Chapter 111 – Clue
“Seon-gye is another world.”
It’s also very close.
We all stopped at the words of Myeongwoljin-in.
When you think about it, it’s a natural thing.
The fact that the Shinseon who are supposed to live forever don’t easily reveal themselves in the world, that Seon-gye is not a place you can walk to but can only cross through the pass, and other legends about Shinseon.
If you assume that all of these things are true, it would be more natural to say that Seon-gye is not a hidden landscape, but another world.
“… Is the world where the lady lived called Seon-gye?”
“Hm? Ah, I spoke a little confusingly. Seon-gye is where only Shinseon live. Perhaps in that world, everyone enjoys immortality and has exceptional abilities?”
“That’s not it. People get sick and die, and overall power… it’s a place where civil war continues, so it’s actually a little behind.”
Hong Yeon-hwa pointed her head with a puzzled expression, not knowing what was what.
While pushing some of my share of the refreshments towards Hong Yeon-hwa, Myeongwoljin-in began to explain.
“There are really diverse Shinseon living in Seon-gye. Of course, there are many more who are not like the ones widely known to us.”
“What’s the point of that?”
Hong Yeon-hwa, who was smearing the refreshments all over her mouth, looked up.
“Isn’t it strange? Originally, whether it’s a human or an animal, becoming a Shinseon means overcoming one’s birth and reaching the level of the upper half of the body. There is no one born as a Shinseon in the true sense. In the first place, Shinseon is a process of practice to become a being who has awakened to the true meaning of the universe, which is the true god… so it’s a natural thing.”
“Wait a minute. Is that…?”
When I asked, something passed by, and Myeongwoljin-in nodded his head.
“Sohyeop is quick to understand, which is good. Maybe what you imagined is right. If Seon-gye is made up only of those who crossed the pass from the lower world, then their extraordinary achievements should also be recorded.”
Of course, many things would be distorted or lost over time, but still, the records of great men would spread widely.
However, the meaning of there being more Shinseon who don’t know than those who do is simple.
“… The world connected to Seon-gye is not just this place.”
“That’s right.”
Myeongwoljin-in now looks at me with a slightly pleased expression.
It seems that he likes me quite a bit.
Well. From Myeongwoljin-in’s point of view, I must look like a nobleman recognized by Sajo and a terrifying demon who can destroy Mosanpa alone.
Chapter 111 – Clue
“Seon-gye is another world.”
It’s also very close.
We all stopped at the words of Myeongwoljin-in.
When you think about it, it’s a natural thing.
The fact that the Shinseon who are supposed to live forever don’t easily reveal themselves in the world, that Seon-gye is not a place you can walk to but can only cross through the pass, and other legends about Shinseon.
If you assume that all of these things are true, it would be more natural to say that Seon-gye is not a hidden landscape, but another world.
“… Is the world where the lady lived called Seon-gye?”
“Hm? Ah, I spoke a little confusingly. Seon-gye is where only Shinseon live. Perhaps in that world, everyone enjoys immortality and has exceptional abilities?”
“That’s not it. People get sick and die, and overall power… it’s a place where civil war continues, so it’s actually a little behind.”
Hong Yeon-hwa pointed her head with a puzzled expression, not knowing what was what.
While pushing some of my share of the refreshments towards Hong Yeon-hwa, Myeongwoljin-in began to explain.
“There are really diverse Shinseon living in Seon-gye. Of course, there are many more who are not like the ones widely known to us.”
“What’s the point of that?”
Hong Yeon-hwa, who was smearing the refreshments all over her mouth, looked up.
“Isn’t it strange? Originally, whether it’s a human or an animal, becoming a Shinseon means overcoming one’s birth and reaching the level of the upper half of the body. There is no one born as a Shinseon in the true sense. In the first place, Shinseon is a process of practice to become a being who has awakened to the true meaning of the universe, which is the true god… so it’s a natural thing.”
“Wait a minute. Is that…?”
When I asked, something passed by, and Myeongwoljin-in nodded his head.
“Sohyeop is quick to understand, which is good. Maybe what you imagined is right. If Seon-gye is made up only of those who crossed the pass from the lower world, then their extraordinary achievements should also be recorded.”
Of course, many things would be distorted or lost over time, but still, the records of great men would spread widely.
However, the meaning of there being more Shinseon who don’t know than those who do is simple.
“… The world connected to Seon-gye is not just this place.”
“That’s right.”
Myeongwoljin-in now looks at me with a slightly pleased expression.
It seems that he likes me quite a bit.
Well. From Myeongwoljin-in’s point of view, I must look like a nobleman recognized by Sajo and a terrifying demon who can destroy Mosanpa alone.
In fact, there were some things that Hong Yeon-hwa did, and unexpectedly, Myeongwoljin-in was a bit timid, so I was worried about the oppressive atmosphere… but this should be okay.
“Bin-do thinks that another world connected to Seon-gye is the whole world. If you draw it in a picture, it would be something like this.”
Myeongwoljin-in whispered the words and drew a line in the air with his finger. Then, like a brush stroke, the trajectory began to twinkle in the air.
“Uh, this handwriting is a bit…”
“Hm. You can still roughly understand it.”
I muttered without realizing it was an unexpected handwriting, but Myeongwoljin-in naturally passed it over as he had heard it many times before.
“I don’t know exactly how many Ha-gye are connected, but it is the conclusion of Mosanpa’s ancestors that quite a few are connected to Seon-gye. …And from here, it’s Bin-do’s guess.”
Myeongwoljin-in spoke as he shook his hand to erase the picture drawn in the air.
“Although it was said that the connection with Seon-gye was cut off, it does not mean that there was direct contact before.”
During the practice of magic, there are spells that borrow the power of high-ranking Shinseon.
For example, using the power of the famous Tuseon to make the body stronger, or using the power of the Yoseon to protect the mind and body from spells and curses.
“But about 20 years ago, all of these types of magic suddenly stopped working.”
As a Mosanpa that specializes in Ju-bu-sul, this was a significant decrease in power. Moreover,the sudden disappearance of magic was a mystery that no one could solve.
“However, Bin-do thinks that it was not that the connection was cut off, but that the Shinseon who lent their power disappeared.”
Myeongwoljin-in’s words made me realize something.
“Then, the Shinseon who disappeared…”
“Are probably the ones who crossed over to the other world.”
Myeongwoljin-in nodded his head.
“Bin-do thinks that the Shinseon who disappeared were not just any Shinseon, but the ones who were connected to Seon-gye. And if that’s true, then the other world connected to Seon-gye is not just the whole world, but also the world where the Shinseon who disappeared went.”
The words of Myeongwoljin-in were shocking.
If what he said was true, then the world where the Shinseon who disappeared went was not just another world, but a world that was connected to Seon-gye.
“Then, is there a way to go to that world?”
Hong Yeon-hwa asked with a serious expression.
Myeongwoljin-in shook his head.
“If there was a way, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But Bin-do thinks that there is a clue.”
“A clue?”
“Yes. Bin-do thinks that the Shinseon who disappeared left something behind. Something that can lead us to that world.”
Myeongwoljin-in’s words made me curious.
“What kind of clue is it?”
Myeongwoljin-in smiled mysteriously.
“That’s something that Bin-do has to find out. But I’m sure that it’s something that only someone like Bin-do can find.”
I felt a sense of responsibility and pressure.
If what Myeongwoljin-in said was true, then I had to find that clue.
“Don’t worry. Bin-do will find it.”
Myeongwoljin-in patted my shoulder with a smile.
I nodded my head, feeling a sense of determination.
If there was a clue, then I had to find it.
No matter what it took.
“It could be one of two things: either we can no longer feel the existence of the celestial realm, or one day our summer realm suddenly moved away from the celestial realm, or the celestial realm left our summer realm behind for some reason. And judging from the current situation…”
“Most likely, the celestial realm moved away from the summer realm, and you were caught up in the process and flowed into this nearby summer realm.”
Hong Yeon-hwa emptied her cup with a gulp and looked at Myeong-wol-jin-in with a calm gaze.
“The hypothesis seems plausible. However, I still don’t know or care about the celestial realm or the divine realm, nor do I know if they even exist. What’s important is whether I can return to my world.”
“Um.”
Myeong-wol-jin-in, who had swallowed his saliva, cautiously spoke after a while.
“I don’t know if it’s actually possible, but there is a way to try. Do you know about the Bongsun ceremony?”
“Oh, I’ve heard of it.”
Pang So-so shook her hand at shoulder height and said.
“It’s a ceremony that ancient emperors used to announce their ascension to the throne to the world, right?”
Pang So-so laughed gleefully, perhaps because she was excited to know something. She poked her thigh and asked.
“How did you know that?”
“Jin Ga-ga sometimes forgets that I am a woman from a prestigious family. Even if I’m a martial artist, I still have basic manners, and history is one of them. Well… I don’t know anything beyond that.”
Myeong-wol-jin-in nodded to Pang So-so, who made a naive expression.
“Yeo-hyeop’s words are roughly correct. To be more precise, it’s not about announcing to the world, but about announcing to the heavens.”
In other words, it could be seen as a ceremony that opens a two-way channel by offering tribute to the celestial realm and receiving a response.
“Just a moment. What is the celestial realm? Is it different from the celestial realm?”
“Do you remember the saying that the divine beings are also practitioners? If a divine being gains great enlightenment and becomes a great divine being, they ascend from the celestial realm to the divine realm. It’s a ritual for authenticity, so it’s better to be recognized from the highest place possible.”
The world of Taoism is complicated… Honestly, these contents still don’t feel very realistic.
Even Hong Yeon-hwa, who left a clear trace in the sky, is only a half-baked sage. But there are divine beings above the sages, and great divine beings above the divine beings?
It feels like watching a video about astronomy related to past lives.
It’s like watching a video that zooms out from humans, the earth, the solar system, the galaxy, and the universe in order.
The feeling of reality is fading away.
I think I know why most people don’t believe in the words of the monks.
“It probably sounds too fanciful to be true.”
Despite my gaping mouth, Myeong-wol-jin-in continued his explanation.
“Anyway, if we modify the contents of the Bongsun ceremony, we might be able to make it work somehow, but to be honest, I’m not confident.”
“Why is that?”
“First of all, my ability in divination is lacking. The Bongsun ceremony is said to have been created by the Taegongmang before their ascension. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s a highly advanced ritual, and I don’t even know where to start.”
The Mosanpa is the most outstanding of the existing left-handed sects. Myeong-wol-jin-in is also a person who can be called the best monk of the present time.
Even so, if he speaks like this, it must be really complicated.
“Even if you manage to cross the first gateway by offering tribute to the primordial celestial being, there are still two more problems.”
“Two… What are they?”
Hong Yeon-hwa asked, and Myeong-wol-jin-in opened his mouth, pointing his finger.
“First, the issue of offerings. No matter how much we modify it, the essence of the ritual is still the same. The ritual cannot be performed without offerings. Since it’s a considerable ritual, a tremendous amount of offerings will be needed.”
“How much exactly?”
“…According to records, at least a pond filled with gold. Or a treasure of equivalent value. However, since it’s not connecting to the celestial realm, but to a nearby realm, about half of that will suffice.”
“Ugh… That’s enough to pour out all of Pang Ga’s assets.”
“Originally, it was a ritual on a national scale, so it’s only natural.”
Stroking Pang So-so’s surprised back of her hand, Myeong-wol-jin-in answered her question.
“What’s the last one?”
“Coordinates.”
“Coordinates… What do you mean?”
“Whether it’s the celestial realm or the primordial celestial realm, it’s still a world above the earthly realm. Strictly speaking, it’s not above, but it’s easier to understand it that way. However, the place we’re trying to reach is another realm in the same earthly realm, and we don’t even know where it is.”
“Ah…”
If the required offerings were small, we could try poking around randomly.
But we need a huge amount of offerings, and we don’t even know exactly where to aim?
This is a bit daunting.
Hong Yeon-hwa listened silently to Myeong-wol-jin-in’s story and let out a deep sigh.
“Ha… I kind of understand. It’s not entirely impossible, but it’s just barely possible.”
“Uh… Yes… That’s right…”
Did Myeong-wol-jin-in think that Hong Yeon-hwa would get angry if things didn’t go her way? He cautiously agreed while watching her reaction, even though she doesn’t have the personality to persecute someone over this.
Hong Yeon-hwa drank tea continuously, one cup after another, until the teapot was empty, feeling frustrated.
After finishing the last of my snacks, she let out a deep sigh.
“Well… We should try it at least once.”
“I’ll… try my best.”
Myeong-wol-jin-in nodded his head with a hesitant expression, as if he were trying to open a can of soda. Hong Yeon-hwa chuckled and shook her head.
“Don’t make such a gloomy face. I have no intention of forcing anyone or getting anything for free. Let me think…”
Hong Yeon-hwa thought for a moment, tilting her head from side to side. Suddenly, she clapped her hands as if she had a great idea.
“The Danhon-dohwa-gum and the Duanhun-taehwa-gum! The Mosanpa also uses a peach tree sword, so it’s perfect!”
“The Danhon-dohwa-gum? What is that?”
“It’s an advanced martial art that combines Mosanpa’s techniques. Didn’t you say that you couldn’t use some of the techniques and that your power was weakened? If you learn the Danhon-dohwa-gum, you can not only make up for that, but also become even stronger than before.”
Myeong-wol-jin-in blinked dumbfoundedly at Hong Yeon-hwa’s explanation.
“Well… If it’s an advanced martial art that combines various techniques, it’s definitely possible… But… How do you know about that martial art?”
“Of course, I learned it by beating up the Mosanpa and taking their secret techniques… Ah, I mean, I’m talking about the Mosanpa in the other world.”
Hong Yeon-hwa smiled vaguely, thinking back to the past.
“I was really surprised back then. The Hwasanpa and the Mosanpa shared their secrets to create a new martial art that they would use to kill me… Well, they couldn’t even touch a hair on my head!”
Maybe she was trying to create a certain atmosphere.
Hong Yeon-hwa raised her chin, straightened her chest, and spoke in a cheerful voice.
“Ahem, ahem! That should be enough to balance the scales, right?”
Of course, Myeong-wol-jin-in’s only response to Hong Yeon-hwa’s behavior was:
“G-gulp! Y-yes! Please let me do it!”
…I think I understand now.
To me, Hong Yeon-hwa is as cute as a hamster, but to someone else, she might look as scary as a tyrannosaurus.