Spring of Mount Hua(6)
Spring of Mount Hua(6)
Namgung Hae-ak left. Yayul Hyeon stood blankly, looking at the cut-off peak of Myeongsan.
He also slightly raised his head.
Ah— the sky is wide.
Truly wide without a single obstruction. However—
"Why, sky."
His voice was filled with grief. He, Yayul Hyeon, who had lived over a hundred years as a Taoist.
"Me, Yayul Hyeon, was born...."
He aged divinely, his white beard hanging down below his shoulders like clouds, his forehead wrinkles kindly etched, giving a friendly impression. Not right now.
His expression was full of pain.
At an age where he would soon ascend to immortality, he ended up playing the clown. Even though Yayul Hyeon had lived his whole life lightly and humorously.
"You gave birth to Namgung Hae-ak, and make the world live in agony...?"
How could he accept this pleasantly?
Yayul Hyeon believed in "Wuwei Yiseon" (Goodness through Inaction).
He had lived believing in the Taoist teaching that true goodness naturally flows without forcing it, just as one eats when hungry and drinks when thirsty.
Therefore, for martial artists.
He believed that those who grow stronger by absorbing the nutrients of the world should rightly benefit the world.
He participated in the Cheonma Hyeolsa (Heavenly Demon Blood War); slew thousands of demonic men, saved hundreds of thousands of common people; and widely propagated that teaching, raising the status of Taoism.
But, but....
'That bastard Namgung Hae-ak, what on earth is he....'
No matter what, Cheonji Domuin (Heaven and Earth are without benevolence). Even if the sky is not benevolent. Cheondoyujang (The Way of Heaven is constant). I had learned and heard that the way of heaven is unchanging, maintaining eternal order—
"How is that bastard the order of the world."
Yayul Hyeon let out a deep sigh—.
He could see the disciples of Mount Hua screaming and running through the collapsed stone dust and clouds of dust.
"Sect Leader! Are you all right?"
"What kind of demonic head did this...! Quickly escort him to the medicine hall! Bring the Purple Cloud Pill too!"
They had all seen it.
That their Sect Leader had been ruthlessly defeated by Namgung Hae-ak and had to bow his head. All of them saw it.
The disciples of Mount Hua's main peak, while not reaching the peak level, had many at the upper second-rate and beginning first-rate. There was no way they hadn't sensed Namgung Hae-ak's energy waves.
Yet they acted as if they didn't know.
Afraid that their Sect Leader would be hurt. And, to silently comfort him by sharing his humiliation through silence.
'Virtuous energy, truly virtuous energy.'
Yayul Hyeon smiled, pretending to be cheerful.
"I'm fine. Well, that guy's misconduct isn't just once or twice, is it? I'm okay, so let's just tend to the mountain again. It would be nice to plant more plum trees this time."
"Sect Leader...."
An elder who had come up with the disciples hung his head deeply. Yayul Hyeon quickly changed the subject.
"So, what about Maeyeonggeom? Is Maeyeonggeom safe?"
"Yes. We checked with the Jegal Gaju's rare treasure, and it confirmed that he is unharmed and well in the Tang Clan."
"Really? That's a relief, a relief."
It was a round jade stone resembling an eye. Yayul Hyeon looked at the image of Maeyeonggeom reflected in the jade stone and let out a sigh of relief.
"When he comes back, I will definitely scold him."
"No. It's fine. He's had so many encounters with Cheongeom, so he's like that. He's not a bad-natured guy. We're in a situation where people live over a hundred years. You can make mistakes sometimes."
"Still...."
"Let's just give a warning and move on."
Though he spoke cheerfully, his worries were not small. The Tang Clan, the Namgung Clan, the Paeng Clan.
Those who could be called the peak serve the same ancestor. And now the Mount Hua Sect was practically at odds with Namgung Hae-ak.
'He said to laugh it off, but if we can't laugh...'
In any case, it was not something to take lightly.
'But our ties with the Tang Clan are deep, so maybe things will turn out well.'
He tried to hold the most hopeful view possible.
From Mount Hua's perspective, the Sichuan Tang Clan is not an outsider.
They are not within Mount Hua's fence as disciples or followers, but they have been the closest neighbors, or at least close friends.
For centuries, they had handled the miscellaneous matters below the mountain that interfered with Mount Hua's martial arts training, as well as supply provisions.
While Mount Hua's disciples polished their swords, the Tang Clan polished their poisons and hidden weapons. They were partners who coexisted most efficiently without invading each other's territories.
There was not even a speck of malice mixed into that relationship.
'The Tang Clan's first ancestor... I was even on friendly terms with that damn bitch Dang Yeong-yeong.'
Even because of that old bond, he did not want the Tang Clan to be swept away by the rapids of time and destroyed.
When rumors recently began circulating that the Tang Clan had become an empty husk, Yayul Hyeon's heart truly sank. Because a tree with empty roots will fall even in a small wind.
Therefore, he entrusted even the Jichi produced at Mount Hua entirely to the Tang Clan.
'Well. It's all meaningless now. The incident has already happened, so how to handle it is more important.'
Yayul Hyeon thought.
Since improving relations with the Namgung Clan is now out of the question, let's at least further cultivate our ties with the Tang Clan.
"Let's go to Sichuan Province. Make preparations."
Nine Sects Mount Hua.
Cheongmae Illyeon (Clear Plum Overflowing Connection) Yayul Hyeon.
Descends the mountain.
This was information that would soon be delivered to the Gaebang (Beggar's Sect) immediately.
Dohwa stared for a long time at the street where Yuryeon had disappeared, seized by a strange sensation.
For Dohwa, farewells had always been sad.
Over hundreds of years, the farewells she experienced were mostly close to eternal. Returning to dust, or departing to the sky. Leaving her was farewell.
This was the first farewell that promised a later reunion.
'Ah, there was. With Yeong-yeong, Baem, Beom....'
All three did not come to find Dangsan. After Yeong-yeong died, she inwardly thought that Beom and Baem would not come to Dangsan either.
That was also why she descended the mountain.
'But, why is it... this time I think they'll really come. My heart is pounding. For the first time in a while.'
The memories from when she was human are blurry, so she doesn't know.
Because such a long time has passed.
A farewell that promises a later meeting is so plain yet tickles a corner of the heart.
Dohwa, storing away the dreamy gaze characteristic of the Long-lived Race, turned her eyes to the Mount Hua Sect envoys still prostrating in the courtyard.
"Now, it's your turn. I have much to say."
Dohwa pointed at the Jichi held in Dang Gyeom's hand with her index finger. Her voice was low, but there was a strange pressure.
"You said you taught Myeon-i the cultivation method for Jichi. Why did you teach the wrong method?"
Maeyeonggeom Jacheol and Jin Seo-hwi broke out in a cold sweat and bowed their heads.
"I-Immortal-isiyeo. At Mount Hua, we have always cultivated it this way. We heard that from the time the leaves sprout, it must be exposed to cold wind and kept dry to purify its medicinal properties...."
"What...? You cultivate it this way too?"
Dohwa frowned.
"Yes. Until we entrusted it to the Tang Clan, we cultivated it the same way at Mount Hua, and there were no problems."
Jin Seo-hwi said plainly. Like when talking with Myeon-i, there was no feeling of lying from either of them.
She quietly closed her eyes and entrusted her gaze to the wind. Not with artificial true energy, but her spiritual nature connected to the earth rode over the mountain ranges of Sichuan.
Saaaa—
In an instant, a wind crossing hundreds of miles touched the ridges of the Five Peaks, Mount Hua.
In a flash, the landscape of Mount Hua began to sweep through Dohwa's mind.
Steep rocky mountains, and in spring, fierce mountain winds blowing due to the high ground surface temperatures. The air of Mount Hua was terribly dry.
'Ah....'
Dohwa, realizing her mistake, tapped her forehead.
Because Mount Hua is such a barren and dry land, the cultivation method conveyed to the Tang Clan would have worked appropriately there.
But they insisted on that method in the humid and mild climate of the Tang estate in Sichuan. So the Jichi couldn't endure it and only became murky.
"It was my mistake. When the land is different, the way of growing things should also differ. Mount Hua has strong winds and is dry, so that method would have been correct, but here in Sichuan, the air is heavy and humid. It must have been terrible torture for these children."
Dohwa waved her hand in a deflated manner and added a brief explanation about Jichi.
Jin Seo-hwi, who had been listening blankly, asked.
"Have you ever visited Mount Hua, Immortal...?"
"I saw it. Just now."
Since she had no particular connection with Yayul Hyeon, she only needed to know that there was no intention to treat Jichi roughly. After finishing the interrogation, Dohwa stretched and headed to Soyeong's training ground.
Because they are clever children, they probably roughly understood. And Myeon-i will handle it well on her own.
"Hyo-ya~ Soyeong-ah!"
Dohwa's voice brightened in an instant. There, Amcheoldaeju Woo-hyo and Soyeong were engrossed in sparring.
"Taesang Gaju-nim!"
"Eonni~!"
Their gazes instantly focused on her.
After giving a wave, Dohwa plopped down in a sunny spot and leisurely watched their sparring. Together with the squirrel that approached her.
"Squirrel, isn't it amazing? That such movements are possible with a human body."
-Jjik?-
The squirrel tilted its head as if not understanding. Dohwa chuckled, placed the squirrel on her palm, and carefully observed Woo-hyo's movements.
Woo-hyo's movements were indeed quick and remarkable.
The hidden weapons shot from her fingertips had heavy destructive power yet sharp trajectories. On the other hand, Soyeong dodged Woo-hyo's attacks narrowly with the light body movements characteristic of a child, and shot silver needles from her sleeve like lightning.
'This is fun.'
For Dohwa, who didn't know the training methods of murim fighters, it was quite an enjoyable spectacle.
Her friends in the mountains didn't train like that.
Because Sambong and Dalma would just chat and then leave.
'Hyo knows well how to put power into her strikes, but Soyeong's innate sense is fearsome.'
However—
Dohwa, having closely observed Soyeong's movements, quietly opened her mouth.
"Soyeong-ah, stop for a moment."
Dohwa walked into the training ground. She lightly touched Soyeong's shoulders and waist, releasing the tension in her muscles.
"I may not have deep proficiency in martial arts, but I know the body well. You are different from Hyo. Don't try to squeeze out strength forcefully like men. Otherwise, your muscles will get injured."
Dohwa smoothly moved Soyeong's arms and continued.
"A woman's body is originally like softly flowing water. You must make good use of that suppleness. Use the gaps between bones and muscles to transmit force as if bending like a snake."
Dohwa's pointing out was not a simple technical correction.
Soyeong's eyes sparkled as she resumed her stance.
Swaeak—
A hidden weapon split the air.