The Mountain Is Only Worth Crossing If You Can Climb It (2)
When Chung Myung returned to his seat, he puffed up both cheeks in clear displeasure and grumbled, “We finally get to meet after so long, and we can’t even talk for a bit?”
“That’s true, that’s true.”
“Yeah. The Elder was being way too harsh.”
“Right.”
“Huh?”
At the unexpected responses, Chung Myung tilted his head.
What’s with these guys agreeing with me for once?
“Sasuk?”
“Haha. Be reasonable. We’re meeting the Wudang Sect, after all. It makes sense for the Elders to be a little sharp.”
“No, that’s not it. Why do you keep sneaking closer and closer to me?”
“……Grab him.”
“Yes!”
The Mount Hua disciples charging in from both sides seized Chung Myung’s arms and hung on. Even Hye Yeon, who had been standing farther back, rushed over and clamped onto his waist, and Baek Ah, who had been tucked inside his robe, shot out as well and latched onto his neck.
“Make sure he absolutely can’t go wild. Absolutely! Mount Hua’s future is riding on this.”
“Yes, Sasuk!”
“We’ll stop him with our lives!”
What the hell was wrong with these people?
Staring left and right in disbelief, Chung Myung said, “Hey, do you guys really think I’d start trouble with those bastards?”
“No.”
Baek Cheon shook his head with absolute certainty.
“You’re not that kind of person. I guarantee it.”
“See?”
“It wouldn’t end with just trouble.”
“…….”
If you asked for the most resolute face in the world, it was Baek Cheon’s at that very moment.
“Sit still before I shut your mouth too. I’m dead serious.”
“…….”
Watching Baek Cheon silence Chung Myung, everyone secretly cheered.
As expected of Sasuk.
He’s weirdly dependable at times like this!
They had all gone through so many things together and learned countless lessons, but among them, the one they had devoted the most effort to mastering was how to keep that damned bastard from running wild.
Of course, it hardly ever worked, and they couldn’t exactly say it was working now either.
Even while they were pinning Chung Myung down, the elders’ conversation continued.
Heo Sanja smiled faintly.
“It is a great pleasure to meet you. I am Heo Sanja of Wudang.”
“I am Hyun Sang of Mount Hua.”
“I am Hyun Young of Mount Hua.”
The moment he heard the name Heo Sanja, a flicker of interest appeared in Hyun Young’s eyes.
So this is Heo Sanja, the one they say is Heo Dojin-in’s right hand?
There was no way they had come all the way here on their own judgment alone. For so many people to move at once, the Sect Leader’s decision had to be behind it. And if Heo Dojin-in had sent the man he trusted most, then that meant his caution toward Mount Hua had grown very strong indeed.
“We do not know how to express our gratitude to have such esteemed guests come all this way.”
“All this way? Wuhan is like Wudang’s own front yard. We heard the true people of Mount Hua were visiting, so how could we, as hosts, simply sit around with our backsides glued to a chair?”
“Haha. Then I’m sorry, as a guest, that I failed to pay my respects to the host first.”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. Please don’t misunderstand.”
Listening quietly to the exchange, Jo Gul leaned toward Yoon Jong and whispered, “Sasuk.”
“Yes?”
“It feels like there are knives buried in every word.”
“……Keep your mouth shut.”
Though he told Jo Gul to be quiet, Yoon Jong felt the same thing.
This is vicious.
They were smiling as they talked, but every single word carried weight. Neither side gave an inch, pressing down on the other with nothing but speech.
But if you looked at it another way, that also meant Hyun Young and Hyun Sang were holding their ground against a Wudang elder.
Even while Wudang’s disciples stood there in formation, applying pressure like that.
Our Elders…
Baek Cheon found himself smiling without realizing it.
The sight made an odd sense of pride swell in his chest.
“By the way, Sasuk.”
“Hmm?”
Jo Gul asked with a tilt of his head.
“That Wudang elder is the same person we saw in the Sword Tomb before, right?”
“That’s right.”
“If I remember correctly, he seemed to be on pretty good terms with that Chung Myung bastard.”
“He was.”
Strictly speaking, it hadn’t been “on good terms” so much as “fighting,” but even for Jo Gul, saying that out loud in this situation was not easy.
“Then….”
Jo Gul hesitated as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t, and Chung Myung snapped his head around.
“What?”
“…….”
“You asking why that Wudang elder looks so weak?”
“Hey, you bastard! When did I say that?”
Chung Myung snorted.
Of course, even back then, he had been too strong to call a mere junior disciple, but compared to now, he had been weak beyond comparison. No matter how talented he was, regaining his former martial prowess still took time.
“No need to dodge it. It’s the truth.”
“Huh?”
“That elder isn’t very strong.”
“…….”
At those words, Baek Cheon and the others looked toward Heo Sanja standing far away with slightly startled expressions.
Not very strong?
Then how could such a man serve as one of Wudang’s representative elders?
“I guess you all misunderstand.”
“Hmm?”
“Mount Hua is a bit of a special case. Most prestigious orthodox sects are mostly like this. Unlike Mount Hua, a famous sect’s strength comes from its elders and first-generation disciples.”
“Well, yes. That’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“No. You really don’t get it at all, do you…”
Chung Myung snorted.
“The elders’ strength becomes the sect’s strength. But do you think those elders have time to run around training?”
“Uh….”
None of them had ever thought about that.
“Most elders are like that. They’ve already experienced everything there is to experience, fought enough real battles to count, and now they’re no longer just learning—they’re polishing their own swordsmanship to completion. Do you know what happens then?”
“I, I don’t know?”
“They go scattering all over the mountains with nothing but a sword in their hand, doing nothing but honing their swordsmanship.”
“…….”
“You can’t just order them around because they’re elders, and if you tell them to go do something outside the sect, they make it obvious they’re annoyed. Elders are the kind of people who do whatever they want and only stick their noses in when something truly disastrous happens to the sect. Then they suddenly show up and start lecturing everyone. That’s what an elder is.”
“……That’s a really terrible opinion of them.”
“Sounds like you’ve seen an elder like that somewhere.”
Chung Myung smiled silently and looked up at the sky.
You brat! For the love of all that is holy, do some work! Any work! An elder who’s always stuffing his face with booze! While the other disciples are running their legs off to the bone! What exactly are you doing, you damned bastard?
Ah, sorry about that.
Those were the words Chung Mun had once shouted at Chung Myung in the past.
How was I supposed to know?
If he had known back then what a pain in the ass running a sect was, he would have supported Chung Mun with everything he had.
…No, to be honest, he probably would have helped him out two or three more times. Two or three times.
In any case.
“So from the Wudang Sect Leader’s point of view, there’s nobody better. He may not be the strongest by pure martial standards, but he has enough fame, he’s diligent, and he faithfully carries out the Sect Leader’s will. That’s a priceless ability, way beyond some idiot with only brute strength.”
If it had been the old Chung Myung, he would have dismissed him. But now he understood. For a sect to grow, people like that were absolutely necessary.
Jo Gul looked a little puzzled. “Uh, then he’s still an impressive person, right?”
“No. That’s not it. Anyway, for a Wudang elder, he’s not that strong.”
Chung Myung said it firmly.
“So don’t look at that one guy and underestimate Wudang’s elders.”
His gaze sharpened for a moment as he looked at Heo Sanja.
“I’m not talking down on that man. But Wudang’s real elders are, literally, sword fiends. The kind of people who want to attain the Dao with a sword, and do nothing but swing it except for the time they spend eating and sleeping. Don’t ever take them lightly.”
Everyone listening swallowed dryly and nodded before they knew it.
“And the first-generation disciples are the same.”
Chung Myung’s gaze shifted to the neat ranks of Wudang disciples behind them.
“Since they didn’t exactly get great results in the last martial tournament, you probably think Wudang isn’t that impressive even if it is Wudang.”
“Well….”
“But Wudang disciples almost never make a name for themselves when they’re young.”
Chung Myung spat the words out.
“Daoist martial arts grow stronger with time. Unlike other sects’ techniques, which surge ahead early, Daoist arts start out weak. But they accumulate and accumulate until they become a mountain. That’s a lot like Mount Hua too, but if you’re talking about the Daoist flavor of it, honestly, those guys are even stronger.”
“…….”
“The longer a Wudang disciple trains, the stronger he becomes. Third-generation disciples are nothing to look at. Second-generation disciples barely earn their keep. By the time they become first-generation disciples, they’re like completely different people, and by the time they reach elder level… they become monsters.”
As he spoke, Chung Myung’s face gradually hardened.
That subtle change in expression made the listeners even more tense than any of his previous words had. Baek Cheon slowly opened his mouth.
“So Wudang is that strong.”
“Yeah.”
At Chung Myung’s answer, he nodded.
“That’s reassuring.”
“Hmm?”
“That’s how it should be for Wudang.”
“…….”
“What’s the point of trying your best to win if the opponent is easy? If we’re doing this, it’s better if they’re as tall as a mountain. And besides….”
A smile touched his handsome lips.
“A mountain is only worth crossing if you can make it over.”
“…….”
Chung Myung stared at him for a moment, then turned his head and checked the faces of the others. Every one of them was watching Wudang’s side with the utmost seriousness.
A faint smile also appeared at Chung Myung’s mouth.
“Not bad, Dong-ryong. That was a cool line.”
“You little shit?”
“Enough.”
Then Yoon Jong quietly raised a hand to stop them all.
“First, let’s hear what the Elders have to say.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and looked back toward the elders.
Even then, the conversation continued.
“First of all.”
Heo Sanja bowed his head lightly.
“I thank Mount Hua for suppressing Dae-byeol Bandit Band, a task Wudang had failed to accomplish. Not only the people of Wuhan, but everyone in Hubei will be grateful to Mount Hua.”
“It’s only natural for a sect that values righteousness to do such a thing. Please don’t concern yourselves with it.”
Ah, Sasuk.
Listening to Hyun Sang’s reply, Hyun Young’s eye twitched.
He had probably just chosen what he thought was the proper answer, but it was absolutely not a good one. Depending on how you heard it, it could sound as though Wudang had left Dae-byeol Bandit Band alone because they lacked righteousness.
But whether Heo Sanja didn’t think of that, or simply didn’t show it, his expression didn’t change much.
“It’s not only Dae-byeol Bandit Band. I hear Mount Hua disciples made quite a name for themselves in the North Sea as well.”
“Ah….”
Hyun Young’s eye twitched again.
What happened in the distant North Sea had not yet spread widely through the Central Plains. News traveled through people, yes, but there were still hardly any Central Plains people going to the North Sea, and trade centered around Mount Hua had only just begun.
And yet Wudang knew about it. It was enough to show just how excellent their intelligence network was.
“It was nothing. We only did what had to be done.”
“Haha. I see.”
Heo Sanja smiled faintly.
“And not just the North Sea. In Yunnan as well, and in the martial tournament too, Mount Hua’s momentum was truly extraordinary. I hold you in my heart with great respect.”
“No matter how strong Mount Hua’s momentum may be, how could it possibly compare to Wudang? Excessive courtesy can be a form of rudeness.”
“Hahaha. No, not at all. Mount Hua has certainly been in splendid form lately.”
“…….”
“So, what I mean is….”
Heo Sanja glanced briefly at Wudang’s disciples and said, “Unlike Mount Hua’s disciples, who travel the world saying it is too narrow, our disciples are ashamed to admit they still lack experience of the world.”
“How could you say such a thing….”
“So, what if we did this?”
There was a faint tension in Hyun Sang and Hyun Young’s faces as they looked at Heo Sanja.
“Wudang and Mount Hua are both Daoist sects, and both sword sects, are we not? If we could each study the other’s swordsmanship, wouldn’t that be a fine opportunity to broaden our horizons and reach even higher ground?”
Hyun Sang’s face hardened coldly.
This was a challenge to a martial contest.
So directly?
Usually, things like this were not said so bluntly.
A martial contest meant victory and defeat. If word of the result spread, there would be no greater humiliation for the losing sect.
That was why such matters were normally discussed secretly behind closed doors, and the results of the match were carefully hidden from outsiders.
Isn’t this far too improper?
And yet that very bluntness left them with no way out.
Wudang would only be losing a bit of face. Mount Hua, however, was different. If they refused the challenge after hearing this, word would spread throughout Hubei that Mount Hua had been frightened off by Wudang.
And if that happened, all the hard-earned reputation they had built would vanish. No, perhaps they could still preserve the name, but the judgment that Mount Hua still could not compare to Wudang would be impossible to avoid.
That foxlike bastard….
Hyun Sang felt with painful clarity why Heo Dojin-in trusted Heo Sanja so deeply. With only a few words, the man had cornered them and tried to steal every advantage they had gained up to now.
“What do you think, Daoist?”
“…….”
Heo Sanja asked again, but Hyun Sang could not bring himself to answer.
It was obvious at a glance that the Wudang disciples he had brought carried themselves with extraordinary momentum. If they accepted this challenge and lost….
That was when it happened.
“Huh? That?”
At the ominous voice, Hyun Sang snapped his head around.
Why is he acting like that now?
Chung Myung was still being held by the Mount Hua disciples. With his mouth not yet gagged, he shouted, “So you’re asking for a martial contest now?”
“Hohoho.”
Heo Sanja let out a hearty laugh.
On Wudang, it was unthinkable for a junior disciple to interrupt an elder’s conversation. But Heo Sanja had already had more than enough dealings with Chung Myung to be especially flustered.
“That’s right, little Daoist. Is that not a good thing?”
“Yes, it is. But… are you sure that’s wise?”
“What do you mean?”
Chung Myung grinned.
“If you challenge Mount Hua and lose, Wudang’s face won’t have much left, will it?”
“C-challenge?”
Heo Sanja suddenly looked toward the Geum-seon Merchant Group merchants watching them. Sure enough, the bystanders had started whispering among themselves.
“Haha. Seems like both people and sects have to rise in the world to get anywhere. Even Wudang challenges people these days. Kraaah! I wish our Sect Leader could see this.”
“…….”
For a split second, embarrassment flashed across Heo Sanja’s face.
The Wudang disciples behind him, listening to the conversation, also hardened their expressions with murderous intensity.
“You….”
Here and there, fists clenched tight enough to make knuckles crack, and the sound of grinding teeth slipped out.
Feeding off their silent anger, Chung Myung smiled like a fox.
“Still, Mount Hua has a history. How could we possibly refuse this? We’ll have to show you ourselves what a true Daoist sect and a true sword sect look like.”
In the end, Heo Sanja’s face turned bright red.
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