Chapter 345

Episode 345. Cheon Sang-dong

blinked his eyes with an absurd face at Yeon Jeok-ha’s question.

I couldn’t believe that the person who had come all the way to the Ohryonggung didn’t know such a basic thing.

“Didn’t you know? The people of ‘Ha Seon-go’, ‘Nam Chae-hwa’ and ‘Cho Kuk-gu’ are all ordinary people like So So-je and us. Among them, only those who have gone through the question and answer ceremony can become lay disciples. It’s not the head mountain, but you can still become a non-partisan disciple.”

I was surprised by the sound of a non-partisan faction disciple.

Can you become a disciple of the chilpamun that is passed down like a legend in the river?

At that time, Cheon Sang-dong said with a bitter face.

“Until then, we were idiots who came in hoping for luck, so we just pretended to be ourselves.”

“You mean frozen?”

I couldn’t understand the words of Cheon Sang-dong.

This is because learning martial arts at the Oryong Palace and esotericism are not connected.

“Think about it. If you were a person with skills, wouldn’t you have become a disciple of Bonsan or made your own family? Honestly, are there any decent people here? They are all people who switched to magic because they lacked martial arts. Even so, if you don’t pass the question and answer ceremony, you won’t be able to learn magic. That’s why it has to be an idiot, not this or that.”

“Ah...”

Only then did he understand Cheon Sang-dong’s words.

‘I guess it’s called fooling around because I’m in a halfway situation where I can’t even learn martial arts.’

Manhwangju said something as if to comfort him.

“Still, if you pass the question and answer ceremony, you can become a non-partisan secular disciple and live a successful life. That’s why everyone is digging the sutras.”

“Do you think the question and answer ceremony is difficult?”

“From a non-partisan point of view, would you accept anyone as a disciple? They’re very picky, probably because they don’t want to cause a loss of face later on.”

Cheon Sang-dong also shook his head.

“You’ll know when you get there, but it’s not that difficult. We have already completed one month, but the people of ‘Cho Kuk-gu’ have been over three months, and no one has passed yet.”

“Not only ordinary people like us, but also monks from other temples often fall out during initiation ceremonies. There is no law to look after them just because they are monks. Well, since you have the face of a non-partisan, you might be trying to screen people.”

As soon as Manhwangju’s words were finished, one of the people who were reading the sutras spoke up.

“This is the capital, so if you want to talk, go out and do it. It’s getting in the way of reading the scriptures.”

At his words, Manhwangju and Cheon Sangdong couldn’t even sigh.

Instead, he put his index finger in front of his lips to signal to be quiet and moved outside.

I went outside again, being led by the rivals.

“He’s such a newcomer, but he can’t welcome you, but he’s filthy and picky.”

Manhwangju seemed to be afraid of the opponent while grunting, and spoke almost in a whisper.

Cheon Sang-dong nodded as if he agreed.

“That’s right. I don’t know why you’re making such a fuss about the same idiotic subject.”

“Who is that person?”

“This is a man named Lee Do-ju from Hogwangseong. He is the best master of ‘Ha Seon-go’, so don’t even think about competing with him.”

“Ah....”

Only then did he understand why Manhwangju and Cheon Sang-dong came out as if they were kicked out.

Manhwangju and Cheon Sangdong continued to chat, as if they were bored.

The conversation didn’t end even after a day or two (about 20 minutes).

Yeonjeokha, who had noticed, moved his steps back into the palace hall.

The people inside the palace didn’t pay any attention to him.

However, unlike the first time he was shy, he accepted it calmly.

They know that their interest is only in the initiation ceremony.

I put down the travel bag on the empty bed and looked around the inside carefully.

Twelve men of all ages were sitting cross-legged and reading scriptures.

Everyone, including Lee Do-ju, is sweating profusely and clinging desperately.

Compared to their efforts, Manhwangju and Cheon Sang-dong were nothing short of generous.

‘But isn’t it time for each of us to study what we want in the afternoon? Why are you memorizing the sutras?’

Curious, the rivalry went out of the hall again.

Then, he approached Manhwangju and Cheon Sangdong, who were still chatting, and asked.

“I’m sorry for interrupting you, but I have a question.”

Manhwangju and Cheon Sangdong stared at Yeonjeokha as if to ask them to speak.

“Yes, even if it’s not the case, recently the atmosphere has been disturbed by ordinary people. Under the guidance of the Infallible Man, even ordinary people will know that the threshold of the Five Dragon Palace is high and will devote themselves to cultivation.”

Muoja was the most strict among the five dragons.

So far, no one has passed the question-and-answer ceremony in the month he came out as an examiner.

There is even a saying that if there are no errors, the number of practitioners in the question-and-answer style will be reduced by half.

“haha! Jang Moon-in would hate me being the examiner.”

From the point of view of non-partisan leaders, they hope that at least one disciple will increase.

That’s why more donations come in.

Master Cheonmyeong said with a smile.

“When did our Wu Longgong listen to Shangqinggung? Never mind.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Muoja’s face.

“It makes me feel so good to hear a princess from Shangcheong Palace say such a thing.”

Inside Wudang Mountain, there are four palaces and countless conduits.

‘Sangcheonggung’, where swords are mainly used, is located on the largest and highest peak of Cheonjubong. Most of the shamanist masters famous in Gangho were from ‘Sangcheong Palace’.

‘Oryonggung’, ‘Namamgung’ and ‘Taehwagung’ are historical conduits absorbed into the shaman faction.

They are also shamans, but ‘Sangcheong Palace’ was a little different.

Taoists from ‘Sangcheong Palace’ divide their distribution based on the four characters of ‘Tae-Cheon-Hyeon-Do’, but other palaces give the Doho (道號) desired by their master.

For example, Master Cheonmyeong, the owner of ‘Oryonggung’, was from ‘Sangcheong Palace’ as a child of Cheonjae, but both Cheongbulno and Muoja were from ‘Oryonggung’.

If you simply write the provincial title of ‘Taecheon Hyeondo’, you can think of them as coming from Sangcheong Palace or Ohryonggung or Namamgung Taehwagung.

“Don’t be so. Did you forget that the shaman faction Jang Moon-in was also from ‘Taehwagung’? A position makes a person that way, but he is not originally like that.”

At the words of Master Cheonmyeong, Muoja did not refute.

It was true that all of Sangcheong Palace, Ohryong Palace, Namam Palace, and Taehwa Palace struggled for the shaman faction.

“Okay. If that’s the case, I’ll let Bindo take charge of this question-and-answer ceremony.”

Other Oryongchilsa did not present a different opinion.

The question and answer ceremony held at the end of each month was hard work for them, not an honorable place.

Don’t you know if it’s the origin?

It is because they have to be tied up all day in the question and answer ceremony to select the disciples of the secular family.

***

The next morning.

I opened my eyes after being hit by something that was in love with me.

A shamanist guru was waking up the practitioners with a bamboo stick.

Most of them got up on their own, but a few got up after being hit by bamboo sticks.

Before I could come to my senses, I heard recitations from all directions.

Jukbi fell on the shoulder of Yeonjeokha, who was sitting with grim eyes.

match-.

When I looked up in shock, the middle-aged guru widened his eyes.

“Recital.”

It was only then that he hurriedly picked up something and opened it to read.

Like everyone else, he started reciting belatedly, but his heart was full of wild thoughts.

‘Damn it. I didn’t come here to become a guru. When are you going to learn how to do it?’

I called it ‘Yeondubi’ for no reason, but I ended up playing the role of a guru who wasn’t even in the middle of the day.

‘If I reveal my true identity now, I’ll teach you the art right away, right?’

But that thought didn’t last long.

I really didn’t want to expose myself in such a way.

Moreover, if it became known that he had been poisoned, there would be more assassination attempts.

‘no. Then you will be kicked out of the non-partisan faction.’

Yakushi Nyorai cannot be expelled without finding Baek Il-un.

With this face, you will attract people’s attention wherever you go.

In the end, it was best to learn the technique by holding back and passing the question-and-answer ceremony.

match-.

Again, the bamboo rain fell on his shoulder.