Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 13
Manhwa: Chapter 12
Chapter 5 Episode 13. Sometimes Unexpected Guests Arrive (1)
Dam-ho opened his eyes. The fragrant scent of plum blossoms wafted through the air, carried by the wind, but he barely noticed.
His mind was solely focused on the massive boulder in front of him. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the small circle drawn on the surface of the boulder in his sight.
“Hoo!”
Dam-ho took a moment to steady his breathing. Then the heavy energy that had been coiled just moments ago in his dantian began to surge through his meridians and into his entire body.
Dam-ho’s twisted left leg dug deep into the ground. At the moment when his calf muscles bulged slightly, he pushed off the earth with explosive force.
Thoom!
Like an arrow released from a taut bowstring, Dam-ho’s figure shot forward in a straight line, cutting through the air.
It was Charging Steps— a movement technique akin to a battering ram, charging directly in a straight line with the aim of breaking down a fortress.
He closed the distance in an instant and appeared right in front of the enormous boulder. Dam-ho’s fist then snapped forward like a whip, hurtling toward the boulder.
Fortress Piercing Fist.
A technique developed alongside Charging Steps. It was a punch designed to tear down and shatter city walls in a single blow.
Pow!
With a low, dull sound, Dam-ho’s fist sank into the boulder up to his wrist. Fragments of the rock crumbled and fell, as though it were made of soft tofu.
Dam-ho withdrew his fist from the shattered boulder.
His hand, covered in scars, calluses, and thickened skin, bore testament to a year of relentless effort and blood-soaked perseverance.
“Finally…”
Dam-ho’s face showed a mix of emotions.
It was the moment when a year of dedication and tears bore its first fruit.
Just then, a familiar voice called out.
“You’ve worked hard all this time.”
“Master!”
It was Sage Hyun-so. His face, like Dam-ho’s, was also aglow with emotion.
Sage Hyun-so had witnessed Dam-ho’s relentless efforts over the past year. Thus, he knew better than anyone how much blood, sweat, and tears Dam-ho had poured into his training.
To others, it might only be a distance of three zhang, but to Dam-ho, it was as vast and impossible as crossing the great Yangtze River that spans the Central Plains.
Day after day, he fell countless times, rolling and struggling as he tried to learn and practice Charging Steps. Dam-ho’s left leg was now strong enough to endure the Charging Steps, and his fists were tough enough to pierce through rock.
Sage Hyun-so patted Dam-ho on the shoulder.
“Still, don’t become complacent. You’ve only just reached the same starting line as others.”
“I understand, Master. And that’s more than enough for me.”
Dam-ho had clawed his way up from the very bottom to stand on equal footing with others. For him, even that was an incredible accomplishment.
His determination had grown stronger, and his perseverance had become unyielding.
There was still plenty of time left, and Dam-ho was ready to sprint with all his might for the long road ahead.
‘I will never be trampled so helplessly again.’
Dam-ho gritted his teeth, and a natural killing intent flickered in his eyes.
Sage Hyun-so sighed quietly to himself.
‘Ho’s killing intent is only growing stronger as time passes.’
It crossed his mind whether he might be creating a monster.
However, Sage Hyun-so quickly shook his head. Dam-ho was his one and only disciple. Everything he did was for his sake.
To regret it now would be to completely deny his own choices and efforts. He didn’t want to harbor any regrets, at least not when it came to his disciple.
Over the course of four seasons, not a single person had visited this place. Neither the elders nor the first-generation disciples came.
One might have expected someone to visit, curious about Dam-ho’s condition, but not a single soul stepped foot there. Sage Hyun-so tried to rationalize that they must have their own reasons, but the indifference left a wound in his heart.
‘Dam-ho is not someone to be dismissed like this. This child will undoubtedly become a treasure of the Mount Hua Sect.’
Sage Hyun-so believed this with conviction.
The blood and sweat Dam-ho shed were not false. As someone who had been by his side all this time, Sage Hyun-so knew this better than anyone else.
Sage Hyun-so’s gaze turned towards Cloud Terrace Peak, where the True Martial Temple stood. It was the residence of Sage Hyun-geom, the master of the True Martial Temple.
Sage Hyun-geom had recently entered seclusion once again. This time, however, he wasn’t alone. He had entered closed-door training with a new disciple he had recently taken under his wing.
The Taoist name of this new disciple was Myeong-gyeong, who, surprisingly, came from the ranks of outer disciples.
Unable to find a promising candidate among the first- and second-generation disciples, Sage Hyun-geom eventually selected an outstanding talent from the outer disciples training at the main temple and accepted him as a disciple.
Little was known about Myeong-gyeong’s background, even within the Mount Hua Sect. He had been a figure of little significance until now.
It was unclear what Sage Hyun-geom saw in Myeong-gyeong to accept him as a disciple. However, it was natural for expectations to be placed on Myeong-gyeong, now that he was the disciple of Sage Hyun-geom.
There was no telling how long their seclusion training would last, as Sage Hyun-geom had declared, “I will not emerge until Myeong-gyeong achieves satisfactory progress.”
‘Senior Brother Hyun-geom, I hope the disciple you have taken in turns out to be the prodigy who can rejuvenate Mount Hua.’
At first, he had felt anger toward the very existence of Myeong-gyeong—purely because he had become Sage Hyun-geom’s disciple. However, as time passed, much of that anger faded.
While he still harbored resentment toward Sage Hyun-geom, he found no reason to direct it at Myeong-gyeong. All he wished was for Myeong-gyeong to succeed and become a strong pillar to support the Mount Hua Sect.
Sage Hyun-so turned to Dam-ho with a smile.
“You’ve worked hard mastering the Charging Steps in this cramped space. How about we get some fresh air? The plum blossoms blooming all across Mount Hua are a splendid sight to see.”
“Yes, Master.”
Dam-ho replied respectfully, bowing his head.
Sage Hyun-so set off first, and Dam-ho followed behind him.
He hadn’t noticed while engrossed in his training, but plum blossoms were in full bloom all over Mount Hua. The sight of the delicate blossoms scattered amidst the sharp rocky terrain was stunningly beautiful.
Not long ago, Mount Hua had been blanketed in snow. All life had fallen silent, retreating into itself in a desperate bid for survival. But now that it was spring again, everything was beginning to reveal itself once again, casting its presence across the world once more.
Sage Hyun-so, seemingly moved by the scene, murmured to himself.
“The gap between heaven and earth is like a bellow— though empty, it is never exhausted, and the more it moves, the more it gives. If this mirrors the nature of things, why should one need to search for the Way solely within the Taoist scriptures when it is already here before us?”
Sage Hyun-so stopped in his tracks, gazing blankly at the blooming plum blossoms that adorned Mount Hua. Dam-ho quietly observed his master’s contemplative expression.
A gentle breeze swept through, scattering the delicate plum petals into the air.
* * *
Dam-ho took out a book from his robes. It was the one Sage Hyun-so had handed him. He had pored over it so many times that the yellowed cover had already frayed and worn thin.
Opening the book revealed the notes and diagrams compiled within. The foundation his master had laid was now supplemented with Dam-ho’s insights and personal observations.
‘I still have a long way to go.’
So far, he had only managed to perform the Charging Steps and the Fortress Piercing Fist. Much time and work remained for him to truly unleash the true power he had originally envisioned.
The Bloody Sky Kick was still a distant goal, and the other techniques were barely outlined concepts, far from being usable in practice.
They were nameless, incomplete forms of martial arts, with no certainty of when—or if—they would ever be perfected.
After recording his thoughts and observations from the day into the worn book, Dam-ho tucked it back into his robes.
The sunlight was warm. Dam-ho lay back on the flat wooden platform and gazed up at the sky.
Drifting clouds slowly passed by, and Dam-ho stared at them absently.
Sage Hyun-so had not emerged from his room since their walk earlier that day. It seemed as though he had gained some profound insight and was entirely consumed by it.
Dam-ho did not disturb his master. He instinctively sensed that this moment was of great importance to Sage Hyun-so.
If martial artists advanced through relentless practice and refinement, Taoists gained power through enlightenment. Dam-ho speculated that Sage Hyun-so might be experiencing such a moment of realization.
As Dam-ho was waiting for Sage Hyun-so to open the door and step out on his own, suddenly, he sensed a presence beyond the bushes.
He quickly removed the arm he had been using as a pillow and rose from the platform. A sharp gleam flickered in Dam-ho’s eyes as he focused on the area beyond the bushes.
At that moment, someone emerged, pushing aside the bushes.
It was a young Taoist boy who appeared to be only about fourteen or fifteen years old. Dam-ho recognized him immediately.
“You are—”
It was Won Yul, a second-generation disciple.
“Wo… Won Yul greats Junior Uncle.”
Won Yul said reluctantly, bowing with a fist salute. His expression lacked any hint of genuine respect.
“What’s the matter?”
“The Sect Leader has urgently commanded me to bring Junior Uncle Hyun-so back with me.”
Dam-ho’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
They hadn’t heard a word from the Sect Leader for the entire year. Now, all of a sudden, he was summoning his teacher? Something felt off.
“Wait here.”
“But the Sect Leader ordered me to bring him back immediately.”
“Wait here.”
“Junior Uncle! The Sect Leader’s instructions were…!”
“I said, wait.”
Dam-ho’s voice dropped to a cold, steady tone.
In that instant, Won Yul felt his chest tighten, and he was struck with shock.
‘What was that?’
Although he was only a second-generation disciple, he had trained enough in martial arts to maintain composure in most situations. For him to feel shaken just from someone’s words was almost unthinkable.
Won-yul frowned deeply as he stared at Dam-ho. Their eyes met briefly, but Won-yul quickly averted his gaze, turning his head away.
There was something unsettling about Dam-ho’s composed yet piercing gaze that made it impossible to maintain eye contact.
Suppressing his frustration, Won Yul clamped his mouth shut and cast his eyes to the ground. It felt humiliating, but there was little else he could do.
Time passed. Despite his growing impatience, Won-yul couldn’t bring himself to speak. Dam-ho’s quiet yet oppressive aura had completely subdued him.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t Junior Uncle supposed to be practically a cripple?’
While the first-generation disciples had tried to hush up the events at the True Martial Temple, there were too many witnesses to completely silence. In the end, the entirety of the Mount Hua Sect learned that Dam-ho had been rendered disabled.
Won-yul, too, had heard the same. Yet, as he stood before Dam-ho now, there was not a trace of the helplessness or infirmity he had expected to see.
“J-Junior Uncle?”
Just as Won Yul was able to muster up the courage to ask Dam-ho a question—
“Did someone arrive?”
Just then, the door creaked open, and Sage Hyun-so stepped out.
Sage Hyun-so’s gaze had deepened significantly in just a short time. Dam-ho immediately noticed the change in his master.
“Second-generation disciple Won Yul greets Junior Uncle.”
“What brings you here?”
“The Sect Leader has asked me to fetch Junior Uncle.”
“Sect Leader?”
Sage Hyun-so’s brow furrowed.
“What does the Sect Leader want with me?”
“I do not know the reason. I was only ordered to escort you back.”
“Hmm!”
Sage Hyun-so pondered for a moment but didn’t linger on the matter.
This was the Mount Hua Sect Leader’s summon command, not just anyone else, after all. As a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, it was impossible to disobey the order of the sect leader.
“I will go now.”
“I will accompany you.”
Dam-ho offered, stepping forward. Sage Hyun-so just gave a silent nod.
With Won-yul leading the way, the two left the residence.
It was Sage Hyun-so’s first time leaving in nearly a year. Though he had spent his entire life on Mount Hua, for some reason, the scenery along the way today seemed unfamiliar.
After passing through Canglong Ridge, which resembled the spine of a dragon, they arrived at Wuyun Peak. Although it had been five years since Sage Hyun-so last visited, nothing appeared to have changed. Yet, as he surveyed the surroundings, Sage Hyun-so’s heart felt uneasy.
‘Amitabha Buddha! The world remains changed, only my heart has changed.’
Sage Hyun-so let out a faint sigh.
As they approached Lotus Flower Peak, Jade Cloud Palace came into view. Standing at the entrance of Jade Cloud Palace was a figure that quickly caught their attention.
Dam-ho’s expression stiffened slightly.
“Senior Brother?”
“Junior Brother Cheon-gyeong?”
The person standing there was someone Dam-ho knew very well.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
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