Book 6 Chapter 29

There is nothing

- Murder to silence them, the identity of the old Taoist

It looked and smelled delicious.

A whole roasted deer was on the firewood.

It was sizzling and rotating.

With smoke, an appetizing

A savory smell filled the forest.

By his side, Bilu-yeon, who was waiting for the meat to cook, swallowed.

In an instant, a gleam flashed in Bilu-yeon's eyes. Bilu-yeon cautiously began to speak to the old Taoist.

"Doesn't it look like it's done now?"

"As expected, you have a good eye. Just as you say, it looks like it's done! Shall we eat soon?"

Before the old Taoist could finish speaking, Bilu-yeon's hand reached out towards the roasted meat. Even though it was still on the still-burning firewood, Bilu-yeon's hand was fearless. He showed no sign of being bothered by the flickering flames reaching his hand.

"Aren't you hot?"

It was no wonder the old Taoist was surprised to see a perfectly healthy person reach into the fire without any protection.

For an ordinary person, it should have been hot. No, it should have been a burn.

"Of course! It wouldn't make sense if I felt heat from just this much!"

Bilu-yeon's reaction was calm.

Then, he fearlessly tore off the hind leg that looked the most delicious. Just as Bilu-yeon said, the inside of the roasted deer was evenly cooked to a nice golden brown.

"Wow, it looks really delicious. You caught a good one!"

"Wait!"

Just as Bilu-yeon was about to put the fully cooked deer hind leg in his mouth, the old Taoist's hand stopped him.

"Why?"

In response to Bilu-yeon's bewildered question, the old Taoist replied with a serious face.

"There is one rule to eat this meat!"

"Oh, really? If you don't mind me asking, do I really need to know that rule?"

"You must be really hungry."

"I offer my humble respect for your keen insight. Can I eat now?"

With the hastily torn deer hind leg in his hand, Bilu-yeon asked. Bilu-yeon's stomach was already rumbling, protesting for food. The old Taoist shook his head again, stopping Bilu-yeon from bringing the golden-brown roasted deer hind leg to his mouth again.

"Not yet. Young friend, your memory is bad!"

As if he suddenly remembered, Bilu-yeon calmed his mouth, his overly developed taste buds, and his unusually large stomach, and looked at the old Taoist.

His eyes strongly conveyed impatience.

"What is the rule?"

Bilu-yeon asked.

"First, keeping secrets is the top rule! This takes precedence over all other rules. The children of the main sect hate it when I do this. There are very few who have the understanding to appreciate my leisurely style!"

He acted as if he were revealing a great secret.

"So, you mean don't tell anyone, right?"

"Don't you think it's too blunt to say it like that?"

"The truth is always cold."

It was true.

"What happens if I break the rule?"

Bilu-yeon asked the old Taoist, suddenly curious.

"What do you think will happen?"

The old Taoist's words became subtle. The old man gave a playful smile, unbefitting of a Taoist.

"Have you ever thought about this? That you have just glimpsed a secret that no one should know!"

You have glimpsed a secret that no one should know. That's what it meant.

"Are you going to kill me to silence me?"

Bilu-yeon retorted in a calm tone.

"Hey, there's nothing you won't say! Kill to silence… Well, I might consider it if you want! Looking back, it seems like a very clean and refreshing method."

"I'll decline, as I have much to do in the world."

Bilu-yeon politely refused the old Taoist's offer.

"There's no need to be humble!"

The old Taoist looked like he would readily grant the request if asked.

"You pretend to be a Taoist on the outside, but you were actually doing shady business behind the scenes! Don't worry. I'll definitely keep the secret!"

Bilu-yeon wanted to quickly put the torn hind leg back in his mouth. The preamble to tearing off a piece of meat was too long.

"Heh heh! Then we are accomplices now."

Bilu-yeon nodded at the old Taoist's ominous words. He probably wanted to say this.

Watching Bilu-yeon begin to tear into the meat as if there was no need to wait any longer, the old Taoist inwardly smiled with satisfaction.

'It's been a long time since I met such an interesting acquaintance! Well then!'

As his enjoyment grew, his appetite also increased.

"Nom nom! Munch munch! Gulp gulp!"

Bilu-yeon was amazed by the fierce appetite, unlike an old man. If it were only about appetite, he could have been a rival to his master. In other words, his appetite was beyond human limits. It was a strange appetite that couldn't be considered that of a Taoist.

However, in Bilu-yeon's eyes, the old Taoist was confident in everything he did and showed no trace of guilt.

Sensing Bilu-yeon's gaze, who was quietly watching him tear into the roasted meat, the old Taoist paused his chewing and spoke.

"Ho ho! Do you find it strange for a Taoist to enjoy eating meat?"

"Isn't it normal to find it strange?"

Bilu-yeon knew that much common sense.

"There's no need to find it strange at all. Feeling guilty about such trivial, nothing matters is the greatest sin! Only in my old age did I realize this truth. It took a very long time…"

The old Taoist declared the truth in a voice that showed no shame in his opinion.

"Wow! You know something. You're on a different level than so-and-so!"

Bilu-yeon nodded in agreement. There was no sign of criticism or disgust on his face. Bilu-yeon found the old Taoist in front of him much more likable than the rigid and inflexible Mujinja.

The old Taoist also felt happier. It had been a long time since he had met someone he got along with so well.

His disciples couldn't even understand this eccentric behavior of his. The old Taoist's heart became even more cheerful.

"In that sense, shall we tear off another leg?"

"Sure."

Bilu-yeon did not refuse.

The flesh on the increasingly golden roasted deer was brutally and mercilessly devoured by the savage hands and appetites of the two, old and young. Soon, the bare bones showed through the torn flesh, and as the tender flesh fell away, only useless bones piled up by the campfire.

"Eh… then you're not a recluse prodigy?"

Bilu-yeon, having almost finished the roasted deer, looked at the old Taoist and asked. It seemed he wasn't the hidden hermit prodigy he had expected.

The old Taoist, who had never thought of himself as a recluse prodigy, nodded.

"Although I have retired from the front lines, it's still too early to be called a recluse prodigy!"

"Tsk! Is that so? I was mistaken."

Bilu-yeon said with a hint of disappointment. It seemed he wasn't the missing recluse prodigy he had secretly hoped for.

Bilu-yeon's disappointment at not being able to do something was immense.

The old Taoist was utterly bewildered by Bilu-yeon's attitude. The guy who appeared out of nowhere, ate all the food, and all he had to say was something like, 'You're not a recluse prodigy, so why are you here?' How bewildered must he have been!

"But young man, what brings you here?"

This was not a place where outsiders could freely enter. Moreover, looking at the direction Bilu-yeon came from, it was a sheer cliff with no path. In that case, there was only one possibility. He must have climbed down the cliff! It was hard to believe.

Furthermore, Bilu-yeon remained unfazed even in the face of the subtle, formless energy the old Taoist exuded, which surprised him even more. This was the first time he had been so surprised since he took in and taught an child named Qing-heon as a disciple ten years ago and was greatly impressed by his achievements.

"Me? I came here with a pure heart, looking for treasure. There are as many as six legends about this place, Taegeuk Cliff, in the Wudang Sect. I thought there might be something, so I came to look, but I'm disappointed."

"Ho ho! How absurd, you actually believed that? Even our Wudang Sect doesn't believe it anymore…"

Seeing the old Taoist's bewildered reaction, Bilu-yeon asked again.

"Why is that? Grandpa?"

Ha… Grandpa!

It's getting more and more interesting… It was the first time in 80 years he had heard that title. After surviving the Heavenly Tribulation and Blood Sea a hundred years ago and becoming one of the Wudang Eight Swords, no one had ever called him Grandpa.

Everyone always stood before him with utmost politeness and respect.

His junior, the Taoist Hyun-hak, was teaching children vigorously at over a hundred years old, but he had retired to expand his swordsmanship and practice to create new sword techniques.

"There are already three transmitted legacies found here. Regardless of their size, three have come from one place, so everyone thinks there's nothing more to find."

"Ugh! So someone already took it all! I'm sad I didn't come earlier."

Bilu-yeon's mouth pouted, regretting not being able to get anything.

"Oh? But who are you, Grandpa?"

"Me?"

After eating all the food, Bilu-yeon's interest finally turned to people.

"You said your disciple's name was?"

Bilu-yeon retorted.

"Ah, Qing-heon. There is a child like that. He is a remarkably intelligent child I gained in my old age. The only problem is that he can't understand his master's drinking and merriment… Otherwise, he is perfect. Everyone would covet him."

As the old Taoist recalled his exceptionally talented disciple, his heart warmed.

"Oh? Your disciple is Qing-heon?"

"Ho ho? You know him?"

"Of course. We came to Mount Wudang together this time."

"No? What is that child doing on Mount Wudang?"

Seeing him ask, it was clear he knew nothing. He had been isolated from the world and focused on his practice, so he was unaware of the news. Upon hearing from Bilu-yeon that his disciple Qing-heon had accompanied him to Mount Wudang for a joint training session, the old Taoist exclaimed in admiration.

"Ho ho, one never knows the connections of people."

The old Taoist, who was the master of Qing-heon, the Three Absolutes Sword, who boasted perfection not inferior to the utterly flawless Mo Yong-hwi, and the master of the Chun-ja-jo at the Cheonmu Academy, Hyun-hak-jin-in's elder brother, and the first sword of the Wudang Eight Swords, and the former sect leader of the Wudang Sect, had an astonishing status: Ok-heo-ja, Hyun-geom-jin-in.

The "Hyun" character was an honorific that only those who joined the Wudang Eight Swords could receive. Therefore, his title was Ok-heo-ja, but also Hyun-geom-ja.

Who could possibly look at the current appearance of Hyun-geom-ja and recall the renowned Wudang First Sword, Hyun-geom-ja? It was an impossible request.

Fifty years ago, after realizing a truth, Hyun-geom-ja created strict rules and became a slave to those rules, living a stagnant life, and he disliked scholars who bound themselves. He felt they overworked themselves according to human-made rules.

Of course, he too had lived strictly according to the rules at first. In his youth, the sect's rules were heaven and absolute truth to him. However, the moment he dedicated himself to the sword to achieve a single goal, Hyun-geom-jin-in realized a significant fact.

He realized that the sword could never be free in such a manner, bound by all sorts of things.

Therefore, he quickly resigned from the stifling position of sect leader and retired to dedicate himself to the path of the sword. He had a goal more important than honor. As he had not yet achieved that goal, the road ahead was long.

Thus, for forty years! After achieving some results and completing a martial art, it became the Three Emotions Taegeuk Sword Wisdom.