Chapter 112: Chapter 112
“Master!”
The boy running with all his might, Jong-hyeon, burrowed into Ha Woo-jin’s embrace.
He was just barely over ten years old.
Jong-hyeon, whose height slightly surpassed Ha Woo-jin’s waist, buried his face in his chest for a moment, then slowly raised his head and asked.
“Did everything go well?”
Ha Woo-jin looked at Jong-hyeon, who was looking up with bright eyes, and formed a smile on his lips that Cheon-hwi saw for the first time.
“Yes, I finished it well.”
Ha Woo-jin’s laughter did not stop.
‘Is this why they said to raise a disciple.’
He purposely did not accept disciples, and he had not given any teachings.
Because he still thought he was lacking and had said he did not have the ability to teach.
Until now, that thought had not changed.
However, his thought had recently changed.
Swoosh…
He looked at Cheon-hwi from the corner of his eye.
The moment he met the disciple, whom Hyeon-gang had praised until his mouth was dry, having grown up handsomely, he felt envious.
A disciple who had surpassed his master.
How enviable was this.
Just one meeting.
With just that, he changed his mind and personally accepted a disciple.
Character, skill, and talent.
The direct disciple he chose and chose and chose again was precisely Jong-hyeon, who was hugging his waist right now.
Ha Woo-jin lightly stroked the head of Jong-hyeon, who was smiling while looking at him.
“Have you been training diligently?”
“Yes!”
Jong-hyeon answered energetically.
“Yes, good job.”
At that time, Cheon-hwi asked Ha Woo-jin.
“Was the person you wanted to introduce to me your disciple?”
“That’s right.”
Along with his answer, Ha Woo-jin carefully detached Jong-hyeon, who was clinging tightly.
“Give your greetings. This is Cheon-hwi, the disciple of my close friend.”
At Ha Woo-jin’s words, Jong-hyeon put his cute hands together and bowed his head.
“Immeasurable Life Buddha, I am Jong-hyeon.”
“Cheon-hwi.”
Cheon-hwi, who answered roughly, looked at Jong-hyeon and then withdrew his interest, making Ha Woo-jin flustered.
“Is that the end?”
“What is?”
“Your greeting.”
“Then is there more than this?”
“How old you are, what you like…….”
How bothersome.
Cheon-hwi asked Jong-hyeon.
“How old are you?”
“I am thirteen years old.”
Cheon-hwi, who heard the answer, immediately turned his head and spoke to Ha Woo-jin.
“Are we done now?”
“…….”
Ha Woo-jin was rendered speechless.
Eventually, he shook his head side to side and sent a sound transmission to Jong-hyeon.
[It would be nice if you asked first.]
Jong-hyeon’s face crumpled.
It had been barely a few months since he became a direct disciple, but during that time, the Flying Swallow Sword Lord had taken terribly good care of him.
He fed him elixirs of unknown origins, and he also taught him martial arts with all his heart.
To the point where other Taoists of the Zhongnan Sect were envious.
However, right now, he was taking care of a person named Cheon-hwi more than himself.
‘This is the first time Master is acting like this.’
Jong-hyeon, who felt jealous for a moment, pouted his lips with a sullen expression.
He was dissatisfied with the current situation, but since he could not use sound transmission yet, it was his expressed intention.
At that time, a thought flashed in Jong-hyeon’s mind.
‘Right!’
Jong-hyeon immediately took a fist salute.
“If it is not impolite, I would like to learn a move from the young hero.”
Ha Woo-jin intruded in a panic.
“Jo, Jong-hyeon! What are you doing.”
“Did you not say before when we were sparring, Master, that the best way to recognize an opponent is by crossing swords with each other?”
“…….”
Ha Woo-jin lost his words.
He had taught him so when he gave teachings, but in the current situation, was it not an action that deviated from etiquette.
“Even so, in this situation…….”
When Ha Woo-jin was about to press Jong-hyeon.
“Mmhmm, you gave a good teaching.”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head.
It was a saying that he quite liked.
If they competed in martial arts with each other, they would know their true feelings.
Was that saying not the same as saying that they would show their true feelings and do their best against each other.
Cheon-hwi looked at Jong-hyeon and answered.
“Good. Let’s spar.”
* * *
“Immeasurable Life Buddha. I look forward to your guidance.”
Jong-hyeon, who took a fist salute with his small hands, vigorously drew the sword strapped to his waist.
As if it were custom-made, Jong-hyeon lifted a small sword that fit his age.
‘His posture is well-established.’
Cheon-hwi, who quietly scrutinized Jong-hyeon up and down, wiggled his finger.
“Come first.”
“……How rude!”
Jong-hyeon’s eyes slanted upward.
Soon, he could not suppress his anger and put strength into his soles as he rushed in.
Subsequently, he struck down the sword he was holding with all his might.
The Zhongnan Sect’s only strong sword!
It was the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art.
When the sword carrying fighting spirit collided with the momentum to cut off Cheon-hwi’s shoulder.
Clang!
Jong-hyeon bounced backwards.
He, who bounced backward while rolling on the floor, could not come to his senses.
It was a single strike containing his entire internal energy.
It was blocked by a mere index finger.
‘H-how could this be!’
However, he did not even have the time to be astonished.
Cheon-hwi’s index finger, which had appeared in front of him at some point, was stabbing toward his forehead.
“Eek!”
Jong-hyeon clenched his teeth and grasped his sword.
“Haap!”
He raised his sword along with a shout.
The sword laden with all his internal energy rotated like a full moon, exuding a chilling momentum.
However, at that time.
Cheon-hwi’s index finger moved bizarrely, and as it rode the sword body, it gradually approached.
“……!”
Jong-hyeon felt that he could not avoid it and immediately let go of his sword. After that, he quickly crossed his hands and blocked the index finger.
Thud.
“Huh?”
Jong-hyeon burst out in bewilderment.
Unlike the massive momentum he felt, what touched his forearm was a light sensation.
When he looked at Cheon-hwi in panic.
“Your judgment was good, but your strength is lacking.”
A low voice was heard.
Cheon-hwi, who was lightly pressing down on the arm with his index finger, pulled his hand out and widened the distance again.
“Try holding your sword again.”
Jong-hyeon hesitatingly picked up his sword.
And he raised his sword again.
Cheon-hwi quietly stared at Jong-hyeon, who was hesitating and taking a starting posture again.
‘It really is the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art, right? However, it was different when we did it via sword debate.’
When he personally witnessed the sword art that the Zhongnan Sword Saint had spoken of through a sword debate, the feeling was different.
‘As expected, actual combat is better than a sword debate.’
Cheon-hwi recalled the sword art that Jong-hyeon had performed earlier and attached an advice.
“This time, when you swing the sword, hold the sword hilt with both hands and swing it as it is without bending your wrist forward.”
“……Without bending my wrist?”
Unbeknownst to himself, Jong-hyeon carefully picked up the sword as if he was bewitched by Cheon-hwi’s words.
And he regripped it while engraving the words.
‘Without bending……. Without bending!’
Soon, he swung his sword again.
The exact same starting posture as before.
However, just by not bending his wrist, a fierce and strong momentum unfolded.
However.
Thud.
It was blocked once again by the index finger.
“It got a little better, but it’s still lacking. Would it rather be better for me to show you.”
At some point, a sword was held in Cheon-hwi’s hand. However, that was not Cheon-hwi’s sword, but rather Jong-hyeon’s sword.
“……!”
Jong-hyeon was startled and looked at his empty hand.
“How?!”
“What do you mean, how.”
Cheon-hwi chuckled.
“Like this.”
Cheon-hwi’s sword moved slowly.
Without a single inch of error from the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art that Jong-hyeon had demonstrated earlier.
When it unfolded, it was fierce and strong, and when pursuing a variation, it was a soft and fierce sword form.
After demonstrating the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art, Cheon-hwi threw the sword to Jong-hyeon, whose mouth was wide open.
“Did you watch well?”
“Yes, yes,”
Jong-hyeon, startled, hurriedly caught the thrown sword.
“Then try following it once.”
“T-that?”
“Can you not do something this easy?”
“N-no! I can do it!”
Jong-hyeon, who had suddenly become highly disciplined, swallowed his saliva and raised his sword.
And he unfolded the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art again just like earlier, but.
Thwack.
He was blocked in the middle.
“It seems you are still not used to the flow. But it is much better than earlier.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Forgetting his jealousy, Jong-hyeon looked at Cheon-hwi with sparkling eyes.
At that time, Cheon-hwi raised his hand.
“Then try blocking now.”
“Yes……? Gasp!”
For a moment, Jong-hyeon swallowed his breath.
It was because Cheon-hwi, who was about three zhang away, was suddenly in front of him.
At the same time.
Pow!
A massive shock pierced through him along with a dull sound, and the inside of his head turned completely white.
“Keok!”
Pa-at! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Jong-hyeon, who was struck by the fist wind, bounced on the floor a few times and then collapsed in a large character shape.
“Jong-hyeon!”
Ha Woo-jin quickly approached Jong-hyeon, flipped his eyelids, and even checked his pulse.
“Phew.”
He let out a sigh of relief.
His white eyes were rolled back, but fortunately, his pulse was beating vigorously.
“Was it a faint.”
Wiping the cold sweat flowing on his forehead with his sleeve, he shifted his gaze to Cheon-hwi.
‘Fortunately, he showed mercy in his actions.’
If it were anyone else, he would have jumped up and caused a ruckus for making his disciple like this, but Ha Woo-jin did not do so.
The reason was simple.
Because the opponent was Cheon-hwi.
Considering the actions of Cheon-hwi, who was at a faraway realm higher than himself, this much was rather on the level of lightly touching him.
“Perhaps it might be a good thing.”
Saying that, he carried Jong-hyeon on his back.
Recently, Jong-hyeon had become arrogant.
That was to be expected because, on top of catching the eye of Ha Woo-jin, who said he would not take disciples, and becoming a direct disciple, he was receiving all the support of the Zhongnan Sect.
It was something that would make anyone, not just Jong-hyeon, haughty.
‘I hope he came to his senses through this.’
After Ha Woo-jin laid Jong-hyeon on one side, he asked Cheon-hwi.
“How was it when you faced him?”
“He has talent.”
His bone structure was also excellent, and his internal energy was sufficient, showing how many elixirs he had eaten.
However.
“But his sword art was completely off.”
Ha Woo-jin smiled bitterly.
As he said, Jong-hyeon’s comprehension and talent were outstanding.
However, his sword art was the problem.
He could not handle a sword too well.
No matter how difficult it was to learn footwork, this was at a serious level.
Ha Woo-jin smiled bitterly.
Jong-hyeon’s internal energy and other martial arts skills increased day by day, but even as time passed, only his sword art did not improve.
“Why don’t you have him learn a different sword art?”
“Haha, I am doing that anyway.”
Actually, he had recently taught him a few new sword arts.
However, perhaps because he was still young.
Jong-hyeon was completely absorbed in the strong sword, the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art, and did not learn other sword arts.
‘I hope he realized it today.’
Ha Woo-jin recalled the final single sword strike that Cheon-hwi had unfolded.
Softness overcomes firmness.
The soft sword that Cheon-hwi wielded suppressed and shattered Jong-hyeon’s strong sword.
“What sword art was the one just now?”
“It doesn’t particularly have a name.”
Cheon-hwi shrugged his shoulders.
It was just a sword form he created and unfolded immediately because he wanted to see if he could unfold it completely in reverse after watching the Great Heaven Strong Sword Art.
However, Ha Woo-jin, who did not know that, looked at Cheon-hwi and nodded his head.
‘It seems it is a sword art that cannot be revealed.’
He, who made an ignorant misunderstanding, smiled while staring at Cheon-hwi.
‘By the way, he looks exactly like Hyeon-gang.’
Ha Woo-jin was soaked in memories for a moment.
Hyeon-gang’s first impression was not very good.
That was to be expected since Hyeon-gang, upon hearing the rumors about Ha Woo-jin, secretly visited the Zhongnan Sect alone and requested a spar.
However, what changed it was.
‘It was when he took in a disciple.’
It must have been exactly from that day.
That day, Hyeon-gang kept smiling.
It was a completely different appearance from the past when it was hard to see him smile even once a day.
‘You took in a disciple?’
‘Yes.’
‘Is it that good?’
‘Of course it’s good. He’s still young, but just holding Hwi’s small hand makes me laugh.’
While watching Ha Woo-jin train, he went on and on bragging about his disciple every day.
‘How old is he for you to be like this?’
‘Is he eight years old now.’
‘Eight, he has grown a lot.’
‘Haha, yes. He has grown a lot. How about it? Will you not come to the Mount Hua Sect to see him once?’
‘Hmm, I’ll go if I have free time.’
‘Ey, free time. When have you ever had free time?’
‘If you get free time, try raising a disciple once too.’
‘What disciple with my skills.’
‘Don’t be like that and try raising one. Then your life will change a lot.’
‘Would it change with just that?’
‘It’s different once you raise one. Oh right! And if you take in a disciple, our disciples will meet and become friends like us. How about it? Isn’t it really good?’
Did Hyeon-gang know something.
He persistently made a promise that they had to arrange a meeting between their disciples until the end, and after finally getting it, the two parted ways.
And that was their last meeting.
‘Hyeon-gang, your words were right.’
In the past, he could not understand the words Hyeon-gang had said.
Taking in a disciple, and one’s life changing.
However, now he had realized it for sure.
‘My life has truly changed.’
His life, which pursued solely the purpose of becoming stronger, had changed.
It was merely that a disciple named Jong-hyeon was added to his life, but it was just like sweet rain falling in a drought.
‘But I should have hurried a little bit.’
A bitter smile formed on Ha Woo-jin’s lips as he recalled Hyeon-gang smiling and wishing for their disciples’ meeting on their last day.
The feeling that if he had just hurried a little, Hyeon-gang might have been here, continued to prick him like a thorn.
“I wish they would get along closely…….”
Ha Woo-jin, who was reminiscing about past memories from long ago, stared at Cheon-hwi and muttered in a faint voice.
‘Like Hyeon-gang and me.’
While swallowing the latter words he wanted to say.
He had no desire to make the relationship between the two awkward by adding unnecessary words.
Just naturally.
Yes, like himself and Hyeon-gang in the past.
He only wished for them to become close to each other.
Ha Woo-jin gently laid Jong-hyeon, whom he had been carrying, on the floor and placed his hand on his body.
As he infused internal energy, the fainted Jong-hyeon opened his eyes.
“……Master?”
Jong-hyeon was surprised while looking at Ha Woo-jin’s face, but he gradually became gloomy.
“……I lost.”
Jong-hyeon bit his lip.
Ha Woo-jin opened his mouth with a satisfied expression while looking at such Jong-hyeon.
“Are you frustrated?”
“Yes.”
Unlike his calm speaking, Jong-hyeon unknowingly clenched his fists.
Ha Woo-jin’s gaze became warm.
“If you have figured out that emotion, then this defeat is more valuable than a victory.”
“Do not forget that emotion.”
“Understood. More than that, that person is…….”
He hurriedly shook his head to look for someone, and upon discovering Cheon-hwi, his eyes sparkled, and he blurted out an unexpected title.
“Older brother!”
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