Episode 20. I saw a knife cut a person.
This time, Kyungcheon Daeju Sogunpyeong, who was nearby, spoke up.
“Your Majesty, that is what the Patriarch said. The battle has not even begun yet, and five of the Wind and Cloud Corps have already been injured. It would be better to go a little slower and reduce unnecessary casualties.”
Those words touched the king’s pride.
Unlike Pungwoon-dae, there have been no casualties at Gyeongcheon-dae. I don’t know if it was just my imagination, but I felt like Sogunpyeong was looking down on me.
The king, who had lost his composure, turned around with a groan. He had thought that the expedition would not be difficult, but his head was complicated.
***
As the sun set, the mountain quickly became dark.
Poongyeoncho set up torches on top of a log wall and had five people take turns standing guard.
Most of the entrances to the Nokrim Mountains are secretive and narrow. O-Bong Mountains was no exception. Thanks to this, the log wall could be protected with five poles.
As time passed, it became impossible to see even an inch ahead.
The bandits lit a bonfire in the yard and prepared dinner.
The people preparing the meal brought out some vegetable side dishes and some hard rice cakes.
Still, no one complained.
The bandits did not return to the hut even after dinner. They could not rest in peace because the enemies were camped beyond the log wall.
Even though Chaeju Pungyeoncho hadn’t called, they gathered in the yard holding military flags.
It was the same with Yeonjeokha.
He avoided people and worked hard to trim the hoe in a corner of the yard.
Someone approached the person hesitantly.
It was Yeom Sa-ung.
Yeonjeokha, sensing the presence of people, turned her head.
Yeom Sa-ung carefully held out a basin full of water with a mischievous laugh.
“I brought you some water in case you get thirsty.”
Without thinking much about it, Yeon-ah took the bowl and drank the water inside in gulps.
“Hehe, are you thirsty?”
“not really.”
The man who returned the bowl began to sharpen the blade of the knife with the charcoal stone.
Sweep. Sweep.
The strange noise that seemed to grate his nerves made Yeom Sa-ung shudder slightly.
“Why do you set the day like that? Can’t the masters cut a man with a blade of grass?”
Of course, the atmosphere was awkward so I tried to make a joke.
But jokes don’t work on Yeon-jeok-ha, who has lived in a warehouse for ten years. Most of the trivial stories are new to him.
“This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
Depending on how you hear it, it sounds pretty resolute.
Yeom Sa-ung, who did not know the circumstances, thought, ‘Yeon Jeok-ha does not want to talk to me.’
“Well, then thank you for your hard work.”
As soon as Yeom Sa-ung disappeared, Yeon-jeok muttered with a serious face.
“The masters can cut people with a blade of grass. Amazing. I envy them. I envy them.”
It’s surprising that this is the standard for experts.
When on earth will I be able to use a blade of grass like a sword?
The sighing Yeonjeokha sharpened the blade even more diligently. Right now, this was the best he could do.
***
As time passed, the bandits returned to their huts one by one.
Still, a dozen or so timid bandits remained in the yard until the end, worried about what would happen next.
Just after midnight, flames suddenly burst out from the log wall.
“Fire!”
“They started the fire!”
One of the thieves guarding the log wall ran into the yard and shouted.
The thieves hurriedly used buckets and ladles to sprinkle water on the log walls.
However, the fire caused by the oil spread even further to the surrounding area. Soon, the entire log wall was engulfed in flames.
All the thieves who had been sleeping in the commotion came running out into the yard.
The thieves stamped their feet and looked only at the mouth of the owner, Poongyeoncho.
Fortunately, Poongyeoncho, who had been focusing on blocking and protecting the area, did not hesitate.
“Build a second wall behind you where the fire can’t reach!”
“yes!”
The thieves moved the logs that had been rolling around the mountain behind the burning log wall.
But there were not enough logs to block the access road.
Eventually, the thieves filled the empty hole with planks they had removed from the hut.
***
The second day dawned.
Nanyang Sangbang warriors, heavily armed with swords, gathered in front of the entrance.
The charred log walls looked as if they would collapse if touched.
After a while, the warriors above threw a hook tied with a rope into the charred log.
Knock. Knock.
After two or three casts of the hook and a pull, the precariously standing log wall collapsed with a thud.
At the same time, a second wall, blocking the ice, appeared.
“Huh! You’re throwing a tantrum.”
The swordsman Lee Mu-ryang frowned.
Three thick logs were placed horizontally, with rough planks placed between them.
If I ran over and kicked it a few times, it seemed like it would all break.
The problem is that you can see the damn pole through the gaps in the planks.
Swear words burst out from the mouths of Wang In-geol, the leader of the Wind and Cloud Lords, and So Gun-pyeong, the leader of the Gyeongcheon Lords, who had discovered the pole.
“Those damn dogs!”
“You’re going to be a total idiot until the very end!”
This morning, So Gun-pyeong, who was leading the assault, asked Imoo-ryang.
“Your Majesty, what should we do?”
“Are you confident that you can break the plank while avoiding the pole?”
At Imoo-ryang’s question, Sogunpyeong scratched the back of his head.
To be honest, it was impossible to avoid the pole and break the plank with one’s own actions.
Imoo-ryang nodded as if to say, “Okay,” and then slowly started walking away.
“I’ll clear the way. Be prepared to rush in.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Imoo-ryang’s gaze turned to Wang In-geol.
“Today, I will support Gyeongcheon University together with the people of Cheongungwan.”
“yes.”
Wang In-geol felt a pang in his heart when he heard the words, “Support me,” but he tried to answer in a calm tone. He couldn’t say anything because the leader had given him the same opportunity yesterday.
Imoo-ryang received an axe from the warrior of Gyeongcheon-dae and walked away with steady steps.
But that was Imoo-ryang’s mistake.
If Imoo Ryang had run instead of walking back then, the future might have been a little different.
***
Muyeongshintu Baekgyo is a man who has been to almost every place due to the nature of his job.
Baek-gyo, who was watching the front through the gap in the planks, muttered.
“What? Why is Imoo-ryang holding an axe? Are you sure you’re not going to break this?”
At that moment, Gumilbokgeom Simyanggak’s voice grew louder.
“Is that guy really the Archduke of Heavenly Swordsmanship? Heaven is helping us! All I have to do is get rid of that guy… … .”
The thieves lined up behind the plank all looked at Yeonjeokha.
Yeonjeokha slung the sword he was holding over his shoulder.
It means you are going to fight.
Then the thieves who had gathered in front of the plank quickly split to the left and right.
It’s time for Yeonjeokha to walk towards the plank.
“Tongue, bro!”
Yeom Sa-ung blocked the opening of the bottle with his palm and approached it, shaking it up and down like a madman.
“Please go after getting some exercise!”
Yeonjeokha said bluntly while looking at Yeom Sa-ung’s palm soaked in alcohol.
“Eat plenty, you too.”
Who would want to eat something so dirty?
When Yeonjeokha glared at him, Yeom Sa-ung smiled awkwardly and took a few sips as if to show off.
“I, I guess so. This is a good drink… … . Gulp, gulp.”
“Tsk tsk!”
He clicked his tongue and kicked the plank wall with his right foot.
Kwang.
***
Imoo-ryang, who had been walking with dignity, suddenly stopped in surprise when the flimsy wall was shattered.
Imoo-ryang couldn’t understand the current situation.
Are you planning to die?
Why are they breaking down the wall they built?
Honestly, even if bandits poured out, Imoo-ryang wasn’t afraid.
How could a tiger be afraid of a pack of dogs?
But what emerged from the broken wall was not a pack of dogs, but a single puppy.
“Are you running away from there? Or have you come out to confront me?”
Before even hearing an answer, Imoo-ryang threw the axe he was holding aside. Looking at the sword resting on the boy’s shoulder, it didn’t seem like it was meant with good intentions.
Yeonjeokha answered, tapping the sole of her foot with her foot.
“An old man once said that if you kill the leader, everyone will run away.”
“Maybe so. Are you by any chance the ‘Sword-wielding Thief of Obongsan’?”
“I think so?”
“What about the Gumilbokgeom or the Muyeongshintu? Why did you, who are still so young, come out?”
“Those old brothers are behind you. Are you close? Should I call them?”
Imoo-ryang’s face hardened slightly at the words ‘older brothers’.
I couldn’t believe that the boy in front of me had defeated the Gumilbok Sword and the Muyeongshintu.
“I am the leader of Nanyang Sangbang, the swordsman of Gyeongcheon, Lee Mu-ryang. What is your name?”
“It’s called Yeonjeokhayo. It means ‘red sunset.’ When are we going to fight?”
Imoo-ryang frowned at Yeonjeok-ha’s provocative words.
“When I climb Mt. Obong, I decided to cut down anyone who blocks my path, regardless of age or gender. That’s what I learned from the Hwasanpa… .”
“Of course. Where is the difference between men, women, old and young in sword fighting? Have you ever seen a sword discriminate against someone?”
Thanks to the other person’s words, Imoo-ryang was able to relieve the burden on his mind.
“That’s right. A sword has neither eyes nor a heart.”
Imoo-ryang nodded and slowly drew his sword.
Only then did he stop his sly movements and lower the sword head to the ground.
A strange sight appeared in Imoo-ryang’s eyes.
Yeonjeokha’s posture was full of vulnerabilities.
There are so many gaps that it is difficult to prioritize attacks.
First, Imoo-ryang decided to test his opponent’s skills with the six-way sword he had trained in the Hwasan faction.
Shh. Shh. Shh.
The Volcano Sect’s Yukhap Sword is a very complex move, despite its simple-looking name.
Originally, the six combinations meant that the yin and yang of the twelve branches were combined to transform into other five elements. If you combine two of the twelve branches, there are six in total, which are the six combinations. Simply think of them as the four directions and the upper and lower parts of heaven and earth.
Imoo-ryang diligently moved his hands while retracing the sword technique of the Six Combination Sword in his mind.
‘Jachuk (子丑) and chuk (丑) combine to become To (土), Inhae (寅亥) combine to become Wood (木)… … Omi (午未) does not change, so it is a change without change!’
He stabbed Yeonjeokha between the eyebrows with his last attack, ‘Omimubyun’.
“Cha-ha-ha!”
The secret of the Six Combination Sword lies in the final first movement, the Five-Mi-Mubyeon. This is the pinnacle of stillness and movement. It may seem like a simple stab, but it contains ten thousand changes.
That is why the Hwasanpa teaches the Yukhapgeom as a must to its disciples at the main temple and the secular school. Martial arts masters even say, “The Yukhapgeom is the root of the Plum Blossom Sword method.”
Wuxia,
