Chapter 1916 - Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1916. I Wish This Could Last. (6) ❀ ❀ ❀

“Ugh...”

“Argh!”

“I... I’m dying...”

To borrow someone’s words, the human body isn’t made of reeds. In other words, a person doesn’t just snap or bend easily after a bit of hardship.

But if that bit(?) of hardship keeps repeating, no matter how strong one’s body is, it’s bound to break down eventually.

The disciples of Diancang were now feeling that truth deep in their bones.

“Those lunatics. The Mount Hua guys are all insane.”

“I mean, seriously, who tells people to climb a cliff carrying a sack of grain heavier than their own body?”

“Exactly!”

“Yeah... It doesn’t make sense. It really doesn’t make sense...”

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

The reason they couldn’t refuse, even knowing it made no sense, was simple. One of the Mount Hua disciples, who had been quietly watching them complain, suddenly slung three sacks over his shoulders and climbed the cliff in one go, even without a safety rope.

If it had ended there, they might have been able to ignore it. But that crazy man went even further. After hauling the sacks up, he carried them back down again, still without a rope, performing a completely insane act.

Then he looked at everyone with a worried face and said:

– They do feel kind of heavy... Should I ask them to lighten your load a bit?

There was no way warriors like them could nod at that.

“...Still, maybe we should’ve just asked him to.”

“Yeah, really should’ve.”

As groans and sighs broke out everywhere, Lee Danhui, who had been catching his breath alone, gripped his sword and stood up.

“S-Sahyung?”

“Wait, are you really going to use your sword right now?”

Lee Danhui glanced briefly at his juniors and frowned.

“I’m going to train.”

“Sorry? Train?”

His juniors stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re going to train in that condition?”

“So what?”

“No, your body’s practically falling apart!”

“I heard that even now, the training we’re doing is barely a third of what Mount Hua used to endure.”

“...Come on, that can’t be true.”

“It’s definitely just an exaggeration. No one could actually do that.”

Lee Danhui didn’t bother to argue. Whether it was true or exaggerated didn’t matter. What mattered was that if they kept doing only what they were told, they’d never reach Mount Hua’s level.

“So. You’re saying you won’t train?”

When Lee Danhui asked, everyone averted their eyes.

Of course they wanted to get stronger, but who in their right mind would want to train when they could barely move their arms and legs?

“...Fine.”

Lee Danhui said nothing more and walked away.

A few disciples left behind started to grumble belatedly.

“Sahyung really...”

“He’s got spirit, but isn’t that too much? What if he hurts himself like that?”

“It’s not something you can achieve overnight anyway.”

Their words hung awkwardly in the air, a strange mix of embarrassment and unease.

Then, one person stood up.

“Then I’ll go and train with him.”

“Saje?”

“Wait, why would you?”

“I can still move a bit. Guess my body’s unusually sturdy.”

“...”

“See you.”

As that one followed Lee Danhui outside, a few others quietly trailed after him.

The remaining disciples wore faint expressions of irritation mixed with shame.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Huff!”

With a harsh exhale, Lee Danhui’s sword sliced through the air.

‘Faster.’

His elders’ swordsmanship was never this slow.

Even thinking about the sword of their ancestors was enough to make him feel apologetic.

‘More!’

The sword of Diancang is swiftness (快). A thrust that stakes everything on extreme speed and penetration.

But the sword in his hands now felt unbearably slow. The blade that once seemed sharp enough to pierce even the sun, the essence of Sa-il—the “Piercing the Sun” technique was nowhere to be found.

At this rate, could he ever reach that level?

What tormented him wasn’t physical exhaustion, nor shame at being unable to match Mount Hua’s effort.

It was the fear that even after enduring all this training, his own inadequacy might cause Diancang’s legacy to be lost.

‘This can’t be all I’ve got! Faster! Even faster!’

He thrust, pierced, and struck again and again, countless times.

But the swordsmanship he sought only seemed to drift further away. The mounting pressure and frustration felt as though they would crush his chest completely.

Then—

“Um... I think you should loosen up a bit?”

“Who’s there!”

Lee Danhui instinctively swung his sword toward the direction of the voice.

Clang!

The tip of his sword was blocked by a slightly raised sheath. Lee Danhui bit his lip hard.

‘Pathetic...’

Watching another person’s training was considered taboo. But even so, swinging your sword at someone without warning couldn’t be justified.

It was nothing more than Lee Danhui’s momentary outburst, plain and simple.

“At Mount Hua, I guess it’s not a taboo to interfere with another sect’s training?”

Even knowing it was his own fault, the words that came out of Lee Danhui’s mouth were not reflection or apology but a barbed retort. As he bit the inside of his cheek in silent regret, a lazy reply came back.

“You can see it just fine yourself, so why act surprised?”

“...”

“More importantly, you should relax a bit.”

“What...?”

“How can your sword move fast when your body’s all stiff with tension? You’re just getting crushed under your own strength and choking on it.”

“What do you even know—!”

Lee Danhui bristled, ready to argue, but the curly-haired man standing before him spoke again with the same indifference.

“I may not know your sect’s techniques, but I do know a thing or two about swift swords.”

“What are you—”

Fwoosh!

In that instant, something hard brushed right past Lee Danhui’s cheek.

‘When...?!’

Lee Danhui’s eyes went wide. At some point, the curly-haired man’s sword had reached his face. The chill of the blade’s flat side sent a jolt through him, like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head.

‘Faster than sasuks... no, maybe even beyond them?!’

He had clearly seen that man’s sword was still sheathed. He was certain of it.

That meant the man had drawn and thrust his sword forward, all within a fraction of a heartbeat, so fast that Lee Danhui hadn’t even perceived it.

“Uh... how did you—”

“When you’re too full of the desire to move faster, your wrists and everything else just stiffen up. That only slows you down. So, well...”

The curly-haired man scratched his head, looking awkward.

The curly-haired man, mumbling to himself, ‘I almost never have to explain anything to anyone…’ suddenly let out an “Ah!” of realization.

“It’s like a whip.”

“...A whip?”

“A whip is the flabbiest kind of weapon, right?”

“Well... yes.”

“But the tip of a whip moves faster than a sword.”

Lee Danhui’s expression stiffened, and the curly-haired man continued.

“If a whip were made of steel, it wouldn’t be able to move that way. For example, a Ten-Section Staff is similar to a whip, but it could never reach the same speed.”

“Ah...”

“If you want to be faster, relax. Determination belongs in your mind, not your muscles.”

Lee Danhui, who had been listening silently, couldn’t help but ask,

“Who... are you?”

“Oh, me...”

The curly-haired man scratched his cheek again, a little embarrassed.

“I’m not anyone famous. I’m Jo Geol, the second-generation disciple of Mount Hua.”

“The One Sword Splitting Light?”

“....Huh? You know me?”

“Of course I do.”

The One Sword Splitting Light Jo Geol. One of Mount Hua’s Five Swords, renowned across the world. Among the younger generation, he was known as the fastest sword under heaven.

“Oh, that’s funny. Didn’t expect anyone to recognize me.”

Now that Lee Danhui knew his opponent was The One Sword Splitting Light, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished completely.

Of course, he still didn’t like Mount Hua’s swordsmen. He couldn’t, and shouldn’t, like them.

But he was here to learn from those very enemies.

“You said to relax?”

“Yes.”

“Your rank is higher, so please, speak comfortably.”

“Ah... if you insist. Haha.”

“But if I relax, my sword won’t go where I intend it to, will it? A directionless arrow is not what I’m aiming for.”

“Hmm. That’s not because you relaxed, it’s because your stance collapsed.”

“My stance...”

“When you relax, if your lower body wobbles, of course the strike won’t go straight. Here, try a thrust.”

“Like this—”

“Here.”

Jo Geol lightly tapped Lee Danhui’s knee with his own. His stance broke instantly, and he almost fell.

Lee Danhui straightened up quickly, face flushed.

“What are you—!”

“See? I barely nudged you, and you almost toppled over.”

“...”

“When I say relax, I mean don’t waste your strength. Put power where it’s needed, and let go where it’s not. That’s the essence of the swift sword.”

“Then... where should I put the strength?”

“How would I know that?”

Lee Danhui’s eyes filled with confusion.

“You don't know? What do you mean? Aren’t you supposed to be a master of the swift sword?”

“You already have Diancang’s sword. Haven’t you heard it countless times by now?”

Lee Danhui’s expression turned blank.

‘I’ve heard it countless times.’

Yes. He had. Countless times, from his master, from his sasuks.

Then why? Why hadn’t he truly remembered any of it?

Jo Geol shrugged.

“There’s no need to doubt. If you’re a disciple of a great sect, the path you need to walk is already engraved in your body. You just have to follow it.”

“...”

“Got it?”

After asking, Jo Geol muttered to himself,

“Ugh, my tone’s starting to sound like Cheong Myeong’s. How annoying.”

At that moment, Lee Danhui, lost in thought, spoke firmly.

“I’ll try it once more. Please watch me.”

“Huh? Me? From here on, you’ll probably be showing Diancang’s secret technique, so it might not be right for me to watch.”

“It doesn’t matter. Please watch me. If I can’t pass this on, then the secret will only be buried with me anyway.”

“...If you put it that way, then fine.”

Lee Danhui’s sword cut through the air. Watching seriously, Jo Geol, unusually for him, began to offer delicate corrections.

“Pay more attention to your grip.”

“Your wrist is still stiff. Loosen it up a bit.”

❀ ❀ ❀

Meanwhile, Baek Cheon, watching the entire scene from afar, spoke warmly.

“Heh heh. That brat Geol’s really grown up. This Sasuk is proud.”

“Sasuk.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Stop biting your nails. You’re bleeding.”

“...Am I?”

Baek Cheon pulled his trembling fingers away from his mouth.

“Try making your words match your actions.”

“W-well, aren’t you nervous too?”

“What’s the point in saying it out loud?”

After a brief silence, everyone shook their heads.

It was Jo Geol, after all. Jo Geol, teaching someone? Who would’ve imagined?

“But oddly enough, he’s actually teaching properly.”

“Accurate. Polite. Clean.”

“...He’d make a pretty good teacher, wouldn’t he?”

At that, Tang Soso tilted her head.

“Him?”

“Why? He seems incredibly kind.”

“...Sasuk, Sahyungs. Don’t you think your idea of ‘teaching’ has been permanently warped by Cheong Myeong Sahyung?”

“Huh?”

“If he’s your standard, then there probably isn’t a teacher alive who wouldn’t seem kind by comparison.”

“...Oh.”

Yoon Jong and Baek Cheon’s faces instantly twisted in realization. They hadn’t noticed it, but at some point, their standards for the world had completely shifted.

“Ugh... I should go purify myself or something.”

“You think a simple bath will cleanse you when even complete transformation (enlightenment) didn’t fix it?”

“Stop saying such depressing things.”

Everyone sighed deeply.

Meanwhile, they could see the disciples of Diancang quietly gathering around Lee Danhui and Jo Geol.

Baek Cheon let out a faint laugh.

‘Thank goodness.’

This was something neither he nor Cheong Myeong could do alone. To truly guide these people, they needed the help of their fellow disciples.

 “That crazy bastard. He’s teaching the swift swordsmanship all of a sudden. He doesn’t even realize that kid’s lower body’s still weak.”

“That’s not good. Stop him.”

“I’ll go... huh? Gwak Hoe’s already going.”

At some point, even Mount Hua’s disciples had begun to approach the Diancang group.

“...That guy, after freaking out and tearing at his hair for showing off by climbing the cliff in front of the Diancang disciples, he’s probably been hovering around them ever since out of guilt.”

“He’s softhearted, despite looking like that.”

The Five Swords all smiled quietly at the sight. Except for Yoo Iseol.

“No. That’s not the only reason.”

“Sago?”

“Just...”

Yoo Iseol’s lips twitched faintly.

“He can’t just stand by and watch. It reminds him of the past.”

Everyone nodded slowly in agreement.

‘There’s still some awkwardness between them. But time will fix that.’

The Mount Hua people weren’t the type to stay cold, and the Diancang disciples were desperate.

The very scene they had hoped for was now unfolding before their eyes. Baek Cheon scratched his cheek.

‘Was this how Cheong Myeong felt back then?’

Thinking of Cheong Myeong, Baek Cheon unconsciously extended his senses, and instantly went pale.

“W-where the hell did that bastard go now?”

“Who, Cheong Myeong? Probably sleeping on a rooftop somewhere.”

“It doesn’t seem like he’s anywhere in the sect.”

“...What?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the mountain gate. More precisely, toward the open gate and the road stretching beyond it, leading toward Huayin.

“Heh. He’s escaped again.”

“Ugh...”

Baek Cheon clutched his head.

“...Please, just don’t cause any trouble this time.”

Of course, the odds of that wish coming true were next to zero. But still, he prayed.

Next Chapter

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