Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Really good.”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who were lying next to him, looked up at the sky with peaceful faces.

It was a spotless clear sky.

A cool wind blew around.

And even the faint scent of plum blossoms could be smelt, everything was perfect.

“That is why I think it’s hard work to leave my home.”

“Yeah, right. I had never thought to look up at the sky all this time until I returned to Mount Hua.”

Of course, it was largely because of Chung Myung.

Well, after a long journey, they were finally happy to come back to Mount Hua and rest. Even with that mood, Yoon Jong said,

“… it would have been perfect if Sect Leader wasn’t so ill.”

“…”

And the three of them sighed.

Hyun Jong was bedridden after hearing the details involved with the Heavenly Friends Alliance.

Chung Myung came back with good gains, but the guy asked why Sect Leader was acting that way… it went beyond the fact that Chung Myung was almost hit in the face…

“If the wall hadn’t fallen down, maybe he would have been less miserable.”

“… right. Someone needs to fix the room.”

Tears almost covered their faces when they saw their Sect Leader lying down on a bed that was in a room with a collapsed wall from which wind could blow on him. Even though Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong put up cloth to act as a wall, it was only a temporary measure.

“But was it enough to make one so sick?”

Baek Cheon let out a sigh, and Jo Gul tilted his head.

“He is a person who has more headaches dealing with Mount Hua by himself, and now isn’t he doing more work?”

“The reason why Mount Hua gives him headaches is Chung Myung.”

“The Alliance also has Chung Myung.”

“… I didn’t think of that.”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

“And even if he had the heart to head for Xi’an on his own, walking there on his own two feet and flying there on a typhoon have very different meanings.”

“… I understand.”

The problem was that Hyun Jong didn’t want to head to Xi’an at all.

“Well…”

Clack!

“Now that we are back on Mount Hua, try to embody what we went through on the trip. The sword technique training which we didn’t get to concentrate on can be started…”

“Ughhhhhh!”

Chack! Chack!

Baek Cheon scrunched his forehead together and got up.

“The cart shakes when your speed drops! Can you not run properly?!”

“Ugh… Sasuk. Sasuk, this is heavy.”

“What kind of cart is made with metal…”

The three Mount Hua disciples were lying on the iron cart that Chung Myung had used on the way back. The three disciples stood up and looked at the other disciples from Mount Hua, who were pulling the cart.

“See these feet? See them?”

“We left on them and dragged the cart to and from Sichuan!”

At their heartless words, the disciples of Mount Hua, who were pulling the cart, began to sweat.

‘Did we make you do it!’

‘Why are you taking your anger out on us after being beaten around by Chung Myung?’

In the center of the training room, the other disciples laid out exhausted. They had already moved the cart, and now they seemed to have fainted, barely able to breathe.

Just then, Jo Gul’s friendly voice came floating in,

“I know it ’cause I tried it, but this is a really good training method. I do not know anything else that works this well. Am I wrong?”

“Fucking…”

“Uh…”

“N-Nothing.”

Gulping down their angry words, the disciples, who were still pulling the cart, began to do so with all their might. Looking at them, Baek Cheon’s eyes began to shine.

‘Sasuk must have done well with them.’

Having the strength to open their mouths despite running with all their might while pulling the heavy cart meant that their basic stamina was much better than before they had left for Sichuan.

“If the cloth is wet, make it dry. Dry it to the extent that not a single drop falls from it.”

Like when Chung Myung bullied them all.

‘I hate myself for understanding that.’

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue and screamed,

“Run faster! More! Run till your legs go numb!”

“Ughh!”

“Ackkkk!”

Mount Hua’s disciples began to foam at the mouth as they pulled their cart. And after a while…

“Kwaaak!”

“No more… I cannot do this…”

The remaining disciples, who were pulling the cart, began to tip over one by one. And finally, the cart was stopped.

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue,

“Everyone, attention!”

“Attention!”

The disciples, who were scattered around, groaned and got up. Somehow, they all lined up and looked at Baek Cheon.

“Do you like the new swords?”

“Yes! Sahyung!”

“They are the best, Sasuk!”

Hearing the word ‘sword’, everyone looked so on edge. Even in the midst of this, their gazes were all on the steel swords on the three’s waists.

‘I cannot believe this is happening.’

‘I don’t know about others like this, but this is the best.’

A sword made from cold steel was something that even the renowned Wudang wasn’t able to gift all their disciples, instead using them only for their elders. It was unprecedented that such swords were here.

“The value of these swords is greater than you all think. Do not forget the grace of the Sect Leader and the elders who are giving you these swords.”

“Yes, Sasuk!”

All of their faces were filled with excitement, and Baek Cheon smiled while looking at them.

“But we just have a little problem…”

“… Uh?”

“You see the swords are.”

He pointed to the cold steel swords.

“Are a bit expensive.”

“…”

Those words made the disciples of Mount Hua look at the swords in shock before nodding as if they understood.

‘They should be expensive.’

‘It has to be expensive. It is made of cold steel.’

When everyone looked as if they understood, Baek Cheon nodded his head and continued,

“Right. Right. They are quite expensive, but if you think about it this way, you people will have a chance to enter Kangho with those swords now. But what if something happens that ends with the sword being taken away?”

“…that would be bad.”

“No, no. Do not think about it so simply. Think about what would happen the moment you come back without your sword.”

“…”

The faces of the disciples all turned pale as just the thought of it was terrifying.

‘This isn’t a problem with only Chung Myung.’

‘Even Elder Hyun Young would kill us.’

This was a future they could not handle.

“Do you get what I mean?”

“…yes.”

A heartfelt, sincere answer to which Baek Cheon shook his head,

“Kangho is like this. Treasured swords have their owners. Even if you get lucky, if you do not have the strength to protect it, then it means the weapon doesn’t belong to you. In other words…”

Baek Cheon looked at the disciples,

“It means that if you want to use these swords, you need to be a swordsman suitable enough to protect it too.”

The eyes of the disciples changed. A perfect theory, but one which made them forget about their excitement to hold their new swords.

“So do not laze around and work hard. You must prove yourself to be worthy of these swords. Do you get it?”

“Yes!”

“Good, now next up.”

“…”

A few moved for the cart with their heads lowered, and Yoon Jong turned to Baek Cheon.

“But, Sasuk.”

“Huh?”

“Where is Sasuk Baek Sang? I haven’t seen him since before?”

“Ah, Baek Sang? I sent him to the village for a while.”

“Uh? The village? All of a sudden?”

“We are lacking.”

“Uh?”

Baek Cheon pointed to the iron cart.

“This.”

“….”

“We have many kids to train, so using just one cart would be inefficient. So, I asked him to get us a few more. I also asked for a separate cart that can be pulled through mountain roads.”

“…”

“Hahah. The lower body of these guys should be strong.”

Yoon Jong looked at Baek Cheon with slightly trembling eyes.

‘Sasuk.’

How far was he trying to go?

“How is your body?”

“I am used to it now.”

Un Geom smiled and offered tea to Chung Myung.

Only his left hand could be used, but the movement of brewing and pouring tea looked quite natural.

“Are you not uncomfortable?”

At those words, Un Geom smiled,

“Everything in this world is uncomfortable.”

“…”

“People cannot fly like birds or swim like fishes. We cannot run like horses, and we cannot climb a tree like a monkey. Shouldn’t it be uncomfortable then?”

Chung Myung nodded as if he agreed.

“Much in the same way, some people use two arms, but I only have one to use. My discomfort has surely increased a little, but the difference is small.”

Un geom’s voice was calm.

“Following the Tao and mastering martial arts means acknowledging such differences and doing the best we can in those situations. What is the big deal about being a little uncomfortable? We just need to work a little harder.”

Actually, Chung Myung didn’t like it too much.

Although he lived his entire life based on Tao, sometimes it felt like far clouds in the sky.

But…

He didn’t dare question these things, especially to his sect leader, who would be very opposed to his words. The reason why he respected Un Geom was because he put the teachings of Tao into practice.

Chung Myung looked at Un Geom’s forearm. Even though it wasn’t long, he could see that his arm was solid. Despite being covered by clothes, it was clear.

“Give it.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung held out the cold steel sword he had brought. The one meant for Un Geom. And Un Geom unsheathed it with one hand and inspected the body.

“Such a good sword.”

He smiled a little.

“It is a good sword. It is sharp and sturdy too.”

Quickly, he looked at Chung Myung.

“Chung Myung.”

“Instructor.”

“You did very well.”

“…”

Chung Myung closed his mouth, the gaze Un Geom was directing towards him held a subtle meaning.

“This sword isn’t for me, it is for the children of Mount Hua who cannot keep up with you, right?”

Chung Myung scratched the back of his head a little.

“Well, it doesn’t have such a meaning.”

But Un Geon smiled as if he could see through the guy.

“Isn’t it frustrating to lead the children when you are in front, all alone?”

“… Hmm.”

Chung Myung slightly thought about it with an odd expression before looking toward Un Geom.

He could understand a lot of things from this, but he didn’t feel like it now.

“Honestly, it was quite frustrating.”

Chung Myung turned his head and looked out the window. One could not see it, but Baek Cheon and some other sahyungs were guiding Mount Hua’s disciples while the others focused on their personal training.

“But these days, I am fine. Both my sahyungs and elders are working hard.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. These days, there are times when I cannot handle it.”

“…that sounds odd.”

Un Geom smiled like it was a joke.

These were things he couldn’t see when he lived only for the sword. After wandering the lands between life and death before coming back, it was like he could notice a lot of new things.

“Chung Myung.”

“Yes.”

“There is no need to be in a hurry, right?”

“…”

“Since we are all back on Mount Hua, let’s rest. A horse that runs without rest will, in time, collapse. Then you will never be able to run as you did before.”

Chung Myung stared at Un Geom and nodded,

“Right.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung scratched his face looking embarrassed, before smiling.

‘That side of him looks like an adult.’

Considering how long he had lived, he could not compete with them. Was this why his former sect leader asked him to grow up like this?

“We haven’t even started yet.”

“Uh? Why?”

Un Geom replied.

“As I said, I taught the kids about the basics necessary to having a strong lower body. But isn’t it strange that I am the only one who learns the sword while I teach basics to the disciples?”

“Ah…”

“So, after all, I am also rebuilding my body. Until I am firmly strong, I should continue. In fact, I was about to speak to you since I was finally seeing some results now.”

Un Geom looked at Chung Myung and said,

“So? Can I be of help now?”

“You will be in trouble if you are with me.”

“Hahah. Since I have bullied the kids, I guess I should be bullied now.”

“As long as you are prepared for it.”

“Nice. When should I start learning?”

“I am just helping. It isn’t something so grandiose like teaching.”

Un Geom laughed as he ruffled Chung Myung’s hair.

That day…

In the training hall behind the White Plum Blossom Boarding House, the sound of a sword cutting through the wind echoed out till dawn.