Chapter 58: I Got an Epithet

The result of this sparring with Aunt Han San-wol was good enough that the words “truly lucky” would come out.

The earth powers stimulated by the chill awakened, and as a result, the Heavy Earth Divine Art was able to reach the Third Stage.

Although I had made sufficient preparations, the trigger to maximize that result was Aunt Han San-wol’s Yin Cold Qi, so there was no other way to express it but to say I was truly lucky.

But.

“It is difficult.”

Had they called it “human affairs are unpredictable”?

Just when I rejoiced because a blessing had come, misfortune naturally followed as if it were obvious.

Although I made a great leap forward by achieving the Third Stage of the Heavy Earth Divine Art, the Three Talents One Qi Art became even more difficult because of it.

It was a complex martial art that required mixing various powers into one. Yet, because of the greatly grown Heavy Earth Divine Art, the energy became excessively unbalanced, raising the already high difficulty level a step further.

I struggled for the past few days, but it did not seem to improve at all.

[How could all affairs in the world go smoothly? Do not eat your mind too hastily.]

Master Bodhidharma spoke as if comforting me.

However.

[Tch.]

Master Zhang Sanfeng was grumbling openly. He had sulked completely.

The martial art Master Bodhidharma taught was growing rapidly without blockages, while the pride-and-joy martial art Master Zhang Sanfeng bestowed showed no signs of achievement, so it was understandable that he acted that way. It was, but.

‘Saying “tch”. He is not a child.’

[Still, you used it quite well at the end when you clashed with that girl.]

“I did…… right?”

Although it was only for a moment, I needed time to digest who Master Zhang Sanfeng was referring to by “that girl.”

Although a useless thought came to mind, I folded it away nicely and reconstructed the situation at that time once more at Master Zhang Sanfeng’s urging.

“Mmh……”

Just as Master Zhang Sanfeng said, at the moment of clashing with Aunt Han San-wol, I certainly unfolded the Three Talents One Qi Art. With the strength gathered that way, I raised my achievement to the Third Stage of the Heavy Earth Divine Art all at once.

Honestly, the reason I put in such raw effort for the past few days was also because I thought that if I revived the sensation felt back then well, it would be helpful to the achievement of the Three Talents One Qi Art.

However, thinking about it again now, it felt like it had become even more tangled because I tried to reproduce the sensation of that successful moment.

[If it is because the portion occupied by the earth’s power has grown excessively large, could we suppress it by supplying Wood Qi?]

[Wood Qi…… Wood Qi could probably be grown with lightning-struck jujube wood, just as the divine power of metal is being grown with the Divine Shaking Iron, but I do not know if a divine power that can serve as a foundation still remains on earth right now.]

[Couldn’t we just find some bastard like Penghou or Taowu and throw it to him? Or should I bring out one of the Southern Sea Dragon King’s sons? It seems that fellow has a constitution that transcends limits when his life is on the line.]

Dreadful stories were exchanged in between. Monsters from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and even the Dragon King. What on earth was this……

If it were stories told by others, I would have treated them as absurd jokes, but coming from the mouths of Taoist Immortals, they overflowed with realism.

Moreover, I had already seen how scary a spiritual creature that stood with one foot in the realm of gods was.

‘If a creature like the Gold-furred Ape that I met on Mount Song were to appear as an enemy……’

It would be instant death.

“……If you can somehow pass a message to the spiritual creatures on earth, please tell them. A stuffer like me in their stomach is bound to cause indigestion, so even if they feel an appetite, they should eat something else.”

[Tch.]

“…….”

‘Why does “tch” come out from there?’

He had indeed sulked properly. I must find a way to soothe Master Zhang Sanfeng’s mood as soon as possible.

The best way would be to show achievement in the Three Talents One Qi Art, but……

‘If that went well, there would have been no problem in the first place.’

The cause of the problem and the solution were the same.

It was the most bleak situation.

“Is it not a problem that can be solved just by locking myself at home and training? Hmm……”

It was something that could be solved eventually if I spent time and kept clinging to it.

Roughly how many years later?

Frankly, if one mastered a martial art of the level of the Three Talents One Qi Art in just a few years, it was not at a level to be called slow.

But what if I only showed them myself staying shut away quietly for those few years?

‘They would be bored.’

Perhaps they might wash their hands of me until there was a special change.

Since the Masters were also busy in the heavens in their own right, and they were splitting their scarce time to be with me.

Although it was a far-fetched thought, I was somewhat anxious in my own way.

The Masters also said that from their perspective, this connection was an extremely unusual case.

Just how long could this connection continue?

“Mmh…… Huh?”

Amidst a sigh leaking out of its own accord, I felt signs of presence outside and steeled my lowered head straight.

It was because it was the presence of someone to whom I did not want to show my lacking state.

“Your sigh is deep. Did something happen?”

“Haha…… No. Perhaps because I returned after wandering outside for a while, staying only inside the room felt a bit stifling.”

I made up a suitable reason to gloss over my grandfather’s question.

However, Grandfather’s reply upon entering the room was unexpected.

“Is that so? Indeed, even though you are young and small in body, it is natural for a heavenly dragon that roams the skies to feel stifled staying only in a narrow room.”

“Yes?”

‘What is he talking about?’

I wondered if Grandfather’s sentimentality was of this sort.

A heavenly dragon staying in a narrow room?

[Aha.]

[A dragon in the sky…… That means the Martial World is paying quite deep attention to your existence.]

The Masters exchanged words as if they understood something.

Grandfather smiled broadly and spoke first.

“Did they not say that the rising star who was active on Mount Song and Mount Hua was you?”

“Yes, that is true, but……”

“It seems people call you the Young Heavenly Dragon.”

The Masters immediately provided an explanation.

[Originally, the character ‘Dragon’ goes into the alias of a fellow among the rising stars who is thought to be somewhat outstanding. A male is a dragon, and a female is a phoenix.]

[Sky is the peak, the highest one can reach. Probably the person who made and spread that alias wanted to express that you are the chief among the rising stars of your age group. Still, calling you a Heavenly Dragon would create too much weight, so the character ‘Young’ was put in to fit a rising star.]

Among the characters in aliases called in the Martial World, several receive special treatment. Words like King, Emperor, and Sovereign are those.

Likewise, the characters Dragon, Phoenix, and Sky also fall into that category.

So that was why my alias became the Young Heavenly Dragon.

With the meaning that when the young dragon of the sky eventually grew up fully, it would look down upon the earth from above the sky, overseeing the entire world with divine dignity and eyes.

“It sounds somewhat very childish.”

“Being the best could, in a way, also mean being the most biased. So it is not a strange thing that you feel it is childish.”

As always, there was depth in Grandfather’s words.

The agitation of my feelings, which felt embarrassed at the grandiose title, slowly subsided in front of that.

Toward me who was like that, Grandfather continued speaking.

“I had one favor to ask of you, but since your mind is like that, it might rather be a good thing.”

Grandfather spoke in a voice as calm as my settled emotions.

However, at his straight eyes aimed at me, I straightened my back and took a serious posture.

‘It is an important matter.’

When Grandfather treats me, he usually puts warm feelings into it. In those times, even when he is stiff, a shred of warmth is felt.

However, when he is felt simply straight and upright, it is different.

It was Grandfather as an official.

Yet, Grandfather was someone who had already stepped down from official posts long ago.

‘It means it is not a family matter.’

It was the same when I returned home after my first journey into the Martial World, but even now, Grandfather showed an appearance of keeping his ears open to rumors outside the world.

That is, it meant there was a link connected to the world.

Probably, there would be a part where my help is needed regarding that.

Grandfather asked me about one person.

“Do you remember Teacher Emerald Bamboo?”

***

The task Grandfather entrusted was not that difficult. It was a simple matter of just delivering a letter to Teacher Emerald Bamboo.

Only, the gentleman to whom it had to be delivered was quite unusual.

“He must still be stubborn and upright, right?”

[Is he a troublesome person?]

“He is…… somewhat like that, right?”

[Really? To what extent?]

Master Zhang Sanfeng showed interest.

Organizing my thoughts for a moment, I could soon recall one anecdote of that gentleman.

“Because he was so stiff like a bamboo shoot, he was originally called Teacher Green Bamboo in comparison to bamboo. However, saying he did not know why bamboo was called blue/green when it was jade-colored, he reportedly persuaded everyone he knew to call him Teacher Emerald Bamboo instead of Teacher Green Bamboo.”

[……That is quite a novel crazy bastard.]

[Hoho.]

Master Zhang Sanfeng, who was impressed in a sense, spoke that way. Master Bodhidharma also smiled, finding it interesting after hearing the story.

He was an unbending person, exactly like the anecdote.

If my memory served, although he was demoted to the countryside, I understood he was unlike Grandfather in that he was still in office.

“A letter that must be delivered without going through the communications of the escort agency or the government office……”

It might be a bigger deal than I thought.

Although the desire to see the contents arose, Grandfather said he preferred that I did not see the contents.

Since he was not someone who would make such a request for no reason, I was faithfully following those words, but that made this letter feel all the heavier.

Staring blankly down at the letter I took out for a moment, I put it back in my chest and looked back.

“Assuming Cheong-u, Father, and Mother will be stilled well by Grandfather, I will leave them to him.”

Since I planned to go quietly, I decided to leave without going out of my way to say goodbye.

As I did so, there was one thing that caught my mind.

“Should I take this guy along?”

Wondering if I should set off alone, my thoughts reached Baek Mu-ho, and I had to ponder for a moment.

Aunt Han San-wol does not seem to like me hanging out with Mu-ho very much.

It felt as if I was not yet fully trusted.

“What do you think?”

Then, a replying voice was heard from the side of the road.

“Of course you should take me, you bastard.”

As if waiting, Baek Mu-ho popped out from the roadside bushes. Surprisingly, he was dressed fully equipped with travel preparations.

“How did you know to prepare all that?”

“Somehow, a feeling came with a bam!?”

“Stop the bullshit.”

You should say something that makes sense.

For the past few days, in order to master the Three Talents One Qi Art, I had no time to meet even my family face-to-face. Naturally, this fellow also minded that and did not visit our house for a while.

But what kind of feeling had to come how for him to be waiting with such perfect travel preparations?

“You indeed know me well.”

At my interrogation, Baek Mu-ho answered with a smirk.

“Grandfather commissioned me.”

“Grandfather did?”

It felt unexpected. Whatever the reason was, he asked me to deliver it to avoid using the communications of the escort agency or the government office. But he commissioned the Baek Family Escort?

Understanding my doubt, Baek Mu-ho replied immediately.

“It is an unofficial guiding commission.”

“What does that mean?”

“That is, my job is to help you reach the destination. I cannot interfere with or be responsible for the items you transport.”

I seemed to understand roughly what it meant. In this case, on the surface, it would just look like two young fellows setting off for the Martial World again.

Even though I had been to the Martial World once, Grandfather had made considerations for me, who was still a novice at traveling. It was indeed a tremendous resourcefulness.

However, there was one problem.

“Didn’t your mother dislike it?”

“Mothers are all like that, you know.”

At my worry, Baek Mu-ho spoke as if it were of no concern.

‘The problem is that I am the one who has to bear it when a problem arises, you bastard.’

Because he spoke so unconcernedly, I thought of that in my head in a fit of irritation, but these words also could not come out of my mouth.

Baek Mu-ho continued speaking.

“Our mother has extremely rich emotions, more than she looks. Perhaps because her maternal side is a place with deep stories, she cannot even sever relationships cleanly. My sister has such a temperament too, but since she hangs out with you, she is on the milder side. You could say Mother is a bit more severe. Probably if we only did as Mother wished, we would see ourselves being raised carefully and coddled until we turn sixty.”

“The epitome of a son who causes heartburn is right here.”

“Well, at least Father will handle the consequences for this matter.”

Baek Mu-ho answered, snickering.

In that case, there was no reason to decline that consideration.

“……Since I did not like going alone either.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“If you did not hear it, forget it.”

It was a word that popped out without thinking.

I swept my chest with the thought that it was fortunate he did not hear, and I kept my mouth shut tightly.

Baek Mu-ho frowned toward me and asked again.

“Be honest. You swore at me, right? What you muttered just now was badmouthing me, right?”

“Did you just realize? Hahaha!”

Looking at such a Baek Mu-ho, I laughed refreshingly.