Chapter 794: Side Story – There’s a Small Garden in the Backyard |
Jeong Yeon-shin aimed for the rear window of the Fortress Lord’s office, not the entrance. Because he was wary of Elder Council Head Shin Byeok’s energy sense at that time. Taking a longer route would have increased the chance of being caught.
‘They said Supreme Heaven Martial Scripture’s fully mastered energy sense range was vastly flexible.’
Whether it was true, he didn’t know.
Jeong Yeon-shin crossed through the wide-open window and immediately encountered a nostalgic sight.
A room with thick tree trunks clinging to walls and ceiling. A scene he couldn’t see in the current Fortress Lord’s office.
A more desolate feeling than the office when Jeong Yeon-shin was Fortress Lord. Perhaps because every blade of grass felt like part of his master. The fragrance of the ‘Calamity and Evil Demon Tree’ World Tree was also profound.
Step.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly passed by the wooden bed where his master of that time always reclined, that is, the long wooden seat.
Naturally, he passed by Wei Gun-hye.
“……”
Desolate Fortress Lord Wei Gun-hye remained still within Jeong Yeon-shin’s movement. That a great presence could be felt from her meant the Martial God was breathing like a human.
Originally, she would have been unified with natural earth energy, surrounded only by grass-blade fragrance.
Step.
It was the final step.
He finally faced Wei Gun-hye. At a somewhat distant range, like when they first met at fifteen.
Their gazes met.
Wei Gun-hye was leaning against the wood as usual. Her green hair hung quietly, and her deep green eyes still evoked an abyss.
When fifteen-year-old Jeong Yeon-shin met those eyes, it felt like his soul was being sucked in.
Now it was different.
When Jeong Yeon-shin met her eyes silently, Wei Gun-hye subtly averted her gaze. Perhaps recalling the adult Jeong Yeon-shin she’d seen first in the past.
“This disciple…”
Jeong Yeon-shin continued quietly.
“I apologize for stealing glimpses of a past that includes Master.”
There was a brief silence.
Soon Wei Gun-hye’s lips slowly opened.
“I know.”
Concluding briefly, she fell silent again.
The deep green eyes held Jeong Yeon-shin once more. He intuited this. If he’d quickly reached the realm of a complete being and faced his master, he would have seen the same reaction then.
He spoke again.
“…Therefore, the current Master is a fully embodied fragment of the past to me. Like a dream that will disappear if I close and open my eyes once.”
“That has no meaning.”
Wei Gun-hye shook her head. The pale green hair covering her shoulders flowed down. To Jeong Yeon-shin, it felt like time flowing like water.
She said.
“I know you, and I speak with you with a complete mind. With you who is complete.”
This statement was different. Rather than human, it had a god’s clarity. Always transcendent, everywhere dignified.
‘The Master of illusion and reality are the same.’
Finding herself regardless of world and time period. Something Jeong Yeon-shin had already experienced. Zhang Sanfeng had been like this too.
“Let us drink tea.”
Wei Gun-hye’s crystalline voice permeated the office. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded and sat beside her.
On the same wooden seat.
Even without looking aside, he could tell. His master was showing a puzzled air. Jeong Yeon-shin said with an expressionless face.
“Isn’t this the normal distance between master and disciple? Most jianghu people would be like this, yet looking back, the main fortress is too large and luxurious.”
“The boundary between public and private has blurred. The Grand Administrator’s efforts must be great.”
“I’m also the Fortress Lord.”
At his calm words, his master hesitated.
“…Did you behead me?”
Wei Gun-hye’s question. A tone suggesting he should have beheaded her. With just Jeong Yeon-shin’s one statement, she seemed to have seen through to the Great Tree Severing Battle.
“Truly…”
Jeong Yeon-shin stammered, then smiled faintly. While thinking of young Master.
“You were truly adorable. You probably still are.”
Wei Gun-hye didn’t listen. Perhaps she was pretending not to hear. She only spoke quietly.
“If you didn’t behead me, the burden you’ll bear will be heavy. For the people’s hearts not to leave Desolate Fortress, I, who was the World Tree’s fruit, must die. You will have to choose.”
“The Grand Administrator said so.”
“Speak.”
“That the title Lightning Genius weighs as much as the world.”
Because she repelled famine, the world worshipped her, and shrines imitating Guan Yu temples were built. The shrines flourished so much that masked jianghu people offered precious salt and fled. As Yu Ling’s intelligence, it must be accurate.
Salt remained precious.
Surely with good intentions, but somehow he’d have to catch them and express gratitude.
‘Incompetent Yu Ling…’
When he suspected whether Yu Ling, originally of Thirteen Evil Sects, was deliberately not finding them.
Suddenly Wei Gun-hye’s head tilted to Jeong Yeon-shin’s opposite side.
She said.
“Many thoughts, calm, and unashamed in yearning for affection. Were you always like this?”
“At first I was like this.”
At Jeong Yeon-shin’s gesture, a tea jar floated up from afar and began flying straight over. Two teacups accompanied it.
There was much to reminisce about.
Like the moment he shared sap with young Wei Gun-hye. Now they both knew that time. Jeong Yeon-shin intended to pour tea for her like an adult this time too.
“……?”
Suddenly the void grasp was cut off.
Because long fingers had snatched the tea jar in a sweeping motion. The sight of tea water trickling into cups floating in air. Wei Gun-hye was pouring tea with one hand.
The other hand was hard to distinguish whether it was a precursor to drawing a sword or before striking the Remaining Thunder Sword. Like them, where it was unclear who was master and who was disciple.
‘Somehow she seems awkward.’
Jeong Yeon-shin received with two hands and drank with one.
Then Wei Gun-hye’s divine technique breathing became faintly disheveled. A breath mixed with laughter. Jeong Yeon-shin also raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
Wei Gun-hye asked.
“Wasn’t it arduous?”
A story looking back on Jeong Yeon-shin’s jianghu journey.
……
The remaining tea water sent up white steam, and in its rippling, much loss and joy was reflected. Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at the teacup and answered.
“Isn’t everyone like that?”
Likewise, words that had gradually become habitual. Great Monk Beom-heo’s story suddenly came to mind.
“As long as tea water remains, steam can always rise white.”
Correct words.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s teacup was filled again, and he also filled Wei Gun-hye’s tea. In the process, he cursed Yu Ling, who still hadn’t found Great Monk Beom-heo, once more. Those Qing imperial lackeys…
Wei Gun-hye’s words continued.
“Many thoughts. At a tea table that should be only between us, this isn’t proper etiquette.”
“I was briefly thinking of Great Monk Beom-heo.”
“Shaolin’s cripple.”
“…He underwent gate-severing. Yet they say he survived. Likely because Bodhidharma’s Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic surpasses Jeong Family Dynamic Technique in physical robustness.”
At mention of gate-severing, even Wei Gun-hye briefly closed her mouth. Only after hearing the principle of gate-severing from Jeong Yeon-shin did she slowly part her lips.
“Because his body is empty. Filled not with worldly life but with empty Buddhist chanting, so there’s nothing to explode.”
‘Is that an insult?’
It seemed like correct insight too.
Great Monk Beom-heo had eliminated the flood dragon alone in Hangzhou, greatly emptying his true energy.
The speculation that even if he’d afterward accumulated enough energy through tremendous cultivation to undergo gate-severing, it wouldn’t have been enough to destroy his Muscle-Tendon Changing body.
“Beggar’s Sect said he seems to have departed on wandering practice with an unhealthy body after gate-severing… I intend to find and meet him someday.”
“The tea table will smell of paper money.”
Wei Gun-hye drank her teacup. Meaning it wasn’t a topic to discuss further. Jeong Yeon-shin realized his master was also a supreme master.
Saaaa…
Tea fragrance mixed with the gentle breeze. So did the two people’s quiet conversation.
‘Good.’
He asked much.
His master’s answers came straightforwardly.
Smiling with great joy at the just-entered fifteen-year-old Jeong Yeon-shin, surprised after seeing through his lifespan, finding his efforts to establish merit strange, about to recommend a great drink when he secured Thunder God Treasure then stopping…
Stories unfolded.
Words that made master and disciple smile. Time they should have had long ago.
“Ah.”
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly asked.
“About the main fortress’s purple long robes.”
“Yes.”
“Because the Forbidden City was destroyed, we can no longer obtain self-repairing robes. The main fortress only has four sets… and they already have owners.”
Jeong Yeon-shin, Ma Yeon-jeok, Yong Hye-myeong, Shin Byeok.
Among them, Elder Council Head Shin Byeok’s robe was exhausted. It was said to have been used as a dharma treasure to manifest Divine Sword Group Leader Shin Cheon-hwa during the Desolate Fortress Great Battle. Because Shin Byeok’s original true energy was insufficient.
“Do you need more?”
At Wei Gun-hye’s question, Jeong Yeon-shin counted on his fingers those who should receive them. Yue Shou-lin, Jin Myeong-jo, Namgung Hwa-sin, Jin Myeong-jo…
“We need three more. If we prepare one more as a supply, that would be good too.”
Jeong Yeon-shin said while extinguishing the poppy scent blooming in his mind. Wei Gun-hye’s hand lifting her teacup also stopped slightly simultaneously.
“Six purples under the Fortress Lord…?”
“If only counting martial depth, there are three more. That’s why I could leave the main fortress for three years.”
Literary Star, Blood King Desolate Fortress Jeok Family Head, Jeok Yu-ha. Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly tilted his head. Because there were no working figures.
‘Besides Yu-ha, their usefulness…?’
Meanwhile, Wei Gun-hye’s eyelashes cast faint shadows near her eyes. She seemed to rarely feel deep emotion.
Jeong Yeon-shin watched briefly, then clinked his cup against hers. Like Desolate Fortress’s walls colliding. A few drops of tea water flew from his master’s cup and mixed.
“It must have been arduous?”
When he returned the same question, Wei Gun-hye’s eyelids rose. For an instant, he seemed to see a hazy smile in her eyes.
“…The long robes.”
She moved her lips.
“The fact that you bestowed them will itself be merit.”
Her voice seemed to shimmer in the tea water drops. In this moment, he truly inherited the position of Fortress Lord. Jeong Yeon-shin set aside his worries about his golden retirement.
Something not permitted to any purple rank.
‘However it’s expressed, the true heart is the same.’
Other seniors would want to remain purple rank forever. Because it was a hierarchy that could only follow Master Wei Gun-hye’s spirit.
“I was lacking.”
The giant scholar likely to fail this year’s examination too, the Blood Demon layabout with good daughters, former poppy addict, sleepy swordsman, Yangtze’s later wave, old loser of Four Books and Five Classics, excluding them, all were living better than Jeong Yeon-shin.
Jeong Yeon-shin smiled broadly.
“I’ve gained strength. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Wait.”
Rustle.
The tip of Wei Gun-hye’s hair clung to the character ‘Desolate’ on his blackened shoulder. His master, who’d come this close, removed his faded robe with one Remnant Thunder Blade. With the other hand, she summoned the characteristic heavy wind of the ‘Wind King.’
Whoosh! Flutter…
The sound of the robe flying out the window and disappearing mixed with the strong wind. Jeong Yeon-shin waited silently in just his martial attire.
Meanwhile, Wei Gun-hye spoke.
“A sect’s head must have clarity. Authority and dignity are secondary. The impression of always guarding one’s place, seemingly trivial formalities come first.”
Like when receiving Moon Spirit Harmony Technique. The feeling of finally inheriting the martial art called Desolate Fortress Lord.
Flap.
The returned robe was a calm red.
Dyed with red flower water. Even compressed the water with Wind King’s power and formless energy. A color that would easily take decades to fade.
Jeong Yeon-shin trailed off while donning the robe.
“Master seemed to be away from her seat more often though…”
“I said formality.”
Lofty words and conduct still suited her well. Though Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t find traces of young Wei Gun-hye, it was good as it was.
“I should go now.”
“That child?”
Where his master cast her gaze outside the window, at the distant Radiant Demon Wing hall, was Baek Mi-ryeo’s presence. Jeong Yeon-shin smiled quite playfully.
“She’ll ask me to make Five Cloud Mountain Vegetable Dish. I’ll pick the vegetables.”
“…Shin Family’s backyard has a small garden. If earth energy has revived, go see.”
“Where Literary Star camps out… Yes.”
Master and disciple faced each other.
When Wei Gun-hye half-closed her eyes, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyelids also lowered. A courteous bow to each other. In an instant, her mouth was positioned at the center of his descending field of view.
Wei Gun-hye’s lips, drawing an arc, moved.
“Farewell.”
Was it because of the newly dyed robe? It was a whisper imbued with flower fragrance. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded like his master in the blurring scenery.
* * *
“Report.”
“Lady Hwa Yeon-bi, it’s definitely Desolate Fortress Lord Lord Jeong. However, his appearance differs from reports…”
“Appearance differs?”
“His long robe is red. It suddenly changed color.”
“Rather, that’s proof he’s the Desolate Fortress Lord. Supreme masters’ upper dantians often produce miracles that shouldn’t exist. Even from small stimuli.”
“Indeed…!”
“You go meet him. We must prevent Literary Star from taking the examination no matter what. Fortunately, there’s a chance. The Desolate Fortress Lord won’t want such enormous talent to defect either.”
“Surely he won’t pass? The palace examination is different in caliber.”
“Intelligence says he took Desolate Fortress Shin Family’s eldest son as literature tutor. Shin Hyeon-bin is a genius at literary study, so it’s like Tyrant Hero obtaining Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.”
“Come to think of it, didn’t officials also commission missions about Tyrant Hero? To constantly lure his jianghu journey outside the imperial city. Truly an enormous commission fee…”
“You read it well though I tore it up.”
“If he heads toward Huguang, we could also perform the commission related to Oblivious Sword. Because the document’s content is to… record every sleep-talk in detail. It was the Alliance Leader’s commission. From Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Helian Feng-yue to our Martial Dragon Alliance…”
“Tear that up too.”