“3rd force? What is this?”
When the story came up in the hall, the elders all looked strange.
As promised to Seol-Hwi, leader Jin Mu only prepared with what happened in advance.
However, from the perspective of the elders who gathered in the Great Hall for the first time in several years, this 3rd force felt sudden.
“You are learning the study of an external force?”
“The source of that is also unclear? Look here, leader Jin Mu!”
And as they gradually began to understand, they were shocked.
How dare he attempt something like a taint on Wudang’s history and not something else.
“Have you forgotten your role? One cannot even digest the Wudang’s teachings and so you say this!”
“Insane! A person who cannot even handle his own kids cannot help but think about other people’s disciples are strong!”
Amidst the criticism from the elders, leader Jin Mu asked back with a calm expression.
“So sasuk, how much have you learned about being someone of Wudang? How many people here can teach that to me!”
“…!”
“…?!”
Everyone felt goosebumps rise.
The Myung disciples were strong, but Jin Mu was one who ranked in the top four of the Wudang Sect. Because of his attitude, he was not someone anyone would look down on.
The person who was known as the Heavenly Peak of Wudang since his martial arts skills were second to none.
Among those gathered here now, there were less than three who could take down Jin Mu.
“Is it wrong to touch other areas to get stronger? Is it right to stick with the ways of Wudang until the end? And eventually get old holding out to get enlightenment only to get sick?”
It felt like the appeal of Jin Mu was deep, because he was being honest.
The unlucky talented man of Wudang who spent his entire life studying martial arts.
This was what everyone in Wudnag knew about, and although he did gain enlightenment in the beginning young days of his, he had hit a tough wall after spending more than dozens of years trying to overcome it.
Gulp
And as Jin Mu looked at the elders of the sect, he began to speak out all that he wanted to say. It began as groundwork for the spar, which was a promise with Seol-Hwi, but as he talked, the sadness began to come in.
“Why is no one talking? How much were the teachings of master and senior sasuk who are here, given to the disciples of Wudang who felt this wall?”
“T-that…!”
“You! Ruthless!”
The elders shouted.
Jin Mu’s words were certainly right, but saying too much of the right thing can provoke anger.
“Are you ignoring the morality and law just to go after strength? This is bad! It is even blasphemous to say it! How is this any different from the Demonic Sect which goes against morality to pursue power!”
Jin Mu spoke back.
“Are you saying that the law and morality comes first? Then I will ask you a question. Is this Wudang a Taoist clan, or a martial arts clan?”
“You! Jin Mu!”
Whisper!
Everyone turned angry at once.
What Jin Mu said now, hit the nail on the head. In the sense that one followed principles and teachings, a member of Wudang was clearly a Taoist.
But in reality, the Nine Great Sects were part of the justice faction. It was also because the strength of Wudang was enough to control the central plains.
Calling someone strong simply because they had reputation or status was a luxury.
And that respect and justification was the last thing an elder needed.
Even if they had a knife to their throat, they would never agree to it. It was the truth, but at the same time, it was something that could not be carelessly said.
“Enough!”
Came an angry voice.
A voice strong enough to make the entire noisy hall go silent.
“…Lately, I felt like there is a strange wind flowing in Wudang. But, I didn’t think that leader Jin Mu would be one involved in this.”
Elder Hye Woo, the sect leader, spoke.
He guessed that if he did not step in now, something huge would happen. It was useless for the elders to argue about the ranks and opinion to Jin Mu, who was skilled.
All they could do was talk, and they did not listen to what was being said. That did not mean fists would come flying right?
It was absurd. And if a fight broke out, not just he would be disgraced, but the entire traditions of Wudang would take a hit.
“Fine. So how many Wudang disciples have touched those external things?”
When the sect leader spoke in a serious manner, Jin Mu also bowed and said,
“I don’t not know… I do not know exactly how many, because the thirst for growth was strong.”
“Huh…”
The sect leader touched his forehead.
Rather than studying the traditions and waiting, they chose to turn their attention to other things, and although it was rare in large sects, new sects often had new martial arts in them.
And the more young one was, the stronger they would want to be. Of course, he wanted to believe that they would not be so crooked. Only when they get older will they realize the arrogance and illusion they were in.
There was also a certain amount of surrender involved in it.
The taste of bitterness to know what the world was and how life did not go how one wanted. This was not something a doctrine of the sect would speak of.
In the same manner, when one grew old, they realized it on their own. But this one…
Ah.
Elder Hye Woo remembered who the master of Jin Mu was. Elder Hye Seon. The pride of Wudang, who shone brightly.
When he fell in front of Wudang’s gate, elder Hye Woo also cried. It was to the point where he was completely deprived of food and drink and spent several days as if he were a vegetable.
When elder Hye Woo lost his brother, Jin Mu lost his master, who was like a father to him.
What in the world did this young guy think of when he witnessed the dearth of his master?
Even though he clearly knew that the murderer was from the Demonic Sect, he could not even act on it.
“Huh…”
A truth, an obvious one which Wudang ignored. In the end, Wudang followed the law. Without strength, even the name of Wudang would have been lost. The guy who went through all the tough things and worked hard, shedding blood and tears.
And when those efforts brought nothing…
How much did he resent himself and this world?
“… Unfortunate… and I am sorry.”
The bright blue eyes of Jin Mu shook. The sect leader looked clearly concerned.
The pain of many people who have been ignored until now. The agony of countless days of not being able to achieve enlightenment in martial arts.
Thank you, sect leader.
Jin Mu could feel the shake of a wave in his heart. But contrary to that, his words came harsher.
“But it is too late, sect leader.”
It was because it was impossible to undo what has been ignored.
“You!”
Flinch!
One elder jumped up and struck the point.
The sect leader and Jin Mu, the two of them communicated a lot of words just by looking at each other, but to those who did not understand it, it was ill-mannered.
“How dare you speak like that to the sect leader!”
“…”
Shhh
Jin Mu’s eyes turned to the elder.
“It is all about effort! It is common knowledge that when doing the right thing evil grows ten steps for every step you take. But! In the end it is justice which prevails! How can you replace such honest and righteous thoughts for crude strength?”
“Elder.”
Jin Mu’s eyes shone, and he also knew that the Wudang had those orthodox means. No, rather, he knew it a lot better than anyone else.
He worked that hard.
And so, he did not want to listen to those who had not been through all that he did.
“Are you saying that you will personally handle me to know if the strength I have learned is worth it or not?”
“W-what you are…”
The elder stuttered.
Do not speak or show your strength, and if you do not like it, abandon your position.
Everyone gasped at that intent he had.
“Enough! What are you doing in front of me!”
The sect leader intervened again.
He motioned for the elder to sit down, and this was because he thought that if this went beyond this level of emotions, no good would come of it.
“Right. Is there a reason why you suddenly brought this story up?”
The sect leader headed towards Jin Mu in his eyes.
Looking back on the past years, he was not the kind of person who would cause a mess because of the situation in life.
He thought it would not be too late to decide on what to do after Jin Mu was done saying everything.
When given the chance to speak, JIn Mu bowed his head and spoke,
“Ever since the ancestor went across the land, Wudang has been known to be the Nine Great Sects’s eldest people. Taiji is definitely the greatest teaching and foundation in the world. However, the path is difficult. The four warriors and four hundred people which was well known to devote their lives to training, and their achivements are often minimal.”
“Hmmm.”
“Ahem.”
There was silence which fell in.
Taiji teachings.
Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword.
The example of the peak strength which no one could deny. However, depending on the qualifications of individuals, there were some who reached deep realization and some who did not. To be exact, the latter was too common.
This was also the reason why the people of Wudang did not stop and continued to spread their Taiji through land and rivers.
Because it was difficult, the vision of a sect did not need to be held back. This was because the meaning of it was deep and complex that even if everyone was taught it, it was impossible to realize the deep meaning of it.
“Rather it is a reality that by spreading the way of Taiji to the other places many people feel enlightened and come to visit Wudang to join as Taoists. Isn’t this also true in the case of Jin Hwi who joined our place recently?”
Jin Mu subtly brought in Jin Hwi’s topic right there.
This was because there were many elders who did not even know of his existence.
“No matter how noble the teachings given by the ancestors were, if the proper understanding became tough to follow, how would that be of any help to the martial side?”
“So?”
“Officially issue a doctrine and proclaim it to the entire world. Wudang has gained new strength and it is only for Wudang. Register this 3rd force to the world.”
“…!”
Noisy
The elders felt like they had been shocked.
Include an unknown strength in their doctrine? And then declare it officially? It was something which would upset those who clung to the legitimacy of the sect.
“What!”
“Say something which at least makes sense! The exquisite art of Wudang has hundreds of years of history! And you want to put this evil power into it, when it has no foundation or basis?”
“It is important to know how strong the martial arts are and if they are worth learning, and not if the roots are deep or shallow.”
Despite the anger of the elders, Jin Mu stepped forward not backing down.
The opposition. It felt like dozens of people were fighting against one, but he had expected this. Instead, there was this atmosphere which said they wanted to bring change. And that was why Jin Mu prepared.
Because although he touched this evil power, his heart for the growth of Wudang’s teachings was sincere.
“And there is no basis yet to judge whether it is evil or not. This is something being spoken for the first time today, it hasn’t been examined or checked so how can you simply call it evil?”
“Ha! As expected, your arrogance is high! Fine! Show it to me! How skilled you are! Prove it to me!”
Kwang!
And the elder Hye Jin, who had been red-faced in anger, and was called the greatest Wudang Taoist, kicked his chair off and walked out. Finally something good happened, and the sect leader was shocked and called out to him,
“Look here, sajae Hye Jin!”
“Sect leader sahyung. Please forgive my rude act. But this sasuk cannot handle it anymore.”
Hye Jin, the elder, clenched his fist and opened the door to the Great Hall which revealed the large yard.
Hye Jin burst into laughter with a deep voice,
“Myung Yu! Jin Mu, you! Come out! I will confirm this myself to see if he either ate something wrong or just has his guts broken out!”
Elder Hye Jin.
He was in charge of four temples in the place and he was known to be Peak Master level. Even in the sect he was counted to be among the top five.
And in the same manner, he was the perfect man to fight against, enough to bring Wudang’s arrogant nature to the surface.
“Of course, if I were to compete with sasuk right now, I would leave here without causing anymore trouble.”
Jin Mu smiled and willingly followed their plan.
