“How many lives do you have, my friend?”
“Haha. Of course not. That’s why I brought in Hall Master Feng Ying. Please make sure there are no assassinations even at night.”
Hall Master Feng gave a puzzled expression.
“Hahaha… I understand, but please don’t spread rumors.”
In truth, it was a proposal he never expected Feng Ying to accept. No matter what, he was the family head of a righteous faction; I never thought someone would come to assassinate me. But seeing Feng Ying accepting this proposal, it seems there might be some truth to it.
Hmm, my neck feels a bit stiff. I should avoid the tea and snacks from the Family Head’s Quarters from now on.
While chatting with Hall Master Feng, we arrived at the guest hall where outsiders stay at the Tang Clan.
“Brother Ya!”
The troublesome Do-gyeong was waiting for me.
“Haha, I heard from Do-yeon that Brother Ya had arrived, so I’ve been waiting.”
“Haha, it’s been a while, Brother Tang.”
Do-gyeong looked radiant after our long absence. His leather bands were packed tightly with hidden weapons, and his belt, heavy, clearly held several hidden weapons.
Hall Master Feng decided to stay in the room next to mine, and after being assigned a room, I faced Do-gyeong.
“I’m sorry, Brother Ya. It’s because of me that I’ve been summoned to Sacheon.”
To my surprise, Do-gyeong was aware of the situation.
“I’m embarrassed to say that I have had no interest in clan matters. I didn’t understand what it meant when the Family Head called for me and how it related to our bet. I only realized it after being scolded by Father, and now Brother Ya has been unfairly affected.”
“So, what now?”
“Haha, but how can you take the challenge lightly? Rather, I think it’s more problematic to be treated with favoritism rather than returning the hidden weapons to the Family Head.”
I was annoyed that the one responsible was talking sense, but he was right. He had probably already shown off all his gambling skills to the Family Head without a care, so now to ask for leniency seemed illogical.
Anyway, it was a good thing that Do-gyeong was finally realizing the situation and showing enthusiasm for resolving the incident.
“For now, let’s talk later. There’s something urgent we need to confirm.”
“What is it?”
I set up the gambling table. How much gambling have I done today?
“Let’s play a round.”
The most important thing was to see how skilled Do-gyeong was at gambling.
*
Tang Guanglie rubbed his forehead.
“Ouch.”
When was the last time he felt this kind of pain? Ten years ago? Since the days of battling to drive the outcast faction out of Sacheon, he hadn’t felt pain.
“Haha, Tang Guanglie has grown old.”
He looked at the neatly arranged gambling items and chuckled. He thought briefly of going to find Ho Cheon-an, who had fooled him, but then the thought of the hidden weapons infused with qi made him drop that idea.
Having used qi to fortify the techniques, he still lost to someone who hadn’t even used their qi. He had no choice but to acknowledge the gap between himself and Ho Cheon-an. Accepting that he had lost repeatedly in a match where qi wasn’t used made Guanglie recall his own words and smile.
He said something like learning a few techniques would allow him to easily beat Do-gyeong; he could only imagine how frustrated Ho Cheon-an must have been after hearing that.
“I will learn.”
When Tang Guanglie lifted his head after organizing his thoughts, the morning sunlight was already shining into the Family Head’s Quarters.
It was early morning, but seeing Hall Master Feng and Ho Cheon-an walking into the Family Head’s Quarters made Guanglie nod in acknowledgment.
As much as he thought, being slapped in the face was not something that could be easily forgotten.
“And… let’s hit back.”
He would train and get back at Ho Cheon-an with a good slap.
With that thought in mind, Tang Guanglie said, “Thank you, Teacher.”
Ho Cheon-an’s gambling lesson began.
Tang Guanglie opened his heart wide and absorbed all of Ho Cheon-an’s explanations and demonstrations. A day passed, then another. As the lessons continued, Tang Guanglie lamented inwardly.
“I really was a frog in a well!”
How to read the opponent’s psychology. How to induce instinctive reactions. And how to utilize a narrowed perspective based on that psychology.
Especially the knowledge Ho Cheon-an had on the blind spots of vision made Guanglie instinctively lower his head. Understanding how a person processes information through the eyes and brain, encountering such systematically analyzed theories, was as vast and intricate as martial arts. Guanglie realized he had been just a child who relied on sheer strength while feeling embarrassed.
He had acted like he was the world’s best gambler just because he used to place small bets within the Tang Clan. Accepting the fact that he lost to Do-gyeong after experiencing real gambling was crucial. Do-gyeong was a frog who realized the vastness of the world but Guanglie was just a frog who lived his whole life in the well of the Tang Clan.
The world of gambling revealed through Ho Cheon-an’s words and hands was vast and profound.
Human psychology and instincts. Visual blind spots. Delicate dexterity. Even just these three components were no easy feat, yet from Ho Cheon-an’s mouth and hands flowed a wealth of knowledge and experience on the synergy and application of these three elements.
“I’ve been looking at the world with such a narrow view.”
Though Do-gyeong rambled about ‘Brother Ya’ endlessly, Tang Guanglie took it as mere humility. Gambling techniques? They invented martial arts from that? He thought the talent of Do-gyeong, who derived inspiration from mere gambling techniques, was immensely shining. However, as Ho Cheon-an’s lectures continued, Guanglie began to understand what Do-gyeong was attempting to convey. Ho Cheon-an’s gambling techniques contained the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method. In fact, part of Ho Cheon-an’s gambling techniques was infused with the Bat-Leaping Tiger Method.
The principles that emerged from Ho Cheon-an’s mouth and hands were sharper and clearer than those demonstrated and explained by Do-gyeong while utilizing the Bat-Leaping Tiger Method.
Tang Guanglie became totally engrossed in the gambling techniques.
During the day, he learned theories and hand techniques from Ho Cheon-an, and at night, he would reinforce the theories and master the techniques.
Tang Guanglie felt he was growing and became drunk on the joy of growth he hadn’t felt in a long time, losing track of time as he immersed himself in learning.
A week flew by, and Ho Cheon-an nodded, saying, “It seems it’s time.”
“Indeed.”
Tang Guanglie nodded.
*
At that moment, Do-gyeong was in a tough spot.
“Hey, Do-gyeong! Why don’t you want to gamble?”
He was paying the price for greed over hidden weapons, having emptied the pockets of the direct line members.
“I’m sorry. Brother. My health hasn’t been well lately…”
“It’s been a week since you started making excuses! No matter what, I can’t let today slide!”
Do-gyeong hadn’t been taking gambling bets lately. He had tried to let them win on purpose, but he wasn’t that skilled of a gambler. Although it was possible to fool someone at full strength, being able to fool them without them realizing was a level he’d yet to reach, making the situation worse as his opponents caught on.
Thus, Do-gyeong could only avoid gambling. For a week, he’d been making this excuse and that excuse, and the patience of the direct line members reached its limit.
“If you don’t want to, then now is the time to challenge!”
“Hold on a sec, Do-yeon. I need to get a definite answer today!”
“Gambling practice is being delayed! How long will you keep avoiding the match?”
Do-yeon smiled, calming the bloodline members.
“The Family Head summoned Do-gyeong because of the gambling bet, so let him go on.”
The direct line members had no choice but to let Do-gyeong go. After all, the Family Head himself was handling it, and they, as mere direct line members, couldn’t express their opinions.
“Phew. It was timely for the Family Head to call for him.”
“Brother Ya is here with him.”
As he entered the Family Head’s Quarters following Do-yeon, Do-gyeong reflected on the past. Since gaining enlightenment and understanding the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method, several things had happened in the clan. He had showcased the Bat-Leaping Tiger Method. Thanks to that performance, he had quickly become a leading figure in the clan. With the help of Tang Do-gi and Do-yeon, he had trained in hidden weapon techniques. And there were the gambling bets he had taken on hidden weapons.
“I feel sorry for the Family Head and Brother Ya, but I have no intention of showing mercy.”
In the gambling matches with his clan members, when he felt himself trying to lose on purpose, he was acutely aware of his feelings. He did not want to lose with the gambling techniques bestowed upon him by Brother Ya.
He thought he had just gotten carried away with the fun of gambling for the first time. But it wasn’t just that. Deep in his heart, he believed that Brother Ya’s gambling techniques were the best in the world; he didn’t want to commit an act that would undermine that superiority.
“I don’t want to lose.”
Even if it was to a fellow Family Head like Tang Guanglie who’d also received the gambling techniques from Brother Ya, he didn’t want to lose.
Do-yeon knocked on the door to the Family Head’s Quarters, smiling at the thought that the unexpected gambling situation would soon be resolved, but Do-gyeong took a deep breath and steeled himself, preparing for the challenge.
Inside the Family Head’s quarters awaited three people and a gambling table. Ho Cheon-an. Hall Master Feng. And Family Head Tang Guanglie, seated at the gambling table.
“Have you arrived? Do-gyeong.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“I lost all my hidden weapons in our gambling match a week ago, so this is all I have left to wager.”
Do-gyeong swallowed hard. The hidden weapons ledger Tang Guanglie placed on the table bore the inscription [Family Head]. Just the presence of that ledger on the betting table was enough to feel Tang Guanglie’s resolve.
“I’m sorry, but I intend to give my all here in front of you and Brother Ya. Of course, even if I win, I will return all the hidden weapons of my clan members.”
“Hahaha, you can say that after you win; it won’t be too late.”
Do-gyeong burst into laughter. Yes, that was true. It wouldn’t be too late to say that after winning.
Do-gyeong took a seat opposite Tang Guanglie.
“I’ll pour the first cup, since I’m the one challenging.”
“Sounds good.”
Hall Master Feng clenched his fist. Do-gyeong, who had dominated and gathered all the hidden weapons within the clan, and Tang Guanglie, who had suffered a crushing defeat but trained intensively under Ho Cheon-an’s guidance with divine gambling techniques, these two were now about to clash in a match to determine who possessed the best gambling skills in the Tang Clan.
‘Who will win?’
Hall Master Feng gazed intently at the gambling table.
The duel of Do-gyeong vs. Tang Guanglie began.
