After the morning training, the disciples headed to the stream at the foot of the mountain to wash up.
I put away my sword, tidied up the courtyard, and, feeling the cold morning air, naturally made my way to the kitchen.
Two pheasants that I had prepared last night, some wild herbs gathered from the mountain, and a pot of hearty soup to fill their stomachs.
After training, warm food is needed to replenish protein and energy.
With familiar motions, I prepared the ingredients and adjusted the fire.
As I looked down at the tip of the knife, a fleeting thought from the past crossed my mind.
If I had properly taken power as a Wudang elder, the servants would have already set the warm meal for me.
Well, there’s nothing wrong with taking care of it myself.
I smiled quietly and continued moving the knife.
That was when.
Thud!
Bang!
A heavy sound echoed from the distance.
I briefly paused, listening carefully.
At first, I thought it was some training from the main sect, but soon realized the direction of the sound wasn’t right.
The stream.
Where the disciples had gone to wash.
I immediately extended my senses far out.
A smile appeared on my lips.
The disciples were testing their martial arts against each other.
Sowol had always been the one to falter, but she was holding her ground better than expected.
It wasn’t just about counterattacking; she was reading her opponent’s movements and cleverly looking for openings.
Her natural talent for using force was evident.
Hwaran remained calm.
Her breath stayed steady, and she responded appropriately to her opponent’s movements, minimizing any openings.
She took a defensive stance, but there was not a single flaw.
Seorin seemed to be calmly observing, while Chohee was peeking around eagerly, not wanting to miss an interesting moment.
I couldn’t help but smile and resumed my work.
They were working hard even while washing up.
I’m proud of them.
I’d need to prepare a hearty breakfast today.
When the meal was ready, the disciples started entering the kitchen one by one.
The first to peek through the door was Chohee.
She caught the familiar scent, and with a bright face, she entered.
“Wow~ Is it pheasant today?”
I didn’t respond and just nodded while ladling the soup.
At that moment, as I saw the others entering behind her, I slightly furrowed my brows.
Though they had just finished washing up, a closer look revealed small wounds on their skin.
Scratches, slightly swollen areas, and faintly reddened knuckles.
I picked up a spoon as if nothing was wrong and said.
“Come, sit down.”
The disciples casually sat down at the table.
Chohee tried to make her usual playful face but stopped short, while Sowol took a spoonful of soup and glanced at me.
Hwaran quietly poured water and remained composed, while Seorin silently picked up her chopsticks.
I quietly served the soup and muttered.
“You were really hard at it even while washing up.”
For a moment, Chohee flinched, and Sowol awkwardly turned her head.
Hwaran subtly avoided my gaze, while Seorin continued eating her soup quietly.
I smiled faintly and lifted my spoon.
Well, they weren’t seriously hurt, so I’ll let it slide.
However, as I watched Sowol discreetly rub her wrist while eating, I couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned.
“Eat well.”
As I quietly ate my soup, I took a moment to look at each of my disciples’ faces.
Hmm.
It seems there aren’t any serious injuries after all.
After finishing breakfast, the disciples dispersed for some self-training.
I grabbed my sword and stepped out into the courtyard.
Maybe I should loosen up and stretch for the first time in a while.
Between teaching my disciples, I hadn’t had much time for my own training.
The moment I began loosening up, I sensed the presence of someone running toward me, swiftly and with the intent to teach.
Bang!
The sudden weight of the charge made my body sway.
Instinctively, I regained my balance and turned my head, only to see the youngest, Sowol, clinging to my waist and grinning brightly.
“Teacher!”
“Ugh, Sowol, didn’t I tell you not to charge at me like that?”
Sowol hugged my waist even tighter and gave me a cheeky grin.
Her face was full of playful mischief.
“Could you take a look at my martial arts?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it.
I never expected the one who usually finds training annoying to be this eager and persistent.
“Heh, what’s gotten into our youngest, being so active all of a sudden?”
Sowol, realizing she had clung to me too much, loosened her hold and backed off a little.
She awkwardly pushed off the ground with her toes and spoke.
“Well… I’m just not sure if I’m doing it right.”
Normally, she would joke and quickly run off, but today, she seemed strangely serious. Her eyes held a strange sincerity.
“Hmm, I see. Well, let’s see what you’ve got.”
At my response, Sowol’s eyes lit up brightly.
That’s when it happened.
A slight, cold energy brushed against my back.
I turned to find the other disciples watching from a distance.
But as soon as our eyes met, they quickly turned their gaze away.
Seorin pretended to casually wipe her sword, Chohee suddenly stared at the sky and awkwardly whistled.
Hwaran had stopped mid-movement, but soon resumed her actions as if nothing had happened.
It was strange.
Their expressions had all stiffened.
I hesitated for a moment but then lightly shrugged it off with a laugh.
What is it that’s making them so nervous?
I only felt an odd tension in the air, but I couldn’t guess the reason.
I turned back to Sowol and lightly patted her shoulder.
“Alright, give it your best shot. I’ll watch.”
I stepped back to give her space and got into my stance, ready to observe her technique.
She grabbed her sword with her usual movements, but the imbalance I had seen during the morning training was still there.
The balance of the Azure Wind Sword Technique was falling apart.
The flow of the sword was awkwardly broken, and the transfer of power was subtly off.
The basic principles of the technique should be ingrained in her body by now, but it felt like she was forcing another style onto it, creating an odd dissonance.
I quietly inhaled.
I had a feeling…
This wasn’t just a simple mistake.
She had clearly experienced real combat without telling me.
But if it had just been a simple fight, the balance wouldn’t have been shattered like this.
What kind of fight did you go through, Sowol?
I felt a bitter taste in my mouth.
Had I been too negligent?
Had I taught her wrong?
If I had been more attentive and taught her more thoroughly, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.
But now wasn’t the time to scold her.
I sighed and then spoke.
“Try again. This time, focus on where to channel your strength.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and then opened them again.
Alright, let’s start with correcting her.
I wouldn’t fix every little detail, but I would help her find her original balance.
I’d help her organize the flow and channel the power properly.
I exhaled lightly.
But as soon as I saw Sowol’s movement, my eyebrows twitched.
She wasn’t extending the sword.
It felt more like she was thrusting with her fist while holding the sword.
It wasn’t a sword strike; it was entirely a stance focused on striking.
Instead of following the flow of the sword technique, she moved it like swinging a fist in a straight line.
The power that should have been carried at the tip of the sword was cut off in the middle, and the connection between her waist and shoulders had fallen apart.
Where have I seen this before…?
It felt disturbingly foreign.
It wasn’t just a bad habit; it was as if she had learned a completely different martial art.
And then, suddenly, the memory came to me.
Those monks from Shaolin…!
I had definitely seen it before.
They didn’t focus on using swords, but instead emphasized attacks using their fists and arms.
The power from extending the arms, using the shoulders for strikes.
And now, Sowol’s sword was moving exactly like that.
This wasn’t the technique I taught her.
A headache started to form.
How should I correct this?
Youngest Disciple – Lee Sowol’s Monologue
I looked at my teacher’s back.
At that moment, memories of leaving my teacher flooded my mind.
Foolishly, I had believed that I was strong back then.
I mistakenly thought I was stronger than my teacher’s sword, stronger than my teacher’s teachings.
But that wasn’t the case.
In the end, I had to live with the regret of that choice.
This time… it’s different.
At least, I want to believe it will be.
I looked at my teacher’s back once again.
The moment that back disappears, I will lose everything.
Now, no one, for any reason, can take my teacher away.
But…
The problem is with those three.
They must have all turned their backs on the teacher in their past life, just like I did.
Especially Seorin, why does she stick so closely to the teacher?
Watching her swing a sword in front of the teacher so calmly from this morning was hard to bear.
Chohee’s the same.
She acts playful on the outside, but it’s all just a mask.
Hwaran is probably the same.
She pretends to be well-behaved in front of the teacher, but deep down, they must all think the same.
I truly realized this during the morning by the stream.
I had intended to just stretch and loosen up, but those three were different.
They were all stronger than I expected.
I thought I would easily gain the upper hand, but even achieving parity with them wasn’t easy.
I’m sure of it.
It’s become more dangerous now.
Now, they’re all competitors.
I didn’t know this in my past life.
Maybe I didn’t want to see it.
But now, I understand.
If I let my guard down, I could lose the teacher at any moment.
No, absolutely not.
I won’t accept that so easily.
I am the one who will protect the teacher.
In this life, I will always stay by his side.
I won’t let anyone take him.
He’s mine.
