Switch Mode

A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside Chapter 7

Episode 7. On the road 2013.09.24.

Sajahyuk’s voice continued without hesitation.

“Do you know what my sword means? Do you know what wonders my one movement contains? In professional dances, there are countless cases where victory or defeat can be determined with just a slight movement of the eye. If you can’t see the meaning of each movement, it’s as if you haven’t seen anything. No, it’s worse than that.”

Sonbin could not refute Sajahyeok’s words.

It was like that just last night. Sajahyeok’s martial arts brought a feeling close to awe to Sonbin, but that was all.

I don’t know anything about why his martial arts skills are so great or why they are so great.

Sonbin sighed softly.

“That’s right.”

Even if the handwriting was written by a famous calligrapher, or rather, a divine calligrapher, to someone who does not have discerning eyes, it would only appear as handwriting that looks like it has something to do with it.

Although it may be impressive in its own way, it cannot even compare in terms of depth of surprise and understanding.

“Right now I don’t have the eyes to see your sword. And I don’t even have the confidence to express it properly in writing.”

If Sonbin sees Sajahyeok’s dance like this, he will be moved once again. However, there would be very little that Son Bin could write about that secret. Because it would just seem like something flashed and then ended.

“Writing is what you have to do. However, there is no need to worry about the eyes that see martial arts.”

Sajahyuk said.

“Because I am there.”

Looking at his faint smile, Sonbin suddenly felt uneasy for no reason.

“Hmm. But… … .”

Son Bin asked Sa-hyuk Sa-hyeok, quickly moving the fine pen that had stopped.

“What is more important than weapons or martial arts?”

Sajahyeok frowned for a moment, but then remembered what he had said.

– It doesn’t matter what you hold in your hand. It’s actually not that important what kind of martial arts you learn. Once you reach a certain level, what really matters is… … .

“Ah, that’s it.”

Looking down at Sonbin, Sajahyeok said.

“It is a road, a Tao (道).”

‘Do?’

I thought it was a completely strange answer. However, the person I know now is Sajahyeok, and the person I don’t know is Sonbin. Sonbin sighed slightly and moved the thin brush.

The word ‘Tao’ was written in his old book, and the book closed with a thud.

***

Sajahyeok always walked slowly. But he wasn’t slow.

If Sonbin delayed even a little, Sajahyuk would be in front of him before he knew it, so Sonbin always had to run to catch up. Moreover, Sajahyeok almost never stopped. It was as natural as if he was walking down a familiar path that he always took.

“Huh, huh.”

Sonbin wiped his sweat and exhaled harshly. The spacious government road was easy to walk through, but there was no shade. The only rest I could get was to catch my breath for a moment under the shade of a small tree that I came across every now and then.

“Are you not even out of breath?”

Sonbin asked, looking at Sajahyeok who was standing silently. It’s natural to sweat if you walk like this on a hot summer day, but Lion’s Hyuk doesn’t even break a breath, let alone sweat.

“Are you out of breath?”

Sajahyuk said, looking down at Sonbin with his arms crossed. ‘Can’t you tell when you see it?’ Thinking about it, Sonbin glared at Sajahyeok.

“The reason you get out of breath easily is because your breathing is shallow.”

Sajahyeok said.

“If your breathing is shallow, your movements become disorganized, and if your movements are disrupted, you cannot follow the flow. “It’s like always going against the tide. How can it not be difficult?”

Sonbin looked blankly at Sajahyuk, wondering what he was talking about.

Rustle.

Sonbin asked, almost reflexively reaching into his arms and taking out a thin brush and an old booklet.

“Then what should I do?”

“deep.”

Sajahyeok’s answer was simple. Sonbin frowned. She said it shouldn’t be shallow, so it goes without saying that it should be deep. The question is ‘how’.

“How can you breathe deeply?”

“The essence of Hyeoncheon is to be slow but not stop, to flow but not lose direction, and to be deep and uninterrupted.”

Sonbin tilted his head while playing with his brush. It sounds vaguely incomprehensible.

“What’s the point?”

“It means the core.”

“Can I say it like this?”

Sajahyuk chuckled.

“Since you are a student, you must know handwriting well.”

“exactly.”

“What is good handwriting?”

Sonbin answered Sajahyeok’s sudden question even though he was puzzled.

“Hmm. How can I describe good handwriting in one word? In general, good handwriting should express strong images and soft emotions in harmony. A strong shape expresses something that is angular, straight, sharp, and dry, while a soft emotion refers to something that is round, hidden, curved, and shiny. “Good writing is when these things are expressed well in harmony.”

“If you only know that, can you write good handwriting?”

Sonbin smiled bitterly.

“Is that possible? What you need to know right now is starting with how to hold a brush, brush strokes, finishing techniques, and quick and simple drawing techniques… … .”

Sonbin, who was speaking, suddenly frowned.

“So, it doesn’t mean that you know it with your head.”

“Yes.”

Sajahyuk laughed.

“Even if you pick up a sword before learning how to speak and spend your whole life training, you cannot say that you have mastered a single sword technique. Even if you practice for sixty years without a single day of rest, the strength you gain is called barely a day. So how can you say that you know Xuan Tian-gyeol after only hearing a few words? Moreover, it is not the entirety, but rather the broad summary.”

His words seemed like he was talking to himself, not to Son Bin.

“It is said that some people achieve enlightenment in an instant, but that is also possible only for those who are prepared. Now you see but you have not seen, and if you have heard you have not heard.”

Those words seemed to be overly dismissive of Sonbin. However, since what he said was not particularly wrong, Sonbin could only play with his brush with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Let’s go, it’s a long way.”

Sajahyeok said as he watched the sun starting to set.

“already?”

“Hasn’t your breathing already calmed down?”

‘is it?’

Now that I think about it, my breathing has calmed down. However, Sonbin did not feel very hoarse from writing down Sajahyeok’s words.

“Whoa.”

Sonbin sighed, gathered his luggage and stood up. Sajahyeok is already walking down the road ahead of me. As Sonbin hurried his steps up the rough road, a thought occurred to him.

Jump and jump.

‘Wow, that’s amazing.’

You can see the back of Sajahyeok walking ahead. His steps are fast even though he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry. Moreover, it feels so light that it does not suit that large physique.

‘Slow but not stopping, flowing but not losing direction, deep but uninterrupted… … .’

Sonbin repeated what Sajahyeok had just said about Hyeoncheon’s secret. And I remembered what Sajahyeok said about breathing.

‘So, are you saying take a slow, deep breath? Somewhere… … .’

“Seuuuu.”

Sonbin opened his mouth slightly and took a slow breath. She exhaled slowly as her breath filled her, as if she were taking a deep breath.

“Whoa.” “Keck.”

After I exhaled, I suddenly felt out of breath. He tried to inhale slowly, but his efforts quickly failed. Perhaps because he was walking hard, his breathing suddenly became heavier.

“Heo-eok, heo-eok.”

Sonbin even stopped walking and was breathing heavily. Instead of keeping her breathing steady, she actually became out of breath more quickly.

“What, that’s not possible.”

I felt like I had suffered a loss for no reason. I glare at Sajahyuk’s back with a feeling of resentment, but Sajahyuk is still just walking naturally. He looked as if he were out for a leisurely walk.

“Whoa.”

Sonbin scratched his head. As Sajahyuk said, the attempt to imitate after barely hearing a few words may have been wrong in the first place. However, when he looks at the back of Hyuk, the lion running ahead, he cannot help the thoughts that naturally come to his mind without his knowledge.

‘That was amazing.’

It was amazing. The sword’s dance moves under the moonlight still remained clearly in Sonbin’s eyes.

While walking down the street or eating, Sonbin suddenly realized that he was thinking of Sajahyeok’s method. It was that shocking to Sonbin.

‘I think it might be something like walking or breathing.’

I don’t dare to try my hand at martial arts. But wouldn’t it be possible to just breathe or walk? However, Sonbin immediately shook his head.

‘Arthur. If you imitate something without knowing how to do it, you will only end up in a bad situation.’

It is said that a young man who tried to learn the cool gait of the metropolitan Handan ended up forgetting his own gait and not being able to walk properly. Trying to imitate Sajahyeok is just out of character for Sonbin.

After shrugging his shoulders, Sonbin trudged on again.

‘Anyway, the Gwando is comfortable, but it doesn’t have anything like the feeling of walking.’

Sunlight was pouring down on the straight road. Sonbin sighed and took her steps. The back of Sajahyeok, who was ahead, was urging him on.

***

Wow.

The curtain covering the entrance to the guesthouse was lifted and a sound was made. Although the colors were faded, Juryeom’s small beads, which were decorated rather ornately, swayed here and there, but did not attract any attention in a room full of guests.

This is because the room was already filled with sounds, including the sounds of guests talking, dishes, and music coming from somewhere.

‘Wow, there are a lot of people.’

Sonbin, who entered the guest room, looked a little embarrassed. But she didn’t feel bad. She said that having a lot of customers also means that this place is a good place to stay. All the smells of food hitting her nose were actually stimulating her appetite.

Standing at the entrance to the moderately noisy guesthouse, Sonbin looked around to see if there was a seat available. However, every place is full of people who arrived in advance.

‘Is it because it’s evening?’

The guest cup was quite large. It was always crowded with people because it was located next to a heavily trafficked highway and was the only place to stay nearby. Moreover, since it coincided with dinner time, there were hardly any empty seats in the guest room.

“Oh, hey… … .”

Sonbin tried to stop Jeomsoi who was passing by. However, Jeomsoi, who is holding both hands full of food, walks quickly past Sonbin.

Seeing Jeomsoi quickly disappearing among the people, Sonbin spoke to the other Jeomsoi.

“Oh, I… … .”

“Yes, sir. wait a minute.”

Without even paying attention to Sonbin, Jeomsoi said something that seemed like a formality and quickly disappeared into the kitchen.

‘this.’

Sonbin frowned. But he seemed so busy that I couldn’t help it. She had given up trying to call Jeomsoi and it was time for Sonbin to look around to see if there was an empty seat somewhere.

Chop rock.

Juryeom shook and another person entered. He was a lion with a huge physique, which was very different from the slim Son Bin, and he was carrying a large black sword, Powell, on his back.

“What are you doing?”

Looking at Sonbin standing in front of the entrance, Sajahyeok spoke in a deep voice.

“Ah, I guess it’s a busy time… … .”

“welcome!”

Before Sonbin could finish speaking, Jeomsoi’s voice was heard from behind. When Sonbin turned her head, Jeomsoi, who looked friendly, was already bending down behind them with a smile on her face.

“There are two of you?”

“Yes.”

Sajahyeok gave the answer. Jeomsoy quickly guided the two to an empty seat.

‘what?’

As Sonbin watched Jeomsoi kindly guiding him to his seat and Sajahyeok walking heavily, Sonbin felt something bothering him.

‘This… … .’

It was a sound. The noise of people chattering around Sonbin had decreased significantly.

When Sonbin turned his head and looked around, his eyes met several people. They were glancing at Sonbin and Lion Hyuk without turning her head. The old man who was guarding the counter near the entrance, probably the owner of the guesthouse, smiled when her eyes met and even bowed her head.

It was a completely different appearance from just before, when he was concentrating on calculating without even looking at Sonbin.

‘Ha, I guess that’s it.’

Only then did Sonbin realize the situation and smiled bitterly. And then I trudged to the place that Jeomsoi had guided me to. Sajahyuk was already seated, and Jeomsoi was listening to orders in a polite manner.

Rattling.

As Sonbin sat down, Jeomsoy turned around. While Jeomsoi, who had a formal but smiling face on her face, was taking orders from Sonbin, another Jeomsoi suddenly appeared and brought a warm teapot and cool water.

“Why are you doing that?”

Sajahyuk asks if he saw the color of Sonbin’s face. Sonbin smiled bitterly at her.

“No, it’s nothing. just… … .”

Sonbin turned his head and looked back at the guest. The loud noises return to their original size, and the room is once again filled with bustling noises and the smell of food.

“I thought, ‘These people must be having a really hard time.’”

Sajahyuk frowns slightly. It probably means something coming out of nowhere.

“With so many people, how many strange guests must there be? “Arrogant masters, girls who like to be neat, martial artists who frequently brandish swords, and even officials who force special treatment by showing off their status.”

“so?”

Sahyeok asks as he lifts a warm teacup. Sonbin picked up the teapot and filled his cup with tea. Even in this place filled with the smells of all kinds of food, the warm scent of tea slowly rose up and soothed Sonbin’s mood.

“So maybe it’s only natural? It means understanding at a glance what kind of person the person who just entered the room is and making appropriate preparations. If it’s a well-behaved customer, you can make them wait a bit, but if it’s an irritable martial artist, you’ll need to please them quickly. therefore… … Oh, look.”

The moment Sonbin spoke, a guest entered the guest room. At the same time, the gazes of the cashier and store clerks quickly passed by the customer. It was only a brief moment, but I could clearly see the gaze passing by.

The guests looked embarrassed as they looked at the room full of people, but the owner, Jeomsoina, had already withdrawn her gaze and was concentrating on her own work. It would probably take some time for the shabby, condescending customer to receive help from Jeomsoy.

“hmm. is it?”

Sajahyeok said.

“They are just doing their job. “Isn’t it too much to think that way?”

“Well, do you think so? If you had to wait at the entrance… … .”

“You just have to wait. “You can’t ask someone to create something that doesn’t exist.”

“exactly?”

Sonbin smiled.

“I will make sure to write those words down.”

“as you please.”

Sajahyeok raised his teacup and said. While Sonbin was rustling and taking out a book as if it wasn’t a joke, Sajahyuk spoke.

“I don’t care about Jeomsoi’s attitude toward me. If you’re rude, just correct your behavior. All I care about is… … .”

A faint smile appeared on Sajahyuk’s lips.

“It’s other people.”

────────────────────────────────────

martial arts,

Join our Discord for the latest updates and novel requests - Click here!

Comment

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset