Chapter 13

On the evening of the third day of training. The time when the sun was still hanging on the ridge of the western mountains...

Finally, the patience of No Hak, a beggar of the Beggars' Sect and one of the 16 members, had reached its limit. Beggars were not a tribe that lived by suppressing their tempers. A being that lived by rummaging through this and that as they pleased was a beggar. To put it nicely, they were a free-spirited tribe; to put it badly, they were an impatient tribe. Here was a beggar who was a model of such a nature, and this exemplary beggar's name was No Hak.

Unable to endure the outrageous life any longer, No Hak finally exploded. He threw down the axe handle he was holding, shot up from his seat, and began to protest fiercely to Bi Ryu-yeon. His voice was loud, as if he had been suppressing a lot inside. He shouted at the top of his lungs, as if to shatter Bi Ryu-yeon's eardrums, and defied him with a scream.

From Bi Ryu-yeon's perspective, a heaven-and-earth-enraging situation had occurred where a worthless disciple, like a broken gourd, was defying his master who was like the heavens.

"I can't take it anymore! How long do we have to do these chores? What is this? We didn't come to this remote training center deep in Mount Emei to do these chores. What we want is martial arts training, not these useless chores. Do you understand? I wouldn't do these chores even if you beat me to death. If you keep making us do chores and don't teach us martial arts, I'm going to quit this training camp and everything and go back to the Cheonmu Academy!"

As he poured out all the resentment he had been suppressing, No Hak felt a refreshing feeling as if his insides had been cleared out. He thought it was a good start. Though he didn't know what would happen next...

"Oh-ho, are you defying me now?"

A disciple's defiance... At this exciting situation, Bi Ryu-yeon's heart ached. Perhaps because of that, the small veins on Bi Ryu-yeon's forehead began to bulge. He seemed to be very angry. And yet, he was still smiling with a smile on his face, which was even more terrifying. In any case, it was unforgivable. It was not something that could ever be forgiven. From ancient times, there was not a single disciple who defied their master who ended up well, nor was there one who succeeded.

"Yes, I am defying you. I can't accept this anymore. Are you going to teach us or not?"

It hadn't even been a few days, but No Hak showed no signs of backing down, as if he had so many accumulated complaints.

"You want to learn martial arts?"

Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes narrowed. His gaze began to shine in a way that was somehow unusual. Watching him silently, this beggar brat named No Hak, his actions showed not even a speck of respect for his master. As Bi Ryu-yeon looked at the sight of a disciple defying his master who was like the heavens, many thoughts flashed through his mind.

'Do they teach all the beggar brats like that in the Beggars' Sect? Are all the beggars of the Beggars' Sect like that? Is being a beggar everything? A guy like that needs to be beaten. He needs to get a few good hits to come to his senses. Yes, that's right.'

Bi Ryu-yeon tentatively made a decision on his future actions to deal with No Hak.

'Let's handle him appropriately.'

Bi Ryu-yeon asked with a smiling, cheerful voice. But it was a voice that contained something that made the listener's hair stand on end.

"You want to learn martial arts?"

"Yes."

"Alright, fine. Then I will teach you a move, a martial art. Now... watch carefully."

"Shwoook!"

In an instant, Bi Ryu-yeon's figure, which had been in front of No Hak's eyes, disappeared, leaving behind a hazy afterimage. No Hak's eyes widened.

"No, this can't be. Where on earth..."

No Hak was horrified. In a short time, various thoughts simultaneously rummaged through No Hak's mind. But for his dull gaze to follow Bi Ryu-yeon's figure was more impossible than the sun rising in the southwest.

"Swoosh!"

The next moment, Bi Ryu-yeon's figure appeared right in front of No Hak's nose. It was an instant. It was a terrifying speed that made defense unthinkable. Following was Bi Ryu-yeon's resounding shout.

"Sambok Guta Gwonbeop (Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method)!"

A resounding voice burst from Bi Ryu-yeon's mouth. His spirit was at its peak. He was so angry that his shout was also very loud.

"Pabapak, peokpeok, dududu, ppasyappasya, ttu-swi."

At a furious speed that was almost invisible, Bi Ryu-yeon's fists exploded all over No Hak's body. Head, shoulders, knees, feet, knees, feet, without exception, every corner of the poor No Hak's body had to receive a fair and generous shower of Bi Ryu-yeon's fists. But despite being hit so hard, No Hak's body did not get pushed back. Strangely, his body was slowly lifted vertically. Thanks to that, No Hak had to take all the fists that were poured out without a single one being spared. It was truly hell. An unbroken chain of punches became a wave and crashed into No Hak's body. It was a moment where a night of literally flying blood and flesh was being directed.

Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method? Guta (Dog Beating) Fist Method, doesn't it mean a fist method for beating a dog in the heat of the dog days? It was the first time since No Hak was born that he had been beaten to the point of his mind going blank. In his own Beggars' Sect, there was a mysterious secret method for beating a dog called the 'Dog Beating Staff Method,' which was secretly passed down as a sect leader's secret. Since No Hak himself held the status of the second disciple of the Beggars' Sect leader, Yong Chwi-gae, he had had the opportunity to witness this secret Dog Beating Staff Method. His master, the Beggars' Sect leader Yong Chwi-gae, had a history of making No Hak attack him to test his martial arts skills and learning progress, and then beating him like a dog with that Dog Beating Staff Method. No Hak, who held the bitter memory of that time deep in his heart, had a firm belief that there could be no more terrifying and powerful dog-beating method in this world than the Dog Beating Staff Method.

However, this thought of his had to be thoroughly revised starting from this moment today. Because he had just been beaten all over and knocked down by a dog-beating method that was as powerful as, no, clearly more powerful than, the Dog Beating Staff Method. As a result of experiencing it directly with his whole body, the Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method did not have the mysterious subtlety of the Dog Beating Staff Method, but it had a powerful, simple brutishness to replace it. This simple and brutish, yet cheerful, fist work was a terrifying fist method from which one could find no way to escape, no matter how hard one looked. Since there was no way to escape, there was no other choice but to take all those fists.

Originally, the Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method was an original fist method created by Bi Ryu-yeon's master himself, and it was a fist method composed of three parts. The peculiar point of this fist method was that it was divided into three parts—Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3—not three forms. The reason it was divided into parts instead of forms was that there were no forms or patterns in this fist method at all. Power, speed, and a little bit of knack were all there was to it.

Each of the three parts is divided into Chobok (First Dog Day), Jungbok (Middle Dog Day), and Malbok (Last Dog Day), and these three parts together are called Sambok (Three Dog Days). The power of each divided part varies greatly as one moves through the stages.

First, if you beat someone with the Chobok stage, you will moderately handle the opponent's entire body, and then the opponent will be in a half-dead state. Jungbok is a part that exerts a more powerful force than Chobok, and if you are hit by this, the opponent will be in a near-dead state, a 'one step away from the road to the afterlife' state. The last part, Malbok, as its name suggests, if you are hit by this, you will literally be beaten to death like a dog. The dog's death here does not mean a cheap death or a death of no value, but literally means being beaten to death like a dog.

There is a theory that when preparing dog meat soup before the dog days, if you beat the dog like a dog and then catch it, the meat becomes tender. Of course, a theory is just a theory. But what was created with inspiration from this rumor was this grandly and flamboyantly named Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method. Therefore, the fact that it hurts so much you really want to die if you are hit by this fist method is undoubtedly the absolute truth.

No Hak was in a lot of pain. Extreme pain was tearing at his whole body. His eyes had long since become black eyes, and his face was so swollen that he couldn't even make out the outline of his original face. His whole body was covered in bruises from full-body contusions, and it was a wonder that there were no fractures. The exquisite subtlety of not damaging the bones even in a half-dead state. According to Bi Ryu-yeon, that was the subtlety and true taste of this technique.

Chobok only damages the skin and muscles, but Jungbok breaks the bones, and Malbok takes the life. This was the true power of the Guta Method. No Hak was able to get up from his bed after being nursed for three days, and after that, he never showed any complaints, not only in front of Bi Ryu-yeon but also in front of others. Also, in front of Bi Ryu-yeon, he crawled around like a mangy puppy.

That incident (also known as the 'No Hak Beating Incident') had the effect of simultaneously sealing the mouths of all the other people who had witnessed the tragedy at that time. After that incident, complaints and grievances being reported to Bi Ryu-yeon's ears vanished. The events of that day would remain deep in everyone's hearts and would not be easily forgotten.

Tang Mun-hye and Danmok Susu shook their heads violently from side to side as if to shake off the nightmare of that day. Tang Mun-hye's mouth had already closed on its own and showed no sign of opening.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

A clear and pure bell sound echoed from the top of the mountain.

"Hey, what are you doing? Snap out of it."

"Huh?"

Danmok Susu's voice and the echoing bell sound woke her from her thoughts. Tang Mun-hye still couldn't forget that day. The blood that had splattered on her face at that time was by no means a small amount. The pungent smell of blood, the warm touch of blood, the red-stained vision—it was an experience she would absolutely refuse a second time.

'I must not become like that.'

Tang Mun-hye quietly and deeply murmured to herself. She gradually felt her heart calm down. Her fierce complaints, like a frightened mole, had run away somewhere and could not be found. Fear must have suppressed her anger.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

Danmok Susu urged Tang Mun-hye as she listened to the bell sound that had been echoing for a while.

"Mun-hye, let's go quickly. It's the signal to gather. Since it's ringing three short times, it must be the signal for mealtime. We have to go now."

"Alright."

Tang Mun-hye and Danmok Susu gathered the laundry they were doing and began to walk hurriedly towards the lodging building. They wanted to run at high speed, but it was still too much to use their lightness skill to pick up speed. Behind their receding backs, the valley with its natural transparency flowed coolly. What fate awaited them? Only the heavens and Bi Ryu-yeon would know.

---

• The Namgung Sang Love Affair Incident

Since when was it, the moment I held her in my heart...

Since when was it, the time I looked at her and longed for her...

Who said it, that love is longing. I long for her.

I long for her like crazy. But the distance between her and me is only far, and as much as that distance, I long for her even more.

Namgung Sang was looking at the sky. The stars, densely embedded in the night sky like a field spread with darkness blacker than jet-black, looked somehow lonely. This heart, stuffy and as if completely blocked somewhere. Only sighs kept leaking out. Since he had held a sword at the age of three, he had never had his heart stolen by another being like this...

She, who had completely captivated him for the first time since the coolness of the chillingly blue sword light he had touched and felt with his small hand back then. Just looking at her, everything in his mind and body moves towards her. The strength in his right hand holding the sword keeps weakening, and his mind loses focus and wanders. It is an irresistible force that he cannot stop his gaze, which should be looking in the same direction as the sword, from constantly turning towards her. Namgung Sang could also feel that his path as a warrior was getting farther and farther away. Knowing that full well, only sighs were exhaled because of his own appearance, unable to control his heart.

"Phew..."

"Hoho, if you're going to suffer like that, you might as well confess boldly like a man. I'm getting more frustrated just watching from the side."

Hyeonun, who had been silently appreciating his friend's heavy sigh as if it were a solemn song, felt the limit of his patience as a Taoist priest and chimed in.

"Hyeonun, if it were that simple, why would I be worrying like this? It's because I can't do that, that's why I'm like this. You know that full well, yet you say that?"

"Well, it's not that I don't know your pure love, but it's just too frustrating to watch from the side. Now, put an end to this one-way unrequited love and boldly challenge a two-way street."

Is that person really an aspiring Taoist priest? His appearance is not right at all. Namgung Sang said as he looked at his friend who was spouting such remarks without hesitation. But his gaze had lost its strength and was already lifeless.

"Hoho, hey Sang, if it were me, I would run to Miss Jin right now and confess my feelings. What are you going to do if some other guy snatches Miss Jin while you're hesitating like this? Have courage. Miss Jin may be one of the Seven Phoenixes, but aren't you also one of the Nine Dragons? What is there to be intimidated about? Be confident. Your current appearance doesn't look like Namgung Sang of the Namgung Sword Family, one of the Nine Dragons like me. Confess, confess. Offer all your heart to Miss Jin. Haven't they said since ancient times that only the brave win the fair lady? How can you just suffer in silence without even trying to challenge?"

"Hehe, it seems that in Taoism these days, they've changed their teachings to 'achieve the ultimate true Tao through love, let's all love.' I guess they teach the art of love at Wudang too? Learn it diligently. If you don't want to end up like me later, it would be good to study love and romance diligently from now on. Well, let's say that's that. How was it, learning the art of love? Hehe... I get it, I get it. Let's stop now. You friend who is not like a Taoist priest. Hehe, confess, confess..."

Namgung Sang silently looked at the darkness of the sky, embroidered with silver. Like the color of a black, deep abyss, his heart was just stuffy, and his steps, shackled, were just heavy.

At the spot where Namgung Sang was moping while looking at the stars in the sky, where Namgung Sang, who had been sighing deeply as if the sky would collapse and the earth would sink, was finally comforted and led away by his close friend and rival, and also his counselor in times of trouble, Hyeonun, the shadow of a black figure suddenly appeared. The identity of the black figure was none other than Bi Ryu-yeon. He had been listening to every silent sound from the tree until now and had come down.

"Kuk-kuk, he really lives up to his name, Namgung Sang. The sight of him squatting down and moping at that age. Tsk, tsk."

Bi Ryu-yeon had been secretly watching the whole situation from the tree until now. Listening to the complaints of a man in love, it was just too frustrating and foolish. He thought about jumping down and punching him, but he decided to let it go just once. How could he do that to his beloved disciple? In that moment, Bi Ryu-yeon thought that he had to solve the love troubles of the moping Namgung Sang, if only to not hear those annoying complaints again. Whether this would be a fortune or a misfortune for Namgung Sang was something only God would know...

"Puhehe."

With a noble (?) laugh, Bi Ryu-yeon's body disappeared into the darkness.

The pretty Jin Ryeong, who was diligently cooking and doing laundry, concentrating on her household chores, received a letter from her master. The master here, of course, refers to Bi Ryu-yeon, who was currently teaching her.

To Ryeong-ah,

Come to the forest behind the training center without letting the other kids know. I have something important to tell you. This is a very important matter, so be sure to come by the beginning of the hour of the monkey (between 6 PM and 7 PM) without fail. And, you must keep in mind that this matter is an absolute secret from others.

From your cool, benevolent, and loving, invincible, strongest man, Master!

Jin Ryeong, who received the letter, couldn't help but be bewildered. To come out secretly out of the blue? This had never happened before, so her bewilderment could only be greater. But since it was her master's order, she couldn't disobey—she was afraid of the aftermath if she did—so Jin Ryeong had no choice but to go to the meeting place her master had told her to come to by the beginning of the hour of the monkey (between 6 PM and 7 PM). Thinking that nothing special would happen, she decided with a light heart. Without even knowing what fate awaited her.