Chapter 174
I was speechless as Songhwa rolled limply across the ground.
Should I help him up? Would that hurt his pride?
I waited for him to climb back onto the training ground, my eyes darting around awkwardly. But when Songhwa finally staggered to his feet, something about the position of his arm looked wrong.
“Brother! His arm! His arm is broken!”
“What? Ah! Daoist Songhwa! Are you all right?”
I rushed over in alarm and examined his arm. The wrist he had used to block my punch had snapped cleanly, and his dislocated left shoulder hung uselessly at an awful angle.
“Oh my goodness... I’m so sorry. You need to get to the medical hall right away. Does anyone have something we can use as a splint?”
“Here, Miss Tang.”
Someone handed me one, and while I secured Songhwa’s wrist, he muttered with a miserable expression,
“This time it’s the left one...”
“I’m really sorry, Daoist Songhwa.”
“It’s all right. I expected something like this might happen. I just didn’t expect to go down in a single exchange. Songrim, help me up.”
“Yes, Brother.”
The young Daoist called Songrim carefully helped Songhwa to his feet. Leaning against him, Songhwa trembled all over as he bowed to me.
“I’m ashamed to have shown you such an embarrassing sight, but I’ll excuse myself first.”
“Make sure they use moxibustion too! And take a medicinal decoction for the swelling!”
As Songhwa disappeared into the distance with Songrim supporting him, tears welled in Songmyeong’s eyes.
“I-I said the wrong thing, so... hic... you’re killing him to silence him...”
That’s not what this is.
This kid had apparently decided I was some kind of demonic fiend.
It left a bitter taste in my mouth, but considering what I had just done, I couldn’t exactly defend myself.
Intentional or not, I had demolished my opponent without mercy in the very first spar.
Perhaps they thought I had done it deliberately to intimidate them, because the remaining three third-generation disciples stood frozen, watching me warily.
The training ground fell so silent that I could clearly hear someone swallow.
Songhwa’s absence suddenly felt enormous.
I gave them an awkward smile and made my voice as gentle as possible.
“Why don’t we stop here for today?”
All three immediately turned toward Jinseong.
Jinseong, who had been watching in silence, calmly said,
“I think you can ease up on the strength a little more, Miss Tang.”
“What? You want me to keep going?”
“Yes. Please try just once more. The remaining three should be fine even if they attack you together.”
What if I break something again?
I was worried, but with Jinseong looking at me so seriously, I couldn’t bring myself to insist on stopping.
It might sound as though I were looking down on Wudang’s third-generation disciples.
“Mm... all right.”
When I nodded, the Daoists squeezed their eyes shut, climbed onto the training ground, and saluted me with clasped hands.
“Songgwang, third-generation disciple of Wudang, asks Miss Tang for instruction.”
“Songin, third-generation disciple of Wudang, asks Miss Tang for instruction.”
“S-Songmyeong, third-generation disciple of Wudang... hic.”
Oh no. The kid’s going to cry.
Suppressing a sigh, I climbed up as well and returned the courtesy.
When I remained still instead of moving first, Songin and Songgwang exchanged glances and rushed me.
But their movements...
Were slow.
So slow that I wondered if there was something wrong with my eyes. I could read everything from the movement of their muscles to the rhythm of their breathing with almost embarrassing clarity.
What?
The third-generation disciples I met before weren’t this slow. Are these different people?
But Songhwa had said he’d met me before, so there was a good chance they were the same group and I simply hadn’t remembered their faces.
I dodged both attacks with ease and scratched my head awkwardly.
Jinseong was right. I should just ease off and keep dodging.
If I seriously counterattacked, the other three would probably end up in the medical hall too.
Apparently not every Wudang disciple was as skilled as Jinseong.
Well, Jinseong isn’t exactly normal.
I shouldn’t compare ordinary people to a genius.
Feeling much more relaxed, I began dealing with the three of them in earnest.
Songin’s movements were large and powerful, but his accuracy was poor. Songgwang moved smoothly, but he had a tendency to scatter his strength instead of concentrating it at a single point.
Songmyeong was at least a little faster than the other two, but when a light shove sent him sprawling, it became obvious that he simply lacked physical strength.
Probably because he’s still young.
Once his frame fills out and he puts on more muscle, wouldn’t that solve the problem?
As I dodged the punches and kicks flying toward me and analyzed the three of them, I suddenly blinked in surprise.
...Wait. Why can I see all this?
I had plenty of experience being played with in someone else’s palm, but this was the first time I had ever seen other people so clearly that it felt as though they were the ones trapped in mine.
The realization left me dumbfounded.
If the difference between us was really this large, then maybe Songhwa hadn’t been exaggerating when he said he had never managed to touch Jinseong.
The three third-generation disciples floundered helplessly, their faces growing steadily paler.
They seemed to be worried about Jinseong’s reaction.
For their own sake, I should probably end this now.
I was just considering where I could hit them to knock them down without actually hurting them when I sensed someone hovering near the entrance to the training ground.
“Hyeonmun? What is it?”
At Jinseong’s question, the three disciples stopped moving.
Relieved, I immediately hopped down from the training ground and peeked over Jinseong’s shoulder.
A Daoist dressed as a second-generation disciple stood there with his hands respectfully folded before him.
“Elder Jinseong, the sect leader is asking for you.”
“For me?”
Hyeonmun glanced at me, then spoke carefully.
“Well... to be precise, he is asking for Miss Tang. He would like her to join him for breakfast.”
“What? Breakfast with me?”
Why me?
I exchanged a look with Jinseong, my eyes widening.
*****
The sect leader of Wudang, Daoist Taeneung, was an elderly man whose sideburns had turned white.
Unlike the Taiji Sword Immortal, whose words and behavior were often full of mischief, he appeared grave and dignified.
There was an austere elegance about him that carried the natural authority of a man who led an entire sect.
I had never even eaten alone with that bastard of a father, and now I was having breakfast one-on-one with the leader of a great sect.
My mouth was drying out from nerves.
When I swallowed a bite of stir-fried vegetables without even chewing, Daoist Taeneung smiled and spoke gently.
“You need not be so nervous. I merely wished to greet you. I fear I may have burdened you instead.”
“Burdened? N-no, Sect Leader. Not at all. It’s an honor.”
“Have our disciples been giving you trouble? If anything makes your stay uncomfortable, come to me at any time. This old Daoist will see to it personally.”
No.
Please don’t see to anything personally.
I desperately wanted to shake my head and tell him not to say such things even out of politeness, but I hardly dared talk back to such a senior figure of the martial world.
Instead, I forced the corners of my mouth upward and bowed my head.
“Thank you for your consideration, Sect Leader. If anything troubles me, I’ll be sure to tell you.”
Ugh. I feel like I’m going to get indigestion.
Daoist Taeneung stroked his beard with a satisfied expression before speaking again.
“I hear you are close to Jinseong.”
“Ahaha... I wouldn’t say close, exactly. Daoist Jinseong has helped me a great deal.”
Looking back, there really had been plenty of times when Jinseong’s help got me through a crisis.
Admittedly, he had often caused trouble before solving it, but the wound salve he gave me was what let me stop Yeon Ryang’s bleeding and escape.
And it was thanks to Jinseong that I hadn’t been badly injured when we encountered the water bandits, and that Yeon Ryang’s identity hadn’t been exposed at the Martial Alliance.
Come to think of it, we really have gotten tangled up with each other a lot.
At my answer, Daoist Taeneung narrowed his eyes as though slightly surprised. Then he slowly nodded, as if something had clicked.
“Ah. So that is how it is.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. This old Daoist was mistaken for a moment. Miss Tang, have you met Madam Ma?”
“Yes. I met her briefly yesterday.”
“She has endured much pain. Her manner and speech can be rough, but she is a good person. I hope you will not misunderstand her.”
“I won’t.”
When I answered his request politely, Daoist Taeneung set down his chopsticks and interlaced his fingers.
“I owe your master a debt. One so great that even laying down my life would not be enough to repay it.”
A debt?
That word immediately put me on edge.
Was this like Wiji Gok? Did he have some kind of grudge against Grandfather?
My heart dropped, and I stiffened, pressing my lips together as I cautiously watched Daoist Taeneung’s expression.
He smiled.
“It seems you have met people who bore resentment toward the Poison King. This old Daoist is not one of them, so you may put your mind at ease.”
You figured that out exactly.
Thank goodness you’re not.
I let out the breath I had been holding, and Daoist Taeneung laughed aloud before continuing.
“The Poison King is still in seclusion, I assume?”
“Yes. As far as I know.”
“If you wish, you may remain here until his seclusion ends.”
“What?”
“I have no intention of interfering in another sect’s affairs. But there is nothing improper about treating a guest of Wudang with due care. While you remain on our main mountain, you will not find yourself placed in a difficult situation.”
The way he spoke made it sound as though he knew everything I had been through.
For a moment, I couldn’t keep it from showing on my face.
Had Grandfather sent him a letter too?
Was he trying to use me, like Wiji Gok had?
The instant my guard rose, Daoist Taeneung shook his head.
“It appears someone has made you a similar offer before. I am not forcing you, so there is no need to bare your thorns at me, Miss Tang. The Poison King would be heartbroken to see you like this.”
The genuine sorrow in his voice gradually brought me back to my senses.
I had come to Wudang because the Taiji Sword Immortal offered to examine Yeon Ryang’s condition.
Daoist Taeneung probably had nothing to do with that decision in the first place.
I had climbed this mountain of my own accord, so what exactly was I suspecting him of?
“Ah... I’m sorry, Sect Leader. I was being oversensitive.”
At my flustered apology, Daoist Taeneung smiled as though it were nothing.
“When the world is harsh, anyone will build walls around themselves for protection. That is not your fault.”
“...”
I hesitated, unable to answer.
Then he pressed something into my hand.
Two small glutinous-rice dumplings.
“If this old Daoist keeps you here any longer, I suspect you will only grow more uncomfortable. Share one with Jinseong. You may go.”
“I will. Thank you, Sect Leader.”
After giving him a proper farewell, I slowly left the sect leader’s quarters, doing my best to maintain a dignified stride.
The moment I opened the door, I saw Jinseong pacing beneath the wall with a slightly anxious expression.
As soon as he spotted me, he fired off a question with uncharacteristic speed.
“What did the Sect Leader say to you?”
“He told me to share a dumpling with you.”
“...Pardon?”
“Here.”
I placed one of the glutinous-rice dumplings in Jinseong’s hand.
He stared at it blankly, opening and closing his mouth.
I shrugged and popped my own dumpling into my mouth.