The Elder’s Judgment
In Chang’an Castle, was there any better prey for Cheonlyeon than this?
Dan Yeop, who had been thinking that far, shook his head.
Sometimes there are things you cannot stop even when you know them.
For example, Cheonlyeon’s Cheongeop—the Thousand Calamities.
Since you never knew when or where it would erupt, all you could do was clean up afterward.
It was the same now.
Just by passing by, he could tell they were perfect targets for the calamities.
What did it matter if he knew? He could not protect them.
There were not just one or two; how could he guard the grand estates in Seoninbang, Anheungbang, and Yeongmubang all day long?
Dan Yeop clicked his tongue and looked up at the sky.
It seemed the time to leave the office was drawing near.
He turned his steps toward the Jangan County Office.
***
After filling out the duty log at the constabulary, Dan Yeop ate dinner at a nearby eatery and headed for Sosangru in Jangnakbang a little earlier than the appointed time.
Jangnakbang.
Sosangru.
The courtesans who spotted Dan Yeop rushed toward him in a crowd.
“Oh my! Constable Dan? Welcome!”
“Those tinted glasses suit you so well.”
While Dan Yeop looked at the courtesans with an awkward expression, Ryu Seol-ri appeared and led him to the rear courtyard.
The courtesans could only watch as Dan Yeop moved farther away, like dogs that had been chasing chickens.
Once they entered the rear courtyard, Ryu Seol-ri belatedly greeted him.
“Chief Dan, it has been a long time. I wonder if you remember me……”
“Ryu Seol-ri, of course I remember you. You used to go around with Ha every day.”
“It is an honor. I have never even had a proper conversation with you before.”
“Honor, my foot. So you are staying here as well?”
“Yes. I heard you met with Lady Yong-wol yesterday.”
“Ah, we only saw each other briefly.”
“I see. Lady Yong-wol had been waiting a long time for the day she would reunite with you.”
Dan Yeop, who had no interest in Ha Yong-wol, quickly changed the subject.
“Is that so? By the way, has Instructor Go arrived?”
“Yes, he is waiting inside.”
“I see. Then I will go in first. Oh, is Lord Ha coming as well?”
“No, he did not mention anything about it.”
“Understood.”
Dan Yeop nodded.
It seemed she had been quite burdened by the prospect of meeting a master from Geomgak.
After all, if they failed to convince Naeng Han-sang, blades would be drawn. That was only natural.
He waved at Ryu Seol-ri and entered the annex.
The annex.
Go Geom-haeng, who saw Dan Yeop, sprang to his feet to greet him.
“Chief Dan, welcome.”
“Instructor Go, you arrived early.”
After exchanging greetings, Dan Yeop sat on the chair opposite Go Geom-haeng.
Go Geom-haeng waited until Dan Yeop was seated before speaking.
“I am sorry for troubling you with my personal matter, Chief Dan.”
“Not at all. Since you are a member of Haomun, your affairs are Haomun’s affairs.”
At those words, Go Geom-haeng’s previously dark expression brightened slightly.
“I have already told Lord Ha the gist of it. It seems Geomgak has misunderstood, but I wonder if a proper conversation will be possible.”
“Since we have nothing to hide, it will go well.”
“The people of Geomgak are a bit……”
Go Geom-haeng trailed off.
“Do you know Naeng Han-sang?”
“I do not know who he is, but the masters of Geomgak are generally self-righteous and do not listen to others. They have lived in seclusion for so long that they follow only their own rules.”
“Is that so? He seemed to converse quite well with me.”
“If that is the case, then it is fortunate, but in the worst case, a clash could occur. At that time, please persuade Lord Ha to expel me from Haomun.”
“Expel you?”
“I cannot let Gimun suffer because of me.”
“If it comes to that, Geomgak will hold Gimun responsible anyway. Expulsion would be meaningless.”
“Even so, I cannot just stand by……”
“Naeng Han-sang did not seem like an unreasonable man. Let us try to resolve this through dialogue first. Speaking of which, you truly have not taught anything else to Gimun, correct?”
“Haa! I swear on my ancestors, I have not.”
Go Geom-haeng already felt suffocated by Dan Yeop’s question. He could not split open his stomach to prove it, and it was driving him mad.
At that moment, a middle-aged man with a cold expression entered the room.
It was Naeng Han-sang, the master of Geomgak.
The instant Go Geom-haeng saw Naeng Han-sang, he knew the man was an extraordinary expert of Geomgak.
The masters of Geomgak possessed a unique aura.
Go Geom-haeng himself had once carried that aura.
Now, of course, years of wandering life had worn it all away.
Go Geom-haeng rose from his seat and stood facing Naeng Han-sang.
The moment Naeng Han-sang saw Go Geom-haeng, a look of contempt appeared in his eyes.
He had expected something from a man who had reached the Sixth Gate, yet the fellow was nothing more than a fallen wanderer.
Chapter 90. Absolutely Unacceptable?
Unexpectedly, the confrontation between the two men began.
If Naeng Han-sang’s aura was a sharpened sword, Go Geom-haeng’s was a desolate wilderness.
Just as the two men’s presences were beginning to flare, Dan Yeop intervened.
“Both of you, calm yourselves for a moment.”
A bucket of cold water was poured over the moment just before the explosion.
His mood ruined, Naeng Han-sang snorted and turned his gaze to Dan Yeop.
“Constable Dan, we meet again. It seems you have come to mediate as you did at Jaun-gak, but this matter will not go as you wish.”
In truth, he had already more or less decided on Go Geom-haeng’s punishment.
A traitor who fled Geomgak had joined Haomun and taught martial arts? That fact alone made him deserving of death.
If they had not known, it would have been another matter, but now that Cheondo-hoe had informed them, they could not simply overlook it for the sake of Geomgak’s honor.
The severity of Gimun’s punishment would be determined by the extent of the martial arts leakage.
That was what he had thought when he came, yet a variable had appeared.
“I did not come to mediate. I came for a three-way meeting as well.”
“The person who should be here is not a constable, but Haomun’s martial arts chief, is it not?”
“My introduction is late. I am Dan Yeop, Haomun’s martial arts chief. The constable position is only temporary.”
“……”
Naeng Han-sang looked at Dan Yeop with a somewhat incredulous expression.
Of course, he had known Dan Yeop was no ordinary man.
Even after learning he was a master of Geomgak, the constable had been bold and unrestrained.
‘I let my guard down.’
Those strange tinted glasses and the title of constable had blinded him, so even though he had sensed Dan Yeop’s extraordinariness, he had failed to grasp his true nature.
The last trace of emotion on Naeng Han-sang’s face disappeared.
“So you have been toying with me all this time.”
Yet Dan Yeop did not so much as blink at the change in Naeng Han-sang.
“Why would you think that? I have given Naeng the Great Hero everything he wanted. I settled the drinking bill at Jaun-gak and arranged this meeting with Instructor Go Geom-haeng. Furthermore, I came here in my capacity as Haomun’s chief.”
“But you hid the fact that you are Haomun’s chief.”
Naeng Han-sang’s tone had changed.
It was the result of the last bit of goodwill he had held toward Dan Yeop vanishing.
“You never asked.”
“That is!”
For a moment, irritation flared and Naeng Han-sang raised his voice, but that was all.
He knew that saying anything more would only be sophistry.
A tense silence flowed between the two men.
In the chilly atmosphere, Dan Yeop, the host of the gathering, spoke.
“All Naeng the Great Hero needs to do is confirm whether Instructor Go has been teaching Geomgak’s martial arts to Haomun, is that not so?”
“Are you asking me to believe that Go Geom-haeng learned Haomun’s saber arts and taught them to Gimun?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone can say anything with words. There is a saying that even a rotten fish has its uses. Go Geom-haeng is still from Geomgak—how could he possibly learn Haomun’s martial arts? Nonsense.”
“If you see with your own eyes the Haomun martial arts that Instructor Go has learned, you will be convinced. How about it? Would you like to see?”
“……”
Naeng Han-sang could not understand why Dan Yeop kept saying such strange things in front of him.
Geomgak was the best in the world with the sword.
It was not only he who thought so; the entire martial world acknowledged it.
Yet a master from Geomgak had learned Haomun’s martial arts?
That was the same as saying someone who could run had been taught how to crawl.
Staring at Dan Yeop, he answered coldly.
“I will play along as you wish. However, if you fail to convince me, Gimun will be drowned in blood today.”
“Of course you should. Then let us step outside.”
A short while later, the three men came out into the courtyard where the annex stood.
Not even an ant could be seen near the annex.
Dan Yeop spoke to Go Geom-haeng.
“It seems Naeng the Great Hero does not believe in Haomun’s secret techniques. Instructor Go, please show him the secret techniques you learned in Haomun.”
“I will.”
Go Geom-haeng stepped into the center and slowly drew his sword.
“What I am about to demonstrate is the Jincheonji Dobeop.”
Although saber and sword had different uses, saber techniques could still be performed with a sword.
To clear up the misunderstanding, Go Geom-haeng demonstrated the Jincheonji Dobeop with all his might.
First form: Cheonroe Nakcham. Second form: Hoengso Sanjeol. Third form: Pungun Sanghwa……
Under the moonlight, Go Geom-haeng’s sword dance was graceful and beautiful.
Naeng Han-sang watched with indifferent eyes, but his heart was different.
‘Hah!’
Haomun’s martial arts, true to saber techniques, focused on slashing rather than thrusting.
Although it lacked the dramatic thrusts unique to swordsmanship that seemed to stop one’s breath, the profound slashes sent shivers down the spine just by watching.
‘How could such an advanced saber art exist in Haomun……’
It was understandable that Go Geom-haeng had learned it.
At the same time, it felt bizarre that Haomun, despite possessing such profound secret techniques, was still looked down upon in the martial world.
Go Geom-haeng concluded with the third form, Pungun Sanghwa, and sheathed his sword.
For a master of Naeng Han-sang’s level, this alone would be enough to understand.
He had saved the Jinbaekryu Dobeop in case a fight broke out. Even he needed to keep one hidden card.
Dan Yeop asked Naeng Han-sang.
“How is it? Haomun’s secret techniques are quite usable, are they not?”
Feeling no need to lie, Naeng Han-sang nodded.
“I acknowledge that Haomun’s saber arts are excellent. However, that does not mean Go Geom-haeng is without sin.”
Then Go Geom-haeng asked.
“What sin do I have?”
“The greatest sin is betraying your sect and fleeing. The next is that your saber arts contain the profound mysteries of Geomgak.”
“I admit to fleeing from Geomgak, but I cannot accept the rest. Although I was deeply influenced by Geomgak, that does not mean all of my martial arts belong to Geomgak. My blade also carries the insights I gained during my life as a wanderer. Do not try to bind me simply because I am from Geomgak.”
As if mocking those words, the corner of Naeng Han-sang’s mouth lifted.
“Very well. Then cut away everything of Geomgak from yourself. If you can still live after that, I will believe your words.”
It was a pointed remark that Go Geom-haeng’s martial arts and Geomgak could not be separated.
Go Geom-haeng understood the meaning hidden in his words and despaired.
‘Ah! Naeng Han-sang has no intention of letting me go.’
With a sigh, Go Geom-haeng spoke.
“Your words are correct. The foundation of my martial arts is Geomgak, and I will never be able to escape it in the future. However, please at least clear up the misunderstanding that I taught Geomgak’s martial arts to Gimun. If you promise only that, I will gladly follow whatever you desire.”
Naeng Han-sang turned his head toward Dan Yeop.
“Did you see? He himself admitted his sin. Do you still intend to deny it?”
Dan Yeop did not refute him.
“If Instructor Go says so, then so be it. Instructor Go also said he did not teach martial arts to Gimun, so there is no connection between Gimun and Geomgak. Do you agree with my words?”
For a moment, Naeng Han-sang’s mind raced.
He now understood that Go Geom-haeng had not taught Geomgak’s martial arts.
But Gimun had dared to appoint a traitor of Geomgak as their martial arts instructor.
Knowing that, he could not simply let it pass.
Eventually, Naeng Han-sang spoke as if granting a favor.
“However, the……”