A Matter Of Life And Death. (1)

In fact, even the elders of the Wudang Sect did not have high expectations.

They had merely asked on the off chance.

How could one possibly restore someone whose mind has shattered?

But Yu Seol shrugged as if it were nothing and said.

“Of course. If we restore the twisted qi and blood to their original state, they might get better.”

Yu Seol’s single remark sent the senior Taoist elders of the Wudang Sect into a frenzy.

The wrinkled, white‑haired elder Gwang Cheon, forgetting his dignity, babbled and asked.

“I-is that really possible!? Please tell us the method.”

“A method? It would be useless even if I told you. That’s something only I can do.”

“T-then please help us. If you do that, our Wudang Sect will never forget your kindness.”

Gwang Cheon thought there was nothing they wouldn’t do if only they could restore Gwang Neung’s mind.

Even if it meant kowtowing to the leader of the Evil factions.

But Yu Seol turned her head as if uninterested.

“Grandpa. I’m hungry.”

Hungry at a time like this? Yu Jinsan smirked and nodded.

“Alright, then let’s descend the mountain.”

They had excavated all the treasures they had aimed for, so there was no further reason to stay.

However, the Wudang Sect elders were not ones to let them go easily.

If they let the Yin Yang Twin Monster leave like this, they would lose not only their sacred artifacts but even the Wudang’s supreme elder, Gwang Neung.

Among the elders, Gwang Hye spread both hands left and right and shouted urgently.

“W-wait a moment!”

Yu Seol sighed.

She didn’t want to push an elderly man.

“Move aside, grandpa. We have to go eat.”

At that moment Gwang Hye looked back and called the Wudang’s Sect leader.

“Mu‑gwang.”

“Yes, Master.”

“What are you doing? The big fellows said they’re hungry, didn’t they?”

At that moment, the sect leader snapped to attention and approached with kowtowing.

“Once you leave here there won’t be a suitable place to eat. As a gesture of reconciliation for past events, the Wudang will offer food.”

It was a tempting offer, but Yu Seol’s reaction was lukewarm.

According to her grandfather, the Wudang Sect, a sacred place of Taoism, forbade meat‑eating.

“I don’t like greens.”

The sect leader, momentarily flustered, glanced at the elders for cues.

Seeing their slight nods, he hurriedly said.

“W-we’ll prepare meat dishes as well, so you may look forward to it.”

“Really? Then we can just eat and go back, right?”

“Of course. It’s just not proper to send guests away empty‑handed.”

Did they think Yu Seol was unaware of their true intentions?

It was laughable when they started considering themselves guests.

“Are you really thinking of us as guests? I heard you call us grave‑robbers back there.”

The sect leader wished he could crawl into a mousehole.

He couldn’t believe they’d heard even the elders whispering from afar.

But he couldn’t back down now.

He forced a smile and said.

“In our Wudang, we joke like that to make friends. It’s a method our founder often used. Come now, don’t be like that—please come this way.”

Yu Seol smiled wryly and tugged at her grandfather’s sleeve.

“Let’s go eat, grandpa. They say they’ll give us something tasty.”

“Very well. I’m curious myself how Wudang meat will taste.”

Yu Jinsan was very curious too—to see what kind of meat dish those who forbid meat would serve.

The tense Wudang Sect’s atmosphere completely flipped.

The Taoists who had been conducting a large inspection at the gate had all disbanded, and the sect’s core leaders hurriedly gathered in one place.

Sanqing Temple. In the hall where the sect’s affairs were discussed, twelve senior Taoists had their heads together.

On the top seats sat three white‑haired, elderly Gwang elders. It had been decades since these retired martial elders had reappeared in Sanqing Temple.

Then Gwang Cheon, seated in the center, spoke gravely to the assembly.

“At any cost we must recover the Wudang Sect’s sacred artifacts. And we must not miss the last chance to heal Senior Brother Gwang Neung’s mind.”

At that moment the sect leader seated to the elders’ right said to him.

“Master Gwang Cheon. Unlike the deeply scheming Yang Monster, the Yin Monster is somewhat simple. Therefore, it’s most important to lead the Yin Monster into a good mood.”

Gwang Cheon nodded in agreement.

“Shame has no place in matters of the greater good. Use every means and method to appease the Yin Monster.”

“Yes. We’re also preparing separate gifts.”

“If they want something, give it without hesitation. And serve the finest dishes. How is the preparation going?”

One of the Wudang Sect’s elders rose from his seat respectfully.

“To buy as much time as possible, we’re serving various dishes in stages, bit by bit.”

“Good. The Yin Monster was seeking meat; that is being prepared well too, right?”

“I apologize. Even if we rush to the nearby villages to fetch meat, it would take at least an hour…”

At that moment, Gwang Hye, who had been silently observing, slammed his palm down on the table with a ‘thud’.

“What did you just say!? I clearly said the Yin Monster hates greens—you’re telling me you still haven’t prepared meat?”

“S-sorry.”

Gwang Hye slumped back in his chair as if all strength had left him.

“It’s all over. It’s all over now…”

Another elder, Gwang Hyeon, began reprimanding the elders.

“How on earth have you been running the sect with such a stance!? You might or might not be able to appease the Yin Monster, yet you betray trust and provoke anger!?”

“…”

Not only the sect leader but the elders also kept their mouths shut and lowered their heads.

They too were elders within the sect, but in front of the senior elders they could only shrink down.

After a brief silence.

Then one elder in the corner raised his head and cautiously began to speak.

“M-masters, I have something to say.”

Among the elders, Gwang Cheon responded with no more than disdain, refusing even to look at him.

“I don’t want to hear it.”

But in the elder’s eyes there was a deep resolve that he must speak.

“T-there is a way to obtain meat right now.”

At that moment everyone’s gaze focused on him.

They were so surprised that even the stern‑faced elders’ eyes widened.

“What did you say just now? Speak quickly.”

“Ac-actually… there are quite a few disciples who secretly cook and eat meat. I hadn’t intended to just stand by; I planned to investigate soon, but…”

The watching sect leader narrowed his brow and scolded him.

“Elder Mu‑young! Surely you haven’t been eating meat here together with your disciples?”

It is an open secret that Taoists sometimes sneak off to eat meat outside.

But to have eaten meat on the sacred Wudang Mountain? That’s an entirely different matter.

If an elder responsible for guiding disciples was involved, it would be a scandal capable of overturning the sect.

But what did that matter in this situation?

Gwang Cheon, who had the greatest say in the hall, raised one hand and shouted.

“Enough! That’s not important now. From this moment I give you a chance to wash away your past wrongs.”

He was saying they might not pursue past matters.

Elder Mu‑young breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and bowed his head.

“Yes, Master. Just give the order.”

“Immediately confiscate all the children’s meat and cook it at once to serve to the Yin Yang Twin Monster. Do you understand!?”

Elder Mu‑young rose awkwardly from his seat.

“I‑I understand, Master Gwang Cheon.”

“As fast as possible!”

“Yes. Understood.”

With a sharp shout he darted out.

As he vanished, Gwang Cheon asked the sect leader.

“What reason did the Yin Yang Twin Monster give for coming here?”

“It seems the children caught them slandering the pair. During the scuffle they tore the Yin Monster’s clothes and damaged an expensive bracelet…”

“Bring all those kids here.”

The sect leader tilted his head and asked.

“Pardon?”

“Wouldn’t the Yin Monster’s mood only be appeased by a formal apology?”

“Understood, Master. I’ll order them to go and sincerely apologize and beg forgiveness.”

At that moment Gwang Cheon slammed his palm on the table.

Bang-!

“Don’t just send the kids—every one of you go and apologize!!”

Meanwhile, Elder Mu‑young ran like mad toward the Wudang Sect’s cooking kitchen.

Bang-!

Dozens of disciples were gathered there, sitting and resting.

Mu‑young abruptly summoned the top‑ranking first‑generation disciples among them.

“Myeong-jeong, Myeong-su, Myeong-jin, Myeong-ho! You lot come here at once!!”

At Mu‑young’s shout, the first‑generation disciples rushed over and stood at attention.

Among them, the highest‑ranked Myeong-ho asked in bewilderment.

“What is it, Elder?”

“Listen to me carefully. The sect leader and the elders have learned of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“That we have been eating meat.”

In that instant the first class disciples’ faces went as pale as paper.

What kind of thunderbolt is this supposed to be?

As if the situation were a dream, they wildly demanded back at him.

“Whaaat?”

“T-then are we to be expelled from the sect?”

“T-the elders know as well…?”

To the first class disciples, the elders were so high in rank they couldn’t even meet their eyes.

It was natural they were restless with worry over the decree that might fall.

“But do not worry. Master Gwang Cheon has decided to look the other way.”

“R-really?”

Elder Mu‑young nodded with a solemn face.

“Yes. Such things are not the issue. Now the fate of the Wudang Sect rests in your hands.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

There was no time to explain in detail.

The meat dishes had to be served before the Yin Yang Twin Monster’s meal ended.

“I’ll explain the details later. How much hidden meat remains?”

“There’s about two pounds of aging beef, one chicken we procured yesterday, and a few eggs.”

That amount could feed five people until they burst.

“You must cook it immediately—bring it all out.”

“What? You’re saying we should openly cook here? It’s too dangerous in broad daylight…”

Elder Mu‑young cut him off with a look of exasperation.

“There’s no time, so shut up and hurry—bring it out!!”

He was so desperate that an oath even slipped from the Taoist’s mouth.

The disciples saw the elder in this state for the first time.

They blinked dumbly for a moment, then began to move in perfect unison.

There was not a single person left to talk back to him.

The meats hidden throughout the kitchen appeared one after another on the prep tables.

Mu‑young urgently gave them orders.

“Myeong-jeong grill the meat, Myeong-su boil the chicken. Myeong-jin make the beef stew, and Myeong-ho make the meat soup. Can you do it? Make it tastier than usual! Cook it to a heavenly taste!”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Leave it to us.”

Having given all the orders, Mu‑young folded his arms and supervised the cooking process.

Even the second class disciples assisting in the kitchen were fully mobilized, but the process couldn’t be shortened.

‘This is going to be tight on time,’ he thought.

Anxiety filled his face as he went back and forth through the kitchen.

If things went wrong, he’d likely take all the blame.

Eventually he made a grave decision.

“Bring me the slicing knife! Hurry!”

A disciple awkwardly handed him the slicing knife and asked.

“Why do you need this, Elder?”

Mu‑young sighed and took a position at one side of the kitchen.

He then neatly laid out the most tender cuts of beef and said.

“We’ll have to prepare raw beef first in a pinch. Bring plates!”

“Y-yes, understood.”

Gripping the slicing knife, Mu‑young let out a deep sigh.

An elder of the Wudang Sect was preparing yukhoe for the Yin Yang Twin Monster of the Evil factions.

A sense of self‑disgust washed over him, but now was not the time to pick and choose battles.