Chapter 6 Those with a hole in their heart. (Part 1)

Cheoneumja Yu Cheong (兪) in the process of weaving the iron thread of the daegeum (large bamboo flute) tightening it as he continues to tie it, as he weaves the threads.

Most daegeum were made from yellow bamboo or ssanggol bamboo, however, the one being weaved had been made using the bamboo from a special black bamboo tree. 

The use of an iron thread is made and used separately to tie the black bamboo using iron as the silk thread is too weak to hold it in place.

Cheoneumja Yucheong (Author note: referred to as Yangsa earlier, in the novel also called Yu Qing, I will refer to him a Yangsa from now on) has developed the ability to convert his inner energy into sound waves and has been honing his skill to more effectively channel it to emit sound waves through the instrument.

The teacher knows the innate qualities of seven-year-old Yangsa, who he had stolen from his parents and raised them himself, since birth.

Yangsa's ears were extremely sensitive, and they had the ability to hear sounds, and distinguish conversations from a long distance which normal human hearing could not.

He had been able to develop this ability to enable him to distinguish the identify by sound a flying bird and the range it flies at and could probably do the same with insects.

The teacher was not the type of older brother who properly cared for young children. When Yangsa tried to run away several times, the teacher put him in a cage and was raised in captivity.

Every day, Yangsa had breathe as instructed by his teacher hundreds of times. He had to do it, and after hearing the teacher tell him to listen, the teacher told him to do it, or his punishment took the form of paying a fee.

Just like that, a year passed and then two years passed. when he was young, he had thought it would be easier to die, and if he did die, would he have been able to meet his sister-in-law, who arrived at a time when he was hoping to be able to return to his parents.

Yangsa's sister-in-law is Mo-Biryeong (Author note: called earlier Hwa soo-in, which is how I will refer to her as from now on) is three years older than him, she wears red clothes and smiles brightly. Yangsa likes when he refuses to eat how she smiles at him when she is coaxing him to eat.

The result was that Yangsa gradually forgot his parents, as time went by and there was no more trying to run away. It was in this way of giving up on his thoughts of escape, that he was able to stay out of the cage.

Hwa soo-who always liked to have fun while she practiced her inner energy skill of fire. Always liked to include Yangsa, by using him as target practice, which resulted in setting him on fire, and causing him to endure burns, which he was able to survive, from a young age. 

He always accepted her excuse was that she did not mean it as she was just practicing, as she always treated to put medicine and a bandage on the area that was hurt. As time went on and he grew Hwa soo-in stopped causing any more burns to Yangsa's body. 

Instead, Hwa soo-in started to play with his heart which burns with her teasing to cause bitter wounds, to be inflicted when she inadvertently had relationships with other men.

No relationship she has lasts more than 15 days. The reason is she liked to play with the men, she became involved with and would get tired of playing with them. 

The relationship would end with her either leaving them or killing them, saying with a shrug of her shoulders, "What can I do?" 

Hwa soo-in, who plays with her fire energy, like the fire she stirs in his heart, finds no rest to its constant flare, as he asks her always, "Are I not enough?" as he kisses her naked shoulder. Her response is always, "No."

Hwa soo-in then would laugh in that characteristic way that she has when she finds the whole situation amusing as she dances away from him looking at him in that coyly humble way she will act to ask, "If I say I am sorry, is that not good enough..." her expression changes to one that is more like her normal self as she smiles to continue honestly, "Ah...Maybe, I should get angry?" 

The bright smile makes him feel like he is wrapped in a warm embrace, even though he knows that she will forget about the kisses they had exchanged, whenever he returned something, he is used to.

He was used to this type of behaviour which everyone he interacted with from his teacher, older sister-in-law, Ki-Cheol and the priests were all like that.

It did not matter whether it was a relationship or not to the older brother who lost his manly function due to her death, a woman is nothing more than a tool to warm his own body, while he was practicing his ice skills and just that.

Hwa soo-in approaches swinging the sachet she carries filled with her signature scent of musk. It is a unique scent that she used, which was different from that of ordinary people to enable those who knew that she used it, link it with her presence. 

She is tired and her body is always hotter than ordinary people, and the scent of her sachet was strong as it reacted to one's body temperature.

Hwa soo-in had been absent all evening and was probably with her man on the street somewhere, who would be on the way to find and have some fun.

When suddenly she felt a sudden pain start from inside her chest, like it had been brushed against a hot iron and even when it becomes dull now, it flares to a burning hot pain every time she moves.

 Hwa soo-in leans forward from behind Yangsa and asks, "Does the death penalty not mean anything? A woman has been given the title of Uniseon. Are you just going to leave it alone? I did not know that you could be so generous."

Hwa soo-in laughs as he tickles the back of her neck, as he taunts her After all I have never looked upon anything so beautiful. I did not know that it existed before I saw it."

He grabs Hwa soo-in's wrist as she tries to leave, which makes her look coldly at him to say, "I told you not to touch me anyone." This makes him ask, "Why?" "I don't know." Making her twist her wrist out of his grasp as she says commandingly, "That is all Legault. Don't touch anyone".

Ki-Cheol, the chief executioner, has locked Uiseon in a room, after Gi-won dragged her into a separate building, from the main building.

Meanwhile Hwa soo-in gently digs into the lap of Yangsa, which makes him readjust the Daegeum to accommodate her.

Once she has made herself comfortable, she proceeds to bury her head in his shoulder to whimper, "It is lonely."

Yangsa smells the scent of another man mixed with the musk and finds the clash of what she said to how she smells ironic.

The thought is interrupted as she then looks at him with a look that says she has had an idea, like she has felt his aversion to say, "I am so lonely, should I kill someone? Will that make me feel less lonely?"

Yangsa has feels the will to reject her action dissolve and hugs Hwa soo-in. The action makes her pout as she complains, "It is not enough."

Yangsa tightens his arms to hug her tighter, which quietens her and lays her head on his shoulder. He lowers his head to look down at her and runs his hand down her cheek to feel the telltale tears that fall quietly down them. 

Hwa soo-in hums in satisfaction, drawing the attention of their teacher Nerguim, whose gaze looks steadily at the pair. 

Hwa soo-in, who had been born and raised in an acrobatic troupe, was sold to Nerguim who bought her using money. He also arranged to buy her a daegat house (traditional Korean House called a hanok or chosonjip).

Yu Chung (from what I make out this is Nergui), who was the only son, stole using any means or methods to gain what he wanted.

The decision to have disciples was made with the first disciple, Ki-Cheol, who Nergui had met while still originally a member of parliament. 

He had come from Mongolia to settle in Goryeo, where he had wandered its land as an itinerant lawmaker.

He would drift around the streets, paying for lodging expenses, where he used to resort to violent and bizarre ways to make a living.

Rumours began to spread that he could revive people who were dying that it had resulted in the Ki family coming to him for a consultation.

It had been about the Ki family's eldest son Ki-Cheol whose body had a cold feeling from the day he was born, where his fingers and toes had been blue in appearance and frozen physically that still were.

In order for the condition not to not to harm him, his room burns day and night, with the energy of several furnaces.

Nerguim, had drained Ki-Cheol's body of the ice energy and the family had been so happy they did not know what to do.

It was then that he informed him that what he did was temporary and that the only way to control it was for the child to learn how to hone the natural inner energy he was born with.

Nergui offers himself to take on the child's development. He feels like this is the reason why he was born like this to take on people like this with an innate ability to guide and train them. 

An opportunity to like this as his next step was something he would have willingly died for, even if it took his whole life.

Nergui was able to reside at Mr Ki's house, calling it home, since his presence resulted in Ki-Cheol's coldness was eliminated at once, he is highly regarded, because the old man is not only kind, but he is also crazy, not knowing that Nergui is jealous of Ki-Cheol's natural inner energy. 

Ki-Cheol remembers how from a young age Nergui soaks him in a medicinal bath and drains his blood for several days.

He wrote the law, and he poured his cold energy into his own dantian to then begin teaching how to control the cold.

The word teach has a sting from Ki-Cheol's perspective, as he was being harassed day and night.If Ki-Cheol had been like other children, he would have given up long ago, deliberately screwed up or had him kicked out, but Ki-Cheol was smart as he knew that the intensity of the bullying increases, his inner energy development and martial arts progress.

Ki-Cheol hates his teacher at the same time he understands he needs it. During these times his teacher Nergui spoke about the world of Heaven whenever he had time.

Just as there is a world on earth, there is a world in Heaven which is in the Sky. If you can go to the world of Sky, could it be said, "If I could bring things from Heaven, I could bring everything on earth."

He used to spit and talk about how he could put it under his feet, Nergui takes various drugs to improve his strength.

Ki-Cheol as a result has also taken various drugs and used various shortcuts to get faster results. The result is his body gradually began to harden, to the extent that he is unable to use his lower body at all, and he spent half a year wandering the world on a chair.

It was said that he was looking for a way to Heaven, just like his teacher, while the two of them found the second and third disciples. The teacher had something called a Heavenly object.

The teacher believed that a certain skill was needed to use the object and he had spent his life researching what kind of novel device would make it work.

Ki-Cheol was given the binggong, and the other students were given hwagong and eumgong not because he wanted his students to have it, but with the aim to see if they could operate the Heavenly object with it, by testing to see if they could remove and item from a specific location.

He firmly believed that if once activated it, the gates of heaven would open, "He was a crazy old man," Ki-Cheol mutters out loud.

However, it is said that the woman of Heaven came through the Heavenly gate, she is now locked in the annex of Ki-Cheol's house.

The image of the hair colour that is not of the earth that falls around that face, that look at him with shiny eyes that are also not of the earth as she had recited that Heavenly curse or was it a spell? 

The recollection of his interaction with her makes him want to say out loud again, "You are a shameless charlatan." Unlike his teacher, Ki-Cheol refuses to spend the rest of his life being fooled by crazy thoughts.

It frustrates and upsets him that he spends his days being half-paralysed like that and not dying. So, Ki-Cheol was deliberately not planning on meeting that woman, for some time as he contemplates.

'I do not know what crazy tricks that witch could have." He had no intention of putting using himself as a test subject, without carefully planning to place Yangsa withing reach on the other side of the door.

It is then that he hears her yelling, "Hello?! Are you out there?! Are you not planning on interrogating me?!"

Ki-Cheol thinks, 'No matter how much she is a monster. The woman is one that is not only given the title of Uiseon by His Majesty the Lord, but she is also above all, a woman protected by the Princess of Won. She will be hard to kill without justification without it.'

The last thought makes Ki-Cheol uncharacteristically feel like he is going to burst into tears he is feeling that irritated.

He is determined to make the reason that will justify getting rid of that witch with when he says to Gi-won, "When the sun rises tomorrow, I will send you out of the gate on a mission that will save me and destroy her. I have no intention of letting her go, so you have to figure out a way to cause a situation or something that will make His Majesty be at a disadvantage." The two men slyly roll their eyes in a conspiratory way.

She had tried to sneak away but was surrounded by the private soldiers who had been patrolling the grounds. 

The one from Heaven when she was caught was yelling, "I do not have any other earthly skills that you would find valuable, except for the of Heavenly medicine, so I can heal the sick. How about it?" 

Ki-Cheol was too lazy to answer, so he used hand gestures to indicate to Gi-won that they should not respond as he sends a message with his eyes to the other man.

Do not do it. She was a dangerous woman with the courage and wit to stand up confidently, she was excellent, even with those flashing eyes that were especially dangerous making Ki-Cheol feeling shaken and uncertain. 

The sight of her had almost made him believe in the Heavenly world his teacher had talked about, it makes him remember who had brought her from the Heavenly world.

Ki-Cheol then says, "Ah! The person named Choi Young. I did not get to see him."The other man answers, "It looks like there is a problem with the captain of the Woodalchi. Cheong Byeong, had heard that this is why he is not appearing before the King."

Ki-Cheol nods then says, "Good. I was thinking of giving up my position as Prince... but that will be enough? What do you think?" he holds up his cup saying, "Please give me some majigi."

The other man answers, "Looking at the strength of his men, I can see that even Daehogun was worthy." Then motions with his hand to say, "Please give me some majigi too." Then goes on in conspiratory way, "Just bring me under you, so that if you need it, use it. You can pick from his men and bring them to you."

Ki-Cheol responds with a nod, "I will take such action." Knowing that there is no better way to weaken a strong army then to chip it away from the inside.

Both shake hands in agreement, before they leave the quiet room. The other man looks down at the hand Ki-Cheol has held, feeling the effect of the cold energy that had left behind, he slowly moves his fingers and flexes his palm to regain the feeling and get his blood moving again.

The intention with what they want to do gives them the determination to begin, despite the deepening night as the remain sleepless with anticipation. 

Rather than worrying about not being able to sleep why not take advantage of it and take the initiative to start what they had planned? 

The world is so easy compared to the times when Ki-Cheol was anxious to find a way to treat his body, with Mr. Binggong

The aftereffects are getting deeper, and if things continue like this, Ki-Cheol will not be able to last even ten years.

Ki-Cheol had thought he could do it, so he had got some good-looking herbs and went to a good acupuncturist, who had done everything to treat him.

They even brought Emperor Wen's royal family with him, where he had gone to receive a medical examination. It was thanks to this visit that the rate at which his body freezes has slowed down.

Then one day, while Ki-Cheol was lying in bed, when he suddenly felt like he lost the control. Despite it being lost, but it but it did not stop them from trying again. 

Ki-Cheol recalls how overwhelmed with the feeling that his heart had literally been ripped open, when he felt the telltale cold wind blowing in and out of his body.

He recalls how he had thought, while looking at the ceiling, "Now, what? What is this hole that I feel?"

A question that he did not know the answer, which started the search the world from then on to find the answer to put a name to what would fill that hole.

He had even stopped working, to focus instead on things that would occupy his mind enough to forget that he had a hole in his heart.

The search had shaken the country and killed people. The only time that he could not fill was at night, as there was no one to kill to distract him from the hole that exists in his heart.

He cannot even sleep because the wind is so cold, with nothing to cling to, as the right hand shows the physical form of coldness that is covered in a layer of frost.

He places the icy hand on the left side of his chest, where he feels the hole, and endures the sting as the icy cold spreads on the outside of his chest.

The question that plagues his thoughts, 'What is this hole about? Why is it? If you stick his hand in, will the ice fill the hole?'

Suddenly, the voice of a strange woman speaking the words, "I know when and how you die? I know when it happens. Do you not want to know?"

Ki-Cheol is disgusted at himself as he feels the coldness in his hands goes away. Ki-Cheol is scared, he is worried he will end up like his crazy teacher if he continues like this.

There was no window in the room where Eun-soo was trapped, since the evening. After putting her away, no one came near her until the end of the night.

She had pounded on the door, shouted, and tried to explain, but no one was there. It seemed to have no one listening outside the door.

After trying all day, she was exhausted, so she had laid down on the bed in the corner of the room for a moment, to fall asleep.

Meanwhile Choi Young was walking on a mountain path in his dream. On one side a stream flows, on the other side trees lined the way of the dazzling mountain path, their canopies covering it with their foliage the colours of autumn.

It was a path, that he was familiar with as it as it is a long road that he has walked on several times and would recognise anywhere apart from the unusual shine that it has taken to and the look of fall in its foliage, that he never saw before.

He has been hiking all life, there is no way that he has ever experienced the path he walks in this way before.

He does not even want to walk to the park in front of his house, because of the memories that the park holds for him, but in this dream, it is amazing that he did that and had enjoyed it, absent of the memories he has there.

It was when he noticed that someone is walking in front of him, the back of the figure was looking strange. 

He notices that the figure seems to be a woman, who wears a blue dress that the hem of is being fluttered in the wind.

The figure of the woman seems to be someone he is familiar with, even friendly with, he continues to walk with his long legs and the figure happens to look behind her at him;

'Ah...…The sight of the face of the woman makes him stop in surprise, when she smiles at him, making him realise…. It is that person...No…Stop.... Wait a moment... There is no way she would just wait for me....There is no way she his turning his body towards me... She stretched out her hand towards me…... It seems to be indicating for me to grab her hand quickly...…. What kind of dream is this?"

The sudden thought made him wake up confused, to a dark room that had been lit by a single candle that had now been completely gone out.

Choi Young is still trying to figure out where he is as the dream lingers in his head, which is where a headache is starting to occur.

Grappling with what is happening in his head he closes his eyes as he tries to diagnose himself: First apart from the headache he feels like does not have enough sugar in his system.

He searches his mind trying to recall the last thing he remembers before he was sitting at the frozen lake, 'Ah... that's right...Was it yesterday, he was called by the King for lunch?'

It had been because of the wind, he does not remember the evening, and Choi Young had been busy taking care of that person. He had skipped it because I had no faith.

Choi Young's thoughts are interrupted as it suddenly occurs to him the face, he saw in his dreams remains vivid even after waking up.

In fact, she had never smiled at me, it makes him wonder if it is possible to see a smiling face in a dream that you have never seen before?

Choi Young's eyes slowly have adjusted to the darkness which has started to notice objects in the room have become more discernible which look familiar to his eyes, as he looks around, being too difficult to get up and move around.

Eun-soo at the same time has woken up to notice a thin ray of sunlight leaks through the crack in the door, as the darkness disappears to replace it with the morning sun the shines brightly to illuminate the floor.

The sight makes her wonder if she would be given breakfast. It makes her think that 'Even prisoners in prison are given food. What is she going to do?' She is starving the last time she had eaten was at breakfast yesterday morning.

Eun-soo feels like crying, but takes a deep breath wondering, 'So, what is this all about now?' After fall asleep exhausted from thinking about last night, it makes her worry about the money issue again.

After all it was because she had sworn in front of the King yesterday, that she had been dragged here and locked up by that man called Ki-Cheol.

It makes her wonder if she remembers it correctly. She thinks how the Woodalchi manager had said the name against what she remembers and wonders if it is okay for her to be in his custody. 

After all the King is on her side… Is he not? Does the fact that she is in that unpleasant guy's custody mean that the King has abandoned it? Did you catch it? 

The thought makes him feel anxious, making her shake her head to dispel the feeling. Let's only think about the positive side, because she knows if her thoughts start to be negative it will spiral where she can only think bad things, that then her feeling bad, to increase the stress levels and does not result in anything helpful. 

Eun-soo is rubbing her wrists, wondering, 'So.. what good could there be?' She will have to have a deep thought about it. 

Eun-soo then looks at the bruises on her wrist which were the result of yesterday, both sides were caught and dragged away by rough men.

The dark blue almost black in colour makes her wonder, 'How hard how they been holding her to get bruises like this? How long will it take for them to fade?'

The thoughts about how the Middle Ages identified, hunted and rounded up monsters, and witches replay in her head.

It makes her wonder this situation may end up being like something from the Middle Ages. She hopes that she will not burn to death like the witches. 

Right? This will not be it? Right? Realising that this is not a good idea to be thinking down this path.So, she searches her head for a good idea to latch on to like a life preserver when the memory of a certain person's laugh, makes it into the forefront of her mind.

Eun-soo remember seeing that person in her dream, the memory of his smiling face fills her brain, just like it filled her empty dreams.

It makes her hold her breath to focus on the image she thinks about it carefully, keep it there as long as possible, afraid that it might scatter and be forgotten.

In the dream, he smiled at her, as he held out his hand to her. The sight was familiar, as if I had seen it a thousand times.

The morning sunlight was starting to seep into the inner room where Choi Young was lying. The sunlight comes through the small window on the east where it illuminates first the ghost sword, then the police shield.

Finally, it move to illuminate Choi Young on the bed, to fall on his face which appears normal now that the black that indicated the shadow of death, had disappeared. 

The shadow seemed to have gone now, but his lips were still white, cracked and dry like his throat. Taiwan, returned to the room carrying a basin with a clean cotton towel. 

He came to moisten those lips as teacher Jang Bin taught him. Taiwan was distracted with focusing all his attention on first not dropping the basin as he places it on the bench. 

He then concentrates on taking the clean cotton towel out to wring as much water out of it as possible, to then turn around to promptly drop it in shock as he saw the captain move.

Taiwan notices how the captain's hand twitch. Taiwan then rubs his eyes to look again to see how the captain raises his hand to make a fist, before he raises his arm to drape it over his eyes to cover them from the glare of the sun as it comes through the window.

The motion triggers Taiwan to run next to the captain, to say urgently, "Leader…?" The sound of the captain's voice is low as the words make it past his cracked dry lips, as he says, "It is dazzling."

Taiwan cried and laughed to then take a step to block the sunlight that covered the captain's face. He was overjoyed that the captain is back.

Choi Young carefully lowered the arm that covered his eyes, still unable to open his eyes right now. Even when his eyes are closed, the sunlight is in them, coming in full. 

The heavens and earth are full of sunlight, after being a world that seemed to be no light, he felt like he was floating and feeling dizzy. 

He remembers that someone had called him, which is why he had looked back and that is how he is came back.

Choi Young manages to open his eyes to just make out Taiwan is vaguely visible in the light. The light hurts his eyes, resulting in tears to well up in his eyes as he asks, "Where is she?"

Taiwan does not know how to answer. The hesitation in Taiwan's response that brings Choi Young to his senses like a cold bucket of water, to sit up quickly.

Choi Young's body shakes as it struggles with the reality of feeling like it is as heavy as a thousand pounds.

He notices the sudden movement of Jang Bin entering the room, followed by Taiwan who has gone to fetch him. The appearance of both makes him asks, in a voice that is clearer, "What?"

Jang Bin walks away quickly to look like he is busy doing something, when he is actuality does not do anything, and is looking uncharacteristically embarrassed.

Taiwan, who came to call Jang Bin, is excited like a puppy let loose in the snow as he apprises the captain of all that has happened while he was unconscious.

The captain not believing what he has heard, summarises what he has heard to say, "So you have finished telling the story? Is it the story of Uiseon being dragged away?"

The captain looks in the direction of Jang Bin, who is still not making eye contact, asks, "Ji? You do not answer when I ask you?" Captain asks you?"

Taiwan is just clearly excited, while Jang Bin's heart is heavy as just as expected he watches as the captain gets up to go to the clothes that sit clean and folded on the bench ready for him to use.

Jang Bin notices how quickly the captain gets fully dressed and moves to check the pulse at his wrist as the captain picks up the ghost sword with his other hand.

Jang Bin notices how weak the captains pulse feels and is amazed that he is still able to move especially after he had to have another laparotomy on the abdomen and the cords were crossed once, while he had been there. If it weren't for Uiseon, he would not be alive today.

Choi Young detaches his wrist from Jang Bins grasp deftly to then tie the sword he held with the other hand to his waist, as he asks with clear anger in his voice, "Were you just watching? While Uiseon was being dragged away?" Jang Bin says, "I heard them mention strange name."

At those words, the furrow in Choi Young's forehead deepens, as he then goes to exit the room. Jang Bin grabs him by the forearm to stop him from leaving, to then picks up the police shield to then pass it to him as he says, "I heard that it was called Eomyeong. The reason why I sent Uiseon to that house. I heard it."

Jang Bin then asks him, "Is the Woodalchi captain, who is in charge of protecting the king, going to disobey Lee Myung?"

Choi Young looks at him with those deep dark eyes steadily as he asks, "Then let us pretend you did not hear what I just said."

Choi Young then twists his forearm, to pull it out of Jang Bin's grasp, and moved in long quick strides as he positions the shield on his back to make it easier to carry and move.

Even while arguing with Jang Bin, Choi Young his thoughts deep inside consider what he will be met with when he reaches the house. 

The people who are watching Uiseon at that house all use internal energy skills. The one woman who could summon and manipulate fire he had encountered already.

It was lucky that the shield he has is not like wooden shields that are not able to completely protect on from fire completely. The one he has will endure the fire to bounce it off, not weakening it is protective effectiveness making him unstoppable.

Jang Bin gives up, runs out after him with a pill bag in his pocket to take it out as he catches up to grab the other man by the wrist who stops to feel it being place it in his hand.

Jang Bin then explains, "Here this is Bowondan. There are only three pills left. One pill is enough for one day. It will help your physical condition to endure."

Choi Young accepted, without a second thought, to then open the bag to take one out, pop it into his mouth, to chewed it thoroughly as he eats it.

Jang Bin then says, "Even though the captain's true spirit is still in place. Restrict the use of your inner energy skill of electricity as much as possible. If you use it, it may run out and you may not be able to get it back, if it runs out like this. In time you will be able to use it the way you used to, but it will take time." 

Choi Young appreciates the other man's concern and smiling with his eyes says, "Well, you have become congressman who only says very encouraging things."

Jang Bin appreciates the attempt at lightening the mood and cannot help but smile, to ignore the seriousness of what the captain is about to do.

Choi Young thinks how it would be nice to take some time and have a good breakfast before leaving, as his way out the door is blocked when Jang Bin stands in his way to say,

"Now, Deokseong Buwongun is looking for a cause, there is reason to conclude that tax collectors are monsters. So, for no reason do not use it as a justification, but first control your true energy and gain strength.

Choi Young said, "I heard that Uiseon was called to the side of His Majesty side in front of the officials." Jang Bin asks, "She did." Choi Young then asks, "I heard that you were present she did that."

Jang Bin answers, "I was." Choi Young then contemplates saying, "Then they will try to kill me first, before the rumour spreads any further and the details will be made and attached later."

Jang Bin attempts to block Choi Young again blocks Choi Young, who is trying to pass by her, "Now the captain is the one who controlled the monster called Uiseon. Is there some plan behind him that makes him move like this? Is there?"

Choi Young looks at Jang Bin for a moment and nods, "What kind of plan is this?" Jang Bin wanted to know the captain's plan of attack so that he can be of help if needed. However, Choi Young had other ideas when he bluntly answers, "Breakthrough head on."

Then, as if reading Jang Bin's movements, the room that Jang Bin was trying to block him from leaving, the captain seemed to slip right by him like fluid to exit out the other side.

Taiwan had gone to get Choi Young's horse, Vermilion, without anyone knowing and was there to meet the captain as he exited the building.

The horse happy to see his owner after a long time neighed and nudged the man to be rubbed on his head, which the captain did.

Vermilion was happy to see the owner after a long time and having his head rubbed by him, to then take the halter from Taiwan to command, "Do not follow me."

Taiwan is stubborn as he states firmly, "I will follow you." The captain reprimands just as firmly, "This is against the commandments. So..?" Taiwan persists not backing down, "I will follow you."

Taiwan has not been able to sleep properly and has bloodshot eyes that are glaring at Choi Young, not backing down, his determination not to let him out of his sight clear.

Choi Young decides to let him do what he wants as he has no time to waste on this argument. He sighs in resignation and acceptance of the kid's determination and mounts his horse, kicking it in the stomach to take off quickly leaving Taiwan behind him, knowing that he will follow him soon.

The story of what happens makes him picture what has happened in front of the public for the first time where the one from Heaven was captured, after being given away by the King.

Choi Young keeps his cool, as he thinks that the King must have wanted to compete with Ki-Cheol and had fallen right into the palm of his hand, probably falling in with Jo Il-sin's plan to raise the King's standard. 

Choi Young remembers Deokseong Buwongun Ki-Cheol look when he had seen Uiseon right in front of him.

He remembers that look give me a shiver, those cunning eyes as they swept up and down as he had looked at Uiseon.

Choi Young can only guess at the thoughts of Ki-Cheol was entertaining that gave him that assessing gleam as he looked at her.

The possibilities, of what the man had planned for her could be of one of two, either make it his or kill it in a way that will cut off the King's momentum to solidify power.

Uiseon is her own person, he can just see that in front of him, Uiseon was probably not going to be obedient.

Which will not be the person who Ki-Cheol cannot control so, she will probably end up dying. How can Ki-Cheol be stopped?

A hand pressed to his abdomen, where terrible pain spread as his worlds swayed in front of his eyes. He rode his horse leaning forward on it to focus on regaining his strength, while his horse made its progress.

The efficacy of the medicine given by Jang Bin is starting to take effect, as feels like he is floating, as he can feel the good energy circulates along the meridians and helps Choi Young.

Just in time to focus as the horse turns onto the road around the trees, where the mansion of Deokseong Buwongun appeared, his private soldiers noticeably guarding the front gate.

The guards had spotted Choi Young from afar and step forward waving their weapons as he get closer to the gates entrance, making them yell for back up.

Fifteen private soldiers rush out, to fight the potential intruder to stop him from entering to defend the gate.

Choi Young decides not to waste his energy, in effect delaying his intent he leans forward low on the saddle as he shortens the reins to pulls up Vermillion to speed up, thinking,

'O King. I complied with His Majesty's command, to bring a doctor from Heaven, to treat the Queen. I also in accordance with His Majesty's command stopped the woman brought from Heaven from returning. Now the one from Heaven is going to be killed in accordance with Ha's orders.'

He feels like a grudge is forming against the King. The realisation clashes as he remembers how her image had called him from the other world. 

It was that image that has made him determined to act. So here he is coming, which had nothing to do with the King, and all about him and this woman.

Choi Young slowly approached the soldiers, how had stopped talking and were standing still as a picture ready weapon pointed as he approaches them as they stand guard outside the wall that separates him from her.

The late Woodalchira was an individual, without his affiliation or title of Jungnangjang. She introduced herself, to him saying while bowing, "Main building, Cheorwon. The spirit of the Choi family has come to see Deokseong Buwongun."

The two companies were on their way to Uiseon in the annex as the Woodalchira adjusts the sac of poison she has hidden in her sleeve. 

Her intent was in the back of her mind to just shake the poison sac a couple of times at the girl, all she needed to do is wait for the right time.

She thinks in anticipation, 'It is all way too easy. Everything will end' She tilts her head thinking how both companies hated that girl from the beginning and the story of the owner Ki-Cheol tells when he had seen that woman's eyes.

It was like he had been mesmerized when she looked at the master. She hesitates, as she remembers how she had seen her master when agitated gathers the cold energy into one of his hands, which would mean that a woman like that was going to be killed on the spot. But she had witnessed with her own eyes how the master had hidden the cold in his hand.

How dare she, it is going to be a strange year that some woman has the ability to shake not only her master's, but those people's hearts that him.

She contemplates how about we use acid instead of poison. Her smooth face sizzles in anticipation of giving it to her.

She was excited just by the thought, and as she walked restlessly, when there was a commotion at the west gate the excitement is conveyed through the charm of her walk to see as one of her soldiers came running and saw her out of breath saying, "He has arrived. The captain of the Woodalchi has arrived." Yangsa asks him, "If you are Captain Woodalchi, who is Choi Young? Did you bring the Woodalchis with you?" He answers, "No, I came alone."

Yangsa hesitates for a moment and then runs to Ki-Cheol's study to tell him that the man who had brought that girl has arrived, and he wanted for his master to wait a little longer before killing her.

He must be the one he told before anyone else did, making his way as swiftly as his feet could carry him.

Yangsa knows the master will be happy that Choi Young was currently leaning against the inside wall of the gate holding his sword and something he did not recognise on his back.

Choi Young's appearance is looking relaxed as he leans against the inside wall of the gate his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep the moment he took the position.

The soldiers stand nearby in preparation for anything, even if they do not dare to get close and keep their distance, watching him intently as they whisper about what they had heard about him amongst themselves, that he is like those who served Ki-Cheol in close proximity who have and use the inner skill energy.

Choi Young remained leaning, eyes closed like he was sleeping, when in reality he was desperately capturing and gathering the scattered energy through his body which he then stored in the Danjeon, while on the other hand, he finds in his search, the remaining power in the body is concentrated.

Earlier when Jang Bin asked about the plan, there was already no room for negotiation, and he had calculated the risk.

The cost of bowing your head to Ki-Cheol and ask for a favour, will be Ki-Cheol would want Choi Young on top of wanting Uiseon.

It was a betrayal of the King, who had handed over Uiseon to him in the first place, leaving no room for negotiation.

Choi Young has also considered a method of secretly infiltrating and rescuing people. Recalling the last time he came to this mansion; he had seen how vast it was and the people who guard it.

The number of confirmed guards that were on duty can be seen in the bright light of day. Impossible. So, the conclusion is a head-on approach, the problem is.... the number and the ability of the opponent depends on their ability to defend the attack.

At that moment, Choi Young holds his breath, when he hears the sound of footsteps approaching where he leans, sensing the one that approaches has learned the inner energy skills.

Choi Young opens his eyes head still bowing down to look up to see a tall figure that has stopped to stands five steps in front of him and is currently looking at him.

Choi Young waits to see if he will come any closer, having no idea whether he has the strength to endure that type of attack just yet, makes him raise his head, his eyes locked on the other man, who stretches arm up to point using his hand in to the opposite direction of where Choi Young leans who then straightens to slowly stand up his gaze following the direction it points in.

Choi Young mentally remindes himself there is always a payment when anyone interacts with Ki-Cheol and makes him wonder what for the payment will take for him.

He notices the iron strings tied to the daegeum the other man carries it seems to be made of a material that looks hard, which seems why the iron strings where used, the amount of iron that is used on the daegeum makes it more noticeable.

He gives a note to Buwongun's house person whose job it is to escort him to Ki-Cheol. It was said there was someone who did it. So, it was him and he started walking making sure that he follows the other man's guidance.

However, the seriousness of the how the other man walks can be heard through the steps he makes which draws Choi Youngs' focus. It seems like the man has been crying.

Choi Young quietly looks around, to then see what was inside, where a group of a private soldiers rushed from different entrances as if they had received some kind of order, to come flocking in.

Ki-Cheol is happy like a child after receiving the report from both companies, one he considers his confidant, and the other was his sister.

Before he demands of the one in command "Go. Go and find out how much martial arts he has, I need to know how deep it is".

Yangsa leads the other man listening to how the other man walks, assessing what he is hearing, in an attempt to gauge his strength from the sound of the footsteps of the person that is following one step behind. 

It became obvious to Yangsa that something wasn't clear about the man's walk. At first glance his steps were heavy, as if he didn't know anything about internal skills.

However, the constant stride length and constant weight is only learned by those to help them learn to control their external skills.

The walk is too orderly to be called a whole pace, as it is like flowing water from when he entered in the middle gate, to make his way inside in limited time. 

When you enter the middle gate, you can't believe it's inside a mansion A garden that is as large as it was appeared.

It was a garden that looked like a collection of forests which had small fields, small lakes and farms. Yangsa is the garden that Choi Young is lead through along the path that runs through the middle of it.

Choi Young follows closely behind at the same time he closely inspects the surroundings, assessing possible ways of escape and trying to see if there is a way around the garden that he can use to escape with her later.

Choi Young is noting the number of soldiers, their positions that they monitor from, and the number gathered in one place being more noticeable, while other were more in secret camouflaged.

One in particular was the figure he had noticed lying flat on one side of the roof that had been found, by Taiwan following him at a running along the roof like a wild cat. 

Choi Young tracks Taiwan's movement with his eyes only, as not to draw attention to his presence. When he makes eye contact Taiwan to give instructions with her eyes, who nods in understanding.

Choi Young stops looking at him to redirect his gaze to the figure he follows again, as they walk to the east, passing a lake where the pavilion is located beyond.

He notices the figure of a woman wearing the white clothing of the medical clinic sitting on a bench with her back to him, which makes him react without another thought, to run in that direction.

The moment he sees her, he lost his control, and has no longer the ability of having the luxury of measuring or calculating anything.

Choi Young approaches the figure running, which triggers all the private soldiers who had been hiding and guarding places off the road rush forward swords drawn ready to fight, seeing this Choi Young automatically draws his sword.

Choi Young feels that his spirit is sufficient, his strength is overflowing, if his heart was not so desperate, he would normally find a way somehow to refrain from killing but feels that he cannot control what does not exist anymore. 

Jang Bin's words reverberate in his head, "Please protect your own life." He responds to the plea mentally with, "I will do my best too."

One soldier who blocked his way was struck in the neck with the back of his sword and fainted on impact. Another two attempted to attack simultaneously as they rushed to either side to cut my shins and thighs but were stopped as he dodged their attempts to take them down with a single swing that arced from one side to the other, making blood splatter, on impact.

The emergence of three people who in from the open window, where they approached to stab him with the spears they hold pointed to poke him.

He presses the left hand against the pain in his abdomen. Before he throws his body to block their attempts, by using the tree to run up the tree to then jump on one stepping on his shoulders of one the attackers.

His weight causes the man to topple to the ground, while Choi Young drops to the ground sweepings his sword into an arc, taking the other two down, by cutting their lower bodies as blood splatters, to end crouching as the sword is held in preparation for the next attack.

Choi Young then jumps up to run again to trigger the next lot of private soldiers guarding the stairs leading up to the pavilion all their spears pointed in preparation to block his path.

Noticing the soldiers blocking his path, took off the shield from his back, to block, bounce and swing to defeat it all at once.

The shield struck one person hit by Li Tong falls down the stairs, his feet taken out from under him with the force that he is struck with to knock down the other soldiers flanking him to all end up tangled with each other as they stumbled. 

Choi Young's sword swung like a snake, moving, to draw a curve, that targets the sword cleverly cut off the soldiers' wrists, which results the weapons that they had drawn being dropped all at once, with scream as blood splatters from the wounds inflicted.

Meanwhile, Choi Young jumped up onto the pavilion, where several private soldiers where position at the entrance to the stairs above the pavilion, to attack all at once.

Choi Yeong counters their attack his gaze was directed towards the centre of the pavilion, remaining fixed on it while he was doing this at the back of the woman sitting on the chair next to the table.

He manages to cut the rope that is tied around the woman's body, blocking the attacks of her soldiers.

My wife, Choi Young, starts counting out loud, one…. two.....At the count of three, four, one by one, each soldier gets hit by the shield and collapses as he cut by his sword to fall down.

The fifth private was unbeknownst to me to stepped back, but in that moment, Choi Young lunged at the woman.

Just before reaching her woman, she took the bag wrapped around her woman's body., her rope slipped loose, and a ball of fire shot out of her woman's hand.

However, as if Choi Young had already expected it, he came flying towards the shield. She knocked away the fireball and aimed her sword at the woman's throat.

The woman, Hwa soo-in, barely survives Choi Young's unexpected attack, she laughs as she rolls away saying, "How can you not be fooled by this?" It makes him realise, 'he was almost fooled...'

Choi Young quickly looks around greater number of soldiers as they are flocking towards this pavilion. Hwa soo-in holds another fireball in his right hand, while the other is in the process of creating fireball taunting Choi Young,

"Are we not we similar? The woman you are looking for and I. You can't wait. The man I know is very curious and he walks forward so calmly."

In the meantime, Choi Young takes his time to reply as he assesses, where should he run and figure out what to do.

It is north where the number of soldiers guarding that side seemed to be in the most. A fireball shot out from Hwa soo-in hand and Choi Young-i's side.

He grabbed a soldier, to use him as a shield to put in front of the fireball and kicked him out of the way. It was almost while it flew down from the pavilion.

The soldiers guarding Ki-Cheol's home are properly trained, where there were examples who showed no fear, all in unison, appropriate positioning, occupied and attacked.

However, Choi Young brandishes his sword first, with the help of a shield, as they advanced as if cutting through the waves.

There is not a single useless movement, his sword does not take advantage of that enables him to dig into the opponent's gap, see blood, and kill his room.

Pae who is performing both defence and offense at the same time, however, Choi Young, who was running towards the north, had to stop again. 

In front of him was blocked by Yangsa, who looks back at Hwa soo-in, the fire fighter, lightly flies down and stands the focus is on the three of them. The private soldiers formed a large circle around them and began to surround the area.

Choi Young turns his shield widely and strikes the ground, his gaze to the roof where, it caught the movement of Taiwan who was about to jump from the roof to land on Yangsa. Taiwan noticing Choi Young looking at him, to then shake his head a little to order him to stop. 

Choi Young raises his sword in the air to motion him to leave to locate Eun-soo. Taiwan, understanding his command, holding it there as he watches him leave to find who he needs quickly.

Feeling impatient with how fast Taiwan moves makes him realise that since the person from Heaven arrived, his heart was filled with unknown anxiety leaving him feel shaken.

A feeling he does not like and there is no need to try to push it down, to try and calm himself down as he pleads in his head 'Please just stay alive.'

He will deal with whatever comes and felt that he will be able to take on whatever he needs to as long as she stays alive.

Choi Young uses his wrist to swing his sword a couple of times, trying not to think about how there is not enough strength left in his body knowing the longer this goes on his weakness will be revealed soon.

The initial plan was just to use his ghost sword, which was longer than the one he normally uses in his duties in the Jeokwoldae. In comparison the ghost sword can be use three or four times in one stroke, enabling it to change direction in the way it is handled by it's owner, which increases its speed and effectiveness of use.

Its use is moulded in such a way that depends on Choi Young's will and not on the limits that the swordsman normally trains to counter in the use of their swords, when they encounter an enemies attack. 

Choi Young's sharp sword blade shines and flashes as he rushes through the path from the front, so used to doing it.

The sword and the man move as one stabbing a solider next to him, to then counter another attack of a soldiers suddenly, the change of direction of his sword is quick. Once that solider was dealt with, Choi Young heads straight towards Yangsa.

Choi Young's sword stabbing forward was not even visible to the eye, where his attempt to knock it out of the way, but failed, when it seemed that the direction of the sword changed so quickly that it was suddenly aimed to kill Hwa soo-in who was behind him.

Yangsa gets scared and runs to Choi Young, which is exactly what Choi Young wanted. Hwa soo-in failed to predict the sudden attack of Choi Young, lost her balance, which Yangsa quickly catches her by the waist to then move her out of the way, to dodge the attack.

Yangsa then throws himself into Choi Young's arms. At the moment of attacking, Choi Young is not facing Yangsa. Nira passed by him and moved to the spot where the whey was blocking the path has now been cleared.

Private soldiers rushed to block the way heading north, two of them fall down after being cut by Choi Young's sword.

Choi Young, who was about to throw his body through that gap, when the pain in the abdomen makes him stop momentarily with how extreme it is.

The result is it allows Yangsa to run back to initiate an attack on Choi Young. The situation has become intense, and the road that was barely cleared is blocked again.

Yangsa notices that Choi Young's breathing is getting rougher with interest realising his body is not behaving normally.

Yangsa then lifts the bamboo flute/daegeum to his lips to emit a sound that pierces through Choi Young's head.