Episode 2 The Human Sword, Learning as He Teaches.
The sun was crossing over the western mountain. Around the time the sky surrounding the Murim Alliance was dyed with purple sunset hues, and only the chirping of unknown mountain birds could be heard softly, Jang Ingeom's daily routine came to an end.
It was because the reserve female martial artists of Phoenix Hall had finished their dinner and returned.
Physically, he was not tired, but it had been a rather nerve-wracking day. Serving food made by one's own hands to others was a task that required pouring one's heart into it.
"Whatever you do, you must do it with sincerity. And you must do it with a joyful heart." It was his Master's teaching.
Until now, the only ones who had eaten Jang Ingeom's food were his Masters. His Masters were existences like his parents; even if Jang Ingeom's cooking had been somewhat lacking, they would have eaten it with love and consideration. But the female martial artists of Phoenix Hall were not his family.
Fortunately, they ate Jang Ingeom's food without much complaint. No, in fact, they were very satisfied. The seasoning seemed a bit bland, but it was flawless, and the meat and vegetables felt fresher than before.
After scraping the scorched rice left in the pot to prepare for a late-night snack, Jang Ingeom washed the dishes that ten people had eaten from.
When he was twelve, his Third Master had given him a task: to find out how to wash the dishes in the cleanest and fastest way. At first, he tried burning the leftover food with Fire Qi, but the grease caught fire and produced soot, making them even dirtier. The ceramic bowls had barely endured, but the wooden bowls had burned, and he had been scolded by his Master. He tried using Thunder Qi and even whisked them with Whirling Wind, but it was unsatisfactory. It was only when he turned fourteen that he found the method: using Wave Qi. His Master had been overjoyed and praised him highly.
"You know how to investigate principles on your own; this Master is pleased."
Wiping the scraps with a cotton cloth, he placed the dishes in a bucket of clean water. A fine, rapid wave resonance occurred in the water, instantly stripping away grease and seasonings. Then rinsing them once more in clean water from another bucket, they were tidied up to a spotless state as if newly purchased.
Now it was time to make the late-night snack. Frying the prepared scorched rice in oil and drizzling rock honey on it would be the most delicious, but it would be an unsuitable food for the reserve female martial artists of Phoenix Hall who needed to maintain their bodies in peak condition during their training.
After a moment of thought, Jang Ingeom wrapped his hands around the pot containing the scorched rice. The air was controlled and heat applied, causing the scorched rice to puff up as if deep-fried, transforming into appetizing puffed rice crackers. Lightly coating them with grain syrup made from malt barley, they became a reasonably tasty and healthy snack.
While gazing at the coolly risen moon and calming his mind, he sensed the approaching emotion of someone anticipating a late-night snack. It must be Jin Sohyeon.
"Chef Jang~ I'm here."
"Officer Jin. You're here. I was waiting for you."
"Hehe, I was wondering if there was any scorched rice left. Thanks to you, Chef Jang, I had three good meals, but sure enough, now that the hour of the Dog has passed, I'm getting hungry."
Jang Ingeom smiled and held out a plate of scorched rice.
Jin Sohyeon quickly took it, put one piece in her mouth, and her eyes widened.
"Wow! How did you make this? It doesn't seem deep-fried. It's incredibly crispy yet still soft inside. It's so delicious!"
"I'm glad you find it tasty. It wasn't difficult to make, so please eat without worry."
Jin Sohyeon quickly stuffed another piece of scorched rice into her mouth and spoke while chewing.
"Chef Jang, you're really skilled. Hmm... you seem like a good person too. Since I've received such a favor, I can't just let it pass. Self-defense training. Let's start today."
"You must be tired from training; you don't have to do it today..."
"No. We can't put it off like that. When is there ever a day that isn't hard?"
Jin Sohyeon surreptitiously grabbed the sleeve of Jang Ingeom, who was trying to brush it off, and headed toward the back yard of the dining hall.
Seating Jang Ingeom on a rickety wooden chair in the back yard, Jin Sohyeon found a suitably long and thin piece of firewood from the woodpile, held it in her hand, and stood before him.
"I intend to teach you a basic sword art and a very practical qinna technique, Chef Jang. You don't necessarily need a real sword to perform a sword art. A piece of firewood like this, a club, or even a broomstick will suffice, so if you ever get into a fight with thugs, you'll be able to protect yourself."
After confirming that Jang Ingeom was listening seriously, she spoke with a deliberately solemn expression.
"You should know who is teaching you and what their skill is like, so I shall demonstrate for you. My martial school is the Chongyi Gate near Hangzhou, and the sword art I am about to show you is called the Liuyun Sword Art. It is a sword art composed of eighteen moves, and as its name suggests, it contains a meaning both gentle and majestic, like flowing clouds."
Finishing her words, she began to perform the Liuyun Sword Art, using the long piece of firewood as a sword.
Demonstrating alone in a place where she was with a young man was a bit embarrassing, but she wanted to encourage Jang Ingeom's will to learn, and she also wanted to show off her cool side a little.
Determined to show a proper demonstration, Jin Sohyeon even drew up a bit of her internal energy as her wooden sword began to move.
Her sword forms that began to move lightly, as if depicting white clouds flowing leisurely through the clear sky along with a gentle mountain breeze, became increasingly varied as they repeated. At times, she surged forward rapidly like a strong gale; at times, she guarded firmly and vigilantly in all directions like an iron fortress; then suddenly changing, she thrust out a lightning-like strike like dark storm clouds containing thunder.
'The sword art itself is not bad. But Officer Jin still seems unable to approach its true essence.'
It was the conclusion he reached while observing the demonstration with no less sincerity than Jin Sohyeon, who performed each and every form with all her heart.
With the final move that was said to contain the meaning of red clouds dyed by the sunset, Jin Sohyeon's demonstration of the Liuyun Sword Art came to an end.
"What did you think?"
Jin Sohyeon asked with a slightly flushed expression.
"I could see why the sword art is called Liuyun. It is a splendid sword art."
Seeing Jang Ingeom speak so calmly, Jin Sohyeon was slightly disappointed but soon burst into a chuckle. Before joining the Murim Alliance, Jin Sohyeon had been the center of expectations at Chongyi Gate and had often demonstrated in front of people. She was accustomed to people cheering and praising her loudly each time, so Jang Ingeom's calm demeanor had initially disappointed her. But then she realized that Jang Ingeom making a fuss would be rather unbecoming, and depending on how one heard it, his comment about understanding why it was called Liuyun was high praise, so her mood quickly lightened and she laughed.
"Chef Jang, you always seem so composed. It's a good temperament for learning martial arts... what a pity."
Having spoken, Jin Sohyeon internally chided herself and hurriedly added more words while gauging Jang Ingeom's reaction.
"Ah, that doesn't mean learning martial arts is a better pursuit than cooking. Please don't misunderstand."
"I do not misunderstand."
Reassured by Jang Ingeom's still calm smile, Jin Sohyeon picked up the firewood sword to demonstrate once more.
"Ahem. Since you've appreciated my Liuyun Sword Art, this time I'll show you the Nine Protective Swords that you must learn, Chef Jang. It's a rather simple name, isn't it? Our Chongyi Gate operates a small martial hall separately for the health and self-defense of the villagers, and this Nine Protective Swords is the introductory sword art there. It is divided into two stages: in the first stage, you learn nine basic sword forms, and in the second stage, you learn three variations for each form, making thirty-six in total. Now, watch closely."
This time, Jin Sohyeon's movements were very slow. She was demonstrating each form slowly so that Jang Ingeom could see and memorize them well. The nine forms of the first stage consisted of four slashes, two thrusts, and three blocks—the absolute basics among basics. After demonstrating twice in a row, Jin Sohyeon handed the firewood sword to Jang Ingeom and said,
"It's not hard, right? Even the village children follow it easily, so it should be easy for you, Chef Jang. Don't be disappointed by how different it is from the Liuyun Sword Art. In fact, although the Liuyun Sword Art looks splendid and complex, in the end, it is merely a combination of these simple movements."
Having handed over the sword, Jin Sohyeon hugged the scorched rice to her chest and perched on a wooden chair to one side. With an expression that said she would watch so he should try hard, Jang Ingeom smiled awkwardly and picked up the firewood sword.
He began with an overhead slash, cut left and right, then turned left into a diagonal slash. Then an overhead thrust, stepping back into a middle block, stepping forward into a low thrust, blocking to the left, and finally turning around to block to the right. Jang Ingeom's sword stopped.
"Wow~ Chef Jang, you have talent. You memorized it perfectly after just one try!"
Jin Sohyeon, who had been crunching on the scorched rice, exclaimed with an exaggerated expression. While she was proud that Jang Ingeom had done it without mistakes, it wasn't actually such a big deal to marvel at. Among the village youths, there were occasionally those who could do it skillfully after watching once.
"Now, you must repeat it ten times without rest. Perform ten repetitions, thinking of connecting them like flowing water."
Jang Ingeom smiled as he looked at Jin Sohyeon, who was giving orders like a strict Master.
He would repeat these simple movements ten times.
His Master's words came to mind: life itself is training and practice. If one did their best in everything, what would he imbue into these nine basic movements?
He raised his eyes to the sky and saw clouds glowing dimly in the moonlight. And slowly, the firewood sword in his hand began to move.
Jin Sohyeon, chewing on the scorched rice and watching Jang Ingeom's training, was somewhat impressed. Surprisingly, he was connecting the movements smoothly without interruption. Even youths who memorized the nine movements at once usually struggled when repeating them ten times. One might think there was no difference between doing the same movements once or ten times, but as one repeated them, concentration waned, the balance between the speed of the sword and the feet broke, and eventually the flow was cut off and the feet became tangled.
Jang Ingeom's shadow, bathed in the cool bright moonlight, moved fluidly, and the Nine Protective Swords formed by the firewood was crossing from the third to the fourth repetition when—
Jin Sohyeon's hand, which had been bringing a piece of scorched rice to her mouth, froze stiffly.
'How? How is Chef Jang performing the Liuyun Sword Art?'
Startled, she looked closely again and realized that what she had mistaken for the ultimate move "Layered Crimson Clouds" of the Liuyun Sword Art was merely the simple overhead slash of the Nine Protective Swords. Thinking that she must be seeing things from delving into the Liuyun Sword Art every day, she let out a chuckle and was bringing the scorched rice to her mouth again when the rice ultimately failed to enter her mouth and stopped once more.
It was because she saw layers of clouds rising along the sword as Jang Ingeom turned left and cut diagonally.
At that moment, when Jin Sohyeon was falling into a state of no-self in her confusion, Jang Ingeom, who had finished ten repetitions with a long breath, could not stop his sword. It was because he had become aware of Jin Sohyeon looking at him with vacant eyes, holding scorched rice she couldn't eat.
'Can she see it?'
Jang Ingeom silently began to repeat the Nine Protective Swords again. It was out of consideration for Jin Sohyeon.
After repeating another ten times to make twenty, Jang Ingeom quietly stopped his sword. This much should be enough for today.
A moment later, Jin Sohyeon came to her senses with a low sigh of "Ah." After silently gazing at Jang Ingeom for a moment, she quietly asked,
"Chef Jang. I saw clouds."
Jang Ingeom smiled calmly.
"One sees what they wish to see. It seems Officer Jin wished to see clouds."
"Yes. They were the clouds I wanted to see. But how... Have you perhaps learned martial arts before?"
"I learned a dance called the Immortal Dance from my Master."
"A dance... I suppose that's why it looked so beautiful."
Jin Sohyeon, still dazed, brushed herself off and rose, saying she ought to go now. Her voice was steeped in reluctance.
"Chef Jang. I can come again, right?"
"Of course. I've only just begun learning self-defense."
Smiling brightly, Jin Sohyeon left the dining hall, and only after she disappeared from sight did Jang Ingeom belatedly realize.
"Oh dear, she left the scorched rice behind."