Chapter 133 – Witchcraft…! (3)

It seems like my master’s embrace is only reserved for Hong Yeon-hwa or Paeng So-so. Once he hugs me, he throws me away like any other person.

What am I going to do tomorrow when I feel like I’ve been used? It’s not like I can act like a child in front of my in-laws.

Well, to cut to the chase, it was all unnecessary worry.

Maybe it’s the atmosphere of Paeng-ga. They just passed it off as their own liquor. It was just me who felt a little embarrassed.

They keep coming to me to have a drink when they’re bored or to practice martial arts, but…

Are they keeping something from me?

Anyway, I was able to blend in with Paeng-ga without any problems.

Recently, just like at the mansion in Seomseo, I even watched Paeng O-jin and Paeng So-so’s martial arts whenever I had time.

“It’s been a while since I’ve sparred with my son-in-law.”

“Please go easy on me, father-in-law…”

It’s been a tough time for me, to the point where I involuntarily make weak sounds, but I didn’t complain. This is a really unbelievable opportunity.

Come to think of it, I’m receiving guidance from the elders who are at the pinnacle of their skills these days, not to mention Paeng O-jin, a master of martial arts, and Hong Yeon-hwa, a master of martial arts.

I’m training in an environment that’s better than that of most prestigious families.

I think I used to complain about the corrupt practices of the Gupa Ilbang and the Five Great Families, but now I’m a part of that corruption… Life is truly unpredictable.

Without realizing it, I chuckled, and Paeng O-jin’s eyebrows twitched.

“Are you laughing?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes. So-so told me that you obtained a rare opportunity from the Mosanpa? You also achieved an overwhelming victory against a Salso opponent you met on the way.”

“Uh, father-in-law?”

“You’ve undoubtedly achieved an unbelievable accomplishment in the time I haven’t seen you. You’ve even reached a higher level than me at your age, so it’s natural to be proud.”

“I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding…?”

“But it’s not too late yet. I’ll let you know that you still have a long way to go today.”

“Please listen to me…”

Sometimes I miss the days when I swung my sword alone.

***

“Ugh.”

I groaned as I collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. I think I’m going to live now.

After sparring with Paeng O-jin, today’s training is almost over. Actually, it ended a little earlier than usual… It’s because Paeng O-jin was pushing me harder than usual today.

If I can’t even move a finger, then that day’s training is over.

If I force myself to move, I won’t be able to move at all, but the Cheolwanghosimgyeol is a martial art that is based on ultra-fast recovery.

Resting is also part of training.

For that reason, I was lying in a daze in a corner of the training ground, watching Hong Yeon-hwa and Paeng So-so.

From a distance, I could see the Samma mother and daughter entering the training ground. Are they here to train too?

Samma-se was once a prestigious family, even if it has fallen now. Of course, they can’t just show their martial arts training scenes to anyone.

They must have some confidence to come to this training ground, knowing that.

I heard from last week’s lead that they renovated an old training ground that wasn’t being used and made it available for the Samma mother and daughter to use… I guess they’ll be using this place until then.

But contrary to my expectations, the Samma mother and daughter started walking towards me. More precisely, towards the wall right next to me.

“Uh… hello?”

“Yes. Hello, Sohyeop. It’s really nice to see you working hard in your training every day.”

“Everyone does it if they’re a martial artist.”

I barely managed to get up and greet them, still feeling weak. Samma-mang smiled softly.

I know it’s just a formal compliment… but for some reason, it’s a little embarrassing to hear it from Samma-mang.

As I was scratching the back of my head, Samma-yeoryeong sat down under the wall, looking at me.

“What are you doing?”

“Don’t you see? I’m arranging the pieces needed for the Jinbeop.”

“How would I know that? I’ve never even seen the Jinbeop before.”

“Even if you don’t know the Jinbeop, you must have heard what Peng-gaju said in last week’s lead.”

“Oh.”

Come to think of it, there’s something to it. They decided to install the Jinbeop throughout the entire main house, so they said not to block any passage except for a few places.

But still, this guy talks so annoyingly. Can’t he be more like his mother?

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I also spoke in a slightly hesitant tone.

“So when are you going to install the intercom we agreed on? You’re not secretly pretending to forget because you think it might fail, are you?”

“We won’t lose to you even if we take off the wheels and the handle. But still… sorry. I’ve been busy lately, so it’s been difficult.”

I didn’t expect to receive an apology here. Maybe he’s really busy.

Did he notice that I was a little surprised? Samma-mang explained his situation as if to supplement it.

“To make it possible for those with shallow knowledge of the Jinbeop to control it, it’s quite complicated. In addition, the main house of Peng-ga is unfamiliar and large, so it’s difficult to install the pieces without disrupting the flow of energy. These days, Yeoryeong is working with less sleep to get the job done….”

“Well, I see.”

Now that I think about it, Samma-yeoryeong’s eyes look tired for real.

“I could have helped even if I were blind… if only my eyes were okay.”

“Don’t say useless things. It would have been even harder without you, right?”

Samma-yeoryeong let out a deep sigh as she looked around the wall.

“It must be difficult to hide the pieces in the right place when you can’t see. But my mother knows a lot more than I do, and her sense of placement is excellent. There’s no need to run around everywhere.”

“Oh…”

Samma-mang gently stroked Samma-yeoryeong’s head with a slightly touched expression.

“Haha, stop it! I’m not a kid… I can’t concentrate.”

Although she said that, Samma-yeoryeong didn’t push away Samma-mang’s touch.

Watching the two of them getting along, I suddenly had a question.

“By the way, what exactly is Jinbeop? I know it can make you lose your way or see illusions, but I don’t know anything else.”

“Jinbeop… you mean? Hmm, that’s right…”

While Samma-yeoryeong was concentrating, Samma-mang began to explain, tapping his cheek.

“To put it simply, it’s a technique that artificially distorts the natural energy around you to produce the desired effect. Getting lost or hallucinating is a typical form, but there are various other uses as well.”

“Uh… can you be more specific?”

“Gathering natural energy in a specific space to increase the efficiency of the mind method, or combining it with machinery to attack intruders with the actual terrain, ah! Broadly speaking, some defensive measures are also a type of Jinbeop. Of course, none of these are simple things.”

As I listened to Samma-mang’s explanation, I could understand why Jinbeop had become a minority in the current martial arts world.

To artificially concentrate natural energy, special minerals and candles are needed. Even if you do that, the concentration only increases by about 10 to 20 percent.

It’s much easier to just get medicine. Low-grade candles can be cultivated, after all.

Mechanical engineering is as complicated as Jinbeop itself. No, considering practical aspects, it might be even more difficult.

Basically, it requires a lot of manpower because it’s a civil engineering project, and on top of that, the fictional skilled technicians are killed and destroyed under the pretext of secrecy, so it’s now difficult to find someone who is skilled in mechanical engineering.

Some defensive measures… maybe they’re not just large ones that are easy to pass, but ones with special effects.

Like So Lim’s Baekpal Nahan Jin, which makes the body even stronger, or Nam Gung Se-ga’s Changcheon Geomjin, which makes the opponent’s movements sluggish.

Of course, this is not an easy thing either. To come up with a defensive measure like this, you need someone who has a deep understanding of both Jinbeop and martial arts.

And even to use the defensive measure properly, you need several people who have received training in the defensive measure for a long time.

There is no need to use Jinbeop just to twist the path or show illusions.

The rest of the techniques were naturally forgotten due to their poor cost-effectiveness.

“… Why are you still learning that?”

No matter how much I think about it, wouldn’t it be better to just practice martial arts during the time you learn Jinbeop?

Samma-mang smiled wickedly, covering his mouth with his hand at my question.

“Hehe. Everyone thinks that way, which is why Jinbeop shines even more.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know about Sohyeop’s Jinbeop evasion technique?”

“Are you talking about the 生門生門 or 死門死門?”

“Then do you know which direction the 生門 of the 64 hexagrams of the Yeoryang is being installed by Yeoryeong right now? Or do you know how to find the 生門?”

“Ah.”

I finally understood. The more rare the technique, the fewer people know about it, and Jinbeop is a skill that you just have to suffer through if you don’t know it.

There might be a way to smash everything with overwhelming power like Hong Yeon-hwa, but… usually that’s impossible.

“The most efficient attack is a one-sided attack. That’s why we can’t give up Jinbeop and Sasul just because they’re outdated or because they’re considered cowardly.”

“Oh….”

That’s right. One-sided beatings are always effective.

As I nodded my head in agreement and admiration, a faint mischievousness crossed Samma-mang’s face.

“If Sohyeop is interested, I could teach you the basics….”

“Really?!”

Unlike in my past life, passing on knowledge in this era is very closed off. Just look at how there’s only one person who can pass down martial arts, and how there are secret martial arts sects everywhere.

But no matter how basic it is, to teach it so easily like this?

Feeling a little touched, I grabbed Samma-mang’s hand without thinking, forgetting about my tired body.

“Oops…! I-it’s awkward… because of the sweat smell after just finishing training….”

“Yes! Thank you so much if you do!”

Perhaps because of my sudden skinship, Samma-mang flinched for a moment and turned his head slightly while muttering something. I couldn’t hear what he said properly… it wasn’t a curse, was it?

Feeling awkward, I let go of his hand and took a step back. Then, for some reason, I asked Samma-mang again, who seemed somewhat disappointed.

“Ah….”

“But can you really teach me?”

“Ahem. I may have fallen, but I am the head of the Samma family. Don’t think of it as a bribe, but rather as a way to continue our good relationship in the future.”

Samma-mang thumped his chest with a confident attitude.

Looking at his inflated chest, my own chest swelled with anticipation.

I’m definitely not talented in martial arts. But what about other fields besides martial arts?