The Inner Disciples Of Gyorei Cave

We returned to Gyorei Cave.

“Go back to Wallside Hall for today. Come to my room first thing tomorrow morning. Understood?”

That was what Elder Tsuen told me.

“Understood.”

I obediently returned to Wallside Hall, processed only the Thunder Bear’s fur, and then went to sleep without even eating dinner. I was excited that I had passed, but both my mind and body were exhausted, so I fell asleep as if losing consciousness.

I woke up at the same time the sun rose, got ready, and headed to the dining hall.

“Kou, how did yesterday’s test go?”

Zengu, who had spotted me, came over and asked. Ashin was standing behind him.

“Stop that. Last night he didn’t show his face to anyone and went straight back to his room. You know what that means, don’t you?”

It seemed Ashin thought I had failed the inner disciple test.

“No, no, I passed properly.”

Zengu and Ashin both looked shocked.

“You really defeated a Thunder Bear?”

“No way.”

Why would they not believe me? When I said I would show them the fur, the other outer disciples said they wanted to see it too, so we all went together to the shed. There lay the Thunder Bear fur that had been packed in salt. Seeing it, Zengu and the others gaped in astonishment.

“So Thunder Bears were this big.”

Ashin seemed surprised by its size. After that, I received many words congratulating me on passing. The outer disciples looked happy, as though they felt hope.

After returning to the dining hall and eating the meal that had been prepared, I headed to Elder Tsuen’s room.

“Elder Tsuen, this is Kou.”

“Enter.”

When I heard the elder’s voice, I went inside, and Elder Tsuen was there, fully prepared and waiting.

“We are going to see Sect Leader Wei now.”

Blue Spirit Hall, where Sect Leader Wei, the leader of Gyorei Cave, lived, was a little way up the mountain path from the Main Hall. I had heard that there was a building like a small temple there, where the sect leader trained.

Led by Elder Tsuen, I went inside and stepped forward before the sect leader, who was waiting in the great hall.

“This child is indeed the outer disciple called Kou?”

Sect Leader Wei asked Elder Tsuen that question. His voice carried a tone that made others submit, and some kind of power overflowed from his whole body. Still, he apparently had not expected me to be this young.

It was the first time I had seen the sect leader up close. The sect leader was not especially tall. Even so, he felt large, probably because of the power overflowing from his body. His face was one from which a strict personality seemed to show through, and both his beard and hair were pure white.

“There is no mistake.”

After that, the ceremony for formally becoming a member of Gyorei Cave was held, and I became an inner disciple by performing the formal bow called the Three Kneelings and Nine Kowtows before the sect leader. This bow consisted of kneeling once and lowering one’s head three times, and repeating that motion three times.

When it was over, the sect leader turned his eyes toward Elder Tsuen.

“Elder Tsuen, I entrusted you with managing the outer disciples for many years, but as of today, you are dismissed from that role.”

“W-why is that?”

“Following Elder Mon’s remonstrance, I ordered that the inner disciples instruct the outer disciples, yet I hear that you yourself never instructed them even once. You must truly dislike teaching.”

“However, it is not as though the other elders are idle.”

Elder Tsuen said something that suggested he wanted to continue managing the outer disciples. He was supposed to dislike outer disciples, so I could not understand it.

“I have decided to entrust the outer disciples to my direct disciple Bowen. He also came from the outer disciples. He will make an effort for their sake.”

Having been told that, Elder Tsuen left the room, leaving me behind. Hey, what am I supposed to do? See this through to the end.

“Though it is supposed to be a felicitous day, my apologies. Now then, since you have formally become an inner disciple, you will study under one of your seniors. Whom will you choose?”

“I wanted to learn under Elder Shanshi, but he told me that his direct disciple slots were full.”

“He seems to be popular with those who wish to master martial arts. Well, there is no need to hurry. It has been decided that you may choose within one year.”

“Understood.”

Sect Leader Wei looked me over as though appraising me. He was probably checking the flow of my qi.

“Now that you have become an inner disciple, do not forget that you also bear a Taoist practitioner’s duty to exterminate yōma that appear near human settlements.”

In this world, it was said that Taoist practitioners and Immortals were the ones meant to defeat yōma. This was said to be something decreed by Heaven, and at Gyorei Cave as well, if a request came from the king, Taoist practitioners would be dispatched. However, those dispatched were inner disciples or above.

“A new room will be prepared for you. You may move there tomorrow or so.”

“Thank you very much.”

After the initiation ceremony ended, I took the Thunder Bear fur to town and asked a craftsman to tan it. Then, when I returned to Wallside Hall on Mount Gyorei, I informed all the outer disciples that I had become an inner disciple.

“Congratulations.”

“I wonder how many years it has been. Anyway, congratulations.”

“Kou, you’re amazing.”

The outer disciples congratulated me one after another, and that made me happy. I told them that Elder Tsuen had been removed from managing the outer disciples, and that Bowen, the sect leader’s direct disciple, would be taking over their management.

The outer disciples were delighted to hear that.

“He used to be an outer disciple himself, so he’ll think seriously about us.”

Xiaotan said that. Hearing it, Yingjie nodded.

“Maybe he’ll even change the requirement of defeating a Thunder Bear for the inner disciple test.”

“When I think about you leaving, Kou, it makes me feel lonely.”

Ashin said.

“That’s right. Can I teach the other outer disciples the things you taught me?”

Yingjie asked.

“I don’t mind.”

Things like Meimei Gong, Middle Transmission might seem strange, but this would be to Gyorei Cave’s benefit. It probably would not be treated as any sort of offense.

I was given a room in Doushu Hall, the lodging facility for inner disciples, and I was going to live there. As for the morning training we had agreed on, Elder Shanshi formally granted me permission for that as well. Within the next year, I would have to decide whom to study under. For now, I decided to think about it while excluding Elder Tsuen.

The people one could study under were not limited to elders; they also included the senior disciples called high disciples. I intended to think it over carefully from here on.