Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: The State of the Second-Generation Disciples
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A few days later, Cheonhwi followed Hyeoncheong to Peach Grove Plain, the training ground where the second-generation disciples practiced.
—Hah! Hah!
Was it because it was still midday?
The vigorous shouts from the large training ground mingled with the smell of sweat carried on the wind.
“Hmm. They're doing well.”
Hyeoncheong looked proudly at the second-generation disciples before turning to Cheonhwi.
“What do you think?”
“Is this all of the second-generation disciples?”
Cheonhwi's expression hardened for the first time.
And understandably so, as there were barely a hundred people on Peach Grove Plain.
No, even fewer than that.
“That's not it.”
Hyeoncheong shook his head side to side.
Of course.
Cheonhwi smiled and asked Hyeoncheong.
“Where are the other second-generation disciples?”
“The six who became Plum Blossom Sword Guards are training separately with the Martial Training Pavilion Lord at Dream Grass Plain.”
“Hmm. I see.”
Cheonhwi nodded.
The Martial Training Pavilion Lord was trustworthy.
Cheonhwi waited for what would come next.
But no matter how long he waited, nothing more was said.
“That's not all, right?”
“This is all of them.”
“This few?”
Hyeoncheong looked slightly flustered.
“These are the ones who remained after most of the second-generation disciples descended the mountain.”
Cheonhwi's face stiffened a bit.
No matter how close to ruin the Mount Hua Sect had come, it was still one of the Nine Great Sects.
Only fewer than a hundred?
Cheonhwi clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“How many here have received their Taoist names?”
Hyeoncheong subtly turned his head.
“...None.”
“That's the worst.”
The words slipped out automatically.
What was most important when gauging the strength of a martial sect?
The number of members.
A sect was typically considered a great power only if it had at least two hundred formal disciples.
'But barely around a hundred.'
It was seriously low.
'Way too few. At this rate, they're no different from a mid-sized sect.'
Cheonhwi's brow furrowed.
He had thought the Mount Hua Sect had suffered a blow close to annihilation.
But he hadn't expected it to be this bad.
'Still, they've trained in martial arts for quite a while, so their skills should be decent, right?'
He scrutinized the second-generation disciples closely.
'All using Plum Blossom Qi Art.'
Their heart methods were all the same, as expected, but their other martial arts were divided into a few branches.
'Mostly sword arts, as expected.'
And while there were some practicing fists and palms here and there, they were a tiny minority.
'Let's see. The sword arts center on Three Immortals Sword and Six Harmonies Sword Art, with male disciples using Mysterious Heaven Sword and female ones Gentle Lady Sword...'
The more he watched, the more his expression turned impassive.
'Sloppy.'
Sensing the gravity, Cheonhwi shifted his gaze to the disciples practicing fist arts instead of swords.
They were demonstrating Heart-Mind Six Harmonies Fist in straightforward stances.
'Should I test them properly?'
Just then, Hyeoncheong spoke up.
“Is something wrong?”
“I need to check their skill levels first to help with their training.”
Hyeoncheong gave a wrinkled smile.
“Don't worry about that.”
Soon, he lightly kicked off the ground.
Gliding smoothly like clouds floating in the sky, Hyeoncheong covered three zhang in an instant and landed on the raised platform of Peach Grove Plain.
Immortal Cloud Leisurely Lone Peak Step!
As the second-generation disciples stared in awe at the rare footwork technique of the Mount Hua Sect,
“Everyone, pause your training for a moment.”
Hyeoncheong's voice flowed calmly.
Yet everyone heard it clearly and stopped their practice, standing still.
At that moment, Hyeoncheong gave Cheonhwi a look.
Was that an invitation to join?
Cheonhwi immediately unfurled his Dark Fragrance Dart.
As Cheonhwi, who had blended into the scenery, appeared beside Hyeoncheong in an instant, the second-generation disciples began to murmur.
“Martial Uncle Cheonhwi?”
As the murmurs grew louder,
“Quiet.”
A voice infused with inner power rang out low.
“Today, Cheonhwi will specially assist with your training.”
The second-generation disciples were stunned to hear Cheonhwi would teach them.
But soon, anticipation enveloped them.
The previous Five Mountains Conference.
Cheonhwi's exceptional skills displayed then had been the spark for Mount Hua's resurgence.
'I wonder how he'll teach us.'
'Maybe we'll see the Plum Blossom Sword from the conference again!'
'Eek! Martial Uncle Cheonhwi.'
Seeing everyone focused with sparkling eyes, Cheonhwi stepped forward.
“May I do it my way?”
Hyeoncheong nodded.
“Do as you please.”
Cheonhwi leaped down from the platform.
Despite his considerable build, he landed lightly like a feather and addressed the second-generation disciples.
“Then, everyone, come at me.”
For a moment, everyone was taken aback.
“Pardon?”
“Don't you know sparring?”
As most stood there dumbfounded by the sudden declaration,
“May I go first?”
One of the second-generation disciples raised his hand high and approached.
It was the named disciple Jang Il-o.
“I don't mind.”
“Second-generation disciple Jang Il-o.”
Gripping his White Lotus Sword reverently, Jang Il-o stared at Cheonhwi, fully prepared.
“Here I come.”
With those words, Jang Il-o charged.
Whoosh—
With a dull thud, Jang Il-o flew into the air before crashing limply to the ground.
Thud!
As the second-generation disciples stared blankly at Jang Il-o sprawled on the ground showing the whites of his eyes,
“I was planning to check you one by one.”
A chilling voice tickled their ears.
“But that won't be necessary.”
In that instant, Cheonhwi's figure vanished like a candle snuffed out.
“Gahk!”
“Argh!”
Moments later, screams echoed everywhere.
“Tsk.”
A quarter of an hour later, Cheonhwi clicked his tongue at the second-generation disciples, all knocked out.
Most were sorely lacking.
Their inner power cultivation was pitiful, and their martial arts demonstrations were hard to watch with eyes open.
“You held back considerably.”
Hyeoncheong approached cautiously.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Cheonhwi had single-handedly felled nearly a hundred second-generation disciples.
“What do you think?”
“Are these really second-generation disciples?”
Cheonhwi frowned.
“No matter how I look, they're barely scraping first-rate, let alone peak experts.”
“Heh heh.”
Hyeoncheong smiled wryly.
He had felt the same when he first took charge of the second-generation disciples.
The second-generation disciples of old were at least peak experts, if not transcending.
But now, these ones were comparable only to the third-generation disciples of the past.
'Maybe it's inevitable. Hyeondo and I, who should be teaching them, ended up secluding ourselves instead of imparting knowledge...'
Guilt stabbed at his chest.
The Wise Generation now numbered only nine, including himself.
Most had descended the mountain or left when Mount Hua fell.
There were nearly a hundred disciples.
But with limited masters in Mount Hua, they lacked individualized instruction.
“That's why I need your help.”
Hyeoncheong held high expectations.
Jeokgeom and Seollan, who had learned from Cheonhwi, stood out among the Plum Blossom Sword Guards remaining in Mount Hua.
In skill and mindset alike.
And not just them.
The Martial Training Pavilion Lord was using Cheonhwi's training methods to rapidly advance even the first-generation disciples.
“For now, stop teaching sword arts, fist arts, and other martial techniques.”
Cheonhwi stated firmly.
Jeokgeom, Seollan, and the other Plum Blossom Sword Guards had a solid foundation, so Cheonhwi's methods suited them.
Footwork training, physical conditioning, and such.
But these disciples...
'If they practice martial arts now, they'll collapse exhausted in less than a quarter of an hour.'
He voiced his thoughts directly.
“They're learning martial arts without basics, full of wasteful movements. Their inner power and stamina seem lacking too. We'll teach martial arts later.”
Hyeoncheong nodded.
He had sensed the same.
“Switch to mainly horse stance and meditation training. Once their inner power and stamina build up, teach them suitable martial arts.”
“Horse stance and meditation...”
Hearing Cheonhwi's method, Hyeoncheong stroked his beard with a hum.
“I understand horse stance. It's excellent for building stamina and muscle. But they're already doing meditation twice a day for about an hour each. No need to increase it.”
“Only that much?”
Just twice a day for an hour each?
Sorely insufficient.
“To build real skill, cut sleep for horse stance, meditate when tired, then resume horse stance once recovered. That's how you improve.”
“Without rest?”
“Of course.”
Hyeoncheong was appalled by the brutally intense regimen, contrasting Cheonhwi's calm tone.
“To get strong, even risking life-or-death effort right now falls short. Naturally, you endure that much.”
Cheonhwi glared at the second-generation disciples still unconscious.
The path to becoming an expert was simple.
Diligently and properly mastering martial manuals.
And a bit of luck.
Fortunately, luck existed.
'Because I'm here.'
With himself helping—possessing not only high martial attainment but mastery of the world's techniques?
Stronger than any fortune.
But one problem remained.
Diligence. That was the biggest issue.
'I can teach them properly, but the rest depends on their own will.'
Looking at the still-fainted second-generation disciples, Cheonhwi's gaze turned indifferent.
“For inner heart methods, spirit medicines can shorten the time, but...”
Cheonhwi added nonchalantly.
“We don't have enough to distribute to all second-generation disciples. So, they need to grind it out instead.”
“...True.”
Hyeoncheong's voice grew solemn.
Producing spirit medicines wasn't easy.
Especially Perilla Seed Pills, comparable to Wudang's Supreme Purity Pills—Mount Hua made maybe one per century.
They once had many, but now only ten Plum Blossom Pills remained for emergencies.
All used on Hyeon-gang and his forty Plum Blossom Sword Guards, the future of Mount Hua.
“But inner power isn't everything. Practicing other martial arts alongside meditation would be far better.”
After much thought, Hyeoncheong offered his opinion.
Inner power mattered, but so did quickly learning matching martial arts.
“Of course inner power isn't everything.”
“Then...”
As Hyeoncheong started to speak,
“But it's crucial at the start. Without a solid inner heart method foundation, they can't perform matching martial arts properly, right?”
Cheonhwi expounded his theories, accumulated from long experience.
The foundation of all martial arts was the inner heart method.
Footwork, sword arts, other techniques—all required inner power backing.
'Some don't, but they're obsolete now, forgotten by all.'
Cheonhwi swallowed the afterthought and continued.
“Besides, Plum Blossom Qi Art's inner power is outstanding. Once accumulated, learning other martial arts will be easy.”
“Plum Blossom Qi Art is excellent.”
A smile bloomed on Hyeoncheong's face.
Mount Hua's basic heart method, but its effects were well-known to him.
“Then we'll do that.”
“After they reach a certain level, teach martial arts suited to their talents and aptitudes.”
“Talents and aptitudes?”
Hyeoncheong's eyes widened.
Discerning talents and aptitudes usually required trial and error.
Yet Cheonhwi seemed confident he could identify them.
“Can you do that?”
“To some extent.”
Unbelievable, but having experienced Cheonhwi, Hyeoncheong exclaimed in admiration.
“Amazing.”
“Once they have some skill, we'll proceed that way.”
“Understood.”
Seeing Hyeoncheong smile, Cheonhwi thought of the still-unconscious second-generation disciples.
'Who knows when that'll be.'
Plum Blossom Qi Art, true to its Taoist roots, had low risk of qi deviation.
But accumulating inner power was difficult.
'If only we had spirit medicines.'
Considering the easiest solution, Cheonhwi scratched his head.
Spirit medicines were expensive, but rarer still.
Acquiring enough for nearly a hundred second-generation disciples was like plucking stars from the sky.
“Should I just make them myself?”