Chapter 88 – What’s Wrong with These Taoists These Days

Chapter 88 – What's Wrong with These Taoists These Days?

“I think there is some misunderstanding…”

“A misunderstanding? You were trying to help that little young master. How delightful it is to meet someone with a sense of chivalry in times like these. I shall lend you a hand!”

“………”

Lend what hand.

While San-ho was choosing his words for a moment, the female warrior, who opened her eyes wide, saluted with cupped fists and greeted him first.

“Ah, my introduction is late. This poor Taoist is called Baek-rin, a disciple of Mount Hua.”

“I am called San-ho. Since it is my first venture into the Jianghu, I do not have a moniker yet.”

A moniker… Speaking of which, something did cross his mind, but San-ho spoke as he tried hard to erase those two characters from his head.

“San-ho? Oh my, you have the same name as someone I know. That makes me even more glad!”

It was at that moment.

The martial artist who had fallen to the ground got up while holding his head. Seeing his expression distorted like a fierce deity, it seemed that letting it pass quietly had eventually become impossible.

Sighing deeply, San-ho turned his body to deal with him. Since it could not be undone, wouldn't it be better to clean things up as quickly as possible and run?

“Young master, please wait a moment.”

“……?”

Suddenly, Baek-rin, whose eyes sparkled, grabbed San-ho and then sprang forward like a coil.

For her, who was none other than a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, to deal with a martial artist of a small sect who had failed the preliminaries, it did not take long.

“Ugh!”

“Shh! You must not scream!”

She skillfully struck only the vital points covered by his clothes, and in the end, she even told him not to make a sound.

‘What is this?’

Baek-rin easily subdued him without allowing a single attack.

Watching her lay the martial artist back onto the ground with a clean strike to the back of his neck at the end, San-ho could not hide his astonishment.

‘If it is the Mount Hua Sect, they are Taoists, right?’

………What is up with all these Taoists these days?

Shouldn't their qualifications be re-examined?

He blinked at the situation that ended in an instant, but only for a moment. San-ho immediately returned to reality and approached the small martial artist who had been kicked earlier.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah… Yes, thank you…”

“I did not intend for things to go this way… I am worried that you might end up in a worse situation instead.”

“He has a hot temper, but he is not that bad of a person, so please do not worry too much. Thank you for stopping him.”

The small martial artist said as he patted off the dirt and dust on his clothes. In the meantime, Baek-rin was dragging the martial artist face down on the ground and sitting him against the base of a tree.

“If so, that is a relief. Well then, I shall take my leave.”

Since the commotion was roughly cleared up, should he go now?

It was just when San-ho, having made up his mind, was about to leave the place.

“What on earth is all this…”

As a familiar voice was heard from behind, San-ho let out a short sigh. A gentle voice like a calm lake. Because he could easily guess the owner of that voice he had heard just a moment ago.

“……”

He should have just run away earlier.

A tremor like ripples forming on a lake was transmitted clearly. When he turned his head, sure enough. Yeo-un, who had stopped in his tracks, was looking at them with surprised eyes.

“Excuse me, monk.”

“………”

Yeo-un kept silent as he examined the surroundings.

The small martial artist with a busted lip, the martial artist who was slowly regaining consciousness at the base of the tree, and even Baek-rin who stood next to him. Finally, Yeo-un, who shifted his gaze to San-ho, slowly opened his mouth.

“All four of you, please come with me.”

“………”

There was a force in his voice that was difficult to resist.

A gentle voice in which neither threats nor conciliation could be felt. In the end, the two martial brothers wearing dark brown martial robes, San-ho, and Baek-rin had no choice but to follow obediently as he led.

***

The place Yeo-un led them to was, unexpectedly, a tea room.

“Since meeting like this is also a form of destiny, I have invited you to share some good tea. Although I am lacking, even the Abbot has praised this humble monk's tea-making skills as profound, so please do not decline.”

“Yes…”

Even if they were dragged to the Discipline Hall, they would have had nothing to say, yet Yeo-un was brewing tea for them himself. How could they refuse that gentle warmth free of rebuke!

As Yeo-un carefully held the tea utensils and began brewing tea, the tea room was filled with a fine tea aroma before they knew it. San-ho's gaze, which was looking around the interior, suddenly stopped at a scroll hanging on the wall.

(The mind rolls along with ten thousand realms)

The mind rolls along with ten thousand shapes,

(The turning point is indeed deep and mysterious.)

And every single place is deep and mysterious.

(Following the flow, if one recognizes their true nature,)

Even while following the flow, if one knows their true nature,

(There will be neither joy nor sorrow.)

There shall be neither joy nor sorrow.

Whether he noticed that gaze, Yeo-un smiled softly.

“It is a famous phrase that I like. Indeed, the mind is truly mysterious, so it is bound to flow according to what it sees. If it looks at the sky, it follows the sky, and if it looks at the water, it follows the water. However, if one's true nature is firmly situated within, it transcends joy and sorrow, which can be called enlightenment.”

“………”

Yeo-un poured the tea with a peaceful face.

“Just like that… even if there was a disappointing result this time, if one does not waver and believes in their own ability, wouldn't they be able to go further?”

With a faint smile, Yeo-un placed a cup of tea in front of each of the four sitting across from him. The gentle yet bitter aroma of the tea tickled the tip of their noses. The one who had kicked the small martial artist, Heo Tae-bo, cast his gaze downward.

“…I am sorry for causing a commotion.”

He realized belatedly the reason why he had brought them here. At his apology, Yeo-un shook his head slightly.

“That is because I was negligent in doing what I had to do, so please do not worry.”

“N-No, not at all… How could that be the monk's fault?”

“The lack of virtue of this humble monk who failed to manage properly caused this. When I think of the discomfort you must have felt due to this matter… I cannot fully express my distress.”

At the melancholy voice of Yeo-un, San-ho felt as if he had to confess even non-existent sins. If even he felt this way, what about Heo Tae-bo, the main culprit of the commotion? He was not just flustered but was sweating cold sweat.

“M-Monk…”

Yeo-un gave them carrots and sticks alternately.

His soft and gentle voice was like a carrot, but that did not mean even its content was gentle. Thus, Heo Tae-bo felt exactly like a donkey being beaten with a carrot.

Why did he feel like he was losing his mind more and more at these peaceful words?

Because his conscience, which he did not even know existed, was pricked, Heo Tae-bo was overwhelmed with self-reproach.

As Yeo-un's sermon exceeded an hour, Heo Tae-bo's fierce eyebrows began to droop down. Finally, when his eyebrows drew the shape of the character eight , a moist voice flowed out.

“Monk, it was all… my fault.”

Heo Tae-bo looked back at his junior brother next to him with a dazed expression.

“I made a big mistake. Even though I knew it was not your fault, I could not control my anger and… Please forgive this foolish senior brother. I will never utter such harsh words again.”

“Senior brother…”

Finally, a comfortable smile formed around Yeo-un's mouth.

Would a living Buddha look like this? San-ho truly could not hide his admiration.

‘Making someone reflect on themselves without raising one's voice even once is a talent if there ever was one.’

Yeo-un made him reflect in a very unique way. It was similar to the logic where if you put a person who is too good in front of you, you feel like trash even if you just spit on the street.

Going beyond reflecting on what had happened just now, Heo Tae-bo, who came to reflect on his very existence, bowed his head with a gloomy expression. The time of reflection, which felt like an eternity, ended just like that.

Around the time the bottom of the teacup was revealed, Yeo-un spoke peacefully.

“Donor San-ho, Donor Baek-rin. Would the two of you remain for a moment?”

***

In the tea room where only the three of them remained, Yeo-un spoke carefully.

“I know that the two donors helped him out of goodness of heart. However, since I could not ask to see only them separately, I brought you all together, so I apologize if I caused you any inconvenience.”

“Ah, it is fine.”

“I enjoyed the good tea, so please do not apologize.”

“Do not worry about the commotion. I will settle it so that no talk will arise.”

“Yes, but…”

At that moment, as if he had something to say, San-ho stepped forward.

“Anyway, it is true that a commotion was caused within the temple grounds, so I shall help Monk Yeo-un with his work.”

“……Yes?”

At the unexpected words, Yeo-un blinked his eyes twice.

“Shouldn't you keep crack down on commotions? Since the sparring matches are not over yet, there might be more incidents like this.”

San-ho's eyes sparkled. A way to walk proudly within the grounds of Shaolin had occurred to him. If he helped for a while for the smooth progress of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, who would stop him? He could not miss the opportunity that walked in on its own feet.

“That is so, but I can do that on my own…”

“Come now, do not refuse. I do not have anything else to do anyway!”

“I am really fine…”

“It is just that my heart is too uncomfortable to simply let it pass.”

“No, donor…?”

For the first time, the expression of Yeo-un, which had been peaceful all along, wavered.

San-ho, who refused Yeo-un's words of dissuasion three times, added confidently.

“I will tell the Clan Leader that I am helping the monk!”

“……Amitabha.”

Yeo-un, the living Buddha of Shaolin, ended up closing his eyes tightly.

***

‘It is completely a free pass.’

As a result, San-ho's prediction was correct.

Even places where access was difficult on his own presented no obstacles when he was with Yeo-un. For some reason, even Baek-rin joined them, and the three of them began to tour the temple grounds step by step.

How much time had passed like that?

‘Are they really too small forces? I thought I could find one or two, but not a single one is in sight.’

San-ho, who was meticulously looking around the Grand Hero Hall, the guest quarters where the small sects stayed, and the training grounds, let out a small sigh.

“They are still sparring. Is it alright to watch?”

“Yes. As long as you do not intervene in the sparring, you are free to watch.”

At the conversation heard at that moment, San-ho, who had been lost in thought, suddenly raised his eyes. The preliminary sparring matches, which he had thought were almost wrapped up, were still in full swing.

“Wow…”

The crowd filling the sparring arena was immense. Even though it was still a preliminary to select the participants, there was such a crowd. San-ho could not hide his surprise and headed inside.

Clang! Clang!

Sharp metallic sounds were echoing across the sparring stage.

Fierce gazes without a single inch of concession were directed at each other.

“How many advance from the preliminary sparring matches?”

“Hmm… I suppose it will be around four to five hundred.”

San-ho fell into thought for a moment at Yeo-un's answer. He had not found any faces seen in his memories yet. If so, did that mean there was a higher probability of facing them in the main tournament? What if they clashed during the sparring match? Thoughts linked to one another and continued.

At that moment, Baek-rin peeked her head out.

“Are you alright, young master?”

“Yes? Ah, I was just thinking for a bit…”

Smiling awkwardly, San-ho suddenly looked at Baek-rin and asked.

“By the way, Daoist Baek-rin, is it alright for you not to go back?”

“Ah, I am waiting to go together with you, young master.”

“Yes? Where to?”

“Didn't you say you are the Young Master of the Tang Clan, young master?”

Baek-rin remembered the information that had slipped out while conversing with Yeo-un in the tea room. However, her face looked somewhat shy.

“……And?”

“Actually, I was on my way to visit the Tang Clan's guest quarters earlier. However, because I lost my way… Ah, that is not what is important. I intend to go to the guest quarters together and pay my respects to Clan Leader Tang.”

Do disciples of the Nine Sects usually seek out a clan leader of a great family to pay respects? Unless they crossed paths by chance, he had never seen a case of deliberately visiting, so San-ho asked back in bewilderment.

“Are you close to the Clan Leader?”

“Ah, it is not that, but…”

With her cheeks slightly flushed, an answer that was indeed completely unexpected flowed from her mouth.

“Because he might be the one who becomes my father-in-law someday.”

“……?”

Who… becomes what?

Seriously, what is wrong with Taoists these days?

His contorted eyebrows represented San-ho's state of mind.

It was a statement so doubtful that he wondered if he had heard correctly.

“………”

At that moment, he suddenly felt a gaze.

When he turned his head, Yeo-un was glancing this way.

With his ears perked up, he seemed to be waiting for Baek-rin's next words.

A Taoist dreaming of marriage, and a monk curious about marriage…

‘Did a very open world come about while I was unaware?’

San-ho's head tilted to the side.