Book 23 Chapter 3

You know it's impossible though, right?

- The Stolen Body

"Dara-ra!"

Biryu-yeon quietly refilled the empty glass that was pushed towards him without a word. However, despite Biryu-yeon's persistent efforts, the glass was quickly emptied again. There was no hole in the bottom of the glass. The one with the hole was the Master. This person's stomach seemed to have an endless capacity when it came to alcohol. After emptying his glass once more, the Master pushed the glass forward again and asked.

"Did you know this was a death trap?"

As he downed the glass, refilled without a single drop spilled, the Master asked Biryu-yeon.

"Of course. I'm not an idiot, why wouldn't I know that? My head isn't full of steel, after all. Haa…"

A sigh escaped his lips involuntarily. He was almost certain that no one in this world knew that fact better than he did.

"And yet you came here to die? You're an idiot."

The Master said with a chuckle.

"I'm not an idiot. Living a good, long life eating well is one of my grand goals."

Biryu-yeon replied firmly.

"That's quite a difficult goal you've set. There's nothing harder to achieve than that, in my opinion."

In the martial arts world, where swords and brute force reigned, there was nothing harder than living a long, good life eating well. And that would likely remain the same, even in an era of peace.

"It's only meaningful because it's a difficult goal."

Anyone who thinks that goal is easy is already looking down on this world. Those who trivialize happiness are destined to act carelessly. They think they can grasp happiness through such means. That's why they don't become happy. Living happily is truly one of the most difficult things to achieve in this world.

"Then, why are you here if you don't want to die?"

"Because I had no choice. This was the only way."

He came because he knew, even though he knew. All the more so because he knew too well.

"Oh? Hmm, that's interesting."

It was a reaction of amusement. Of course, Biryu-yeon found nothing amusing. Moreover, he knew it would only get less amusing from here on. But he had no intention of backing down. It was time to reveal why he was here, in this place, at this moment. This was a battle for his life.

"I'm here to negotiate."

Biryu-yeon said with a serious voice, his expression stern.

"Negotiate? With me?"

The Master asked again, downing another glass of alcohol. The fragrant aroma spread throughout his mouth, a heavenly dew indeed, worthy of the name.

"There's no one else here, is there?"

"Is that so? You believe you can preserve your life through mere negotiation?"

A much colder smile than before graced the Master's lips. But Biryu-yeon replied without wavering.

"Of course."

If he hadn't had that, he wouldn't have come here.

"Heh heh, how audacious. And so confident. Well, it's not bad. But since you've said so much, you must have a hand prepared to move me, right? While this wine is good, it's not enough?"

"You will be satisfied, I assure you."

Biryu-yeon replied confidently.

"Alright, then let's hear your terms? How much can you prepare?"

The old Master's question was truly blunt and direct. The frightening thing about the Master was his ability to ask such things so casually, without any shame.

"One hundred thousand nyang."

The Master's eyes left the wine glass for the first time and turned to Biryu-yeon.

"One hundred thousand nyang? Truly?"

The amount of one hundred thousand nyang had a formidable power to briefly disrupt the Master's composure.

'So the saying that money can even command ghosts is true!'

Seeing the Master react, Biryu-yeon felt a glimmer of hope. The power of money, capable of moving not only ghosts but also such natural disaster-level old monsters, was truly miraculous. Gaining a little more confidence, Biryu-yeon spoke in a confident voice.

"That's right. A full one hundred thousand nyang. How about it? I believe that's an amount that will satisfy you, Master?"

That much money could command ghosts. However, this old monster was on a higher level than ghosts. The Master shook his head, as if to say no.

"No, that's not what I asked. I think you've misunderstood. I asked if one hundred thousand nyang was all you could truly procure."

Money can command ghosts, but it seems one must be prepared to go bankrupt to move an old monster. That wouldn't be profitable.

'So a life is worthless!'

A life was worthless not because it had no value, but because it couldn't be valued.

"Just? Aren't you looking down on one hundred thousand nyang too casually? How can you say it's not enough?"

Biryu-yeon retorted, incredulous.

"It's not enough!"

The Master answered curtly.

"To eat raw…"

Just as Yeonbi was about to let out a frustrated sigh, the Master cut him off.

"Raw?"

The aura in his eyes as he looked at his disciple was unusual.

"What were you going to say after 'raw'?"

The Master asked sharply.

"No, well… I was going to say that fish is delicious when eaten raw."

He tried to play dumb for the moment.

"Tell me the truth."

It was no use.

"What do you mean, tell the truth? Master, I protest. Do you have any proof?"

Biryu-yeon protested.

"You're not a boy, you're a girl! I have suspicion, but it's certain. Besides, it's not me who wants to eat it raw, it's you!"

"Me, eat raw? What have I eaten raw? I've never done that."

"Then did you think that stealing the sect's treasure and running away could be overlooked with money? In any other place, your meridians would have been cut, your internal energy destroyed, and you would have been beheaded!"

The Master's roar was incredibly solemn.

"Stealing? I just borrowed it for a moment. I meant to lend it."

Biryu-yeon protested.

"Lend? For three years? If so, the late fees alone would make you a criminal."

The Master replied decisively, as if there was no room for compromise.

"A criminal…"

However, he couldn't think of any other rebuttal. His usually sharp tongue was unusually quiet today. The biggest problem was that he had no justification.

"Now do you understand which one of us is trying to eat it raw?"

"For now… let's leave it at that."

Still unwilling to lose, Biryu-yeon resisted until the end. However, the tide had already turned. He had never lost an argument before, but today, he had finally lost to his Master. He had met his match. Everyone has their natural enemy. In this world, where the two pillars of Yin and Yang are in exquisite balance, nothing is truly absolute.

"Then do you understand what this Master wants to say?"

"Yes, to some extent."

In other words, one hundred thousand nyang was definitely not enough. He knew it all too well, but knowing and wanting to comply were entirely different matters. While Biryu-yeon pondered the topic thrown by the Master, the Master added in a subtle voice.

"There's more, isn't there? Spend more."

Biryu-yeon's eyes widened upon hearing that.

"How did you know?"

Of course, even if the Master possessed such an idiotic ability, it wouldn't be strange at all, as he was truly a monster. For a long time, even without telepathy, he had possessed uncanny intuition, and Biryu-yeon had been tricked by him many times. Therefore, he had learned techniques to empty his mind, block his consciousness, and prevent thoughts from being revealed externally through his body. Now, he could perform these actions quite naturally without conscious effort. Moreover, the martial arts of the Birei sect were based on not having one's techniques or presence detected by the opponent. The Master said with a triumphant smile.

"Don't worry about it. The amount you mentioned first couldn't be true! Am I wrong?"

The smile on his lips seemed to say, "You're not good enough for me yet," which was very unpleasant.

"Tsk, how do you know that so well?"

Biryu-yeon grumbled in a crooked voice, sighing. He thought he had grown, but he seemed to be no match for the cunning old man who harbored hundreds of snakes within him. Perhaps finding his attitude cute, the Master shrugged his shoulders and said proudly.

"Of course. I taught you so!"

He had suddenly become a model disciple who remembered and practiced his Master's teachings, but he felt no joy.

"You must be so proud."

He couldn't express joy when he felt none.

"Heh heh. So, how much is it?"

Was the rest irrelevant? Biryu-yeon pondered for a moment. Should he hide it or reveal it? If he hid it, could he hide it until the end? Could he handle the consequences? Now that his intentions were read, hiding it further risked increasing the awkwardness to an unprecedented degree. The conclusion was quickly reached.

"Two hundred thousand nyang."

Biryu-yeon answered obediently. Of course, only the answer was obedient, not the content.

"Is that so? Then it's more than two hundred thousand nyang! It won't exceed four hundred thousand nyang, though. You wouldn't have offered less than half. So, is it three hundred thousand nyang?"

Biryu-yeon flinched.

"You should just be a fortune teller."

He had definitely learned a new bizarre technique while he wasn't looking. His caution towards his Master increased even further.

"My prediction was correct after all! Mwahahaha!"

"Do you have to laugh like that?"

Biryu-yeon grumbled, sounding embarrassed.

"What's wrong with that? It's my prerogative."

"Although the total prize money is five hundred thousand nyang, the first place prize is only three hundred thousand nyang. Plus, I'm doing this with two other people, so I can't take it all. We have to distribute the profits fairly, after all."

This was the truth. If he greedily neglected his partners for immediate gain, he could lose greater profits later. Moreover, one of those two could potentially be a lifelong partner—or rather, a companion.

"Hmm, that's a bit unfortunate. But are you the kind of person who would divide it equally?"

"Sob, do you doubt this disciple that much?"

Biryu-yeon appealed, as if in anguish, lamenting the widespread distrust in the world.

"Huh!"

The Master's response was devastatingly short. Biryu-yeon quickly resumed his usual demeanor as if nothing had happened.

"Tsk, of course not."

Like Master, like disciple.

"Don't try to skim any off the top carelessly. My eyes are still burning red!"

"Oh my! You must have an eye infection! You should see a doctor quickly…"

*Clack!*

The disciplinary headbutt landed as expected.

"So, is the negotiation concluded?"

Biryu-yeon asked for confirmation.

"Hmm… Alright. Since I received such delicious wine, I'll be generous."

"Is it generosity that empties my pockets completely?"

If he gave everything to the Master, he would have nothing left for himself.

"Here, then!"

Saying that, he pulled out two sheets of paper from his inner pocket and handed them to the Master.

"What is this?"

"A contract. Please sign it. You can use your seal too."

"The last clause is amusing. It states that the subordinate, upon receiving the promised amount, shall never kill the superior."

In other words, it was a clause that absolutely guaranteed Biryu-yeon's life.

"Anyone would think I'm a murderer threatening you. Do you distrust this Master that much?"

"Of course."

Biryu-yeon answered firmly. After a brief examination, the Master reluctantly signed. His regret was evident, but it was probably better not to know what he regretted.

"Are you satisfied, disciple?"

Biryu-yeon took the copy for himself, carefully examined its contents, and then cautiously put it away in his pocket.

"Yes."

The contract was concluded. For now, he could consider himself safe from the threat to his life.

"So then…"

"Then?"

"Let's drink again!"

Leaving alcohol in the bottle was an unforgivable crime in the old Master's belief.

The Master, who was gulping down the moon's dew with the conviction that using one's mouth for anything other than drinking during a drinking session was a waste, opened his mouth again when about four-fifths of the bottle was empty.

"Ah, I almost forgot to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Biryu-yeon asked, remaining wary. Biryu-yeon, who thought their business was done and they had nothing more to say, reacted naturally. But when had that damned Master ever considered his disciple's circumstances? Biryu-yeon could bet his entire fortune that it had never happened.

"You know it's impossible though, right?"

Biryu-yeon blinked his eyes twice quietly.

"What? What's impossible? Your disciple has no idea."

He feigned ignorance and asked innocently.

"Don't you have any idea? You surely must?"

The Master was persistent. It was none other than this old man who recognized his disciple's extraordinary intuition more than anyone. However, Biryu-yeon did not stop resisting.

"No."

Biryu-yeon answered in a firm voice.

"Do I have to say it all out loud?"

"Aren't there some things in the world that you can only know if they're said directly? That's reality."

"Alright, you're going to deny it to the end. Don't you even know what voluntary tax payment is?"

"I don't know."

Biryu-yeon replied bravely.

"Haa, then I'll tell you. The sect's treasures you took were originally all the sect's."

The Master narrowed his eyes for a moment and looked at his disciple. Biryu-yeon, too, stared intently, waiting to hear what would come out of the Master's mouth. An ominous premonition swept through his chest like a chilling wind.

"N-no way…"

The Master nodded his head lightly. Then, extending his aged hand, he said.

"Exactly. Hand it all over. While I'm being nice!"

*Flash!*

Lightning struck from a clear sky. A fierce wind blew, and the windows rattled. For a moment, he couldn't distinguish reality from fantasy.

"Whhhaaaaat? That's impossible! It's absurd!"

Biryu-yeon jumped up from his seat and shouted. He had hoped, but there was a part of him that thought, "No way." However, now that the worst possible assumption had been uttered through the Master's mouth, Biryu-yeon's pupils shook violently. His composure shattered. He was so agitated that he couldn't maintain a cool emotional state.

"It is possible!"

The Master's brief reply was almost cruel.

"Th-that can't be!"

He wanted to believe he had misheard. That's how absurd and unreasonable the story was. Did the Master even know what he was saying? It was akin to asking him to chop off parts of his body and serve them on a platter.

"Um, I've been thinking about it for a moment, very seriously, and… isn't there a way not to return them? It's hard to keep them, so how about your disciple… shall I give you a shoulder massage?"

Biryu-yeon said with a meek smile. He wasn't in a position to be picky right now.

"No. It's not necessary."

The Master flatly refused.

"Um, do I have to return them?"

Biryu-yeon said with a face that looked like he'd eaten a bitter herb.

"Of course."

"All ten?"

"Yes, all of them."

The Master's answer was like a sharp sword, leaving no room for hope.

"Even though I'm giving you three hundred thousand nyang?"

Biryu-yeon asked, holding onto a sliver of hope. He omitted the tedious calculation of his own share.

"That's the rental fee. With the late fees, it's not a profitable deal."

He declared without batting an eyelid.

"Why is the rental fee so damn expensive!"

Biryu-yeon protested furiously. It felt like a scam. But the old Master remained steadfast. The shameless imposter remained unfazed by any criticism or reprimand.

"Here. Those items are originally invaluable. It's only natural that a high rental fee is attached for taking them without permission!"

He even went on the offensive.

"B-but… there's a 'limit' in the world!"

"Limit? What is that? Is it something to eat?"

He added that "limit" was just another word for boundary.

"You lack imagination."

"Cough!"

But Biryu-yeon could not accept it. No, how could he possibly accept such treatment! He had to defend himself somehow. But Biryu-yeon's opponent was none other than the "greatest enemy on earth," his Master. Moreover, the Master now held the most fearsome weapon, which was "truth."

"Why are you getting so heated? Those weren't yours to begin with, were they?"

"Th-that…"

Thinking about it, it was indeed true. They weren't his yet. It was Biryu-yeon himself who had secretly taken the sect's treasures without the Master's permission. Military strategy dictates that one should not give the enemy a moment's rest when they are in disarray. Following that teaching, the Master did not cease his assault.

"Let me ask you one thing. Are you perhaps the sect leader of the Birei sect?"

"Truth" was wielded.

"…No, I'm not."

The sect leader of the Birei sect was still the Master.

"Then, have you formally inherited those secret treasures?"

The "truth," sharper than any famed sword, pierced Biryu-yeon's heart.

"…No."

He had only run away with them without permission.

"I thought so. Then it seems my memory isn't faulty. In that case, though unlikely, can you possibly defeat me?"

Biryu-yeon was silent for a moment. He knew the answer well, but he didn't want to say it out loud.

"Have you become a mute? Or is it your petty pride that prevents you from admitting your current self? Was my disciple unable to see his current state? Or could he see it but refused to admit it?"

Unable to bear it any longer, Biryu-yeon finally answered.

"…Not yet."

Yes, he admitted that it was the truth. But that truth made him so furious at this moment. However, his current self was too powerless to claim his rights. The Master scoffed and said.

"Don't worry, I didn't expect you to. Then there's only one thing left. Yes, then have you gained the power of the Thunder God (雷神)?"

He couldn't lie. Biryu-yeon answered in a dejected voice.

"No, only the Wind God (風神) so far…"

Upon hearing that he had mastered the Wind God, the Master paused for a moment, but then he chuckled and said.

"Aigoo, just the Wind God? I thought you had mastered the Thunder God and were talking!"

Angered by the Master's scoff, Biryu-yeon shouted.

"If I make up my mind, I can gain the power of the Thunder God right away!"

Then, the Master's gaze became exceptionally stern.

"Do you really think so? Really?"

The Master's playful eyes had settled into a profound depth. Those were eyes that tolerated no falsehood. He couldn't lie in the face of them.

"…No. I don't think so."

Biryu-yeon admitted it himself.

"Anyone can say words. But making them a reality is a completely different matter. You know that, right?"

"…I know."

Only after hearing that answer did the Master finally relax his face and nod.

"Then I'll confirm one more time. You are not the sect leader of the Birei sect, nor are you a formal successor yet. Furthermore, you cannot defeat me, and you have not gained the power of the Thunder God. Is that correct?"

"…That's correct."

Biryu-yeon answered, clutching his aching chest. Acknowledging his own shortcomings was enough once. Having to repeat it twice made him feel so enraged and wronged that he felt like he would go mad.

"How pathetic! How can it be that not a single condition is met?"

The Master's reaction was so exaggerated that it was clearly intentional. He was clearly delighted at having found his disciple's weakness and at being able to trouble him to his heart's content with it. He was furious and wronged, but there was no room for rebuttal.

"……"

For the second time in a row, Biryu-yeon couldn't say anything. This was the first time he had been in such a powerless position. No matter how skilled Biryu-yeon was in rhetoric, he had no words to say when asked in this manner. Indeed, nothing was as terrifying as the truth.

"And yet, you dare to claim ownership of the Birei Sword?"

"…No."

Finally, Biryu-yeon answered, clutching his heart as if it were tearing apart.

"Then you won't have any complaints about returning it to the original owner?"

Biryu-yeon had no more grounds to disobey the Master. The fact that his own lack of ability prevented him from claiming ownership wasn't enough to make him so furious.

'Next time you ask, I will never be the same as I am now. Although I have no choice but to admit these painful truths now, I will never, ever be like this next time, Master!'

Biryu-yeon quietly vowed to himself. It was a vow to himself. Stubbornly insisting without acknowledging his shortcomings was mere obstinacy; it was neither pride nor anything else. True pride lies in acknowledging one's weaknesses and being unable to tolerate them. A truly proud person, one who knows their own shortcomings, can never stop honing themselves.

*Clack! Clack!*

Arms were severed and legs were cut off. With each one he took off, he felt a pain as if a part of his body was being carved away. As each Birei Sword decreased, his body became lighter, but the sense of powerlessness weighed heavier on his heart.

"……"

Finally, Biryu-yeon untied the ten Birei Swords hidden deep within his inner arms and laid them before the Master. No groans escaped him. He didn't even have the right to whine right now. It was the first time since leaving Amisan that he had tasted such a bitter defeat.

Yes. He had lost today.