The Mending Studio - Chapter 14

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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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Episode 14
The area before the Geomilgeon was already packed with people.
With the exception of the elders who were in seclusion and a handful of Senior Grand Elders who rarely appeared in public, nearly all the high-ranking members of Taehyeonsungji had gathered. In the lower plaza, nearly a hundred disciples of Yeongggeombong had assembled, while on the upper tier, the Sujo and elders from each peak appeared in turn.
The strange phenomenon that had enveloped the entire Geomilgeon had not yet completely vanished.
Sword energy drifted like pale mist around the hall, and in the air, sharp vital force scattered ceaselessly.
None of the disciples dared approach.

“Could it really be Hwashingyeong?”
“With that kind of momentum, it must be.”
“The Sujo has finally…….”

Time passed amid the murmuring.
After roughly a quarter hour, the divine light wrapping the hall slowly began to fade.
Creak—
The closed doors swung open.
Won Geom Jinin stepped out into the open air.
Having just completed Pagyeong, Won Geom Jinin radiated vitality unlike before. His step carried a lightness as if he had shed a burden accumulated over centuries, and his face gleamed with the joy of finally crossing the wall that had held him back for so long.
As the strange phenomenon enveloping the hall completely dispersed and he emerged into view, the expressions of the disciples waiting below all brightened at once.
The high-ranking cultivators confirmed the success of Pagyeong simply by witnessing his appearance.
The Sujo, who had been blocked for nearly a thousand years, had at last entered Hwashingyeong.
The disciples of Yeongggeombong in the plaza knelt as one.

“We congratulate Master on your breakthrough!”

A thunderous voice shook the entire peak.
The high-ranking cultivators also came forward in turn.

“Won Geom, congratulations to you.”
“You’ve finally entered Hwashingyeong.”
“We’ll have to break out some centuries-old wine for this.”

Won Geom Jinin, his face far brighter than usual, returned a formal salute.

“Thank you all for coming, my brothers.”

After the congratulations had run their course, Gu Geo Jinin, unable to contain his curiosity, spoke first.

“Won Geom.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“The previous Seongjoo once said your breakthrough would require at least another two thousand years.”

All eyes converged upon him at once.

“Yet you’ve entered Hwashingyeong before even a thousand years have passed. Have you obtained some great Giyeon?”

Won Geom Jinin laughed.
He seemed to have no intention of hiding the truth.
He glanced once at Jang Hyeon Jinin before speaking.

“Indeed, I have obtained a Giyeon.”
“As I suspected.”
“What sort of Giyeon?”
“A few days ago, Yuk Musang brought back a scroll of Calligraphy from Sojijin.”

The eyebrows of several elders twitched.
Won Geom Jinin continued slowly.

“Within it lay an enormous reservoir of Geomdo Jini. I grasped only the tiniest fraction of it, yet even that allowed me to overcome the wall that had blocked me for so long.”
“From a single scroll of Calligraphy?”

Cheong Yeop Jinin asked, as if doubting what he’d heard.

“That’s correct.”
“Who wrote it?”
“That senior who’s in seclusion at Sojijin.”

The atmosphere shifted in an instant.
Sojijin.
That name had become the most frequently spoken word among the upper echelons of Taehyeonsungji in recent days.
From that small village where they’d thought the supply of Yeongbo had long dried up, premium-grade Yeongbo had come pouring forth—and hidden within that place was a figure whose identity remained unfathomable.
Now a single scroll of calligraphy written by that very person had accelerated Won Geom Jinin’s breakthrough in the Hwashingyeong.

“Was that person a Grand Master of the Sword Path?”
“Wouldn’t you say it’s far beyond that?”
“To achieve the Hwashingyeong by grasping only a fragment…….”

Won Geom Jinin let out a bitter laugh at those words.

“It’s almost shameful to even call it a fragment.”

No one dismissed those words as a joke. There was neither exaggeration nor pretense in Won Geom Jinin’s face.
If he had transcended the Hwashingyeong by grasping merely a single layer of shell, then when he came to fully understand the Geomdo Jini contained within that calligraphy, no one could promise where it would lead. The phrase “Ascending to Heaven in Broad Daylight” flickered through the minds of several elders.

“What do you mean by that?”
“What I’ve grasped is truly nothing but a single layer of shell.”

Silence descended.
Until moments before, everyone had been primarily occupied with congratulating Won Geom Jinin on his breakthrough. Now their greater curiosity had shifted to the person who had written the calligraphy.
If a swordmaster of Won Geom Jinin’s caliber could be moved to speak of “shell,” then the depth of Geomdo contained within it was beyond the comprehension of Taehyeonsungji’s present understanding.
Some found themselves mentally calculating whether they could still learn the Geomdo, while others found their thoughts drifting back to the identity of the figure dwelling in seclusion at Sojijin.
It was no jest written on his face.
Won Geom Jinin was a man whose pride in his own Geomdo ran deeper than most. That such a man would himself declare that he had touched only the shell made the depth within the calligraphy almost beyond imagining.
Cheong Yeop Jinin swallowed hard. His unspoken thought was no different from those of everyone gathered in that room.
They all shared the same desire to see firsthand what kind of work this calligraphy was—the piece that had propelled Won Geom Jinin into the Hwashingyeong.

“Would it be possible for us to see that calligraphy as well?”
“Yes. Even for a brief moment, if you could show it to us.”

Won Geom Jinin’s gaze swept the surroundings for a moment.

“Please, come inside.”

The senior masters entered Geomilgeon.
As Won Geom Jinin opened the cabinet, a carefully mounted scroll emerged from within a halo of light.
It unfolded slowly.
Evening Rain on the Sheer Curtain, Fresh as Autumn Breeze.
The moment those ten characters were revealed, the air within the hall transformed.
The eyes of several elders narrowed simultaneously.
The characters flowed like water, and each sharply angled stroke bore a force as though carved into metal.
Above all else, between each character, the sword’s momentum and the sword’s intent shone with unmistakable clarity. The pupils of the senior masters contracted almost in unison, and their complexions shifted in turn.
Those who had devoted their lives to the sword found their spirits captivated by the Geomdo Jini contained within, and even those who had walked a different path could recognize that the momentum held in this single scroll was no ordinary thing.
No one could easily tear their eyes away.
Only then could they understand, at least in part, why Won Geom Jinin had said that he himself had grasped only a fragment of shell.
Jang Hyeon Jinin, too, gazed silently at the calligraphy.
Yet where he looked was slightly different from the others.
In his mind’s eye lay the image of a different scroll that Yi Jang Myeong had presented mere moments before.
Bright Moon Rising Over Heaven’s Peak, Vast Among the Clouded Sea.
One had been carefully mounted and preserved.
The other remained plain paper.
And because of that, he had believed Yi Jang Myeong had fallen out of favor with Yeop Jang Cheong.
Jang Hyeon Jinin laid the two scrolls side by side in his mind once more.
Unlike when he’d observed only the difference in mounting, something uncertain lingered after he’d actually experienced the Geomdo Jini within the calligraphy itself.
He needed to verify whether his initial judgment had truly been correct.
Jang Hyeon Jinin’s eyes grew gradually deeper.

“Does this mean Jang Myeong is truly meant to learn Geomdo?”

The two scrolls of calligraphy differed from their very appearance.
The one Yuk Musang had brought was carefully mounted, while the one Yi Jang Myeong had received was simply a roll of dried ink on paper, left as is.
When Jang Hyeon Jinin first saw this difference, he’d judged that Yeop Jang Cheong did not regard Yi Jang Myeong favorably.
But after comparing the two scrolls directly at Geomilgeon, his thinking had shifted.
Though their forms differed, the depth contained within them was not the same.
Yuk Musang’s calligraphy was remarkable enough to push Won Geom Jinin up to Hwashingyeong. Yet the Geomdo Jini he felt emanating from Yi Jang Myeong’s calligraphy was far broader and more intricate than that.

‘I’ve wronged Jang Myeong unjustly.’

Jang Hyeon Jinin sighed inwardly.
Of course, the matter of Yi Jang Myeong going to Sojijin without consultation was separate.
Such recklessness needed to be checked at least once, and there was no loss in him staying at Jang Myeong Hall for a few days in reflection.
As he gathered his thoughts, the other Sujos gradually withdrew their attention from the calligraphy.

“Hah…….”

Cheong Yeop Jinin exhaled a long breath.

“Truly unbelievable writing.”
“The master has encountered a great Giyeon.”
“How far has he mastered Geomdo?”

Exclamations followed one after another.
Until just moments before, everyone’s attention had been fixed solely on Won Geom Jinin’s breakthrough itself. Now the direction of their interest had shifted entirely.
The fact that Won Geom Jinin had crossed the threshold nearly a thousand years ahead of time seemed less striking than the fact that there existed someone who could distill that catalyst into a single scroll of paper.
Some envied Won Geom Jinin’s fortune, while others lamented that their own path of cultivation did not align with Yeop Jang Cheong’s way.
Even sighs emerged that they should have learned the sword long ago.
It was the sort of remark one might dismiss as a jest, yet after witnessing the wall of Hwashingyeong crumble before their eyes from a single scroll, they could not simply laugh it away. Even those who polished the Buddhist or single-edged blade swallowed similar regrets in silence.
After the exclamations and sighs had run their course, the hall gradually quieted.
Won Geom Jinin stroked his beard under the envious gaze of the Sujos.
Then Jang Hyeon Jinin waited for everyone to settle back into their places before speaking.

“Since we are all gathered, let us discuss several matters.”

The eyes of the senior practitioners turned toward him.
Won Geom Jinin pointed to the seat of honor.

“Seongjoo, please take the place above.”

Jang Hyeon Jinin did not demur.
Once he settled, the remaining Sujos and elders seated themselves on either side.

“There are three matters to discuss today.”

At Jang Hyeon Jinin’s opening words, silence fell over the hall.

“First, let us settle the matter of establishing Musang as Seongnyo.”

Someone spoke up at once.

“Taehyeonsungji has had only a Seongja until now. Surely you don’t mean to depose Yi Jang Myeong and elevate Yuk Musang?”
“No, that’s not it.”

Jang Hyeon Jinin raised a hand.

“Yi Jang Myeong’s position as Seongja remains unchanged. There’s another reason for appointing Yuk Musang as Seongnyo.”

He was referring to Yeop Jang Cheong of Sojijin.
Yuk Musang had already formed a bond with him.
If that connection could extend to all of Taehyeonsungji, it would be wise to strengthen the relationship by conferring the title of Seongnyo upon her.

“We still haven’t completely confirmed whether he is truly our Sajo.”

Jang Hyeon Jinin spoke.

“But even if that were not the case, forming a bond with such an existence could be an opportunity Taehyeonsungji may never have again.”

The expressions of those who had been opposed softened at once.
Won Geom Jinin’s breakthrough was living proof before their eyes.
Even those who had tilted their heads in doubt at the mention of appointing Yuk Musang as Seongnyo just days before now calculated differently.
If establishing a new position of Seongnyo meant securing such a connection, it could hardly be called a loss. Rather, Taehyeonsungji wondered whether their courtesies toward him were already insufficient.

“I support the appointment of Seongnyo.”
“I have no objection either.”

No one spoke in opposition.
After witnessing Won Geom Jinin’s breakthrough firsthand, none could regard the bond with Yeop Jang Cheong lightly. For Taehyeonsungji, securing even a thread of connection with such a being mattered far more than establishing a new position of Seongnyo.
The other Sujos nodded in turn.
Whether Yeop Jang Cheong was truly Taehyeonsungji’s Sajo remained unconfirmed. Yet Won Geom Jinin’s breakthrough alone had sufficiently demonstrated how great a Giyeon it was to maintain that bond with him.
Jang Hyeon Jinin moved to the next matter once no further objections arose.

“And second.”

Jang Hyeon Jinin’s voice lowered.

“I intend to descend to Sojijin myself before long to meet with him.”

The eyes of several brightened.

“Do you mean you will go in person?”
“Indeed. If the relationship develops well, I’m considering whether we might invite him to Taehyeonsan for the ceremony of Seongnyo appointment.”

A small stir rippled through the hall.
The prospect of seeing Yeop Jang Cheong in person lit up every face.
Won Geom Jinin stroked his beard with apparent indifference, yet his eyes gleamed brighter than anyone’s. Cheong Yeop Jinin too recalled the energy he had sensed from the calligraphy moments earlier, his lips parting slightly.
They would have gone to Sojijin themselves if the chance arose.
But since Jang Hyeon Jinin had stated he would move first, none could step forward ahead of him.
Yet the mood sank immediately at his next words.

“But let this be clear beforehand.”

His gaze turned cold.

“Anyone who travels to Sojijin without my permission and seeks him out will face severe punishment.”

No one spoke.

“We cannot afford for anyone to approach him carelessly out of curiosity or greed and incur his displeasure.”

Jang Hyeon Jinin’s gaze swept across the assembly.

“If anyone overturns the line and transgresses his Geumnryeong, I will strip them of their rank and cast them out from Taehyeonsungji. They will never again be permitted to set foot within these gates.”

No one dismissed it lightly this time.
It was rare for Jang Hyeon Jinin to issue such an unambiguous edict.
Stripping a disciple of their position and expelling them from the mountain was, in effect, one of the heaviest punishments Taehyeonsungji could inflict.
To that degree, Jang Hyeon Jinin viewed any interference with Yeop Jang Cheong’s seclusion as a threat.
Failing to win favor was secondary. What mattered absolutely was preventing the entire Taehyeonsungji from falling under the malice of that presence because of one disciple’s ambition.

“I will remember it well.”
“I shall see it done.”

The responses came in turn.
Jang Hyeon Jinin’s expression eased slightly.

“The last matter concerns the Hoemu, one month from now.”

Jacheongsungji and Taehyeonsungji gathered their younger disciples every ten years to test their prowess against one another.
It was an ancient custom.

“Each peak is to drive its disciples hard until the Hoemu. Any who slack in their training should cite retreat on the day itself and dare not show their faces.”

The Sujos nodded without objection. Since the gathering occurred but once a decade, the disciples’ achievements reflected directly on the standing of each peak and Taehyeonsungji as a whole.
Yet Cheong Yeop Jinin’s gaze suddenly turned to Jang Hyeon Jinin.

“Master.”
“Speak.”
“Is there not a matter of greater concern than the disciples?”

A few people nearby wore curious expressions.
Jang Hyeon Jinin’s brow twitched.

“What is it you wish to say?”

Cheong Yeop Jinin stroked his beard as if suppressing a smile.

“Are you confident of victory this time against Seo Gyeong Cheon in the go match?”

The hall fell silent in an instant.
Jang Hyeon Jinin’s face hardened almost imperceptibly.
The Hoemu between the two sacred places did not consist solely of martial contests among the young disciples.
There was also a custom of the two masters playing go against each other.
The loser surrendered one Yeongbo of superior grade or above and one century-old Yeongyak plant.
Until two hundred years ago, victories had alternated between them.
The problem lay in what came after.

—————
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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