Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 34. Is Sim Ma’s Martial Prowess truly that high?
Time flies like an arrow.
A month had already passed since Dan Yeop arrived in Chang’an City.
In that time, both personas had experienced no small measure of change.
First, Dan Yeop the Dull had completely established himself at the fabric shop.
He no longer loitered outside its doors.
Whether it was the deepening resonance with Sim Ma that had made him bolder, or his awakening as a member of Haomun—heaven alone knew.
Dan Yeop the Dull visited Gosan Manor’s training ground almost every day.
Dan Yeop the Genius did the same.
After learning of Gosan Manor’s affairs through a letter left by Dan Yeop the Dull, Dan Yeop the Genius had also begun training there.
Was it thanks to the ceaseless daily training?
Dan Yeop the Dull had mastered all the exemplary techniques of the Six Techniques.
The Cheonbung Fist, Beончeon Technique, Hohak Twin Form Fist, Seomjeon Kick, Nakhwa Mountain Water, Heaven-Earth Blade Technique, Hundred Stream Blade Technique, and Seven Auspice Blade Technique.
After that, he began sparring with Dan Bulwi to hone his practical combat sense.
At first, he was thoroughly outmatched by Dan Bulwi.
Dan Bulwi was counted among the finest masters of the Evil Sect.
But not long after, their matches grew evenly matched.
Of course, this was Dan Yeop the Dull’s progress.
Dan Yeop the Genius’s Martial Prowess had already surpassed Dan Bulwi’s since his time with the Byeongma Corps.
Then, on the first day of the tenth month, Dan Yeop finally defeated Dan Bulwi.
“Huff… huff! I yield.”
Dan Bulwi stumbled backward, breathing hard.
He could have held on longer, but one more moment and he’d be cut somewhere.
Dan Yeop made no move to pursue, instead sheathing his blade.
“Thank you for your instruction.”
At his courtesy, Dan Bulwi shook his head slowly.
He’d thought Dan Yeop the Dull would eventually fall behind—but the pace of his growth was astounding.
‘Against Dan Yeop the Genius, even Ha Soran wouldn’t stand a chance.’
Ha Soran was the finest master within Haomun’s ranks in the entire region.
Yet even she would be no match for Dan Yeop the Genius.
Dan Yeop hung his Straight Blade on a stand and turned to ask Dan Bulwi:
“Where would I rank within Haomun at present?”
“Stronger than the deputy leaders, but you’d fall slightly short of the sect leader.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Are you disappointed? But given your rate of progress, you’ll match the sect leader’s level before this year is out.”
“Yes… well.”
“For your age, it’s an achievement that would shake Haomun to its foundations. You should take pride in it.”
“Then, what of Sim Ma’s level?”
Dan Bulwi paused briefly in thought before speaking as if it were nothing much.
“He has no equal within Haomun.”
“How does he compare to other factions in Chang’an City?”
“He might rival the director of Hyeonmugwan… or perhaps even surpass him.”
Is Sim Ma’s Martial Prowess truly that high?
Dan Yeop found Dan Bulwi’s words incomprehensible.
They’d both learned the same Six Techniques—how could the gap be so vast?
“I don’t know for certain. I merely have a sense that he wouldn’t falter against anyone.”
“Yet Sim Ma learned the same Haomun techniques as we did?”
“The Six Techniques may be the same, but the depth differs. Perhaps Sim Ma has achieved Mastery over the Six Techniques.”
“If one achieves Mastery over the Six Techniques, could one look down upon Hyeonmugwan?”
Dan Bulwi gave Dan Yeop a sidelong glance at the peculiar question.
It seemed his tone treated Hyeonmugwan as a rival.
“From what I’ve seen of him, it seems possible. Why? Do you wish to defeat Hyeonmugwan?”
Dan Yeop did not answer.
He did not wish to reveal to others his pact of sworn brotherhood with Na Bugang and the severance that had followed.
But his expression alone was enough, and Dan Bulwi asked nothing more.
As the two men left the training ground, Seol Yeonhui came running up in haste.
“Uncle Dan!”
“Yes? What’s wrong?”
Seol Yeonhui, usually so lively and spirited, spoke with a pale, drained face.
“Someone from the Taehwa Trading Company came by. They say contact with the merchants who went to Baekwol Kingdom has been lost for some time now.”
“What did you say?”
Dan Bulwi started in alarm, repeating the question.
He’d already begun to worry that Seol Gyeongmun was overdue, and now to hear the contact had been lost for so long?
“For the first few days they thought he was simply delayed and waited. But when more than ten days passed without word, it seems something has gone wrong.”
“So what do they plan to do?”
“They say they’ll send people to Baekwol Kingdom to investigate, but… what if something’s happened to Father?”
“Don’t worry yourself. I’ll look into it.”
Dan Bulwi, seeing how young Seol Yeonhui was, had decided to take matters into his own hands.
“Thank you, Dan.”
“I’ll go to the trading company at once and find out what’s happened.”
“Yes…”
Tears already glistened in Seol Yeonhui’s eyes.
Dan Yeop, watching the young girl, felt his own unease rise.
She knew he belonged to Haomun, yet she’d allowed him to use the training grounds, and she invited him to family meals without fail.
After Dan Bulwi, Seol Yeonhui was the person closest to him.
“Don’t worry too much, Yeonhui. If Dan takes this on, it’ll be resolved well.”
Unless the other party was a famous martial sect, of course.
When Haomun made its move, a trading company couldn’t simply ignore it.
And Dan Bulwi, no less, was the Deputy Leader of the Evil Sect—infamous for his ruthlessness.
Even a trading company would have to do its utmost.
Dan Bulwi left hastily for Taehwa Trading Company, while Dan Yeop remained at Gosan Manor to comfort Seol Yeonhui.
***
As dusk settled, Dan Bulwi returned to Gosan Manor.
But his expression as he entered the room was dark.
Seol Yeonhui, who had been waiting with an anxious heart, asked carefully.
“Dan, what did the trading company say?”
“They said they’d send an investigation team to Baekwol Kingdom.”
“Did they ask for outside help?”
“It seems difficult to find a sect willing to assist them.”
“And the investigation team?”
“It appears they’ll staff it with the trading company’s own guards.”
That was why Dan Bulwi’s expression had grown dark.
The trading company that had gone to Baekwol Kingdom already had guards with them, so to assemble a new investigation team from only the company’s own men was frustratingly inadequate.
“This won’t do. I’ll go to Hyeonmugwan and ask for their help.”
Seol Yeonhui jumped to her feet and bolted out the door before he could object.
Dan Bulwi made no move to stop her.
For now, all they could do was hope Hyeonmugwan would help.
“Sir, what kind of place is Baekwol Kingdom?”
“A land ruled by various tribes in the southern continent. It lies beyond the Empire’s reach—a savage frontier. They worship the principle that the strong devour the weak, and bloodshed erupts constantly. For the weak, it’s like the hell of suffering itself.”
“Is that why the sects avoid it?”
“Yes. There’s little to gain and much to lose.”
“Then why did the trading company go to such a dangerous place?”
“The more dangerous the place, the greater the profit when success is achieved.”
The medicinal herbs and aromatics from Baekwol Kingdom sold at high prices in Chang’an City.
In particular, the Baekwol Bright Spirit—a type of fragrant high-quality liquor—commanded its own price in the finest wine houses and pleasure quarters of Chang’an City.
Taehwa Trading Company had been making substantial profits by acquiring Baekwol Bright Spirit cheaply from Baekwol Kingdom.
“Do you think Hyeonmugwan will help?”
“It’s hard to say. If they value cooperation, they might. But if they calculate profit, it will be difficult.”
Baekwol Kingdom was not a place where negotiation worked.
If an investigation team went there, fighting would almost certainly follow, yet even in victory, Hyeonmugwan would gain nothing.
Meanwhile, there was much to lose.
Just the thought of the casualties that would result was daunting.
From Baekwol Kingdom to Chang’an City by carriage took forty days round-trip.
Considering the costs incurred and the losses in lives during the journey, it was hardly surprising they would pretend not to know.
About two hours had passed when…
As darkness deepened, Seol Yeonhui returned.
Her expression mirrored Dan Bulwi’s when he had returned from the trading company.
“They say no one is willing to go to Baekwol Kingdom.”
Dan Bulwi and Dan Yeop were not surprised—this was what they had expected.
If Seol Gyeongmun were the true power behind Taehwa Trading Company, perhaps things might be different.
No master would race all the way to Baekwol Kingdom to rescue a retired merchant.
“Master Dan, what do we do now? Will the Trading Company guards be able to rescue Father?”
“Ah, don’t worry yourself too much. I’ll figure something out…….”
A sob escaped her throat.
Seol Yeonhui finally burst into tears.
Dan Bulwi, who had been sighing quietly all along, spoke up in a resolute tone.
“I’ll go to Baekwol Kingdom with the investigation party.”
“What? You, sir?”
“I’m better equipped than the Trading Company’s guards.”
Seol Yeonhui sniffled. “I’d be so grateful if you would, but… are you certain?”
She looked at Dan Bulwi with sudden hope in her eyes.
She knew something of his true nature.
He was the Deputy Leader of Haomun, or so she’d heard.
It was true that Haomun was a minor faction, but a Deputy Leader was considered a master in his own right.
Of course, he couldn’t compare to the masters of the Righteous Sects, but he was still a step above the Trading Company’s guards.
Like a drowning person clutching at straw, she needed all the help she could grasp.
“Of course.”
Dan Yeop regarded Dan Bulwi with fresh eyes.
The Deputy Leader of Haomun was willing to go where even Hyeonmugwan had given up…….
A warmth swelled unexpectedly in his chest.
Glancing at Seol Yeonhui, Dan Yeop spoke with difficulty.
“…Sir, I will help as well.”
In that moment, Dan Bulwi’s face lit up as if he’d been given a second chance at life.
“You’ll help? Thank you, I mean it—thank you.”
Dan Bulwi, who had been scheming how to coax Dan Yeop into assisting, was so delighted that his hips bounced involuntarily.
Seol Yeonhui was grateful to Dan Yeop, yet bewildered by Dan Bulwi’s obvious delight.
The slight, unassuming Dan Yeop didn’t seem like he could offer much help.
As a disciple of Hyeonmugwan, she made a point of staying away whenever the two of them used the training ground.
It was a courtesy to these two Haomun disciples and their pride.
Dan Bulwi, noticing her confusion, smiled and explained.
“Dan Yeop possesses a remarkable talent that he can’t speak of to others.”
“Really?”
Seol Yeonhui turned to study Dan Yeop as if to verify this claim.
Dan Yeop smiled ruefully and shook his head.
Inwardly, he resolved: ‘I’ll raise my Martial Prowess by any means necessary and save him with my own hands.’
Twenty-some days by carriage to Baekwol Kingdom—perhaps it was possible after all.
Though summoning Sim Ma so frequently would be somewhat irritating.
“By the way, sir, could you inform Master Yang of Jeommun that I won’t be able to come to the fabric shop for about two months, since the round trip will take that long?”
“I’ll handle that well. I’ll tell everyone you’re my disciple, so when you’re with the investigation party, address me as your teacher.”
“Yes, sir.”
Since Dan Yeop already thought of Dan Bulwi as both his teacher and his foster father, he agreed readily.
Just then, the sound of the bell announcing curfew echoed from somewhere in the distance.
“Goodness! We’ll have to spend the night at Gosan Manor whether we like it or not.”
Seol Yeonhui responded to Dan Bulwi’s remark as if it were only natural.
“You can use the room you always use in the inner quarters, Master Dan. I’ll arrange separate lodging for my brother.”
The three of them rose immediately from their seats.
Dan Bulwi headed to the room he customarily used whenever he visited Gosan Manor.
Seol Yeonhui led Dan Yeop to the annex building.
The annex was far larger than Dan Yeop had imagined.
“I’m to have all this to myself?”
“Yes, it was originally built to accommodate guests.”
“I see.”
“And… thank you, brother.”
Seol Yeonhui’s eyes grew red again.
Here was Dan Yeop of Haomun offering to help where even the Sect itself had turned away—she was grateful and ashamed in equal measure.
“Grateful? Aren’t we family? Just don’t pretend you don’t know me later when you’ve become a master.”
“Tee-hee! I’m not that kind of person!”
At Dan Yeop’s teasing, Seol Yeonhui pouted her lips.
“Go rest. And…… no, never mind. Safe travels.”
Dan Yeop had started to tell her not to resent the Sect, but he held his tongue.
It might seem like meddling, but it was because her master came from Hyeonmugwan.
“Yes, see you tomorrow.”
Seol Yeonhui bowed politely to Dan Yeop and turned to leave.
Dan Yeop examined every corner of the guest quarters.
It wasn’t so much that he had any particular purpose — he simply enjoyed the house and wanted to have a look around.
As he browsed the bookshelves, a pristine volume caught his eye.
Curious, he pulled it down, only to find it was simply a stack of blank pages.
It was a Blank Folio kept on hand for guests who enjoyed writing poetry.
“Oh, this isn’t bad at all?”
He and Sim Ma had been exchanging writings like a diary for some time now, and having this would make things far more convenient.
“I should ask Yeonhui for one tomorrow.”
He set the Blank Folio aside on the writing desk and climbed into bed, seeking sleep.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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