Episode 307 Those on the watch out list.
As we finished eating the wild boar meat, Lim Sobaek looked at us.
“Sword Demon Yukhap Mongrang Munju. I would like to tell you a story about martial arts for the first and last time. “I wish you would listen.”
We walked a little closer to the bonfire and looked at Lin Xiaobai. Lim So-baek’s mood was so serious that all he could hear for a moment was the sound of the bonfire burning.
The demon opened his mouth in a serious tone.
“I’m ready to listen. Lord Maeng.”
Lim So-baek said.
“This is my personal opinion. Each person’s reaction to my story will be different. In fact, if the level is not high or the ideas about martial arts are very different, it will be a useless statement. But it doesn’t matter if you think differently. “My stomach is full, the wind is cool, and you are all rare experts, so I’m ready to chat.”
We looked at Lim So-baek with bated breath.
I had no idea what the story was going to be about.
Lim So-baek said.
“For your information, there are many subordinates in Meng that I care about, but no one has told me this story in depth yet. Because it’s not at that level. “If I were to summarize what I want to convey to you, I would like to say that you cannot rise to the top unless you overcome the gap in your internal strength.”
Even though I’ve heard this far, I don’t know what it means.
The sword demon who was listening immediately asked a question.
“What do you mean? “It doesn’t sound like you’re talking about building up your skills.”
In fact, it is not easy for a man of the swordsman’s level to ask questions about martial arts, but the eldest brother asked the question in a casual manner.
Lim So-baek said.
“Basically, Samjae has deeper skills than the five of us. Do you admit it?”
The devil answered.
“Yes, but is it deeper than the leader?”
Lim Sobaek nodded.
“Yes. I once asked senior Shingae to compete purely on internal strength, but I wasn’t at a level where I could dare compete against him. Through my seniors, I was able to roughly infer the level of prowess of other Samjaes. The words I will say from now on are only expressions and are not absolute. “Listen carefully.”
“yes.”
“Samjae has already gone beyond the state of aging and purity. To put it simply, it’s that there’s so much inner strength that I have no regrets. No matter how much you scoop out, it’s still plenty. Does this seem like the state of man?”
The color demon shook his head.
“I can’t see it.”
“By general standards, this means that if I fight a cult leader ten times, I will lose all ten times. I was able to fully imagine it through Shingae senior. But I can’t die like that when I’m in the position of leading a team. I plan to avoid fighting whenever possible. The problem is this point. “The five of us are less powerful than the sect leader, so if we meet in an inevitable fight one day, will we sacrifice our necks?”
“You can’t do that.”
“Can’t do that. However, if I ignore everything else and focus only on inner strength training for the next ten years, will I be able to catch up with Samjae’s strength? That too is impossible. The same goes for yours.”
At this time, Lim Sobaek looked at me.
“I’ll reserve judgment on Moonju.”
I answered briefly.
“why.”
“Sometimes there are people like that. Difficult to think with common sense. “Let’s move on.”
“yes.”
Am I the type of person who is so out of common sense?
Anyway, I listened to Lim Sobaek’s words.
“If I gather all the elixirs in the river and keep them for myself, will I be able to catch up with Samjae’s strength? This is also impossible. What I mean is that even if you eat like that, it may not be enough compared to Samjae.”
Is the gap that wide?
Suddenly, the leader grabbed his sword, grabbed the handle, and pulled out the blade a little.
The blade, bathed in the red light of the bonfire, slowly revealed itself.
“But there is a sword.”
Lim Sobaek stroked the blade with his finger.
“In the end, this is all there is. The only thing that can turn the game around. Don’t go back to the story. In order to survive, we need to be able to kill experts who have deeper skills than us. It’s better for the four of you to acknowledge reality from now on. “It is impossible for you to surpass the strength of Samjae.”
“hmm.”
“Whether it is by chance or the power of power, Samjae is in a state where he has escaped from aging and pure purity and has reached or is close to returning to the true state. From what I understand, yes.”
Lim So-baek pointed to the color horse.
“You don’t have a sword, but you have an ice ball, so interpret it yourself.”
“yes.”
“The maximum speed the body can produce is limited. It’s because of breathing. “It means that we can catch up with Samjae’s speed faster than we can catch up with Nae Gong.”
Lim Sobaek raised his hand.
“It means that the high point is not higher than the internal strength.”
“yes.”
“In that case, we have no choice but to continue to dodge the barrage of attacks with tremendous strength and cut them with the sword to kill them. It’s absurd, but that’s the only way. If you are a master who can seize this opportunity, you can compete with the kings of the time. It’s no surprise that he is said to be one of Kangho’s top teenagers. Of course, Samjae was left out of the list of ten people. Why do I have to say this? “In a way, it seems natural.”
Lim So-baek looked at me, so I answered.
“Is it because the strong people are too obsessed with internal strength?”
“To some extent, yes. “That obsession is making us forget the essence.”
“You are saying that you can only move up if you learn how to kill experts who have deeper skills than you.”
Lim Sobaek nodded.
“right. Usually, you think that you need to get revenge on a master you can’t beat by building up more skills than that guy. “It means there are limits.”
The Sword Demon asked.
“Does this mean that the people who have reached that limit are to some extent the four of us?”
“You either face it now or you face it in the future. “When you feel that wall, the mindset of trying to break through with internal energy hinders other growth.”
Lim Sobaek looked at the sword demon.
“Instead, you have to go in more with the sword.”
The Sword Demon nodded his head slightly.
Lim Sobaek continued.
“That is how my six combat sword was born. So, the way I punished the kings who defeated me when I was young was not by overpowering them with my strength. Even though I lacked strength back then, I avenged myself with the sword. Even now, some kings have deeper skills than me.”
The demon responded with a surprised expression.
“Really?”
“That’s why he gets so excited and makes a fuss about challenging me every time.”
It was truly unexpected to hear that some kings were more powerful than their lords.
Lim So-baek said.
“If you want to become stronger than you are now, think of your leader. Even if you accumulate strength, it is impossible to overwhelm the cult leader’s strength. So what more should I practice? Are you going to wander around the deep mountains and valleys without training in search of elixirs? not right. Thinking about how to use a sword or how to use an ice ball is what develops martial arts… You can’t improve your level by waiting for an elixir like a pig in a pigsty. And as you know, Sword Demon, the ghosts of the old headquarters will all have higher internal strength than us. “I don’t know how long it survived, but it certainly did in the past.”
Lim So-baek said after sheathing his sword.
“Let me sort it out. Everyone’s level of swordsmanship is still lacking. Being lacking has many meanings. It also means that you couldn’t complete it in your own way. By my standards, your body movements are still slow. The usability and level of the body also lags behind. There is not enough training in footwork. Raise the level of these basics to a much higher level, and then, if you are lucky and an opportunity arises, add more skills to it. “Do you understand what I mean?”
We nodded.
Lim So-baek said.
“It is difficult to express my strength in numbers, but to help you understand, I have been training to be able to kill with a sword even those who have greater strength than me by ten to twenty years. “I had no choice but to do that to survive.”
The demon, who had been listening quietly so far, answered.
“…Lord.”
“huh?”
“Actually, the experience of the First Apostle was very deep. Moreover, the sword wasn’t even stuck. “Even the eldest brother’s sword didn’t get stuck.”
Lim So-baek narrowed his eyebrows.
“okay? “It’s unexpected.”
The demon looked at me.
“…I don’t know what Moonju was thinking, but I caught him during an internal battle. We also joined in. Then my head was shattered by the eldest brother’s attack. So, the four of us killed it. “I don’t think we would have been able to close the gap in strength if we had played one-on-one.”
Lim Sobaek nodded.
“What you’re saying is that it felt like the sword was invulnerable due to the gap in internal strength. “In fact, it was not completely sword impregnable.”
“exactly.”
Lim Sobaek looked at me.
“What was Munju thinking when he entered into a confrontation with the Duke?”
I answered in a calm tone.
“I also believed that Yukhap or the eldest Saekma would be able to handle it anyway if we used up our internal energy.”
“And…?”
“Anyway, I did it with the intention of winning the internal competition.”
In fact, this was a complex battle of mindsets. Although he believed in the Four Great Evils, the truth was that he had a gambling mentality that if all attacks failed, the Heavenly Jade he had in his body would do anything to survive. So, there were times when I pushed myself into an extreme situation.
Because I always do that.
Lim Sobaek sighed briefly.
“It wasn’t an ordinary fight. “I thought the four of you killed him easily by joining forces since you didn’t say anything.”
Before we knew it, the story about martial arts had become a retelling of the fight with Sado Jeil.
The color demon asked.
“How would you have dealt with it, Lord?”
Lim So-baek looked around at us and said.
“As you know, I have somewhat higher resistance than you. “I’m not saying this to brag, it’s reality.”
“yes.”
“But are you talking about a time when you can’t cut down the First Apostle?”
The demon nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Well, that’s fine. Honestly, it’s a bit disappointing. After hearing the story, I feel like I want to deal with it in person even more. “Did he have weapons?”
“There was none.”
“In that case, the immediate thought that comes to mind is that they would have struck it with a sword and buried it in the ground somehow.”
The demon responded with a surprised expression.
“yes?”
“Why are you surprised? “I have to kill him even if it means doing that.”
“I don’t have enough strength, will I be able to bury it?”
Lim Sobaek laughed.
“Maybe you’re not confident. The six combat bayonet is heavy. If you catch it without a weapon, you will have no choice but to be buried because the strength of the ground is weaker than the internal strength of the two people. Even when masters compete with the tension of unity, there are times when the ground collapses. But I wouldn’t have struck it down with the intention of simply burying it.”
The devil answered.
“sure?”
Lim Sobaek said while glaring at the bonfire.
“…I guess he hit it with the intention of splitting it in two. If I don’t cut it, I die. A swordsman must fight with two swords and two swords. “Isn’t that the Sword Demon?”
The Sword Demon nodded.
“That’s right.”
Lim Sobaek looked at me.
“Isn’t that right, Moonju?”
“you’re right.”
Lim So-baek looked at the demon.
“You, too, should train with both the world and the world in your heart. “More intensely than now.”
The demon nodded.
“I will keep it in my heart.”
Lim So-baek looked at the color demon.
“I haven’t watched you for a long time, so I don’t know yet how much you can grow. If the Sword Demon achieves the great success he spoke of, will all the enemies freeze to death?”
The color demon thought about something for a moment and then looked at Lin Xiaobai.
“Yes, everything is frozen.”
Lim Sobaek smiled slightly.
“I hope you succeed.”
“yes.”
Lim So-baek suddenly spoke in a clear and forceful tone, as if declaring the start of a war.
“Five of us. When we enter the Murim Alliance, we will invite the kings and have some fun. What would you do if you were defeated in a fight by white sword masters? Just practice and come back. If I can use it as a foundation to become stronger, even I can accept defeat as much as I want. Bimu has the meaning of bimu. But there’s more I always tell my subordinates.”
Lim So-baek’s eyes as he looked at the bonfire were filled with life.
“…If you engage in a life-or-death fight with the cult leader, you won’t fight like a warrior. No matter how lacking my strength is, I’m going to cut off an arm. Next, the Murim League leader will end his life. I am training so that even if I lose, the Murim Alliance will not be defeated. Or…”
Lim So-baek looked around at us.
“You guys take over and put an end to it.”
I don’t think it was a request or a will, but the moment I confirmed the leader’s state of mind, a shiver ran down my spine.
So, to summarize, Lim So-baek was truly a scary man.
Lim So-baek said to Saekma.
“Is there any alcohol left?”
“yes.”
“Let’s finish eating.”
Afterwards, nothing much was said at the drinking party. Because everyone was so lost in their thoughts that they forgot what they were saying.
* * *
Arrived at the Murim Alliance.
Maengju introduced us as honored guests to the man named Song Gwanju, who was in charge of entertaining us. Guanju Song seemed to have understood right away and guided us to our lodgings. On the way to the lodgings led by Song Guan-ju, Lim So-baek said this to someone.
“…call those guys who always bothered me.”
“Who should I call? “There are so many.”
“Tell all those who are dissatisfied with the new appointment to come.”
“All right.”
Lim So-baek spoke to us from a little distance away.
“I have to receive reports and take care of business, so rest in peace. “If there’s anything uncomfortable, tell the governor.”
The youngest member answered as the representative.
“All right. Lord Maeng.”
I stopped for a moment and looked around at the panoramic view of the Murim League. The splendor of the palace or the clean passageway without any trash was visible, but even more than that, the burden on Lim So-baek felt heavy as he thought of the position that encompasses the members living here.
Well, I’m not the leader, so it’s none of my business. I put both hands on my waist and gave a greeting to the Murim League.
“Jeomsoi of Ilyanghyeon has entered the Murim Alliance.”
The three people walked away at the same time and followed Song Guanzhu.
“….”
“Let’s go together.”
The three people had no answer.
I belatedly followed the three people and made eye contact with the members passing by. Members I had never seen before suddenly took control of me and said:
“Welcome, Lord Moon.”
“Welcome to visit.”
I returned the favor without saying a word, then passed by and looked back at the members. Was there a disgrace going around? It was obviously my first time seeing them, but they all seemed to easily recognize me.
I didn’t have to stop people who were passing by.
“Let’s look here.”
“yes?”
I asked the members who were looking back.
“How did you find out?”
The members were slightly embarrassed and looked at each other. One person answered while scratching his head.
“I just knew.”
“I’ve never seen it before, so how do you know?”
A man said to me bluntly:
“Lord Moon, you are on the watch list, so everyone in the Murim Alliance knows about it.”
“Watchlist?”
“yes.”
“What do you mean by being careful?”
“You have a fiery personality…”
another member scolded.
“Stop. What kind of nonsense is that to a customer? sorry. Moonju. After seriously injuring the Sima Hak family head, most people know Lord Wen. “Please understand that I don’t mean it negatively.”
“Ah, I remember the head of the Sima Hak family. “What is he doing these days?”
The members responded.
“I’m retired.”
“Oh my, that can happen if you play like that. “It wasn’t intentional.”
“yes.”
I thought this as I headed to my dorm after greeting my friends with a quick greeting. It is a bit wrong to say that my personality is fiery.
To be precise, it is because he has a personality that does not hesitate.
Sun and Moon Light Springs did not come about for nothing.
