Chapter 139 Shaolin (1)

Chapter 139 Shaolin (1)

The next morning.

“Then I shall be going now.”

Gu Yang Jie respectfully clasped his hands together before Bai Dan Xian.

Seeing this, Qing Huo Yuan, the head of the Plum Blossom Clinic, stroked his chin.

“Don’t get hurt this time. Take care of yourself.”

Song Mu and Guo Yunpei also offered similar words of caution.

To someone unaware of their positions, it might have seemed like a heartwarming scene.

But this was highly unusual.

‘The Sect Leader and the three Elders coming out to see me off…’

How worried must they have been to drop everything and come?

Gu Yangjie sensed familial affection from them, yet also felt a tinge of disappointment, wondering if they lacked confidence in him.

After all, this was no ordinary matter.

Unlike before, this was an official invitation from the grand master of Shaolin Temple.

They had entrusted Gu Yangjie with this task, though they should have accompanied him themselves, due to various circumstances.

How could they not feel uneasy?

Gu Yangji noticed the worry in Bai Danxian’s eyes and offered a cheerful smile.

“This time, it should be fine if I cause a bit of trouble at Shaolin, right?”

At those words, Bai Danxian let out a hearty laugh.

“Are you planning to work me to death? Don’t even joke about such things.”

As he spoke, Bai Danxian’s gaze shifted to Song Mu beside him.

“Elder Song, what do you think about Jie causing trouble?”

“If he causes trouble, I’ll give him a good scolding, heh heh.”

Song Mu’s meaningful smile made Gu Yangjie’s head feel cold.

If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t matter, but once Song Mu made up his mind, who knew what punishment he’d dish out.

Usually infinitely gentle and soft-spoken, but when cold, he could become colder than ice.

That was the Song Muk Gu Yang-jeok knew.

‘You must be joking, right?’

Just as Gu Yang-jeok wore a tense expression,

a whistling sound came from somewhere.

“Whee, wheee…”

“…?”

Yoo Jang-myeong was the first to turn his head at the sudden sound.

He recognized it instantly because it was a whistle he’d heard countless times before.

“You brat, Moo-rang! What are you doing in the presence of the Sect Leader?!”

“…Whoosh! My apologies, Master.”

Yeon Moo-rang chuckled and bowed his head.

Seeing that, Gu Yangjeok felt like he could see right through that brat.

‘Brother Yu must be feeling quite at ease, knowing he’ll be gone for a long time.’

While there was a touch of pity for how much Yu Jangmyeong must have put him through, that lack of regard for the place was truly remarkable.

Of course, in a bad way.

No sooner had Gu Yangjeok’s expression darkened than Yu Jangmyeong turned to look at Gwak Unpae.

“Elder Gwak, could you take care of Mulan while I’m away?”

“Hmm? That’s fine enough, but I’ve never taught this kid before?”

“Just basic training would be fine. If need be, just focus on his external skills.”

Perhaps sensing the emphasis in Yu Jang-myeong’s latter words.

Gwak Un-pae shot a look that said, Look at this kid, at Yeonmu-rang.

“Haha, well now. Never in my life did I think Jang-myeong would care so much about a disciple.”

Gwak Un-pae was human too; he’d heard the rumors.

Yu Jang-myeong had suddenly taken on a disciple to teach, and that kid’s temperament was anything but ordinary.

Gwak Un-pae’s eyes rounded.

“What is your specialty?”

“Guo, fists.”

“Fists, huh? Since it’s not my specialty, teaching you properly will be difficult.”

Gwak Un-pae feigned a voice full of regret.

He even shook his head with a sorrowful expression, as if truly helpless.

“You said Mulan?”

Feeling uneasy, Yeon Mulang’s voice trembled.

“……Yes.”

“While Jangmyeong is away, I’ll look after you. So, always wait at the Guest Hall.”

“Huh! Ah, understood, Elder Gwak.”

Yeon Moo-rang, who had been whistling with a carefree smile just moments ago, was now completely cowering.

Goo Yang-jeok watched this and felt genuinely amused.

‘Bringing him here was truly the right decision.’

He had sensed it upon first meeting him: if he hadn’t been brought here, this guy would surely have ended up grinning at some master somewhere before suddenly dying.

Put another way, he was a martial artist born with a nature that refused to submit to the strong first, instead burning with fighting spirit.

How well that balance was calibrated.

That would determine how much fame the martial artist Yeon Moo-rang, the peerless master of the Huashan Sect, would achieve in the future.

Soon, Yoo Jang-myeong, heavily laden with his bundle, bowed his head.

“Then I shall truly depart now.”

“Take care of yourself on your journey.”

Baek Dan-hyeon stood rooted to the spot for a long time, watching until the two shadows vanished from Huashan.

* * *

Gyu Yang-jeok, descending from Huashan, gazed briefly toward the direction of Mi-hyeon where Man Tong-ja would be.

He was a close friend with whom he had promised to meet again.

But this time, it was impossible.

Not only could he not travel with a sorcerer like Mantongzhe to Shaolin Temple, but he also needed to arrive as quickly as possible.

So the reunion would have to wait.

Gu Yangjie deliberately turned his head away from the direction of Mihyeon.

“Let’s hurry, Senior Brother.”

“Right.”

Yoo Jang-myeong gazed blankly at the spot Gu Yangjie had been looking at before continuing.

“I’ll leave this journey’s route to you again.”

“You can trust me completely.”

At those words, the brothers exchanged glances and chuckled softly.

Soon, they arrived at their destination: Chang’an, specifically the Golden Ring Trading Company, which had grown into a massive enterprise.

But this time, Bai Qian was already waiting outside.

“You’ve arrived, Great Hero Yu.”

“Champion? That’s too kind. Master Baek possesses the true bearing of a great merchant.”

While Yu Jang-myeong and Baek Cheon exchanged compliments, Gu Yang-jeok inwardly predicted that Geumhwan Trading Company had grown even further.

‘It seems someone heard we passed through the East Gate… He’s not the type to waste the company’s resources, so he must have connected with the officials. ’

While Gu Yangjeok had certainly provided significant assistance in several areas, what had been achieved up to this point was entirely Baek Cheon’s doing.

Gu Yangjeok sighed deeply as he looked at Baek Cheon, whose hair had begun to turn white.

“Please refrain from overworking yourself, Baek Sanghoe-ju.”

“What else can one do when forced into old age? My body will wither anyway. If I can accomplish just one thing before fading away, I’ll have no regrets.”

Baek Cheon smiled gently and ushered Gu Yangjeok and Yu Jangmyeong inside.

Unlike its former shabbiness, the office was now brightly decorated.

This confirmed Gu Yangjeok’s suspicion.

That he hadn’t invested in appearances to curry favor with officials who valued outward show.

Baek Cheon, who never wasted money, wouldn’t have decorated his office for no reason.

Lost in that thought, a clear sound snapped Gu Yangjeok back to awareness.

Kaang…!

“It’s called flower tea, recently popularized and widely distributed, led by Hogwang.”

“…Ah, indeed, the fragrance is lovely.”

As warm as Baekcheon’s visible smile, the gentle scent wafting from the flowers tickled their noses on the breeze.

Yoo Jang-myeong, who had always enjoyed tea even on Hwasa Mountain, also expressed deep admiration.

“With spring approaching, my throat had been feeling a bit dry lately, but this feels wonderfully refreshing.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

Watching Gu Yangjeok and Yu Jangmyeong enjoy the flower tea, Baekcheon suddenly remembered something and retrieved a sword from the vault.

Only then did Gu Yangjeok cease savoring the fragrance.

The Dragon’s Tooth Sword.

Forged from the fangs of a black dragon, it was a legendary blade impossible to replicate in this era, a demon sword possessing a spirit second only to the True Spirit Sword.

‘Originally, I intended to give it to you after your condition stabilized…’

Who could predict what might happen at Shaolin Temple?

Fortunately, Yu Zhangming’s cultivation had surpassed all expectations.

His character was just and righteous; he wouldn’t be swayed by the sword’s demonic aura. Baek Cheon judged it safe to hand it over now.

Did Yu Zhangming sense this was no ordinary sword?

“Wh-what is this?”

“It belongs to you, Senior Brother.”

At those words, Yu Zhangming turned to look at Gu Yangjie.

But there was neither the admiration a swordsman might feel, nor any gratitude.

“I don’t understand why I should have this.”

As if devoid of any desire, Yoo Jang-myeong firmly refused, even with the peerless sword before him.

“Though my eye for swords may be dim, I’m not so blind as to fail to recognize something of this caliber. Surely this is a sword with a history?”

“……”

He had expected it, but his senior brother really was stubborn.

Gu Yangji couldn’t decide whether to laugh or frown at this sight.

‘Senior Brother really is always the same.’

If it were him, he would have grabbed it without a moment’s hesitation.

Even if it weren’t Gu Yangji, the Dragon Roar Sword was an item coveted by anyone who knew its worth.

And yet, that was his attitude.

Gu Yangjie shrugged his shoulders.

“Have I ever done anything wrong to you, Senior Brother? Or caused you any trouble?”

“……”

“Just as you trust me, I trust you too.”

If he’d had the time, he could have explained each point individually, but there was no time for that.

Therefore, Gu Yangjie threw his trust at Yu Zhangming.

He attempted to cover the need for explanation with the trust built through their time together.

He might seem suspicious, but… it didn’t matter.

He never intended to be a righteous savior for everyone.

He only needed to protect the Huashan Sect and the person he held in his heart.

“…Is that so.”

Yu Zhangming gave a bitter smile.

“I trust you’ll tell me someday.”

“…I will, Brother.”

Gu Yangjie immediately fastened the Dragon Tower Sword tightly to Yu Zhangming’s waist.

Then, looking at Bai Tian, he made a reluctant request.

“May I ask for an identity and nameplate to disguise myself?”

“……!”

Bai Qian’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t anticipated this request at all.

Not only that, but Yu Zhangming also wore a displeased expression.

“Why must you do this?”

It wasn’t something he couldn’t understand.

Abandoning his identity as a Taoist of the Huashan Sect and moving under another’s guise couldn’t possibly look good to Yu Zhangming.

But there was a compelling reason for it.

“Because martial artists cannot ride horses. Even the Wudang, protected by the Ming court, are forbidden from doing so, are they not?”

“Is there such a need to rush?”

“Then I shall ask you the opposite.”

Gu Yangji murmured the topic he had also brought up in his conversation with Baek Dan-hyeon.

“Why would the Shaolin Temple, the North Star of the martial world, and specifically the former Guardian Monk, Master Wuxing, summon a disciple for a friendly sparring match?”

“Well, it’s not unheard of for Buddhists and Taoists to exchange courtesies occasionally.”

Isn’t that being overly sensitive?

When Yu Zhangming let that remark slip, Gu Yangji shook his head firmly.

“If that were the case, they would have invited the Sect Leader or an Elder. Why specifically invite you?”

Above all, there was no mention of inviting multiple late-stage cultivators.

Only Yu Zhangming.

To Gu Yangji, it was a phrase he couldn’t comprehend at all.

“You may trust in the principles and righteousness of the martial world, but I do not.”

Gu Yangjie clenched his right hand tightly, his eyes flashing sharply.

“Unless I understand why Shaolin invited you and how this friendly sparring will proceed, I won’t comply.”

“……”

At those words, Yu Zhangming stared silently at Gu Yangjie.

Just then, the sound of a door opening was followed by a smug voice.

“Well now, did I come at the wrong time?”

Burp.

The newly arrived uninvited guest belched loudly, then sat down without a care.

Soon, he even lay down casually.

“Plum Blossom Cloud Dragon, I’ve heard the rumors, but your mind is far too clear-headed, heh heh. That’s why you’re bound to die by the sword!”

“Who are you?”

Yu Zhangming’s face stiffened. The intruder straightened his back and grinned.

“We’ve only passed each other before. This is the first time we’ve sat face-to-face and exchanged greetings. Pleased to meet you. I’m Tie Fenggai of the Open Sect.”