The Hidden Dragons Emerge (6)
My mother often visited the Taoist temple to pray after getting pregnant with me. That's where she first crossed paths with Yu Han's master. When her belly grew too large for her to make the trip, he'd come straight to the nursery to pray on her behalf.
Even back when I was in the nursery, Yu Han would drop by now and then with his master. But then, out of nowhere, their visits just stopped. It wasn't until much later that I learned why.
Secluded disciple. Not a regular disciple, but not fully excommunicated either. It's a vague in-between status for a disciple—practically on the verge of expulsion, to be precise.
That was Yu Han's current standing.
Sects like Shaolin, Wudang, and Hwasan are divided between martial artists who pursue the way of the warrior and Taoists who follow the path of the Dao, thanks to their Buddhist and Taoist roots.
Yu Han's master was a Taoist. And Yu Han had been raised as one too.
But during the Great War between Righteousness and Evil, Hwasan lost every single one of its first-generation disciples—all warriors.
With no choice, Yu Han's master—a Taoist—took over as sect leader, with his generation's standing. Naturally, Yu Han became the sect leader's disciple.
This inevitably sparked friction with the existing Hwasan disciples. Surprisingly, though, it all smoothed over on its own.
Because Yu Han possessed an extraordinary talent for martial prowess, the one quality most essential to a warrior. More than anyone expected.
He started learning martial arts later than the others but soared to greater heights faster. Everyone called him a prodigy, with no complaints about him as the sect leader's disciple.
Then, one day, trouble struck.
No matter how gifted he was in martial arts, Yu Han was meant for the Taoist path from the start. His master was hailed as the greatest Taoist of the era, so in a way, it was inevitable.
Like other sects, Hwasan held sparring matches to test disciples' skills. During one, Yu Han accidentally inflicted a fatal wound on his opponent.
From that day on, he neglected his martial training.
People dismissed it as a temporary phase common among martial arts beginners. Martial arts are meant to harm enemies, even take lives. Many new learners feel repulsed by that at first.
But true martial artists overcome it—like getting over a childhood fever, burning hot before fully recovering.
Yu Han didn't.
All of Hwasan's first-generation disciples are dead now. The sole survivor, Yu Han's master, is too old to start training from scratch. Besides, he has no talent for martial arts anyway.
So all hopes rested on Yu Han, the sect leader's disciple. And then he abandoned the sword.
Pent-up resentments erupted everywhere. Elders pressured the sect leader to take another disciple besides Yu Han.
He was Hwasan's leader, but having spent his life cultivating the Dao, he couldn't stand against the martial-trained elders.
Still, he refused to yield. Because their demands amounted to stripping Yu Han of his position as sect leader's disciple.
Hwasan has secret arts permitted only to the sect leader and their disciple. With the leader lacking martial aptitude, the elders wanted that disciple to master them quickly and preserve Hwasan's unique techniques.
After that day, Yu Han tried to pick up the sword again. But the memory wouldn't fade—the sight of his fellow disciple screaming, clutching his twisted arm.
In the end, realizing he was nothing but a burden to his master, Yu Han declared himself a secluded disciple.
After that, he'd been living alone in some rural backwater until his sect suddenly ordered him to enter the Sawangjeon tournament, dragging him back to the Central Plains.
Yu Han and I walked side by side down the road.
"Wanna head in there?" I pointed at the tavern ahead.
"S-sure, sounds good."
He agreed readily. A far cry from his old self—looked downright timid now.
We stepped inside. The place was packed. Luckily, a corner table was free, and the waiter guided us over.
I ordered food the second I sat down.
"Five-spice pork, eight-treasure stir-fry, mapo tofu, roast duck, a bowl of noodles, and a plate of dumplings. What about you, Yu Han?"
"S-same for me."
"......"
You... must be starving, huh? You know you just ordered ten silver taels' worth without batting an eye?
Yu Han clutched his stomach, clearly famished. His gut rumbled nonstop. The aromas wafting from every direction were testing his limits.
Fine, no being stingy over food!
While waiting, I decided to pepper him with questions I'd been curious about.
"How've you been holding up?"
"Oh, y'know, reading books, taking walks, meditating. That sorta thing."
But he'd passed the preliminaries, so he must've kept training. No doubt about it—a Hwasan Sword Ghost couldn't just drop the blade.
The Yu Han I knew from the future was sword-obsessed.
"Seen your master yet?"
"N-not yet."
His voice trembled sharply at the mention of his master, Hwasan's leader, Jaming.
As expected...
This guy was still trapped in that past incident, unable to break free.
Tsk tsk.
Knowing the future is a blessing sometimes, but bitter too.
I knew what fate awaited Yu Han if things stayed this way.
More regrets, probably.
He's always been this soft-hearted. The kind who can't even take a small life. And yet he'd harden into a Sword Ghost.
"Yu Han, you know this?"
"What?"
"You're still the sect leader's disciple."
His pupils quivered. He clearly had no idea.
His master had been fighting that battle alone all this time. And still believed in him.
Proof? Sending the secluded Yu Han to the Sawangjeon.
The food arrived, but Yu Han didn't touch it, just sat with his head bowed, lost in thought.
I left him be and dug in. Finished mine, still hungry, so I snuck bites from his.
He stayed still.
Hold up. I'm paying anyway—why act like I need permission?
I polished off his share too before finally feeling full and setting down my chopsticks.
Then Yu Han spoke.
"Daeso."
I flinched.
No way he's drawing his sword here over me eating his food, right?
Again, this guy's the future Sword Ghost. Eyes flash, and he slashes first, thinks later.
I scooted my chair back, ready to bolt, and answered cautiously.
"W-what?"
Not stuttering from fear. All on my dime. I'm good.
"Is it true?"
"What?"
"That Master hasn't taken any other disciples besides me...?"
I pulled my chair in and murmured the truth I knew.
"Yeah."
Even before regression, Hwasan had only one sect leader's disciple, as far as I knew.
That's when a commotion erupted from the upstairs of the tavern.
Several men descended the stairs. I looked up at them.
Yu Han spotted the group and immediately ducked his head, sitting frozen. His body trembled faintly.
"Well, well, who do we have here?"
They came straight to our table.
"Why's a guy who should be rotting in some village dump here? Secluded disciple my ass!"
"Kekekeke!"
"Kekekeke!"
I had a pretty good guess who they were.
Taoist robes with plum blossom patterns.
Only one place in the martial world wore those.
I stood and asked, "Who are you?"
Glanced at Yu Han again. Still shaking.
"Oh man, a swordless piece of trash even has a friend?"
The man ignored me, reaching for Yu Han.
Thwack!
I slapped his hand away. "I asked who you are. And you know fighting outside the arena during the Sawangjeon gets you disqualified, right?"
Better scram now—for your own good.
Or you'll eat steel, idiot!
If Yu Han snaps here, we're in deep shit.
"Ooh, your buddy's got some guts, huh? Don't worry, we ain't fighting him. Just came to see if his face is made of iron plating."
The man reached again, draping an arm over Yu Han's shoulder.
Thankfully, Yu Han stayed put.
The man leaned to his ear. "Right, big senior brother?"
Yu Han squeezed his eyes shut and finally spoke. "I-It's fine, Daeso."
He slowly raised his head to meet the man's gaze. They knew each other—pretty well, even.
"Oh, long time no see, Junior Brother Jang. How've you been?"
"Pfft!"
The one called Junior Brother Jang laughed openly.
"How've I been? You dare ask with that mouth? Must've left your conscience back in the sticks, huh?"
"Right? He still thinks he's the sect leader's disciple!"
"Kekekeke."
Yu Han's voice nearly cracked with tears. "I-I just... saw you after so long, wanted to say hi..."
"Big senior brother's the same as ever. Pretending to be innocent, clueless. There's a limit to how nauseating you can be."
"J-Junior brother..."
"Junior brother? Why the hell am I your junior? Call me that again, and you're in for it."
"W-what do you mean?"
"Oh, haven't heard? Or maybe they kept it from you on purpose. Your ties to Hwasan are about to be severed. Lucky you got a good master, though. If he weren't sect leader, you'd never leave with all your limbs intact."
At the mention of the Hwasan sect leader, Yu Han's eyes changed.
"What did you do to Master?"
No trace of his earlier timidity.
"Tch! Acting like big senior brother!"
It was pure mockery, but Yu Han waited calmly for more.
Jang shrugged. "The elders decided that if you don't perform well enough in this Sawangjeon, the sect leader steps down. I've been chosen as the next sect leader's disciple."
He sneered. "Passed the preliminaries, though? Guess you weren't just slacking in seclusion. Pray you don't face me in the finals. I don't wanna see a 'former' Hwasan sect leader's disciple get humiliated."
"......"
"Let's go, guys."
"Yes, senior brother!"
Jang and the Hwasan disciples left the tavern.
Yu Han stayed seated even after they were gone. I watched him quietly.
Secluded disciple Yu Han.
Before regression, he lost early in the finals. His master stepped down soon after.
Exhausted from holding the position so long, the master fell ill and died shortly thereafter.
The rumors after that? Yu Han became a completely different person—ice-cold, nothing like his current self.
That's all I knew of the Hwasan Sword Ghost.
His master probably doesn't cling much to the sect leader title. Nor does Yu Han.
That's why he boldly became a secluded disciple.
Yet the master clung to that seat purely to protect this guy. Had to be.
Then a familiar figure entered the tavern.
"Aigoo, there you are! I've been looking everywhere!"
How'd this guy know?
Namgung Je-cheon panted heavily as he rushed over.
"What? Can't I be here?"
I'd snuck out without telling the head maid, so yeah, a twinge of guilt. (This money? 'Borrowed' from her this morning.)
"The main draw's out. Went to Cheonryongjeon—you weren't there. You have any idea how many taverns I checked for the young master?"
"How many?"
"One."
Should I kill him...?
"Your first main-round opponent is set."
Oh! Perfect timing—I was wondering.
"Who?"
"Huh?"
Namgung Je-cheon blinked in surprise at Yu Han sitting across from me.
"Who, I said?"
I pressed. He pointed right at the guy in front of me.
"Him."
"......Him?"
"Yes. Hwasan's sect leader's disciple, Yu Han. Your first main-round sparring opponent, young master."
This is insane. What kinda twisted fate is this?