Chapter 91: Go Ahead and Die
“What do you think?”
I asked Master Zhang Sanfeng for his opinion on what I had learned through Yi Hwa.
[Hmm…]
Master Zhang Sanfeng also watched the situation seriously.
[I will have to look into it… *Sigh*…]
However, his response was quite unenthusiastic.
I could deeply feel his sentiment of absolutely not wanting to get involved.
I could roughly guess the reason.
“…Your workload is going to increase.”
[Considering the number of martial artists who die and come up to heaven every day, it’s not just a simple increase.]
“Haha…”
That would be the case. Perhaps that was the reason why the heavens had not noticed this matter until now.
Judging by my conversations with the masters, which smelled strongly of bureaucracy, it wouldn’t be that lax, so there was a high probability that there was some other reason.
[Perhaps… there might be a connection.]
“Pardon?”
[No, it is nothing. Anyway, I will look into this part myself, so you do not have to worry about this. Conveniently, since it is a matter of the Underworld, there is also labor I can exploit.]
[Gasp!]
[Ah!]
Hearing the astonished sounds that followed, it was not difficult to guess whom he intended to exploit.
[Ah! As for what these folks owed you this time, I will calculate it separately and make sure to get a proper payment, so rest assured on that. With what you have done, how could we just let it slide with this much?]
“Yes! I leave it to you.”
Since he offered to take care of it himself, there was no reason to refuse.
It could be said to be a disciple’s duty to gracefully accept what the master threw.
As the master finished the conversation, I felt a gaze watching me from the side.
“Ah, sorry. Did it look a bit strange?”
“No. I only saw you having a conversation with someone. Surely it is not a strange thing.”
“…Isn’t that strange?”
A person talking to themselves in an empty place.
Usually, they were a pathetic loser, or at best, just pitiful.
Anyone would think it looked strange.
However, Yi Hwa’s expression was calm.
“To me, Oraboni is not a subject of judgment.”
‘Strange behavior’ was a judgment. Therefore, she excluded it. What remained was only the action of me having a conversation with someone.
Therefore, to Yi Hwa, I had truly been having a conversation with someone. Whether I was talking to a ghost or to another personality inside me, it did not matter.
An unconditional understanding partner. Yi Hwa was describing herself as such.
It was a truly terrifying story.
It was an attitude that could only be established by thoroughly killing and bending oneself.
“What if I tell you to correct that attitude because it makes me uncomfortable?”
“If you command it, I will follow.”
She was obedient. But similarly, this was not a judgment.
Just.
“…Though it will take some time.”
A single delayed remark that followed showed the core of Yi Hwa’s existence, even if only slightly.
The core speaking in a somewhat sullen voice. Staring at that core still inside the shell, I placed my hand on it.
“Yes, let’s take it slow.”
Honestly, Yi Hwa’s current words and actions felt like some kind of character murder, so it was scary.
‘Still, if it’s you, you might eventually talk about the things you couldn’t tell anyone else.’
At the same time, strangely, as I spoke with Yi Hwa, I felt as if a heavy burden on one side of my heart had been relieved.
It conflicted with what I had said just a moment ago.
It was contradictory.
But I certainly felt that way.
It was like shouting in a desolate, empty place where no one was likely to understand, and feeling relieved.
***
The Sichuan Tang Clan entered internal crackdowns.
“There must be many people who are disappointed.”
As the scale of the Sichuan Tang Clan was bloated, the accumulated dissatisfaction must not have been small. There could be quite a few people who were disappointed that it ended like this.
“Surprisingly, that’s not the case.”
“Really?”
“The fact that there was an internal problem was highlighted, and improvement plans are being proposed. Furthermore, even if the situation in Sichuan improves temporarily, they expect something to break out soon.”
Did she say it would turn out as she thought? It meant there were many who agreed with the Myriad Poison Divine Lord’s thoughts.
Even though the Sichuan Tang Clan was conducting internal crackdowns, they were actively exerting influence externally. This was because my demand was to ‘take the lead in stabilizing Sichuan.’
To put it another way, ignoring this would be ignoring the Sichuan Tang Clan. It meant that the Sichuan Tang Clan’s subsequent actions would have justification.
“I see.”
Recalling the words I had confidently blurted out in front of the Myriad Poison Divine Lord, my mouth felt bitter.
Tang Sa-yeon tilted her head.
But suddenly, as if remembering something, she slid closer, narrowing the distance.
“Young Hero Yeon.”
Sa-yeon’s action of easily bypassing the psychological distance was like a boneless mollusk.
“Isn’t it about time for us to speak comfortably to each other?”
Not fast, but not stopping.
Literally, stealthily.
Without realizing it, I was pushed back.
“You speak comfortably with her. So, speak comfortably with me too. Okay?”
“Haha…”
During the conversation, she showed signs of minding Yi Hwa beside me, but it seemed she minded more than I had guessed.
‘It was a good thing I kept Yi Hwa by my side.’
If Yi Hwa hadn’t been here…
If this were a trashy third-rate romance novel, Yi Hwa would have clung to me, calling me ‘Oraboni’ by this point, but in reality, there was no such thing.
Instead.
“Cheong-un, you, really Wudang Sect… Whoa! You startled me!”
Running inside noisily, Sister Cheong-ryeo cried out in confusion.
“Uh… I didn’t come in at a strange time, did I? If so, I’m really sorry…”
She even flailed her arms, flustered.
From the doorway, it must have looked like a compromising position.
“Uh… well, a guest has arrived. Yes, because he is such an amazing person, I thought I should let you know quickly, so I rushed in… Well, anyway, it seems he’ll be coming in soon.”
Still flustered, Sister Cheong-ryeo finished what she had to say.
“Tch!”
Tang Sa-yeon’s face was full of dissatisfaction as she clicked her tongue. Her lips were pouting, showing no intention of hiding it. Seeing Sister Cheong-ryeo also speaking comfortably with me, she seemed to feel that she was the only one being discriminated against.
“Anyway, from now on, we are speaking comfortably, okay?”
“Sure, I get it.”
“Great.”
Only after receiving a definitive answer did she look satisfied.
Soon, I could see the figure entering.
“Elder?”
It was Teacher Emerald Bamboo.
Although his face was half-shriveled, looking like someone who had woken up after drinking heavily all night, it was definitely Teacher Emerald Bamboo.
Since he was supposed to be in Go County, I was also slightly surprised by his sudden appearance at the Sichuan Tang Clan.
But there was no reason for Sister Cheong-ryeo to make such a fuss.
Even in Go County, they showed respect to him as an elder, but it wasn’t more than that.
“You look well.”
“Yes. You look like you need some rest, Elder.”
“Haha…”
Knowing his own condition, Teacher Emerald Bamboo nodded twice with a weak laugh.
There must be a reason why he pushed himself to come here in that state.
“What is the matter?”
“There are those whom Mu-ae considers enemies. They targeted me.”
“What?! A-Ah!”
The moment I heard Teacher Emerald Bamboo’s words, I felt dizzy.
I had also run around quite hard and made some achievements in my own way, but Teacher Emerald Bamboo’s position and influence were just as important, if not more so, in a different sense.
The moment the focal point, Teacher Emerald Bamboo, disappeared, it was not difficult to imagine what kind of aftermath would occur.
“Fortunately, I was able to save my life with the help of Heo Do, whom Mu-ae arranged as a precaution.”
“What a relief… Pardon?!”
Heo Do?
If one was associated with the Wudang Sect, it was a Taoist name one couldn’t not know.
“That friend over there.”
Seeing my surprised face, Teacher Emerald Bamboo glared behind him with a look full of grumpiness.
An old Taoist wearing the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword, which proved he was an initiated disciple of the Wudang Sect, stepped inside. He was an old man whose face bore the marks of a long time, as old as the hand-stains on the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.
Just by entering, the guest room suddenly felt full.
‘He’s the real deal…’
The leader of the Ten Great Swords under Heaven and Wudang’s Number One Sword.
A giant anyone interested in martial arts would have heard of at least once.
Adept Heo Do, the Taiji Sword Immortal.
The old Taoist was looking at me with complicated emotions.
‘No wonder Sister Cheong-ryeo made such a fuss.’
On the other hand, I actually became calm.
Although I was surprised by the sudden appearance of a giant, was that all?
Because to me, he was an ambiguous person.
My training in the Wudang Sect was limited to Tai Chi Chuan. Naturally, I hadn’t even held a sword. Therefore, I couldn’t help but feel a psychological distance from Adept Heo Do, who represented the Wudang Sect’s sword.
Adept Heo Do, who was looking at me, let out a sigh.
“Shaolin’s martial arts are indeed amazing. Seeing your achievements, it seems Shaolin’s martial arts suited your body well.”
“Yes…”
“However, the Wudang Sect’s martial arts are also not to be ignored, so do not let what you learned go to waste.”
‘Huh?’
Something was strange. I could feel regret in Adept Heo Do’s voice. Besides his words, something that shouldn’t be there was felt within that regret.
‘Resentment?’
“When you entered the Wudang Sect, I was the one who prepared the recommendation letter. Whether it was Mu-ae or me, we thought excessive background would harm your growth, so we worked behind the scenes to not let it be revealed…”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, so I feel even more regretful.”
‘Does this person not know that I was expelled from the Wudang Sect?’
Thinking I should check, I took the risk of being rude and asked.
“Excuse me… By any chance, have you been to the Wudang Sect recently?”
“There is a faction that Mu-ae extremely guards against. It was an important request, so I have been handling that task for the past few years.”
“…”
It seemed he really didn’t know.
It might seem absurd, but…
‘…It does make sense. The rumors about me were quite vague. Even Sister Cheong-ryeo seemed to be trying to ask me just now if I was a disciple of the Wudang Sect.’
A rising star from a Shaolin honorary disciple background who used Shaolin and Wudang techniques.
However, none of the rumors mentioned that I was expelled from the Wudang Sect.
Moreover, he said he was moving at the grandfather’s request. If he heard about me through grandfather, it made sense.
Grandfather probably kept his mouth shut to avoid embarrassing his friend, who had been traveling the martial world for years at his request.
In other words, from Adept Heo Do’s perspective, the promising prospect he had prepared a recommendation letter for had abandoned the Wudang Sect and transferred to Shaolin.
‘Should I tell him?’
Since the situation was like this, it became awkward for me to speak.
[Oh?!]
Master Zhang Sanfeng, who had stepped out for a moment, came back.
[Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!!]
But his reaction was unusual.
[Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!!!!]
It was the exact same reaction Master Bodhidharma had when he saw the Divine Monk at Shaolin.
It seemed Adept Heo Do was also someone overflowing with the potential for ascension.
‘I guess I have to tell him.’
Since Master Zhang Sanfeng’s reaction was like that, the option of keeping a distance from Adept Heo Do disappeared.
Then, sooner or later, I would have to talk about my situation.
‘Since it has come to this, let’s screw over those bastards.’
“Elder.”
“…That form of address is not suitable for calling an elder of your own sect.”
“Well… I’m currently expelled, so I’m not a disciple of the Wudang Sect.”
Rumbleee!
At that moment, the air in the room surged explosively.
An immense pressure filled the room.
“…Expelled?”
In the eyes of Adept Heo Do, who had been showing regret and resentment just a moment ago, another emotion took place.
Into that emotion, tangled with disbelief and anger, I threw another stone.
“Yes. According to the person who expelled me, I lacked the qualifications to be a disciple of the Wudang Sect.”
Shin Je-hyeon.
Yin Si-hoo.
‘Go ahead and die.’