Chapter 54: I Will Stamp the Jik In

Father’s expression hardened.

And then, suddenly, Father coughed up a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

The blood was thick and clotted.

I wasn’t surprised.

No one knew Father’s condition better than I did right now.

Even though I had driven out the Simdok Singong, it was a body that had suffered under its effects for ten long years.

There was no way there wouldn’t be any aftereffects.

It would take quite some time for his body to return to normal.

And even then, he would never be the same as before.

“The blood and the poison that had clumped together are leaving your body now.

Father must hide somewhere within the Samga and quietly recuperate for at least a year.

You’ve only expelled the poison—the weakened qi and body have yet to recover.”

“…I see.”

Father wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve.

“Still, how could I—after all the hardships—force this burden back onto my children? That’s not a father’s duty.”

He must have already known his own condition.

Yet, even so, Father stubbornly insisted.

I understood.

Even though I was alone before him, he didn’t know what to do with himself, so wracked with guilt.

How would he face my siblings?

But my siblings wouldn’t speak as gently as I did.

I couldn’t say anything about my siblings, but at the very least, it was not good for Father to return to the Samga now.

“Father.

I am not asking you to do this as a favor.

You must.”

Father’s face gradually grew pale.

He had spoken too much for the state his body was in.

“Father, you are not in a condition to lead the Gamun right now.

If you leave for Jungwon and something goes wrong, who knows how the Jungse will change?”

I said it again.

Father only trembled with bluish lips.

He knew I was right, but it seemed he could not bear to admit it.

With great effort, Father finally spoke to me.

“But Mok-hwan, why is it you, the youngest, who has come?

Where are Wolsang, Hwacheong, and Surin?”

“My brothers and sisters are in the Samga.

The ones who remain are managing the Samga, while I am handling matters outside.”

“Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Shouldn’t Wolsang be handling important matters outside, and you, the youngest, remain in the Samga?

Didn’t you say you were only twelve?

Have you finished Sunghak?”

A small laugh escaped me.

Sunghak, he said.

I had finished Sunghak before the age of seven in my previous life.

“I’ve even finished Yekyeong, so don’t worry.”

“Yekyeong? At your age?”

“My siblings don’t say anything about me taking care of outside matters.

Because…”

Father’s gaze shifted to my lips.

He seemed very curious about the answer.

“Because I am a Cheonjae.”

At my words, Father closed his mouth.

If Father didn’t know about my past, I could always tell him now.

Leaving behind old stories that were no longer needed.

“…You’re bold.

Calling yourself a Cheonjae with your own mouth.

But given everything you’ve done, if that’s not genius, I don’t know what is.

Where else would there be a twelve-year-old who can negotiate strategy with the Murim Alliance Leader and engage in Dokdae?”

Father coughed harshly.

It sounded as if the cough was coming from deep within his lungs.

He covered it with his palm, but blood still seeped through.

Father flicked off the blood on his palm and gazed up at the sky for a moment.

The clouds were drifting by slowly.

“Geum In is inside your mother’s grave at Deungnyeongdang.”

Father spoke.

He did not look at me.

Was he still feeling guilty?

“As you said, it seems right for me to stay here.

Let’s just keep the fact that I’ve awakened a secret.

Only tell those you trust.”

“I will.”

Father smiled at my reply.

“You really are clever.”

“But is there any food or water here?”

“I prepared some food for when I woke up.”

If so, there was nothing to worry about.

Still, I didn’t know when Father would be able to leave this place.

It was impossible to leave from within a Jinbeop like this.

But he couldn’t come out.

It was very much like the long isolation we had endured up to now.

It was a spiritual torment.

Knowing that, I asked.

“Will you be all right living in seclusion here?”

“I believe in you.

In a son who calls himself a Cheonjae.”

Father smiled.

It was the first joke he had ever told me.

A way to mask his embarrassment and guilt.

“When Jungwon is finally at peace, come rescue me anytime.

I’ll wait here pitifully.

Forgive me for being an incompetent father to the end.”

“It’s nothing.”

I stood up.

Father did as well.

I tried to stop him, but couldn’t stop him from at least this much.

Father came all the way to the plaque at the front.

It was as if he were sending me off on my first journey into the martial world.

“Mok-hwan.”

“Yes.”

“Give my regards to the Murim Alliance Leader and to the Outer General.”

At those words, I tilted my head slightly.

“Leaving aside the Outer General, I don’t really know the Murim Alliance Leader yet.”

“He, too, is a man who understands loyalty.

He is one of the few warriors who still remembers the Sung San Pact.”

“The Sung San Pact?”

“It’s a long, old story.

It’s from my grandfather’s time, so no one would know it now.”

Father spoke with a bitter expression.

The Sung San Pact.

It didn’t seem important, but I should remember it.

“Well, then, I’ll be off.

I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

I bowed my head briefly to Father.

Short of breath, Father leaned against the column by the plaque, exhaling deeply.

“Go inside and get some rest.”

“You said you’d become the Gaju, right?

Then can I ask you a few things here?”

“Of course.”

I stepped back from turning to leave.

Father took a deep breath, then finally spoke.

Father had more questions than I expected.

Could you side with the weak before the strong?

Can you feel grief where justice and righteousness have been broken?

When an old grudge is resolved, can you avoid being left empty?

When someone you trust wavers because of slander, can you reassure them with greater trust?

Can you judge those before you as they are now, not by their past or future?

Do you believe that despair is powerless before hope?

After saying all that, Father was clearly exhausted.

I turned those questions over in my mind again.

—Because that is what Jeongpa must do.

Suddenly, the Alliance Leader’s reply echoed in my head.

I still didn’t know the answer.

That is what Jeongpa must do.

After thinking deeply, I answered Father.

“I’ll do my best.”

Father nodded, satisfied with my answer.

“That alone is enough.”

“I really should be going now.”

“Yes, go well.”

I left Father’s dwelling, which had no plaque, and returned up to the Muhugung.

If I left through the Jinbeop now, I wouldn’t see Father again for quite some time.

I turned back for a final look.

As expected, Father was leaning against the column, watching my footsteps.

From afar, Father waved his hand at me.

I bowed deeply in reply, and entered the Jinbeop again.

One person’s change can bring about the change of the world.

Just as Wong Jung San’s benefactor became Je Galryang, Prime Minister of a nation and presented his Chu Sa Pyo, just as Chang Wang of Chu finished three years of wandering and rose as one of the Chun Chu Five Hegemons.

Gwak Jindo felt this to his core.

How much had changed since one person—Geum Mok-hwan—had changed?

Even the direct descendants of the Hwanggeum Family, who had seemed so helpless, and the situation of the Samga itself, had changed.

And now, even the circumstances of Jungwon were about to shift.

“You expect me to believe this?”

“If you can’t believe it, what will you do?”

Now, the setting was Hyeongsan.

Across the table from Namak Geomgun Ong Jin-su, Jangmunin of Hyeongsanpa, and the Murim Alliance Leader Geomjon Jong Ri Un, sat Gwak Jindo.

“Why would I slander my own son, whose fate I don’t even know—alive or dead?”

At Ong Jin-su’s words, Jong Ri Un untied the leather pouch next to him and set it on the table.

Ong Jin-su opened it.

Inside was the head of Ong So-hu.

“You’ve confirmed he’s dead?”

At Jong Ri Un’s calm words, Ong Jin-su’s body trembled.

“Where did you find it?”

“Near the Hwanggeum Family.

It seems he was caught up in a fight between the Jusampa and the Samga.”

Ong Jin-su stared blankly at Ong So-hu’s head.

He had always thought it wouldn’t matter if such an incompetent son was gone, but seeing it in person, he couldn’t help but feel sorrow.

His voice trembled.

“It’s painful enough to lose my son, but now you want to strip him of his honor as well?

Don’t you know how important honor is to the Jeongpa?”

“Isn’t that why we’re here?

The son of the Jangmunin has tarnished the honor of the Jeongpa.”

Bang!

Ong Jin-su’s hand smashed the table.

His glare at Jong Ri Un was fierce.

“Then how can you say that without any evidence?”

Ong Jin-su’s deadly aura filled the hall of the Hyeongsanpa.

Jong Ri Un, of course, and Gwak Jindo sitting beside him, both experts at the highest level, were unphased.

But the Samdae Jejadeul of Hyeongsanpa sitting beside them looked quite troubled.

“We have testimonies here.

The Samdae Jejadeul have all testified how cowardly and unorthodox Ong So-hu was.”

“I wonder how you managed to tempt our disciples.

The real cowards are those five Byeonjeoljas sitting right there! Useless children!”

Ong Jin-su jumped up, pointing at the Samdae Jejadeul.

At that moment, Jong Ri Un spoke loudly.

“Enough!”

The overwhelming presence of Yukhab Jeonseong rang throughout the hall.

Jong Ri Un, who had been quiet, now exuded his energy.

“Are you saying the Alliance would lie?”

“Don’t judge by only one side’s story!”

Ong Jin-su shouted angrily.

Jong Ri Un, still seated, raised his head and looked at Ong Jin-su.

“Sit down.”

“…Ha, after making such a mess of things…”

“If you don’t want to cross swords with me, sit.”

Jong Ri Un said coldly.

There was tremendous pressure in those words.

Namak Geomgun, though an outstanding warrior, was past his prime, and Jong Ri Un was the Geomjon.

Gwak Jindo and the Hyeongsanpa Elders who sat behind could do nothing but follow suit.

Ong Jin-su bit his lip.

It was clearly a threat.

The Murim Alliance had come to intimidate the Hyeongsanpa directly.

But there was nothing the Hyeongsanpa could do.

Though there was no real evidence, the testimony of the actual disciples held weight, and more than anything, the Murim Alliance’s will was clear.

To fight the Murim Alliance now, relying on uncertain rumors, would be poison for the Hyeongsanpa.

Ong Jin-su closed his eyes and sat down.

“…Very well.

Let’s say so.

But the Hyeongsanpa is not involved as a whole.”

“I think the same.”

In the end, Ong Jin-su had to choose the lesser evil.

He would have to abandon his son and choose honor.

But still, the Murim Alliance’s behavior was different from usual.

Hadn’t they always tried to minimize disturbances in Jungwon?

If they dealt with a sect like the Hyeongsanpa like this, there would certainly be repercussions.

“Alliance Leader.

Is this painting really from Shin San?”

“Think what you like.”

“You’re sure to face opposition from the old faction.

Even the little support money you received could now be cut off.”

“That’s our concern.

Don’t worry about it.”

Jong Ri Un said, taking out a Jukgan from his robe and handing it over.

An Elder behind Ong Jin-su hurried out and took the Jukgan on his behalf.

—Bongmun Jiyakseo

So it was written on the Jukgan.

Jong Ri Un spoke.

“Even if the Hyeongsanpa was not involved as a whole, a disciple—no less, the Jangmunin’s son—was entangled in such matters.

That is clearly a fault in management.

For that, we order a three-year Bongmun.”

“…Fine, do as you please.”

Ong Jin-su gave up.

Honestly, in such chaotic times for the sect, it was right to shut their doors and regroup.

They also needed time to sharpen their swords for another day.

Ong Jin-su looked at the people sitting across from him.

At the very least, he thought, he would kill everyone sitting here one day.

At that moment, Gwak Jindo, who had been silent, spoke up.

“And the Hwanggeum Family must also pay reparations for the losses incurred in their attack.”

Ong Jin-su glared at Gwak Jindo with murder in his eyes.

But Gwak Jindo met his gaze without backing down.

Jong Ri Un first pressed his Jik In onto the Jukgan.

It meant he had confirmed the contents of the Jukgan.

Ong Jin-su stamped his Jik In below it without a word.

“We don’t have a Jik In.

We’ll use a Sugyeol.”

“Hmm.

A tree with no roots, I see.”

At Gwak Jindo’s words, Ong Jin-su snorted.

But Gwak Jindo said nothing more.

Indeed, using a Jik In was proper for matters of the Gamun’s honor, but if there wasn’t one, there was nothing to be done.

The substance was more important than the form.

As Gwak Jindo was about to mark his Sugyeol, a sound came from outside, someone knocking at the door.

Irritated, Ong Jin-su called out.

“Who is it?”

“The youngest master of the Hwanggeum Family has arrived.”

A voice replied from outside.

Before Ong Jin-su could give permission, the door opened.

A young boy strode in without hesitation.

He was the Hwanggeum Family’s youngest master.

“I am Geum Mok-hwan of the Hwanggeum Family.

Greetings to the Jangmunin of Hyeongsanpa.”

“…We are not here for pleasantries.”

“That’s true.”

Ong Jin-su watched Geum Mok-hwan closely.

Ong So-hu had said the youngest master of the Hwanggeum Family had changed.

He had thought he was just another hopeless direct descendant, but Geum Mok-hwan’s demeanor was nothing but dignified.

Cutting off the conversation with Ong Jin-su, Geum Mok-hwan walked up to the Jukgan.

“I will stamp the Jik In.”

Before anyone realized it, a golden Jik In was in Geum Mok-hwan’s hand.

At that, Ong Jin-su, Gwak Jindo, and even the Alliance Leader’s eyes widened.

There was the Geum In they had all been searching for in secrecy.

Ignoring their gazes, Geum Mok-hwan stamped the Jik In at the very bottom.

—Hwanggeum Gaju

The Geum In was stamped again onto the Jukgan.