Shanxi (4)

134. Shanxi (4)

A slightly sad, wistful sound of a flute. The clear, ringing tone soon broke into a light, lively run, and in time with it, the estate's enormous tree shattered into splinters.

Pure Sound Art. Lee Eun-ha, who had thrown up both hands and surrendered even at the preparatory stance of the Taiji Wisdom Sword, had succeeded in a sonic art in a single stroke the moment she received Moon Immortal's guidance.

"Ah... No!!"

Lee Eun-ha rushed toward the tree, horrified by the power of the sonic art she had unleashed.

"Junior Sister, what's wrong? Did something go wrong?"

Son Yeong, who had been about to congratulate her on the success of the sonic art, stiffened with worry at the sight of Lee Eun-ha's face gone pale.

"Th-this tree! It's a tree of the rented manor! If you damage the manor's property, you have to pay for it when you leave. For a tree this enormous, how much money would it take..."

Lee Eun-ha gazed at the split tree, grieving as desperately as if she had lost a nation. A large, well-grown tree like this would be worth a few silver taels at most, but hearing her speak that way after she'd earned the Peng Clan Head and elders six hundred taels of gold had begun to seem a little funny.

"Don't worry. The Red Flower Pavilion Mistress will pay for it. If you feel bad, Junior Sister Lee can become an instructor at Red Flower Pavilion like Junior Sister Son and teach them the Pure Sound Art."

Jeong-hyang never had a single worry and always wore a bright, beaming smile.

"That's a good idea. The people of Red Flower Pavilion should all be skilled at playing instruments, after all."

Our Master was willing to pass on her martial arts over nothing more than the possible cost of a tree. This was why the subordinate forces fell completely head over heels for her.

—Teaching it to the courtesans is fine, but you shouldn't expect great results. This sonic art is old, extremely simple, and easy to learn, but sonic arts are inherently weak. It can produce this much power only because the Medicine Immortal's disciple possesses such immense internal energy.—

When Moon Immortal returned to me after quickly finishing her instruction of Lee Eun-ha, the other heroes began murmuring among themselves, offering their own views on this peculiar sonic art.

—Hm. It really does seem like a genuinely old martial art. All it does is imbue sound with internal energy and project it forward. There's no effect that shakes the emotions or disturbs the sense of balance. At this level, it's hardly any different from a Lion's Roar, is it?—

—It's different from a Lion's Roar. It's easy to direct, and you can make it resonate continuously. The range is far longer and wider, isn't it? Considering it's a martial art from the Tang Dynasty, it must have been an extraordinary one.—

—Old martial arts are pure because they are simple. Martial arts change with the times, but there's no guarantee that change is progress. Didn't the Murong Clan Head say so? That Yeong-ok's Great Clarity Internal Art is purer than Wudang's current.—

As time passed, martial arts deteriorated. Some changes were made for the sake of improvement, like the way a genius such as Son Yeong reworked the Snow-White Sword, but many others produced inferior versions instead.

—What's wrong with simple? For Medicine Immortal's disciple, there's no martial art as perfectly suited as this one. Besides, it's not bad at all. Because it's such an old martial art, it consumes far less internal energy than the sonic arts of our era. Probably because it lacks additional effects like confusion or dizziness.—

'Old martial art,' they kept saying. They were from two hundred years ago themselves, but the Tang Dynasty era ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠must have been on another level entirely. It was five hundred years even before their time. Seven hundred years was a dizzying span of time. Through reincarnation, I had crossed six hundred years of time, from the twenty-first century to the fifteenth. The funny thing was that the current early Ming was actually closer in time to the People's Republic of China than to the Tang Dynasty.

—It's a more excellent martial art than I thought. The Shennong Art is also an ancient martial art, so it seems to pair well with older ones. Thank you for looking after Eun-ha.—

The Medicine Immortal, unusually speaking the Central Plains language, addressed the Moon Immortal.

—Then why didn't you ever think of learning a sonic art while you were alive? From the fact that you learned even a unarmed martial art, you're better off than your disciple, but you were so terribly clumsy that you couldn't even learn swordsmanship, right?—

Perhaps embarrassed to receive pure gratitude, Moon Immortal asked brusquely.

—I have no great sense of pitch, so I still can't do sonic ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠arts. Eun-ha is the unusual one. Normally, a person of outstanding talent like you or your disciple naturally has an excellent sense of pitch, and a clumsy-bodied person has a clumsy sense of pitch, too.—

I agreed with Medicine Immortal's words. Lee Eun-ha. A truly peculiar person. Her dexterous hands were suited to delicate movements, her brain, which held vast numbers of recipes, was suited to memorizing oral formulas, and a sense of rhythm was an enormously important quality for moving the body. With all those abilities, how the hell was she an even duller dunce than me?

—Yeongmok. Our Eun-ha has now become a martial artist who can carry her weight. Buy her a pretty pipa as a congratulatory gift. A small flute can also produce a sonic art, but it is not suited to battle.—

Medicine Immortal spoke in a slightly buoyant voice. Until now, Lee Eun-ha had not been my woman, and I had been knowingly or unknowingly excluding her when it came to things like jewelry gifts, but now that I knew her heart, it was a good time to give her a present.

—A gift is fine, but does the sonic art depend on the instrument? Is a pipa stronger than a flute?—

—Not that, but a flute is an instrument you blow into with your mouth. If a fight drags on, your breathing becomes difficult.—

Ah... that made sense. As long as a flute remained a wind instrument, you would eventually have to keep blowing air into it, so in a protracted battle, there was no way you could properly circulate qi with labored breathing. A stringed instrument like a gayageum would be a bit more stylish, but it was far too large to carry around, and in the end, as Medicine Immortal had said, a pipa was the most suitable.

—But, Elders. There is something truly important. That Tang Dynasty ghost from earlier. To be honest, it was the first time I had ever seen a ghost shed its earthly attachments and ascend. It seems that the moment you lose all attachments to this world, you ascend in an instant. You Elders have now become people of tremendous importance to me and to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yeongsan Sect. But someday, if your attachments vanish, you too might return to heaven. When do you each think that time will be?—

Far more than the Pure Sound Art Lee Sam had left behind, his ascension had delivered a much greater shock to me. The Yeongsan Sect and I had come this far because the power of these six spirits was absolute. Someday, the hour of parting from them would come, but I had been taken aback by the obvious fact that the timing might be far sooner than I was prepared for.

Even if they were to vanish, the Yeongsan Sect still had me, a first-rate master, enough funds to last decades even with considerable extravagance, and countless peerless secret manuals remaining. It was clearly a form incomparable to the Yeongsan Sect of the past, yet the Yeongsan Sect without them was still nothing more than a third-rate sect. The single most important reason the White Tiger Sect, Seungdeok Manor, and Red Flower Pavilion proclaimed themselves subordinate to Yeongsan was, after all, my absolute martial might in the company of the four heroes, and the reason the Martial Alliance, the Murong Clan, and the Peng Clan respected us was likewise my personal martial might.

At my sudden question, Hwangseong, who, like me, had already been thinking about ascension, spoke first.

—To be honest, I know it's excessive greed, but after looking around the Murong Clan and the Gongsun Clan, I still find Yeongsan lacking. Yeongmok. You are truly doing well. I am truly grateful. But my wish is not only for you to become strong. It is for the Yeongsan Sect to soar grandly. I know it's a desire unbecoming a Daoist. But you have already shown me that vast dream. I think I will surely stay and watch the Yeongsan Sect flourish until your disciple's disciples, and only then depart.—

Hwangseong's attachment. The fallen Yeongsan Sect. But since the Yeongsan Sect had pulled off such a complete reversal in fortune, I had assumed he would be the first to leave. The old gentleman had a larger scale than I'd thought. Come to think of it, even if he seemed a bit laughable sometimes, he was the man who had refused both Wudang and Mount Hua after the Blood Sect Rebellion.

—I've already told you. My lingering attachment is the regret of losing my disciple. When you someday surpass us, I will ascend without any lingering attachment.—

As expected of the Flame Emperor, my teacher. Seeing as that was probably impossible, I would just have to perform the Soul-Ascension Art on him around the time I grew old and died.

—Everyone's so relaxed. My attachment is that I could not pass the Mount Tai Strike on to the Mount Tai Sect, but as I became entangled in the affairs of this world, a new attachment arose. When our Ryeong has lived happily and someday grows old and dies, then I will leave this world together with Ryeong.—

Wow. This man truly never changed. Cho-ryeong and Geo Am could converse only because I was there to use the Spirit Vessel Art. Someday Cho-ryeong would marry and leave Yeongsan Sect. Was Geo Am saying he would exchange no words with her then and simply watch over her?

—You're the relaxed one, Geo Am. I'll leave once Son Yeong has fully mastered the Moonlit Divine Sword. My lingering attachment has already ended.—

Unlike the men, Moon Immortal spoke decisively.

—Around when would that be?—

—It won't take long. Yeong is different from me. I am always at her side to guide her, her internal energy is not lacking in the slightest thanks to Medicine Immortal's elixir, and her yin energy is fully supplied by the Yin Blossom Art. In about thirty years, Son Yeong will probably achieve a martial prowess similar to mine when I was alive.—

Thirty years. The age at which Son Yeong, now a young lady lovely as a flower, would become a middle-aged woman. This was enough. But Heosan spoke in a somewhat regretful voice.

—I'm sorry, but my lingering attachment is probably the weakest here. While bound to Dong-o Peak, I always worried about my sect, Wudang. But I am told Wudang still stands as a pillar of the Martial World in this age, so once I climb Wudang and pay my respects to my grandmaster and master, I will have no attachment left. In life, I took no disciples and trained only in my own martial arts, so I have discovered that teaching is rather enjoyable. Especially your master, Yeong-ok. Even if the Wuji Sword is beyond her, I must someday see that child perform a perfect Taiji before I depart.—

In Heosan's case, his attachments had been mostly resolved from the start. Typically, the regrets of a great martial artist involved worry for their sect or the severance of their martial arts, but Wudang was a place where such things would never happen. Though it was hard to even imagine now, Heosan had been a third-generation disciple of Wudang. Even if Wudang had been thriving in his era, it had ultimately been a newly established sect, so while I could understand his concern, the words "I worried Wudang might fall" would draw a hollow laugh from any martial artist of the modern age.

At any rate, a perfect Taiji. He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠must be speaking of the Twelfth Stage of the Taiji Wisdom Sword. My master, who poured all her training solely into the Great Clarity Internal Art and the Taiji Wisdom Sword, would one day reach the Twelfth Stage. The Taiji Wisdom Sword was slow to achieve, but if you walked steadily and steadfastly, anyone could reach it. Perhaps Heosan might be the first to ascend, in about three years.

—I, too, have no great lingering attachment. It remained a deep regret that my two sons and my daughter accepted neither the Shennong Art nor the study of medicine, but I have seen my descendant Do-hwa, and I have already passed all my knowledge of the Shennong Art and medicine to Eun-ha. I expect I will simply watch over Eun-ha, speak with the Moon Immortal from time to time, and ascend before long.—

I had expected this, somewhat, of Medicine Immortal. After reuniting with Do-hwa in Beijing and helping her in her difficult situation, Medicine Immortal's voice had become remarkably lighter, unlike a ghost's. In the end, Hwangseong seemed likely to remain in this world until even after my death; the Flame Emperor until I died; Geo Am until Cho-ryeong left Yeongsan; Moon Immortal for the next thirty years; Heosan for about three years; and Medicine Immortal for even less than that.

—Do not worry yourself overmuch. The Yeongsan Sect has already received a grace greater than it deserves from these people. Someday, parting will come, but like the Tang Dynasty ghost we met today, there are still many spirits throughout the world. I, too, will now stop idling and continue to seek new spirits with the Spirit-Summoning Art throughout our journey.—

Hwangseong offering me encouragement in his own way. Honestly, it was true that their help was something I would miss, but keeping them in this world forever would be far too unfair to them. Hwangseong was right. The Four Heroes of Dong-o had been the mightiest masters of the Yuan Dynasty, but today I had already seen a ghost from the Tang Dynasty as well. Somewhere under heaven, there might be the mightiest ghost of the Song Dynasty, or even a ghost from a distant ancient state like Han or Qin.

With the consumption of the Yaksan Pill last time, just three years from now, every member of Yeongsan Sect would come to harbor an immense internal energy of at least one gapja. Moreover, we were the successors of the four heroes. Someday, we would become lofty masters. If a situation still arose where our strength was insufficient, then we would have to seek spirits again.

The preparations were already in place. There was no need to worry right now. But when those who had warmly looked after the Yeongsan Sect as if it were an orphanage departed, it would likely feel a little lonely. Parents and teachers are fated to part from their children and disciples someday. When the time to bid them farewell came, we, too, would have to prepare for new encounters. Yeongsan could not remain a child forever, and so we would also become adults and welcome new disciples.

Disciples. Disciples I would meet someday, to carry on the Yeongsan Sect. In this life, every single one of my teachers had been an overly magnificent person. My father, who taught me the family martial arts. My one and only Master, who was now my lover. Patriarch Hwangseong, who left me the Spirit-Binding Art. The Flame Emperor, my teacher, who saved me from a horrifying reality and raised a dullard like me to this point. And in truth, Heosan, Geo Am, and Moon Immortal were also precious teachers who had toughened me.

I had received far more than I deserved from numerous great teachers. Could I truly become a good teacher to my own disciples, as they were to me?