Chapter 16
Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: 6. To the World Beyond... (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Damho rose early at dawn.
The sun had yet to break over the horizon. He set to work diligently, starting by washing the rice and setting it to cook.
That was when Yeon So-ha approached him.
"You're up early. Is there anything I can help with?"
"No."
Damho's response was curt and final. Yeon So-ha's expression turned slightly awkward at his firm tone.
Damho ignored her and pulled out the preserved vegetables he had stored away, beginning to knead them carefully.
Yeon So-ha watched him with a look of wonder.
Since joining the Wudang Sect, she had never once cooked a meal.
She was not an external disciple or even a second-generation disciple, but a direct disciple of the first generation.
Moreover, she was the disciple of Elder Cheongheo. It was better for the Wudang Sect if she spent that time training in martial arts rather than cooking idly.
Damho was also a direct disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Seeing him cook with his own hands was inevitably refreshing.
Meanwhile, Damho's heart was filled with special emotions as he prepared the food.
Once he began serious training in martial arts, his master, Elder Hyunso, had taken over all the cooking. It was Elder Hyunso's consideration, telling him to use that time to train more.
Now that he was returning to training, there would be even less time to cook for his master. Before descending the mountain, he wanted to treat his master to a meal at least once.
And so, Damho prepared the food with utmost sincerity. His devotion was so profound that Yeon So-ha could only watch silently.
By the time the food was ready, Elder Cheongheo had returned. He had woken even earlier than Yeon So-ha and gone for a walk to absorb the essence of Mount Hua.
"The food smells wonderful."
Damho bowed his head to Elder Cheongheo.
At that moment, Elder Hyunso emerged from the room.
"Aigoo! My head."
"Master."
"You're already up? Or am I the last one?"
Elder Hyunso pressed his temples as if his head still ached. Elder Cheongheo smiled at the sight.
"Is your stomach all right?"
"It's fine... No, actually, it doesn't feel good."
Elder Hyunso shook his head and slumped onto the porch. His frankness brought smiles not only from Elder Cheongheo but also from Yeon So-ha.
Damho brought over the tray of food and set it on the porch.
"You'll feel better after eating."
"Ugh! Thank you, Ho-ya. Everyone, let's eat."
"A freeloader can only be grateful."
Elder Cheongheo sat first on the porch, and Yeon So-ha took a seat beside him. The porch, usually occupied by just the two of them, now had two more.
Even with just two additions, the atmosphere was incomparably livelier than before.
Damho paused as he picked up his chopsticks and stared blankly ahead. Everyone's gazes followed his.
A breeze had scattered plum blossoms, some drifting down onto the porch where Damho sat.
"This is the world's greatest scenic beauty. The finest meal of my life."
Elder Cheongheo's hearty laughter echoed through the air.
***
After the meal, washing the dishes fell to Damho as well. He did so without a single complaint.
Yeon So-ha watched him intently.
"One Million Refinements? Does that mean he trained it a million times?'
It was what her master, Elder Cheongheo, had said. There was no reason for him to lie to his disciple.
Damho lifted his head and looked at her, sensing her gaze.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No."
Yeon So-ha shook her head. Damho returned to the dishes. The sight reminded her of someone.
'He somehow resembles Senior Brother Jin...'
She immediately shook her head.
'What nonsense. They don't look alike at all, and their temperaments are completely different. Must be my imagination.'
She denied her own thought.
Just as a prodigy named Myeong-gyeong had appeared in the Mount Hua Sect to inherit Elder Hyeongeom's insights, so too had a once-in-a-millennium genius emerged in the Wudang Sect.
His name was Jin Mu-yeong. He was called the greatest prodigy in the Wudang Sect's century, boasting unparalleled skill, senses, and talent in everything.
Even the sect elders were all vying to teach him their martial arts.
The Wudang Sect trembled at Jin Mu-yeong's terrifying talent, which not only absorbed everything taught but advanced it further.
The elders agreed that with his emergence, the Wudang Sect's position in the martial world would remain unshaken for the next century.
Jin Mu-yeong was different from Damho in every way.
He was not taciturn like Damho; he always wore a smile. He showed respect to everyone, never overstepped boundaries, and stayed true to his duties.
That was why so many people liked and followed Jin Mu-yeong. Yeon So-ha was one of those who respected and admired him, so she prided herself on knowing him better than anyone.
Clearly, Jin Mu-yeong shared not a single trait with the Damho before her. Yet, for some reason, looking at Damho oddly brought him to mind.
Her gaze drifted to Damho's hands as he washed the dishes.
They were rough, covered in scars. Much larger than average, with coarse backs and calluses as hard as steel.
'Why haven't I noticed such obvious signs until now?'
Normally, when encountering a martial artist from another sect, one observes closely. The muscle shape, fist form, and build allow inferences about their martial arts and achievements.
Yeon So-ha was one such person with that habit. Yet even she had overlooked it with Damho.
After pondering, she realized the reason moments later.
'I was too focused on his limp. I pitied him so much that I unconsciously forgot he was a Mount Hua Sect martial artist.'
Yeon So-ha blamed herself for judging by appearances and letting her guard down. It was due to her lack of experience.
Now she understood why her master had brought her here.
'Master brought me to fill in my deficiencies like this.'
Yeon So-ha felt anew her master's consideration and realized how fortunate she was to have such a master.
The unexpected trip to Mount Hua had given her much.
"Young Hero Cheonkyeong."
"......"
Damho looked up at the voice calling him. Even under his indifferent gaze, Yeon So-ha smiled.
"It's really nice here. Mount Hua..."
Damho silently nodded.
By the time Damho's group reached the Cloud-Sweeping Palace, the sun was high in the sky. The open space before the palace was already lined with Mount Hua Sect disciples.
"Uncle Master, we will escort you."
Mugyeong approached Elder Hyunso. Behind him stood Unkyeong and thirty disciples.
"You're coming along too?"
"Yes."
"The Sect Leader's decision?"
"Yes."
Elder Hyunso gave a wry smile.
The disciples with Unkyeong were promising prodigies in the Mount Hua Sect.
'The Sect Leader truly harbors bold ambitions. Sending the sect's future hopes on a journey full of unknown dangers.'
They were practically the future of the Mount Hua Sect. Including them in this trip revealed Elder Hyeoncheon's perspective on the incident.
'Turning crisis into opportunity. And letting our disciples gain as much experience as possible under the Wudang Sect's umbrella?'
Elder Hyunso shook his head to clear his thoughts. Regardless of the truth, he was part of this group.
He bore responsibility for protecting the Mount Hua Sect disciples.
Elder Hyunso gestured.
"Come here, Ho-ya."
Damho, standing at a distance, approached. Unkyeong then spoke.
"Is Cheonkyeong joining too?"
"Yes."
"It's too dangerous, Uncle Master. For Cheonkyeong's sake, it would be better to leave him at the Mount Hua Sect."
Elder Hyunso frowned briefly at Unkyeong's blunt words.
"It's fine."
"We are already stretched thin protecting one Uncle Master. In an emergency, we might not be able to look after Cheonkyeong."
Unkyeong's tone was utterly cold and emotionless. Mugyeong was sweating profusely at his junior brother's words.
"You brat, what are you saying in front of Uncle Master?"
"I'm just speaking the truth, senior brother."
"Uncle Master has his reasons for saying so. Enough."
"Understood."
As Mugyeong's voice gained force, Unkyeong quietly stepped back. But his eyes showed no acceptance.
Mugyeong looked at Damho.
"Don't take his worry to heart."
"I don't mind."
Damho meant it. But Mugyeong couldn't hide his apologetic expression.
He bowed to Elder Hyunso.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Master."
"Hoo!"
Elder Hyunso sighed instead of replying. Mugyeong's face grew even more awkward.
Mugyeong shouted at his innocent disciples.
"Everyone ready?"
"Yes!"
Their voices echoed across Mount Hua.
Their spirit pierced the heavens.
"Seems preparations are complete. Let's head down."
Elder Cheongheo stepped forward. Mugyeong nodded.
"All depart!"
"Yes!"
Led by Mugyeong, the Mount Hua Sect disciples began descending the mountain.
Elder Hyunso followed but suddenly turned to look back at the Cloud-Sweeping Palace. A familiar face appeared at the second-floor window.
'Sect Leader.'
Elder Hyeoncheon's gaze from above was profoundly deep, his thoughts unreadable.
Elder Hyunso performed a fist salute toward Elder Hyeoncheon before descending Mount Hua.
Elder Hyeoncheon stood motionless until the disciples vanished from sight.
He climbed Mount Hua daily without much emotion. But today felt different.
Damho looked back at the path he had descended with newfound eyes.
The treacherous routes of Baekcheok Gorge and Cheoncheok Hall came into view. Countless near-vertical stone steps bore his blood and sweat.
Damho took in every scene one by one.
Mugyeong approached with a smile.
"Why look back like that? As if you'll never return."
"......"
"I'm kidding, kidding. Come on, you."
Mugyeong draped an arm over Damho's shoulder. His gaze turned to Mount Hua.
"Isn't it magnificent? Mount Hua in full plum blossom... How could one not love such a place? So don't worry. We'll surely return safely. And then, Mount Hua in bloom will welcome us again."
Damho said nothing. Mugyeong assumed he felt the same and missed the chill in Damho's eyes.
'I don't love Mount Hua for its plum blossoms. No matter how full the bloom, a Mount Hua without Master is not that important to me.'