The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 124

People often describe the martial arts of the Nangong family like this:

'The martial arts of the blue sky.'

The blue sky means the azure heavens.

It means that the martial arts of the Nangong family contain the energy of the heavens.

That's how powerful and fearsome their martial arts are.

The biggest reason why the Nangong family is recognized as the number one family under heaven, beyond being the head of the Five Great Families, is partly due to their immense power, but it can also be attributed to their sublime martial arts that other families cannot easily covet.

However, even such powerful martial arts do not only have advantages, and that is that there is a limit to how much a human body can contain the energy of the heavens.

The martial artists of the Nangong family, especially the direct descendants, gain great strength from a young age.

But among them, the number of people who live long lives can be counted on one hand.

Once their martial arts reach a certain level, the martial arts begin to put a serious strain on the body, and from a certain point, the body begins to collapse rapidly.

So they had been accepting an early death as a kind of fate, but an unexpected encounter with Unhwi had given them a clue to escape from this tiresome cycle of fate.

Dynamic Qigong is originally a type of internal energy cultivation method that allows one to accumulate internal energy while moving the body.

Among them, Unhwi's Dynamic Qigong is special. It doesn't feel like a martial art made to create a body for accumulating internal energy, but rather a martial art made with the significance of developing the body itself.

"I told you that the reason I was able to live past the age of ninety was because I have a unique constitution, right?"

"Yes. You did. You also said that my children and I were not born with such a constitution."

"Yes. It's funny for me to say this myself, but I was truly born with heavenly luck. My father and my grandfather were not born with such a constitution, so they all passed away before they even reached their seventies."

The martial artists of the Nangong family begin to decline rapidly in health from the moment they pass sixty, and the number of people who live past seventy can be counted on one hand.

Considering that ordinary martial artists live healthily until their eighties or nineties, it can certainly be seen as a short life.

A short life is like a fate for the direct descendants of the Nangong family.

He was able to withstand the martial arts of the Nangong family because he was born with a unique constitution that could fully accept the energy of elixirs, and his muscles and meridians were tougher and stronger than others.

However, that was it. As he grew old and began to age, the martial arts of the Nangong family began to relentlessly consume Nangong Sang-hyeon's body.

The reason he declared his Gold Basin Hand-Washing and was about to enter a deep, secluded valley.

It was because he, who had once controlled the martial world, did not want to show his descendants the shabby sight of him dying after being defeated by the martial arts he had learned.

"But... in my opinion, if we refine and learn this Dynamic Qigong well, I think we can create a body that can overcome our family's martial arts."

Nangong Sang-hyeon said in a serious voice.

Hearing that, Nangong Cheon-jin answered with a puzzled face.

"Then isn't it a matter of learning it? I don't know what you are worried about."

"That is..."

Nangong Sang-hyeon hesitated and then opened his mouth.

"Two things are bothering me. The first is that this martial art is not something I was formally taught, but is no different from stealing that child's martial art. And the second is that the process of learning and practicing this Dynamic Qigong seems to be very long and arduous. At this age... I wonder if it's right to struggle so much to live a little longer."

His voice was filled with sincerity.

In fact, Nangong Sang-hyeon's age was such that it would not be strange if he passed away tomorrow.

And, he knows well how shabby the appearance of those who struggle not to die beyond their given lifespan looks.

Because his father and grandfather both could not accept their given fate and struggled to live a little longer, but in the end, they returned to the earth.

"Father. My words may sound disrespectful, but I will still say one thing."

Nangong Cheon-jin didn't even listen to Nangong Sang-hyeon's answer and immediately continued, "I don't feel that your current worried appearance is like you at all, father. It was you who originally said that if there is no way, you must make a way. As for the matter of learning Taoist Master Unhwi's martial art, even if we grant him everything he wants, can't we just ask him to teach us the martial art?"

Nangong Cheon-jin's voice was even mixed with a little anger.

His father, Nangong Sang-hyeon, has a special meaning just by his existence.

That was not just for the prestige of the Nangong family.

Although Nangong Cheon-jin has the grand title of Sword King, he is also just one person's son.

His father has a chance to live longer right in front of him, but he is worried about it, so as a son, he is angry.

"And it was you, father, who taught the martial artists of the family that it is more important to return alive with your life than the success of a mission. It was also you, father, who taught that the words 'struggling to live' are never a shameful expression. Didn't you always say that when a person dies, everything is over? The person who would point fingers at all the efforts you make to extend your lifespan... at least in our family, there will not be a single person."

At Nangong Cheon-jin's sincere words, Nangong Sang-hyeon could only let out a laugh.

Although he is his son, Nangong Cheon-jin is already sixty. If he had grown up in a normal family, not a martial family, he would have already become a grandfather.

But in Nangong Sang-hyeon's eyes, he was always a child in his arms, but before he knew it, he had grown up like that and become a strong pillar supporting the Nangong family.

"Hoho... I should have shared my worries sooner, I just wasted time. I understand. As you said, I will try to have a talk with Unhwi."

"You've thought well. Father."

He was so happy that he even grabbed Nangong Sang-hyeon's hand.

As he stroked his son's hand that was holding his, he thought.

'If the talk goes well, not only me but also our entire Nangong family...'

Until twenty years ago, Nangong Sang-hyeon was the head of the Nangong family.

He was naturally thinking of a way for the Nangong family to develop one step further from where it is now.

***

The inn managed by Hao Faction was not far from the Nangong family.

I went straight there and demanded all the information about the recent trends of the Nangong family, and the waiter, who seemed to be a Hao Faction disciple, gave me quite a variety of information.

Thanks to that, I was robbed of the large sum of two silver taels...

"Well, there's nothing particularly strange?"

Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything particularly strange.

It didn't seem like anyone would come for revenge just because the Sovereign Sword Emperor was having a Gold Basin Hand-Washing ceremony, and there were no signs of anything happening to the Nangong family.

Just in case, I told the Hao Faction disciple to come to the Nangong family and find Unhwi of the Wudang Sect if anything unusual happened, and then I left the inn and returned to the Nangong family.

The Nangong family is still bustling with people.

But it's a little strange. It's not that there are many people because of the rising stars from all over the Central Plains, but because the Nangong family martial artists were swarming around as if something had happened to the family.

'What on earth is going on?'

Although I was puzzled, I moved my steps towards them.

Although I usually dislike places where many people gather, I thought that perhaps what was happening at the Nangong family now had something to do with the Sovereign Sword Emperor.

As I moved my steps, I pricked up my ears, and I heard voices.

"It seems he is not in his lodgings."

"Then does anyone know where he went?"

"I will ask around."

"Move quickly. It's a direct order from the head of the family!"

They seemed to be looking for someone.

Perhaps someone who had come to congratulate the Sovereign Sword Emperor on his retirement banquet had caused a problem, and I quickened my steps and approached them.

'Someone really caused a problem, and because of that, they must have canceled the plan to show the sword dance...!'

I don't know who it is, but I thought I had to catch them and prevent them from doing anything, and as I approached them.

I couldn't help but stop when I heard the name they were saying.

"Unhwi. It's Taoist Master Unhwi of the Wudang Sect. Remember it clearly."

And at that moment, my eyes met with the person who seemed to be the leader commanding the subordinates.

He saw me and asked, "By any chance..."

"No."

"Yes?"

"I didn't do anything?"

"Yes...?"

The martial artist kept repeating 'yes', and then he came to his senses and asked me, "By any chance, are you Taoist Master Unhwi of the Wudang Sect?"

"Yes. That's right. But it really wasn't me."

"So what have you been saying no to since a while ago?"

"Whatever it is, it wasn't me. I'm innocent!"

He was looking at me with eyes that couldn't understand, so I asked, "I don't know what it is, but didn't something happen to the Nangong family? And you're thinking of me as the suspect."

"Ah! It's not like that."

"If it's not that, then why are you looking for me so desperately? It's making me anxious."

"The head of the family is looking for you. He said he has something urgent to tell you."

"The head of the family?"

The person they call the head of the family is the Sword King, Nangong Cheon-jin.

I frowned because I couldn't guess why he wanted to see me.

'The Sword King... uncomfortable.'

The Sword King, Nangong Cheon-jin, has a rather prickly and cold personality.

Although I had met him a few times in my previous life, because of that personality, there was no room to get close or become friendly.

He was completely different from Uncle Sword Emperor or Grandpa Breaking Wave Palm, who had given me a place by their side, so he felt a little difficult and uncomfortable.

"Why does the head of the family want to see me?"

"I don't know the reason for that either. He just said to bring you as soon as possible..."

I was about to think about the reason he was calling me for a moment, but I just stopped thinking and nodded my head.

Because I have to stay at the Nangong family for a few more days, and I can't avoid the head of the family just because I don't like him.

"Okay. I'll go. Do I have to go right now?"

"I think you should. As I said before, it would be best if you could go as soon as possible."

"Yes. Lead the way."

"Thank you."

He ordered his subordinates not to look for me anymore and then started walking busily.

This direction is the direction where the head of the family's hall is.

'Why on earth is he looking for me?'

Although I couldn't guess the reason at all, I obediently followed him.

Because I thought that the Sword King's personality was such that he wouldn't call me for something useless, and if I followed him like this, I might be able to find out about the problem of the Nangong family that may or may not exist.

After following the Nangong family martial artist for a while, another rather large pond appeared, and there was a willow tree standing there like a painting.

And a very old-looking pavilion next to it.

Although it was my first time coming this far, I was sure that that was the head of the Nangong family's hall.

And the pavilion built over the pond connected to the pavilion next to it.

In that pavilion, a man was looking at the pond. I could recognize that man at a glance.

'The Sword King. Nangong Cheon-jin.'

Although he looked a little younger than I remembered, his appearance hadn't changed much.

"Then I will go this far. I will be on my way back now."

The martial artist bowed to me and then went back the way he came.

As I slowly walked towards the Sword King, he, as if he had felt my presence, turned his head towards me.

"Ah, are you Taoist Master Unhwi?"

"That's right. Unhwi, a third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect. I greet the head of the Nangong family."

I said with a polite fist-and-palm salute, and he also returned the salute.

He greeted me with a bright smile that I had never seen in my previous life, as if he was very happy to meet me.

A few days ago, the Sovereign Sword Emperor, and today, the Sword King.

To meet the super master father and son of the Nangong family separately like this, I wonder what's going on.

"Thank you for coming like this even though I called you suddenly."

"Not at all. If the head of the family calls, I should come running right away."

"You must be curious about the reason I called you. Since time is precious, I'll get straight to the point, how about it?"

"Good. You're very straightforward."

At my answer, he smiled deeply and then said to me, "I want to buy your martial art."

"My martial art? Th... that is, my martial art is not something I can buy and sell. As you know, if my sect finds out, there will be a big fuss..."

"No, not the martial arts of the Wudang Sect. I heard from my father that you created your own Dynamic Qigong. I'm talking about that martial art."

"My Dynamic Qigong? Why that?"

"I'll tell you the reason if you say you'll sell it. Because then I won't be able to hide it even if I try."

I was thinking about the meaning of his words again, and he looked at me and opened his mouth again.

"Please let the direct descendants of our Nangong family learn that Dynamic Qigong. How much would it be?"

Only then could I come to my senses.

So, right now, the Sword King is asking me to teach him my training method.

And he clearly said to me, 'sell it.' He also asked how much it would be.

I shouldn't let out a laugh, but I can't control it, so I bit my lip hard and thought.

'What kind of windfall is this? I would have taught him even if he had just asked me to.’

(End of Chapter)