The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 177

The road to Kunlun was longer than I thought.

If Hyeon Cheong and Man Cheong had been in their usual physical condition, it would have been a distance they could have reached in about five days by running at full speed, but unfortunately, neither of them was in a physical condition to perform lightness skills.

If there was a silver lining, it was that Yu Cheongja, Hyeon Yang, and Unhwi had brought quite a lot of grain pills for emergency food, so there was no shortage of food.

They returned to Kunlun slowly, wary of their surroundings in case they might encounter remnants of the Demonic Cult.

On the way to Kunlun, Hyeon Cheong looked at Unhwi, who was leading the way with light steps, and thought, 'That last blow was an attack with all my strength. It must have been a force no different from when I was in my usual physical condition... But Unhwi blocked my sword so easily.'

It was a good thing that Unhwi had only focused on blocking his attack; if he had decided to counterattack right away, he would have been dead without a doubt.

'I knew his skills were great, but to this extent...!'

So he was able to be happy even while dragging his weak body.

'The next generation of Wudang will be the best in the Central Plains...!'

He looked back and forth between his senior brother and his junior who had come to save him, and smiled to himself.

It felt as if he could see the bright future of the Wudang Sect.

***

About ten days after rescuing Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong and Taoist Man Cheong, we were finally able to arrive near Mount Kunlun.

Originally, we were going to climb the mountain right away, but my master proposed to the rest, "It doesn't matter much to us, but Hyeon Cheong and Man Cheong don't seem to be in a suitable physical condition to climb Mount Kunlun yet. Especially Man Cheong."

"Hmm... that's right. He only applied medicine to the wound and didn't even get proper treatment."

"No, senior brother! I can go up. Perhaps because the medicine is good, I feel like the wound is already healing."

"What's the use of lying like that? I saw you sweating profusely from around the day before yesterday."

"That's because of the pain, I couldn't help it..."

"That's enough. You and Hyeon Cheong, get an inn in the nearest village and recuperate there. Call a physician too."

Yu Cheongja turned his head to me and continued, "Unhwi. You stay here with them. If by any chance my junior brother tries to do anything foolish, put him to sleep without hesitation."

"How do I put him to sleep?"

"Whether you press his acupoints or hit him on the back of the head, you figure it out. Do I have to tell you that method too?"

"Ah, no. I'll do my best at my discretion."

He let out a small laugh and said to my master, "Hyeon Yang. Why don't we just perform our lightness skills from here?"

"Yes. Good."

My master nodded his head, took out a money pouch from his bosom, and handed it to me.

"If you need money, use it as you please. You can call the most skilled physician in the village, or you can get the best room in the inn."

"Yes, master. I'll do that."

"... Don't embezzle it. I remember exactly how much is in there."

"Ha, haha... no way. Would I, of all people, embezzle my master's money?"

"With you, there's a high probability of that."

"You're good at joking. Hahaha!"

I forced a laugh to bury the feeling of being caught and accepted the money pouch.

My master let out a small laugh, told Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong to take good care of himself, and then performed his lightness skill with Yu Cheongja and disappeared from sight in an instant.

"Let's go this way. There's only one village around here. Although my master told me to stay in the best place, since the village is not that big, there will probably be only one or two inns anyway."

"You seem to know this area better than I do."

Taoist Man Cheong said with a frown, as if his wound was hurting.

"Because memorizing the surrounding map first is the most basic of basics."

"Haha... I wish there was a child as smart as you among our juniors."

He began to walk towards the village, staggering.

It seems he was desperately enduring the pain because he was in front of Yu Cheongja until a little while ago.

"No. Wait a minute, just stay here."

"Huh?"

"You don't want me to carry you on my back, do you?"

"Th-That's right. There will be villagers watching."

"Then I'll run to the village first and get some medicine to reduce the pain. You can rest for a while in the meantime."

I didn't even listen to the answers of Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong and Taoist Man Cheong, but I cleared a space under the shade of a large tree, dug a hole, and lit a fire in the pit.

When there is an injured person, it is much better to light a fire even if it is daytime.

Because a person feels cold when they lose a lot of blood.

"Hmm... this is a little insufficient. Wait a minute."

I immediately went into the forest, found a deer grazing nearby, and immediately pierced its heart with my sword to kill it instantly, and then I went to a nearby stream, skinned it, and prepared the meat.

It took less than a quarter of an hour to do all this.

I found a stone that was a little wider and thinner than the pit I had dug at the stream and placed the stone over the end of the pit.

And then the stone became a very fine grill, and I sliced the deer meat thinly with a skill so fast that my hands were invisible and placed the meat on the grill.

By the time the pleasant sound of the meat cooking was heard.

I handed the chopsticks made by peeling the bark of a long tree branch to Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong, who was in a relatively healthy state.

"Senior uncle. Take this. Flip it well so it doesn't burn and eat it. When you're this weak, there's nothing like meat. In fact, meat soup is as good as eating the meat directly, but since we can't boil it right now, I'll buy it for you when we get to the inn later."

"Ah, no. Unhwi, you..."

"It's okay. I can eat later. For now, you two eat while you're waiting for me. There's plenty of meat, so eat slowly."

"No. That's not it..."

"I'm really fine, you know? If you're really worried, shall I eat a few of the first cooked ones and go?"

"No. That's not it... you seem very skilled at hunting and preparing animals, and grilling meat. It doesn't seem like it's your first or second time."

"Yes?"

At those words, I was startled and finally realized why Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong and Taoist Man Cheong had been looking at me with such strange eyes.

'That's right. Both the Wudang Sect and Kunlun were Taoist sects.'

It is natural for Taoists not to eat meat, but since I had been wandering outside the Wudang Sect for the past few years and eating meat without thinking, I must have gotten too used to it.

"This is what our master taught us. When you're sick, you must eat meat. First of all, you have to be healthy to be able to do spiritual cultivation. Something like that."

"Senior Brother Hyeon Yang...?"

"Yes. That's right."

As I was busy making excuses, sweat was trickling down my back, but Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong suddenly nodded his head greatly and said, "If it's my senior brother, he's more than capable of that. Even during his time as a third-generation disciple, he was the kind of person who would often sneak out of the Wudang Sect at night, catch and eat rabbits or small animals, and then come back."

"Th-That's why our master is so tall and muscular, isn't it? Hahaha. Then I'll get out of your way, so enjoy your meal. I'll be going to the village now."

I forced a smile and then, without even listening to their answers, I began to perform my lightness skill towards the village.

I had the thought that if our master hadn't been an eccentric, I would have been in a very difficult situation.

***

About two shichen passed.

During that time, I first got an inn and then went to a clinic to get a decoction to reduce the pain, and then I was able to return to the place where Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong and Taoist Man Cheong had been.

The time I was actually in the village was less than half a shichen.

The distance to the village was quite far, and it means that it took me a shichen and a half to run back and forth at full speed.

So, thinking that it would take at least a day or two for the injured Taoist Man Cheong to walk, when I arrived at the place where I had lit the fire.

I could confirm that all the meat I had sliced was gone.

"I'm back. Fortunately, it seems you enjoyed it?"

"Enjoyed it... I ate it because I have to recover quickly."

"Hmm-hmm. That's right. Even if I don't have a serious injury, I have to recover my energy."

I wanted to tell them to at least wipe the glistening oil around their mouths before they spoke, but I barely swallowed those words, in case they might be embarrassed.

"Yes. You did well. Taoist Man Cheong, please drink this, and senior uncle, you drink this too."

"Me too?"

"Yes. This is a restorative medicine. You said you were weak."

"Well. Something like this..."

Although he said that, it seemed he didn't dislike it inside.

The two of them, who were already full, also drank a bowl of the decoction each, and as if they were very full, they began to doze off.

In fact, the two of them had been on a forced march without even sleeping properly until now.

Because until they entered a place that could be said to be a definite territory of the Kunlun Sect like this, they had moved cautiously, being as wary of their surroundings as possible.

"Although it's still early evening, you two should go to sleep. I made a bed by gathering leaves earlier."

As if I had known that would happen, I had already prepared a place to sleep.

Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong will surely have no choice but to tell the sect leader more good things about me when this matter is over and he returns to the Wudang Sect.

'Better martial arts. Better spiritual medicine!'

Because I know well that if I achieve merit for the Wudang Sect, it will come back to me by that much, I took more care and was good to my senior uncle.

Although it's also because Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong is an important existence in the Wudang Sect... but shouldn't I also get something out of it?

"Hwi-ya. I'm sorry. I'll go to sleep first today."

"......"

At least Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong expressed his apology to me, but Taoist Man Cheong, as if he had already fallen asleep, couldn't say anything.

"It's okay. I'll be guarding here, so don't worry about anything and sleep well."

"Thank you."

With those last words, Senior Uncle Hyeon Cheong also fell into a light sleep.

A little while later.

I checked if the two of them were properly asleep.

Seeing that they couldn't wake up even when I waved my hand in front of their eyes, it seemed they were quite tired.

And I stared at the dark forest, which was as dark as midnight thanks to the shade of a tree a little distance away, and said, "I don't know who you are, but isn't it about time you came out? Judging by the fact that you've been waiting until now, it doesn't seem like you have any intention of attacking right away."

"......"

Although it was certain that someone had been watching us since a while ago, there was no answer.

I picked up a stone that was a little smaller than my fist from the floor and threw it with all my might towards the place where I felt the gaze.

But perhaps because I hadn't learned throwing techniques professionally? I hear the sound of the stone I threw being caught by someone.

"Hohoho. I thought I felt a rather strong energy from you since a while ago. You're a child who knows how to use strength."

Only then did a creepy voice, as if a man were imitating a woman's voice, come from the darkness.

Hearing that voice, I was so surprised that my body flinched for a moment, but I forced myself to calm my surprised heart and continued to look in the direction where the voice was coming from, pretending to be calm.

And then, a figure suddenly appeared from the darkness.

His build is much smaller than that of an ordinary adult male.

Although his age seems to be close to middle age, he was a man who gave the impression of being like a woman, with his slender facial features and thin wrists and fingers.

And I know very well who this man is.

'The Demonic Cult's Demon Flower Hall Master, Yi Gwak-sa.'

There are several organizations in the Demonic Cult, and the most common among them are the Squad and the Hall.

Among them, the Demon Flower Hall is also a direct organization of the strategist who is called the second-in-command of the Demonic Cult.

Yi Gwak-sa was also a person who had massacred countless orthodox martial artists in his previous life.

Although he died with his head smashed by the Fist King old man during the war, he was a master who had made the old man struggle quite a bit.

"I have no business with you. I didn't come to annihilate you today."

"Then what did you come for?"

"I came for personal revenge."

"Revenge? Are you talking about your remnants who were left in Xinjiang that we killed?"

"I don't care if those dregs die or not."

"What?"

"As you know, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has been gone from here for a long time, and the dregs left here were trash that were not worth taking. It's none of my business whether you kill them or let them live."

"Then whose revenge did you come for?"

He narrowed his eyes and said, "The Blue King Flag Master."

"The Blue King Flag Master?"

"That child was a child I had personally put a lot of effort into. When I saw the corpse, it was cleanly cut in two from the top of the head to the groin. It was a very clean skill."

"But why were you just watching us? It seems you've been here for a long time."

"If I just watched you, I thought the master who made the Blue King Flag Master like that would appear again. I have no interest in a child like you or the two who are dying over there. I will only take the life of the one who made the Blue King Flag Master like that."

"......"

I couldn't answer anything.

Because I was confused whether I should thank him for the compliment, or whether I should frown at the words that he had come to find me in the end.

(End of Chapter)