Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 9
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#009
The Dangang connecting Henan Province and Hubei Province.
It was a village called Danganggu, named after that river.
“Gangcheon!”
As Ja-gang-cheon arrived at the village entrance, he heard a familiar voice.
“Cheon-gu!”
Ja-gang-cheon rushed over and stood before Cheon-gu.
“Why are you out here? Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing’s wrong. I felt frustrated and ashamed for leaving you alone, so I’m doing at least this much.”
“That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I know. I would have been in the way in that situation, right?”
Ja-gang-cheon nodded with an apologetic expression.
“I’ll heal my wounded heart myself, so tell me what happened.”
“Okay. I’m hungry, so I’ll tell you everything while we eat.”
They pulled the cart and entered the village.
Danganggu was a riverside village with boat routes along the Dangang, making it a fairly developed city through commerce.
“Wow! The village is bigger than I thought?”
Naturally, it had a large population, allowing them to see various buildings.
“Oh? It’s a martial hall.”
It wasn’t his first time seeing a martial hall, but Ja-gang-cheon had a particular reason for being pleased.
“It has the Wudang Sect emblem.”
The taiji symbol was carved on the martial hall’s signboard.
This meant it was a martial hall operated by a lay disciple from the Wudang Sect.
It wasn’t just the martial hall.
“The merchant guild and caravan are also run by Wudang Sect lay disciples.”
The reason why there were so many Wudang Sect members in Danganggu was clear.
“Mudang Mountain isn’t far away.”
Excluding the village formed at the foot of Mudang Mountain, this place, Danganggu, was the closest and largest settlement.
“We can arrive in two days.”
That was the time considering pulling a cart. Hearing this, Ja-gang-cheon’s heart began to flutter with excitement.
“Should we go straight to Mudang Mountain?”
“You decide. Just know that there are many things you can only see in Danganggu.”
“Right now, I want to see the Wudang Sect most.”
“Then we should go.”
They gave up resting and headed toward Mudang Mountain.
***
Like the taiji that symbolizes the shamans, Mudang Mountain with its towering ancient trees shrouded in mist embodied nature’s magnificent harmony.
At the entrance to Mudang Mountain.
“What brings you here?”
“We’ve come to pay our respects to the elders of the Wudang Sect.”
“Are you perhaps the brother who goes by the name Gangcheon?”
“Yes!”
“Please go up. If you have any weapons, we’ll keep them for you.”
“Please take care of the cart. But I need to take this with me. I have to deliver it to my father’s mentor.”
Ja-gang-cheon held out a sword as he spoke. The gatekeeper examined Ja-gang-cheon’s appearance and nodded.
“You must never draw the sword from its sheath.”
“Yes.”
Ja-gang-cheon, holding the cloth-wrapped sword tightly to his chest, left the weapon checkpoint and quickly climbed the mountain.
Actually, Cheon-gu found it somewhat difficult, but he couldn’t stop Ja-gang-cheon who was climbing excitedly.
Despite the fairly high mountain path, they were soon able to stand before the Wudang Sect’s signboard.
Taiji Wuji Wudang Seonmun .
The phrase symbolizing the Wudang Sect greeted visitors in bold calligraphy.
Ja-gang-cheon gazed at the signboard for a moment, then crossed the Wudang Sect’s threshold with a pounding heart.
“Welcome, junior brother.”
A welcome figure greeted them.
“Hello, Jinmyeong Dosa.”
“Your friend came too. Please come this way.”
Jinmyeong, who also exchanged greetings with Cheon-gu, guided them to the inner courtyard.
“My mentor will come with the Jangmunin.”
At the mention of Jangmunin, Cheon-gu took a deep breath.
How many people in their lifetime would directly see the Wudang Sect’s Jangmunin?
Whether it was fortune or misfortune was unclear, but they were certainly meeting someone special.
They sat at a table prepared in the inner courtyard, admiring the Mudang Mountain scenery beyond the wall while drinking gentle tea.
When the first cup was emptied and the second cup was being filled, a group was approaching them.
“We greet the Jangmunin.”
A figure with the benevolent appearance of Seon-pung-do-gol, with white hair and white beard neatly flowing down, stood before them.
At first glance, he seemed to walk slowly, but with each step, the distance closed at an unbelievable rate.
Wudang Jangmunin Song Pung.
Now called a mountain sage beyond even a true master, he had abandoned all the epithets he earned in his youth, keeping only the modifier “Greatest Sword Under Heaven.”
“I heard you provided great assistance. On behalf of Wudang, I thank you once again.”
Like Jinmyeong, the Jangmunin also knew how to set aside dignity and bow his head.
After him, others also offered their greetings.
Un-hyeon, Un-gok, Un-seong.
These three belonged to the generation that were senior and junior brothers to Jinmyeong.
“Your late father’s name was Ja-un-hak, you said?”
“Yes! He said you would believe me if I showed you this!”
“Hehe. It seems he has met me before.”
Ja-gang-cheon took out the silk cloth carefully folded in his chest and spread it wide. Then the characters Un-hak written in one corner became clearly visible.
Seeing this, Song Pung’s eyes shook greatly as if he had seen a ghost.
“This is…”
Song Pung took the silk cloth and examined it again.
“This is the name card I gave when I bestowed the dao name Un-hak.”
At those words, the expressions of the people around changed.
“Then the name Ja-un-hak…”
When Ja-gang-cheon couldn’t answer, Unseong Jinrin who was nearby stepped forward.
“To give his son a name, he would have needed a surname.”
“Ah!”
Passing down a surname to one’s child is a natural duty as a father.
“Yes. Before Un-hak received his dao name, his surname was Ja.”
Song Pung asked Ja-gang-cheon with a trembling voice. Feeling that earnest sincerity, Ja-gang-cheon also choked up.
“Is Un-hak still alive?”
Everyone held their breath.
“He should be. I believe he returned to Gwigokdo with my mother.”
From then on, Ja-gang-cheon told them the history of his parents that he knew.
Though he was only conveying stories he heard from his parents, the expressions of those listening changed moment by moment.
However, while the Jangmunin had rejoiced at hearing he was alive, he also expressed regret at the mention of marriage.
“A Taoist who should pursue purity and desirelessness getting married…”
Even while muttering to himself in disappointment, he continued with the next words to convince himself.
“Un-hak became a secular disciple.”
From then on, he calmly accepted what Ja-gang-cheon was saying, but his martial brothers couldn’t hide their joy.
“Ah! So that’s what happened! He must surely be alive! I believe it too!”
Unseong Jinrin in particular showed intense emotion, as he had been his most cherished junior martial brother.
At his disciples’ reactions, the Jangmunin finally revealed his true feelings.
“Yes. It’s good that he’s alive. What does it matter if he’s a secular disciple? I resented him so much for leaving his mentor behind, but I criticized him harshly without even knowing he was alive, so I should apologize.”
The Jangmunin accepted the current situation.
In fact, there was a reason for his disappointment. Un-hak had been his direct disciple.
Thinking that Un-hak had died on Gwigokdo, his grief was so great that he hadn’t taken another direct disciple since.
While he was happy that such a disciple was alive, since he had married and even had a child, he couldn’t use him as someone to lead Wudang.
He had essentially become equivalent to a lay disciple of the Wudang Sect.
“But what is your mother’s name? Her family must also be eagerly waiting for news.”
It was a question asked to soothe his disappointed heart.
“My mother’s surname is So, and she uses the characters Cheong and Bi.”
The Jangmunin’s eyebrows twitched and the atmosphere instantly grew heavy.
“So-cheong-bi… Don’t tell me you mean the Demon Princess So-cheong-bi?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Thud!
The Jangmunin unconsciously stomped his foot hard. The impact cracked the floor and shook Ja-gang-cheon’s balance.
“Huh?”
Even in that moment, Ja-gang-cheon caught Cheon-gu who was about to fall.
Then, the Jangmunin’s angry voice was heard.
“Becoming secular is one thing, but for that partner to be the Demon Princess! Is this really true?”
The remaining disappointment finally burst into anger. Though the force made his skin tingle, Ja-gang-cheon rebelled against the atmosphere that denied his mother.
“Is there a problem with my mother?”
“You ask if there’s a problem with the eldest daughter of the North Cheon City lord? They’re the leaders of Samawedo who are currently crossing swords with our Wudang.”
The confrontation between the orthodox and demonic sects had reached its peak, and there was even talk that the Great Orthodox-Demonic War was imminent.
If North Cheon City hadn’t united the northern demonic sects, there wouldn’t be such tension in the martial world.
“Jangmunin. This is not the child’s fault.”
As the Jangmunin’s words began to quicken, Unseong Jinrin stepped forward.
At those words, the Jangmunin stopped speaking. It wasn’t wrong.
“Right. It’s not this child’s fault.”
He calmed his agitated heart, but had already crossed the line.
“My mother isn’t a bad person.”
Ja-gang-cheon expressed his displeasure.
“My father was someone who yielded everything to my mother. But there was one thing he fought about until the end. He said that when we reached the mainland, we had to go to Mudang Mountain first. He never yielded on that.”
Ja-gang-cheon felt wronged.
He had never once thought that his family wouldn’t be accepted.
He never imagined that his mother’s three-character name would create such a big problem.
“So this is why my father didn’t teach me Wudang Sect martial arts.”
Everyone was surprised by those words.
Indeed, Un-hak hadn’t transmitted the direct martial arts because he didn’t have the Wudang Sect’s permission.
“My father knew I wouldn’t be welcomed at the Wudang Sect.”
Why wouldn’t his father teach him Wudang Sect martial arts?
The question that Ja-gang-cheon could never solve was finally answered.
Along with that, he realized another reason.
“My father said his wish was to pass this sword down to me.”
Ja-gang-cheon unwrapped the sword wrapped in cloth.
“Ah…”
Someone’s exclamation burst out.
The Cheongun Sword.
It was Ja-un-hak’s nickname and the name of the sword that was like his alter ego.
“Let me ask you, Jangmunin. May I inherit this sword?”
The Jangmunin couldn’t bring himself to say ‘if you deny your mother.’ Instead, he clearly stated his intention.
“It’s not possible. I cannot pass the Wudang Sect’s Cheongun Sword to the grandson of the North Cheon City lord.”
Ja-gang-cheon felt as if his heart was being torn, but he endured it.
‘This isn’t what I came here to say.’
Deciding to endure his own pain, Ja-gang-cheon put aside all regrets and spoke respectfully.
“I’ll accept everything. But please save my parents. My father is still part of the Wudang Sect. We need to build a ship that can go to Gwigokdo.”
When the Jangmunin didn’t answer, Ja-gang-cheon bowed his head.
“Please. Help me.”
It was the first time Ja-gang-cheon had bowed his head for his parents.
A stern voice fell over Ja-gang-cheon’s head.
“It’s not possible.”
At those short words, Ja-gang-cheon clenched his fists and asked with trembling lips, clinging to hope.
“Why? Is it because of my mother again?”
“We’ve already attempted searches three times through the Martial Arts Alliance. But not a single ship that entered Gwigokdo has returned. Including the Evil Sect’s attempts, that sea has already swallowed five ships.”
“Ah…”
So that’s how the ship fragments that had drifted to Gwigokdo were created.
“I understand.”
Ja-gang-cheon turned around.
His heart felt half-soaked with water, and lightning seemed to strike in the remaining space.
He felt dizzy and heavy.
He turned and left the Wudang Sect without even saying goodbye.
The people who had welcomed him so warmly when he arrived didn’t see him off.
It was when he had passed through the mountain gate and reached the middle of the mountain.
“Gangcheon!”
Someone who had rushed over called Ja-gang-cheon.
It was Unseong Jinrin and Jinmyeong.
“I don’t hate you. I’m truly sorry it turned out this way.”
“Then do you acknowledge me?”
“You’re the son of the martial brother I trusted most. An uncle and nephew are a bond made by heaven, so how could I deny you?”
“Then do you acknowledge me as a member of the Wudang Sect?”
Unseong Jinrin paused for a moment, then slowly revealed his true feelings.
“If you choose the Wudang Sect, I’ll do everything I can to fight for you.”
“I’d have to abandon my mother, right?”
Unseong Jinrin couldn’t bring himself to say yes.
Ja-gang-cheon looked straight at him and said.
“You have two hearts.”
He said it out of disappointment.
‘People with two hearts are called hypocrites.’
He swallowed these words.
It felt like he would be insulting his father, not the Wudang Sect.
“Little martial brother. No, Gangcheon. How about staying a bit longer instead?”
Jinmyeong stepped forward. His expression was full of regret.
He’s a good person.
That’s what Ja-gang-cheon thought.
“I heard you’re my older brother by generation.”
“Yes. You can call me that.”
Jinmyeong was the person Ja-gang-cheon had wanted to see most when he came to the Wudang Sect.
His chivalry had warmed his heart, and he wanted to emulate his respectful treatment of everyone.
But now he had to say something different.
“Hyung.”
Ja-gang-cheon spoke as if making a declaration.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to like the Wudang Sect.”
Jinmyeong couldn’t say anything to Ja-gang-cheon as he left.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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