The Art of the Crane (1)
It had been a long time since I last climbed Cheonmun Mountain.
I ascended Seonhak Peak, taking my time to savor the scenery around me. It felt like just yesterday when I first came here. It was on this mountain that I discovered the Sun Herb and the Dark King Herb, achieving immunity to all poisons and gaining a lifetime’s worth of inner strength. I also found the secret manual of the deceased master, which taught me the Art of the Crane.
This place was where I encountered the most significant opportunity of my life.
The view from the summit was as breathtaking and beautiful as ever.
As I took a deep breath, Cheonma did the same.
“[Ah, this is wonderful.]”
“[Can you feel this freshness too?]”
“[Of course. I feel exactly what you feel.]”
I knew that he shared some level of emotional connection with me. Whether he felt the same emotions or simply sensed mine, I couldn’t be sure, but I guessed it was somewhere in that ambiguous middle ground.
“[It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a view.]”
Cheonma’s voice trembled slightly. I could sense that his emotions were as heightened as mine.
Why did he want to come here so badly? What did he feel from the Art of the Crane?
“[This peak is called Seonhak because the rock here resembles a crane.]”
“[Seonhak Peak, so that’s why it’s called the Art of the Crane.]”
“[Exactly.]”
“[Whoever named this martial art was quite uncreative, considering how great it is!]”
“[Hahaha.]”
“[Did you find the Art of the Crane here?]”
“[The crane’s tail showed me the way.]”
“[What?]”
I slowly walked to the tail of the rock and leaped off the cliff.
It was as if I had invisible wings, floating effortlessly in the air. It might look like something any skilled martial artist could do, but what I was demonstrating was an incredibly difficult technique.
It’s generally much harder to walk slowly into the air than to leap from the ground. Even more challenging is jumping from a high place and floating like this. It requires immense inner strength and mastery of lightness skills. With my inner strength supporting me, my once-flamboyant skills were gradually returning.
I descended slowly, walking through the air into the hidden cave entrance beneath the tail.
“[Such a showy technique.]”
“[Isn’t it fitting for a place with a cave like this?]”
“[I never expected a cave here.]”
Cheonma was genuinely surprised to find a cave in such an unexpected place.
“[You’ll be even more surprised once we’re inside.]”
I walked slowly into the cave.
The first thing that caught my eye was the pond in the center, its water still crystal clear. Sunlight streamed in through small holes in the walls, and unknown plants and flowers grew all around.
Cheonma was astonished by the paradise-like scene inside the cave, something one might only see in dreams.
“[A place like this inside a cave! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.]”
“[Isn’t it amazing?]”
“[How did you find it?]”
“[I was lucky.]”
Cheonma let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
“[You found a place like this by luck? That’s hard to believe.]”
“[If not luck, then what?]”
“[It’s not just luck; it’s your destiny. You were meant to come here, and destiny called you.]”
“[Surprising, isn’t it? Cheonma, a believer in destiny.]”
“[Aren’t you?]”
He asked so confidently that I almost felt compelled to agree. But fundamentally, I’m not a believer in destiny.
In my younger days, I often thought, “Destiny is something you overcome with effort.” That was when I was training with dreams of becoming the best in the world.
“[As for destiny… I’m not sure.]”
That was my honest feeling now.
Is there really such a thing as destiny for people?
If not, how could I explain being reborn as Byeok Lidan?
Why was I reborn as Byeok Lidan? Was it truly destiny, as Cheonma suggested, that I learned the Art of the Crane here?
Before meeting Cheonma, I hadn’t thought deeply about it. But now, I wondered if some kind of destiny was at play in all of this.
“[I obtained the Art of the Crane here.]”
I went to the place where I had buried the deceased master and bowed deeply.
“I’ve come with someone else today. Please accept our greetings.”
Cheonma spoke up.
“[I don’t bow my head to others. So count me out.]”
Of course, I wasn’t going to listen to him.
“It’s an honor for him to meet you as well.”
“[You fool! Don’t make things up. I have nothing to do with this!]”
“[Then why did you want to come here so much?]”
After a brief pause, Cheonma replied.
“[Strangely, the Art of the Crane doesn’t feel unfamiliar.]”
“[Not unfamiliar? But this martial art isn’t demonic.]”
“[That’s why I don’t understand it either.]”
“[Could it be that the person who created this martial art is somehow related to you?]”
“[Perhaps. Do you know who you buried?]”
“[When I found him, he was just bones. But… there might be a way to find out.]”
When I first came to Cheonmun Mountain, I stayed a night at a small inn at the foot of the mountain.
The innkeeper had mentioned that his grandfather once told him about a great martial artist who trained on this mountain.
He had heard stories but couldn’t remember the details.
But perhaps someone else in the village might remember.
“[Let’s find out.]”
Iron Flag Leader Ok Dangchu entered the office of the General Commander.
Old Master greeted him with a bright face.
“Welcome.”
“How have you been?”
Ok Dangchu also greeted him with a cheerful face.
“Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.”
“It’s nothing. But what brings you to call me here?”
“A fine tea was gifted to me, and I heard you enjoy tea, Leader Ok.”
“Haha, thank you for your consideration.”
But Ok Dangchu knew that Old Master wasn’t the type to call him just for tea. There must be another reason for today’s meeting. Besides, he didn’t even like tea.
The two of them drank the tea brought by the attendants. While Old Master savored the aroma slowly, Ok Dangchu drank it in one gulp.
“How is it?”
“The taste is excellent.”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that.”
They exchanged various stories. Then Old Master naturally brought up the topic of the Demon Extermination Group.
“The recruitment for the Demon Extermination Group is ongoing. It’s becoming the most powerful organization in the history of the martial world.”
As one of the leaders of the three major organizations in the Martial Alliance, this wasn’t pleasant news for him.
Old Master continued to talk about the Demon Extermination Group as if he didn’t know, mainly about how strong the organization would become.
“It will take more time for them to develop a strong sense of belonging.”
When Ok Dangchu subtly belittled the group, Old Master firmly countered.
“The sense of belonging is already stronger than any other organization. After all, they are united under the banner of eradicating the Demonic Cult.”
Old Master looked at Ok Dangchu intently and said.
“I believe there are forces allied with the Demonic Cult behind the Alliance. We will root them out and punish them severely.”
It felt as if he was speaking directly to him, making Ok Dangchu feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
“Of course, you should.”
“To do that, I need your strength, Leader Ok. Please assist me greatly in the future.”
“I will do my utmost.”
Not wanting to discuss that topic further, Ok Dangchu quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, I heard there was a prison break recently?”
“Yes, we are investigating as there are indications of an insider’s help.”
“I see.”
“But we have eliminated all the attackers.”
Old Master spoke as if they had been completely wiped out, even though he wasn’t sure if they were all dead. He was confident that Ok Dangchu wouldn’t know the details.
Ok Dangchu was a traitor to the Martial Alliance.
Once a traitor, always a potential traitor. The shadowy organization would treat him as such. Therefore, they wouldn’t give him all the information.
Before Ok Dangchu left, Old Master made a meaningful remark.
“People can waver once. But if they don’t seize the opportunity to correct their mistakes, that is unforgivable.”
Ok Dangchu knew this was directed at him.
“Haha, you’re absolutely right.”
With that, Ok Dangchu left the office.
Old Master watched from the window as Ok Dangchu departed.
Ok Dangchu’s betrayal wasn’t due to any other reason. It was because Ju Cheolryong held the most power at the time. Naturally, he aligned himself with power.
Old Master would pressure him. If he felt that this side was stronger, he would return to them.
He didn’t resent or blame him. Because of his nature, he could be useful in the future.
Fortunately, the innkeeper from before remembered me.
He introduced me to the villagers, making it easier to meet them.
However, no one knew about the events from back then. I kept hitting dead ends and was about to give up when I met a village herbalist. He had just returned from gathering herbs far away.
“I know about the martial artist who was on the mountain back then.”
“Ah! Finally, someone who knows.”
“I don’t know personally, but I heard from my father.”
“Could you tell me what you know?”
“Of course. My family has been gathering herbs around Cheonmun Mountain for generations. Naturally, we encounter martial artists training there. According to my father, the martial artist you’re looking for trained near Seonhak Peak. At first, he carried a much larger sword than usual martial artists and practiced sword techniques. When he trained, the mountain would shake, and thunder would roar.”
“Thunder would roar?”
“Yes. After five consecutive thunderclaps, lightning would strike.”
“Five thunderclaps, you say.”
“Five Thunderclaps? That sounds like a martial art I’ve heard of before.”
“It seems he spent years training in swordsmanship, but at some point, he said he could no longer hear the thunder. When my father happened to meet him, he was practicing martial arts, not swordsmanship. That’s all I remember.”
“Thank you so much.”
“No need to thank me. Talking about the old days makes me think of my father. I should go have a drink.”
As he got up to leave, I asked him, “How do you remember all these old stories?”
With a smile, he replied, “How could anyone forget such tales?”
I returned to the secluded mountain cave, the Seonhak Bidoong. On the way back, Cheonma remained silent. Once inside, Cheonma finally spoke.
[Bow again, respectfully.]
Without questioning, I bowed once more to the old man. Then, Cheonma revealed something astonishing.
[He is our grandfather.]
[What?]
It was the most shocking moment since I met Cheonma.
[In other words, he was the Cheonma two generations ago.]
[How did you know?]
[The martial art that involves five thunderclaps is the Blood Thunder Sword Technique. It was our grandfather’s unique skill.]
[Blood Thunder Sword Technique!]
Now I remembered clearly. It was a martial art I had read about in the records of the Demon Sect.
The main martial art of the Cheonma within me was the Blood Thunder Heavenly Art, which used swordsmanship. But the Cheonma two generations ago had used a different technique.
[Now I understand why I was drawn to the Seonhak techniques.]
It was a martial art created by my grandfather, so there was a connection.
Come to think of it, when I used the Seonhak techniques before, I had thought they were created by someone with a very domineering nature.
[But I can’t sense any of your demonic arts.]
[That’s to be expected.]
[Is there a reason for that?]
Cheonma didn’t elaborate. It was clear there was a story behind it. Thinking it was a family matter, I didn’t press further. If he ever felt like sharing, he would tell me.
Cheonma changed the subject.
[What’s that over there?]
In one corner of the cave was a pile of Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.
[It’s Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.]
It was what I had retrieved from the secret vault of the Night Sky of Shandong.
[What a waste, leaving such a precious thing piled up like that.]
[I don’t have any use for it at the moment.]
[Are you just going to leave it here?]
[What else should I do?]
[You should make something out of it. Do you have any ideas?]
[I do, but as you know, there are very few craftsmen who can work with Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.]
I didn’t expect perfection. There were fewer than ten craftsmen in the entire Central Plains who could handle it. Of those I knew, most were too far away. In times like these, I couldn’t afford to visit them.
[Gather it all up.]
[Why?]
[There’s a craftsman I know not far from here.]
[Alright.]
Without further questions, I gathered up the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron. Leaving it as it was would indeed be a waste.
I, or rather we, headed straight down the mountain.