Return of the Mount Hua

From now on, I’ll be the one to face you. (1)

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It felt as if red-hot branding iron were boring into his stomach. A pain that should be called despair rather than mere agony coiled around Hye Yeon’s entire body.

“Kuh…”

Yet even in that state Hye Yeon raised his fist. But the moment it flew at Jang Ilso’s jaw, Jang Ilso’s palm reached Hye Yeon’s face first.

Booom!

Hye Yeon was sent flying, spraying blood. As the heavy thud echoed, Tang Soso’s feet moved faster than her thoughts.

“Monk!”

Throwing herself forward, Tang Soso reached Hye Yeon’s side in an instant. The first thing she saw was the blood-soaked area around his solar plexus.

Had his abdominal wall been pierced? Or…

As a physician, the correct decision she ought to make was to treat Hye Yeon immediately. But Tang Soso turned her body away from him instead.

Fwoosh!

“Don’t come any closer!”

With her back turned to Hye Yeon, Tang Soso blocked Jang Ilso’s path. Seeing her, Jang Ilso smiled faintly.

“Hmm, how strange. When your own life was on the line you rushed in with no regard for anything, but now you’re frozen in fear, not knowing what to do.”

“…”

“Well, not that it matters to me.”

Jang Ilso pressed the ground lightly with the tips of his toes. Expecting him to shoot forward, Tang Soso lifted her sword and poured every ounce of her internal energy into it.

But at that very moment, someone yanked Tang Soso hard from behind.

“Huh?”

Landing abruptly on her backside, Tang Soso’s eyes flew wide when she saw Hye Yeon standing in front of her.

“Monk!”

“Cough.”

Hye Yeon coughed violently. Dark, clotted blood trickled from his mouth. Still, without even the slightest tremble, he parted his bloodstained lips.

“The one to face this man is me.”

“What on earth are you…”

Tang Soso couldn’t finish her sentence, the words trailing off into a faint breath. Hye Yeon had gently raised his hand to stop her.

Normally, Tang Soso would never have backed down from something like this. Yet there was a solemnity, an imposing presence radiating from Hye Yeon’s gesture, something entirely foreign to his usual demeanor. Perhaps ‘dignified authority*’ would have been an even more accurate description.

Thus Tang Soso could only close her mouth.

“Amitabha.”

Hye Yeon pressed gently on his solar plexus.

‘The abdominal wall has been pierced.’

The lone consolation was that what had pierced his abdomen were Jang Ilso’s fingers, not his fist or palm [장(掌)]. Of course, even small holes were serious – after all, who could remain unscathed with five punctures in the stomach? Hye Yeon took a short, ragged breath.

‘Internal injury…’

It had been only a single strike. Yet it felt as if his internal energy was blocked from circulating properly. Surely this was due to the Evil Qi [사기(邪氣) – evil as in evil/unorthodox sect] characteristic of Jang Ilso’s Blue Flame, which was now eating away at his body.

Hye Yeon drew a short, deep breath.

‘It’s all right. I can still fight.’

With eyes burning with fighting spirit he glared at Jang Ilso. But to the eyes of onlookers, all this determination seemed like nothing more than futile resistance.

The same was true for the man slowly approaching Hye Yeon. Jang Ilso carelessly flicked Hye Yeon’s blood from his fingers.

“I suppose I should praise you for not dodging. Very well, I acknowledge it. At least you’re different from those pigs who only talk big.”

Had Hye Yeon evaded, the force of Jang Ilso’s palm would have torn Tang Soso apart. Knowing that, Hye Yeon had stood his ground. With this single action, he had already proven he was unlike the rest.

“But what shall we do? The world ended up in this sorry state not because there were too few people like you.”

Jang Ilso smiled faintly.

“It’s because people like you were the first to die.”

Wearing an expression like that of a clown – between laughter and sorrow – Jang Ilso slowly let his hand drop. The blood-stained fingertips appeared especially red.

“Why don’t you understand?”

“…”

“Of course, the values each person holds most dear all differ. I have no wish to deny that. But… in the end, once you’re dead, everything is over, isn’t it?”

The corners of Jang Ilso’s mouth curled upward crookedly.

“The old man of Shaolin was aware of that fact. That’s why, no matter what, he clung to life and survived. And yet… it’s laughable that a whelp with so much life ahead of him is ignorant of what even a decrepit man with only a few days left understands.”

Hye Yeon’s gaze sank heavily.

“Once you die, it’s all over…”

Muttering, Hye Yeon soon shook his head firmly.

“That is not so, Siju.”

“…Are you about to spout your spiritual crap** about reincarnation and whatnot? Even if such a thing as reincarnation exists, a ‘me’ who has lost his memories cannot still be me. You Buddhist fools always deny such an obvious truth.”

“No. That is not what I mean.”

“Hmm, then?”

“I do not live for the sake of next life.”

At that unexpected statement, a strange light flickered in Jang Ilso’s eyes.

“What?”

Hye Yeon smiled bitterly.

Achieving enlightenment through rigorous practice and good deeds, breaking free from the wheel of reincarnation, and finally becoming a Buddha.

That is the foundation upon which the lives of those who call themselves Buddhists are built.

Yet now Hye Yeon was saying something entirely different – words his past self would never have uttered, not even in a dream.

“To live in the present for the sake of the ‘me’ in the next life, or for eventual enlightenment…”

He slowly shook his head.

“There was a time when I believed that to be right. But no longer.”

Had he never entered Hwasan – had he lived his whole life within Shaolin’s walls – he would never have known.

“Because in a sense, it’s just a severe case of narcissism [자기애(自己愛)].”

“…”

“Death isn’t the end. Sometimes, there are those who accomplish something through death.”

So it was with Namgung Hwang, and so it was with the predecessors of Hwasan. Though he had not witnessed the final moments, surely Tang Gunak would be the same.

“Death itself isn’t what’s important. What truly matters is what follows after my death.”

The corners of Jang Ilso’s eyes twitched.

“Are you saying the whole meaning of your life is to save that girl standing behind you?”

Hye Yeon smiled faintly.

“Whoever may stand behind me, what does it matter? The depth of a bond does not dictate my actions.”

“Hahahahahah!”

Jang Ilso burst into loud laughter. He bent over, clutching his stomach as if it hurt from laughing so hard.

Without the need for lengthy counterarguments, Jang Ilso’s roaring laughter alone was enough to mock and trample Hye Yeon’s beliefs: his profound resolution, his unwavering determination.

Wiping away the tears, Jang Ilso waved his hand lightly.

“My, my… you’re so incredible it gives me chills.”

Then he smiled brightly.

“Have no fear. You may abandon your duties as a Buddhist, but I shall extend to you the Buddha’s mercy.”

“…”

“At the very least, you won’t see with your own eyes how your death becomes a pointless one. That is my mercy.”

In that instant, an overwhelming killing intent burst from Jang Ilso.

Hye Yeon’s body reflexively shrank back. He was accustomed to bloodlust and killing intent. But the aura emanating from Jang Ilso was of an entirely different caliber than anything he had ever experienced before.

‘Bishop?’

Though clearly different in nature, the murderous aura was enough to conjure up the terrible name of the one he’d encountered back in Hangzhou.

Killing intent has no shape, yet his wounded body could barely endure even that. His barely stabilized internal injuries stirred violently once more. Black blood surged up, forced from his mouth again.

At last, Jang Ilso’s finger pointed at him.

Piiiiing!

By the time Hye Yeon realized what had happened, the ring that had shot forth was already right in front of his nose. He raised his hand with all the strength he could muster. The ring collided with the edge of his palm, deflected slightly, and burrowed into his shoulder instead.

It hadn’t fully pierced through – but perhaps it would have been better if it had. The ring, substantial in size, squirmed beneath his flesh, creating an intense, nauseating discomfort. Shuddering from the horrific sensation, Hye Yeon trembled involuntarily.

Smiling gently, Jang Ilso spoke with feigned kindness.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t keep going.”

True to his word, Jang Ilso lowered his hand. Yet that offered Hye Yeon no relief.

‘Is it impossible…?’

For a moment he had thought he might surpass him, but now Jang Ilso felt like a mountain far too high. Perhaps with skill alone, he could manage to keep up. But martial prowess was not the only thing making Jang Ilso so formidable.

“Amitabha.”

At this rate he would be crushed by sheer presence before the fight even began. Perhaps he would end up completely toyed with, then devoured.

‘If that’s the case, then I might as well…’

Hye Yeon clenched his teeth and was about to spring forward when…

Clang.

A sword suddenly appeared before him, as though blocking his path.

Startled, Hye Yeon looked at the one who had thrust the sword in front of him.

“Siju, what are you…”

“What is important is what follows after one’s death.”

“…”

“Surely you aren’t going to claim that only a monk is allowed to say that, are you?”

Hye Yeon had no answer to Tang Soso’s question.  It was not only that the question was justified. More than anything, it was the look in her eyes.

“Even if I can’t win, I won’t hesitate to face him. After all I’m a disciple of Hwasan.”

Hye Yeon lowered his gaze a little. Then he nodded.

“This humble monk was foolish.”

“As long as you understand.”

She, too, was a disciple of Hwasan, a proud swordsman. She was not someone Hye Yeon had to shield and protect at all cost.

“Let’s do it together.”

“Gladly.”

Hye Yeon and Tang Soso stood side by side, facing Jang Ilso, who merely smiled mockingly.

“Now…”

The moment his lips parted, Hye Yeon sensed it instinctively.

Almost simultaneously, Jang Ilso’s body quite literally appeared right in front of Hye Yeon. Wounded as he was, Hye Yeon’s senses could not catch the movement in time.

‘That’s enough.’

Though the words had not been spoken aloud and could not have reached his ears, Hye Yeon felt as if he had heard Jang Ilso’s afterthought.

Wooooong.

A fist clad in blue flame flew towards Hye Yeon. If he failed to block it, his head would burst like a ripe watermelon.

He thrust both hands forward, loading them with the energy he had hastily drawn up. Without any tricks or subtleties, Jang Ilso simply continued driving his fist forward.

Crunch.

Hye Yeon’s not fully outstretched fingers crumpled instantly upon collision with Jang Ilso’s fist. But thanks to this sacrifice, Jang Ilso’s blow veered just slightly off course, skimming narrowly over Hye Yeon’s head.

‘A counterattack…’

But before he could move, darkness filled Hye Yeon’s world. Jang Ilso had instantly bent his arm, smashing his elbow directly onto the crown of Hye Yeon’s head.

Hye Yeon’s body folded like a shrimp. Immediately afterward, Jang Ilso’s open palm, glowing brightly with blue flames, formed into a blade [수도(手刀) – knife-hand/knifehand strike]. The knife-hand strike, wrapped in blue flames, fell straight towards the nape of Hye Yeon’s neck, who had not yet recovered consciousness.

“No!”

Tang Soso instinctively charged at Jang Ilso. It was the only choice open to her in this situation.

But at the same time she sensed, with cold intuition, that there was no way Jang Ilso would fail to see through the one move she could make.

Indeed, the lips drawn across Jang Ilso’s pale face, twisted into a smirk.

Even so, Tang Soso thrust her foot forward. Not a moment’s hesitation.

‘Don’t make me laugh.’

She knew it was a trap. But that did not mean she could evade it – no, she would not evade it. If one of the two must die, wherever and whenever, a disciple of Hwasan never yields the place to die first.

Therefore, even when she saw the knife-hand twisting its path and flying towards her, Tang Soso did not so much as blink.

Even as Hye Yeon, belatedly gathering his clouded mind, moved with all his might to block Jang Ilso, Tang Soso thrust her sword forward instead, so that Jang Ilso could not target Hye Yeon again.

‘I am a swordsman of Hwasan.’

It was the path she had chosen. Thus she bore the pride she must uphold until the moment of her death.

Jang Ilso’s knife-hand, diving in like a hawk, touched her neck. Tang Soso, who was about to instinctively squeeze her eyes shut, forced them wide open.

Wooooosh.

A searing sensation flared across her throat. At the same moment Jang Ilso leapt backward again and again.

Staring death in the face, Tang Soso etched Jang Ilso’s retreating figure into her memory. She would not forget… not this hatred, not this pain.

And yet… it was strange. Jang Ilso’s face was far from triumphant. If anything, he looked slightly taken aback.

And then, all at once, a flood of sensations rushed through her.

The sharp pain of her neck being cut. A heat so intense it felt like her skin was burning.

Thud.

And then – something touched her head. The moment she realized it was a hand, the pungent scent of hot sweat overwhelmed her senses.

“Impressive, Samae.”

“…”

Tang Soso instinctively reached up and felt her neck.

She had definitely been cut, yet the wound was not fatally deep.

A needle’s breadth deeper and her carotid artery would have been severed, but Jang Ilso’s hand had driven no further.

Realizing this, Tang Soso clenched her teeth. Hot tears surged up, but relieved or not, she could not let them fall now.

Through her teeth came the familiar scolding.

“You’re late, you damned Sahyeong.”

“Sorry.”

The hand resting on her head pressed down firmly, and the one who pushed her head down stepped forward.

The curly hair and broad back now before her were drenched in sweat. Tang Soso lowered her gaze slightly. She could tell from that alone how desperately he had run to get here.

“Stand back.”

The sweat he had shed vaporized in the heat, sending up pale steam. The man who had always led Hwasan’s vanguard raised his sword and pointed it at Jang Ilso.

“Your rampage ends here. From now on, I’ll be the one to face you.”

Jo Geol’s sword shimmered with a crimson aura, burning as fiercely as his resolve.

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*위엄 – dignity, majesty, awe-inspiring authority. “Majesty of a king,” “dignified demeanor” – the examples of using this word. 

**절간의 헛소리 – 절간 more informal way to call a temple (that is usually 사찰/사 as in 소림사(少林寺) Shaolin Temple). “Nonsense from a temple,” which sounds weird, so it’s “buddhist spiritual crap.” 

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