The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 26

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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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26
Woo Geom-san’s Quest for Supremacy
The past few days had been incredibly busy.
This was because so many people came to visit Baek Ho-yang.
Among them were the descendants of his younger sister, Baek Ho-jeong.
They treated Baek Ho-yang with the utmost respect, welcoming him back after his sixty-year absence from his hometown.
Since they were his sister’s descendants, Baek Ho-yang received them with great warmth.
Naturally, Woo Geom-san had to be busy as well. He became acquainted with and formed friendships with the people who came to see Baek Ho-yang.
Meeting and entertaining so many people made the days fly by in an instant.
Woo Geom-san stepped out into the courtyard at the crack of dawn.
After meditating for two Shijin beneath the withered tree, he headed straight for Baek Do-gyeong’s house.
Baek Do-gyeong’s entire family was gathered inside the house.
There were four of them in total: Baek Do-gyeong, his wife, his son Baek Wol-sang, and his recently wed daughter-in-law.
“Come on in!”
Baek Do-gyeong’s family welcomed Woo Geom-san warmly.
“I hope I am not imposing on you all.”
“It is no trouble at all to set another pair of chopsticks at our table. Come, sit down.”
Baek Do-gyeong smiled and gestured toward a seat.
Woo Geom-san bowed his head slightly and took an empty seat.
A bowl of rice had already been set out for Woo Geom-san at the table.
They had prepared a portion specifically for him.
After offering his gratitude to Baek Do-gyeong’s wife and daughter-in-law, who must have worked hard since dawn, Woo Geom-san picked up his chopsticks.
Though there was only rice and a few side dishes, the meal was exceptionally clean and delicious.
Thanks to them, he was able to enjoy a satisfying breakfast to start his morning.
After finishing the meal, Woo Geom-san headed out to the rice paddies with Baek Do-gyeong and his son.
The father and son did not just tend to the tea plantation; they farmed rice paddies as well.
Upon arriving at the paddy, Baek Do-gyeong spoke to Woo Geom-san.
“Wol-sang, you head over to the tea plantation, and Geom-san, you come pull weeds with me in the paddy.”
“Yes, sir!”
Since this had already been discussed beforehand, Woo Geom-san nodded in agreement.
Before they parted ways, Baek Wol-sang spoke to Woo Geom-san.
“It will be tough since it is your first time. Do not overdo it, and take breaks if you get tired.”
“Yes! Brother.”
“Well, see you this evening then.”
Baek Wol-sang patted Woo Geom-san on the shoulder before making his way toward the tea plantation.
Baek Do-gyeong instructed Woo Geom-san.
“Take off your shoes and step inside.”
“Yes, sir!”
Woo Geom-san did as he was told and stepped into the rice paddy barefoot.
A slimy texture greeted his bare soles.
The water rose all the way up to his shins.
Baek Do-gyeong asked with a smile.
“You know how to tell the weeds apart, right?”
“I know at least that much.”
“Then that is enough. Let us begin.”
The two bent their waists and began pulling weeds.
It was manageable at first. There was even a certain amusement in selecting and plucking the weeds. However, as time went on, his lower back began to ache as if it would snap.
No matter how well-trained Woo Geom-san was through Martial Arts, working in an unfamiliar posture took a toll on his body.
Woo Geom-san straightened his back and glanced sideways at Baek Do-gyeong.
Even though they were working in the exact same posture, Baek Do-gyeong was working placidly without showing a single sign of exhaustion.
Despite working for the same amount of time, the area Baek Do-gyeong had cleared of weeds was vastly larger than Woo Geom-san’s.
To Baek Do-gyeong, who had farmed his entire life, pulling weeds was hardly a difficult chore.
Even at a leisurely pace, he could clear a much wider area far faster than Woo Geom-san.
Looking at Baek Do-gyeong, the phrase ‘born farmer’ naturally came to mind.
Woo Geom-san thumped his lower back a few times and focused on pulling weeds once more.
Although his physical body suffered, his mind was thoroughly enjoying itself.
The feeling of the soil beneath his soles and the rippling water against his skin felt pleasant.
Most pleasing of all was the sheer fact that he was doing something productive.
Having been born and raised in the Woo Family Manor, Woo Geom-san had never needed to labor.
Thanks to his wealthy family, he could live comfortably without doing any work whatsoever.
Of course, he had faced his own hardships, but at the very least, he never had to break a sweat to earn a living.
He could easily obtain whatever he wished with a mere word, which allowed him to focus entirely on his beloved Martial Arts.
It was only after his body was ruined and he traveled Under Heaven alongside Baek Ho-yang that he truly realized.
He realized just how blessed a life he had been living.
It was from that moment onward.
That was when Woo Geom-san began to feel genuinely grateful for his daily life.
Each day that he could breathe properly and walk properly felt precious, and he was grateful to be capable of such productive labor.
Though his physical body grew weary, his mind felt more at peace than ever before.
A powerful vitality could be felt from his feet buried in the mud and his hands submerged in the water.
He could feel that vibrant vitality from the weeds he pulled, and even from the leech that had latched onto his shin at some point to suck his blood.
Still, he could not simply leave it be.
He plucked the weeds and tossed them onto the ridge, then lightly pressed down on the leech with his index finger.
Leeches were creatures that would absolutely never drop off until their bellies were completely full, but when Woo Geom-san pressed it with his finger, it burst with black blood and died.
It was not something Woo Geom-san had done intentionally.
He had merely resolved to remove the leech, yet Qi had spontaneously discharged from his finger.
The intensity of the Qi released from his finger was minuscule, but it was more than enough to kill a tiny leech.
‘What a strange sensation.’
The moment he formed the intent, the External Qi reacted instantly, circulating through his body before being discharged.
Because his achievement was not yet high, the amount of energy he could move was quite small. Even so, Woo Geom-san was entirely satisfied with just this much.
Woo Geom-san threw himself back into the task of pulling weeds.
As he remained absorbed in his work for a long while, the morning hours flew by in a flash.
Only then did Baek Do-gyeong straighten his back and speak.
“You worked hard. Thanks to you, we finished early today.”
“Do you pull weeds like this every single day?”
“Not every day, but we must pull them once every few days. They grow unimaginably fast after it rains, so we have to pay extra attention then.”
“It must be exhausting for you.”
“It is fine since I have done it my whole life. More importantly, did you not say you have to do Cultivation Training for your Martial Arts from now on?”
“Yes, sir!”
He had promised Baek Ho-yang that he would help with the farming work and use his remaining time to practice his Martial Arts.
Knowing about their promise, Baek Do-gyeong waved his hand dismissively.
“Go on ahead. I will clean up the rest.”
“Thank you.”
Woo Geom-san offered his bows to him and returned to the house.
Baek Ho-yang was waiting for him in the front courtyard of the house.
“How was the farming work?”
“It was exhausting, but it was enjoyable. I liked the fact that I played a part in growing something.”
“Good! Never forget that feeling. Destructing and killing something is easy, but growing something is an incredibly difficult endeavor. Never forget that while taking a life can be done alone, nurturing a life can barely be achieved only when multiple people join forces.”
“I will keep that engraved in my heart.”
Baek Ho-yang smiled at Woo Geom-san’s response.
He wanted to teach Woo Geom-san the value of labor. And Woo Geom-san had perfectly met Baek Ho-yang’s expectations.
“Now, let us head to the mountain.”
“Yes, sir!”
The two of them walked together into a secluded forest where no people ventured.
The densely wooded forest was dark because the sunlight could barely penetrate the canopy, even though it was the middle of the day.
Baek Ho-yang looked around the surroundings and nodded his head.
“This place will do nicely.”
“Wouldn’t an open clearing be better for learning Martial Arts?”
“That would be true for other Martial Arts, but an environment like this is actually better for mastering Flowing Void Steps.”
“Then are you going to pass down Flowing Void Steps to me?”
“You have already grasped Smooth Flow through Proper Walking. This means you have attained the most fundamental requirement to master Flowing Void Steps.”
Flowing Void Steps was comprised of two elements: Smooth Flow and Stepping on the Void.
Smooth Flow literally meant sensing the flow and adapting to it, while Stepping on the Void meant finding and moving into an appropriate space.
“It is vital to comprehend the concept of space.”
“Is there a separate concept for space?”
“For instance, imagine this place is a battlefield.”
“A battlefield?”
“You may call it a warzone if you like. In any case, a fierce battle is raging here. In such a moment, a comprehension of space is required. One must first discern which spot is the place to live and which spot is the place to die.”
“Do you mean Saengmun and death gates, something like that?”
“Precisely.”
Baek Ho-yang nodded his head.
“How does one discern that?”
“It is not about knowing; it is about sensing. No matter how chaotically entangled a battlefield may be, an empty space is bound to exist. There exists a place where a blade seems within reach yet cannot touch you, and a loophole exists even in a dense web of killing intent that appears impossible to escape. Stepping on the Void means sensing such empty spaces and moving into them. While it is an impossible feat for a Martial Artist who has learned ordinary martial arts, you, who have already grasped Smooth Flow, will certainly be able to attain it.”
“How should I practice?”
“First, take off those cumbersome shoes.”
At Baek Ho-yang’s words, Woo Geom-san immediately kicked off his shoes and stood barefoot.
“Now, close your eyes and breathe properly.”
“Yes, sir!”
Woo Geom-san closed his eyes and breathed according to the core principles of Inhaling Wind, Exhaling Water. When he did so, External Qi flowed in and circulated through his body.
“Can you feel the flow of Qi outside your body?”
“I can feel it.”
“How does it feel to you?”
“It is strong in some places, and faint in others.”
“Good. Move toward the strong places.”
Woo Geom-san moved toward the areas where the flow of Qi was strong, just as Baek Ho-yang instructed.
Thud!
Instantly, his body collided with a large tree and reeled backward.
“Ugh!”
“The larger a tree is, the stronger the Qi it contains. Now, try moving toward the places where the flow of Qi is faint.”
“Yes, sir!”
Woo Geom-san carefully took a step forward.
This time, he did not collide with a tree like before.
“Do you perceive the difference?”
“I think I understand.”
“This also aligns with the essence of Inhaling Wind, Exhaling Water. One must seek out gaps like the wind and permeate smoothly like water. You must practice Choyeon Simgyeol and Flowing Void Steps together to understand this phenomenon and embody it with your physical body. Learning the sword comes after that, so you must keep this point firmly in mind. Only when you can pass through these chaotically tangled branches safely without a single scratch can you truly be said to have set foot into the realm of Stepping on the Void. Therefore, do not be complacent with this and practice tirelessly.”
“I understand.”
“I will head down first, so practice by yourself. And make sure to return home before the sun sets.”
“Yes, sir!”
With that, Baek Ho-yang left Woo Geom-san entirely alone in the middle of the forest and departed.
Left by himself, Woo Geom-san immersed himself in training with his eyes closed.
Thud!
“Kgh!”
He collided with trees and collapsed numerous times.
Dozens of times, his feet tripped over protruding rocks or tree roots, causing him to tumble.
He managed to move while avoiding the trees a few times, but the moment his concentration slipped even a fraction, he was bound to crash into something.
No matter how well Woo Geom-san had grasped the flow of Qi, moving with his eyes closed was no easy task.
Numerous wounds quickly appeared across his body.
Sharp cuts formed on his face and arms where branches grazed them, and bruises bloomed on his knees and buttocks.
Even so, Woo Geom-san did not give up.
When he fell, he stood back up; when he collided, he regained his balance.
The thought of it being too difficult never crossed his mind.
This was because such hardships were all too familiar to Woo Geom-san.
Collapsing was no big deal.
What truly mattered was rising back up.
Woo Geom-san brushed the dust off his body, stood up, and challenged Stepping on the Void once again.
Sweat poured down like rain and his breathing grew ragged, but Woo Geom-san did not rest for even a single moment.
The bones in his right hand had been completely shattered, and his Dantian had suffered a severe wound.
He had once thought he would never be able to practice Martial Arts again.
Yet, he did not despair and rose back up.
It was said that heaven helps those who help themselves.
To Woo Geom-san, heaven was Baek Ho-yang.
He was able to survive and make a comeback because he met Baek Ho-yang.
He did not want to disappoint him.
Nor did he want to disappoint himself.
For that reason, he moved more desperately than anyone else.
Beads of sweat rolling down from his body fell and gathered on the blades of grass.

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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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