Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 715
Sarak. Sarak. Sararak.
The tip of the brush went back and forth on the white paper without rest. Sometimes it wrote in grand calligraphy, and sometimes it drew a figure of a person that seemed to come alive at any moment.
Despite the swift movement of the hand, the body of the person holding the brush barely moved, as if it had turned into a statue.
He just stared at the writing created by his hand without even blinking his half-closed eyes.
After writing for a while, the man’s hand came to a halt. His mouth slowly opened.
“…I….”
The serious expression on the man’s face collapsed in an instant. Frowning, he turned his head and looked out the window.
“I have asked you not to disturb me when I was working! It’s a work that requires attention.”
“What, this punk? Did I yell at you, did I kick you! I just came and took a breath, why are you annoyed?”
“If I had stayed still, you would have yelled at me again! Or just barged in!”
“But you’ve been gradually getting bolder lately? Since you only write secret martial art in the corner of your room, it seems that you’ve lost your fear?”
“…Please come in.”
“Tsk.”
Chung Myung opened the window wide and entered.
“…Please walk through the door.”
“This is closer.”
With a deep sigh, Cheong Jin slid aside the writing. It was to prevent this yangban from taking an interest in it.
“What’s the matter?”
“Sahyung told me to fetch some secret martial art manual. He said he have something to see. This one.”
Chung Myung threw the scroll he was holding. When Cheong Jin picked it up and opened it, the corners of his eyes twitched briefly.
“These are the ones you can find in the library! Why are you giving this to me?”
“Then should I find it? These things are missing!” (이것들이 빠져 가지고!”)
Cheong Jin wrapped his head and screamed a silent scream.
Well, that was right.
It is funny that Chung Myung, admittedly the second-in-command to Mount Hua, is looking for these secret documents in the library. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just let the kids with free hands do it! How many disciples does he have under him!
He couldn’t understand why he would come to an already busy person and do this.
“Why me…!”
“You’re originally in charge of managing the secret martial art, aren’t you?”
“….”
‘Right. That’s true too. Yeah, there’s not a single mistake!’
‘But this crazy yangban! Should you really looking for the head of Great Exchange House to exchange ten-nyang slip into a silver’! (내가 열 냥짜리 전표를 은자로 바꾸겠다고 대륙전장 장주를 찾아가지는 않잖아!)
It was Cheong Jin who was frustrated about how to change the concept in Chung Myung’s head.
‘No, if it could have changed, it would have changed 30 years ago.’
After sighing deeply, Cheong Jin laid down the scroll and looked at Chung Myung with cloudy eyes.
“I’ll get it and bring it to you, so go ahead, Sahyung.”
“You have to do it quickly.”
“I got it.” “I got it.”
“Ah, you really have to do it quickly! Otherwise, Cheon Mun Sahyung will say something to me again! Don’t you know how it feels to be scolded at your age?”
“Why would I not know! I’m going through hell being cursed at this age right now!”
Chung Myung’s head is tilted.
“Do you dare?”
“…No, that’s not it.”
“Be careful, you. I’m watching you.”
Cheong Jin wiped away the moisture in his eyes with his sleeve.
This is not to blame Chung Myung. Isn’t Chung Myung originally such a human being? You should not swear at dogs barking, nor be angry at chickens for crying at dawn. So he shouldn’t blame Chung Myung.
‘Why on earth does Cheon Mun Sahyung give this kind of job to Sahyung?’
The real problem was that guy.
Even though he knows there will be problems when Chung Myung Sahyung works, he still makes Chung Myung work consistently so that Chung Myung becomes human! The effort to turn Chung Myung into a human would be enough to turn a cow into a dragon!
“But what are you writing?”
“Ugh…. It’s a new martial arts manual I’m going to give to the kids this time.”
“Huh? What did you make again?”
“…No, this is just slightly modified. I thought the existing martial arts were a bit inefficient, so I tried to fix the Mountain Plum Blossom Sword (산매검) a little.”
“This guy is always up to no good when he’s bored. You modified it again?”
“…A stagnant martial art is a dead martial art. Didn’t you say we should constantly revise and improve?”
“You’re talking nonsense. Give it to me. I want to see what you did.”
“No, I’ll handle it myself…”
“Hey.”
Flinch.
“Give it.”
Eventually, Cheong Jin bowed his head and held out the book he was writing to Chung Myung helplessly.
Taking the book, Chung Myung quickly flipped through the pages that hadn’t even dried yet. Then, he left a very short impression.
“What a mess.”
“…Did you even look?”
“With this level of martial arts, you can just skim through it with your eyes. Why did you make it like a kid’s play?”
“Kid’s play?!”
Cheong Jin glared and Chung Myung casually held up one finger. Then, Cheong Jin gently lowered his eyes.
“Look here, look! You punk! Instead of straightening the sword here, you have to twist it to get your strength! It’s been decades since you ate Mount Hua’s rice, and you still can’t do one of these things properly?”
“…Sahyung.”
Cheong Jin sighed deeply as if his insides were about to burst.
“I’m not an idiot, do you think I didn’t know that twisting it would be more powerful?”
“Yep.”
“No! I knew it! I knew it too!”
“What are you yelling for!”
Chung Myung’s feet flew in and Cheong Jin fell flat on the floor. Chung Myung’s foot cut through the air, loudly popping.
“What? You dodge it?”
“Le- Let’s talk it out, let’s!”
“But this bas…….”
“Shall, shall I tell Cheon Mun Sahyung?”
“…I’ll cut you some slack.”
Chung Myung finally withdrew his leg. Cheong Jin glanced at him with tearful eyes.
‘What is the ghost doing?’
No, it must have already come. It must have come a long time ago, got beaten up like a dog, and run away.
There’s nothing either humans or ghosts can do about an absurd existence called a powerful Taoist.
Cheong Jin looked at the grumbling Chung Myung and said,
“Sahyung.”
“What?”
“That’s why Sahyung can’t do it.”
“Guess it can’t be helped. You should just get hit.”
“N- No, listen till the end! It means Sahyung’s martial art cannot remain in Mount Hua!”
“Huh?”
Cheong Jin sighed deeply and added an explanation.
“As you said, twisting the sword there would definitely improve its power. However, it’s not something anyone can do to precisely twist their wrist and add more power while spinning their body and confusing the opponent with the dazzling sword energy.”
“You just have to do it.”
“No, that’s why no one shouldn’t. Mount Hua’s martial art does not exist for people like Sahyung.”
“Why me?”
Seeing Chung Myung who couldn’t understand, Cheong Jin distorted his face.
“People like Sahyung improve and fix things on your own! From the beginning, these secret techniques aren’t for people like Sahyung who understand and modify them, but for those who want to become stronger just by following them even if they don’t have the ability to modify them!”
“….”
“So wake up from your dreams. Sahyung will never leave a name in Mount Hua’s history.”
“Are you trying to insult me?!”
“Hand! Put your hand down! Don’t raise your foot because I told you to put your hand down!
After struggling for a long time to calm down Chung Myung, Cheong Jin spoke with a tired face.
“Sahyung is just a strong person.”
“I’m just a little strong.”
“…That’s not a compliment.”
Chung Myung stared, but Cheong Jin didn’t budge and shook his head.
“Given your personality, Sahyung wouldn’t go around visiting other sects and practicing martial arts, and given Sect Leader’s personality, he wouldn’t go around bragging about your skills to the neighborhood. In the end, Sahyung will only be treated as a somewhat successful sword master in Mount Hua.”
“…Huh? Is that how it works?”
When Chung Myung tilted his head blankly, Cheong Jin shouted with a face of frustration.
“So go out and get beaten up! Why do only we get beaten up? If Sahyung went around beating everyone according to Sahyung’s abilities, would Sahyung just be one of the top three swordsmen in the world? Wouldn’t such nonsense come out?”
“I’ve been beaten up before.”
“Do it in front of others, in front of others!”
“But this is really getting on my nerves. Seriously.”
Cheong Jin shrank back and huddled his neck. And he thought.
This damn stupid guy had gotten a bit calmer as he aged. A shoe would have already flown into his face if it had been like the old days.
“Sahyung.”
“What?”
“I’m weaker than Sahyung.”
“No, you’re not just weaker than me, but you’re the weakest in Cheongja (Cheong generation).”
“…Anyway.”
His eyes sank somewhat gravely at Chung Myung.
“But in the history of Mount Hua, my name will remain, not Sahyung. My disciples will learn martial arts with the secret techniques I created, and they will make Mount Hua better.”
Even the world famous Chung Myung couldn’t put a finger on this word.
“This is my way of repaying Mount Hua’s grace. So!”
“….”
“Please, Sahyung, grow up now and do something for the disciples.”
“Hey. If someone attacks Mount Hua right now, who do you think will stop them? I’m living for that moment.”
“Who would attack?”
When Cheong Jin clicked his tongue, Chung Myung flared up.
“What’s the use of such secret techniques if someone stormed in and blew up Mount Hua? There is tomorrow only if there is now!”
“Then, I’ll just pack up the secret techniques and run away. Whether Sahyung die or not.”
“What, this bastard?”
“Don’t get angry, you should praise me. Mount Hua can survive without Sahyung. But if Mount Hua’s martial arts are cut off, it’s meaningless even if Sahyung is there.”
“I can teach.”
“…Not with the current Sahyung.”
“….”
Cheong Jin’s gaze as he shook his head was slightly dark.
“Sahyung. If something really happens to me or Sect Leader, Sahyung have to restore Mount Hua to its original state. Not someone else.”
“Are you crazy? You’re talking nonsense.”
“I said it’s just in case.”
Cheong Jin grumbled as if he had a headache and stared straight at Chung Myung.
“So remember. Not everyone can be like Sahyung. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But if Sahyung doesn’t let the people who are worse than Sahyung from breaking, one day someone like Sahyung will show up in Mount Hua again.”
“….”
“That’s what succession means. It’s not just about making the disciples stronger right away.”
Chung Myung looked at Cheong Jin like that, then cleared his ears with a gloomy face.
“Ah, okay. I get it.”
“…foot.”
“What?”
“No, nothing.”
Despite knowing that there was not much meaning in talking to Chung Myung right now, Cheong Jin sighed heavily out of helplessness.
“So I’ll survive even if I die. If the day comes when my life is in danger, I’ll immediately grab the important secret techniques and run away.”
“You can’t grab them if they attack when you’re outside.”
“Hmph! That’s why I carry the most important things with me.”
Cheong Jin untied his clothes and showed the secret techniques wrapped around his belly like a bandage. Chung Myung frowned slightly.
“…It’s like a shield.”
“Two birds with one stone.”
Chung Myung grinned.
“Don’t be ridiculous, you punk. Mount Hua’s best sword will be remembered, not you leaving a name in history.”
“Just wait and see. The world will remember me. They will completely forget people like Sahyung.”
“…but the more I listen to this bastard.”
“Argh! Cheon Mun Sahyuuuuuuung!”
“You try dying today. This bastard! Hwak!”
Cheong Jin’s scream pierced the main hall, but no one who heard the sound rushed there.
“Here we go again.”
“Right.”
The disciples, who shook their heads, quickly lost interest and dispersed to do their own work.
A high and sharp scream flowed along the rugged peaks of Mount Hua.
* * *
Crackle. Crackle.
Chung Myung, who woke up, stared blankly at the burning bonfire.
His gaze, which had been fixed on the bonfire, slowly shifted to the side. Around the fire, Mount Hua’s disciples, including Baek Cheon, were tired and asleep.
Chung Myung, who had been staring at them for a while, raised his eyes.
Looking at the dense night sky that seemed to pour out stars at any moment, he slowly closed his eyes again.
– Just wait and see. The world will remember me.
‘Cheong Jin-ah.’
‘You were wrong.’
‘The world doesn’t remember you and I.’
‘But don’t be too sad.’
‘Because I remember.’
‘Because I still remember.’
Chung Myung’s shoulders trembled slightly as he wrapped his face with his shaking hands.
Yoo Iseol, who slowly opened her eyes behind him, looked silently at his trembling back and closed her eyes.
It was such a night when only the sound of crying insects from somewhere was heard endlessly.