Return of the Mount Hua

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“Sir! Five years ago, from a merchant who came from Xian, a plum blossom made of white metal…….”

“I sold that again, though? Where was it? Some peddler heading to Hubei, or something?”

“There! There! Back in Luoyang, this white plum blossom ornament…”

“Ah, that flower. I remember. I remember. But… as I recall, I was short on money back then, so I pawned it at the shop and scraped together some cash. After that, I couldn’t get it back…”

“I heard that, a few years ago, someone pawned a white plum blossom carving here.”

“At our pawnshop, items not reclaimed by their owners after a certain period are disposed of through a merchant guild. It would be fastest for you to go to Hwangsu Merchant Guild, which is our trading partner.”

“And where is this Hwangsu Merchant Guild?”

“Hwangsu Merchant Guild is the foremost merchant guild in Hebei. It’s in Hebei.”

“…”

“Ughhhhhh. Then perhaps – did you ever purchase white plum blossom ornament at some pawnshop in Hubei?”

“Ah, you mean that flower. When we were dumping unsellable goods in a clearance lot, I think it got tossed in with the rest. Let’s see. It would’ve been the Hopung Merchant Guild.”

“Ah, Hopung… yes. Do you happen to know where that guild is located?”

“Xian.”

“…Where?”

“Xian….”

“Where did you say?”

“…”

Crunch, crunch.

Covered head to toe in a layer of dust, so that his black martial robe had turned gray, Chung Myung ground his teeth like they were about to shatter. He glared at the signboard bearing the words ‘Hopung Merchant Guild’ as though he would bore a hole straight through it.

“Heh-heh… Xian… Ughh-heh-heh-heh-heh.“

After passing through Luoyang and Hubei, making a stop in Hebei, and then coming all the way back to Xian, clear tears streamed down from Chung Myung’s eyes.

“What sin did I commit in my past life to deserve this.”

– Quite a lot, actually.

“Will you shut up! Whose fault do you think all of this is!”

Chung Myung, seething with rage, clawed roughly at his own hair.

“Ughhh. If I’m going to suffer, I might as well just die.”

Who was there to blame in the first place? This was all the result of Chung Myung’s meddlesome urge to track down that utterly useless ‘divine relic’.

Chung Myung shook his head, then knocked on the door of a large merchant guild.

“Is anyone there?”

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

“Is there nobody inside?”

A moment later, someone came over with an irritated huff and yanked the door open.

“Who is it?!”

“Oh, there is someone. It’s just that – I’m looking for an item.”

“An item, my ass. Are you in your right mind, or are you out of it?”

“Huh?”

“If a perfectly good merchant guild has its doors shut, it’s obviously a day off. You should quietly come back the next day – what’s with all the racket, pounding on the door at the crack of dawn? Are you picking a fight right now?”

Chung Myung glanced up at the sky for a moment, then let out a long sigh.

“…So merchant guilds get days off, too. People these days are all so well-fed.”

“What did you just say?”

“Ugh. Sorry about that. It’s just urgent.”

The middle-aged man, who had been snapping irritably, stuck only his head out through the half-open door and looked Chung Myung up and down.

“Urgent? What, did you bring a message? A dispatch, maybe?”

“It’s not that……”

“Then if it’s not even that, what urgent business does some beggar-looking punk have at a merchant guild! Can’t you read the room, you little brat! Even begging requires some sense of timing! Don’t you know if you go looking for leftover scraps from someone who’s resting, you might end up getting your bowl smashed?”

“……Begging?”

Chung Myung’s face went blank.

“Begging, what the-…….“

“Anyone can see you’re a beggar! Aren’t you?”

“……Well, I am from that sort of background.”

“See! Told you!”

Damn it, honest at the most useless times. This mouth of mine.

“Anyway, I’m not here to beg right now, so go call someone. About two years ago, this merchant guild should’ve bought a plum blossom ornament made of white metal, and I need to find them.”

“Does this bastard not understand plain speech! If you don’t get the hell out right now, I’ll teach you a hard lesson. This is your last warning. Say one more word and you won’t be walking home today. Got it?”

Chung Myung forced a smile, and a vein stood out on his forehead.

“It’s really…… urgent…… that’s why……”

“Oh yeah? Fine! Today it’s either you die or I – come here, you-….”

“What’s going on?”

At that, the middle-aged man who’d been rolling up his sleeves to lunge forward spun around in a hurry, then flinched and bowed his head.

“Ah, Sir. It’s nothing. Some beggar bastard was knocking on the door, so I…”

“A beggar?”

“Yes. I’ll handle it.”

“If a beggar comes by, you give him something to eat and send him on his way. Why are you shouting at the front gate of the guild?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Calm him down quietly and send him…….”

The voice suddenly trailed off.

“Sir?”

The man who had been speaking in a displeased tone from the back suddenly strode forward and flung the door wide open. Then he looked Chung Myung up and down.

“Excuse me, by any chance……. by any chance, are you…… from Hwasan?”

“Saying I came from Hwasan isn’t quite right, but anyway, I am affiliated with Hwasan.”

“Hhhiik.”

The man’s stern face turned deathly pale in an instant, and he kicked the middle-aged man standing beside him straight in the ribs.

“Keugh!”

“Has this lunatic lost his mind! How dare you spew that kind of nonsense at someone from Hwasan! What? A beggar? Are you determined to ruin this merchant guild!”

“S-Sir. It isn’t that, it’s just…”

“Shut your mouth!”

“…Yes, Sir.”

The man, wearing a grave expression, immediately bowed deeply towards Chung Myung

“I apologize. Dojang-nim. My subordinate didn’t know any better and committed a great discourtesy. I beg you to forgive us with your generous heart.”

“No, I mean… well, um…”

Chung Myung quietly loosened the fist he’d been clenching.

“Please, come inside.”

“I thought you said the guild was closed today.”

“A day off – what day off could there be when a guest has come? From the look of you, you must have traveled a long way. Please, have something to eat first.”

“You really don’t have to…”

“If you refuse, those of us who were discourteous won’t be able to rest easy. Please.”

“Well, if you insist that much.”

“Now then, this way, please.”

“By the way, do you have any liquor?”

“Of course we do! I’ll have it brought out at once.”

“Then, well. Heheheh.”

Grinning, Chung Myung scratched the back of his head and stepped into the merchant guild.

“Ahh. I think I can breathe again.”

He washed up clean, ate until he was full, and threw back a drink.

At this point, you start to wonder whether life really needs anything more. In the end, a human being is a creature that can’t help but suffer simply by living. Captive to countless notions of our own making, don’t we reject even the instinct to eat our fill and rest in comfort? Yet if you just let things flow like running water – simply leave them be – the world becomes this peaceful…

– Snap out of it, you idiot!

“Wow, damn! I almost ascended.”

– It’s still too soon! Too soon!

“…This guy, seriously.”

A so-called Taoist stopping a person from ascending? And you call yourself Hwasan’s Sect Leader?

Just as Chung Myung was about to lose his temper, the door opened, and the merchant with the stern face he’d seen earlier cautiously came inside.

“Was the meal to your liking?”

“Yes. It was so delicious I almost died while eating.”

“Haha. Joking, are we.”

It’s true, though? ‘Ascending’ is just a nicer way to put it – really, it’s dying. I guess you could call it a graceful way to die.

“Anyway, thank you. That was a great meal.”

“Think nothing of it. So… what brings you to this humble place?”

“Humble?”

If this place is ‘humble,’ then Hwasan’s White Plum Blossom Pavilion would be about the level of a beggar’s shack. No – being compared to the Beggars Sect would be insulting, so let’s call it a mountain cave.

“But why are you suddenly treating me so well?”

“Yes? What do you mean by that? It’s only natural to treat someone from Hwasan with honor.”

“Hwasan… isn’t exactly a sect that’s doing all that well right now.”

“Oh my, but isn’t it a sect that will soon flourish once more?”

“Huh?”

The merchant put on an even more solemn expression and launched into a long-winded explanation.

“The merchant groups in Xian were greatly startled by the results of this friendly sparring match, and they’re keeping their eyes on Hwasan. Of course, you can’t say that just because of that match the positions of Hwasan and Jongnam have completely swapped, but people are already saying – who knows what things will look like thirty years from now?”

“Hehe. Really? That kind of talk is already going around?”

“And besides, is Hwasan some ordinary sect? In the past, weren’t you the foremost sect in Shaanxi?”

“…That’s true.”

“No, no. Not just the foremost in Shaanxi. From what I’ve heard, there was even a time when people debated whether you were the greatest under heaven.”

“Hehe. ‘Greatest under heaven’ is a bit of an exaggeration. Though… it’s not exactly wrong, either, is it?”

“Then of course Hwasan will flourish even more from here on out, won’t it? If I didn’t treat with honor someone who came from a place like that, wouldn’t I be unfit to call myself a merchant?”

“Hehehehe. Of course, of course. You’ve got some discernment, Sir.”

“Haha. You flatter me.”

“Hehehehe!“

“Hahahaha!“

The merchant who had laughed so heartily cleared his throat a couple of times, then asked cautiously.

“So, the reason you came to see us was?”

“Ah, look at me – getting carried away. What I mean is, the thing is…”

***

“Travel safely!”

“We’ll see you again, Dojang!”

“Yeah. Thanks for the meal. I really appreciate it.”

With bundles of fine food and bottles of liquor from the guild hanging all over him, Chung Myung waved to those seeing him off.

“So that’s how it is.”

A bright smile formed at the corner of Chung Myung’s mouth. The reputation he’d spread was something he’d engineered on purpose, but there was no way he wouldn’t be pleased that it was going this smoothly, just as he’d hoped.

“Kaaahh! Smooth sailing, smooth sailing. I didn’t think our reputation would improve this fast. See? Showing off in a sparring match really is the best.”

In high spirits, Chung Myung whistled.

“And the person who bought the White Plum Blossom isn’t even far away.”

Stretching contentedly, he tapped the ground a few times with his foot before dashing forward. His body shot off like the wind itself and vanished in an instant.

And in the place where Chung Myung had disappeared, the people left behind craned their necks and scanned the surroundings again and again.

“…He’s gone, right?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Let’s go back in.”

The merchant let out a sigh and was about to turn around, when the man who’d been struck some time ago asked carefully.

“But… is Hwasan truly that remarkable? I honestly don’t see-”

“I don’t know.”

“Sir?”

“Whether it will become an outstanding place, or remain somewhere not so remarkable – how would a mere merchant know that? If I could know things like that, I’d have become the greatest merchant under heaven.”

“Then why…”

“Ahem.”

“S-Sorry.”

“Now shut the door.”

While the others busied themselves cleaning up, the merchant standing alone in the courtyard pondered something before pulling a letter from inside his sleeve.

Rustle. 

Unfolding the letter that had been neatly creased, the merchant checked the contents written inside one more time.

A description of someone’s appearance, and lines written in red ink.

‘If a Taoist from Hwasan with the above appearance comes to visit, you are to devote your full effort to hosting him with utmost care. In particular, do not so much as let words pass your lips that slight Hwasan or speak highly of Jongnam.

If you violate the above precautions, a great calamity will befall you, so never forget these instructions.

I urge you once again. Do not take this lightly.’

“…We almost got screwed.”

The merchant let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“Is anyone there? Bring a fine bottle of liquor to Lord Hwang, the head of the Eunha Merchant Guild.”

“By ‘fine liquor,’ you mean…?”

“Take any one from the top shelf of the liquor storehouse and wrap it up. In silk.”

The merchant shook his head.

“This is why you’ve got to keep your wits about you at all times.”

His worldly prudence had saved the guild – at least, probably.

***

Fwaaash. 

Chung Myung raced along the mountain path like a flying tiger.

So deep in the mountains that, even when the sun should have been scorching, the densely grown trees blocked the sunlight, making it feel dim and gloomy.

“Hmm. I think it was around here.”

Chung Myung slowed down his pace, scanning his surroundings.

“It was definitely around here… Ah!”

His face lit up as he looked ahead. On a small hill stood a modest thatched hut.

“So there really is a house here.”

Far from Xian, deep in the mountains – terrain so rugged that only herb gatherers would usually venture this far – the old house looked all the more unfamiliar and out of place.

It seemed that when it was first built, it must have had a cozy, modest charm of its own, but now it wasn’t being properly maintained, and it looked like a bleak, desolate eyesore.

“Does someone really live in a place like this?”

Chung Myung, tilting his head in doubt, started walking towards the house in front of him.

“Is anyone there?”

Thud, thud. 

After knocking a couple of times, Chung Myung tilted his head slightly once more, then cautiously pushed the door open.

At that moment.

Hwaeaeaeack!

“Ugh.”

A razor-sharp axe, its blade gleaming coldly, swept past right beside Chung Myung’s neck as he bent sideways.

“W-What is that?”

Had it been an ordinary person instead of Chung Myung, that viciously sharp axe would have buried itself in their neck, killing them before they even had time to feel wronged.

“Ah! I’m sorry! I thought you were a bandit!”

“…”

“Are you okay?”

Blinking, Chung Myung stared at the child standing before him.

Was she about twelve? She was a young girl, her youth plainly showing. Her clothes were shabby, and she looked gaunt, like she hadn’t been getting proper meals, but her large black eyes were striking – vivid enough to leave an impression. And yet…

“Do you usually throw it first and think later?”

“Hm?”

“The axe.”

The girl smiled sheepishly, as if she understood.

“If they know you’re holding an axe, they’ll dodge, won’t they? And I can’t win if I fight head-on.”

“…You’ve got quite the rotten sprout growing there.”

“Huh?”

“No, nothing.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Chung Myung let out a hollow laugh as he examined her more closely.

“More importantly. Are you heading off to fight a war or something?”

The axe she had thrown wasn’t the only weapon. A small hand axe hung at her left side, and in her left hand she held a gleaming kitchen knife.

If one counted the old wooden practice sword strapped to her back as a weapon, then she was practically covered head to toe in things that could be lethal to anyone.

“Some bandits came by before.”

“Mm.”

“I have a feeling they’ll come again… They say the culprit returns to the scene, don’t they?”

“…If the culprit comes back to the scene, you’re supposed to run. If they were the kind to get beaten to death just because you swing an axe, would they be bandits? They’d be frogs.”

“That’s true, but…”

Hopeless. That was Chung Myung’s first impression of the girl. But in the next moment, he thought he might have to revise that assessment.

“…there’s something I absolutely have to get back.”

The girl’s expression as she said it was hard as stone. These weren’t the eyes of someone who didn’t realize what she was doing was reckless. They were the resolute eyes of someone who knew – and still meant to do what had to be done.

Staring at that expression, Chung Myung scratched his cheek.

“That thing you have to get back – could it be… a plum blossom made of white metal?”

“Huh? How do you know? So you really are with them! You bandit bastard!”

“…Put that kitchen knife down. Bandit, seriously –  I may not look it, but I’m a Taoist.”

“A Taoist? Oh, so you were a Taoist, Sir?”

“Can’t you tell by the clothes?”

The girl looked confused. It seemed she had never seen a Taoist in her life. To be fair, Hwasan’s martial uniform didn’t look exactly like a typical Taoist robe.

“Really?”

“Fine, let’s say I’m a bandit. If I’m skilled enough to dodge an axe flying in from this distance, wouldn’t I have already made minced meat out of you?”

The girl seemed to think for a moment, then quickly nodded.

“That’s true. Okay – let’s go with you being a Taoist.”

“It’s not something we’re ‘going with,’ I’m telling you I am a Taoist.”

“Yes. I’ll believe you. But then why are you here…”

Grrrrrgle.

Mid-sentence, the girl shut her mouth.

Grrrrrrrgle.

“…”

“…”

Chung Myung stared at the awkwardly fidgeting girl for a moment, then let out a long sigh. He began untying the bundle slung over his back.

“Let’s eat first and talk after.”

Third part of the side story >>>

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