“But…”
“Hm?”
Un Geom lowered his head and looked at the kid walking next to him.
‘He seems pretty fierce.’
People placed in new environments tend to be meek. It is normal to get scared when in an unfamiliar place like Mount Hua. This is especially true for someone at such a young age, but he couldn’t find that in this child.
The fast walk showed the kid’s annoyance, not fear.
Un Geom looked at him with strange eyes. When Chung Myung suddenly asked.
“When did that place called the White Plum Blossom Boarding House come into existence?”
“What are you curious about?”
“I heard that teaching is done by taking a disciple under a master, as well as lodging with them during the process.”
“Hmm.”
“It was a little strange to see everyone gathered at one place.”
Un Geom frowned at the comment.
‘He is stabbing at a sore spot.’
Traditionally what the child said was right. A newly introduced child would be taken under a master and that man would instruct the disciple about Mount Hua.
That is why Mount Hua was known to be the most dignified sect.
The reason this teaching method was broken was because of the decline of Mount hua.
“Nothing much. We just thought it would be more efficient.”
“Then does teacher also stay back in the White Plum Blossom Boarding House?”
“… no.”
Chung Myung nodded his head at which Un Geom frowned.
‘A strange kid.’
Such an answer wouldn’t satisfy the curiosity of a kid. However, this one nodded his head as if he understood… no, more like, he didn’t care.
And Un Geom wasn’t sure what the kid was thinking.
Basically, everyone who enters Mount Hua is sent to the same dorms. In other words, it was to make the newcomers be aware of Mount Hua’s teachings under Un Geom, who handled them.
He had seen quite an array of children but never such a strange kid. What should he do? He couldn’t just explain the sob story to a kid, right?
‘An interesting kid seems to have come in.’
While Un Geom was slowly analyzing him, Chung Myung had different thoughts.
‘They ran away.’
He could barely comprehend this situation.
Looking around at the entire Mount Hua, he could see at a glance how absurd the situation of this place was. Considering how he should have left behind at least three disciples during his time.
If even only three people stayed back Mount Hua wouldn’t have turned into this…
‘This means many people abandoned Mount Hua.’
The number of people couldn’t have decreased in an instant.
But it was a sinking ship. And once one person walks out, the others would soon follow.
Assuming it is okay for those masters who didn’t have any disciples they are responsible for to leave. What could the disciples with nowhere to go do if their masters who were supposed to teach them leave the sect? There was a limit to what another master could handle.
As a result, a situation would come out where there aren’t nearly enough people to teach.
“Tch.”
Chung Myung lost his appetite.
‘What to do?’
The current situation is nothing to criticize. Chung Myung was a pragmatist in the past, and unlike now, he had been quite closed off. Delivering results was more important than sticking to tradition.
If these people made Mount Hua survive by creating the new dorms, then it was overall a good thing. He felt a bit bitter, but…
‘The hearts of the children who had to make up the new dorms must have been torn.’
It was depressing as he could guess exactly how they had felt.
‘No. I don’t have the time to think like this.’
Enough of being depressed for others. What Chung Myung had to do was to not be swayed by emotions, but to remake Mount Hua the same great place it had been in the past.
Three halls unfolded in front him. A high pedestal at the top of the large vacant lot and small kids taking their place.
“Huh?”
Chung Myung titled his head.
The number of disciples was much lower than expected. Compared to the past where the ground was filled, only a handful of them were here.
“Sword!”
“Tahha!”
With the command, the swords were used and pointed ahead.
‘Oh?’
Chung Myung who looked at it wondered. Mount Hua was a liberal sect. Although it had been criticized for having a strong secular nature, they didn’t follow the martial teachings blindly. It was because they didn’t like considering the martial arts to be something to force and discipline the kids.
Thanks to that, the training hall was never actually full of disciples. Yet, it was constantly overflowing with willed people.
‘This is interesting.’
It was certainly interesting to see more than a hundred people learning the same swordsmanship.
Even Chung Myung had never gone through such type of training, except for the time when Sahyung would teach the Seven Star Sword Technique.
“To the back!”
Slash!
The sounds of a hundred swords moving at once.
Seeing that, Chung Myung exclaimed.
“Wow…”
“Isn’t it nice?”
“…”
Un Geom asked with a smile.
“No need to be shocked. If you practice hard, you will soon become like them.”
“… yes.”
Chung Myung’s answer was rather bland considering how he exclaimed a moment back.
Of course, Chung Myung’s comment had a different meaning than Un Geom assumed.
‘What are they doing?’
The further the training progressed, the more his eyes narrowed.
“Ahead!”
The children took a step ahead and then stabbed. It wasn’t swordsmanship which kids should be taught.
“That…”
“Huh?”
“What kind of sword technique is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah… the swordsmanship.”
Un Geom, who understood the question, nodded his head and answered.
“The swordsmanship which they are practicing now is the Equilibrium Sword.”
“Equilibrium Sword?”
“Yes. To be precise. It is called Equilibrium of Six Sword. A sword technique which was handed down from Mount Hua’s strongest swordsmanship masters. It is the sword technique which is the basis of everything.”
“…”
“It might not be easy to learn, but if you put in effort you will surely see results. Make sure you go and stand at the back. It will be awkward for your first time, but think of it as a learning and observation period. Detailed instructions will be done within a week.”
Chung Myung walked to the back with a dull face.
‘He must have been frightened.’
Seeing that, Un Geom frowned.
‘Kids have no ambition these days.’
Right…
He glanced at the kid again.
It was strange that the kid didn’t seem frightened by holding a real sword. Even fearless kids would tremble a little when they see themselves holding a real sword.
However, Un Geom thought that it would be better to not expect too much from this child.
Meanwhile, Chung Myung who was standing at the back had a completely different line of thoughts.
‘What the hell are these crazy people even doing?’
Practical?
Learning this?
Sigh, this is knee deep shit!
This was an introduction to martial arts?
Introduction is meant to give the basics to the kids who were nothing more than blank sheets of paper.
What would happen if they decided to teach some children three thousand characters instead of basic alphabets?
Sure, the kids would be able to know the characters by heart, but would they be able to understand the meaning behind them? Of course not!
This was going to ruin the kids.
‘What good will this do?’
These people were in a hurry, so they used this shortcut method. But this was too ridiculous. What these kids were doing wasn’t that great.
But!
“It’s plausible enough to teach.”
“Eh?”
“Hm?
Chung Myung said his thoughts out loud, making all of them turn and look at him. Chung Myung who noticed it quickly shook his head, yet all the kids still looked at him suspiciously.
At that moment, the great disciple standing on the podium shouted.
“During training why are your eyes looking elsewhere!?”
“So-sorry!”
“Look ahead kids!”
“Shit.”
“Ugh.”
Children made sick noises and took their stances back up, placing their swords into pose again. Seeing that Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
It was then that the great disciple looked at Chung Myung
“You?”
“Yes?”
“Why aren’t you doing it?”
“Because I don’t know?”
“…”
“…”
The great disciple rolled his eyes and nodded his head, focusing his attention back on the group of children.
“continue. Back!”
And the command fell.
Chung Myung looked up at the sky as he watched all this. The sky was blue.
Clear without a single cloud. It was like seeing the future of Mount Hua…nothing.
‘How can I change this?’
He had a deep and long future ahead, where he will have to travel an incredibly rough road. A path only exacerbated by the fact he is alone.
Such was also the future of Mount Hua.
No money. No people. The martial arts is a mess. Changing Mount Hua is more troubling than anything.
“Sigh…”
It was then that a sharp voice rang.
“Hey.”
“… huh?”
“New here?”
“…”
To instantly recognize a new member, how weak was the current sect?
“So?”
“I’ll see you later. Don’t you leave.”
Chun Myung lost his appetite for the second time.
“Okay. But let me ask you one thing.”
“Have you lost it? Don’t you understand what I am hinting at here?”
“Fine. Just answer me and I’ll do whatever you want.”
“What is it?”
“What else are you learning here besides this?”
“This?”
“Equilibrium of Six or something.”
“After learning this, it will be the Seven Sages Sword. After that we will graduate from the White Plum Blossom and learn the Lesser Qing Sword technique.”
“Qing Sword?”
“Yes. After that we will be able to learn the Taiyi Flummox Sword technique.”
“… Taiyi Flummox Sword technique?”
“Right”
“Taiyi Flummox!”
Chung Myung was shocked.
No.
It couldn’t be.
No way!
“Hey. One more question.”
“What?”
“What happened to the Twenty-Four Movement Plum Blossom Sword technique?”
“… what is that?”
“The Twenty-Four Movement Plum Blossom Sword technique! It’s a technique of Mount Hua!”
The child frowned as he responded.
“What is that? Mount Hua doesn’t have that sword technique.”
“… Huh?”
“It’s my first time hearing about it.”
“Ugh.”
It was strange.
“No technique called the Twenty-Four Movement Plum Blossom Sword? And people need to learn this one?”
Chung Myung’s eyes were blooming.
-leader. This Taiyi Flummox Sword is too weak in power. At this point, I don’t think removing it entirely from our teachings would even cause any rift. What do you think?
-It is a sword technique that cannot be used. Let’s just let it go…
-Still, the ancestors left it behind for…
-Are we going to teach the kids a technique which they wouldn’t use and is a complete waste of their time?
-Hm… you’re right. Let’s throw it away.
‘Sahyung!’
These kids were learning that.
Mount Hua is bound to die if it continues like this. Looks like it would fall before he could even have the chance to rebuild it.
“Who is talking again!? You people! Come out here right now.”
“Ah, sit. I’ll see you later! I mean it!”
“…”
A huge vein sprang up on Chung Myung’s forehead.