The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 31

"No. Absolutely not!"

"Why on earth not?"

"First, it's too dangerous. It's too early for you, who have just come out of Wudang for the first time, to be put into a real battle. A real battle means a life-and-death struggle. I know well that your martial arts are superior to those of your peers, but a spar and a life-and-death struggle are on a different level."

The Martial Uncle said firmly.

To be honest, it's not that I didn't expect him to come out like this.

In the Martial Uncle's eyes right now, I'm just a smart little kid, not a martial artist who can fight with a sword.

So, I came up with one method.

"Martial Uncle. Could you look at me for a moment?"

The Martial Uncle's expression softened, and he looked at me.

I slowly raised my energy and began to shoot it towards the Martial Uncle.

But, I didn't just send my internal energy.

Killing intent.

I poured out killing intent along with the spirit of wanting to kill the Martial Uncle.

"Heot...!"

Then, the Martial Uncle flinched and had a surprised expression.

'Hoo, thankfully it works.'

This thing called killing intent is something that can only be trained through countless battles and crossing the line of death countless times.

Of course, I know in my head what killing intent is and how to shoot it, but I couldn't be sure if I could do it with the body of a child who had never killed a person.

But, it was easier than I thought.

Just like I did in my past life.

'They say killing intent is engraved in the soul.'

I remembered the words of a high monk from Shaolin whom I had met by chance when I was living a life of life-and-death struggles as if it were a daily meal.

Stay away from killing. That killing intent will be forever engraved in your soul.

To be honest, at that time, I wondered what kind of nonsense he was talking about, but seeing how easily it comes out like this, it seems that what he said back then wasn't just nonsense.

Shuuuu—

I withdrew my energy, and for a while, the Martial Uncle was silent.

I don't know what he was thinking, but it seemed that my action had complicated his mind.

Therefore, I quietly waited for some words to come out of the Martial Uncle's mouth.

"...Hwi-ya."

"Yes, Martial Uncle."

After a brief silence, the Martial Uncle, as if he had finally finished his thoughts, opened his mouth.

"I don't think so, but have you ever killed a person by any chance?"

"No. I haven't."

I immediately answered no.

To be honest, I had killed countless times in my past life, but it's true that I haven't killed anyone with this body.

And since this body first entered Wudang at the age of eight or nine, it would be even more unbelievable if I said I had killed someone before that.

"Then how did you come to have such a sinister energy?"

"That's..."

I secretly glanced at the Martial Uncle's expression, and all sorts of emotions were contained in it.

Worry and concern, and even a very small amount of expectation.

'I can guess what he's worried about.'

The Martial Uncle is probably thinking that I am a so-called 'Heavenly Killing Star'.

The Heavenly Killing Star is a cursed fate that is said to be born with the star of death and cannot suppress their killing intent, eventually committing murder for the sake of blood.

It is said that most of the many public enemies and great demons in the martial world were born with the fate of the Heavenly Killing Star.

'If I were fated to be a Heavenly Killing Star, he shouldn't teach me martial arts anymore, and furthermore, he might even have to destroy my dantian.'

That's why the Martial Uncle's expression is so bad.

Because he might face the worst situation, where the child he first gave his heart to is a Heavenly Killing Star.

So I spoke in a slightly more cheerful voice to change the atmosphere.

"As you know, Martial Uncle, I'm really smart and I know exactly what my role is."

"What did you say?"

The Martial Uncle, as if he didn't expect me to suddenly brag in this serious situation, had a slightly dumbfounded expression.

"In your eyes, I may still look like a little kid, but I'm a martial artist. And a martial artist of the orthodox sect. I've always thought about what I have to do, and I'm still thinking about it now."

"What a martial artist has to do?"

"To kill the Unorthodox Faction bastards who disrupt the order of the martial world and suck the life out of the common people. Isn't that what we have to do?"

At my words, the Martial Uncle's pupils trembled.

At a glance, he even seemed a little moved.

Since it seemed he was almost convinced, I delivered the final blow.

"Our Wudang Sect is run by donations from believers and the surrounding common people. It may sound disrespectful, but the reason our Wudang Sect, which just practices sword fighting and cultivates the Tao without any productivity, can live like this is all thanks to them."

"Unproductive sword fighting... hehe."

"So I've cultivated this killing intent. So that I can strike my sword without hesitation whenever I encounter the Unorthodox Faction bastards."

I looked straight into the Martial Uncle's eyes with a fiery gaze.

The Martial Uncle also met my eyes with a heated gaze.

'He's convinced.'

And, the moment I saw that gaze, I could realize it.

That the Martial Uncle was already completely convinced by my words.

"Originally, I should have sent a letter to the Martial Arts Alliance and waited for support warriors. It would take a few days for those warriors to come. But, we can't waste that much time here. So I was planning to go alone tonight."

He said with a solemn expression.

No matter how much the skill difference, it's not an easy task to charge into the den of an Unorthodox Faction where a hundred martial artists are waiting.

No matter how much of a master you are, in the end, you're still a person.

If you get stabbed by a stray sword, you might not be able to escape death.

"But, it would be even more reassuring if you could watch my back."

"Martial Uncle...!"

"But, there are two conditions."

"Yes. Please tell me."

"The first is that if a dangerous moment comes, you will abandon me and flee immediately. And the second is that you will never step in front of me. You will thoroughly play the role of supporting me from behind."

"I understand. I'll do that."

I agreed to the Martial Uncle without even thinking about it.

Because his conditions are more than reasonable.

In the Martial Uncle's eyes, I have no real battle experience.

If a person with no real battle experience takes the lead in a battle of a few against many, a big problem will arise.

They could be surrounded by enemies and attacked together, or they could be separated too far from our side and be defeated one by one.

'Of course, I can prevent that from happening.'

To be honest, I've had this kind of fight more than once or twice, so I'm confident that I can do better than the Martial Uncle if I stand in front, but this time, I decided to follow him quietly.

Because if I suddenly lead the fight too skillfully, they'll see it as strange in its own way.

This much is enough for now.

"Then let's leave a little later when the sun starts to set. Rest for a while until then. I'll go and check if there's any more information I can get from those guys."

"Yes. Please go ahead."

The Martial Uncle spoke as if he were just going out for a walk in the neighborhood and then left the room.

"Tsk. Poor thugs. Why did they have to act up and seek revenge."

I clicked my tongue and then sat in a cross-legged position and concentrated my mind for the real battle after a long time.

"Kuaaaak! Please spare me, great hero!"

The faint sound coming from outside the window disturbed my concentration, but I soon ignored it and was able to fall into a state of selflessness.

***

After the sun set, the Martial Uncle and I quietly left the inn.

We were both changed into the black martial arts uniforms that the Martial Uncle had bought earlier.

"Martial Uncle. This looks more like an Unorthodox Faction than our Wudang. And the sudden night raid too."

"You know well that the clothes and the way of fighting are not the criteria for dividing between orthodox and unorthodox, don't you?"

"That's true. But, don't orthodox martial artists usually pursue fairness? Especially sects like our Wudang or Shaolin, isn't that more so?"

I found the Martial Uncle's behavior right now very refreshing.

In the days when I was active in the martial world, the bigger the sect, and the older the sect, the more frustrating the fights they had.

Because under the name of fairness, they give the opponent all the time to prepare, they don't do surprise attacks, and they only try to have a confrontation of martial arts and martial arts.

Too honest and foolishly naive, shall we say.

"There may be people who think that way. But, my thoughts are a little different. I think it's most important to win perfectly with as little damage as possible."

"A perfect victory... those are cool words."

"No matter how much of an orthodox sect we are, if I die while carrying out a mission fairly, it's all over, isn't it? I have to live and kill even one more Unorthodox Faction bastard."

I'm moved. To think there was such a reasonable person in Wudang.

When I first met Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang, I thought he would be a stiff and stuffy person, but the more I get to know him, the more different he is.

Of course, his personality is a little bad, but.

"Alright. I'll try my best not to get hurt."

"Yes. I know your skills, so I'm not that worried, but be careful not to let your heart get ahead of you at any time."

"Don't worry. That's what I'm most confident in."

The Martial Uncle let out a small laugh at my relaxed expression.

Just as I think the Martial Uncle is strange, the Martial Uncle is probably thinking where a guy like me came from.

"Let's go in quietly from here."

After talking about this and that for quite a while, the Martial Uncle lowered his voice, silenced his footsteps, and began to move slowly.

Because it's safe to say that from here on, it's the territory of Sura Gate.

Swoosh— Swoosh—

As we moved, killing our presence as much as possible, only the sound of our clothes brushing against the grass could be heard.

After approaching like that for a long time, the Martial Uncle slowly raised one arm and blocked me.

And, after a very short moment.

Paaak—!

Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang shot forward like lightning and drew his sword towards the darkness.

It was a Chilseongbo and a flawless sword drawing that could truly be called perfect.

Puhak!

In the darkness he had cut, the sound of something being cut was heard.

"Keueuk—"

A martial artist in a gray martial arts uniform similar to what the thugs were wearing earlier collapsed from the darkness, clutching his chest.

Shwaek—!

At the same time, a sword was shot at the Martial Uncle.

The Martial Uncle turned around to block that sword, but I was a little faster.

I, just like the Martial Uncle, stepped on the Chilseongbo, folded the ground and ran, and swung my sword from bottom to top.

Shaaaak—!

My sword grazed the martial artist's arm and cut it off.

Of course, his arm, which was trying to stab the Martial Uncle, fell to the ground, still clutching the sword.

He was surprised by my sudden appearance for a moment.

"Kuaaaak!"

He screamed in pain, clutching his arm that was about to gush blood.

Pook—!

And, he soon had to become quiet.

Because the Martial Uncle, who had not missed the opportunity, had thrust his sword into his chest.

"Are you okay?"

After confirming that the two martial artists were dead, the Martial Uncle shook the blood off his sword and asked me.

He was asking if it was okay that two people had died in front of my eyes.

Because most people receive a mental shock when they kill for the first time or see a person die in front of them for the first time.

"Yes, I was a little surprised... but I'm okay. I don't feel anything."

"Should I say it's a relief, or not..."

"Shall we talk about that after we take care of those people over there?"

"Let's do that."

After a little acting, I pointed to the bushes with my chin.

From there, perhaps because of the noise from the fight a moment ago, numerous presences could be heard.

"Intruders! Kill them!"

"Kill them!"

The martial artists of Sura Gate who revealed themselves there.

They, who appeared with their respective weapons, rushed at us in an instant, and we greeted them.

"Don't forget. You're just protecting my back."

"Yes!"

Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang, who had confirmed my skills and that there was nothing wrong with my mental state, literally started to go on a rampage.

Since I deflected or blocked the attacks coming from behind, he continued to move and began to cut down the people he saw in front of him.

It was definitely the first time we had matched our breathing, but our breathing was good, as if we had matched it many times.

Puhak! Seogeok!

"Kuaaaak! He's a master. A master!"

"Call the sect leader!"

After such a one-sided attack continued for a long time, and when nearly twenty martial artists were rolling on the ground.

"The sect leader is here!"

"Sect Leader!!"

The martial artists of Sura Gate, who had surrounded us but were being helplessly defeated, seemed to split in half, and a man with a huge build appeared with a saber as big as my height, with a little exaggeration, slung over his shoulder.

'It's definitely that face!'

How could I forget that face? At that time, he had a big scar on his face, and although he doesn't have one now, it's the very face that drove me to the brink of death!

As soon as I saw him, even though I knew the Martial Uncle was next to me, I said in a growling voice.

"It's been a long time, you bastard."

"What did you say? I don't know a little kid like you."

"Really? But I know you. I'll repay the debt I received in the past. I'll beat you just enough so you don't die."

Chae Eung-seok looks at me with a dumbfounded expression.

It was an expression that said, 'What kind of crazy bastard is this?'

(End of Chapter)