Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“My…my back…”

“Ah…my leg…”

Each disciple from Mount Hua groaned, crawling on the ground. Miraculously, they managed to return to the White Plum Blossom Boarding House but were unable to remember how.

“…I nearly drowned while washing up.”

“I sat down to visit my deceased grandfather…”

Congregating in the dormitory’s central living room, they each clutched their heads and let out profound sighs.

“…to accomplish all this.”

“I understand.”

“We even consumed the pills!”

“…”

“Why! Why can’t we succeed? Why!”

Outrage and a blue shimmer of anger radiated from the eyes of the Chung disciples.

“Cursed! You’ll never finish if you can only strike once!”

“Did you see how Jo Gul Sahyung laughed while he was beating us? That scoundrel always had a foul disposition, but after associating with Chung Myung, he’s absorbed an entirely new level of unpleasant character!”

“What about that great sahyung? I’d be forced to shout if I saw him laughing like that! After all the unspeakable acts he committed, didn’t they mercilessly beat us?”

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The room was filled with clenched teeth, anger, and frustration as they discussed Yoon Jong and Jo Gul.

Each person present had ingested a Heavenly Violet Pill.

Thanks to this, their bodies overflowed with qi, ready to shatter the skies. However, their excitement was largely stolen away by two people. No matter how they racked their brains, they simply could not understand or accept what had occurred.

“What on earth did Chung Myung do to those two!”

“It’s not only them. Weren’t the sasuks also beaten like stray dogs on the street by Baek Cheon Sasuk and Yu Yiseol Sago?”

“…Even Monk Hae Yeon had his nature stolen away.”

“Such a pity…”

Recalling the past, the Chung disciples suppressed their tears and balled their fists.

“I’m not declaring a desire to defeat Yoon Jong Sahyung or Jo Gul Sahyung!”

Jong Ho spoke, his eyes glinting with resolution.

“But we can’t simply become warriors and allow ourselves to be pushed around like this!”

“Indeed!”

“Just once! A single victory would suffice!”

“I don’t want to emulate Chung Myung, but I can’t spend my entire life getting brutalized by sahyungs like Jo Gul and Yoon Jong. This isn’t merely about victory or defeat.”

“Correct!”

All the Chung disciples agreed unanimously. Amidst this, Jong Ho sighed, his face transforming.

“Pay attention.”

“Yes, sahyung.”

“I might have spoken lightly, but this isn’t ordinary. You all know what we were given, correct?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand the decision.”

The disciples of Chung knew the importance of what they had received. In fact, they could never remain ignorant.

They had each consumed two Heavenly Violet Pills.

In their lifetime, they had never heard of anyone offering two such pills to disciples in any other sect. Even though the Heavenly Violet Pill was not considered inferior to the pill of Shaolin, it was actually stronger, was it not?

“…even the oil.”

“I never thought I would have the chance to smell the potent Green Void Oil again.”

Their legs began to tremble once more. Which sect would ever provide that sort of oil to their third-class disciples?

They had initially presumed it was due to being on Mount Hua, but had another sect done such a thing, they would have collectively cursed them all.

“To speak the truth…”

Jong Ho opened up his eyes and spoke.

“If you can’t afford to consume two of the potions and the oil, we might have been better off biting our tongues and dying.”

“…Y-yes.”

All the Chung disciples shook their heads in unison.

The situation was intense, but nothing seemed amiss.

“These are merely excuses, aren’t they? We’ve consumed them all, yet aren’t we still failing to assimilate it entirely?”

“Yes, sahyung.”

“But if our efforts remain fruitless despite the immense intake, then Mount Hua will likely continue to squander resources on futile ventures.”

“…”

“Even if it kills me, I will not witness this. So, how do we fix it? That Chung Myung fellow who perpetually complains every time he speaks journeyed all the way to the North Sea to obtain this.”

“…Indeed.”

As Jong Ho clenched his teeth in resentment, Jin Woo-Bo, standing next to him, spoke up.

“Sahyung is correct.”

He looked at the Chung disciples around him, all of them gnashing their teeth.

“Did any of you see the injuries on the sahyungs’ bodies earlier?”

“Yes…”

During the spar, everyone distinctly saw the scars beneath the clothing.

“Having such wounds implies their battle was a matter of life and death. It’s because our sahyungs are selfless souls who don’t display their suffering. They’ve risked their lives to save us, and that’s the hardships they’ve endured.”

“…”

‘These individuals who went to great lengths for us didn’t boast about it. If we have even the slightest shred of humanity, we cannot forget their kindness. Even animals know how to repay a favor.’

The Chung disciples nodded in agreement.

The sahyungs started speaking in a much tougher tone than before, sharing fewer details about the journey. However, there was no way the Chung disciples could be oblivious to the extent of what they had endured.

“Let’s dedicate ourselves to training as if our lives depend on it.”

Jong Ho’s eyes widened with determination as he spoke.

“Every incident on Mount Hua is dealt with by Chung Myung, sasuk, sago, and sahyungs. Wouldn’t the sect leader rely on us if we proved ourselves trustworthy instead of continually beckoning them?”

“…”

“It’s time for us to rise. We cannot remain in the shadows forever.”

“Yes, sahyung!”

The atmosphere intensified, and Jong Ho responded with a nod.

“If anyone neglects their training in the future, know that I will not let it pass. Each of you will risk your lives and strive. Do you understand?”

“YES!”

The flames of determination in their chests were evident.

After all, they were the warriors of Mount Hua.

Certainly, their Sasuk and the Sahyungs were leading the way under the banner of Mount Hua’s Five Swords, but this did not mean they planned to sit back idly and leave everything to them.

“Everyone, get some rest now! We begin at dawn!”

“Yes, sahyung!”

“Tomorrow is our true beginning!”

The Chung disciples dispersed to their rooms, each carrying their own determination.

“It’s come a lot sooner than one might expect.”

“Indeed, the Heavenly Violet Pill is not an ordinary pill. The power of their swords has become formidable.”

Baek Cheon and the rest of his party, who had gathered to discuss their training, wore expressions of quiet admiration.

“I believe I understand what Chung Myung meant when he pointed out their lack of real combat experience. Despite their fearless attacks, the swords raised against them only grew sharper.”

“I sensed that as well.”

Then Yu Yiseol, who had been quietly listening to their exchange, softly chimed in.

“Still not sufficient.”

“…Indeed, sago.”

“Almost like real life.”

“Do you anticipate this will be challenging?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Yu Yiseol turned to Jo Gul, stating,

“Every disciple of Mount Hua is capable of enduring this.”

“And if they’re not?”

“They will.”

Despite the same assurance given with such conviction, he couldn’t help but tremble.

“Fine.”

A smile played on Baek Cheon’s lips.

“Pay attention, everyone.”

“Understood.”

“Do you have any idea what the disciples are enduring now?”

“Hmmm…”

Yoon Jong scratched his chin in thought and replied.

“Frankly, it appears the Chung disciples aren’t quite up to the caliber of the North Sea Ice Palace warriors. While they have improved, they still fall short…”

That was to be anticipated.

The Chung disciples were currently fledglings who had just met the bare minimum necessary to participate in a war. They lagged behind the Ice Palace warriors, who trained until old age, by a gap of at least 10 to a maximum of 20 years.

Merely being compared to them could be deemed as remarkable.

“The Baek disciples appear quite proficient.”

“Indeed.”

Baek Cheon acknowledged with a nod.

“I agree, but that’s not enough.”

His expression tightened slightly.

“The North Sea warriors also fell like dominoes against the Demonic Sect. It could easily be attributed to low morale, but are we sure it’s not a lack of skill?”

“Precisely.”

“What would be the outcome if Mount Hua were to be invaded by the Demonic Sect?”

All faces twisted simultaneously at the question. Even Yu Yiseol, who was usually expressionless, frowned.

The thought was beyond their comprehension.

If that were to occur… the other disciples, barring those here, would likely be unable to cope.

The Demonic Sect was truly a terrifying place.

“We must ensure that such a scenario does not come to pass. However, we cannot provide any guarantees.”

“Indeed.”

“And thus…”

Baek Cheon asserted firmly.

“We need to train them as soon as we can. We have to be ready for when the Demonic Sect attacks.”

At that moment, Jo Gul, lost in deep thought, sighed.

“I am constantly reminded of it.”

“Uh?”

“…I don’t just blindly train but aim for a certain level of proficiency. The strain is insurmountable. Frankly, no matter what happens now, the stronger the sajaes become, the more challenging their growth will be.”

“Right. But why are you suddenly bringing this up?”

In response to Baek Cheon’s question, a slightly blushing Jo Gul exhaled sharply.

“… Then, hasn’t Chung Myung been doing this from the start?”

His statement left everyone speechless.

“From the moment he first arrived, his sole focus was on strengthening Mount Hua. Somehow, he managed to ensure we surpassed them, both in the Mount Hua and Southern Edge conference and in martial arts…”

“…right.”

Baek Cheon shook his head gently, his expression revealing his struggle to find words.

This was an unexpected turn of events.

It was often said that one could only truly understand someone else’s feelings when their roles were swapped. This notion wasn’t entirely without merit. Now that he was tasked with leading the disciples, he finally grasped Cung Myung’s solitary worries.

“What a monster.”

Baek Cheon muttered, sighing before turning to face everyone.

“But we are not the people we once were.”

His determination was powerful. A battle with the Ten Thousand People Clan. A brutal battle with the Ice Palace. Even a war with the Demonic Sect where they laid their lives on the line.

These experiences provided them with a strong foundation, and that was what kept their shoulders straight rather than any pretense of arrogance.

“If he could do it, so can we. Now, we must support him. We have to lighten the load he carries.”

“Yes, Sasuk. That’s what we should do.”

“Yes, Sahyung.”

All of them shared a glance and nodded. Their world expanded with each new experience.

The disparity between their lives in Mount Hua and the conditions here was expected.

“Our sajaes and sajils will inevitably grow stronger. Our task is to aid them in absorbing the power from the pill faster, enabling them to gain strength more quickly.”

“Indeed.”

“As you all may be aware, Chung Myung is a man of his word. I’m certain that we will have to face the Ten Thousand People Clan in battle sooner or later.”

Yoon Jong nodded in agreement.

“So… do your best to not regret. If someone gets seriously injured or dies, the pain would never heal.”

Baek Cheon’s words ignited a fire in the eyes of Yu Yiseo, Jo Gul, and Yoon Jong.

“… I would rather perish in training.”

“I really need to doll them to death.”

“I’ll increase their training intensity from tomorrow.”

A smile graced Baek Cheon’s face as he nodded.

“Given that we have also consumed the pill and the oil, our cultivation must commence! Let’s rest well tonight so we can improve tomorrow!”

“Agreed!”

The moonlit night was bright, ushering them homeward. Just as everything was concluding smoothly,

“I…”

“Uh?”

Everyone’s attention swerved towards the sound of the groan. Hae Yeon, who had been in the corner, met their gaze with sorrow-filled eyes.

“…But I didn’t manage to consume it.”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s eyes expanded with surprise.

“Why… no, hang on… why didn’t you…?”

“H-How can I possibly eat what was not handed to me?”

“But it was clearly allotted to everyone…”

“T-taoist C-Chung Myung questioned why a Shaolin man was interacting with the sacred Mount Hua pill and repossessed it…”

Baek Cheon’s hopeful gaze was slowly replaced by a look of utter despair.

‘That despicable fiend.’

Hae Yeon journeyed to the North Sea alongside them, overcoming countless trials.

“He’s not human…”

“Indeed.”

Upon seeing tears brimming in his eyes, Jo Gul sympathetically patted him on the shoulder.

“…Do not weep now, monk. Your time will come.”

“Amit…abha…”

The night over Mount Hua was punctuated by Hae Yeon’s tearful lament.