Don’t worry! I’ll make you win!

The power of the Eunha Merchant Guild was genuinely shocking.

The people of the Eunha Guild showed that they could stabilize and overhaul the Hua-Um businesses within a short few days. A feat that Mount Hua was unable to do despite using all their disciples.

Thanks to that, a buddha-like smile wouldn't leave Hyun Young's face as he strolled around.

Most of the time, that smiling face would lead to…

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Sasuk."

"Good, good."

Hyun Young patted Chung Myung's hair with a loving smile more benevolent than anyone else. Honey seemed to drip from his eyes.

"Eat a lot. Eat a lot and go somewhere else to earn more good things."

"…. What?"

"No, I mean, raise Mount Hua's reputation."

"…"

The third-class disciples were all stunned in shock. Hyun Young, who was normally like a venomous serpent, laughed and stroked someone's hair.

Chung Myung felt like a sacrificial lamb being fed before the date of its killing.

'I feel like I'm being trained indirectly.'

Hyun Jong and now even Hyun Young were all smiles. They were so happy that youthful black hair had begun sprouting under the years of gray!

'They must be quite old.'

Although they looked young for their age, considering that they were distinguished martial artists, they still seemed far too worn and withered. Those who had suffered so much during the prime of their lives now had a massive burden lifted off their shoulders.

Hua-Um settled down, and the elders regained their laughter.

Time began to flow like water.

The disciples of Mount Hua also embraced the flow of time, feeling the stability that came to Mount Hua for the first time in decades.

And while everyone was enjoying such a peaceful life, the third-class disciples were dying.

"Ahhhhh!"

"Oh, myyyyyyy God!"

The third-class disciples, carrying stones the size of a human body, moved their tired bodies as sweat poured like rain from them. And did push-ups with all kinds of screams.

"Ackkkkk!"

"M-My waist…"

However, there was one thing that was different. The swearing, which used to be directed at Chun Myung, has been replaced with cries of agony.

"I am dying!"

"You won't die. You made it this far without dying. Straighten your back!"

"No, I am really going to die…!"

"You just have to do it two more times. Now, this is the last one. Once more! Okay! This is the last one!"

"Acck!"

With another push-up somehow completed, one of the disciples gasped and cried.

"A-Are we going to die like this?"

"You aren't going to die. Nobody has died yet."

"… Ack."

At first, they just started their training because Chung Myung asked them to…well, more like forced them to. They started this training to avoid missing their meals or being beaten.

However, after repeating this for several months, they realized something.

'This works.'

No, it's not enough to say it works. To be precise, it changed everything. At first, they could only endure this training because of the pill Chung Myung gave them, but now they could feel the effects of their training all throughout their bodies.

First, their lower body was rigid and stable; their swords would no longer waver. Also, their stamina had gone up, and their entire body felt alive and energetic.

Even though they were previously unmotivated, they all had a martial artist's spirit at the end of the day. Weren't martial artists the sort of people who would become motivated once they recognized their own growth? They wouldn't even hesitate to chew a living snake if it meant improving themselves.

Who would complain if all it took to improve their condition was simply lifting some stones?

The screaming voices increased as the training carried on, and over time the disciples, who used to carry bags of sand, were now lifting heavy stones.

The most notable of which was Jo Gul.

"Ahhhh!"

Jo Gul lifted a rock twice as large as the others. Seeing that, everyone bit their tongues.

"Is he doing this without using internal qi?"

"Seems like it."

The way they spoke changed. It was only a few months, but they had all grown a bit taller, and their shoulders widened.

Jo Gul had changed so much that people would blink twice before recognizing him. He used to be on the smaller end of the third-class disciples but was now taller with a solid muscular frame.

Yoon Jong looked at the shocked disciples and smiled.

'It's a strange thing.'

When they first started training, Yoon Jong held a lot of worries within his chest.

Basically, Mount Hua's sword is a swift one. Mount Hua's sword style was to pressure the opponent through myriad changes based on the speed and tempo of the user.

That's why Yoon Jong initially thought this training method, of simply increasing strength, would interfere with Mount Hua's sword arts.

Somehow, their swords seemed twice as sharp since their training began to bear results.

Thanks to that, they achieved a new level of understanding of the sword arts they had been taught.

Viewing their swordsmanship in a different light, they were now learning the Falling Flower Sword.

It was a little tricky, but Yoon Jong was more than satisfied with it.

The Falling Flower Sword and Seven Star Step differed from what they learned before. The deeper they delved, the more mysterious the techniques seemed. They were martial arts which convinced them that they would become stronger once they mastered them.

So, they were all excited.

'One more!'

"Uhhhhh!"

"Acckkkkkk!"

"Wow, your bodies are getting so big that your swords seem like chopsticks!"

"Hehe. Please! Bring me another sandbag!"

Yoon Jong couldn't help but feel like the disciples of Mount Hua were becoming more like a den of bandits.

It was indelible to see the fragile disciples gradually turning into hulking muscular beasts.

"Sahyung. It's time to eat!"

"Yes."

In the past, everyone looked forward to the end of the training, but now they each set their own training plans and push themselves harder, often training overtime on their own.

It was Yoon Jong's role to manage their plans so that the disciples wouldn't be overtrained.

"Now, let's head inside. We should wash up, eat, and get ready for morning practice too."

"Yes, Sahyung."

"First, finish what you were doing."

"Um, yes."

Yoon Jong was looking around and glanced at Jo Gul.

"But where is Chung Myung?"

"He hasn't been coming to training much lately, right?"

"Yes."

Since the third-class disciples became more motivated to train by themselves, Chung Myung didn't join in with them as often.

"It's not like he is sleeping either; he wakes up before anyone else. So where is he even going?"

"How could we even know? Actually, isn't Chung Myung the busiest person in Mount Hua right now?"

"… Yeah."

It was true.

After a series of events, Mount Hua was revived. Visitors, who had never come to Mount Hua before, began to frequent the sect, and the businesses recovered from Hua-Um had been re-integrated, so the sect was steadily earning money.

Following that, Mount Hua itself was even being renovated, with maintenance laborers also coming and going constantly.

In the meantime, Chung Myung was moving back and forth between the Eunha Guild and Mount Hua.

"Sahyung."

"Hm?"

"How strong do you think we are?"

"Well."

Yoon Jong tilted his head.

Strength is relative. In order to know how strong they were now, they had to understand their past strength. But they didn't really have a standard to measure by.

They only knew that they had gotten stronger, but it was difficult to judge how strong they became since they were all growing together.

"Wouldn't I be at least twice as strong as my past self?"

"Only twice as strong?"

"I don't know. It's a bit abstract. What's certain is that I'm confident that I could defeat at least three of my former self."

"That isn't enough."

"Huh?"

"You know. The conference is coming up."

At that, Yoon Jong frowned.

"Yes."

"We need to get much stronger."

"… right."

Yoon Jong smiled bitterly.

"Let's ask Chung Myung to give us some new training."

Jo Gul resolutely nodded with a sullen expression.

"What do I do now?"

Chung Myung headed towards the mountain's peak. To become strong, he had to train.

Chung Myung had achieved perfect synchronization between his body and sword in the past. With the memories of his former life, he was able to somewhat reach similar results with his current body, but he hadn't been able to accomplish perfect body and sword unification like he had in the past.

There was no shortcut here. He must constantly swing his sword to resolve the dissonance felt between body, mind, and sword.

However, the problem was that Chung Myung couldn't do this in front of others. If he were to train properly in front of others, their entire worldview would be flipped upside-down, and it would draw unnecessary attention to himself.

"Yep, I would rather die than suffer!"

So, he chose to practice in a location beyond the prying eyes of others.

These days, Chung Myung climbs the mountain at dawn, swings his sword on the peak, and then comes down.

'How am I supposed to do this?'

There was no problem climbing the mountain; the problem was that it wasted a lot of time.

'I don't have enough time to spend like this.'

He had to keep an eye on the third-class disciples, manage the businesses down in Hua-Um together with the Eunha Guild, and gently appease the sect's elders, who sometimes act strangely.

But more importantly, he was sure of one thing.

'I don't have the time to relax.'

If he was given 100 years, then Chung Myung would someday enter the realm of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint and naturally become stronger than his past self. As Chung Myung gets stronger, Mount Hua will naturally get stronger too.

But the world isn't such an easy place.

There are bound to be people who will target Mount Hua; they will do anything to become stronger even without a specific goal in mind. Because a sect that flourishes will be seen as competition to be stifled and snuffed out.

Somewhere down the line, interference will appear, and people will come to pick a fight.

What if he takes his sweet time to train and ends up encountering an enemy he can't defeat?

Besides, doesn't Mount Hua already have a lot of enemies?

Chung Myung shook his head.

'I need to get stronger as soon as possible. I can only handle so much.'

Chung Myung couldn't afford to neglect his training. He had to climb as quickly as he could. Lying and waiting wouldn't make him stronger; he would have to clench his teeth and work hard….

"Huh?"

Chung Myung narrowed his eyes.

Someone was here.

An uninvited guest appeared at the location Chung Myung had trained for the past month.

'Who would be here at this time…?'

He cautiously approached the peak and peered at the figure that was wielding their sword in the moonlight.

The tip of the sword drew a smooth line through the night sky.

Soft but powerful. Flashy but elegant.

The sword which rose from the ground embroidered the sky and slowly descended like falling flower petals.

An elegant sword dance.

It was a dark dawn before the sun had even begun to rise. A woman was performing a sword dance under the moonlit night sky.

Her white robe, ebony hair, and silver sword shone in the moonlight.

"Like a moon under a moon…."

Chung Myung was engrossed in her dance.

The mysterious woman's sword appeared to melt into the moonlight.

Fragile, yet unshakable. The sword seemed like a Plum Blossom. Right. The old sword of Mount Hua.

Chung Myung fell into a bizarre state of fascination.

The ancient sword arts of Mount Hua, which he thought he would never see in this era, were unfolding in front of him.

It wasn't a question of what swordsmanship they chose to master; it was a question of what it meant to wield the sword at all.

Yes, like…

"Who's there!?"

A sharp voice interrupted his concentration as the woman rushed toward him.

'Huh?'

The woman quickly appeared in front of Chung Myung and sharply stabbed her sword.

"Uh?"

A fierce sword lightly touched Chung Myung's neck.

Chung Myung sighed lightly, staring blankly at the sword on his neck.

'I would be better off dead!'

How could he let a child catch him off guard? His reputation as the Plum Blossom Sword Saint is over.

"Who are you? I don't remember seeing someone like you here before?"

'That's what I want to say!'

Who the hell is this woman?

The woman stared at Chung Myung with cold eyes.

In the meantime, Chung Myung managed to understand a couple things about the person before him.

First, this woman belonged to Mount Hua.

She had Mount Hua's pattern engraved on the chest of her uniform to prove it. Only the disciples of Mount Hua could wear this.

Second.

'Tch. Any man would be mesmerized by her.'

She is pretty.

In his previous life, Chung Myung had been all around the world. To remain un-swayed by mortal pleasures and always maintain a stable mind was what the Dao was all about. However, it was impossible for Chung Myung, who was famous for being a delinquent master of Mount Hua, to remain stuck in one city for very long.

It had been the same before he rose to fame. He was someone who would hit the people from the other sects constantly.

After that, he struggled very hard to raise the reputation of Mount Hua through a cooperative effort and beat up everyone who tried to cheat him or Mount Hua.

Right. Even in the old days, he proved that Mount Hua's sword was the best in the world by defeating the masters from all the famous sects.

Of course, it wasn't intentional.

'They always started it.'

It wasn't Chung Myung's duty to develop Mount Hua's reputation. That was the role left to the elders of the sect. However, the role somehow became linked to Chung Myung and his Sahyung. Thanks to that, Chung Myung was dragged around all over the place.

Even then, he had rarely witnessed a woman as beautiful as this mysterious disciple in front of him. Although, there was a feeling like a flower that hadn't yet fully bloomed, making him wonder how it would look when it finally blooms someday.

Ebony hair, eyebrows, pure white skin, and perfectly clear, large eyes were impressive.

If Chung Myung had been a child with no experience, he might have been overwhelmed by this beauty by now.

The problem was that Chung Myung was an old man who suffered and saw too much of this world to be swayed by mere beauty.

"Who are you?"

"A human."

"…"

The sword moved closer to his throat.

Ah! Shit! She doesn't know how to joke!

"Mount Hua's uniform."

Her gaze fell on the chest of Chung Myung as he spoke.

"I don't remember seeing your face. Who are you?"

"It's my first time seeing you here too."

The woman narrowed her eyes.

"A third-class disciple?"

"Yes."

"Third-class disciples aren't allowed to go outside the sect gate after sunset."

"I'm exempt from that rule."

"… What?"

"The sect leader gave me permission."

Chung Myung's brazen retort added a chill to the woman's face.

"The sect leader?"

"Yes."

"To a third-class disciple?"

"Yes."

"A lie."

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders without answering.

"Go and confirm it yourself. Do you think that a disciple of Mount Hua would lie using the sect leader's name?"

The woman's eyes slightly shook. She seemed to believe there was some truth in those words.

"So put this sword away first. It might hurt someone."

"…"

The woman lowered her sword. She couldn't confirm if Chung Myung's words were genuine or not, but she couldn't continue to threaten him after he used the sect leader's name.

But

"It's wrong to watch other people's training."

"This is where I regularly trained until yesterday, but then someone I don't know suddenly appeared. If I can't investigate and determine who they are, then what do you think I should do?"

"You should have come out the moment you noticed someone."

"A stranger I've never seen before suddenly appears near Mount Hua, and you want me to reveal myself without determining their intentions?"

The woman gently bit her lip. Her white face turned a slight shade of red; it seemed like she couldn't argue back.

'She isn't very good with words.'

Her sword was sharp, but not her tongue, apparently. With a face like that, she likely didn't get dragged into many fights.

'Such a disgusting world.'

Good-looking people live such comfortable lives.

"What is your name?"

"Chung Myung."

"You received a name from the sect?"

"No. My name is Chung Myung."

"… a third-class disciple needs to have Chung attached. But it isn't a sect name; it's your own name?"

"Yes. Even if the sect gives me a name, I will keep it as Chung Myung."

"Ah…"

Shit. This woman was dumb.

"I am Yu Yiseol."

"Okay."

Yu Yiseol stared at Chung Myung without saying a word.

"What is it?"

"I'm a second-class disciple, I am Baek, and I am your senior."

Huh?

Chung Myung titled his head.

'There were people of Baek?'

No, of course there were. Mount Hua names each generation of disciples as such: Chung, Myung, Hyung, Un, Baek.

It was natural for someone to have the title of Baek. Then, the next title after Baek would return to Chung, like a circle.

In other words, it was normal for there to be disciples who were named Baek after the seniors named Un.

'I just didn't see any of them, so I forgot about it.'

The naming is done right away based on their age since problems can arise if there are age differences among the disciples. Therefore, depending on circumstances, sometimes a name gets skipped too.

Since Mount Hua's situation was so complex, he thought that a couple names were skipped, but there was someone with Baek?

"It is the first time I'm hearing about this."

"You are the youngest of Mount Hua, right?"

"Yes, right."

"Didn't your sahyungs tell you?"

"Uh… well…"

There was no way that his sahyungs, whom he constantly bossed around, would ever volunteer such information to him.

'It's my fault.'

Chung Myung, who was easily convinced, nodded his head.

"There must have been some misunderstanding. What could be done?"

Someone with the Baek name appeared. From Chung Myung's point of view, a few more pieces were added to Mount Hua's board.

"Is that the end?"

"What?"

"What about your greeting?"

Chung Myung's face contorted.

'I don't get it. What is this brat saying in front of this old man!?'

Being young is a sin! It really is a horrible sin!

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

Chung Myung roughly greeted her with a voice holding no emotion.

'Go away now.'

He had to train, too. He didn't want to waste the day just because someone else occupied his training place! The sun was about to rise too!

"… what a weird kid."

Who?

'Me?'

Yu Yiseol started at Chung Myung and spoke with a chilly voice.

"I am going to check with the sect leader to see if what you are saying is the truth. If you lied, you had better be prepared for the consequences."

Chung Myung replied.

"By all means, go."

"…"

Yu Yiseol started at Chung Myung without a word for a long time and slightly shook her head.

"Really weird."

"…"

Chung Myung wanted to spit those words back at her.

With her sword sheathed, the girl glanced once more at Chung Myung and began to descend. As her figure disappeared in the distance, Chung Myung sighed as he gazed at the rising sun.

"Ah, my fate."

Being treated like a child was horrible.

"And my training time is also over!"

He could still train if he wanted to, but his mind was going through so many questions he was certain that it would only be a waste of time.

'Whenever I train, it ends up like this. So much time is wasted just going up and down the mountain.'

Chung Myung bit his lip.

Maybe it was time to find another training ground?

"What's with this atmosphere?"

Chung Myung tilted his head as he looked at the disciples having their meal.

It was the first time after Chung Myung thoroughly beat everyone that such a dark and gloomy air lingered about. He never thought he would have to see this, which was why he was confused.

"You're here?"

Yoon Jong waved to him and called him over.

Chung Myung took his meal and went to the table where Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were seated and asked as soon as he sat down.

"What's with this mood?"

"… our seniors are back."

"The Baek bastards?"

"Oh? You know them?"

"…"

Chung Myung had lived his whole life in Mount Hua, you idiot!

"Anyway, so what? What's wrong with them coming back?"

"First of all, don't call the Baek disciples' Baek.' It'll get complicated if they hear you say that. we might be scolded too."

"Me? Or you?"

"… Ah, I need to think about that."

Yoon Jong had a wry smile.

"The seniors have been in closed-door training away from Mount Hua. In the past, their training centers weren't well maintained, so they couldn't do any large-scale closed-door training here."

"So, they went to another sect to train?'

"… not exactly. I don't think they went just anywhere."

"Anyway, so what? What about them is making these kids so gloomy? Do they have bad personalities? Do they bully and beat the other disciples?"

"Unlike someone else, the seniors don't beat us."

"I wonder who that 'someone else' you're referring to is."

"… Let's move on."

Yoon Jong was flustered when Chung Myung called him out, but Jo Gul quickly took the lead to change the subject.

"It's because of the conference."

"What? Isn't a conference just for meetings?"

"No, this is the Mount Hua and the Southern Edge Sect's conference."

"What's that?"

Jo Gul sighed.

"Once in a while, both the sects come together. Now, we have a competition every two years to compare each sect's achievements against one another."

"Ah, I feel like I heard about this somewhere…. When did this start?"

"Don't know. I know that it's been happening for a long time."

Yoon Jong said,

"I heard that the first conference was organized to occur once every five years. Back then, the goal was to foster friendship between both sects. That changed little by little over time, and it's now become an event where the second and third-class disciples get together and compete in the name of their sects."

"Compete?"

"Don't say it's to compete…."

The answer came from elsewhere.

"It's called being beaten one-sidedly."

"Even now, where I got hit still hurts."

"How can we survive again this time? After seeing what happened, even the seniors went to train for our sake. This is so crazy."

Looking around, Chung Myung sighed.

"Ah. Since the elders fighting would cause trouble, they push the fighting onto the second and third-class disciples? And we have been beaten all this time?"

"Right. To avoid repeat suffering of our past humiliation, the seniors went into closed room training and only just got back. In other words, the time of the conference is drawing near."

"Is that so?'

Chung Myung's lips curled into a smile.

"Well, we're going to compete with the Southern Edge sect, huh?"

The Southern Edge sect?

That one?

Whether he wanted to or not, each situation lately only made Chung Myung hate the Southern Edge Sect more.

In the past, there was a bit of pity, but after knowing that they copied Mount Hua's sword technique, Chung Myung couldn't even sleep in peace!

"Competition…"

In the past, such things never happened.

At that time, Mount Hua was the best, and the Southern Edge Sect wasn't great, so such things didn't happen.

But now that Mount Hua was weak, were those bastards trying to use these claims of friendship to promote their strength?

It wasn't even funny to hear.

'A friendly meeting with Mount Hua?'

Chung Myung's eyes shone.

No matter how lame Mount Hua is now, it was Chung Myung's child. Only he had the right to destroy it, not some other sect.

"And those second-class bastards!"

"Chung Myung, please. They are seniors; just call them seniors. Please."

"Fine. Then those senior bastards!"

"…"

"Are they sure they can win?"

"… that's a bit…."

Yoon Jong couldn't readily answer. Closed-room training was meant to focus on the parts that a disciple lacked, but it was difficult to guarantee how strong they had gotten. Also, despite their achievements, winning still seemed like a distant dream.

"Then."

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

"Then we need to win!"

"What?"

"Sahyungs! Are you ready to do anything to win? Even take poison!? Or break your limbs and bodies!? If you can do something to beat those bastards and make a name for Mount Hua, you are all prepared to die, right!"

No, that doesn't sound right…

Wasn't Chung Myung pushing it too far?

"Don't worry! I'll make you win! I'll turn you all into the best!"

Well, this man never really followed the path of Dao.

'Just go to the Green Forest Mountain and turn into one of their bandits already. Why is he even here?'

Well, this is a mountain too.

Haha.

Hahahah!

----

"The second-class disciples are coming back."

"Hmm."

Hyung Jong sighed heavily.

It was good to hear that the children who left for closed room training were returning, but it was unpleasant to think about what would happen soon afterward.

"How far away are they?"

"Some seem to have already reached Hua-Um village, and some are yet to arrive."

"I see."

Hyun Jong raised his head and looked at Un Am.

"Sect leader."

"Speak."

"Why was the conference being held so soon? Wasn't it originally scheduled to be held in half a year?"

"The Southern Edge Sect sent us a letter requesting it. This time they wanted to hold it earlier."

"Can't we ask them to postpone it?"

"That'll be difficult."

Un Am sighed.

"Mount Hua is in high spirits right now. Everything is going well, and we can live without worrying about food or our stability. Everyone is smiling brightly. Compared to a few months ago, it's a remarkable change."

"Yes."

Hyun Jong agreed.

The most significant difference was that Mount Hua was full of energy now.

Those who once lived without knowing what tomorrow would bring finally saw the faintest glimmer of hope. The children's smiling faces brought warmth to the hearts of the sect leader and other elders.

"But, we are still a martial arts sect."

"Yes."

"We did recently rediscover some of our lost martial arts from the books that were found, but it isn't yet the time to see results."

Hyun Jong nodded without saying anything. What Un Am was saying was correct.

Mount Hua could overwhelm the Southern Edge Sect in the past, but now Mount Hua wasn't great. Only recently did they find their lost martial arts and gain new hope.

'That too, just a small glimmer of hope.'

They had a long way to go.

Now, they were able to survive and solve their financial woes. However, to regain their former fame and glory, they would need to regain their former martial might.

But could martial arts be learned overnight?

Absolutely not.

"If the conference ends in the same result as before, I'm worried that the disciples will lose their newfound hope and turn into defeatists with no motivation."

"Un Am."

"… yes. Sect leader."

"Do you think I don't know that?"

Hyun Jong shook his head and continued.

"Would avoiding it or pushing it away make any difference? If we avoid it, will it quell the disciples' doubts and produce positive results? This would have to happen one way or the other. If I ask to postpone it, then wouldn't the disciples believe that their own sect leader lacks faith in them?"

"That…"

Un Am bowed his head.

"There is no shame in losing. If you lose despite your best efforts, it is unavoidable. They will simply have to work harder next time. But delaying the conference to avoid a loss is something we should never do."

"I was short-sighted, sect leader."

"I fully understand your concern. But… it would be difficult to postpone this conference for many reasons."

Un Am sighed.

'I ended up saying something useless and disturbed the sect leader's mind.'

In such times, Un Am always wanted to be of help to the sect leader.

"Really, wouldn't it be nice if the second-class disciples can achieve good results?"

"Right."

Both Un Am and Hyun Jong knew that wasn't an easy task.

The Southern Edge Sect was once under their feet, but now the gap between the two sects is unimaginably wide. The weight of being second-class disciples from the Southern Edge Sect compared to those of Mount Hua was as different as a large boulder compared to a feather.

The disciples did their best during closed-door training but winning would be difficult.

'At least, it would be nice if they don't fall too easily.'

Hyun Jong's heavy heart sank.

"Un Am."

"Yes."

"These children are returning after a long period of hard work. Make sure to prepare some good food and alcohol."

"But…"

"It'll be okay for the children to have one day of rest after all their training. Shouldn't those children also get to experience how Mount Hua's circumstances have changed?"

"That is true. I will prepare them without fail."

"Okay."

"I will leave then."

Un Am got up and was ready to leave.

As Un Am left the room, Hyun Jong quietly got up and opened the window. Looking out, he sighed.

'The Southern Edge sect.'

It was like a thorn was stuck in his heart. He took a breath and hoped that thorn would be cut off before it pierced in further.

"It is difficult. Difficult."

The Winter was long, and Mount Hua's spring still seemed far away.

"We can win?"

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul gathered in Chung Myung's room.

If someone else had said something like this, they would have ignored it, but Chung Myung's words held a different weight to them.

Both Yoon Jong and Jo Gul knew. Chung Myung would never speak in vain. No matter how absurd it was, he accomplished the things he said he would.

"We?"

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, looked at the two, and answered.

"Not now."

"Huh? Even if we are this strong?"

"Sahyungs have gotten stronger."

"Huh?"

Chung Myung raised his thumb and index with a minuscule gap between them and said,

"About this much?"

"…"

"…"

"Ah. Joking. It isn't that much."

"I knew it!"

"Of course."

Chung Myung doubled the size of the small gap from before.

"About this much."

"…"

"…"

Jo Gul's face, which turned red, unable to hold it, yelled.

"Hey! We've been pushing ourselves to the verge of death to change so much. Does it make sense to say we only grew that much!? I can feel it in my body!"

"It's only been a few months since you all started, and you were already on the verge of death?"

"No, but we are definitely stronger than before…."

"Even if an acorn grew three times in size, would it compare to a full-grown tree?"

"Tch."

Chung Myung made an honest evaluation.

The growth of the third-class disciples was terrifying. Growing at this rate was something Chung Myung never expected. They were forced into this training and still managed to achieve great results. Imagine what kind of growth they would have if they trained whole-heartedly!

But…

'They aren't there yet.'

Compared to the third-class disciples of the past, these guys had a long way to go. But the Southern Edge Sect was the same as before.

Mount Hua may have lorded over the Southern Edge Sect in the past, but their skills had waned compared to their days of glory. On the other hand, the Southern Edge Sect hadn't changed. Even if their abilities were similar to the past, it was still too much for Mount Hua. Even defeating a third-class disciple would prove problematic in the coming conference.

'But maybe these two?'

As for Jo Gul, it seemed like he would have a chance to win. Yoon Jong needs to be a bit more refined.

Only two of the third-class disciples. Still, this was good.

"Then, how do we win?"

"It will be fine."

Yoon Jong frowned.

"The conference will begin in just a few days. If we couldn't win after months of training, what could we possibly do to catch up before they get here?"

"Which is why I asked."

"… asked what?"

Chung Myung chuckled.

"If you are prepared to die."

"…"

No, that…

"Did you hear what you said?"

"Does that matter? What's important is if you are prepared."

"No…"

The moment Jo Gul was about to say something, Yoon Jong interrupted him and said,

"I am resolute."

"Sahyung!"

Jo Gul raised his voice, but Yoon Jong didn't even look in his direction.

"I don't know about the other Sahyungs, but I am ready. I am sure most of the others are willing as well."

"Sahyung, do you know what you're saying…?"

"I know."

Yoon Jong seemed determined.

"It doesn't matter. If I die right now, at least I'll never have to see that situation again. I can still see those disgusting bastards standing over us and laughing in my dreams."

"… that's true."

These two experienced the tragedy of the conference two years ago. It wasn't simply a defeat but a disastrous experience.

How could they put their feelings into words?

"If I could return that humiliation, I would be willing to risk death. It isn't something that I want to live with. I'd rather turn around and go down the mountain than go through that again."

Jo Gul nodded his head.

Yoon Jong's words roused Jo Gul's memories of their previous humiliation. He also felt that he would do anything to avoid repeating that experience.

"Well, yes. Then I'll stand with you, Sahyung."

"I believe you."

"Great."

Chung Myung smiled.

However, Jo Gul felt uncomfortable.

"But Chung Myung."

"Yes?"

"How will we do it?"

"Ah, it is nothing. I am just going to change the way that we practice."

"How?"

Chung Myung replied.

"Practical test."

"Huh?"

"What you've been learning, you should be able to apply it. I will show you how to use your body."

"…"

Jo Gul's eyes shook slightly.

"Uh… how to use it?"

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

"You know that all martial arts are learned with the body. Get ready. We'll start right away this evening."

"…"

The two disciples felt a hunch that something was going wrong.

Late at night.

The third-class disciples gathered in the training hall.

"No, do we really have to gather at night like this?"

Jo Gul pouted and grumbled.

Now, there were no elders unaware that the third-class disciples trained at dawn.

At first, some expressed their concerns about the practice, and some were skeptical. Now that it had been ongoing for months, though, everyone just accepted it.

Un Geom even recognized the effect and informed the other elders to prevent interference.

They could practice freely in the morning, but now Chung Myung even wants to train at night?

"What the hell is he trying to do, Sahyung?"

"I don't know."

Yoon Jong shrugged.

Everyone complained, but not a single person walked away.

Everyone understood. Although Chung Myung's training was radical, it was the most effective.

If Chung Myung said he would make them stronger, then he would do that.

"Is everyone here?"

At that moment, Chung Myung approached the hall.

The third-class disciples looked at him with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness.

They were sure that something crazy would come at them again, but they knew that it would lead to further growth if they could persevere.

The third-class disciples had all come to trust Chung Myung.

"Chung Myung. But this time, the training is…."

It was then.

Shhh!

Chung Myung unsheathed the sword at his waist.

"…"

A real sword?

… Uh?

It looked like a real sword.

Even if an ordinary person was holding a real sword, that was enough to make one feel frightened.

However, seeing a crazy younger disciple with a sword gave their pounding hearts a sinking feeling.

"Ah, training?"

Chung Mung asked calmly and slowly approached them with the real sword.

"It is nothing much. Just that…"

His lips twisted into a smile.

"All you have to do is die once. It isn't much, right?"

… what!? That crazy bastard!

Chung Myung's gaze slowly shifted from left to right.

The people receiving Chung Myung's gaze couldn't even make eye contact with him and quickly turned away their gaze.

'Don't look him in the eye.'

'Shit! I got caught!'

The third-class disciples desperately turned away from Chung Myung. Just by looking at his gleaming eyes, it was obvious that they wouldn't be able to back out if they got caught.

"You…"

An eerie voice that seemed to crawl its way out from the depths of hell emerged from Chung Myung.

"I don't want to see you losing to those Southern Edge bastards!"

His eyes were gleaming with madness!

'I might pee here!'

'What am I supposed to do if he comes at me with that insane look on his face!?'

'He looks even crazier today than normal. Is it because it's a full moon tonight?'

Even if everyone else accepted defeat, Chung Myung would never admit it. The other may think that it's reasonable to lose to the Southern Edge Sect, but Chung Myung would never be able to sleep if they suffered defeat at their hands. How could he live peacefully without punishing those idiots that stole the Plum Blossom Sword technique?

"Sahyungs, you need to win. I will make it so that you win."

"…"

Everyone was desperate to escape from this demon.

But even when there were so many people, why wasn't there at least one person who could speak up?

"But…"

It was Jo Gul.

With a blank face, he looked up.

"What do you mean by that? To die once?"

"Oh?"

Chung Myung smiled when he heard the question.

"Sahyung. Sahyung, come to me"

"… Me?"

Jo Gul raised his finger and pointed to his face.

"Yes."

"…"

Jo Gul looked around and saw all the other sahyungs happily nodding their heads.

Jo Gul stood blankly with his mouth agape as the feeling of betrayal rushed over him.

'You traitors!'

Was there no such thing as companionship? Before Chung Myung came to Mount Hua, there was strong loyalty among them. Just when did this place turn so harsh?

"Come here! Quick, quick!"

"Great Sahyung."

Jo Gul looked back at Yoon Jong for the last time, who lightly coughed and spoke.

"Go already."

"You son of a…."

He stopped himself from cursing.

In the end, Jo Gul bowed his head and trudged forward like a cow being led to a slaughterhouse. Yoon Jong's eyes fell on Jo Gul.

Chung Myung looked at Jo Gul and said,

"You said you wanted to fight them, right?"

"… yes."

"It might be a bit strange, but…."

Chung Myung chuckled. It was an eerie sight to see his chilling smile illuminated by the light of the moon as he held a real sword.

"Sahyung is already strong enough."

"… Huh?"

"It's not like your training until now was done in vain."

Jo Gul frowned.

"So, we aren't too far from the Southern Edge Sect?"

"That would be a no."

Chung Myung quietly shook his head.

'Wasn't Lee Song-Baek known to be one of the strongest second-class disciples?'

Seeing how the other disciples treated Lee Song-Baek, he was definitely strong. If he had to assume what level of strength the third-class disciples would have based on that…

'It's similar to what I thought before.'

Jo Gul can compete fine, and Yoon Jong might need some luck on his side. But the other disciples had no chance.

Of course, the competition can change rapidly depending on their individual physical conditions and luck. But, unless heaven's luck falls on them, the other third-class disciples of Mount Hua cannot overpower the Southern Edge sect.

"Although, it isn't because sahyungs are weak."

"… what is it then?"

"You've reforged your body, but you are doing the same things you did before."

"Huh?"

Body?

Jo Gul looked down at his body.

'My body did change.'

Thanks to Chung Myung's weird training and the medicine he gave out, the third-class disciples became so strong that they could compete at a higher level.

Just seeing the muscular frames that everyone had developed brought a smile to his face.

Of course, it wasn't just good to look at.

After adapting to the training, the disciples realized that their bodies had become stronger than in the past. Their swords moved faster in their hands, and their lower body was as strong and stable as a boulder.

"But it's the same thing. Is there something wrong with what we are doing now?"

"That's what I'm going to be telling you from now on."

Chung Myung smiled and approached Jo Gul.

Kuk!

Chung Myung's sword scratched against the ground with a grating sound. Jo Gul gulped and stared at his approaching figure.

"Sahyung."

"Yes?"

"Why are you learning the sword?"

"… that…"

In the Mount Hua sect, there could only be one answer to that.

One controls the body and sword to eventually reach the greatest understanding of Dao. A sword is a tool along the path to achieving the highest peak of the Dao.

'There is no way this guy wants that answer.'

If he decided to say nothing, he would be insulted.

So…

"Isn't it to beat up our opponents?"

"Wow!"

Chung Myung clapped in applause.

"That's a shocking answer from Sahyung. It's really unsuitable for us Taoists, but that is the correct answer for a typical swordsman."

… it would have been better to give the obvious answer.

Chung Myung nodded his head.

"You're half right. It's to win. So, what should we do to win with the sword?"

"Shouldn't we grow stronger?"

Knowing that no matter what answer he gave would lead to him being verbally thrashed, Jo Gul answered right away.

"Right."

However, Chung Myung agreed with Jo Gul's statement.

"You just need to be stronger. If you are stronger than the opponent, you will win. But this means things might be a little different."

"… I don't understand."

"It's simple."

Chung Myung smiled brightly and raised his sword.

"From now on, Sahyung and I are going to fight. Sahyung, use every possible means to overcome me. I will only swing my sword once."

"… really?"

"Yes."

Jo Gul frowned.

'Isn't he ignoring my strength too much?'

Jo Gul was already used to dealing with Chung Myung. He knew better than anyone that beating Chung Myung was impossible no matter how hard he tried.

But this fight was a different story.

No matter how wide the gap between them is, it would damage his pride to lose to Chung Myung when he would only do one slash.

'I need to show him how strong I am!'

Jo Gul clenched his teeth and raised the wooden sword.

"Are you going to continue with the real sword?"

"Yes."

"…it might hurt someone."

"Maybe."

Why wasn't he giving a clear answer?

Was he going to cut Jo Gul or not?

Jo Gul shook his head to clear and calm his mind.

"Can I start?"

"Oh?"

As Jo Gul confidently raised his wooden sword, Chung Myung smiled.

"You seem to be quite confident, Sahyung."

"Thanks to you, I trained myself to death!"

"Hmmm."

Chung Myung smiled as he lifted his sword.

'Confidence, that's good.'

Those who wield the sword need to be confident. People who don't believe in themselves have difficulty showing their abilities.

But…

'It is a little too early.'

The third-class disciples are still just chicks. As Mount Hua has been developing at breakneck speed lately, it was natural for the disciples to be excited. But now wasn't the time to be confident; it was the time to solidify their basics.

Chung Myung had to show them that.

Jo Gul stared at Chung Myung with a fierce glare.

"Be prepared!"

"Huh?"

"This isn't personal in any way! Haaaa!"

Jo Gul charged and jumped towards Chung Myung. His eyes were burning furiously in contrast to his words that no personal feelings were involved.

It was flustering that he was showing so much killing intent.

'Did I do something wrong?'

The others would be dumbfounded and pissed off if they had heard Chung Myung's casual thoughts, but fortunately, no one could.

Chung Myung silently dodged Jo Gul's swift sword strike.

"Haaa!"

However, Jo Gul's sword began to make a dizzying change.

Falling Petals Sword.

Even though it had been less than a month since they started to learn this, Jo Gul was able to skillfully wield it. In harmony with the Seven Star Steps, the Falling Petal Sword was so sophisticated that those who didn't know the sword stood in awe.

'He sure is talented.'

Chung Myung looked at Jo Gul with renewed vigor.

Judging by the innate talent in the sword, Jo Gul was second to none in Mount Hua. Judging by his talent alone, he was even on par with Lee Song-Baek.

'However.'

Chung Myung smiled.

Aren't plants supposed to grow stronger when they are stepped on occasionally?

This wasn't a selfish thought; it was purely for the sake of Jo Gul's growth.

Chung Myung tightly grabbed his sword.

"Isn't he doing quite a bit better than what we expected, Sahyung?"

"… better?"

"Yes. It seems like sahyung is pushing Chung Myung into a corner."

Yoon Jong smiled bitterly.

"It sure does look like that."

"What?"

"It looks like he's pushing Chung Myung into a corner, but not once has he been able to land an attack on him."

"Ah…"

While the others paid attention to Jo Gul's sword, Yoon Jong paid attention to Chung Myung's movement.

Footwork?

No, it wasn't that.

Chung Myung wasn't using any special footwork or techniques. If the opponent came close then, he would back away, and if the enemy attacked, he would slip past their moves. With one step at a time, he steadily dodged everything as if he could read Jo Gul's movements before they were made.

Honestly, it was more like watching a well-choreographed sword dance than a match.

Jo Gul's sword cut the air only inches away from Chung Myung as if it was intentionally avoiding him with each step.

'Just how far ahead is he able to predict Jo Gul's movements?'

The only time Yoon Jong fought with Chung Myung was when he got beaten or when they were training together.

It has already been several months since Chung Myung came to Mount Hua, but it was his first time seeing Chung Myung spar in a match.

Yoon Jong was able to understand.

The difference between Chung Myung and them.

"Eik!"

Jo Gul clenched his teeth and shook his sword.

He couldn't hit the opponent.

It was like fighting with a ghost. Even though the technique was executed perfectly, Chung Myung avoided it with casual movements.

Just one inch.

If Jo Gul aimed for Chung Myung's head, he would tilt his head to avoid it. If he aimed for the shoulder, he would glide out of the way. Just one inch closer, and it could have been a hit or a strike or anything.

It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Jo Gul's loss that first night that Chung Myung arrived in Mount Hua was one thing. But wasn't it supposed to be different now? Even when he was doing his best, couldn't he at least hit him once?

Jo Gul clenched his teeth and poured strength into the sword he held.

"Arghhhhh!"

Jo Gul's sword brilliantly shone bright blue.

"Sword qi?"

"He can use sword qi?"

The voices coming from behind didn't reach Jo Gul's ears.

Jo Gul achieved this feat while in a desperate situation as he was determined to pummel Chung Myung.

But,

"This is the end."

At that moment, Chung Myung suddenly stepped forward. He raised his sword above Jo Gul's head with just one step.

Jo Gul saw it.

The sight of Chung Myung raising his sword.

The world seemed to come to a stop. Yet, within this frozen world, Chung Myung's sword continued unimpeded. In a natural motion, like a gentle breeze or free-flowing water, the sword swung down.

'This?'

The sword that pointed exactly at him stopped.

And

Swosh!

With a force that made his ears go momentarily deaf, it fell on Jo Gul's head.

'I'm going to die….'

Jo Gul couldn't take his eyes off the sword in spite of all that was happening. In an instant, the life he lived till then flashed in front of his eyes.

Before he even realized it, the sword touched his head.

Paaah!

Then, with a sound reminiscent of eardrums exploding, the sword stopped right at Jo Gul's forehead.

Thud!

Jo Gul fell backward to the ground, staring at Chung Myung as if his soul had left his body.

Then, Chung Myung smiled and opened his mouth.

"How does it feel to die?"

"…"

What do you mean? How does it feel…!? It feels exhausting.

Uh… um, well….

---

Sweat was pouring like a waterfall.

"Phew…"

When Jo Gul realized he wasn't dead, his entire body began to pour out sweat as if to prove he was still alive. He was so drenched that it was difficult to open his eyes.

Soon, his body started to tremble.

'What if it had cut just an inch deeper!?'

No, not even an inch more. Jo Gul might have died with his head split open if the sword had been stopped just a hair later.

"This… this…. Uh."

He wanted to curse, but the shock he felt prevented him from speaking. His body was trembling, and despite his best efforts, there was no soothing that fear.

Chung Myung smiled and looked at Jo Gul.

"How was it?"

"… What?"

"I asked, how was it?"

"…"

'What the hell do you mean 'How was it?' you son of a bitch!?'

Normally, he might have found the words to answer, but Jo Gul didn't have the mind or body to spare right now.

"Do you feel like you've died?"

"That…"

Jo Gul squeezed out the last bit of his strength.

"I feel like I lost, you crazy bastard…."

"Hehehe."

Despite being cursed, Chung Myung didn't seem to mind.

It was natural. Jo Gul had experienced what it's like to go to hell and back; he was bound to be upset. If Jo Gul had a bit more strength, he might have rushed and attacked Chung Myung for putting him through that.

"Okay, Sahyung will rest now."

Chung Myung turned around cheerfully and shifted his gaze to the other sahyungs who were looking at him.

Flinch.

Those who made eye contact quickly lowered their gazes.

"Sahyungs. Sahyungs. Think very carefully."

"…"

"Can you really avoid this?"

'That devil!'

'How did such a person even enter Mount Hua!'

'Is a Taoist supposed to be like this?'

Looking at Chung Myung, they were sure that he was a perfect example of what a Taoist shouldn't be like.

"Come on. Don't waste time. If you want to get strong, you need to step forward. Great Sahyung?"

"…"

Yoon Jong glanced at Chung Myung with shaky eyes before turning his head and averting his gaze.

"J-Jonghak, how about you go next?"

"Uh? Sahyung. I think he called for you."

"So, you're not going out?"

When Yoon Jong turned and asked, Jonghak bowed his head.

'Everyone here has turned into something strange because of him!'

Still, Yoon Jong had the dignity of a Sahyung, but after Chung Myung came, things changed. It wasn't like Yoon Jong was the only one who changed, though.

"Aren't you going to come?"

"…"

Chung Myung sighed, seeing the sahyungs push one another and try to avoid him.

"Such a shame. Sahyungs, who should be helping each other, are fighting with one another."

'Who do you think is the reason for this, you bastard!'

'Did you sell your conscience somewhere?'

'If only you weren't here, this place would be at peace!'

Desperate cries echoed within the disciples' minds but certainly didn't come out of their mouths.

Seeing them like that, Chung Myung nodded.

"There is only one way to unite the quarreling sahyungs. Brotherhood blooms when you share in each others' suffering. Only by overcoming tribulations together will love unite you; don't worry, I'll be sure to treat you all fairly!"

What?

Chung Myung raised his sword.

"If you won't come to me, then I will come to you. Here I come!"

Don't! Don't come, you crazy son of a bitch!

Whether they wanted it or not, Chung Myung, who seemed to have gone mad, rushed at them. Frightened, the disciples tried to run, but Chung Myung pursued everyone like a wolf after sheep.

"You! Get over here."

"Who would go to you! You insane freak!"

Yoon Jong, who was screaming, closed his eyes as the sword fell towards his head.

"Eu…"

"Ah…"

The third-class disciples, scattered around the training hall, all trembled with frightened eyes.

"No. Mother…"

"Father, I promise to live a good life…."

"The beef jerky… I hid it under the bed…."

"Are you seriously thinking about food right now?"

Chung Myung clicked his tongue at the Sahyungs spread out all over the place.

"Alright, you all did well."

Normally, they would have been furious; but the current disciples didn't even have the strength to yell or shout.

Having experienced a real sword fall on their head at frightening speed, they felt as if they had been pushed through the gates of the underworld. They didn't want to do anything that would instigate Chung Myung to do it again.

Yoon Jong wiped the sweat running from his brows with trembling hands.

'That fucking bastard….'

Yoon Jong had been beaten by Chung Myung countless times, but this was different. It felt like they had stepped one foot into the underworld this time.

Chung Myung looked at everyone and spoke.

"How was that?"

"… What?"

Fortunately, Jo Gul, who had rested, was able to speak.

"Why didn't you stop my attack?"

".. Huh?"

"It was an obvious strike. So, why didn't you try to stop it?"

After doing all this, was he really asking that?

Jo Gul exclaimed, nearly in tears.

"It was fast! It was so fast that I couldn't even think about stopping it! Even a three-year-old child would understand that it couldn't be stopped!"

"Is that so?"

Chung Myung smiled.

"You understand well."

"You…"

Jo Gul gritted his teeth.

"Then, why didn't sahyungs stop it?"

"Huh?"

Jo Gul looked at Chung Myung with blank eyes. Just as he was about to say something to refute, Chung Myung slashed the sword down.

Paaah!

Dust scattered, and the sound of air being torn apart echoed around.

"Simple, isn't it?"

"…"

It wasn't just Jo Gul.

The other Sahyungs also stood up and watched Chun Myung's sword.

"… this was the same as the strike you did to us?"

"Yes."

"Wasn't it several times faster, though? Was it this gentle?"

"It's the same. A sword that's falling on your head would naturally seem different than a sword strike you watch from a distance.

"…"

Jo Gul was an intelligent guy in his own way. He quickly understood what Chung Myung was hinting at.

"You mean I can do it too?"

"With training."

Chung Myung raised his sword.

"Look."

And he slashed.

Paaah!

Jo Gul firmly engraved that scene into his memory. It was undoubtedly not blinding speed or advanced skills. It was just a plain, simple slash straight to the ground.

Hold the sword and slash.

A simple movement performed so flawlessly that it seemed to paint a portrait in time.

Jo Gul opened his mouth unwittingly.

"This is a drop slash."

"…"

Jo Gul tried to speak but could not.

"You've built your body; now you need to utilize it to handle the sword. First, the lower body."

Chung Myung stomped for a firm footing.

"Firmly fix your lower body, raise the strength up till the waist, transfer power to the fingers, unite it with internal strength, and strike out all at once."

Paaah!

Chung Myung smiled.

"Easy, right?"

"…"

After hearing the explanation, Yoon Jong spoke with a heavy voice.

"I understand what you are saying. You think that we should wield a simple sword based on a disciplined body rather than pursue flashy swordsmanship?"

"This is a One Hit Fatal Kill."

Chung Myung supplemented Yoon Jong's explanation.

"There is no thought of swinging the sword a second time. If you can't deliver a killing blow in one strike, then be prepared to die."

Yoon Jong sighed.

'This is why he showed us this.'

It was said that one action could speak a thousand words.

There was a massive difference between hearing about a sword technique and directly facing it. It wouldn't have been easy for people who never experienced the fear of that sword falling on their heads to understand what it meant to be on the verge of death.

"But Chung Myung."

Yoon Jong exhaled and called him.

"I get what you mean, but we are disciples of Mount Hua. Would it be meaningful to win in such a way?"

"So what if we are disciples of Mount Hua?"

"If we're disciples of Mount Hua, shouldn't we defeat our opponents with Mount Hua's sword arts?"

Chung Myung looked at Yoon Jong as if his words were absurd.

"What did I do just now?"

"A down slash."

"What's the first form of the Six Equilibrium Sword?"

".. a downward slash."

"Right. Isn't the Six Equilibrium Sword one of Mount Hua's techniques?"

When Chung Myung asked that, Yoon Jong coughed.

"I didn't think it through."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.'

Chung Myung clicked his tongue and looked at everyone.

"The Sixfold technique used in the Six Equilibrium Sword is the foundation of all of Mount Hua's techniques. Everything starts and ends with the Sixfold movement."

Chung Myung looked at all those who were trying to avoid his gaze.

"You are chasing after more advanced techniques like the Falling Petal Swords and the Seven Star steps without fully mastering the basics!"

"Ugh."

"Oh, the night air is quite refreshing."

"The moon is bright too."

The third-class disciples were flushed red in embarrassment and spoke strangely to avoid the topic.

"You need to clearly understand this."

Chung Myung's voice sank low. His usually playful tone had turned serious; noticing this, his sahyungs focused intensely on what he had to say.

"If you can't master the Six Equilibrium Sword properly, there is no point learning any other swordsmanship. All the sword arts of Mount Hua are based on this. A building with an unstable foundation will collapse with even the slightest wind."

Everyone nodded.

If they hadn't seen it with their eyes, they wouldn't have believed it. But haven't they already experienced it now?

'The sword seemed so strong that I didn't think I could stop it.'

'A simple strike seemed like the best technique in the world.'

'What's important isn't the sword art being used, but the person who handles the sword.'

Jo Gul got up and looked at Chung Myung.

"Chung Myung."

"Yes."

"I will just ask one thing."

"Sure."

Jo Gul cleared his thoughts and opened his mouth.

"I understand that the Six Equilibrium Sword is important. But we aren't you. It may sound silly, but we need the strength to break the nose of those Southern Edge bastards right now. More than the strength of a distant future."

"Hmm."

"To be honest, you are the only one who can use that technique so skillfully. That's why I need to ask."

Jo Gul's eyes shone.

"If we do what you tell us, we won't lose to the Southern Edge sect, right?"

Instead of answering, Chung Myung sighed.

Seeing his reaction, Jo Gul bit his lip.

'I must seem pathetic to him.'

A person who learns martial arts should not dwell on the results of one fight for long. But losing to that sect was an experience that he never wanted to go through again. That shame and humiliation…

"What did Sahyung even take away from what I said?"

"Huh?"

Chung Myung blinked his eyes.

"You think you would lose to the Southern Edge Sect? Someone like that deserves to die! A disciple of Mount Hua losing to a scoundrel from the Southern Edge sect? I'll smash that disciple's head myself!"

Jo Gul trembled as he looked into the burning eyes of Chung Myung.

'I can understand us behaving like that, but what kind of grudge does he have towards the Southern Edge sect?'

A guy who just entered Mount Hua.

"Didn't I tell you? I will make you all win!"

Chung Myung raised his sword and pointed to the Sahyung.

"There is no such thing as a glorious defeat!"

"…"

"Winning is the only answer in a fight. Whether you need to hit their crotch or throw dust in their eyes! Once you win, it's all over! Cowardice? Don't even talk about it! Do you think a man who's been decapitated on the battlefield can complain about cowardice? There is no such thing as companionship in a battle! Win by any means necessary!"

Chung Myung nonchalantly made a declaration that would shock the elders if they'd heard it.

Seeing such a scene, Jo Gul smiled.

'Right. This guy is normally like this.'

It felt reassuring for some reason.

"So, what do we do now? How can we use a sword like you?"

"It's simple."

Chung Myung smiled and spoke.

"First, we will start by swinging the sword ten thousand times."

"… that must be a joke, right?"

"No way."

"Of course, I'm just joking."

"Sigh."

"It was a joke…."

Chung Myung had an ominously bright smile.

"Do you want to be defeated in the future? Or do you want me to kill you now?"

"…"

It seemed like there was a bigger villain inside Mount Hua than the Southern Edge Sect.