The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 139

After she brought me to the front of Nangong Sang-hyeon's room, she told me to call her when we were done talking and then disappeared.

It feels like the first day I came to the Nangong family is repeating itself.

When I was about to knock on the door, a voice came from inside the room.

"Is that you, Hwi? Come in."

It was Nangong Sang-hyeon's voice. I immediately opened the door and went inside.

Then Nangong Sang-hyeon was not lying down, but was standing by the window, bathed in the moonlight.

"Why are you standing instead of resting? I'm worried that your body will get worse."

"Haha. Don't worry. I won't treat the body you saved carelessly."

"That's not what I meant..."

He saw my troubled expression and then smiled playfully and said, "It's a joke. In fact, my body condition is not bad, and I feel like I could go out right now, so I was looking at the moon like this."

"If you're feeling well, shouldn't you go out to the banquet hall? You're the star of today's feast."

"Actually, I don't really like crowded and noisy places. And I thought that if I went out now, I wouldn't have time to talk to you like this, so I was thinking of going out after talking with you."

"As for talking... you can do it tomorrow. I'm not planning on leaving right away tomorrow anyway."

Although I answered lightly, he suddenly became serious and said to me, "No, we must talk now."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "My sword dance that you saw earlier. What did you feel after seeing it? I want to hear your honest thoughts."

"Hmm..."

A groan came out of me without my realizing it.

Because although I had definitely felt a lot, it was difficult to suddenly put it into words without organizing it.

"To be honest, my mind went blank in the middle, so I don't remember it well, but... if I had to pick one thing that comes to mind, it's that while watching the sword dance, I confirmed that my philosophy, which I had believed in and thought about until now, was not wrong."

"Your philosophy?"

"The biggest thing I felt is that a sword should not be drawn to kill, but to save someone."

"Hoho..."

"In the sword dance I saw earlier, rather than the principles of martial arts or enlightenment... I think I felt that kind of heart more."

In fact, I felt a lot of things other than this.

But unfortunately, for me right now, they were not great things that would give me a huge enlightenment in an instant or suddenly allow my martial arts to advance.

Of course, other rising stars might have gained such enlightenment.

Because the sword dance that the Sovereign Sword Emperor had prepared was originally a basic enlightenment for such rising stars, and I had long since surpassed that level.

Instead, I was able to get a clear confirmation of what I had been doing.

It is said that all paths lead to one. Although the martial arts that Nangong Sang-hyeon and I have learned are different, the sword dance he showed today was not about our respective martial arts, but about showing his enlightenment on the path of martial arts itself.

Since what he wanted to say was not much different from what I had been doing until now. I gained the confidence that if I continue on this path, I will one day reach the level of Nangong Sang-hyeon.

"As expected... the reason I called you today is because of that. Although I made a big fuss about showing you some sword dance and showing you my enlightenment, it seems you didn't get much out of it, so I called you to talk about that a little."

"What do you mean, I didn't get much? I definitely got a lot. It's just that I can't say it because I haven't organized it properly yet..."

"I had hoped that you would gain a great enlightenment and that your martial arts would advance in an instant. There will be other rising stars who have gained such enlightenment."

I was about to say something, but I stopped.

Because I thought there must be a reason why Nangong Sang-hyeon would call me during the banquet to say such things.

When I no longer refuted his words, he laughed heartily and said, "Hahaha! Yes. You've thought well. I have no intention of bending my will, so if you keep repeating the same words, your mouth will only hurt."

"Rather than that, it's because I felt that the Sovereign Sword Emperor had something he wanted to say, but he couldn't because of me."

He looked at me and then smiled with the utmost pleasure and said to me, "Is that something you were born with? Or is it something you learn at the Wudang Sect?"

"Yes?"

"You have a knack for captivating people with just a few words. As if you've lived twice."

Although I was startled inwardly, I roughly glossed it over with a laugh.

Then he said to me, "This is half a joke... but do you have any intention of leaving the Wudang Sect and coming to the Nangong family?"

"Yes? If the elders of my sect had heard that, they would have... no. Even if it were our sect leader, he wouldn't be able to say anything to the Sovereign Sword Emperor..."

"Hahaha! That's right. Who would say anything to me? In fact, I've also thought of a way. If I just bring you, there will be a lot of talk, so I need to create a justification, right? And for that justification, there would be no better justification than becoming the son-in-law of our family."

Although I was greatly flustered by the absurd words, I barely came to my senses and answered, "Son-in-law?"

"Aren't you about the same age as Yu-hwa? The two of you look good together, so let's just get married while we're at it."

"Isn't Miss Yu-hwa's will the most important thing in such matters?"

"I think Yu-hwa likes you."

"No, but still..."

"Hahaha!"

He found it so funny to tease me that he burst into a loud laugh.

I pouted and said to him, "Don't tease me too much... I was about to say I would go to the Nangong family for a moment just now."

"If you just make up your mind, there are plenty of ways, right?"

"I like the Wudang Sect. I also like my senior brothers and my senior uncles. Above all, there are so many things I want to do and have to do with my master. Even if you say it's a joke, I'm really grateful for the offer, but I can't leave the Wudang Sect that has raised me this much."

"Yes. I understand your will well. That master... was it Hyeon Yang? I'm very envious of Hyeon Yang."

"Do you know my master?"

"Of course I do. I saw him briefly at the Martial Alliance, and he had an unforgettable energy, didn't he? Of course, it wasn't as much as you, Unhwi."

Although he deliberately spoke in a cheerful manner, his voice was full of regret.

The words he just said... I can bet a gold coin that they were absolutely not a joke.

"Yes. As you said, you will be active in the martial world for a long time. But I would also like to contribute to that activity."

"The influence you have already had on me is enormous. Couldn't it be said that you are with me just with that teaching?"

"No... I mean, I want to be with you in a more intuitive sense."

I thought he was trying to say that he wanted to travel with me, so I was looking for something to say, but Nangong Sang-hyeon took me to a table that was set up against a wall, and then he suddenly put a long box on it with a thud.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

I followed his words and opened the box, and then... my body froze as if it had turned to ice.

Inside the box, a single sword was neatly placed. And it was a sword that the expression 'breathtakingly beautiful' would perfectly suit.

The blade itself was not a blue steel sword that was close to the usual silver color.

I don't know what kind of metal was used, but it was a red blade that even gave off a transparent feeling.

The blood groove that was carved long vertically on the straight blade looked like the teeth of a dragon, and as I followed the blood groove down to the sword hilt, the end of the hilt was decorated with the head of a red dragon.

"What... is this?"

"A sword."

"You know better than I do that that's not what I was asking, elder."

He found my reaction funny and burst out laughing for a moment, and then he said to me with a serious face, "The name of this sword is the Red Dragon Sword. The name and the appearance are very intuitive, right? It's the sword I used when I was young. I received this sword from my father when I first entered the martial world, and I used it for about twenty years from then on."

According to his words, it has been decades since he has used this sword, but it looked as clean as if it had been maintained just a few days ago.

"After that, I gained a little more enlightenment about the sword, so I changed to a slightly longer and heavier sword, and after I turned seventy, I reached a state where I was not bound by the form, length, or weight of the sword. At that time, I either threw away all the swords I had or gave them to someone. But, I couldn't do that with this sword."

I think I know a little bit about what he is saying.

Originally, the first time is special to everyone.

And for a martial artist, a sword is like a life, so how much attachment would there be to the first sword they used?

But to be honest, I didn't have much of that.

The first sword I used was a cheap blue steel sword that I bought for five pennies at the market.

And that sword was even broken in two by the head of the Sura Gate, Chae Eung-seok... no, Peng Won-so, whom I met as soon as I entered the martial world, so there was no time for affection to build up.

However, this is my special case, and most martial artists put great meaning into their first weapon.

"Because this sword has a special meaning to me. So sometimes I regarded it as my close friend, and sometimes as my alter ego, and until just a few days ago, when I had nothing to do, I would spend my time maintaining this sword."

He looked at my eyes and paused for a moment, and then he continued in a low voice, "Please accept this sword. Although my body cannot be with you, please be active in the martial world with my sword."

"E-Elder!"

In fact, I had expected this to happen from the moment he took out the sword, but when I really heard those words, I was at a loss for words without my realizing it.

It's an ordeal to hold back something hot that is rising from my stomach and trying to cross my throat.

As I kept trying to hold it back, I think my eyes are getting red.

'Ah. If I cry here, it will be the second time I've cried in front of the Sovereign Sword Emperor...'

The moment I thought that, in the end, a tear trickled down from my eye.

The reason I shed tears was not simply because I was happy to have a new sword, but because I wondered how many times in my life I had received such great favor.

Of course, whether I intended it or not, if you just consider the grace I have bestowed on the Nangong family, receiving this much of a reward might not be so special.

But, I have lived a life where I have given more than I have received.

To be more precise, even if I helped someone with all my might, there were few people who made me feel that my favor would be returned, whether in heart or in material form.

But the Sovereign Sword Emperor is willingly trying to give me a sword that is so meaningful that it cannot be converted into money.

The thought that that heart was comforting my old self made me cry.

"What I just said was not a proposal, but an earnest request. Surely you won't refuse this old man's request, right?"

He said this with a smile, perhaps because he was worried that I might feel burdened.

I quickly wiped away my tears, stretched out my hand, and gently grabbed the sword hilt.

They say that a true famous sword recognizes its master, and perhaps because this Red Dragon Sword is also like that, when I picked it up, I felt something like a vibration.

It's probably my illusion, as there's no way a sword can really be alive and express emotions.

The sword was very light, just as I had felt at first.

If I get used to this weight, I think I can obtain a tremendous fast sword.

"How does it feel when you hold it? It suits you really well."

I looked at the sword one more time, put it down on the table, and then said to him with a polite fist-and-palm salute, "Thank you. From now on, I will be more active in the martial world with your sword, elder."

Although he was worried that I might refuse, in fact, I had no intention of doing so.

I am not so foolish or naive as to kick away the good fortune that has rolled in.

Because a good sword is something I absolutely need that can make me stronger right away.