Chapter 12: Chapter 12
The hour of Chen when the sun was rising.
Cheon-hwi was strolling along a long, winding narrow path.
Normally, it would have been the time he stayed at the Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion, but he turned his steps and was heading somewhere.
Waaaaah…
A sound of cheering coming from afar.
Cheon-hwi’s eyes sparkled.
Today, his destination instead of Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion was the place where those cheers were coming from.
It was Dorimpyeong, where the Five Mountains Gathering was being held.
‘How are the martial arts of the other sword sects? Will they be similar to the Mount Hua Sect?’
As he thought of the martial arts he would get to see by observing the Five Mountains Gathering, expectation filled him.
Walking for a long time with such excited steps, he discovered a large main gate.
‘It is here.’
Looking at the signboard with ‘Dorimpyeong’ written on it above his head, Cheon-hwi reached out his hand.
The firmly closed door slowly opened.
Kkiiik…
His brow naturally furrowed.
‘There are really a lot.’
The sight revealed as the door opened did not quite please him.
Daoists were tightly filling the surroundings of the massive training ground visible right in front.
While looking at the Daoists who easily numbered over a hundred even with a rough glance.
‘Huh? There are different Daoist robes too.’
Although more than half were wearing the red Daoist robes that the Mount Hua Sect boasted of, they were not the only ones.
Blue, white, black, green.
Excluding the red Daoist robes, those wearing Daoist robes of four other colors stood distinctly separated around the training ground.
As if walls had been erected between them.
‘It seems the camps are divided by sword sect.’
Still, perhaps because this place was the Mount Hua Sect.
No matter if it was the great assembly of the Five Mountains Sword Sects, they were different sword sects.
It was natural, as they were also competing sword sects.
‘Then should I go over there?’
As Cheon-hwi, who was scanning those wearing different colored Daoist robes, was about to move toward where the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were gathered.
Waaaah!
Excited cheers erupted from the front, and the spectating crowd stirred.
‘It seems they have already started?’
Cheon-hwi’s steps quickened.
Soon, the moment he arrived behind the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect and raised his head to see the situation on the sparring ground.
‘Damn it.’
A curse naturally came out.
All he could see were people’s backs.
His vision was blocked by the crowd obstructing the front, so the top of the training ground could not be seen.
Because he had no occasion to bump into people, he had overlooked it.
Right now, he was a boy of barely fourteen.
Furthermore, perhaps due to having been sickly, with his height not even reaching five chi, he could not see the training ground.
‘I must go to the front.’
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
Then he discovered a small gap.
Seueuk…
He dug into that space.
“Huh?”
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, who were standing at the very back cheering while looking at the training ground, suddenly turned their heads at something digging into their sides and widened their eyes.
A small child was below.
Large eyes and a prominently raised nose.
Furthermore, even lips as red as cherries.
Although he was a young boy with baby fat remaining, it was an appearance that made one certain he would make many women cry when he grew up later.
The ones who reacted first were the female disciples.
With sparkling eyes, they looked at Cheon-hwi.
“Oh my!”
“Who are you?”
At the commotion of the female disciples, the male disciples nearby also focused on Cheon-hwi.
They too, like the female disciples, expressed admiration upon seeing Cheon-hwi’s appearance, but shortly after tilted their heads.
“Who is it?”
“Was there such a child among the disciples in our sect?”
Many people stared at Cheon-hwi, but no one knew his identity.
It could not be helped.
Originally, because Cheon-hwi was sick and only stayed in his residence, those who knew his face could be counted on one hand even within the Mount Hua Sect.
After he recovered, it was even more serious.
Since he only went back and forth between his residence and Ten Thousand Scenery Pavilion every day, who would know his face?
Perhaps uncomfortable with the gazes focused on him, a furrow formed between Cheon-hwi’s eyebrows.
He had just tried to dig inside in order to see the training ground, but he felt the stinging gazes gradually increasing.
‘Why are they staring like this?’
But Cheon-hwi did not know.
That his frowning appearance drew their eyes even more.
“Oh my! Did you frown?”
“So cute!”
Around the time the female disciples were making a fuss over Cheon-hwi’s changing expressions.
“Uh? Isn’t this Junior Martial Brother?”
A massive shadow swallowed Cheon-hwi and the surrounding female disciples.
“Hall of Medicine Master?”
At the appearance of the Hall of Medicine Master, Cheon-go, the female disciples who had been surrounding Cheon-hwi flinched.
Then, recalling the words he had uttered, they widened their eyes.
“By the way……”
“To call that child Junior Martial Brother……”
The flustered ones soon realized Cheon-hwi’s identity and widened their eyes.
“Could it be……”
“Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
Around the time they were surprised by the appearance of Cheon-hwi, whom they had only heard of through rumors in the past.
‘The sodomite from back then?’
Cheon-hwi hardened his eyes looking at Cheon-go.
“Hahaha! In the few days I haven’t seen you, your complexion has brightened, Junior Martial Brother.”
But not knowing Cheon-hwi’s thoughts, Cheon-go welcomed him with a laugh and asked.
“Did you come to observe the Five Mountains Gathering?”
“Yes.”
Cheon-hwi answered as if annoyed.
Hearing those words, Cheon-go quickly scanned Cheon-hwi and the people around him who bore interesting looks, then moved his lips.
“It won’t be easy to see from here, so follow me well.”
Saying that, he moved.
As he, a muscular giant well over six chi tall, moved, the closely gathered people parted and a path was formed.
‘Now I can go forward a bit.’
How many steps had he walked following Cheon-go, who was striding forward?
Tak.
Cheon-go stopped.
Then he stepped aside.
Oho.
Cheon-hwi’s eyes sparkled.
The training ground was clearly visible right in front.
“Isn’t this a decent spot?”
“Now it’s a bit easier to see.”
Cheon-hwi, who was nodding his head, turned his gaze from the training ground and was scanning his surroundings as well.
‘Huh?’
At a gaze felt on the back of his head, he turned his head.
Just one jang behind, the sight of the Sect Leader, Hyeon-sang, and the elders of other sword sects sitting came into view.
At that moment, his eyes met the Sect Leader’s.
While facing the light smile of the Sect Leader that seemed to welcome him.
“Hahaha, it is a relief that it is to your liking, Junior Martial Brother. But it is surprising. I never imagined you would observe……”
Cheon-go spoke in a thick voice.
“I just came to see some martial arts.”
“……Martial arts?”
At Cheon-hwi’s answer, Cheon-go stroked his sparsely grown beard.
Then, clapping his hands, he added.
“Then it is a pity. The Heavenly Flow Sword Art that Jeok Woon unleashed when he defeated the disciple of the Mount Song Sect in the first spar just now was truly excellent……”
Cheon-go spoke out with a proud expression.
His explanation continued, but.
‘What is this?’
Cheon-hwi, who was supposed to listen to that explanation, whether Cheon-go babbled beside him or not, stared at the sparring ground and furrowed his brow.
‘They’re just kids, aren’t they?’
A boy who looked around twenty on the sparring ground and a girl who looked slightly younger than him.
The moment he saw the two of them competing, his interest cooled rapidly.
Just when Cheon-hwi was losing interest.
Kaang!
The girl, driven into a defensive position, staggered.
“……For Seol Ran to be pushed back.”
Cheon-go let out a groan.
Although Seol Ran was the weakest among the participating disciples, he had never imagined she would be at such a disadvantage.
“That child of the Mount Tai Sect possesses extraordinary skill. To unleash the Mount Tai Sword Art so proficiently……”
The Mount Tai Sword Art was a superior sword art counted on one hand even within the Mount Tai Sect, and it was said to take at least ten years to properly master.
But the child, who had just turned twenty, was unleashing the Mount Tai Sword Art.
And proficiently at that.
“Perhaps Seol Ran might lose.”
Just as Cheon-go managed to open his mouth with difficulty.
“Haam.”
Cheon-hwi let out a yawn out of boredom.
The spar was so peaceful it was tedious.
Even though the two held real swords, they did not scatter blood or aim for injuries.
They were merely showing off their martial arts while fighting fairly and squarely with each other.
‘There is a reason those Righteous Faction bastards lost to those inferior to their own skills.’
He could not even laugh.
No matter if it was a spar, it was too much.
Sparring was something done to prepare for life-and-death fights.
But what the hell were they doing?
There were no variables, and no sharpness.
Even the contest unfolding right now was like that.
‘Sigh, retrieving the sword there?’
Seol Ran swung her sword first.
But to block the opponent’s sword aiming for her shoulder taking advantage of that opening, she retracted the sword she had swung first.
‘Tsk tsk, if she had just swung it, the opponent would be the one taking a fatal wound, but she took a loss by retracting it.’
He looked at the contest of the two pathetically.
‘Kids these days have no ambition, no ambition. In my time, we thrust our swords prepared to have a hole pierced in our stomachs. To make such a fuss because they’re afraid of merely getting cut.’
Even the very, very slight expectation that had remained rapidly cooled.
At a glance, it was fierce.
Sparks flew every time the swords swung while stepping the footwork clashed, and the crowd even held their breath.
But that was strictly by their standards.
Cheon-hwi, who had only seen spars fraught with blood every day in the Heavenly Demon Cult, was not satisfied.
It was completely child’s play.
‘The next spar will be different, right?’
By the time Cheon-hwi thought so.
Kaang!
Seol Ran bounced backward.
Degururu…
Pushed back in the battle of internal energy, she retreated a few steps.
Her neatly tied hair became unraveled and disheveled, and she breathed heavily.
“Haa, haa.”
After a moment, Seol Ran, having caught her breath, raised her sword.
Due to the aftermath of the collision just now, the hand gripping the sword trembled, and the internal energy contained was very faint.
However, the light in her eyes was intense.
Jjeojeok…
A chill spreading around her.
Drawing out all the remaining internal energy of the Jade Maiden Heart Art, she gritted her teeth and swung her sword widely.
Her most confident sword form.
The Lady Sword.
Sswaeaeeaek!
Watching that sight, her opponent, Do Mu of the Mount Tai Sect, also swung his sword.
Chaeaeng!
A sharp sound rang out.
“It was a good match.”
Do Mu held his sword in reverse grip and politely took a cupped fist salute toward Seol Ran, who was kneeling on one knee.
“……”
Seol Ran stood up straight while gritting her teeth.
Then she brought her two trembling hands from the impact together and returned the cupped fist salute.
“……It was a good match.”
At that moment.
“Well done!”
“Junior Martial Sister, you were cool!”
Consolations burst out from the Mount Hua Sect’s camp.
Everyone had felt from the middle that Seol Ran would be defeated.
But they were moved seeing her persistently fighting until the end.
“Hmm, this is good.”
Cheon-go, next to Cheon-hwi, also smiled in satisfaction.
Seol Ran was a registered disciple without even a Daoist name, but her opponent was the head disciple of the Mount Tai Sect.
The moment he came up as her sparring opponent, Seol Ran’s defeat was already expected.
However, Seol Ran did not lose easily.
She persistently held out until the end, and even pushed the opponent back a few times.
“……The future of our sect is bright.”
Cheon-hwi looked at Cheon-go and the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect as if it was absurd.
‘What? The future is bright? Yeah, right.’
Was Cheon-hwi’s thought correct?
Their smiles did not last long.
The spar that followed immediately after.
“……I have lost.”
Jeok Jae, who was evaluated as an outstanding talent among the second-generation disciples along with Jeok-geom, had lost to a disciple of the Mount Heng Sect.
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