Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 81 - Intertwined Branches (1)

Chapter 81 – Intertwined Branches (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“…Hmm.”

“…Ahem.”

“…Slurp.”

It was a strange situation. With the bundles giving off a good smell placed in the center and people gathered around them, it looked almost like they were holding a rite.

Naturally, since it was enough food to feed several dozen people for a month, there was no way the quantity could be small. That was why the bizarre scene had come to pass where meat and other foods sat boldly in the center of Wudang’s great training ground.

It was only natural that the disciples had gathered at the smell of food they had not scented in a long time, and Cheong-ui did not stop them.

“You prepared quite a lot.”

“Yes.”

Only Cheong-ui and I stood beside the food. Cheong-ui undid the sacks and opened each jar once. He was checking what was inside.

“Did you perhaps not know that eating meat was forbidden within the Wudang Sect?”

“No.”

I truly hadn’t known that. No wonder the lay disciples had been secretly chewing jerky when they gathered last time.

But even if I had known, I wouldn’t have brought only vegetables.

Right now, the people of Wudang, especially the younger disciples who had long been unable to eat anything worthy of being called food, needed meat to restore their vitality.

“You really do not think you did anything wrong.”

“If it’s necessary.”

“Even if it is something that goes against the rules?”

“If the rules are wrong, I think they should be changed quickly.”

At my words, the disciples stirred. That was because I had openly denied Wudang’s tradition itself. Their reaction was that I had dared say such a thing before the Sect Leader. Naturally, several elders including Cheong-yu frothed at the mouth.

“L-look at that irreverent brat!”

I could dimly understand them. Merchants breathed with the times. They had to quickly sense what the times wanted, and so even things like rules had to be changed to suit the times.

But the Wudang Sect controlled its disciples through its rules, and they themselves had been raised that way. So they could not help but be sensitive about the rules.

“Sect Leader. That boy has insulted the patriarchs just now!”

Cheong-yu immediately protested to the Sect Leader. Cheong-ui did not even answer and instead looked around at the gathered elders and disciples.

Naturally, the young disciples were distracted by the food, while the elders looked displeased. Several elders even scolded their own disciples for being distracted by the food.

“Sect Leader. Think about it. Ever since that boy came, there hasn’t been a single quiet day in Wudang. If you trace it back, isn’t this formal match happening because of that boy as well? He is a blight on Wudang.”

Cheong-yu used an extremely fierce tone, even spraying spit as he spoke. Cheong-ui did not stop him either. Judging only from Cheong-ui’s expression, it was not easy to guess what he was thinking.

“Disciples, listen as well. If you are bewitched by food like this, then your training too is lacking. How can you cast aside so vainly the rules we have struggled so hard to preserve until now.”

At Cheong-yu’s words, the disciples also began to waver. Certainly his words were persuasive, and several disciples responded.

“That’s right, Immortal!”

The great training ground was chaotic beyond measure. The disciples were split between those still distracted by the food and those who valued the rules and looked upon the food as if it were stone.

“Sect Leader. Ever since that boy came, everything has become a mess. First you revived that absurd system called the registered lay disciple, then there was the fight with the Zhuge Clan, and now he is even disrupting the rules and sowing conflict among the disciples. Even so, do you still intend to let him be?”

“Senior Brother Cheong-yu’s words are harsh, but they are not largely wrong. Ever since that child entered, the Wudang Sect has been shaken. Wudang must keep its center.”

Several elders who had been mild until now also sympathized with Cheong-yu’s words. They were people who had not particularly shown hostility toward me until now, but it seemed they had still felt uneasy.

“Hold on. It would be troublesome if you used this chance to drive all the blame onto my disciple. That brat too is a child Wudang has embraced. Since when has Wudang been a place that tries to place the burden Wudang must bear onto a single child.”

Once the people trying to cast me out increased, the one who stepped forward to stop them was, as expected, my master. At Cheong-hwa’s words, several disciples nodded as well.

“Senior Brother. How can it be Hui-yeong’s fault that the Zhuge Clan picked at him and started a fight. Isn’t that slander that makes no sense.”

“That is not all we are talking about, is it. It is a known fact that Wudang has been shaken ever since that child came.”

“How can a tree live without being struck by wind even once. Is Wudang a place with roots so shallow that it must fear for its survival because it shakes a little?”

“If a single loach is muddying the river, then all we need do is scoop out the loach.”

“Are you calling my disciple a loach?”

“If that is how it sounded, then so be it.”

The voices of Cheong-yu and Cheong-hwa rose as well. Once the martial uncles raised their voices and argued, the disciples began watching their expressions.

“That is enough. You shame yourselves before the disciples.”

Even Cheong-ui, who had been silent until now, stepped in to stop this. Once Cheong-ui spoke, both Cheong-hwa and Cheong-yu shut their mouths.

“Hui-yeong, do you have anything to say.”

Cheong-ui turned his head toward me. I cleared my throat. The reason I had been watching until now was because I first wanted to examine public opinion.

I wanted to see how many people there were who could sympathize with me. Depending on that, my attitude would have to change.

And with that, my attitude had been decided.

“I want to change Wudang.”

“…!”

At my declaration, shocking at first glance, everyone stirred. They had not expected me to come out this strongly from the beginning.

Cheong-yu immediately frothed and glared at me.

“Such arrogant words! From nothing more than a lay disciple of the third-generation rank!”

“That’s why I said I want to change it, didn’t I. If I were the Sect Leader, I would have changed it long ago.”

As my tone turned brusque, even killing intent entered Cheong-yu’s eyes. There was no reason for me to bow my head while hearing myself called nothing more than a lay disciple.

“I am not ignoring Wudang’s rules. To be honest, I have no reason to ignore them either. As Immortal Cheong-yu said, I really am a lay disciple. Wudang’s rules are not even applied that strictly to me.”

“Exactly. Since it has nothing to do with you, why do you keep sticking your nose in.”

“Exactly. Why do I, I wonder.”

“…?”

When I admitted it so easily, Cheong-yu was briefly left speechless. This really was how I felt.

I myself do not know why I am doing this. Spending my own money and getting cursed for it, trying to change rules that do not even apply to me that heavily. These truly are matters unrelated to me.

But…

Before speaking, I looked around me. Senior Brothers Myeong-gyeong and Myeong-seong, watching with anxious expressions as if worried what kind of trouble I would cause this time. The disciples who had formed ties with me this time and were participating in the formal match together. And beyond them, the disciples I had exchanged greetings with in passing.

They were catching in my eyes. Truly, they were motes of dust that had entered my eye. If you rubbed to remove them, they only went in deeper.

At this point, I had no choice but to admit it. I wondered whether I really had to say something like this, but there was no help for it.

“The elders and disciples here may think this is an overreaching thing to say, but Wudang has entered my heart too. I have come to understand Wudang. That is why I am doing this.”

In the end I let the words out as though exhaling a breath I had been holding back. My head went blank as if I were confessing to someone I liked, and words just started pouring out.

“It is not simply because you taught me martial arts. The Wudang Sect has affected my life. For the first time, I thought that perhaps it was all right to value something other than money in life. It may sound a bit strange to say this, but that is truly an astonishing thing. To make someone once called a money bug hold thoughts like these.”

“Ha ha ha.”

Myeong-gyeong laughed without thinking, then shrank back under the gazes people gave him. Seeing that, I smiled.

“Master knows this, but I originally intended to leave the Wudang Sect. I simply wanted to become a merchant. My life was contained in the profession called merchant. I still think that way. But after realizing that I could also pour my life into martial arts, my heart changed somewhat.”

My gaze passed over Myeong-gyeong and Cheong-hwa and at last reached even Cheong-yu.

“That is probably why I am doing this. Since Wudang changed me too, I wanted to change Wudang as well.”

“That itself is arrogance. The very thought of changing rules that have stood for several hundred years!”

Cheong-yu interrupted me and barked. Before I could say anything more, he continued rapidly.

“You say you have taken Wudang into your heart? That you have come to understand it? That expression too is arrogant beyond measure. Even I, who have devoted my entire life to Wudang, would not dare say such words lightly. What do you know of Wudang to speak so?”

This time, even the others seemed to sympathize with Cheong-yu and nodded. I knew my words that I had come to understand Wudang and taken it into my heart could sound like that.

Of course, I still had many words prepared. When it came to persuading others and leading a crowd, I would be better at it than Cheong-yu. But words too only bloomed atop a foundation of trust.

If they did not trust me, then no matter how smoothly I polished my words, it would be meaningless. In the end, I had to take responsibility for my words and prove them before moving on.

And there was only one way to prove this.

I drew my sword. At my sudden drawing of the blade, everyone’s eyes widened.

“Those who think I am speaking empty words, watch my sword and go. I can think of no proof other than this for the words that I have come to understand Wudang.”

The light in people’s eyes split in half.

Half looked dumbfounded, and half shone brightly.

Those looking dumbfounded were thinking how could nothing more than a third-generation lay disciple hold Wudang in his sword, and those with shining eyes were curious whether I had really taken Wudang into myself.

“That is quite a good method. Yes. If you wish to persuade a martial artist, it should be with the sword. At last, you do something I like.”

Cheong-yu stepped forward one step at a time. As he walked out, he moistened his lips with his tongue, looking like a snake before prey.

“Then can you show me Wudang.”

“Of course I have to. After talking this far.”

I glanced at Cheong-hwa. His face showed that he was greatly debating whether to intervene or not.

But it seemed Cheong-hwa too wanted to see the proof of my words.

Yes, this was the world of martial artists. When a martial artist sought to prove something by martial means, no one touched him.

“I shall use only ten moves. Within that time, you must show me the Wudang within you.”

Cheong-yu slowly drew his sword. Cheong-ui too silently stepped aside.

This was not a situation where I could receive anyone’s help. I needed no one’s guarantee to prove myself. Rather, that would have been an insult.

For the first time, I was trying to justify myself with the sword. After always using money as the means to prove myself, I was now using the sword. The feeling was very strange.

As if I had truly become a martial artist.

“Let us begin.”

I gripped my sword tightly with both hands. An enormous pressure burst from Cheong-yu’s body.