Chapter v7c9

A discussion between Bi Ryu-yeon and Yeom Do

-Practice the basic skills

“Can we win without any casualties?”

“You don’t think we’re going to lose, do you?”

In response to Yeom Do’s question, Bi Ryu-yeon looked at him puzzledly and disbelief.

“We’ve been together for almost 2 years, and you’re still saying things like that. It’s a bit disappointing.”

Two years! It has been a very long nightmare.

Bi Ryu-yeon smiled and said.

“Victory is certain, the problem is whether there will be casualties or not.”

Bi Ryu-yeon had never even considered the possibility of losing. Yeom Do’s question was completely unexpected.

“It’s impossible to win without casualties. The Celestial Assassins are not easy opponents.”

“But you don’t have to be afraid, do you?”

“Being fearless doesn’t change reality. It’s hard to win without casualties with the kids’ skills.”

“If there are any casualties in this fight, it’s our defeat. I can’t accept that.” Bi Ryu-yeon was stubborn.

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“Train them harshly until they have the skills to survive! Until they can survive without anyone dying. Let’s conduct emergency special reinforcement training!”

“What about the enemies?”

It was not a training camp anymore but a battle. There was no time for training; someone had to create that opportunity.

“I’ll take responsibility for that. You just do your job.”

“Are you planning to confront them head on?”

Yeom Do had a fleeting thought that it might be possible. He was a monster that couldn’t be measured by common sense.

“Moving my body for free… It doesn’t make sense. We have to find a way to make it make sense.”

‘There’s no free in my business!’

Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t want to break his creed for such a trivial matter.

“What should we do then?”

Up until now, Bi Ryu-yeon had been the one to choose all the training methods. It was Bi Ryu-yeon who chose the training method of the Ju-jakdan (Red Sparrow Unit) to prepare for the showdown with the Cheong-ryongdan (Azure Dragon Unit). Of course, it was Yeomdo who executed it aggressively.

They all followed without knowing, but he was the one who decided the training method for this training camp. He was the one who put the Red Sparrow Unit here in the first place!

In short, the origin of all the events was Bi Ryu-yeon.

“Let’s start by refining our foundational skills!”

After a moment of contemplation, Bi Ryu-yeon spoke.

“Foundational skills?”

“Of course, if you want to become stronger, you need a solid foundation, don’t you think?”

Yeomdo couldn’t give a straightforward answer to Bi Ryu-yeon’s question, which had a subtle tone.

“Well, I guess so…”

Although he answered positively, his tone and body language were screaming with denial.

There was a hint of suspicion in his expression. Why start with the foundation now? We need to become stronger in a short period of time, so starting with the foundation seemed like a contradiction. It was natural for him to be suspicious.

Bi Ryu-yeon suddenly raised his head and looked at the sea of stars. The deep sea of stars carried memories of the past.

‘There was a time when something like this happened…’

“Foundation skill”

“What the hell…”

Recollection

-The realm of Hol hwang.

At that time, Bi Ryu-yeon asked his master.

Now, even the memories of the events from 8 years ago were becoming blurry.

‘It’s something I don’t want to remember.’

“What did the master say back then?

He still thought it was infuriating.

“Can I really do it as you say, master?”

The question he asked eight years ago.

The master’s words referred to the assurance that he could surpass even himself, as long as he didn’t set limits . It was a remark that had the potential to trigger a catastrophe if spoken directly in the presence of the close-minded master. Therefore, he carefully filtered his words before expressing them.

Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes were shining brighter than ever. The intensity was beyond the eyes of an eagle that found its prey in the sky.

‘Look at him?’

When Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes shone too brightly, the master felt a bit uncomfortable. He sensed a malicious aura with his intense yet sensitive intuition.

‘How audacious of you, you wretch, to aspire to surpass your esteemed master, whose reach extends beyond the sky and spans wider than the universe! You’re a century too soon to tread in my footsteps!’

‘I shall subject you to a brief bout of suffering.’

It was also the duty, right, and responsibility of the master to take appropriate measures when the disciple had bad intention. He had no reason to refuse to make the bad disciple suffer. The master puffed his chest and spoke loudly.

“Of course. Has there ever been a time when this master’s words were false? Believe it! Believe and follow unconditionally! Then you will see the light! Those who harbor even the slightest doubt cannot reach that state.”

He had learned a long time ago that sometimes exaggeration was necessary to achieve dramatic effects in a play. The master had grasped this truth at least a hundred years ago.

“How do you do it?”

“You’re impatient. You should learn some patience. You won’t lose anything. What? What’s that rebellious look?”

“No, it’s simply that you, the esteemed master devoid of a shred of patience, made such a proclamation.”

“Such words leave me utterly dismayed!”

The master fixed an unrelenting gaze upon Bi Ryu-yeon. Observing the disciple’s growing resistance, the master’s eyes brimmed with a determination to rejuvenate. Guiding the disciple onto the correct path before veering astray was, after all, an imperative duty of the master

‘Huh? What?’

ButBi Ryu-yeon did not avert his gaze even though he met his master’s eyes head-on.

‘Hmm… Look at him?’

After being sent to the blacksmith’s shop to do some work, his inner strength suddenly increased to an unimaginable level. He must have eaten something wrong because he kept trying to climb up his master’s head, which is higher than Mount Gosa Jun Bong.

‘Do you dare to climb over your master’s head just because you’ve learned to handle a mere couple of tricks? Even though it’s an achievement that can’t be imitated by others, such a sight cannot be witnessed unless it meets the approval of the master’s discerning eye!’

He thought that his beloved disciple needed to taste some hardship to come to his senses. There was no room for compromise. He looked at Bi Ryu-yeon with a serious expression and spoke in a solemn tone.

“Listen!”

“Yes!”

“And write it down!”

“I’ll listen!”

The disciple’s defiance was not subsiding.

Soon, the master, who was burning with a sense of duty, began to spout out his lecture.

“Shi-Ji-Bul I Myeong-Wal-Yi, it is seeing the unseen! that’s called Yi”

“Yes!”

Bi Ryu-yeon answered vigorously. He had no time to spare, as his master was teaching him how to surpass him. He focused all his mental power on every character that his master uttered.

“Cheong-Ji-Bul I Myeong-Hui, it is hearing the unheard! that’s called Hui”

“Yes!”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded again.

“Bak-Ji-Bu-Deuk I Myeong-Wal-Mi, it is knowing without obtaining, that is, feeling what cannot be felt! that’s called Mi”

“Yes!”

He nodded vigorously for the last time, as if he understood. Then, his master’s face changed strangely. ‘Could it be that this difficult level, the level that ordinary people cannot reach even if they strive for a lifetime, has been understood by this fool who hasn’t even shed blood yet?’

It was impossible.

“Do you really understand?”

Bi Ryu-yeon kept nodding like a doll, which made his master suspicious.

Shake, shake!

Biryu-yeon shook his head from side to side.

‘Phew! That’s more like it!’

The master sighed with relief in his heart. No matter how much of a genius he was, it was impossible to understand these three concepts after hearing them once.

It was a level that ordinary martial artists could not even grasp the shadow of in their entire lives. It was a level that above-average martial artists could barely notice the existence of after ten thousand years. And it was a level that only those with the best talent could approach the essence of.

Of course, there was a huge difference between knowing and mastering, but still.

“This is called the realm of Hol Hwang. It is the state of Mu Sang Ji Sang (formlessness), Mu Mul Ji Sang (insubstantialness). It is the state of formless form, the state of insubstantial substance.”

“Is that possible?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked with a doubtful look. His eyes were full of doubt.

“Have you ever seen this master lie?”

Suddenly,Bi Ryu-yeon’s tongue stopped moving as if it had frozen. It felt extremely uncomfortable when the usually smooth-moving tongue suddenly stopped moving. To the master, it felt like silent rebellion, a silent protest.

“Ahem! Disciple! Your silence is too long.”

The master threw a word at him, unable to hide his uneasiness at the sudden interruption of the conversation.

“Well! Unfortunately, it seems that there is none. you may have blocked information or minimized the truth, but you never lied. Even I think it’s a miraculous thing.”

The disciple’s tone was not without a subtle nuance, but he decided to let it go. He didn’t want to argue with Bi Ryu-yeon anymore.

He was a disciple, who wouldn’t give up a single word in verbal fights… He thought he should increase his workload a little more.

“Ahem! Look at this! This master has never spread falsehoods. As you progress through the cultivation of the mind, you will inevitably encounter barriers, obstacles that must be overcome, Yi, Hui, Mi. These three senses are the first step of our Biryeo-do to become a master of the foundation!”

“Foundation?”

“Yes! Gi, Cho, Ji, Gong! (Energy, Harmony, Wisdom, Effort!) Foundation or principles”

The master pronounced each word one by one. Bi Ryu-yeon felt that it was a challenging tone, as if he dared him to do it if he could.

“Can you do it? Isn’t this basic skill too hard for you now?”

Suddenly, the master asked with a worried voice that was full of concern. His face was dark. Anyone who didn’t know would think that he was a great master who was sincerely worried and anxious about his disciple.

“No! I can do it. I’ll show you for sure.”

Bi Ryu-yeon couldn’t stand the feeling of being looked down on by his master. Looking back, that was the most fatal mistake. He didn’t rashly boast in a fit of anger. He made a mistake in a moment of childishness.

“Excellent, my disciple! Cultivate through Mind Training. If you can reach the realm of Hol Hwang, you will gain a free mind. You will have eyes, ears, and senses that can see through the true essence of the real world.”

The master had a satisfied smile on his face. From that day on, Bi Ryu-yeon began intensive cultivation of the mind. It was a kind of training to obtain these three senses, Yi, Hui, Mi.

However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach the level the master had mentioned. It seemed easy to see and hear, but once he started, it felt like wandering in a sea of fog. He couldn’t figure out where to start or how to start.

‘He said it was just the foundation… He said it was…’

After all, Bi Ryu-yeon realized the cruel truth that the master was not easy to trust, and this painful realization came eight years later.