Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Dan Seoryeong
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There was good reason for Dan Seoryeong's impatience.
To begin with, neither she nor Dang Mujin were young anymore. They had long passed marriageable age and were bursting at the seams with it.
People typically wed before twenty, and not long after, they had children. Among their peers living in Chengdu, very few remained unmarried.
Yet Dan Seoryeong hadn't grown anxious until now because, though they hadn't held a formal wedding, their bond was tighter than that of most lovers.
It had been over a year since Dang Jesun had begun treating Dan Seoryeong like a daughter-in-law, doting on her endlessly.
The trouble started after Dang Mujin returned from the Demonic Cult.
Dan Seoryeong glanced sidelong at Mok Wan-ah. She was sorting prepared herbs but would occasionally look up to check where Dang Mujin was and what he was doing.
"It's not my imagination."
Dang Mujin didn't seem to harbor any special feelings for Mok Wan-ah. But her attitude toward him went beyond simple goodwill, no matter how one looked at it.
There was something in Mok Wan-ah's demeanor that was hard to put into words.
The way she looked at Dang Mujin felt strangely sweet and sticky, or her voice would soften just a touch when speaking to him.
To make matters worse, the situation grew even more serious once Mok Wan-ah began learning to read and write from Dang Mujin for an hour and a half each day.
It would have been better if someone else taught her, but no one stepped forward.
Hong Geolgae could read without issue but was a bit clumsy at writing.
Conversely, Namgung Myeong made a habit of dodging tedious tasks, so he was hardly the man for the job of tutoring Mok Wan-ah.
In the end, Dang Mujin—who had decent learning and was diligent—had no choice but to teach her. She understood the good intentions, but that only made her more uneasy.
Nothing had happened so far, but relations between men and women deepened naturally the more time they spent together. All the more so if one side harbored romantic feelings.
Dan Seoryeong clenched her fists tightly.
"No more dithering. It's time to settle this."
Dan Seoryeong had no idea how to navigate this situation.
But she had no worries. She knew the place in every village where the top experts on this topic gathered.
Dan Seoryeong shot up from her seat and headed to the nearest well.
Experts in love and family life. The gathering spot for village aunties and young housewives.
*
Over the next few days, Dang Mujin threw himself into training.
Once or twice a day, he crossed swords with Namgung Myeong, and whenever he had a moment, he received guidance from Samanbul.
Samanbul went without saying, but even Namgung Myeong was a master whose skill was recognized anywhere. Both were bored out of their minds lately and needed something to pass the time.
It wasn't just the two of them helping. The Demonic Cult members, intent on repaying the favor, would gather in the Dang Family Clinic courtyard every few days to create chaotic free-for-alls or one-on-many scenarios to aid Dang Mujin's training.
Namgung Myeong, watching Dang Mujin and Samanbul train, stuck out his tongue in amazement.
"You lucky bastard. I trained under plenty of investment myself, but nothing like the luxury you're enjoying."
"Really? I figured it was about the same. Your father's a transcendent warrior too, isn't he? And he must've had plenty of experts around."
"My father rarely oversaw my training personally. Does transcendent even matter? Having one clan elder help was cause for gratitude."
"Is that so? This isn't exactly a comfy fate either."
Dang Mujin, covered head to toe in dirt, let his sword droop as he spoke to Samanbul.
"By the way, I don't understand the point of this training."
Lately, what Dang Mujin and Samanbul were doing wasn't simple sparring.
It was more like a game with set rules. If Dang Mujin escaped the Dang Family Clinic fence without Samanbul catching him, Dang Mujin won. If he failed, Samanbul won.
There wasn't even a rule requiring him to use the gate, making it highly advantageous for Dang Mujin.
Yet he won maybe once in ten attempts, if that.
The reason was simple. Samanbul was overwhelmingly stronger.
Samanbul laughed at Dang Mujin's question.
"I guarantee you there's no more important training than this. Without this realization, you never would've broken through to transcendent."
"What's it even for?"
"Training to survive without dying."
Dang Mujin had suspected as much, but it wasn't entirely satisfying.
Samanbul's teachings strayed quite far from simply growing stronger.
"Isn't it better to win and survive than just run away and survive?"
"Of course winning is better. But unless you're the world's best, you can't win every fight. No—even the world's best can't win them all."
Samanbul approached Dang Mujin and brushed the dirt from his clothes. Despite his burly appearance, his touch was surprisingly gentle.
"When you face an opponent you can't handle, you must always be prepared to survive. In unfavorable situations, I've fled without hesitation and lived to reach this point."
"...Isn't that just you, Elder?"
"No way. Think of the Left Protector and Ghost King."
Dang Mujin recalled the two. The moment they judged they couldn't handle both Samanbul and Hwayeon Divine Nun, they averted their eyes and withdrew.
"...They survived, but it was a bit unsightly."
"Is unsightliness the issue? You have to know when to withdraw like that—when to flee—to seize the next opportunity. Especially if you're dreaming of revenge like you. A man who preserves his life even in failure will one day succeed in vengeance. One who never retreats dies pointlessly and fails."
Quite a few people had told Dang Mujin something similar.
The Ghost Physician, who valued pragmatism over pride, had said as much. So had Shackle Soul Old Man a few days ago. Yet Dang Mujin had never truly heeded such advice.
Samanbul continued.
"The Right Protector—who's dead now—knew when to retreat, as did the Cult Leader and Iron Line. Why do you think so many transcendent experts know when to pull back? Why are there no transcendent warriors who never retreat, no undefeated supreme under heaven?"
Dang Mujin answered lightly.
"Because you have to survive first to raise your martial prowess and plan for the future."
"Exactly. Right answer. Fools who lead with pride die quickly, but those who know when to retreat survive and reach higher realms. Simple truth of the world. But few practice it, and even fewer speak it aloud."
"But retreating doesn't guarantee victory next time."
"True. But you're the exception."
"Huh?"
When Dang Mujin asked again, Samanbul placed a massive hand on his shoulder.
"Of course, sometimes for revenge you can't retreat—you have to stake your life. If it's clear the opponent will grow stronger faster than you, and this is your last chance, you do it. But not you."
"I don't follow."
"Ordinary warriors' strength relies solely on their martial arts. Me, Namgung Myeong, the Cult Leader—all the same. But you have another way to grow stronger. Poison."
Samanbul gathered his thoughts briefly before speaking.
"You might hit a wall someday too. For most, that's the end. But you can grow stronger—not through martial talent, but poison."
"Well, yeah."
Just recently, simply obtaining the corpse poison had allowed Dang Mujin to perform beyond expectations and slay the Right Protector.
It wasn't all his own power, but poison had the biggest share, without doubt.
"Poison is tricky. Even I find it hard to deal with—not that I'm some average Joe. Few can grow stronger faster than you. You'll outpace others and always qualify to bide your time. That's why, when I first met you, I tried to kill you outright, ignoring everything else."
It sounded like praise, yet somehow like a curse or lingering grudge. Dang Mujin scratched his chin and let out a groan.
"Urgh..."
Samanbul grinned.
"Besides, being ready to escape anytime lets you fight more boldly and bravely. Win if you win; flee if you lose. Who could be braver than that?"
It was a ridiculous notion. Usually, it was the opposite: back to the river for desperate courage.
Yet Samanbul's words held their own persuasion.
Dang Mujin laughed too. Not just the content, but Samanbul's generous assessment and concern warmed him.
Seeing Dang Mujin get it, Samanbul released his shoulder.
"Alright, let's continue. Succeed this time."
Samanbul lightly shoved Dang Mujin to create distance, then swung his fist.
Less than half a beat later, Dang Mujin lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
*
Dang Mujin came to, sat up, and blew his nose hard.
Hardened blood clots cleared from his nostrils, easing his breathing.
He scooped water from a jar in the corner of the courtyard and rinsed off the light dirt.
After drying off and straightening his clothes, Dan Seoryeong crept up and stood beside him.
"Busy?"
Evenings were free for Dang Mujin. She knew that and asked anyway.
"Nope. Nothing keeping me busy anymore."
"Then, wanna go somewhere together this evening?"
"Where to?"
"They say there's a massive stone Buddha at the southern temple. I wanna see it."
"Talking about Neungunsa Temple, right?"
"Yeah."
Head south from Chengdu, and you'd hit Neungunsa Temple, home to a colossal stone Buddha carved from a cliff face.
The Central Plains were vast with endless wonders, but Neungunsa Buddha was special among them. Tourists visiting Sichuan always hit Dokgang Rock and Neungunsa first. Dang Mujin had been there as a child.
He didn't deliberate long. After training all day, there was no reason not to spare the evening for Dan Seoryeong.
"Go now?"
Dan Seoryeong nodded.
*
The two moved briskly with lightness skills. When Dan Seoryeong slowed, Dang Mujin carried her on his back.
They arrived at Neungunsa as dusk fell.
Entering the temple, the first thing they saw wasn't the Buddha but the soft-glowing lanterns. Hung at head height in neat grid like a go board, they shone at regular intervals.
Amid the colorful lights mingled the temple's unique incense, leaving Dang Mujin and Dan Seoryeong entranced, as if in another world.
"Wow. Spectacular."
"Isn't this your first time at Neungunsa?"
"I came with Father as a kid, but it was daytime—no lanterns lit."
Dan Seoryeong looked around. Just as the wellside women had said, most people nearby were young men and women.
When she'd asked at the well, they'd all recommended coming to Neungunsa late evening.
Hold hands, admire the lanterns, then slip out amid the crickets—naturally leading into secluded thickets.
Even strangers supposedly ended up that way, per the village women.
The proof was solid: four women Dan Seoryeong met at the well had met their husbands here.
Right ahead, a similar scene unfolded. A man and woman who'd come separately now stood side by side as if it were the most natural thing.
Dan Seoryeong smiled in satisfaction.
"This is it. Perfect."
She sidled up to Dang Mujin and took his hand lightly. Back in the village, it might earn a scolding for indecency, but here it was commonplace.
Dang Mujin squeezed her hand and stared straight into her eyes.
"Shall we go see the Buddha?"
"Huh...?"
Dang Mujin strode off, pulling Dan Seoryeong toward the stone Buddha.
It felt oddly off-plan, but within acceptable bounds.
They spent a good while admiring the massive Buddha, both marveling at it.
Both had interests in crafting, so a brief debate ensued on how it was made.
They returned to the lantern area, but Dang Mujin walked straight out of the temple.
"Already leaving?"
"Yeah? Didn't we come to see the Buddha?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
Dan Seoryeong sensed something wrong. But it wasn't ruined.
The mood between them was sweeter than usual, and Neungunsa's true value lay outside.
Leaving the temple, faint signs of people rustled from the surrounding thickets.
An ordinary person might miss it, but not high-skilled Dang Mujin or Dan Seoryeong, who knew basic internal arts.
Whispers of men and women, rustling bushes leaked from spots here and there.
Even excited breaths from a couple places.
This was the core the village women described.
Build romance hand-in-hand under lanterns, then step out into the dim, serene woods—inevitably advancing to the next step.
Dan Seoryeong tugged Dang Mujin's hand lightly, veering toward denser thickets off the path.
But Dang Mujin, flustered by the sounds all around, missed her bold signal.
"Urgh. Better hurry past."
His oblivious remark startled Dan Seoryeong.
"...Huh? Just go?"
"Yeah? Problem?"
"No, my legs hurt... Let's rest and go slow."
She fixed him with an intense gaze. But Dang Mujin didn't get it.
"I'll carry you then."
He crouched naturally, offering his back.
Dan Seoryeong sighed inwardly. Dense as a rock.
*
Dang Mujin raced like the wind, finally setting Dan Seoryeong down back at the Dang Family Clinic.
She'd sent quite a few bold signals while on his back, but his perception was glacially slow in that direction.
As she stood motionless under the night sky, not entering the annex, Dang Mujin asked.
"What's up? Gonna stay out longer?"
"...Yeah."
Dan Seoryeong watched Dang Mujin's retreating back into the annex. No hiding her deflation.
She wandered the clinic grounds, staring at the dim crescent moon. Then she sensed movement in the darkness.
Thinking it some intruder, Dan Seoryeong startled back. But a familiar voice followed.
"You look troubled."
Hwayeon Divine Nun emerged from the shadows, oddly excited.