WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 30: In April, All the Flowers of the World Have Faded (1)

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When the drinking party was in full swing and the soaring excitement had finally begun to settle, Yi Yubaek was summoned away to meet with some important people.

“Brother Muhyeok.”

Yeon Sowol had been watching the lanterns drift one by one along the river when he suddenly asked a question.

“I guess the government is more lenient than I thought. Or maybe they're just too lazy to do their jobs.”

“What brought that on?”

Kang Muhyeok, Yi Yubaek’s eldest disciple, remained perfectly composed despite being drunk. He was completely unlike Seon Jehun, the second disciple, who was over there with an arm around other Jianghu people, giggling away.

“General Chu was just too strong. The Jianghu people gathered here aren't ordinary either, but it still felt like the general could sweep them all aside alone.”

Kang Muhyeok gave a bitter smile.

“I suppose he could.”

“If someone has that kind of power, couldn't they do whatever they wanted with Jianghu people? But he doesn't, so I figured maybe the government was being lenient.”

“And why did you call them lazy?”

“Come on. Honestly, General Chu could probably clear out Heavenly Road Mountain all by himself. So I thought maybe they aren't doing it because they're lazy...”

“So you've been building up quite a few complaints about the government.”

“...”

Sowol fell silent. He did not bother denying it.

“Still, your assumption is wrong from the start. The government isn't that strong.”

“What?”

Sowol’s eyes widened.

‘How does that make any sense?’

General Chu Seongho. The man Sowol had seen in person had not seemed human.

Yi Yubaek had once said, “How perilous it is to seek transcendence while wearing a human body.”

Now Sowol understood, down to his bones, why he had used the word transcendence. Chu Seongho had been something beyond a mere person.

And yet he was not even a senior first-rank official, only a senior second-rank one.

The government was not strong?

Kang Muhyeok calmly met Sowol’s eyes, as if teaching a younger brother who knew nothing of the world.

“Little brother. I understand what you're trying to say. General Chu is strong. You could search the whole world and find only a handful of people as strong as him. That is what a second-rank military official is. Someone beyond Heaven. A legend. In the places they come from, people may even worship them as gods.”

‘They worship him as a god?’

Sowol was puzzled, then suddenly understood.

‘Ah. Even in Korea, shamans sometimes worship generals as guardian gods...’

Still, did that not mean the government was strong in the end?

“But there are different kinds of strength.”

“Different kinds?”

“Yes. Hmm... I should explain this first. There are three great traditions in this world. The martial arts we practice are also divided into three branches according to those traditions.”

The Daoist tradition.

The Buddhist tradition.

The Confucian tradition.

Kang Muhyeok continued.

“Our Windflow School inherited the Daoist tradition. That is why we are said to follow an orthodox lineage. In the Jianghu, half of what they call orthodox lineages follow Daoist teachings, while the other half follow Buddhist teachings.”

“Are they really that different?”

“The fundamentals are all fairly similar. But once people begin cultivating their bodies and minds, the paths gradually diverge.”

Confucian cultivation was a process of pruning away.

It clearly defined what a proper bearing and a proper heart were, then cut away anything that did not fit. It sought to illuminate the world by leaving behind only what was proper.

“That is why Confucian teachings do not suit Jianghu people. Jianghu people reject molds and standards, then live according to their own natures.”

“Ah.”

“Confucian cultivation is fast and stable, though. Gather a thousand Daoist cultivators, and all thousand will say something different. Gather a thousand Buddhist cultivators, and every word they say will be cryptic. Gather a thousand Confucian cultivators, and all thousand will speak clearly and say the same thing.”

“I saw that junior ninth-rank county inspector before, and he was incredibly strong. Did he become strong quickly because his cultivation was fast too?”

Kang Muhyeok laughed.

“Inspector Jang Wisan? No. He is strong simply because he is strong. I told you, the fundamentals are all fairly similar. They only begin to diverge little by little after you kindle True Flame.”

That made Sowol feel irritated for no reason.

‘If only I had entered martial arts sooner...’

“Nothing in the world is only good, though. Confucian cultivation may be fast, but it has less subtlety to it.”

“Really?”

“My learning is shallow too, so I do not know everything. But there is one thing I know for certain.”

Kang Muhyeok’s gaze settled into calm seriousness.

“Little brother. How did you feel when you saw General Chu earlier?”

How had he felt?

“...It was hard to move my feet, as though they had frozen in place. Honestly, I still feel that way. He isn't pressuring us as violently as he did before, but I can clearly sense that the general is over there.”

“That is because the stronger Confucian cultivators grow, the more their presence spills outward, and they cannot hide it. It is especially so when they are angry or wish to stand before others. They say a gentleman is one who shows himself, not one who hides.”

“Then are Buddhists and Daoists different?”

“They say that once Buddhists and Daoists reach that sort of realm, they instead become ordinary. You cannot even tell them apart from a farmer or a woodcutter.”

“What? Is that possible?”

It was hard to believe.

He had just seen Chu Seongho, a godlike being whose presence had seemed to freeze the very energy between Heaven and Earth.

Could someone like that look like a farmer or a woodcutter?

“I do not know either. It is a legendary realm. But they say that if you go to Shaolin or Wudang, Living Buddhas and immortals like that truly reside there. Even His Majesty the Emperor pays his respects to them first.”

Shaolin was in Henan.

Wudang was in Hubei.

Unlike Guangdong, which clung to the coast at the southern edge of the Central Plains, both were great sects occupying the heart of the Central Plains.

Sowol suddenly became curious.

“What about Guangdong? Don't we have anyone like that here?”

“Uh...”

Kang Muhyeok casually looked away.

“There... might be? There are reclusive masters who turn their backs on the world and live in hiding.”

‘If they've already turned their backs on the world and hidden away, shouldn't that count as not having any?’

Sowol kept the unkind thought that came to mind to himself. He only concluded that Guangdong probably was not such an important region in this world.

‘...Then why do I feel bad about it? I'm not even from Guangdong. ...Are Shaolin and Wudang really that amazing? ...They must be. Even His Majesty pays them respect. But why do I feel kind of...’

For some reason, he felt a little gloomy. For some reason, his head felt a little hot too.

Kang Muhyeok continued speaking to him.

“Anyway. Little brother, let me finish. People like General Chu cannot hide the presence they give off. What do you think would happen at Heavenly Road Mountain?”

“Ah! They would all run away...”

“Exactly. The moment that general entered the foothills of Heavenly Road Mountain, everyone would notice and hide. That is why he cannot carry out the campaign alone. It is not because he is lazy.”

“...I see.”

Kang Muhyeok spoke to the silent Sowol.

“Little brother. Being strong only means being strong. It does not make someone omniscient or omnipotent. No matter how strong General Chu is, martial artists who are determined to hide and fight can make things difficult for him in any number of ways.”

With that, he looked back at the Jianghu people enjoying their boat ride.

“But today, we all showed ourselves and stood before the general.”

A gentle smile appeared on his usually calm lips.

“Master stepped forward before his blade of his own accord, and he remained dignified to the end.”

He drained his cup, then poured liquor into Sowol’s.

“Martial arts are important to Jianghu people. But little brother, perhaps true strength is something like that.”

* * *

“Silence!”

The sudden thunderous shout made the river shudder.

Everyone turned tensely. It was the same voice that had announced General Chu Seongho’s arrival earlier.

“His Excellency Seo Myeongeum, Grand Master of Splendor, Pillar of the State, Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince, Minister of War and Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Pacifier of Liangguang and Governor-General, has proposed a little entertainment!”

A senior first-rank Grand Master of Splendor.

A pillar of the state.

The Crown Prince’s teacher.

Though he only held the title of Minister of War temporarily, he held the power to appoint officials and issue immediate judgments, enough authority to conveniently disregard even orders from the Ministry of War in the capital.

He could inspect and punish every official and government office on behalf of the Emperor.

He was the foremost authority protecting Guangxi and Guangdong, the man who held all military power in both regions in one hand.

General Chu Seongho’s direct superior.

In short, he was a high official whose career as a civil servant had nearly reached its end.

There could not be many people in the whole world who stood above him in rank.

Yet...

“Entertainment?”

The Jianghu people’s eyes sparkled at that word alone.

“His Excellency wishes to see the skill of Guangdong’s young martial artists! Any martial artist twenty-five or younger who has confidence, step forward and board the Governor-General’s boat! If you succeed, the Governor-General will personally bestow a treasured sword upon you!”

A treasured sword!

The Jianghu people trembled.

Swords were easy to carry, and their subtleties were limitless, making them the weapon most beloved by the Jianghu.

And this would be a treasured sword bestowed by the Governor-General of Liangguang, a man who might as well have lived in the heavens.

It had to be a rare treasure, something one might only see once in a lifetime.

“Damn it! I turned twenty-six this year!”

“Couldn't I just lie and enter?”

“Try it. Please do. I want to see what happens when they catch you.”

“Damn it...”

“Too bad for all of you. I turned twenty-five this year, so I can participate without a problem.”

“What? Didn't you say you were twenty-eight?”

“...No.”

“Madman.”

Some came to their senses and chose not to participate.

Others lost their senses and entered even if they had to lie about their age.

As the Jianghu people stepped forward or restrained themselves in their own Jianghu way, Kang Muhyeok gripped Sowol’s right shoulder tightly.

“Little brother.”

“Young Master!”

Seon Jehun had appeared at some point and tightly seized Sowol’s remaining left shoulder.

“You have to do this, little brother.”

“You have to do this, Young Master.”

“Sowol! You have to do this!”

Mo Cheong came running in from somewhere and joined them, surrounding Sowol.

“Why me...?”

Sowol was flustered.

His lightness art had improved quickly, but if he judged it coldly, he was still not as skilled as Mo Cheong. Kang Muhyeok, Yi Yubaek’s eldest disciple, was twenty-five this year. He was the person best suited to shine in this little entertainment.

Yet they had all latched onto Sowol.

Kang Muhyeok was extremely firm.

“Little brother, think about it. What you said earlier must have moved not only the Commander-in-Chief, but the Governor-General as well. In that situation, what do you think will happen if you succeed in this entertainment and go receive the treasured sword?”

“Ah! Father is over there right now...”

“Right. It will greatly elevate Master’s standing. They will bring up what happened earlier once more, and the mood will improve. You are also quite young, so you can leave an even deeper impression. That will help greatly with the conversation Master is having with those officials right now. So you have to do it. It will be far more effective if you succeed, not us.”

After hearing it put that way, Sowol could no longer refuse.

“...All right. I'll try.”

“Good. The three of us will do everything we can to support you, so use whatever means you must and somehow survive long enough to board the Governor-General’s boat.”

Kang Muhyeok had used the word survive.

When Sowol looked closer, it was not an exaggeration at all.

‘...Wh-what is this?’

Whoooooo-

Had Kang Muhyeok said that the higher a Confucian cultivator’s realm, the harder it was for them to hide their presence?

Their presence was already sharp and bright. What would happen if they deliberately added battle intent to it and tried to intimidate others?

The answer lay before Sowol’s eyes.

Shhhhhhh-

“...”

“...”

On the far side of the river, military officers stood around the large ship carrying the Governor-General.

They held blunt staffs without spearheads and blunted wooden swords, glaring in this direction as an oppressive presence poured from them.

The wind churned and the waves rose, making even the distant boats here creak and sway.

“They're first-rate, aren't they?”

“They are first-rate.”

“They have kindled True Flame.”

The Jianghu people offered their judgments as they measured that presence.

Kang Muhyeok tightened his grip on Sowol’s shoulder.

“At a minimum, they are second-rate martial artists at the peak of their level, and there are several first-rate ones. Little brother, you still have to do this.”

“...”

Sowol stared at the military officers with trembling eyes.

Their presence was grave and vicious.

Of course it was.

Their position was clear. Before their distant superior, they had failed to subdue a reckless rabble running wild. No matter how one looked at it, they had suffered a crushing defeat.

And now they had been ordered to stop the young members of that rabble from boarding the Governor-General of Liangguang’s boat.

Even if the Governor-General considered this entertainment, it could never be entertainment to the military officers carrying it out.

What Sowol sensed through his qi sense was not battle intent, but something closer to killing intent.

“Why... Why are they this vicious? They called it entertainment. Entertainment...”

Sowol, who had never served in the military, found it hard to understand.

Footnotes:

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