A Glimpse Through the Clouds(1)
In the main hall, two men were deep in conversation.
It was Ma Cheol-gun and Old Master No.
“I never imagined this day would come so soon,” Ma Cheol-gun said, his voice filled with emotion.
Old Master No responded with a joyful expression, “It is destiny. The will of the heavens has reached you, Leader. Now, you just need to follow the path laid out for you.”
“Thank you. From now on, I will rely on you as my chief strategist.”
The titles of Leader and Chief Strategist were still unfamiliar to them.
For a moment, they both drifted into reflections of the past.
Old Master No had questions he wanted to ask Ma Cheol-gun. Ma Cheol-gun had risen as a hero in the martial world by defeating the demonic forces.
Yet, Old Master No had not been part of that journey. He was never told how Ma Cheol-gun had obtained such crucial information. He had been deliberately kept in the dark.
However, it wasn’t as if he had been abandoned. Ma Cheol-gun had later appointed him as the chief strategist of the martial alliance, as if nothing had happened.
‘Could it be that a hidden force had informed him?’
Old Master No was aware of the existence of such a force. There was no reason to lie about receiving information from them.
‘Why was I excluded?’
He needed to ask.
Relationships often break down because questions are left unasked. One must seek the truth, judge, and act accordingly, rather than making assumptions.
‘Could it have something to do with the death of the previous leader?’
He knew he shouldn’t let doubts and suspicions fester.
Despite knowing this, Old Master No couldn’t bring himself to speak.
He feared that the truth from Ma Cheol-gun’s lips would be something he couldn’t bear, that it would be wrapped in lies. The moment he recognized those lies, he would be terrified.
“We need to establish the organization swiftly,” Ma Cheol-gun said.
Old Master No replied, “I will proceed as quickly as possible.”
“They might target you, Old Master No. I’ll assign the Seven Dragons to protect you.”
The Seven Dragons were elite warriors who had once guarded Ma Cheol-gun before he became the leader. Now, with the Tiger Brigade as his protectors, he no longer needed them.
“Thank you.”
Old Master No accepted the offer without hesitation.
He decided not to ask in the end. Whatever the hidden truth, he chose Ma Cheol-gun. Together, they would navigate the martial world.
Just as Ma Cheol-gun aspired to become a legend, Old Master No wished to be remembered as a strategist like Gal Sa-ryang.
That night, Ma Cheol-gun awoke suddenly.
He glanced at the moonlit sky through the window, then turned over.
“Gah!”
He was startled.
A woman lay beside him, gazing at him. It was the mysterious woman.
“Damn it!”
He cursed, but that was all he could manage.
In the moonlight, her beauty was overwhelming. Her slightly exposed, pale chest was incredibly alluring. It wasn’t just her physical beauty that captivated him.
There was an indescribable aura about her. It was akin to elegance, yet too intense to be called that—more like an overwhelming presence.
Combined with her stunning appearance, Ma Cheol-gun found her allure irresistible.
Even knowing she was using her charms against him, he was helplessly ensnared.
She spoke in a soft voice, “I’m envious.”
“Of what?”
“You’ve conquered the world, haven’t you? How does it feel to be the true leader?”
“It’s not bad.”
Even as he answered, Ma Cheol-gun thought this was madness. Falling for this woman would lead to his ruin.
“I know why you’ve come to see me.”
The woman looked intrigued.
“Oh? Guess.”
“You came because of the elite group I’m forming. It’s a threat to you, so you’re here to stop me.”
She asked with a seductive gaze, “Would you stop if I asked you to?”
“Not a chance.”
“Good. A man should have that kind of stubbornness and courage. You can’t let yourself be swayed by a mere woman, right?”
It was as if she could see right through him, and Ma Cheol-gun’s face flushed slightly.
Yet, from her reaction, it seemed she wasn’t here for that reason.
“If not that, then why did you come?”
“I just wanted to see you.”
“What?”
He knew it wasn’t true, but he couldn’t help feeling pleased.
“Why? Don’t you like it? Should I not come again?”
He couldn’t bring himself to say no. He doubted he ever would.
The woman reached out and gently caressed his face. She smelled wonderful.
Ma Cheol-gun didn’t shy away from her touch.
“It takes a lot of courage for a woman to visit a man.”
At that moment, Ma Cheol-gun had a thought.
‘If only I could make her mine.’
More precisely, ‘my woman.’
The woman smiled and said, “Next time, you come to me.”
Her eyes shone white.
When the light faded, she was gone.
Lying alone, Ma Cheol-gun felt as if he had dreamt it all.
But the lingering sensation on his cheek assured him it was real.
He turned his head to the moonlit sky and murmured softly, “Where do I go to find you?”
Before returning to Shandong, I watched over Song Hwa-rin and Gwang-du’s martial arts practice.
I taught them right there on the spot.
Their skills had improved significantly since the beginning. They were evenly matched.
When I guided them, the parts where they had been stuck suddenly cleared up.
Song Hwa-rin made an unexpected proposal to Gwang-du.
“Shall we have a sparring match? We have an excellent judge here.”
“With me?”
“Yes. I mentioned it before, didn’t I?”
“I remember.”
Gwang-du was cautious, unlike Song Hwa-rin, who suggested it casually.
“I’m fine with it… but I’m worried it might be disrespectful for someone like me to spar with you.”
I sensed a certain limitation and restraint in Gwang-du, similar to what I had felt with Song Hwa-rin. It was the same cautiousness he showed when I suggested we share a room.
I hoped Gwang-du would break free from his self-imposed limits soon.
Song Hwa-rin spoke calmly, “The phrase ‘someone like me’ doesn’t suit a martial artist like you.”
Gwang-du was moved.
I whispered mischievously in Gwang-du’s ear, “After she moves you like this, she’ll stab your heart with that sword.”
“Gah!”
Song Hwa-rin played along with my joke.
“Oops, I’ve been found out.”
Her attempt to mimic a villain was endearing.
I stood between them.
“Alright, focus now. As I always say, a half-hearted sparring match is worse than none at all. Even if you do it once, do it right, and it will be beneficial.”
“Yes!”
“Got it.”
They answered loudly. They were tense, and I didn’t try to ease their tension.
It was a match between the Southern Sea Seven Techniques and the True Flower Swordsmanship.
Both martial arts were excellent, so the outcome depended on their individual skills.
The sparring began. Outwardly, I appeared calm, but inside, I was tense, ready to intervene if necessary.
This match was precious to me, involving two people I cherished deeply.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Swords and sabers clashed rapidly, each creating their own rhythm.
Neither had much sparring experience, but they were more adept than I had anticipated. They weren’t too aggressive, nor were they overly cautious.
As I watched, I realized their proficiency was linked to their mindset.
They weren’t obsessed with winning or losing, yet they were giving their all. This balance created a unique harmony.
When I recognized this, I felt a resonance within me. A single word came to mind.
Harmony.
Yes, that’s what it was—harmony.
My swordsmanship was flawless. I dared to say it was perfect, even in terms of harmony.
But was my heart in harmony?
Had I been so focused on reaching the pinnacle that I lost sight of balance? Had I been recklessly charging forward?
I realized something.
My heart had never been in harmony. Because my heart wasn’t harmonious, neither was my martial arts.
Despite my skills, my heart was less harmonious than these two novices.
It hadn’t always been this way.
At some point, the harmony had been broken. When had it started?
How much time had passed?
When I looked up, Gwang-du and Song Hwa-rin were staring at me blankly.
“Whew!”
Gwang-du finally exhaled and collapsed to the ground. Song Hwa-rin did the same, dropping her sword.
“What happened?”
Gwang-du and Song Hwa-rin both looked exasperated.
“That’s what we should be asking you!”
Gwang-du exclaimed, and I realized it had grown dark around us.
“You’ve been lost in thought for two whole hours! Two full hours!”
I had been in a trance for two hours.
“You said not to disturb a martial artist when they’re deep in thought, that it’s a crucial moment.”
“Who said that?”
Gwang-du glanced at Song Hwa-rin.
This time, Song Hwa-rin looked at me and asked, “Isn’t it true?”
I smiled and replied, “Yes, it is.”
Song Hwa-rin massaged her neck and shoulders. “Thank goodness. I was worried you might have fallen into a state of inner turmoil!”
Gwang-du lay flat on his back.
“We stood there, barely breathing!”
“Hahaha. I’m sorry.”
I was grateful to them both.
It’s not just important; it’s a rarity. For a martial artist, entering a state of complete selflessness is something that might happen once or twice in a lifetime.
And yet, I found myself unexpectedly slipping into that state.
What did I realize?
I was contemplating the harmony of the mind when it happened, and a cascade of thoughts followed.
I reflected on my past life, my martial arts, and the battles I fought, pondering the concept of harmony. I thought about all the things that lacked harmony and questioned what true harmony really was, and whether being harmonious was indeed the right path.
Then, my memory goes blank. I have no recollection of what I thought or realized afterward. I truly emerged from a state of complete selflessness.
“Let’s go, I’m starving.”
“Buy me something delicious!”
“Of course, I will.”
As I led the way, I turned back to the two of them and asked, “By the way, who won?”
“We still have some time.”
At Chil-ho’s words, Im Yeon-jeong nodded. At least until the grand ritual was completed, they wouldn’t kill her.
The problem was the duration of the ritual. Whether it would take a day or several years was unknown.
“Where is the ritual supposed to take place?”
“They said they’d let us know when the time comes.”
Since the last incident, Im Yeon-jeong had been treating her like a younger sister.
“Everything is shrouded in secrecy.”
Chil-ho assured her to trust him, but in truth, he felt lost.
The most certain way to survive was to escape. To flee far away and hide deep in the mountains. At least that way, she could save her life.
“I will never run away.”
Im Yeon-jeong made her determination clear.
That left only one option.
Chil-ho stopped and spoke quietly, “We need to eliminate Seo Hak-sa without anyone knowing.”
“And the ritual?”
“Who knows? Someone else will probably take over.”
If only they could manage that…
“But it’s impossible to kill him! His martial arts are so bizarre that ordinary skills can’t match him.”
“Bizarre, you say?”
“He’s a formidable opponent.”
“Understood. I’ll find a way.”
As she bowed respectfully and turned to leave, Im Yeon-jeong watched her with a heavy heart.
She regretted involving her in this. In the end, she would have to let her go.
Chil-ho turned back at the door. “Trust me.”
Im Yeon-jeong smiled and nodded. “I do.”
As Chil-ho walked down the corridor, Il-ho’s door opened.
“Can I have a word?”
“Yes.”
Chil-ho entered the room. Il-ho’s room had a window, covered by the same old seascape painting.
“You’re not up to something these days, are you?”
Il-ho’s question was met with a puzzled look from Chil-ho.
“What do you mean?”
Il-ho silently observed Chil-ho. He had noticed a change in her lately. Something was different, or perhaps she was in the process of changing.
“You’re not yourself these days.”
Chil-ho calmly asked, “What does it mean to be myself?”