“Have you finished preparing?”
“…Yes. Thank you, Elder.”
I bowed deeply in gratitude.
There was nothing more I could do to express my thanks at the moment.
Grandmaster Taeheo stroked his beard and nodded, then spoke to me.
“I merely showed you the way to open the path, so there’s no need to be overly grateful.”
“That’s not true. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have wandered aimlessly for who knows how long…”
The amount of aura I could feel emanating from the Mana Core was unusual. While it was hard to know the exact quantity, it had to have increased by at least half, if not more.
Not only that, but the surplus of strength coursing through my body made it clear how vast the difference between each level truly was.
I surmised that, in my current state, I could probably take on three versions of myself from before I broke through. That was by my own standard, which was tailored for engaging highly skilled opponents. Against an ordinary peak martial artist, I could likely handle up to five at once.
But all that would happen once I grew accustomed to this newfound power.
No matter how strong one becomes, it’s meaningless if they can’t control it properly.
I need time to adapt to this new level fully so that it can truly become mine.
Still, perhaps…
“Advancing beyond a barrier is indeed a cause for joy. But remember, a martial artist’s path contains more than just one barrier.”
“Yes, I shall keep it in mind.”
To face the Demon King, I still have a long way to go. Thinking about this, the excitement in my body began to cool down. Grandmaster Taeheo glanced at my cooling demeanor, smiled warmly, and spoke.
“It’s cold now, so let’s head back inside.”
“Yes.”
We turned to head toward the thatched hut.
…And just behind Grandmaster Taeheo, the White Tiger lazily followed.
Though too large to fit inside the hut due to its size, the White Tiger laid down just outside the door, watching us. As it yawned, Hye-ryeong approached and reached out her hand.
…Will it bite?
Fortunately, the tiger allowed her to touch it without a fuss.
“Haha…”
At first, it would growl softly, but now it seemed to have resigned itself to her antics, though its expression was clearly one of irritation. It didn’t particularly avoid her either, and seemed rather unaggressive—likely due to its ongoing training with Grandmaster Taeheo.
I watched all this as Mok-kyeong quietly took a seat beside me and looked at the White Tiger.
“Miss Hye-ryeong seems to really like the White Tiger.”
“She’s just curious, I guess.”
“Is that so?”
“How many people would dare to approach that thing out of sheer curiosity?”
…That’s true.
A regular person would likely wet themselves at the mere sight. Thinking about Hye-ryeong happily petting the tame White Tiger, I sighed.
Fortunate that the tiger is behaving well.
Had it been even slightly more ill-tempered, Hye-ryeong might have been severely injured. Perhaps it’s just pretending to be tame because of Grandmaster Taeheo’s presence.
I anxiously watched as Hye-ryeong began to scratch the tiger’s chin.
“Hey~”
“Heh, it seems you’ll have quite the time.”
“…I already am.”
“Cultivate these good connections and cherish them.”
“Yes.”
“…And do the same with the person beside you.”
Of course. Now that I’ve tangled destinies, she’s someone whose burden I must carry forward.
“Yes.”
“Did you wash, by any chance? Mister…surely you didn’t!”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations!”
“Congratulations on achieving Great Success, Eun-gong.”
“Hehe, it’s been too long since there’s been some lively chatter.”
Grandmaster Taeheo looked at us with the expression of a grandfather who hadn’t seen his grandchildren in ages.
Thinking about it, there was no reason for people to climb up to the Heavenly Lord Peak, so he must have spent a long time in solitude. I chewed thoughtfully on a piece of fruit that was more snack than actual meal.
“What are your plans from here?”
“I intend to return to the Martial Alliance for now. Whatever we decide to do, we must go back there. And we need to find a mission as the Demon Sect is extending its influence over the Martial Realm.”
“That’s correct. Recently, ominous signs have flashed across the sky.”
Ominous signs. I wonder how much he sees.
“That’s right. Just recently, Hainan Sword Sect was attacked by the Demon Sect. Although we were able to hold them off, their targeting of a distant sect like Hainan Sword indicates their thorough preparations for this campaign.”
Had Hainan Sword Sect been eradicated in the original story, the invasion into the Central Plains would have lost a key group capable of striking from behind enemy lines. Thus, its strategic value is immense.
In that sense, it was indeed fortuitous that I washed up on Hainan Island.
Perhaps it could be said that the starting point was very convenient.
“With the deep ties of cause and effect, it seems a river of blood will again flow across the Central Plains…”
“As the war is inevitable, there isn’t much we can do but minimize casualties.”
Though how much we can achieve remains unknown, if we can dismantle the Demon Sect’s schemes one by one, we won’t end up starting a war in the state the Martial Alliance was in from the original story—half destroyed from within.
It’s troubling that there’s an overwhelming amount of work to be done, but at least I’ve broken through early, so a few tasks might be smoother.
I must carefully plan our paths to provide opportunities for Mok-kyeong’s growth as well.
“Do your best.”
“In the event trouble befalls Wudang…”
“It’s the responsibility of Wudang’s people to handle Wudang’s problems.”
“Isn’t Grandmaster Taeheo part of Wudang?”
“Wudang isn’t so weak that it must rely on me. Furthermore, it’s not ideal for an old man like me to meddle too much in the mundane affairs.”
…Indeed. Anyone who can read the celestial patterns and divine destinies would find it tricky to freely interfere in mundane matters, as even mentioning secrets in dreams could be dangerous.
“Though if things become dire, I may need to intervene, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
“Good. With you and that young man around, I believe matters in the mundane world can be concluded.”
“…What about me?”
“By following the threads of cause and effect, the true enemy will reveal itself. Therefore, you should stay with this man. He will become your compass. And… hmm.”
…That feels a bit burdensome.
But it’s my responsibility, I started it, so I’ll see it through.
I casually avoided Mok-kyeong’s gaze as we glanced at the clear sky outside the room.
Clear.
And I hope it stays that way.
“…Then we will take our leave now.”
We quickly prepared to depart.
There’s nothing more to gain here besides training, and we might be missed at Wudang after staying here for several days. We need to return and report soon.
“Understood. Bring a bottle of alcohol next time you visit. It’s one of the few joys I have left.”
“Yes. Until we meet again, Elder.”
We immediately set off to descend from the mountain.
—
“Great Hero Wi! You’ve ascended to a new level!”
“Grandmaster Taeheo has bestowed his teachings.”
“He imparted his teachings…”
Master Haksun looked at me with envious eyes. To receive direct guidance from the elders of Wudang would be a truly enviable experience for them.
But the fact that he stopped at envy spoke volumes about his character.
An average martial artist might have felt jealousy, but clearly not this one. Watching Master Haksun’s particularly pure eyes, I felt assured that Wudang’s future was bright.
…Of course, assuming Wudang survives intact.
I must keep moving to protect and save people like this.
“Where will you go now?”
“I intend to return to the Martial Alliance.”
I need to ask the Elder what transpired during our absence.
Since the original story didn’t define exact timelines, I needed to pinpoint events based on the incidents happening at the Martial Alliance.
Address minor disturbances ahead of time, resolve larger ones as soon as they arise, minimizing losses.
That was the immediate goal.
Even the longest journey begins with a single step—if we resolve issues one by one, we’ll eventually find ourselves facing the Demon King.
“Ajusshi! I’m ready!”
“Eun-gong, I’m ready too.”
Once Hye-ryeong and Mok-kyeong prepared our belongings and stood beside me, I spoke.
“That’s good. Let’s head down then.”
“Wishing you a safe journey.”
“We’ll see you again.”
With Master Haksun’s farewells, we began descending the steps of Wudang Mountain.
