The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 171: An Unexpected Encounter - 8

"The request of Hero Cheong-un is welcome, but is it proper for a mere scribbler like me to listen to the concerns of a chivalrous warrior?”

Let’s start by stepping back. I met Hero Cheong-un’s troubled gaze with a faint smile.

It is another who hears your troubles. I believe I can be a good listener for your sake, though I may fall short of your expectations. But if you still wish to speak, I’ll hear you out.

“It’s about chivalry. If not you, Author Ho-pil, then who else would listen to my concerns?”

So that’s what this is about? I thought I was going to have to pull out Master of Romance Kang Yun-ho’s Book of Failures again.

“If that’s the case, I’ll gladly listen.”

Hero Cheong-un stared at me for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“How did you come to like chivalrous warriors, Young Master Kang?”

A question right out of the gate, huh. Seems like it’s something serious—I’d better give him a proper answer.

“When I was young, I heard a lot of stories about the warriors of Jungwon. I came to love them. Then I found myself living in Jungwon as a barbarian, with no one I could rely on. I began to desperately long for someone who would reach out their hand to me. Perhaps that’s why I came to admire warriors even more.”

Why is it that someone like me, a black-haired barbarian, had no one to reach out their hand? Where was the martial world I had dreamed of? I scooped up just a teaspoon of that sorrow and spoke. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

“We’re similar, then. Bandits killed my parents, and I nearly died myself—my master saved me.”

“Your master was a chivalrous warrior?”

“Yes. A great man. The day he saved me... I begged him to let me follow him. He told me my physique was exceptional, but that he couldn’t take me to Wudang. I made quite the fuss.”

“I can’t imagine Hero Cheong-un throwing a tantrum.”

I said it with a light laugh.

“It’s embarrassing. But my tantrum worked—Master found a way, and thanks to him, I was able to become a disciple of the Wudang Sect. That’s how I was able to train while admiring the path of the chivalrous warrior, and eventually came into the world to walk that path myself.”

“So it’s been your dream since childhood.”

No wonder he’s the real deal.

“But once I stepped into the world, I found that reality was different from what I had imagined.”

“How so?”

“There were those who took advantage of my goodwill.”

Hero Cheong-un began to recount a few bitter anecdotes.

In a small village, they were grateful at first. But when he handled a few more things, suddenly they expected more from him. Or there were those who lured him with words about righteousness only to exploit him for personal gain.

“There are people who think kindness is a right they can demand.”

That's when you're supposed to shout ‘Haah!’ and serve them a lesson, but that's easier said than done.

Hero Cheong-un nodded, then began to share more about his recent experiences and the doubts he’d wrestled with while acting as a hero.

“What is the right thing to do? Is this something I should even be doing? I chose to become a chivalrous warrior, and yet I feel ashamed of myself for hesitating.”

He stared into the campfire, his face filled with anguish.

‘That’s not an easy struggle.’

Even people in social work often end up confessing they’ve developed a hatred for humanity while trying to help the vulnerable. How much harder must it be for Hero Cheong-un, a swordsman?

Unless it's your own family or closest friends, it's hard to imagine the level of self-sacrifice it takes to risk your life and draw your sword for a complete stranger.

I wanted to tell him to look at the people he's saved—but after experiences like the pickpocket incident, when the bad starts piling up, it’s natural to start questioning the path of chivalry.

What should I say in times like this? Is there anything I can say?

‘As a devoted martial arts novel reader, there is something I can say.’

As an avid fan of wuxia, as a novelist, there is something I can offer.

“Hero Cheong-un. As someone who admires the chivalrous path, may I say something?”

“You’re the one who writes of chivalry. I’ll listen with an open heart.”

I’m not quite that great, but... I hope Hero Cheong-un reads Storm of the Tang Clan as late as possible.

“I believe that chivalry is the process of forging the sword within one's heart.”

“Forging a sword?”

“Yes. Martial cultivation. The reason it’s called martial cultivation and not just martial skill or combat technique is because it’s not just about swinging a sword with your hand—it’s about cultivating a sword within your chest through study.”

In wuxia, the term “martial cultivation” implies more than physical skill. Taoists and monks study it too, because martial cultivation is essentially martial philosophy.

And because it is martial philosophy, the sword in your heart is not just a technique—it becomes an expression of one’s moral path, their Dao.

“A sword in the heart...”

“What will determine whether that sword leans toward righteousness or wickedness is the will that resides within it. The sword in your heart, Hero Cheong-un, has surely grown upright, fueled by your admiration of heroes and the teachings of Wudang. But—is it yet complete?”

“It’s not.”

“Exactly. That sword may be upright, but it is not yet complete. Just as steel is tempered through countless hammer strikes, so too is the sword within you forged and hardened through countless moments of doubt and inner conflict.”

I've seen it countless times in martial novels. Even heroes are incomplete, and their martial cultivation is incomplete. That’s why, throughout their journeys, chivalrous warriors grow stronger inside as they perform acts of heroism.

Though hardship may bend them, if they do not break—they grow stronger still.

“Did you ever waver when you were writing about heroes, Young Master Kang?”

Hero Cheong-un looked at me, his face desperate, as though seeking an answer.

“While writing Storm of the Tang Clan, my brush wavered countless times as it collided with the world. But the dream of the chivalrous warrior within me never once wavered.”

Sure, I made compromises with reality. But my dream of writing wuxia never died. And that dream—unchanged—spread its wings into the world.

“To waver, yet not to waver.”

Hero Cheong-un repeated my words under his breath.

“If you do not break the sword in your heart, that sword will only grow stronger and sharper. Even I was saved by Hero Cheong-un. So if you continue on, even with doubt...”

“One strike transforms into one variation, and then a thousand... yet never reaches ten thousand.”

Hero Cheong-un suddenly murmured a phrase that sounded like a martial aphorism.

“...What?”

“So I must go into the world and complete it. To reach ten thousand transformations...”

“Hero Cheong-un?”

Wait—why is his face suddenly going blank?

“One unwavering sword.”

And then, Hero Cheong-un suddenly sat down in full lotus position.

Wait.

Don’t tell me this is enlightenment?

-----------

Enlightenment.

In terms of martial cultivation, this is what you’d call leveling up.

It’s like when you’ve been grinding away at what you thought was a pure memorization subject, and then suddenly, you see the full picture.

Or when you’ve been spamming the same combo in a game, and suddenly realize why that combo works—and you start dealing real damage, fluidly.

You don’t level up your martial arts just by whacking a scarecrow for four weeks. Enlightenment like this becomes essential at a certain level.

“Congratulations on your Great Achievement.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I spoke to Hero Cheong-un, who finally opened his eyes only after the morning sun had risen. The other warriors had told him to rest, saying they’d keep watch in his place—but I couldn’t resist claiming the achievement of being the first one to speak during an event straight out of a martial arts novel.

“It’s not a Great Achievement, only a Minor One.”

Hero Cheong-un replied with a smile that showed he had gained something.

“Is that so.”

So my words didn’t have that much effect. A bit disappointing.

“However, I have obtained a crucial clue toward reaching true mastery.”

“That’s truly good to hear.”

Even just a clue is something.

“And so... I would like to express my gratitude to my benefactor.”

Hero Cheong-un, perhaps stiff from sitting cross-legged for so long, rose unsteadily and looked at me.

“...Sorry?”

“Cheong-un of Wudang offers his respects to his benefactor.”

Hero Cheong-un bowed deeply to me.

“Please, stand up.”

Why are you making this so burdensome?

“I’ll only rise if my benefactor accepts it.”

It wasn’t hard to accept, but I thought of something better.

“Hero Cheong-un. Since we’ve each done one another a favor... how about we call each other something different, instead of ‘benefactor’?”

“Something different?”

Hero Cheong-un slowly rose and looked at me.

I knelt down just as he had and bowed, speaking solemnly.

“I am Kang Yun-ho, author of Storm of the Tang Clan. To the one who saved my life, I «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» offer this request. Will you be my friend?”

A chance to become friends with a true hero? No way I’m letting that pass.

“Ah... haha.”

Hero Cheong-un looked at me, a bit bewildered.

“Will you?”

I straightened slightly, leveling my gaze with his.

“How could I possibly refuse?”

Hero Cheong-un beamed and answered with a smile that stretched across his whole face.

-----------

With the weight lifted from Hero Cheong-un’s expression, we walked for half a day and finally reached our destination—the Sichuan Tang Clan’s regional branch.

“I’ll be taking my leave here.”

Hero Cheong-un spoke to me as he looked toward the busy people of the Medical Pavilion.

“Hero Cheong-un. The Sichuan Tang Clan promised to repay their debt—why not go together?”

“I’ve already received the Gratitude Token. My sect’s business is urgent, so I must go at once.”

“You said you were heading for Mount Jangbaek, right?”

“Yes. I plan to head down the Yangtze toward the Yellow Sea, then follow the coast north.”

“If it’s for your sect, then it can’t be helped.”

A shame, but I guess this is where our journey together ends.

“Once everything is settled, I’ll visit Daseogak.”

“Haha. Please do stop by. I’ll let you read any book you want for free.”

“Then I’ll read Storm of the Tang Clan when I visit. Volume 3 should be out by then, right?”

Can’t you just... not read it?

“Of course.”

“I’ve learned much from you, Young Master Kang. I hope Lady Hwa-rin makes a swift recovery. I’ll take my leave.”

“I hope you too achieve all that you seek, Hero Cheong-un.”

Hero Cheong-un bowed to everyone, then turned and walked back the way we had come.

I hoped he wouldn’t turn away from the path of chivalry—that he would keep going forward. That way, I could proudly tell the Daseogak members that a real hero was my friend and puff out my chest at least once.

I stood there, staring in the direction he disappeared, until his figure was no longer in sight.

-----------

Through Sichuan Province, past the regional branch, and finally to Chengdu—home of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

It was a long journey, but we made it. Getting inside the Tang Clan compound, though, wasn’t going to be easy.

“Wait outside until we receive word from inside.”

So this is the Sichuan Tang Clan. No time to admire it—a man who clearly looked like a top-level martial artist stepped forward and blocked the Medical Pavilion members.

What the hell is this?

“Outer Hall Leader! What are you saying? We informed you in advance that this was urgent!”

We’d already sent word about Hwa-rin. An Outer Hall Leader is a high-ranking figure in charge of the Tang Clan’s martial enforcers. And this guy’s the one blocking us?

“I cannot tell you the reason.”

“How long must we wait?”

“Indefinitely.”

“We must go in right now!”

“I cannot let you pass.”

No matter how sincerely the Medical Pavilion members pleaded, the Outer Hall Leader didn’t budge. This was driving me nuts.

“Young Master Kang?”

We didn’t have time to waste here. I gently pushed aside one of the pavilion guards and stepped forward to address the man who called himself the Outer Hall Leader.

“You’re the Outer Hall Leader?”

“I am. And who are you?”

Didn’t I say almost none of this was about me?

I really didn’t want to come here at first, but now look at me—voluntarily walking into the tiger’s den. But there’s no time to hesitate. If I want to save Hwa-rin, I need to get in there now.

In times like this... it’s time to bring out the ultimate move.

With full determination, I looked the Outer Hall Leader square in the face and declared:

“Tell the Clan Head this! That the son of Hyang-ah—the woman he loved twenty years ago—has come to the Sichuan Tang Clan!”