Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Tiger Leaf Blade, Hyuk Ri-gwang
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To my question, Hyuk Ri-gwang replied with a look that said why was I asking something so obvious.
“Of course, what else would I want to talk about with a strong warrior? Naturally, I came to discuss martial arts.”
With that, he bombarded me with questions, looking thrilled beyond belief.
“What’s your sect? Where are you from? From the looks of it, you don’t use that Protective Shell Technique either—did you come from Yunnan like me, by any chance?”
“No, hold on a second. One at a time, please.”
I raised my hand to stop Hyuk Ri-gwang as I thought it over.
Somehow, things had steered toward a conversation, but honestly, I didn’t mind.
I was curious about Hyuk Ri-gwang in many ways myself.
On top of that, I wanted to hear what the current situation was like in the Zhuge Clan from the perspective of a guest warrior.
“It’s not exactly a sect—I learned my martial arts at a martial hall back home.”
“…Huh? A martial hall? You don’t mean one founded by some hidden eccentric master, do you?”
It was a reaction that felt oddly familiar.
I had a feeling I’d be hearing it a lot from now on.
With that thought, I shook my head.
“No. What I learned at the hall was just the basics. Everything else, I created myself.”
If a kid barely out of his teens claimed he’d invented his own martial arts, most people would dismiss it as a joke or call him a con artist.
But Hyuk Ri-gwang simply nodded in admiration, without a shred of doubt.
“Wow, impressive. I thought you were no ordinary fellow, but to think I’ve had a future grandmaster right in front of me.”
A look of pure awe, not a hint of suspicion.
I’d wondered after his rude words and clueless behavior if maybe his brain was a bit too pure for his own good.
“You accept that awfully easily.”
“Hmm. To be honest, I’d already considered that possibility.”
“…You had?”
Most people would dismiss the idea the moment it crossed their mind.
Did he just think differently from others, or was there some reason for him to consider it?
Seeing my puzzled expression, Hyuk Ri-gwang grinned.
“It’s been over twenty years since I started staying with the Zhuge Clan. Do you know how many martial arts they’ve collected and studied there?”
“The Zhuge Clan studies martial arts…?”
He nodded at my question and began spilling all sorts of details.
“The Zhuge Clan’s library is filled with all sorts of martial arts—truly a vast collection.”
A vast collection of martial arts?
I opened my mouth to ask something, entertaining a faint hope, but Hyuk Ri-gwang cut me off first.
“Oh, of course, there’s nothing from the Five Great Clans or the Nine Great Schools, so don’t get your hopes up.”
…Yeah, figures.
I quietly shelved my hopeful expectations and nodded.
Of course the great sects’ secrets wouldn’t be in the Zhuge Clan.
If they were, those sects wouldn’t have left them alone.
“Anyway, that library is packed with all kinds of bizarre martial arts. Ordinary guest warriors can’t just waltz in, but I’m the old man of their heaven-sent hope, aren’t I? I got special permission to come and go as I pleased.”
So, as the father of Zhuge Cheon-sang, who was treated as the Zhuge Clan’s great hope, he’d enjoyed some privileges…
“…And?”
“What else? Even after digging through all those martial arts, I’ve never seen anything resembling yours.”
“In other words, since I couldn’t trace its origins anywhere, you figured I must be the origin?”
Hyuk Ri-gwang nodded vigorously.
I looked at him with a strange gaze.
At first, he’d seemed like some stubborn old fool who’d wasted his years.
Yet in our spar, he’d fought like a wild beast, and now he was showing astonishingly sharp intuition.
What the hell was this guy’s deal?
Perhaps sensing my inner turmoil, a serious glint appeared in Hyuk Ri-gwang’s eyes.
“You’re probably going along with this conversation because you have questions for me too, right? Like why I don’t use the Protective Shell Technique. Or if it’s related to my background?”
“…A lot of people must have been curious.”
“You bet. Everyone who’s sparred with me wondered the same.”
Hyuk Ri-gwang shrugged, his smile deepening.
And then he provided the answer to the question that had lingered in the corner of my mind since our last spar.
“I’m from the Leaf Tree Sect in Kunming, Yunnan Province. As you probably guessed, we have ties to the Wild Beast Palace. Think of it like main house and branch family.”
“Main house and branch.”
“Well, it’s been over a hundred years since we split, so we’d cut off contact. But apparently, the Embroidered Uniform Guard didn’t see it that way.”
Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Combining what my master had told me, I could guess what had happened to the Leaf Tree Sect.
“You’ve figured it out, huh? Yeah, the Leaf Tree Sect was wiped out. The Wild Beast Palace is too massive to touch recklessly, but a minor offshoot from long ago? Not so much.”
“That’s… regrettable.”
Hyuk Ri-gwang shook his head at my quiet words.
“It happened over thirty years ago. Besides, the sect leader at the time—my father—didn’t help matters. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had just come out of the war with the Demonic Cult, so things were tense all around. And then he goes and openly voices support for the Demonic Cult right in front of them.”
My master had said the Embroidered Uniform Guard had nearly been annihilated by the Demonic Cult and their Blood Explosion Technique.
Making pro-Demonic Cult statements in front of them… Well, that was basically begging to be killed.
“But even so, supporting the Demonic Cult? Why on earth…?”
“Most folks from the Frontier Lands would. They harbor such deep resentment toward the Central Plains and the empire that they end up rooting for the Demonic Cult tormenting them.”
The enemy of my enemy is my friend?
My master had mentioned the Embroidered Uniform Guard leaving Central Plains affairs to the Pacheon Castle while keeping watch on the Frontier Lands. Now I saw why.
That line of thought brought up a new question.
Why was Hyuk Ri-gwang in the Central Plains as a guest warrior for the Zhuge Clan?
“But why are you in the Central Plains, serving as a guest warrior for the Zhuge Clan? After having your sect destroyed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I’d think you’d avoid the Central Plains altogether—even if revenge was out of reach.”
When I asked, hesitating slightly, he answered as if it were no big deal.
“Simple. To preserve the Leaf Tree Sect’s lineage.”
“Preserve the lineage… by putting down roots in the Central Plains?”
“Exactly. This Ming Dynasty will last at least a few more centuries. The Frontier Lands will keep getting squeezed during that time. So, doesn’t carrying on the lineage in the Central Plains lower the odds of it dying out?”
“In other words, survival is the ultimate revenge?”
“Oh? I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s a fine saying. Survival is the ultimate revenge…!”
He seemed to like my words, repeating them over and over.
The sight was a bit foolish, but beneath it lay a cold rationality that bordered on chilling.
Most people who went through such a tragedy would end up hating the entire Ming Dynasty.
Yet Hyuk Ri-gwang had cast all that aside for his goal.
It was a way of life I couldn’t even imagine.
But for someone trying to preserve a lineage, Zhuge Cheon-sang seemed awfully lacking.
When I voiced that, Hyuk Ri-gwang replied with a look like I’d said something ridiculous.
“Of course he is. He’s just wielding a half-baked Tiger Leaf Sword modified from some swordsmanship. All he’s got is the empty shell without the core—it’s bound to be sloppy.”
He added that even so, few his age could stand up to him.
I asked, feeling a bit dumbfounded.
“But isn’t that different from what you said earlier? You said it was to preserve the lineage.”
“Who said anything about him carrying it on? He’s Zhuge Cheon-sang. The Leaf Tree Sect’s lineage will be carried on by my daughter, Hyuk Ri-eum.”
“Ahh…”
Of course. He had a daughter.
As I nodded, Hyuk Ri-gwang cleared his throat lightly and asked slyly.
“Ahem. You might not know this, but martial arts evolve and advance with the times.”
“Well, that’s true of everything in the world, not just martial arts.”
I sensed an ulterior motive in his subdued tone.
Sure enough, the moment I replied, Hyuk Ri-gwang lit up and chimed in.
“Exactly! But to advance, you need stimulation, right? Like exchanging different martial arts to mutually improve.”
Ah-ha. So that’s what he really wanted when he said he came to talk martial arts.
I smiled knowingly and asked.
“So, you want to exchange martial arts with me? You know most people would take offense to that?”
Any sect in the Central Plains would draw their weapons at such a suggestion.
“I’ve been living in the Central Plains for over twenty years. Think I don’t know that? But you’re different. You don’t use ridiculous stuff like the Protective Shell Technique.”
I’d noticed it earlier, but Hyuk Ri-gwang seemed to have a real grudge against the Protective Shell Technique.
“Why do you hate the Protective Shell Technique so much?”
“It makes warriors look like turtles hiding in their shells. Hate it.”
I chuckled at his immediate response.
Seeing that, Hyuk Ri-gwang pressed eagerly.
“So, are you in or not?”
“Hmm, well? I’m not particularly interested in learning anything.”
“What do you mean, not interested? You just don’t know enough about the Leaf Tree Sect’s martial arts yet! What I showed you yesterday was just a glimpse!”
I calmed Hyuk Ri-gwang, who was raising his voice and gesturing wildly, and made a counteroffer.
“Actually, I have a different proposal.”
“Different proposal? What is it?”
“First off, if there’s something you want to learn from me, I’ll teach you with all sincerity. In return, just grant me one favor later.”
Hyuk Ri-gwang frowned at my offer.
“…A favor? What kind of favor…?”
“Who knows? I’m just preparing for eventualities, so I don’t know what it’ll be yet.”
“…….”
He clearly pondered my words.
Then I drove the wedge deeper into his hesitation.
“Didn’t you say earlier that my martial arts can’t be learned from anyone else?”
“…Fine. I accept your proposal. But you’d better teach me properly.”
I grinned at Hyuk Ri-gwang’s agreement.