The Price of Being a Disciple
I’m dying here, and I finally caught my uncle. The family head’s private training ground was located behind the main residence hall. High walls surrounded it on all sides, and the Pacheon Sword Venerable stood in the very center. He held two wooden swords in one hand. "The Jangjunggeom (Palm-Sword) begins with gripping the sword in your hand and swinging it." The Sword Venerable extended one wooden sword toward Baek Cheong and spoke. "First, take the sword."
Baek Cheong took the wooden sword. 'It’s light.' Since it was for training, it didn't weigh much. But once she actually gripped it, it felt incredibly awkward. In her life as a Beopsu (Dharma Cultivator), a sword was just an object to channel energy into—it was her first time holding one directly to swing it. The Sword Venerable slowly raised his own wooden sword. "Your index finger and thumb set the direction, and the other three fingers provide the support." Even though the Sword Venerable didn't look like he was putting any strength into his hand, the sword didn't even tremble. She could see the distribution of force across his knuckles.
'The posture doesn't seem difficult.' She clearly understood it with her head. So, she followed along confidently. However, the Sword Venerable looked at her hand and pointed out, "You are putting too much force into your index finger." When she relaxed her index finger, the sword wobbled. When she hurriedly gripped it with her other fingers, her wrist twisted. "Do not rotate your wrist." 'I’m trying not to!' The moment she relaxed her index finger, her balance collapsed, causing her wrist to turn on its own. She understood the problem perfectly with her brain, but her hands moved on their own. It took a long time just to correct how to hold the sword. And just when she thought she had finally gripped it properly, the Sword Venerable slowly raised his wooden sword and swung it down from top to bottom. It was an incredibly slow and simple motion. "Follow this motion."
'That’s simple.' Baek Cheong raised the wooden sword and swung it down. The Sword Venerable’s expression stiffened slightly. "...Again." She raised it again. She swung it down again. The Sword Venerable stroked his beard once. "Your shoulders are spread too wide. Bring them in." She tightened her shoulders. "Your elbows." As she pulled her elbows in, her wrists bent. "Keep your wrists fixed." As she fixed her wrists, her shoulders loosened again. "Shoulders." As she caught her shoulders, her waist twisted. "Keep your waist straight." As she straightened her waist, her lower body wobbled. "Look at your feet."
She knew she had to do everything at once. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, lower body. It was only five things. Compared to casting multiple spells, it was nothing. But it didn't go as she thought. If she fixed one, another part collapsed. If she caught the collapsed part, another part loosened. Everything she had done until now was static. From alchemy to talisman-making, formations, or puppets. But swinging a sword was different. She had to move her muscles, her bones, and her joints. It was impossible to even use her Shin-sik (Divine Sense) or energy to assist in moving her body. 'Am I... physically uncoordinated?' Baek Cheong couldn't hide her bewilderment at her body moving differently than her thoughts.
. . .
Two shichen passed like that. During that time, she repeated the same motion hundreds of times. Hundreds of times, she received the same corrections. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, lower body. The same five things returned endlessly. The Sword Venerable didn't get tired, nor did he get annoyed. He repeated the same corrections with his dry, emotionless face. However, there was one noticeable change. The glint in his eyes that had been flashing when he discovered her Okryeonjiche (Jade-Refining Body) had calmed down. Only the frequency of him stroking his beard had increased significantly.
"That is all for today." At the words that it was over, strength drained from her entire body. As soon as she let go of the wooden sword, her knees threatened to buckle. She barely held on, bowed her waist, and paid her respects. "Come at the same time tomorrow." The Sword Venerable turned and left the training ground. Baek Cheong stood there until the hem of his shabby robe disappeared over the wall. Rather than standing, she was simply unable to move.
. . .
The path to her quarters felt endless. Her arms ached, her shoulders felt like they were being pulled out, and the blisters on her palms chafed. As soon as she arrived at her quarters, she collapsed onto her bed. 'The Mumyungbang...' Her body was in tatters from physical training she hadn't signed up for, but the Mumyungbang was the joy that helped her endure the day. However, her eyelids closed faster than she could move her Shin-sik. "Meow..." Baek Cheong mumbled like she was talking in her sleep as she instantly fell into a deep slumber.
***
She woke up to the morning sunlight seeping through the gaps in the window. Baek Cheong jumped up. "Morning...?" She had only meant to close her eyes for a moment, but she had passed out and it was already morning. And the fact that she hadn't been able to browse the gallery was devastating. 'Is this the life of a Body Cultivator...?' It had been a long time since she had spent a day without logging into the Mumyungbang. Even when she was refining pills all night, she would split her Shin-sik to check the Mumyungbang. To think she couldn't browse after just one day of Body Cultivator training. If she feared the Sword Venerable’s training, this was the true reason.
But there was no time to lament. She wasn't in a position to dare defy the training just because it was hard. She hurriedly washed her face and changed her clothes. Her whole body ached, but there was no problem moving. It seemed the bones and energy channels tempered by her Danmun (Talisman-inscribed) pills had recovered to some extent overnight. 'If there's a silver lining, I guess that's it.' Just because her body became sturdy didn't mean her lack of coordination was fixed. Fortunately, she worried less about being forced into becoming a true transmission disciple, but she couldn't help but feel frustrated with herself for not being able to perform simple motions because she was physically uncoordinated.
"I don't know." Baek Cheong swallowed a sigh and left her quarters. It was when she was hurrying toward the training ground of the main residence hall. 'Huh?' She spotted her uncle, who was also heading toward the main hall. For some reason, her uncle’s gait was relaxed, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. It wasn't that she wasn't curious about why he looked so happy from the morning. But something else came to mind first. 'How dare you be happy?' He was the one who dragged the Sword Venerable into the Yeonha Baek Clan, the one who listed her talents one by one in front of the Sword Venerable to lure him, and as a result, she became the Sword Venerable’s disciple and fell into the hell of Body Cultivator training. 'I’m in so much pain, and you’re happy?' Baek Cheong’s resentment and desire for revenge flared up. But she wore a smile on her face. It was a smile that made her look like a bright eleven-year-old child. She approached him, greeting him with a bright voice. "Uncle! Good morning."
Baek Muyeong turned his head at his niece’s voice. "Oh, Cheong-ah. Where are you going so early in the morning?"
"I'm on my way to the training ground. To receive teachings from Master Pacheon Sword Venerable."
"I see." Baek Muyeong nodded with a smile spread across his face. "I still can't believe it. That our Cheong is the disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable." Just the fact that she was the transmission disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable was enough to raise the status of the Yeonha Baek Clan. Of course, he knew that she was only a transmission disciple to the outside world, and in reality, a registered disciple. But since appearances were important, he didn't care. "What could be more auspicious than this?" Baek Muyeong continued happily.
Baek Cheong replied while maintaining her bright smile. "Yes. I am so happy to have become the disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable." She spoke with sophistication, deliberately emphasizing that she had become his disciple. Then, a faint change occurred on her uncle’s face. The relaxed corners of his mouth stiffened slightly, and he blinked once. 'This is why I hate sharp-witted uncles.' She didn't miss the look of anxiety flashing in her uncle’s eyes. As the merchant association head, he seemed to have sensed something intuitively.
"Y-yes. It is a happy thing." Baek Muyeong changed the subject with a subtly awkward smile. "I have some business with your father for a moment. I must be going."
'Trying to run away?' Baek Cheong naturally moved one step to the side, blocking the path of the hallway. "Uncle. Your proud niece has become the disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable, so don't you have a gift for me?"
"A gift...?"
"Yes. Shouldn't you show me a token of your congratulations?"
Baek Muyeong quickly countered, hiding his embarrassment. "Haha, have you forgotten that I made you the Five Elements Puppets?"
'As expected, you're blocking me with that.' Baek Cheong tilted her head slightly and retorted clearly. "The Five Elements Puppets? Those were the price for the condition that I behave myself in front of a special guest."
Baek Muyeong couldn't maintain his composure, and his pupils flickered minutely. Since it was a condition he had set himself, he couldn't deny it. "Becoming the disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable is a separate matter. If the merit is different, the calculation should be separate too."
Baek Muyeong’s complexion stiffened, albeit slightly. As a merchant, he wouldn't back down easily. He opened his mouth to try and take the initiative quickly. "Cheong-ah, Uncle is..."
"Please make me a 2nd-tier Five Elements Puppet."
However, Baek Cheong cut him off and demanded the item she wanted. Then, her uncle’s mouth stopped, half-open. "2nd-tier?"
"Yes. 2nd-tier level."
Baek Muyeong pulled himself together and expressed his difficulty. "Cheong-ah, a 2nd-tier Five Elements Puppet costs twice as many spirit stones as a 1st-tier one. Besides, wouldn't it be too much for a Qi Refining stage body to handle a 2nd-tier puppet?"
"Puppets use spirit stones as fuel and are controlled by Shin-sik, right?" Baek Cheong continued without showing any signs of backing down. "And Uncle, you know too. That I have Shin-sik that is superior to my peers or cultivators of the same level."
Thinking about what the Sword Venerable had muttered at the Baeksang Pavilion and her actions until now, there was no way he didn't know. Above all, the person who had listed her talents in front of the Sword Venerable himself was her uncle.
"That is..." Baek Muyeong tried to counter by licking his lips, but he was speechless. He had noticed long ago that her Shin-sik was exceptional, so he couldn't even deny it. "Still, you're the disciple of the Pacheon Sword Venerable, so you'll make sure I'm not disappointed, right?" And Baek Cheong drove the wedge in while maintaining her smile until the end. At this, Baek Muyeong closed his eyes tightly. It was only for a moment, but a long and deep silence flowed. Eventually, he opened his mouth with a sigh. "...I understand." It was a voice heavy with the scent of defeat.
Baek Cheong bowed her waist with a bright smile. "Thank you, Uncle."
Baek Muyeong shook his head and moved his feet toward the main residence hall. It was a back view that looked a span smaller than usual. Baek Cheong watched his shrinking back and nodded with satisfaction. '2nd-tier Five Elements Puppet.' She wasn't sure if she could actually handle it. But rather than groveling later when she needed it, it was cleaner to equip herself when she was in an advantageous position. 'This is an investment, an investment.' Convincing herself lightly, she turned her feet toward the training ground. Thanks to getting one over on her uncle, her mood felt much lighter. It felt like the frustration of missing a day of gallery-browsing had been relieved a little. The Sword Venerable’s dry face would be waiting at the training ground, but she moved her feet, harboring an unfounded optimism that at least today might be better than yesterday.
. . .
As an aside, it is said that Yuk Muk, who received Baek Muyeong’s order to make a 2nd-tier Five Elements Puppet, fainted on the spot.