Chapter 54. Wudang Sect (2)
The impression of the Wudang Sect's leader was quite different from what I had expected.
The current sect leader was known by the title Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal and was one of the few Flowering Stage martial artists in all of the Central Plains.
Though he would eventually meet his end at the hands of the Heavenly Demon, until that day, he was an undisputed master whom few could stand against.
I had expected someone with an aura befitting such a title.
Yet…
"Third Elder. Have you brought me more trouble to deal with?"
"Haha. This time, I did nothing at all. If anything, trouble has rolled in on its own."
"Haa…"
A deep sigh escaped from a man who looked to be somewhere between middle-aged and elderly.
His hair was half-gray, and dark shadows rested beneath his eyes, contrasting sharply against it.
For someone leading the great Wudang Sect, his appearance was far too worn and exhausted.
He seemed more like a weary scholar than a warrior—one who had been assigned to the wrong department by mistake.
Encountering a Flowering Stage master in this vast Central Plains was a rare feat.
Yet, whether due to luck or misfortune, I had met quite a few absolute masters.
Tang Sowol in my past life, once called the Venomous Dance Empress, Poison King Tang Jincheon, Ironblood Hall Master Seo Mun-Hwarin, and even the Black Lotus Sect Master.
Each of them, regardless of how close I was to them, had always seemed impossibly distant.
Their every movement carried traces of the martial arts they had perfected over a lifetime.
So seeing the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal in this state was even more surprising.
Just how much had they overworked a master capable of fighting for days without rest to reduce him to such a state?
Even Tang Sowol, who had grown up witnessing Flowering Stage masters firsthand, seemed slightly taken aback, her eyes widening.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, however, merely smiled faintly, as if used to such scrutiny, and spoke.
"My apologies. I've had a lot on my mind lately, so I must look rather unsightly. Though, I imagine it's the same for all of us."
"Ah! It's an honor to meet you, Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal. I am Tang Sowol of the Tang Clan."
"I know. I was informed in advance, and besides, you bear a striking resemblance to your mother in her younger days."
"You knew my mother?"
"A long time ago. Back when that brat Jincheon was still called the Dark Dragon, I traveled the martial world alongside him. I met her a few times back then."
"Ah."
Tang Sowol's expression turned blank for a moment, likely stunned by the unexpected mention of her parents.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal smiled warmly at her and nodded.
"I heard there was trouble on your first journey into the martial world. I'm glad to see you've resolved it and returned safely. I'll arrange a fine room for you, so take your time to rest and explore at your leisure."
"I appreciate the offer, but we stand before you today for another reason."
"Another reason?"
Tang Sowol gestured to our group before continuing.
"First, this is my fiancé and our escort, the Commander of the Blood Venom Unit."
"I am Cheon Hwi-da."
"It is an honor to meet the leader of Wudang."
"An escort, I understand given recent events, but a fiancé?!"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal looked surprised, but Tang Sowol was not finished.
"And this here is a grandmaster from the previous generation, Ghost Shadow Thief."
"...What did you just say? You mean that Ghost Shadow Thief?"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal widened his eyes in shock and turned to look at Third Elder Jeon Il-bi, who was either restraining or supporting Ghost Shadow Thief.
Jeon Il-bi nodded.
"That's right. You were probably too young back then to remember, but this is the very thief who stole the scabbard of Flowing Cloud Sword."
"I don't recall the exact details, but I do remember the commotion. Later, when I became sect leader, I read about it in the records… but wasn't that matter settled long ago?"
"Indeed. Because he only stole the scabbard, not the blade itself, and in return left behind the lost martial arts of Wudang's Advance Step Swordplay, the previous sect leader chose not to hold him accountable."
"Then bringing him in now would go against the principles of righteousness, wouldn't it?"
"Of course. I am only holding onto him for old times' sake. The real matter at hand is what these children have to say."
"Haa..."
Letting out a sigh that was somewhere between exhaustion and resignation, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal turned his attention back to us.
Tang Sowol spoke first.
"Allow me to explain from the beginning..."
In a calm voice, she detailed the attack orchestrated by Haomen, our unexpected discovery of Ghost Shadow Thief's hideout at Daemang Mountain, and what we learned from him. Finally, she explained the demonic elixirs consumed by the Soul Reapers and presented both the Demonic Explosive Pills and the medicine Ghost Shadow Thief had stolen from the Demonic Cult.
At first, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal looked somewhat indifferent, but as the explanation continued, his expression grew increasingly rigid.
The pressure in the room mounted.
The once-faint presence he had concealed swelled like a rising storm.
Of course, his killing intent wasn't directed at us.
His expression only darkened after hearing about the Demonic Cult's use of human bodies to refine their elixirs.
It became clear—he was not weaker than other Flowering Stage martial artists, nor was he deliberately concealing his abilities.
He was like a drifting cloud—harmless when at peace but capable of unleashing a storm at any moment.
That variability was the essence of his enlightenment, the very martial path that Wudang had cultivated through generations.
In that instant, I recalled the sword scripture engraved on the sect's entrance plaque.
If those words had taken human form, they would be the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal himself.
What kind of swordsmanship would someone like him wield?
How far could my own swordsmanship measure up against it?
I tried to envision it, drawing from what I had seen of Wudang's survivors in my past life.
But I couldn't grasp it.
It wasn't about arrogance or competitiveness.
It was pure curiosity.
Wasn't it natural to be intrigued by a sword I had never seen before?
Initially, I had planned to visit Wudang and Mount Hua purely to obtain elixirs and restore my past strength.
I hadn't expected much from the visit itself.
After all, in my previous life, the only Wudang and Mount Hua warriors I saw were those barely clinging to survival after their sects had been destroyed.
But now, seeing the sect in its full glory, my thoughts had changed.
Even in the Tang Clan, I had often been impressed.
But this was different—Wudang was a sect devoted to the sword, something far more familiar to me.
There was so much more to see.
If I had never read the scripture on the plaque, I would have merely thought the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal had remarkable control over his presence and left it at that.
My thoughts were interrupted by an awkward silence, as I realized the room's attention had shifted toward me.
Ghost Shadow Thief chuckled.
"See, Il-bi? Didn't I tell you? That kid read the plaque's sword scripture."
"That and this are different. How many people do you think could link them together through presence alone?"
"Well, we have at least one standing right here."
I now understood how I must have looked.
Turning to the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, I bowed slightly.
"My apologies."
"Hm? Ah, it's fine. The plaque is there for all to read, and my presence was exposed simply because I failed to fully suppress my anger. Whatever you gained from the two is entirely your own ability—I have no right to interfere. …However, I am curious. Did you realize something?"
"It's nothing profound. I merely reaffirmed how many swords I have yet to understand."
"Recognizing the unknown is often the first step to true understanding. My previous offer still stands. Wudang will protect you from the Soul Reapers until the Tang Clan's envoys arrive, so take your time, rest, and explore at your leisure. Expanding your horizons and growing from experience—that is a privilege of youth."
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks. It is simply my duty as a senior in the martial world. In fact, I have a request of my own."
"A request, you say?"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal cleared his throat before continuing.
"If Wudang's martial arts were something new to you, then the same must be true for my disciples. Would you be willing to engage in some friendly sparring during your stay?"
"That would be no trouble at all. In fact, I would welcome it."
"Excellent. Take a few days to rest, and when you're ready, come to the training grounds. I will inform my disciples in advance, so you may come at any time."
"I shall do so. Thank you for the consideration."
"I feel as though I've detained you for too long. I'll have someone escort you to your quarters—ah, but Ghost Shadow Thief, would you mind staying for a moment?"
"I'm tired too, you know. And I'm old."
"It won't take long. I simply wish to hear a little about your encounter with the Demonic Cult Leader."
"…Well, I can't really refuse that, can I?"
Though grumbling, Ghost Shadow Thief nodded in agreement.
With a heavy sigh, Third Elder Jeon Il-bi dragged over a chair and carefully seated him.
They seemed busy with their own matters. That meant it was time for us to focus on ours.
I confidently turned to the nameless Wudang disciple leading the way and asked,
"Does Wudang serve meat dishes?"
Though Daoism does not forbid meat consumption as strictly as Buddhism, I knew they tended to avoid excessive indulgence in rich foods.
That was why I asked… yet for some reason, Tang Sowol sighed and covered her face as if embarrassed.
"Haa… Where did the person who once claimed Bigu Pills were enough for sustenance go?"
"Who was it that introduced me to the joy of eating in the first place? None other than you, Tang Sowol."
Besides, my body is still growing—I need to eat well.
If I couldn't obtain any miraculous elixirs, then at the very least, I had to eat and rest properly.