Wudang Sacred Scriptures

Jongsu picked up where Seokjangsan left off.

“You mean the promise that once we became adults, we’d hold real cups of liquor and make a proper toast at least once?”

Seokjangsan nodded.

“Yeah. That’s exactly it.”

The classmates from the Hall of Heroic Martiality had often raised cups of water and made toasts.

It had been nothing more than a childish game meant to soothe their exhausted bodies and minds after grueling training, but in those moments, they had felt as though they were heroes of the martial world.

Once they left the Hall of Heroic Martiality, they would all scatter in different directions, and it was an uncertain time when none of them knew what station in life awaited them, so they had all promised together that they would do it someday.

“Now we’ve all come down from Mount Wudang and gathered in one place, and we’ve even got liquor right in front of us. Isn’t this the perfect time?”

At Seokjangsan’s words, Jeong Unho spoke at once.

“I’m obviously in favor! I’ve already had several cups, so one more won’t make any difference.”

Jongsu chimed in as well.

“If my master knew I was sharing a drinking table with the future leader of the Beggar Clan, he’d probably tell me to keep drinking even if I had to drown in a vat of liquor, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Even the shy Pyo Yeongsang spoke up hesitantly.

“Martial Uncle Hyeonam said I’m excused from guard duty today, so I’ll drink more too.”

“What’s with all the talking?”

Ho Cheoljung was already pouring liquor into his own cup in great splashing gulps. Then he noticed there was no cup in front of Kwak Yeon and cried out in alarm.

“Ah, damn! I forgot I’m supposed to pour for Martial Uncle Kwak first. Martial Uncle Kwak, here—take this!”

“Thank you.”

Kwak Yeon accepted the cup Ho Cheoljung held out.

Once everyone had filled their cups and raised them, Seokjangsan looked at Kwak Yeon.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, you lead it.”

As the classmates from the Hall of Heroic Martiality lifted their cups and fixed their eyes on him, emotion welled in Kwak Yeon’s chest.

“Wudang Upholds Justice!”

It had been a very long time since Kwak Yeon had called out Wudang’s sect motto.

“Its Might Shakes the World!”

His classmates roared the response back and drained their cups in a single sweep.

Kwak Yeon followed them and tossed back his drink in one gulp.

WHOOOSH!

Dragon Fang Liquor.

True to its name, it went down his throat with the scorching force of a dragon’s fangs.

A little while later, Kwak Yeon quietly slipped out of the hall and stood in the courtyard of the detached annex.

—STEP. STEP.

As he stood there looking up at the stars strewn across the night sky, someone came and stopped beside him.

Kwak Yeon knew who it was without even turning his head.

I need your help.

Because ever since the day he had first approached him like that in the training ground library, this was the friend who had always come to him first and held out a hand whenever he was alone.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, you’re thinking about Jeong Ichu, aren’t you?”

At Seokjangsan’s question, Kwak Yeon nodded readily.

“Yeah. I was just thinking how good it would be if Ichu were here with us now.”

“Ichu is here with us.”

“......?”

“You’re remembering him like this.”

“......!”

“And the others are all thinking about him too. No one can bring him up because they’re worried it’ll make you even sadder.”

“......!”

When Kwak Yeon turned his head, Seokjangsan wore a bitter smile as he went on.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, it’s because everyone knows you’ve always been kinder than anyone.”

A sharp pain went through Kwak Yeon’s chest.

And then it grew heavier still.

“Jangsan, this campaign... it won’t be easy.”

Seokjangsan nodded.

“I know. It’s a campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions. Of course it won’t be easy.”

Kwak Yeon could not bring himself to say that the Demonic Eight Divisions, as they now stood, were several times more dangerous than the martial world imagined.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, you’re worried we’ll get hurt.”

“......Honestly, yes.”

When Kwak Yeon nodded with a dark expression, Seokjangsan suddenly asked,

“So do you want to tell us not to take part?”

“......”

When Kwak Yeon could not answer, Seokjangsan continued.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, this is the opportunity all of us have been yearning for. We’ve spent all that time training in martial arts with brutal dedication for the sake of this day.”

“......”

“Every one of us has something we want to achieve. That’s why we fought so hard to become disciples of the main mountain in the first place.”

Only after hearing Seokjangsan say it did Kwak Yeon remember that each of his classmates from the Hall of Heroic Martiality had a desperate wish of his own.

Seokjangsan too had his goal—to win acknowledgment from his father, the Clan Master.

Kwak Yeon had not had any such wish, so he had never possessed any real passion for training. That had changed once he began yearning for higher martial arts.

“In the end, a martial artist has to prove himself with his sword. The moment we give up because it’s dangerous... every bit of effort we’ve made until now disappears.”

Seokjangsan fell silent for a moment and looked at Kwak Yeon before speaking again.

“Let me fix the question and ask it again. If you were in our place, and someone told you not to take part, would you listen?”

Kwak Yeon shook his head.

“No.”

Only now did Kwak Yeon understand that he would never be able to stop them.

And all at once, he realized that the martial artists who had taken part in this All-Under-Heaven Heroes Assembly stood in exactly the same position as his classmates from the Hall of Heroic Martiality.

To martial artists, the Demonic Eight Divisions were simply an enemy that offered them a chance to display their ability.

Each of them had come to this All-Under-Heaven Heroes Assembly with a goal of his own.

Of course, there were surely some who had joined in answer to the Martial Alliance’s banner of driving out demons and destroying evil.

But it was equally clear that they had the future Martial World Pact in mind, the pact that would determine the shape of the martial world from here on.

Ah. Even if Elder Brother Hu Gae and I warn them about the Demonic Eight Divisions’ scheme, the Martial Alliance still won’t stop this campaign.

No—if anything, it might only incite the martial artists further.

They would arrogantly believe that the more powerful the enemy they defeated, the more brilliantly they and their sects would shine.

Kwak Yeon thought Wudang too would be swept up in that current and take part in the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions.

Once they had already come all this way with an expedition force, it would not be easy to simply turn back.

Then the only thing left is to do everything possible to minimize the danger.

Thankfully, Uncheon Zhenren was the expedition commander, so he would listen to Kwak Yeon’s counsel.

That thought eased his worry a little, and Kwak Yeon turned a smile on Seokjangsan.

“Jangsan, today you really seem like an older brother. No... you’ve always seemed like one to me.”

Seokjangsan gave a crooked smile.

“That’s only because you’re always sticking your nose into everyone else’s business, so I had no choice but to play the older brother and calm you down. Just like today.”

Kwak Yeon felt something surge in his chest and said,

“...Thank you.”

“What’s with that embarrassing nonsense?”

“No, when I think about it, I don’t think I ever once thanked you. I guess I just took it for granted.”

“......”

At those words, Seokjangsan seemed to be overcome as well, because this time he said nothing.

For a moment, silence settled over the courtyard of the detached annex.

After a while, Kwak Yeon spoke carefully.

“And I feel a little sorry to you about what happened with Seokgeon this time.”

Stepbrother or not, Seokgeon was still Seokjangsan’s younger brother.

Letting Hu Gae run wild and turn his friend’s brother into a piss-soaked mess had probably gone a bit too far.

“No, it was well done.”

“Hm...?”

When Kwak Yeon looked at him in surprise, Seokjangsan let out a quiet sigh and said,

“Ever since Geon was chosen as Taoist Hyeongong’s direct disciple, he’s only grown more arrogant. He’s the legitimate son of the Seok family, so he’ll have to lead the clan someday. How could I not worry?”

“......!”

“What, does it look strange to you, the bastard son worrying about the family?”

“No. It just sounds like you.”

At Kwak Yeon’s counterattack, a faint flush rose to Seokjangsan’s face.

“In any case, I just hope this will make Geon a little humbler.”

As the mood threatened to turn heavy again, Seokjangsan shifted the subject.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, ever since I came back from Yueyang, I’ve been going up to Samryeong Palace once every fifteen days.”

“You’ve been going up to Samryeong Palace...?”

“Our martial grandmaster, the Palace Lord, ordered me to attend Palace Lord Hyeonhae’s lectures on the Taoist scriptures regularly. And it’s not just me. A few second-generation disciples from other palaces are attending too.”

Seokjangsan looked at Kwak Yeon and smiled faintly as he continued.

“You probably already guessed as much, but it happened because the renown of the cave-dwelling Taoist grew too great.”

Only then did Kwak Yeon realize that the Palace Lords of the seven palaces of Wudang believed Samryeong Palace’s martial lineage originated in the immortal path, and for that reason had begun sending disciples there.

In any case, it would help the seven palaces recover the immortal aura that had grown disordered, and since the higher martial arts of Wudang were rooted in immortal aura, it was a good thing.

More than anything, he was glad that the standing of Samryeong Palace was rising.

“So it’s helping?”

At Kwak Yeon’s question, Seokjangsan nodded.

“It’s helping me tremendously. You know that about me, don’t you? That I’m dyslexic.”

“......”

“It’s gotten a lot better, to the point that I don’t have trouble reading martial manuals anymore, but the scriptures are still difficult for me. So I was having trouble cultivating the mental image. Palace Lord Hyeonhae’s teaching has cleared all of that up. And...”

Seokjangsan drew it out for a long moment, then said,

“Because of that, I reached the Transcendent stage not long ago.”

When he saw Kwak Yeon only smiling quietly, Seokjangsan frowned.

“You... already knew!”

“Not exactly. I wasn’t sure. I kept sensing faint traces of manifested aura now and then, so I suspected it. But when I saw you dragging it out just now, I became certain. You always did like hiding things and then springing them on people.”

“Ugh... way to make a man feel awkward. Couldn’t you just pretend not to know and act surprised?”

“I’d like to... but I’m not very good at that.”

“Hah. Expecting that from someone who can’t hide what he’s feeling any better than a chestnut can hide its shell... I’d sooner die of frustration.”

Shaking his head, Seokjangsan suddenly widened his eyes.

“You... advanced again in the meantime!”

Only then had he realized that Kwak Yeon had reached the level where he could sense another person’s manifested aura and discern his level.

“I got lucky.”

The rims of Seokjangsan’s eyes reddened.

Kwak Yeon had spoken as if it were nothing, but Seokjangsan knew how harsh and punishing the road to it must have been.

“Martial Uncle Kwak, congratulations. Truly...”

“Jangsan, congratulations to you too. You really are extraordinary.”

Seokjangsan let out a short laugh.

“That’s not something I should be hearing from you of all people.”

Kwak Yeon shook his head.

“What I gained came from heaven’s favor. What you achieved is the fruit of your own effort.”

Kwak Yeon could not reveal the fortunate encounters he had received, so he only called it heaven’s favor.

Which, in truth, it was.

“Jangsan, I truly admire you.”

Seokjangsan almost said, I achieved it because I took you as my mirror and worked myself half to death.

But he stopped himself.

Because he knew Kwak Yeon, who could never hide what he felt, would only blame himself for it. There was no one under heaven more hopeless when it came to worrying about other people.

“Let’s stop praising each other before this never ends.”

Seokjangsan shook his head, then continued.

“When I went up to Samryeong Palace before this expedition, I met Taoist Cheongmu.”

Kwak Yeon’s eyes widened.

“You met Taoist Cheongmu...?”

He had already heard news of Samryeong Palace from Uncheon Zhenren, but not in detail.

And when it came to Taoist Cheongmu, he had only heard the broad outlines, so how could his ears not perk up?

“How...?”

“I’d finished listening to Palace Lord Hyeonhae’s lecture and was about to cross Blue Cloud Bridge when Taoist Cheongmu was there waiting for me.”

Kwak Yeon’s heart grew urgent.

“What did Taoist Cheongmu want...?”

Taoist Cheongmu was always so busy, constantly wandering through mountain and field alike, so the thought that he had been waiting at Blue Cloud Bridge filled him with worry.

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