The Trials of Hyun-gong
Hyun-gong clutched his bleeding forearms with hands that refused to grip properly.
Wounds too shallow to be deep, yet too deep to be shallow.
He could move his hands, but they lacked strength, and every attempt to exert force sent sharp pain shooting through him.
Hyun-gong was shrewd and pragmatic.
Had anyone else attacked him, he would have felt betrayed and immediately plotted revenge.
But Young-bo Jin-in was one of the few exceptions. Though surprised, Hyun-gong believed Young-bo Jin-in had a plan.
“Is this… a lesson?”
“Indeed.”
Hyun-gong tried to discern the intent behind Young-bo Jin-in’s actions.
A lesson that could only be learned when unable to use his arms.
He murmured softly to himself.
“I see… so that’s what it is.”
Young-bo Jin-in looked surprised at Hyun-gong’s realization.
“You’ve already figured it out? I knew you were clever, but this is beyond my expectations…”
Hyun-gong gazed at Young-bo Jin-in with a deep, contemplative look.
“Not being able to use my arms means I must lay down my sword and avoid conflict. You’re trying to teach me how hollow the pride of warriors can be. You think we should abandon Wudang Mountain and plan for the future, don’t you?”
Hyun-gong thought of the Gongdong Sect, bound to their mountain by pride and history, yet shackled by it as well.
But the Wudang Sect was different.
A rising star, some might say, or lacking roots, others might argue.
Unlike the Gongdong or Zhongnan Sects, Wudang’s history wasn’t long. If necessary, they could abandon Wudang Mountain and start anew elsewhere. It was the privilege of a new sect.
“After all, Wudang Mountain isn’t the only mountain. I’ve scouted a few good locations. In regions like Anhui or Jiangsu, where competition is sparse, we could quickly make a name for ourselves again.”
But Young-bo Jin-in shook his head.
“We’re not peddlers, to pack up and leave so lightly. That’s not the lesson I’m teaching.”
“If we delay, it could become problematic… But alright, what is the lesson then?”
Young-bo Jin-in held his sword horizontally and asked Hyun-gong.
“Hyun-gong, what do you think is the greatest strength of the Taiji Sword?”
“Its flexibility.”
“Be more specific.”
“A solid defense built upon its flexibility.”
“Then what do you think is the greatest weakness of the Taiji Sword?”
“The Taiji Sword has no weaknesses. Only a lack of mastery.”
Young-bo Jin-in smiled and pressed further.
“Be honest.”
”…Its lack of killing power.”
Hyun-gong knew the Taiji Sword was unbalanced.
It could fend off the strikes of even the most skilled masters, yet rarely deliver a decisive blow.
To compensate, Hyun-gong had learned the Daezongyeoha technique from Tuhee, achieving a balance of offense and defense.
But that was Hyun-gong’s personal achievement, not a solution to the inherent limitations of the Taiji Sword.
Young-bo Jin-in asked Hyun-gong again.
“Taiji represents the harmony and balance of all things. The Taiji Sword emphasizes balance. Doesn’t it seem odd that such a sword is skewed towards defense?”
“Names can be misleading. There are countless examples of dreams that fall short of reality…”
Young-bo Jin-in laughed at Hyun-gong’s words.
“An adept attacker might be poor at defense, but the reverse isn’t true. A master of defense cannot be poor at attack.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Hyun-gong, you’ve achieved great things over the years. Do you think, if you attacked with all your might, you could break through my defense, my three-step domain?”
Hyun-gong’s thoughts took a bold turn at those words.
‘Could it be that he cut my arms to prevent me from breaking his defense…?’
No, surely not.
Hyun-gong dismissed the thought, imagining himself executing the Daezongyeoha.
Though the technique required lengthy preparation and had many constraints, its power was overwhelming.
Hyun-gong believed neither Namgung Jincheon nor Sam Anbul could completely block his Daezongyeoha. He even thought his sword could reach the leader.
But Young-bo Jin-in was the exception.
No martial art seemed capable of harming Young-bo Jin-in. How could anyone penetrate the domain of the greatest genius since Zhang Sanfeng, the Supreme of the Three Treasures, Young-bo Jin-in?
After pondering for a moment, Hyun-gong shook his head.
“No, I don’t have the confidence.”
“Think again. Why do you believe you can’t penetrate my three-step domain?”
“Perhaps my sword is too dull.”
“No, your sword is sharp enough. Think more fundamentally, more specifically.”
Young-bo Jin-in spoke, assuming a defensive stance with his sword held horizontally.
Hyun-gong sat cross-legged before Young-bo Jin-in, envisioning himself stepping into Young-bo Jin-in’s three-step domain, swinging his sword at him.
In his imagination, every attempt ended the same way.
Before Hyun-gong’s sword could reach Young-bo Jin-in, Young-bo Jin-in’s sword reached him. His chest was pierced, his arms severed, his neck cut.
Young-bo Jin-in asked again.
“Answer me once more. Do you think your sword fails to reach me because it’s dull?”
“No, my sword is sharp.”
“Then what’s the problem? Are you afraid I’ll block your sword?”
”…I’m not afraid of being blocked. But if I recklessly seek an opening, I’ll be cut down first, so I can’t approach.”
Young-bo Jin-in finally smiled.
“Exactly. That’s the essence of high-level defense. Those lacking insight think defense is all about blocking the opponent’s sword like a rock. But true defense is about defining your domain and punishing those who intrude. You must make them too afraid of retribution to extend their sword freely.”
Hyun-gong realized that his understanding of defense differed from Young-bo Jin-in’s.
No one hesitated before Hyun-gong. Opponents always attacked confidently, and Hyun-gong absorbed their blows like a rock.
But Young-bo Jin-in was different. Approaching him, one could hardly swing a sword.
Facing Young-bo Jin-in, the instinct to survive gripped the hand holding the sword and the legs that wanted to advance.
That was the difference between them.
“It’s not about fearing your sword will be blocked, but fearing you’ll be cut down first, preventing them from approaching. In other words, to execute superior defense, you must be capable of overwhelming offense within a defined space.”
Young-bo Jin-in paused to catch his breath before continuing.
“I earned the title of Supreme of the Three Treasures not because I could block every attack within three steps, but because no one who entered those three steps could withstand my sword.”
”…I understand.”
Hyun-gong realized that his belief in his defensive prowess was arrogant and foolish. Through his exchange with Young-bo Jin-in, he gained new insight.
“Think again. Can a person capable of superior defense wield a dull sword?”
“No. But, Master, I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? I was so focused on self-preservation.”
“Skipping the process to gain the result leads to failure. In the past, your sword wasn’t sharp enough for this lesson.”
Then why not teach the sharp sword first?
But Hyun-gong couldn’t ask why Young-bo Jin-in hadn’t taught him a sharper sword.
The sharpest sword is achieved through the harmony of internal energy, swordsmanship, and footwork.
Yet Young-bo Jin-in couldn’t walk, had never walked.
Thus, he couldn’t set a goal for Hyun-gong, who walked on two legs.
He feared that teaching his sword would limit Hyun-gong to the sword of a cripple. He feared restricting his disciple’s potential.
Hyun-gong asked.
“Then what’s different now?”
“I’ve meditated since becoming the head of the sect to overcome my limitations. It took ten years to create whole legs in my mind, another ten to move them, another ten to execute perfect footwork, and another ten to harmonize that footwork with my sword.”
Hyun-gong recalled his childhood memories.
Young-bo Jin-in was always meditating, spending more time with his eyes closed than open. At one point, Hyun-gong even mistook him for a blind cripple.
“What was all that effort for?”
“At first, for the future of the Wudang Sect and my honor. But eventually, for my precious disciple.”
Young-bo Jin-in smiled at Hyun-gong as he spoke.
Hyun-gong had no father, and Young-bo Jin-in had no children. Yet neither felt empty. Blood ties weren’t necessary to form a father-son bond.
“Forty years have passed. Finally, my sword, internal energy, and footwork are in harmony.”
Young-bo Jin-in drew his sword and laid it across his thigh.
The cold, sharp aura Hyun-gong had felt earlier filled the wide space in front of Hyuncheon Hall.
It felt unfamiliar, yet it wasn’t a sensation he was experiencing for the first time.
The aura was reminiscent of the one Shinseung had displayed just before his death.
Thus, Hyun-gong realized.
Through long years of training, Youngbo Jin-in had achieved something monumental.
“Could it be… have you reached a new realm?”
“A small achievement, yes.”
A clear affirmation. Hyun-gong asked Youngbo Jin-in.
“What is the name of this realm?”
“Neither Master Dharma nor Zhang Sanfeng named it, so I won’t hastily name it either. I simply think of it as the Realm of Harmony.”
His heart swelled with emotion. Hyun-gong was left speechless, trembling with the thrill of a martial artist.
But soon, a practical concern crept into his mind.
‘He wouldn’t be asking for the position of sect leader back, would he?’
It was an unprecedented situation, yet not entirely impossible.
After all, even now, Youngbo Jin-in resided in Hyuncheon Hall, the abode of the sect leader, despite having stepped down.
Hyun-gong felt a twinge of unease.
‘I should have arranged a different residence for him sooner… I was complacent.’
However, Hyun-gong decided not to dwell on the matter of the sect leader position for long.
Not because he lacked ambition, but because the decision ultimately lay with Youngbo Jin-in.
‘If, by any chance, I lose it, I just need to win it back.’
Hyun-gong looked at Youngbo Jin-in with a much more humble and accommodating expression than before.
“Congratulations on your achievement, Master. But… I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Why did you cut my arm?”
The most likely explanation, when thought of coldly, was that Youngbo Jin-in intended to eliminate a rival.
But Youngbo Jin-in was not like that.
“I wish to impart the enlightenment I’ve gained to you. However, this enlightenment must be harmonized with footwork, and since I have no legs outside my mindscape, I cannot fully show you the achievement I’ve reached within.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like a plan to eliminate a rival.
Hyun-gong nodded with a feigned serious expression.
“Is there a connection between the enlightenment and my arm?”
“Do you see that carrying frame?”
Youngbo Jin-in pointed to a frame in the corner of Hyuncheon Hall.
The frame was equipped with a seat for someone to sit comfortably, and sturdy leather straps were attached to its poles.
“Why the frame all of a sudden?”
“Just carry it.”
Elders often dislike being questioned by their juniors.
Without further ado, Hyun-gong picked up the frame and returned.
“Hup!”
Youngbo Jin-in placed his hands on the ground and skillfully propelled himself onto the frame. His light body perched deftly on it.
As he tied his upper body with the leather straps, Youngbo Jin-in spoke to Hyun-gong.
“You know the Zhongnan Sect has fallen, right?”
“Yes.”
“The Taoists of Zhongnan said there was a leader among the Demonic Cult’s warriors. The leader and the cult’s warriors will soon descend upon Wudang. We don’t have much time.”
“We… Yes.”
Youngbo Jin-in leaned forward, pressing his body against Hyun-gong’s back.
“Now, our eye levels are finally similar.”
“Indeed. But does that matter?”
“Of course, it does. No matter how much I thought about how to convey my mindscape experience to you, I couldn’t think of a better way.”
“This method…”
There was a hint of worry in Hyun-gong’s voice. But Youngbo Jin-in had already made up his mind.
“Your sword is not dull. What you need now is the harmony of swordsmanship and footwork.”
“Yes.”
“Look at the world from my perspective. Synchronize your movements with mine. Just as I achieved harmony between footwork and swordsmanship, you too will find the key to advancing to the next realm.”
In short, Hyun-gong would have to serve as Youngbo Jin-in’s legs for the time being.
Hyun-gong felt a bit dizzy.
“But why did you cut my arm?”
“Legs don’t have arms.”
”…”
“It’s better not to use your arms if you want to focus purely on the role of legs and gain quick enlightenment.”
A radical notion that if you can’t use your arms, you won’t be distracted by them.
Perhaps because he himself was missing limbs, he had no qualms about making others the same. Hyun-gong was engulfed in a complex emotion, as if something was boiling inside him.
“I see… But, Master, with my arm like this, I don’t think I can fight the leader properly even if I achieve enlightenment.”
“That’s nothing to worry about.”
“Why not?”
“Even if the leader appears, we’ll fight like this.”
Youngbo Jin-in said, extending his arms over Hyun-gong’s shoulders and under his armpits, skillfully wielding a sword.
It felt bizarre, as if a new pair of arms had sprouted under his armpits, moving on their own.
“How is it? Impressive, right?”
”…”
For the first time in his life, Hyun-gong almost uttered harsh words to Youngbo Jin-in, but he took a deep breath and held back.
Youngbo Jin-in asked Hyun-gong.
“You said you returned ahead of the other warriors. Where are the warriors from the other sects?”
“Some went to Sichuan, others to Mount Hua. But many will arrive here at Wudang within a few days.”
Youngbo Jin-in pondered for a moment, then instructed Hyun-gong.
“The fewer the casualties, the better. Leave only a necessary few at Wudang, and send the rest east… to Shaolin.”
“What?”
“In the end, the core of the Demonic Cult is the leader. You and I will join forces and behead the leader at Wudang.”
Hyun-gong turned his head back. He could see Youngbo Jin-in’s face.
”…”
Hyun-gong forced an awkward smile and spoke to Youngbo Jin-in.
“Master, please wait a moment.”
“You need to visit the restroom, don’t you? Go quickly.”
“Yes, understood.”
Hyun-gong gently set down the frame.
Then he sprinted with all his might, using his lightness skill to dash out of the Wudang Sect’s Haegumji.
“Where are you going?”
The Taoists guarding Haegumji asked Hyun-gong, but he didn’t answer and kept running.
How far did he run? Hyun-gong reached the deepest part of Mount Wudang.
There was a dense bamboo forest there.
Bent over, Hyun-gong braced his knees with his weakened arms, catching his breath for a long time.
He couldn’t tell if he was out of breath from running at full speed or from psychological reasons. But it seemed more like the latter.
Finally, Hyun-gong straightened his upper body.
And, suppressing the pain, he clenched his fists and shouted.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
He shouted with all his might, his voice echoing vulgarly across Mount Wudang.
At last, exhausted, Hyun-gong collapsed onto the ground. The bright blue sky stretched above him.
Hyun-gong, being rational, didn’t want to partake in Youngbo Jin-in’s insane plan.
’…But the situation isn’t favorable.’
It was the middle of the Great War between the righteous and the demonic, so he couldn’t exactly refuse Youngbo Jin-in’s proposal and flee to the Demonic Cult.
Moreover, if Youngbo Jin-in’s plan succeeded, the results would be incredibly tempting.
He could avenge Seolhwa, secure his position as sect leader, and even surpass the pinnacle to reach the next realm.
If he could surpass his peers and reach the next realm, he could boast for the rest of his life.
‘The Realm of Harmony…’
Hyun-gong got up and trudged back to Mount Wudang.
Youngbo Jin-in, who had been on the frame, was nowhere to be seen.
”…”
Hyun-gong picked up the empty frame and entered Hyuncheon Hall.
As expected, Youngbo Jin-in was sitting in the middle of the hall as if nothing had happened.
“You took quite a while for a restroom break.”
“Yes.”
Hyun-gong replied curtly, squatting in front of Youngbo Jin-in and offering him the frame.
“Please, get on.”
Youngbo Jin-in noticed that Hyun-gong’s tone had become a bit sharper.