The Disciple’s Disciple – 3

-Thud, thud.

I received a horse as a reward for subduing the bandit gang that had been a nuisance to the village.

The Grand Master politely declined, but the village chief insisted that it was an old horse anyway and forced it upon us.

Thanks to the horse, I was able to lighten my load and travel to Anhui with a lighter step.

After the decision to participate in the martial arts tournament was made, Master began preparing for the competition.

As for me…

“Ignite, yap!”

Mastering ignition was the first priority.

But no matter how much I tried to gather my inner energy and concentrate on my fingertips, not even a spark appeared, let alone a flame.

What’s the principle?

How do I convert inner energy into flame?

My head throbs.

“Not working out?”

Master asks, walking with her eyes closed.

“Uh… well, it’s the same. Master, can you show me one more time?”

At my words, Master didn’t even open her eyes and ignited a flame with her finger.

The way she did it so naturally, without any effort, like breathing in and out, made my head throb even more.

How does she do that?

“Want me to show you again?”

Master opened one eye and looked at me.

When I nodded, she ignited the flame again.

“Geez. What’s the principle?”

“You can’t do it if you think about the principle. When you run, do you think about how to place your legs or how to exert force?”

“Not really…”

“It’s all about feeling.”

Master clicked her fingers and clicked her tongue.

“It’s okay for personal training, but it doesn’t work as a teaching method.”

I muttered and concentrated on my fingertips again.

Still no flame.

I was trying a few more times when I felt a strange gaze from the side.

“……”

When I turned around, Master was looking at my fingertips.

“What is it?”

“No, well…”

Master trailed off.

“What did you say?”

I leaned towards Master, asking in a small voice like a grass leaf moving in the night breeze.

“I’ll… prepare a little so I can explain it theoretically.”

Master said hesitantly and turned her head away.

Her ears were slightly red, as if she was embarrassed.

“…Are you worried about saying you can’t teach me?”

I wondered why she was acting like this, and then I remembered my harsh criticism of Master’s teaching methods in the past.

“……”

She must have been bothered by it.

Well, Master thinks that raising me into a proper martial artist is the task that the Grand Master gave her, so I guess that could be the reason.

At the same time, I felt a little sorry for Master. There was one thing I had forgotten.

I had a lot of emotional exchanges with Master in my life in the Black Heaven Cult. That’s why I could treat Master so comfortably.

But to the current Master, I am a strange man and a man who has only recently become her disciple.

If it were Namgung Soyu, the Chief of the Black Heaven Cult, my words wouldn’t hurt her at all…

But Namgung Soyu, the 37th disciple of Yomryun Skill, would be hurt.

I should have spoken to her more warmly, but I was so happy to see her that I treated her too casually.

“I won’t think too much about theory either. I’ll try to get a feel for it, as you said, Master.”

When I spoke to her, who seemed depressed, her head turned sharply like a meerkat.

“S, suddenly?”

It was a little burdensome to see her looking at me with her bright eyes.

“I think I’ve been too negative… I’ll try to do as you say for now.”

I said something and turned my head away, embarrassed.

I could feel Master’s piercing gaze, but I fixed my gaze on my fingertips under the pretext of practicing ignition.

But still, not a single spark came out.

Oh well, that’s what I expected. It’s not like it’s going to happen with a bang like in a movie.

Talent for an isekai’d person? There’s no such thing.

“It’s not difficult to make time, but… are you sure you’ll be okay?”

There was a hint of worry in Master’s voice.

“I’ve also received permission from the Grand Master.”

“Hmm… if Master said so, then it’s okay.”

Master nodded, as if she was still worried.

The day after we talked about teaching methods.

I made a request to the Grand Master, and the Grand Master readily agreed.

He even patted me on the shoulder, saying that he was proud of me for thinking of this.

“After all, I’m just a newbie who hasn’t learned martial arts for very long, right?”

“That’s right.”

“It would be good to build up from the basics, but the martial arts tournament is just around the corner.”

“So?”

“It’s painful that I can’t do ignition, which is the basis of Yomryun Skill. But I, Kang In-ho, think I’ve learned the forms of the stances.”

“What’s the point of learning the forms of the stances if you can’t do ignition?”

“Ah, just listen to me. Anyway, if the 38th disciple of Daeyomryun Skill gets eliminated right away in the martial arts tournament… I mean, if I get eliminated right away in the preliminaries, it would be a disgrace to Master, who taught me, right?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m worried about these days.”

She’s honest.

I moved my leg back and took a stance.

The first combat stance Master taught me.

“I’ll make up for my lack of martial arts with a sense of actual combat. I’d like to ask you for a sparring match.”

When I stared at Master with wide eyes, she made a face that said, ‘Is this right?’

“If you really say so. But are we going to spar like this?”

“Of course not. Master, you must not use inner energy. The Grand Master said so.”

‘That will help both of you.’

The Grand Master said.

While the Grand Master was away for a while to water the horse, Master and I faced each other and took our stances.

My mouth was parched from the first fight.

No matter how young she is, she is still the Heavenly Demon.

I have no expectation of winning against Master.

If I had a lot of time, I wouldn’t have done this, but unfortunately, I didn’t have much time until the martial arts tournament.

Rather than learning ignition with a theory that I didn’t clearly understand, I thought it would be more effective to just get beaten by Master and gain a sense of actual combat.

“Okay, come at me first.”

Master took a stance with the intention of giving me guidance.

I took a breath and rolled my legs greatly.

Quickly approaching, a straight punch…

“Are you awake?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I see the sky.

And Master’s face pops out and looks down at me.

“What is it? Why am I lying down all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. You rushed in defenselessly, so I had no choice but to kick your head.”

“…Have I been lying down for long?”

“An hour.”

“……”

I get up. It went in with a clean hit, so my head doesn’t ring or anything.

It feels like the day after drinking very strong alcohol.

I put my hands on my knees and got up, then shook off the dirt on my body.

“Are you going to do it again?”

“Of course.”

I take a stance and face Master.

Master smiled at my serious face.

“Still, your will is good. Come at me.”

“Here I go.”

This time, I quickly circulate the inner energy flowing through my body.

Youngma once told me that circulating inner energy quickly would speed up my movements.

Maybe it’s like strengthening my body.

When I circulate the inner energy, I feel a little lighter.

-Bounce, bounce.

Like stepping in taekwondo, I bounce up and down to time it.

Just now, I didn’t guard properly, so I got hit and fell down.

So, this time, let’s be careful to guard and go in.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Don’t rush me!”

As soon as I finished speaking, I rushed at Master.

Master’s stance is with her right foot back, so if she kicks, it will be with her right foot.

I raised my left hand to prepare for the kick that might come in, and lowered my body a little.

“Did you think I would attack with my foot again?”

When my fist was about to reach Master, she smiled bitterly and said.

Master’s figure blurred for a moment, and then she appeared on my right.

“Go to sleep.”

Master’s right shoulder is pulled back.

Probably, a straight punch will come in like this.

I circulated my inner energy and made a sudden stop.

-Whoosh

A sound of cutting through the air was heard, and Master’s fist slightly grazed the tip of my nose.

Enduring the heavy and pungent sensation, I rolled my right foot greatly and threw my body to the right.

A so-called body slam.

The power won’t be strong because I changed direction suddenly, but considering the difference in physique, I did it with the calculation that it would do meaningful damage.

But the future Heavenly Demon was not someone that I, who had just learned martial arts, could handle.

“The idea is interesting, but it’s a method that’s only possible with similar skills.”

Master, who had already put her palm on my head and jumped up.

She does a handstand in the air, using my head as a support.

Master smiled, as if she found something funny.

“I’ll give you five points out of a hundred. Disciple.”

Master’s knee heading for my face was my last memory.

“Are you awake?”

When I opened my eyes again, the same scenery greeted me as before.

This time, I got hit a little harder, so my head was dizzy even when I got up.

“Ugh, my head is throbbing.”

“It was a good attempt. However, it was a method that wouldn’t work if there was a big difference in skill between you and your opponent.”

Master said triumphantly with her arms crossed.

Aren’t you too happy about beating a newbie?

“Ugh…”

I grab my trembling legs and get up.

I put some distance between me and Master and take a stance again.

I didn’t intend to win anyway.

It’s no different from hitting a rock with an egg.

I may not be able to break the rock, but I’m going to figure out how to throw the egg at least.

“I can do it slowly if you want.”

“No, this is perfect.”

I shake my head and reject the sweet offer.

“Okay, come at me again.”

I grit my teeth and rush at Master.

That’s how I had to repeat falling and getting up countless times.