“…”
Seol-Hwi desperately tried to stop his expression from distorting.
This person who was the sect leader of the Wudang Sect suddenly swore at their first meeting?
No matter what he could not think of anything to respond with. Even in this situation, he was at a loss as to whether to be calm or frown at being sworn at by this master.
“Phew… no. What ugliness is this?”
“…”
“Sit down now. A tree with many branches doesn’t have a windy day. Like the Wudang, if there are a lot of sahyungs, ups and downs are bound to happen.”
Fortunately, the sect leader led them in with a sigh. And Seol-Hwi sat down awkwardly. Naturally he faced the opponent head on.
They look better than I expected.
The eyes were the windows to the mind. In particular, those who reached a high level of martial arts could know the skills of the opponent at just a glance.
As expected, his actions were proof that he was the sect leader.
It was not just the mood which reminded him of the concept of Taiji or the sect leader—
All three stages seem so natural.
Perhaps this was the energy which could be exuded from the mind and body because they were one with the heavens, land, and man.
Supreme Master—
Usually, it was the state which was put in front of the man who reached this stage. As expected, the Wudang Sect’s sect leader was an absolute warrior who rose there.
“Wonderful. Right, how is my sajae, Hae Myung doing?”
The sect leader asked how he was doing, as if it was a burdensome thing.
“There is this saying that the master always has on his lips.”
Seol-Hwi also said,
“What?”
“No news is good news.”
“Kuk. Hahaha! Of course he said that! That is exactly like him!”
The sect leader laughed out loud at those words. Seol-Hwi wondered why he had answered like this.
To investigate further, Taoist Hae Myung, who was outstanding in the sect, was shining from a young age. However, just as a strong warrior often had a messy nature, he too with excellent skills had no affection to the sect.
Rather, the person himself said it was ridiculous that a monk practicing the way of the Tao gets tied to the bridle of a monk, and that after years of heading into Kangho, he vanished without leaving a single trace behind.
It was a good disguise for Seol-Hwi because he was such a person, but judging from the appearance reflected in the Wudang Sect, he was a desolate person they could not handle.
“Right… that is the way of sajae. But why did someone who hates being involved in anything send his disciple here?”
The sect leader seemed puzzled. The fact that the sajae who lived away from this world for some reason decided to accept a disciple and raise him?
“Master was watching the situation unfold. But he said that it wasn’t his responsibility and that he had something else to handle.”
“Insane. Was he saying that his personal affairs are more important than the rise and fall of the sect?”
“…I don’t know precisely either. But he said that people should do what they are good at. I was wondering if you had any other thoughts.”
At another curse, Seol-Hwi lowered his head.
For some reason he felt sorry for the man he used as his master because he was making the guy get cursed for nothing.
No, he just stole the name, so it should not matter, right?
“Then, what is your opinion on all this?”
The Wudang sect leader asked, crossing his arms.
“…Uh?”
“What are your thoughts? Do you think your master should join us and help us out?”
“With the body of a disciple who is still lacking in the learning process can I really speak about the deeds of my master? It is hard to understand.”
“That guy really speaks like a true disciple of Hae Myung.”
“…?”
“Your etiquette is good. Enough for Hae Myung to like too.”
“Thank you for thinking that about me.”
Seol-Hwi sensed something odd happening.
Actually while talking, he could feel this anxiety rise within him. The sect leader who insulted the master, then got serious, and then went back to making jokes and such remarks.
So he wondered if this was him being sincere or not. Or he could npt tell if this was a plan to figure his identity out.
“Why? Is it odd? It is bound to be.”
It was then. As if he expected the anxiety in Seol-Hwi, the sect leader opened his mouth?
“A disciple of Hae Myung? You? if you believe that a dog gave birth to a horse, how can it be confusing to see the person ahead and not accept it?”
“…I don’t get it.”
Seol-Hwi lowered his gaze, then raised it. This was the most important thing. It is the face of Elder Hae Woo, who revealed everything.
“The light in your eyes is already balancing the harmony of Yin and Yang like the chest. From my point of view, you are at a stage where you are far beyond us.”
“…”
“Isn’t it shocking? To think that there is a Wudang’s warrior who equals me? I don’t even know you, and to say that your master is Hae Myung makes it even more absurd to me.”
In the end, there was a doubt about how skilled Seol-Hwi was. It was expected that he would receive such an evaluation if they met face to face.
At this moment, Seol-Hwi thought about how to lead the conversation and then immediately decided.
“Huhuhu…”
“…?”
And the elder frowned as Seol-Hwi laughed. It was because this was close to a disrespectful attitude.
So when would he speak?
“What can I even say?”
“Hmm?”
“What can I say, you are asking if we should join hands and be on the same side.”
Seol-Hwi was a beat faster.
“…!”
The tone he used was common in scheming but the language used seemed to include sincerity.
What can he say? Join hands? It had so many conflicting meanings.
And the sect leader understood it.
This guy. He is a lot more mature than he looks.
After subtly asking the other person.
Who is this? Who is he trying to be?
If he looked at this situation lightly, the situation was one to laugh about, but if he looked at this seriously, it was a threat. The question was how to join hands while being on the same side…
Right now, not being on the same side could mean they were enemies or a third party.
In other words, “Yes. A word which says two things at the same time.” “Fake.” “Where did this monster even come from?” were things that, even if they felt like an exaggeration, were things that went through the sect leader’s mind.
The opponent in front of him had Taiji energy in his eyes, so it meant Wudang’s martial arts were known. But his level was so high that being a disciple of Hae Myung made no sense.
A person who could have martial arts of this level was just a disciple? When he could be one of the three best of all Wudang members.
As far as he knew, the sect leader was a person who had long passed the stage of best three.
“How do I understand this as?”
So he asked. To know the intentions of this mysterious man who came out of nowhere and claimed to be of their sect.
“I think it is better to keep every option open,”
Quietly replied Seol-Hwi to the question.
“In all likelihood… haha.”
Shhhh
The sect leader stood up, this was a heavy topic.
The reason it was hard to give any answer was because the other person was unknown.
It was confusing.
The opponent in front could be anything.
Should he accept because of his curiosity, or was this a trap?
After a long time Hae Woo, who was confused said,
“When you eat food in a banquet house, there are dishes which are tough to eat or hard to reach. But actually, I heard that there is a reason the chefs serve such foods.”
“…?”
“Since you came as the disciple of my sajae Hae Myung it is right to treat you with good food. You don’t have to eat food which doesn’t suit your tastes.”
“…!”
The eyes of Seol-Hwi widened.
He said to keep all chances open, but the man actually interpreted it like that? First of all, his attitude right now was friendly.
Seeing it now, he thought that it might have been a good decision to meet the sect leader and not someone else.
This is…
Seol-Hwi chose what to say then and there.
There was a hint of negotiation. However, he should be careful about what he said in response to the sect leader of the Wudang Sect.
One mistake in his words could cause the entire thing to go down the drain, and he was well aware of that.
“If you follow the waterway near Chongqing, you will come across three canyons. It is referred to as the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. Among them the Wu Gorge is the place with the strongest currents of the three. And the width of it is about 100 feet, so it is said that the sound of the water can be heard from a great distance.”
“…?”
At the sudden talk of a river, the expression of Hae Woo changed, but regardless, Seol-Hwi continued,
“And one is the Xiling Gorge which has many rapids and strong waterways, in particular, when the reef goes down a lot, it is like a shotgun, and when it goes up, it is like climbing a ladder in a slow way.”
“…”
“However in the end, what catches the eyes of the people are the 12 peaks of Mount Wu, at the last gorge. The valley is deep with turns and changes in the misty clouds, so it is said that there are often times when you get distracted and drunk by the scenery if you are off guard for a while.”
“Look. What you are saying…”
“I came to see the view of Mount Wu.”
“…!”
The sect leader’s expression changed.
It was because he realized that the words of Seol-Hwi were not a pun, but an extension of what they spoke earlier.
“People say that martial arts is thrilling and the second gorge has the unstoppable spirit which is good, but I need to watch the 12 peaks. What kind of place is it, or is it a place that isn’t what I expected? I had to see it for myself and decide on what to do next.”
“…”
The sect leader did not answer.
He changed his words and twisted the meaning, but the intentions were clear.
“So.”
After a long silence the sect leader asked.
“How is it?”
“Better than expected.”
“Which one? I only see the peaks of Mount Wu.”
“That makes it even better. Knowing that we don’t need to see anything else.”
“What did you see in just a handful of peaks?”
“Boldness.”
“…?”
Seol-Hwi slowly got up.
“Because I am not ashamed of it. I am envious and have realizations because I can be honest with anyone I see.”
“…”
The sect leader neither affirmed nor denied. Seeing that, Seol-Hwi bowed.
“Then let us go.”
“You do not want to reveal the identity until the end?”
The sect leader’s voice was strong now. He knew that the other person was not bad, and he knew that there was sincere desire to help too. It was even confirmed that there was contact with Wudang too.
But to end with that, it was just this unknown worry within. It was because the help of someone who was unknown was always confusing.
“You will find out soon enough. It is just that I didn’t tell you because you would be too shocked.”
“…Is that so?”
It was an expression that he did not understand, but at the words, the sect leader nodded.
Right, now he was an ally. They did not need to know who he was. He thought he should go ahead now, and stop the things coming.
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