Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Guleopsa Temple (Guleopsa)

This Guleopsa Temple, said to have been founded during the reign of King Gyeongsun of Silla, originally had the name Hangmasa, and has the history of having been changed during the Goryeo period. Though it is a temple with a long history, the buildings are not old because the temple that burned during the Japanese colonial period was rebuilt.

King Gyeongsun, as is known, was the last king of Unified Silla in the Northern and Southern States period. Just before the country passed to Goryeo, he built Hangmasa with the plan of strengthening military force in order to preserve the foundation of the nation. But in the end he offered Silla to Wang Geon, the founder of Goryeo. His eldest son is the famous Prince Mauicheon.

For this reason it is said that the lineage of Silla martial arts continues at Guleopsa Temple, but in the world it is only rumored to be a place where monks interested in martial arts gather and train.

Yap!

Yap!

The monks, sweating heavily while training, stopped their movements when they saw Yi-hyeon and bent at the waist to bow. The middle-aged monk who had been guiding the movements in front did the same, but Yi-hyeon only raised a hand slightly to him.

“Where is Senior Brother Bodeok?”

When Yi-hyeon, approaching casually, asked the middle-aged martial monk Gyeongwon, he answered hurriedly. He seemed to find Yi-hyeon quite difficult.

“He has gone for a walk to Sesim Hermitage in the back.”

Sesim Hermitage is a hermitage about two kilometers up along the mountain path behind Guleopsa Temple. There a monk with the dharma name Boeun lives alone. Also Yi-hyeon’s senior brother.

“I’ll have to wait a bit.”

Nodding, Yi-hyeon said this while walking toward a rock in the shade of the bodhi tree planted in the yard. On Gyeongwon’s face as he looked at such a Yi-hyeon, a strange expression rose.

“Um··· Senior Uncle Yi-hyeon. Just a moment.”

“Hmm? Why?”

When Yi-hyeon, about to sit on the rock, asked, Gyeongwon wet his lips and said.

“Since you’ve come to the temple after a long time, if you could give a demonstration to the children once···.”

Demonstration.

It was a request to bestow teaching on juniors, and this was something that happened because Yi-hyeon’s generational rank was suddenly high.

Monk Muae, whom Yi-hyeon regarded as his master, was not known in the world, but he was a figure of the level of a lineage master who had inherited an old martial lineage transmitted on the Korean Peninsula, so Yi-hyeon, who was like his immediate disciple, had a high generational rank whether he wanted it or not. Therefore he was of the same generation as Abbot Bodeok of Guleopsa Temple.

Yi-hyeon scratched his head.

‘How much have I learned that I should show a demonstration in front of others?’

Among the martial monks learning here, there was no one younger than Yi-hyeon. To them, Yi-hyeon was only a superior with a high generational rank. Of course, the Gyeongwon in front of him knew to some extent that the fact was not so.

“Well···.”

When Yi-hyeon hesitated, Gyeongwon urged him. Narrowing his long slit eyes, his pleading attitude was earnest.

“Senior Uncle···.”

When Yi-hyeon turned, the training monks were looking with sparkling eyes, and seeing their expressions he could not refuse any further.

“Huu.”

Yi-hyeon nodded and stepped forward. And he opened his mouth.

“Looking at the training you are doing, it is the second stage after entry. Accurately, entry is just training for entry, and the current second stage is the first stage of the main training. I will briefly unfold from entry through the first stage up to only the second stage.”

“Wow!”

The training monks let out soft exclamations and gathered around to make space.

Walking to the center of the yard, Yi-hyeon instinctively stood facing the east where the sun was beginning to rise. A calm expression and pupils.

Sseuk.

Yi-hyeon’s right foot slowly extended and the movement began. Recalling the formulas in his mind, he pointed somewhere in the empty air with his hand.

“Oh!”

“What is that?”

“Well now! Why is he unfolding that movement like that?”

The training monks who saw Yi-hyeon’s movements began to whisper small. Because it was quite different from the movements they had been learning for several years. No, the movements that appeared outwardly were the same. But the momentum they contained was so different that at first one wondered if they were the same movements. Yi-hyeon’s movements were slow and soft as if dancing.

But Gyeongwon, who served as the instructor, opened his eyes wide and his mouth.

“That, that···.”

Whatever the people’s reactions, Yi-hyeon calmly unfolded each movement.

Hide the center of the body behind and put the sharpness forward.

If the feet move, the gaze must follow, move late but arrive first.

Yi-hyeon gradually fell into a state of self-forgetfulness. This was the first time this had happened while training.

He could place his body completely under his own control, and he felt infinite confidence in his own movements.

When Yi-hyeon now unfolded the second stage, the surroundings became quiet. Those who had been saying one thing or another saw the instructor monk Gyeongwon’s unusual expression.

To them, Gyeongwon was a more difficult person than Abbot Bodeok. People who had been proud of having done some exercise in society and came to Guleopsa Temple through connections first lose their minds at Monk Gyeongwon’s tremendous martial arts. Seeing a level that is dimensionally different from their own clumsily learned skills, they newly realize how wide the world is.

For such a Monk Gyeongwon to look at Yi-hyeon’s movements with an expression as if entranced like that.

Huk!

Softly rising, rotating 360 degrees with the foot to suppress all directions, and landing in place, Yi-hyeon slowly exhaled. Space remained and time was leisurely. At that moment Yi-hyeon realized.

‘Yesterday’s me is different from the present me.’

Yi-hyeon felt that he had advanced himself. It was probably the effect of accepting that OOPART. There was no way to explain such a great rise otherwise.

“Up to here!”

When Yi-hyeon, who had spoken lightly, looked around, Gyeongwon came to his senses and quickly approached. His face was flushed red with excitement.

“Senior Uncle. Such a thing! I have been learning wrongly until now. Hehe.”

Gyeongwon’s expression was as if he had lost his mind. He babbled and could not properly continue his words.

Then,

“It is not that you learned wrongly, Gyeongwon.”

A voice like striking a drum was heard.

“Ah, Monk.”

Both the turned Gyeongwon and the training monks greeted with palms together.

On the platform made by stacking stones in front of the hall, a monk stood. Would his age be about fifty? Tall with a thick frame. The features of the face were also large, so he gave an imposing impression to someone seeing him for the first time.

Abbot Bodeok.

He, who usually did not even give sermons to the public and whose face could not be seen well except by his attendants, had shown himself. He looked to be in his fifties, but in reality he was already over seventy.

Yi-hyeon only nodded his head toward him, and Bodeok, whose eyes met, turned his face expressionlessly and opened his mouth.

“Gyeongwon-ah. Look at the place where your senior uncle unfolded the forms.”

“Yes, Monk.”

Gyeongwon lowered his head and examined the ground.

“Ah!”

Gyeongwon let out an exclamation, and the training monks who had been wondering also opened their eyes wide. On the ground, the traces Yi-hyeon had made while unfolding the forms remained as they were. On the hard ground that had dried completely because there had been no rain in summer, strange traces remained.

Several neat footprints and large and small round circles.

Other than that, there were no traces at all. Yi-hyeon had finished the demonstration leaving only those traces.

“It is the center of weight. Your senior uncle grasped a center hard as iron inside and released force softly as the wind outside. Of course it does not become like that from the beginning. At first, like you all, one must firm it solidly and solidly again and build it up, and only later does it become soft like that. Cast aside doubts and devote yourselves to training.”

Finishing his words and looking around at the training monks, Monk Bodeok said to Yi-hyeon.

“You, come see me for a bit, ahem.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Though Monk Bodeok’s expression seemed somehow uncomfortable, Yi-hyeon answered calmly and followed. Anyway, he had things to say after meeting him.

When Gyeongwon was hesitating behind, the leading Monk Bodeok called.

“Gyeongwon-ah, you come too.”

“Yes, Monk.”

* * *

Jjirrrrrrr

From morning, cicadas were crying in front of Monk Bodeok’s room. Monk Bodeok glared at Yi-hyeon and opened his mouth.

“That is··· why are you so rash?”

“Yes? What did I do?”

When the rarely seen Monk Bodeok suddenly scolded him, Yi-hyeon who was listening retorted right away, and then Monk Bodeok’s eyebrows rose upward.

“What did you show to chicks that have just hatched from the egg?”

“What are you talking about?”

Yi-hyeon asked in bewilderment, but Bodeok’s voice grew louder and louder.

“Ah, this fellow. If you show something like that to kids who are just learning to walk, can the kids judge properly? Not to mention, even this Gyeongwon fellow doesn’t know properly.”

Yi-hyeon picked his ear and said slowly.

“Even if you speak softly it’s all heard, Senior Brother. Ah, what’s the problem with giving one demonstration?”

“This, this fellow···.”

Bodeok, whose personality was as hasty as his appearance, was about to shout but held it in. And the words he said.

“I’m saying you ruined the kids’ eyes. You showed a flying appearance to kids who can’t even walk yet, so those fellows will now try hard to fly, right? Aigoo, this thoughtless fellow.”

Yi-hyeon, unlike a young man, touched his head and smacked his lips.

“Tsk, does it become like that···.”

“······.”

After glaring at Yi-hyeon for a moment, Monk Bodeok said to Gyeongwon.

“What your senior uncle showed a little while ago is close to the completion of the first and second stages. It’s not necessarily the correct answer, but it is something unfolded with its own philosophy. If the kids follow it clumsily, the foundation will collapse. You must explain it well to the children. It’s an important matter.”

“···Yes, Monk.”

When Gyeongwon answered, Monk Bodeok lightly nodded. Sensing the atmosphere, Gyeongwon quickly got up and left the room.

Looking at the bright yard of a summer morning, Bodeok asked.

“You, what happened? To reach such a realm in one go. At first I doubted my eyes. And your body has also changed greatly.”

It was words about the demonstration a little while ago, and he also immediately noticed Yi-hyeon’s changed physique.

Yi-hyeon was in a difficult position, but there was nothing particular he could say.

“Ehehe, I’m a bit smart, aren’t I. It’s purely my skill, skill. Hmm hmm. And I’m still at the age when height grows, right?”

It didn’t make sense, but he had no choice but to babble.

Bodeok made an expression of finding it ridiculous, but he did not ask further. He intended to ask his master Monk Muae later. Looking at Yi-hyeon sitting at an angle with a comfortable expression, he thought inwardly.

‘This fellow has clearly met some affinity···.’

Anyway, this young youngest junior brother, though he had seen him since childhood, was truly extraordinary. So the aged master must have taken him as a disciple in his later years.

“From now on you will have to be careful so that it does not show outwardly. But what is your business?”

Thinking that strangely this aged senior brother was saying the exact same thing as Monk Muae, Yi-hyeon brought up his business.

“I am thinking of taking a leave from school and going to the army. After my parents passed away I was blankly out of it, but thinking about it, I thought it would be better to finish military service at this opportunity. But because I didn’t apply for enlistment in advance, it seems I might waste time if I’m not careful. When I told the great monk, he told me to go to Senior Brother. But, does Senior Brother have connections in the army?”

When Yi-hyeon asked with sparkling eyes, Bodeok answered indifferently.

“What connections. Just a few of the fellows who learned here went to the army and once served as martial arts instructors, and someone who learned under them has gone up to a somewhat high position. Even that, the Gyeongwon fellow probably knows more. I’m old so I don’t know the young kids these days well, the ones wearing two or three stars.”

Haha, this gentleman also says he doesn’t know well because he’s old. Still, I should flatter him. But, two or three stars?

“Wow, where is that. Senior Brother, please contact them a bit. Put me in a sweet position···.”

Bodeok cut off Yi-hyeon’s words and blinked as he asked.

“What is a sweet position?”

“Uh··· that is, something like a general’s orderly···.”

Yi-hyeon also did not know well what a sweet position in the army was. He had only picked up words that seniors who returned to school had exaggerated. Only that before, Monk Muae had said that if he was going to the army he should apply to a special unit like the airborne troops.

“Damn! Don’t say such nonsense! What kind of man are you.”

Having said one big thing, Bodeok rolled his eyes. A good idea had just come to mind. Sending this dawdling fellow in front of him to ‘that place’ seemed just right.

“Right! Then that will do. Yi-hyeon-ah, I’ll let you go to the army right away. Instead, apply to the special forces.”

“Yes? No, I don’t particularly have such thoughts.”

“Tsk, don’t talk back and do as you’re told. Your training will be completed if you go to the special forces.”

“What? No, the great monk also said such things, and now Senior Brother too.”

At the sound that even Monk Muae had said the same words as him, Bodeok laughed widely like a cow.

“See. I said my words were right. Wait a moment··· where is that fellow’s number.”

Monk Bodeok took out a latest-model smartphone from his waist and began skillfully looking for the number.

‘This damn! At this rate won’t military life get twisted?’

Yi-hyeon became uneasy, but he could not stop Monk Bodeok in front of him. Because Monk Muae had also recommended it that way.

Also, he himself had the thought of going to the harsh army and testing his own limits. Above all, he felt he needed to avoid the group pursuing him recently even for a while, and the army seemed perfect.

Monk Bodeok makes a call.

“Hey, General Kim? Yes, it’s me. Hmm hmm, I’m always healthy, what. If it weren’t for the great monk I might have returned to secular life and gotten married. Keolkeolkeol.”

Aigoo, that old man. That’s also a joke.

The call continues.

“What? You retired? Early last year? Aing, I thought you put on the general’s stars unusually early, but you took off the uniform quickly.”

Huk, hot···

‘A general, he said? Four stars. That very four-star? Tremendous.’

Listening Yi-hyeon gradually felt his butt itch.

What kind of mountain monk is directly connected to a Republic of Korea general?

Even Yi-hyeon, who had never eaten army food, thought it was no ordinary matter.

“Ah, it’s not another matter, I have a request. There’s a somewhat troublesome fellow, and to fix his habits it seems he needs to be sent to the army quickly. You know, that thing they say about the army making a person.”

Senior Brother! When was that from.

Bodeok talked a bit more and then finished.

“Yes yes. The name is··· Yi-hyeon, Song Yi-hyeon. If you send this fellow to ‘that place’ it will be fine. Then I’ll just trust you. Take care of your body.”

After hanging up the phone, Monk Bodeok looked at Yi-hyeon with shining eyes and said.

“It’s all done. You go to Seoul and immediately apply for enlistment.”

“Apply··· where do I apply?”

“Ah, this kid. Can’t understand words. I’m saying apply to the special forces, the special forces!”

“······.”

When Yi-hyeon stared blankly, Monk Bodeok waved his hand and said.

“I’ve done everything, so now you handle it yourself. Go up quickly.”

And he stepped out of the room in a flash and went somewhere saying he was going to meditate.

Yi-hyeon left the room and went to Seong-an Hermitage where Monk Muae was. Because there was nothing more to do here.

‘Come to think of it, it’s already lunch meal time. I can’t miss mealtime.’

While eating, he told Monk Muae the points he had felt while doing the demonstration a little while ago.

“Hehe. Of course. You are not yesterday’s you. As I said, from now on you must be careful so that it does not show outwardly. Since energy has begun to settle in your body, quarrels with ordinary people are forbidden. Understand?”

“···Yes.”

The monk looked around and said in a low voice.

“That, since the object from another world has continued its affinity with you, I will not ask further. But you must not tell anyone in the world about it. That object is sure to bring great turmoil, but since it is the karma given to you, it cannot be helped.”

“···Yes.”

Yi-hyeon also accepted that point.

He had received some fateful feeling from this OOPART that had been transmitted to him through his father.

Well, now it is time to return to Seoul.

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