Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 8

"Wow, the atmosphere of a martial arts sect is really different."

Ajok whispered as he looked at the main gate of the White Mountain Sect.

The gate guards stood watch with their swords drawn, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Beyond the main gate was a vast plaza.

The warriors lined up in two rows in the plaza also had their swords drawn, silently watching the wedding procession.

The warriors, dressed in black martial arts uniforms, had expressionless faces and sharp eyes, enough to intimidate any onlooker.

Even Jang Sam, who prided himself on his courage, felt the hair on his head stand on end.

The wedding procession stopped at the stairs at the end of the plaza.

A robust middle-aged man sat on a large chair at the top of the stairs, looking down at the wedding procession.

It was Bai Renguang, the master of the White Mountain Sect.

Bai Renguang, dressed in a black robe, had a square jaw and a handlebar mustache, with narrow eyes.

Guards were lined up on either side of Bai Renguang.

The leader of the White Mountain Sect's wedding delegation dismounted and cupped his fists towards Bai Renguang.

"Reporting to the Sect Master. We have safely escorted Lady Yang."

"Well done."

Bai Renguang looked at the carriage carrying Yang Soryeong.

Creak.

The carriage door opened, and Baekji popped out.

"We're here. Ugh, my back."

Baekji patted his back, bending and straightening as he looked around.

Then, seeing Bai Renguang sitting on the chair at the top of the stairs, he tilted his head.

"The groom is incredibly old, isn't he?"

Wu Ping, who had dismounted and was coming forward, was horrified by Baekji's words.

"You brat, if you're going to go mad, go mad gracefully. That man is the Young Miss's future father-in-law."

"Ah, I see."

In the meantime, Yang Soryeong got out of the carriage with Bangbang's help.

Yang Soryeong, her face veiled with red silk, walked forward with Wu Ping.

Wu Ping cupped his fists and said, "I am Wu Ping, the general manager of the Yang Merchant Guild, who will be attending to the Young Miss until the wedding day."

Bai Renguang's narrow eyes became even narrower.

"So, 'Lightning Flash Single Hand' Wu Ping has come in person."

Wu Ping, who was from the Meixian Fang, was also a martial artist who had earned the nickname 'Lightning Flash Single Hand'.

"It is a worthless, empty name."

In front of Bai Renguang, Wu Ping did not dare to present his nickname.

Bai Renguang was a master recognized by himself and others, one who was counted among the top one hundred masters.

Yang Soryeong also silently bowed her head to show her respect.

Bai Renguang, seemingly pleased with Yang Soryeong's demure appearance, said with a satisfied face, "The wedding date has not yet been set. The Taoist master of Qingcheng will choose it, so until then, stay at the detached villa."

Then he said to the leader of the wedding delegation, "General Manager Ximen, see to it that there is no inconvenience."

The man called General Manager Ximen cupped his fists and bowed.

Bai Renguang rose from his seat and entered the main hall at the top of the stairs.

Wu Ping asked General Manager Ximen, "Weren't we supposed to hold the wedding right away?"

"This is a joyous occasion for both our families. General Manager Wu should know that we must choose an auspicious day to enjoy blessings for generations to come."

General Manager Ximen instructed the servants, "This is General Manager Wu Ping of the Yang Merchant Guild. Escort him to the guest room and give the members of the wedding delegation good rooms."

Wu Ping was in a difficult position. He had thought the wedding would be held right away, but now he was told to wait.

However, as a guest, he could not question it on the spot.

The servants led Wu Ping and the wedding delegation out through the east gate of the plaza.

General Manager Ximen approached Yang Soryeong and said, "Please follow me."

As Yang Soryeong followed General Manager Ximen, Bangbang, Baekji, Senior Oh, and the others followed as well.

General Manager Ximen saw Baekji and the others but said nothing. It was common for a bride to bring a few servants with her when she married.

The place General Manager Ximen led them to was the Songhua Hall, located on the west side of the estate.

Beyond the main gate was a central courtyard.

Passing through a round gate in a white plastered wall, they entered an inner garden with the faint scent of pine.

There was even a pond in the inner garden. Beyond the pond was a cozy building.

It was a detached villa with a refined elegance, uncharacteristic of a martial arts sect.

"This was the place used by the late mistress. The Sect Master cherishes this place dearly, but he has gladly given it up for the Young Miss."

"I like it very much. But I would like to rest soon."

"Of course."

At General Manager Ximen's gesture, six maids came out and stood.

"These girls will attend to the Young Miss."

"I only need Bangbang."

"You are to become the mistress of the White Mountain Sect. It will be a fault if you are not treated with proper respect."

General Manager Ximen instructed the maids, "You must serve her without any inconvenience."

The maids all bowed their heads.

"Yes, General Manager."

Seeing the maids, the mouths of Senior Oh and Jang Sam split into wide grins.

They were all beauties.

'It was a good idea to come!'

Senior Oh and Jang Sam looked at each other and exchanged sly glances.

"You all will use that place."

The place General Manager Ximen pointed to was a wooden house below the Songhua Hall.

It was clearly the servants' quarters.

"Refrain from going outside as much as possible. The White Mountain Sect is a martial sect."

"What?"

"If a fight breaks out, they break limbs first and ask questions later, so be careful."

"We understand."

After General Manager Ximen left, Yang Soryeong headed for the Songhua Hall.

Baekji tried to follow, but the maids of the Songhua Hall stopped him.

"The Songhua Hall is off-limits to men."

"But I'm a disciple."

"Disciple? Whose disciple?"

"Master Yang's disciple."

"Who is Master Yang?"

"She's right there."

Baekji pointed at Yang Soryeong.

The maids of the Songhua Hall tilted their heads and said, "Still, no. You're a man. Only the Sect Master and the Young Sect Master can enter the Songhua Hall."

"The Sect Master is a man too."

Baekji argued.

"Hey, isn't he a fool?"

The maids of the Songhua Hall laughed.

"Baekji, since that's the rule here, I guess it can't be helped. Just stay there."

Yang Soryeong said to Baekji.

"Alright. I'll do as the master says."

Baekji obediently followed Yang Soryeong's words.

As Baekji went to the lower quarters with Senior Oh and the others, Jang Sam asked, "You call the Young Miss 'master', but what exactly do you learn?"

"I learned to read and about the world from my master."

"You know how to read?"

"I do."

Senior Oh, Jang Sam, and Ajok looked at Baekji with envious eyes. They did not know how to read.

"Tsk, how much could that brat possibly know?"

Jang Sam grumbled.

Ajok stuck close to Baekji's side and said, "Can you teach me too?"

"Yes."

Baekji nodded.

"I'll take you as my disciple."

"Disciple?"

"I am the master, you are the disciple."

"Forget it."

Ajok turned away.

"Why not? I'll teach you how to read, about the world, and even martial arts."

Ajok whipped around. His two eyes flashed.

"Martial arts? You know martial arts?"

Senior Oh and Jang Sam also opened their eyes wide and looked at Baekji.

"I'll teach you the Six Harmonies Fist and the Seven Stars Saber Technique."

The Six Harmonies Fist and the Seven Stars Saber Technique were common martial arts found in the marketplace. Still, for Ajok, it was an offer he couldn't ignore.

It was Ajok's dream to learn martial arts and escape his tedious life as a servant.

"Really? Show me."

"Not here. The house will break."

"What?"

"I broke a wall last time and got scolded by my master."

"Then let's go outside."

Ajok dragged Baekji to the backyard of the wooden house. Senior Oh and Jang Sam followed.

"Do it."

"If you're lying, you're dead."

Ajok and Jang Sam glared.

Baekji performed the Six Harmonies Fist.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Oh!"

As Baekji's fist techniques were extraordinary, everyone's mouths fell open.

Baekji performed the final move and struck a large rock.

Crack!

Amazingly, the rock split.

"Heok!"

Senior Oh's eyes widened as if they would tear, and Jang Sam's mouth was open so wide it looked like his jaw would dislocate.

Ajok's body trembled, and he couldn't even breathe properly as he said, "You, you... you. You're a master! Even General Manager Wu couldn't break a rock like this!"

Then, he dropped to his knees.

"Master!"

"To become a disciple, you must bow nine times. The Nine Bows Ceremony."

"Bow?"

Ajok asked back.

Jang Sam said, as if he couldn't believe it, "Ajok, are you really going to bow to Baekji?"

"I will! If I can just learn martial arts. I can do it a hundred times, a thousand times."

Ajok quickly bowed nine times.

Senior Oh and Jang Sam looked at each other.

They desperately wanted to learn, but they also didn't want to bow to Baekji.

Senior Oh asked, "Is there no other way besides becoming a disciple?"

"No."

Baekji said flatly and was about to go back into the house.

Senior Oh grabbed Baekji's sleeve.

"Teach me too."

Then he knelt and bowed nine times.

"Senior Oh! Have you no pride?"

Jang Sam said, dumbfounded.

Senior Oh, who had silently finished his bows, knelt with his eyes closed and answered, "Jang Sam. Do you think I'm living with pride right now? I'm a servant who has to live as I'm told. I will serve Baekji as my master, even though he is young, learn martial arts, and become a true man. Only then will I be able to live with pride."

As Senior Oh spoke so seriously, even Jang Sam couldn't refute him.

Baekji said to Senior Oh, "You must also show respect to your senior brother."

"Senior brother?"

Baekji looked at Ajok.

"Ajok became a disciple first, so he is your senior brother."

"Eh?"

"What?"

Both Ajok and Senior Oh were dumbfounded.

Senior Oh was five years older than Ajok.

Ajok said with a troubled expression, "Um, Master. Can't Senior Oh just be the senior brother? His name is even Oh Da-hyeong."

"No! In a martial sect, the one who enters first is the senior brother. If the law between master and disciple is broken, it is called 'deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors'. It's a crime punishable by death. Do you want to die?"

Baekji showed his fist as if he would really hit them.

Senior Oh cupped his fists towards Ajok.

"Senior brother!"

Ajok returned the gesture with a reluctant face.

"Junior brother."

"Good."

As Baekji was about to enter the house, satisfied, this time Jang Sam grabbed him.

"I want to learn too."

"Really? Then you have to do the Nine Bows Ceremony."

"But Ajok being the senior brother is a bit of a problem."

"What's the problem?"

"If we entered on the same day, it should be by age."

"The order is whoever does it first, even by a moment."

"Where is that written? It's the same day. It's not even a difference of half an hour. He just bowed first."

Senior Oh looked at Baekji with pleading eyes.

Baekji thought for a moment and then said, "No! A man must keep the words he has spoken."

"Hmph..."

Jang Sam, holding back tears, performed the Nine Bows Ceremony and became the youngest.

"Eldest senior brother, senior brother."

As he bowed to Ajok and Senior Oh, Jang Sam regretted and regretted.

'I should have bowed first.'

* * *

The next day at dawn, Baekji woke everyone up.

"It's still night, why are you waking us up?"

As Jang Sam grumbled, his head felt like it would explode.

"I said the crime of deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors is death, didn't I?"

Jang Sam quickly came to his senses. For some reason, it felt like Baekji would really kill him.

Remembering the rock breaking, Jang Sam quickly cupped his fists.

"Ah, Master! I was talking in my sleep!"

"Everyone, come out. We have to train."

It was still dark outside. Baekji had the three of them stand and said, "They say the energy of heaven and earth changes at the hour of the tiger. If you train by receiving the first energy, the effect is doubled."

The three of them had no way of knowing if it was true or not.

"Watch carefully and follow!"

Baekji performed the Six Harmonies Fist.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three of them could not keep up with the Six Harmonies Fist, which was performed in an instant.

"Do it!"

Baekji said after finishing the Six Harmonies Fist.

But they couldn't even follow a single move.

"Umm. You all are a bit dull. It can't be helped."

Baekji showed them the first move. But they couldn't even perform that move properly.

"You must be really dull. In that case..."

Baekji took the first stance and had them follow.

Ajok and the others could do that. Because that stance was a horse stance that even a child could follow.

"No matter how dull a disciple is, there is a way to teach them."

Baekji was pleased.

"Stay in that stance until it's time to eat."

As Baekji was leaving, he turned around, shook his fist, and said, "You know that disobeying the master's words is a crime of deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors, right?"

Although Baekji left, Ajok and the others could not break their horse stance.

'I feel like we've stepped in something bad.'

The three of them looked at each other and frowned.

But a moment later, they had no room for other thoughts.

Their legs were trembling uncontrollably.

"Haa... I really can't do it anymore."

As Senior Oh was about to break his horse stance, Baekji's voice came from afar.

"Deceiving the master and destroying the ancestors!"

Senior Oh quickly solidified his stance.

"Hee-ing..."

"Ughhh..."

A continuous stream of groans flowed from the backyard at dawn.

(End of Chapter)