EP.62 It's Not Yours. (1)
One month.
That was the time that had passed since leaving the Se Family to head to Shaanxi.
They had stopped by villages in between to resupply, and encountered the Majingmun a few times to engage in combat.
Fortunately, they were able to maintain a somewhat peaceful journey without any casualties or injuries.
With the Gu family's escorts as well as several Huashan Plum Blossom Swordsmen included in the party, it would have been stranger for an accident to happen.
As time passed and they reached a relatively safe point, there was more time for training or idle thoughts.
Though dozens of days had passed, there was still a lot of distance left, so the boredom remained.
If there was something slightly different from the beginning, my biggest concern lately wasn't the boredom of heading to Huashan.
It wasn't the sudden companionship with Nangong Bi-a either.
Nor was it the unexpectedly sullen Wi Seol-a.
"Young Hero!"
I think I said it once before.
That Yeongpung was more talkative than expected.
I think I need to revise that a bit.
"Would you care to destroy our lower bodies together today?"
It wasn't just being talkative—this guy was definitely not normal either.
******************
If I were to think a bit about the Huashan Sect.
First, among the sects that train in the sword, the Huashan Sect occupies a representative position.
There are many sects that train in sword techniques, such as Kunlun or Wudang.
But being able to sit in that representative position was largely thanks to the Huashan Divine Sword and the current Sect Leader, the Plum Blossom Sage.
[Cough.]
Shin Noya coughed lightly as if embarrassed.
For some reason I didn't want to say it because I hated seeing his face, but that was the reality.
The records of the martial prowess displayed by the Huashan Divine Sword during the Blood Demon War in the past.
And the martial prowess displayed by the Plum Blossom Sage in his prime during countless battles against the Evil Path in the current era.
The number one sword under heaven of this generation is indeed the Sword Venerable, but debates about whether the Plum Blossom Sage truly falls short of that rank still circulate frequently.
In my opinion, he only stepped back slightly because he sits in the position of Sect Leader.
The discussion of whether he truly falls short of the Three Venerables had some subtle aspects to it.
[To think you could have such proper thoughts... How truly wondrous.]
'....'
I really didn't like the excited tone in his voice.
Anyway, the biggest factor was not just the representative figures, but the symbolism that the Huashan Sect possessed.
The Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Among the countless sword techniques spread across the Central Plains, it is evaluated as the most beautiful alongside the Sword Venerable's Moon Fresh Dance Sword (月鮮舞劍).
Furthermore, since the Sword Venerable's sword is known as a single-transmission martial art, even if the years contained within it are long, it doesn't have multiple branches like other sects.
In that sense, Huashan's sword is a technique containing countless hearts (心), as countless people have grown together and evolved together over centuries.
Just looking at the sparring match I had with the Sword Dragon makes this clear.
The fully bloomed plum blossoms around Yeongpung flowed not by the blowing wind, but by the internal energy Yeongpung emitted.
This meant that the plum blossoms moved according to the caster's intent.
The sword techniques of Huashan unfolding amidst those countless petals are fluid and beautiful.
Within the sword paths like watching a beautiful dance in a painting, there is also sharpness and weightiness.
It wasn't for nothing that it boasts overwhelming difficulty and level among sword techniques. One must maintain consistent sword paths while handling all those plum blossoms.
Therefore, as Huashan's martial arts require a greater enlightenment, I expected that arduous training would be necessary.
"...Maybe it's because I've been doing less physical training, or maybe it's because it's been long, but my chest seems to have gotten smaller lately."
"Senior brother, don't stick out your chest while saying that... It's unsightly."
"Junior brother, just put some clothes on. Other young ladies turn their heads away because it's hideous."
"...I do that because I'm embarrassed."
"Junior brother, that's what the world calls bullshit."
Every time I see them, it's terrifying.
Given the characteristics of the Gu family, their physiques are on the smaller side, but the arms of these Taoist disciples were as thick as ordinary men's thighs.
In my memory, it seemed like a very beautiful background.
Why is everyone...?
[They all look good. A martial artist should be like that.]
In my view, this was clearly because of this person.
If the upper stream is like this, how can the lower stream be normal?
'Shin Noya, honestly you forgot you're a Taoist, right?'
[What kind of crazy talk am I hearing in this world... How can you spout such bullshit to the Sect Leader of the Taoist path?]
'You're not the Sect Leader anymore.'
[....]
I could hear Shin Noya's upset voice saying '...That's true.'
I felt a bit sorry for hitting too hard.
Returning to the topic, if I think back on the ten days spent with Yeongpung.
This guy was also a madman in many ways.
"Since you're a martial combat type, your physical training must be different from mine, right? I'm quite interested, if it wouldn't be rude, would you like to... together..."
"No, it would be rude."
It was probably from the day after the next after their sparring match.
Suddenly appearing behind my back... no, this madman appeared carrying a boulder the size of a carriage on his back, how could a person not be startled?
"...Why are you carrying that, Daoist Yeongpung?"
"Ah, I didn't have any proper tools for physical training, so I picked this up nearby."
People don't usually call picking something like that up...?
"Ah, yes..."
"Ah, perhaps Young Hero Gu is also interested? It seems there was another one over there, so I could go bring..."
"No! I'm not interested."
He really trains with that?
Do people normally train like that...?
I thought I was working hard after my regression, but seeing that made me feel a slight sense of anxiety rise up.
Of course, I had no intention of following that method at all.
"Daoist Yeongpung, you use internal energy when training with that, right?"
"Yes? Why would you use internal energy for external arts training...?"
"Ah, right... I asked something strange."
So he's saying he trains with that without even using internal energy?
It's amazing that he can endure such violent exercise.
Like the other disciples, it was also amazing that such beautiful swordsmanship came from those bulging muscles.
Perhaps because Yeongpung is relatively young, such disadvantages don't appear greatly yet.
But massive muscles become a disadvantage when performing flexible movements.
Especially in hidden techniques, swordsmanship, and fist techniques, such disadvantages tend to appear prominently.
This was a case where excessive training became poison.
[Everything tends to return.]
'What do you mean.'
[Do you know that a martial artist's body changes according to the heart method they harbor and their own disposition?]
Of course, this was something I already knew.
The body changes depending on what martial arts one has learned and what heart method one uses.
As a representative example, the martial artists of the Hebei Peng family having physically powerful and massive appearances was also a form changed to use their martial arts.
That's why Peng Woo-jin, who had a thin and noble young master-like body line among them, was a special person.
[The first training received upon becoming a disciple of Huashan, and the one that must be done by oneself until the end, is learning how to become the earth and the fertilizer oneself.]
'By oneself, you say?'
[Yes, so that sturdier trees can grow, and so that more beautiful plum blossoms can bloom.]
'Are you saying that's related to those hideous bodies?'
[That's just a process. You can tell just by looking at Huashan's first-generation disciples or elder-level figures.]
Certainly, my memory of seeing the Plum Blossom Sage in the past is vague, but at least he wasn't an old man with such a bizarre body.
Rather, he seemed to have a small and frail feeling like the Sword Venerable.
So does it mean the body changes again after going full circle?
The starting point, if I were to guess, would be when internal energy reaches the middle dantian and the martial artist breaks through the wall.
It seems the change appears roughly after surpassing the peak.
Then should this also be called Reborn from Bones and Shed Skin in a way? Because it means the body changes upon surpassing a realm.
When I had doubts, Shin Noya spoke.
[It's not that grandiose. It's simply following the meaning of the heart method.]
'Is it okay to just tell such secrets to an outsider like that?'
[Even if you know, you won't be able to do it, so what secret is this.]
'That's true.'
It means that when enlightenment is achieved in a body that has built its foundation, the framework itself changes.
I was curious about what kind of method and what kind of heart method could produce such a change.
But since the one I currently have is also quite temperamental, I couldn't turn my attention elsewhere.
"Then let's definitely train together later."
"...Yes, I understand."
I said it, but I won't do it together.
How could I follow that.
After Yeongpung left and I did some forms training, when I was about to head back to the carriage.
Someone was peeking their face out from behind a tree.
A small face peeking out with big eyes was facing my direction.
Wi Seol-a was peeking at me with a subtle posture.
"...Huh?"
When our eyes met, she was startled and hid back behind the tree, but the back of her head that she couldn't hide properly was slightly sticking out.
What is that, is she hiding?
[The young lady's actions are cute.]
As I slowly approached, Wi Seol-a had her back turned and was fidgeting while hiding.
"What are you doing?"
"...!"
Her back twitched.
I couldn't see her expression, but anyone could tell it expressed surprise like "How did you know?"
"What are you doing here."
When I called a second time, Wi Seol-a slowly turned around.
Avoiding eye contact with her lips sticking out, she was holding a water bottle and a dry cloth underneath.
Seeing that, I let out a small laugh.
She hadn't properly talked to me for several days, so I wondered if something had upset her.
The fact that she still came looking for me while bringing these things was cute.
[To think such a head could also use the word cute.]
'Do you think I'm not human?'
[I did think that a bit...]
'....'
This old man...
"You're not going to answer?"
"...No..."
She still seemed to be somewhat sulking as she didn't speak properly.
Wi Seol-a carefully handed over what she was holding.
It seemed to have just been drawn, as I received the cold water and drank it right away.
Sweat wasn't a problem given the heart method I harbored in my body, but I at least pretended to wipe it.
At her secretly glancing gaze, I stroked Wi Seol-a's head.
She tried hard to fix her expression, but I could see bits of it softening momentarily.
Every time I saw things like this, something stirred in my chest.
[That's what you call liking it.]
Liking it? Dare I?
Suddenly I withdrew my stroking hand.
Wi Seol-a, who had been leaving her head to my touch, looked up as if disappointed, but I tried hard to ignore it.
"Have you eaten?"
I asked about daily life lightly.
The atmosphere had been strange for the past few days so I hadn't been able to speak to her.
"Yes."
Still giving short answers, I see.
But without giving up, I asked a bit more.
"What did you eat?"
"Fish... and meat... and vegetables... and potatoes that Sister Hong steamed for me..."
"I see... You've been eating well."
It seems mood and appetite are separate things.
After a few more exchanges of conversation, her pouting lips went back in, and the gaze that had been looking at trees or grass turned back to me.
Her slightly smiling mouth was also similar to usual.
Of course, there was still a feeling of her being somewhat huffy, but at this level... it should be okay?
"Let's go, we need to depart again now."
"Okay!"
I handed the water bottle and cloth back to Wi Seol-a and turned my steps toward the carriage.
Wi Seol-a paused and watched as Gu Yang-cheon crossed the forest toward the carriage.
Left alone, Wi Seol-a gently stroked her own head.
She could still feel the lingering touch of Gu Yang-cheon's hand stroking her.
"Oh, Young Lady Wi?"
At the voice coming from behind, Wi Seol-a turned her head.
Yeongpung, drenched in sweat as if he had finished training, was standing there.
Yeongpung smiled brightly seeing what Wi Seol-a was holding.
"Ah, I'm really thirsty right now, would it be okay if I have a drink?"
Wi Seol-a looked at Yeongpung for a moment then answered.
"No, this belongs to the young master."
At the somewhat firm answer, Yeongpung paused slightly.
"...Ah! It belongs to Young Hero Gu. Then Young Lady, you must have been waiting for Young Hero Gu to finish his training. That's a lot of hard work."
Saying that, Yeongpung tried to pat Wi Seol-a's head.
Wi Seol-a smoothly avoided and took a step back.
As a result, Yeongpung's hand was left awkwardly hovering in the air.
"I'll go first."
Wi Seol-a said that, bowed her head slightly, and quickly walked along the path Gu Yang-cheon had taken.
Left alone, Yeongpung scratched his cheek with his hand.
"...Was she always like that?"
When she was with Young Hero Gu, she always seemed to be smiling.
The gaze he had just seen was cold to the point of being bewildering.
Moreover, for some reason, he felt a chilling sensation sweep down his back.
It must be his imagination.
Yeongpung simply thought so.
******************
Time flowed quite a bit more, and summer entered its hottest period.
The slowly moving carriage finally stopped.
Amidst the bustling crowd, Nangong Bi-a came down from the carriage wearing a veil.
She had thrown something over her face because people's gazes were bothersome wherever she went.
Looking up, a high mountain stood facing us.
[Huashan is always the same. It feels lofty and upright.]
At Shin Noya's emotional words, I nodded and answered.
"...Yes, it's still ridiculously tall."
The Huashan Sect.
I had finally arrived at a place that held many meanings for me.