Chapter 6

## Chapter 6: Something's Off

A few days have passed since the incident at the martial arts hall.

“It’s tough...”

“I hate horse stance...”

“Sniff. I miss Mom...”

At the White Martial Arts Hall, under the scorching sun, the snot-nosed kids were taking horse stance, beads of sweat rolling down their faces.

I had clearly instructed them to keep their eyes forward, yet I could feel a few of them glancing back at me.

“Master, my legs hurt...”

“I want to rest...”

“...Hey, is Master sleeping?”

“Should we sneak away?”

There was the kid whose eyes were brimming with tears after just a bit of horse stance.

There was the kid who was trying to be clever, looking around and trying to get away with it.

And there was the kid who was already thinking of running away, his resolve already wavering.

I was lying diagonally on the bench, half-asleep (I was still groggy), watching the snot-nosed kids take horse stance.

“Master isn’t sleeping.”

““Eek!””

At my words, the kids tightened their legs and lowered their stances.

Satisfied, I flipped over to lie on my back.

Pain, pain.

I could feel the sharp, resentful gazes from behind, but I ignored them.

It was a cool, warm afternoon.

This is a great day for a nap...

“Haaam-.”

A few days ago, I would have been the one among those snot-nosed kids who would have run to my father to tattle.

But now, things are a bit different.

“You guys! Can’t you even handle this? How can you become masters like this?”

A familiar voice came from behind.

It was Zhang Yi, the second son of Mr. Zhang from the cloth shop.

Since I helped avenge his brother at the martial arts hall a few days ago, Zhang Yi’s attitude towards me has completely changed.

“Master said! The foundation of all movements comes from a well-balanced lower body!”

Ah, that’s what I taught.

Zhang Yi, who is the leader of the snot-nosed kids in my class, was maintaining discipline on my behalf.

“Horse stance is that important for training the lower body!”

That kid, who had complained to his father about not wanting to do horse stance a while ago.

Well, let’s not dwell on the past.

“But doing horse stance all the time is boring and tiring...”

As one of the snot-nosed kids whined, Zhang Yi’s voice rose.

“Idiot! If you avoid the hard work, you’ll never become a master! So endure it!”

That’s right, he’s correct.

If you want to be a master, you need to be able to do horse stance for at least two hours.

Back in my day, I even walked to the toilet in horse stance.

Another voice of doubt came from behind.

“But is Master really that strong? He looks kind of weak...”

“Super strong! Master sent a villain flying with one strike!”

Technically, it was my father who sent him flying, but I had already taken care of most of it.

Zhang Yi’s praise for me continued.

“Master is actually an incredible master. When he swings his arm, a powerful gust of wind comes out! When he stomps his foot, the ground shakes!”

No, that’s a bit exaggerated...

As I listened, Zhang Yi’s exaggerations got more and more out of hand.

The other snot-nosed kids were listening with great interest, which only fueled his enthusiasm.

“Master can break rocks with one punch!”

He’ll probably break his own white, delicate hand.

“And Master can fly in the sky!”

He can’t even perform lightness techniques yet, let alone fly.

“Also, Master is... probably the greatest hidden master in the world!”

“Really? Really?”

“Wow!”

Those snot-nosed kids have no idea how dangerous false advertising can be...

The martial arts hall in the neighboring village was shut down for cheating with evil martial arts.

“Yes! So if you endure a little longer, Master will teach you the ultimate martial arts!”

...He got one thing right.

I have five ultimate martial arts in my head.

Of course, I have no intention of teaching them to those snot-nosed kids.

I’ll practice them myself.

If I get the chance in the future, I might find a successor as per the four people’s last wishes...

‘If the right person comes along, that’s good. If not, it’s fine.’

I didn’t promise to do it, so I’ll take it easy.

“And Master is...!”

Before Zhang Yi could turn me into a legendary master who retired hundreds of years ago due to disgust with the bloody martial world, I half-rose from the bench.

“Why are you so noisy during practice?”

At my words, the snot-nosed kids clamped their mouths shut and tightened their legs.

They seemed to be on edge, probably from hearing Zhang Yi’s exaggerated praise of me.

I chuckled.

The snot-nosed kids’ reactions were so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh.

In the past, I would have used this situation to make their training even more intense,

‘But this isn’t the Blood Sect. I’m not a Blood Sect instructor here.’

These kids won’t be beaten or starved for not being good at martial arts.

I won’t be demoted or eliminated for not achieving results.

This is a peaceful, rural village far from the bloody martial world.

‘Still, horse stance should be done consistently. There’s no better training for building stamina.’

Until I find a way to earn the huge sum of money needed to treat the Heavenly Sound Meridian, I’ll stay here, training my body and tormenting these snot-nosed kids.

‘What can I do to get that much money...? I’ve never done business before, and I don’t know anything besides martial arts.’

Sell the ultimate martial arts in my head?

I have no intention of selling them, but if I did, my life would be in danger.

As I was thinking, Zhang Yi ran up to me and knelt on one knee.

“Master! Your top disciple, Zhang Yi, is here! What are your orders?”

He was mimicking a bow, but it was awkward and clumsy.

No way.

What’s a little snot-nosed kid like him thinking of becoming my top disciple?

“You’re doing the hand position wrong.”

“Ah!”

I smacked Zhang Yi’s head as he fumbled to correct his hands and fully rose from the bench.

Then I said to the snot-nosed kids who were looking at me with eager eyes.

“Take a five-minute break.”

“Wow!”

“Don’t get too excited. After that...”

“I’m sorry, but we’ll have to end today’s training here.”

I turned my head at the voice from behind.

Father was walking towards me with a rather complicated expression.

“What’s the matter?”

I tilted my head, and Father sighed with a troubled look.

“The Martial Alliance has sent someone.”

* * *

The Martial Alliance.

The largest coalition and focal point of the righteous martial world, headquartered in Hubei.

However, the Central Plains are vast, and there are hundreds or thousands of righteous sects, so the headquarters can’t handle everything.

Therefore, the Martial Alliance has branches in different regions.

The middle-aged man bowing in front of us, along with the martial artists behind him, were from the Jiangxi branch of the Martial Alliance.

“I am Gao Zhuyue, the second leader of the Jiangxi branch’s investigation team.”

Gao Zhuyue, who looked to be in his late fifties, had a gentle, neighborly appearance.

He was thin, with long legs and arms, especially his legs, which were crane-like.

His steps were light, and his shoes were different from ordinary people’s. The front of his shoes was more worn out.

‘He must be an expert in lightness techniques or leg techniques.’

As I thought this, Father returned the bow.

“Great Hero Pi Yingke. I’ve heard of your reputation.”

Father, who had been tense before, became even stiffer when he faced Gao Zhuyue.

It was as if he didn’t want to meet this person.

When Father recognized him, Gao Zhuyue’s smile became even more pleasant.

“Ha ha. The righteous martial world has given me an overly generous nickname, which makes me feel embarrassed.”

‘Pi Yingke... Indeed, he’s an expert in lightness techniques.’

Father treated Gao Zhuyue with consistent politeness.

“I am Bai Mo, a martial arts instructor at the White Martial Arts Hall. I’m embarrassed to say, but my martial arts are not very impressive, so I don’t have a nickname.”

I followed Father’s lead and greeted him.

“I am Bai Shulong, the son of the person next to me. My martial arts are also not very impressive, so I don’t have a nickname.”

For some reason, Father glared at me.

What else should I have said?

“You two are too modest. You discovered and defeated the evil schemes of the wicked sect. You are far superior to us, who just follow orders.”

“I don’t know what to say. It was just luck.”

Gao Zhuyue was probably trying to save Father’s face, but in reality, Father’s martial arts were higher than Gao Zhuyue’s.

Of course, only I knew this for sure.

“By the way...”

Gao Zhuyue tilted his head and asked Father.

“Have we met before?”

“...I don’t think so. My memory isn’t very good... I don’t think we have.”

Look at that.

This guy is avoiding eye contact, which is suspicious.

And his tense expression earlier...

Father quickly changed the subject.

“Let’s go inside and talk. Our small martial arts hall can at least offer you some tea.”

“Ha ha. Even cold water would be appreciated. I just came from a long journey.”

“I’ll show you to the hall.”

“I’ll drink it without hesitation. I’ll be here for a short while, so you should go to the warehouse and secure the prisoners.”

“Understood!”

The investigation team headed to the warehouse where the prisoners were held, while Father and Gao Zhuyue walked to the hall, chatting.

I followed a step behind, observing Gao Zhuyue out of habit.

“Ahem. Let me introduce myself again.”

Gao Zhuyue, sitting across from Father, straightened up and said.

“On behalf of the Martial Alliance, I thank the White Martial Arts Hall. If it weren’t for the hall master and his son, the evil sect would have taken root in this county, causing great suffering to the people.”

“It was just our duty.”

As a former Blood Sect member, the mutual flattery of the righteous martial world made my skin crawl.

After some small talk, Father asked.

“What will happen to the prisoners we captured at the martial arts hall?”

“We will first transport them to the Jiangxi branch for interrogation to uncover the forces behind them.”

Interrogation?

‘He must mean torture.’

The Martial Alliance’s torture methods were as cruel as the Blood Sect’s, if not more so.

I once heard from comrades who returned from a prisoner exchange...

“Ahem. Actually, this is a secret that shouldn’t be leaked outside.”

Gao Zhuyue suddenly lowered his voice.

I stopped my thoughts and focused on his words.

Gao Zhuyue, satisfied with our reaction, smiled meaningfully and said.

“They might be remnants of the Blood Sect.”

“The Blood Sect?”

“...”

I managed to maintain a calm expression, not letting my surprise show.

If I had gasped or widened my eyes, Gao Zhuyue would have found me very suspicious.

‘Why is the Blood Sect mentioned here?’

Father, though not as surprised as me, seemed to have a similar question and asked on my behalf.

“Didn’t the Blood Sect disappear decades ago?”

Exactly!

Gao Zhuyue nodded solemnly.

For a moment, his eyes took on a desolate look.

“Yes. Decades ago, the Blood Sect was torn apart by internal strife that we didn’t know about. The alliance leader took advantage of the opportunity to attack and destroy their base.”

I knew roughly how the Blood Sect fell.

Moreover, I could guess at a truth that these two would never know.

‘If it was unknown internal strife, it was probably...’

The day I and the four absolute masters died.

It’s not recorded in martial history, but the Blood Sect experienced the worst bloodshed.

“Recently, movements of individuals suspected to be descendants of the Blood Sect have been detected.”

“Huh...”

“Does that mean the Blood Sect could be reviving?”

I asked.

For a moment, Gao Zhuyue looked at me sharply, then quickly returned to his gentle expression.

...Look at that.

“Of course, it’s not certain. It’s just a possibility. Have you two heard anything specific from them?”

“I don’t think so. We just locked them up and occasionally brought them food, but we didn’t talk much.”

“I didn’t either...”

Gao Zhuyue sighed deeply at our responses.

“In any case, the alliance is closely monitoring recent movements of the evil sects. If you have any information, please inform us immediately.”

“Of course, we’ll cooperate.”

“Thank you. The Martial Alliance will provide compensation for this matter.”

“Compensation? We didn’t do it for that...”

The unexpected mention of the Blood Sect made me think deeply.

At the same time, a question arose.

‘Even if we caught suspicious evil sect members... why would they bring up the Blood Sect to a martial arts instructor in a rural hall?’

I narrowed my eyes and observed Gao Zhuyue, who was talking to Father.

‘Something’s off.’

At that moment,

I noticed Gao Zhuyue’s feet moving subtly in my line of sight.