Chapter 106: Chapter 106
The Sect Leader momentarily lost his words.
‘The number one sect in the world?’
It was too absurd.
Throughout the long history of the Mount Hua Sect, hadn’t it never been achieved even once?
Hyeon-cheong also seemed surprised as he forgot about watching the spar and moved closer.
“A-are you saying that our sect can become the number one sect in the world right now?”
If someone else had said it, they would have laughed it off as nonsense, but since it was none other than Cheon-hwi, the two of them were nervous.
Cheon-hwi twisted one corner of his mouth at the gazes focused on him.
“It’s not an impossible task.”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, the Sect Leader momentarily felt his heart pound.
‘If it’s Cheon-hwi, perhaps…’
The Sect Leader forcibly calmed down the excitement rising to the top of his head and asked.
“How, you say?”
“First, more than anything else, we have to make the position of Plum Blossom Swordsman attractive enough that everyone wants to become one.”
“…Plum Blossom Swordsman is something all the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect desire.”
“To me, they didn’t seem to desire it that much.”
Cheon-hwi met the Sect Leader’s eyes.
“If they truly wanted to become Plum Blossom Swordsmen, wouldn’t they have continued to spar somehow, even risking their lives?”
“That’s…”
The Sect Leader swallowed his remaining words.
“Yes, you are right. The number of disciples who desire to become Plum Blossom Swordsmen in the Mount Hua Sect right now has significantly decreased.”
And then he eventually admitted it.
“Then what would you do?”
Cheon-hwi smirked.
“If it were me, I would separately give benefits that only a Plum Blossom Swordsman can obtain.”
“Benefits…?”
“Yes. For example, if one becomes a Plum Blossom Swordsman, they can freely roam outside, or we could flexibly overlook a few rules.”
The Sect Leader’s eyes frowned.
“What a nonsensical idea. How can we give benefits to only a few Daoists?”
“But wouldn’t it be more effective because of that?”
Before the Sect Leader could say anything, Cheon-hwi continued to pour out the methods he had thought of like a waterfall.
“Even if we only give them honor, they try to become Plum Blossom Swordsmen like this, but there are even benefits? Who wouldn’t be greedy?”
Hyeon-cheong, who was listening, nodded his head.
“It is certainly an attractive proposal. Recently, there were also kids among the disciples who said they wanted to return home.”
At the words Hyeon-cheong added, the Sect Leader was momentarily tempted, but he regained his senses and spoke.
“But we cannot do that. If our sect adopts such a method, what would other sects think? They will point fingers, saying that those who call themselves Daoists are blinded by benefits and trying to become Plum Blossom Swordsmen.”
“What is the point of caring about the eyes of other sects right now, did those guys even help us when our sect was struggling?”
Cheon-hwi snorted.
“And isn’t that why we need power even more? Didn’t those guys start contacting us again only after we destroyed White Ghost Castle?”
At the following words, the Sect Leader became dazed as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer.
It was exactly as he said.
Wasn’t it the Nine Great Sects and One Gang who turned a blind eye to the Mount Hua Sect just a while ago?
“I think Cheon-hwi’s opinion is good. Even if we value tradition, if our sect collapses, will tradition even be able to be maintained?”
As Hyeon-cheong joined in Cheon-hwi’s argument, the troubled Sect Leader’s furrowed brows deepened.
He stood at a crossroad with two paths.
Whether to continue the tradition of the Mount Hua Sect as is.
Or whether to follow Cheon-hwi’s words and newly create the glory of the Mount Hua Sect.
The contemplation was unexpectedly not long.
“Alright. I will think about it once.”
Cheon-hwi, who drew a positive answer from the Sect Leader, smiled inwardly.
‘It’s good, but it would be a shame if it ended with this.’
Therefore, he subsequently spat out the things he had thought of.
“And there is something else I have thought of.”
“Is there more?”
The Sect Leader’s expression became complicated.
While he was expectant, worry also preceded it.
Just what kind of opinion would it be.
“Speak.”
“Let’s open the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion so that unrecorded disciples or lay disciples who are outside can read a portion of it.”
“That is not allowed.”
This time, the Sect Leader spoke firmly.
That was understandable, as the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect could not be carelessly leaked to the outside.
“If martial arts with a long history are leaked to the outside, we will have no face to see our ancestors.”
“Then new martial arts are fine, right?”
“New martial arts?”
Cheon-hwi turned his gaze and looked at Hyeon-cheong.
“You have the martial arts manuals I newly wrote, right?”
Hyeon-cheong, who grasped the intention behind Cheon-hwi’s words, curved the corners of his eyes.
“Heoheo, I kept them separately.”
“How many books are there in total?”
“There should be roughly forty to fifty books.”
The Sect Leader was shocked at Hyeon-cheong’s words.
“F-forty to fifty books?!”
“Is this enough?”
“A-are you okay with it? If it is a martial art you created, even if you leave it in the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion…”
“No. Let’s just let everyone read them.”
What Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion.
‘If we leave them there, they will only continue to gather dust, so rather than that, it would be better for anyone to read them.’
No matter how precious a martial arts manual is, if it is cherished too much and then forgotten, isn’t it the same as not having it?
“And if we do that, we could also gather the lay disciples outside into our sect, and we could further strengthen our solidarity, so wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?”
The Sect Leader’s eyes widened at the sound argument.
“…Had you even thought about that.”
“Even though we took in new disciples this time, isn’t it still lacking?”
The Sect Leader could not help but admire.
‘Heoheo, Cheon-hwi had been thinking about the Mount Hua Sect like this.’
The Sect Leader’s expression brightened.
“I understand. I will try to persuade them somehow.”
When the Sect Leader spoke with a determined face.
“Ah, right.”
Cheon-hwi spoke as if he had thought of something.
“I forgot something important.”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, the two pricked up their ears to see what other proposal he would make.
“Let’s maintain the number of Plum Blossom Swordsmen as is. And we create a position called Ordinary Swordsman under the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, and have a system where they challenge a Plum Blossom Swordsman every year to snatch their position.”
Cheon-hwi’s thought was simple.
Why did the Heavenly Demon Cult become strong?
Competition.
The structure of competition derived from the doctrine of the strong being supreme was exactly what made the Heavenly Demon Cult the number one sect in the world, so he was making them follow that procedure.
However, the Sect Leader and Hyeon-cheong flinched upon hearing those words.
Wasn’t that closer to the Unorthodox Faction than the Orthodox Faction?
“Hmm…”
“A snatching battle, that is…”
The two who let out a groan looked at Cheon-hwi.
Although it was a nonsensical method.
On the other hand, it perfectly appealed to them.
That was understandable, as they were giving benefits to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, but there was nothing more headache-inducing than if their numbers continuously increased.
But by fixing the personnel and using a method of challenging every year, they could show that becoming a Plum Blossom Swordsman was by no means easy.
Around the time the two were falling into contemplation over a method with clear pros and cons.
“What kind of ghost eating seeds nonsense is this again?”
A voice was heard from the side.
“A snatching battle?”
Cheon-hwi, who already knew that Cheon-hyang was approaching closely, opened his mouth.
“It’s exactly as you heard.”
“Puhahat, really?”
Cheon-hyang burst into laughter.
“Really, Junior Brother. What kind of nonsensical things are you saying. The Plum Blossom Swordsmen can sufficiently make a name for themselves as is.”
“To me, it’s lacking…”
Cheon-hwi stopped speaking and smirked.
“Ah! By any chance, were you not confident? That does make sense. If the number of Plum Blossom Swordsmen decreases, Senior Sister’s position is also in danger.”
Cheon-hyang’s expression slightly stiffened.
“…Is that a provocation, Junior Brother?”
Cheon-hyang, who was speaking, raised her chin.
“Alright. Then do you want to settle whether Junior Brother is right or I am right with a spar? Junior Brother said that because you were confident, right?”
Cheon-hyang smirked.
Although she said it like that, she did not think Cheon-hwi would accept this spar.
However.
“Sure.”
Cheon-hwi rose from his seat.
“Really?”
The surprised Cheon-hyang’s eyes widened.
“Cheon-hwi.”
“Hwi.”
The flustered Hyeon-cheong and the Sect Leader tried to stop Cheon-hwi, but Cheon-hwi had already moved.
“Let’s go.”
Cheon-hwi lightly kicked off the ground.
Cheon-hyang was surprised and her eyes sparkled at the lightfoot art that crossed a distance of ten zhang in a single breath.
“M-Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
“Junior Brother Cheon-hwi…?”
“What? Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
Meanwhile, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the second-generation disciples freaked out upon seeing Cheon-hwi suddenly appear.
“Kek!”
“Keok! Why is Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi…”
Tears squeezed out of their eyes.
Some even had a seizure.
In particular, the reaction of the first-generation disciples belonging to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen was incredible to the point that it could not be compared to the second-generation disciples at all.
“Th-that! The culprit who taught Body Transformation Art to the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion has come.”
“The nightmare of the Three Talents Sword Art… Ugh!”
“How much of a dog’s suffering we had gone through during that time.”
A dark and gloomy aura bloomed from their bodies as they muttered quietly.
Cheon-hyang, who saw that sight, was flustered.
‘Why are they acting like that?’
Cheon-hwi was a jewel cherished by everyone in the Mount Hua Sect.
But what about now?
Most of the disciples were having a seizure upon seeing Cheon-hwi.
As if they had faced an object they should fear and avoid.
While she was flustered.
“Are you trying to spar?”
The Sect Leader initiated a conversation with her.
“Yes.”
“Would that be alright?”
“Are you worried?”
Cheon-hyang rolled up her sleeves and revealed her arm muscles to the Sect Leader, who was looking at her with a slightly worried gaze.
“Do not worry. I will go easy on him.”
“No, what I was worried about was…”
When the Sect Leader was about to say something more.
“Are you not coming?”
Cheon-hwi’s voice was heard.
At that, Cheon-hwi immediately stamped his foot.
“I will go first.”
She hopped and arrived on the training ground, and she spoke to Cheon-hwi while looking at him.
“I heard you learned martial arts from Martial Uncle Hyeon-do, but you displayed quite an outstanding lightfoot art.”
“Is that so? It was just so-so.”
Cheon-hyang smirked.
From her perspective, having never seen Cheon-hwi’s martial might, Cheon-hwi’s confident attitude probably looked ridiculous.
“Then I will concede the first move.”
Cheon-hyang, who spoke lowly, placed her two arms on her waist and parted her lips.
“Come in first.”
At her words.
“A-absolutely not. Martial Aunt.”
“Martial Aunt! The first move is…”
Jeok-geom and Seol Ran, who were watching from afar, regained their senses and hurriedly tried to stop her, but.
“That’s nice.”
Before they could, Cheon-hwi answered and twisted the corners of his eyes.
And then he raised the Plum Blossom Divine Art.
Hwaaak!
An immense true qi exuded from him, and a dazzling radiance exploded.
“…Hm?!”
Only then did Cheon-hyang, who felt that something was unusual, raise her internal energy.
“Heup!”
After that, she forgot her words about conceding the first move and swung her sword with all her might.
Plum Blossom Falling Flash!
The fastest quick sword among the Twenty-Four Movements Plum Blossom Sword Art unfolded in her hands, but.
Kkaang!
Cheon-hwi’s sword, which had been drawn at some point, shattered the Plum Blossom Falling Flash and bounced her sword into the sky.
Cheon-hyang raised her head and looked at the sky with a bewildered expression. The sword that left her hand was flying in the air.
Looking for a moment.
Puk.
The sword pierced the ground in front of her.
Cheon-hyang alternately looked at the sword and her own hand that had missed it with trembling eyes.
‘The Plum Blossom Falling Flash that I unfolded with full power…’
Perhaps due to the shock, the trembling in her hand did not subside.
“H-how…?”
Cheon-hwi smirked towards Cheon-hyang, who was looking up with a face of disbelief.
“It’s my victory, right?”
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