Chapter 388: It’s Nothing Much.

Following my father to the restaurant, I saw that people were already gathered there ahead of us.

The number of people wasn’t much different from those eating last night, but Elder Il and Cheol Ji-seon were nowhere to be seen.

Cheol Ji-seon probably skipped out. I have no idea where Elder Il went.

As I entered the restaurant with my father, all eyes turned towards us.

Scraaape-! Several people who were sitting in chairs stood up.

It was Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah.

The two of them were staring at my bruised, blue eyes. The emotions burning in their eyes were incredibly intense.

“Who…?”

It was a question asking who had done this to my eyes.

Namgung Bi-ah spoke casually, but the emotion felt in her words made Gu Yeonseo, sitting beside her, flinch.

Seeing that, I waved my hand dismissively and said,

“It’s nothing.”

“Liar.”

At Namgung Bi-ah’s firm words, Wi Seol-ah, who was beside her, nodded as well.

“It is a lie. When you, Gong-ja-nim, say it’s nothing, it usually means something big happened.”

“…”

At their nods, I felt a mix of emotions.

How do they usually see me to speak so decisively? Do they think I just go around causing trouble?

‘…’

What was sad, after thinking about it, was my own inability to firmly deny it.

“Who…. did it?”

Namgung Bi-ah looked ready to draw her sword at any moment. What would she even do with it? She’s someone who hasn’t even fully recovered yet.

“What would you do if you knew?”

“Punish….”

“Punish them?”

“Yes.”

At Namgung Bi-ah’s words, I let out an internal chuckle.

How could she possibly punish them when I couldn’t even do it myself?

I appreciated the thought, but it seemed impossible no matter how I looked at it.

As I just smiled without answering, Namgung Bi-ah came closer and gently stroked my eye with her hand.

The worry contained in her touch felt warm, unlike her cold hand.

Wi Seol-ah also came over and started poking and prodding various places, checking if there were any other injuries. It was incredibly awkward to have others see this.

“I told you I’m fine! Stop it! People are watching.”

Only after I raised my voice slightly did the two back off. Of course, the worry in their eyes remained.

It’s just a slightly bruised eye, why are they reacting so strongly?

Wi Seol-ah, taking a step back, spoke as if she had received a shock.

“If it got to this point for you, Gong-ja-nim…. it must have been quite a strong opponent.”

I nodded at Wi Seol-ah’s words.

“They were strong. Terribly strong.”

“…How terrifying must the opponent have been….”

“They were terrifying.”

“Was it a bad…. person…?”

“No, they weren’t a bad person… probably?”

Unable to give a definite answer, I sensed my father’s presence behind me. It felt like it would be a big problem if they teased me further.

Sensing the mood, I said nonchalantly,

“I got hit by Father.”

“……What?”

“…”

At my words, I saw the two freeze stiffly. Their gazes shifted as well.

Towards my father, who hadn’t even greeted me good morning while looking at my bruised eyes.

Father showed no particular reaction. He just calmly watched the two worrying about me.

Ah, maybe that’s scarier.

Then, not long after, the two shifted their gazes back towards me.

Their eyes were filled with resentment, as if asking why I hadn’t said it sooner.

‘…Didn’t they say they’d punish them earlier.’

To turn their arrows of resentment towards me so quickly.

It was quite unfair and disappointing from my perspective.

******************

After hastily finishing my meal, the place I headed to was the same cave I always went to.

I needed to catch up on training I’d missed for several days, and I also had business with Pajeon-nim.

“I’ve arrived.”

The moment I cautiously stepped into the cave, the smell of alcohol filled my nostrils.

Frowning at the pungent smell, I looked around. The place was filled with liquor bottles everywhere.

How many are there? It seems to be beyond the number I can count on my fingers.

“You’ve come.”

Pushing all those liquor bottles aside into a corner, Pajeon-nim stood in the center.

“What is all that?”

As I pointed at the bottles with my hand, Pajeon-nim chuckled.

“I shared drinks with an old friend after a long time.”

“That’s more than just sharing drinks.”

“Isn’t that what happens when you drink, caught up in the mood and enjoyment? You’re still young, so you wouldn’t understand.”

“…”

I had to shake my head at Pajeon-nim’s words.

For reference, I didn’t particularly enjoy drinking even in my past life.

There was no one suitable to enjoy it with. At most, I’d just hold a cup for Ma-geom-hu when he took a sip, using the moonlight as a side dish.

“If it was a friend, did Elder Il visit?”

“You could say that.”

Those old geezers really drank heavily.

Judging by the amount, it doesn’t look like just two people drank. Were there more people? I don’t know about that.

Seeing my reaction, Pajeon-nim laughed heartily and waved his hand.

Then, a strong gust of wind erupted from Pajeon-nim’s body.

Whooosh-!

The wind swept through the entire cave and then went straight outside.

Surprisingly, I could feel the smell of alcohol that remained in the cave disappear.

‘It’s amazing no matter when I see it.’

I looked at Pajeon-nim with surprised eyes. His application of Nei Gung is always astonishing.

If it were just creating wind, I could do that anytime.

The wind Pajeon-nim created didn’t affect the cave’s other objects; it swept out only the air that was inside.

To only affect the air, without touching the piled-up bottles or the stones on the floor.

How on earth is that done?

Sensing my gaze, Pajeon-nim asked,

“Shall I teach you?”

“Can it even be called learning?”

“Maybe not for others. But you could probably do it.”

“…No, thank you.”

“Oh? It’s quite a useful technique. What a shame.”

Pajeon-nim clicked his tongue regretfully. I knew it was a useful technique just by seeing it, but the reason I refused was simple.

‘That guy overestimates me too much.’

Pajeon-nim often says things like, ‘You can do it,’ when teaching me.

The meaning behind those words is.

‘You are like me, so you can definitely do it.’

In other words, he seems to think the talent I possess is on par with his own.

‘That’s the problem, because it’s not like that.’

It was just overwhelming expectations for me.

Watching Pajeon-nim up close, I realized it soon enough.

That guy is the real deal.

Pajeon-nim was one of the most outstanding talented martial artists among the countless ones found throughout the Central Plains.

We often chatted during training, and Pajeon-nim would sometimes complain.

“-Why can’t they do that? Kids these days lack grit. If you want to do something, you can do it.”

Like the application of Nei Gung, or how to read an opponent’s movements. According to Pajeon-nim, you can see it if you just look.

This old man doesn’t seem to realize that if it were that easy, anyone could become a master.

‘Easy my ass.’

From my perspective, there was nothing I could say.

He’s a man who, while creating new martial arts himself, emptied all the Nei Gung he learned at a late age and started anew, yet is now called one of the Three Sovereigns.

That’s Pajeon-nim.

It’s true for all those called the Three Sovereigns, but Pajeon-nim was historically considered a top-tier genius.

For me, such expectations from that kind of person were simply burdensome.

Because no matter how I looked at it, I was just an ordinary person, not a genius.

“But Ah-ya.”

“Yes.”

“Why are your eyes like that? You look like you got beaten up somewhere.”

“…”

“You’re not the type to get beaten up anywhere…. How did you end up in such a pitiful state? Ah, but you look funny, so it’s entertaining for me, so I’m fine with it.”

Fine because it’s entertaining? What kind of nonsensical crap is that.

“…It’s an injury from sparring with Father.”

At my words, Pajeon-nim’s eyes showed interest.

“With the Gu family head, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“Tsk tsk. That makes sense then. How was it? The sparring with your father.”

“…”

Sparring with Father. Honestly, there was nothing to recall.

“I couldn’t even brush past his collar.”

At my words, Pajeon-nim wore a peculiar expression.

“Your father seems unchanged.”

“Do you know something about my father?”

“Literally, I know just a little.”

“How so?”

“If you ask how, I just know. It’s not easy to find martial artists who have reached that level. Conversely, Ah-ya, how much do you know about your father?”

“Ah…. Well?”

If asked how much I know about my father, honestly, I don’t really know. All I know is that Father is much stronger than his reputation suggests.

‘Thinking about it.’

A question arises. Not about anything else, but about Pajeon-nim.

“Elder-nim.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you offer Father a disciple position? Or perhaps, Father didn’t meet your standards?”

I don’t know how much talent Father has, or what level he has reached.

From my perspective, Father seems closer to the ideal disciple Pajeon-nim seeks than I am.

He clung to me, telling me to do it, but why didn’t he do the same for Father?

At my words, Pajeon-nim stroked his non-existent beard and said,

“You wonder about strange things. Why are you curious about that?”

“I’m curious, just as I said.”

“Hmm….”

Pajeon-nim paused as if contemplating, then resumed speaking not long after.

“When I assessed your father, it was before I had achieved Banro Hwandong.”

So, it was a time when he wasn’t specifically looking for disciples?

“Of course, after going through certain events, when I decided to look for disciples. I did think of your father, but.”

“Yes.”

“I immediately excluded him.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because it would be meaningless.”

What does that mean?

Does he mean Father didn’t meet his standards? As if sensing my confusion, Pajeon-nim added an explanation.

“Your father had already reached the level of becoming one with his martial arts.”

“…Becoming one with martial arts?”

I had to ask again, unable to fully grasp the meaning.

Becoming one…?

Perhaps due to my repeated questions, Pajeon-nim, while showing a slightly annoyed expression, began to explain.

“Have you heard of Shin-geom Hab-il?”

“Yes. I know of it.”

Shin-geom Hab-il.

Isn’t it the realm where a swordsman becomes one with their sword?

I am the sword. The sword is me.

The point where one becomes one without distinction. For a swordsman, it’s said to be a goal even more coveted than advancing their martial cultivation.

Swordsmen who reach that point are often awarded the title of ‘Master,’ and it’s said they can draw an invisible sword called the ‘Mind Sword’.

In my past life, Ma-geom-hu had also reached this realm.

“Becoming one with martial arts means… it’s like going a step further than that.”

“Further than that….”

“It means fully understanding all the martial arts one has learned. The body becomes not just a vessel to unleash martial arts, but the martial arts itself.”

Pajeon-nim’s words were full of incomprehensible concepts, yet somehow, the weight of his words seemed to pierce through my body.

“This is called Transcendence (超越). But it’s not something you need to understand yet.”

“Transcendence….”

Why? I fell into doubt after hearing Pajeon-nim’s words.

I had never heard of this in my past life.

It seems like important information, so why am I hearing this for the first time?

“…So, does that mean Father has reached Transcendence?”

“At least, from my perspective, he had. That’s why it’s something I couldn’t possibly offer to someone who reached that level.”

Does that mean even Pajeon-nim would give up on someone who reached that level?

Furthermore, has Father really reached that level?

‘I’ll have to ask him about this later.’

It seemed like something I could casually ask Father.

After organizing my thoughts up to that point, I decided to ask Pajeon-nim something else.

“Then, Elder-nim, have you also reached the realm of Transcendence?”

“…”

After asking, I immediately regretted it.

Because Pajeon-nim’s expression contorted slightly upon hearing my question. Is he displeased?

Pajeon-nim soon began to speak to me in a voice mixed with a sigh.

“…Do you know the minimum requirement to reach Transcendence?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mastering one’s martial arts.”

“Ah.”

Hearing that, I finally understood why Pajeon-nim looked like that.

“I couldn’t reach it. That’s why I’m even more curious. What lies in the place my martial arts can reach.”

“So you’re using me to see that, aren’t you?”

“…Your way of speaking gets prettier and prettier. Using you, you rascal.”

No matter how I looked at it, what I said seemed to be the correct answer.

That must be why Pajeon-nim nitpicked my words but didn’t deny it.

‘Transcendence.’

They say you can only attempt it after mastering your martial arts.

After hearing that, I had one more question, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask it.

The question: Is Father stronger than you, Elder-nim?

It was a bit difficult to ask that directly.

‘To think the minimum requirement is mastering martial arts.’

It seemed like an impossibly high requirement. Whether it was Gu-yeom Hwa-ryun Gong or Tu-a Pa-cheon Mu.

What kind of crap is it that you can only attempt that realm after mastering these?

‘It means it’s not a level I can aim for yet.’

For now, rather than aiming for Transcendence or anything, I needed to focus on advancing towards raising Gu-yeom Hwa-ryun Gong to the 9th Star.

“Enough idle chat. Let’s start warming up.”

Pajeon-nim said, twisting his wrists back and forth.

Warming up meant sparring.

The rule was not to use Nei Gung, only sparring with techniques.

I had been doing this every time I met Pajeon-nim for the past few months.

But I had never won against Pajeon-nim.

It would probably be the same this time too. Seeing that I’d likely get thrashed again, I clicked my tongue internally.

“Ah, right, Elder-nim.”

“Hm?”

I remembered something I hadn’t told Pajeon-nim yet.

“Why? Do you have more to say?”

“Ah, it’s nothing major.”

“Go ahead and speak.”

“Father wants to meet you.”

“……Hm?”

At my words, Pajeon-nim looked unusually flustered.

“Suddenly? Why would your father.”

“Ah, it’s nothing much.”

Pajeon-nim’s reaction made me scratch the back of my head awkwardly.

“It’s because Father found out I became your disciple.”

“What…?”

“I tried using your martial arts during sparring with Father. But he noticed it right away.”

Haha!

I was trying to indirectly say I’d caused trouble.

“So Father wants to meet you. Is that possible?”

At my words, Pajeon-nim’s face instantly soured.