Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 59

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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 59. Why wouldn’t we learn Haowen’s martial arts?
Dan Yeop’s view of Haowen was like this.
It offered little practical benefit in life, yet people pointed fingers at you for it.
What kind of logic was that?
Haowen was originally composed of people who held lowly occupations.
That alone made them easy targets for discrimination, but what they actually did was even more shameful.
For instance, Amun’s primary business was human trafficking, and the other five divisions peddled secrets they’d gleaned from others—selling information for coin.
An ordinary person was better off never joining Haowen at all.
Even if you held a lowly occupation, you could live out your life perfectly well without it.
In reality, not everyone with a lowly occupation was a Haowen member.
Haowen members made up less than ten percent of them.
The remaining ninety percent lived ordinary lives, and that might have been the wiser path.
So who did Haowen suit?
People who hated being trampled on simply for being weak.
People who wanted to lord power over those weaker than themselves.
People who wanted to bully the powerless.
Haowen was for that kind of person.
Ordinary people bore only obligations their whole lives, never claiming even the smallest right.
So Dan Yeop’s question had been directed at So Yo, the ginyeo.
Were you shameless enough to exercise the rights that matched your obligations?
At Dan Yeop’s counter-question, “Why?”, So Yo opened her mouth.
“My family ran a martial hall. The So Ga Martial Hall in Nagan County…”
Summarizing her story, it went like this.
So Ga Martial Hall had lost to its rival Geumjeonbang in combat, losing its disciples and ultimately closing its doors.
In the process, So Ga Martial Hall had accumulated heavy debts, and So Yo had no choice but to sell herself at Jayuungak.
“My father, who was wounded in the fight with Geumjeonbang, still lies bedridden. And now Geumjeonbang is even targeting So Ga Martial Hall itself.”
“So you want to learn Haowen’s martial arts to take revenge on Geumjeonbang?”
“No. I just want to protect So Ga Martial Hall.”
“Haowen is not as formidable a backing as you might think. It may not be able to strengthen So Ga Martial Hall.”
“You defeated Jang Gak of the Seoak Blood Sword with Haowen’s martial arts. It’s not the organization’s backing I want—it’s the martial skill. I want to protect So Ga Martial Hall with my own hands.”
So Yo looked at Dan Yeop with steady eyes.
Jang Gak was a master capable of demolishing Geumjeonbang single-handedly.
Learning the martial arts that had defeated such a master was her goal.
She didn’t even hope for revenge.
She would be satisfied if she could simply protect So Ga Martial Hall while her father lay wounded.
“I understand. I’ll tell the Sect Leader of your wish to join. Someone will come looking for you soon.”
Dan Yeop had no doubt that So Yo’s initiation would be processed smoothly.
Given his standing in Jeommun, it was only natural.
So Yo’s face brightened.
The thought that she might become a fellow sect disciple made her feel closer to Dan Yeop.
“What will I do after joining Haowen?”
“You can continue with what you’re doing now. Or is there something else you’d prefer?”
“What other options are there?”
Dan Yeop explained the Six Divisions to So Yo, who knew nothing of Haowen’s structure.
“You would be assigned to Gimun.”
“Then which division are you in, Dan Hyup?”
“I belong to Jeommun.”
“Ah, I see…”
So Yo’s face fell slightly as she nodded.
She’d thought she’d see Dan Yeop often after joining Haowen, but their divisions would be completely different!
Once So Yo had recovered somewhat, Dan Yeop helped her back onto the horse and continued onward.
***
Chang’an City.
Daean District, on the eastern side of the left city wall.
Jayuungak.
So Yo of Jayuungak was a celebrated ginyeo not only in Daean District but throughout Chang’an City.
Precisely because of this, the proprietor of Jayuungak treated So Yo with care.
No matter how beautiful a ginyeo might be, her value plummeted once she began selling her body.
So the proprietor of Jayuungak had arranged for So Yo to entertain guests through poetry and prose instead.
So Yo’s regular clientele were either high-ranking officials or people connected to the pleasure district.
Early evening, before any guests arrived, So Yo sat in her quarters and began to write.
If one receives the kindness of a single drop of water, one must repay it with the abundance of a spring.
So Yo set down her brush and sighed softly.
But Dan Yeop was no mere drop of water—he was her savior, the one who had given her life back.
The thought of his formidable martial prowess left her feeling helpless.
She had no idea what she could offer in return, or how.
Just then, a servant’s voice drifted from beyond the door.
“Young Miss So, I’ve brought the balza you requested.”
So Yo tilted her head in confusion.
She had no memory of asking anyone to fetch a balza—the plectrum used to play the pipa.
The servant, as if nothing were amiss, pushed open the door and set the balza on the table with practiced ease.
“When did I ever ask for a balza—”
“Young Miss So, the Sect Leader sends word: you are to come to Soesangnu in Jangnak District tomorrow morning at the start of the hour of the Snake—nine o’clock.”
Daean District, where Jayuungak stood, lay to the east; Jangnak District, where Soesangnu was located, lay to the west—the distance between them was considerable.
The servant offered a quick bow and departed swiftly.
Only then did So Yo realize the woman had been a member of Gimun, and her surprise deepened.
‘So it was Haowen all along.’
She had never imagined that Gimun disciples were present even in Jayuungak.
The thought that there might be sect members even among the ginyeo unsettled her in a strange way.
It was as though she had glimpsed the hidden face of the world.
Since ginyeo worked by night, the mornings were theirs to command.
‘If I’m moving about in Gimun, perhaps there will come a day when I meet Dan Yeop again.’
Clutching at this gossamer thread of hope, So Yo took up the balza.
On a whim—like performing a rite simply because one has glimpsed the altar—she lifted the pipa and plucked a string.
It was “Moonlit Chang’an,” a piece fashionable these days, its lyrical melody rippling through the air around her.
***
The next morning.
So Yo set out from Jayuungak early.
Even in the depths of winter, the western district teemed with people of all kinds.
An hour later, So Yo came to a halt before the firmly shuttered doors of Soesangnu.
‘Have I arrived too early?’
In her nervous haste, she had come before the appointed hour.
‘Should I knock on the door? Or wait a while and return?’
At that moment, the doors creaked open and a middle-aged gatekeeper emerged.
“Business hours haven’t begun yet. What brings you here?”
“I have an appointment with the proprietor.”
“Please, come in.”
The gatekeeper gestured inward without hesitation.
As So Yo entered, he locked the outer gate behind her and led her deeper inside.
“Go right ahead.”
At the gatekeeper’s word, So Yo made her way into the inner chamber.
The chamber was empty, but a brazier had been lit to warm the space.
As So Yo warmed her cold hands over the flames, footsteps sounded and two women appeared.
Ha Soran, Sect Leader of Gimun, and Dan Mirang, Vice Sect Leader.
The moment So Yo stepped back from the brazier, Dan Mirang smiled and spoke.
“The woman beside me is Ha Soran, Sect Leader of Gimun. I am Dan Mirang, Vice Sect Leader. Are you So Yo from Jayuungak?”
“Yes. I offer my respects.”
So Yo bowed deeply.
Dan Mirang, whose gaze had been wandering, asked as if in passing.
“Do you know anyone in Jeommun?”
“When I was returning from a visit to my family home outside the city, I encountered bandits and barely escaped with my life. A stranger I met on the road brought me to Jayuungak. As we traveled together, I learned that person was from Jeommun, and I told them I wished to become a sect disciple.”
“Who was it in Jeommun?”
“Someone called Dan Yeop.”
At once, Dan Mirang’s eyes flicked toward Ha Soran, gauging her reaction.
These days, the hottest name in the Six Divisions was Dan Bulwi.
When Amun appointed Dan Bulwi as head instructor, Gimun had begun a thorough investigation into his background.
The only remarkable thing in Dan Bulwi’s life had been an adopted son named Dan Yeop.
Now Ha Soran herself stepped forward.
“When did you first meet Dan Yeop?”
“Yesterday morning, on the road outside Chang’an City.”
Ha Soran, the Sect Leader, nodded.
Dan Yeop had been at the Terracotta Army Tomb until a few months ago, so her account must be accurate.
“I understand. But what is your reason for joining Haowen?”
So Yo repeated what she had told Dan Yeop.
“……It’s late, but I want to protect the So Ga Martial Hall with my own hands.”
“It’s admirable that you wish to guard your family’s legacy with your own strength, rather than relying on others. If you become my disciple, I will help you stand against Geumjeonbang. Will you become my disciple?”
Ha Soran seemed pleased with So Yo and was inclined to take her as a Direct Disciple.
So Yo accepted readily.
“Yes, Master. Your disciple So Yo greets you.”
With these words, she bowed deeply to Ha Soran.
When So Yo rose to her feet, Ha Soran spoke.
“If you wish to become my disciple, you must perform eight more bows.”
At that, So Yo quickly performed eight additional bows.
Once So Yo had completed the Disciple Bowing Ceremony, Ha Soran’s face brightened with satisfaction.
“Starting tomorrow, come here each morning as soon as the gate of Baekpal District opens.”
“Yes.”
And so So Yo became a Direct Disciple of the Gimun Sect Leader.
***
The next morning, So Yo set out immediately after finishing her meal.
She was heading to Soesangnu in Jangnak District.
She arrived a little early, just as she had the day before, and found three people already waiting in the inner chamber of Soesangnu.
Ha Soran, Ha Yongwol, and Ryu Seolri.
As Ha Yongwol and Ryu Seolri exchanged glances, Ha Soran stepped forward.
“Greet them. This is So Yo, whom I took on as a disciple yesterday. She is the youngest, so you two must guide her well. So Yo, these two are your Senior Sisters. In Haowen, there are only three of us who are my Direct Disciples, so you must look after one another. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Ha Yongwol, Ryu Seolri, and So Yo answered as one.
Ha Soran taught So Yo her Dokmun martial arts—the Hwawol Heart Method and the Cheonsu Yeorae Sword.
These were all techniques she had learned from her mother, Hwa Weolryeong, who had left Yeonhwasa and become a lay person.
After practicing the Cheonsu Yeorae Sword for two hours, So Yo leaned close to Ryu Seolri when Ha Soran stepped out for a moment.
“Senior Sister Ryu, aren’t we going to learn Haowen’s martial arts?”
“We will eventually.”
“Why learn them later?”
“Well, because they’re useless, of course. Once you understand Gimun’s martial arts, you’ll thank heaven that you became the Sect Leader’s Direct Disciple.”
“What are Gimun’s martial arts?”
“The foundational Heart Method, Jade Form Work, smooths the skin—that’s all it does. Falling Flower Mountain Water is something ginyeo might use when sparring with each other, but it’s worthless against any Murim school. As for Elegant Grace Step—there’s nothing to say. It’s just walking prettily and gracefully.”
“But there are martial arts from the other Five Divisions, aren’t there?”
“Once you learn the martial arts of the other Five Divisions, they’re just as useless as Falling Flower Mountain Water—there’s no difference. At best, they work on common rabble, but they’re utterly ineffective against Murim sect disciples.”
“Really?”
So Yo stared at Ryu Seolri in amazement.
Dan Yeop’s martial arts had been formidable, so she couldn’t understand why anyone would say such things.
‘That’s strange. They said it was Haowen’s martial arts, but……’
“Everyone—heaven and earth alike—knows that Haowen’s martial arts are third-rate.”
“Then why?”
“Well, it’s because we’re incredibly fortunate. Have you heard of Yeonhwasa, the sect of nun disciples?”
“Yes.”
“Our Master’s mother—who is like a grandmaster to us—was the supreme master of Yeonhwasa. She left the order and gave birth to our Master. The martial arts we’re learning are exactly those of Yeonhwasa. Impressive just to hear about it, isn’t it?”
“When do we learn Haowen’s martial arts?”
“I told you—Haowen’s martial arts are too weak to be worth anything.”
“But what if I still want to learn them?”
“Once you’ve finished learning all of the Master’s arts, ask her to teach you. But I recommend you don’t. It’s a waste of time.”
So Yo looked at Ha Yongwol and Ryu Seolri with bewildered eyes.
Too weak to be worth anything?
They even recommended not learning them?
The revelation was so unexpected that her head began to spin.

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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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