Chapter 1754. I'm also someone who failed to uphold the laws (4)

"Uuugh…"

A groan finally escaped from Jo Geol's mouth.

"So, the energy is already inside us, but…. it's like trying to consciously grab hold of something we couldn't feel before…."

He muttered to himself and swung his sword awkwardly again. His face soon twisted in frustration.

This was the same bizarre and twisted sword movement he hadn't practiced since his childhood, when he was just a kid training with his fellow disciples at White Plum Hall, a time so distant that it was now a blurry memory.

"Ugh! This is impossible!"

He almost threw the sword he was holding but stopped, thinking that hurling a sword in anger was a bit too much, no matter how frustrated he was.

At that moment, Yoon Jong sighed and spoke.

"Why are you throwing a tantrum again?"

"It's not a tantrum!"

Yoon Jong's face seemed to say, "Of course, you would react like that." Jo Geol became so irritated that veins stood out on his forehead.

"This isn't as easy as you make it sound!"

"It worked for me though?"

"Well, that's because you're sahyung!"

Jo Geol, unable to contain his frustration, pounded on his chest. Yoon Jong had a habit of underestimating himself, which only made things harder for others.

"Look! Can't you see that everyone's losing their minds here?"

Yoon Jong silently smacked his lips in agreement. Despite explaining the technique as simply as possible, none of the disciples standing in the training ground were able to draw out the Immortal qi.

"I'm telling you, the power is already within you. You just need to—"

"Stop repeating the same thing and give us some actual tips!"

"I am giving you tips right now…"

"Oh my, heavenly lord, help us. This is why our sect is in decline. It's not due to any other reason."

Jo Geol sighed heavily for what felt like the hundredth time and then said,

"Anyway…"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"What do you mean?"

Jo Geol looked around.

The place where they stood was a large training ground. Normally, this would be the spot where the Wudang disciples practiced their sword techniques, but now it was filled with the disciples of Mount Hua clanging their swords around.

"Well, uh…"

"Don't worry about the fact that this is Wudang. Just because you've seen it once or twice—"

"No, that's not it."

Jo Geol let out a deep sigh.

"I understand that this is necessary, but surely, you don't think that everyone will master it overnight, do you?"

While Yoon Jong might have learned quickly, not everyone could be like him. In fact, Yoon Jong had managed to find a way out of sheer desperation when his life was on the line. If it hadn't been such a dire situation, he might have taken even longer than the others.

"What I mean is, with the Evil Tyrant Alliance possibly ready to make their move at any moment, can we afford to be doing this right now?"

"Then what do you think we should do?"

"Well…"

Jo Geol was about to answer but then hesitated. Yoon Jong quietly observed him before speaking again.

"I'm well aware that we can't expect significant results from this effort."

"What?"

"In the end, it's possible that none of them will master it."

"Then why…"

"But isn't it better than doing nothing at all?"

Jo Geol looked around once again, now with a slightly different perspective.

He saw his fellow disciples struggling to summon the Immortal qi as they wished. Yet, in another way, this scene was also familiar.

'It's like Mount Hua as usual.'

Not long ago, these were the same guys who had been on the brink of death, with their fates hanging by a thread. Now, they looked just as they always did.

Yoon Jong smiled faintly.

"Right?"

Jo Geol, who was about to argue with a grumpy face, ended up scratching his head instead. Yoon Jong quietly continued.

"Cheong Myeong once said that when things get complicated and urgent, you should train."

"That crazy guy again."

"Exactly. Back then, I thought he was just spouting nonsense like a ghost who couldn't stop training even after death… but later, I realized that wasn't it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He said that for those who have made training a part of their daily routine, training is when they feel most normal. So, just by training, you can regain a sense of normalcy, or in other words, regain your peace of mind. That's just how the human body works."

"..."

"When you think about it, doesn't it make sense?"

It sounded ridiculous, but the more he thought about it, the harder it was to argue against it. Even Jo Geol's body seemed to be subtly invigorated, unlike when he was flustered by the complicated situation.

Jo Geol let out a faint laugh, as if in disbelief.

"So…. you're saying we should ignore the complex problems we can't solve right now and just focus on the small tasks in front of us?"

"To be precise, we're starting with what we can do. Even if it seems trivial, it's better than doing nothing."

.... It was absurd.

Mount Hua had been in chaos since the incident with Baek Cheon, like a mess that needed to be sorted out. Moreover, the one who should be handling this mess was nowhere to be seen.

Outside, the threat of the Evil Tyrant Alliance loomed, ready to strike at any moment. In fact, just yesterday, there had been a massive loss of life due to an attack by the Evil Tyrant Alliance.

And in the midst of all this, they were taking small steps forward?

"Do you have a problem with this?"

Jo Geol just smiled wryly.

Cheong Myeong wouldn't have done something like this. He would have pushed for something much more practical. Baek Cheon wouldn't have chosen this path either. Even if he knew there was no way, he wouldn't have given up on solving the bigger problem.

This was clearly different from the path Mount Hua had taken up until now—it was Yoon Jong's own way. But still...

"Well, would you listen if I said I had a problem with it?"

"No. I'd ignore it."

".... Then why are you asking if that's the case?"

Jo Geol grumbled.

He still couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the right choice. It was hard to ignore the thought that they were wasting precious time that was already in short supply.

And yet, oddly enough, he felt a slight sense of relief.

'Does this mean… it's been hard to even breathe until now?'

He began to wonder if he had been unconsciously feeling pressured. But then, a dark shadow quickly approached.

"Alright, I got it this time."

"Ah! I told you to knock it off, Sago!"

"This time for real."

"You've said that at least ten times already!"

"No, really. I've got a feeling."

"You're driving me nuts, seriously."

"So, what you do is—"

"It's the same as before!"

As the disciples of Mount Hua bickered in the central training ground of Wudang, Zhuge Zain quietly asked the person next to him,

"Do you think it's possible?"

Standing beside him was Tang Gunak.

The Zhuge Family and the Sichuan Tang Family had originally both been part of the Five Great Families. As such, Zhuge Zain was already quite familiar with Tang Gunak. Even so, Zhuge Zain's demeanor toward Tang Gunak now was noticeably more respectful than in the past.

The status of the second-in-command of the Five Great Clans and the second-in-command of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was markedly different, and Zhuge Zain had to acknowledge that.

"Are you referring to handling the Immortal qi?"

"Yes."

".... Hmm. If it were a power easily grasped, the sects practicing sorcery wouldn't have struggled to maintain their existence for so long. Though I acted according to the Patriarch's instructions, I do wonder if this effort will prove to be meaningful…."

It wasn't that Tang Gunak doubted Mount Hua's ability to use the Immortal qi. Yoon Jong had already proven that it was possible, and if it was Mount Hua, they might be able to train a few more individuals to harness the Immortal qi.

But deploying the majority of Mount Hua's members to unlock the Immortal qi seemed like an extreme waste. Tang Gunak couldn't have overlooked this fact.

So there must have been something Zhuge Zain hadn't considered…

However, the response he received was unexpected.

"The Immortal qi doesn't really matter."

".... What?"

"It would be great if they can obtain it, but even if they can't, there are still ways to deal with them. I'm sure Yoon Jong dojang knows that as well."

".... Then why do this?"

"Isn't it good?"

Zhuge Zain's eyes filled with questions. Tang Gunak gestured forward with his chin as if to say, "Just look."

"No matter what anyone says, Mount Hua is the center of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. And that's not just about their strength."

Zhuge Zain quietly looked ahead.

The loud training noises from Mount Hua had drawn disciples from other sects out of their quarters, and they were now peeking into the training ground. Some had even settled down to watch.

Watching another sect's training was considered rude, but with Mount Hua noisily dominating the large training ground, it wasn't something they could be told to stop. Mount Hua must have known this and accepted it.

"Why are you training without including us?"

'Sogaju?'

Even Namgung Dowi was vehemently protesting, leading the Namgung family into the training ground.

"Hey, this isn't that kind of training!"

"Training is training! What other kind of training is there?"

"You can't use the Immortal qi unless you're from a Taoist sect. And besides, the Namgung family doesn't need it."

"Are you discriminating against us just because we're not Taoists? I've considered Yoon Jong Dojang like a brother!"

"That would be Baek Cheon Sasuk, not you!"

"Ah, is that so? Let's overlook the small things."

As the atmosphere grew livelier, more and more people began to gather in the training ground.

"It was a lively sight back in the day. At that time, the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was full of energy. I'm just trying to restore that spirit."

"…. At a time like this?"

"It's precisely because of times like these. If we lose ourselves, we'll just be swept along."

"Hmm…"

Zhuge Zain nodded slowly.

He wasn't wrong. In war, being able to fully utilize your strength is far more important than any cunning strategy.

"I understand what you're trying to do."

However, Zhuge Zain's gaze grew sharper.

"But, doesn't this mean it's just a temporary fix?"

"….."

"If Mount Hua is the center of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, then the center of Mount Hua is the Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword."

At the mention of Cheong Myeong, Tang Gunak's expression subtly stiffened.

"So, isn't the reason the Heavenly Comrade Alliance isn't what it used to be, and Mount Hua isn't what it used to be, because of the Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword's silence?"

Zhuge Zain's gaze turned toward the training ground.

"It looks lively and energetic, but I can't shake the feeling that they're forcing themselves to smile. Am I the only one who feels this way because the person who should be there isn't?"

Finally, a sigh escaped from Tang Gunak.

"I think the same."

"Then why…."

"Because there's nothing we can do."

"What?"

"If we could help, he would have already asked for it. We've already… tried to help."

It wasn't as if Tang Gunak was unaware that Cheong Myeong had changed. Probably everyone who knew him sensed a strong unease.

Was it because the situation was so dire? No, that couldn't be it. Cheong Myeong was always the one to lead and encourage others in such times.

But now, he was silent. Even amidst the chaos within the alliance, he said nothing.

There was clearly something there. Something that others couldn't even begin to guess.

Tang Gunak sighed deeply.

"My friend, are we really of no help to you?"

A bitter light flickered in his eyes.

"For now… all we can do is trust and wait. Trust that he will overcome this on his own."

***

Late at night.

Drip.

The room was filled with the sour smell of blood. It had a foul odor, as if something had rotted.

Cheong Myeong's ashen eyes blankly stared at his hand, soaked in blood. He seemed neither surprised nor shocked, as if he was used to it. The black blood that had spilled from his mouth was slowly drying up.

After a long while, the man… Cheong Myeong, finally spoke.

"Why, damn it…"

He bit down hard on his lower lip. Bright red droplets of blood slowly dripped onto the dark red stains.