Chapter 45: Because It’s Mount Hua (Part 5)

The next morning.

No, it was more accurate to call it dawn, as it was too early to even call it morning.

The gates of Baekmaegwan swung wide open.

"It's morning."

"Ah. I'm tired."

"Ah. I. Hurt. I might. Die."

The start of the day wasn't much different from usual, and neither were the words spoken.

But something was definitely different.

The footsteps, which had previously dragged like those of a dying patient, now carried a subtle strength. Even the voices complaining of fatigue sounded different from before.

And.

The glances they kept sneaking to the side were filled with unspoken emotions.

"Alright, let's train hard again today."

"Hmm. Right. It's tough, but…"

"Yeah. It's tough, but we have to do it 'hard.'"

Without further ado, everyone headed to the storage room. They lightly picked up their training tools and made their way to the training grounds.

'Huhuhu. It's light. So light.'

'It feels like my body is overflowing with energy!'

'Is it okay that only I got to eat this? I feel bad for my seniors.'

'Huhuhuhu. I never knew Chung Myung thought so highly of me. He gave me such a precious elixir.'

The seniors glanced around cautiously.

'If they find out I'm the only one who got the elixir, they'll feel left out, right?'

'I feel a little guilty, but elixirs aren't common, and only those who need them should eat them.'

'Is there anyone else who got one besides me?'

Each of their minds was racing. Chung Myung had strictly warned them not to reveal that they had eaten the elixir, so they couldn't let it slip, even by accident.

Though they all wore awkward expressions, the three great disciples of Mount Hua couldn't even dream that everyone present had eaten the elixir.

Why?

It was simple. Elixirs weren't something you could easily obtain. To gather enough elixirs for all three great disciples would cost over a thousand gold. Even if you had the money, there was no guarantee you could acquire them.

And would Chung Myung, in his right mind, go through the trouble of gathering so many elixirs just to distribute them to the three great disciples? The disciples themselves knew they weren't worth that much.

'Such a precious elixir, given to me!'

'Keuh! I feel so pumped up!'

Moreover, those who had eaten the elixir could clearly feel its effects. A hot energy kept rising from within their bodies.

If they felt this good before even fully absorbing the elixir's energy, it was certain that once fully absorbed, not only would their fatigue vanish, but their internal energy would also greatly increase.

Their motivation naturally surged, and their hearts raced.

Thud!

At that moment, the gates of Baekmaegwan swung open, and Chung Myung walked out. Seeing him, the three great disciples straightened their postures and aligned their ranks.

"Hmm."

Chung Myung smiled contentedly as he observed the scene.

'Good.'

Their eyes sparkled. So much so that the three great disciples' eyes shone brighter than the morning star in the sky.

Why wouldn't they?

From Chung Myung's perspective, the elixir was useless to him, and selling it would be awkward. But from their perspective, it was a precious medicine that money couldn't buy.

If they knew that the elixir Chung Myung had given them wasn't some mediocre concoction but the legendary Maehwa Dan, which had been part of Mount Hua's history, their reactions would have been even more intense.

'Turns out, he's a good guy.'

'Keuh. He's so generous. Giving us such a precious elixir.'

'Loyalty! Loyalty!'

The three great disciples looked at Chung Myung with fiery eyes. So fervently that even Chung Myung, who had seen it all, felt a bit embarrassed and hesitated.

'Is this why seniors sometimes give elixirs to disobedient juniors?'

Chung Myung deeply understood that managing people required more than just the whip.

"Alright, let's start today cleanly, shall we?"

"Oh!"

Chung Myung gestured toward the Yeonhwabong with his chin.

"Go and strike it."

"Eurachaaaaa!"

"I'll be first today!"

"Move aside! I'm going!"

Watching the disciples rush toward the Yeonhwabong, Chung Myung chuckled.

'This'll be easy for a while.'

❀ ❀ ❀

'This is strange.'

Ungeom's eyes narrowed.

In front of him, the three great disciples were swinging their wooden swords as usual. At first glance, it didn't seem much different from what Ungeom had seen before.

But Ungeom's sharp eyes detected a clear difference.

'Their stances have stabilized.'

Though they were executing the same sword techniques, the sharpness and stability had clearly improved.

Ungeom's gaze grew more focused as he observed the three great disciples.

'Their lower bodies have changed.'

Their steps now carried power. With strength in their legs, their upper bodies didn't sway, and with stable upper bodies, their sword tips carried weight.

This was a good thing.

If the sword tip didn't waver, didn't that mean they could execute their techniques more precisely? Considering that the purpose of endlessly practicing and refining the same techniques was to execute them perfectly, this was an excellent change.

But one thing bothered him.

'Is this possible in such a short time?'

By Ungeom's calculations, it would take at least another year for them to reach this level. And that was the bare minimum. Realistically, it could take two or three years, and that wouldn't be strange.

But…

"Taat!"

The sword cut through the air.

'What?'

"Eurachaaaa!"

The step they took resonated through the ground.

"Huh?"

Ungeom let out an involuntary chuckle.

It was good that the disciples had improved. But he couldn't understand how this had happened.

'Could it be that dawn training?'

Ungeom's gaze shifted to Chung Myung, who was swinging his sword at the very back.

"..."

No matter how much he thought about it, that was the only explanation.

Ungeom didn't need to think deeply. The sudden improvement in the three great disciples' martial prowess had occurred after Chung Myung's arrival. To be precise, it was after Chung Myung started training with them.

Ungeom's brow furrowed.

'Is that training really that effective?'

He hadn't expected much when he allowed it. Chung Myung had given various reasons, but Ungeom had permitted the training because he was pleased with the disciples' initiative to train on their own.

Of course, there was also the practical benefit of securing more training time for himself.

'I thought it would be good if they just gained a bit more motivation.'

But now, they were seeing results beyond just motivation. Extreme results, at that.

Moreover, the three great disciples seemed to genuinely feel their improvement, as they were training with a level of enthusiasm that was incomparable to before.

"Haha."

It was a strange feeling.

How long had it been since he had seen disciples under his guidance shine so brightly with determination?

'I'm ashamed.'

He couldn't help but reflect. The disciples were training with such enthusiasm, but had he, as their teacher, been as passionate?

Had he not been treating his duties as a burden?

Ungeom let out a low sigh. It was undeniable.

'Even though I knew the disciples were the future of Mount Hua, I had neglected nurturing that future.'

The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. He was ashamed before the disciples, but even more so when he thought of the sect leader who had entrusted him with this responsibility.

"Taaaaaat!"

The swords pointed to the sky in unison.

Watching this, Ungeom nodded.

"Good!"

It was a heartfelt exclamation.

"Your sword tips are alive."

He didn't know what else to say. Ungeom's gaze shifted to Chung Myung at the very back.

It was strange.

Mount Hua itself hadn't changed much. But ever since Chung Myung arrived, something had been shifting.

The financial problems that had plagued Mount Hua had been resolved in an almost absurd way, and the three great disciples were training with a passion unlike before. Moreover, their improvement was visible.

Was all this a coincidence? Or…?

After a moment of contemplation, Ungeom spoke.

"As you all know, by principle, you're supposed to master the Chilhyun Sword before learning the Taeeul Mirigeom. However, I've noticed your recent enthusiasm in training. So, if you keep this up, I'm considering breaking that rule and teaching you the Taeeul Mirigeom early."

"Oh!"

"The Taeeul Mirigeom in Baekmaegwan?!"

As the three great disciples buzzed with excitement, Ungeom smiled lightly.

Rewarding those who work hard motivates them to work even harder. If this virtuous cycle continued, these disciples would grow into swordsmen who could represent Mount Hua.

"So, don't slack off even for a moment during your training!"

"Yes, Master!"

"Good. Now, let's practice the Jin Yukhap Sword."

Their energetic responses echoed through the training grounds. Ungeom smiled contentedly.

Just then.

Someone approached the training grounds with quick steps.

"Is Ungeom here?"

Turning his head, Ungeom was startled.

"Ah, Sect Leader?"

Hurriedly bowing, Ungeom looked at Hyunjong with a puzzled expression. It was rare for Hyunjong to visit Baekmaegwan's training grounds. After all, wasn't Hyunjong always busy with sect affairs?

"You've been working hard. I have something to discuss. Can you spare a moment?"

"Yes, Sect Leader."

Ungeom turned and shouted to the three great disciples.

"You all, continue practicing the Jin Yukhap Sword…"

"Practice the Chilhyun Sword instead."

"..."

Watching Hyunjong cut him off and step forward, Ungeom wore a puzzled expression. But assuming there was a reason, he nodded.

Leaving the disciples behind, Ungeom followed Hyunjong to the back of Baekmaegwan and quietly waited for his words.

"Ungeom."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"There seems to be a problem."

"Huh?"

Hyunjong pulled out a book from his sleeve and handed it to Ungeom. His expression was unusually grim. Ungeom took the book and asked.

"What is this?"

"It's a secret manual from that chest…"

"Ah…"

Alternating his gaze between Hyunjong and the book, Ungeom quickly began reading after Hyunjong gestured for him to do so.

"Sect Leader, this is… the Yukhap Fist, isn't it?"

"That's right. The Yukhap Fist."

Ungeom's brow furrowed.

The Yukhap was a basic martial art of Mount Hua, but it had since been replaced by the Jin Yukhap Fist. The Yukhap Fist no longer held any significance in Mount Hua.

"But why are you showing this to me…"

"Have you finished reading?"

"Yes."

"When I first discovered it, I only read the contents like you did. I was too distracted and flustered at the time."

"...Huh?"

"Check the last page. There's writing on the back too."

"Ah?"

Ungeom hurriedly flipped the manual open again. Upon seeing the words written there, his face twisted uncontrollably.

The hand holding the manual trembled.

To the descendants:

It is not wrong for descendants to develop and modify Mount Hua's martial arts. Martial arts must constantly evolve and improve.

However, the Yukhap is the foundation and backbone of Mount Hua. To alter the Yukhap is no different from twisting the soul of Mount Hua.

I hope the descendants remember this well.

If there are those who dare to modify the Yukhap, they should be prepared to face me in the afterlife.