As Prophet - Chapter 220



Only Noblemtl

Episode 220. The Last Visitor

Dalcheon began to lecture on the essence of 『Zazenui』.

“When you want to meditate, you should lay down a thick cushion in a quiet and secluded place, loosen your clothes and belt, straighten your posture, and then sit cross-legged. Eun-un (云云).”

There may be things that we overlook because we already know them. Dalcheon explained the standards of meditation one by one and had us try them on the spot. Everyone sat cross-legged.

“Then place your right hand on your left foot, place your left palm on your right palm, and support the tips of your thumbs by touching each other. Then slowly raise your body, stretch it forward, and shake it from side to side to straighten it, then sit up straight.”

It’s very easy because it’s about tips. Everyone followed along right away.

“The full lotus position is the most comfortable and causes the least amount of fatigue. Also, if you keep your hands and feet straight, your mind will not be distracted.”

When Dalcheon speaks about something that is already known, it feels different. This is because it is the words of someone who has already achieved the Way. Without any special commentary, he explained it literally and demonstrated it so that everyone could perfect the correct posture of sitting meditation.

The study was specific and hands-on, so the students followed along well. By the end of the sutra, all the students were sitting in the correct posture like Buddha.

“Now, please begin your meditation. Those who finish can return to their accommodations. That’s all.”

One of the monks was about to ring the bell to signal the end of the meditation, but Dalcheon gestured to stop him. This was because there were several people who had learned the proper meditation method and entered meditation. Dalcheon quietly slipped out and returned to his quarters. The lights in the hall where the sutras were being lectured were not turned off until late at night.

* * *

The first time went well. I knew why I was studying, and I could learn the specific method in one day. Even without a teacher, if I kept repeating it, I would be able to achieve my goal someday. Dalcheon sat on the veranda of the dormitory with a satisfied smile and looked at the place where he had been giving lectures, when Nain approached him.

“You haven’t slept yet? Where do you sleep? Have you been assigned a room? I didn’t see you when you were eating, but have you eaten dinner?”

He didn’t answer the question, but showed me his clothes.

“I finished making the clothes first. I hope you’ll wear them.”

“It’s the clothes you said you were going to shorten earlier.”

“Yes, I would like you to try it on.”

“I’m tired. I’ll do it next time.”

A look of disappointment briefly crossed Nine’s face.

“Your Majesty, this is something you must do. You can come tomorrow.”

“What, you said you’d kill me if I didn’t dress you properly?”

Nine laughed bashfully.

“It wasn’t to that extent, but he asked me to do it. It seems that he didn’t like what Jin-in usually wore. No, that’s the wrong way to put it. So it seems that he felt sorry for me.”

“I was trained to stay away from nice clothes, delicious food, things like that.”

“That’s what it seemed like. I thought he was a true gentleman, seeing him refuse good things and decline them.”

Dalcheon shook his head repeatedly. He jumped up, grabbed his clothes, and went into the room. Thinking that he should not ignore the sincerity of others, he changed his clothes.

“oh.”

The Nine who came in after him examined the clothes he was wearing. They were comfortable. They fit him perfectly. They were completely different from the clothes Jin-in had roughly sewn and worn in the mountains, or the clothes he had patched up here and there. They were good clothes, so they were comfortable.

“I feel like I’m flying.”

“It really looks like you’re flying. You look really nice.”

“thank you.”

“It is something I truly wished for. If I dress the true man in nice clothes, won’t he receive blessings?”

Dalcheon shook his head. There is no such law. If we live in a world where we believe in such a thing, and if we can rise above the enlightened ones by doing so, there is no one who cannot do it. The countless unrelated charity practices in the name of blessings are for those who live off of them, and do not actually return to me as blessings. If I could receive blessings by making a set of clothes, everyone would do it. Why wouldn’t they?

“Whew. That’s nice, but there’s not much you can accomplish with it.”

Dalcheon opened the door and pointed in the direction where Doryu was studying.

“In the end, you have to study. You have to become a better person. They say that everyone has a hidden seed that can become a Buddha. It is hidden by the karma and habits of previous lives, so it cannot be realized. You have to study.”

Nine bowed her head.

“I will definitely do it in my next life. I will pray that I will be born in an environment where I can study no matter what happens.”

“Thank you again.”

“There is no accommodation as you mentioned earlier. I must return to the palace later. And His Majesty will also be waiting for the results.”

Nine put a new pipoongui on Dalcheon’s shoulders. It was thick but light, and the material was really good.

“I made this while I was at it. It’s light but warm and blocks the wind. They say it can also stop arrows.”

Dalcheon pointed the way out to Nain.

“Hurry up and go back. Be careful on your way home at night. Thank you so much for today.”

“That’s great. I’d like to see you wearing it again tomorrow afternoon.”

Perhaps because he was a person of the palace, his words were upright, firm, and certain.

“Okay, I will do that.”

Dalcheon sent Nine away and called for a servant who was wandering around the yard and asked him to take him to the palace.

* * *

But that wasn’t the end. The last visitor was waiting for Dalcheon. The person guarding the visitation room ran out with his back bent. The darkness and light sharply distinguished the shadows of the still life in the courtyard, and the vain wind changed direction and blew like a gust of wind. Eunuch.

“Jin-in! His Majesty has arrived.”

“Phew, no way.”

Dalcheon shook his head. He thought that he would not be able to move freely now that he was king, but he came to Sogyeokseo in person at night after his schedule was over. Dalcheon fell on the floor of the reception room. He bowed deeply and touched his forehead to the ground, and the king got up from his chair and grabbed Dalcheon by the shoulder to help him up.

“Jin-in! Why are you lying down in such a dirty place? Get up quickly. Hey.”

“majesty!”

Surrounding the king are the royal guards in splendid attire, and the court ladies, all of whom carry swords. Isn’t it the scenery surrounding the king, rather than the king himself, that makes him kingly?

“Your Majesty! How much trouble have you endured on your long journey?”

The king made Dalcheon sit on a chair and sat down himself as well.

“I was sitting on a boat and it just kept going. What a hardship! You suffered. What can I do with all these favors?”

“I don’t need anything else. Become a saint and create a new future for Joseon.”

“Today, I feel like Jin-in’s words are very formal. Is there anything wrong with that?”

The king treated him kindly, and Dalcheon tried to keep his distance.

“Ah! There’s something I didn’t report earlier.”

“It’s all over, what do you want to report? I landed at Hangangjin, and all the officials, Joseon soldiers, and even the people came out to greet me, but you were the only one who didn’t show up.”

“I thought it was not good for a Taoist monk to attend worldly affairs and be flustered.”

“Still, I wish you were there to meet the load that was being unloaded on land.”

“I’m sorry.”

Dalcheon looked around behind the king.

“Your Majesty, if it doesn’t bother you, I would like you to take care of the surroundings.”

“Why? Are you having trouble again?”

The king accepted Dalcheon’s request and waved his fingertips, and the royal guards rushed out. Jo Dong-gil was left behind, but he made him leave with a nod.

“What is going on?”

Dalcheon briefly explained the afternoon’s events. At the part where Yeoui’s face resembled that of the king, the king’s face turned dark. He had lowered his head, so it was covered in shadows, as if he had covered himself with black cotton.

“Are you dead?”

“Yes, Your Majesty! If I have committed a crime, please punish me.”

A ghostly aura flowed from the eyes of the king who bowed his head. Dalcheon was about to ask the king if he had a twin brother, but stopped. The answer came without him having to ask.

“The day the King went missing was the day he left the palace. He sent someone to ask for company, but they said that Deoksugung Palace was completely emptied.”

“So the one I killed was the king?”

“It’s not your fault.”

“… … .”

“There were twin brothers, and the palace considered twins to be bad luck. There were long attempts to get rid of one of them… … . It’s a secret from the previous generation… … . They weren’t just similar in appearance, but in terms of ability and personality, they were almost identical. In addition, they played pranks where they switched each other so many times that even the secret servants couldn’t tell them apart. They disappeared just before ascending to the throne, so I thought it was an invisible force that threw them far away. It’s certain that Eunmyeon is the younger or older brother of His Majesty the King. They could have different siblings or different fathers. Nothing is certain. I don’t know if there was any communication between the two of them, but you must have killed Yeoui. They say she was deeply wounded in the previous battle, so you must have killed Yeoui.”

“Thank goodness, he was already dead when the thread pierced his neck.”

“Do you really kill people? How?”

Dalcheon looked around and pulled out a thread that was hanging like a snake on one side of his new clothes. He put it between his thumb and index finger and injected his true energy, and the thread stood up straight like a wire. He pressed down on the table between the two of them with it. The thread dug into the wood of the table.

“Like this.”

The king was shocked by this strange event that he had never seen before. He knew that Jin-in’s martial arts were at the peak, but he didn’t expect it to be to this extent!

“Confirmation that he is dead?”

“There are several vital points on the human body. The neck and philtrum were pierced. A person cannot survive.”

“Oh my! If that’s what you say, then Yeoui must be dead.”

“I killed a member of the royal family. I am sorry.”

“You are a traitor.”

“I wish I could have captured you if circumstances allowed, but you ran away several times and escaped with outrageous devices, so I had no choice but to kill you secretly. I apologize.”

“I won’t blame you. Where is An Ga?”

“It’s not far from here.”

Dalcheon pressed his palms against the table and closed his eyes.

“It’s noisy. I didn’t know he was assassinated, but I confirmed he died a while ago.”

“Can you feel it from far away?”

“It is something that anyone can do if they study hard, not just because they are talented. I can guess the strength of a mountain man just by hearing his footsteps approaching from ten li away. If he seems stronger than me, I will quietly leave and admit defeat.”

“This is the strange and bizarre world of the mountain people. It would be best to leave this matter as it was before. Instead, watch their movements. If there is anything else.”

“debriefing.”

The determined king leaned back, resting his arms on the armrests and relaxing.

“Phew.”

“You look tired.”

“It’s good that everyone is out. It’s quite inconvenient because people have to dress like kings.”

“You’ll get used to it now.”

The king changed the subject.

“All these credits are yours, so what should I do with the burden?”

“There is nothing you can do for me. I just want you to have one wish.”

Before Dalcheon could answer, the king stopped him.

“If there is, then don’t tell me to become a saint or anything like that.”

“Ugh.”

“Is that what you were trying to say?”

“no.”

“Haha. Don’t say things like, ‘I want freedom.’”

“Huh.”

Dalcheon, surprised, covered his mouth with his hand.