Chapter 17
“Heehee. Teacher-nim! Is So-yun that smart?”
“Haha, So-yun. I’ve taught prodigies who are several years older than you, but even they weren’t as quick to understand as you are. You must be the top genius in Chang’an!”
The Writing Teacher’s lips curled up as if they were about to reach his ears, and So-yun’s face was filled with an unwavering smile……
But amidst all that, one of the Writing Teacher’s remarks bothered me.
What?
So-yun is the top genius in Chang’an?
Not even the entire Shaanxi Province, but just the best in Chang’an?
D*mn it……
So-yun isn’t just the best in Chang’an or Shaanxi, she’s the best genius in the entire Central Plains.
Of course, the reason I believe So-yun is a genius isn’t simply because she speaks well and is making rapid progress in her studies.
Aside from those trivial details, So-yun possesses qualities that surpass her peers in every aspect.
Firstly, So-yun is a master of telepathy, adept at reading people’s minds.
Whenever I was in a gloomy mood, she would somehow know and deliberately act overly cute to cheer me up.
Not to mention her exceptional situational awareness that’s beyond her age.
When we were living at Master Yi Si-jin’s mountain villa, whenever there was a cold atmosphere between Master Yi and me, So-yun would always step forward and create a warm breeze.
Well, if others heard this, they might think it’s just a coincidence that an innocent child could do that. Or they might dismiss it, saying that all children are like that, but they couldn’t be more wrong.
I personally felt that So-yun’s actions were based on a deep understanding and thorough calculations.
I know that better than anyone because I’m So-yun’s father.
“Writing Teacher.”
While Ye-rin and So-yun went out for a walk after their studies, I called out to the Writing Teacher, who was preparing to leave after packing his”Four Treasures of the Study”.
“Yes, So-yun’s father.”
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yes. So-yun is still young, isn’t she? Besides, Miss Ye-rin has just started learning to read, so if the lessons are too long, they’ll get bored. Therefore, I plan to gradually increase the learning pace.”
Well……
He has a point.
But still, how much is his monthly salary?
Isn’t he getting paid too much for the work he’s doing?
“Hmm…… That’s up to you, Teacher. So, what do you think? After teaching So-yun.”
I asked him that, even though I knew what kind of answer would come out of his mouth.
It’s like the feeling of wanting to get confirmation of your child’s brilliance from an expert, right?
“Hahaha. Are you asking me that after hearing everything during the lesson, Father?”
But it’s a bit……
Embarrassing, it was.
“Well, I was just trying to boost So-yun’s confidence by praising her on purpose.”
“No, Father. So-yun is incredibly bright. It reminds me of when you first brought So-yun to me. Do you remember what you said back then, Father?”
“What did I say?”
“Despite my advice that So-yun was still too young for studying, you said that your daughter was a genius and it would be fine. At that time, I thought you were just a doting father.”
“And now?”
“Now, I’m happy to be teaching a child like So-yun thanks to you. Of course, I’m also proud that Miss Ye-rin is studying hard. I’ll do my best to guide both of them, so you can rest assured, Father.”
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll leave them in your capable hands, Teacher.”
“Yes, So-yun’s father.”
After a brief conversation, the Writing Teacher grabbed his travel bag and was about to head out the door.
At that moment, I called out to him once again.
“Teacher.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s make a correction.”
“What…… correction?”
“The statement about So-yun being the top genius in Chang’an. I think that statement needs to be corrected.”
“Yes? Haha. Well, that’s because So-yun is so smart, I wanted to praise her as much as possible……”
“No, not that.”
“Yes?!”
“Not the best in Chang’an, but the best in the Central Plains.”
“……???”
“Let’s just leave it at that for now.”
For a moment, the Writing Teacher’s eyes seemed to be filled with a myriad of emotions as he looked at me. To roughly interpret them,
It would be something like, ‘Don’t overdo it,’ ‘He’s more frivolous than I thought,’ ‘This is kind of disgusting,’ ‘What kind of idiot doting father is this?’
But I conveyed my pure sincerity, so I don’t care what he thinks, nor am I interested.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Just how much did you guys drink?”
It was around noon when the Dongdong brothers finally showed up.
But their appearance was a sight to behold. Their faces were flushed red from alcohol poisoning, and their eyelids were swollen, indicating that they had indulged in a heavy drinking session the night before.
“Brother. We had a bit too much to drink because we were catching up after so long.”
Il-dong said, scratching the back of his head.
For a moment, I wanted to scratch the back of his head for him using Yong Jo-soo’s technique, but I held back because I thought his hair and scalp would be ripped off and he’d die instantly.
“……I did tell you guys to have a drink. But I also clearly added that we would start training today.”
At my cold voice, Yi-dong waved his hands and said.
“Brother So-cheon. Although we drank a lot, we’re perfectly fine for martial arts training. So……”
“Yi-dong.”
“Yes, eldest brother.”
“It seems you think of martial arts training as something like dog training, but it’s not. Of course, there are various methods of training, and some of them aren’t that difficult, but.”
“Yes……”
“For example, the Shaolin Temple, where you learn seventy-two types of martial arts throughout your life, or the Gangdong Lion’s Gate, famous for its fist techniques, they promote growth through arduous physical training. However, sects that trace their origins back to Taoism focus more on mental cultivation and enlightenment of concepts rather than physical training, so the fatigue that beginners experience might be relatively less.”
“Ah…… Well, that’s true.”
“Of course, it’ll probably go in one ear and out the other for you guys, but does anyone know why I’m explaining these examples one by one?”
As expected, the Dongdong brothers seemed to be planning to mimic a mute who had eaten honey, as they just stood there blankly with their mouths shut.
I chuckled and spoke to them again.
“It’s to inform you of my training method. For your information, the direction of training I pursue doesn’t belong to any of the examples I just mentioned.”
This time, Sam-dong tilted his head and asked.
“Then what is your training method, brother?”
“H*ll.”
“What!?”
“The training method I pursue involves opening the gates of h*ll and bringing that h*ll into the present world. It’s filled with excruciating and horrifying pain.”
Once again, silence filled the air.
The Dongdong brothers seemed to have no clue what I meant.
Of course they wouldn’t……
To be honest, I just said it in a grandiose way because I wanted to sound cool.
“In other words, you guys are screwed.”
“Bro, brother?”
“What does that mean?”
“Suddenly?”
As I suddenly started threatening them, Il-dong, Yi-dong, and Sam-dong’s faces were clearly filled with anxiety.
It’s better this way.
They should have this much resolve.
“Il-dong, Yi-dong, Sam-dong. You were born with bodies well-suited for learning martial arts. However, martial arts should ideally be learned before the age of 10 so that they can mature over time. Now that you’re past your prime, it’s too late, way too late. Therefore, there’s only one way to make you guys somewhat useful in a short amount of time.”
As I spoke passionately with a serious tone, a glint of determination appeared in the Dongdong brothers’ eyes.
“That is to work your asses off. It might sound funny to say ‘work your asses off,’ but it’s not a joke. The phrase ‘work your asses off’ exists as it is, so you guys will probably have a really hard time from today onwards. Well, even if you hear it like this, you won’t be able to grasp it now, but you’ll understand what it means in an hour.”
“Bro, brother……”
“Let’s go. Let’s work our asses off.”
◈ ◈ ◈
“Ugh……”
“I, isn’t this too much?”
“Brother! If we do this from the first day, we’ll get sick and be bedridden!”
As expected, I have a good eye for people.
Is it because I’ve twisted the necks of so many people while living as an assassin?
Just by kneading them a few times, I can get a ‘read’ on a person. I’ve beaten Il-dong, Yi-dong, and Sam-dong like dogs before, so I’ve perfectly assessed their capabilities.
First of all, the Dongdong brothers’ physique, muscle quality, and stamina are truly astonishing.
If they had entered the Shaolin Temple at a young age, shaved their heads, and become monks, they would have at least become members of the Eighteen Arhats of the Lohan Hall, painting their bodies gold and imitating Buddha.
Therefore, I set the intensity of their training to about 30% of the Demonic Cult’s Assassin’s Guild training and pushed them hard.
Firstly, I made them run for an hour without rest.
Just running is something even a three-year-old can do, but this ‘running’ is the most basic and effective method of training.
Of course, they didn’t run the entire hour from the start.
Yi-dong vomited all the alcohol and food he had consumed yesterday while retching in between, and Sam-dong collapsed several times, almost losing consciousness.
Still, as the eldest, Il-dong endured and almost completed the full distance, which I had anticipated.
Among the three Dongdong brothers, Il-dong is on a different level from the other two.
First of all, the thickness of his neck explains everything.
He practically has no neck.
His shoulder blades, trapezius muscles, and neck form a perfect triangular symmetry, and the resulting resilience is undeniable. Moreover, his inherent tenacity is as tough as a steel tendon, making him a talent among talents who wouldn’t easily die even if beaten to death.
“We haven’t even started the ‘a*s’ part of ‘working your asses off’ yet. What are you doing complaining already?”
“Bro, brother. But……”
“This is just…… insane.”
Did my words sound like a bolt from the blue?
A look of astonishment flashed in Yi-dong and Sam-dong’s eyes.
“The more you run, the better. The more you run, the closer you’ll get to becoming stronger, so stop complaining.”
“Phew…… Brother So-cheon. Will our martial arts improve just by running like idiots? I don’t understand at all.”
Yi-dong wiped away his sweat and interjected in a tired voice.
I smacked the back of Yi-dong’s head and said.
Smack━!
“Ouch! Ah! Eldest brother! Don’t hit me so hard.”
“Yi-dong.”
“Yes.”
“Your mental state is truly rotten.”
“Suddenly?”
“In the art of war, it is said that the best strategy among the Thirty-Six Stratagems is to run away.”
“What’s that……”
“As you live as a martial artist, you’ll inevitably encounter strong opponents. What should you do then?”
“Hmm. Strong opponents…… Then we should beat them up together?”
He says such a foolish thing so casually.
I shook my head and said.
“I told you just yesterday, but I’ll commend your memory for forgetting it today and tell you again. In such situations, running away is the best option. That’s why we’re practicing running. If you run well, you can escape when you encounter a strong opponent, and you can chase after a weak opponent when they run away. Could there be any better training than this?”
At my question, Il-dong, Yi-dong, and Sam-dong mumbled with uneasy expressions.
“Ah……”
“It makes sense, but…… This isn’t the kind of training we had in mind.”
“Hmm……”
It seems they don’t trust my philosophy.
You bastards.
How much have I proven myself so far, and you still don’t trust me?
“You don’t seem to believe me. Alright. Seeing is believing, so I’ll let you experience it firsthand.”
“Yes?”
“From now on, I’m going to beat the c*ap out of you guys. Use the ‘running’ you practiced today to run away as much as possible. Then you’ll realize how important ‘running training’ is. Of course, there are no personal feelings involved. That’s all.”
“……Brother?”
“Brother So-cheon?!”
“What’s the……”
I looked at them silently and then opened my mouth.
“Then, the beating begins.”
The second training is ‘beating.’
Although I said it in a stupid way, ‘beating’ is actually necessary training.
I plan to open their Governing and Conception Vessels using a ‘physical’ method.