Unsnared by the Net (1)
It had been a long time since I last visited the cave in the mountains.
This was the very cave I had sought out whenever something significant was about to happen.
There, I calmly gathered the items from my satchel.
First, the ten-thousand-year-old iron.
Most of what was called ten-thousand-year-old iron in our time wasn’t pure. It was usually mixed with other metals, and its strength depended on the proportion of the ten-thousand-year-old iron.
The pure form was so expensive that even the wealthiest couldn’t afford to use it exclusively.
The only person I knew who had used pure ten-thousand-year-old iron was the Black Dragon Emperor of the demonic sect. He used it to escape, but in the end, I cut him down and killed him.
The piece I took from Yacheon seemed to have a high purity, judging by its strength.
Later, I planned to have a master craftsman separate the ten-thousand-year-old iron from the other metals. With it, I could forge one, maybe even two swords.
Alternatively, I could modify it into an alloy for other uses. In any case, I had acquired a treasure that money couldn’t easily buy.
For now, since I couldn’t use it immediately, I buried it discreetly near the cave.
Next, I counted the promissory notes.
They amounted to a staggering 550,000 nyang. This was the fortune Yacheon had amassed over a lifetime. Selling the gold and jewels I had taken with me would fetch a considerable sum as well. It was nearly 600,000 nyang in total.
I intended to use this money for two purposes. First, to establish an intelligence network. Given my enemies, a well-functioning intelligence network was essential.
Second, I planned to create a secret organization led by Baekpyo. It would be a powerful group of elite warriors who would follow only my orders.
I intended to entrust Baekpyo with the task of gathering people. If anyone could do it, it was him.
Aside from the promissory notes, gold, and jewels, there were miscellaneous items. Among the unnecessary documents I was burning, something caught my eye.
A small book filled with codes and numbers.
I realized it was Yacheon’s secret ledger.
I was about to burn it but changed my mind. I wanted to check it out before destroying it.
Thus, I sorted through all the items I had taken from the Shandong wilderness.
I stepped out of the cave and looked down at the mountain below.
My enemies were growing stronger.
I didn’t mind. It gave me more reason to become stronger myself.
The next day, rumors began to spread rapidly.
The word was that Ho Yeonnam of the Ho Yeon family had died, and Yeomhwa of the Cheondo sect was severely injured.
One was from the Ho Yeon family, one of the four great families of the central plains, and the other was from the renowned Cheondo sect.
It was a major incident. As soon as the rumors spread, another followed: that the master of the Shandong wilderness had been killed by a master from the Cheondo sect.
The Shandong wilderness had drawn in the Ho Yeon family and faced retribution.
People couldn’t stop talking about it. Especially the leaders of the Shandong sects, who were worried that Shandong might become their battleground.
My parents were no exception.
“I’m worried about what kind of repercussions this will bring.”
“Indeed.”
While my parents were concerned, I remained calm.
“I don’t think there’s any need to worry.”
“Why do you think so?”
My father asked, and I answered calmly.
“The Ho Yeon family is based in Jiangxi, and the Cheondo sect is in Guizhou. Both are far from here. The incident has already happened, and with the circumstances clear, there’s no reason for them to come all the way to Shandong to clash, is there?”
My father nodded, seemingly agreeing with my reasoning.
“What do you think about the Shandong wilderness? Won’t they cause trouble seeking revenge and endanger Shandong?”
“The fall of the Shandong wilderness is a good thing. It’s an organization with unclear motives and filled with greedy individuals. Would such people seek revenge for the Shandong wilderness? I doubt it. They’ll likely fight among themselves to take over Shandong.”
Both my parents nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with trust. Regardless of the outcome, they were pleased to see their son express such a clear opinion.
In truth, I was the one who felt truly satisfied.
I had eliminated those who needed to be eliminated and gained a vast fortune. Most importantly, both Song Hwarin and I had remained completely uninvolved in all these events.
Letting them fight among themselves was exactly what I wanted.
One of the most important principles when facing a formidable enemy in war:
Divide the enemy, then defeat them individually.
It was a tactic I often used.
The more adversaries the Cheondo sect had, the weaker it would become.
While I strengthened my forces, I needed to find out who was behind Ma Bong-gi.
For now, it was a time to grow and build strength.
In any case, Shandong would remain peaceful for the time being.
“I plan to return to Wuhan tomorrow.”
“So soon? Stay a little longer.”
My mother was reluctant, but my father held back his disappointment.
“Yes, you should be active while you’re young.”
He never forgot to add his usual advice.
“Treat your subordinates with respect and always be considerate.”
“I will remember.”
It was something I heard often. But today, when I heard it, a thought crossed my mind.
Perhaps being a great leader could be achieved with just that one mindset.
It seemed like being at the top required accomplishing so much, but maybe just practicing that one thing was enough.
Or perhaps, even that one thing was difficult to achieve until the end.
Song Hwarin opened her eyes.
The morning sunlight streaming through the window was bright and cheerful. When was the last time she had woken up feeling so refreshed?
She stretched and got out of bed.
“Ah, I slept well.”
Soon after, Suran came in with water for washing.
“Miss, you seem to be in a good mood.”
“I slept soundly.”
It had been a long time since she had slept so well. And today, she hadn’t had any nightmares.
Suran was genuinely happy for her. Watching Song Hwarin struggle with sleepless nights had been distressing and painful.
Song Hwarin looked out the window. The scenery was the same as yesterday, but her mood made it look different.
She had heard about her master’s death. The moment she heard the news, her heart ached.
When she felt pity for her master, she realized she had finally freed herself from him. Her emotional wounds had healed.
If she had felt satisfaction at his death, it would have meant the wounds were still deep.
But she felt sorry for her master’s death. She pitied him, and her heart ached.
But that was it. She hadn’t had nightmares, and this morning felt incredibly refreshing.
Just then, a servant came to deliver a message.
“Lord Byeok is here to see you.”
“What? Tell him to wait a moment.”
She quickly got out of bed.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to wash up! And put on some makeup. Find me my favorite dress. You know the one. Hurry!”
Suran watched in astonishment as Song Hwarin dashed out, using her light-footed skills. It was a side of her she had never seen before.
Suran glanced out the window.
In the distance, she could see Byeok Lidan standing in the garden.
Song Hwarin was changing. She was becoming brighter and more lively.
At first, Suran didn’t like Byeok Lidan, but now she was grateful to him.
“Still, don’t make our lady cry, Lord Byeok.”
A while later, Song Hwarin yawned as she walked into the garden.
“What brings you here so early?”
She stretched as if she had just woken up.
“Did I come too early?”
“No. I just woke up. I haven’t even washed yet.”
“Sorry.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry for showing you this side of me.”
Despite her words, she looked beautiful and immaculate.
“So, why are you here so early?”
“I have to go to Wuhan. It’ll take a month or two, so I wanted to say goodbye.”
“Oh, I see.”
She tried to act nonchalant, but she felt a pang of regret.
Her relationship with him was changing day by day. Of course, it was her own feelings. She couldn’t be sure of Byeok Lidan’s feelings.
What would she feel the next time they met?
Just thinking about it made her heart flutter a little.
She spoke to Byeok Lidan.
“Thank you for everything. Really.”
She meant it. Without him, she would have carried her wounds for life.
“Have a safe trip.”
“Before I go, I have to keep my promise.”
“Promise?”
“I said I’d teach you a more impressive martial art.”
“Was that serious?”
“Did you think I was joking?”
When Song Hwarin nodded, Byeok Lidan asked in surprise.
“Even so, you were willing to give up your martial arts? Why?”
“You told me to trust you, didn’t you?”
There was a moment of silence.
“Hahaha.”
I laughed heartily.
She had made such a decision, trusting me without any backup plan.
“Come on, let’s go.”
I led her to the empty training ground.
The martial art I was going to teach her was the Jinwha Sword Technique. It was the unique martial art of Gosan Hwa-nangja, a famous female master from two generations ago.
The Jinwha Sword Technique was a level above the swordsmanship she had learned from Ho Yeonnam.
I first taught her the mental techniques.
I repeated the instructions several times to ensure she understood how to apply them.
Next, I taught her the forms.
I focused on the essentials, teaching her as quickly and accurately as possible.
Even so, it took the entire day.
I gave it my all, and she learned with all her might.
As night finally fell, the martial arts training session came to an end.
I smiled at her and said, “Once you master this technique, you won’t have to worry about getting beaten up anywhere.”
Though I said it jokingly, Song Hwarin knew just how exceptional this swordsmanship was. Her face was already alight with excitement. There was a thrill and joy that came with the mastery of martial arts.
“I’ll come back and check on you next time. Just keep practicing what you’ve learned until then.”
She didn’t ask how I knew this martial art. After all, if she were to start asking questions, there would be far too many to count.
“I’ll work hard,” she promised.
Hoping to encourage her training, I added, “A true martial artist must be free. Only when you’re unbound can you truly be free. But remember, those who wield their skills freely are the ones who’ve practiced the same moves thousands, even tens of thousands of times. Only they can achieve true freedom.”
This wasn’t just about martial arts.
That’s what freedom is.
Only freedom born of perseverance is genuine freedom.
Song Hwarin nodded, her eyes shining. Being the smart person she was, she understood exactly what I meant.
“I’ll be off then.”
“When we meet again, you’ll be stronger.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
As I turned to leave, Song Hwarin did something unexpected.
She extended her hand for a handshake.
Her hand trembled slightly. It occurred to me that this might be the first time she was offering her hand to a man to express gratitude.
I took her hand, firm but gentle enough not to hurt her.
It was our first handshake.
I returned straight to Wuhuan.
On the way, I retrieved the millennium-old iron I had buried near the cave. There was no craftsman in Shandong capable of working with it anyway.
I took the iron to the hidden cave at Seonhak Peak. It was safer there than any battlefield in the central plains.
Only then did I return to the inn where Gwangdu and Gong Suchan were staying.
“Young master!”
Gwangdu came running from afar and threw himself at me in a bear hug. This time, I didn’t dodge and let him embrace me. I had missed him too.
“I missed you!”
“You fool! Anyone would think we were long-lost family reunited after decades.”
“Think of it that way. I was worried sick when I heard about the chaos in Shandong.”
How could he not be? Losing sleep over worrying about me was Gwangdu’s specialty.
“Did you…?”
Gwangdu asked cautiously, and I nodded with a knowing smile.
“Oh my goodness!”
Realizing my involvement, Gwangdu was taken aback.
“Don’t worry. It’s all sorted out.”
“Young master?”
“What?”
“Aren’t you scared? Facing those kinds of people would make my heart explode.”
“Of course I’m scared. But don’t I have someone willing to take a hit for me?”
Gwangdu flinched and stepped back slightly.
“Don’t forget, that shield is still weak. It’ll take about a hundred more years to get stronger!”
“Hahaha.”
Gong Suchan then approached and greeted me.
“Did you have a good trip?”
“Thanks to you, I did.”
“You look well.”
I might have, but Gong Suchan didn’t. He looked a bit worn out from working hard.
“Make sure to take breaks.”
“I’m eating and sleeping well while working.”
“That’s an order.”
“Yes, I will.”
Gong Suchan replied with a slightly tense expression.
“Master Byeok, there’s somewhere I need to take you.”
He seemed a bit more excited than usual.
Without a word, I followed him.