The Give And Take Of Affection. (3)

The elders’ eyes widened as if they might split.

Only the sect leader and the senior elders with strong internal qi pretended to remain calm.

“What’s the matter?”

At Yin Monster’s question, the elder who had just groaned looked flustered and hesitated.

“I-I just thought it looked too delicious…”

The shock the Taoist practitioners felt was indescribable.

An intense scent pierced their nostrils and seemed to stab at their very souls.

And the dishes visible to the eye were things they couldn’t even have imagined.

As Yin Monster had said, the variety was wide.

Porridge as red as blood and dishes braised in unidentifiable seasonings.

And the intestines wrapped in thinly sliced radish were nothing remarkable compared to the rest.

The skewered, grilled thin long intestines were surprising, but the most shocking thing was something else.

The sect leader bit his lip and voiced his impression.

“To use f-frogs as a garnish… It’s truly artistic and beautiful.”

Twelve frogs hung like executed prisoners on cruciform skewers.

The sect leader saw their future in that sight.

“If you pull out a frog and dip it in the sauce it’s delicious. Go on, try it.”

Yu Seol watched with her arms crossed, face full of anticipation.

For a cook, the greatest happiness is seeing guests enjoy the food.

The senior Taoist masters of the Wudang sect knew that and couldn’t show dislike.

All eyes quietly focused on one person.

Except for the deranged Gwang Neung, Gwang Cheon had the highest share in the Wudang sect.

He had to pick up the food first before the others could begin their meal.

“I-I will enjoy it.”

The round wooden dining table was of the rotating type.

Gwang Cheon pushed the table slowly to the side with trembling hands.

Creak-!

First, the vegetarian dishes’ strong aroma made them impossible to face.

Though he usually loathed meat, he thought it better to break his principle this time.

Whatever it was, he had to eat well and get the Taiji token back.

Among the eight dishes, Gwang Cheon chose the intestine dish, since its smell seemed the least strong.

He picked up a golden-brown piece of intestine, put it in his mouth, and began to chew cautiously.

“Mmm…”

The senior masters watched him without even breathing.

Gwang Hye, standing beside him, asked with a tense face.

“H-How is it?”

Unexpectedly, high praise burst from Gwang Cheon’s mouth.

“It’s rich and chewy, really delicious. Only now do I know this taste—I’ve wasted my life until now.”

After speaking, he scooped up a handful of grilled intestine and put it into his bowl.

Then, without touching any other dishes, he turned the table to the side.

Gwang Cheon glanced at Yin Monster’s satisfied smile and said to Gwang Hye.

“Disciple, come eat quickly. Yin Monster’s cooking skill is as excellent as his martial arts.”

Indeed, you cannot judge food merely by appearance.

Soon everyone’s gaze turned to Gwang Hye.

They all looked at him nervously; within the Wudang sect he was famed for never lying.

If he were to say the food was bad, the Taiji token would be lost—this was the most nerve-wracking moment.

But Gwang Hye confidently selected a dish and transferred it to his bowl.

It was a dark reddish vegetable porridge.

All the senior masters watched as he lifted his spoon.

A moment after Gwang Hye put the porridge into his mouth.

“Guhk!?”

He hurriedly covered his mouth with one hand.

At the same time, veins burst in his eyes and the blood vessels stood out.

What kind of taste could make his eyes so bloodshot?

“What’s wrong, grandfather? Is it not tasty?”

Yin Monster, clutching the Taiji token, craned his neck to ask.

For some reason Gwang Hye answered with tears welling in his eyes.

“It was about seventy years ago. It tastes like the porridge my mother made before I entered the sect. I thought I’d never taste it again…”

“Hehe. You could feel your mother’s touch?”

“Yes. Really, at my age to be so foolish as to shed tears…”

As Gwang Hye wiped his tears with his sleeve.

Another elder, Gwang Hyeon’s, tilted his head in puzzlement.

‘That’s strange. I heard Senior Brother Gwang Hye was taken in after suffering abuse from his mother when he was young. He used to curse her—how could he be reminded of her cooking?’

Knowing his past well, Gwang Hyeon couldn’t hide his unease.

“Come on and eat, Gwang Hyeon disciple.”

Gwang Hyeon also had to choose something.

Six dishes remained that he hadn’t tried, but there was no need to take risks.

So he picked up the intestine dish that Senior Brother Gwang Cheon had taken.

“Senior Brother Gwang Cheon ate it so deliciously, I really wanted to try it too.”

They all looked at him resentfully, but what could be done? In the Wudang sect rank and allocation were hierarchy, and that could never be overturned.

Next was the sect leader Mu-gwang’s turn.

Unlike the other sahyungs, he never ate meat even outside.

But perhaps he couldn’t bring himself to eat the vegetable porridge?

“I feel the same as Senior Gwang Hye. I can’t die without knowing the taste that Senior Gwang Cheon praised so highly.”

At this point, the intestine dish—which had been proven safe—quickly dwindled.

From now on it was the elders’ turn, and the order was determined by allocation.

As expected, Elder Mu-song also turned the table slowly to get the intestine dish.

Creak-! Creak-!

For some reason the rotating table spun around twice.

Strangely, it refused to stop in front of the dish he wanted.

And he could easily sense the reason.

‘…Could it be Gwang Hye sahyung?’

There was no doubt Gwang Hye was manipulating the rotating table with inner energy.

It must mean ‘the intestines are mine, don’t touch them.’

He hadn’t expected such a petty move.

But there was nothing to do but choose something else.

‘I must pick something with as little seasoning as possible.’

He thought hard and searched for the food that would likely taste the best.

He chose a dish of various shaped meats stir-fried with vegetables.

‘This looks round in shape—probably meatballs. Yes, this is the best option for now.’

Having decided, he transferred two meatballs and vegetables into his bowl.

As he picked up one of the meatballs with his chopsticks.

As if waiting, Yin Monster muttered from behind.

“An excellent choice! You see, that’s a nutritious delicacy of fried pig eyeballs—only two per pig. It’s very good for the body.”

Musong’s face went pale.

Yet even so he kept a smiling expression.

‘Damn! Eyeballs? How am I supposed to eat that?’

When he hesitated for a moment, Yin Monster urged him from behind.

“Hurry and try it. I’m so curious what it tastes like~”

To make matters worse, the elders were gesturing for him to gulp it down quickly.

Swallowing a dry gulp, Musong trembled as he brought it to his mouth.

‘Phew. Calm down. It’s for the sect—eat with a smile. You can do this!’

The more advanced the martial artist, the keener the palate and the more they feel taste and texture.

The burst of eyeball juice and its chewiness in his mouth—an unforgettable memory for life.

As Elder Mu-song laughed like a madman, Yu Seol asked with a curious look.

“How is it?”

“It’s too good to eat alone. Yin Monster, you should have one too.”

Yu Seol shrugged and turned her head.

“I don’t eat dishes I made myself. Just watching others eat fills me up.”

What an absurd claim. If so, she most likely didn’t even season it properly before cooking.

But no one could retort to her.

When the meal was delayed, Gwang Cheon hurried the elders.

“Come on, eat quickly. Since Yin Monster personally prepared the food, don’t leave any behind.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Thus the terrifying meal continued.

There were surely delicious dishes mixed in, but if not, it would have been hell.

After the rotating table had spun twice, everyone had finished selecting what they could eat.

From now on it was truly a battle of wits and inner energy.

“…Guk.”

It was the sound Elder Mu-meong made as he strained against the rotating table.

Because the sect leader was interfering with inner energy, he couldn’t get the dish he wanted.

Creak-!

While he stood there with tears in his eyes.

Yu Seol approached carrying a ladle.

“There’s plenty, so don’t fight—eat nicely together.”

Immediately, Yin Monster took the ladle and began to evenly distribute the remaining food into everyone’s bowls.

The reactions diverged sharply.

The senior elders and sect leader cried out in despair, while the elders smirked with satisfaction.

“Y-You didn’t have to go this far.”

“Thank you very much.”

“As expected, Yin Monster is fair and considerate just as rumored.”

Yu Seol nodded with a proud smile.

Then she didn’t move a single step until their meal was finished.

After the mealtime, only the Wudang sect’s senior elders remained in the place Yin Monster had left, looking haggard.

They looked drained of energy as if they had just endured a great ordeal.

“At last we’ve done it. Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

Gwang Cheon, clutching the Taiji token, had tears in his eyes.

They had finally retrieved one of the Wudang sect’s sacred items from Yin Monster.

How much humiliation they had to endure for this.

The sect leader bowed his pale face and said.

“Even reclaiming one Taiji token was this arduous; I don’t see how we’ll recover the Sky Piercing Sword.”

“It’s a hardship we must undertake. Now that you mention it, you said earlier that the Yin Yang Twin Monster didn’t seem as evil as the rumors.”

“W-well…”

Gwang Cheon sighed and shook his head.

“She’s a demon… she’s definitely a demon.”

“Did she perhaps try to assassinate us all at once with her cooking?”

“Who but a madman would go to such trouble? If Yin Monster wanted, killing us all would be child’s play.”

No one could deny that.

Unless Gwang Neung’s mind fully returned, the current Wudang sect had no way to stop Yin Monster’s tyranny.

“Still, it’s fortunate that Yin Monster kept his promises.”

“The martial world’s reputation seems true. In any case, until we recover the Sky Piercing Sword, bind the Yin Yang Twin Monster to Wudang Mountain. Use any means necessary. Is that clear to everyone!?”

“Yes, Senior.”

Meanwhile, Yu Seol walked back to her room with light steps, as if elated.

She was in a good mood from having indulged in her hobby of cooking after a long time.

“But why does grandpa keep following me?”

“…”

Gwang Neung was still trailing right behind Yu Seol.

Even though they had handed over the Taiji token.

He was probably instinctively more drawn to the Heaven Piercing Sword.

It was annoying, but whatever—if she ignored him, that would be that.

When she went to the back courtyard of the room, she saw her grandfather waving his arms about.

“Grandpa!”

“Oh? Seol has come.”

“Where did you go? I cooked so hard to feed you too, you know.”

Yu Jinsan, who had been smiling awkwardly, suddenly clutched his stomach.

“My stomach, it’s not feeling well.”

Yu Seol looked at her grandfather suspiciously and snorted.

“Hmph. You ate something delicious by yourself without telling me, didn’t you?”

“As if I’d do such a thing. But child, come and help your grandpa.”

“Hmm? With what?”

“First, watch grandpa’s movements carefully from now on.”

Yu Jinsan spread his legs and began to imitate the Taiji that Gwang Neung had displayed.

His arms swept softly like cutting through wind, and his movements even advanced as if slicing through currents.

He thought it looked reasonably convincing, but to his granddaughter it seemed clumsy.

“Puhit! What is that?”

“It’s the Taiji the old man behind you used to perform. I want to blend this into our family’s Palm technique—can’t you do it?”

It wasn’t often her grandfather asked so much of her.

But how could she mix two martial arts just by imitating them?

Yu Seol folded her arms and pondered for a moment.

“Hmm.”