Wudang Sacred Scriptures

Danmok Seong gently placed a black stone in the corner of the Go board.

“......?”

To place one’s stone in the corner or inside the opponent’s territory meant one no longer intended to continue the match.

“This round as well... this old man concedes.”

At Danmok Seong’s premature declaration of resignation, Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu spoke up.

“Master Danmok, there are still many opportunities left in the board. Why give up so easily?”

“When the tide’s already turned, clinging on any longer will only show my disgrace.”

Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu spoke quietly.

“It seems you were rather curious about the contents of that letter?”

Danmok Seong nodded without hesitation.

“To be honest, that was half of it.”

“I apologize for insisting we play Go even while your mind was unsettled.”

“It was I who failed to compose myself—there’s no need for you to apologize, Grand Scholar.”

Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu began clearing the Go stones and emptied the board before speaking.

“In the letter I sent to the head of the Sang Gwan Family, I included a few lines about the history of their house as I know it.”

“The history of the Sang Gwan Family, as known by a scholar of the Hanlin Academy? That certainly piques my curiosity.”

Prompted by Danmok Seong’s eagerness, Seol Jung-hyu immediately began.

“You’re aware, of course, that this Jeongeum region was the Shangguan Prefecture during the Spring and Autumn Period.”

“But of course.”

Danmok Seong nodded. The Danmok and Sang Gwan families were the two major noble houses of the Dongting Lake region. Naturally, they knew each other’s histories well.

“It was during that time that the founder of the Sang Gwan Family was appointed as a dafu here, and thus took on the surname Shangguan.”

Since then, the Sang Gwan Family had ruled as local gentry over the Jeongeum region.

“Do you perhaps know the story of how the Shangguan dafu cultivated the land and built a prosperous embankment settlement here?”

“Though we were neighboring houses with deep ties, I confess I never learned such detailed history.”

Danmok Seong’s reply made Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu nod in understanding.

“Naturally so. Even the current head of the Sang Gwan Family seemed unaware of his own family’s history.”

Seol Jung-hyu had made that deduction /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ based on how the family head had visited Sangjeon Village without mentioning the old embankment once.

“In truth, it was only by chance—upon reading a historical record of the State of Chu—that I learned the story of that settlement, Wan-je. If not for that, how could someone like me, with no personal ties to this land, have known it was the ideal place to rebuild an embankment?”

Danmok Seong let out an impressed exhale.

“They say the past illuminates the road ahead. Grand Scholar, you truly have mastery over the classics.”

“You flatter me, Master. I’ve only read a few more musty books than most.”

“But it’s one drop that makes a full cup overflow, is it not? Those few volumes—that is wisdom others do not have.”

Hearing Danmok Seong speak even of the principle of Added Attainment (첨득경), Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu smoothly transitioned to the main point.

“Are you not curious as to why Wan-je, once so prosperous, vanished into the mists of history?”

“To be frank—yes, I am.”

It was only natural, since that was clearly the subject of the sealed letter.

“Wan-je collapsed one day without warning. When the embankment broke, the entire area became a lake overnight. And once the water drained away, it remained barren wasteland ever since.”

“Good heavens. A flood too great to contain, it seems.”

Nature sometimes inflicted trials far beyond what man could bear.

‘Isn’t this also a warning that such a thing could happen again?’

Worried, Danmok Seong’s face darkened—but Seol Jung-hyu shook his head.

“It wasn’t because of the flood.”

“...?”

“The flood at the time was indeed significant—but according to the records, not so severe as to collapse the embankment. And what’s more, the embankment back then was said to be twice as thick as today’s. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”

“That is certainly strange.”

“It wasn’t the flood that destroyed Wan-je. It was people.”

“You mean there was a war?”

“No matter how tyrannical a ruler may be, would they dare commit the atrocity of flooding their own land? That would have been recorded in history forever.”

“A fair point.”

Danmok Seong nodded easily and asked,

“Then which villains committed such a heinous deed?”

“It wasn’t the work of any villains. It was the will of human hearts, and the will of Heaven.”

“...?”

Danmok Seong listened closely to the peculiar phrasing.

“As time passed, all the wealth within Wan-je came to be owned by a single family.”

Danmok Seong noticed that Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu avoided naming the Sang Gwan Family outright, instead referring to a family.

He likely wrote the letter the same way, so that only the head of the family would read it.

“Once that happened, the tenant farmers naturally stopped maintaining and repairing the embankment. The walls began to crack. Then, when a large flood did come—it all collapsed.”

It was exactly as the scholar had said: the will of man had acted, and Heaven had finished it.

“In any era, when a disaster strikes, people seek a scapegoat to sacrifice. The people’s will is like the ocean—calm at first, but once stirred, not even a king can hold it back. Records say the retribution upon that family was severe.”

Now it was clear why such a disgraceful event had been buried.

For the Sang Gwan Family, it was a dark past they would have done anything to erase.

“So that’s why you wrote the letter.”

“I tried to be roundabout in phrasing, but still—such counsel borders on insolence. I wished only for the Family Head to see it.”

“......”

“I worry my poor writing may have led him to misunderstand me.”

Danmok Seong shook his head.

“Grand Scholar, do not concern yourself.”

“......”

“Though the Family Head is strong-willed, he is still the head of a noble house. How could he fail to understand the earnest heart of one who wishes for the Sang Gwan Family’s continued prosperity? And besides, you must have included an offer he could not refuse.”

Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu turned toward him in surprise.

“How did you know?”

“Scolding alone rarely teaches. You must preserve the Family Head’s dignity while also persuading him for Sangjeon Village’s sake. More importantly...”

Danmok Seong looked directly at Seol Jung-hyu, pausing briefly before continuing.

“You wanted to prevent a clash between Kwak Daoist and the Sang Gwan Family, didn’t you?”

Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu looked at him with eyes full of awe.

“Master, you truly are a great elder of the martial world.”

“An old man like me—what great elder would I be.”

With a bitter smile, Danmok Seong said:

“In any case, thanks to your words, the Danmok Family has learned much about the principles of virtuous governance. It seems I was right to come on this journey after all.”

With a hearty laugh, he reached for the black Go stone container.

“Now then, shall we have a proper match, with clear minds?”

And yet, even in this match, he was soundly defeated—his major group annihilated, an unprecedented gap in skill.

As he reviewed the chaotic board, Grand Scholar Seol Jung-hyu cautiously asked,

“Master, you seem deeply troubled by something.”

“...!”

Danmok Seong, who had been replaying the match stone by stone, froze.

“How did you know?”

“They say Go is hand-conversation, do they not?”

“...!”

Though they hadn’t known each other long, the two had shared several matches and had grown close.

He had sensed Danmok Seong’s emotions through his moves.

“Earlier, when you stepped outside for a bit of air—did something happen?”

Seol Jung-hyu’s question made Danmok Seong’s expression stiffen slightly.

“From that point on, you seemed unable to focus.”

Danmok Seong had stepped outside briefly and sensed a flicker of murderous intent.

Like what he’d felt in the tavern back in Deokseon County, it disappeared in an instant, so he’d assumed his senses had dulled with age.

When things flourish, they must wither—that is Heaven’s law.

Even with profound martial study, one could not defy the passage of time. There was no shame in that.

But what troubled him was that, in that moment, a regret long buried deep in his chest had suddenly resurfaced.

“Before one with true insight... it seems I cannot conceal my thoughts.”

With a bitter smile, Danmok Seong continued.

“In all my life, I have committed no great wrong. But—there was one woman. I wronged her deeply.”

“......”

“As death draws near... I find myself returning to that regret again and again.”

Seol Jung-hyu looked at the shadow in his eyes, then spoke softly.

“Master, may I say something?”

“We’re both growing old—no need for ceremony.”

“If the chance arises, let that regret go. Life is fleeting, is it not? Perhaps because no ties remain by my side, even the ties of regret feel precious now.”

“......”

“Ah, forgive me. You’ve treated me so warmly that I’ve spoken far out of turn. Please think of it as idle chatter.”

Danmok Seong felt the words drive deep into his heart.

‘Even regret is a precious bond...’

Yet it was precious only to him.

Haaah...

He let out a long sigh in his heart.