The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 66

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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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66
Woo Geom-san Competes for Hegemony
As always, Woo Geom-san woke up early in the morning and climbed Houyi Peak.
Though he moved as carefully as possible, he could not deceive Baek Ho-yang’s ears.
Awakened by the sound of Woo Geom-san leaving, Baek Ho-yang got up from his bed.
Wiping his face with his dry hands, he muttered to himself.
“Because of that boy, it seems I’m losing my sleep as well.”
The older he got, the more sensitive his hearing became during sleep.
Seeing how even the slightest rustle or change would wake him.
Of course, the primary cause was none other than Woo Geom-san.
Living in the same house, he naturally woke up whenever Woo Geom-san did.
The time for him to directly pass down Martial Arts to Woo Geom-san had already passed.
Not only was Woo Geom-san exceptionally bright, but above all, he was foolishly devoted to his Martial Arts.
Unless something extraordinary happened, he never skipped his Cultivation Training.
When a talented individual trained so passionately, it was only natural for his skills to leap forward drastically.
It was far better to let him grow on his own, offering a helping hand only when Woo Geom-san hit a wall.
Baek Ho-yang opened his door and stepped outside.
As the fresh morning air filled his lungs, his mind became completely alert.
Baek Ho-yang suddenly looked up at the sky.
Stars were still floating in the heavens.
Perhaps because he was high up in the mountains, the stars felt close enough to touch if he just reached out.
Baek Ho-yang stood still, gazing at the stars that embroidered the dark sky like a carpet.
For nearly ten years, he had lived with his nose buried in books.
Because he always lived with his head bowed, the times he looked up at the sky like this could be counted on one hand.
“Sigh!”
Suddenly, a sigh escaped his lips.
For within the endlessly unfolding sea of stars, he saw a dark energy spreading out like ink.
“The Heavenly Secret is in turmoil.”
His gaze sank deep.
As his Martial Arts progressed and he aged, he had naturally become able to read the Heavenly Secret at some point.
Even without wanting to, he simply came to know how the world was changing.
For some time now, the Heavenly Secret had been fluctuating unsettlingly.
Just like when he was caught up in the war against the Cheonmyeong Association.
That was why he had deliberately bowed his head and delved even deeper into his books.
Because he feared that if he lifted his head and read the Heavenly Secret, he might make the same choice he did back then.
However, he could not turn a blind eye to the obvious Heavenly Secret forever.
Coincidentally, since the Plank Road in the Village had finally been opened, he looked up at the sky for the first time in months.
After reading the Heavenly Secret for a long while, he muttered.
“Is it truly impossible to completely break the web of karma? For the thread to stretch all the way to such a deep, remote region.”
He stood as still as a stone statue, gazing up at the night sky.
While his body remained here, his spirit swam alone through that distant sea of stars.
“Grandfather!”
“Grandfather.”
If it weren’t for the little brats invading from early morning, he would have stared up at the sky indefinitely.
The neighborhood children, arriving without warning, clung to Baek Ho-yang’s body as if they were his own grandchildren.
Only then returning to his senses, Baek Ho-yang looked down at the children surrounding him.
“The sun hasn’t even risen yet, and you are already here?”
“What are you talking about, Grandfather? Look, the sun is already up over there.”
“We even ate breakfast already.”
Where the children pointed with their tiny fingers, a red sun was rising.
Only then did Baek Ho-yang realize he had been reading the Heavenly Secret for much longer than he thought.
It meant he had been that deeply immersed.
It was the first time he had been immersed for this long since learning to read the Heavenly Secret.
Baek Ho-yang smiled, trying his best to hide his embarrassment.
“Oh my! Has time flown by like that already? Getting old makes me lose track of how time passes.”
“You aren’t sick anywhere, right?”
“Grandfather, does it hurt?”
“Haha! No. Grandfather is still very healthy.”
Baek Ho-yang comforted the children, whose expressions looked as though they might cry at any moment. Only then did the children’s faces brighten up.
“Really?”
“Of course! Really. Now, let’s begin our studies.”
“Yes!”
When the children answered loudly in unison, Baek Ho-yang made a show of covering his ears. At that, the children chattered even louder.
“Let’s study quickly.”
“Alright! Let’s go inside the room.”
Baek Ho-yang led the children into the room like a mother hen leading her chicks.
After a moment, the clear, melodious sound of children reading books began to drift outside.
***
Woo Geom-san strolled through the Tea Plantation.
The tea had been harvested not long ago, but new shoots were already sprouting on the tea trees.
Woo Geom-san plucked a single new shoot and sniffed its aroma.
A fairly rich scent could be felt from the tiny tea leaf.
“It’s not bad, right?”
Baek Do-gyeong, who happened to be nearby, spoke to him with a smile.
Woo Geom-san also smiled and replied.
“It’s quite good.”
“The newly planted trees seem to have completely settled in as well. The fragrance is wonderful!”
“At this rate, I think we can try harvesting Yuqian tea as a trial.”
Yuqian refers to tea harvested around the Guyu solar term.
It possessed the characteristic of having larger shoots and a deeper aroma than the tea plucked during Mingqian.
“Is that so? Shall we try harvesting it once?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s arrange to harvest it three days from now.”
Baek Do-gyeong wore a satisfied expression.
For ten years, Yunjung Village had cleared the hills to plant more tea trees. Fortunately, the tea trees grew well, so it seemed they could start harvesting from this year.
In truth, there was no real need to ask for Woo Geom-san’s opinion, but Baek Do-gyeong asked him out of habit.
That was how heavily Woo Geom-san weighed in Yunjung Village.
While Baek Ho-yang served as a spiritual pillar as the children’s teacher, Woo Geom-san handled the village’s affairs alongside the young men.
Since he was as knowledgeable about farming as Baek Do-gyeong, the man often sought his advice.
“Let’s harvest it first, and if the quality is good, we can sell it along with the Xiacai harvested in the summer.”
Originally, Yunjung Village did not harvest Xiacai.
This was because the leaves grew thick and produced a bitter taste. However, the Man-sang Alliance learned of this and became furiously angry.
They claimed that even such bitterness was part of Yunjung Tea’s charm. Thus, they began harvesting and selling Xiacai a few years ago.
“The Plank Road will probably be usable by then.”
“I still can’t believe it. To think we actually completed the Plank Road. I’m so glad that the children won’t have to take that rough, long detour anymore.”
“It’s all thanks to everyone pooling their strength.”
“Your contribution was the greatest.”
Baek Do-gyeong took Woo Geom-san’s hand and patted it lightly.
Woo Geom-san also gave Baek Do-gyeong’s hand a gentle squeeze and smiled.
Ever since he first entered Yunjung Village, Baek Do-gyeong had cherished Woo Geom-san like his own son.
Even now, lunch was always eaten together at Baek Do-gyeong’s house. Having lived and clashed together for so many years, their affection naturally deepened.
Baek Do-gyeong asked, as if suddenly remembering.
“By the way, how is your grandfather doing these days? He barely comes outside at all…”
“His wrinkles have increased. His back is a bit more bent, too.”
“He is already over ninety, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Shouldn’t we go down the mountain and get him some restorative medicine?”
“If he needed it, he would have made it himself.”
“True…”
Baek Do-gyeong nodded his head.
Baek Ho-yang was outstanding not only in Martial Arts but also in Medicine.
The Yeongbo Vitality Pill he made from herbs gathered in Cheonbaeksan was treated as the ultimate Spiritual Elixir by the villagers.
Baek Ho-yang made sure the children took the Yeongbo Vitality Pill once they reached a certain age.
Thanks to that, the children born after Baek Ho-yang returned to the village rarely suffered from minor illnesses.
The fact that Nam Mu-rin possessed an extraordinary Martial Cultivation Force compared to his young age was also thanks to consistently taking the Yeongbo Vitality Pill.
Since Baek Ho-yang was such a man, he could easily make any kind of tonic for himself if he so desired. Yet, Baek Ho-yang did not do so.
Because he believed humans were bound to die eventually, and he had already lived more than long enough.
He did not want to forcibly extend his lifespan by consuming a Spiritual Elixir or restorative medicine.
Woo Geom-san was also anxious about Baek Ho-yang’s attitude, but he could not force it upon him.
As Woo Geom-san’s face darkened, Baek Do-gyeong showed an apologetic expression.
“I spoke thoughtlessly.”
“No. I’ll pay more attention to him.”
“I should visit him often, too. Using busywork as an excuse despite being so close by, I have no right to speak.”
“You really were busy, after all.”
The busiest person in Yunjung Village was none other than Baek Do-gyeong.
As the Village Chief, he had to take responsibility not only for farming but also for the Plank Road construction and all kinds of village matters.
“That’s why I’m planning to hand over the position of Village Chief now.”
“To Baek Wol-sang?”
“I offered it to the other boys too, but they all shook their heads. They said they hate the burden.”
“Calling it a Village Chief sounds grand, but in reality, you have to do all sorts of chores. Baek Wol-sang is going to have a hard time.”
“It can’t be helped. At least it’s a relief. The Plank Road is finished, and handling the tea sales will be taken over by Nam Mu-rin from now on.”
“Nam Mu-rin will do well, too. He’s very sharp.”
“He grew up well and capable. It’s all thanks to your grandfather.”
With Baek Ho-yang teaching letters and Martial Arts, the people of Yunjung Village were relieved of a great burden.
Living in a remote region, their greatest worry was the children’s education, but Baek Ho-yang had solved it all.
The children who learned letters and Martial Arts from Baek Ho-yang all grew up to be polite and healthy.
The children born after Nam Mu-rin and Nam I-yeon could all read characters and execute simple Martial Arts. At the same time, their respect for their elders was profound, so it was impossible not to love them.
The siblings Nam Mu-rin and Nam I-yeon, who were the very first to learn letters and Martial Arts from Baek Ho-yang, had become reliable pillars of Yunjung Village.
Nam I-yeon helped Baek Ho-yang teach the children how to read, while Nam Mu-rin helped teach them Martial Arts.
Because a foundation for a virtuous cycle had been established thanks to Baek Ho-yang, all the villagers respected him.
Woo Geom-san chatted amiably with Baek Do-gyeong as they walked down from the Tea Plantation.
“It’s Woo Geom-san.”
“Are you sleeping properly while training?”
“If the food at the Village Chief’s house tastes bad, come to our place. I’ll prepare a feast for you.”
The villagers working in the paddy fields each called out a word upon seeing Woo Geom-san.
Woo Geom-san responded to every single one of them.
“How is your stomach feeling?”
“I sleep plenty, so don’t worry.”
“I’ll stop by for a meal sometime soon.”
Having lived in the same village for fifteen years, they were no different from one family.
Baek Do-gyeong smiled as he watched Woo Geom-san conversing merrily with the villagers.
As if merely exchanging words while passing by wasn’t enough, Woo Geom-san rolled up his trouser cuffs and stepped directly into the paddy field.
Although the water filling the field splashed and soaked his calves, Woo Geom-san did not care.
He continued chatting with the villagers while plucking weeds.
“By the way, I heard Cha Hyeong-o is getting married?”
“How did you know that?”
“Baek Wol-sang told me.”
“I don’t know how he managed to charm her, but he apparently promised marriage to a maiden living in Guangu County.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
“I thought he would grow old and die a bachelor his whole life, so what a relief this is.”
An old farmer feigned wiping tears away with his hand.
His son, Cha Hyeong-o, was the only old bachelor in the village.
The young men who went on the Trading Journey had all formed families and had children, leaving only him unable to get married.
Because of that, he had accumulated the collective worry of the entire village.
Yet, completely beyond expectations, news had arrived that he was getting married this time.
Furthermore, it wasn’t a girl from Yunjung Village, but a born-and-raised local woman from Guangu County.
Everyone rejoiced at the news of Cha Hyeong-o’s marriage, but it could not compare to the feelings of his parent.
The old farmer tightly grasped Woo Geom-san’s hand with his wrinkled fingers.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“For what?”
“I mean, why would a proper maiden living in the City come into this impoverished mountain valley? It’s because we earned a lot of money thanks to you, and our livelihood stabilized.”
“Aw, come on! How is that thanks to me? Everyone farmed the tea together.”
“Didn’t you make sure we received a fair price? Thanks to that, how affluent has village life become? Besides, didn’t you open the Plank Road for us? Now we can easily go to Guangu County. So it’s all thanks to you.”
“Goodness! This is embarrassing…”
Woo Geom-san looked around with an awkward expression. The villagers and Baek Do-gyeong watched Woo Geom-san with smiles on their faces.
They each threw a playful word at Woo Geom-san.
A pleasant time of laughing, chatting, and teasing one another flowed by just like that.

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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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