Chapter 92: Chapter 92
Two dakyung later, Cheon-hwi followed Hyeon-cheong, who was walking ahead, and arrived at Peach Forest Plaza (Dorimpyeong), the martial training ground where the second-generation disciples trained.
… Ha-ap! Ha-ap!
Perhaps it was because it was still midday.
The vigorous sound of ki-yaps echoing from the grand martial training ground spread out, mixed with the smell of sweat in the wind.
“Hmm. They are doing well.”
Hyeon-cheong, who was looking at the second-generation disciples with a proud gaze, looked at Cheon-hwi and asked.
“What do you think?”
“Are these all the second-generation disciples?”
Cheon-hwi’s expression hardened for the first time.
It was understandable, as the number of people at Peach Forest Plaza was a hundred at most?
No, it seemed even fewer than that.
“That is not all.”
Hyeon-cheong shook his head from side to side.
I knew it.
Cheon-hwi smiled and asked Hyeon-cheong.
“Where are the other second-generation disciples?”
“The six who became Plum Blossom Swordsmen are separately receiving training from the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion at Samong Plaza (Samongpyeong).”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head.
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion was trustworthy.
Cheon-hwi waited for the words to follow.
However, even after waiting and waiting, no more words were heard.
“That is not all, right?”
“This is all.”
“It’s this few?”
Hyeon-cheong was slightly flustered.
“This is the remaining number after the majority of the second-generation disciples descended the mountain.”
Cheon-hwi’s face hardened slightly.
No matter how close the Mount Hua Sect was to ruin, they were still one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
Barely even a hundred people?
Cheon-hwi clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“How many of them here have received a Daoist title?”
Hyeon-cheong subtly turned his head away.
“…None.”
“That is the worst.”
The words naturally came out.
What was important when grasping the strength of a martial arts sect?
It was precisely the number of people.
Usually, a sect needed to have at least two hundred members to be considered a large sect.
‘But to think there are barely around a hundred people.’
The number of people was seriously low.
‘It’s too few, way too few. At this rate, there’s not much difference from a small or medium-sized sect.’
Cheon-hwi’s brows narrowed.
He had thought it was because the Mount Hua Sect had suffered a blow close to annihilation.
He didn’t know it was to this extent.
‘Still, since they have practiced martial arts for quite a long time, they must have some skill, right?’
He observed the second-generation disciples in detail.
‘Are they all using Plum Blossom Qi Art?’
The mental methods were indeed all the same, but the other things were divided into several branches.
‘As expected, most of it is sword arts.’
And occasionally, fist and palm arts could be seen, but they were extremely few.
‘Let’s see. The sword arts are centered around the Three Immortals Sword and Six Harmonies Sword Art, while the male disciples use the Profound Heaven Sword and female disciples use the Lady Sword, but…’
As he watched, he became expressionless.
‘Sloppy.’
Feeling the seriousness of the situation, Cheon-hwi immediately looked at a disciple practicing fist arts instead of the sword.
They were performing the Heart and Mind Six Harmonies Fist with honest postures.
‘Do I need to check properly?’
Right then, Hyeon-cheong spoke to him.
“Is something not good?”
“I need to check what level their skills are at first so I can help them train.”
Hyeon-cheong smiled a wrinkled smile.
“Do not worry about that.”
Soon, he lightly kicked off the ground.
Shrinking the distance of three zhang in a single breath, smoothly like a cloud floating in the sky, Hyeon-cheong arrived at the seat of honor in Peach Forest Plaza.
Immortal Cloud Resting on a Solitary Peak!
When the second-generation disciples were staring blankly at Hyeon-cheong due to the appearance of a footwork technique that extremely few people in the Mount Hua Sect had learned.
“Everyone, halt your training for a moment.”
Hyeon-cheong’s voice flowed calmly.
However, as if everyone had heard those words, they stopped what they were training and stood tall.
At that time, Hyeon-cheong motioned to Cheon-hwi with his eyes.
Is he telling me to come?
Cheon-hwi immediately used the Dark Fragrance Floating footwork.
When Cheon-hwi, who had melted into the scenery, instantly appeared next to Hyeon-cheong, the second-generation disciples began to murmur.
“Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
As the murmuring sound gradually grew louder.
“Be quiet.”
A voice laden with internal energy sank low.
“Today, Cheon-hwi will specially help with your training.”
The second-generation disciples were dumbfounded when told that Cheon-hwi would suddenly teach them.
However, anticipation soon enveloped them.
The Five Sacred Mountains Gathering from two sessions ago.
Cheon-hwi’s outstanding skill shown at that time had become the catalyst for the Mount Hua Sect to soar once again.
‘How will he teach us?’
‘We might be able to see the Plum Blossom Sword he showcased during the Five Sacred Mountains Gathering again!’
‘Kyaa! It’s Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi.’
Seeing everyone focus with sparkling eyes, Cheon-hwi stepped forward.
“May I do it my way?”
Hyeon-cheong nodded his head.
“Do as you wish.”
Cheon-hwi immediately jumped down from the seat of honor.
Unlike his considerable build, Cheon-hwi, who landed softly on the martial training ground like a feather, spoke towards the second-generation disciples.
“Then everyone, come at me.”
For a moment, everyone was flustered.
“Pardon?”
“Do you not know what sparring is?”
When most of them were standing with dumbfounded expressions at the sudden words.
“May I go first?”
One of the second-generation disciples raised his hand high and approached.
It was none other than the registered disciple, Jang Il-o.
“I don’t mind.”
“I am the second-generation disciple, Jang Il-o.”
Jang Il-o, who carefully held the White Lotus Sword, stared at Cheon-hwi and finished his full preparations.
“Then I will come.”
Along with his words, Jang Il-o lunged forward.
Hwirik…
Along with a dull thud, Jang Il-o flew through the sky and soon fell powerlessly.
Thump!
When the second-generation disciples stared blankly at Jang Il-o, who was sprawled out on the ground showing the whites of his eyes.
“I originally planned to test you one by one, but.”
A terrifying voice struck their ears.
“There will be no need for that.”
At that moment, Cheon-hwi’s figure disappeared with a whoosh, as if a candle had been blown out.
“Keu-heok!”
“Uwaak!”
And a moment later, screams echoed everywhere.
“Tsk.”
One ilgak later, Cheon-hwi clicked his tongue as he looked at the second-generation disciples who had all fainted.
Most of them were far too lacking.
Their accumulated internal energy was dismal, and the martial arts they displayed were hard to watch with open eyes.
“Fortunately, you showed mercy in your strikes.”
Hyeon-cheong cautiously approached.
In less than one ilgak, Cheon-hwi had taken down nearly a hundred second-generation disciples in a single blow each.
“How was it?”
“Are they really second-generation disciples?”
Cheon-hwi frowned.
“No matter how I look at it, let alone peak experts, they seem to have barely reached the threshold of first-rate.”
“Heoheo.”
Hyeon-cheong held a bitter smile.
That was the same feeling he had when he first took charge of the second-generation disciples.
The second-generation disciples of the past were at least peak to transcendent experts.
However, the current second-generation disciples were comparable to the third-generation disciples of the past.
‘Perhaps it is a given. Since Hyeon-do and I, who should have given them teachings, secluded ourselves instead…’
Guilt pierced his chest.
Including himself, there were only barely nine Daoists of the Hyeon generation left.
This was because the majority had descended the mountain or left when the Mount Hua Sect fell into ruin.
The number of disciples was almost a hundred.
However, the number of masters in the Mount Hua Sect was limited, so there was a lack of detailed, one-on-one teaching for the second-generation disciples.
“That is why your help is needed.”
Hyeon-cheong harbored anticipation.
Jeok-geom and Seol Ran, who learned from Cheon-hwi, were outstanding among the Plum Blossom Swordsmen staying in the Mount Hua Sect.
Both in skill and mindset.
Was that all?
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion had also said that the first-generation disciples were growing rapidly through Cheon-hwi’s training methods.
“First, let’s stop them from practicing sword arts, fist arts, or other martial arts.”
Cheon-hwi spoke firmly.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, including Jeok-geom and Seol Ran, still had a certain level of foundation, making Cheon-hwi’s training suitable for them.
Training footwork, physical strengthening, and such.
However, these people right now.
‘If they perform martial arts, they would be exhausted and collapse in less than an ilgak.’
He immediately voiced the thoughts he had.
“Because they learned martial arts without even having the basics down, there are a lot of useless movements. On top of that, their internal energy and stamina seem to be lacking. They should practice martial arts later.”
Hyeon-cheong nodded.
He too had felt that.
“For now, we should change it to training focused on the horse stance and Qi circulation, and once a certain amount of internal energy and stamina is built up, it would be good to teach them martial arts that suit each of them.”
“Horse stance and Qi circulation…”
Hearing Cheon-hwi’s immediately following method, Hyeon-cheong stroked his beard with a “Hmm.”
“I understood telling them to do the horse stance. It is excellent for building stamina and developing muscles. However, they are already doing Qi circulation twice a day for about one sijeon. I don’t think there is a need to increase it further.”
“With only that much?”
Merely twice a day for one sijeon?
It was far too lacking.
“To properly build skill, they have to reduce sleep to do the horse stance, do Qi circulation when they get tired, and then repeat the horse stance once they regain their senses to improve their skills.”
“Are you saying without resting?”
“Of course.”
Contrary to his peaceful voice, Hyeon-cheong was terrified by the frighteningly harsh training contents.
“To become stronger, putting in a life-or-death effort right now is barely enough, so shouldn’t they endure at least that much?”
Cheon-hwi glared at the second-generation disciples who had yet to regain consciousness.
The path to becoming an expert was simple.
Diligently and ‘well’ learning martial arts manuals.
And having heavenly luck on your side.
Fortunately, heavenly luck existed.
‘Because I am here.’
He, who had not only a high realm of martial prowess but had also mastered all the martial arts in the world, would help?
It was a luck stronger than any other luck.
However, there was one problem.
Diligence. That was the biggest problem.
‘I can teach them how to learn properly, but the rest is up to their own will.’
Cheon-hwi continued to look at the fainted second-generation disciples and cast an indifferent gaze.
“In the case of internal energy mental methods, if they have elixirs, the time could be shortened, but…”
Cheon-hwi nonchalantly added his words.
“You don’t have enough to distribute to all the second-generation disciples. Therefore, they have to grind their time instead.”
“…That is true.”
Hyeon-cheong’s voice became solemn.
Making elixirs was not an easy task on a regular basis.
Furthermore, in the case of the Purple Perilla Pill, which was comparable to the Wudang’s Grand Clarity Pill, it was to the extent that the Mount Hua Sect might or might not make one in a hundred years.
In the past, they naturally possessed many elixirs, but now they only had ten Plum Blossom Pills reserved for emergencies.
Hyeon-gang and the forty Plum Blossom Swordsmen who followed him.
They had already used all of them on those who had to take responsibility for the Mount Hua Sect’s future.
“However, internal energy is not everything. It seems much better to learn other martial arts along with Qi circulation.”
Hyeon-cheong agonized before offering his opinion.
While internal energy was important, learning martial arts suited for it quickly was also important.
“Of course, internal energy isn’t everything.”
“Then…”
Just when Hyeon-cheong was about to say something.
“But it is important at the beginning. Internal energy mental methods must support it for them to be able to perform martial arts suited for it, wouldn’t they?”
Cheon-hwi preached his theory that had been accumulated through long periods of experience.
The foundation of martial arts was the internal energy mental method.
Footwork, sword arts, and other martial arts all needed internal energy to support them.
‘Well, there are some that don’t, but they’ve fallen into obscurity now, so no one would know about them.’
Cheon-hwi spoke while swallowing his later words.
“Moreover, the internal energy of the Plum Blossom Qi Art is excellent, so once they just accumulate it, learning other martial arts will be easy.”
“The Plum Blossom Qi Art is indeed outstanding.”
A smile bloomed on Hyeon-cheong’s face.
Although it was the Mount Hua Sect’s basic mental method, he also knew the efficacy of the Plum Blossom Qi Art well.
“Then we shall do so.”
“After that, once they reach a certain realm, we can let them practice martial arts that suit their individual talents and aptitudes.”
“Talents and aptitudes?”
Hyeon-cheong’s eyes widened.
Figuring out someone’s talents and aptitudes usually required going through several trials and errors.
However, judging from Cheon-hwi’s speaking attitude, it seemed like he was able to discern them.
“Are you able to know that?”
“To some extent.”
It was hard to believe, but Hyeon-cheong, who had already experienced Cheon-hwi, burst out in admiration.
“That is amazing.”
“I will proceed with that once they reach a certain level of skill.”
“Understood.”
Cheon-hwi, who watched Hyeon-cheong speak with a smile, thought of the second-generation disciples who were still sprawled out.
‘Though I don’t know when that will be.’
As expected of a Daoist mental method, the Plum Blossom Qi Art had a low possibility of suffering Qi deviation.
Instead, it was difficult to accumulate internal energy.
‘It would be nice if there was at least an elixir.’
Cheon-hwi, who was thinking of the easiest method, scratched his head.
The high cost of elixirs was a problem, but an even bigger problem was that they were rare.
Procuring enough amount for nearly a hundred second-generation disciples to consume was as hard as plucking a star from the sky.
“Should I just try making them myself?”
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