Chapter 3 - Act 1. The Land of Dokkaebi (3)

* * *

Yise followed Gong-ah to a small meeting room in the central main hall. Mongryeon was already there, watching him with satisfaction.

“You look much better now that you’ve eaten well and put on clean clothes.”

“It’s all thanks to your care.”

“Remember this. A healthy body is a solid foundation. Great strength is what you build on top of it. From now on, eat three full meals a day without fail, and have snacks at least twice a day.”

“Yes, Head.”

Mongryeon clapped her hands a couple of times, then handed him a silver identification tag.

“This will serve as proof of your identity here at Gwisu Temple. Don’t lose it, and keep it with you at all times.”

“Yes.”

“Now, let me explain what you’ll be doing. I’m going to help you gain admission to Daemudo.”

“Daemudo?”

“Yes. I’ll explain the details as we go. For now, think of it as the largest, best-organized, and strongest Demon-hunting organization in existence.”

Yise listened closely, committing the name Daemudo to memory.

“Admission to Daemudo requires four things: knowledge, strength, courage, and principle.”

Knowledge: the basic information needed to hunt Demons, and the wisdom to attain understanding.

Martial Prowess: a healthy body and formidable fighting ability.

Valor: the courage to face an enemy without fearing death.

Principle: the resolve to remain true to the Dao and do what ought to be done.

After hearing her explanation, Yise tilted his head.

“That’s... rather different from what I imagined.”

“I expect it is. Let me tell you this much now: Daemudo isn’t an organization that goes hunting Demons out of a burning desire for revenge. Demon hunting is more a means to an end. It’s a Daoist order, after all.”

“I don’t quite understand.”

“That’s a normal reaction. For now, let’s focus on two things that take time. First, your identification tag will let you enter the library at the far end of the main hall. It holds many books containing the knowledge accumulated throughout the history of the Dokkaebi. Work your way through them, starting with those on Demon exorcism.”

Yise’s eyes lit up at the mention of a library. He had learned to read quickly at an early age and loved visiting Master Wisaeng’s study to beg for books.

“Second, build up your basic fitness. Exercise every day, as much as your body can handle. Consult the Basic Guide to Physical Conditioning in the library to find out which exercises to do.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s focus on basic fitness for a month or so.”

“Understood, Head.”

The corners of Mongryeon’s lips lifted, as though his ready answers pleased her.

* * *

A week after giving him those simple instructions, Mongryeon was traveling incognito some distance away. To check on her human disciple’s progress with his assignments, she asked the Dokkaebi of Gwisu Temple how the boy was doing.

But the only answer the returning carrier pigeon brought was, “We’re not sure.” All they could tell her was that he ate lunch, exercised for six hours, then ate dinner and shut himself away.

'What is that boy up to?'

When she returned to Gwisu Temple a few days later, Mongryeon discovered why the Dokkaebi had been unable to keep track of Yise. The single-minded boy did absolutely nothing but eat, exercise, and read.

He began exercising after lunch, ate dinner, then went to the library. There he read for hours on end, slept on the floor for about two double-hours (*four hours), ate the rice balls he had brought along, and read again until lunchtime.

He was even needlessly diligent about entering every book he read in the borrowing register, and the speed at which he went through them was unparalleled. To the Dokkaebi, who hated reading, it was enough to baffle even a goblin.

Apparently, Gong-ah sometimes watched him out of fascination, only to grow bored and let out an enormous yawn. She would then lean against his shoulder and doze for a long while before leaving, grumbling that he sat so still he actually made a comfortable pillow.

Mongryeon had told him to work hard, but she hadn’t expected him to take it this far. She glanced from the cook to Yise and chuckled.

“Does he really love reading that much? He barely knows whether the food is going into his mouth or his nose.”

“I thought he seemed bright. You knew already, didn’t you, Head?”

“Had he been born into an influential family, he should have become a scholar. He’s no ordinary bright child. Make sure he eats properly.”

“Yes. Don’t worry. As you can see, he eats his fill.”

“Tsk. He certainly does as he’s told.”

Mongryeon approached Yise, who was shoveling food into his mouth. He intended to finish quickly and bury himself in the library again. Unable to watch any longer, she set a bowl of water before him.

“Eat slowly. You’ll give yourself indigestion.”

“Head.”

“How much sleep are you getting?”

“I sleep from the hour of the Rat (11 p.m.) to the hour of the Ox (3 a.m.).”

Two double-hours (*four hours). Far too little sleep, and even that consisted of snatches taken on the library floor.

“Sleep more.”

“How much more should I sleep?”

“Twice as much.”

“...?”

“Have you forgotten what I said? You need to eat well and sleep well to grow tall.”

“But I don’t have time... I need to increase my exercise time now, too.”

“You must be feeling at home here now. Talking back, are we?”

“... I’ll sleep more.”

“And sleep in your room. The floor is no place for a good night’s rest.”

“...”

“Answer me.”

“Yes.”

As Mongryeon instructed, Yise increased his sleeping hours and began sleeping in his room. Of course, the only problem was that his mealtimes grew even shorter.

* * *

A month after Yise joined Gwisu Temple, Mongryeon’s worries proved unfounded. He stopped visiting the library altogether.

Instead, he drastically increased the time he spent on basic conditioning. Now he seemed to spend almost his entire day eating, sleeping, and exercising.

Mongryeon summoned him.

“Why haven’t you been going to the library lately?”

“I’ve memorized all the books. I think I only need to stop by occasionally now to check that I haven’t forgotten anything.”

Mongryeon could not believe it. He certainly wasn’t the sort to lie, but... this defied common sense.

“How thoroughly have you memorized them?”

“Not word for word, but I remember nearly all the essential points.”

“I’ll have to test that. Tell me about the Sinchoe in Records of Mountains and Rivers.”

“It’s a high-grade Demon with a Risk Level of Two. It has a human face and a monkey’s body, with one arm and one leg. It uses sonic arts through a cry that sounds like a lament, and its weakness is water attacks.”

Mongryeon combed her memory, testing him on everything she could recall, but the boy recited his answers like sutras without a moment’s hesitation. His store of information seemed likely to surpass even hers, a veteran of countless battles.

“... I hardly dared believe it. Never mind how quickly you read; your comprehension and memory are truly exceptional. Well done. Even if you think you’ve memorized everything, visit from time to time to fix it in your long-term memory. Make it part of yourself. Though you seem to know that already.”

“Yes.”

“Never forget. The Demon-Exorcizing Arts aren’t about brute strength. Like a tiger on the hunt, you must create a situation in which victory is certain, then fight without putting yourself at risk.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

She then looked him up and down.

“You seem to have been diligent with your training, too.”

He had put on a healthy amount of muscle without hindering his physical growth, and his frame and build were developing nicely. What a delightful disciple. Whoever had brought him here had found an absolute darling.

It was sooner than she had expected, but if he had read every book in the library, the time had come to start telling him the deeper truths of this world. He would be able to aspire to greater heights if she gave him a clear goal before beginning his training in earnest.

“What is a Demon?”

“An evil being.”

“I commend your nerve, calling Demons evil with one standing right in front of you. Be a little more specific.”

Yise considered for a moment, seeming to organize his thoughts, then answered calmly.

“They are beings that sought to become Divine Beasts or Immortals, but lost their way and fell into corruption through Demonic Energy. Or they are beings that died and became vengeful ghosts or evil spirits because of grievances left in the living world.”

“Yes. That describes the ordinary sort of Demon. Of course, there are exceptions like us Dokkaebi, who are adapted to Demonic Energy from birth. Then what is Demonic Energy?”

“I read that it was corrupted divine energy, but I didn’t understand.”

“That’s roughly correct. Divine energy, known as spiritual energy in the human realm, is a mysterious force that determines fate and balances yin, yang, and the five elements. You could call it the foundation of this world.”

Mongryeon paused for a breath, then continued.

“Whether human, animal, or plant, if some event awakens the spiritual root a being was born with, or allows it to acquire one later, that being can overcome its natural lifespan and defy the laws of heaven to transcend humanity. How old do I look to you?”

“You look to be in your early twenties.”

“No flattery.”

“... Somewhere in your thirties or forties.”

“You’ve shaved off quite a few years. It’s been some time since I stopped counting, but I am over three hundred and forty.”

Yise did the arithmetic in his head. Dokkaebi lived twice as long as humans, so their lifespan ought to be about two hundred years.

“This process of practicing the Dao to become an Immortal is called Cultivation, and those who pursue it are called Cultivators.”

“It sounds like something out of a novel. Are you a Cultivator too, Head?”

“We don’t pursue the Dao, but there is common ground: we accumulate Demonic Energy to reach higher realms and transcend our limits.”

Yise was still young, so this would be his first time hearing of such things. But tales of Cultivators active throughout the world were already widespread. For those who made a living dealing with Demons, this was common knowledge.

“You’ll learn about spiritual energy once you enter Daemudo anyway, so save the details for then. There’s nothing quite so absurd as a Demon expounding on the Dao.”

“You said before that Daemudo wasn’t an organization that hunted Demons out of a burning desire for revenge, but a Daoist order that used Demon hunting as a means to an end. Does that mean they’re Cultivators?”

“Yes. Daemudo is a group that seeks attainment in Cultivation by accumulating spiritual energy through the Demon-Exorcizing Spirit Arts, which involve hunting Demons and exorcising spirits.”

“It doesn’t sound like a place for me.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. The inner balance that lets you remain calm even while pursuing vengeance is the very mark of an exceptional Cultivator.”

“Is it?”

“Of course, there are other Daoist orders, and you can grow stronger by joining a martial school or another organization... But aside from a tiny handful of Cultivation sects and a few Cultivation noble clans, most are half-baked. Even among those few, Daemudo alone can be called the rightful heir to the Cultivation world, with an unassailable claim to orthodoxy.”

Yise simply listened quietly to Mongryeon’s explanation. Her words were as fascinating as an old tale told by a grandmother.

“Without a spiritual root, you cannot wield spiritual energy, and Demon exorcism becomes all but impossible. Even a mid-grade Demon would tear you limb from limb the instant you met it. You don’t seem to have a spiritual root, but don’t worry. Once you go to Daemudo, they’ll ‘make’ one for you.”

“Then when can I join Daemudo?”

“You can take Daemudo’s entrance examination between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. It’s held once a year, so you have only four chances in your lifetime.”

“Is there a reason for the age limit?”

“If you’re too young, your body hasn’t developed enough for the training. If you’re too old, a spiritual root can no longer be created.”

“I understand.”

“A spiritual root is beyond what I can give you... And you’re so bright that I expect you’ll manage the Knowledge side yourself. So, for the next six years, I’ll teach you how to use your body properly. Follow me.”

Mongryeon took Yise to the armory. The Dokkaebi were as renowned for their unarmed combat and weapon skills as for their demonic power.

With their tremendous natural strength, they favored the spiked iron club, known as the Dokkaebi club. Still, there was no weapon they could not wield, from swords and sabers to spears. They even subdued low-grade Demons with nothing but their bare hands and brute strength.

Yise had occasionally tested his strength against Dokkaebi boys his own age, and each time he had keenly felt the gulf between their species.

“Is there a weapon you want?”

“Nothing in particular...”

If he had to choose, perhaps a hand axe, which he had been accustomed to using since he was little. He picked out a small hand axe and a shield. At first he had wanted to wield an axe in each hand, but protecting himself seemed to come first.

“A hatchet, is it? Its reach is a little short, but that hardly matters against Demons. Most of them will outrange you anyway. Why did you choose a shield?”

“I read that the second principle of hunting is to protect yourself first and then attack your opponent.”

“Good. Carry that as your standard equipment, but when hunting a particular Demon, be ready to replace the shield with a suitable secondary weapon. Just as you held a spear filled with bamboo salt in one hand when you faced the Wadu-Scholar. You knew instinctively how to hunt Demons.”

“Yes.”

“Use that for now. I’ll find you a much better weapon soon. Let’s start with how to move your body. Once you’ve mastered all the basic fist-and-kick techniques, I’ll teach you two Dokkaebi secret techniques you can use even without spiritual energy: ‘Dokkaebi Steps’ and ‘Dokkaebi Senses.’”

Yise nodded, his face alight with anticipation.

“You should know that I am a harsh teacher.”

“Please teach me as though my death in training would simply be unavoidable.”

“Impudent brat.”

Despite her words, Mongryeon looked exceedingly pleased.