The Farmer Who Ended Up Teaching the World’s Greatest Martial Artist - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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| Chapter 12

When So Bi-won didn’t simply let it pass and persistently asked for the reason, Yoo Eun-hyun scratched his head for a moment and said.

“While wasps are dangerous insects to humans, that’s the same for other insects too. Since there’s only me here, if I avoid them appropriately, they’ll catch the damn pests that eat our crops, so there’s no need to deliberately catch them. It might be different if I were beekeeping, but I don’t touch that area.”

“Using barbarians to control barbarians. Using enemies to suppress enemies… Indeed, excellent. Young Master never moves carelessly when it comes to nature.”

“No. It’s not that grand…”

So Bi-won nodded as if he understood while speaking, but naturally Yoo Eun-hyun couldn’t have had such deep thoughts about nature or using enemies against enemies.

Just like with Sa Un-sik, Yoo Eun-hyun couldn’t understand at all what these people had learned from farming.

They had simply shared conversations about farming methods. Yoo Eun-hyun had gained some insights in the process too, but those were strictly about farming. Yet these two people who seemed like martial arts masters were expressing admiration on their own, so Yoo Eun-hyun couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“No. This old man must express respect for that mindset of not taking life, as one who has devoted himself to Taoism and Buddhism.”

But this time So Bi-won’s words provoked Yoo Eun-hyun. Wasn’t this exactly the kind of talk from someone who knew nothing?

“I’m sorry to say this, but Dosa-nim knows nothing about the essence of farming.”

“Nothing?”

So Bi-won’s eyes moved slightly at Yoo Eun-hyun’s words. It wasn’t a look of displeasure or anything like that. In reality, So Bi-won was just a Taoist and monk who knew nothing about farming.

He was simply interested in Yoo Eun-hyun’s words about the essence of farming.

Sa Un-sik had certainly seen something in Yoo Eun-hyun that made him want to bring him into Maegyo. For So Bi-won, who was trying to confirm that, it was natural that Yoo Eun-hyun’s answer didn’t sound trivial.

“As Dosa-nim said, the most important thing when farming might be not going against nature. Farming itself is about understanding the flow of nature and borrowing its power without going against it.”

“Huh. That’s in line with martial arts too.”

Perhaps because he had conversed with Sa Un-sik recently. When Yoo Eun-hyun spoke that way, So Bi-won also nodded.

“But when you actually farm, it’s not about some noble purpose of not going against nature’s flow or avoiding killing. It’s just a struggle for survival.”

“Struggle? You mean fighting?”

“Dosa-nim, do you know how many lives must be sacrificed to farm?”

“Are you saying Young Master directly commits killing?”

“Of course. Shall I use the insects I mentioned earlier as an example? Setting aside wasps, there are over a dozen types of pests that eat our crops.”

“That many?”

When So Bi-won asked back, Yoo Eun-hyun chuckled and said.

“It varies by crop and differs for each part like fruits, leaves, stems, roots, and soil. We have to catch those bastards all year round. I probably catch thousands of them. And are there only pests? Do you know how many land animals like wild boars and deer target our crops here in the mountains, not to mention birds like crows and sparrows?”

Yoo Eun-hyun’s voice was getting louder, as if filled with anger beyond lamentation.

“Also, underground there are moles and field mice always targeting root vegetables like the potatoes I gave you earlier. Not to mention weeds that interfere with our crops’ growth. The number of lives I’ve harmed in my 20 years of farming would be countless.”

“Indeed. That makes sense. Hmm… Even when living with nature and farming, the fact that countless lives are sacrificed in the process is truly mysterious.”

So Bi-won let out a quiet groan as if he finally understood Yoo Eun-hyun’s words.

“It can’t be helped that you don’t know. Most people think farming is about living peacefully with nature as a friend. But as Dosa-nim said, the reality is the opposite. Farming is the work of modifying nature to its limits.”

When Yoo Eun-hyun delivered such a lengthy discourse, So Bi-won just watched silently as if he had become a mute who ate honey.

Yoo Eun-hyun thought he might have been a bit rude, but since it wasn’t wrong, he decided to finish what he was saying.

“To borrow nature’s power, it’s important to adapt to it, but sometimes you need to fight. But if you just fight recklessly, you can’t possibly beat nature, so you need to know your abilities and make selective choices and focus accordingly.”

So Bi-won was clearly listening to Yoo Eun-hyun’s words, but still wasn’t giving any response. That appearance seemed similar to Sa Un-sik when he had conversed with Yoo Eun-hyun earlier.

Yoo Eun-hyun also began speaking unconsciously while recalling past memories again.

“I fought a lot. Opposing nature to advance on my own path. I tried to fight and win recklessly. But that wasn’t right. Sometimes fighting, sometimes choosing to adapt… as long as I focused on what I wanted and didn’t forget it, that was enough.”

Yoo Eun-hyun’s words, which seemed a bit more organized than when he talked with Sa Un-sik, were no different from talking to himself.

And suddenly a bright light flashed in So Bi-won’s eyes, who had been quietly listening to Yoo Eun-hyun’s words, and he burst into loud laughter.

“Hehe, hehehehe! Yes. Young Master’s words are absolutely right. This old man seems to have unknowingly become stuck in a mold and buried in one place. For training and discipline, I’ve emptied unnecessary things and focused, running only on one path… Was I unable to see or even choose the essence I wanted to reach, blinded by that narrow vision?”

So Bi-won, who had burst into loud laughter for a moment, spoke in a calm voice again when he had somewhat settled down.

“Indeed… Now I clearly understand what that person gained from this place. If I’ve gained the same thing… it seems the world isn’t destined to fall into someone’s hands yet.”

“What do you mean?”

It seemed that following Sa Un-sik, So Bi-won had also gained something, but Yoo Eun-hyun, who was supposedly the one who gave it, could only be bewildered.

He had just answered because they asked about farming, but apparently those answers had been of great help to Sa Un-sik and So Bi-won.

Naturally, these two people wouldn’t be this happy about learning farming methods. Since they were martial artists, Yoo Eun-hyun could guess it was something related to learning martial arts.

And indeed, hadn’t incorporating farming techniques into internal energy cultivation methods been of great help?

“Principles… would be too grand a word. Yes. It would be right to say it’s something I had forgotten. ‘Farmers are the foundation of the world under heaven.’ Indeed, fitting words. Hehehe.”

While So Bi-won usually had emotions that were hard to grasp like flowing clouds, the emotion he was feeling now was clearly joy, enough for even Yoo Eun-hyun to guess.

‘Well, good things are good things.’

Though it wasn’t intentional, it didn’t feel bad that his words had helped someone anyway.

*

After that day, So Bi-won shut himself away in the thatched cottage provided for his stay.

When Yoo Eun-hyun went to look around the nearby fields, he saw that So Bi-won was just sitting still with his legs crossed and eyes closed.

At first glance, he didn’t even move, making one wonder if he was dead, but Yoo Eun-hyun now had a body that could sense internal energy.

Realizing that massive internal energy was moving within So Bi-won’s body, Yoo Eun-hyun clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘It’s like Mount Taishan soaring high into the sky. The internal energy I have is nothing special. I’d better not show off in front of martial artists just because I have a little internal energy, or I’ll be in big trouble…’

And the next day, So Bi-won appeared again near Yoo Eun-hyun who was working.

For saying he had shut himself away, it was just one day, not a very long time.

“This old man has received great kindness from Young Master. Is there anything you desire? If it’s something I can grant, I’ll grant you anything.”

At So Bi-won’s words, Yoo Eun-hyun stopped what he was doing and looked at him quietly while straightening his back.

Thinking he had heard similar words recently, Yoo Eun-hyun asked So Bi-won back.

“Something I desire?”

“That’s right.”

When So Bi-won asked back like that, unlike Sa Un-sik, it seemed like he was purely asking about wishes rather than stimulating desires.

Though it was the same situation as with Sa Un-sik and he should have gotten used to it, Yoo Eun-hyun became even more troubled than before. Just like then, when someone suddenly asks this kind of thing, there isn’t much to answer.

Most people would usually want money or power, but money and power are just means to get what you want.

How could Yoo Eun-hyun, who had never had such things, live with specific desires set in mind?

“It’s not that there isn’t anything, but…”

Still, perhaps because there was now Sa Un-sik’s precedent, Yoo Eun-hyun didn’t just answer that he wanted to farm well or wanted to quit.

What he wanted most now was for Soo Hwa-seon to return. Even more so as time had passed since Sa Un-sik was here.

But for some unknown reason, he was reluctant to tell So Bi-won for the same reason as with Sa Un-sik.

So Bi-won seemed safer than Sa Un-sik, but still, what if something happened?

“Hehe. I understand. If Young Master had only put greed first, he would have easily followed that person.”

“It’s not necessarily like that either…”

So Bi-won was talking as if Yoo Eun-hyun had transcended worldly desires, but Yoo Eun-hyun himself knew best that it absolutely wasn’t like that.

He just hadn’t thought deeply about such things. Perhaps if given enough time to think, desires might emerge.

“But it’s regrettable. Then even if this person wanted to serve Young Master, you wouldn’t leave, would you?”

“Me?”

When So Bi-won said that following Sa Un-sik, Yoo Eun-hyun widened his eyes and asked back as if wondering why they were like this.

“Young Master’s abilities are excellent. Won’t you consider joining us for the peace of the martial arts world?”

“No.”

This time Yoo Eun-hyun answered curtly. So Bi-won smiled at such a Yoo Eun-hyun.

“Hehe. I thought so. I just said it to try. However…”

So Bi-won, who had erased his smile, seemed lost in thought about something. He frowned slightly and soon shook his head.

“No. I can’t be like him. If it’s the righteous path, I’ll just do my best to match righteousness.”

Yoo Eun-hyun frowned, unable to grasp the intention of So Bi-won who was still muttering.

But So Bi-won’s subsequent proposal was enough to make even Yoo Eun-hyun think.

“Young Master. How about this old man introducing you to someone?”

“Someone?”

“That’s right. It’s this old man’s disciple… I think you and she would get along well.”

Though it was unexpected, thinking about it, it wasn’t a bad proposal either.

“Well. It wouldn’t hurt to become friends. As you can see, the environment here is such that human relationships are inevitably barren.”

“Hehe. Of course, friendship can’t be forced into existence… But couldn’t you be helpful to each other?”

Unlike Sa Un-sik who spoke as if he would grant anything no matter what, So Bi-won seemed to understand the mutual obligations of human relationships.

And when he put it this way, it was comfortable for Yoo Eun-hyun too. Wasn’t it a proposal with almost no burden compared to marriage?

“Let’s do that. Well, that much…”

With such thoughts, Yoo Eun-hyun nodded readily. So Bi-won seemed lost in thought again toward such a Yoo Eun-hyun, then made another unexpected proposal.

“Young Master. Do you have any thoughts of learning some martial arts from me?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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