Chapter 239
The Youngest Son of the Silver Sea Trading Company Chapter 239
Chapter 239. It Was Here (4)
How long had it been since I started training?
It felt like several months had passed.
When I first entered this space, I was worried that the people around me would be concerned about my disappearance.
But now I know.
Even if I stayed here for years or decades, it would only be a moment in time.
“Huff... Huff...”
I lay on the floor, gasping for breath.
In fact, thanks to my Master's physical training, I had never been told that I was weak.
Now, I had enough strength to hang from a beam for ten days.
Even someone like me was so exhausted from my master's training that I collapsed like this.
My master's hands were relentless, and he showed me no mercy.
I had no visible injuries, but the pain was still there, and there were many times when I thought I was going to die.
Seeing me like that, my master said, "I feel bad beating you, but I have no choice.
“It pains me to beat you, but we don't have much time, and practical training is the best way to learn.”
You say it pains you, yet you smile?
However, I had no choice but to agree that practical training was the best way to learn.
I had almost mastered the extreme technique of Hokumhonbingu, which normally takes years to learn.
But now, I didn't even have the strength to move a finger.
“You don't even have the strength to move a finger... Get up.”
Damn it!
Can he read my mind?
I grumbled to myself as I struggled to lift my upper body.
But I've really had enough.
“Master, I can't get up. Just kill me.”
“Stop exaggerating...”
But he knew exactly how I was feeling. That's why he pushed me this far.
Just enough so that I wouldn't die.
Ah...
He said I wouldn't die here.
During that time, I mastered ninety-nine techniques of Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu.
There were a total of one hundred techniques, so I only had one technique left to learn.
I wondered how there could be a hundred techniques, but as I learned them, I began to understand.
It meant that they were practical martial arts techniques.
Now, only one sentence remained of the golden letters that had filled the space around me.
When I completely mastered a technique, the letters corresponding to that technique disappeared.
My intuition told me that when the last sentence disappeared, I would be able to leave this place.
When the last technique disappeared, I would be able to leave this place.
“Kui.”
Geum-ryung was looking at me from my lap and chirping.
Geum-ryung was the only one who comforted me.
“Now, only the last technique remains.”
“That's right.”
I looked at the last technique.
[Donggyu-eun (同歸於盡) Yoo-myeong-yoo-myeong (留命留名)]
“Do you understand what it means?”
“It means to die with your enemy and leave your name behind, right?”
“That's right. And there is no hidden meaning here. It is a very intuitive technique.”
“...”
Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu was a technique for Seolpung Palace Head.
In other words, the Palace Head would die with his enemy, saving the disciples of Seolpung Palace and leaving behind his name.
Ha... What nonsense.
I forced my strength into my weak legs and stood up.
My legs were shaking, but I managed to stand straight with all my might.
“I don't like this technique.”
“Huh?”
My words must have been unexpected, because the investigator tilted his head.
“You don't like it? It's the perfect technique for the Palace Head's final battle.”
“What do you mean, perfect? If he dies to save his disciples, do you think they will be happy?”
I continued with a sneer.
“They won't be happy at all. And you say I'll leave my name behind? What good will fame do to a dead person?”
I gritted my teeth.
How would I know?
Because there were people who died for me in my past life.
It wasn't just those who rushed toward my enemies to save me on the day I died.
Some were attacked while escorting me and died trying to help me escape, and others died without saying a word even after being severely tortured.
It was because of their sacrifices that the Eunhae Trading Company rose to become one of the three greatest trading companies in the world.
Was I happy every time that happened?
No, I was heartbroken. I cried tears of blood, crying out that I was only capable of that much.
The Baekcheon Trading Company and the Martial Alliance trampled on their sacrifices.
My revenge against the Baekcheon Trading Company and the Martial Alliance is not simply my personal grudge.
It is also revenge for those who died for me and for the trading company.
In this life, I will live even more fiercely than before so that there will be no more sacrifices like that.
Yes, this time, I will become the world's best trading company without any sacrifices.
“Fate is fate. That's all nonsense.”
“Nonsense... Even so, it is one of the best martial arts techniques that Seolpung Palace Head has mastered. That's harsh.”
“No! It's a cheap technique that deserves to be called that. I'd like to completely rewrite it if I could.”
“Then if you were to rewrite the last technique, what would you change?”
“If it were me... Huu.”
I gasped for breath.
I guess I got too excited.
But I had to stop talking nonsense.
I calmed myself down and stared at the characters before continuing.
“If it were me, I would change it to this. I will live, all will live, and we will be victorious throughout the world.”
It means that I will live, everyone will survive, and we will be victorious throughout the world.
At that moment
swoosh.
The last technique in front of my eyes had changed.
[I live, all live, and all are victorious in the world].
The investigator laughed heartily.
“Hahahaha! What a funny guy! Hahahaha!”
If you're going to laugh, you have to tell me why.
Then I can decide whether to laugh or not, right?
Soon, the master stopped laughing and spoke with a serious expression.
“Actually, there is a final technique in Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu, but it doesn't exist.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because the final technique is the true purpose of Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu. Didn't you wonder why Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu was so aggressive yet defensive?”
“Um... Now that you mention it, that's true.”
All of the techniques had elements of defense in them.
“It is to save your disciples and, ultimately, to ensure that the Palace Head returns alive. Only when you realize that will you be able to leave this space.”
“What if I don't realize that?”
“...”
The investigator said no more, but I broke out in a cold sweat.
That was because I had almost been trapped here for hundreds of years.
In an instant, the phrase “A life saved is a life gained” in front of me was absorbed into my mind, and my inner arts increased.
My vision began to blur.
“It's time for me to go now. See you next time.”
“Yes, Master.”
I clasped my hands together and bowed to my master, whose figure was becoming blurry.
“Never forget how you feel right now. Even when the moment of death comes, survive.”
“I will do so.”
With that, everything in front of my eyes turned white.
.
.
.
“Huh?”
I saw a book in front of my eyes.
This is... Ah, the library of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
I had been reading a book when I entered the investigator's arrangement.
Looking around, I saw bookshelves filled with books.
I looked at the book in front of me. It was just a book with a common story written in it.
Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu...
The contents were engraved in my mind.
I plan to make a book out of it and give it to my Master.
He never said I couldn't write it down.
And since both my Master and I are busy, this is the best way to do it. If necessary, I can burn it later.
And then, eight words came to mind.
“I live for all beings, and all beings live for me.”
That is the last technique of Gyeok-eum-hon-bing-tu that I will write down.
I will not write down the techniques “Same End” and “Leave Your Name Behind.”
My Master believed that this was Seolpung-gung's final mission, so I must not change his mind.
At that moment, my disciple who was attending to me approached with a tray.
“I brought you a snack.”
“Thank you.”
* *
Bing Gong was listening to her subordinates' reports.
“She's still in the library?”
“Yes.”
She wanted to enter the library, so she gave her permission.
In fact, she had read all of the books in the library.
The life of the Palace Head, who was so strong that it was difficult to find an equal, was extremely boring, and books were a good way to relieve that boredom.
To her, Eun Seo-ho's visit was refreshing.
“Eun Mu-geom and Han Ho-su...”
It seemed that the world had chosen him as the new Palace Head of Seolpung Palace.
“But there is one thing he lacks.”
That was martial arts.
Martial arts that could only be learned by the Palace Heads of Seolpung Palace for generations.
There were no manuals for them.
They were passed down from the Palace Head of Seolpung Palace to the next Palace Head.
This was because they were such powerful martial arts that anyone who lacked sufficient training would be corrupted by them.
It was understandable, but there was a problem.
If the Palace Head of Seolpunggung died suddenly, the martial arts would be lost.
Therefore, the Palace Head of Seolpung Palace usually chose a successor early on and passed down the martial arts step by step. Once all the martial arts had been passed down, the position of Palace Head was officially handed down.
That was why it was so unfortunate.
Before Seolpung Palace was destroyed, his friend had planned to choose his eldest son, Kwak Myeong-hyun, as his successor.
Therefore, although Kwak Myeong-hyun was now the head of Seolpung Palace, he was only half a head, lacking the three symbols of the position.
In fact, even if she ignored all that, she always felt sorry for Seolpung Palace.
That was because of the very obvious truth that martial arts achievements inevitably differ depending on one's talent.
The person with the most outstanding martial arts talent in Seolpung Palace was the one called Seolpung Palace Investigator.
The martial arts skills of Seolpung Palace Investigator, as seen in the records, were truly amazing.
However, perhaps because the palace heads who followed him lacked talent, their martial arts skills were somewhat inferior.
But then,
as if by fate, a person who possessed two of the symbols of the palace head appeared before her.
Moreover, even though he was only twenty years old, he had already reached the peak of his martial arts skills.
Furthermore...
“He has the same physique as me!”
However, Eun Seo-ho didn't seem to know that yet.
In any case, he couldn't lose him like the previous Seolpung Palace Head did.
He had to protect Eun Seo-ho from those evil people.
“But I can't move easily…”
After thinking for a moment, he asked his subordinate.
“Where is Master Eun Jin-ho?”
“He is lying in bed, recovering.”
“He is such a sly fox. I should have just told him to stay a little longer… But he wouldn't have listened to me anyway.”
“I hear that the law enforcement officers and Elders are taking turns visiting him.”
“They must be wearing themselves out. How long will it take for him to recover?”
“It will probably take about three days.”
“Three days...”
That was good.
* *
That night.
After dinner, I went to see the Palace Head again.
Sitting in the crystal room, which was as mysterious as ever, I thought to myself how beautiful she was.
Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a dignified presence that inspired awe.
“I heard you called for me.”
“Yes, that's right.”
She invited me to sit down.
“Have some tea.”
“Thank you.”
This time, the tea was different from yesterday. It tasted like peaches, but it was more fragrant and refreshing...
“It's tea made from ice crystals.”
Ice crystals... When I was little, I climbed up to pick them and fell...
Ahem...
Fortunately, I didn't spit out the tea.
“How is it?”
“It has a very unique flavor. I've never tasted anything like it before.”
“Not only does it taste good, but it also cleanses the blood and purifies the energy. Of course, with your training in the martial arts of Seolpunggung, your inner arts are already pure.”
“Wouldn't it be even better if something good was added to something good?”
“That's true.”
The Palace Head took a sip of tea and continued softly.
“I heard that your brother is suffering from a hangover?”
“Guh!”
There was a cough.
“Cough! Cough!”
“Oh no! Are you all right?”
“Yes! I apologize for my behavior.”
“No, it's fine. And as you may have already noticed, my disciples are a bit mischievous. I apologize on their behalf.”
“It means you care about them, I suppose. Hahaha.”
“It will take three days for him to recover. So, about that...”
Now we're getting to the point.
I tensed up and focused on her words.
“Would you like to learn martial arts?”
“What do you mean by martial arts?”
“The martial arts you are learning are those of Seolpunggung. And the martial arts of Seolpunggung are not easily recognized by others.”
I nodded.
That's what my Master said.
“But you never know what will happen in this world. And I heard that you work in the upper world.”
“Yes, that's right.”
“Then, even though you are not a martial artist, you will inevitably meet many martial artists as you travel around. Some of them may recognize the martial arts of Seolpunggung.”
To be honest, I was worried about that too.
I hadn't yet faced an opponent who required me to use my full strength, so I hadn't had a chance to show my martial arts skills, but there was no guarantee that I wouldn't in the future.
“That's why I'm making this suggestion. Learn Bing Gong instead of Seolpung Gong. That way, you can pretend that you've learned Bing Gong instead of Seolpung Gong.”
The Palace Head smiled and continued.
“I will teach you myself.”