"Hwi-ya. You're back. You seem to have returned safely?"
"Wow. Senior Brother Un Cheol, you look like you've gotten bigger. You said you'd be back soon, why did it take so long?"
"There were various things. I'll tell you slowly. But you guys seem to have improved a lot while I haven't seen you?"
It was as Senior Brother Un Cheol said.
The senior brothers, as if they had worked hard even when I wasn't with them, all looked improved.
In particular, Senior Brother Un Jeong's improvent is noticeable.
It's just that his personality is quiet and he doesn't step forward, but Senior Brother Un Jeong had the potential to be slightly less than or perhaps even equal to Senior Brother Un Cheol, but his martial arts have improved as if his potential had exploded while I haven't seen him.
"I trained hard in case Un-hwi asked if we played around while he was gone."
"That's right. Do you know how hard we trained? Especially Un Mi was really tough."
"Really, Senior Brother Un Mi's forearm thickness seems to have gotten half a size thicker than before?"
"Of course. I worked harder because I didn't want to be a burden when we all go out together next ti."
Senior Brother Un Mi said with a grin.
His previous frivolous face is nowhere to be seen.
Thinking about it, the senior brothers' ages are now approaching their coming-of-age.
It ans they are becoming adults.
"Did you hear about the martial arts tournant this ti?"
At Senior Brother Un Sik's question, I nodded my head.
"I just greeted the Sect Leader a little while ago, and he told then. That it will be held a little specially this ti."
"That's right. So everyone is fierce right now. If they pick the Five Swords of Wudang this ti, you don't know how many years they'll have that title. So everyone wants to beco one of the Five Swords of Wudang when they have the chance."
"Is there anything good about becoming one of the Five Swords of Wudang?"
"Why wouldn't there be anything good? Of course, there are huge prizes and benefits, so everyone wants to do it."
"It wasn't just for honor? The Sect Leader didn't tell that much."
Then Senior Brother Un Sik began to explain with eyes full of desire.
"First of all, if you are chosen as one of the Five Swords of Wudang this ti, you can receive advanced martial arts directly from the Sect Leader without having to beco a disciple of one of the elders or grand-elders. As the title of the Five Swords of Wudang suggests, since they are the young martial artists who represent our Wudang, they will teach them martial arts that suit them."
"Oh... that's tempting. Do you know what kind of martial arts they teach yet?"
"They said they would teach the martial arts that best suit each individual then. In the end, you have to beco one to know."
Then he, glancing at and Senior Brother Un Cheol, and even Senior Brother Un Jeong and Senior Brother Un Mi, continued, "Our goal is to get second place in this martial arts tournant. I don't think I can beat you... This ti, even if we're in the sa room, we're all competitors. We have to aim for second place."
"If you're going to set a goal, you should set it high, why are you satisfied with second place? It's not a life-or-death battle, so you might be able to beat in a spar, right?"
"I don't even think about that. A crow-tit will tear its legs trying to follow a stork. My legs are precious."
At his joke, we all burst into laughter.
To be honest, what I said just now was mixed with sincerity.
The objective proficiency of martial arts or the depth of internal energy, of course, I am ahead, but there is no absolute winner in a spar.
Because it could be a spar with a peculiar victory condition, or there are cases where you lose by going out of bounds with a slight mistake.
So I was determined not to be careless at all.
I plan to do my best no matter who I face.
"Ha. I'm screwed. I'm screwed. I thought Un-hwi would be a little careless if I said this, but look at that expression. He looks like he's dying to eat up."
Senior Brother Un Mi said in a fed-up voice.
I saw confidence in his face as well.
Originally, Senior Brother Un Mi was the one with the least martial arts among us.
But the fact that my senior brother can make such an expression is proof that he has not spent the ti of his training in vain.
He can show such confidence because he knows how hard and difficult he has trained.
"But Un-hwi-ya. You really have to be nervous too. That Senior Brother Un Jeong over there is really holding a grudge. Seeing him train these days is very scary. Scary. It feels similar to when we first started training with you."
"Really?"
"What's so scary about my training? I'm just working hard."
"Don't lie, senior brother. You have a reason why you must beco one of the Five Swords of Wudang now, don't you?"
"A reason?"
When I looked at him with wide eyes, this ti too, Senior Brother Un Sik stuck close to my side and began to explain.
"The second benefit of the Five Swords of Wudang is to be granted free access to the Wudang Sect like you. You can go on a journey in the martial world if you want. Right now, Senior Brother Un Jeong probably wants to beco one of the Five Swords of Wudang for that reason more than anything else."
"Really? That's unexpected. I thought Senior Brother Un Jeong didn't like going outside the Wudang Sect that much."
"He used to. But about a month after you left for Zhejiang Province? He completely changed since then."
Senior Brother Un Sik said so and looked at Senior Brother Un Jeong with a suggestive gaze, and Senior Brother Un Jeong, as if he were embarrassed, coughed and looked at the empty air.
"Around that ti, a letter arrived here at the Wudang Sect."
"And it wasn't sent to the Wudang Sect, but to Senior Brother Un Jeong."
"Do you know who sent the letter?"
I thought for a mont.
A month after leaving for Zhejiang Province. And a letter that ca to Senior Brother Un Jeong.
One thing flashed in my mind.
"Could it be from the Siwol Pavilion?"
"Correct! It was a letter from Miss Mi-hyang. He didn't show us the contents at all, but anyway, after receiving that letter, my senior brother got a grudge."
"It seems he wants to beco one of the Five Swords of Wudang so he can freely go back and forth to Wuhan whenever he wants to see Miss Mi-hyang."
As I was smiling at Senior Brother Un Jeong, he made eye contact with for a mont and then, startled, shifted his gaze to another place.
Seeing that he didn't bother to deny it, it seems that it really beca a great motivation.
They say love is a great law. I learned that love can even plant a grudge in our gentle Senior Brother Un Jeong.
"I don't want second place. Fifth place is enough."
At Senior Brother Un Jeong's words, we burst into laughter again.
And Senior Brother Un Cheol and I began to talk about what had happened after leaving the Wudang Sect.
Of course, it's good to be outside the Wudang Sect, but my heart is most at ease when I'm with the senior brothers in our room.
Spending ti with them like this, I finally felt like I had returned ho.
***
"Yes. I've heard roughly what happened."
And another person I ca to see.
It was our master.
And the person who surprised the most after I returned to the Wudang Sect was also my master.
'It's not like I haven't seen him for that long, but can a person change this much?'
In fact, it's embarrassing to think that I thought my senior brothers had improved remarkably just a little while ago, but the word 'remarkably improved' seems to suit my master much better.
Because his body and the size of his internal energy have developed to the point where I can recognize it at a glance.
Originally, my master's martial arts were not at this level, but now, just being next to him makes feel as if my hair is standing on end.
And his body is like a sculpture. Just by looking at his body, I could tell how hard he had trained while I was gone.
'He's a great person, really. In my past life, if my master had been alive, the Wudang Sect might not have fallen so easily...'
I once again felt that I had done a very good job of changing his fate and making him live.
Because at this rate, I thought he might beco a much stronger martial artist than , who was a Self-Taught Swordsman, in ten or fifteen years.
"It seems you've been through a lot too, master."
"It was a simple but intense ti. Have you t Cheong-i by any chance?"
"Elder Hyeon Cheong? I haven't seen him yet."
"Huhu... perhaps if you see Cheong-i, you might be more surprised than you are now seeing ."
"Really?"
"He was originally born with a more outstanding talent than . But Cheong-i couldn't train hard because of his weak nature. But because of the hardships he suffered in Xinjiang, he seems to have changed his mind, and now he can almost follow everything I do in training. Since a genius is also making an effort, he can't help but improve noticeably."
He, with a small laugh, continued, "But you know. To be honest, when I hadn't seen you for the past few months, I was to the point where I wondered if Cheong-i had a more outstanding talent than you... but now that I see you again, that was a wrong thought. In fact, you have improved trendously compared to before."
My master was purely amazed.
To be honest, I don't know how much stronger I have beco.
I just didn't neglect my training whenever I had ti, and when I gained a new experience, I just tried to make it my own.
But for my master, who is stingy with praise, to say that, I thought that the things I had experienced while traveling around the Central Plains were not in vain.
"I don't want to ask about everything that happened. But I want to ask just one thing."
"You can ask a few things, master."
"You must have done what you thought was right, right?"
I, without needing to think, imdiately nodded my head.
Because I'm not in a state of mind to act rashly without even that much conviction.
"Yes. I have done the right thing."
"That's it. That's enough."
My master, with a grin, looked at with a suggestive gaze and then opened his mouth.
"Hwi-ya."
"Yes, master."
"I heard there's a martial arts tournant soon."
"That's right. I heard so too."
"You'll win this tournant too, of course, right?"
"What's for sure in this world? I have to do my best without being careless."
"Yes. That's a good mindset. But... I have a feeling that there will be no rival for you among your senior brothers."
"Really?"
"I think it would be fair to bring in the senior brothers who are on the strong side among our Hyeon generation."
"Still, how can I compare to the elders? I'm still far from it."
I tried my best to be humble, but my master's expression showed that he wasn't listening to my words at all.
"No. I have a feeling that you might have already surpassed ."
"No way. Don't say that, master."
"Huhu... actually, I received one martial art from the Sect Leader while you were away."
"You received an advanced martial art?"
"And the Sect Leader said this. That soday, if Un-hwi surpasses , it would be good to pass on this martial art then. He said that this martial art could bring about qi deviation if one's internal energy is less than mine now or if one's understanding of martial arts is lacking."
"What on earth is that martial art that he would say that?"
"Have you heard of the Pure Yang Supre Art?"
"Pure Yang Supre Art!"
My eyes widened upon hearing the na of that martial art.
Because the Pure Yang Supre Art is the supre internal art that the founder of our Wudang Sect, Zhang Sanfeng, is said to have mastered.
"How about it. You must be tired from your long journey today, but how about having a spar with when you have ti? If you prove that you have surpassed today, I will pass on the Pure Yang Supre Art to you right away."
At my master's voice full of spirit, I thought for a mont... and then nodded my head.
It's good to be humble, and it's good to respect my master, but I can't let go of the opportunity to learn the Pure Yang Supre Art.
(End of Chapter)
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