Chapter 101: Gather Everyone Above and Below You
Taoist Master Byeok-ha, the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect who turned fifty this year, had recently taken up a hobby of drinking tea.
In his youth, he had not understood why the sages enjoyed things like tea.
But these days were different.
“To think it becomes this comfortable once you let go…”
The position of Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, one of the Nine Sects, was not easy.
It was a major axis that moved the Martial World.
That power and authority had transformed the Wudang Sect.
It was different from the past, when one was satisfied with just eating three meals a day and focusing on self-cultivation and training.
Naturally, the capabilities required of the Sect Leader who led the Wudang Sect, a giant sect, were also different from the past.
Rather than a pure Taoist with deep cultivation sitting in that position, it demanded someone who could coordinate emotions between people, grasp the political flow, and govern the desire and power generated in between to suggest a direction.
Taoist Master Byeok-ha was a talented individual who met the demands of the new era.
At one point.
“I was indeed young. Why did I struggle so desperately in my youth?”
The fifty years of his life spent living in the Wudang Sect to become the Sect Leader, and after becoming the Sect Leader until now, was literally a life punctuated by struggle.
But now, he was tired. And such fatigue changed a person.
To the point that what he had considered useless in the past was now immensely satisfying.
“How nice… Should I grow tea trees as a pastime?”
Though it was indeed the path to becoming an old man relegated to the back room, Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s heart leaned toward such a life instead.
The Martial World was peaceful, and the sect was being run stably.
Although it was not that there were absolutely no concerns, it was safe to say that things were peaceful to this extent.
However, his rest time, which felt as if it would remain peaceful forever, ended with the sudden visit of a guest.
“You look peaceful, Sect Leader.”
“Senior Uncle!”
Taoist Master Byeok-ha welcomed the visitor with a mixture of gladness and awkwardness.
The reason he was glad was that the visitor had been away from the Wudang Sect for quite a long time, while the awkwardness was because of the person himself.
Wudang’s Greatest Sword, Adept Heu-do.
As a figure whom the people of the world revered and called the Taiji Sword Immortal, even the Sect Leader could not treat him lightly.
“What brings you here?”
“A matter has arisen that I must report to the main mountain.”
“Oh? A matter to report?”
Taoist Master Byeok-ha showed a slightly troubled expression at Adept Heu-do’s words.
To Taoist Master Byeok-ha, Adept Heu-do was a difficult person. As an expert who received the title of Wudang’s Greatest Sword, his influence within the Wudang Sect was truly absolute.
If Adept Heu-do had possessed even a bit of political acumen, Taoist Master Byeok-ha would have never become the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect.
Just as their temperaments were different, their differences of opinion were not small either.
Perhaps because of that, the time Adept Heu-do spent staying at the Wudang Sect gradually decreased, and he had even been absent entirely for the past few years.
Generally, it was impossible for the number one expert of a sect to travel abroad for several years, but Taoist Master Byeok-ha, who found it difficult to deal with Adept Heu-do, could not stop it.
“I am getting scared even before hearing it. What kind of report would Senior Uncle have?”
“The matter to report is simple in itself. I just want one person to be registered on the Wudang Sect’s roster.”
Adept Heu-do tapped his waist while mentioning the roster.
Only then did Taoist Master Byeok-ha notice that Adept Heu-do’s waist was empty.
“Gasps! C-Could it be… Senior Uncle, don’t tell me…”
“I have found a child to pass my sword down to.”
“For Senior Uncle to have a disciple! What a joyous occasion!”
Although his personal martial arts and cultivation were high, Adept Heu-do had not taken any disciples until now. It was also the decisive reason why he could not rise to the position of Sect Leader despite possessing the skill and influence of Wudang’s Greatest Sword.
Such a person said he had found a child to pass his sword down to.
‘Since he said it is a child, he must be young, but considering the matter, it is fully acceptable.’
Although the generation hierarchy would get a bit tangled, Adept Heu-do taking a disciple had the value to offset all of those problems.
Because it was Adept Heu-do, who had never taken a disciple before, the value was even higher.
Now, everyone would think.
Just how outstanding of a talent must he be for that Wudang’s Greatest Sword to take him as a disciple?
Even Taoist Master Byeok-ha felt expectant in his heart.
The attention of the entire Martial World would be gathered, and that alone could raise the status of the Wudang Sect.
If things went well, it might be an opportunity to reclaim the attention that had recently been lost to Shaolin due to the Young Heavenly Dragon.
Yet even as Taoist Master Byeok-ha rejoiced so much, Adept Heu-do remained calm.
“Actually, it is somewhat awkward to call him a disciple. Although I should naturally pass down teachings as a master, I instead broke through my long-standing wall thanks to that child.”
“Heh!”
Taoist Master Byeok-ha could not close his gaping mouth at the utterly unbelievable explanation.
So great was the shock that he only belatedly realized the statement that Adept Heu-do had broken through the wall that had blocked him for many years.
At first, the thought of whether such a thing was even possible crossed his mind, but on the other hand, he figured that since the child was of that caliber, this fastidious gentleman must have taken him in as a disciple.
However, there was one strange thing. If he had taken a disciple, should he not introduce him? He was still the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect and his Sect Nephew, after all.
“But where is that child?”
“There are circumstances, so I left him behind in the secular world.”
“No, what kind of circumstances could there be for you to leave such a talent behind? The Martial World is a harsh place!”
Taoist Master Byeok-ha protested earnestly. What if someone else snatched him away before they could register him on the Wudang Sect’s roster?
Unless one’s eyes were mere knot-holes, how could anyone just pass over such a talent?
“Haha.”
Adept Heu-do let out a bitter smile.
The gentle atmosphere began to turn chilly.
“Because he is a child who was expelled from the Wudang Sect once.”
“…Pardon?”
Anger was laced in Adept Heu-do’s voice, and his gaze was cold.
“Seeing how peaceful you look, Sect Leader, I think I understand why that child was so unfairly ‘expelled’ from the Wudang Sect.”
“Expelled… What do you mean by… Senior Uncle, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about right now…”
“How about you move your own feet and find out? It is not as if you are sitting in the Sect Leader’s position just to roll around comfortably in your bed.”
For Taoist Master Byeok-ha, it truly felt like getting slapped in his sleep.
No, at this point, the expression of getting slapped was too mild.
It felt like being stabbed. To the point where not a single word could come out because he was stabbed too deeply.
In reality, one only screamed in pain when shallowly cut, but when properly stabbed, the muscles of the entire body shrunk and contracted, preventing even a single scream from escaping.
Taoist Master Byeok-ha was in exactly that state right now.
“Looking at the way the Wudang Sect is running, it seems you still have not grasped the situation. Especially when the alias of the Young Heavenly Dragon is shaking the Martial World. Mistakes can happen since we are human, but failing to resolve those mistakes is a problem. Sect Leader, what on earth are you doing sitting in that seat?”
Adept Heu-do hacked away mercilessly.
“Pathetic.”
With those final words, Adept Heu-do turned around unilaterally.
Only after the tea in the cup he held had cooled cold, did Taoist Master Byeok-ha, who had been frozen with a dazed face for a long time, open his mouth.
“Haha… Hahaha… Hahahahahahahahaha… Hahahahahahahahaha.”
Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s laughter continued so long that one might worry about the state of his lungs.
And.
“Sigh…”
It became very short.
Just like the temperament of the steps that immediately began moving somewhere.
Behind the path where Taoist Master Byeok-ha walked, his footprints left deep marks as if stamped by a hammer.
“I’m going crazy, damn it!”
All sorts of ominous things throbbed and wriggled in Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s heart. The temperament of his youth, which had been dormant all this time, boiled up.
To the extent that the Wudang Sect Taoists who were in his path recoiled in fright.
The place Taoist Master Byeok-ha sought was the Law Enforcement Hall, which managed the Wudang Sect’s discipline and punishment.
The Law Enforcement Hall Leader, who oversaw the Law Enforcement Hall, swallowed dry saliva upon seeing the Sect Leader who visited suddenly.
“Law Enforcement Hall Leader. No, Byeok-jin.”
“Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!”
His state was not ordinary at a glance.
The tense Law Enforcement Hall Leader pondered inwardly, ‘Why is this bastard throwing a fit again?’ but tried not to show it.
Taoist Master Byeok-ha spoke in a low voice.
“Everyone above you and below me, assemble.”
“…Pardon?”
It was an instruction so cheap that it was hard to believe it came from the mouth of the Wudang Sect’s Sect Leader.
Law Enforcement Hall Leader, Taoist Master Byeok-jin, doubted his ears for a moment.
“Our Taoist Master Byeok-jin, you’ve lost your touch a lot, haven’t you? Are you thinking we’re in the same boat of growing old together?”
The flustered Law Enforcement Hall Leader met the eyes of the ominous Taoist Master Byeok-ha.
“The discipline of the Law Enforcement Hall is a mess! A total mess! When the state of the Law Enforcement Hall is like this, how can the sect run properly?!”
A roar burst from Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s mouth.
“Elders or whatever, drag them all here! Can’t you hear me?!”
“I-I will execute it, Senior Brother Sect Leader!”
Realizing that something had truly blown up, Taoist Master Byeok-jin hurriedly bowed and ran out in a flash.
Staring blankly at his retreating figure, only then did Taoist Master Byeok-ha realize that something was still held in his hand.
“To hell with tea leaves.”
Crunch!
The teacup, which had been treated as preciously as a lifelong friend until just moments ago, was crushed to pieces.
“The Young Heavenly Dragon, so that was what he said. If it is the story of the child named Yeon Cheong-un…”
Past memories were reviewed again in Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s head.
Among them, there was something that remained in his memory.
The case that he had personally taken steps to look into upon receiving news from Shaolin.
“Wise Tao Hall Leader Shin Je-hyeon… it must be you!”
Under normal common sense, Shin Je-hyeon’s words were correct, so he had let it pass, but now that held no meaning whatsoever.
A dark smile hung on Taoist Master Byeok-ha’s face.
The massive top-down scolding that would sweep through the Wudang Sect was incredibly violent right from the start.
***
Around two days after returning home, my ears suddenly felt itchy.
“Did someone already ascend to heaven?”
At the thought that someone was harshly badmouthing me, I recalled the most likely suspects (?), but soon shook my head.
Because if the Divine Monk or Adept Heu-do had really ascended to heaven, the wind music of my masters would have resounded loudly in my head.
Having brushed aside the joke-like superstition, I turned my thoughts elsewhere.
“She isn’t coming, Lady Jang.”
It was about Lady Jang So-wol, whom my grandfather had mentioned two days ago.
Since Baek Mu-ho had returned home, if Lady Jang So-wol was still staying at the Baek Family Escort, she must have heard that I returned.
“It is a good thing. To be honest, it is true that it was burdensome.”
I was not a fool, and she showed her interest so visibly that there was no way I could not know.
But I tried my best to avoid it.
Though there were circumstances, since I had left for Sichuan without a word, she must have been quite upset.
That was enough for the temporary filter of infatuation to fall off. Perhaps Lady Jang So-wol had also left for another place, and in that case, there was no reason to feel burdened about going to the Baek Family Escort.
“Shall I go check?”
I stood up from my seat and packed the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.
Beside me, Yi Hwa naturally followed along.
Although she was considerate of me in every aspect, she did not give up on staying by my side.
‘Well, although it is just in case, it is better than the house turning into a sea of fire.’
Since she said the divine power of fire becomes unstable if she is not next to me, it would be right to keep her by my side.
And since I decided to take her in, it was only natural to take responsibility.
As we drew close to the Baek Family Escort like that, I could feel a commotion inside the manor.
Many people were gathered. In the midst of that, there was a sharpness that transmitted even beyond the wall.
The atmosphere was different from usual.
“Is something going on?”
Entering through the open gate, sure enough, people were gathered in the yard. They were the escort warriors of the Baek Family Escort.
In the midst of them, sharp sounds arose repeatedly.
Someone was clashing swords.
Bypassing the gathered people, I headed toward Uncle Baek Jin-seong.
“You have come.”
“Thanks to you, I have returned safely.”
“Never mind that. What happened to Mu-ho in Sichuan?”
“Yes?”
Since it was many things and the story would be quite long if I properly laid it out, I answered moderately.
“Ah, well, various things?”
“Hmm.”
“Did he become somewhat strange?”
“Rather than strange… No, is it correct to say he became strange? It feels like he came to contain something peculiar.”
For now, it did not seem like a bad review.
“Is it related to the sword visible at your waist?”
“Who knows.”
‘Even if you say that after looking at something that is almost an ornament.’
I vaguely glossed over the question of Uncle Baek Jin-seong, who was suddenly staring at the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword hanging at my waist.
In the meantime, the sound of clashing swords, which was gradually getting faster, cut off abruptly.
Woaaaah!!
Perhaps the match had been decided, as the escort warriors gathered all over the yard clapped and cheered.
Through the gap in the slowly parting human wall, the person who had been clashing swords with Baek Mu-ho until just now was visible.
Lady Jang So-wol.
Walking out while wiping sweat with her sleeve, she looked at me with a gleam in eyes.
“It is the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.”
A peculiar smile was drawn on the corners of her lips.
“If that sword is not an ornament…”
Her sword, which had been pointing at Baek Mu-ho until moments ago, rose once more.
“…Shall we have a bout?”
A single swordsman seeking a duel raised her sword and pointed it at me.