The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 157

I pretended not to know and asked her, "What? Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing special..."

She trailed off, hesitating, and then opened her mouth again.

"Can I visit the Wudang Sect again next time?"

"Of course. You come often anyway, don't you? To listen to the sermons of the senior uncles."

Seeing me nod my head readily, Zhuge Ling shook her head and said, "Ah, no... I meant, can I go to see you, Taoist master?"

"Me?"

Zhuge Ling, as if it were difficult to even look me straight in the eye, is only looking down at the floor.

I can feel how much she must have worried before saying this directly.

I thought for a moment about what to say, and then I opened my mouth.

"Of course. It's good to see you often."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think it would be good to see each other often and check how much our martial arts have improved, and for the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge family to continue to have exchanges."

"Ah... that's right."

At my answer, she nodded her head weakly.

To be honest, it's not that I don't know what she meant when she asked if she could come to see me again.

However, right now, I have no intention of meeting anyone, and I'm not in a situation to do so.

So I drew a line, saying it was because of martial arts.

"So, let's see each other often. Right now, my head is full of just getting stronger, so I don't have the luxury of caring about other things. The fact that I got hurt like this... if I had been a little stronger, I wouldn't have been defeated and hurt like this. Didn't you also say that a little while ago, miss?"

She nodded her head.

It seemed she recalled what she had said when she came in with Zhuge Yun a little while ago.

"Later, when you and I have become much stronger than now and are no longer thirsty for growth... and when a peaceful day comes with no special events in the Central Plains. By then, I think I'll have the luxury of thinking about other things."

"Taoist master... what is the reason you are trying to become so strong?"

I looked at her eyes calmly for a moment and then said, "I haven't told anyone yet. But if I'm only telling you, miss... the Central Plains is in a big crisis right now."

"A crisis?"

"Because there are beings who are covetously eyeing the Central Plains."

"Who on earth..."

"It's difficult for me to pinpoint exactly who. However, what is certain is that they have a truly enormous power, and with the power we have now, it's not even close."

Although my words might sound absurd, she, as if she had read the sincerity in my expression, looked at me without any particular answer and then slowly opened her mouth.

"When will that be? For that matter to be completely resolved."

"I can't say for sure. But, this is certain. The more strong and trustworthy colleagues there are, the shorter that period will surely be. Something that might take me decades alone could be accomplished in a few years with trustworthy colleagues."

"Colleagues..."

She repeated the word 'colleagues' that I had said a few times.

Since she is smart, she must have understood the meaning of what I said.

Right now, I have drawn a line, saying that the only way she can approach me is as a colleague.

But... Zhuge Ling was smiling.

"Colleagues. I like it."

She smiled brightly and continued, "I don't think it's bad to start as colleagues."

"Yes?"

"I'll work hard to become a colleague who can be of help. I won't forget what you've taught me for the past month and I'll train hard."

Seeing her even clenching her two fists and talking, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Then... you need to rest, so I'll go back now without disturbing you any further."

"It's not a disturbance..."

"No. Get plenty of rest. I'll see you one more time before you go back to the Zhuge family."

She said that and then opened the door again and left the room.

I stared at the door she had left for a long time, and then I lay down flat on my back again and looked at the sky.

To be honest, wouldn't I also be disappointed? Before being a Taoist or a martial artist, I am also a man.

But, right now is really not the time for things like dating.

Putting aside the need to stop the Demonic Cult guys from invading, it is clear that I will have many enemies in the future.

In general, bad guys tend to target my weaknesses. And my weakness will be my precious person.

"I did well. It could also be a motivation to train harder."

I didn't want to think about it complicatedly, so I roughly finished my thoughts and closed my eyes.

I should get some more sleep. For now, recovering my body is the priority.

***

Zhuge Ling, who had left the clinic where Unhwi was lying.

Not long after she left the clinic, she found Zhuge Yun waiting for her.

"Older brother. Why haven't you gone yet? I told you to go first."

"I was waiting to go with you."

Zhuge Yun said that and then glanced at Zhuge Ling's face.

"It didn't go well, did it?"

"No."

"Yes. I thought so."

He let out a deep sigh with a pitiful tone.

In fact, although Zhuge Ling hadn't said anything to him, he seemed to know everything that had happened a little while ago.

From the time Zhuge Ling had sent him off first, saying she had something more to say to Unhwi, and had gone back into the clinic.

"What... you thought so..."

"It's okay. Let's go back quickly. Let's go in quickly, eat something delicious, and shake it off."

Although he spoke to Zhuge Ling with the face of a reliable older brother, Zhuge Ling looked at him with a face as if asking what on earth he was talking about.

"What do you mean, shake it off? I have no intention of doing that at all."

"Huh?"

"I'm going to keep it in my heart. Until the end."

"No, what are you talking about right now?"

Zhuge Yun looked at his sister with a dumbfounded face.

No matter how much he had never met a woman before and had no interaction with other people, he could tell that the reaction Zhuge Ling was showing now was not the normal reaction of a woman who had been rejected.

"You don't need to comfort me. Do you know this saying, older brother?"

"What saying?"

"They say it's not over until it's over. They say that when you give up, that's when it's really over."

"Then you're not going to give up on Taoist Master Unhwi?"

Zhuge Ling nodded her head with a determined expression.

"For now, I've decided to start as a trustworthy colleague. So I'm going to train really hard. So you cooperate from now on, older brother. Understood?"

"Ah, I understand."

He said that and then could only watch Zhuge Ling, who was walking back to the lodging with long strides.

'No, is it better than crying?'

He thought so and then quickly moved his legs to follow her.

Thinking that it was fortunate that his sister's mental strength was outstanding, unlike his own.

***

It has already been nine days since I was lying in the clinic.

I got up from my seat, and my wound had improved a lot, to the point where I could move to some extent.

And thanks to the fact that the flesh had healed a lot, all the stitches that had been tying the wound were also removed.

Thanks to that, I was finally able to be discharged from this stuffy clinic.

"To be able to move like this in less than ten days after being cut by a sword like that! This is almost a miracle!"

"I guess I got better quickly thanks to your fuss, physician."

"No. I didn't do much. How can your healing power be so fast!"

"Anyway, thank you for everything so far. I'll see you again if I have a chance."

"Yes. Taoist master. I am always welcome. If you get a serious injury around here, please be sure to come here again."

As I listened to the physician's words, which I couldn't tell if they were a curse or a concern, I packed my few belongings and came out of the clinic.

Outside, my master and my senior brothers were waiting.

"You don't have to come to pick me up like this since I roughly know how to get to the Shi-yue Pavilion."

"Although you can move your body quite a bit now, you are still a patient. What if there is an enemy attack? You said you even told that man named Dokgo Jugwak your Taoist name and that you are a disciple of the Wudang Sect."

"He probably also suffered a not-so-small injury, so he won't be able to come to attack me right away."

"Even if Dokgo Jugwak can't come, there might be other disciples of the leader of the Evil Way Alliance besides those two. What if they come?"

"That's... true."

Having lost the verbal battle with my master, I had no choice but to obediently accept the escort of my senior brothers and my master.

After arriving at the Shi-yue Pavilion in such a noisy manner, I couldn't help but doubt my own eyes.

"Welcome. Great hero!"

"We're glad you've recovered. Great hero!"

"Please come this way."

Because the main gate of the Shi-yue Pavilion was wide open, and the men and courtesans who worked at the brothel were all out in the courtyard on both sides, lined up and waiting for me.

"What are you all doing? Aren't you all doing business?"

At that time, a person came out from among the men.

It was Mo Yong-hae.

Mo Yong-hae said to me with a wide smile, spreading his arms, "We decided to take a day off today. Since it's the day the great hero is coming, we can't work on a day like this."

"Shouldn't you be at the Flying Dragon Inn, uncle? Is the Flying Dragon Inn also not open today because of me?"

"No. That place is operating normally. I originally worked at a brothel, so I came back to the brothel this time. For now, please come inside."

Mo Yong-hae led us into the brothel, and I passed between the people who were lined up and went into the brothel.

As we passed, everyone threw a word at us, such as 'thank you', 'cool', 'handsome', and so on, and we were so embarrassed that we hurried inside.

When we went inside the brothel, all the small tables and chairs that were on the first floor had been pushed away, and only a few very large tables were placed.

And on those tables were all kinds of delicacies and bottles of alcohol that looked luxurious at a glance.

"You've come?"

At that time, Gongsun Huan greeted us with his arms spread wide as if he had been waiting.

His appearance and expression were so relaxed that he didn't seem like the person I knew.

The atmosphere of the person had changed so much. Fortunately, in a positive direction.

"What is all this? And why are those people outside like that?"

"We have prepared a banquet for you all today. Since there is not much I can do for you... I would like to repay you at least a little with something like this."

At those words, a slight frown appeared on my brow without my realizing it.

Could it be that he's trying to get away with just this for my trouble?

But he quickly came to my side and whispered in my ear, "Of course, I'm not trying to replace all the rewards for you, Taoist master, with this. That's that, and please just think of this banquet as my heart."

"Ah. Was that it?"

"Of course."

I smiled at those words and answered, "I'll gratefully accept your kindness. Master of the Pavilion. Originally, on a day like this, I should eat until my stomach bursts, but if I eat too much, my stomach might really burst."

Although I said it to make them laugh, no one laughed. Everyone just looked at me with worried eyes.

Feeling a little awkward, I sat down first and said, "Hurry up and tell everyone to come in. So that the banquet or whatever can start quickly. I've only been eating bland porridge at the clinic, so I feel like I'm going to go crazy just from the smell right now."

"Ahaha. I understand."

Only then did Gongsun Huan laugh and have Mo Yong-hae call the people, and all those many people came in and the banquet naturally began.

My senior brothers, I, and everyone at the Shi-yue Pavilion began to eat and drink happily, forgetting about the past events.

In fact, since it hadn't been long since the big and small fight had ended, it seemed like we shouldn't be doing this already, but the Red Snake Gang was virtually annihilated, and we decided to believe Dokgo Jugwak's words that he would not interfere with the Shi-yue Pavilion again when he took Go Mun-tak.

Although he was clearly an enemy, for some reason, it seemed that he would definitely keep his word.

That means he will also keep his other words.

That he will come to see me again someday, and that he will take me with him.

His crazy smile naturally comes to mind.

'That time... it won't be easy.'

I made a promise as I recalled his face.

A promise that I would never lose to the same opponent twice.

(End of Chapter)