****
Somehow, I felt like I knew what was going on in this situation.
Even merchants had many factions depending on their region or origin.
There was no way martial artists would be any different.
Whenever an organization was formed, factions were bound to be divided, and it seemed to be the same for them.
"They are the disciples of Sasuk Cheong-ryu."
Someone told me from my side.
It was one of the kids who had been standing next to Myeong-gyeong.
The kids who had been standing next to Myeong-gyeong surrounded my perimeter.
The way each of them took up a position looked as if they were escorting me.
"The relationship between Sasuk Cheong-ryu and our Master is not that good."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Did they feel a sense of belonging because Cheong-hwa had brought me?
Even though Myeong-seong had picked on me, it seemed he was of the mindset that 'I hit my own child'.
To think I was feeling reassured by these brats.
It was a disgrace for a fifty-year-old.
Anyway, if the adults didn't get along, there was no way the children would get along.
That must be why Myeong-han kept picking a fight with Myeong-seong.
In the midst of that, Myeong-seong didn't want to accept it, but it seemed he was forced to because of the pretext of me.
"Myeong-seong. Step aside. I must hold that lay disciple responsible for the crime of disrupting Wudang's discipline."
"He is a temporary main mountain disciple."
"That or that."
Myeong-han and Myeong-seong were engaged in a battle of nerves.
What was so special about a grass flute to disrupt discipline?
To be fair, Mount Wudang had so little to play with that even a grass flute could be stimulating.
"Are you not going to step aside?"
"He is someone who will become my Saje. Even if he is to be disciplined, I will be the one to do it."
"We may not have the same Master, but we still have a Sahyung-Saje relationship, don't we?"
"It is customary not to touch a disciple of another master."
"No. If there is something that is clearly wrong in anyone's eyes, guiding them is what a proper Sahyung does. Are you going to just stand still while your Saje walks around with his hands in his pockets?"
"That is a different story."
"Explain what's different."
"If you come any closer, I will explain with my sword."
Even though they were kids, their fighting spirit was quite fierce.
Since they grew up in such a space of conflict, I could understand why they looked at commoners with such indifference.
"I'd like that."
Myeong-han also drew the wooden sword from his waist.
The momentums of Myeong-seong and Myeong-han clashed sharply.
"Sahyung Myeong-seong has a record of 108 wins and 93 losses in 201 matches against Sahyung Myeong-han."
The kid next to me explained.
Even sworn enemies probably wouldn't fight 200 matches.
It must be because they were at a hot-blooded age.
"Myeong-gyeong. Stand back."
"Yes. Sahyung."
Myeong-gyeong, who was caught in the middle, was saved by Myeong-seong.
Myeong-gyeong quickly exited the battlefield and came to my side.
The fight began right from that moment.
Without anyone saying anything, Myeong-seong and Myeong-han struck out at the same time.
The sound of wooden swords clashing was bloody.
I didn't know for sure, but it seemed like a direct hit would be impossible to avoid a serious injury.
And yet, the movements of the two were elegant and nimble.
It was said that Wudang's swordsmanship was expressed as 'the soft can overcome the hard'.
It was certainly a swordsmanship that clearly revealed their characteristics.
The offense and defense continued in a way where if Myeong-seong received Myeong-han's sword and struck back, Myeong-han would receive it and strike back in return.
Even though they were young, their swordsmanship was clearly complete.
Since they were kids just around ten years old, they must have trained for at least five years.
Of course, it couldn't be compared to the Taiji Wisdom Sword that Cheong-hwa had shown, but they had their own kind of fluidity.
I watched them fight as if I were possessed.
When I was a merchant, it just looked like a brawl, but now that I had learned some martial arts, I could see the flow of the fight.
The reason I could read the flow was that they were also learning the Azure Cloud Steps.
Their movements did not deviate much from the variations of the Azure Cloud Steps.
'I can see their steps.'
Since I knew the Azure Cloud Steps, I could predict their next movements.
It was quite fun to see them move just as I predicted.
I felt like I was starting to understand why martial artists got addicted to martial arts.
Certainly, the more one knew about a fight between martial artists, the more there was to enjoy.
"You can't see it well yet, can you?"
Myeong-gyeong suddenly said while I was enjoying the spectacle.
"Pardon?"
"I was like that at first, too. I couldn't follow the sword's movements."
Myeong-gyeong straightened his small shoulders and spoke as if it were understandable.
'I can see everything.'
Since I had a clear grasp of the footwork, I could roughly predict the trajectory of the sword as well.
But it seemed Myeong-gyeong thought I couldn't see anything.
"Your eyes will get better once you learn martial arts, too."
"Ah, yes……."
I felt there was no need to embarrass the brat by saying I could see it.
Perhaps at the level of a lay disciple, it was natural not to be able to see the martial arts.
'Was my achievement in the Azure Cloud Steps that I learned for two months that good?'
I didn't know about sword or fist techniques, but as for footwork, neither Myeong-han nor Myeong-seong looked that amazing.
It was because I felt like I could also perform movements of that level.
At first, I thought they were intentionally controlling their strength because it was a spar, but looking at their expressions, they were really fighting with all their might.
At that moment, the balance of the fight, which had been in a deadlock, broke.
Myeong-seong, who had been continuously fighting while moving sideways, took a step forward.
In terms of Go, it was a brilliant move that shattered the opponent's territory.
Of course, that too was an application of the Azure Cloud Steps.
"Hut!"
The kids, including Myeong-gyeong, reacted belatedly.
It seemed my eyes for watching a fight were better than the kids'.
To be fair, given the years I had lived, I would have far more experience watching martial artists fight.
And it wasn't a wooden sword fight between kids like this, but I had seen many fights of first-rate masters who risked their lives.
Once the balance was broken, the tense confrontation collapsed rapidly.
I sensed that the fight was over.
The flustered Myeong-han's footwork had begun to get tangled.
'He's going to get his feet tangled and fall like that.'
As soon as I predicted it, Myeong-han's feet got tangled and he fell backward on his butt.
Myeong-seong's wooden sword stopped right in front of Myeong-han's nose.
"It's over."
Myeong-seong was also panting for breath, as if he had pushed himself to his limit.
Myeong-han's face contorted.
The spar was Myeong-seong's victory.
"Now, get lost."
"Why should we? Sahyung."
The one who answered was not the seated Myeong-han, but one of the guys who had come with Myeong-han.
"Myeong-un."
The guy called Myeong-un drew his wooden sword.
"Will you also teach me a move?"
Myeong-seong frowned.
It was the same for the kids, including Myeong-gyeong.
Because it was a trick anyone could see to try and fight Myeong-seong when he was out of strength.
However, Myeong-seong did not avoid it.
He drew the sword he had sheathed again.
"Anytime."
Myeong-han retreated, and Myeong-un came forward.
Although Myeong-un was Myeong-seong's Saje, it didn't seem like he respected him that much.
Because he charged in immediately without a word to signal the start of the fight.
Unlike Wudang Sect's swordsmanship, Myeong-un pressed down with force.
It was a move aimed at Myeong-seong's current lack of strength.
"Cowardly bastards."
Myeong-seong gritted his teeth.
Myeong-un just sneered.
Because Myeong-un was overwhelming Myeong-seong.
This was the world of martial artists.
The winner takes all.
Everything that comes out of the loser's mouth is just an excuse.
Even if it was truly a cowardly act.
The kids, including Myeong-gyeong, also clenched their fists tightly.
Myeong-seong couldn't block Myeong-un's wave of attacks and allowed a wooden sword to hit the back of his hand.
Myeong-seong dropped his wooden sword, and Myeong-un's wooden sword was aimed at Myeong-seong.
Of course, no one would think that Myeong-seong had lost in a formal spar with Myeong-un, but that was a story for later.
At least in this current situation, Myeong-un was the winner.
"Next, I would like to request a move."
Next was Myeong-gyeong.
Looking at his age, Myeong-gyeong seemed to be the youngest, but I thought he might be in the middle ranks.
Because the hierarchy of martial artists was not divided by age.
Myeong-un nodded his head.
Since they had done what they did, they couldn't refuse to accept it.
The fight between Myeong-seong and Myeong-han had eventually escalated into a factional fight between disciples of different masters.
From the beginning, it seemed Myeong-han had come with that in mind.
However, the kids under Myeong-seong were still young children.
Myeong-gyeong collapsed helplessly even though Myeong-un's swordsmanship or footwork wasn't that dazzling.
As Myeong-seong's face stiffened, Myeong-han's face brightened.
At least to them, their master's face would be more important.
"The Sajes are in that sorry state because they're playing with things like grass flutes."
Myeong-han ridiculed Myeong-seong, and Myeong-seong couldn't say anything.
That damn grass flute.
I couldn't understand how things had come to this over a mere grass flute.
Of course, I knew it was just a pretext.
But since they kept bringing up what I sold, I couldn't help but be bothered.
In the midst of that, the last person from Myeong-seong's side barely defeated Myeong-un.
Now, there was one person remaining under both Myeong-seong and Myeong-han.
But just by looking, Myeong-seong's direct Saje was a bit out of strength from defeating Myeong-un, and Myeong-han's Saje was in top condition.
Looking at their builds alone, it seemed Myeong-han's Saje would easily win even if they were both in top condition, so there was no need to mention the disadvantage.
Both Myeong-han and Myeong-seong seemed to have predicted the outcome.
Although he lost the main match, Myeong-han's expression was beaming, and Myeong-seong's expression was grim.
I looked at Myeong-gyeong, who had already lost and come to my side.
He had a look of humiliation, to the point where I wondered if a person of such a young age could make such an expression.
"Daoist Myeong-gyeong."
I called him that since he wasn't my Sahyung yet.
"……What."
"It's alright. You can lose sometimes."
"Are you mocking me?"
"No. I'm being sincere."
It was sincere advice drawn from a merchant's experience.
I too had been pushed around by countless merchants.
I had been pushed out of my spot while peddling, and there were times when I couldn't sell a single item due to the interference of merchants from other regions.
However, I overcame all of those and became a great merchant.
In the end, the final outcome is the most important.
Today's defeat is, on the contrary, nourishment for the final victory.
"As long as you don't die, there is always a chance for revenge."
"It's unfair."
Myeong-gyeong said.
As expected, since he was still young, it seemed my advice didn't quite reach him sincerely.
However, I thought it wasn't bad to be faithful to the emotions of the present moment.
Because that too would serve as nourishment.
In the end, the fight ended with the last of Myeong-han's Sajes defeating the last of Myeong-seong's Sajes.
Personally, he had lost, but overall, it was Myeong-han's victory.
Their expressions clearly told the story of victory and defeat.
"Now, it should be alright for me to discipline the lay disciple a bit, right?"
Myeong-han said.
Ah.
I too had momentarily forgotten how this fight started while watching the martial arts.
Myeong-han was blocked by Myeong-seong while trying to punish me.
Now that Myeong-seong had collapsed, there was nothing to stop him.
In fact, Myeong-seong was trembling and couldn't say anything.
It seemed he was clearly aware that he was the loser.
Myeong-han approached me triumphantly.
Of course, no matter how big his build was, he was still a head shorter than me.
Because I was of crowning age, after all.
"Hold on."
I said.
Myeong-han stopped walking.
I'm sorry, but I too am a person with face to save.
Since I was older, my sensitivity to humiliation was also higher than theirs.
For a person of crowning age to be scolded by kids around ten years old was something my face could not tolerate.
"Teach me a move as well."
At my words, not just Myeong-han, but also the kids on Myeong-seong's side had their eyes widened.
Myeong-han paused for a moment, then let out a sneer.
"Ha. How dare a mere lay disciple challenge a main mountain disciple?"
"Hey."
Myeong-han froze at the sudden informal speech.
He seemed flustered that a guy he thought was below him, whether a Saje or a lay disciple, was speaking informally.
"Did you just drop the formalities?"
I'm not even your Saje right now, so I can drop the formalities.
It's strange that a kid keeps babbling informally to an adult.
Of course, I had no intention of saying this out loud.
Because a battle of momentum becomes more pathetic the more you ramble on.
On the contrary, I walked in front of Myeong-han.
My shadow, a head taller, was cast over Myeong-han's body.
"Do you want to die?"
I said in a cold voice.
Perhaps feeling intimidated, Myeong-han's two eyes wavered for a moment.
In any case, I was an adult who was a head taller than the brats.
I was someone who had had countless battles of nerves with difficult customers in the marketplace.
Overpowering brats was nothing.