Oh, My Old Master...

Quickly calming myself down as this wasn't the time to get sentimental about my old master, I let out a breath before answering him.

"My name is Ryu Il. What is your name mister?"

"Ryu Il, huh?" Ryom Un-Ju uttered to himself, rubbing his beard for a moment before speaking, "My name is Ryom Un-Ju, an elder of the Mount Song Sect."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elder Ryom Un-Ju." I replied whilst bowing deeply toward my future master.

"The pleasure is all mine. After all, if I hadn't descended from the mountain today, I wouldn't have met such an interesting young boy."

Despite knowing the real reason why master Un-Ju had descended from the mountain today, I figured I should still ask as to not blow my cover.

You see, every ten years the Mount Song Sect holds the entrance exams to accept new students into the sect. However, the elders of the sect are given a special privilege, as the day before the exam they are allowed to come down from the mountain to find special talents to specifically become their disciples, even if it meant bringing someone not suited to be a Taoist into the sect.

Originally, I didn't meet master Un-Ju before the exam. I only managed to become his disciple because I showed talent in understanding the original Taoist scriptures, as well as being unnaturally in tune with nature.

"Elder Ryom Un-Ju, if you don't mind me asking, why have you descended from Mount Song today?" I asked, keeping my head low to show him respect.

"Please young Ryu Il, you can relax. And to tell the truth, I originally came down the from the mountain to enjoy the world around me before I pick a disciple to train tomorrow."

Wait, he didn't come down from the mountain to pick a disciple? Then why did he pick Sister Ji-Soo as a disciple when he originally descended from the mountain?

In my original life, master Un-Ju didn't pick me as his first disciple. Rather he picked a young girl from the next village over, and I'm not surprised that he picked her over me, as even I admit she is more talented than my past self.

Though that wasn't the case now, as I had every teaching, martial art, and scripture of the Mount Song Sect within my head now. I'd even dare to say that the sect leader would want to teach me if he saw what master Ryom Un-Ju had seen today.

"Originally?" I asked as I raised my head, "Did you change your mind after meeting me?"

Before Ryom Un-Ju answered my question however, he leaned in to stare deeply at me. His deep green eyes judging every aspect of my body to judge my body's structure.

"Show me your chest please, young Ryu Il." Ryom Un-Ju said after judging the rest of my body.

Well, there was no point in trying to hide what was on my chest when it seemed like he knew what was there.

I slid my arms out of my robes and let my upper robes hand at my waist, revealing the black charred skin on my right pectoral muscle. I knew I would have to have to explain what happened to him eventually, but now wasn't the ideal time to do so.

"Young Ryu Il, what is this mark on your chest?" Ryom Un-Ju asked as he ran his finger along the charred area.

Since the cat is out of the bag already, I guess I shouldn't hide anything from him.

"A few years ago, when I was six, I was taking a nap on a tree branch during a beautiful day. But out of nowhere, I was struck by lightning right on my chest. The only reason I survived was because the tree channeled the lighting out of my body. But my muscles and skin were severely damaged, leaving the scar that you see now."

Ryom Un-Ju light placed his hand on my shoulder and let out a sigh.

"For such a tragedy to happen to a six-year-old, the heavens must be ashamed of their actions."

I nodded in agreement, despite knowing the heavens weren't sorry for almost killing me. And even if the heavens were capable of being sorry for its actions, my reward would be to continue living, rather than some weird power up.

"May I put my upper robes back on now Elder Un-Ju?" I asked, rubbing the scar on my chest.

"Yes, you may." Ryom Un-Ju replied, removing his hand from my shoulder, and coughing before asking, "So, young Ryu Il, would you be interested in joining the Mount Song Sect?"

He's asking me if I want to become his disciple! This is great, now I don't have to worry about that grueso-, wait, what about sister Ji-Soo? Though she is talented in her body, I don't think her mind is strong enough yet to withstand the exams. I can't just let my sibling student take a test I was supposed to take!

"I plan on taking the test tomorrow with everyone else, would that be a problem Elder?"

"Well, I am allowed to take one disciple in before the tests begin. Would you be interested in becoming my direct disciple right here and now?"

Did the Other Side send me back into my younger self's body just to redo my life for the sake of myself? In the five thousand years I lived before transmigrating, I cared about my sibling students personally, but I didn't think about their needs before mine.

No, it isn't right for me to take sister Ji-Woo's position as the direct disciple. I softly exhaled before bowing deeply toward my master with a plan in mind.

"Elder Un-Ju, though I respect your offer to take me as your direct disciple I cannot accept it, as I would like to take the exams as the other disciples would."

Ryom Un-Ju stopped stroking his beard at my words and looked at me in confusion.

"You don't want to become an elder's direct disciple? Is there a reason for that?"

"Because there is another person, whom I think is more worthy of being your direct disciple, Elder Un-Ju."