I asked Taoist In-bong.
“So you believe the man who introduced himself as a ghost isn't actually a ghost?”
He nodded at my question.
“I've known for a long time that Mister isn't a ghost.”
“How did you figure it out?”
“He never left footprints, but whenever it rained or snowed, I could see raindrops bouncing off his body and snow piling up on him.”
Ah, so even he hadn't thought that far ahead.
“Anyway, I want to see my father face-to-face. That's why I'm asking you for this favor.”
I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
“Now I see. You didn't come to me for advice. You came to ask me for a favor.”
“I'm sorry.”
Taoist In-bong bowed his head to me.
“There's nothing to apologize for. Truthfully, this whole situation has been weighing on me too. I'll try talking to him. But don't get your hopes too high. I can't promise I'll be able to change his mind.”
“I'm grateful that you're willing to try at all.”
“But… why don't you simply ask him yourself to show his face?”
“Well…”
He hesitated before continuing.
“He hasn't appeared at all lately.”
Right. Even if he wanted to say it, he needed the other person to actually show up first.
Then perhaps his father had realized that Taoist In-bong had discovered his true identity.
That would explain why he refused to appear before him.
He was clearly still lingering around Taoist In-bong, keeping an eye on him and making sure he was safe.
But since he never spoke to him, Taoist In-bong assumed he wasn't around.
Even when an assassin targeted Taoist Geum-bong not long ago, we would've had a harder time if Taoist In-bong's father hadn't helped us.
One of the disciples might even have ended up struck by a poisoned needle.
.
.
.
I returned to the tent.
“Young Master! Where have you been?”
“Taking a walk. More importantly, what's that delicious smell?”
“Corn.”
Palgap answered as he held out an ear of corn roasted over the fire.
“It's tonight's dinner. Turns out it's pretty tasty when you roast it over a fire.”
It seemed to be part of the relief supplies.
Unlike Chengdu, there was no way to provide everyone with lavish meals out here.
We were lucky to have even this much.
I sat down in front of the campfire and bit into the corn skewered over the flames.
“Oh! Why is this so good?”
Escort Guard Seo Wu explained after hearing my exclamation.
“Palgap brushed it with a special sauce before roasting it.”
“It's salty, it's sweet… and it's seriously good. This is the kind of thing that makes me want to start selling it.”
“I'm glad you like it, Young Master.”
I looked at the other ears of corn roasting over the campfire and asked,
“Do we happen to have one left over?”
“Yes. I made one extra, just in case.”
I took the corn Palgap held out and rose from my seat.
“Thanks. I'm going somewhere for a moment.”
I left the camp and headed behind a building where hardly anyone went.
Half of it had collapsed, so no one else ever bothered going near it.
I sat down on a large piece of rubble and spoke.
“I know you're here.”
–…
There was no answer, but I could sense his presence.
“Would you like some? My attendant roasted it with his special sauce. It's quite good.”
I held the corn out in front of me and loosened my grip.
Float.
The corn hovered there in midair.
Telekinesis.
You're seriously using Telekinesis just to eat corn? Isn't that a ridiculous waste of Internal Power?
I grumbled inwardly as I watched the floating corn.
The kernels began disappearing one by one.
– Hmm… well, I suppose it does taste good.”
“Right?”
And so the two of us quietly ate our corn.
No matter what the subject is, people tend to get irritable with each other when they're hungry.
That's why, whenever I need to have a serious conversation, I prefer feeding the other person something delicious first.
Of course, feeding them too much can have the opposite effect.
– That was good.
“So, how long are you planning to keep refusing to speak to your son?”
– Hm?
“Weren't you nearby when I was talking to Taoist In-bong earlier?”
I hadn't mentioned it in front of Taoist In-bong, but I'd sensed his presence even while listening to Taoist In-bong's request for advice.
He remained silent for a moment before speaking.
– You heard… that he realized I'm his father, didn't you?
“Yes. I did.”
— I didn't think that knot would give me away.
“Taoist In-bong told me he wants to see his father face-to-face. That's why he asked me to persuade you, Elder.”
– Elder, my foot… I haven't even turned sixty yet.
“Then I'll call you Great Hero.”
– I'm a Taoist. Circumstances forced me to leave Qingcheng Sect, but there hasn't been a single moment when I stopped considering myself Qingcheng's disciple. That's why I came back.
“I see. Daoist Master. Then may I ask your Taoist name?”
– Sun-cheong.
“What?”
For a moment, I could only wonder whether I'd heard him correctly.
Sun-cheong?
Wait… wasn't Sun-cheong the Taoist name of Qingcheng Sect's new Sect Leader before I died in my previous life?
Now that I thought about it, there was nothing particularly strange about that.
His skills were among the finest even within the current Qingcheng Sect.
However, because he never showed himself at public events, there had apparently been people who questioned whether he even truly existed.
– Why are you so surprised?
“It's nothing. Your Taoist name is just much more mild-mannered than I expected.” (TL Note: His name basically means One Who Follows Purity. Yet he's anything but pure.)
– My master gave me that name. It's supposed to mean that I should follow Heaven's will… though, to be honest, I never liked it very much.
He grumbled slightly before continuing.
– But I felt bad for my master. He spent years cleaning up after a disciple who did nothing but cause trouble, so I couldn't bring myself to change the name he gave me.
“I see.”
I nodded before saying,
“Putting that aside, I'd still like an answer to what I asked earlier. Taoist In-bong wants to see his father with his own two eyes.”
– …
No answer.
“Why are you hesitating?”
– Didn't I tell you? My body was ruined while avenging my wife.
“He said he doesn't care what you look like.”
– Haah…
Silence settled between us for a moment before another Voice Transmission echoed through my mind.
– Look carefully.
At that moment, a human figure slowly began to emerge before my eyes.
And eventually, his entire form became visible.
“…”
Just as he'd warned me, his appearance was truly horrific.
His entire face had been ravaged by something I couldn't tell was fire or poison, leaving the flesh terribly disfigured, and his left ear had lost its original shape entirely.
There were also severe scars around his neck and wrists.
“That must have been quite a brutal fight.”
“It was.”
Even his vocal cords seemed to have been damaged, leaving his voice harsh and metallic.
“I fell for those bastards' scheme, and this is what became of me.”
“Did you at least get your revenge?”
“Of course.”
He nodded.
Then, however, he added bitterly,
“But what do you think that boy will feel when he sees me like this?”
I answered him.
“Taoist In-bong is a strong man. He already said he doesn't care what you look like, so I'm sure he'll quickly accept you like this as well, Daoist Master.”
“I know that too.”
“What?”
I blinked and tilted my head.
If he already knew his son would accept his hideous appearance, then I couldn't understand what he was so worried about.
“Then why won't you show yourself to him?”
“Because I'm afraid seeing me like this will make him grieve, or worse, blame himself.”
His voice turned sorrowful as he continued.
“What did that boy ever do wrong? If anyone is to blame, it's me.”
So this was how a parent felt?
Something tightened in my chest.
“But you said you returned because you're still Qingcheng Sect's disciple.”
“I did.”
“Yet I don't think that's the only reason you came back to Qingcheng Sect.”
I continued gently.
“Didn't you come back because you wanted to see your son?”
“…”
He sighed and nodded.
“Yes. You're right.”
“Then show yourself and actually face him. Be honest – does hiding with a Concealment Art and sending him one-sided Voice Transmissions really count as seeing your son? If you want to truly see each other, you need to stand face-to-face.”
I continued,
“So gather your courage. I never imagined a disciple of the great Qingcheng Sect could be such a coward.”
“Bah! Who are you calling a coward?”
“And from what I can tell, Taoist In-bong is already past the point where seeing you will suddenly make him grieve or blame himself.”
“Hm?”
“The moment he realized the knot on the mirror was identical to the knot on the food pouch you gave him, he probably already did all the grieving and blaming himself he could. He's much sharper than you seem to think.”
“I-Is that so?”
“Yes. At this point, you're only making things harder for Taoist In-bong. Abandoning your son once was enough. Are you planning to abandon him twice?”
“That… I am not.”
“Then stop making your son suffer.”
* * *
In-bong rose as soon as the sun came up, completed his Breathing Meditation, then picked up his sword and began training.
It was the basic training he never skipped each morning.
“Basic training? I did enough of that to last a lifetime when I was still a trainee.”
– What about now?
“There are too many other things I need to learn, so I don't do it anymore.”
– Wrong. People who neglect the basics because they're boring, tedious, or because they have other things to practice never reach the highest realms.
“Is basic training really that important?”
– Yes. Promise me something. Even when you reach the Peak realm – no, even if you reach the Profound realm someday – never neglect your basic training.
Ever since making that promise in Penance Pavilion, he'd never skipped his basic training for even a single day.
By now, it had simply become a habit.
And after reaching the Peak realm himself, he'd begun to understand why the man had emphasized the basics so strongly.
After finishing his training, he wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.
“You're still keeping your promise.”
“…!”
The voice was incredibly rough, almost metallic.
It was a voice he'd never heard before, yet the emotion carried within it was achingly familiar.
Startled, he dropped the towel and spun around.
But there was still no one in sight.
“M-Mister…”
“Yes.”
In-bong bit his lip.
He had never heard that voice before, and yet somehow, he knew.
It was the voice of the man who had always remained beside him… his father's voice.
He should call him Father…
And yet…
The word refused to come out.
After all, Father was far too unfamiliar a word to him.
No, perhaps unfamiliar wasn't quite right… It was more like the seal holding back an entire dam of emotions he'd kept locked away.
He felt that if he tore that seal away, everything behind it would burst free, and the moment he spoke the word Father, all the emotions he'd kept contained would collapse at once.
“Um, th-thanks to you… I managed to escape from that place safely. Thank you for bringing me food.”
“Yes.”
“And that cliff… it must've been difficult for you to climb…”
“They say even an emperor will climb another man's wall if he sees his child starving. Besides, a cliff like that wasn't particularly difficult for me.”
“…I heard the knot on that sack was one you tied yourself, Father.”
“That's right. Do you think you could tie it the same way?”
“No. I don't know how. So… would you teach me? Th-That…”
In-bong hesitated, unable to finish what he wanted to say.
That was when a stern Voice Transmission entered his ears.
– Aren't you going to call him Father?
It was Eun Seo-ho's Voice Transmission.
– Was everything you said about wanting to face your father not sincere?
No.
Absolutely not.
– Or do you simply not want to call him Father?
– That's not it.
– Then call him Father.
At Eun Seo-ho's advice, In-bong drew a deep breath before speaking carefully.
“Th-Then… Father, please teach me. That knot.”
He'd said it.
Father.
But no answer came for a long while, and then, with a soft tap, something fell to the ground.
‘Rain?’
No, it wasn't rain.
It wasn't even raining in the first place, and rain didn't fall one drop at a time.
“…All right. I will.”
“Father.”
The first time was difficult.
The second wasn't.
“I want to see your face.”
“It's not a pleasant sight.”
“I know. Master told me.”
“…”
Even after hearing In-bong's words, Sun-cheong couldn't help but hesitate.
– It's fine. You didn't look nearly as horrifying as you seem to think.
Eun Seo-ho's Voice Transmission echoed through his mind.
– Did I look shocked when I saw you yesterday, Daoist Master?
– No, you did not.
– Then gather your courage. Or are you truly a coward after all, Daoist Master?
Eun Seo-ho's provocation immediately got under his skin.
– There are no cowards among Qingcheng Sect's disciples!
– Exactly. And an opportunity like this doesn't come often.
Sun-cheong sighed and released his Concealment Art.
And when the man standing before him finally appeared, In-bong blinked.
“It's… rather hide–”
Sun-cheong froze, unable to finish his sentence.
In-bong had thrown himself into his arms.
His surprise lasted only a moment before he wrapped his arms around In-bong in return and gently patted his back.
* * *
I watched the father and son embrace for the first time.
I'd done my best to persuade him, but even I hadn't been certain things would work out.
I'd gone looking for Taoist In-bong to tell him about our conversation, only to discover his father, Daoist Master Sun-cheong, had gotten to him first.
The two of them had hesitated so much that I'd needed to send a few Voice Transmissions to push them forward, and this was the result.
Good.
Truthfully, I could've refused Taoist In-bong's request, but I'd had my reasons for helping.
His father was, after all, a Transcendent expert, while Taoist In-bong himself ranked among Qingcheng Sect's finest Younger Generation Prodigies.
Helping people like them would surely benefit the Eunhae Merchant Group someday.
Watching them like this suddenly made me miss my own father.
I looked up at the sky.
Today, Qingcheng Sect's ghost disappeared.
–TL Notes–
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