The Disciple’s Disciple – 1

The Orthodox Faction’s Three Great Inherited Martial Arts.

Three Inherited Martial Arts that aim for the stability of the world and support the Orthodox Faction.

They are characterized by being passed down through one-person inheritance and not belonging to any family.

Therefore, it is said that one must abandon their original identity to become the successor of the Three Great Inherited Martial Arts.

The Inherited Martial Arts are as follows:

Bingryungong.

A Martial arts that subdues opponents by maximizing Yin energy, imbuing weapons with cold energy.

Noeryungong.

A Martial arts that subdues opponents by loading hidden weapons with lightning energy and throwing them, or by controlling space.

Yomryun Skill.

A Martial arts that subdues opponents with fists and kicks after drawing up fire energy with Inner Force.

And it is the most stylish and outstanding Martial arts among the Three Great Inherited Martial Arts… or so Namgung Soyu, my Master, explains.

To get to the point, I became Namgung Soyu’s disciple.

Before Master could even protest Grand Master’s absurd proposal, the procedure was carried out swiftly.

Grand Master winked at me, and I quickly bowed on the spot, forming the bond of master and disciple.

A master-disciple ceremony performed as quickly as roasting beans over a lightning strike.

In vulgar terms, you could call it a snatch.

Anyway, Namgung Soyu, who had taken in a disciple she never expected, sulked for a week and barely spoke.

Not just to me, but to Grand Master as well.

It has already been two weeks since I joined the Yomryun Skill group.

They don’t have a fixed residence and live by traveling around the country, solving the problems of the local area.

So, we spent more time camping outdoors than sleeping in decent inns.

When there was no particular work to do, Grand Master would call Master and teach her about Yomryun Skill.

According to Master, I am not yet at the stage to learn Yomryun Skill, so I am investing time in building basic physical strength and Inner Force.

I was a little suspicious if this was the right curriculum, but since Grand Master, who was watching the training from the side, didn’t say anything, I decided to trust it.

So, I wake up in the morning and do meditative breathing next to Master.

I’m still a beginner, so I can’t do meditative breathing during lunch or dinner.

…….

I guess I’m going crazy because I’m bored.

Anyway, to talk about my current achievements, I’m just taking my first steps, so it’s not easy to do meditative breathing according to the Internal energy cultivation method.

So, Master watches me from the side and helps me with my meditative breathing.

After meditative breathing, we eat a simple breakfast.

Grand Master makes breakfast, which contains the deep meaning of putting more effort into training during the breakfast-making time.

Washing the dishes after breakfast is my responsibility.

Originally, it was Master’s responsibility, but I volunteered because it seemed right for me, the lowest-ranked, to do it.

Of course, Master also gave me unspoken pressure with sidelong glances.

While I’m doing the dishes, Grand Master calls Master to check her progress and have a simple sparring match.

I watch them from the sidelines, and when I finish washing the dishes, I do physical training on my own as instructed by Master.

Things like jumping and lifting heavy objects.

After spending time like this, we move to another place.

We move around in the afternoon and start camping around sunset.

But this time, we found an abandoned thatched-roof house to stay in, and Grand Master declared that we would stay here for three days.

And today is the second day of staying in the thatched house.

“Did you sweep the yard?”

I was finishing my physical training and having random thoughts when I heard Master’s voice from behind.

“I was just about to.”

In fact, I didn’t even pick up the broom, but I bought time with insincere words.

“Hmm….”

My Master seemed displeased with something, crossed her arms, and looked at me askew.

“That’s enough. Today, I’ll teach you the most basic ignition of Yomryun Skill… no, I will teach you.”

Master shook her head and changed her words.

What changed greatly after forming the master-disciple relationship was her way of speaking.

Grand Master, who had always spoken politely to me, also started using informal speech to me, who had become a disciple of Yomryun Skill.

At the same time, she told me that I should express respect to my Master with polite words, regardless of age.

She also emphasized that Soyou’s authority as a Master comes from her behavior, so she should use solemn words.

I was already using honorifics to Master anyway, so it wasn’t awkward or difficult.

However, Master seemed to be struggling a bit.

So, when she speaks in her original tone like this in between, her face turns bright red and she glares at me.

…But why am I getting yelled at, Master? It’s not my fault.

“Co, come here.”

I stood where she pointed with her finger.

“What do you think ignition is?”

She suddenly threw a question. It seemed like she was imitating Grand Master’s teaching method.

The sight of her was a little funny, like watching a student teacher giving their first lesson.

“Lighting a fire.”

Her appearance was somehow cute, so I decided to participate in the class a little more enthusiastically.

“Th, that’s right. Now, watch my hand carefully.”

When I showed interest, Master cleared her throat and raised her index finger.

-Whoosh

Without even doing anything, a clear flame rose from her finger.

“Oh…?”

“He, heh! Did you see that? This is the most basic of the basics of Yomryun Skill. That is ignition.”

“So, ignition is creating a flame from your hand?”

“To be exact, it’s creating a flame from the entire body. However, to utilize these flames later, creating them from the hands and feet is the most efficient.”

“Isn’t it hot?”

“What is created with one’s own Inner Force cannot affect oneself.”

It was a way of speaking that made me feel like I was seeing the previous Master (Heavenly Demon).

“Hmm, then the principles of Bingryungong and Noeryungong are the same.”

“Oh… you’re quite bright?”

I felt a little bad because her reaction was genuinely surprised.

“If the principles are the same, Bingryun or Noeryun seem cooler.”

“Gah! How can you say such a thing as a disciple of Yomryun Skill!!”

“Ack!!”

Master’s fist slammed into the top of my head, and my neck went in and out like a turtle.

“That hurts!”

“I hit you to hurt you. Don’t belittle Yomryun Skill, even as a joke.”

“Pride… no, you have great pride.”

I said, stroking my throbbing head. Am I going to get a bump?

“Of course. You don’t know how great an honor it is to become the successor of the Inherited Martial Arts that support the Orthodox Faction.”

“But what are the criteria for becoming a successor of the Inherited Martial Arts? Is it something like being unusually skilled in Martial arts among children of the same age?”

If that’s the case, there’s no reason for me to be chosen.

“Hmm… I don’t think so. I wasn’t that outstanding either.”

Master opened her mouth with difficulty after thinking for a while.

It was a little strange to see her easily admit her shortcomings.

The Master I know is someone who is full of self-esteem.

“Master said there’s an aptitude. I don’t know much about it either.”

“Then I must have an aptitude too.”

“Well… I don’t want to argue with Master’s choice… but I don’t think so at all….”

“Would it hurt you to say something nice to your only disciple?”

Why is she so annoying?

“That’s just how it is. Now, stop talking nonsense and try to ignite.”

“Isn’t there a theoretical explanation? You’re just showing me how to ignite and that’s it?”

I asked back, dumbfounded by the unheard-of teaching method, and Master shrugged.

It was as if she had shown me everything.

“No, what is this…”

Muttering, I spread my fingers.

“Hana….”

Master looked at my appearance and asked, tilting her head.

“…May I ask why you raised your middle finger?”

“Ah, in my neighborhood, this is a hand gesture that symbolizes a mountain, and I thought it would be easier to draw out Inner Force if I did this.”

“Stop talking nonsense and extend your index finger.”

“Yes.”

Oh well, it didn’t work.