Chapter 023
Monk Ogong, Monk Beopneung, and the guardian monks who followed them all wore stunned expressions. They weren't the only ones. Namgung Somin and Jin Ming also had looks of incomprehension on their faces.
If the bystanders were this surprised, how bewildered must Baek Sugyeong himself be?
"Don't joke with me."
"Hmm, did that sound like a joke?"
Baekri Sa opened his eyes slightly. His sharp gaze peeked through his narrowed eyes, giving him a snake-like, cunning impression.
"I've brought a message from the Chairman. Please receive it directly."
Baekri Sa pulled out a letter written by Gal Yeom from his sleeve and infused it with inner energy before throwing it.
Namgung Somin, who had stepped in front of Baek Sugyeong, caught it instead.
The sensation tingled her hand from the considerable inner energy imbued in it. This wasn't just a casual toss—infusing this much energy was clearly a ploy to test Baek Sugyeong.
Namgung Somin's ice-cold face turned toward Baekri Sa after catching the letter.
"How dare you..."
"Oh my. You're more agile than I expected, Jade Sword Flower of the Namgung Clan."
"You knew I follow the teacher, yet you still pulled this stunt?"
Namgung Somin's hand moved to her sword hilt as if ready to draw it at any moment.
Baek Sugyeong stopped her hand.
"Enough."
"But, Teacher..."
Her voice softened involuntarily.
Though she quickly regained her composure, Baek Sugyeong continued holding her hand with no intention of letting go.
"Don't hastily draw your sword, Lady Namgung."
"But, Teacher."
Baek Sugyeong shook his head firmly at Namgung Somin's plea.
It wasn't difficult to understand his intention to prevent her from drawing her sword.
This was Mount Song, Shaolin's home ground. For a guest to carelessly draw a weapon would be discourteous.
That must have been his reasoning.
"...I understand, Teacher."
Namgung Somin followed Baek Sugyeong's wishes. She wasn't foolish enough to disobey the person she respected and hurt his feelings.
Baekri Sa watched this exchange with curious eyes.
'He controls the Jade Sword Flower? A mere scholar?'
Though he hadn't expected Namgung Somin to intercept the letter he'd thrown to test Baek Sugyeong, it was even more surprising that this man could make the famous Fighting Fairy back down with just a few words.
Could he be a master beyond imagination?
'Interesting.'
While Baekri Sa's eyes gleamed, Jin Ming approached Namgung Somin with a worried face.
"Miss! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine. This is nothing."
After dismissing Jin Ming's concern, Namgung Somin stepped aside and handed the letter to Baek Sugyeong.
Upon receiving it, Baek Sugyeong said:
"Lady Namgung. Let me check your hand later."
"No need, Teacher. Please don't worry."
"If you get hurt because of me, I'd die from guilt."
With that brief statement silencing her, Baek Sugyeong turned to Baekri Sa.
Holding up the letter Baekri Sa had thrown, he said:
"Do you realize something terrible could have happened if I hadn't received this?"
"Of course."
"Then you shouldn't object if I tear it up right here."
"Are you rejecting our organization's proposal?"
Baek Sugyeong smirked.
"After nearly being kidnapped by assassins in Xuchang, I made a decision. Do you know what it was?"
"What?"
"Rather than being a fool who takes martial artists at their word, I'd rather live like a bamboo stalk—standing tall until I break."
Riiiiip!
Just like that, Gal Yeom's letter was torn to pieces.
Flutter, flutter.
The torn fragments floated through the air like paper cranes.
From among them, Baek Sugyeong gave Baekri Sa a cold look.
"There's a limit to treating people like water. I have no reason to play along with your schemes to test me. Leave."
"You'll regret this."
"How amusing."
Baek Sugyeong's eyes were cold, as if he had already seen through their intentions.
"The Myeongwang Society is the one in a hurry, not me. Do you really want to push further?"
There was nothing to say.
Baekri Sa was convinced that Baek Sugyeong was more than he had initially thought.
If an ordinary scholar could show such nerve, there could only be one reason.
'This man is confident in his abilities.'
Even the hot-tempered Monk Ogong standing behind them wasn't stepping forward. Though Monk Beopneung was restraining him, the fact that the most temperamental of the three senior monks wasn't intervening meant he trusted Baek Sugyeong.
Yet Baekri Sa couldn't sense any energy from him.
This suggested he had reached a level far beyond Baekri Sa's own achievements.
He couldn't gamble against such a master.
He had no choice but to back down.
"I will arrange a separate occasion to apologize for today's rudeness."
—Master Baekri! Are you really going to retreat like this?!
Baekri Sa deliberately ignored the mental message from Yanoe's informant.
This wasn't the Myeongwang Society's territory. There was nothing to gain by stubbornly persisting.
"We'll withdraw. I hope to see you again with a more pleasant expression next time, Teacher Sugyeong."
"Take care."
Baek Sugyeong left only that brief remark before turning away.
As soon as Baekri Sa and the Myeongwang Society group quickly retreated and disappeared from sight, Baek Sugyeong forcefully tensed his legs to prevent them from giving out.
The bluff he had put on, based on Monk Ogong's misunderstanding about him, seemed to have worked, but it wasn't a good thing.
If it became known that he was just a powerless scholar, everything would fall apart.
He could only hope that wouldn't happen.
"Teacher."
"Let's explore Shaolin a bit more, then head to Luoyang. We should visit the Dragon Gate Escort Agency and meet with the Agency Master."
"Yes."
"Then I'll excuse myself first."
"Y-yes, of course."
Baek Sugyeong massaged his stiff neck as he passed by Monk Ogong and Monk Beopneung and climbed toward the temple gate.
Watching Baek Sugyeong, Namgung Somin, and Jin Ming disappear, Monk Beopneung said:
"No matter how I think about it, Teacher Sugyeong truly seems to be a peerless master, Martial Uncle."
"I think so too. It would be wonderful if we could receive even one lesson from him."
"Perhaps you could use a sword discussion as an excuse to draw him out..."
Monk Ogong shook his head at Monk Beopneung's suggestion.
"Let's not involve the teacher in our stubbornness. He said he'll tour Shaolin and then leave for Luoyang, so let him go. If fate wills it, we'll meet again."
"Yes, Martial Uncle!"
...
Muwon's inner struggle had ended.
What followed his long period of wandering was a fervor that could only be described as intense.
The enlightenment that came with the sudden breaking of his mental block led Muwon to the next level, which gave birth to a new mental cultivation method.
The foundation of Shaolin martial arts begins with developing a strong body. This is why they developed qi techniques that protect both inside and outside the body.
However, in Muwon's view, while Shaolin's mental cultivation methods might excel at building a strong physique, there was a disconnect with Shaolin's martial arts, which were based on power and steadfastness.
'As the teacher said, the first step must begin with integrating martial and scholarly aspects.'
Muwon gathered his thoughts.
Just as Baek Sugyeong had said, Muwon was the only one with the status to bridge the divide between the martial monks and scholarly monks.
After all, his first teacher was Monk Musang, who was practically the leader of the guardian monks, and his second teacher was Elder Monk Baek Mi, a respected elder in the scholarly faction.
That's why Muwon had just come to meet Baek Sugyeong again.
"You're trying to create a new mental cultivation method?"
"The guardian monks represent martial aspects. The scholarly faction represents academic aspects. Shaolin's martial lineage has historically developed with the scholarly faction responsible for mental cultivation methods and the guardian monks responsible for martial techniques."
"This is the first I'm hearing of this."
For Baek Sugyeong, this could also be material for his writing. But he didn't bother to take out his book.
There was already plenty to cover regarding Shaolin's current internal strife.
He was gradually forming ideas about Shaolin's story to write after "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey."
Muwon continued:
"Shaolin's mental cultivation methods focus on strengthening the body. If I had to specify, they excel in recovery and endurance."
"Don't most Shaolin martial arts and mental cultivation methods have those characteristics?"
"Yes. However, as the scholarly faction took charge of developing the mental cultivation methods, they evolved to merely focus on keeping the body healthy rather than supporting Shaolin's powerful martial arts. That's the problem."
A slight crease appeared on Baek Sugyeong's forehead.
"Why would such a thing..."
"Amitabha. As I mentioned before, the animosity between the guardian monks and the scholarly faction runs deep. This resulted from the scholarly faction's resistance, calling the others muscle-heads who only knew martial arts."
Baek Sugyeong let out a slight groan at Muwon's answer.
What crazy monks.
No matter how much they envied and disliked each other, to distort the nature of mental cultivation methods—the foundation and basis of martial arts that builds the most important groundwork?
Baek Sugyeong held his forehead.
"Why would they do such a thing..."
"Of course, the guardian monks weren't fools, so they created their own mental cultivation methods to practice separately. But they weren't of good quality."
"So that's why you want to create a new mental cultivation method."
"It's also a pretext to end the conflict between the guardian monks and the scholarly faction."
Muwon put his palms together and bowed his head.
"That's why I'd like you to help me with this, Teacher."