Chapter Index

    ***

    It was a happy thing for Sayun that only happy things happened in Hongseongmun.

    What is especially special is that the work they did for the ambassador, who was always struggling, yielded very good results.

    “Hehe.”

    Is that why? Recently, there has been an increase in the number of insincere smiles appearing on Sayoon’s lips.

    That’s because the buildings you see when walking through Hongseongmun are very clean.

    I have seen Hongryeon and Ryuhyeon feel bitter whenever they see old buildings and facilities.

    Having seen Hongryeon smiling as she patched up or patched up a wall that seemed ready to collapse at any moment, I couldn’t help but be happy that a clean and strong wall was built.

    “What are you doing?”

    “Ah. I’ll be there soon.”

    Seeing Sayun, who was walking with the fruit in the basket, stop, Yuhui tapped her on the back.

    A few days have passed since the renovation of Hongseongmun was completed and Yuwol and Chaejin were invited to celebrate.

    Now, the only important events left at Hongseongmun this year were today’s ancestral rites for the Jeontae Jangmunin and his masters, and celebrating the birthday of his teacher, Geomseong.

    Of course, because every day was a day, I couldn’t be just happy or just sad.

    However, the good news was that unlike last year, the condition of the Sword Saint did not seem that bad.

    That’s why Sayun walked with light steps.

    When I arrived at the kitchen with ingredients and fruit, I found Hongryeon and Ryuhyeon cooking.

    Hongryeon, who had been learning how to cook from Yohwan at a guesthouse in Seomhwachon, was skillfully shaking a large pot. And Geomseong was squatting next to him.

    Sayoon smiled at that sight.

    How was it last year?

    Apparently, she sat in front of the shrine, the place where ancestral rites were performed, and just stared blankly at the place without saying a word all day.

    When I see her come to the kitchen, squat down, and watch, I find it somehow cute and reassuring.

    “Master. Please taste it.”

    When Hongryeon presented the dish on a small plate, she lifted her chopsticks as if she had been waiting and placed them in the mouths of Sayun and Yoohee.

    And he tries it himself and smiles.

    Sayun and Yuhee’s eyes also sparkled as the taste filled their mouths as they munched.

    “Your cooking skills have improved.”

    “Yes! It’s really delicious!”

    “That’s amazing! There is nothing the Ambassador cannot do.”

    “Hehehe. Nothing comes out of praising. Master. Please bring me a tray.”

    “Are you coming?”

    When Geomseong quickly moved and held out a tray, Hongryeon placed the food that had been stir-fried in the pot onto the tray.

    “Master. Don’t you need to prepare quickly?”

    Ryu Hyeon, who was helping Hongryeon while looking out the kitchen window, spoke and Geomseong nodded.

    And when Geomseong, who put a small piece of pancake in his mouth, left, Hongryeon chuckled.

    “You don’t look downcast, but you feel relieved.”

    “That’s right. Ambassador’s residence. Where do we move these fruits?”

    “Seonggwan. ruler. Let’s take these too.”

    “Yes.”

    We took the dishes and fruits we made and moved to the castle hall.

    When we arrived at the shrine where the memorial tablets of the monk’s predecessors were kept, preparations for the ancestral rites were already well underway. Place the prepared ancestral rite dishes and prepare the table.

    Afterwards, when all the disciples had changed into clean clothes and gathered together.

    “Let’s get started.”

    The swordsman who came dressed in Hongseongmun’s long coat of arms walked out lightly.

    Instead of his usual casual attire, the well-dressed swordsman was showing his appearance as sharp as a sword.

    step. step.

    The steps I took were light but weighty.

    She calmly went to the memorial tablet and smelled the incense.

    There was no change in the expression of the swordsman who was holding much more ceremonial food and better scent than last year. Just polite and solemn.

    “Hong Seong-moon’s long manuscript. Na Ye-rin pays tribute to Hong Seong-moon’s famous writers.”

    He lowered his head and held out the incense stick, and the swordsman who put the incense stick stepped back. When Hongryeon, the great disciple who was guarding behind her, held out a great sword to Geomseong, Geomseong, who received it, slowly unfolded his stance.

    By performing the final grand sword ceremony of Hongseong Shingong, which any Jangmun master must perform, he proves his qualifications as a Jangmun master and pledges to grow Hongseongmun in the future.

    Sayoon watched this and slightly clenched his fist.

    ‘uh?’

    The Sword Saint’s sword moves. It was so fast and controlled that there was not even a sound of wind when the sword was moved.

    It was the same sword dance as last year, but it felt different from last year.

    It was clear that every time the sword moved, it was sadness and regret.

    It has diminished.

    It seems Sayoon wasn’t the only one who felt that. The other disciples also stared at the Sword Saint with surprised eyes.

    But even in their gaze, Geomseong was unaffected. Just silently swinging the great sword.

    Once the sword dance was over, Geomseong put his great sword into the ground, and Hongryeon came out afterwards.

    “Hongryeon, the great disciple of Hongseongmun and the next scholar, pays homage to Hongseongmun’s scholars.”

    Just like the previous Geomseong did earlier, he burns incense and begins to dance.

    It was a powerful and beautiful sword dance worthy of her.

    Sayoon smiled in spite of herself as she watched the same ceremony as last year take place.

    no wonder.

    It seemed like a lot had changed this year.

    “Master. Are you okay?”

    As the ceremony ended and the ensuing ancestral rites progressed, a slight darkness took over the Sword Saint’s expression.

    Sayoon approached Geomseong, who was squatting alone, and asked with a smile, and Geomseong, who raised his head, smiled.

    “Our kind youngest. Master is okay. It really doesn’t matter.”

    Although it seemed less difficult than last year, she spoke at length to a worried Sayoon.

    She always was like that. Even as he swallowed his pain, he was always reminded of what he had to do.

    “Still, you look a little better this year.”

    “Hehe. Does it look like that?”

    Geomseong nodded while stroking the head of Sayun, who was sitting next to him. No more words came out of her tightly closed mouth, but Sayoon felt that she looked more comfortable.

    “Maybe it’s thanks to your ‘uncle’, and maybe it’s thanks to guest janju Yu.”

    “Ah… right.”

    The difference between last year and this year is that I definitely received a lot of help from those two.

    Sayoon realized that Hong Seong-moon, who had been having a hard time, was revitalized by just that and smiled.

    “I hope it continues like this in the future…”

    “Hehe. That’s right.”

    It was then.

    At the sound of the bell ringing at the mountain gate, Hyeonhwi, the disciple who had gone out, was running. What she was holding in her hand was a box.

    While everyone was looking at it in puzzlement, Hyeonhwi held out a box to Sayun.

    “It was sent by ‘Uncle’.”

    “What? Really?”

    I was worried because I sent a letter last time and didn’t receive a reply. Another reply came like this.

    Sayoon, delighted, took the box and opened it, and as always, it contained a letter and an eunja.

    There were two sheets of paper in the thick book.

    One was a map. Like last time, a map of Hongseongsan Mountain.

    I think this location is somewhere in the middle of a cliff not far from the summit of Hongseongsan Mountain.

    While others were looking at the map and talking about the location, Sayun looked at another temple.

    What was written on the letter was not that many words.

    In fact, there is nothing strange about it, considering that it was unusual for me to write it down as long as last time.

    Sayun read the words written on the scroll.

    “A lump of nebula iron. Two special guardian saints. Two chunks of Cheolwigang. A bundle of Cheonjamsa. The skull of a two-headed tiger, the tail of a mountain lion…?”

    What kind of writing is this?

    Sayoon, who was reading the listed letters in puzzlement, was surprised when she read the letters written at the end of the letter.

    “Ingredients for Hyunwoon Gap…? Then, could it be…?”

    Sayoon turned his eyes to the map. No, not just her, but everyone.

    Geomseong looked at the map he was holding with trembling hands and spoke helplessly.

    “As soon as the ancestral rites are over. Let’s go here.”

    Geomseong felt his heart pounding.

    I thought maybe.

    Because I think I know what the ‘uncle’, who knows Hong Seong-moon’s many secrets, wants.

    The ancestral rites ended around sunset.

    Originally, she would have celebrated Sword Saint’s birthday briefly, but she didn’t have time to do so now.

    The summit of Hongseong Mountain, where everyone went armed. Geomseong held the line in front of a cliff, a dangerous place a short distance away.

    “I’ll go down and check.”

    “Yes.”

    Geomseong, who spoke calmly, jumped down. Despite the great height, she fell down and looked at the cliff. She found a cave hidden by a rock jutting out and a bush between the rocks, and plunged her sword into it.

    She stepped on the sword that was stuck in her head, tied a rope to the hilt of the sword, and moved into the cave.

    How long did it take to walk like that?

    There was a large stone gate at the end of the cave.

    I knew it.

    It was a secret place.

    “…How on earth are you…”

    A place like this is a place that anyone who doesn’t really know will never be able to find. Who would know that a small cave like that on a cliff like this is a passage to a secret place?

    While she was surprised, the disciples arrived one by one at the entrance to the secret world and everyone looked at the secret world in silence.

    After a while, a red light bursts from the secret area and surrounds the bodies of the Hongseong disciples. As always, after finishing checking them, the secret guard opened the entrance and Geomseong spoke seriously.

    “It might be dangerous, so I’ll go in first. Everyone please be careful and follow us.”

    The secret area itself was not much different from the last time.

    Check the proficiency of Hongseong Shingong and see if you can properly link it.

    And it was a mystery as to whether Hongseong Shingong’s inner strength could be properly controlled.

    As before, Geomseong took the lead and the disciples followed, when they arrived at the last room.

    What was in the room this time was a large tiger.

    However, what makes it different from other tigers is that it has two heads.

    Geomseong, who was looking at the tiger spewing cold air from one mouth and fire from the other, looked at Sayun.

    “The double-headed tiger will be difficult with your current skills. So, go with Ryeon.”

    “Yes.”

    When Hongryeon stepped forward with a great sword, Sayun nodded and followed her.

    Did they just think they were prey? The two-headed tiger spewed fire and ice and revealed its murderous intent towards the two.

    Hongryeon said, gripping her sword tightly.

    “Fit it to me.”

    “Okay. Ambassador.”

    -Wow!!

    With the roar of the twin-headed tiger, the attack of Hong Seong-moon’s disciples began.

    The fight was fierce, but in the end, Hong Seong-moon was able to take the victory. Anyway, Hongryeon was an expert, and Sayun also had skills that she had built up step by step.

    In the end, the two-headed tiger falls and burns to ashes, and all that remains are two skulls.

    Hongryeon, who was staring at it, lifted the tiger’s skull, which was filled with flames, and spoke to Sayun.

    “Go and get the reward.”

    There was tension in Hongryeon’s voice. Because she was doing it too just in case.

    Sayoon went inside, receiving everyone’s attention, and after a while, she came out and found a box in her hand.

    -Good…

    In a place so quiet that even a needle falls, the sound of a box being opened is heard.

    And, what is contained within it is a drawing.

    Geomseong closed his eyes tightly.

    “…This is.”

    The drawing that I slowly lifted up had the words ‘How to manufacture Hyunwoon armor’ written on it.

    It was confusing because there were a lot of things going on, but it wasn’t a problem.

    I learned about the ingredients for Hong Seong-moon’s new item, Hyeonun-gap, and even obtained the recipe for making it.

    In other words, it was possible to recreate Hongseongmun’s destroyed sacred object, Hyeonwungap.

    Is that why?

    Normally, it would have been a day when the entire Hongseongmun Gate would have been immersed in depression, but perhaps because of today’s events, Hongseongmun couldn’t help but feel very little depression.

    It almost felt as if ‘Uncle’ had sent her a gift to alleviate her depression.

    “I feel like I received a lot of help from you.”

    Is it because Hyunwoon Gap can now be made again?

    Hongryeon grinned, recalling how the Sword Saint’s expression had looked much better.

    If it had been last year, Geomseong would have been looking at the castle all night depressed, but his disciples would have taken care of his birthday and congratulated him briefly. However, Geomseong would have stayed the night in front of the castle until the next day.

    He came in late today, and Geomseong, who received congratulations from his students, came here and lay down next to Ryu Hyeon, saying he would sleep with them.

    Hongryeon smiled when she saw Geomseong whispering with Ryu Hyeon in the corner.

    “Then let’s sleep now.”

    While she was speaking quietly, Sayun nodded and read the man’s letter again by the moonlight.

    Always the same high-quality paper, neat and tidy font written on it.

    It seemed as if she could feel the man’s feelings, so she smiled and closed her eyes without realizing it.

    I felt like I could fall into a really deep sleep tonight due to the somehow comfortable and familiar scent that came from the temple.

    He thought it was a really great gift to him.

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