Those who saw Baek Cheon and the other disciples coming down from the training hall became scared and backed away.
“W-what is with their faces?”
“Who hit them?”
It was understandable that Baek Cheon’s face was this exhausted.
Of course, it was very shocking to see the most handsome face in Mount Hua suddenly look 10 years older, but wasn’t it quite familiar to see him like this?
What really shocked them were the faces of Un Geom and Un Am.
“A-are you alright, sasuk?”
“Senior sasuk! Oh my, what happened....”
Un Am looked at them with a sad expression. Tears welled up in Un Am’s eyes as he looked at the place they had been to.
‘This is why I didn’t want to do it...!’
He said he didn’t want to do it! Uh? He said it was better to walk away!
How dare they hold him there and torment him... no, was this something a human would do?
“What have they been through? It was the sect leader and others who were... ah...”
The disciples, who kept rambling, exclaimed like they understood. They looked at them sadly and shook their heads. Thanks to Un Am, this situation turned even sadder.
“Don’t... be worried... I am fin... kuak!”
“Senior sasukkk!”
“Sasuukkkkk!”
The Baek and Chung disciples rushed to Un Geom, who was staggering as if he was about to collapse. It was a desperate sight as if they would cry at any moment.
Yoon Jong’s heart warmed at the sincere response from his sahyung-sajaes. The faces of the Baek and Chung disciples rushing to Un Geom were filled with sincerity.
That was a good thing. A really good thing...
“That...”
“Ah. Get out of the way!”
“No...”
“Move now. Brat!”
Yoon Jong’s vision blurred as he saw the disciples rush to Un Geom, pushing him as if hitting him on the shoulder.
‘I too... I am hurt, too?’
Was he not a human, too?
Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul were all standing blankly, looking at each other with blank faces.
They were taking care of their seniors, so they couldn’t say anything....
“Are you alright, sasuk?”
“... yes, you?”
“I, well... yes. It is worth enduring.”
Since no one took care of them, the three of them had to care for one another. Friendship was built amidst worries.... They were a mess, bones sore, and on the verge of death.
“Ugh. But...”
“Uh?”
Yoon Jong spoke like he was surprised.
“I tried this myself, and it is no joke. It felt like my internal organs were twisted, and all the bones were broken.”
“... right.”
“I once again feel great about the elders and sect leaders who endured the pain for over a month.”
“Yes. I respect them again.”
But Jo Gul’s expression was somehow somber.
“I have a different thought.”
“Uh? What?”
“Before, when the sect leader and the elders were suffering, I was once again scolded by Chung Myung for thinking of doing that to their bodies.”
“...”
“...”
Uh... he did behave like that, too. Right. If one thought of it, it was insane.
‘This is a degree of elder abuse.’
‘Is he a human?’
This was almost torture. According to what the elders said, their practice was much cleaner than what Chung Myung did. Then how much pain was originally put on them?
“He is one to make fools of others.”
While Baek Cheon was thinking of the personality of Chung Myung, who surprised him each time, Tang Soso, Baek Sang, and Kwak Ho approached him.
“Oh...”
Baek Cheon looked at them with joy.
It seemed like not all the disciples treated them badly. If they thought of it, weren’t these three the ones who were closest to them among the disciples, excluding the Five Swords?
He opened his mouth, looking impressed.
“Thank you for your concern. But we are....”
“No, not that.”
“.... Uh?”
Tang Soso immediately cut off his words. And Baek Sang asked as if he had been waiting.
“How do you feel, sasuk? Grateful? Amazed? Uh? How does it work?”
“...”
“Uh... were you not worried about us?
Uh? Guys?
“You keep your mouth shut later and speak now. How was it?”
“That... no matter what I try to say, it is the first day of learning...”
In Baek Cheon’s place, who was speechless, Yoon Jong answered with a shocked look. Kwak Ho frowned.
“You won’t tell us?”
“Ah-no, that isn’t it. It is the first time I am learning it today, so I am not sure. Plus, I only did the basic learning...”
“Huh! Don’t be like that, sahyung!”
“...”
“Now, sahyung might have learned this on your own effort and gone ahead, but we will catch up to you somehow! Don’t think that it ends like this!”
“Right! Damn, these special ones! I will never lose!”
“I thought it was the end if I failed! No matter what I do, I will pass again and learn it!”
“Right. If you work hard, you will be able to do that in three days.”
“...”
Uh... three days? Did he just extend one day?
“Work hard. If you work hard, it is better.”
“....”
Sect Leader?
Did this mean that those who could not move it within three days would be those who didn’t work hard? Uh?
“Hehehe. Everyone can do it. I believe in you.”
“...”
Whether it was a scolding or gentle encouragement, the conclusion was the same.
Baek Cheon, thinking that he had to somehow escape this hellish situation, slowly raised his hand.
“Um... Sect Leader.”
“Right, speak.”
“That... it isn’t that we don’t want to receive teachings from the sect leader and the elders, but it could be exhausting for you. It would be better to hand over the task of teaching to Chung Myung....”
“Chung Myung?”
“Yes.”
“You mean him?”
When Hyun Jong’s eyes twitched, everyone sitting cross-legged turned back at once.
Crack!
“Ah, shit! This is driving me insane!”
Oh my!
“Why is the neck spinning again?”
“...”
Everyone who had been silently watching the bizarre scene unfolding behind them smiled and looked ahead.
“I wasn’t thinking right, sect leader.”
“Right, you know it, that is good enough.”
Hyun Jong sighed.
He didn’t want to pay attention to what that monster was doing. Right, he was one to say such a thing. Because it had always been like that.
“Okay, then, let’s start again. As I said, you should never be in a hurry. Only when there is peace in one’s mind can one’s qi not be shaken. And if you work hard, you can do it quickly.”
“...”
It was the same as saying look to the left and right at the same time.
The disciples’ faces darkened at that.
‘I am going to die...’
‘Just say you will kill me.’
‘Mom...’
“Now, let’s start!”
“Yes!”
Those who sat cross-legged began to meditate while contemplating the interior. Hyun Sang and Hyun Young stayed by their side to see if any problem arose.
Hyun Jong smiled at this.
‘Such amazing children.’
Those who had already been through it knew better than anyone how tough this process was. But, even though the disciples complained with their mouths, they were not half-heartedly training.
Because there were kids like these, Mount Hua was getting stronger.
And...
Step. Step.
Hyun Jong walked to the cliff behind and looked at the Mount Hua sect unfolding below, especially towards the halls.
“That!”
“Ahhh!”
Mount Hua’s disciples were sweating profusely, concentrating on their training.
‘They are also amazing....’
“I will kill you, Yoon Jonggggg!”
“Jo Gul! Jo Gul! From Jo Gul! Catch him first!”
“I don’t like Baek Cheon sahyung! His shiny face is like a consort!”
“Woah, that was too harsh?”
“I will never lose! I will not lose! Purple Cloud Divine Arts!”
“Ahhh!”
At the sound that reached his ears, Hyun Jong’s eyes trembled.
“Hmm...”
Well, all they had to do was work hard.
Those who tried to do their best, and those who followed to achieve their goal. The ideal Mount Hua that Chung Myung once spoke of was here.
“It feels nice.”
It could be long or short, depending on what a person chose it to be, but Mount Hua finally achieved that state.
‘And it will expand further in the future.’
If they continued what their ancestors had left behind and did not walk a different path, Mount Hua would be able to overcome the past and become a greater sect in the future.
‘Perfect...’
Crack.
“Ahhhh! Fuck! I am going insane! Shit! Why isn’t it workinggggg!”
Hyun Jong stood with his back to the direction of the sound. And so the only ugly thing left on Mount Hua was out of his vision.
‘Ancestors. Please look after Mount Hua.’
“ACKKKKKKK! I am pissed!”
If not...
Please do something about that bastard.
Finally, a deep sigh escaped him.
One who moved ahead. And those who followed. And those who made the path.
The bit of cold wind had cooled off the sweat of everyone.
The days of training with each other continued...
And before they knew it, the season of cold winds arrived in Mount Hua.