Episode 62: The Jeweon Baek Family

Learning a different martial arts technique instead of the family’s own?

The first thought that crossed Dang Mujin’s mind was, “So the Jeweon Baek family’s martial arts must be lacking.”

But then, a far more troubling suspicion flashed through his mind.

“Could Baek Chuseo be coveting Baek Hyang-a’s yin energy?” A horrifying thought indeed.

Dang Mujin furrowed his brow.

“No, it must be a coincidence. There’s no way.”

“Why not?”

“There’s such a thing as family bonds, isn’t there?”

The strange man twisted his lips into a smile.

“Well, you’ve been incredibly lucky so far. You can’t possibly understand the mindset of martial artists.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You left home without knowing a thing about martial arts, yet you’ve already achieved first-class status. There might be others more talented than you, but none have advanced as quickly. It’s the result of your medical knowledge, rare elixirs, and the best teachers.”

Though his words were odd, they weren’t wrong.

While others trained haphazardly, Dang Mujin systematically honed his skills using his family’s medical knowledge.

He consumed rare elixirs that most would never even smell in their lifetime.

While others considered themselves fortunate to be guided by a first-class martial artist, Dang Mujin was personally trained by a supreme master. He even had suitable sparring partners.

“You’ve grown too quickly and easily. You’ve never tasted the mental anguish that ordinary martial artists endure. There are countless people who spend ten or twenty years swinging a sword just to become second-rate, and many dedicate their entire lives to the hope of becoming first-rate.”

Many such people were among the secular disciples of the Chengdu branch in Sichuan, and among the martial artists of the small sects around his home.

But Dang Mujin never stalled or got lost in deep contemplation.

Thus, he never saw himself through their eyes. Since starting his journey, Dang Mujin had been too busy moving forward.

Yet, even considering all that, this story was hard to accept.

“Even so…”

“When you stormed into Jang Sang-chae’s place in Zhongjing to rescue the children, the local beggars talked about it. They said there were dark practitioners who would drain the children’s vital energy to build their own.”

“That’s different. Those children and the dark practitioners were strangers. This is a betrayal of family.”

“But Baek Chuseo isn’t trying to take Baek Hyang-a’s life. And Baek Hyang-a isn’t a little child. There’s no point in arguing who’s more despicable.”

Dang Mujin shook his head. He could understand it logically, but his heart refused to accept it. And he hoped it never would.

“For a martial artist, hitting a wall is so painful that they might consider such insane methods. They spend months or years swinging their swords in silence, with no guarantee of reaching the next level. You might hold on for a few months, but after a few years, you start to lose your mind.”

Dang Mujin thought of Akgugyesung Cheongbok.

Even Cheongbok, a monk from Shaolin who had cultivated for decades, began to twist when his progress stalled. How would an ordinary person handle such pain?

”…Still, others don’t resort to such methods.”

“Others can quit if they can’t endure. But Baek Chuseo is different. Can you imagine what would happen if the head of a martial family gave up martial arts? Whether he wants to or not, Baek Chuseo must challenge and confront it for life. Even if it means dying against the wall.”

The strange man continued in a low voice.

“Think from Baek Chuseo’s perspective. Every time people looked at him, they probably thought of the great Sword King, comparing the talentless Baek Chuseo to him. And Baek Chuseo watched as the family his father built crumbled day by day under his watch.”

”…”

“The only solution is to improve his martial prowess. But after decades of training, he can’t break free from being first-rate. By then, he realizes that even if he swings his sword until death, he won’t break through to the supreme level, let alone the pinnacle. Baek Chuseo might seem fine on the outside, but inside, he’s bound to be mad.”

The strange man’s story was realistic and vivid. How many similar people had he encountered in his wanderings?

If an ordinary person desires extraordinary achievements, they must choose extraordinary means. That’s the truth of the world.

Yet, Dang Mujin still rejected the strange man’s story.

“But you never know. Maybe they really did arrange a marriage with the Sama family, and learning the Yeolyang Technique is just a coincidence.”

“That would be ideal. I’ll visit the Sama family briefly, so you take a rest.”

Two evenings later, the strange man returned from Luoyang and spoke.

“There was no marriage talk between the Sama family and the Jeweon Baek family.”

Even though he had suspected it, a part of his heart felt heavy.

Over the past two nights, Dang Mujin had secretly watched Baek Chuseo’s training from the Jeweon Baek family’s walls. Baek Chuseo focused solely on energy circulation and fist techniques, never once touching a sword.

And the subtle warmth felt from the fist techniques. His suspicions were nearly confirmed.

“What will you do?”

“We’ll have to give Baek Hyang-a the medicine you made. Once her meridians are healed, everything will be resolved.”

Dang Mujin pressed his fingers between his eyes, then forced a bright expression to change the subject.

“You talked about principles and all, but in the end, you didn’t want to break family bonds, did you?”

“What are you talking about? That has nothing to do with it. I’m interfering with Baek Chuseo because it’s a matter of probability.”

“What?”

“If we give her the medicine in time, there’s an eighty percent chance she’ll recover. But with Baek Chuseo’s current skills, practicing the Yeolyang Technique poorly won’t likely save Baek Hyang-a through energy absorption.”

The strange man was exasperatingly pragmatic. Dang Mujin sighed.

“Just say it’s because of family bonds.”

“Think what you want. Shall we go protect those bonds?”

The strange man pulled out two sets of black night clothes, complete with masks.

Dang Mujin and the strange man changed into the clothes.

They hid in the shadows and climbed over the Jeweon Baek family’s walls.

Even as night fully enveloped the surroundings, Baek Chuseo was absorbed in his training. The strange man observed him for a long time before murmuring with certainty.

“It’s definitely the Yeomhwa Fist.”

“He trains until late at night or early morning. He won’t be coming into the main hall for a while.”

“What have you been up to these past two days? You’ve become quite the gentleman without me knowing.”

“It’s not like I enjoyed it.”

After carefully surveying the area, the two quietly opened the main hall’s door and entered. Only the room where Baek Hyang-a was had a faint presence.

Dang Mujin and the strange man entered the room. Baek Hyang-a was sound asleep.

Dang Mujin hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. But the strange man showed no such hesitation.

He swiftly pressed Baek Hyang-a’s mute point, startling her awake. But with her mute point pressed, she couldn’t scream. Baek Hyang-a huddled in a corner, trembling.

“We’re not here to harm you, so don’t worry.”

The strange man said this and waited patiently.

After a short while, Baek Hyang-a’s trembling subsided a bit. Though still scared, she seemed slightly calmer.

“Miss Baek, have you ever heard of any marriage talks involving you?”

Baek Hyang-a shook her head. This confirmed the situation.

There might be marriage talks without her consent, but none would proceed without her knowledge.

The strange man asked again.

“Miss Baek, do you know what a meridian blockage is?”

Baek Hyang-a nodded.

“Then, do you know what energy absorption is?”

Baek Hyang-a nodded again, though the mention of energy absorption seemed to embarrass her, as her nod was smaller than before.

“Do you know that someone practicing the Yeolyang Technique can use energy absorption to treat meridian blockage and enhance their internal energy?”

As soon as the strange man finished speaking, Baek Hyang-a’s shoulders shook violently.

It was a natural reaction, given that a stranger had barged in, talking about energy absorption and internal energy enhancement. The strange man raised his hands to show he meant no harm.

“We haven’t learned the Yeolyang Technique, so there’s no need to worry.”

Dang Mujin fell into a brief contemplation.

The content of the conversation was so shocking that he wasn’t sure how to explain it.

But the strange man was someone who never cared about such trivial details.

He gestured beyond the wall and spoke.

“But outside, Baek Chuseo is diligently practicing the Yeolyang Technique.”

Baek Hyang-a’s eyes widened. The shock was so great that, despite being unable to speak, she kept opening and closing her mouth.

Dang Mujin quickly interjected.

“But there is a way. If you take this medicine, the symptoms of your meridian blockage will lessen, and Baek Chuseo will have no reason to go against family bonds.”

Dang Mujin pulled out a dark pill. The strong medicinal scent filled the room.

He offered the pill to Baek Hyang-a. Her trembling hand reached out.

But before she could take it, she hesitated, withdrawing her hand with a small shake of her head.

Dang Mujin wore an awkward expression. Though hidden by his mask, it was there.

“The smell might be a bit strong, but it will definitely work.”

Yet, Baek Hyang-a shook her head stubbornly. There seemed to be a reason, but it was hard to guess what it might be.

When Dang Mu-jin signaled to Goeui, he reluctantly approached Baek Hyang-a and spoke.

“Just know that if you scream, it won’t end well for either of us.”

As Goeui released the pressure point, Baek Hyang-a let out a soft “Ah, ah,” testing her voice. Even in that brief sound, a clear tremor was evident.

After hesitating for a long while, Baek Hyang-a finally seemed to make up her mind and spoke.

“I won’t take the medicine.”

“Then, are you saying you’d rather die from Jeolmyeok?”

Baek Hyang-a shook her head again.

Dang Mu-jin felt a faint dizziness. If she wouldn’t take the medicine and didn’t intend to die from Jeolmyeok, there was only one path left.

“Are you in your right mind?”

“I’ve watched my father closely all my life. I know better than anyone how much he has suffered.”

“Get a grip. Do you hear yourself? This goes against the natural order and defies familial duty. It’s not good for you or for Master Baek.”

Perhaps it was the sincerity in Dang Mu-jin’s voice that made Baek Hyang-a pause. But her decision remained unchanged. She replied firmly.

“My father and I will stand firm and endure.”

The tremor in her voice gradually subsided. In that short time, Baek Hyang-a had steeled her resolve.

Both Dang Mu-jin and Goeui realized belatedly that Baek Hyang-a’s values were unlike those of ordinary people.

Master Baek Chuseo lived a life where the Jeowon Baek family was everything. But Baek Hyang-a’s world was even smaller.

The only people she knew were her father and a few family servants. She had lived her entire life within the walls of the family estate, and in recent years, she hadn’t even left the main house.

For someone like Baek Hyang-a, her father was her only pillar. How immense must his significance be to her? Dang Mu-jin couldn’t even begin to fathom.

“Please, just go back and forget all of this. I won’t speak of your visit to anyone.”

“Think it over. With the medicine, there’s an eighty percent chance you’ll survive. Without it, nine out of ten times, you’ll die. Jeolmyeok isn’t something that can be managed with a short-term practice of Yeolyang-gong.”

Instead of answering, Baek Hyang-a leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

It was a clear refusal, a dismissal.

Baek Hyang-a chose her father’s peace and the family’s honor over her own safety and familial duty.

Faced with this unexpected situation, Dang Mu-jin’s mind was in turmoil. What should he do now?

Should he insist on the medicine again? Or should he really keep quiet as Baek Hyang-a asked?

But even the most tangled problems become clear in the presence of a madman.

Goeui clamped his left hand over Baek Hyang-a’s mouth and, without warning, pressed the acupoint on her neck with his right hand.

Baek Hyang-a struggled briefly before collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.

Goeui hoisted the unconscious Baek Hyang-a onto his back. If Baek Hyang-a was shocked, Dang Mu-jin was no less surprised.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“I told you, I treat all patients regardless of what those around them think. Remember?”

It was a conversation they’d had at an inn in the neighboring village, about which patients to treat and which not to.

”…I remember.”

When Dang Mu-jin replied, Goeui grinned.

“I don’t even care about the patient’s own wishes.”