A Monk Rolling In, Huh (3)
One of Xi'an's largest taverns, Nakseongru, was bustling again today.
From noon onward, the people who came in for a drink had no particular topic to speak of, so they tossed one random story after another back and forth.
And yet there was one subject that came up in their mouths more than anything else: Mount Hua and Hwayeong Gate.
"Honestly, haven’t you wanted to go see it once?"
"Hmm?"
Jeon Yuk, the owner of a fabric shop, glanced around and lowered his voice a little more.
"It’s Mount Hua, after all."
"Hah. True enough."
Leftong, sitting across from him, kept nodding at Jeon Yuk’s words.
If he had heard that a year or two ago, he would have snorted in disbelief.
Not long ago, Mount Hua had not been a sect anyone could even dare compare to Southern Edge, which ruled Xi'an.
But now things had changed far too much.
"Isn’t it common knowledge by now that Mount Hua got the best result at the All-Heaven Martial Meeting?"
"Right. Right. You could practically say they won it outright, couldn’t you?"
"Exactly. Besides, winning isn't even the point. What’s so amazing about one person taking first place? They took three spots in the Eight Strong, and two in the Four Strong. At this point, it’s no exaggeration to say they dominated the whole tournament."
Leftong nodded enthusiastically again, clearly agreeing with every word.
"And it was a tournament for the younger generation. If the younger generation is the best in the world, doesn’t that mean the sect’s way of teaching disciples is the best in the world too?"
"Exactly."
Jeon Yuk clicked his tongue.
"Anyway, becoming a lay disciple means learning martial arts from now on. So of course you’d go to the sect that teaches well, not just the one that’s strong!"
"You’ve been selling silk, so now you’ve got oil on your tongue, huh? Hearing you talk makes it sound stupid not to join Mount Hua."
"I’m not being eloquent. I’m just telling the truth."
Jeon Yuk wet his throat with a sip of liquor and smacked his lips regretfully.
"A sect with the hottest momentum in all the land opened a lay branch in Xi'an, and I can’t even go take a look. If I were to be honest, I’d love to poke my face in there just once…. I hear that Mount Hua Divine Dragon came too."
"Don’t even dream about it. The moment you set foot there, your business in Xi'an is over."
Leftong looked around nervously, as if the very thought of it frightened him, and shook his head firmly.
"Don’t get tempted by this kind of thing half-heartedly. Xi'an is a place that can never escape Southern Edge’s influence. Even the youngest son of Xi'an’s city lord is one of Southern Edge’s disciples. In a place like this, if you go and join Mount Hua’s lay branch, what won’t you do if you want to ruin yourself?"
"But Southern Edge is in seclusion, isn't it?"
"Ah, no. You mustn't be tempted by that sort of thing. What if you get distracted and the seclusion ends? Then what will you do?"
"Ugh. Fair enough…."
Leftong kept clicking his tongue.
"And it’s not even just Southern Edge you’d have to worry about. Do you think the Southern Edge lay sects here in Xi'an would sit still? Southern Edge itself might not move carelessly because of its reputation, but they’re not in a position to worry about face, are they?"
Jeon Yuk had nothing left to argue and only clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"What a shame. What a shame. They say Mount Hua’s swordsmanship is the best in the world, and my youngest boy is just the right age to enter."
"Quit saying useless things and drink already."
They were far from the only ones talking like this. At every table where people sat in small clusters, the same conversation was flowing.
"I’d like to go see it at least once…."
"They say Mount Hua’s swordsmanship is incredibly sharp…. If things go well, maybe our kid could become like the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, the best of the younger generation?"
"If he’s the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, then he’d be the world’s greatest master of the next generation!"
"What a pity. Such a pity. Really."
Every word carried the same note of regret.
With Seowol Gate and the other Southern Edge lay sects keeping a hawk’s eye on things, it was far too difficult to visit Hwayeong Gate. But they were still people—how could they possibly not be curious?
In the end, all they could do was drown their disappointment in liquor.
"But why is it so noisy?"
"Isn’t it normal for a tavern to be noisy?"
"No. Not the tavern…. It sounds like it’s coming from outside."
"Outside? Why outside?"
The gazes of Jeon Yuk and Leftong turned at the same time toward the entrance.
Just then, someone who had been about to go out opened the door.
"Huh?"
Jeon Yuk blinked.
For a moment while the door had been open, he thought he had seen a crowd packed tightly outside….?
"Is something happening out there?"
"Now that you mention it, I think I hear drums or something too."
It seemed they weren’t the only ones who had noticed the commotion, because the people filling the tavern all turned their eyes toward the windows and door.
Jeon Yuk quietly got to his feet. Once his curiosity was piqued, he couldn’t stand it; rather than sit there and speculate, he preferred to see for himself.
He pushed his way past the people slowly rising one by one and went to the entrance, opening the door.
"Hm?"
Outside, there was even more of a crowd than he’d imagined.
What in the world is going on that so many people are gathered here?
The area where Nakseongru stood was home to one of Xi'an’s biggest roads. For this road to be packed with people meant a truly enormous crowd had gathered.
This was the first time he had seen such a sight in a long while, and his curiosity only deepened. In the end, he began forcing his way through the crowd.
"Excuse me, let me through for a second. What exactly is going on in there?"
"Hey! Don’t push!"
"If you were late, then you should have watched from the back!"
"Sorry. Sorry."
Jeon Yuk slowly shoved his way through the gathered people and at last reached the front, craning his neck.
"Eh?"
And then he stared wide-eyed at the unexpected sight.
The inside of the crowd was empty, as if a stage had been prepared, and a cluster of people in black martial robes stood there gathered together.
When Jeon Yuk saw the plum blossom pattern embroidered on their chests, he shouted before he knew it.
"Mount Hua Sect?"
Why was the Mount Hua Sect here?
Ah, no.
He had heard that people from Mount Hua were staying at Hwayeong Gate too, so it wasn’t strange for them to be here.
But what on earth were they planning to do?
The look in Jeon Yuk’s eyes as he watched the Mount Hua disciples was full of question marks.
"…Chung Myung."
"Yeah?"
"Do we really have to do this?"
Yoon Jong and Jo Gul glanced at Chung Myung with faint, despairing eyes.
But Chung Myung only shot them a sullen look back.
"Why? You don’t want to?"
"N-no. It’s not that I don’t want to…."
Yoon Jong said, his face slightly deflated.
"It’s just the first time I’ve ever drawn my sword in front of this many people…."
"You’re the one who was slicing people up with a blade in Shaolin, and you’re saying that?"
"Th-that was a spar. This is a demonstration."
Yoon Jong swallowed dryly.
Before they knew it, the crowd had gathered like clouds.
Ah, my heart’s pounding.
Of course, like Chung Myung said, he had already fought in matches before many more people than this. But a martial bout was, by definition, focused on the opponent. It wasn’t something you put on for display.
Yet now Chung Myung wanted them to demonstrate their swordsmanship before this many people?
"I-Is this really effective? The people of Xi'an must have seen Southern Edge swordsmanship a thousand times already."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
At Jo Gul’s doubtful words, Chung Myung blatantly clicked his tongue.
"This senior brother keeps saying stupid things. Senior brother, what’s the biggest strength of Mount Hua swordsmanship?"
"…Its strength?"
Jo Gul tilted his head.
Was it power? Speed? Or maybe….
"Ah…."
Jo Gul nodded as if he understood.
"It’s flashy."
"Exactly."
Chung Myung grinned.
"People who’ve only ever seen Southern Edge swordsmanship, which is just chop, slash, block, and nothing else, will have their eyes blown wide open the moment they see Mount Hua swordsmanship."
"…That sword art or whatever it was from the Snow Flower something was pretty flashy too."
"I already looked into that too. Apparently they never actually demonstrated it. It was probably one of their secret trump cards."
He even checked into that?
What a calculating bastard.
"So!"
Chung Myung clapped his hands sharply.
"Seeing is believing. Mount Hua’s sword is flashy, so hearing that we’re hot stuff or whatever all day long can’t compare to seeing it with your own eyes!"
With a tilt of his chin, Chung Myung pointed toward the front.
"So stop saying obvious crap and get out there and show them."
"…."
The faces of Yoon Jong and Jo Gul twisted all at once.
Like we don’t know that.
We’re embarrassed, okay!
After spending more than half their lives living on mountain peaks so high even birds struggled to land on them, they weren’t accustomed to standing before crowds like this. And not merely standing, but performing a demonstration to boot.
But there was nowhere for them to run.
"Chung Myung is right."
"Sasuk?"
Baek Cheon, with a stiff expression, slowly nodded and said,
"A great deal depends on whether or not we can take root in Xi'an. Not only Mount Hua, but Hwayeong Gate has also staked a great deal on moving here with firm resolve. Shouldn't we help them too?"
"Sasuk…."
That's certainly a righteous thing to say.
But why do you keep inching backward like that from earlier?
"Ahem. Then everyone, do your best and go on…."
Just as the retreating Baek Cheon was being poked in the back by the tip of Chung Myung’s scabbard—
"…."
"Sasuk is at the very front."
"…Why?"
"The most skilled person should stand in front so all the attention goes there. Don’t ask such obvious questions."
Chung Myung.
I’m not asking because I don’t know that.
At that moment, Hyun Young approached with a broad smile.
"It seems enough people have gathered, so let’s begin. If we drag this out too long, it’ll only backfire."
"Yes, we’ll do that."
Chung Myung nodded and pointed ahead.
"Hurry up and take your positions."
The Mount Hua disciples, unable to avoid it in the end, collectively let out sighs. Their reluctance was written all over their faces.
Then someone spoke up.
"We’re truly sorry, masters. We feel like we’re making you go to needless trouble…."
The gaze of the Mount Hua disciples shifted toward the speaker.
Wi So-haeng. And behind him, Wi Lip-san kept bowing with an apologetic face.
Seeing them, the expressions of the Mount Hua disciples changed completely.
"What are you saying? This is only natural!"
"Just stay where you are and watch!"
"Come on, it’s just a matter of going out there and putting on a good show."
Even Baek Cheon’s face, which had been twisted up the whole time, had turned to that of a true martial artist. With a somewhat infuriatingly dignified expression, he slowly nodded.
"It’s not a bad thing to let the people of Xi'an witness Mount Hua’s swordsmanship. Don’t worry."
"…Master."
"Let’s go!"
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
"Yes, Sasuk!"
Starting with Baek Cheon, the Mount Hua disciples all began following after him at once.
Watching them, Chung Myung let out a snort of laughter.
They really have become strange little bastards, haven’t they?
If you tell them to do something, they’ll grumble and try to find any possible way to escape, but the moment someone else feels embarrassed or apologetic, they suddenly act like it’s nothing at all.
That was why Mount Hua’s disciples were so entertaining.
Step. Step.
With confident strides, Baek Cheon took the very front, drew a slow breath, and looked around. The surroundings fell silent.
The people of Xi'an were watching them with faces full of anticipation and curiosity.
"I am Baek Cheon of Mount Hua’s second generation."
"Oh! The Righteous Sword of Mount Hua!"
In terms of raw ranking, Baek Cheon wasn’t quite on the same level as Chung Myung, Yoon Jong, or Yu I-seol. But here in Xi'an, he could be regarded even more highly than them.
Why?
"That’s the Righteous Sword of Mount Hua! The one who beat Jin Geum-ryong!"
Because he had the accomplishment of defeating the finest younger-generation disciple of Southern Edge.
The crowd began pressing forward little by little. The title of Righteous Sword of Mount Hua was working its magic. This was why martial artists in the jianghu strove so desperately to build a reputation.
"Today, we plan to demonstrate Mount Hua’s martial arts here. We came to greet the people of Xi'an, who have not seen Mount Hua’s sword for a long time, so I hope you’ll watch with pleasure."
His smooth, oil-slicked manner of speaking made Chung Myung and Hyun Young click their tongues from behind.
"A minute ago he was saying he wouldn’t do that."
"There’s always someone who can set the stage and then do it all by himself."
"He’s a natural. A natural."
Baek Cheon, whose bearing was already so handsome it hardly needed saying, now stood at the front with his disciples behind him, and anyone would have been unable to help noticing him.
"Now then…."
Just as Baek Cheon was about to begin,
"Move aside."
"Please step back a moment!"
"Ah! Someone keeps pushing, and—s-sorry!"
There was a brief stir among the crowd, and then a group of people forced their way to the very front.
"Oh?"
Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed.
They were the leaders of the Southern Edge lay sects who had gone to Hwayeong Gate yesterday to leave a warning.
"What are you fools doing here!"
Nam Ja-myeong, the Seowol Gate leader at the head, barked out a shout.
But before his next words could even come out, Hyun Young spoke.
"Gate Leader of Seowol."
"…."
"I am Hyun Young, an elder of Mount Hua. I didn’t say anything yesterday because it was Hwayeong Gate’s event, but this is Mount Hua’s event. Would it be fair to say that you are now trying to interfere with Mount Hua’s event?"
Nam Ja-myeong shut his mouth.
Now that he thought about it, the people who had come out with swords were all Mount Hua disciples.
"W-well…."
They could pick a fight with Hwayeong Gate.
But they could not fight Mount Hua.
These were not people ignorant of how fiercely Mount Hua’s momentum was rising right now.
Hyun Young smiled and said,
"Well, this is perfect timing. Since you’re here anyway, why not witness Mount Hua’s swordsmanship before you go? Baek Cheon."
"Yes."
Baek Cheon looked at the sect leaders, who stood there mute as if they had been struck dumb, with lowered eyes. Then he said,
"It is a little embarrassing to draw my sword before so many sect leaders, but…."
The corners of his mouth, firm and cleanly cut, curled up slightly.
"I’ll show you a sword that will not shame me."
Baek Cheon straightened his shoulders and drew his sword.
With the heroic headband around his brow and the sword in his hand, he looked like a painting come to life.
"Ooh!"
"That really is magnificent."
The onlookers stared at him with eyes full of admiration.
And then—
Watching from behind, Chung Myung shook his head.
There he goes again.
At this point, it was a disease too.
Hah.