The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 112

"You must have a safe trip."

"Don't worry, Mother."

"Yun-ah... if you ever have any difficulties, send a letter. I'll have the Wolongdae warriors on standby."

"Mother... you worry too much. I'll be fine with Taoist Master Unhwi."

"I know. And Ling'er."

"Yes, Mother."

"Listen well to the Wudang Sect's Taoist masters and learn a lot. Now that you've decided to live as a martial artist in earnest, go to the Nangong family and build many good relationships with various martial artists."

"Yes. I will make sure not to do anything that would bring dishonor to the Zhuge family's name."

Time passed, and it was the day we were to leave the Zhuge family.

We are having a long and drawn-out farewell.

At first, everyone from the Zhuge family came out to see us off, but as the farewell continued to drag on, only Zhuge Myeong-hyeon, the head of the Zhuge family, Hwangbo Jeong-hwa, and Yu Seon were left.

I am barely holding back a yawn and waiting for them.

In fact, it's not that I don't understand them.

Which parent wouldn't worry when their children, whom they have raised like precious treasures all their lives, are thrown into the martial world on their own for the first time?

"Ling'er, Yun-ah. I trust you. Taoist Master Uncheol, Taoist Master Unhwi. Please take good care of our children."

"I should be the one asking for your care."

"Yes. The two of them are more skilled in martial arts than I thought, so I don't think I'll have to step in much."

The Zhuge family head and his wife took turns saying a word to me and my senior brothers after their children.

I was getting really annoyed and wanted to stop, but the head of the Zhuge family came up to me and handed me a pouch, saying, "Take this."

"What is this?"

"It's travel money. I've put in plenty, so go and do whatever you want comfortably. It should be enough to rent horses for the whole journey."

"Oh my, you shouldn't have."

I didn't refuse and immediately took it and put it in my bosom.

Since I couldn't count it in front of him, I don't know how much it is, but it's quite heavy.

My mood instantly becomes very good. The hardship I had endured for a few days at the Zhuge family disappears as if washed away by this one weight.

"And, I'll send a separate person to the Wudang Sect and meet with the head of the Yeongeun Palace once."

"Yes. I trust that you will handle that side well."

"Are you not interested in how much I will donate or when I will donate?"

"Of course. The family head is not obligated to donate to the Wudang Sect right now. Although there are various reasons, you are purely donating to us out of goodwill. Therefore, it is that heart that is important, and I am not at all concerned about how much the amount is or what the procedure is."

I poured out my words like flowing water, and Zhuge Myeong-hyeon looked at me with slightly moved eyes.

In fact, my words are half sincere and half not.

First of all, it is true that it is Zhuge Myeong-hyeon's freedom to donate however much he wants to the Wudang Sect.

But the reason is that even if he donates a huge sum of money, nothing will come back to me.

Although it's a good thing for me if the entire Wudang Sect becomes stronger, to be honest, the sponsorship from the Eungnam Merchant Guild is enough.

But he, not knowing my intentions at all, was deeply moved and grabbed my hand, saying, "I will do my best. A Wudang Sect that raises a Taoist like you is, in name and reality, no different from the spirit of our Orthodox Faction."

I smiled faintly and bowed my head slightly towards him like a proper Taoist.

I think our Martial Granduncles or the Sect Leader would be very pleased if they heard what the head of the Zhuge family just said.

In fact, I'm not that impressed.

"Family Head. We should probably get going now. If we don't, we might not be able to leave today."

"Ah, that's right. I understand. Please wait a moment."

The head of the Zhuge family briefly said goodbye to Zhuge Ling and Zhuge Yun, and then Yu Seon hugged Zhuge Ling and whispered something in her ear.

I don't know what she said, but considering how flustered Zhuge Ling was, that eccentric woman must have said something strange again.

And Yu Seon also walked up to me and said, "Taoist master. I hope you also achieve everything you want. No matter how impossible it seems, and no matter how unattainable it seems, please try to follow your heart. Do you understand?"

"Even if I don't, I'm already living like that."

She said something that went back and forth, which I couldn't understand what she wanted to say, and then she went and stood behind the head of the Zhuge family.

What a peculiar farewell.

At most, we'll be apart for a month or two, but they're so sad to part, and everyone's face is full of disappointment. Even Hwangbo Jeong-hwa's eyes were welling up with tears.

"Then we'll be going."

"We'll be going."

"We'll see you again if we have the chance."

Finally, we all bowed our heads in unison and were able to leave the Zhuge family.

They stood outside the gate and waved their hands until we were out of sight.

Finally, when they were out of sight, I said to Zhuge Ling and Zhuge Yun in a playful voice, "If you were going to be like that, why didn't you just say you'd go to the Nangong family with us? Why did you send just the two of you... no, are you both crying?"

Since there was no answer, I looked back at them, and tears were streaming down the faces of both Zhuge Ling and Zhuge Yun.

"No, why are you crying like that? Did someone say you'll never be sent home? It's two months at most. You'll be back home in the blink of an eye."

"Ah, no. I'm just so grateful that my parents think of me like this. I never felt it usually... maybe, if I hadn't come out with you, Taoist master, I would never have felt it..."

Zhuge Yun barely managed to speak in a choked voice.

I almost let out a small laugh.

To the point where I doubt if he's the same person who didn't want to go out of his room until a few days ago.

"You did well to follow me out, right?"

"Yes. I think I did well."

"But why is Miss Zhuge Ling crying?"

"It's similar for me. I was moved by the way my mother and father were worrying about us..."

"I see. Then I'll make your tears go away right now."

"My tears...? How?"

"Here, here. Give me all your backpacks."

"Pardon?"

I took all their backpacks as if I were robbing them, put one on my front, and put another on Senior Brother Uncheol's front.

When I suddenly showed this behavior, my senior brothers, as if it were a familiar thing, suddenly stretched their legs and arms and began to warm up.

"Why did you take our luggage? We can carry it."

"You probably can't, right? Since my senior brother Uncheol and I are probably the most physically fit, we'll carry it for now. And Miss Zhuge Ling."

"Yes...?"

"Um... don't take this the wrong way. But can you take off that outer robe?"

At the words to take off her clothes, Zhuge Ling was startled and crossed her arms in a defensive posture and looked at me.

"Ah, I mean. It's not a strange thing, but that outer robe, no matter how I look at it, it seems like it will only get in the way of running. Because we're going to run from now on."

"Ah..."

Only then did Zhuge Yun and Zhuge Ling let out a cry of understanding, as if they knew. They had never thought that I would run right away like this.

"The outer robe doesn't weigh much, so roll it up like this and give it to Senior Brother Unjeong."

"Ah, okay."

She quickly took off her outer robe, rolled it up, and handed it to Senior Brother Unjeong.

My senior brother took it as if it were his share and finished preparing to run.

"Now, I'll run ahead. At first, I'll use my internal energy to lightly unfold my footwork, and when I say let's run with only stamina without internal energy, you can't unfold your footwork. Because you have to build up your stamina."

"I don't even remember the last time I ran..."

"When we sparred yesterday, you moved well, didn't you? And you promised me. To do as I say."

"That... I did. I understand. I will do my best."

"It's the same for Miss Zhuge Ling. Although I don't know the martial arts of the Zhuge family well, while I'm with you, I'll teach you how to train your basics better than anyone else. Perhaps even after you part with me, if you continue to do the training we did together, your basic skills will be much stronger. There's nothing scarier in the world than having a solid foundation."

Zhuge Ling nodded her head without realizing it at my gentle words.

"Now. Then let's run. Follow me!"

Whoosh!

When I put my energy into my Yongquan acupoint and stepped on the ground hard, the surrounding scenery disappeared behind me in an instant.

And my senior brothers and the Zhuge siblings also began to follow me.

"Today's goal is to run fifty li (about 20 km) like this. Everyone, follow me well."

"Fifty li, you say?!"

At my words, Zhuge Ling and Zhuge Yun shouted in astonishment, but my senior brothers might be smiling brightly inside.

Because the distance I usually run at once is a hundred li. And I used to run with the goal of covering a hundred li in an hour.

"If you fall behind in the middle, your rest time will only get further away. Follow me well. Even if you feel like you're going to die, follow me. That pain will build up your stamina and make you strong!"

Wondering if they understood my words, I glanced at the siblings, and fortunately, their eyes were full of strength, as if they had understood well.

"I told you I would definitely make you strong, right? This is the first step. Show me your perseverance."

With these words, we began to run without a word.

In fact, I should have deliberately talked to them to mess up their breathing, but since it's the first time, well... I should just let them run.

***

The provincial capital of Hubei Province is Wuhan.

Wuhan is also called the 'Crossroads of Nine Provinces', which means it is a passage connecting nine provinces.

As such, it is a place with a large population and well-developed roads, and in ancient times, it was also called Jingzhou.

As a provincial capital, Wuhan has a developed commerce, and lodging businesses such as inns and guesthouses are also developed.

Among them, there are five inns famous for their good food and lodging in Wuhan, and people who like to give names called those five inns the 'Five Inns of Wuhan'.

And among the Five Inns of Wuhan, there was a place that competed for first and second place, and that was the Flying Dragon Inn.

Mo Yong-hae is the person who manages the entrance and exit of people at the Flying Dragon Inn.

At first glance, those who heard his name might think that he was a descendant of the Mo Yong family, but to be precise, he was a person with the surname Mo and the given name Yong-hae, and he had nothing to do with the Mo Yong family.

"Come in. Yes. Come in. Next. Come in."

He is the person who checks the appearance and condition of the guests and then decides whether to let them in or not.

If you accept a person who cannot afford to pay for the food in the first place, there may be a dispute over the food price, and if you accept a violent person, a fight may break out while having a drink.

A good inn is a place that makes guests feel most at ease and rest.

He was a person who worked with the pride of preventing any unforeseen circumstances that might happen here in advance.

"Next. Come in. Next...? Ah... I'm sorry, customer, but beggars are not allowed to enter. Please leave."

"What did you say...?"

The person who answered him rudely was a delicate-looking boy... and a young man.

Mo Yong-hae felt a sense of pressure from his voice and looked at his appearance again.

He is undoubtedly a beggar.

He smelled sour from how much he had sweated, and his face was dark from not washing.

His clothes were all dirty from sleeping rough for several days and nights.

One strange thing was that his clothes were too luxurious.

I couldn't guess the identity of a person who would wear such luxurious silk clothes so carelessly.

"Move aside. I'm going in."

"You can't. Then please identify yourself...!"

The moment Mo Yong-hae met the man's eyes, he felt his body stiffen.

Because that poisonous gaze was the eye of a real martial artist.

"Identify myself? Are you blocking me now? I've been running continuously for four days without eating, sleeping, or washing properly. Just when I thought I was taking a short break, I ran again. I was running while sleeping, running while eating, and running while losing my mind. Do you know where I ran from in four days?"

"Where did you come from... sir?"

"Mount Longzhong. I want to rest right away... so move aside before I force my way in."

"Mount Longzhong... the Zhuge family!"

Only then did he see the Zhuge family's crest embroidered on his tattered clothes.

"That's right. If you don't move aside here, we've decided to run for two more days to the next village. So I have to go in. Move!"

"Yes, yes!"

He was so startled that he moved aside without realizing it.

Because he knew well that if he got on the wrong side of a person from the Five Great Families, he would be a dead man that day.

Fortunately, the young man didn't get angry anymore and went straight into the inn.

But suddenly, several people rushed in and entered the inn.

"You've worked hard. We're with that person."

The youngest-looking person among them said to him lightly and entered the inn.

He couldn't even think of stopping them.

"See? I told you I'd do well, right? If you follow my training method well, a person's personality can change so much in just four days. How about it. Next, Miss Zhuge, would you like to try?"

That person, as if something was so funny, kept chuckling and led the people into the inn.

(End of Chapter)