It Could Get Even Better! (1)
“Hmmm.”
Chung Myung muttered as he turned the manual over and over in front of him, studying it from every angle.
“Fortunately, nothing’s missing...”
A secret manual was a far more delicate thing than most people realized.
In truth, the disciples of Mount Hua had been rather lucky. If they had discovered Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art, Plum Blossom Sword Manual, or Zixia Divine Art on their own, without Chung Myung around—
“...it would’ve been a complete disaster.”
Stories passed down through the jianghu loved to tell of someone stumbling into a cave, finding an ancient peerless manual, and becoming a master after learning it alone. But in reality, that was close to impossible.
The reason was simple. A secret manual was never made to let someone learn martial arts from it directly in the first place.
The complicated workings of a top-tier martial art and its profound principles of movement and force could not possibly be packed into a single book. Trying to do so was like cramming an ox into a coin purse the size of a palm.
Put into words, it would take dozens of volumes, and even then it still wouldn’t be enough. So how could the essence of an entire martial art possibly fit into one manual?
In the end, a secret manual could only ever become a highly condensed summary—something that symbolically represented the ox by scraping off a little horn, plucking out a few hairs, and cutting off a bit of the hoof.
That was why people who learned martial arts sought out a teacher, not a manual. A teacher could explain the principles hidden inside the book in plain language.
Hmm?
Then why was the manual needed at all, you ask?
“How’s a person supposed to remember all this for a lifetime? You forget it.”
So contrary to common belief, a secret manual was less a learning tool for the student than a guidebook for the instructor.
If someone didn’t understand Mount Hua’s martial arts and tried to learn them from a manual alone, the way Jin Yang-geon had, this was exactly what happened.
That bastard had only skimmed the surface of the martial art and barely practiced it, so he’d still been in decent shape. But if he had gone on for a few years like that, nine times out of ten he would’ve fallen into qi deviation and either died or become a cripple.
“He got lucky.”
For Jin Yang-geon, meeting Chung Myung at this point in time was a blessing in disguise. At least he’d managed to dodge the disaster headed his way.
In any case, that was how delicate and dangerous learning martial arts truly was.
“Let’s see...”
Chhrrrraaaak!
He could recite the formulas of the Plum Blossom Sword Manual from memory with his eyes closed, but not Zixia Divine Art. It was a martial art even the Chung Myung of the past had never seen before. So he had no choice but to be careful.
- That’s why I told you to learn some of it!
“Ah! I already told you, that wasn’t the situation!”
Chung Myung snapped back in irritation.
“I was supposed to go out swinging a sword the very next day. When was I supposed to learn a brand-new martial art? That would’ve thrown everything out of balance!”
If a new martial art of a different nature was mixed into a body that had already been perfectly honed, it wouldn’t raise one’s martial ability at a stroke—it would actually lower it at first.
If he had time to fully absorb that new art and restore balance again, he would have become stronger than before. But Chung Myung hadn’t had that time.
“...Tsk. Still a little frustrating, honestly...”
Staring at Zixia Divine Art, Chung Myung clicked his tongue and let out a low sigh.
It couldn’t be helped, of course. And yet... if he had learned Zixia Divine Art in advance, maybe the outcome of that final battle would have been a little different.
In that sense, Hyun Jong’s judgment had not been wrong.
Hyun Jong had surely guessed that the future of the jianghu would not be easy. Rather than clinging to empty authority, he had decided it was better to make the disciples stronger, even if only a little.
“Still, he really is something else.”
By nature, people hated parting with what was already in their hands, even if it was a single grain of rice.
Even someone who despised power would grow intoxicated if they themselves rose to a position of power. The sect leader of Mount Hua when it had once been an obscure third-rate sect with nothing, and the sect leader of Mount Hua now, whose name rang throughout the world, were undeniably people standing in different places.
He must have clearly felt power gather into his hands, and with it the way others treated him change, yet he had still willingly handed over a martial art that only the sect leader was supposed to learn. That was far more remarkable than it sounded.
“Even Sect Leader Brother couldn’t do that.”
- Hey! It’s not that I couldn’t do it! I clearly told you to learn it...
“Anyway, what a penny-pinching old man... He’s worse than even the descendants.”
- You little bastard...
Chung Myung picked at his ear and blew on his finger. He thought he could hear a dog barking from somewhere...
In any case, there was something to think about. It was a slightly awkward matter, and Chung Myung’s brow slowly furrowed.
“Hmmm.”
What he was looking at now was the manual for Zixia Strength, which he had separated out.
Unlike the Zixia Divine Art manual, which he had examined carefully, his hand as he skimmed the Zixia Strength manual was full of carelessness and indifference.
“This is useless now.”
In truth, Zixia Divine Art and Zixia Strength were martial arts like brothers born of the same womb.
Zixia Strength was excellent martial art as well, but if Zixia Divine Art existed, there was no reason to learn it. It was nothing more than a lower version of the divine art anyway.
“There.”
Chung Myung casually tossed the Zixia Strength manual behind him.
It was a martial art he had learned in the past, so there was a strange lingering attachment to it, but if he kept it out of sentiment, all he would do was increase the number of martial arts available and make the descendants’ choices more difficult.
So no matter how reluctant he was, Zixia Strength had to be discarded here.
Everything that Zixia Strength could do, Zixia Divine Art could do better, stronger, and more efficiently. Of course, it would be a little trickier and harder to master, but that was the price that had to be paid.
With his lingering attachment neatly cut away, Chung Myung reopened the manual for Zixia Divine Art.
“Hmmm. The more I look at this, the more impressive it is.”
It was a fine martial art.
At the very least, it was two steps beyond the Zixia Strength he had once learned. It was no exaggeration to say it was the culmination of all Mount Hua’s martial arts.
Of course, Chung Myung had also modified Zixia Strength on his own, so its power had been no less formidable. Still, there was no denying that Zixia Divine Art was far superior.
Literally, the essence of Mount Hua’s entire lineage was gathered into this one manual.
“...The entire essence?”
For an instant, Chung Myung’s eyebrows twitched. The tips of his fingers, turning the pages, also slowed ever so slightly.
“No, no. Not the entire essence.”
The corners of his eyes curved faintly, like crescents.
“The breath of the greatest master in Mount Hua’s history isn’t in here, so how could this possibly be called the essence of Mount Hua’s martial arts?”
Crack.
As though it had heard his words, the pages that had been turning so smoothly suddenly stuck, as if they refused to move. But Chung Myung forcibly shoved the resisting pages over anyway.
“It’s excellent now, sure... yeah, it’s excellent now, but?”
His curved eyes gleamed.
“It could always get better, too! Right?”
- Ah, no! No, you bastard! Not that...!
“Tsk. Why do I keep hearing a dog barking? Damn it, why’d the Beast Palace people leave a dog behind?”
- I’m not a dog, you bastard! It’s me! I’m the one talking!
Chung Myung once again picked at his ears, then put on a solemn expression and said,
“As stagnant water turns foul, so too does martial arts decay. If we simply imitate the past, there is no future! Martial arts must always advance! This is the teaching of Mount Hua’s thirteenth sect leader, Chung Mun!”
- I never said that! Hey! Hey, you punk!
“Now then...”
As he scanned the manual, Chung Myung’s lips curled into a grin.
“Should I tweak it a little to suit my taste? Just a little... really, just a little.”
Martial arts... even the smallest change could bring about a vast transformation.
Chung Myung grabbed the Plum Blossom Sword Manual lying on the floor with his other hand. Zixia Divine Art in one hand, Plum Blossom Sword Manual in the other. Holding the two greatest treasures of Mount Hua’s martial arts, Chung Myung let out a cackling laugh.
“What? My martial arts can’t be passed down? You bastard, Cheong Jin! And what if they are passed down?”
If Cheong Jin were watching this scene from the heavens, he would probably be slapping himself for ever saying those words.
“Kihihihihi.”
A madness flashed in Chung Myung’s eyes as he stared at the rice cake... no, the manuals he held in both hands.
“You should feel honored, all of you! I’m going to stuff these full of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s insights!”
The moment Mount Hua’s ruin began.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“...How many days has it been?”
“Who knows.”
Hyun Jong stared at the Plum Blossom Cave, where Chung Myung had disappeared, his eyes full of worry and concern.
It had already been nearly a month since Chung Myung had gone into that cave, which was normally used for closed-door cultivation.
“...Could something have happened?”
“Ah, would you stop saying cursed things like that? Is that any way to talk about a disciple who went in there to train?”
“I-I’m worried, that’s why! Learning a new martial art is a terribly difficult thing, and what if he’s fallen into qi deviation inside—”
“That mouth! Watch that damn mouth of yours! Honestly, your mouth!”
“...I am the sect leader, Hyun Young.”
“Ah... I had forgotten for a moment. My apologies.”
“...”
A long sigh escaped Hyun Jong’s lips. But his gaze remained fixed on the tightly sealed Plum Blossom Cave.
“...I just hope nothing has happened.”
It was unfortunate, but at this point in Mount Hua, Chung Myung was the only one who could fully grasp and pass on that top-tier martial art.
They all wanted to help, but there was no way to do so, and no ability to do it even if they tried. In the end, all they could do was wait for Chung Myung to learn the manual and come back safely.
“He’ll be fine, won’t he?”
“Honestly, old age just makes you worry more and more!”
Hyun Young clicked his tongue and barked at him.
“Think about it. Is that brat the sort who runs into problems? He’s the one who causes problems for everyone else!”
“That is true, but...”
“Then stop saying useless things and just keep watching—”
It was then.
RUMBLEEEEEEEE!
The once-quiet mountain began to tremble as though a landslide had struck.
“W-what?”
“An earthquake?”
The three of them all turned their heads toward one side.
If something like this happened in a mountain that had been perfectly quiet just moments before, wasn’t the cause obvious?
“Uh...”
Hyun Sang pointed with a trembling hand at the Plum Blossom Cave, sealed shut by a massive stone wall.
“Th-there...”
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
In that instant, the stone wall blocking the Plum Blossom Cave shattered into countless pieces and flew in every direction. At the same time, purple energy surged out from within like a flood.
“...”
The round mouth of the cave had been dyed a deep reddish purple.
And with the faint scent of plum blossoms, that energy began spreading in every direction.
All three of them stood there with their mouths hanging open, as if enchanted by the overwhelming sight.
Thunk.
“Huuuuuu...”
At last, someone slowly walked out from inside the cave.
“...Chung Myung...?”
Thump. Thump.
Exhaling reddish vapor from his mouth, Chung Myung walked forward one step at a time. There was an oppressive weight to him, so dense it felt almost tangible.
“Huuuuuu...”
“...”
Good heavens. You told him to learn martial arts, and he went... somewhere far away for a bit? Like hell, maybe?
Then Chung Myung raised his head.
Crimson-violet light, tinged with a hint of red, streamed from his eyes. The three old men flinched at the grotesque sight.
Then Chung Myung opened his mouth.
“Now then...”
“...Huh?”
Crack. Crack.
He rolled his neck left and right, then looked at the three of them and smiled brightly.
“Let’s begin.”
The three old men suddenly had the same thought.
Somehow, this was going to be a little different from what they had expected.