What’s Opening? (3)
A third-generation disciple standing guard at Mount Hua’s mountain gate spotted Hye Bang and immediately pressed his palms together in a deep bow.
“Did you finish your business well, sir?”
Hye Bang gave a light nod.
“Mm. Yes. Let’s go for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once they had left the mountain gate behind, the two of them began descending Mount Hua’s steep slopes.
“How was Mount Hua?”
“Amitabha……”
Hye Bang let the end of the phrase trail off and fell into a thoughtful silence, his expression faintly strange. Then he closed his eyes and muttered softly.
“I don’t quite know how to put it.”
Seeing that look on his face, the young monk asked again, his eyes full of curiosity.
“Even you found it hard to grasp, sir?”
“I’m a man too. How could I possibly understand everything with perfect clarity?”
“Then Mount Hua is such an unusual place that even you couldn’t fully take it in?”
Hye Bang gave a wry smile.
“Unusual…… Perhaps. Still, it was certainly different from what I had heard. The atmosphere flowing through the mountain, the aura I felt from each and every disciple—it was not the aura of a sect in decline.”
“So the rumor that Mount Hua is reviving is not far off the mark.”
“Yes and no.”
It was an odd answer.
Hye Bang paused as though arranging his thoughts, then went on.
“Mount Hua’s momentum is stronger than I expected, that much is true. But restoring its former prestige is still a long road away. You may as well call it nearly impossible.”
“May I ask why?”
“Mm. Broadly speaking, three reasons.”
He was silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, then spoke.
“First, Mount Hua’s superior martial arts have been lost. There is inevitably a difference between one who has mastered superior arts and one who has not; even the very bearing they give off is different. Yet I felt no trace of such mastery among Mount Hua’s elders.”
“That is a fatal flaw.”
It was a cruel thing to say, perhaps, but the greatest condition for a prestigious sect was, above all else, its martial tradition.
The superior arts were the very root that allowed a great sect to exist as a great sect. And Mount Hua had lost that root.
“Second, without those superior arts, the upper generation could not stand firm, and so those who follow them will also struggle to achieve true distinction. Martial arts are said to be completed through one’s own cultivation, but the presence of a teacher who can guide that cultivation and lead one down the right path is absolutely necessary.”
The young monk slowly nodded.
“And third, Mount Hua may be regaining its strength, but it seems its old, rigorous discipline has not returned. If hierarchy is not properly established and the sect’s discipline remains loose, then Mount Hua—the Plum Blossom Sword Sect that once aspired to be the best under heaven—will never recover its former standing.”
Having finished, Hye Bang turned back toward Mount Hua with a slightly regretful look.
Pity……
No matter how he thought about it, there didn’t seem to be a clear answer.
“Then, sir.”
“Hmm?”
Hye Bang turned his head slightly and looked at the young monk.
“If Mount Hua could solve all those problems, would it be able to revive itself as a great sect again?”
“Solve the problems?”
“Yes. If it could recover its lost martial arts…….”
“Even then, it would be difficult.”
Hye Bang quietly shook his head.
“Even if Mount Hua were to reclaim the peerless swordsmen of old, there would no longer be anyone left to understand and pass those arts on.”
“But couldn’t a genius like senior brother appear at Mount Hua too?”
“Setting aside the fact that it’s unlikely for a sect to produce two such geniuses in one generation, even if one did appear, the result would be the same. How long would it take for that genius to understand all of Mount Hua’s martial arts and reach the level where he could teach them to someone else? By then, Mount Hua would already have lost so much.”
“Ah…….”
The young monk sighed in disappointment.
“Then it means Mount Hua can never reclaim its former glory.”
“If a senior expert who had completely mastered Mount Hua’s martial arts were to appear out of nowhere, then perhaps there would be a sliver of hope. But Mount Hua lost everyone who should have carried on its vital energy in that blood-soaked calamity of the past.”
“How truly regrettable.”
“Amitabha.”
Hye Bang gazed into the empty air and chanted a low Buddhist invocation.
“The rise and fall of things is not something human power can control. Even if today’s Shaolin enjoys unmatched strength, when the sun sets, the moon rises; someday, too, this power will surely decline. There is nothing to pity, nothing to regret. In the end, all things are contained within the Buddha’s law.”
Having spoken as if answering some private koan, Hye Bang shook his head as though to dismiss the matter entirely.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Walking with the young monk ahead of him, Hye Bang glanced back toward Mount Hua one more time.
Rise and fall, hmm…….
The sect atmosphere of Mount Hua now was so unique that he had never seen anything like it before.
He was curious how far it might go if that atmosphere were joined by truly outstanding martial arts, but……
He soon shook his head.
Foolish thoughts.
Right now, they were in a situation where even having one sect was a luxury, but Mount Hua did not seem likely to become that one.
He neatly erased Mount Hua from his mind and continued down the mountain at a measured pace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After Hye Bang left, those remaining in the Sect Leader’s quarters kept a heavy silence.
Hyun Jong, seated in the place of honor, idly rubbed the gold invitation in his hand and murmured under his breath.
“The Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament……”
His eyes were deeply lowered.
“What do you think, Sect Leader?”
At Hyun Young’s question, Hyun Jong closed his eyes and thought for a long time. His face made the depth of his worry painfully clear.
At last, he opened his eyes and looked to the elders.
“What do the elders think? Would taking part in this Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament bring disaster to Mount Hua, or fortune?”
Hyun Sang, who had also been deep in thought, frowned.
“I dare not guess.”
“Hmm.”
It was truly a weighty matter.
All the great sects of the world would gather at the Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament. To hold a martial contest before all of them?
That would mean having our abilities judged in front of every prestigious sect in the world.
It was a great opportunity.
But it was also a tremendous risk. If they entered and were humiliated, Mount Hua would never regain its former status.
“What do you think, Hyun Young?”
“……”
Hyun Young closed his mouth slightly. Even he, always so clear about his intentions, seemed troubled this time.
Even the Un-generation elders wore careful expressions.
“Sect Leader.”
After a long silence, Hyun Sang spoke first.
“If they sent us an invitation, doesn’t that mean the other sects already recognize us?”
Hearing that, Hyun Young frowned slightly.
“Recognition is a bit much. ‘Interest’ would be more accurate.”
“Yes, yes. That’s a better way to say it. In any case, in such a situation, is there any reason for us not to participate?”
“Mm, that is true.”
Hyun Jong nodded heavily.
“Now Mount Hua must openly declare its revival. The Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament would be the perfect stage.”
At Hyun Sang’s words, Hyun Jong gave a broad nod.
But Hyun Young did not seem to agree.
“I think a little differently.”
He spoke in a cold tone.
“There may be some pleasure in showing off. We might even puff ourselves up a little, thinking that Mount Hua has finally come this far.”
“Hmm.”
“But what would we actually gain from that? Right now, Mount Hua should be focusing on building its foundations, not on making a name for itself. Is there any need to enter a place like that and invite the wariness of other sects?”
As he spoke, Hyun Young glanced at Chung Myung.
“Right now things are going just fine on their own…… Rather, if we used that time……”
His words gradually thinned out. Chung Myung’s body was trembling.
His eyes looked as though he were determined to squeeze every last thing out of them down to the bone.
“Ahem. So opinions are divided. That said, Chung Myung. What do you think?”
Ignoring Hyun Young’s stare, Chung Myung answered with a slightly blasé expression.
“I don’t see any reason not to participate.”
“Hmm?”
Chung Myung shrugged.
“If we go and do well, great. And even if we get embarrassed…….”
Then he lifted his head and looked around at everyone. A growling note entered his voice as he frowned.
“Does Mount Hua have anything to lose?”
At that blunt question, everyone fell silent like mutes with honey in their mouths.
“When people have nothing to lose, they’re fearless. But once they start having things, they get scared. They’re afraid of losing what they’ve got.”
Lowering his voice a little, Chung Myung looked at Hyun Jong.
“Of course, Sect Leader, you’d want to make a careful decision. But sometimes, I think you have to be bold.”
“Are you saying I’m afraid to lose what I have now?”
“Not exactly. I’m just asking why you’re hesitating.”
“Heh heh. Why am I hesitating, you say……”
Hyun Jong smiled faintly.
Then he turned his resolute gaze on Unam.
“Summon the disciples.”
“Yes!”
All of Mount Hua’s disciples gathered once more in the training yard.
“What now?”
“Who knows?”
At the sudden summons, they muttered among themselves, blinking in confusion and stealing glances ahead.
“They said someone visited us. Is this about that?”
“Maybe. In any case, Sect Leader must have something to tell us.”
“Shh. There they are!”
Three people stepped out before the lined-up disciples of Mount Hua.
Sect Leader Hyun Jong, Hyun Sang, and Hyun Young. The two elders.
Hyun Jong looked over everyone in turn, then slowly spoke.
“Are you all gathered?”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
Hyun Jong gave a light nod.
“A moment ago, a monk from Shaolin visited us. He said that the Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament will be held on Mount Song in the near future.”
The disciples’ eyes widened slightly.
Seeing their reaction, Hyun Jong continued.
“And at that Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament, there will be a contest for the younger generation. Anyone under thirty may participate. Mount Hua has decided to send fifteen people.”
Murmurs broke out immediately.
The moment he finished, the courtyard erupted into noise from all directions.
Hyun Jong did not try to hush them. Instead, he waited for the children to talk freely among themselves.
When the commotion had finally died down, he explained in detail.
“Not only the Nine Sects and One Gang, but every influential force in the martial world will take part. Since Shaolin is hosting, there will hardly be anyone who can refuse. You will need to prove yourselves before all of them.”
His gaze on the disciples held both warmth and concern.
“Can you do it?”
The Un-generation disciples standing in line all turned together to look at the Baek and Cheong generations.
If only those under thirty could participate, then it was they who needed to answer.
And then—
Baek Cheon, who could be called their representative, silently stepped forward. Then he answered in a calm voice.
“I will prove to the world that plum blossoms still bloom in Mount Hua.”
The words were steady.
It was a plain voice, stripped of heat and stubbornness.
That only made it more trustworthy.
Hyun Jong smiled warmly at Baek Cheon and nodded.
“Yes. Hearing that puts my heart at ease. Some of you may be uneasy, but there is no need. You may have heard already, but we have recovered Mount Hua’s sword arts from the past. If you can master Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art in the time remaining, then no one in the world will be able to ignore you.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
A strange fire entered the disciples’ eyes.
Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.
The rumor had already spread everywhere, so no one was shocked, but hearing it from the Sect Leader himself made the anticipation swell all the more.
“There are less than six months until the tournament. So from now on, devote yourselves solely to training for those six months. We will bring the fifteen who show the best results to Mount Song. Understood?”
“Yes! Sect Leader!”
Watching the disciples burn with eagerness, Hyun Jong nodded in satisfaction.
“Hyun Sang.”
“Yes!”
“Teach them Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art before any other martial arts.”
“I will do so, Sect Leader.”
Hyun Jong nodded, looking pleased with himself.
The heavens are letting them show Mount Hua’s sword to the world.
The tournament had come at exactly the right time.
As Chung Myung had said, Mount Hua had nothing to lose. Simply making the world aware that Mount Hua had reclaimed Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art would change how people looked at them.
“The burden on your shoulders is heavy. The elders and I will also do our best to help you, so give it everything you have!”
“Yes!”
The Sect Leader declared it firmly, the elders stood beside him, the first-generation disciples regretted that they themselves could not participate, and the second- and third-generation disciples burned with determination.
At this point alone, it was a beautiful picture……
“Then go and train!”
“Yes!”
“Heh heh heh.”
Hyun Jong and the elders departed the area.
The Un-generation disciples followed them out of the training yard as well. But the Baek and Cheong generations still couldn’t leave and remained there, uncertain and hesitant.
Then Baek Cheon strode forward and jerked his chin toward Baekmae Hall.
“This way.”
“……”
At once, the eyes of the Baek and Cheong generations changed.
Those eyes, which had been burning with eagerness just a moment before, now turned into the tearful eyes of cattle being led to a slaughterhouse.
“Move.”
“……Yes.”
They trudged toward the back of Baekmae Hall, to the most secluded spot, and looked at the one already seated there waiting for them.
Crunch, crunch.
Chung Myung, crouched low and gnawing on a skewer threaded with candied treats between his teeth, scowled fiercely at the line of people in front of him.
He looked exactly like the rough neighborhood older brother who had gathered up a bunch of kids.
“You heard everything from the Sect Leader, right?”
“……Yeah.”
“Spit.”
He spat the skewer out of his mouth and stood, cracking his neck from side to side.
“The Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament, huh……”
His voice carried a chill.
Those who caught the edge in it all shuddered at once.
“Of course, the Sect Leader thinks it’s enough just to give it our best…….”
Chung Myung shook his head hard.
“I’m different.”
“……”
His eyes were usually wild enough already, but now they were bloodshot too.
“Experience? You can get experience anywhere. A tournament isn’t for collecting experience. It’s a place to prove how strong we are! This martial contest? We’re winning it. Absolutely. And by a landslide!”
“……”
“Anyone here not know what those rotten Nine Sects and One Gang bastards did to Mount Hua?”
“Uh, no.”
“I was already wondering when I’d get to smash their heads in, and now these idiots have gone and laid out the stage for us. In this tournament, we’re taking top ranks across the board, and we’re making Mount Hua’s revival known to the whole damn world. You all ready for that?”
“O-of course!”
“Obviously!”
“Good.”
Just as Chung Myung nodded, Baek Sang, who had been quiet until then, slightly raised his hand.
“Speak.”
“I just wanted to ask, just in case…… really just in case.”
“Then ask. Don’t drag it out.”
He swallowed nervously and forced the words out.
“W-what happens if we lose to the other sects in that tournament?”
It was the question everyone wanted to ask but couldn’t bring themselves to say. The surroundings went still, as if someone had poured cold water over everything.
Chung Myung split his mouth in a broad grin.
“You want to know?”
“N-no, I don’t mean I want to lose, I just……”
“Really……”
The voice was eerie.
“……”
Chung Myung’s head tilted strangely to the side.
“……you really want to know?”
“……”
No.
Better not know, honestly.
The Baek and Cheong generations simultaneously looked up at the sky.
Well now……
The sky sure was wicked clear today.
Ha……