The Revived Northern Divine Art
The next day marked a turning point in Gukgwang's life. Until now, all he knew was taking care of horses. But now, Ok Yeongjin began giving him various commands, urging him to learn martial arts, do this and that. At first, Gukgwang appeared to listen, but soon he became bored, ignoring most of the instructions and idling around.
After some time, even idling lost its appeal, and Gukgwang started wandering around, seeking out people to teach him how to read. It was only then that Ok Yeongjin realized Gukgwang had forgotten how to read entirely. Given that, it made sense why Gukgwang had been so frustrated when Ok Yeongjin had tossed him a martial arts manual.
Ok Yeongjin assigned several excellent teachers to him, and Gukgwang's knowledge grew rapidly. Once he set his mind on something, Gukgwang would stay up all night if necessary, fiercely devouring books. If Ok Yeongjin didn't know better, he might have thought Gukgwang had once been a scholar, given how intensely he studied.
Gukgwang read a variety of books, but he eventually focused on military strategies, and then on books about formations. For days, he lived in the library, making it difficult for Ok Yeongjin to even see him. He read, and read, until he had consumed every single book in the library. Only after finishing did Gukgwang emerge.
When Ok Yeongjin heard that Gukgwang had finally come out of the library, he asked a subordinate, "Where is he now?"
"He's been staring intently at the chrysanthemums in the rear garden after planting them. Should I call him?"
"No, I'll go see him myself."
When Ok Yeongjin entered the garden, Gukgwang was still gazing at the chrysanthemums. Feeling guilty about interrupting, Ok Yeongjin approached quietly, concealing his presence. When he got within three jang, Gukgwang suddenly flashed forward. His right hand, glowing blue, shot toward Ok Yeongjin's throat, stopping only when Gukgwang realized who it was. He quickly withdrew his move and stepped back.
Even after Gukgwang had retreated, Ok Yeongjin's pale complexion didn't recover immediately, and it wasn't until later that he began trembling, realizing how close he had come to death. Gukgwang spoke curtly, "Don't approach me without making your presence known like that."
"Your martial arts are remarkable. What was that move?"
"I acted purely on instinct. I don't even fully understand what I just did."
"Then, that means it was unconscious. With skills like yours, it's hard to imagine how you ended up with a knife in your back."
"I don't know that myself. Now, why have you come?"
When Gukgwang shot a suspicious glance at him, Ok Yeongjin realized that approaching him quietly had been a grave mistake. He had inadvertently made Gukgwang suspicious, and it would take time to dispel that doubt. Sighing, Ok Yeongjin said, "You were so focused on the chrysanthemums, I didn't want to disturb you. That's all. I came to ask if you might be interested in entering the Royal Palace's Armory."
"The Royal Palace's Armory? What is that?"
"It's where martial arts manuals gathered from across the world are stored within the palace. You can go in, read them, and learn any martial art that catches your eye. But you won't be able to learn the three great martial arts of the Royal Palace."
"Reading them shouldn't hurt. Where exactly is this Royal Palace's Armory?"
"I'll guide you there tomorrow," Ok Yeongjin responded.
The next day, Gukgwang entered the Royal Palace's Armory. As he was left inside, Ok Yeongjin assigned a watcher to observe him, keen to discover if any specific manuals sparked Gukgwang's interest. He assumed that if Gukgwang recognized any of the martial arts manuals, his reaction would surely give it away.
A few days later, the subordinate tasked with watching Gukgwang returned to report.
"He's diligently reading the manuals."
"Did he show particular interest in any one manual?"
"No, he's simply reading through them, starting from one corner. When he finishes one, he moves on to the next, and so on. Except for eating, sleeping, and going to the restroom, he's been reading non-stop."
"Has he mimicked any martial techniques after reading?"
"No, he just keeps reading. It doesn't seem like he has any intention of learning martial arts. What should we do?"
"Just let him be. Maybe things will change over time."
"Understood."
But Ok Yeongjin's predictions were completely off. Gukgwang continued to read, and after ten months, he had finished about half of the manuals in the armory. Even after that, he continued his relentless reading, and by the end of two years, he had read all 3,000 manuals in the armory. Yet, despite finishing them all, nothing seemed to have changed.
Afterward, Gukgwang returned to Ok Yeongjin's mansion, where he either holed himself up in his room or visited his favorite place, the chrysanthemum garden. Ok Yeongjin, having invested nearly two years into Gukgwang with no visible progress, grew anxious and decided to seek him out. He found Gukgwang sitting calmly on a mat, staring at chrysanthemums that hadn't even bloomed yet.
Recalling the previous time Gukgwang had nearly attacked him, Ok Yeongjin cleared his throat to announce his presence, trying to avoid startling him again.
"How have you been?"
"...."
"Did you gain any insights after visiting the armory?"
"...."
Receiving no response, Ok Yeongjin's frustration boiled over. However, since Gukgwang wasn't a subordinate, nor his own son, but rather someone he was watching over as a favor, Ok Yeongjin couldn't afford to lose his temper. So he raised his voice a little more.
"Did you gain any insights after visiting the armory?"
"…Yes, there certainly were a lot of books."
Ok Yeongjin, slightly proud, replied,
"It took a long time to gather them all."
"But all the books said the same things… Why did they write so many of them?"
"What do you mean? Even if the manuals share similarities, each one has its own strengths and weaknesses, making them completely different from one another."
"If those are all different, does that mean the Three Martial Arts of the Royal Palace you mentioned are at that same level?"
"No, the Three Martial Arts of the Royal Palace are uniquely compiled, based on the martial arts manuals we've collected over the years. They've been restructured into something distinctly royal and are very powerful. They're so strong that only a few are permitted to learn them."
"So, does that mean anyone who masters the Three Martial Arts of the Royal Palace is invincible?"
"In my opinion, no one can claim to be invincible. Maybe someone like Guhui, who has reached the level of the Profound Realm, but… every martial art has its strengths and weaknesses. If one technique can defeat another, then the defeated one can be used to overcome yet another. It's a cycle where one technique can defeat another but also be defeated itself. There has yet to be a creation of a supreme martial art."
Hearing the term "supreme martial art," Gukgwang began trembling. One phrase echoed in his mind, over and over again.
"Supreme martial art… supreme martial art… supreme… supreme… supreme…"
As Gukgwang stood in a daze, Ok Yeongjin continued talking, but there was no response from Gukgwang. Irritated at being ignored once again, Ok Yeongjin, unable to suppress his anger, shouted.
"Are you listening to me?"
But Gukgwang, with a blank expression, mumbled to himself.
"Supreme martial art… Supreme… The word 'supreme' really resonates with me. I think I learned a martial art with the word 'supreme' in its name before. Supreme martial art? Supreme palm technique? Supreme footwork? Supreme divine technique? Since I have a sword, supreme sword technique? Supreme swordsmanship? Supreme sword art? What else could there be? The one that feels the most familiar is supreme swordsmanship… supreme swordsmanship… supreme swordsmanship… supreme swordsmanship…"
As Gukgwang continued mumbling "supreme swordsmanship" repeatedly, Ok Yeongjin could no longer contain his frustration and shouted.
"Enough! Supreme swordsmanship? I've never heard of such a technique in my entire life! What nonsense is this? As far as I know, the only martial art that can be called a 'supreme martial art' is the Bukmyeong Divine Art, created by Guhui."
At the mention of the Bukmyeong Divine Art, Gukgwang spoke absentmindedly.
"Bukmyeong Divine Art? Bukmyeong Divine Art… Bukmyeong Divine Art… In the chapter 'So-yo-yu' of Zhuangzi, it says: 'In the northern darkness lies a great ocean called Tianchi. In that ocean lives a great fish whose length measures a thousand li, and its lifespan is immeasurable. This fish is called Kun. One day, Kun transforms into a great bird, and this bird is called Peng. When Peng spreads its wings, they stretch across nine thousand li. Peng flies high into the sky and heads south. Water that gathers deeply can support a large vessel, just as a vast ocean is made up of countless drops of water.'
The Bukmyeong martial art is like this analogy from Zhuangzi. It gathers the true energy of nature into the body, and just as a great ocean can support a large ship, the accumulated energy unleashes great power. As the energy builds and strengthens, one can digest and apply all martial arts, just as the Bukmyeong can support both small and large ships and contain even great fish like the Kun. Therefore, true energy is paramount, while movements like striking and blocking are secondary. One must first learn to absorb the yang energy of the sun by day and the yin energy of the moon by night, thereby mastering the art of drawing energy from nature…"
As Gukgwang mumbled this with a vacant expression, Ok Yeongjin was shocked and screamed.
"Agh! You… you've read the Bukmyeong Divine Art!"
Startled by Ok Yeongjin's shout, Gukgwang suddenly came back to his senses and closed his mouth. Eager to hear more, Ok Yeongjin tried to coax him, but Gukgwang was stubborn. Once his mouth was shut, it stayed shut.
Could it be? thought Ok Yeongjin, Someone who has mastered the lost Bukmyeong Divine Art? This might be bigger than I thought…
Ok Yeongjin started to persuade Gukgwang.
"The Bukmyeong Divine Art is one of the greatest treasures of the martial world. Since you know it, this is a great opportunity. I'll assign a scribe to you. If you recite it, we can turn it into a manual and advance the martial arts of the Royal Palace."
"I don't know if this art is a supreme treasure, but something deep within me says I should never reveal it to anyone. Please don't ask me again."
Gukgwang turned his gaze back to the chrysanthemums. As he stared at the flowers, Ok Yeongjin, seeing there was nothing more he could do, had no choice but to leave.
Why does he keep staring so intently at chrysanthemums that haven't even bloomed? Doesn't he get tired of it? Ok Yeongjin muttered to himself, venting his frustration at the flowers.
Disciple - 1
It had been a while since Okhang returned to Junggyeong. As he gazed at the bustling streets, he couldn't suppress the smile of pride that crept across his face. He had just come back from training with the renowned Qingcheng Sect, famed for its swordsmanship, brimming with confidence. However, he was not an official disciple who had been personally chosen by the sect leader. Instead, he had been accepted due to the influence and pressure of his powerful military family. As a result, the depth of the martial arts he learned remained shallow.
His father, Ok Cheongyeong, had a rigid personality but lacked the martial skills to join the Black Wind Brigade, leaving him to work as a regular general in the army. Okhang, however, intended to use the martial arts he learned during his training to enter the Black Wind Brigade, a highly coveted goal for the younger members of the military elite, as it required exceptional skills.
Okhang walked down Suzaku Road, where high-ranking officials resided, and entered a house that, though not the grandest among the towering buildings, was still imposing. His grandfather, the great General Ok Yeongjin, welcomed him warmly, but after assigning him a place to stay, he became nearly impossible to meet. When Okhang asked the servants, they told him his grandfather was incredibly busy with the rebuilding of the Black Wind Brigade, which made sense. Recruiting the thousands of experts necessary for the brigade wasn't a task to be completed overnight, and training the new recruits took a great deal of time.
What bothered Okhang the most in his grandfather's house was a young man named Gukgwang. As the grandson of a powerful general, Okhang had always been treated with utmost respect, but Gukgwang only greeted him with cold glares. Whenever Okhang asked him questions, he would either claim ignorance or respond with a mocking sneer. Okhang wanted nothing more than to punish him, but since Gukgwang was a guest of his grandfather, he held himself back. Not that it mattered much, as Gukgwang rarely left his quarters, and Okhang had no reason to go near him. He simply avoided him, muttering to himself, "It's not because I'm afraid of him, but because I find it repulsive."