The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 227

Everyone in the inn looked at us, especially Monk Il-jik.

If there was one good thing, it was that the expressions of the martial artists who had been looking at each other with murderous expressions until a little while ago had changed greatly.

From anger to bewilderment.

"... You seem to be a monk, but who are you...?"

One of the Taoists from the Huashan Sect, who was closest to Monk Il-jik, asked him.

Although he asked on their behalf, all the martial artists here seemed to have the same curiosity, and they all held their breath and waited for Monk Il-jik's answer.

"I am Il-jik of Shaolin."

"Shaolin?"

"A monk from the Shaolin Temple in Shaanxi?"

At Monk Il-jik's answer, the martial artists began to murmur.

"Monk, what brings you all the way here to Shaanxi? As far as I know, Shaolin's territory is up to Henan Province."

"I came to Shaanxi on business. But I think what you just said is a bit contradictory."

"What?"

"To say that Shaolin's territory is up to Henan. Our Shaolin can go anywhere and intervene in any matter. I'm sure you're not saying that without knowing it."

“……”

“……”

At Monk Il-jik's low voice, the Taoists of the Huashan Sect and the martial artists of the Zhongnan Sect all became like mutes who had eaten honey.

Watching them unable to say anything, I was once again reminded of the power of Shaolin.

The Shaolin Temple is, in name and reality, the number one sect in the world.

In the current martial world, there are few sects that can say anything to a monk of Shaolin without fear.

Even if they are disciples of other sects of the Nine Sects and One Gang.

"First, everyone put away your swords. Can't you see the common people trembling in fear around you?!"

The Taoist of the Huashan Sect, as if he had just noticed the people around him, turned his head to the left and right to check the people and then answered in a voice that seemed to have lost its energy.

"... We were rash. We have caused a nuisance."

He answered like that and then sheathed his sword again.

As if his sheathing of the sword was a signal, the martial artists of Shaolin and Zhongnan, who had been pointing their swords at each other as if they were about to attack at any moment, sheathed their swords one by one, and the air surrounding them began to soften.

'Isn't that amazing?'

I, in my honest heart, admired Monk Il-jik.

It could be because of the reputation of Shaolin, or it could be the luck of a martial arts novice who doesn't know how dangerous it is to interfere in such a situation.

But, the important thing is that he stopped a fight that could have broken out with just one word from Monk Il-jik.

Even if you have the right thoughts, there are few people who can act on those thoughts, and it also meant that Monk Il-jik had the power to act.

"Let's all move. We can't eat comfortably in this atmosphere, can we?"

At that time, the Taoist of the Huashan Sect who had asked Monk Il-jik a question a little while ago said to the other Taoists.

"Senior brother! For us to avoid the situation..."

"Who cares who avoids it. Hurry up and follow me out."

"But still..."

"Yu-hun! If you say one more word and tarnish my prestige in front of all these people, I will take it as a challenge to me and you will have a spar with me all night today."

"Hup...!"

The Taoist, perhaps the most senior brother among those present, had his junior brothers prepare to leave the inn.

While the Taoists were preparing to leave, he said to one of the martial artists of the Zhongnan Sect who he had almost fought with a little while ago.

"Im Gyu-hong. Since I'm leaving this time, you pay for the food we ordered and couldn't eat."

"What? Why should we?!"

"Then I'll pay for your food, so will you leave?"

"... This time, we'll pay."

"A good thought."

And then he strode over to our side and, with a fist-and-palm salute to Monk Il-jik, said, "Monk. I was about to show a disgraceful sight in front of the common people, but thank you for awakening me. I am Baek-gil of the Huashan Sect."

"As I said earlier, I am Il-jik of Shaolin."

When the Huashan Sect Taoist Baek-gil suddenly came out with a low posture, Monk Il-jik, after being flustered for a moment, said in a similarly polite manner.

"If you have any business here, and if you need any help, please find me and I will help you with all my heart."

"Why are you helping with that? It's right for our Zhongnan to manage the affairs in Shaanxi."

"What did you say?"

The martial artist of the Zhongnan Sect who had interfered in the middle strode in front of Monk Il-jik and, with a fist-and-palm salute, said, "I am Im Gyu-hong of the Zhongnan Sect. Our Zhongnan will be able to provide much greater help than such a lowly Taoist of Huashan. If you ever need anything, please find me at the Zhongnan Sect."

Baek-gil and Im Gyu-hong stood side by side and waited for Monk Il-jik's answer.

As if they were telling him to choose which one to be with, Monk Il-jik could only make a troubled expression, unable to do either.

It seems I have no choice but to step in to help the poor Monk Il-jik.

"I know what you both mean, but we don't need help right now. We'll contact you when we really need help someday."

When I, naturally interfering between Monk Il-jik and the two, said that, they looked at me.

It's a face that seems to be asking who on earth I am to suddenly interfere here.

And that's understandable, because right now, I haven't shaved my head like Monk Il-jik or Monk Il-won, and I'm not wearing the Taoist uniform of the Wudang Sect.

"I am Unhwi of the Wudang Sect."

"Wudang Sect?"

"Following Shaolin, even Wudang?"

Then the two of them, after making eye contact with each other, said almost at the same time.

"Has something happened in Shaanxi?"

"What on earth is going on that the two sects have sent martial artists to Shaanxi?"

Although they were fighting as if they were going to kill each other until a little while ago, it seems they are on the same page at times like this.

"The reason we came here is for a personal matter that has nothing to do with the Shaolin Temple or the Wudang Sect. We plan to quietly take care of our business and then leave."

I, to the two who seemed to be curious about what was going on, drew a firm line and said.

Because since it is a personal matter, they have no justification to interfere further.

As if he had understood the hidden meaning of my words, Baek-gil, with a sense of tact, also with a fist-and-palm salute to me, said, "I understand. Then I hope you will solve your business smoothly and return. Monk Il-jik, and Taoist Master Unhwi. I hope to see you again if there is a chance."

And then he took his junior brothers and left the inn.

Im Gyu-hong also, saying he was sorry for showing a shameful sight, and that they would pay for the meal today, so to eat as much as we wanted, after saying that, he was about to go back to his seat, but he stopped and said to the people around him, "You must have been very surprised while you were eating because of us, so I apologize. As a sign of that apology, we will pay for all the meals today, so please eat as much as you want."

The faces of the people who had been anxious just a little while ago, wondering if they would get caught in the crossfire of a whale fight, brightened, and Im Gyu-hong returned to his seat.

For a big commotion, it was a very polite, reasonable, and clean ending.

"I can't understand that it was a situation where a sword fight could have broken out just a little while ago. When you look at them individually, they seem to be very decent martial artists."

Senior Brother Un Cheol said to me with a dumbfounded expression.

"That's right. Huashan and Zhongnan are people who are not strange at all when you look at them separately. But when you put the two together, there is always a problem... is what I heard from my master."

"As expected, Senior Uncle Hyeon Yang teaches you all those things. He is a good master."

"H-Haha... that's right? How about you also find a master soon, senior brother?"

"No. Didn't I promise Un Jihak? That I would become a great martial artist just by growing up in the Yuyeop Hall without a master. And I don't think the existence of a master is absolutely necessary. I have you, don't I?"

I, looking at Senior Brother Un Cheol who was saying cringey words without any problem, with a small laugh, said, "For now, let's just eat. Shall we order more if there's something you want to eat? Since they're paying anyway."

"Then shall we eat as much as we want for the first time in a long time?"

"Yes. He said he was Im Gyu-hong of the Zhongnan Sect, right? Let's make him regret saying he would buy us a meal."

"Let's do that."

After that, we ordered and ate so much food that the Shaolin monks were worried, and after patting our full stomachs for the first time in a long time, we went up to our rooms and rested.

Thinking that no matter what the process was, it was a day with a good ending.

***

That evening, Baek-gil, who had returned to Huashan, was being scolded by his master, Myeong-jin.

Although don't know how the rumor had already reached him, Myeong-jin already knew that he had almost had a sword fight with the disciples of the Zhongnan Sect at the inn.

"Ahem... I told you to control your hasty temper. You couldn't stand it and caused trouble again?"

"To be precise, I didn't cause trouble. I almost... did, but..."

"Tsk! Do you want to talk back even in this situation? I heard that if it weren't for that Shaolin monk, a sword fight would have really broken out. Why do you try to escalate things over something that is not a big deal?"

"It wasn't something that was not a big deal. That Im Gyu-hong of the Zhongnan Sect, who has no roots, insulted our sect first. He called our Huashan a group of cowards. He said that we don't actively intervene in the affairs of the martial world and that we are just cooped up on the mountain and avoiding fights."

"What? You endured even after hearing such a thing? You should have shown him what's what with your strength!"

"Th-That's why I couldn't stand it, and I was about to show him what's what..."

Although an awkward silence flowed between the two for a moment, Taoist Master Myeong-jin, quickly breaking that silence, said, "Ahem. No. You should have endured it anyway. What would you have done if a martial artist of the Zhongnan Sect had been seriously injured or even died?"

"If that happened, it would be proven that our Huashan is stronger than Zhongnan, wouldn't it? After seeing what's what once like that, they will never be able to crawl up to our Huashan again."

Taoist Master Myeong-jin, after thinking that that was not bad either, realized that he was scolding Baek-gil and, pulling himself together, said, "But such a thing should not happen. No matter how bad their relationship is, they are also a pillar of the Nine Sects and One Gang. It's not good to have a big conflict."

"... I'll keep that in mind."

"Sigh... I don't know how many times I've heard that 'I'll keep that in mind'. By the way, what was the Buddhist name of the Shaolin monk who stood in front of you and Im Gyu-hong?"

"I heard it was Il-jik."

"Il-jik. If he's a monk of the Il generation, he's a martial artist of a slightly lower generation than you. Was that martial artist's spirit so great? To the extent that you obediently followed his words."

Baek-gil, after thinking hard about the situation at that time, opened his mouth.

"Yes. It was great. Because I felt that the monk was similar to me, or maybe even stronger than me."

"Hoho... if you felt that way, then that's what it is. I heard that there are many talents in the Il generation of Shaolin, and it seems that's really the case."

Taoist Master Myeong-jin did not doubt Baek-gil's senses at all.

Baek-gil was born with the sense of feeling the strength of his opponent.

Although he can't explain exactly how strong he is, he can at least feel whether he is stronger or weaker than himself.

It can also be said to be a kind of instinct to sense danger.

Because being able to recognize a stronger person than oneself in the martial world is the same as not having to face a dangerous situation.

"But there was one strange thing."

"A strange thing? What is it?"

"There was one martial artist whose strength I could not recognize with my senses."

"What? You couldn't recognize it? The fact that you couldn't recognize his ability means that he either didn't learn martial arts, or he is far stronger than you, doesn't it?"

Baek-gil quietly nodded his head.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he didn't think it was the former.

"Unhwi. He said he was Unhwi of the Wudang Sect."

For some reason, Baek-gil had a feeling that he would meet Unhwi again soon.

(End of Chapter)