Chapter 218 – Why is my master here?

“When I opened my eyes, I saw my master’s face.

“Sochan, you’re awake…”

“Aaaah! It’s a ghost!”

“….”

“It’s an ugly ghost! So scary!”

Bang!

“Shut up.”

“Yes, master.”

What the hell. It doesn’t hurt at all.

Is this a dream?

***

Rubbing my bruised jaw, I tilted my head.

This feels weird. My mind is clear, but nothing hurts.

It must be a dream after all.

As if confirming my suspicion, my master nodded.

“You’re right. You’re in Sochan’s subconscious. So it’s like a dream. I’m not really here either, just a remnant left in the sword.”

“A dream?”

“What else? Then I must be a ghost too.”

“Oh my…for a disciple who is like no other to see such a heavenly master and call him a ghost! Come here! Let me hit you a few more times!”

“Ow! Why! It’s true! Ahh!”

My master’s reaction was no different from when he was alive, even though it had been quite some time since he passed away. It was because my body reacted unconsciously.

A sudden rush of longing.

I carefully examined my master, who was standing tall.

Small stature, white hair, a straight back that didn’t match his age, intense gaze, and…distinctive features.

No matter how I looked at it, it was my master.

“Master…!”

“Hmm? Why are you suddenly like that, disciple? Where did I hit you wrong?”

“I missed you so much.”

Whether it was just a simple dream or my master’s remnant in the sword that appeared in my dream for some reason, it didn’t matter.

I was just happy to see my master again.

As I half-sobbed, my master looked at me with a blank expression before finally chuckling.

“Yeah. It was just a brief moment for me, but it must have been different for you, Sochan.”

My master patted my shoulder a couple of times before waving his hand in the air.

A simple table appeared in an instant.

On days when my master was in a contemplative…no, sentimental mood, he would have a few drinks and tell me stories of his youth or basic knowledge about the martial arts world.

I heard about basic martial arts knowledge and stories from my master’s youth while having a drink with him like this.

“Now, sit down first. I want to have a drink with my disciple after a long time…but this time, I’ll pour it for you.”

“What? Yes, master.”

With a bewildered expression, I accepted the glass my master handed me.

“First of all, congratulations on reaching Hyeongyeong.”

“What?”

“To be honest, even I, your master, didn’t expect Sochan to reach Hyeongyeong.”

“…What?”

Chapter 219 – My Master’s Emotions

“Oh dear. Don’t be too sad. Even if I want to see my disciple in a good light because he’s my disciple…you know, right? Your talent in martial arts is pathetic.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Of course, it doesn’t matter now. It doesn’t matter where you end up after walking a long, distant road.”

“Master?”

“Congratulations again, my disciple. You’ve become an absolute master who can split a mountain with just one sword, just like you dreamed of when you were young.”

“My words…”

“Oh, I was going to ask you…how old are you now? Due to your bone deformation, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in your appearance from the last time I saw you.”

“I’m twenty-one.”

“???”

My master blinked in confusion only now listening to my words.

“Even though you’re my disciple, you see me as a ghost! Do you know how that makes me feel?”

“I’m sorry, master. I missed you so much.”

My master’s expression softened as I spoke, and he patted my shoulder.

“I missed you too, Sochan. Let’s have a drink together.”

My master conjured up a table and poured me a drink.

We talked about basic martial arts knowledge and stories from my master’s youth while having a drink.

“By the way, you picked up a pretty female martial artist and made her your wife? And you also married the second wife, who comes from a prestigious family, and the third and fourth wives are mother and daughter? My disciple, do you know what emotions are rising in your master’s heart right now?”

“Um…is it admiration?”

My master suddenly exploded with emotion, hearing my response.

“What?! Admiration?! How can you say that?! You picked up a pretty female martial artist and made her your wife! And you married the second wife, who comes from a prestigious family, and the third and fourth wives are mother and daughter! My disciple, do you know what emotions are rising in your master’s heart right now?”

“Um…is it anger?”

My master’s expression softened, and he sighed.

“No, it’s not anger. It’s…a mix of emotions. I’m happy that my disciple has grown up to be a man who can attract such women, but at the same time, I’m worried about the future. And…I’m a little envious.”

“Envious?”

“Yes. I’m envious of my disciple who has such a colorful life. I never had the chance to experience such things in my youth.”

My master’s eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions as he spoke.

I listened to my master’s words, feeling a little sad.

My master, who was once an absolute master, had never experienced such things in his youth.

I wondered what kind of life he had lived.

As I thought about it, my master poured me another drink.

“Let’s drink, Sochan. Let’s drink until we forget everything.”

I nodded, and we continued to drink and talk until late at night.

Chapter 220 – My Master’s Confession

“Jealousy, damn it! I knew you would be quite popular, unlike me, but I didn’t expect it to be this much!”

“Even if you say that to me…”

My master had a hollow expression, as if he had been betrayed by the world.

Thinking about it, no matter how well-packaged it was, he was a person who lacked nothing to be called a genius.

Until a few days before he passed away, he sincerely worried that his destined partner would not fall from the sky.

My master had been sulking for a while, but it didn’t last long.

Although he had a narrow-minded side, he was a good person at heart.

“Phew…”

My master let out a sigh and patted my shoulder with a proud smile.

“You’ve worked hard, my disciple. You’ve trained hard and fought hard all this time.”

“My master…”

“What? Why are you crying again, you pathetic guy? It’s disgusting.”

My master tilted his glass with a cool face.

He filled the empty glass with more alcohol and spoke with a slightly awkward voice.

“To be honest, this is an unexpected situation, and I’m confused. It shouldn’t happen now…what should I do?”

“Should I just talk and you stay quiet, my master?”

“You impudent guy. It’s all for the sake of my disciple’s consideration. Alright. Since this is the last time, I’ll tell you everything.”

“Last time? What do you mean, my master? Can’t we meet again?”

“Exactly, my disciple. As a matter of fact, the dead cannot meet the living. The concept of reincarnation is just a trick that can only be used once.”

My master drank the alcohol I had just poured for him in one gulp and looked serious.

“Let’s get to the point.”

Gulp.

Taking advantage of the momentum, my master paused for a moment and continued.

“In fact, I was a divine being.”

“What?”

“More precisely, I was a divine being.”

“Isn’t that too much to say that this is the last time? If you were a divine being, you could fly in the sky and everyone was a beautiful man or woman who could live forever.”

Although the Muryong Divine Art was undoubtedly a great martial art, my master was not quite at the level of being called a divine being.

Could it be…that old story where he was actually a divine being, but committed a sin and was exiled to the underworld?

“…Your expression is rude, my disciple. I know. Even if a dead person says he was a divine being, you can’t believe it.”

“No, it’s just that it’s hard to believe that you’re not a beautiful man.”

Bang!

“…I always trust you, my master! You must have been a divine being to create the Muryong Divine Art!”

Chapter 220 – My Master’s Confession

The Muryong Divine Art is a martial art that pulls the energy from the mind to control the body, a revolutionary martial art that deviates from the norm. If it’s called the Divine Art of Freshness, it’s because of its uniqueness.

I’ve already seen its benefits many times.

“You got it right. I am a divine being who reached the position of freshness through martial arts, and the Muryong Divine Art is the martial art that contains all of my enlightenment. Of course, it’s different from the martial arts of the earthly realm.”

“And you’re telling me this…”

“Yeah. When I was a human, I couldn’t understand the martial arts I learned, so I had no choice.”

“….”

“I can’t give nothing to my only disciple, even if I wanted to.”

My master shrugged his shoulders. I’m grateful, but he’s a bit annoying.

“Then, is the secret technique that the Bi-gyeong wanted to bury with you the same martial art you learned before?”

“That’s right. The Muryong Divine Art was created solely for you, So-chan, so it would be difficult for others to achieve great success even if they learned it…but that’s different. If it were to spread in the world, there would be a lot of bloodshed.”

“What’s the title of the Bi-gyeong that you didn’t even tell me the name of?”

“That’s the Cheondung Sword Technique.”

For a moment, I didn’t understand what he was saying. The Cheondung Sword Technique? Is that what I’m thinking?

“Introduce myself again, my disciple. Your master’s name is Gyeong Gyeong. After leaving the monastery, he was known as Am-gyeong, and his Taoist name was Sun-yang-ja. He was one of the eight disciples known as Yeodongbin or Geom-seon.”

“…Past tense?”

“Not anymore.”

My master replied bitterly. Come to think of it, my master called himself Gyeong-am.

Since he’s no longer a divine being, did he attach his real name instead of his Taoist name?

“But, wasn’t Yeodongbin handsome? He had a wife too…”

“That was all just flattery for me, you brat!”

“The Bogeom that you always carried around, was it the Cheondung Sword Technique?”

“That’s right. It’s the same thing you carry around now. It’s made of eternal iron, so it won’t break easily.”

“Wow…it’s amazing.”

I was holding my head, feeling dizzy from the unexpected revelation of my master’s true identity. My master laughed and lightly patted my head.

“Get a hold of yourself, my disciple. What I have to say from now on is more important.”

And so, I was able to hear a lot from my master until I woke up, with the face of Hong Yeon-hwa, who was pouting her lips, in front of me.

“…Huh?!”

I was surprised to see Hong Yeon-hwa, who must have been planning something while I was sleeping.

How cute.