Return of the Mount Hua

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A week passed.

“…Baek Oh”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Un Hwa [운화(雲和)], the Sect Leader of Hwasan, looked at Baek Oh with an uneasy expression.

“About that disciple you took in. There’s a rumor going around that these days he’s been… going about in a state that can hardly be called presentable.”

Un Hwa spoke as though nudging him in the side, his voice laden with discomfort.

“You know this already, but they say that in Henan he was famous… a truly famous prodigy.”

“…”

“And didn’t Hwasan receive quite a bit of… ahem. Help from that child’s family. So, that…”

Baek Oh’s eyes, as he sat properly upright, flicked slightly to the side.

“So, what exactly is it that you wish to say, Sect Leader?”

“No, it’s just that… you should perhaps manage your disciple a bit more…”

“Which one? Which disciple are you telling me to manage, Sect Leader? Yang Hoe? Or could it be…?”

“Ahem…”

“Sect Leader, with my abilities alone, I can’t do this anymore… Please, please switch out my disciple. These days my stomach hurts so much I can’t even train. Train! I’ll teach that Yang Hoe bastard and make him the World’s Greatest Sword! Please!”

“Ahem. The World’s Greatest Sword, well… would that really happen just because Yang Hoe tries? At best he’d be the World’s Second-Greatest Sword. As you know, Chung Mun is a bit lacking in talent. And the position of the World’s Greatest Sword doesn’t need to be taught anyway….”

“Ah, exactly! I’m saying someone should take the one who becomes the World’s Greatest Sword even without being taught, and go earn their keep with him! Who? Who is it? Who’s going to take him, I’m asking!”

Baek Oh whipped his head around, his eyes tinged with madness, scanning the area.

“Saje?”

“M-Me, I have many disciples. Sahyeong!”

“Then what? You, Saje – will you take him?”

“I, last time, I… injured my back rather badly…”

Baek Oh snapped his head around again and glared at Un Hwa.

“Sect Leader!”

“Uh… y-yes?”

“Even a first-generation disciple can’t handle Chung Myung. Since it’s come to this, wouldn’t it be better if one of the Elders took charge of that brat instead?”

“W-Well, the Elders?”

When Un Hwa turned his gaze, the elders all averted their eyes at once.

“That would go against the generational order…….”

“If a talented disciple appears, keeping the generational order as it is while instruction is given from higher up is something that happens frequently in other sects, isn’t it!”

“That’s a matter of allocation, somewhat…”

“Allocation? What’s the problem with allocation? In the first place, if things had gone as they should, shouldn’t that fellow Yang Hoe have been taken as the first among the Myung generation! Who was it that, despite his talent, forcibly shoved him into the very last spot of the Chung generation? Wasn’t that you, Sect Leader?!”

“Ah, come on, Sahyeong…… the Myung generation that’s older than Chung deneration is a bit…”

“That’s right. That’s why we were waiting until Chung Myung got older, weren’t we…”

“Shut up! You bastards! Useless, the lot of you – where do you think you’re butting in!”

Baek Oh exploded in rage. At that violent outburst, Un Hwa let out a sigh and stroked down his beard.

“Then… can’t it be managed somehow? No matter what, Yang Hoe – one look at him and you can tell he’s a talent meant to lead Hwasan’s revival. But if this keeps up…”

“Sect Leader! I’ve tried beating him, and I’ve tried hanging him off a cliff! Do you think that’s all?”

“…”

“I’ve locked him up in the Repentance Chamber, starved him, coaxed him and scolded him! There’s nothing I haven’t tried because of that bastard. Nothing I haven’t tried! So what has it come to? What’s left? Tell me!”

The moment Baek Oh clutched at his own head, his hair began to fall out in clumps, rustling down like autumn leaves. The Baek generation disciples, unable to bear looking at that sight head-on, turned away with tears welling up in their eyes.

“Can I spend the whole day doing nothing but follow that brat around? Just half a month ago you told me not to neglect my training either, when you said that Jin Hanbyeok [진한벽(陳寒碧)] of Jongnam had reached the tenth level of the Thirty-Six Swords Under the Heaven!”

“Ah, I know. I know…”

“Please…… please help me. Please…….”

“Alright, alright, Oh-ya. How could we not know your hardship.”

The situation had completely reversed from when the conversation first began. Un Hwa, at a loss for what to do, tried to soothe and comfort Baek Oh.

‘The entirety of Hwasan is suffering because of just one child.’

If it were merely a case of having an eccentric personality, they would have found some way to deal with it. But Chung Myung’s personality wasn’t just simply quirky – it was beyond what anyone could handle. On top of that, his stubbornness ran in a strange direction and was downright incredible. No matter how much they punished him, he didn’t change. Worse still, those who handed down the punishments inevitably met bizarre misfortunes before long, so now even the people who tried to lecture Chung Myung were steadily disappearing. Normally, the right thing would be to throw him out, but…

‘Of all things, that kind of bastard had to be born with talent that comes once in a hundred years…’

Chung Myung’s natural ability was so outstanding that his master – who had once been Hwasan’s greatest sword of the previous generation, then passed down the Sect Leader position and gone into seclusion – would burst out of his retirement and indulged in three days of frenzied revelry upon seeing it. Because of that, no one could bring themselves to say they should excommunicate Chung Myung.

After being put through so much, it wasn’t that absolutely no one had ever, in a fit of temper, shouted that they should just kick him out already. But someone who heard it had blurted out, ‘And what if, after that, the kid joins Jongnam or Wudang? Then for nearly fifty years, all Hwasan’s brats will be slaughtered.’ After that, no one ever carelessly let such words slip from their mouth again.

“Still, he listens to you, doesn’t he?”

“He is not listening to me. He is listening to that bastard Chung Mun’s words! If Chung Mun hadn’t been here, I would’ve escaped Hwasan already!”

“Well, isn’t that something. The way he at least pretends to listen to Chung Mun… If we’re talking about who’s easier to deal with, Chung Mun should be the easier one.”

“Chung Mun is a Taoist through and through, isn’t he? His Tao is great.”

“If only his talent backed it up a little more.”

“…He doesn’t need talent. Don’t you remember last month, when one of the Chung disciples talked back to Chung Mun and got dragged off by Chung Myung? He practically beat the child to a pulp.”

“I remember. That’s why he ended up in the Repentance Chamber.”

“For now it’s fine because it’s all within Hwasan. Later on, other sects are going to suffer the same thing.”

“…Just imagining it makes me happy. Those other sects’ bastards need to get a taste of Chung Myung soon, too. How about we start by sending the kid over towards Xian, where Jongnam is, Sect Leader?”

“…Now is not the time to be talking about that.”

“Ahem. My apologies.”

Everyone lowered their heads again, their faces solemn. Un Hwa let out a deep sigh.

“Anyway, all of you, pay attention to that child Yang Hoe.”

“Yes.”

“From what I can see, the child seems to have a brilliant mind. If that child supports Chung Mun with his head, and Chung Myung helps with the sword… then it wouldn’t be a dream for Hwasan to become the greatest sect under heaven in the era of the Chung generation.”

“Yes!”

“…That is, if Yang Hoe doesn’t get beaten to death before then.”

Un Hwa’s sigh that followed drifted sadly through the great hall.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Kuuuuuukk!”

At the bizarre scream and the sight of Yang Hoe collapsing forward, Chung Myung dusted off his hands with a few sharp pats.

“This bastard really does charge at me anytime, anywhere now.”

“…”

“But why is he so stupid? At this point, even if a thousand years passed, he should have more than enough sense to understand that he can’t beat me.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue loudly, then spoke in an indifferent voice.

“Well, it’s not me getting hit, so it’s none of my business. Even if it hurts, make sure dinner’s properly prepared tonight. So Sahyeong doesn’t nag. I’m leaving.”

Chung Myung sharply turned his body and walked away. Only after quite a while had passed did the Chung disciples, who had been watching from afar, come rushing over in a swarm, surrounding the fallen Yang Hoe.

“You okay?”

“Try getting up. Here, there’s cold water, so drink some of this.”

“Ughh…….”

The Chung disciples who held a bowl of water to Yang Hoe’s mouth shook their heads. It truly was a gruesome sight.

“But you’re seriously amazing. Wow – how do you keep challenging Sahyeong for more than a week? I gave up in one day.”

“I lasted two.”

“Hehe! Sahyeongs, you’re all quite dumb. I took one hit and immediately lay flat on my face.”

“…Smart. I’ll give you that.”

Yang Hoe’s face was entirely tinged a deep bluish-purple hue. Everyone who saw him either sighed or shook their heads. At this point, it was hard to tell whether the one beating someone to this state was at fault, or whether Yang Hoe was remarkable for stubbornly resisting even after being beaten like this.

“But why is Chung Mun Sahyeong just watching? Normally he wouldn’t leave it like this.”

“…Chung Mun Sahyeong can’t follow Chung Myung Sahyeong around all the time, can he? Besides, even when Sasuks see it from far away, they start running away first.”

“Yeah, but still..”

Just then, Yang Hoe coughed and, with great difficulty, finally opened his mouth.

“I… asked him.”

“Huh? You did?”

“I asked him not to interfere until I was convinced myself.”

“…This guy is seriously insane. In Hwasan, the only person who can handle Chung Myung Sahyeong even a little is Chung Mun Sahyeong… and you turned that down? What on earth are you trying to do?”

“I have to win.”

“No, I mean – how, exactly…….”

“Then are you Sahyeongs just going to endure it while that bastard runs rampant like that?”

“Hey, hey, stop it.”

The Chung disciples all shook their heads with weary expressions.

“That guy isn’t human. You can’t beat him in a fight.”

“We all used to have some skill before we entered the sect. But after seeing that guy, I finally understood why people say ‘There is another heaven beyond heaven’ [or 天外天: beyond the sky, there is yet another sky].”

“I get your pride, but this is just foolish. You can’t win by fighting, I’m telling you.”

Chung Gong [청공(靑供)] let out a deep sigh.

“Chung Myung Sahyeong’s martial talent is unprecedented in Hwasan’s history. It got so bad that even some of the younger Sasuks went through hell at his hands at least once.”

“When was that? These days, the entire Baek generation is starting to avoid him.”

“That’s only natural – if you win, it’s what you should do anyway, and if you lose, you can’t hold your head up.”

Listening quietly, Yang Hoe ground his teeth.

“Anyway, I can’t accept it.”

“…You really are something.”

“Well, I guess that’s why you were called one of the Three Treasures of Zhengzhou. Geniuses, by nature, all have that strange, poisonous stubbornness, don’t they?”

“Like Chung Myung Sahyeong?”

“……Let’s not lump that guy in as just a genius. He’s not human, honestly.”

With an irritated gesture, Yang Hoe wiped away the blood running from his nose.

Of course, he acknowledged it too: that bastard named Chung Myung was a monster no human strength could possibly do anything about. That was why even his Sahyeongs – who were at least twice his size – lived pressed down like mice before a cat. But no matter how he thought about it, Yang Hoe didn’t like this situation at all.

“Then are you all planning to live your entire lives like this, just taking it?”

“…What else can we do? He’s still our Sahyeong.”

“I have no intention of doing that!”

When Yang Hoe’s stubbornness still wouldn’t bend, the Chung disciples shook their heads.

“Good grief, fine then – suffer through it.”

“Get beaten around for another two days and you’ll understand reality.”

“Go to the Medical Hall and make sure you put ointment on.”

Realizing there was no talking to him, the Chung disciples patted Yang Hoe on the shoulder and, one by one, quietly slipped away.

It was when most of the Chung generation had spread out and left.

“Are you really not going to live just taking it?”

Chung Gong, who had been edging away, asked in a low voice. When Yang Hoe replied with a confused ‘Huh?’, he demanded a clear answer instead of elaborating.

“Really?”

“Well…”

“Then after dinner tonight, once the sun’s gone down, come out towards Yeonhwa Peak without Chung Myung Sahyeong noticing. Let’s talk there.”

“Huh?”

“If anyone asks where you’re going, just say you’re doing evening training. Evenings are usually for self-directed training anyway.”

Chung Gong patted Yang Hoe on the shoulder and then walked off calmly, as if nothing at all had happened. Yang Hoe stared blankly at his retreating figure, his eyes filled with confusion.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Is this the place?”

Yang Hoe looked around. He had come because he was told to come out to Yeonhwa Peak, but since it hadn’t been long since he’d entered Hwasan, he had no way of knowing whether he’d come to the right spot.

Luckily – or perhaps unluckily – he had no need to use the excuse Chung Gong had prepared for him. Baek Oh and Chung Mun were both not at their quarters today, and Chung Myung, after throwing a fit because he didn’t like the food Yang Hoe made, had gone off somewhere.

“Is it not here?”

Yang Hoe was just about to turn around, still scanning his surroundings.

“You really came?”

From behind the thick, overgrown trees, a group emerged. Looking closely, they were Chung disciples whose faces he’d come to recognize here and there at the training grounds. There had to be at least twenty of them. Compared to the total number of the Chung generation, it wasn’t that many, but considering they’d gathered on Yeonhwa Peak – far from the main mountain – on this dark night, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a great number.

“You’ve got grit. I like that.”

Chung Gong, standing at the front, stepped closer and lightly patted Yang Hoe’s shoulder. Yang Hoe asked, bewildered.

“Sahyeongs. What is this, exactly?”

“Ah, there’s nothing to worry about. We just wanted to tell you – you’re not alone.”

Chung Gong added, wearing a meaningful smile.

“You’re not the only one sick to death of Chung Myung Sahyeong’s tyranny.”

“Ah. No, but earlier…….”

“Earlier, we had to behave like that. You might not know this yet, but the Elders of the sect tend to quietly protect Chung Myung Sahyeong.”

“Chung Mun Sahyeong too.”

“That’s right. Even Chung Mun Sahyeong dotes on Chung Myung Sahyeong. Probably because he thinks he can make use of him later when he becomes Sect Leader.”

The good-natured face he’d shown earlier in the day was nowhere to be found. Chung Gong openly, bluntly poured out his dissatisfaction.

“So what, exactly…….”

“Wait. Before that, let’s confirm something. You’re really not going to submit to Chung Myung Sahyeong, right?”

“…Looking at my face, can you still ask that?”

“Fair enough. In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone stand up to Chung Myung Sahyeong for a whole week. If you weren’t like that, I wouldn’t have called you. You’re Chung Myung Sahyeong’s direct Saje, after all.”

He didn’t like being called that bastard’s direct Saje, but for now he nodded.

“So what are you planning to do?”

“As you know, Chung Myung Sahyeong is a monster. So you can’t beat him in any ordinary way.”

Yang Hoe narrowed his eyes, giving him a suspicious look.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Why? You said you’ve read a thing or two, right? You’re not about to say that if you can’t beat someone alone, you have to live getting hit forever, are you?”

Chung Gong tapped his own head lightly as he continued.

“If your strength isn’t enough, you have to use your brain. And luckily, Chung Myung Sahyeong is ignorant – he doesn’t know how to use his.”

“Yeah, it did seem like that.”

When Yang Hoe nodded after thinking it over for a moment, Chung Gong grinned.

“I’m only saying this because you said you’d be in with us. Tomorrow, tell Chung Myung Sahyeong that this time you’ll settle it properly, once and for all – then bring him out here at this hour.”

At those words, Yang Hoe looked around at the other Chung disciples nearby. Chung Gong shrugged.

“Tomorrow there’ll be more. This isn’t all of us. And if things go well, we might even be able to bring one or two of the Baek generation.”

“Ah, no. Still, that’s a bit…”

“Hey, hey, Yang Hoe.”

When obvious discomfort crossed Yang Hoe’s face, Chung Gong slung an arm over his shoulder and tightened his grip.

“Hey. How much have you suffered? It’s only been a week for you. Right? Haven’t you been getting hit?”

“…I have.”

“But we’ve been taking it for years. At least a year each. As for me, it’s already been four years.”

Yang Hoe pressed his lips tightly together.

“I’ve wasted years getting kicked around whenever that little brat felt like it. It’s not living, even if you’re alive, huh?”

“…”

“And is this only for our sake? In the end, this is for Hwasan – and it’s for Chung Myung Sahyeong too.”

“For Chung Myung Sahyeong? What are you talking about now?”

“That bastard is so strong that up to now, he’s never once properly gotten what’s coming to him. What do you think will happen once there’s no one left above him to rein him in?”

“…”

“He’ll turn into a notorious troublemaker known throughout Gangho and become a target for every sect out there. And of course, that’ll affect Hwasan too. You get what I’m saying?”

“Yes, well, I suppose…”

“That’s why everyone needs to learn a lesson at least once in their life. That just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want without any consequences. Am I wrong?”

Yang Hoe nodded, albeit with a reluctant look.

“Then… you’re calling everyone to do a rotation battle or something?”

“A rotation battle? I thought you were smart, but why do you keep saying such stupid things? What kind of guy do you think he is – how would this work out?”

“…Then what?”

“Obviously, we attack together.”

Yang Hoe’s eyes went wide.

“Twenty people?”

“Twenty, my ass. It’ll be over thirty. With that guy, you need at least that many if you want to do anything at all. Don’t look down on him just because he’s a tiny brat. This much is necessary. You understand what I mean, right?”

Yang Hoe’s chest felt tight, and he let out a long sigh.

“Alright, I understand for now. Then tomorrow…”

“It’s not over yet.”

“Yes?”

“ ‘This’ is the real point.”

Chung Gong rummaged in his robes, then pulled something out and held it out towards him.

“Take it.”

“…What is this?”

“Just take it.”

With a baffled expression, Yang Hoe took what was offered. When he looked closely at what he now held, he could feel something like powder inside a neatly folded piece of paper. Like…

“A medicinal packet?”

“Shh.”

Chung Gong gestured for him to be quiet, then looked around. He was cautious, as if he had to stay on guard even when there was no one listening.

“This is Sangong Poison*. I had my family send it.”

“P-Poison? You mean poison, right now…”

“No, you idiot! Sangong Poison isn’t poison! It doesn’t hurt, it just makes you unable to use your internal energy for a while – like a numbing drug!”

After scolding Yang Hoe sharply, Chung Gong leaned in and whispered by his ear.

“Tomorrow evening, mix this into Chung Myung Sahyeong’s food when he eats. If you don’t want to be suspected, you can eat with him too. You look like you’ve got a fair amount of inner strength yourself, but either way, it’s not like anything will go wrong just because you, alone, can’t use your internal energy.”

Then he patted Yang Hoe on the shoulder.

“I was worried about how we’d even get him to take it, but it’s a relief you’re here. He’s not the kind of person who drinks tea.”

“And we can’t exactly get the alcohol.”

“I have no idea where that bastard even gets it from.”

The Chung disciples who’d been grumbling all turned to Yang Hoe and grinned.

“That settles it.”

“He won’t suspect it, right? His instincts are practically ghostlike.”

“Suspect it? No way. He trusts that kid completely.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Seems like everyone who runs into him these days gets the same line. ‘Be more like our Saje, you spineless idiots,’ he goes.”

As Yang Hoe stared uneasily at the packet of medicine, his eye twitched for a brief moment. But Chung Gong didn’t notice his reaction and merely tilted his head in puzzlement. One of the Chung disciples added.

“You kept rushing him for a whole week, so even if he talks like that, it looks like he’s actually taken a real liking to you? He said it in passing to me, too. That every time you fight, you change your approach and aim for what you think is a weak point – said your head is really sharp.”

“Really? If he thinks so highly of him, he should treat him better. Why’s he beating him? He’s barely human, honestly.”

“That’s just how he is.”

“It’s certain, right?”

“It wasn’t just me who heard it. I’ve heard it a lot, from here and there.”

“That’s right, Saheyong. I heard it too. He even nagged at me – said if I could follow even half as well as his own Saje, I could at least manage to make a living as some kind of errand-runner, told me to start using my brain.”

“Seems like he really does think well of you. Hearing that from all directions.”

Chung Gong nodded.

“Well, that’s a good thing. Then he absolutely won’t suspect it.”

Grinning, he patted Yang Hoe’s shoulder with satisfaction.

“So do your best. This isn’t for us – it’s for your future life at Hwasan. It’s something that absolutely needs to be done. Got it?”

“Yeah. Hey, if you mess this up, you’re the one who’ll suffer the most. At least we don’t have to live with that guy.”

Hearing that, Yang Hoe let out a faint laugh.

“Well, yeah. I’ll be the one suffering most.”

“Right. Then you can do it?”

Yang Hoe glanced down at the medicinal packet in his hand. The corner of his mouth curled up into a grin. It was an expression that resembled Chung Myung’s smile – one he’d seen often.

“Of course I can handle it. So, what you Sahyeongs are saying is that I open the packet like this and…”

Yang Hoe unfolded the neatly folded packet.

“No, don’t open it right no…”

“Liiiiike thiiiiis!”

And then, in one swift motion, he flung the white powder inside, scattering it as though throwing it at the people right in front of him.

“Aaagh! What are you do…! Cough, cough!”

“Y-You bastard, are you out of your mind! You – hey! What the hell are you doing?!”

Yang Hoe shrugged, perfectly calm.

“I did exactly what you told me to. Was this not it? Ah, if that wasn’t enough, should I do it again? Then please give me another packet.”

“……Y-You, you bastard!”

“Don’t have one? Then there’s no helping it. I’ll have to beat Chung Myung Sahyeong fair and square with my own skill.”

“Hey!”

Chung Gong, furious, grabbed Yang Hoe tightly by the collar.

“You… are you out of your mind? Just because that bastard Chung Myung looks at you a little favorably, you’re going to go running over to his side like that?”

“Let go of me.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, let go.”

Yang Hoe glared at him with cold eyes.

“Running over to him? Who is saying that to whom? I’ll fight until I’m convinced. But I won’t use filthy methods like this!”

“This is a strategy……”

“A strategy is only a strategy when you use it when you’re supposed to! If you use it anytime, anywhere, without rhyme or reason, that’s just being despicable!”

“What? Despicable?”

Chung Gong, eyes brimming with killing intent, yanked Yang Hoe hard towards himself.

“…This bastard, the more I look at you, the more you ask for it. Are we a joke to you? You think you can handle all of us as long as it’s not Chung Myung Sahyeong?”

“No, what exactly would I do? I don’t even have any strength.”

Yang Hoe let out a snicker, then spoke in a cool, composed voice.

“And if I were the kind of guy who cared about that, I’d already be bowing and groveling before that little brat, wouldn’t I? Listen carefully. I’m the man who’s going to make Hwasan the number one sect under heaven. Not with underhanded scheming like this – I’ll make it that way, proudly, with my own skill.”

“Y-You……”

“So if you’re pissed, then build up your skills, fight, and win. Don’t start thinking about ganging up on people already, you little punks, and then slap fancy words like ‘a strategy’ onto it to make it sound good.”

The Chung disciples glared at Yang Hoe with eyes full of poisonous hostility.

“Well, in exchange… I won’t say a word about what happened today, so don’t get your hopes up and go back to training.”

“You think if you talk like that, we’ll just let you go peacefully?”

“Ah, then hit me, I guess.”

Yang Hoe answered indifferently and yawned.

“If you’re going to hit me, do it quickly. Starting tomorrow morning, I’ve got to face that guy again.”

“This crazy bastard, seriously…..!”

Thunk – a dull, heavy sound rang out. Chung Gong had smashed Yang Hoe’s jaw in a single blow. The instant Yang Hoe collapsed, the Chung disciples rushed in all at once and began to stomp him mercilessly.

“Look at you now, you bastard!”

“Every one of these so-called prodigies…!”

“Like none of us were prodigies! What makes you so great?”

Those who had been trampling Yang Hoe only withdrew after a long while, finally stepping back, panting for breath.

“…Tsk, damn it.”

“What if this bastard tattles?”

“Don’t worry about it. Guys like him have too much pride, and they keep their word.”

“Still…”

Just then, a short groan leaked from Yang Hoe’s mouth as he lay sprawled, seemingly unconscious. The Chung disciples glanced at him and clicked their tongues bitterly. Even to them, it felt like they might’ve hit him a little too hard.

“More importantly… why isn’t his internal energy dissipating? Sahyeong, did you bring the wrong Sanggong Poison?”

“Wrong, my ass. Here it is – Sanggong Poison.”

“Huh? But you said it was your one precious packet…”

“How could I trust this bastard enough to hand over that one packet? If he kept reacting fine all the way to the end, I was going to give it to him for real.”

“Damn. They say this bastard is smart, but he seems dumber than you, Sahyeong.”

“He can only be so great. But… ha, what a pain. Then how are we supposed to make him take it?”

“If you give it to him, he’ll take it.”

“No, you think he’ll just swallow anything because we hand it to him?”

“I’m telling you, if you give it to him, he’ll take it.”

“Then that’s what I… huh?”

Chung Gong froze mid-sentence and slowly turned his head. It was as if his whole body had gone rigid.

From the opposite direction of the thicket they’d come out of, a familiar little brat came trudging out. Everyone’s faces turned deathly pale.

“……S-Sahyeong? This is…… I mean…….”

Chung Myung’s gaze went to Yang Hoe, sprawled on the ground. ‘That crazy bastard’, Chung Myung muttered with a snort, shaking his head. Then he turned his eyes back to the Chung disciples.

“You sure stomped him good, didn’t you?”

“S-Sahyeong. This is, I mean, we were training with our junior and…”

“Junior? Junior, you say.”

“Pardon?”

Chung Gong, who had stupidly echoed back the question, brightened in an instant. To him, Chung Myung’s words sounded like he didn’t acknowledge Yang Hoe as his Saje.

“Yes! We were trying to knock some sense into this lunatic…”

“Lunatic?”

Cutting him off mid-sentence, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“Hwasan is really a fine sight these days. Calling your Sahyeong a lunatic.”

“S-Sahyeong. That wasn’t meant for you, it was…”

“Yeah, that bastard.”

Chung Myung jerked his chin towards Yang Hoe lying on the ground.

“My Saje. Your Sahyeong.”

“…What?”

“I said that bastard is your Sahyeong.”

For a moment, the Chung disciples just stared at him blankly, not understanding what he meant. Someone spoke up.

“We entered the sect earlier than he did, Sahyeong.”

“Ha…… haha. Right. Sahyeong must be mistaken about something…….”

“Entered what? If we’re ranking by who entered first, then I’m above Chung Mun Sahyeong.”

“…That’s true, but…”

“There’s only one way Hwasan decides generation order. Whoever comes under our Master is the highest in the line.”

“…”

“So among the Chung disciples, that kid is third. From now on, treat him as your Sahyeong.”

Chung Gong stared at Chung Myung with a flustered expression.

“No, Sahyeong! Even so, this is too much…”

“Hand it over.”

“Yes?”

“Give me what you’ve got in your hand.”

“…S-Sahyeong. This is….”

“Want to get hit and hand it over, or just hand it over?”

Chung Gong lowered his head deeply and passed the packet in his hand to Chung Myung. Chung Myung slowly unfolded the paper and stared down at the powder inside.

“Sanggong Poison, huh… so if you take this, you can’t use your internal energy, is that it?”

“S-Sahyeong. For a crime worthy of death…”

“What did I say again? I told you – if you give it to me, I’ll eat it.”

At that moment, Chung Myung tipped the Sanggong Poison in his hand and shook it all into his mouth. Then he scrunched up his face and grumbled.

“Gah! Tastes awful.”

“S-Sahyeong, what are you doing…”

“I told you. If you give it to me, I’ll eat it.”

Chung Myung grinned and shrugged.

“So, what will it be? I ate it. That makes today your last chance, doesn’t it?”

The Chung disciples, clearly flustered, flinched at his words and looked at one another.

“It’s simple. If you want to go on acting like you’re Sahyeongs, you have to prove it. If you’ve been rolling around Hwasan that long, you should be able to show you learned something, right? Beat me after I’ve taken Sanggong Poison – with twenty of you, and that ought to be enough.”

“…”

“If you can’t, then you only ‘entered the sect,’ that’s all. It means you haven’t learned a damn thing. Then you’re not even as good as that bastard there, so you become Sajes. Which is it?”

Thinking there was no other way now, the Chung disciples’ eyes flashed.

“Sahyeong… that really is Sanggong Poison, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Really? Then… it really is an opportunity.”

“…Yeah?”

“Yes. To be honest, even without Sanggong Poison, with numbers like this we thought it might be worth a try. It was just in case. But if he’s even taken Sanggong Poison…”

Exchanging looks, the Chung disciples began to spread out left and right, slowly forming a wide encirclement around Chung Myung.

“Sahyeong. Don’t think this is only because of bad blood.”

“If things stay like this, Hwasan will end up suffering a huge ordeal someday because of you, Sahyeong. So we’re saying you should experience it once in advance and cool that temper of yours.”

Seeing that, Chung Myung let out a snort.

“But… do you know why I bothered to eat this?”

“…Pardon?”

Chung Myung unfastened the wooden sword from his back, then slowly gripped it and raised it.

“I ate it so you wouldn’t delude yourselves into thinking that if you’d just beaten the crap out of me first and then made me eat Sanggong Poison, you might’ve won. So today, you…”

Chung Myung grinned crookedly and dashed forward.

“…You are all dead.”

His wooden sword viciously cleaved the air.

“Ugh……”

Yang Hoe let out a groan, his face contorting. His leg – no, more precisely, his ankle hurt terribly. To be even more exact, it was the top of his foot.

‘Did someone go out of their way to stomp only the top of my foot?’

Otherwise, how could it burn like this? Even now, it felt like someone kept smashing it down with a rock – thud, thud…

“Ah!”

Damn it. It’s not just a feeling, it really hurts! Yang Hoe jerked his head up and, without realizing it, turned his gaze behind him. He could see his foot dragging limply along the ground.

‘What is it now, again?’

Why is it that every time he loses consciousness and wakes up, some absurd thing is happening?

“You awake?”

“Huh?”

Yang Hoe, who had been staring blankly at his throbbing foot, shifted his gaze forward. But…

“There’s nobody there? Is it a ghost?”

“…You’re going to die, seriously.”

Only then did Yang Hoe lower his gaze. Much smaller than him, Chung Myung was carrying him on his back as he headed down the mountain. Chung Myung was strong, but the height difference was something he couldn’t do anything about. Because of that, Yang Hoe’s foot was dragging, and the top of it was taking all the strain.

“P-Put me down!”

“Yeah? You won’t be able to walk, though?”

Yang Hoe shut his mouth and behaved. In truth, Chung Myung was right. Looking at the state his body was in, there was no way he could walk. But…

“Even so, I don’t care, put me down!”

“No one’s coming out here, you know?”

“…Then I’ll just spend the night here.”

“There are wild beasts out here.”

“R-Really?”

Without a word, Chung Myung turned his head slightly and looked at Yang Hoe. His eyes were full of suspicion, as if to say, ‘Was it really true this bastard got called a prodigy?’ Yang Hoe quietly avoided the look.

Carried along obediently on Chung Myung’s back, Yang Hoe asked, as if in passing. 

“How did you know to come? Were you tailing me or something?”

“Tailing, my ass. I didn’t go anywhere – you came.”

Chung Myung spoke as if it were ridiculous.

“I’m usually up on Yeonhwa Peak swinging my sword at that hour, but you guys suddenly showed up and started whispering. So I watched for a bit to see what you were up to.”

“…No, but why are you swinging a sword at that hour?”

“Well… there’s nothing in particular I need to do down below, and people don’t really like it when I stand out. I was bored, so what else was I supposed to do? Might as well swing a sword. That’s at least a little less boring.”

“…”

“What? Why?”

“N-No, it’s nothing.”

Pressing his lips together, Yang Hoe silently stared down at the crown of Chung Myung’s head. From what he’d heard, it seemed Chung Myung had been abandoned at Hwasan as an infant – and if he’d grown up in this bleak temple without any parents, it would be no surprise if he’d turned out eccentric. He must have had plenty of things he couldn’t speak of, probably.

Clearing his throat, Yang Hoe cautiously opened his mouth.

“Ahem. Back then… when I said that thing about your parents… I’m sorry about that. I really didn’t mean anything by it. I didn’t know…”

“It’s fine. It’s true I don’t have them, so.”

“Still…”

“It’s not like I care. It just pisses me off when other people bring it up and watch my face for a reaction.”

“…Yeah.”

Suddenly awkward for no reason, Yang Hoe started tossing out whatever came to mind.

“So you go up to Yeonhwa Peak before the sun goes down? To train?”

Even as he asked, Yang Hoe couldn’t help but admire him. That monstrous skill didn’t come out of nowhere, after all…

“No. At that time, I just flop down and half-sleep.”

Ah. So it really does come out of nowhere.

“Then why bother staying outside?”

“The sunset you see from Yeonhwa Peak is insanely beautiful.”

“The ‘sunset’?”

“Yeah. You should see it sometime.”

The sunset, huh… For some reason, the unexpected sentimentality in him made Yang Hoe let out hollow chuckle. Yang Hoe lifted his head slightly and looked up at the night sky. Then Chung Myung asked.

“By the way, you – why did you do something that stupid? From what I can tell, your head works pretty well. That means you knew you were going to get beaten. There were plenty of other ways.”

Hearing that, Yang Hoe snorted.

“If I’m going to swallow every injustice and choke down every annoyance and solve things by going around in circles, then I’d have just gone into government service. Do you think I’d be crazy enough to come here, going against everything, if that were the case?”

“…That’s also true.”

“A brain only means something when you use it where it matters.”

“Fine. Then how long are you going to keep charging in? Now this is where that brain might actually be useful.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m never backing down.”

“At this rate, you’ll really end up dead.”

“Then I’ll die if I die! I’m never doing it!”

“…Fine. Go on, then. Try it.”

“I said I’m not doing it.”

“Ah, who said you were? Do whatever you want.”

“I’m absolutely not going to.”

Chung Myung went down from Yeonhwa Peak with a silent smile. The smile at the corner of his mouth stayed there all the way down – and the same was true for Yang Hoe.

It was still far from anything meaningful. Nothing that could be called a profound bond had formed. They had merely drawn half a step closer – just as much as their back and chest touched.

A child walking down the mountain with a young man twice his size on his back. The moon hanging in the night sky watched that ridiculous sight in silence for a long, long while, wearing a faint smile.

The words ‘Damn it! You sword-crazed Sahyeong bastard. You swing the sword – I’ll make my living with my brain!’ would only burst out of Yang Hoe’s mouth a full month later.

And it would take yet another full month after that before polite honorifics finally began to come obediently out of Yang Hoe’s mouth.

As for the day Yang Hoe, having fully settled at Hwasan, would receive the Taoist name Chung Jin [청진(靑津)] – that was a story from an even more distant future.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Ugh…….”

Perched on a hill overlooking the scenery of Hwasan, Chung Myung narrowed his eyes slightly.

“When am I ever going to raise those brats up? Good grief, what a life I’ve got.”

The more he thought about it, the more his insides churned.

To think he was straining himself trying to raise a bunch of kids who couldn’t even measure up to Chung Jin. If that wasn’t karma from a past life, then what was?

“If you’re going to suffer, you might as well die. Tsk.”

Chung Myung let out a short laugh and spoke as if tossing the words to someone.

“You’re watching, right? Kids these days – none of them have even half the grit you had.”

There was no way an answer would come back, but Chung Myung went on as if he’d heard one anyway.

“Then again, even back then there was nobody like you. Later on, Sect Leader Sahyeong grabbed me and practically begged me to stop beating you up, and what did you say? ‘Step aside. This is a man’s duel’? You said that and then you got smacked by Chung Mun Sahyeong, didn’t you?”

Chung Myung cackled as he mimicked Chung Jin. Thinking back, that bastard hadn’t been in his right mind either.

“If you were here, those guys would’ve learned a thing or two at least…”

It was right then.

“Where the hell did that bastard go!”

A thunderous roar exploded from down below.

“Ah, Sasuk! I’m telling you, hold back! If you get hit more, you’ll die!”

“Well, he’s still his Sasuk, so he probably won’t kill him. But he won’t be getting up for three days.”

“Leave him be. You can’t talk sense into an idiot.”

From far off, Baek Cheon came charging in like a wild boar struck by lightning, twisting his head this way and that as he scanned the area – and then he spotted Chung Myung up on the hill. The usually gentle-looking eyes were completely rolled back in fury.

“Hey, fight me again! I messed up – I was supposed to hold out for ten seconds more! This was a mistake, so it doesn’t count! Redo it! Right now!”

“…What the hell is that lunatic saying.”

“Aren’t you coming down? You want me to come up? Huh? Should I?!”

“Ah, just stop it already!”

“Please, act like a human being! Please! Why does your condition get worse with every passing day?!”

Chung Myung stared at the scene blankly for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.

“…No. I guess there is one. He’s just a bit off in the head, that’s all.”

Shaking his head, Chung Myung let out a chuckle and said.

“Well, thanks to that, it’s never boring, right?”

He muttered softly. And with that, Chung Myung sprang to his feet.

“So for now, just rest. Later on, I’ll make sure I never get bored again.”

When he turned his gaze, the sky was filled with sunset. The purple sunset glow that Chung Jin had loved.

“Hey! Aren’t you coming down already?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming! You bastard of a Sasuk! Today you’re going to die at my hands!”

Chung Myung kicked off the ground in one burst and flew at Baek Cheon.

“Aaah!”

“What? What’s going to change if you come at me again, huh?”

“Diiieee!”

“Oh? Now you’re charging in like you’ve gone crazy? Try coming at me for another thousand years. You think you’ll beat me?!”

The sound of the two bickering and grappling, mixed with the shouts of other disciples desperately trying to stop them, filled the world along with the sunset. And above it all, Hwasan’s sky – deeply dyed in purple – watched them silently, for a long, long time.

Simply for a long, long time.

________

*산공독(散功毒) – to scatter(disperse)/cultivated power/poison – poison that scatters one’s cultivated power.

Yeonhwa Peak – or Lotus Peak – west peak of Hwasan Mountain.

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This concludes “Someone’s Story.” Thank you for reading with me and Happy New Year, everyone! Don’t forget to share my website if someone is looking for a source to read hwawgi.

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