“It’s been a while, Great Hero Wi.”
“It’s been a long time, Master Hakun. How have you been?”
“What do I, a Taoist priest, have to do? I spend most of my time reading scriptures and practicing.”
Hakun Taoist warmly welcomed us after a long time. It was probably because we were guests invited by him, and the reputation I had built up was working in our favor.
“Prince Dan and Lady Im, it’s been a while.”
“Hello!”
“It’s been a while.”
We exchanged brief greetings and followed Master Hakun toward the guest hall. According to Hakun Taoist, since there were few empty rooms left, he urged us to hurry before they were all taken.
“Great Hero Wi, you have done much during your visits here.”
“Probably my misfortune, but I’ve been caught up in all kinds of things. I never dreamt I would stumble upon traces of the Demonic Sect in a city I stayed in by chance.”
“Ho ho. If Great Hero Wi hadn’t uncovered the Demonic Sect’s secret machinations, we would have suffered a great defeat.”
“That’s true. If you hadn’t noticed, a secret Demonic Sect stronghold would have been built right in the middle of the righteous path’s territory.”
Will you stop praising me already? It’s fine once or twice, but everyone keeps doing it, and now I feel chills running down my spine every time.
I awkwardly turned the conversation with a shy smile amidst the continuous praise.
“Anyway, the visitors coming to the Wudang Sect are quite diverse.”
“Wudang always guards this place, but many people come seeking to personally experience Wudang’s vital energy.”
“Wudang’s vital energy… indeed it’s well worth visiting.”
With a temple this grand built on the mountain, anyone should visit at least once.
Each pavilion was massive, pleasing to the eye, and with the peaks and ridges of Wudang Mountain catching the eaves, it gave the sensation of being a hermit in seclusion.
If only you could climb that hellish staircase, it wouldn’t be a bad place for tourism and relaxation.
“To my knowledge, there are quite a few rooms available, so I’ll get you a nice one.”
“I think one would be fine…”
“Thank you very much, Master Hakun.”
Why do you have to make such a fuss in front of other people?
I quickly cut off before Hye-ryeong could make an explosive comment.
Since it’s the Central Plains, and not the relatively free atmosphere of Haenam Island, it would be troublesome. Fortunately, Master Hakun seemed not to have heard and smiled while responding to my expression of gratitude.
“Ho ho, merely providing a small room is not a difficult task. Please, follow me.”
We followed Master Hakun and arrived at the guest hall where visitors of all kinds, dressed in various attire, were enjoying their time at the Wudang Sect in their own ways.
“The location of the guest hall is very well chosen. The view looking down on the Wudang Mountain below is incredible…”
“The people who come here seek to temporarily forget worldly affairs and rejuvenate their weary spirits. That’s why the lodging area for visitors is located where they can overlook the entire landscape of Wudang Mountain.”
“I understand why the saying ‘Wudang is a paradise for men’ came about.”
“Ho ho, that’s an exaggeration. But… this room will do.”
I briefly scanned the rooms that Master Hakun introduced.
The room was of a decent size with the structure of having another room within.
What’s this? There’s a room within the room?
“This room…”
“Because we have many visitors going back and forth, we’ve divided one room into two in case we have travelers accompanied by women.”
Well, considering the number of people coming and going here, having two separate rooms would indeed take up too many spots. I could already see more than thirty people just at a glance.
“This is a good room.”
“It’s only right to offer our best accommodations to our guests.”
We roughly placed our luggage in the room and flipped the sign hanging by the door, indicating that the room was occupied.
“We’ve secured the room, and I would like to tour Wudang Sect. Would it be possible to ask for your guidance?”
“Before that, you must be hungry. Would having dinner first be better?”
“That sounds good.”
We followed Master Hakun straight to the dining hall. Though the dining hall was packed with the Taoist priests of the Wudang Sect and visitors from various places, we were fortunate to find a spot to sit.
“It differs from the secular world here, and we avoid excessive consumption of meat, so the diet is mainly composed of vegetables. The meal might be a bit bland.”
“Not at all. Isn’t that precisely why it’s a delicacy? If we’ve decided to temporarily forget the secular world, we should also forget its dishes.”
Just imagine it as temple food.
We leisurely awaited our meal while continuing light chit-chat. Most of it was spent satisfying our curiosity about the Wudang Sect, but gradually the conversation leaned more towards martial arts.
“I didn’t know such martial arts existed in the Western Regions.”
“We too have been practicing martial arts for around one thousand five hundred years. The biggest influence comes from Daegeum (Rome). Though my martial arts are relatively new, about five hundred years old.”
“Indeed, martial arts evolve every day. Thus, how can one differentiate between old and new martial arts?”
“That’s right! I heard that even the Haenam Thirty-six Swords has changed a lot since it was created by the founding Sect Leader. New techniques have been added, others removed, and they have become more refined…”
“…All martial arts in the world must have gone through such processes.”
Even Mok-kyeong is joining in the conversation. It seems the talk about martial arts was interesting enough to get even the usually quiet Mok-kyeong involved.
“You’re right. For example, our Wudang’s Chilseong Sword Technique…”
“Here’s your meal. Enjoy!”
As we chatted, quite a bit of time had passed. With the propriety expected of the Wudang Sect, a Taoist monk dressed in priestly robes placed the dishes before us. The table was predictably full of greens.
With dishes like these that look healthy just from their appearance, I doubt taint will accumulate in our bodies anytime soon.
“Let’s eat first. There will be plenty of time to discuss martial arts.”
Following Master Hakun’s words, we began our meal.
—
“It seems we’ve now seen all the notable places of the Wudang Sect.”
“Taking half a day just to tour all the interiors of the buildings, truly, the Wudang Sect.”
“Visiting other sects would likely take just as much time.”
Modesty is in order. I nodded at Master Hakun’s words and stared at the countless peaks from the front of the guest hall. Somewhere among these peaks, Grandmaster Taeheo must live.
…Could we find it?
It seems there are more than twenty visible peaks?
“Master Hakun, thank you for your time today.”
“No, Lady Im. As a Taoist of Wudang, it is our duty to entertain our guests. Then I shall take my leave…”
“Farewell.”
We bade farewell to Master Hakun and entered the guest hall. It was the evening, and people were preparing to settle in for the night. As soon as we entered our room, I casually asked Mok-kyeong.
“Mok-kyeong, did you feel any peculiar gaze?”
“I felt it occasionally.”
“Did you feel any gaze?”
“…Not really.”
If Hye-ryeong didn’t, then it seems the target is narrowed down to Mok-kyeong and me. Though it’s somewhat disappointing, it probably means Hye-ryeong doesn’t have that level of talent.
To be able to enter the peak stage of martial arts means one is already among the top talents in the world.
Maybe I’m setting my expectations too high?
“Shower quickly and let’s get to sleep. We need to climb Wudang Mountain tomorrow.”
“Okay~”
“Understood.”
We headed to the well, washed our hands and faces, returned to the room, and prepared our bedding. Hye-ryeong moved to the adjacent room and, shortly after, returned, peeking her head out the door.
“Uncle, you won’t peek, right?”
Why does it sound like she’s inviting me to peek? I sighed and replied.
“Don’t worry. I won’t. Do you really see me as such an immoral person?”
“…A little peeking would be fine though.”
“What?”
“It’s nothing!”
Scary.
I sighed while looking at the closed door and turned my head to Mok-kyeong. When our eyes met, she slightly tilted her head.
“Eun-gong, do you have anything to say?”
“…I’m glad you’re here.”
If I had been traveling with just the two of us, I’m sure Hye-ryeong would have definitely pounced by now.
“Ah, no, thank you.”
The lines suddenly seemed a bit embarrassing to say. Scratching my head, I looked at Mok-kyeong’s response.
Never mind. Let’s just go to sleep.
“I’m going to bed early. Good night.”
“…Yes, good night, Eun-gong.”
Her softer-than-usual voice reached my ears.
Hmm. It’s a bit annoying how she seems too delicate when she talks like this…
Drifting off while pondering aimlessly toward the ceiling, I closed my eyes.
—
“…That boy is truly extraordinary.”
“…Hmm?”
I woke to a voice by my pillow and looked up. In the dimly lit room, a shadowy figure flickered into view.
“Appearing like a comet… and being a Colored-Eyed Person as well. Truly, the ways of the world are unpredictable.”
A peculiar presence—seeming to both exist and not at the same time.
“…May I inquire who you are?”
“I believe you already know who I am.”
The figure looked like the very definition of “a Taoist hermit with divine grace.” He smoothed his long beard and answered.
“…Are you the Mountain Spirit?”
“Ho. I’m merely an old man with nothing better to do.”
Where do you see that?
I swallowed my doubts and checked beside me. Mok-kyeong was sound asleep.
No, the state of the room itself feels strange.
It’s as if the surrounding space is distorted, like a mist has rolled in—
“This is a dream, so there’s no need to worry about waking the one sleeping beside you.”
“…Is that so.”
I nodded at his words, got up, and faced him.
“…Why have you come to me?”
“An interesting young man has come to the Wudang Sect, so how could I not come and see? To reach this level just having passed the age of twenty… However, your aura is strong…”
…Did he guess my age?
This person is truly genuine.
“I spent a long time on the battlefield, so it was inevitable.”
“Life never flows as we wish; we can only go with the flow.”
“…That’s correct.”
“To converse thusly with a Colored-Eyed Person is indeed amusing. It’s also surprising that someone with such extraordinary destiny accompanies you…”
“Is that so?”
“As I cannot reveal celestial secrets, I cannot tell you everything. Besides, with the dawn approaching… let’s continue this on the Cheonjubong Peak. And bring the one sleeping beside you.”
We’re supposed to go to Cheonjubong Peak.
“…Then I shall meet you next time, sir.”
“Bring a bottle of wine when you come.”
I woke up after the immortal-like old man’s oddly worldly request.
—
