sleep in a bit in the mornings..."
"That's more than 'a bit.' How were you so energetic last night?"
Perhaps her repeated requests for rematches had only been possible because it was nighttime. If it had been morning, no matter how motivated she was, her stamina would have given out after one or two bouts.
"How do you plan to manage traveling like this? Unless you intend to camp outside every city wall, you'll have to enter before the hour of Xu. That means we should start moving at dawn every day—can you even wake up?"
It was meant as a joke, but Cho Yak's face turned pale. It seemed like a genuinely serious issue for her. Was waking up in the morning really that difficult? I figured a few days of travel would help her adjust.
"...I'll do my best to endure."
Her voice was solemn. It felt overly dramatic, but it would have been inconsiderate to dismiss her struggles. Instead, I brought out the main topic I had prepared.
"So, Sister Cho, where do you think Yu Baek went?"
"Hmm..."
Cho Yak closed her eyes briefly as if thinking, then suddenly slapped her own cheek. Startled, I grabbed her hand.
"What are you doing all of a sudden? You scared me."
"...I nearly fell asleep with my eyes closed, so I tried to wake myself. Thank you for your concern."
"...I see. You have it rough."
Her morning drowsiness was worse than I had imagined.
"Anyway, this is just my speculation before hearing your thoughts, but I was considering heading to Chang'an."
"Chang'an?"
Chang'an—the famous great city of the Central Plains, also known as Xi'an. From Lanzhou, it lay directly along the eastern route. Since Lanzhou had grown as a midpoint on the Silk Road to Chang'an, the road between them was exceptionally well maintained. But a well-maintained road didn't make the distance shorter. The journey from Lanzhou to Chang'an was three times longer than from Xining to Lanzhou.
"Is there a reason you think he went to Chang'an?"
"He stole a large sum of money, so he'll want to spend it. Among the great cities, Chang'an is the closest and largest."
"...Hmm."
It was a simple deduction, but the best we could manage with so few clues. If only I knew why Yu Baek had turned to robbery in the first place, I might have come up with something more plausible. Yet even that remained a mystery. After living together for nine years, I had thought there was nothing I didn't know about him—only for everything to become unknown the day he drew his sword against me. A sigh escaped me.
"Then we'll head straight for Chang'an tomorrow."
Cho Yak looked up at me with puzzled eyes.
"I'm sorry for saying this after suggesting it myself, but I'm not entirely confident. Are you sure it's all right to decide so quickly?"
"I have no better guesses, so what else can I do but try? No, wait..."
I was about to complain when I suddenly paused. Perhaps a fresh perspective would help. More importantly, Cho Yak was closer in age to Yu Baek than I was.
"Hey, Sister Cho."
"Yes?"
"In your opinion, if a disciple who trained in the sect for nine years suddenly ambushes his master, what would be the reason?"
"The most likely possibility is that he's an assassin sent by another sect or faction, isn't it?"
Yu Baek... an assassin? That was ridiculous. I couldn't even imagine anyone holding a grudge deep enough to want me dead, and even if they did, how would they know I would take in an orphaned child rather than abandon him, and then station an assassin there?
"That doesn't make sense. When he first entered the sect, he was just a snot-nosed brat with no martial arts or anything."
"They could have supplemented his assassination tools through periodic contacts in between."
"He never met anyone else for nine years."
"...No one at all?"
"No one."
I stated it firmly. Few people could climb that cliff. Even Yu Baek had only recently become capable of it, and if anyone besides him had been visiting our home regularly, I would have noticed.
"Did you ever give your disciple any indication of when he might be allowed to leave?"
"No... Wait, how did you know he was my disciple?"
I was fairly certain I had only mentioned a fellow sect member. It wasn't a big deal if she found out, but I felt embarrassed revealing that I was older than most people. She would surely think I wasn't acting my age.
"...Are you serious? Well, I suppose not, then."
"That's right."
Cho Yak covered her mouth with her hand and fell into thought. After a moment, she turned her gaze back to me and asked again.
"Did your disciple ever ask when you would let him leave?"
"No. If he had, I would have given him an answer."
Huh? The moment I answered, I realized it too. Wait, really?
"Did... Did he perhaps think he was being kept prisoner?"
For an instant, I was seized by the urge to leap up and shout. That was all a misunderstanding. If he had asked to be taken to the village, I would have taken him! But what use was there in debating possibilities for something already past? It seemed I had been a terrible master who imprisoned her disciple to create solitude.