Wudang Sacred Scriptures Chapter 52

Having erged from his long ditation, Daoist Unseon looked like a bare, weathered tree branch—stripped down, fragile, enduring.

Daoist Hyehae carefully combed through his master’s tangled white hair, then softly said:

“I’ll go ahead and tie up your topknot now, Master.”

“Leave it.”

“...”

“I’m not just too old for a Daoist crown—I can barely manage a hairknot these days.”

“Master...”

“What’s there to mourn? The human form is sothing we all shed eventually.”

“...This disciple has cultivated the Dao for so long, and yet it seems I still haven’t shed my human attachnts.”

“Don’t be impatient. The Way is already standing right outside your door.”

“Master... I am unworthy of such praise.”

“It isn’t praise. Not long ago, didn’t you tear away the net of ego you’d been tangled in?”

Daoist Hyehae lowered his head.

“I’m ashad to say I didn’t tear it off myself.”

“Foolish boy. Are you lying to now?”

“...”

“Who could have forcibly torn off the net around your heart? Not even the Primal Celestial Worthy could do that.”

The teaching was clear—only the owner of the heart could decide its path.

“...Forgive .”

Daoist Unseon looked at his disciple for a mont before saying,

“Even so, one final layer still clings to you.”

“As a disciple of this hall, it was my duty to uphold its rules.”

“aning you still don’t understand the choice I made?”

“...Forgive , Master.”

Unseon asked,

“Why does a door exist on a room?”

“To open and enter—or to leave.”

“Then you must also understand why we didn’t seal off the Immortal’s Room, but left a door in place.”

“To welco the one who is destined to co, is it not?”

“And how will we recognize that destined one?”

“When they arrive, the door to the Immortal’s Room will open of its own accord on the night of a full moon. That is how we will know. That’s why we have always honored the Full Moon Restriction. And that is why I had no choice but to punish Daoist Hyeonin.”

“And why did Hyeonin break the restriction and open the Immortal’s Room?”

“That is...”

Hyehae suddenly understood what his master was really asking.

“...Master... Are you saying that child is the destined one?”

“Did that child force the door open?”

“No. Even if the cause was connected to him, it was ultimately Daoist Hyeonin’s decision, born from anger. To say the door opened on its own feels like a stretch.”

“You still cling to that last stubborn thread of ego. It’s tougher to sever than I thought.”

Daoist Unseon let out a quiet sigh.

“The Immortal’s Room has an iron door sealed with locks heavier than ten thousand pounds, and the shrine gate is bound in chains. And yet you believe the door opened by itself? How is that any different from you tearing away your own ego after witnessing that child? The two are the sa.”

Hyehae flinched. Unseon continued.

“That child erged from the Immortal’s Room on the full moon night... unhard in spirit. And more than that—he returned having refined energy.”

“....”

“And that’s not the only reason I consider him the destined one. I’ve been watching him all this ti. Even in the remote mountains, he walks with dignity and never bends to injustice. He does everything with sincerity and kindness. That alone transforms those around him.”

Shock swept through Hyehae. Only now did he realize how much his master had known, all along.

“Master... Have you opened the Heavenly Path?”

Unseon nodded.

“I’ve rely reached the state of Shadow-Spirit Ergence.”

“Then I humbly offer congratulations on your awakening.”

“There’s no need. Shadow-Spirit Ergence is only the beginning. Even now, the link is faint—I can barely communicate with the awakened soul.”

Shadow-Spirit Ergence was the stage of Daoist refinent where the soul separates from the body—liberated from the flesh, able to move freely.

It was the foundation of ascension.

Now, Hyehae understood why his master had spoken of soon shedding the human form.

It was a joyous milestone—the long-held dream of every cultivator.

But it was also sorrowful.

It ant their farewell was not far off.

“...Once again, it’s human attachnt that becos the problem.”

“Forgive , Master. I don’t know when you will leave us.”

“Don’t worry. The ti is not yet co.”

“...”

“I used my shadow-spirit to take a glimpse of the world. Malice is everywhere. The path is blocked—so much so that I could hardly even leave Mount Wudang.”

“You an to say corruption has spread that far?”

“When goodness is forgotten, evil takes its place. With the world’s righteous energy fading, it is only natural that wickedness fills the void. That is why I believe it was no coincidence the child was sent to Three Spirits Peak—it was the will of the Primal Celestial Worthy.”

“...Ah. So that’s why...”

Daoist Unseon nodded solemnly.

“In any case, whether he truly is the destined one—he must prove that himself. For now, his vessel is still unrefined. We must help him grow.”

Hyehae said,

“I understand. But I fear my own talent is too lacking.”

“When did I ever ask you to take full responsibility?”

“Then... Master?”

“That child will be your disciple.”

Hyehae’s eyes widened. It was clear what his master ant: he intended to take Kwak Yeon as the next formal disciple of Three Spirits Palace.

And with that, Hyehae understood.

His master had broken his ditation and left seclusion—for Kwak Yeon alone.

So he really is the one the Immortal’s Room was waiting for...

Cheongmu grinned from ear to ear.

“Cheongmu-hyung, are you really that happy?”

“Of course! So much! Why, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

He was happy because it ant he wouldn’t be leaving Mount Wudang.

What ca next—he didn’t know yet.

Cheongmu said,

“I was really worried. That you’d leave. Because of that itch. You haven’t given up on it, have you?”

Kwak Yeon nodded.

“The Palace Lord gave her permission to continue. I’m not sure what Daoist Hyehae thinks yet, though...”

“Don’t worry about Master at all. If the Palace Lord says it’s okay, our Master won’t go against her word.”

Still, Kwak Yeon couldn’t help but feel uneasy about Daoist Hyehae. Even if he ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ would follow the decision as a disciple, there was no question it would be uncomfortable.

But there’s no helping it.

Instead of continuing the awkward conversation, Kwak Yeon shifted the topic to sothing he’d been wondering about.

“Cheongmu-hyung, about Young-a.”

Daoist Cheongmu answered with a clouded gaze.

“She hasn’t shown up lately. Sothing must be wrong.”

“What does she look like?”

“Hmm... I don’t know.”

You can’t just say ‘I don’t know’ to that...

“She just looks like a kid.”

“Weren’t you ever scared, Cheongmu-hyung?”

Even just the idea of ghosts or spirits used to scare him.

“What’s there to be scared of? She’s a kid.”

“But how do you know she’s a kid if you don’t know what she looks like?”

“She just... feels like a kid.”

It made no sense at all.

Kwak Yeon was fairly certain now—Young-a must be a projection or incarnation of Daoist Unseon.

It felt like sothing out of a dream.

And yet there was no way not to believe it.

Maybe when you truly cultivate the Dao, such miracles are possible...

Kwak Yeon recalled the ti he had helped support Daoist Unseon’s body.

It had felt weightless—as if he were holding a feather.

He had spent a full year in seated ditation, sustaining himself on fasting pills alone. No wonder he was light as air.

Is that how one must beco, to ascend as an immortal and soar into the sky?

As Kwak Yeon drifted deeper into thought, Cheongmu suddenly broke in.

“Yeon-ah, the Palace Lord said it’s okay, so let’s do that itchy thing. I’ll start by teaching you how to asure weight with your hands.”

“But Cheongmu-hyung, you said you weren’t supposed to use martial arts.”

That’s when another voice broke in.

“You’re allowed to teach him.”

Startled, Kwak Yeon and Cheongmu turned to look.

“Daoist Hyehae...?”

“Master, really?”

Daoist Hyehae nodded.

“Yes. Since we’ve co this far, go ahead and teach him properly. Just rember—never use it against another person. That’s absolutely forbidden.”

“Heh, don’t worry about that. I’ll teach him day and night.”

Kwak Yeon was thrilled... and also a little worried. He knew too well that once Cheongmu got fixated on sothing, he could go overboard.

So much for sleep from now on.

Then, Daoist Hyehae pulled Kwak Yeon aside.

“The Palace Lord said the reason you’ve had trouble refining energy is because your Innate Energy is abnormally strong.”

When did she check my pulse? Oh—when she asked to help her walk.

He couldn’t begin to guess how she did it. But as soone trained in the One Line of Daoist dicine—and soone who had reached the Half-Immortal state—she wouldn’t even need to touch him to assess his energy flow.

“She said that’s also why you were able to refine energy in the Immortal’s Room without damaging your ntal state. So she’s given you permission to cultivate Internal Energy there.”

Kwak Yeon shuddered, recalling the horrors of that place.

“Of course, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

“I’ll do it.”

Kwak Yeon’s response ca without the slightest hesitation.

How long he had dread of this mont.

It was the goal he had staked his entire life on.

If refining energy was possible—even in a pit of fire—he would have thrown himself in without complaint.

When Daoist Hyehae saw the light burning in Kwak Yeon’s eyes, he was overco with guilt.

To think I nearly crushed such fierce desire...

With a solemn expression, Hyehae said,

“You already know this, but the Immortal’s Room is a very special place. The Yin-Cold and Heatfire Energies within are manifestations of Yin-Yang Force. Those without strong Innate Energy can’t endure it. But for soone like you, it’s one of the best places to train.”

He paused, then asked,

“But don’t you wonder why we lock it and seal it shut?”

“I do.”

“It’s because there’s a limit to what kind of Internal Energy cultivation can be done in there. You can only fill your vessel with Internal Energy up to the limit of your Innate Energy.”

“...”

“Are you disappointed?”

“No, sir.”

“No one knows how large your vessel truly is. But it’s definitely not ordinary. So push forward. And... I’m sorry for letting my own doubt almost steer you away from your path.”

“Thank you.”

Kwak Yeon was genuinely grateful to Daoist Hyehae—for brushing away the lingering tension between them.

He asked,

“Do you happen to know why my Innate Energy is so strong? I don’t have any special talent. I wasn’t born with a divine constitution. So I can’t understand why it’s like this.”

“Innate Energy is sothing you’re born with. Who could possibly explain that? Though... if soone wants to strengthen it after birth, the best way is to train Spiritual Energy. Have you done that?”

“I got a copy of the Complete Treatise on Health and Cultivation from the archive. I’ve been following it steadily.”

“That’s part of the One Line’s training thod, so it’s fair to say you’ve accumulated so. But it doesn’t fully explain the strength of your Innate Energy.”

He tilted his head, puzzled.

“In any case, go train in the Immortal’s Room. But be careful—if you rush, you’ll harm yourself. Only cultivate as much as you can handle.”

“I’ll keep that firmly in mind.”

Daoist Hyehae waited a mont, then said,

“Now... let’s talk about your formal status. Stand up.”