The Farmer Who Ended Up Teaching the World’s Greatest Martial Artist - Chapter 4

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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 4

“It won’t be for long.”

In the end, Yoo Eun-hyun nodded his head in agreement to Sa Un-sik’s proposal. Since he was offering to stay while even providing such a large sum of money, Yoo Eun-hyun had no particular reason to refuse.

“Good. What is your name, young brother? I don’t know how long I’ll be staying, but it would be troublesome not to have a name to call you by.”

“My name is Yoo Eun-hyun, sir.”

“A good name. It won’t be too long. I’ll be in your care. And you don’t need to call me sir. Just call me ‘great one.'”

Perhaps he didn’t want to be treated like an elderly grandfather, as Sa Un-sik said this with a hearty laugh.

Yoo Eun-hyun also chuckled softly and nodded, feeling like he had seen Sa Un-sik’s human side.

At that moment, Sa Un-sik suddenly extended his hand toward Yoo Eun-hyun. When Yoo Eun-hyun grasped that hand without thinking, he suddenly felt a cool sensation throughout his entire body.

It felt as if an invisible energy flowing from Sa Un-sik’s body had swept through his own body.

That energy was very similar to the natural energy that Yoo Eun-hyun had always seen and felt. Seeing Yoo Eun-hyun’s momentarily dazed reaction, Sa Un-sik asked back.

“Did you feel something?”

“No…”

The feeling disappeared too quickly to say he had felt it. Yoo Eun-hyun, who was uncertain, eventually shook his head, thinking he might have felt it wrong.

Then, as if to shake it off, he asked Sa Un-sik in return.

“But why do you want to stay here, great one? There are only fields and rice paddies here… If you have business in the area, I know the roads well and can help you find your way.”

“No. I don’t have any particular clear business. I’ve just become somewhat interested in farming, you could say. Young brother, just think of me as not being here and do as you normally would. I might ask a few questions, but if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.”

Such words from Sa Un-sik were still difficult for Yoo Eun-hyun to understand. Why on earth would a martial artist be interested in farming?

But that was only momentary, as Yoo Eun-hyun deliberately nodded his head.

“I understand.”

Actually, since he had received something, there was nothing he couldn’t help with if asked. But since work was busy, it would be better if it wasn’t too troublesome if possible.

“Then, since the rain has stopped, I’m going to go work…”

During their conversation, the rain that had been gradually subsiding was now completely stopped, and the sun was already about to cross over the mountain peak.

Although it was a short time, there would be time to look around and see how the fields had fared during the rain.

“Do as you please.”

Sa Un-sik spoke to Yoo Eun-hyun as if he shouldn’t mind him at all. Yoo Eun-hyun also swallowed once and headed first to the field at the highest elevation. Since it had rained, it was standard practice to survey from high places down to low places.

*

Yoo Eun-hyun, who had been silently climbing the mountain, exhaled his gradually rising breath.

Although the Yoo Family had been coming and going for a long time and paths had already been maintained and established in the fields, a mountain was still a mountain. With steep slopes and curves, it would be difficult for first-time visitors to even follow the paths.

Thinking this, Yoo Eun-hyun glanced back at Sa Un-sik who was following behind.

“!!??”

But Sa Un-sik was following such a path with apparent ease.

Rather than bending his upper body forward to stabilize his center of gravity like people normally do when climbing to high places, he was just walking lightly as if going up and down flat ground.

There was no sign of difficulty at all, and whether Yoo Eun-hyun quickened or slowed his pace, Sa Un-sik followed at a constant distance with apparent leisure.

‘I’ve heard that martial artists are people who transcend human limits, but this is… isn’t this too much? Like how his clothes didn’t get wet in the rain earlier. Is he really human?’

Though it was somewhat frightening, Yoo Eun-hyun shook off his idle thoughts by recalling the sensation of the hand he had grasped earlier. Perhaps all real martial artists might have such abilities.

And once they actually arrived at the field, his idle thoughts completely disappeared. Part of the field was covered with earth and sand. Fortunately, the flooding was extremely limited, so it could be cleared in about half an hour.

While looking around from the field at the mountain top down to the field at the bottom of the mountain and working on them, Sa Un-sik really just followed Yoo Eun-hyun around without saying anything, only watching him.

How much time had passed like this? The sun had set in an instant.

“Don’t you need to eat?”

Yoo Eun-hyun, who was returning home after looking around all the fields, turned his head and asked Sa Un-sik.

It wasn’t that Yoo Eun-hyun couldn’t cook, but his cooking skills were nothing to boast about to anyone.

Moreover, since he hadn’t replenished food supplies recently, all he had to eat now were simple wild vegetables and dried meat. He was also worried whether such things would suit Sa Un-sik’s taste.

“Let’s eat together. Could you lend me some salt or something?”

When he turned to look, Sa Un-sik’s hands somehow held a deer as large as Yoo Eun-hyun’s upper body. Seeing Yoo Eun-hyun’s eyes widen, Sa Un-sik smiled faintly and said.

“Haha. Young brother was so focused on work that you didn’t even notice I disappeared for a while.”

“That’s certainly true, but…”

Certainly, while working, he had focused on his work and taken his eyes off Sa Un-sik, but that time itself wasn’t very long.

Yet to have caught such a deer without even traps during that time was simply unbelievable.

“I’ll also do the butchering. How about it? This should be enough to pay for my meals, right?”

One deer would provide enough for two people to eat for three days. Since they wouldn’t eat only meat but also other things as side dishes, they could eat for even longer.

In any case, thanks to this, Yoo Eun-hyun was able to feast on fresh meat that wasn’t dried for the first time in a while, but one corner of his heart couldn’t help but feel increasingly uneasy.

*

“Please come in.”

The same day. Sa Un-sik visited Yoo Eun-hyun’s house for a meal.

It was an empty house with no one else, but Sa Un-sik didn’t show any particular reaction even after seeing it.

Since he had said that his grandfather and father had passed away, Sa Un-sik probably assumed the same about his mother.

Yoo Eun-hyun also didn’t say anything particular about Soo Hwa-seon. It wasn’t that he intended to hide it, but he disliked being questioned about it.

After finishing a simple meal like this, Sa Un-sik stood up from his seat.

“I’ll sleep somewhere else. I can’t impose to that extent. There seemed to be a thatched cottage at the mountain top – may I borrow that place?”

When had he seen that, Yoo Eun-hyun wondered. Trying to hide his surprised expression, Yoo Eun-hyun asked Sa Un-sik.

“Will you be alright? That place isn’t really suitable for sleeping…”

Actually, it wasn’t impossible to stay there. Yoo Eun-hyun had also stayed there for several days when work was busy.

But it was also true that the thatched cottage was too shabby to accommodate a guest. In Yoo Eun-hyun’s view, Sa Un-sik definitely didn’t seem like someone who should stay in such a place, which was why he asked.

“It’s fine. When I was young, I’ve stayed in places worse than this.”

As if some memory had come to mind, seeing Sa Un-sik murmur wistfully, Yoo Eun-hyun had nothing more to say. What could he do when the person himself said it was fine?

And originally, it wouldn’t be good for Yoo Eun-hyun to stay with Sa Un-sik either, so he didn’t try to dissuade him further.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As Sa Un-sik said those words, wind suddenly blew. When Yoo Eun-hyun frowned briefly at the wind and opened his eyes, Sa Un-sik had already disappeared.

“Even a real ghost probably couldn’t move like that…”

Yoo Eun-hyun scratched his head and muttered, but actually his surprise had diminished considerably by now.

He just accepted it as it was and turned around.

*

On the evening of the third day since Sa Un-sik had started living there. Sa Un-sik, who was eating together, suddenly took out a bamboo tube he had been carrying at his waist.

Yoo Eun-hyun, who had been curious about the contents of the bamboo tube, seized the opportunity and asked Sa Un-sik.

“Is it alcohol?”

“Mm. A small hobby of mine. Would young brother like a drink too?”

“It doesn’t look like there’s much left.”

When the lid was opened, a strong alcohol aroma spread around the area.

As Yoo Eun-hyun said, from the bamboo tube Sa Un-sik was holding came a sloshing sound, making it seem like there wasn’t much quantity left.

“As young brother says, this will be the last time. But while taste is important for alcohol, atmosphere is also important. Even if you drink one cup, a delicious cup is what matters.”

“You don’t need to do that. I have alcohol too.”

Saying this, Yoo Eun-hyun went inside and came out with a bamboo tube similar to Sa Un-sik’s but larger.

“Do you also enjoy alcohol, young brother?”

“Rather than enjoying it, it’s more like labor alcohol.”

Since farming is basically physical work, even when there’s a brief moment of leisure in between, one doesn’t feel like elegantly drinking tea.

And considering the physical labor that would follow, he needed a drink that would provide even a little vitality, and alcohol was suitable for that.

Of course, it would be troublesome to drink too much, but in moderation, there was nothing better.

“This isn’t store-bought alcohol.”

“Yes. It’s alcohol I made myself by combining peaches with several medicinal herbs.”

“Does it have a name?”

“It’s called Peach Medicine Wine (Doyakju).”

“Haha, what a well-chosen name. Does it mean that drinking wine made from peaches and medicinal herbs allows one to leap forward?”

It was alcohol that had been passed down through the family. While Yoo Eun-hyun didn’t enjoy it to the point of getting drunk, he enjoyed it to some degree because of its good fragrance.

When Yoo Eun-hyun poured alcohol from the bamboo tube he had brought out, peach fragrance spread around the area, and Sa Un-sik, who tasted the alcohol, let out an exclamation.

“Oho… At first, there’s a peach fragrance that pierces the nose with a sweet yet throat-burning taste. And after swallowing, the appropriately bitter and warm feeling of medicinal herbs immediately rises, and after that, a subtle peach blossom fragrance brushes past the nose. Certainly, this level can be called excellent labor alcohol.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The two men drank quite a lot of alcohol that day. When the intoxication rose a little, Yoo Eun-hyun, who had become quite comfortable, asked Sa Un-sik a question.

“Are you someone who does great things in the Martial Arts World, great one?”

“Do I seem that way?”

“Yes. You have this atmosphere like you’re doing something great from a high position.”

“Hahaha! I thought I was restraining my presence, but I guess not. You observed quite well.”

“I knew it. I don’t know much about the Martial Arts World and have never seen other martial artists, but you definitely seem that way.”

Yoo Eun-hyun’s words were sincere without a trace of falsehood. Though this was the first time he’d ever seen a martial artist, Sa Un-sik seemed to have something special about him as a person, even setting aside the fact that he was a martial artist.

“I don’t know if what I do is great, but it’s true that I’m in a high position. My direct subordinates alone number in the thousands.”

“What? Thousands of people? That’s incredible! Are you exceptionally strong among martial artists as well, sir?”

“Why do you think that? Didn’t you say you’ve never seen a martial artist before, little brother?”

“I’ve read about them in books… Usually books are greatly exaggerated compared to reality, right? But after watching you for several days, sir, you seem more than the martial artists in books… no, you seem like a special person.”

Even as he said this, Yoo Eun-hyun trailed off.

The truth was, since he was an outsider to the Martial Arts World, he worried he might have made a mistake while excitedly talking.

“Haha. Is that so? Well… little brother, you seem to have quite sharp senses.”

“Is, is that so? Maybe I’ve become like a mountain beast from living in the mountains so long?”

Yoo Eun-hyun made an awkward smile at Sa Un-sik’s words, which seemed like praise, and joked.

Sa Un-sik seemed to be thinking about something, his eyes appearing to sink a bit deeper than usual.

“Following you around for the past few days, I can see it. All the fields in this place are excellent. Did you intentionally repair and cultivate all these fields yourself?”

“Yes. First I examined the surrounding terrain to get an overall view, then I’m making detailed adjustments so the natural energy can flow well.”

“Hmm. That’s right. In doing anything, one must examine the big picture first to accomplish great things. But most people get distracted by small problems right in front of them.”

“That’s why things fall apart so quickly.”

Yoo Eun-hyun smiled knowingly as he spoke, showing his understanding. Sa Un-sik, who had been quietly watching Yoo Eun-hyun, suddenly asked him an unexpected question.

“By any chance, little brother, do you have no interest in martial arts?”

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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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