Chapter 21 –Fruitful After the Rain(4)
The child had never received unconditional love from the moment of birth. Born after devouring the mother, the child received the family head’s hatred, making Sua’s position inevitably low.
At least until proving talent to family head Murong Gang. But even then, he only handled Sua like a weapon, and if Sua didn’t obey, he would inflict punishment without mercy.
Yet even that, Sua accepted as love. At least it was better than receiving no attention at all. Instead, Sua felt fortunate to be of use.
But upon meeting the Master, everything Sua had known was completely denied. Unlike the family head, the Master demanded nothing from Sua.
[Yes, well done.]
[Excellent.]
[Eat all you want when you’re hungry. There’s plenty of food.]
It was like the shock a frog living in a well might feel upon facing the ocean. The warmth encountered for the first time in a dark, cold place was too comforting.
Sua desired nothing else. Only wanted this warmth to continue. But heaven was heartless, and now even this warmth was moving elsewhere.
What would happen if this warmth was lost? Would Sua have to go back? To that cold, dark place? In that moment, hateful teachings dominated Sua’s mind.
[In the end, the orthodox martial arts world is survival of the fittest.]
‘I must protect it.’
[If you don’t want to be taken from, become the one who takes!]
‘Yes, that’s right. If you’re weak, you’ll only be robbed.’
Though Sua had learned much while with Mu-myung, that learning wasn’t yet deep. Meanwhile, the teachings from Murong Gang spanned over ten years. So they inevitably remained.
And when Sua opened her eyes again, the girl had become a sword. The sword strike, widely swung, greatly changed its direction midway. What seemed like a dodge was a feint.
The vertically redirected sword struck Seolhwa’s shoulder like lightning. There was no way a novice who had just begun learning martial arts could block a sword imbued with the Murong family’s principle of swiftness.
Though a concerning sound came from the shoulder, Seolhwa ignored it and took the stance learned from the Master. Seeing the Master’s image in that pose, Sua became even more enraged.
‘I too never received the inner techniques directly from the Master, so how is it that you, who came later than me, are surpassing me?’
Once the heart is on fire, reason cannot extinguish it. Sua, consumed by jealousy, could not make rational judgments. Sua was merely following emotions faithfully.
But Sua’s wooden sword did not move, as if blocked by a heavy rock. Only then did Sua realize that what suddenly appeared was not a rock but a person.
White-haired with a beard-covered chin, the wrinkles and scars on his forehead were enough to make him look like an old man who had been through every hardship. Though his expression was stern.
Rather, Sua was finally able to smile only after the situation had fallen to this point. Because the Master was looking only at me! That alone was good enough.
“You went too far.”
“But isn’t this just practice combat?”
“Even so, your opponent has just learned martial arts and is third-rate. Why would you, who has risen to second-rate, not show restraint?”
“…”
“You haven’t been yourself for the past three days. Is there some problem?”
Not myself? What does that even mean?
As soon as the name Seolhwa left the Master’s lips, Sua’s face crumpled. Unable to overcome the frustration, Sua placed a hand on her chest and spoke.
“This is how I was taught by Murong Gang as well.”
“But you know that was wrong, don’t you?”
“Learning has no end. Besides, darkness hangs heavily in the sky with not even starlight to guide the way, so I too am just a child who has lost the path and sat down in despair.”
“…”
“I need you as my Master too!!”
I don’t know what words I’m saying. As a daughter of the Orthodox Sect who should carefully discern right from wrong, she could be considered a failure, but why should I care?
From the moment of birth, it was a life that didn’t even receive blessings, and even then, Sua was only raised as a tool after being deemed valuable. So why now talk about maintaining the dignity of the Orthodox Sect?
And what about the decorum required of a daughter from a noble clan? The fear of possibly being abandoned again, the anger at having one’s place taken, and even jealousy.
Sua was still too young to control all those emotions. And because Mu-myung knew all the humiliation Sua had experienced until now, he slowly stepped forward.
“I’m sorry.”
“…?!”
“I know you’ve experienced considerable pain. But because of my inadequate ability, I failed to look after you properly, so it makes sense for you to be angry.”
It was an action for which Sua had prepared for even thunder-like scolding. As long as Sua could monopolize the Master’s attention, nothing else mattered. But Mu-myung’s subsequent action was completely unexpected.
Sua looked up blankly. Somehow, she was now in the Master’s embrace. The scent of herbs and earth flowing from the Master’s embrace couldn’t have felt more fragrant.
Perhaps it was only after being held in Mu-myung’s embrace and feeling that warmth that Sua felt reassured. The tears that had been barely held back burst forth, and all the negativity melted away like snow in midsummer.
Only after a long while was Sua able to talk with Mu-myung alone. Seolhwa tried to follow, but Mu-myung personally asked for Seolhwa’s understanding and created the opportunity.
After entering the room, locking the door, and checking for outside presence, Mu-myung apologized to Sua again by bowing his head, to which Sua waved both arms as if embarrassed.
“Let me apologize once more. I momentarily forgot that you too have experienced pain.”
“Ah, no. I suddenly got possessed…”
Only after the intensely burning emotions had cooled did Sua’s face turn red like a ripe persimmon, feeling embarrassment and a bit of shame. Then Mu-myung responded with a deliberately serious expression.
“…What I’m about to tell you must not be revealed to anyone. I’m telling you this because I trust you that much, so listen without being surprised.”
“What? You mean…”
While feeling slightly happy that the Master trusted her so much, Sua read an ominous sign in the Master’s expression. Finally, Mu-myung opened his mouth.
“It seems that Seolhwa is a living human vessel.”
◇
Lee Cheong-woo, the owner of the only medical house in the village of Seochae, looked with glee at the silk and silver coins in the box. Just looking at them made his stomach feel full.
He truly felt like he didn’t need food. His business hadn’t been good lately, but thanks to an unexpected big fish… no, great warrior, his stomach felt like it would burst.
Lee Cheong-woo wore a greedy smile but, fearing someone might see, quickly closed the box and hid it well under the desk where he was sitting.
Bang bang!
“Oh my, you’ll break the door! It’s open, so come in by yourself!”
His mood was already good thanks to the wealth received from the warrior, and today a patient visited the medical house, which only gets one or two patients a day? Lee Cheong-woo’s mouth was stretched from ear to ear with no intention of coming down.
However, the moment his eyes met with the visitors who opened the door and entered the medical house, his ear-to-ear smile dropped down as if it were a lie. It was a group dressed in black clothes with bamboo hats pulled low.
Moreover, the fact that they even had swords at their waists clearly indicated they were not ordinary visitors. Reading this ominous sign, Lee Cheong-woo hastily corrected his posture.
“Wh-what brings you to this humble medical house?”
“…We heard there’s an old man with two children near Mount Geumhyeon.”
“Oh? Then you should go to Mount Geumhyeon. For what reason have you personally come to such an insignificant medical house?”
Bang!!
A pouch fell on Lee Cheong-woo’s desk with a loud noise, making jingling sounds. As a physician who was keen on money, Lee Cheong-woo couldn’t fail to recognize that it contained silver coins.
“We heard you went up the mountain yourself with that old man for a medical examination. Similarly, guide us on that path. Then all that money will be yours.”
“…What happens if I refuse your request, sir?”
Thwack!
A sword drawn from the waist was precisely stabbed next to the pouch of silver coins. Though no lengthy words were spoken, even a passing mongrel would understand what that action meant.
“Choose. Will you take the money that can change your life with just a bit of effort? Or…”
Would you choose to spend this long night in pain you’ve never experienced before?
