The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 93

And so, a few more days passed.

During that time, all I did was train, eat, sleep, train, eat, and sleep.

After returning to Wudang, unfortunately, the sparring with my senior brothers naturally stopped.

And that's understandable, because my senior brothers were each busy.

"Uncheol. Will you train with me again today?"

"Sounds good."

Senior Brother Uncheol has been hanging out only with Senior Brother Unjihak these days.

"Senior Brother Unjeong. Can you watch our training for a bit? Don't discriminate just because we're from a different room, please watch us too!"

"Unsik-ah. Let's train with us today. I feel like I have more energy when I train with you."

"Unmi is still digging into the basics today. Can I join him?"

Because my senior brothers are getting along with the senior brothers from other rooms and developing together.

To be honest, I thought that our room, after coming back from the Eungnam Merchant Guild, might not be able to adapt to the atmosphere of the Wudang Sect again and might become outsiders.

Because the Wudang Sect is a very old organization, and because of the unique static atmosphere that the Wudang Sect has, I thought that they might feel a sense of incongruity with us who have been exposed to the outside world.

But that was my groundless fear.

'There was a secret to maintaining the position of a prestigious orthodox sect for such a long time. I just thought it was old-fashioned because it was old, but it just didn't have a chance to change.'

The disciples of Wudang. Especially our third-generation disciples, perhaps because they are young, their thinking is flexible, and they followed our room's senior brothers, who had suddenly become strong, well.

They believe that they can also become strong by leaps and bounds like us, and they act on it.

Although it's natural to be jealous or envious, such people are a very small minority.

A kind heart like a flower in a greenhouse was a really big advantage at times like this.

In fact, what surprised me the most was the behavior of the Martial Uncles and Martial Granduncles.

'If I came out like this, it's natural that they would try to stop me.'

In their view, my behavior could be seen as muddying the waters of the Wudang Sect.

Because it could be seen as denying the tradition that has been maintained for a long time and pioneering a new path.

But they didn't say a single bad word to me or our senior brothers.

They just occasionally pass by and say things like 'don't hurt your body too much' or 'you still shouldn't forget the spirit of a Taoist', only offering sincere worries.

They are also acknowledging and accepting that Wudang is changing in a good direction from our third-generation disciples.

I also heard a rumor that some of the Martial Uncles who had already accumulated a considerable amount of martial arts skill had started to do hard training like we do.

Although they probably don't shout loudly like we do.

And another piece of good news.

Senior Brother Unjeong, as I expected, refused the offer to become Martial Uncle Hyeoncheol's disciple.

Although it was a very good opportunity and a grateful offer, he said proudly that he was dreaming of the entire Yuyeop Hall becoming strong.

Fortunately, Martial Uncle Hyeoncheol respected Senior Brother Unjeong's wishes, and just like my Master and I did at first, even if they didn't have a master-disciple relationship, he said that if he had any difficulties in his martial arts training, he could ask for advice at any time.

Although Senior Brother Unjeong said it was just a simple favor, in my opinion, it's possible that Martial Uncle Hyeoncheol is also slowly trying to win over Senior Brother Unjeong, just like my Master did.

***

And so, a few more days passed peacefully, and this week, since it was my turn to wash the dishes in the dining hall, I was washing the wooden bowls that my senior brothers had eaten from.

As I was fighting hard, splashing water and rinsing the bowls, Senior Brother Unmi came up to me.

"Unhwi-ya. Martial Granduncle Ok Hang is calling for you."

"Martial Granduncle Ok Hang?"

"Yes. He said to come quickly now."

"I want to go too, but I still have a lot of bowls left. Did he say it was urgent?"

"I don't know if it is... I'll do it. You go to the Martial Granduncle."

"Ah, but it's my job..."

When I refused once, Senior Brother Unmi said with a small laugh, "The corners of your mouth are already so high up. Don't say things you don't mean and go quickly."

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I'll definitely do it for you next time!"

"I know. Go quickly."

I gave Senior Brother Unmi a grateful greeting and then went straight to the place where Martial Granduncle Ok Hang's quarters were.

Although I couldn't guess why he was calling me, I thought it wasn't a big deal, so I just wore the old and worn-out clothes I usually wear when I train, which were stained with food and water from washing the dishes.

And so, I arrived in front of Martial Granduncle Ok Hang's quarters in an instant and said at the door, "Martial Granduncle. It's me, Unhwi. I heard you were calling for me."

"You came faster than I thought. Come in."

At the voice that came right away, I opened the door politely and entered the Martial Granduncle's room.

But, I couldn't help but be surprised when I opened the door.

Because an unexpected person was sitting there.

"Come and sit here. You know each other, right?"

"Ah, yes. That's right. It's been a long time."

"It's been a long time. You've been well, right?"

The person sitting in the Martial Granduncle's room was none other than Zhuge Ling.

She greeted me with a bright smile.

It was a bright smile that I couldn't see last time. Although her face was already beautiful, when she smiled with such a bright face without a single dark look, it completely stole my attention.

Of course, there's no way my heart would be moved by such a young child.

"Yes. I've been well. Since I've been away from Wudang for a while, I haven't had a chance to see you."

"I heard the story. You were in the Fangxian area?"

"Yes. I was in Fangxian, and I was also in Xiangyang... I've had a good experience in the martial world."

"You came to the Xiangyang area? If you had come a little further from there, it would have been Mount Longzhong, where our family is. You should have stopped by."

"As you know, I went there because of a mission related to the merchant guild. I'll definitely stop by next time if I have a chance."

After exchanging some small talk, I looked back at Martial Granduncle Ok Hang and asked, "But, Martial Granduncle. What brings you to call me? I didn't know you had a guest, so my appearance is shabby."

"It's not shabby at all. It's the appearance of a Wudang disciple as he is, so what is there to be ashamed of? I like it."

Martial Granduncle Ok Hang gave me a faint smile and then continued, "I heard that you gave a great help to Ling, who is here."

"Ah. That is..."

"I already know everything, so there's no need to hide it. To put it simply, thanks to your help, Ling has really started to learn martial arts."

"Is that so? That's great."

I said in a genuinely happy voice.

And at the same time, I recalled the divine power that Zhuge Ling had shown in the past.

A powerful and profound internal energy and flashy techniques that were unimaginable for a person who had only learned martial arts for a few years.

Looking at her, I thought that a 'real genius' was what you would call a person like this.

But since she started learning martial arts so early, I can't even guess how much she will develop in the future.

Perhaps when the Demonic Cult invades in the future, it seems that Zhuge Ling could easily take care of one of those terrifying elders.

"Yes. So I called you to thank you. And also because she said she had a proposal she wanted to make to you."

"A proposal?"

This time, I looked back not at the Martial Granduncle, but at Zhuge Ling.

A thin smile hung on Zhuge Ling's lips.

When she glanced at the Martial Granduncle, the Martial Granduncle nodded as if to tell her to speak.

Finally, her red lips opened slightly, and a very polite voice flowed out.

"First, I would like to express my gratitude. This gratitude is not just from me, but from our entire family. Although I am by no means a person who can represent the Zhuge family, since the family head could not come to this place, I have come to represent him."

And she stood up from her seat and bowed her head so low that it hit the table, and then stood up and continued, "As a reward for that, our family would like to form an alliance with the Wudang Sect. Although this is a part that our family head and the Wudang Sect Leader will discuss, from now on, we will treat the affairs of the Wudang Sect as the affairs of our Zhuge family, so please feel free to tell us if you need anything at any time."

My fists clenched without me realizing it.

In my past life, the biggest reason why the orthodox martial world was so helpless against the Demonic Cult was because the connection between the sects or the martial world families was not properly established.

Although there is a group called the Martial Arts Alliance that represents the orthodox martial world, the Martial Arts Alliance alone was not enough to stop the invasions that were happening simultaneously throughout the Central Plains.

In the end, they had no choice but to be defeated one by one, one sect, one family at a time.

But if the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge family join hands in earnest like this, they will be able to rest easy about what happens in Hubei Province for a while.

"As you said, this doesn't seem to be a matter that I can interfere with. Is this perhaps the proposal that the Martial Granduncle mentioned?"

She shook her head.

"No. This is just to tell you that such a result has come from the grace you have given me. It was not the proposal I wanted to make."

"Then what is the proposal?"

"It has been decided that my older brother and I will go together to the 90th birthday party of the great-grandfather of the Nangong family, which will be held soon. I wanted to ask if you would be willing to accompany us to the Nangong family at that time."

"Yes. Let's do that."

"Pardon?"

I nodded and answered without even thinking, and she rather asked me back.

It seems she didn't expect me to answer so readily.

"Shouldn't you think about it a little?"

"Why? Didn't you give me that proposal because you wanted to go with me? Ah! Come to think of it, I made a decision right away without asking the opinions of our Wudang Sect's elders. Martial Granduncle, would it be alright if I went with her?"

"Yes. Go ahead. It's a matter that I can tell the Sect Leader, so. As for Hyeon Yang, you can send him a letter or something and tell him."

"Yes, Martial Granduncle."

I looked back at Zhuge Ling and said, "It's settled. Let's go together."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

She looked at me and the Martial Uncle alternately with a bewildered expression, and then finally said thank you.

Usually, when you propose such an accompaniment, you tend to think about it carefully.

Because when you go such a long distance, you have to travel together not for a day or two, but for ten, twenty days, and apart from the fact that men and women are different, you can show all of your martial arts training and living habits.

But, the reason I accepted her proposal in the blink of an eye was because I rather wanted to show her how I train and what kind of life I live.

'Surely, if it's the competitive spirit of the Zhuge Ling I know, she will be more stimulated and work harder.'

Of course, it seems that it will result in one person falling into the hell of training, but well... since her martial arts will become much stronger, isn't it a profitable business?

"It must have been a difficult proposal, but thank you for deciding so easily."

"It wasn't a very difficult proposal. If there's one more companion on a long journey, wouldn't it be safer and more fun?"

She smiles brightly at my words.

Come to think of it, she has only just started to learn martial arts for the first time, and in the end, this trip to the Nangong family will be her first step into the martial world after learning martial arts.

I looked at her and thought.

'It's a good thing. Zhuge Ling is also in a state no different from a flower in a greenhouse. I have to make her feel properly what the martial world is like.'

Seeing her smiling brightly at me, perhaps because she was so happy, I felt a little guilty, so I slyly avoided her eyes, and then, at the Martial Granduncle's words to sort out the details later and leave for today, I left the room.

On the way from the Martial Granduncle's quarters to the Yuyeop Hall.

A map of the road from Hubei Province to Hefei, Anhui Province, unfolds in my mind.

And I thought to myself with a chuckle, 'Which road should I take to get the most intense training?'

I'm definitely not a pervert... but for some reason, I think I'm happiest in the world when I have thoughts like this.

(End of Chapter)