Omen (1)
Omen (1)
From the peak of Mount Hua, the sea of clouds twisted along the mountain ridges like a giant dragon writhing, tangling with the trees, thrashing and carving furrows through the mist. Through those mist-shrouded furrows, the mountain peaks peeked out one by one, and along the languid, undulating flow, ant-like figures scurried busily.
The elder of Mount Hua Sect gazed down at the scene as he drank his tea. He was waiting for a man who had not arrived though the appointed time had long passed. Stroking his white beard, he wondered if one of those people down there might be him. The fragrance of tea filled the pavilion, creating a drowsy atmosphere.
"Elder. What are you doing?"
The man the elder had been waiting for entered through the sliding paper door. With each opening and closing, the ornaments on the wall swayed and emitted strange sounds. The elder swirled his teacup in the air and spoke.
"I was watching the people. Over there, can you see the passersby?"
The man stood beside the elder and gazed down at the people—each climbing Mount Hua with desperate effort for their own purpose. Long ago, the man himself had been one of those climbers, and the elder too had once been among those desperate souls. Whenever the man glimpsed the stone steps like a dotted line, childhood memories came flooding back.
"Didn't you once tell me not to look down on those below the mountain? And here you are, Elder, gazing down at people yourself. Wonders never cease."
When one lives long in a place of rugged mountain terrain, one grows arrogant. This is because, at some point, one begins to mistake the scenery the mountain reflects as one's own position. That is why there is a saying on Mount Hua not to gaze at those ascending. Lest you look upon them and become drunk on arrogance.
The elder of Mount Hua Sect set his teacup down on the window frame and spoke.
"Now that I am old, it is fine. More importantly, you were late to today's appointment."
The man lowered his head.
"I am late because I went to see my wife. As today is the anniversary of her death, I felt I had to see her face at least once, even knowing I had an appointment."
"It is not a good thing for a man who is not even married to speak of a wife. Is it not time for you to start a family? You are nearing forty now; you should have at least one child."
The man shook his head. A hint of a smile lingered on his face.
"How could a great man set aside his wife and take a new woman? Others may all do as they please, but I have resolved not to."
"Even if you call her your wife, was that not a matter of the distant past? If the dead heard that you intended to uphold that loyalty merely because of a youthful love when you were but a child, they would not rest in peace either."
The elder sat and gestured toward a chair. The man shook his head but sat down across the round table.
"Still, what is wrong is wrong. You too know the saying, Elder, that the initial resolve is what matters. My longing for my wife carries the meaning that I will continue to uphold the oath I made when I first learned martial arts back then. Do not press me too hard, Elder."
"Gwak Ryong."
Gwak Ryong straightened his posture at the elder's call. The elder wore a kindly face, but his eyes were filled with a serious look. He stroked the rim of his teacup with his finger and spoke.
"If there were a child who inherited your talent, how greatly would they contribute to the Mount Hua Sect?"
"That, I would not know, would I?"
Having said that, Gwak Ryong rolled his eyes. Recovering his smile, he leaned back in his chair and looked straight at the elder.
"Did you call me today to arrange a marriage for me?"
The elder shook his head. He pushed aside the teacup and teapot and spoke.
"Have you heard that Venerable Geumbok of the Zhongnan Sect has fallen?"
Gwak Ryong nodded. Even those uninterested in the affairs of the martial world knew about the great incident in the Zhongnan Sect. The story went that a merchant backed by the Zhongnan Sect had sent an empty meal box to a martial artist who had served him well and killed him; the sects, enraged, unanimously severed dealings, leading to his ruin.
Gwak Ryong spoke.
"I have heard. He was a bastard who did not know his place. This is why one must not associate with men who have not learned martial arts. Jong Yuseop was far too foolish."
The elder neither affirmed nor denied Gwak Ryong's words. He merely gave a short, "Hmm," before moving on to the story he wanted to tell.
"Hmm, indeed."
Gwak Ryong narrowed his eyes at the elder's demeanor. The elder was not only an elder of the Mount Hua Sect but also the branch head of the Murim Alliance's Shaanxi Branch. Whenever he spoke on any subject, he always used an ambiguous tone, neither affirming nor denying. And whenever things seemed to be going wrong, he would mercilessly shift his stance and press his opponent to seize the advantage.
The elder continued.
"While Shaanxi has been in turmoil due to this incident, the Hao Sect has been rummaging through every corner of Shaanxi. Though their rampage in other regions is not an issue, I hear they have also shown their faces here on our Mount Hua. As long as the Zhongnan Sect lacks the capacity to meddle in this matter, we must decisively beat those bastards down and show them exactly who the master of Shaanxi is."
Gwak Ryong raised the corners of his mouth.
"How strange. These bastards who cannot even meet our eyes have suddenly popped their heads out. It seems a very large patron has taken them in hand."
"Is that not something we can investigate step by step? This matter is a great opportunity. Since the Zhongnan Sect is not acting, Mount Hua Sect will have no choice but to step forward, purge the Hao Sect, and seize the chance to make our name known once again throughout all of Shaanxi."
All things under heaven are not as simple as a single stroke of the blade. No matter how much the Zhongnan Sect was holding its breath, the Mount Hua Sect could not suddenly step forward and declare, 'From now on, Mount Hua Sect takes control of Shaanxi!' There had to be a justification, and the Hao Sect, currently stirring up Shaanxi, was the opportunity that had come to the Mount Hua Sect.
Gwak Ryong spoke.
"If we send men to investigate, it will come to light quickly. Leave it to me."
The elder nodded and spoke.
"Very well, I trust you and leave it in your hands."
No wind blew at the peak of Mount Hua. Nor did the conversation they shared leak out.
*******
"Hoo..."
When Im Seo-ryeon of the Hengshan Sect emerged from closed-door training, she was no longer first-rate. Having reached the peak realm, she felt her body had grown much lighter, and she saw the envious gazes her fellow disciples and juniors cast her way.
However, this was not the time to swell with pride over an early achievement. Even while she had been in closed-door training, Venerable Geumbok and the Zhongnan Sect would have been harassing all of Shaanxi, swelling their own power and plunging the martial world into a crucible of corruption.
So as soon as she finished her preparations, she intended to leave the Hengshan Sect and return to Shaanxi.
"So, you are going to Shaanxi?"
Im Seo-ryeon's master asked in a gentle tone. Im Seo-ryeon nodded and sat before her.
"Yes. Master. For the great undertaking, I intend to burn my body."
As she said this, she gripped her sword hilt tightly. Last time, being only at the first-rate level, she had lacked the strength to offer much help. But now it was different. She was a peak master second to none, confident she could squarely confront even Jong Yuseop.
"To say you would burn your body, that is too radical an expression. It is good to do what is right, but I still cherish you, Seo-ryeon."
Seeing Im Seo-ryeon's fierce resolve, her master smiled softly. Im Seo-ryeon could not understand her master's composed demeanor. Even now, with the world under heaven in chaos due to wicked factions, her master's expression seemed, if anything, more serene than before she had entered training.
Her master spoke with a smile.
"So, for what business do you intend to go to Shaanxi? Perhaps there is a man who has caught your heart..."
At those words, Im Seo-ryeon's face flushed red. It was incomprehensible. Normally, if no man had caught her heart, such a reaction should not have happened. But like a hand jerked away from fire, her body reacted before reason could intervene.
"M-Master! What are you saying? I am going, of course, to vanquish the evil factions that bring harm to the martial world and to set its order right, am I not?"
Her master tilted her head.
"...The order of the martial world? Is there such a person in Shaanxi right now?"
Im Seo-ryeon could not understand. Why was her master tilting her head as if she had lost her memory? Where had her master gone, the one who used to lament that if people like Venerable Geumbok overflowed, the world under heaven would be ruined?
Im Seo-ryeon raised her voice.
"Venerable Geumbok, I mean! The one who had a tight grip on the Shaanxi martial world..."
Only when Im Seo-ryeon spoke did her master show an expression as if she had just remembered something. Smiling brightly and nodding, she said,
"Ah, that's right. Since you, Seo-ryeon, were in closed-door training, you would not have heard."
Im Seo-ryeon furrowed her brow.
Her master spoke with a beaming face.
"Not long ago, Venerable Geumbok sent an empty meal box to Jong Yuseop and killed him. After that, his ties with all the sects of Shaanxi were severed, and he disappeared. He received heaven's punishment, you could say."
"..."
Im Seo-ryeon could not comprehend her master's words. With one eyebrow raised, she tilted her head and stared into empty air for a moment, then looked back at her master and spoke.
"...Pardon?"