Book 18 Chapter 3
Selection (拔擢)
—Being chosen and discarded
According to common knowledge, people constantly doubt others' morality or character. However, this endless suspicion is not innate. Didn't Master Meng of old preach that humans are born with a good nature, the Four Beginnings? To reiterate what everyone knows, out of concern, let's recall them: the compassion that pities others, the shame and dislike of evil, the modesty that yields to others (though it seems almost eradicated now), and the sense of right and wrong. These are frequently tested topics at the Cheonmu Academy's entrance exams, but rote memorization holds little value. Like any theory, it doesn't bring about any change in the world until put into practice.
However, recently, there's an argument that even these theories might overestimate humans. As the majority of people live forgetting progress, there's little to argue against such claims. One reason for humanity's stagnation is pinpointed as ‘suspicion,’ which breeds doubt, and doubt creates limitations. Bi Ryuyeon agreed with this assertion.
“Ryuryong, do you know whom humans suspect the most?”
To Bi Ryuyeon's abrupt question, Hyo Ryong closed the ‘Theory of Useless Secrets,’ one of the Cheonmu Academy's recommended 108 books (which some call 108 books nobody reads) and looked at Bi Ryuyeon. Then, his friend—though suspicious—asked again in a cheerful voice.
“Parents, siblings, wife, friends, lovers, children, or an affair partner. Pick one.”
Although he kindly provided options, Hyo Ryong didn't fall for it. He was confident that this person, who usually shouts that the answers to life are never among multiple-choice options, wouldn't be so kind as to put the answer in the choices. Certain doubt is no longer doubt but conviction.
“Well, I don't know. Their enemy?”
“No!”
Bi Ryuyeon said.
“No, rather, we trust our enemies. They will surely do us harm. How clean and trustworthy. Don't you think so?”
“Is… that so?”
Hyo Ryong found himself momentarily swayed by the oddly convincing words.
“Of course!”
With an answer that left no room for further deliberation, he gazed at his friend's face. Though his eyes weren't visible, people have an aura. After a long moment, Hyo Ryong spoke heavily.
“You're serious.”
Perhaps, no, certainly, the cleanliness he spoke of meant that there's no need to hesitate when dealing with them; one can simply punish them effectively, powerfully, and thoroughly, and then it's over. It was a thought process difficult for an ordinary person like himself to comprehend.
“If not an enemy… then perhaps a lover?”
Romance has always been a source of trouble since the dawn of creation. To that, Bi Ryuyeon retorted.
“Hm? Ryuryong, is something going on with that young lady you've been seeing lately?”
He regretted not asking, but like always, it was too late.
“Wh-what's going on? There are no problems.”
Hyo Ryong hastily denied it, waving his hands.
“Seeing how flustered you are beyond expectation makes me feel good. What's the problem?”
That hit the mark.
“Th-that is… since Miss Dokgo went missing, she's been feeling down. I'm at a loss, unable to comfort her properly.”
Men, by nature, are generally powerless before a woman's tears.
“Hmm… I understand that feeling.”
Bi Ryuyeon's uncharacteristic acceptance left Hyo Ryong bewildered. But it was understandable, as Im Jinseol wasn't the only one heartbroken by this issue. The bond between Na Yerim and Dokgo Ryong was far deeper, stronger, and longer than that between Im Jinseol and Dokgo Ryong.
“Anyway, it's not a lover.”
“Then who is it? Stop beating around the bush and tell me. The rice will burn.”
Hyo Ryong threw in the towel. Bi Ryuyeon pointed to his heart and said,
“It's me!”
“What? You? Oh, indeed! It makes sense if it's you. Not anyone else but you. The title of Public Enemy of the Martial World doesn't even befit you. You're more suited to be the enemy of humanity. Hmm, indeed, suspecting no one more than yourself, that's wise advice.”
Hyo Ryong nodded in agreement. Resolving to do the same. Then, Bi Ryuyeon shook his head with a look of pity.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Do you want to taste what it's like to be the enemy of humanity?”
“No, I'll pass. I think I'll get food poisoning.”
Hyo Ryong, always mindful that healthy eating is the shortcut to longevity, declined vehemently, waving his hands.
“I'm not Bi Ryuyeon, I mean, oneself!”
Truly, conveying meaning through words is an incredibly difficult task.
“Oneself?”
“Yes, oneself!”
Statistically, the person at the very top of the pyramid of suspicion is surprisingly oneself. Humans don't trust anyone more than themselves. It's astounding that they can deny their own existence so casually. However, some may not be surprised, being too accustomed to it. Those who don't trust themselves are likely to suspect others of being the same. Perhaps the education itself is flawed from the start. Some even propose conspiracy theories. They claim that an education is subtly and openly conducted to make people unable to avoid doubting or demeaning themselves. The reason is that it benefits those who want to consolidate their power by mass-producing ignorant people. Those who think for themselves are a nuisance.
Rumor has it that in a certain distant western region, the premise that humans are inherently sinful animals is an absolute prerequisite, and any challenge is unacceptable. Even if one doesn't commit a sin, their great-grandfather's great-grandfather's great-grandfather's… *wheeze, let me rest*… and their grandmother committed a grave sin, which is imprinted in their blood and passed down. The rather cowardly aspect is that this sin can never be washed away, no matter what. The great sin was a kind of fruit theft.
Perhaps ever since then, humans have learned that hating and demeaning oneself is a noble attitude. That's why humans suspect themselves the most. The reason they can be cruel and mean to others might be that they think, since there's original sin—what does it matter if they suffer or not—it makes no difference. It's not uncommon for humans to fail to recognize that they cannot escape their existence.
Once self-deprecation becomes a habit, people cannot believe it when good things happen to them. They suspect that such good fortune couldn't possibly happen to them. Therefore, instead of praising themselves, they suspect themselves first.
“But was it really necessary to say that at this very moment? What's the reason for saying that suddenly?”
“Just because!”
Bi Ryuyeon's answer was anticlimactic.
“I don't believe you.”
Hyo Ryong countered.
“Didn't you just hear me? Suspicion isn't good. It eats away at your soul.”
“I trust my own sense of right and wrong, having spent three years with you.”
“Ho ho, are you picking a fight now?”
“A fight? Absolutely not. I'm merely saying I have faith in my own judgment.”
What's there is already conviction.
“Tsk, the world has become so bleak. You learn too quickly.”
“It’s not that……”
Hyo Ryong tried to protest but was cut off. He caught a sound.
“Fifteen, no, twenty paces away?”
The distance was closing. The footsteps were approaching rapidly, and their irregular rhythm indicated that their owner was in a great hurry.
“See. A good specimen will arrive soon.”
Bi Ryuyeon said with a smirk.
At their level, they could identify a person just by the sound of footsteps from dozens of paces away.
“Hmm, should we leave the door open?”
“That would be best. Seeing how urgently they're running, they still haven't fixed that habit.”
Bi Ryuyeon said with a cluck of his tongue.
“What habit?”
“You'll see.”
“You can tell a person's psychological state just by their footsteps?”
“Of course. A person's footsteps contain the life they've lived. Moreover, the human mind and body are not separate as people imagine. The body is drawn to where the mind leads, and the mind is pulled towards where the body goes. Mind and body influence each other constantly, everywhere. The less mature one is, the more the mind is exposed externally through the body. Nakedly. Being able to read emotional states so easily from mere footsteps is proof of immaturity.”
Only then did Hyo Ryong realize what Bi Ryuyeon meant by habit.
“That… is a habit humans haven't corrected in thousands of years. Isn't it too harsh to criticize someone for not fixing it after only a few years?”
“That’s it! Exactly that!”
Bi Ryuyeon suddenly exclaimed, pointing his finger as if to poke Hyo Ryong’s brow. With a gaze that seemed ready to poke his eye, Hyo Ryong instinctively flinched.
“Wh-what is ‘that’?”
“Tsk tsk, that's self-doubt. By constantly belittling human limitations, you never reach the bottom. There's nothing left. How absurd it is to look down at the limits you should overcome instead of up.”
As Hyo Ryong felt a pang of guilt at the pointed remark that he was no better, a person burst through the open door at an incredibly fast speed. If the door had been closed, they would have smashed it down with their momentum. It was Yun Junho.
Fortunately, the door, which had been opened beforehand, wasn't broken.
* * *
“Yeeeeeesss!! Is, is that really true?”
“It is.”
Compared to Yun Junho's shock, which bordered on fainting, Master Godokhan's answer was so perfunctory it could be criticized as insufficiently brief.
“Master Go, is that truly, truly, the real truth? Perhaps it's a namesake……”
Thanks to his small but noticeable exploits in the Huashan branch, his 주변 perception and evaluation were changing, but he seemed to be the one most unable to escape his preconceived notions.
“If you are Yun Junho, a third-year student at Cheonmu Academy from the Huashan sect, then it is true. Congratulations. You have been selected as an examiner for the ‘Seungcheonmuje,’ Cheonmu Academy's entrance examination. I hope you do your best.”
“Such an undeserved honor! Th-thank you, Master!”
Yun Junho let out a cry of joy and dashed towards his friends like a storm.
This was what happened just before Yun Junho stormed into the ‘Aisohoe’ building with terrifying momentum.
* * *
“So?”
Bi Ryuyeon's reaction to Yun Junho, who, without even catching his breath, was rambling about being selected as an entrance examiner—something he'd never dreamed of—was utterly indifferent. This was far from the expectations Yun Junho had harbored on his way here.
“What? I, I was chosen as a Cheonmu Academy entrance examiner! Isn't that surprising?”
“Not really.”
Bi Ryuyeon once again drove a stake into the young man's heart. The innocent youth trembled with emotion, and the trembling hadn't stopped, but Bi Ryuyeon's reaction remained indifferent.
“Is that something to make such a fuss about? To the point of verifying its truth dozens of times?”
“H-how did you know that?”
Yun Junho retorted, startled as if his actions were laid bare. He had indeed repeatedly confirmed the fact with Godokhan, the Master who informed him, dozens of times.
“A person's words and actions are mirrors reflecting the present. It's obvious from that much. Was it such an unbelievably astonishing event?”
“Y-yes! Are you asking if that's true? I've been chosen as an examiner for the ‘Seungcheonmuje,’ the entrance examination for Cheonmu Academy, a grand festival for the entire martial arts world! Me, of all people! Such an honor!”
Overcome with emotion, tears welled up in his eyes like a waterfall. Seeing that, Bi Ryuyeon frowned and said curtly.
“What's so great about that? It's just manual labor anyway. The Masters sit comfortably, and we students do the legwork. It's just simple manual labor. It's a ‘human measuring stick,’ meant to gauge the value of hatchlings.”
“M-manual labor? Such abusive language!”
Fearing someone might overhear, Yun Junho looked around urgently a couple of times and pleaded.
“Pl-please refrain from saying that again! Everyone considers it an honor!”
“What? Say it again, clearly?”
If Yun Junho thought this man would meekly listen to such advice, he hadn't truly grasped Bi Ryuyeon. This time, as if to ensure he wouldn't forget even in his sleep, he grabbed Yun Junho's right ear with one hand and brought his mouth close to it. Yun Junho was flustered by the breath tickling his ear, but Bi Ryuyeon paid it no mind. And then he shouted.
“It's manual labor, manual labor! Unquestionably manual labor. And the worst and most malicious kind, unpaid manual labor. Honor, my foot. They use us because we're cheap. Besides, an examiner is just an assistant examiner. The ‘bodyguard,’ so to speak. You’re just doing the grunt work for the old folks. The old guys are too lazy to move, so they pick young people and call it an honor. Anyway, martial arts are about practical application that can be demonstrated, not just theory.”
As if that weren't enough, he added one more thing.
“We're just tools, not appraisers.”
And then he delivered the final blow.
“So, feel free to bask in your solitary ecstasy, but don't drag others into it unnecessarily. It's tiring. Understand?”
“Ah, I understand. So please let go of my ear. It hurts, Ryuyeon!”
“Good!”
Only then did he release Yun Junho's ear, which he had stretched like a rubber band. As if testing its elasticity, he let go. Yun Junho, with tears welling up, said,
“Do you dislike this job that much? You're the only one who doesn't consider this an honor?”
“Why do I always have to agree with values defined by others? I can't understand that logic. I hate being someone else's tool.”
“I don't quite understand.”
“I never asked you to understand, and there's no need to. It's my values, not yours. But don't try to force me into clothes that don't fit me, made by others.”
Seeing the dejected Yun Junho, Bi Ryuyeon spoke again. His tone was still unforgiving.
“Besides, the exams here are too formal. I doubt they can select truly capable individuals through such rigid, standardized methods.”
“Are you saying there's a problem with the way Seungcheonmuje is conducted?”
“Of course, there is. Aren't exams supposed to look towards the future rather than the present?”
“Well, of course, but……”
“Then do you think it's possible to gauge future potential with present methods?”
“Perhaps it is?”
“If it's possible, it's possible, and if it's not, it's not. Why give vague answers like ‘perhaps it is’? You should express your opinion clearly. What are you going to do with your opinion later? Decorate your house with it?”
“I, I apologize.”
Seeing Yun Junho quickly apologize, Bi Ryuyeon became even more enraged and shouted.
“And why are you apologizing! Don't offer meaningless apologies! They're worse than none! Apologies made on the spur of the moment are mere reflexes. If you don't realize what you did wrong, there's no sincerity in them, is there? What's the point of receiving such empty apologies but feeling annoyed!”
He was already in a bad mood.
“Most of all, what’s most annoying is that I was chosen too! My wishes completely ignored!”
“But you've already been chosen……”
He couldn't possibly say it was absurd to dismiss something like this.
“Are you telling me to give up because I’ve already been chosen?”
Bi Ryuyeon countered with a sharp voice.
“Th-that is……”
Yun Junho flinched at his terrifying demeanor.
“Why should I?”
The emotion in Bi Ryuyeon's voice began to peel away.
“Why should I calmly accept something I haven't agreed to? Without hearing any explanation? Because they have higher status? Because I'm just a student? Is it that students must always follow orders from the academy? Is this place, Cheonmu Academy, so non-autonomous, non-voluntary, and non-creative?”
“……”
Yun Junho was bewildered by Bi Ryuyeon's cold reaction, not knowing how to respond. Bi Ryuyeon's reaction was so far from his imagination that he didn't know how to deal with it. It seemed this timid person still needed to train himself further.
“If you only follow what others tell you to do, you'll never progress! If you don't want to remain in the same place forever, you have to walk on your own!”
Well, it's not entirely Yun Junho's fault. He knows, but he can't help but raise his voice.
It is said that a family accumulating good deeds will surely have leftover blessings, and a family accumulating evil deeds will surely have leftover calamities! The story says that in a home where good is accumulated, there will surely be good fortune, and in a home where evil is accumulated, there will surely be disaster. No phenomenon happens overnight. Although it's the result of various environmental, educational, and psychological factors accumulating, ultimately, one must take responsibility for oneself. It might be unfair at times, but the world is cold.
Bi Ryuyeon let out a sigh, stood up abruptly, and walked purposefully towards the door. His steps were without the slightest hesitation.
“Wh-where are you going?”
Yun Junho asked, flustered.
“To refuse!”
Bi Ryuyeon replied curtly.
“Al-already?”
Even considering his good execution, this seemed too fast.
“If you only think, you can achieve nothing. The shorter the distance between thought and action, the better, in my opinion. Your beliefs are meant to be upheld, not broken.”
With that said, Bi Ryuyeon slammed the door shut.
“Hyo Ryong, is he really going? To refuse?”
To Yun Junho's question, Hyo Ryong nodded.
“Of course. What kind of person is he? Would he take back his words once spoken?”
“I suppose so?”
“It's going to be a bit inconvenient.”
“It… will, won’t it?”
Yun Junho agreed. No one could stop Bi Ryuyeon in that state. All they could do was silently watch and pretend not to know, feigning ignorance until his outburst (which he’d write as ‘rampage’) ended. At times like this, the whistling he'd practiced came in handy.
The fortunate thing was that the ones who would face inconvenience were not themselves. In that fact, Yun Junho and Hyo Ryong found a little comfort and solace amidst the heavy reality of being Bi Ryuyeon's friends. They were willing to be called cowards for it.
Bi Ryuyeon had no intention of unnecessarily lengthening the gap between thought and action. It was too uneconomical. So he immediately went to find Ma Jinga, the head of Cheonmu Academy. Despite his busy schedule, Ma Jinga granted him an audience. After all, Bi Ryuyeon was officially the winner of the recent Huashan branch competition (though it ended ignominiously). It was a busy time, and a one-on-one meeting was impossible, but Bi Ryuyeon didn't mind. He was completely uninhibited, regardless of who was watching.
“Why do you want to refuse, Bi Ryuyeon?”
After hearing Bi Ryuyeon's request, Ma Jinga rubbed his temples as if in pain, then managed to calm down and ask again.
“This is a very honorable task as a Cheonmu Academy warden. No one else has refused it. Not this year, nor in the last hundred years.”
It was as if he were arguing that Bi Ryuyeon's refusal was a great impiety, implying that everyone else remained silent, so why should he unnecessarily question it? (And by majority rule, that would likely be true). However, the core issue was that Bi Ryuyeon himself did not agree with this idea at all, and had no intention of doing so in the future.
“It simply doesn't hold value in my world. That's all.”
This meant that even if you claim it's honorable, if I don't find it particularly glorious or honorable, it's meaningless. If I like something, does that mean everyone else has to like it too? If something is beneficial to me, does it have to be beneficial to others? Why can't people escape the same logic? Bi Ryuyeon found this inwardly displeasing and at times incredibly frustrating.
“Is there any other reason besides that?”
Ma Jinga asked.
“I'm not fond of being someone else's tool or taking arbitrary exams.”
“A tool? What are you talking about? That's an excessive thought.”
“Is it really?”
“Of course.”
Ma Jinga replied, clearing his throat repeatedly. It seemed he had something to hide.
“Is there any other reason besides that?”
Ma Jinga asked again, changing the subject.
“I just hate looking for meaningless answers. Or rather, I should say collecting them.”
“What do you mean by meaningless answers? This is about selecting talented individuals who will benefit the martial arts world. How can you dismiss that as a meaningless answer?”
“Because it's not a question I asked.”
“Your answer is too short. I don't understand. Why not elaborate a bit? Just because you have a conclusion doesn't mean the other party can know it all, does it?”
“I thought it might be boring. And it's troublesome too.”
“It can be boring sometimes. The world can't always be fun, can it? But don't worry. If it gets boring, I'll just take a nap and wake up when it's over. But if I'm interested in what you have to say, there won't be time to be bored, will there?”
“But what one finds interesting depends entirely on their own will. You can't force someone to say, ‘You must find this interesting!’ It has a low probability of success, is not nutritious, and I don't really want to do it. It doesn't pay either.”
“That's true. Your point is valid.”
“However, it can only be tempted, and I don't want to waste precious time on that. It's troublesome and meaningless.”
“Still, I think I've just become a little interested. I'm ready to listen now, so go ahead. I'll fight boredom here. So, what is a question to you?”
Bi Ryuyeon began, prefacing it by saying it might be boring.
“A question is the process by which one participates in the world. The answer doesn't come before asking the question. If you want to see something, you have to ask a fitting question. The way the entrance exam, Seungcheonmuje, is conducted is also a type of question. It's to select people who can answer that question.”
“Of course!”
They can't just pick anyone. They need talent that can provide the answers they want. Moreover, they are looking for potential.
“That's the problem. I don't really agree with that question.”
“Does that mean that with the current method, you can't select proper talent?”
“Well, maybe you can. There are countless variables. Someone like me, a hidden gem, was somehow selected, right? In that regard, Cheonmu Academy was lucky.”
Perhaps due to his thick skin, he showed no signs of wavering even while boasting about himself. Furthermore, in his case, it would be more accurate to say he was forcibly selected rather than just selected.
“Ahem! I won't argue about that.”
Ma Jinga said with dignity.
“Well, to put it simply, it's inefficient. Very, very, very! Extremely, extremely, extremely!”
Bi Ryuyeon expressed his opinion without reservation. There was no need to feel intimidated when expressing his thoughts.
“There's no need to go that far……”
“The answers to questions to which I myself have not assigned meaning are also meaningless. What meaning would meaningless answers have for me? Something that has already become meaningless. And for free!”
“Hmm……”
Despite all the talk, in conclusion, he just didn't want to do pointless work. And for free, too. But that put them in a difficult position as well.
“Then how would you participate?”
Ma Jinga asked.
A faint smile appeared on Bi Ryuyeon's lips. Inducing a question he desired was a highly difficult task. However, if the other party asked the question he wanted, it became incredibly easy to provide the answer he wanted. What came out of Bi Ryuyeon's mouth was so abrupt that it made even nonsensical sayings seem rational.
“In Zhuangzi's ‘Discussion on the Equality of Things,’ it says, ‘The sky is round, and the earth is square.’ (天圓地方)”
In fact, a circle symbolizes infinity, and a square symbolizes finiteness. So, rather than a literal interpretation, it meant that the sky is infinite and the earth is finite. However, from the perspective of the answer Bi Ryuyeon sought, such metaphysical discussions were merely branches or obstacles. What he sought now was something extremely secular, materialistic, and mundane.
“I too, like the ancient sages, love the sky and the earth.”
“……?”
While the other Masters were bewildered, at a point where it was once again proven that conversation couldn't happen with only incomprehensible words, only Ma Jinga nodded.
“Good. How much do you want?”
“It is said, ‘Heaven endures, Earth abides.’ (天長地久)”
Tianzhangdijiu (天長地久). This phrase from Laozi's Tao Te Ching literally means the sky is long and the earth is old, but simply put, it means both the sky and the earth are incredibly, eternally enduring things. The commonly used expression 'janggu' (長久, long-lasting) is derived from this by omitting heaven and earth.
“Understood. We will make arrangements accordingly. Then, is the deal settled?”
“Of course. Thank you for your service. Goodbye.”
As his business was concluded, Bi Ryuyeon bowed slightly as if he had nothing else to do and turned to leave the conference room.
And much later,
The Masters, who still found the situation incomprehensible no matter how much they pondered it, grudgingly asked,
“But… excuse me… Warden?”
“Yes, speak.”
“So… what was the meaning of the conversation just now?”
“What? You didn't know?”
It was Ma Jinga who asked in return.
“Yes, I don't really know.”
From Ma Jinga's perspective, it was strange that they didn't know something so simple, but from their side, it seemed more strange that he knew it.
“The sky is round, and the earth is square. In short, he wants ‘something’ that embodies the shapes of the sky and the earth. Something like this.”
Then, Iron Fist Ma Jinga joined the tips of his index finger and thumb to form a circle, making a very significant and symbolic hand seal passed down from ancient times. Seeing that blatant form, the Masters finally nodded.
“Ah, I see. Then Tianzhangdijiu means……”
Ma Jinga sighed briefly. He felt sorry for himself for entrusting work to these people.
‘You should know that much on your own.’
‘Sigh,’ Ma Jinga said with a deep sigh.
“It means ‘the more, the better’ (多多益善).”
“Ah!”
Only then did they all seem to understand.
“But why didn't you tell them that the rules have changed this time? That it wouldn't be conducted in the traditional way?”
“Would they have told us if they had told us the new rules? Even if they had, they would have set more conditions.”
“That's certainly true.”
“That's why we only informed the prospective applicants and not the other children who were appointed as examiners. Furthermore……”
“Furthermore?”
“It's more fun to be surprised, isn't it? If you tell them everything in advance, it's no fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone reacts.”
“Ho ho, such a deep meaning……”
The Masters nodded as if impressed. Old age always brings boredom, and ingenious ideas to break this tedium hold great value.
“Do you think those children will notice? That the exam has already begun?”
Ma Jinga quietly muttered, looking at the door Bi Ryuyeon had exited.