Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 9
Manhwa: Chapter 8-9
Chapter 3 Episode 9. The Disciple Looks to the Master, and the Master Consoles the Disciple (3)
Jade Cloud Palace.
This was the name of the Daoist temple located at the summit of Lotus Flower Peak in Mount Hua. What made this predominantly red temple special was that it served as the residence of the sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect.
From the Jade Cloud Palace, one could take in the entirety of the Mount Hua Sect at a glance. The towering peaks were visible, and one could even see as far as Huayin County in the distance. Particularly remarkable were the vast array of stars visible at night and the breathtaking sunrise that greeted the palace each morning.
The current sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect was Sage Hyun-cheon, who was in his early fifties, a relatively young age for the head of the Great Mount Hua Sect, one of the nine great sects.
It had already been twenty years since Sage Hyun-cheon took on the role of sect leader in his thirties, and he was highly regarded for having led the sect better than anyone else during that time.
Across a small table from Sage Hyun-cheon sat a middle-aged Taoist emitting an aura as sharp as a blade— this was Sage Hyun-geom.
Sage Hyun-cheon put down the teacup in his hand and spoke,
“Your achievements are remarkable, Junior Brother. Finally, the Mount Hua Sect has a master it can boast of. This Senior Brother can rest assured.”
“I still have a long way to go. To restore the Mount Hua Sect to its former glory, I must continue to work even harder.”
“I believe in you.”
Sage Hyun-cheon smiled at the usually stern Sage Hyun-geom.
‘Junior Brother’s accomplishments are truly extraordinary. The day when Mount Hua regains its splendor is not far off.’
Strength defines a sect’s prosperity.
For a sect to thrive, it needed one absolute master rather than a hundred mediocre masters. And what the Mount Hua Sect needed now was precisely one absolute master.
“You’ve been through a lot. The path you walk will soon be the path Mount Hua walks. Don’t forget that this Senior Brother is always supporting you.”
“It’s all thanks to your sacrifice, Senior Brother. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to revive the ruined Mount Hua Sect in such a short time.”
“You and I both suffered a lot.”
A shadow fell over the corners of Sage Hyun-cheon’s eyes.
Twenty years ago, when he became the sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect, everything seemed bleak. The previous generation of senior masters who were supposed to lead the next generation had all died, and the sect was on the verge of collapse.
He didn’t know where to begin or how to restore things. His heart was heavy, and he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.
He had to do something. Sage Hyun-cheon poured everything he had into the revival of the Mount Hua Sect. In doing so, he didn’t even have time to train in martial arts himself.
Eventually, Sage Hyun-cheon had to make a choice. So, he gave up on martial arts. Instead, he invested everything into Sage Hyun-geom, the most talented among his peers. He gave him the sect’s most precious martial techniques and the few remaining elixirs.
Although he couldn’t pass on the Violet Mist Divine Art due to the restriction that only the sect leader could master it, Sage Hyun-geom gained other profound insights.
During the time that Sage Hyun-geom dedicated himself to mastering martial arts, Sage Hyun-cheon worked tirelessly to restore the sect. He asked for support from the outer disciples and sought out other sects for their cooperation.
For twenty years, he lived like a madman, and finally, he was able to rebuild the Mount Hua Sect to its current state. Sage Hyun-geom was fully aware of this, and that’s why he respected Sage Hyun-cheon more than anyone.
“Now that you’ve come out of seclusion, I finally have some room to breathe.”
“From now on, I will assist you, Senior Brother.”
“Just hearing that reassures me. All we need now is for you to nurture a disciple to carry on your achievements. Only when another great sword master of Mount Hua appears will I feel at ease running the sect. How is the selection of your disciple going?”
“It’s going well.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll personally grant your disciple the Plum Blossom Spiritual Elixir.”
“Thank you, Sect Leader.”
The Plum Blossom Spiritual Elixir was the most precious elixir of the Mount Hua Sect and was only given to those who would become sect leaders.
The recipe for its creation had been lost, making it impossible to produce anymore. All that remained were two pills. The fact that such a rare treasure would be given to Sage Hyun-geom’s future disciple meant that there were great expectations for him.
Sage Hyun-cheon smiled.
The task of finding someone to inherit the accomplishments of Mount Hua’s First Sword was not one to be taken lightly. It was a matter of great importance.
“Is there anyone among the first-generation disciples who stands out?”
For a moment, a frown appeared on Sage Hyun-geom’s forehead. He recalled what had happened earlier that day.
The intense gaze that had looked at him was not something he could easily forget.
Sage Hyun-cheon shook his head.
“The first-generation disciples have already reached a certain level of completion. For them to inherit my martial arts would not be an easy task.”
“Then you are planning to look among the second-generation disciples and even the outer disciples as well?”
“Talent doesn’t require a distinction in rank. To become a sword representing the prestigious Mount Hua Sect, one must possess both exceptional talent and the willingness to endure the hard work and sweat.”
“Indeed.”
Sage Hyun-cheon nodded in agreement.
It was just then, when the two were smiling—
Bang!
The doors of the Jade Cloud Palace swung open with a loud crash, as if they were about to be torn apart. Standing in the doorway, his face flushed with anger, was none other than Sage Hyun-so.
“Senior Brother Hyun-geom.”
He glared at Sage Hyun-geom.
Sage Hyun-geom remained surprisingly calm. However, Sage Hyun-cheon’s reaction was different.
“What is the matter, Junior Brother Hyun-so? You do realize where you are, don’t you? Surely, you aren’t raising your voice here without reason?”
“I came because I heard that Senior Brother Hyun-geom was here, Sect Leader.”
Sage Hyun-cheon looked toward Sae Hyun-geom in response to Sage Hyun-so’s heated reaction, his eyes silently asking for an explanation.
Sage Hyun-geom spoke.
“Have you come because of your disciple?”
“Yes! Why did you hurt the child like that? What did he ever do to you to deserve this?”
“No, there was no such offense.”
“Then why did you do it?”
Sage Hyun-so’s gaze was fierce, as though he wanted to devour Sage Hyun-geom.
Until now, Sage Hyun-so had never shown any emotional agitation in the Mount Hua Sect. This was the very first time he had shown such intense emotion.
Out of love for his wounded disciple, Sage Hyun-so had lost his composure. He had come to this place in search of the person responsible for his disciple’s condition.
Despite Sage Hyun-so’s anger, Sage Hyun-geom didn’t flinch.
“Because that is the path for the child’s own good.”
“You mean, leaving him in such a state is for his good?”
“No, I’m saying that having him give up martial arts is what’s best for him.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Sage Hyun-so slammed his fist down on the table, causing the teacups on the table to come crashing down to the floor in the aftermath.
“Junior Brother, calm yourself.”
Sage Hyun-cheon furrowed his brow and raised his voice. However, Sage Hyun-so ignored him and continued to stare at Sage Hyun-geom.
“Why is giving up martial arts for the child’s good?”
“Are you asking because you truly do not know?”
“I do not! I honestly don’t understand at all!”
“Isn’t he a cripple? How can a child who limps ever master the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect? I also regret the child’s talent, but there was no other choice.”
“Just because he limps, does that mean he shouldn’t be allowed to learn martial arts?”
“It might be possible in another sect, but at least the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect are not something a cripple can master so easily.”
“Senior Brother! I’m truly disappointed in you. How could the First Sword of Mount Hua say such a thing?”
“And why shouldn’t the First Sword of Mount Hua say such things?”
For the first time, anger surfaced on Sage Hyun-geom’s face, which had previously been expressionless.
He stepped closer to Sage Hyun-so.
“As for me, I’m willing to do anything for the revival of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“And what does that have to do with breaking my disciple?”
“Like what I told you, it’s for the child’s own good. It’s better for him that he doesn’t chase after useless dreams.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Why is it nonsense? Don’t you know how difficult and grueling the path of mastering martial arts is? Why else do you think Senior Uncle Heavenly Sky Sage chose to make you walk the path of a scholar instead of teaching you martial arts?”
Sage Hyun-so’s face twisted for a moment.
“Senior Brother!”
“To this day, I still don’t understand Senior Uncle Heavenly Sky Sage’s decision. Why did he choose someone like you, who lacks martial talent, to be his disciple? Why didn’t he give that chance to other more talented students? I really can’t comprehend it.”
“That’s…”
Sage Hyun-geom’s face reddened in anger, and seeing such a look on his face, Sage Hyun-so closed his eyes.
‘So Senior Brother still held to that incident from back then in his heart?’
It was something that happened over forty years ago.
At the time, Heavenly Sky Sage, the greatest master of the Mount Hua Sect and a renowned swordsman across the land, was about to choose his disciple. It was a matter of utmost importance within the sect. Naturally, all the disciples hoped to be chosen as his student.
At the time, the most outstanding talent was Hyun-geom. Sage Hyun-geom was confident that he would be chosen as Heavenly Sky Sage’s disciple.
However, the one Heavenly Sky Sage chose was none other than Hyun-so. And instead of teaching Hyun-so martial arts, he guided him on the path of a scholar.
To the promising talents who longed to become Heavenly Sky Sage’s disciple, it was an unforgettable blow. And the one who was most disappointed was Sage Hyun-geom.
‘If only I had been taught by Senior Uncle Heavenly Sky Sage, the Mount Hua Sect wouldn’t be going through such a difficult time now.’
Sage Hyun-geom clenched his fist tightly.
He had to take a long and winding road to reach his current achievements. The faster path had been right in front of him, yet it was out of reach.
”I didn’t want Junior Brother’s disciple to have to go through a long detour just to face reality. I wanted to show him quickly that the world of Jianghu is not a place where a crippled can survive. That’s why I used a more extreme method and went a bit overboard. I regret that part. But even now, I don’t regret my decision.”
Sage Hyun-geom’s resolute gaze and tone of voice dealt a heavy blow to Sage Hyun-so. Sage Hyun-so’s red, bloodshot eyes were evidence of that.
Sage Hyun-so turned to Sage Hyun-cheon.
“What do you think, Sect Leader? Do you agree with Senior Brother Hyun-geom’s words?”
In response to his junior’s question, Sage Hyun-cheon closed his eyes. From the conversation alone, he could tell how complicated this situation was.
As the sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect, he must never make a biased decision. It was truly a tricky situation.
Sage Hyun-cheon asked Sage Hyun-so.
“When Junior Brother talks of a disciple, are you referring to the child you picked up five years ago?”
“That’s right. Didn’t you, Sect Leader, also allow me to take that child in? If so, then isn’t he a rightful member of Mount Hua, is it so wrong for such a child to learn martial arts? Please tell me.”
“……”
Sage Hyun-cheon fell into deep thought.
He realized that the moment of choice had come.
Whichever side he took would shape the future of the Mount Hua Sect.
‘The Mount Hua I want is a perfect Mount Hua. A sect so perfect that no external forces can shake it.’
At that moment, Sage Hyun-cheon made his decision.
“It was my mistake to accept that child five years ago. If Junior Brother hadn’t pleaded with me to do so, I would never have accepted that child as a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“Senior Brother?”
Sage Hyun-so cried out in shock. But Sage Hyun-cheon didn’t seem to mind and continued.
“On the day Cheon-gyeong woke up, I saw the desire for revenge and the killing intent in that child’s eyes. It was the kind of thing that no child should have.”
Sage Hyun-cheon shuddered slightly as the memory of that day came back to him vividly.
It was the gaze of someone who had killed before.
A 12-year-old child had the eyes of someone capable of taking lives whenever necessary.
“If that child were to fully master martial arts, he would surely bring disaster to Mount Hua.”
“That’s absurd…!”
“I support Junior Brother Hyun-geom’s decision. So don’t bring this up again. Junior Brother Hyun-so.”
“Sect Leader!”
“I’ve already made my decision. You should know that it’s final.”
“How could you!”
“I won’t stop you from caring for your disciple, but I forbid you from teaching him Mount Hua’s martial arts anymore.”
A sound like a rumble of thunder echoed in Sage Hyun-so’s ears.
“Sect leader!”
“This is my decision as the leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect. It will not be overturned.”
Sage Hyun-so collapsed on the spot, his shoulders trembling with small spasms.
Sage Hyun-geom’s gaze was cold, while Sage Hyun-cheon’s eyes held a trace of pity. However, he had no intention of reversing his decision.
After a long moment, Sage Hyun-so staggered as he stood up.
“Yes! I understand the will of the sect leader.”
In such a short time, Sage Hyun-so’s face had become significantly gaunt, reflecting the intense inner turmoil he had experienced.
He looked back and forth between the two men in front of him.
“Just wait and see. Cheon-gyeong will not give up like this. One day, that child will show how wrong Senior Brothers’ prejudices are.”
“I hope for that day.”
“Guide him well, Junior Brother Hyun-so, so that he may become an outstanding scholar. It will be better for the child that way.”
Sage Hyun-so gave a bitter smile in reply.
He began walking out of the Jade Cloud Palace. Sage Hyun-cheon and Sage Hyun-geom silently watched his retreating figure.
Sage Hyun-so’s body appeared so fragile, as if it might collapse at any moment. Yet, he stood tall.
He had found an unwavering reason not to fall.
‘Ho… I will never give up on you.’
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
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