Chapter 23

Danwoo-seong, having seen off the young masters of the Gu Yang family and returning to his quarters, encountered the youngest son, Lee Ja-eon, who had been busy recognizing Kang Ho-sik’s letter carrier and returning.

The youngest brother paused and asked.

“Brother, have you finished your duel?”

“Yes, it’s over.”

“Already?”

Lee Ja-eon blinked his eyes as if he’d missed a good show, then cautiously inquired.

“I heard three people came, but how many times did you lose?”

“Why do you think they lost?”

“Ah, well, it seems they probably played it like a wheel game. If I’d been there, I would have split them up and fought them individually.”

Lee Ja-eon was being extremely careful with his words and actions after getting beaten up. Dan Woo-sung sighed.

‘If that were the case, it would have been one win and one loss.’

Danwooseong said flatly.

“We just won them all.”

Lee Ja-eon’s eyes widened.

“Is it strange that I won?”

Lee Ja-eon shook his head at his brother’s question.

“Ah, no. You worked hard.”

Danwooseong watched the youngest member trudge away, his back somehow looking lonely. Danwooseong swallowed a curse.

‘Ah, what a pathetic little loser.’

It was only natural to be happy when his older brother won, but he was projecting his own disappointment onto the situation.

Danwooseong resolved to quickly implement the plan he’d conceived earlier—a seemingly coincidental yet inevitable encounter. To do that, he needed the help of his idle friends.

Dan Wooseong met with Lee Hwa-eon until evening to discuss something and prepare a few items, then set out to meet his friends.

.

.

.

“What could he possibly want to see us about? It doesn’t seem like he just wants to drink.”

Though they said this, Samaguk and Ju Jaryang seemed genuinely pleased to see their friend at a drinking gathering after so long.

The three deliberately took seats in a private room and began their secret plotting. Dan Woo-sung placed three slips of paper in front of Sima Gyeok and Ju Ja-ryang respectively and said.

“This is the advance payment.”

“Whoa!”

“Oh! What a pleasant surprise!”

Actually, it was money stolen from the head of the Small Sword Sect. Since the money pouch was packed quite full, he felt like he was handing out pocket money to his friends. Unlike Gu Woong, his friends weren’t exactly well-off, so they stared at the bank slip in astonishment, examining it from every angle.

“Wow, giving this much money as an advance payment? Who are you asking to kill? Killing someone feels a bit off, so I’ll just beat them up instead. Who is it? Just tell me.”

It was Samagyeok’s joke. Jujaryang laughed and replied.

“Oh my, if you want to kill someone, you’ll just do it yourself now. You wouldn’t make us do it. Come on, tell me. What’s going on? I’ve got nothing else to do, so I’ll help you no matter what.”

Dan Woo-sung said, looking at Ju Ja-ryang and Sima Gyeok.

“I plan to create a martial world opportunity for the youngest. Listen first, then ask any questions you have.”

The two nodded, and Dan Woosung continued.

“The youngest is a martial world prodigy.”

“I know.”

“Still at it? That guy never learns. He should just join a sect. But he’d hate that, wouldn’t he? That armchair martial artist.”

Dan Woo-sung grinned.

“I had a talk with the second son. The youngest seems to believe something was at Guwhasan, near the place where I was recuperating. You two just need to arrange a chance encounter there.”

“Arrange? Arrange a divine opportunity?”

“Failed scholar, I’ll trust your cunning. Guohua Mountain is the ideal location to begin with. Its terrain is rugged, and there are quite a few caves and cavities scattered about. I’ve marked this on a simplified map I made centered around the safe house. It was also my walking route.”

Sima Jue asked.

“I understand the role of the failed scholar, but what about me?”

Dan Woo-sung looked at Sima Geuk and said.

“You are our youngest brother’s master.”

Sama Gyeok responded with a dazed expression, as if he’d been struck.

“I was his master? How could this be? That I’ve already taken on a disciple… He’s a disciple I really don’t like. No wonder I feel like expelling him the moment I took him on.”

“How many times have you seen the youngest?”

Sama Gyeok racked his brain.

“Hardly more than once or twice every few years. Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I last saw him.”

Dan Wuseong pointed a finger at Sima Jue’s face.

“With just a little disguise, he’d be unrecognizable. You could use an impersonation mask—you can manage that much, right?”

Sama Gyeok nodded.

“I’ve accepted it. But if I were your master, what should I do? Can’t you teach him yourself?”

Dan Woo-sung retorted.

“Me? The youngest doesn’t respect me. Would you respect me? Just because I suddenly got stronger and came back.”

“That’s not it. They just fought a lot.”

Dan Woo-sung nodded.

“Actually, I beat him up a bit right after he returned.”

“Good call. Ja-eon needs a little discipline.”

I believe respect is the most crucial element between a master and disciple. Even if the disciple eventually surpasses the master, maintaining that respect is what defines a proper master-disciple relationship. In that sense, my teaching isn’t efficient, the compatibility isn’t good, and frankly, nothing about it is good. I have feelings too, you see. It’ll get confusing whether I’m teaching or just wanting to beat him. The youngest has a personality that subtly invites punishment, you see.”

Sama Gyeok nodded vigorously, as if in deep agreement.

“That’s right. Absolutely. A master and disciple should feel a bond born of respect. But does the youngest even respect me?”

Dan Woo-sung poured each of them a glass of liquor and smiled.

“Of course. He’s a master you met by fate—how could he not respect you?”

Sama Gyeok and Ju Jaryang burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! Ah, so that’s how the story goes. Now I understand the plan more or less.”

Dan Woosung waited for his drinking companions to finish before continuing.

“There are a few things lacking here. First, the martial arts manual is the most urgent. I’ll look into it.”

Sama Gyeok and Ju Jaryang waited for their friend’s words. It seemed like a playful request at first glance, but listening to him speak, there was a consistently serious aspect to it. They sensed it wasn’t just a simple joke.

Dan Woo-sung said to Sima Geuk.

“If you receive the martial arts manual, you can learn it first and then pass it on. After all, your current skill far surpasses the youngest brother’s. Even if you both learn the same manual, you’ll have much more to teach him. If you faced the youngest brother in a real fight right now, do you think you could defeat him in just a few moves?”

Sama Gyeok tilted his head.

“Well, I suppose Ja-un never had a proper master, did he?”

“He didn’t.”

“I could probably beat him with one hand. That guy was all flash and no substance.”

Sama Gyeok was a man preparing for the entrance exam, while the youngest, Lee Ja-eon, was a man eager to venture into the martial world. The difference in their levels was clear. After all, he was a man preparing for the entrance exam.

Danwooseong nodded.

“Then that’s sufficient. But I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“Train him harshly. He can’t rely solely on manuals. Think of it as teaching him real combat. Keep sparring with him using wooden swords as if you’re beating him. That will help improve his skills. The martial world is about real combat.”

Sama Gyeok nodded.

“Getting hit is the fastest way to learn. It’s how your body learns the sword. Don’t worry about that. I’ve been wanting to hit you for a while now, but I held back. This time, I’ll beat you soundly. Of course, with a master’s affection.”

“Then, thank you.”

Dan Woo-sung handed over a large key and a letter.

“Here’s the key to the safe house. This is a brief note I’ve passed to the person managing it. You two should use the safe house as your base and create opportunities. In the meantime, I’ll procure the martial arts manual and deliver it to the safe house. If I find anything useful to support you, I’ll send it over often. The rest is entirely up to you two. Think of it as rescuing a person—take on some responsibilities.”

Zhu Ziliang replied, holding the note in both hands.

“Honestly, that’s way too much advance payment for the job I’m giving you. This is enough, so let’s drop the money talk here. It’s something I could do even without being paid, so it feels like you’re being overly generous. Sama-geuk, you agree?”

Sama Gyeok nodded.

“Of course. Did Jawan use a sword?”

“He’s the one who sang that ‘the sword is the king of all cures’.”

Sama Gyeok replied, stroking his chin.

“Perfect. I should properly train at Gu Huashan this time. It’s a suitable place for training, right?”

“There’s no better place than that.”

Dan Wuseong gave a faint smile.

While I did hope for the youngest’s training, I also secretly wished that Sima Jue would train seriously. In a way, this matter was also meant to be Dan Wuseong’s way of supporting his friends in various ways, including financially.

He also wanted to see if the failed scholar possessed any ‘military’ aptitude, and under the pretext of Lee Ja-eon, he hoped Sima Gyeok would confront his own destiny.

Moreover, if he left his youngest son unchecked, he might run off to the martial world and encounter someone like Gu Yanghou, risking serious misguidance. Since a harmonious family is the foundation of all success, he intended not to neglect household discipline.

Who knows?

If the fate of a man named Lee Jae-eon were to change through various circumstances, that in itself would be a good thing.

Danwooseong returned home late at night after scheming with his friends about their scheme.

Now it was Dan Woo-sung’s turn to prepare.

.

.

.

Dan Wooseong briefly met with the Ssangbo brothers before returning to his room and sitting down at his desk.

He had no intention of paying money to buy the martial arts manual.

To his friend…

And he intended to personally create the sword technique he wished to teach his younger brother, writing the manual himself.

Of course, in his previous life, he had never created a sword technique. A man who trained in fist techniques had no reason to create sword techniques.

However, he knew more about the practical theory of swords than anyone else. Because he had to face countless swordsmen. In that sense, the sword technique Kwonwang created would be a style rarely found even in the martial world.

If forced to describe it, it would be a sword technique that breaks sword techniques. He planned to quickly draft the initial manuscript and then review it later. But when he actually sat down to write, the biggest problem was the name for the sword technique.

This one thing required a little time to ponder.

Danwooseong stood with his arms crossed, pondering many things. His own inclinations, Samagyeok’s inclinations, his younger brother’s character… He also thought about the essence of the sword. He had no intention of creating a manual focused on techniques, like some stale, ancient manual. The martial arts of the Fist King always pursued the principle of “winning without a move”—adapting to the situation.

He didn’t expect the two to grasp the ultimate sword intent instantly. After all, defeating a sword with techniques using a sword without techniques was a dreamlike notion.

Dan Woo-sung believed he was merely opening a path.

After much deliberation, Danwooseong wrote the name of the sword technique at the top. Since he was creating this opportunity anyway, he intended to pull off a proper scam. Thinking of a name for the sword technique passed down only as legend, he changed the original character for ‘nine’ (九) to ‘investigate’ (究) and wrote it down.

Thus, the sword technique’s name became Dugu Jiu Jian (獨孤究劍).

It meant a sword technique that pursued the ultimate alone and in solitude, so even compared to the legendary sword technique, the Dugu Nine Swords, the meaning wasn’t bad.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong

=======================================