Chapter v20c25

Side Story

**Part 1: Show Me the Money!**

*Upon Arriving at Machun Pavilion*

Even after passing through the ominous and menacing “Demon Gate,” Yeong-Ryeong thought she wouldn’t have to pay any more money. However, that was a premature miscalculation.

A neatly dressed, slightly portly man in his mid-thirties greeted them.

“Greetings, welcome to Machun Pavilion.”

Introducing himself as “Reception Specialist Lee Cheong,” he led the group to a specific location. Following a path to the right, they arrived at a rather extravagant three-story building. The enticing aroma of food, rice, and alcohol wafted through the air, carried by the lake breeze.

“This is ‘Purple Bamboo Lodge,’ the officially designated accommodation where you’ll be staying for the time being. As per the rules, camping is not permitted, so please register your names here and stay until the exam. Any questions?”

Lee Cheong said, gesturing towards the building with one hand. Yeong-Ryeong raised her hand.

“Yes, you, the young lady.”

“How long is ‘for the time being’?”

“Hmm, it should take about a week.”

“Do we have to pay for accommodation here too?”

If the accommodation was free, the duration wouldn’t be a big deal. However, if it wasn’t, the length of their stay became a very important issue.

“What a strange question. Of course, you have to pay for accommodation. Who do you think will pay for your food, firewood, and facility maintenance if you don’t? There’s no such thing as a free lunch in the Black Path. You’re all budding sprouts stepping into the Black Path, so keep that in mind.”

“I knew it.”

Yeong-Ryeong sighed deeply, her premonition proving accurate.

Although the accommodation fee was exorbitantly high compared to other places, she felt no shock after being hit with it three times in a row. She felt the bitter realization that getting used to something could sometimes dull the mind as she reached into her silk pouch with a long sigh.

‘At this rate, I might go bankrupt before even taking the exam…’

**Part 2: The Machun Pavilion Exam**

*The Deceived is More at Fault than the Deceiver*

“Ahem… We at Machun Pavilion do not prevent cheating. Our philosophy is that the deceived is more at fault than the deceiver. So, cheat if you can. However, if you can’t cheat perfectly, don’t even try. We will punish any clumsy attempts at deception without mercy. We know from experience that only through such a harsh lesson will you learn not to try such foolish tricks again. Since deception is fully allowed, we are thoroughly trained to avoid being deceived. Again, the fool who fails to see through the deception is more responsible than the deceiver. A naive fool who is unprepared deserves to be deceived! That’s the belief of Machun Pavilion. So, if you intend to deceive, do so with the firm resolve to risk your life and the determination to deceive your opponent perfectly. Are you all ready?”

“Yes! We are ready!”

The aspiring disciples answered in unison.

“Don’t test our examiners. We’ve seen and foiled too many tricks. We’re tired of it. However, if you still have any brilliant ideas, feel free to try them. But keep in mind that no matter how brilliant an idea is, the moment it’s discovered, it’s no longer brilliant! You’ll regret ever having such a foolish thought. We eagerly await that moment.”

The aspiring disciples listened intently, holding their breath. Yeong-Ryeong was among them.

‘Cheat if you can…’

The examiner’s speech was completely contrary to her way of thinking. She couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

‘What kind of place is this? Is this even allowed?’

Allowing cheating… The entrance exam seemed more challenging than she had anticipated.

“Let’s begin!”

**Part 3: Flattery is Dangerous**

*Geum Yeong-Ho’s Heroic Tale*

“Don’t you want to hear it? Don’t you?”

Geum Yeong-Ho asked Hyun-Woon eagerly.

“Don’t shove your wide face so close. It’s overwhelming.”

“Then say you want to hear it.”

Geum Yeong-Ho said, his massive face still looming.

‘This is practically blackmail.’

“Fine, what do you want me to say?”

“Of course, it’s about my brilliant plan to secure the grand dueling arena, which is only used for special occasions like the Samsung Martial Arts Competition finals.”

‘I did promise to listen to him later!’

He shouldn’t have made promises he couldn’t keep.

“Alright, it was a good plan. How did you do it?”

Hyun-Woon asked reluctantly.

“Ahem! You have good taste. I had to sweet-talk the person in charge. But I calculated that the Emei Goddess, Jin So-Ryeong’s reputation would be enough.”

For Geum Yeong-Ho, a successful business deal was as heroic as a warrior’s tale of valor.

“How did you do it?”

“Do you want to know?”

“Of course! I’m dying to know!”

It was best to play along if he wanted to end this conversation quickly.

“Alright! I’ll tell you. First, I went to the elder in charge of the dueling arena. And I said this.”

He cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

“Elder! It’s the Emei Goddess, the Emei Goddess! You know, the Emei Goddess! The famous Emei Goddess from the Emei Sect, known for her beauty and strength! The Emei Goddess who rarely shows her face in the martial arts world, the one who sets men’s hearts aflame! You must have heard of her, right? Don’t you want to see her?”

“I bet the elder nodded at that point.”

Hyun-Woon chimed in, trying to keep the story going.

“That’s right. And the elder is still single, even though he’s almost forty. He nodded eagerly.”

“And then?”

“I seized the opportunity and said, ‘I knew you felt the same way, Elder. I do too. We’re comrades! And the Emei Goddess is one of the Five Great Swordsmen! Wouldn’t it be beneficial for our disciples to witness the martial arts of such a renowned master?'”

He spoke as if the elder was right there in front of him, as if he was reliving the moment.

“And?”

“What do you think he said? Of course, he agreed! He was already ready to listen to me! I wouldn’t be the ‘Golden Tiger of the Great Golden Tiger Trading Company’ if I missed that opportunity! I said, my voice slightly dejected, ‘But Elder… the opponent is the Emei Goddess, known for her fame as one of the Five Great Swordsmen. Even if it’s our request, wouldn’t it be disrespectful to ask her to display her martial arts in such a small and shabby arena? You know… there’s such a thing as face, right? Face.'”

“I bet the elder agreed again.”

Hyun-Woon interjected, but Geum Yeong-Ho waved his hand dismissively.

“Elder, a person of high status deserves to be treated accordingly. It’s disrespectful not to do so. It would tarnish the reputation of Cheonmu Academy. We can’t let people say that our great Cheonmu Academy has no taste, can we? No, we can’t! Those small arenas are simply not worthy of her status. We need a special, spacious, and clean stage!”

He paused, savoring the memory.

“And then? What happened?”

No-Hak asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

“He leaned in and asked me this.”

Geum Yeong-Ho leaned in, his eyes wide, mimicking the elder.

“Where is it?”

He asked, his voice deep and authoritative.

“And you said, ‘There’s only one place!’ And he agreed.”

“That’s right. He hesitated for a moment, but he readily agreed when I told him that he might get to meet the Emei Goddess in person if he became involved. Ahem!”

He puffed out his chest, proud of himself. His belly jiggled.

“Don’t shove your belly in my face. It’s disgusting.”

Namgung San-San complained. Her face was pale from the past few days of preparation.

“This is not a belly, Miss Namgung!”

He protested, his belly wobbling.

“Then what is it?”

She asked, pointing at his belly.

“This is my personality, my personality!”

He said, patting his belly proudly.

The women of the Vermilion Bird group were dumbfounded.

“I can’t believe he just said that… Doesn’t he know that a man’s belly is a source of shame?”

They were shocked by his shamelessness.

“No, no, he has a point!”

No-Hak said, surprisingly agreeing with him.

‘Why is he agreeing with Geum Yeong-Ho?’

No-Hak usually disliked Geum Yeong-Ho, the rich kid. The reason for his sudden change of heart was revealed in his next sentence.

“His personality is full of shit.”

That was more like it. They were relieved to know that he hadn’t lost his mind.

His true personality was quickly revealed.

“What?! You want to die, you beggar?!”

Geum Yeong-Ho shouted, enraged.

“Hmm, it seems like the depth of one’s personality is not proportional to the size of one’s belly.”

Tang-Sam said, offering his scholarly opinion.

“It could be inversely proportional. You have to consider that possibility too, Tang-Sam!”

Tang Mun-Hye pointed out.

* * *

## 108 Recommended Books for Cheonmu Academy Students (That Almost No One Reads)

**Book 28: A Study of the Mind’s Eye**

*What is the Mind’s Eye?*

What exactly is the Mind’s Eye?

What kind of state do we call the state of the Mind’s Eye? The state of the Mind’s Eye is closely related to the state of the Heart Sword, so we cannot neglect this question.

As we all know, even a single object can appear differently depending on the perspective from which it is viewed. When a subject perceives an object, they selectively perceive a part of the object with a subjective orientation and then go through an internal reconstruction process. Since each subject has a different subjective orientation, the results of perceiving the same object can vary widely.

Then what is seeing? It’s actually an act that cannot be defined in a single word. But to put it simply, it is the act of receiving information about an object through the eyes. When we focus on seeing something, we tend to lose sight of our surroundings. However, just because we are not consciously aware of it, it doesn’t mean that our eyes are not seeing it. Therefore, if the brain could recognize the information that is being ignored, we would have a much greater capacity to receive information.

Also, the ability to perceive the movement of a fast-moving object varies from person to person. Seeing an object in the dark also varies.

The act of seeing does not end with simply seeing. The key is how we receive and interpret it. In that sense, the Mind’s Eye is not so much an enhancement of vision as it is a dramatic increase and expansion of brain power, that is, cognitive ability.

To give a more familiar example, it is like a highly developed intuition. In other words, the Mind’s Eye is the ability to receive and process all at once the information that has been unconsciously ignored.

Then, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Heart Sword is a state of swordsmanship in which the information and enlightenment grasped through the Mind’s Eye can be instantly embodied in the body.

Therefore, it is absurd to say that one can attain the Heart Sword without attaining the Mind’s Eye.

*To be continued…*