Chapter 170
Chapter 170
I wondered what was going on, but if Jin-sung was angry, it must be something serious. Feeling awkward, I opened the door and stepped into the room.
The room, cleaned without a speck of dust, had all the furniture neatly arranged at right angles, and it smelled nice.
On the table, a purple clay teapot and tea set were prepared, and even at a glance, they looked like high-end items that Grandfather would use.
I cautiously opened the tea container to smell the aroma, and my eyes widened as I checked the tea leaves.
Is that Phoenix Dancong? They're serving such expensive tea for guests?
To casually offer tea that costs over a hundred silver coins per half-kilogram, Wudang's finances must be more abundant than I imagined.
Admiringly, I closed the tea container and turned my head, noticing a vase placed beside the bed.
In the vase, a plum blossom branch with small flower buds was inserted. It seemed the Taoists also enjoyed the approaching spring scenery.
Flowers in a Taoist temple, how fascinating.
Smiling, I slowly approached the bed. I couldn't even remember the last time I had looked at flowers with a relaxed heart.
Next spring, I want to drink tea with Grandfather while enjoying the flower viewing. That would be nice.
While waiting for Jin-sung, I thought about having a cup of tea and looked for a brazier, but I sensed someone lingering in front of the guest quarters, making a noise.
It's not Jin-sung. Who is it?
"Would you like to come in?"
As I shouted towards the outside, he strode into the guest quarters as if he had been waiting.
Racking my brain at the familiar face, I realized he was one of the Three Great Disciples who had confronted me before.
The Swordmaster who had been directly hit by the Poison bomb I threw when escaping from the Central Plains battlefield.
He must have suffered a lot from the Poison, so I was worried if he held any grudges against me.
What was his name again? Song... Song something?
Contrary to my worries, he smiled brightly and greeted me with a fist and palm salute.
"Greetings, Dang Sojeo. I am Songhwa, one of the Wudang's Three Great Disciples. I am pleased to see you again like this."
"Yes, hello. Songhwa Dojang."
"Do you like the guest quarters?"
"Of course. The guest quarters are very nice. Thank you for letting me stay."
"Oh, no. I am grateful that you accepted the invitation. To be honest, I didn't think you would come."
Songhwa waved his hand and added in a whisper.
"As Sojeo may know, our Martial Uncle is a bit... prone to causing misunderstandings, isn't he? So I thought you would refuse."
"Pardon? Ahahaha, are you talking bad about Jin-sung Dojang right now?"
"Talking bad? Heavens, no. I am only stating the facts? When I first met Martial Uncle, I thought, 'What kind of wooden block of a bird, no, person is that?' But after spending time with him, I realized that wasn't the case."
"Sounds like you're talking bad about him?"
"Please listen to me, Sojeo. I entered the sect when I was eighteen, and Martial Uncle was fourteen at the time. And what Martial Uncle did to us to establish discipline was..."
"Dojang, please sit down and talk. Sit down."
Reassured by the friendly voice, I smiled back and sat Songhwa down on a chair. Fortunately, he didn't seem to hold any grudges against me.
As if trying to ease my tension, Songhwa chattered on about the time he first met Jin-sung, but then, belatedly realizing something, he looked anxious and pleaded.
"Please keep it a secret from Martial Uncle. Anyway, he's not a bad person, just clumsy in dealing with people."
"I know. Jin-sung Dojang is a good person."
Songhwa's face brightened at my answer.
With a look of accomplishment, he jumped up from his seat and held up the vase with the plum blossom branch.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
"Yes. It's beautiful."
Nodding, he made a serious expression and lowered his voice.
"Dang Sojeo, in fact, this plum blossom has an old legend."
"A legend?"
"Yes. This plum blossom is a precious one that the Taoist deity Jinmu the Great personally planted."
Is it okay to just break off such a plum blossom and stick it in a vase?
I was taken aback, but I didn't want to nitpick. I stared at him as if to tell him to say more.
"Long ago, Jinmu the Great was sitting under a betel palm tree, taking a short break. The plum blossoms in full bloom across from him were so beautiful that he couldn't help but reach out to the flowers. So he broke off a branch!"
"Broke off a branch?"
"Alas. The fully bloomed petals scattered in all directions! At that moment, Jinmu the Great realized that if you try to forcefully take anything in the world, its beauty will fade."
"I see."
"So he stuck the branch he was holding into the betel palm tree and entered into cultivation. He said that if he attained enlightenment, flowers would bloom on this broken branch, and if he didn't, it would wither and die. As he said, the moment the Great Deity attained enlightenment, flowers bloomed on the withered branch and fruits were borne! A broken branch came back to life and bore fruit, isn't that amazing?"
Didn't he just succeed in grafting? He created a new fruit variety.
It didn't seem like a great story to become a legend, but perhaps because Songhwa's storytelling skills were good, it was quite entertaining.
"That's an interesting story. Does that tree still remain?"
"Of course. In the fall, it bears luscious crimson fruits. It's called Nangmae. Dang Sojeo, do you have any plans to stay until the fall? It's a fruit that only grows on Wudang Mountain, so I hope Sojeo will definitely try it."
"Haha, I'd like to try it if I have the chance."
"How about Sojeo planting a plum blossom branch on the betel palm tree this time? You never know. The branch that Sojeo planted might survive and bear fruit."
"Is that okay?"
"Of course. It's in the inner courtyard, so let's go together when Jin-sung Martial Uncle comes."
I wasn't very interested in the tree itself, but the offer to let me into the inner courtyard was tempting. Chuckling, I rested my chin on my hand and asked.
"Songhwa Dojang. Did you perhaps work as a storyteller before entering the sect?"
"Pardon? Euhahaha, no. I was just the son of an insignificant village school teacher. I'm glad you see my mediocre storytelling skills in a good light."
"You're a natural storyteller."
"I hear that often. Martial Uncle hates it because he says I'm too loud."
Scratching his head, Songhwa glanced outside.
"But Martial Uncle is a bit late... Are you not bored? Shall I bring you some refreshments?"
"I would appreciate that."
"Please wait a moment. I will be right back."
With a friendly smile at my answer, Songhwa got up and left.
\ \ *
A long time later, Songhwa returned with two large trays in his hands.
He had piled up so many refreshments that it was enough for me to eat for a week alone.
"Do, Dojang? Isn't there too much refreshments?"
"I didn't know what you would like, so I prepared all kinds... Was it a bit too much?"
"Ahahaha, I appreciate Dojang's kindness. Then I'll just eat a little."
Forcing a smile, I reached out for the refreshments, but at that moment, I heard someone whispering over the fence.
"See, I told you the young lady likes sweets, right? I didn't choose anything pickled in honey."
"Ugh. I thought she would like something refreshing."
"She's at an age where she doesn't know the taste of tea yet. You have to have refreshments that don't ruin the taste of tea, like rice cakes."
"Rice cakes only make you thirsty, what else? Don't show your age."
...I don't want to eat it.
I withdrew my hand and mumbled.
"But it's a bit awkward to eat alone. I'll eat with Jin-sung Dojang when he returns. Thank you, Songhwa Dojang."
At my polite refusal, the whispering voices gradually faded.
"Oh dear, did she hear us?"
"Looks like she did? Songhwa didn't even notice us, but that young lady is better than those Songjae bastards."
"Oops, Jin-sung is coming. Let's go quickly, Senior Brother."
"Yes. Then I'll cover the refreshments so they don't dry out."
While Songhwa, with a bright answer, covered the tray of refreshments with a cotton cloth, Jin-sung, who had changed his clothes, entered the guest quarters.
His hair was a little wet, as if he had just washed up. It was the first time I had seen Jin-sung without his Taoist headwear, so I looked at him with curious eyes.
He looks much better with his hair down.
"Did you resolve the urgent matter well?"
"Yes. I apologize for making you wait so long."
"No, it's okay. Songhwa Dojang told me many interesting stories."
Then Jin-sung looked at Songhwa with cold eyes. Startled, Songhwa waved his hands, sweating profusely.
"Oh, I'm different from Senior Brother. Martial Uncle. I told her the story of Nangmae, okay?"
"...Nangmae, you say?"
"Dang Sojeo also wants to try planting a plum blossom branch on the betel palm tree. Please take her to the inner courtyard sometime."
After pondering for a moment at Songhwa's suggestion, Jin-sung slowly nodded.
"That would be good too. But I think it's more important to show you the structure of the outer courtyard first."
I quickly chimed in.
"Dojang. Can I perhaps use the training grounds too? The backyard of the guest quarters is a bit too small to throw Hidden Weapons."
"Of course. There is a training ground for guests in the outer courtyard. Would you like to go right away?"
"Yes. Sounds good."
Answering quickly, I followed Jin-sung eagerly.
The training ground for guests was not far from the guest quarters.
A chuckle escaped my lips at the training ground paved with flawless blue-green stone.
It was such a clean space that I forgot the sorrows of the days I had rolled around in the dirt, rolled around in the forest, and rolled around in the grass.
"You can use this side of the training ground. You are the only Martial Artist among the guests staying in the outer courtyard right now, so you can use it comfortably."
"Sounds good. Thank you, Dojang."
Wow, it's been so long since I've used such a luxurious training ground. Even if I slam Hidden Weapons into it, it won't leave a single scratch.
I asked Jin-sung with an excited voice.
"Can I use it now?"
"Would you like to? Then I will return in an hour."
"Hey, it's a rare opportunity, please join me. I haven't had a sparring partner lately, so my body feels stiff."
As I grabbed Jin-sung, who was trying to leave, he blinked with a strange expression and slowly opened his mouth.
"I understand. Then I will bring a wooden sword."
"Pardon? What do you think of me, Dojang?"
A wooden sword. That's too much.
Frowning at the clear underestimation, Jin-sung hesitated and rolled his eyes.
"But Sojeo might get hurt..."
"No. Take out a real sword. I won't be as easy as before. I haven't just been playing around either."
I bared my fangs and put my hand into my sleeve.
"Let's have a match, Jin-sung Dojang."
