Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 52

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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 52. Haowen, really?
Baek Yuhwa’s remark that ‘Hyeonmugwan and the Four Seas Faction don’t seem so imposing’ had earned Im Song’s nod as well.
“I had the same thought—it doesn’t feel like an insurmountable wall.”
“You felt that way too, Senior?”
“Yes. All of this is thanks to Dan Kyotou’s teachings.”
As he spoke, Im Song watched Dan Yeop carefully.
“Kyotou, is something troubling you?”
“Nothing. Just remembering something that happened during my travels with my adoptive father.”
“Ah, I see.”
Im Song was curious but didn’t press, finding the subject delicate.
Baek Yuhwa, however, was different.
“What happened?”
“There was a blade clash at a wine house back then too. Fortunately, it ended well.”
“Was that your first real fight?”
“Well…….”
“That would explain why you remember it. I’ve fought so many times that I’ve become dulled to it. Now I can’t even recall the details.”
The melancholy in Baek Yuhwa’s expression made Dan Yeop’s chest ache in sympathy.
Just then, Im Song rose from his seat.
“I’m going to step out for a moment.”
Once Im Song had descended to the first floor, Baek Yuhwa suddenly asked, as if remembering something.
“Right! Senior, what happened with your Wine Demon Possession? Has it improved at all?”
“Not yet. My adoptive father found a scripture for me, so I’ve been treating it diligently.”
“A scripture?”
“Yes, the Prajna Heart Method…….”
“Oh, that. You always study the strangest things, Senior.”
“Strangest?”
“The Prajna Heart Method is more famous for spiritual cultivation than martial practice.”
“More famous?”
“So famous that even Shaolin monks avoid it.”
“Why?”
“It’s closer to Buddhist scripture than martial technique. That’s why they call it the essence of the Prajna Heart Sutra, I think. Didn’t you notice that?”
“Well, I practice it to refine my mind.”
“I think I heard there were two states—First and Second. Is that right?”
“Well…….”
Baek Yuhwa, suddenly recalling old days, asked with a smile.
“So are you First right now, or Second?”
“I’m always First.”
“The First who defeated Deungpyeong and Yu?”
“No, that was the Demon Heart’s doing.”
“The Demon Heart?”
“Second’s doing.”
“Ah! So the Senior Dan who was learning the Heaven-Earth Blade Method from me back then…….”
“That was me.”
“Wow! I knew it! I had a feeling.”
Baek Yuhwa was skeptical but played along anyway.
The First, the Second, the Demon Heart—all of it sounded like a story Dan Yeop had invented. But what did it matter?
A fool who’d once been mocked had returned as Sect Leader of Jeommun.
That was enough.
Baek Yuhwa felt a slight intoxication rising through him.
‘Is it the drinking with Senior Dan? My head’s getting strange.’
Between them, there was little conversation, yet it felt natural.
At every glance, every shift in Dan Yeop’s eyes and expression, every small gesture, Baek Yuhwa found himself smiling without reason.
Dan Yeop felt much the same.
“Haha…….”
Each time their eyes met, he laughed awkwardly.
Conversation doesn’t happen only through words.
That was where Dan Yeop and Baek Yuhwa were now.
In that delicate atmosphere, savoring the sweet warmth of intoxication, there came a loud “Crash!”—and someone bounded up the stairs.
At the commotion, both Dan Yeop and Baek Yuhwa turned their heads toward the staircase.
Baek Yuhwa cried out in alarm.
“Im Song!”
Covered in blood, Im Song staggered toward the two men.
“Hah! Hah! Master Baek, Kyotou Dan…….”
Two men climbed slowly to this floor behind him.
Seeing the men, Baek Yuhwa turned to Im Song with a question.
“Im Song? What happened?”
“Ugh, that Ghost Shadow Chong Yo came at me spoiling for a fight out of nowhere…….”
“What?”
“He said we’re causing trouble instead of keeping quiet…….”
Dan Yeop and Baek Yuhwa exchanged bewildered looks at the men who had followed.
Ghost Shadow Chong Yo approached Dan Yeop’s group with an unsteady gait.
“So this is where you fled to, Im Song? You lot belong to Haowen too?”
Im Song asked with a hardened face.
“Master Chong, have I or Haowen done something wrong?”
Chong Yo spoke with a scornful expression.
“Are you asking because you don’t know, you bastard? Do you have any idea how much trouble your lot has caused, making the checkpoint inspections so tight?”
It was true that due to Haowen’s war, the procedures for entering and exiting the city gates had become more complicated.
But such inconvenience was nothing compared to the disruptions caused by fights among other factions.
“Master Chong, other factions—and even the merchant associations—fight as well.”
“Is another faction the same as Haowen? What the hell have you lot been eating lately? Trying to get treated the same as other factions now?”
Im Song clenched his teeth, seething with contempt.
He wanted to lash out, but since Ghost Shadow Chong Yo was the Village Master of Heukru’s outer branch, he didn’t dare say anything for fear of escalating the situation.
“You made me come all this way. As an apology, cut off one arm. Then I’ll be satisfied with just you. If you refuse, I’ll cut off the arms of your companions too. You lot can get by fine on one hand anyway, can’t you? So what’ll it be? Going to be selfish and ruin your juniors’ lives, or just end it with yourself?”
Chong Yo arrogantly planted one foot on the table.
An appetizer plate caught on his foot and toppled with a crash.
Food splattered onto Dan Yeop.
Dan Yeop stood, brushed off his clothes, and turned to face the middle-aged man.
“My name is Dan Yeop. And your name and status are……?”
“Ha! Me? I’m the esteemed Ghost Shadow Chong Yo. Why? Want a look? Not happening. You choose. Should I cut off Im Song’s arm, or all of yours?”
“Senior Chong, don’t bully us with brute force. Even a worm will writhe if you step on it.”
At that, Chong Yo stared at Dan Yeop with an incredulous expression.
“What? Senior Chong? You crazy bastards. And what? Writhe? Are you threatening me right now? Haha! I’m going insane. Im Song, you saw it, right? This one won’t do with just one arm. Just die.”
Chong Yo’s fist flew at Dan Yeop’s head.
In that instant, Dan Yeop slipped the punch slightly, then struck back immediately.
With a crack, Chong Yo stumbled backward.
His lip was split open from the solid hit to his face.
…….
A strange silence fell over the room.
Chong Yo, reeling from the blow, blinked in disbelief before drawing a Horizontal Saber.
“You dare, you bastard!”
Dan Yeop quickly drew his blade and leveled it at Chong Yo. “A blade has no eyes. Stop now.”
At those words, Chong Yo truly snapped.
What Dan Yeop had said was the kind of thing a master used to intimidate a novice.
“Die!”
Chong Yo’s Horizontal Saber moved in dazzling patterns.
This was the Ghost Shadow Blade Technique, the very art that had earned Chong Yo his epithet.
Yet to Dan Yeop’s eyes, the ghostly arc of the blade was perfectly clear.
Ring! Ring! Ring! A grating screech——
With a sickening crack, Chong Yo, who had been pressing the attack, stopped dead.
An instant later, his hand holding the Horizontal Saber fell away.
“Aaaahhh!”
Blood sprayed from Chong Yo’s severed wrist.
“Village Master!”
Chong Yo’s subordinate rushed in urgently to stop the bleeding.
A moment later, Chong Yo ground his teeth and left without a backward glance, his subordinate at his side.
Im Song spoke with a worried expression.
“Ghost Shadow Chong Yo is the Village Master of Heukru’s outer branch. I’m not sure if this will be all right.”
“Hmph! Im Song! So we should have given him one of our arms each instead?”
“No, that’s not it. I just don’t think Chong Yo will let this go. If Heukru decides to retaliate, things could spiral out of control…….”

“There’s no help for it.”
“But if Haowen should…”
Im Song trailed off, unable to finish.
If Heukru struck at Haowen, Haowen would crumble—that much was certain.
Dan Yeop, who had been watching the exchange, fixed Im Song with a steady gaze.
“Sect Soldier Im.”
“Yes?”
“If that’s the case, why come to us instead of fleeing elsewhere?”
“That is… well…”
Im Song couldn’t answer, searching Dan Yeop’s face for some sign.
He had withdrawn to this level wanting to make an impression.
But he hadn’t anticipated that Dan Yeop would sever Chong Yo’s hand.
He’d thought they would trade blows for a time, with Dan Yeop emerging victorious—nothing more.
“I told you: a blade has no eyes. We were fortunate it ended at the wrist. Chong Yo could have died.”
“Forgive me. I was consumed by shame and sought revenge by drawing you into this.”
Dan Yeop pressed no further.
He simply hoped Im Song would stop vacillating from this moment forward.
Baek Yuhwa ventured in carefully.
“I’ll inform our Sect Leader of what happened today. With his experience, he’ll arrange a proper countermeasure.”
What had begun as a pleasant evening of wine ended in heavy silence.
***
Dan Yeop returned to Son Taek near the hour of Hai—around ten o’clock at night.
As he crossed the courtyard, he heard the distant sound of a bell tolling.
‘That was close.’
When curfew fell, it wasn’t only the city gates that closed; all one hundred and eight Quarter Gates sealed as well.
One had to either sleep where they were or slip past the patrols to make it home.
Moments later, Dan Yeop arrived at the annex but didn’t enter his room.
His mind was troubled by what had happened to Chong Yo.
As he walked through the garden, Son Jiheon appeared.
“There you are! Did you just get back?”
“Yes.”
Dan Yeop caught sight of him and let out a soft laugh.
It seemed Son Jiheon had been waiting to learn whether his master had granted permission.
And indeed, as expected—
As they strolled side by side through the garden, Son Jiheon suddenly asked.
“Did you speak to your master about it?”
“I did.”
“What did he say?”
Son Jiheon glanced at him with hopeful eyes.
“He said it would be alright to teach you, if you were willing.”
At that, Son Jiheon’s joy bubbled over and he practically bounced with excitement.
“Ah! Thank goodness!”
But unlike his delight, Dan Yeop’s expression remained grave.
Now he had to reveal who his own master was.
“Don’t celebrate yet.”
“What do you mean? Are there conditions attached?”
Son Jiheon tamped down his excitement and studied Dan Yeop’s expression.
“No conditions. It’s just that once you learn which faction I belong to, you might lose the desire to study.”
“That can’t be. As I’ve said before, no matter what faction you belong to—”
“Haowen.”
The answer exceeded all his expectations, and Son Jiheon stopped dead in his tracks.
For a moment, he thought Dan Yeop was joking.
Such sublime martial skill could never belong to Haowen.
“Come now, don’t jest.”
“I’m serious. When have I ever joked?”
“Truly Haowen? The faction built by courtesans and pleasure house servants?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Only then did Son Jiheon understand this was no jest, and he fell silent.
Even if it were a heretical faction, he still wished to learn.
Any faction would do, as long as it wasn’t Cheonryeon.
But Haowen?
Haowen had never even crossed his mind.
They were nothing but a vulgar rabble, unworthy of being called a proper sect.
Seeing the familiar hesitation, Dan Yeop asked in a flat tone.
“Learning from Haowen kills your interest in it?”
Son Jiheon didn’t answer at once.
Learning Haowen’s martial arts was the same as becoming one of them.
The grandson of Son Yubaek, who had served as magistrate, becoming one of Haowen’s members?
His grandfather might throw him out of the house if he found out.
No matter how much he preferred martial learning over books, did it have to go that far?
Though Dan Yeop saw Son Jiheon’s deliberation, he wasn’t disappointed.
“Don’t think only of your reputation. If you master Haowen’s martial arts, you become part of their network. Later on, they might come to you asking for help.”
Son Jiheon’s expression turned startled at those words.
The talk of networks and requests for help left him speechless.
‘Me, becoming part of Haowen’s network?’
It was utterly sordid and distasteful.
Yet Dan Yeop’s martial arts were too tempting to abandon for such reasons.
Walking in silence, Son Jiheon spoke.
“Friend, answer me honestly. Was what I saw that day Haowen’s martial art?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll learn it.”
“…All right. From today on, you’re an unnamed disciple of Haowen. So you needn’t bear any responsibility or obligation to Haowen. Only the Sect Leader and I will know your identity.”
“Thank you.”
“Come find me tomorrow evening, whenever you have time.”
Shortly after, Dan Yeop parted with Son Jiheon and entered the detached quarters.
There, he recorded the day’s events in the White Records.
Since he wouldn’t see Baek Yuhwa for a while, he planned to summon the Demon Heart tomorrow morning—something he’d been putting off.

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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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