Although I surprised them both, I was rather relaxed.
Because there was no need to make a clumsy lie, and I had just calmly stated the facts I knew.
"A spy of the Demonic Cult?"
"When you say Demonic Cult, are you referring to the Demonic Cult that they claim is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"That's right."
As the Martial Alliance Leader said, the current Demonic Cult is not considered that important in our orthodox martial world.
Until now, they have only been thought of as a strong force on the frontier, a new religion that is expanding its influence quite a bit.
"A spy from the Demonic Cult? And in Shaolin?"
The Martial Alliance Leader did not seem to know the full details of it yet.
Originally, Il-won receiving the Demonic Flower Hall Master's order and infiltrating the Shaolin Temple was not sothing that happened in my past life.
In this life, it happened because of , and Il-won's purpose of infiltration was probably not to do sothing to the martial world right now, but to grasp the current level of Shaolin and to spy on .
"How did you know that?"
"Monk Il-won told ."
"He himself? Why?"
"I don't know that either."
The Martial Alliance Leader's qi beca slightly fierce.
The person who had been like a kind old man until a little while ago, in an instant, emits the energy of an angry tiger.
Although you don't feel it well when he is in harmony with nature, when he releases his qi like this, you can notice that he is taller and bigger than you thought.
Even at a considerable age, you can feel how hard he usually trains just by looking at that.
"The mont you found out that fact, it would have been normal to report it through your master or your sect. What were you thinking, not telling?"
Apart from my admiration for him, he was calmly asking .
But the weight contained in that calmness seems to be pressing down on .
"It's not that I didn't tell, but that I couldn't tell."
"Couldn't? Why?"
"Because he said he would kill if I told anyone. If it were just him, I could do sothing, but there would be many masters in the Demonic Cult that I couldn't handle."
"All the more reason you should have asked your sect for help. You should have found a way sohow!"
"They were able to infiltrate the Shaolin Temple, which is called the main headquarters of the orthodox martial world, disguised as a disciple. Because I didn't know who else might be their spy, I thought I had to deliver this news to you directly."
"Directly?"
"Of course, it's not that I don't trust my master or our Wudang Sect. But... as I said a little while ago, they have infiltrated even the Shaolin Temple, so I thought it would be too complacent to be sure that they are not anywhere else. Because I don't know where the words might leak out while delivering the ssage to the Alliance Leader."
The Martial Alliance Leader looked straight into my eyes.
After looking like that for a mont.
His qi beca a little more fierce.
"In the end... it ans you didn't tell this important story to save your own life... does it an that as a martial artist, you were more worried about your own comfort than the well-being of the martial world?"
"Yes. That's right. My life was my top priority."
For a mont, I felt as if his energy was binding , and then I felt as if I couldn't move at all.
I stealthily raised the energy of the Six Yang Divine Art, which I had recently gained enlightennt in, and resisted his energy.
It's not that I'm trying to have a qi battle with him using all my strength.
It was just an intention to protect my body from his energy.
But the Martial Alliance Leader's energy began to grow stronger.
I also began to release a slightly, slightly stronger energy to match him.
And then at so point.
I felt as if his qi was scattering in an instant, and as if he had never had a qi battle with , he returned to his appearance of being one with nature again.
And he, with a gentle smile, said, "Well done. They said you were a smart young man, and you seem to have good judgnt. It was an excellent decision not to tell anyone and to tell only ."
"I just didn't want to die."
"That's also excellent. Young martial artists often value the greater cause more than their lives, but I don't like that very much. Because I think that risking one's life for the greater cause is sothing for old people like us who have lived long enough, and you all still need to learn more about the world and grow."
"That's why I'm always trying to grow with my eyes and ears open."
"You're doing well."
He said, stroking the willow leaves next to him with his hand.
"I will look into this matter separately, so from now on, don't worry about anything. I will handle it so that it cannot be known that the information ca from you, and I will sohow weed out the spies."
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"Then you may go back now. It wouldn't be fun to keep talking with an old man like , would it?"
The Martial Alliance Leader, without saying anything about whether he would give a mission or not, or whether he liked or not, gave us an order to leave.
But I already know about that to so extent.
'Fortunately, he seems to like very much.'
He has one habit, which is the habit of rarely using expressions like 'I like it. It's good.'
When he is about to say such things, he would stealthily leave the place or change the subject.
On the contrary, when he doesn't like sothing, he is rcilessly sharp, so his current appearance is very positive.
"Then I will see you again next ti."
He nodded his head without answering, and we reached the gate leading out of his quarters.
At the mont we were about to open the door and leave, the Martial Alliance Leader called my master.
"Hyeon Yang?"
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"When are you planning to return to Wudang?"
"I don't have a clear plan yet."
"Really? Then let's see each other again around this ti tomorrow."
"I understand, Alliance Leader."
"With your disciple."
"...... I understand."
With that answer, the Martial Alliance Leader lted back into nature, and we, after leaving his quarters, went completely outside the Martial Alliance.
My master, who had moved to an inn near the Martial Alliance, rented a room, put our luggage up, and then said as he went down to the restaurant, "Although there are free lodgings and free restaurants inside the Martial Alliance, I still prefer to stay here."
"The food at the Martial Alliance must be really bad."
"That's right. And it's full of too many martial artists, so I can't sleep comfortably. It feels like my nerves are always on edge."
I felt a sense of kinship with my master.
Because, for a similar reason, I had also hated staying at the Martial Alliance.
"Waiter."
"Yes, custor."
"Bring two bowls of chicken head noodles and a roasted duck."
"Yes. I understand."
My master ordered food without even asking .
"The dishes I just ordered are the most delicious dishes at this inn. The chicken head noodles and roasted duck can be said to be the best in Kaifeng."
"Really? I'm looking forward to it."
Although I already knew this fact, I answered with a curious expression as if I were hearing it for the first ti.
To be honest, I haven't been to such a big city with my master often, so I didn't know, but it seems my master also enjoys gastronomy.
A little while later, the food ca out, and we ate the food without a word.
The noodles and duck were as delicious as I rembered, and I felt as if the past and present were crossing over even in this small thing.
In my past life, there was no one to co here with.
I had no close friends among the martial artists of my age, and the people I had so fellowship with were old grandpas who were at least two generations older, like Maeng Gwang-gae or Pa Wang-jang.
Since the grandpas didn't like to co to such places because of their dignity, in the end, I had no choice but to go around to such shops by myself.
'At that ti, I still went around excitedly by myself.'
The reason I ca to know the famous restaurants of Kaifeng in every nook and cranny is not unrelated to the fact that I went around alone.
It's easy to go around here and there by myself, and one of the reasons is that I didn't want to be seen eating alone at one shop for a long ti, so I moved to a different shop every day.
But now, I am sitting with my master and eating delicious food here together.
'Co to think of it...'
When I glanced at my master, his expression also seems to be a little brighter than usual.
In fact, my master might have also always gone to such places alone.
I thought that he might be feeling a new emotion, having co here with .
"Unhwi-ya."
"Yes, master."
When the al was almost over.
My master called .
His expression looked much more serious than before.
Being happy to be here with is one thing, and there is a reason to be serious when one has to be serious.
"I understand everything about why you did that."
Although my master did not specifically ntion the subject, I understood at once.
He must be talking about the fact that I hadn't told him until now that Monk Il-won was actually a spy of the Demonic Cult.
"And I also think it was a good judgnt. If there is an opportunity to deliver such things directly to the Martial Alliance Leader... there is no reason to increase the risk by telling others. But, but..."
My master, after hesitating for a mont, continued, "Still, to be honest, I was a little disappointed."
"Master...!"
"Huhu. Apart from whether the matter was right or wrong, I was just disappointed. I also thought that you might not trust ."
"Master. It's not like that, I was just worried that it might be a threat to you..."
"Yes. That's what I thought at the end. You probably don't distrust , so why didn't you tell that story... what if I had heard that story at that ti and couldn't control myself for a mont and had tracked down Il-won, and so had been in great trouble with them, so you were wary of that? I thought."
I nodded my head very slightly.
In fact, my master is right.
Because I didn't want to get my master into trouble by dragging him into this matter.
"A master who is worried about by his disciple. I'm not qualified to be a master."
"No! What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I have told the Sect Leader? That's also because I was worried about the Wudang Sect."
"Huhu. I know. I was just saying."
Although he said he was just saying it, my master will surely be thinking so sincerely.
But the master I know is not a person who will end with self-bla.
If he blas himself, he is a person who will do sothing to fill that hole.
Sure enough. With a light in his eyes that had been dark until a little while ago, my master said to , "So I thought I should be a little more serious about my training."
"If you train more seriously here, wouldn't that also be a problem?"
At my joke, my master chuckled and answered, "Until now, I didn't have a goal. I just vaguely thought I should beco stronger. But... after experiencing your matter, I thought I should set a goal and run from now on."
"Do you have a goal in mind?"
My master nodded his head vigorously and imdiately opened his mouth.
"I am thinking of becoming the next Sect Leader. I will beco the Sect Leader and be a strong support for you, whatever you do."
My master's eyes seem to be blazing.
It is the most passionate and enthusiastic appearance of my master I have ever seen.
At this mont, I felt as if the fate of the Wudang Sect was fluctuating.
(End of Chapter)
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