NOVEL NEXT Chapter 198: Red Flag, White Flag (2)
Myung Won once again glanced over the list of questions.
Some of them were understandable. Questions that could somewhat reveal the intentions of the Sword Emperor.
However, many more questions were absurd.
If they intended to judge qualifications based on this, there would be few who could accept it.
“It’s not important whether you accept it or not,” the Sword Emperor stated firmly.
“…Then?”
“You speak incomprehensibly, Sect Leader.”
The eyes of the Sword Emperor shone with a cold rationality.
Right now, he was indeed in his right mind.
“…”
“Such a lax person is not light enough to be worthy of transmission. If someone expresses dissatisfaction, let the Sect Leader himself expel them.”
Indeed.
The transmission of the divine art was such a matter, and the decision-making in a great sect was inherently like that.
It was a decision made by the esteemed elder of the sect, who was also the top master of Wudang and highly respected, the Sword Emperor.
Even if one dared to have complaints, there would be no one without the circumstances to express them.
However, despite the Sword Emperor’s explanation, Myung Won still had an unconvinced expression.
There was still something suspicious.
“However… does this have anything to do with learning the martial arts of Founder Zhang Sanfeng?”
“I think it does.”
“Please teach this ignorant disciple, Senior Uncle.”
The Sword Emperor had so far refrained from giving detailed explanations.
But even so, as Sect Leader Myung Won continued to humble himself, the Sword Emperor could not remain silent any longer.
“Founder Zhang’s divine art is not something anyone can learn; it’s not a matter of talent or sincerity in swordsmanship.”
“The Senior Uncle means…”
“I had acquired that divine art up to a point and then was blocked by a wall.”
A wall.
A wall that even the Sword Emperor, a master of the Absolute realm and a genius in swordsmanship, could not overcome.
It seemed unlikely that among the 500 applicants, there was anyone better than the Sword Emperor.
“I pondered the reason and concluded that I had climbed a different mountain than Founder Zhang.”
Climbing a different mountain.
He understood what that metaphor meant.
Martial artists each found their own mountain to climb.
Only after climbing could one know how high the peak of the mountain was.
Most martial artists faced their own peaks at not so high places.
Only there can they finally look around.
From their position, there were countless peaks whose heights they could not fathom.
The mountain the Sword Emperor climbed was probably one of the highest in the Central Plains.
“All my life I admired Founder Zhang and wanted to emulate his swordsmanship, but… the path I walked was too far apart.”
It was no secret that the Sword Emperor had always been an ardent follower of Founder Zhang Sanfeng.
“A martial artist who has not yet reached the summit of the mountain is needed.”
“What is the relation between that and these questions…”
“And, only those who resemble Founder Zhang Sanfeng can learn his divine art.”
Finally, Myung Won felt like all the pieces of the puzzle were fitting together.
What the Sword Emperor was looking for was ‘someone like Founder Zhang Sanfeng.’
“So…”
“I understand these questions may seem absurd. Trust me, Sect Leader. It is not my intention to play meaningless pranks.”
Myung Won eventually nodded.
No one was more eager than the Sword Emperor himself to properly transmit Founder Zhang Sanfeng’s supreme teachings.
“I will do so.”
Myung Won stood up first, holding the questionnaire.
The Sword Emperor remained seated, saying he would leave a bit later.
Alone in the conference room, he finally let out a long sigh.
“Hoo…”
His expression showed his depleted energy.
The Sword Emperor had not told the sect leader everything.
“A different mountain…”
He smiled wryly. To the sect leader, he had said his swordsmanship was too different from Founder Zhang Sanfeng’s to learn the divine art, mentioning that the mountain he climbed was too far from the one Founder Zhang had climbed.
But that explanation was somewhat inadequate.
“A different mountain is a different mountain…”
When the Sword Emperor actually saw the traces of Founder Zhang Sanfeng’s divine art, he felt despair.
There was an overwhelming gap.
He felt an elevation that was utterly unbridgeable.
That he could not tell everything was probably still because of his shame.
The Sword Emperor rose from his seat with a grim expression.
About 500 people were gathered in the clearing.
It was a training ground usually used by the Wudang Sect martial artists for practicing sword formations and tactics.
Considering how difficult it was to clear a mountainside, it seemed to demonstrate the prestige of the Wudang.
Even though most were Taoists, with so many gathered, buzzing was inevitable.
The atmosphere was chaotic.
“Shh, quiet.”
Among those adding to the noise was Peng Gu-in.
He stretched his legs or did jumping steps in place to warm up.
“Heeya!”
There were quite a few people doing the same as Peng Gu-in.
“Hey! Yi-gang, come and warm up too.”
“I’m fine.”
Yi-gang declined Peng Gu-in’s invitation.
Instead of warming up, he looked around, curious about what kind of test would be given.
Dam Hyun did not speak up until the end.
Yi-gang alternately looked left and right across the training ground.
「Red flag and white flag.」
‘Could it be that the two flags are for dividing into teams?’
In the middle of the clearing, a long line was drawn, with a red flag on the left and a white flag on the right.
Yi-gang initially thought it was about dividing into factions for competition.
“Young Master Immortal Divine Dragon!”
At that time, Cheong Hye and Cheong Su appeared.
They were wearing tightly fitted training uniforms.
Their determination seemed extraordinary.
“You were looking at the competitors, weren’t you?”
“Competitors? Ah…”
It seemed there was a slight misunderstanding due to his observing the surroundings.
However, Yi-gang didn’t bother to correct their misconception because Cheong Su and Cheong Hye were chattering on their own.
“Actually, with so many experts of various levels participating, I really don’t feel confident.”
“What do you think, Young Master Immortal Divine Dragon, who might it be?”
It was impossible to know without even knowing the contents of the test.
Yi-gang shrugged, and Cheong Su offered his unsolicited opinion, “I think… it’s likely to be the True Martial Hall Head.”
At the end of Cheong Su’s gaze was a Taoist, standing solemnly with a dignified presence.
True Martial Hall Head Myung Cho. Naturally, he was a swordsman who had reached the Supreme Peak realm, and the depth of his martial knowledge was not ordinary.
“True Martial Hall Head studies and develops the martial arts of the Wudang. He might be one of those who has studied Founder Zhang Sanfeng’s martial arts the most.”
“Senior Brother Cheong Su, if that’s the case, then the members of the Immortal Tao Sword School would have an advantage.”
The Immortal Tao Sword School. At the mention of this unfamiliar term, Yi-gang made a curious expression.
Cheong Hye explained, “There are various factions that study martial arts within our sect. The Immortal Tao Sword School studies the sword that leads to the way of the immortals, taking Founder Zhang Sanfeng as the Great Ancestor.”
“Does that mean they learn Founder Zhang Sanfeng’s martial arts?”
“Yes, that’s right. ‘If you wish to walk the path of the immortals, seek the sword of an immortal.’ They practice with this saying left by the Founder. There, Senior Hyun Deok is a promising member of the Immortal Tao Sword School.”
The Taoist named Hyun Deok was wearing tattered robes. Instead of a typical Taoist headband, he had a crudely made one from branches.
Often the unique individuals seen in the Wudang Sect were precisely from the Immortal Tao Sword School.
“Founder Zhang Sanfeng did not trim his beard or hair, and always wore tattered clothes. They follow his teachings.”
“That so…”
Yi-gang asked Founder Zhang, ‘Was it so?’
「What nonsense…! I always kept myself neat and tidy. Huh, it’s just that my beard is tough. Who knew such rumors would spread?」
‘What about the saying, if you wish to walk the path of the immortals, something or other?’
「I never said such a thing.」
It seemed that the rumor was exaggerated and spread.
That’s how legends were made.
Yi-gang lost interest and nodded his head.
Then, Myung Won finally showed up.
“We will now start the test. All disciples, concentrate!”
It was the Six-Harmony Transmitted Voice used by Namgung Yu-baek at the inauguration of the Seven Stars Conference and the Dragon-Phoenix Conference.
Beside Myung Won were the Sword Emperor and the elders, all seated.
The 500 people all looked up at the Sect Leader with tense faces.
“The method is simple. Just choose between the red flag or the white flag based on the given question and stand under it.”
There were no unnecessary ceremonies.
“It’s not about right or wrong; just make an honest choice. You only get one chance…”
And the first question.
“There are elements of strength and softness in martial arts philosophy. Those who aspire to ‘softness controls strength’ stand under the red flag, those who believe ‘strength breaks softness’ under the white flag.”
‘Softness controls strength’ means softness overpowers strength, and ‘Strength breaks softness’ means strength cuts through softness.
There was no right answer in martial arts philosophy.
To what was a fairly simple question, the 500 participants divided this way and that.
Myung Won himself rang the bell indicating time limits.
When the bell rings three times, the time to move also ends.
「What does the young priest think is the correct answer?」
‘Is there such a thing as a correct answer…’
Yi-gang headed towards the area on the left where the red flag was planted.
‘I prefer that side.’
Being born not naturally strong, Yi-gang pursued ‘softness’ over ‘strength.’
「Haha, I feel the same.」
Zhang Sanfeng seemed pleased with Yi-gang’s choice.
Most of Wudang’s disciples gathered under the red flag.
Only about thirty people gathered under the white flag on the right.
“Those under the white flag, you are eliminated. Those eliminated, move out of the area.”
Among those who had gathered under the white flag, there was someone close to Yi-gang.
“No waaay!”
Peng Gu-in, absurdly eliminated, clutched his shaved head and wailed.
If his hair hadn’t been burnt off due to White Monkey Demonic Hand, it looked like he would have been tearing it out.
“Tsk tsk.”
Yi-gang clicked his tongue.
Even if Peng Clan’s martial arts aimed for dominance and strength, what was it that straightforwardly directed them towards the white flag?
The 470 or so qualifiers gathered around Yi-gang smiled warmly.
But the test had just begun.
“The meaning of Taiji originates from the union of Yin and Yang. It gives rise to the Two Extremes, the Four Symbols, and the Eight Trigrams…”
The content and difficulty of the questions fluctuated wildly.
Those who had neglected their studies of the classics turned pale.
As the complicated discussion unfolded, a question was posed.
“…Thus, if the essence of Taiji is seen as the vital energy of Yin-Yang harmony, stand under the red flag; if it is seen as the opposition of Yin and Yang, stand under the white flag.”
Ding—
The first bell indicating the time limit rang, and everyone panicked.
This time, no clear majority emerged. Nearly equal numbers split to each side.
Yi-gang remained calm and still.
Zhang Sanfeng looked intently at such a Yi-gang.
「Haha, do you get the feel of it?」
Among the Taoist sects, respected even more than Kunlun, was the Azure Forest.
Among them, the one known for the quantity and quality of its stored scriptures was the Grand Library.
Yi-gang was a disciple of the Grand Library Master and a third-flower honor flower disciple.
Ding—
After the second bell rang, Yi-gang gave Zhang Sanfeng a slight smile.
Zhang Sanfeng also looked pleased.
「Haha, indeed, the young priest knows…」
‘What is the answer?’
For Yi-gang, it was a question whose answer he couldn’t guess.
Zhang Sanfeng hesitated for a moment, then said awkwardly, 「Go to the white flag…」
Ding!
“Stop—!”
At the same time as the third bell, the assisting masters stopped any late movements.
“Those gathered under the red flag are eliminated!”
Yi-gang sighed with relief under the white flag.