Chapter 13: Preparations to Seek the Immortal and Attain the Dao
As for whether Seocheongi could avoid the Ha family’s private vengeance in the future, Seokheon had little interest. The one who shared a bond of friendship with him was Dubak, so Seokheon and he were not close. Since everyone else seemed to think the same, there was no need to say more.
When the two returned home, the master built up a bonfire, leaving traces of a fire that had burned for a long time, and once again unsealed the acupoints of the three people lying scattered about with their heads facing different directions. Meanwhile, as soon as Seokheon released Mokjin’s acupoints, Maeng Gyegyeong’s pleasant voice asked.
“Cheongi-hyung, what about that white shadow?”
Judging by this, the level of the beauty’s internal energy was still above Seocheongi’s. He must have opened at least one meridian of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. Otherwise, he would not have woken up as soon as his acupoints were released. Before that, Seocheongi had his acupoints released by Seokheon, and after receiving an infusion of internal qi, woke up a little later.
“That white shadow looked ferocious, but in truth, it could not harm people. The moment we held out until dawn, that shadow disappeared.” Seocheongi told Maeng Gyegyeong what he and Seokheon had just discussed.
“Ah, I see.” Maeng Gyegyeong did not press further, though it was impossible to tell whether she believed it in her heart. From Seokheon’s perspective, there was a fairly high chance she did not believe it. Otherwise, why would she not keep asking about other aspects of the situation?
Seocheongi woke Seo Geumui, and Mujin on this side also came to. The two were frightened and curious about last night’s events. Seo Geumui ceaselessly asked Seocheongi about what had happened—for example, whether that white shadow was a ghost, how they managed to escape from the evil spirit later, what the ghost had looked like, and whether it knew sorcery. She chattered away until Seocheongi complained his head was splitting. A few of her questions went beyond what the two had discussed, leaving Seocheongi fumbling and unable to answer.
Having no choice, Seocheongi secretly seized the chance to tell Seo Geumui that she should take an interest in Maeng Gyegyeong. Only then did Seo Geumui catch on and walk toward Seokheon.
“Seokheon-sahyeong, I never knew your abilities were so formidable. Only you and our fifth brother held out until dawn.” Seo Geumui smiled as she looked at Seokheon. Mujin, for his part, was clumsy with words, but he stared fixedly at Seokheon with evident curiosity.
Seokheon smiled wryly. This lass had tried to grill him with questions, but in the end, she had said it herself.
“I have no ability. I simply trust Senior Brother Seo.” This was not enough to send the girl Seo Geumui away. To catch a snake, one must follow the stick.
“Then tell us what kind of ghost it was. It didn’t have any facial features, right? No, it was just a lump of blood. I remember fainting from shock!” she said, gesticulating with her hands.
“Geumui-sajeo, that’s not it. I remember a pale face with eyebrows hanging high and blood flowing from its mouth,” Mujin retorted, based on his own experience.
“Nonsense. That’s a ghost? Not scary at all.”
Seo Geumui looked down on Mujin’s imaginative words and gazed at Seokheon with tears in her eyes.
“Seokheon-sahyeong, you must judge fairly.”
Seokheon thought for a moment before answering.
“You are both right.”
Seeing Seo Geumui purse her lips to retort, he quickly waved his hand to have her hear him out first.
“Truthfully, a ghost essentially takes the form of the person before it. It is merely paler and more indistinct. Like the ghost we saw last night—in truth, we later saw its true features.”
Seo Geumui spoke excitedly and hurriedly.
“What kind of appearance? What kind? But why did I see it that way?” She even shaped her hands like a bloody lump. Mujin also nodded along.
Just as Seokheon was about to answer, he suddenly furrowed his brows. It turned out that Seokheon had sensed something acutely. Over there, Maeng Gyegyeong appeared to be listening triumphantly to Seocheongi recount last night’s events, but she was paying attention to him. However, unable to control the situation over there for now, Seokheon continued speaking.
“After we lit the fire, that white shadow could not approach and wailed from afar. Through the flames, we saw a fierce face covered in wounds all over—a disheveled male ghost who looked to be around forty or fifty. What you saw was influenced by its illusion arts.”
“Illusion arts? Amazing, how impressive, just like in the novels I’ve read.” Seo Geumui’s eyes were wide as saucers.
“But from what I’ve seen, the plays in other people’s notebooks all feature female ghosts in situations like this.”
Mujin lamented, unsure whether this girl was simply blunt and shy, or whether she liked illustrated storybooks and ghosts.
“Don’t illustrated storybooks also have male monsters like the Rat Monster and the Wutong Spirit seducing women of good families? We can see that male ghosts and male monsters both exist.” Although the conclusion of this argument had nothing to do with the process, if the books he had rashly spoken of were all fabrications, and if the two people across from him were both lunatics, then this prattle was hardly any better.
The two people across from him likewise did not analyze the cause and effect of Seokheon’s answer and continued with another question about something of interest.
“Seokheon-hyung, did that male ghost suddenly stick out a long tongue and enter your foreheads?”
“No, isn’t that what they call a jiangshi?”
“Seokheon-sahyeong, can that ghost use sorcery? For example, striking thunder, or a thick black fog.”
“If it had magic, do you think we would have survived? And when thunder strikes, does the thunder strike first, or does a person strike first?”
…
Before they knew it, day had broken. Seocheongi and Maeng Gyegyeong finished their conversation and came over.
“Now that it’s dawn, that ghost probably won’t appear. There’s no need for us to stay near this bonfire, either. It seems time to return,” Seocheongi said.
Only then did Maeng Gyegyeong ask.
“I wonder what happened to Ha Sehyeong and the two elders of the Ha family.” Only then did Seo Geumui suddenly realize.
“I felt like something was missing. That wretched fellow was taken by the ghost.”
Seocheongi said, “He probably wasn’t taken by the ghost. That ghost kicked up a fierce wind, and I only saw those three leaving the house. It didn’t have time to grab them. Well, it seems this house ghost has never taken a life. I hope the same goes for them—may Heaven protect them.”
*Seokheon thought it was too pretentious. Given the relationship between the two of them, rather than acting solemn and mournful, he should be showing happiness and joy.*
Indeed, young lady Seo pouted her lips repeatedly and said, “I hope they get bitten by stray dogs.” Since those three had already left the house, even if they wanted to look for someone, they would have to leave the house to do so. So the five of them extinguished the bonfire and left together.
The dawn air was clear and sweet, and a refreshing breeze blew, so the hearts of the five people who had just left the house naturally lightened, and their minds improved greatly.
After going out and finding a place to settle, Seocheongi was debating whether or not to look for Ha Munhui and the others when he unconsciously looked toward the dead-end alley exit and saw Ha Munhui and his two companions walking out. They looked this way, glared fiercely, turned around, and left. Especially the eyes and expression of the Twin Swords Killer seemed to combine to swallow Seocheongi whole.
Seocheongi clapped his hands and said, “Biyeong-yeodongsaeng, look. They’re fine. They’re hurrying back now. Let’s go back, too.” Maeng Bigyeong nodded slightly, and then the five of them walked toward the western district. Along the way, aside from Seo Geumui hopping about asking questions while Seokheon and Seocheongi dodged with whatever came to mind, everyone arrived at the western district quietly.
Seokheon tactfully declined Seocheongi’s invitation to breakfast together and watched as the four of them headed toward the small gate. Seo Geumui hesitated but came up last. The moment she reached the stairs, she suddenly turned and dashed two steps. Amidst Seokheon’s startled gaze, she spoke in a low voice.
“Seokheon-hyung, you can’t fool me. I know what kind of person our fifth brother is far better than you do! But, hehe, I like listening to your lies.” Before her words had even finished, without waiting for Seokheon’s answer, the group quickly caught up to the three people ahead and entered the small gate together. The moment they entered the small gate, Seokheon saw Maeng Gyegyeong turn and give him a meaningful smile.
Seokheon had not expected that the seemingly innocent and pure young lady Seo Geumui would be so thoughtful. Had he been fooled by her? Fooled by her? And Maeng Gyegyeong—goodness, he would not be able to take a woman’s intelligence lightly in the future.
Outside the gate, Seocheongi sent a steward with a package. Inside were five hundred taels of silver. After eating breakfast outside and returning to the courtyard, Seokheon held morning lessons every day, mainly regulating his breathing and practicing fist techniques.
Seokheon was not worried about Ha Munhui coming to find him. Logically, the Ha family would be unable to take open revenge on Seocheongi. Then the Ha family would find it difficult to avoid revenge. But the Ha family could not find him. When Seocheongi had previously come to the courtyard, Ha Munhui had not known. After that, Seocheongi said he would not go out until Sujeong broke through. Not to mention that he himself had come here. Furthermore, Mokjin, Seo Geumui, and Seocheongi would restrain them from coming. And Maeng Gyegyeong, whom he could not restrain, also did not know where he lived, just like the Ha family.
Of course, the reason Seokheon was not so worried was that even if the Ha family came looking, he would not be afraid. Because he had the confidence in his heart that he could eliminate however many came, he naturally was not flustered.
As expected, Seocheongi and the other three did not come for half a year. Seokheon gathered his spirit and trained his strength, progressing extremely rapidly. He had already opened seventy minor meridian points; with only one remaining, he could connect all his meridians and complete a full cycle.
Furthermore, Seokheon took out the new *Gwijin Gong* created by Daoist Seono, not to learn internal cultivation, but to learn the various techniques collected and created within. In the process of preparing for his future journey, Seokheon discovered top-grade cinnabar. The yellow paper made from peach wood was hard to find and expensive. He traveled across the entire city and bought only enough materials to draw twenty or thirty talismans, which cost over a hundred taels. With less than fifty taels of silver remaining, the talismans were extremely precious. He had to use them sparingly. Seokheon devoted himself to refining his techniques so he could resolve that minor inconvenience.
Seokheon was currently filled to bursting with internal qi and had begun training in martial arts, developing rapidly. In less than four months, he had proficiently practiced the techniques within the new *Gwijin Gong*. Although his internal qi lacked killing power due to its nature, at his current level, he would have no problem dealing with opponents armed with blades and swords who had not opened all Eight Extraordinary Meridians.