Return of the Mount Hua

And I like those kinds of idiots. (4)

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“Rest!”

“Huff! Huff!”

As soon as the command to rest was given, Cheonumaeng’s members, who had been running, stopped abruptly, panting heavily. However, they didn’t let their guard down. The look in their eyes showed more vigilance than relief at being able to rest.

Jo Geol, wide-eyed, spoke to Yoon Jong.

“Huh? Everyone seems more energetic than I thought. I expected them to collapse the moment we stopped.”

“They’re not like Hwasan.”

“…Isn’t that a bit of a dig at Hwasan?”

“It’s just the truth. You can’t cover the sky with your palm. With eyes watching from all sides, it’s hard to show weakness easily.”

“Hm.”

Jo Geol scratched his cheek.

Indeed, hearing that, it seemed true that Hwasan was a rather unrefined sect. If Hwasan’s disciples were gathered here, they would have plopped down with groans, regardless of who was watching.

“Besides, there’s also the looming threat of Sapaeryeon attacking at any moment.”

“But the Beggars Sect is scouting for us.”

“Do you believe that at face value?”

“…Uncle Hong would be furious if he heard that.”

“That’s what you call reaping what you sow.”

“True enough.”

If Hong Daekwang had heard this, he would have shouted, ‘What did I do wrong?’ But what can you do? Taking over the position of the Beggars Sect’s Sect Leader was his misfortune.

“Is it already time to rest?”

“…They’re not all like Hwasan.”

Though the answer was the same, this time it carried a different meaning. Jo Geol glanced around. While they seemed composed, many looked like they were struggling with their breathing.

‘Already?’

Jo Geol lowered his voice slightly.

“Maybe it’s just my imagination, but…”

“It’s not your imagination.”

Yoon Jong agreed before Jo Geol could finish. Jo Geol blinked.

“Indeed…”

If they were disciples of Hwasan, they wouldn’t be fazed by this much exertion. This meant that the disciples of Hwasan were physically superior to those from other prestigious sects gathered here.

It was somewhat unbelievable and felt strange.

Of course, stamina isn’t everything for a martial artist. However, it indicated that Hwasan had a distinct advantage over other prestigious sects.

‘When did this happen…’

Jo Geol wasn’t particularly sentimental, but he vividly remembered when Hwasan was on the brink of collapse and how Hwasan is now. The feeling was inevitably unique.

Jo Geol murmured, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“Isn’t it just how it looks at the moment?”

“Amitabha. That’s not the case, Siju.”

At that moment, Hye Yeon, who had been nearby, shook his head.

“You may not realize it because you’re always with them, but the physical strength of Hwasan’s members is abnormal and beyond common sense. It’s not something that can be developed just by learning martial arts. It’s probably that…”

“Is it the result of severe and prolonged abuse?”

“…You could say that… yes.”

Jo Geol felt a bit defeated.

So, as a result of Chung Myung tormenting people like demon from hell, Hwasan’s disciples had acquired physical strength that they could boast about anywhere under the heavens.

Should he laugh at this or cry?

“It’s a mixed feeling.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…”

Receiving Yoon Jong’s gaze, Jo Geol scratched his head slightly.

“Anyway, it’s something to be happy about that Hwasan has surpassed other sects in some aspect…”

“But?”

“…Nothing.”

Jo Geol, who was about to say something, shook his head. Watching him, Yoon Jong chuckled.

“I mean, I’d prefer the people we’ll be fighting with from now on to be a bit more dependable, to be honest. Leading those who lack stamina in battle is quite burdensome.”

“Stamina isn’t everything for a martial artist.”

“Yes. I know that.”

“And…”

Yoon Jong lifted his head slightly and mumbled something incomprehensible.

“Not everyone in Hwasan has good stamina.”

“What?”

“…Some are endlessly foolish, too.”

His gaze turned in one direction. Toward the dense bushes, a bit away from where they were.

Sweat beads dripped from his chin.

“…Hoo.”

Baek Cheon quietly caught his breath and wiped the sweat pouring down like a waterfall with his sleeve.

‘Damn it.’

He could suppress the sweat using his internal energy, but that too had its limits. No, honestly, even that was becoming difficult now.

As he silently wiped away the sweat, Baek Cheon slowly lifted his head. Just as he was about to exhale deeply again, a low voice was heard.

“Here.”

When he looked towards the source of the voice, he saw Yu Iseol, who had approached without a sound, standing there.

“Take this.”

Baek Cheon silently looked at what she was offering. It was a pure white cotton cloth. Something he hadn’t prepared himself.

“…It takes internal energy to dry clothes too.”

After a moment of silence, Baek Cheon accepted the cloth Yu Iseol handed him and wiped the sweat from his pale face.

Yu Iseol, who had been watching him indifferently, slowly spoke.

“You seem burdened.”

“…”

“It would have been twice as fast if only Hwasan had moved.”

Baek Cheon nodded in agreement. Then, just as he was about to return the cloth to Yu Iseol after wiping off all the sweat, he hesitated and shoved it into his own sleeve instead.

With a calm expression, he spoke to Yu Iseol.

“There would have been another way then.”

“What way?”

“Are you worried I might fall behind, Samae?”

Yu Iseol stared at Baek Cheon with an expression that made it hard to guess what she was thinking.

She knew. Baek Cheon wouldn’t have fallen behind. Even if it had been a journey with only Hwasan. Even if his lungs were tearing apart, he would have pretended nothing was wrong and kept running to the end.

Because that’s the kind of person Baek Cheon was. But that was precisely the problem.

Yu Iseol asked.

“Why?”

“…”

“If you need an excuse, just come up with one. It’s not like you have to push yourself since you’re not leading Hwasan.”

“An excuse?”

“If you don’t have one, I’ll make one for you. Right now.”

Baek Cheon’s gaze dropped slightly. Yu Iseol was gripping the plum blossom sword at her waist. Baek Cheon couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Are you planning to injure me?”

“…”

“It’s okay, Samae.”

“…”

“There’s no need to overthink something like this. I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry.”

Yu Iseol opened her mouth as if to say something but then stopped. After a brief pause, she raised her head slightly and looked directly at Baek Cheon.

“Right now, I’m not at the forefront of Hwasan.”

“…”

“So, there isn’t anyone who will protect you when you’re in danger.”

Baek Cheon remained silent with a bitter expression. The fact that Yu Iseol, who usually had so little to say and wasn’t good with words, was speaking this much showed just how worried she was. But beyond that, it was clear even without words.

Yu Iseol pressed him further.

“Even so?”

Baek Cheon’s answer didn’t change.

“Yes.”

“Why? Is it because you have something to protect…?”

“Samae, are you someone who swings a sword solely for Hwasan?”

Yu Iseol fell silent. Baek Cheon, who had been looking at her eyes for a long time, nodded.

“Yes. That might be the case. But…”

Baek Cheon’s gaze shifted beyond her to the distant sky.

“I might be a bit… Yes, I might be a little different from you. It’s hard to explain.”

After mumbling to himself for a moment, Baek Cheon smiled, a playful glint in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“Still, I guess I haven’t lived so pathetically. I have Samae who worries about me like this.”

“You’re pathetic. More than enough.”

“Am I?”

Baek Cheon laughed and patted Yu Iseol’s shoulder. Then he moved past her and continued on his way.

“I’d better go first before I’m late.”

“Sahyeong.”

“If you’re that worried, you can help me, Samae.”

Without turning back, Baek Cheon spoke from where he stood.

“You know, I’ve always thought I had to become someone exceptional, someone who could lead and help others. I believed I could become someone greater and more remarkable than anyone else.”

Yu Iseol quietly watched Baek Cheon’s back.

Indeed, Baek Cheon had that aspect in the past. In fact, he might not have changed much until recently. He just realized how vast the world is and found something more important than himself.

“Do you remember what I used to tell my juniors back then?”

“…No.”

Baek Cheon turned to look at Yu Iseol, a small smile playing on his lips.

“‘Don’t be afraid to fight because I’m behind you.’”

“…”

“Each person may be lacking, but Hwasan is not weak. We can fill each other’s gaps, and anyone who is a disciple of Hwasan can stand at the forefront.”

Yu Iseol bit her lower lip. Baek Cheon smiled even brighter.

“As someone who said such things, I can’t just back down because I’m a little weaker. Otherwise, I’d be nothing but a braggart. So… so, um…”

Baek Cheon scratched his nose.

“I’m not really finishing my story well, but anyway, that’s it. Samae, I don’t think you have to be strong to fight. It’s not that you fight because you’re strong; it’s that those who fight are strong.”

“…”

“It might be hard to understand when I say it like this, but anyway, don’t worry too much.”

As Baek Cheon turned to walk away again, Yu Iseol’s voice softly tugged at his ears.

“…Full of words.”

“Hm?”

“You’re all talk, even now.”

Baek Cheon didn’t turn back.

Yu Iseol, watching him walk away to rejoin the others, gripped her sword tightly.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Are you really going to do this?”

A throat-tearing roar burst out of Heo San-ja’s mouth. The disciples standing before him didn’t flinch despite his fury.

“You stubborn, foolish bastards…!”

Heo San-ja wiped his flushed face with a trembling hand, looking as if he might explode at any moment.

If it were a small group, he might have tried to subdue them by force, but that wasn’t the case. There were too many disciples stubbornly standing in front of him.

Besides, even if he could subdue them by force, it would only be temporary here. How could he possibly drag them all the way to Shaolin?

“It’s Wudang! Are you really thinking of ending Wudang’s history with your own hands?”

Heo Do Jinin had said it would be useless, but Heo San-ja couldn’t give up so easily. He couldn’t just let them die meaninglessly here.

“Heo Gong! You idioooooot!”

As his desperate and aching heart grew, Heo San-ja’s anger naturally turned towards Heo Gong, who seemed to be at the center of the disciples.

“How can someone who claims to be an elder of a sect act so foolishly? A gentleman’s revenge is…”

“Not too late even after ten years.”

“…”

“Isn’t that right?”

Before Heo San-ja could respond, Heo Gong continued with a resolute expression.

“But we are not gentlemen, Sect Leader. We are martial artists. Revenge may not be too late even after ten years, but the broken spirit of a martial artist cannot be restored even after ten times that.”

“You insolent…”

“We choose to be men of spirit rather than wisdom. That is what we learned at Wudang.”

“Is that what you call spirit, that…!”

Heo San-ja was about to erupt in anger when a few Wudang disciples came running, pale-faced.

“Sect Leader! S-Sect Leadeeeeeeeeer!”

Their urgency was so evident that Heo San-ja instinctively knew what he was about to hear.

“Sapaeryeon! They have appeared!”

Despair like a boulder settled in Heo San-ja’s eyes.

“And… it seems it’s too late to flee now.”

At that moment, Heo Gong turned to look at the disciples. They all stood with the same determined eyes as Heo Gong.

“Anyone who fears death, step back. No one will blame you.”

A silence fell.

Not a single person moved. No one stepped back.

Spirit is something that is passed on, but sometimes it blossoms from within someone’s heart.

Wudang is the backbone of Taoism that has led Gangho. The disciples understood the weight of their swords even within the confines of old Taoist scriptures and faded rules.

“Those not afraid of death, follow me.”

Heo Gong slowly drew his sword.

“Today, we will etch the name of Wudang into their minds forever.”

The swords they silently drew gleamed under the rising sun, with the same spirit as when the name Wudang first emerged in the world.

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