The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 28

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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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28
The Sword Conflict
Two months had already passed since Woo Geom-san entered Cheonbaeksan.
During that time, Woo Geom-san had perfectly adapted to life in Yunjung Village.
He woke up early at dawn to practice Choyeon Simgyeol, and after breakfast, he went to the fields or the Tea Plantation to help out.
He had become quite accustomed to farming work, easily pulling his own weight.
However, this did not mean Woo Geom-san focused solely on farming. He continued his Cultivation Training by integrating Martial Arts into his agricultural labor.
Farming was Cultivation Training itself, and every aspect of daily life was intertwined with Martial Arts.
Since his daily routine was a form of Martial Arts practice, his rate of growth was bound to be exceptionally rapid.
Watching Woo Geom-san, Baek Ho-yang pondered deeply.
Originally, he had intended to teach him Choyeon Simgyeol and other techniques after Woo Geom-san had fully mastered Flowing Void Steps. Yet, Woo Geom-san’s pace of learning was much faster than anticipated, disrupting his plans.
After deliberating for a long while, Baek Ho-yang finally made a decision.
“Geom-san!”
“Yes, Grandfather!”
Calling him grandfather felt entirely natural to Woo Geom-san now.
“Did you say they begin harvesting tea tomorrow?”
“Yes! The whole Village is being mobilized to pluck tea leaves. I should go and help too.”
“How fortuitous. I shall teach you a martial art that is highly effective for plucking tea leaves.”
“Pardon? There’s a specific martial art just for plucking tea leaves? What idle person would create such a technique?”
Woo Geom-san’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Impudent scoundrel! What sort of idle person would create a martial art solely for plucking tea leaves? I am saying that although it was created for a different purpose, it will prove useful for harvesting tea.”
“Hehe! I was only joking.”
“Incorrigible…”
Baek Ho-yang chuckled softly.
Since returning to Yunjung Village, Baek Ho-yang found himself laughing much more frequently.
He smiled even more often when he was with Woo Geom-san.
The same was true for Woo Geom-san.
As he grew fonder of Baek Ho-yang, he too laughed and chatted a great deal.
Thus, the two were truly becoming grandfather and grandson.
Baek Ho-yang spoke.
“The martial art I am about to impart to you from this moment forth is called Chaeuolsu.”
“Chaeuolsu? Does it mean ‘snatching the moon’?”
“Indeed! As you might guess from the name, Chaeuolsu is a Secret Heritage that draws in the surrounding Qi and gathers it at the fingertips, as if snatching the moonlight. It is a manipulation method that draws Qi in a fleeting instant and utilizes it like an extension of your own fingers. You must move as lightly as if plucking tea leaves, yet as powerfully as if snatching the moonlight.”
Chaeuolsu was a manipulation method that could only be mastered if one’s fingers were flexible and delicate.
Over the past months, Woo Geom-san had rolled Steel Balls and threaded a Needle every single day without fail, perfectly restoring the utility of his fingers.
Though he could not exert raw strength as he once did, the sensitivity of his hands had conversely grown far more exquisite.
Baek Ho-yang judged that the current Woo Geom-san was fully capable of learning it.
“Chaeuolsu is no mere hand technique. It is a critical martial art that serves as the foundation for Choyen Sword Technique and every other style you must master. Therefore, you must practice it relentlessly.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Then follow my lead from this moment onward.”
Baek Ho-yang stepped out into the Courtyard with Woo Geom-san.
The moonlight gently illuminated the Courtyard where darkness had fallen.
Using the round moon as his backdrop, Baek Ho-yang began to move fluidly.
The smooth movements, flowing without a single disruption, were reminiscent of a dance.
He looked precisely like an elegant dancer performing beneath the moonlight.
Woo Geom-san watched Baek Ho-yang’s movements, completely entranted.
Every time the old man waved his hands, the moonlight seemed to bend, and gusts of wind swirled in all directions.
It appeared as though he were controlling the moonlight and the wind with a single gesture.
“Once you become proficient with Chaeuolsu, you can blend it with Flowing Void Steps like this.”
Baek Ho-yang executed Flowing Void Steps alongside Chaeuolsu.
Moving along the flow of Qi while executing Chaeuolsu, Baek Ho-yang resembled a fluttering butterfly.
‘Soft as a butterfly when moving, but powerful when snatching the moonlight. It isn’t just soft; hardness and softness achieve a perfect harmony.’
Thanks to Baek Ho-yang demonstrating it multiple times, Woo Geom-san grasped the essence of Chaeuolsu without much difficulty.
However, understanding it with his mind and executing it with his body were two entirely different matters.
Just as Baek Ho-yang said, he had to practice relentlessly to make it his own.
There is no royal road to Martial Arts.
One has no choice but to master it by repeating the exact same movements day after day.
While a highly talented individual might learn it more easily, making it completely one’s own belonged strictly to the realm of repetition.
Yet, Woo Geom-san was confident.
His talent was not that of a brilliant martial prodigy.
His true talent lay precisely in his foolishly stubborn tenacity.
Whether it rained, snowed, or stormed, he never rested from his training for a single day.
He trained every day and constantly evaluated himself.
Such diligence was indeed Woo Geom-san’s greatest talent.
Having finished the demonstration, Baek Ho-yang spoke to Woo Geom-san.
“Now, try executing it yourself.”
“Yes!”
Woo Geom-san began to mimic the movements Baek Ho-yang had shown him.
“You must curl your fingertips a bit more precisely. Just like a fishhook.”
“Your shoulder dropped just now.”
“Do not force the manipulation of Qi. If your movements are correct, the Qi will flow naturally. What matters is the sensation.”
“You need to move your wrist more fluidly from that position.”
Baek Ho-yang corrected Woo Geom-san’s movements one by one.
Thanks to this, Woo Geom-san managed to barely imitate Chaeuolsu.
At this stage, far from harvesting moonlight, he was at a level where it would be difficult to even pluck tea leaves. Nevertheless, he believed that if he practiced every day, he would eventually be able to snatch the moonlight just like Baek Ho-yang.
Though his movements were still clumsy and crude, he firmly maintained the intent behind the form.
Watching Woo Geom-san, Baek Ho-yang laughed.
“Haha! Flailing about beneath the moon, you look like a madman.”
***
Woo Geom-san came out to the Tea Plantation early in the morning.
On the plantation carved into the mountain ridge, all the villagers had gathered.
“Ah, Geom-san, you’ve arrived?”
“Welcome.”
The villagers greeted Woo Geom-san warmly.
“Hello everyone.”
Woo Geom-san greeted each villager individually as he joined them.
Once he confirmed that all the villagers had gathered, Baek Do-gyeong spoke in a loud voice.
“Alright, let us begin harvesting the tea in earnest from now on.”
“Yes!”
The villagers replied in unison and then moved in perfect order.
Depending on the region, some places harvested four to five times, but Yunjung Village harvested three times a year.
Tea plucked before the Spring Equinox is called Mingqian, and because its young buds are small and its fragrance subtle, it is highly sought after by many.
Tea harvested around the Grain Rain period is called Yuqian, and it is very popular due to its larger buds and deeper aroma.
Tea harvested after the Beginning of Summer is called Xiacai, but Yunjung Village skipped this one.
This was because the leaves grew thick, causing the astringent taste to increase significantly.
During this period, they did not produce tea, but instead plucked the leaves to feed the livestock.
Tea plucked in autumn is called Qiucha, and the tea the villagers were currently mobilized to make was precisely Qiucha.
Even in winter, warmer regions might produce Dongcha, but that was an entirely irrelevant story for Yunjung Village.
Winter in Yunjung Village brought heavy snow and bitter cold, making it impossible to harvest tea.
Therefore, they simply skipped the winter.
For this reason, the tea harvested during this period was crucial.
Only by selling the Qiucha could they purchase the goods necessary for the winter.
Particularly this time, the path leading down the mountain was blocked by a landslide, forcing them to take a long detour. To hit the right timing, they had to move quickly.
Since it was work they had done for a long time, all the villagers knew their respective duties perfectly.
Women and children with small hands were assigned to the task of plucking tea leaves, while strong men were mobilized to roast the tea brought by the women and children.
The elderly, who lacked strength, worked on rolling and drying the roasted tea.
Woo Geom-san was assigned to the task of plucking tea leaves.
Although he had done plenty of fieldwork, the process of making tea was a first for him, so he started with plucking the leaves.
Baek Do-gyeong’s wife taught Woo Geom-san how to pluck the tea leaves.
“There’s no use plucking the topmost tea leaves. They’re too tough. Just pluck the soft, tender ones underneath to fill your basket.”
“Like this one?”
Woo Geom-san plucked a tea leaf as a demonstration and showed her.
“Yes! Plucking ones with that color is just perfect. Once you fill the basket, take it over to where they’re lighting the fires.”
“Understood.”
Woo Geom-san nodded and began the work of plucking tea.
Snap! Snap!
Every time he moved his fingers, tea leaves fell.
Watching Woo Geom-san move his hands fluidly, the village women expressed their admiration.
“What in the world? Why is he so good at this?”
“Look at that hand movement. It looks as if he’s done this for ten years.”
It was by no means easy for a man to pluck tea leaves with such delicacy. Men with large, clumsy hands often damaged the branches while plucking tea leaves, which is why they were typically assigned to the roasting process instead.
However, Woo Geom-san was different.
His hand movements were incredibly delicate yet swift.
Every time he swept his hand, the tea leaves piled up rapidly in the basket.
Though the village women did not know it, Woo Geom-san was harvesting tea leaves by employing Chaeuolsu.
While he was still merely imitating the form, that alone allowed him to easily do the work of several people.
Not long after he began plucking, his basket was overflowing with tea leaves.
Woo Geom-san carried the harvested tea over to where the men were working.
The men had lit the fires and heated the iron cauldrons to a high temperature.
When Woo Geom-san arrived, Baek Wol-sang greeted him with a smile.
“You’re the first one back. Have you perhaps done this work somewhere else before?”
“It’s my first time.”
“Then why are you so good at it?”
“I suppose I was born with it.”
“Impressive. Please keep it up.”
“Leave it to me.”
After bantering playfully, Woo Geom-san handed over the basket full of tea leaves, took an empty one, and returned to the Tea Plantation.
Following behind Woo Geom-san, the village women who had harvested tea arrived at the men’s station.
They exchanged their full baskets for empty ones and returned to the Tea Plantation.
Once a certain amount of tea leaves had accumulated, Baek Do-gyeong shouted.
“Alright, let us begin our work as well.”
“Yes!”
They poured the tea plucked by the village women and Woo Geom-san into the massive iron cauldrons and began roasting it.
If the temperature was too low, the tea’s fragrance would not properly emerge, whereas if it was too high, the leaves would burn, ruining the aroma.
Consequently, roasting tea was not a job just anyone could perform.
The men used paddles to spread the tea leaves evenly, evaporating the moisture.
This operation was carried out extremely rapidly.
The elderly then took the instantly roasted tea leaves to cool them down.
They rolled the tea leaves cooled by the wind to shape and dry them.
While tea was being made on one side, the village women with large hands prepared food on the other.
Because the tea-making process was highly grueling and demanded a lot of energy, a substantial amount of food had to be prepared.
Woo Geom-san flared his nostrils at the delicious scent.
While a Biyogu Pill was fine, it could never match the aroma of real food.
At the signals sent from his stomach, Woo Geom-san muttered to himself.
‘It seems I am thoroughly unsuited to becoming a true Taoist. Cooked Food is several times better than a Biyogu Pill.’
Fortunately, Baek Ho-yang did not urge Woo Geom-san to become a Taoist.
Thanks to that, Woo Geom-san could freely enjoy Cooked Food.
Smelling the delicious food filled him with even greater energy.
Woo Geom-san utilized the subtle principles of Chaeuolsu to pluck the tea leaves.
Snap! Snap!
The tender tea leaves showered down at his gestures. Even though he plucked the tea leaves so rapidly, no damage was caused to the branches.
‘This is quite entertaining too.’
Woo Geom-san joyfully executed Chaeuolsu.
As he grew accustomed to Chaeuolsu, his speed in plucking tea leaves also quickened.
In no time, the basket was full.
Woo Geom-san hurriedly brought the basket to the men performing the roasting work.
By the time he had brought the basket for the fifth time, the long-awaited announcement finally rang out.
“Everyone, time to eat!”
“Eat before you work!”
At the voices of the village women, Woo Geom-san replied vigorously.
“Yes!”
Woo Geom-san’s steps toward the food were exceptionally light.
Harvesting tea while practicing his Martial Arts, there was no greater pleasure Under Heaven.

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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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