Chapter 1: Azure Cloud Taoist (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 1: Azure Cloud Taoist (1)
Prologue
"But Chief Abbot, which sect was the strongest back when Abbot Bangwon was around?"
A young novice monk with a youthful face raised his hand high.
He had been listening to a lecture on the history of the martial world and simply couldn't contain his curiosity. The Abbot Bangwon he mentioned was a leader of Shaolin who had been active about three hundred years ago.
"At that time, Mount Hua was slightly stronger."
A faint smile played on the lips of the elderly Great Monk standing on the podium. The child's bold question seemed nothing more than endearing to him.
"Then who was the strongest in the next generation?"
This time, a novice monk with particularly large eyes sitting next to the first one asked a question.
The Great Monk maintained his gentle smile.
"In that era, I believe Wudang was slightly stronger."
"And the generation after that?"
The questions followed one after another like links in a chain.
The old monk paused the conversation for a moment and looked down at the children. There were three novice monks listening to the lecture. They were disciples who had shown early promise within Shaolin and had gathered here to receive personal instruction from the Chief Abbot.
"In the next generation..."
The Chief Abbot started to speak but then hesitated. By this point, the Great Monk had realized what the children were after. They were clearly waiting for him to say it with his own lips.
"Fortunately, in that era, Shaolin was slightly stronger."
"Only slightly?"
"Just a little bit?"
As he expected, the children's faces brightened for a moment before quickly turning into pouts. Despite this, the Chief Abbot of the Shaolin Sect remained unmoved by their disappointment.
"Indeed. We were only a little bit stronger."
The children did not give up easily, hoping for a more satisfying answer. As the timeline moved forward in thirty-year increments, approaching the present day, the boy with the large eyes asked with newfound confidence.
"Chief Abbot, then what about now? Isn't our Shaolin the best in the world right now?"
The eyes of all the novice monks sparkled. They were certain they would hear the obvious answer this time.
And for good reason—the current Shaolin Sect boasted the Four Great Divine Monks, whose names shook the world. Furthermore, was there not also the Great Monk Abbot Hye Jeong, a master of unparalleled skill? This was a topic that always came up whenever various branches or temple heads gathered.
However, the moment the Great Monk opened his mouth, the children's expressions froze.
"Right now, it is Qingcheng."
The name of a sect they had never even considered slipped from his lips. And it came from a high-ranking monk representing Shaolin. From the very mouth of the Abbot of Shaolin.
"Currently, the Qingcheng Sect is the greatest."
*
Azure Cloud Taoists.
Two hundred years ago, True Person Jeongsu, then the Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect, wondered what results would emerge if one approached the sect's martial arts from a slightly different perspective.
After years of contemplation, he finally decided to take action. He began recruiting Taoists within Qingcheng who possessed unique perspectives or a fondness for learning unconventional martial arts.
They were the Azure Cloud Taoists.
Their primary objective was to combine Qingcheng's martial arts with other schools, northern breathing techniques, or the secret arts of the Great Families to find more effective and progressive methods of development.
Under the Sect Leader's support, the hundred or so selected Taoists began their research. After about twenty years, the fruits of their labor began to manifest.
— One of the Ten Great Swordsmen of the World.
This was the title earned by an Azure Cloud Taoist who had attained enlightenment and descended the mountain to enter the martial world. But that wasn't all.
— The Ten Great Masters of the World. The Five Great Masters of the World.
Twenty years later, two more Azure Cloud Taoists achieved the monumental feat of being officially recognized among the era's elite. With such success, not only the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect but even the elders began to take an interest in the secret manuals created by the Azure Cloud Taoists.
However...
Qingcheng's era of peace and prosperity did not last as long as expected. For the next three generations, a shocking situation occurred: not a single Qingcheng master managed to break into the top twenty, let alone the top ten.
Eventually, the gossips of the martial world went so far as to exclude Qingcheng from the Nine Great Sects. To reclaim its original essence, Qingcheng took drastic measures.
By re-embracing its traditional, orthodox martial arts, Qingcheng gradually regained its stability. Renowned masters were born once again, and the sect was able to restore its prestige, reclaiming its place among the Nine Great Sects.
As this happened, the standing of the Azure Cloud Taoists diminished. One by one, they moved to other pavilions or resigned from their posts, and their numbers dwindled significantly.
In the previous generation, there were only three Azure Cloud Taoists. And now, only one person remained to carry on the lineage.
*
"Now, where did I put the Azure Wind Heart Decision?"
Amidst bookshelves packed tightly on both sides, a man was busily rummaging around with his head buried in the shelves. The books had been handled so much over the years that the titles were often faded, forcing him to search through them repeatedly.
"It's not the Azure Wind Rain Heart Method, not the Azure Wind Flying Thrust, and not the Azure Cool Fan Method... Ah, found it."
Finally, he stood up, holding a single volume he had discovered in a corner. Only then did the man's face brighten.
"Yes, when it comes to the Heart Decision, the Azure Wind must be the center. The Azure Wind is where the very essence of Qingcheng is perfectly imbued."
He moved through the library toward another room. Throughout his walk, he never took his eyes off the book, handling it as if it were a precious treasure.
Thud.
As soon as he sat in his chair, he spread the book open and immediately picked up a brush. His hand moved rapidly, as if to record a specific mantra or an important phrase.
"Are you still working that hard today?"
Just then, someone spoke to him from beyond the half-open door. The man's face was hidden behind the stacks of books piled high on the desk, but Seok Myeong didn't mind.
"There are still parts I don't quite understand."
"What? You rascal! Are you trying to lie to me too? Is there any martial art in Qingcheng that you don't know?"
"I'm only human. Of course there are things I don't know."
"Ho-ho... You certainly have a way with words."
Soon, an old man appeared through the doorway. His name was Song Gwan, a Taoist in charge of managing the nearby Chaoyang Cave.
"Sigh... You're a stubborn one. If I didn't check on you, you wouldn't think of leaving this room at all."
It had already been three days since Seok Myeong had entered the Azure Moon Storehouse and refused to come out. Seok Myeong stayed inside so persistently that one might wonder how he even took care of his basic needs.
"Well, I suppose one needs that kind of tenacity to carry the future of Qingcheng on their shoulders."
Song Gwan sat on the threshold, shaking his head in mock defeat. However, beneath that gesture lay a hidden sense of pride. He had known many Azure Cloud Taoists, but this was the first one he'd seen who was so obsessively attached to his books.
"But what brings you all the way here, Elder?"
After exchanging a few words, Seok Myeong finally asked the reason for the old man's visit.
"Hmm? Oh, right, look at my memory. You need to head out quickly."
"Did something happen?"
"Seok Jun is looking for you."
"My junior brother? Why would he suddenly..."
"How should I know? He must have something to say."
"..."
"What are you doing? Hurry up and go."
"Ah... Understood."
Seok Myeong slowly rose from his seat, his expression suggesting he was doing so only because he had no choice.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Song Gwan clicked his tongue. It looked as if moving his backside was more difficult than moving a mountain. As soon as Seok Myeong stepped outside, Song Gwan began to walk with him.
*
"Please leave your sword here."
When Seok Myeong entered the Taoist hall, a young man dressed in an elegant robe held out a wooden chest. The atmosphere he projected was quite solemn. The young man stood tall and straight, reminiscent of an unshakeable ancient tree.
Clack.
Seok Myeong unfastened the sword from his waist and carefully placed it inside the chest. After setting the chest aside, he took a seat.
"Would you like a cup of tea?"
Only then did the young man, Seok Jun, ask with a bright face. His tone was now friendly, a stark contrast to the formal etiquette he had shown toward the sword.
"I'm fine. Regardless, you always seem busy whenever I see you."
"The work has been piling up. Our Master is quite particular about administrative duties."
"You're working hard."
"Not at all. This is simply what I must do."
Seok Jun pointed to a chair.
"Could you wait for just a moment? I have something I need to finish."
"Ah, is that so? Alright. Go ahead with your work. I'm the one who dropped in unexpectedly."
The young man looked to be in his late twenties, at least three or four years younger than Seok Myeong. Nevertheless, Seok Myeong treated him with respect.
The man before him was the most promising rising star in Qingcheng—a Qingcheng Swordmaster, a title held by only two among the first-generation disciples.
In contrast, Seok Myeong was a mediocre first-generation disciple who had been pushed aside, an Azure Cloud Taoist who studied non-traditional martial arts. Seok Myeong knew better than anyone how their respective standings within the sect compared.
Scratch, scratch.
While Seok Jun was busy writing, Seok Myeong found himself looking around the room. The subtle scent of incense wafted from a burner. Along with it, the elegant items in the room naturally caught his eye.
'Ah!'
An exclamation escaped him involuntarily. Every single item was made of materials rarely seen elsewhere. Unlike the Azure Moon Storehouse where he stayed, the patterns engraved on the ceiling and the carpets spread across the floor were all extraordinary.
'That is...'
As he scanned the room, Seok Myeong's gaze stopped on a garment hanging behind Seok Jun. It was a magnificent blue Taoist robe made of blue silk and intricately embroidered with various silk threads. It possessed a unique beauty not found in standard Qingcheng robes.
'So that is the Azure Sutra Robe, which only those chosen by Qingcheng are permitted to wear.'
A bird in flight was positioned between the shoulder and the chest. On the waist, the thirty-six peaks of Mount Qingcheng were depicted in green thread, along with brilliantly rendered wildflowers and trees. The grand spirit of Qingcheng lived and breathed within that garment.
'Hmm...'
Seok Myeong glanced down at his own clothes. They were comfortably shabby. The colors had faded, the embroidery was ruined by broken threads, and patches of plain cotton cloth covered various tears. It looked more like the rags worn by beggars than the robe of a first-generation disciple of Qingcheng.
Comparing his situation to Seok Jun's, a faint, bitter chuckle escaped him for some reason.
"By the way, Eldest Senior Brother, how is your research going?"
As if he had finished his work, Seok Jun approached him with a friendly tone.
"Well, it's the same as always for me."
Seok Myeong gave a sheepish smile.
"I believe in you more than anyone, Senior Brother. Haven't you always been famous for your persistence?"
Seok Jun continued as he took a seat.
"Senior Brother, I've always thought you were amazing. Weren't you the only one who volunteered to keep the Azure Cloud lineage alive when we were young?"
"...Did I do that?"
"Of course. That's why I respect you even more. And who knows? Perhaps a startling new martial art will be reborn through your hands."
"I'm grateful you think so."
Seok Myeong smiled pleasantly. He knew. He knew that the other's claim of respect was a lie. But he couldn't afford to show his true feelings over something like this.
"But why did you call for me?"
Seok Myeong, still smiling, continued the conversation.
"Ah, about that."
Seok Jun quickly stood up. He brought something from his desk and placed it in front of Seok Myeong. It was a colorful silk pouch and a document.
"What is this?"
"You'll understand once you read it."
As Seok Myeong received the paper, his gaze naturally drifted to the bottom. He was checking to see if the seal of the Elder Council was present. Indeed, after confirming the seal, he moved his eyes back to the top and slowly read the contents.
"What do you think?"
Seok Jun asked Seok Myeong, who was reading calmly. His voice held a mix of anticipation and curiosity. The document he had just handed over stated that most of the budgetary support for the Azure Cloud Taoists would be discontinued.
"Hmm..."
Seok Myeong was silent for a moment. Just as Seok Jun was about to say something in response to that silence—
"What do you think about this?"
Seok Myeong's question came first.