Episode 173

Spring came to Mount Hua.

Uh? But hadn’t spring come a while ago?

Nono.

The spring which came now was different from the spring season. Then, what kind of spring is this…

“Huhuhuhuhu.”

“…”

“Huhuhuhuhuhuhu.”

Hyun Young looked around with the softest smile and warmest eyes.

If he was normally a gentle person, then this would be fine. However, this was a person who normally walked around with bloodshot eyes and a frown on his face that was sufficient to instill fear in the disciples of Mount Hua.

“Huhuhu. There is still money left. Then, with this we can replace the gate with a new one. Huhuhu.”

“…”

A warm smile and gentle energy radiated from Hyun Young’s body.

It seemed like he was leaving plum blossoms wherever he was walking. And people were worried that he would suddenly attain some realization of Tao and rise to the top.

It wasn’t just him.

“Huhuhuhu.”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

“Sect leader! Isn’t the weather so nice today?”

Rumble!

“Huhu. Right. Dark clouds are rolling as if it would rain anytime now. Such a beautiful sight. I wish everyday was this beautiful.”

Hyun Jong and Hyun Sang were laughing as they watched the dark clouds coming in.

And they too, like Hyun Young, were giving out a gentle energy and walking around Mount Hua. What was more frightening was that they looked at all the disciples they were running into with eyes full of love and warmth. The love was oozing from their bodies.

“…”

It looked like the elders of Mount Hua weren’t in good health.

Even Un Am would say weird things and laugh, so everyone genuinely worried about what was going to happen to Mount Hua.

‘Why are they all like this?’

‘I know they are acting in such a manner since things are good, but how good should things be for them to be like this?’

The disciples of Mount Hua who didn’t know the full story of what happened, continued to suffer from these weird feelings.

And among them, the one who confused them the most was Chung Myung.

Chung Myung leisurely walked around the mountain with the expression of a puppy sleeping in peace.

However, at least they could understand all of this. But Chung Myung…

“Uh? You skipped training? It is fine, totally fine. Things like that can happen. How can a person work hard every day? Rest. Rest. There should be days off for us too.”

“….”

“UH? While I was swaying, the cords I installed on the training hall were broken and you didn’t get them repaired? Hahaha. Then just pay for it. Take it easy and take some time for yourself. Did anyone get hut?”

“Eikkkkk!”

Chung Myung was pouring out all his kindness to everyone in Mount Hua as if he had reincarnated as a gentleman.

However, the disciples who saw all of this could never act relaxed around Chung Myung.

“… what is with that brat?”

“Well. I don’t…”

More and more anxiousness kept piling up.

“I heard people do such things when it is time for them to die. Did he get a disease from somewhere?”

“Get a disease? That bastard? Diseases only come for humans. He is more poisonous than any disease that a human can get.”

“I can relate to that statement.”

If it was any other day, then the moment they had skipped training, Chung Myung would have come to break their heads. Similarly, if he had heard that the training facility chords were broken and weren’t repaired, then he would have brought the broken chords and tied them around the necks of the disciples and hung them from a cliff.

And now he was worried if someone got hurt?

‘Did he finally go mad?’

‘This has to be a trap. We need to get those things repaired by today itself. If not, tomorrow our heads will be broken!’

‘I’d rather get hit than see his face like that!’

Unable to endure this horrific change, the disciples of Mount Hua decided to ask someone who knew what had happened during the journey.

“Sahyung! Baek Cheon sahyung! What the hell did you do out there?”

Baek Cheon smiled bitterly at the second-class disciples led by Baek Sang.

“What do you mean what we did out there?”

“No matter how we look, everything is strange! No, it is more than strange, it is very suspicious!”

“Chung Myung, he is glad we aren’t hurt! HIM! The reincarnation of the devil!”

“… that is surely a surprise.”

Baek Cheon smiled as if it was no big deal.

“Can it not be because everyone is in a good mood?”

“Right. It can be that, but it makes us people who are watching them always be on edge.”

“Do not worry.”

Baek Cheon said and continued.

“It is something that is good for everyone, including all of you too. But the thing is, the entire matter is confidential for now, so I cannot tell you.”

“Sahyung. No more. Do you not believe in us?”

Baek Cheon’s eyes twitched at the dissatisfaction which came from the disciples and the second class disciples flinched.

“You are complaining about this?”

“…”

Baek Sang trembled.

‘No, what is it with these people!’

‘Where did our gentle Baek Cheon sahyung go!’

‘He resembles that brat so much now! So much!’

Baek Cheon shook his head.

“Is there someone else who wants to complain?”

“… No.”

“Tch.”

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue and then looked back and said.

“I will let you know when the time comes. I know you are all curious, but for now, we need to do our duties and wait. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sahyung. But…”

“Um? What now?”

“How were the Wudang disciples?”

At Baek Sang’s words, Baek Cheon’s lips changed.

“This sahyung broke Jin Hyeon of Wudang!”

“Jin Hyeon of Wudang, isn’t he the famous Sword Dragon? Sahyung took that person down?!’

Baek Cheon let out a low sigh.

“The Sword Dragon was strong. but he wasn’t yet worthy of that title. Even among you there will be many who can be his opponent.”

“Eh, only sahyung could have done it. We couldn’t have.”

“I am not saying empty words.”

Baek Cheon looked at his sajaes.

‘Even if I say it, it will come out weird.’

At some point, Mount Hua became strong. In the past, Mount Hua used to tremble at just the mention of the name ‘Southern Edge sect’, and now it was able to handle the promising disciples of the Wudang Sect.

‘It is all thanks to that sly bastard.’

“Then, shouldn’t sahyung be the one holding the Sword Dragon title?”

Baek Cheon’s face contorted.

“… I don’t want to take that title.”

“Why? What a glorious title the word dragon is.”

“…The title of Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon will still be on top of that.”

“Ah…’

That made sense.

It wouldn’t be good to have a sajil on top of a sasuk. Even if that sajil wasn’t someone who could be called a human.

“Anyway, don’t dwell on such false claims of being weak and just fasten your training. You should be stronger than what you think you are now.”

They need to be in their best form when taking the Soul Vitality Pill.

Baek Cheon didn’t say that to them. There was no need to say it and get them excited without the Pill even being reproduced in the sect, and moreover, there was a risk of the information leaking out from the disciples who got excited by the news.

Of course, he also wondered how the information would leak when all the disciples stayed on the mountain and weren’t allowed to leave. It was a situation where nobody could talk about it even if they wanted to.

“Umm, sahyung.”

“Um?”

“That… is it true that Chung Myung fought with an elder of the Wudang sect? On equal footing?”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s eyebrows trembled.

“… I didn’t see it.”

“Ah, then…”

Baek Cheon’s brow slightly twisted. Actually, this was something that he couldn’t say. But it hurt his self-esteem even more to pretend like he didn’t know.

“I don’t know if he was on equal footing or not, but when I reached there, it seemed like the two of them were in a fight and it was also true that Chung Myung did not have a single injury on him.”

“…”

“Then really…?”

“… ah, still how can…”

“Right. It makes no sense.”

Their mouths said it wasn’t true, but their minds were all speaking differently.

If it was that monster, then it was possible. Of course, this was far from common sense, but even common sense would run away if it saw him…

Baek Sang titled his head.

“That makes no sense…. No, wait… if you think about it, sahyung took down Sword Dragon…”

Why add it there when talking about Chung Myung?

“Maybe Chung Myung was able to play around because the elder has to be like the great sahyung and old…”

Crack.

Baek Sang realized what he said after the grinding sound came.

He turned his pale face and looked at where the sound came from.

And… in that place was Baek Cheon.

And constantly grinding his teeth Baek Cheon moved.

“Play?”

“…”

“Hmm. Right. You must have thought that, right?”

“S-sahyung? Calm down for…”

“Calm down. Wow, such a nice word. But right now, I want to try doing something else! I want you people to experience what it is like to play with him!”

The next moment.

Baek Cheon drew his sword at the speed of lightning and rushed for his sajaes. And his sajaes who were frightened, fled in all directions.

“No! Why does he have to be similar to him!”

“Of course, we are similar now!”

“Akkk! Sahyung! Sahyuung! The sword! Sword! It hurts!”

Yu Yiseol, who was watching this from afar, shook her head and sighed.

In such a situation where warmth was spreading throughout Mount Hua like this.

An unexpected person visited the mountain.

“Chung Myung!”

“Uh!”

“The sect leader is looking for you!”

“Me?”

“Right. You and Jo Gul too.”

At Yoon Jong’s words, Chung Myung titled his head. As if thinking whether there was any reason for the Sect Leader to summon him.

“Coming.”

He would know it once he went. Chung Myung followed Yoon Jong without another word.

And the three reached the residence of the Sect lLeader and Yoon Jong said.

“Come in”

“Yes!”

Yoon Jong carefully opened the door and went in with Chung Myung following and quickly checked the people inside.

There was no one special, and it was just the usual bunch.

Hyun Jong, Hyun Sang, Hyun Young, Un Am, Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol.

Apart from them…

“Oh!”

Elder Hwang Mun-Yak, the head of Eunha, brightly smiled as he looked at Chung Myung.

“Young disciple. How have you been?”

“Oh! It has been so long! How are you?”

“Hahaha. What would happen? With the help from the young disciple, I am now able to live comfortably.”

“You really look like it. You seem to have gotten younger?”

Hwang Mun-Yak smiled.

But it wasn’t empty words, the man did look a lot younger than before. It was as if after getting up from his deathbed, he had regained his health. His complexion was turning better and even his hair seemed to be turning darker.

The words ‘looking young’ wasn’t an exaggeration.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

All three of them sat without a question and Hyun Jong spoke.

“As you asked, I have summoned Chung Myung. Eunha Merchant Guild head… What did you want to say?”

At his words, Hwang Mun-Yak sighed.

“The reason I came to see the Sect Leader personally was because of the work commissioned from Mount Hua to the Eunha Guild.”

“… were there any problems?”

“Rather than a problem…’

Hwang Mun-Yak had a slightly hesitant face and with a sigh.

“Sect leader…

He bowed, unable to show his face.

I apologize, but with the current power of Eunha Merchant Guild, I don’t think we can fulfill the task Mount Hua gave us.“

“Uh?”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.

What is he trying to say?

“… Ah, it cannot be done with the power of Eunha?”

Hwang Mun-Yak had a bitter smile as he said,

“I have no excuses, the task Mount Hua commissioned to us cannot be done. Not only by the Eunha Guild, but any other merchant guild in the world”

Uh? It cannot?

… then what of the Soul Vitality Pill?

‘Uh?’

‘It couldn’t be done?’

“Ugh…”

In the eyes of Chung Myung, the flame blazed once again!