Chapter 28

“Are you at peace?”


– No. Too simple.


“It was a beautiful song. You sing well, brother.”


– No. It feels like you’re asking me to sing again later. How shallow.


“…Annoying.”


Yeonghwa, who was practicing greetings in front of the mirror in preparation for meeting Mantian, soon let out an annoyed sigh.


She was irritated at herself for losing her composure over such a simple song and practicing greetings. What annoyed her the most was that while she was worrying, Mantian was probably strumming his lute with a carefree expression.


…But is he really that carefree?


A sudden flash of insight sparks in her mind. A shift in perspective.


He sang a song to express his sorrowful love, ignoring others’ opinions, and didn’t even get a response, just a cold rejection.


If… just if, something impossible happened, and I confessed my love to him.


If he didn’t respond and just ran away, I would be so embarrassed and heartbroken that I’d burn him to death and then hang myself.


In other words, he must be extremely embarrassed right now. Probably kicking his blanket in frustration.


Then now is my chance. His attack failed. The winds of love are blowing in my favor. It’s my turn to attack.


“Do you think you can win over this Sima Yeonghwa’s heart with just a song? Dream on.”


Looking in the mirror, she tilts her head slightly, raises her left hand to cover her lips, and smirks.


“That’s not nearly enough. You’ll have to do better.”


– Perfect. This is it.


No more wasting time, Yeonghwa kicks open the door and strides elegantly toward Mantian’s room.


She’s about to give that mischievous brother, who’s been carefree and messing with people’s hearts, a taste of his own medicine.


A proud, satisfied smile spreads across Yeonghwa’s face.


‧


‧


‧


He’s gone. Mantian is nowhere to be seen. Not in his room, not in his usual spots. Where could he have disappeared to?


‘…Did he run away because he got rejected?’


Mantian, who usually sneaks quietly by Yeonghwa’s side without being asked, is now absent, making his absence even more noticeable.


The house, which always felt large, now feels even bigger and colder.


As Yeonghwa stands silently in the hallway with a dark expression, a maid cleaning nearby approaches with a curious look.


“Miss, are you looking for something?”


“No-.”


Yeonghwa tries to smile gently and say, ‘It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,’ but what comes out of her mouth is completely different.


“Um… where is Mantian right now?”


***


He checks the neatly stacked sacks of bean powder, rice, and other preserved foods.


“Hmm~ Everything’s accounted for.”


Having finished checking the second food storage built on the back mountain in case of a fire at home, he realizes there’s no real need for him to check since there are servants managing it.


He just needed an excuse to go up the mountain to avoid his mother’s watchful eye.


“Then I’ll take a walk and come back later. You all go ahead.”


He hands the warehouse key to the servants who came up with him and heads up the mountain alone.


When he was younger, he could secretly practice martial arts in his room, but as he grew older and bigger, it became harder.


Step- step-


He limps up the mountain. Wearing thin clothes with weights inside, it’s quite strenuous. He could use his internal energy to make it easier, but this is basic physical training, so that would defeat the purpose.


His master always emphasized the importance of basics, and through his own martial arts training, he realized how crucial they are. Without a solid foundation, you can’t do anything.


Sweating, he continues until he reaches a suitable clearing for training. His secret little training ground.


Lately, he hasn’t had much time to train due to looking after Yeonghwa. Today, he plans to train hard.


First, he practices the Dog Chasing Stick Technique with only his right hand. It flows smoothly, as it’s the martial art he’s invested the most time in.


Then, he practices with only his left hand. The basic forms flow just as fast as with his right hand. A significant improvement from when he first started.


Alternating between right and left hands, he repeats the basic forms of the Dog Chasing Stick Technique from start to finish.


He envisions various scenarios: fighting opponents larger, smaller, on higher ground, lower ground, or on unstable terrain.


He creates multiple imaginary enemies, but they all have one thing in common: they’re several times stronger than him, like those his master has fought.


He recalls the various martial artists his master has shown him and fights against their swords, spears, and fists.


…Embarrassingly, he’s never won. It makes him realize how amazing his master is, not just for defeating such opponents but also for stealing their martial arts.


Catching his breath, he wipes the sweat dripping down his sleeves. His body feels pleasantly warm. The fresh air fills his lungs.


It feels good. Today, he feels like he can master the Double Hands Fighting technique.


Focusing his mind, he divides his thoughts into two.


Right- Dog Chasing Stick Technique, Left- Empty Clarity Fist.


He inputs different forms into each arm, executing two different martial arts simultaneously without any error.


…And then the forms get tangled, his arms flail wildly, his center of gravity is thrown off, and he falls flat on his back.


Lying on the dirt, he stares blankly at the blue sky.


Double Hands Fighting… Why does this little brat bounce around like this? Huh? So~ cute.


Once I master it, I’ll use it endlessly, like King Sejong using Hwang Hui.


“…Sigh.”


A tired sigh escapes. Once the flow is broken, fatigue sets in. Sticky sweat crawls all over his body. It feels gross.


…Come to think of it, there’s a river just a bit further. Should I go wash up?


***


He heads to the cool river to wash off his sweat, but unfortunately, there’s already a guest.


A muscular man in his mid to late thirties, with hair too long for a monk but too short for a civilian, is washing his body in the flowing river, shirtless.


At first glance, he looks extraordinary, but what’s more peculiar is the large tattoo on his back.


A fierce-looking giant engulfed in flames, sitting solemnly with a burning sword. It resembles the Four Heavenly Kings seen in temples.


“Nice tattoo. Is that the Buddhist Four Heavenly Kings?”


At his question, the tattooed man turns and answers calmly. His voice is as deep and serious as his appearance.


“Similar, but different. It’s not Buddhist but one of the Five Great Wisdom Kings of Esoteric Buddhism, Fudō Myōō.”


Fudō Myōō~ Now that he mentions it, it does look familiar. Usually seen in yakuza manga, either on the protagonist or the antagonist boss.


Since this is the martial arts world, the man probably isn’t a yakuza but likely has it for religious reasons.


“Anyway, it’s cool. Well, enjoy your bath.”


His curiosity satisfied, and not wanting to share the river with a muscular man, he turns to leave when a voice calls him from behind.


“Wait, I have a question. Do you have a moment?”


“Ah… Sure. If it’s something I know, I’ll answer. Go ahead.”


It would be rude to ignore him after initiating the conversation, so he turns back to face the man. The tattooed man clasps his hands together, gives a slight bow, and steps out of the water.


Even from a distance, his muscles were impressive, but up close, their density is even more astounding. And surprisingly, his rugged appearance contrasts with his upright and kind eyes.


He’s also incredibly tall. Not as tall as his master, but at least 190 cm.


As he looks up at the man, the man sits on a flat rock nearby, matching his eye level.


“First, a brief introduction. I am the Dharma Protector Lion of Esoteric Buddhism, Mukgang.”


Just by stating his name, the atmosphere around them grows heavy and intense.


“And I’ve come to this village to kill a monster from the Baehwa Church. Have you seen it?”


It’s a strange question, but for some reason, the image of Fudō Myōō and Mukgang overlap in his mind.