Chapter 178. I Jaha Over Flowers

At my question asking if he had any money, the Master of Uhyang Valley answered.

“Gate Master, I inherited wealth enough that I could never spend it all in my lifetime. Whatever amount you desire, I shall become the patron of you and the Hao Gate.”

It was an unexpected answer, but I wasn’t particularly surprised. He had a faintly nouveau riche air about him, so I had already assumed he had plenty of money.

In truth, asking whether he had money in the middle of all this was a rather abrupt question. Everyone looked at me with various expressions, waiting for me to speak.

I looked around at the villa where the Master of Uhyang Valley seemed to reside, the surrounding garden, the neatly tended flower paths, and the small pond, then said,

“By the way, who created the overall flower-garden atmosphere of this place?”

“My grandfather and I did. Living buried away in a secluded valley, there was little else to do.”

“It really is like a flower.”

It wasn’t an insult, but it had the feel of something spat out like one.

Since everyone was staring at me, I brought up the main point in as serious a tone as I could.

“In any case, if I face the enemy here, whether I win or lose, this beautiful flower garden will turn into wasteland. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

The Master of Uhyang Valley nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good thing you have a lot of money. First, take your household and flee to Yuhwa Valley. But even that place won’t be safe in the end. Master of Yuhwa Valley, Lady Cheolseom. Why do you think that is?”

Lady Cheolseom answered.

“Because we have provoked the Demon Cult, we will not remain unharmed either.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

I told these people where they had to go.

“In any case, White-Faced Young Master’s lot must be something like an external force of the Demon Cult. That means you have already provoked the Demon Cult. It may only be at the level of plucking a few flower petals, but you have given them a pretext to take offense. Uhyang Valley will not be safe, and Yuhwa Valley will be the same. Take every bit of wealth you have gathered, along with your households, and prepare to leave for the Western Peak—Huashan’s Lotus Peak.”

The Master of Uhyang Valley’s eyes widened.

“Pardon? Huashan?”

With my hands clasped behind my back, I continued speaking as I looked around Uhyang Valley.

“First, bring the Uhwahyang at once.”

I looked at Master Yukhap.

“Yukgap, as soon as you take the Uhwahyang, begin circulating your qi and regulating your breath right here. I’ll keep talking in the meantime. Time is precious.”

When the Master of Uhyang Valley gestured, two of his subordinates moved to fetch the Uhwahyang.

The Master of Uhyang Valley asked me,

“Is there a reason we must go to Huashan?”

“Would I tell you to go there out of the blue, for no reason? At its essence, the Demon Cult is a religious organization. In our eyes, they are people who create strange doctrines and believe in them. When people believe in strange things, they tend to become averse to things that are not strange instead. It seems that old experts of the demonic path often died in places that jianghu people call sacred mountains. Huashan and Mount Zhongnan are representative examples, from what I hear. To us they are sacred mountains, but to demonic forces they are forbidden grounds. As time passes, doctrines gradually change, and so do the things they avoid. But not now.”

I said to the people gathered there,

“Go to the forbidden ground. If you want to survive.”

Perhaps because our connection had been formed first, Lady Cheolseom advised me.

“Gate Master, in that case, why don’t you, Yukgap—no, Master Yukhap—and the Hao Gate come to Huashan with us? Surely there is no need to face the enemy this time.”

I beckoned the three of them with my hand.

“Come closer.”

The Master of Yuhwa Valley, Lady Cheolseom, and the Master of Uhyang Valley approached me. I lowered my voice and explained.

“Since you are moving your residences anyway… the three of you should join forces and build several houses and buildings around Lotus Peak so that many people can live there.”

The three looked at one another’s faces.

I also asked them for a house where I could stay.

“And build one place for me to stay later, too.”

The Master of Uhyang Valley swallowed.

“This is becoming far too large an undertaking, Gate Master.”

“I know it is not easy to leave one’s hometown. But there is no need to meet death simply because you cannot leave it. That place is, in truth, the sacred mountain White-Faced Young Master spoke of. In other words, he was cultivating the antidote there so as not to be discovered by the Demon Cult’s main altar. White-Faced Young Master stole internal energy and then sent people there. If he has not properly cleaned things up, the three of you are to kill White-Face, find the place where that antidote is made, and burn it down.”

“Mm, understood.”

“What he promised me was that he would clean up that place and then go on a journey. If the bastard does not keep his promise, killing him is the right thing to do. Conversely, if the three of you fail to handle the matter properly, I will go and confirm it myself. Lady, you know my temperament well, don’t you?”

“Yes, Gate Master.”

The Master of Yuhwa Valley, who had been listening quietly, asked a question.

“But while we are settling down and building several houses, when will you be settling there, Gate Master?”

I smiled slightly.

“I don’t know. If I fail to return while fighting, look after the Hao Gate a bit. I still do not know how many more years I will spend concentrating on battle.”

“Yes.”

I put particular pressure on the Master of Uhyang Valley.

“Valley Master.”

“Yes.”

“Money is meant to be used like this at times like this. If you die, all that money will be of no use. Spend it freely while preparing various things so that people can live around Lotus Peak. If all that money runs out, I’ll beat up the black path, take a heap of the money they have piled up, and come join Chukmun of the Hao Gate… so pour it out as much as you like.”

“Understood.”

“If, while fighting in the jianghu, I gather in those with nowhere to go or children who have lost their parents, I will send them there, so keep that in mind as well. Do you now understand somewhat why I told you to go to Huashan?”

The three answered.

“We understand.”

I carefully examined the faces of the Master of Yuhwa Valley, Lady Cheolseom, and the Master of Uhyang Valley, then said,

“The four of us….”

Master Yukhap, who had been listening to me, cut in.

“Why four? It’s five.”

I corrected myself.

“The five of us. In truth, we are not close to one another, nor have we spent a long time as friends, and we are not even in a superior-subordinate relationship. But Yukhap and I will risk our lives first to buy time. You are to survive to the end with your households and settle in Huashan. Because all of us are jianghu people, we repay kindness as kindness, and grudges as grudges.”

“That is right.”

“Then there is no need to speak at greater length. First, put things in order here and leave for Yuhwa Valley. At the very least, you cannot leave until the Master of Uhyang Valley resolves his withdrawal symptoms, so while it may seem like you have plenty of time, in truth, it is pressing.”

The Master of Uhyang Valley said to me with an urgent expression,

“Gate Master, shall we set a few traps with poisonous herbs? If you only remember their locations, they should aid you in battle.”

“We’re busy, so just go.”

“Understood.”

Meanwhile, the subordinates of Uhyang Valley who had run over approached me out of nowhere, carrying a small box.

“Gate Master, we have brought the Uhwahyang.”

I indicated Master Yukhap with a jerk of my chin.

“Give it to the master.”

“I brought two, though?”

I scratched the back of my head and answered.

“Give them here.”

I took one, tucked it into my robe for the time being, then gestured to the valley masters and the madam.

“Move quickly. There are a lot of you.”

I spoke to Master Yukhap, who had received the box of Uhwahyang.

“Yukgap, take it right away and begin circulating your qi. I don’t intend to eat mine now.”

Master Yukhap nodded.

“Understood.”

People moved about busily, and now and then some came back to bow to me again, while others tried to speak to Master Yukhap. Each time, I made them all shut their mouths and sent them away.

Because Master Yukhap had immediately begun circulating his qi.

Even at the final moment of parting with them, I waved my hand a few times and silently mouthed my farewell.

‘Go well.’

They all bowed their heads toward me, then left Uhyang Valley with hurried steps.

Since every one of them was carrying a large bundle on their back, it looked just like a procession of refugees.

Only then did I look around the now-quiet Uhyang Valley, sit down near Master Yukhap, and assume the lotus position.

While the Ghost Demon of my previous life focused on circulating his qi with his eyes closed……

I fell into thought with my eyes open, listening to the birdsong and the sound of water.

* * *

I was half-dozing in the lotus position when I opened my eyes at the sound of Master Yukhap’s deep breathing. Master Yukhap finished his qi circulation with flailing hand gestures like some half-baked Daoist priest, then opened his eyes with a smile spread across his whole face.

Just from his expression, I could tell the results had been quite good.

In a way, this spiritual medicine was, for men like us, no different from the antidote the White-Faced Young Master had scattered—meaning, a narcotic.

Unable to hide his smile, Master Yukhap said to me.

“You should take yours and circulate your qi at once. I’ll take over the watch.”

I laughed despite myself.

I had absolutely no intention of circulating my qi in front of the Ghost Demon of my previous life. Besides, there was already a spiritual medicine the size of a great roc inside my body, so there was no need to hurry.

“I’ll do it later.”

Master Yukhap’s expression hardened as he asked me.

“Sect Leader, do you still not trust me?”

“Master.”

“Speak.”

“This just occurred to me—do you have a disciple? Surely those bug-like bastards aren’t your disciples.”

“I don’t.”

“Why not?”

Master Yukhap suddenly closed his mouth. Only after seeing his expression did I remember that the Yukhap Sect, where he had learned martial arts, had been destroyed. In a way, it must have been because of that incident that the man once called Master Yukhap became the Ghost Demon with the passage of time. This was a man who had never been able to turn the direction of a life lived in vengeance toward anything else.

But everyone has wounds, so I said what I wanted to say.

“Take in a disciple later.”

“Why should I?”

“I’m going to teach a disciple with the qualities of the greatest hero under heaven. Since he’ll have to lead the next era, it would be better to teach him martial arts safely at Mount Hua if possible. You teach a disciple at Mount Zhongnan.”

“So why should I?”

I grinned and said.

“So we can make our disciples fight and watch.”

“…….”

“Since ancient times, watching a fire and watching a fight have always been the most entertaining things. As you know, Master, a person’s skills improve quickly when he has to beat and get beaten by someone he hates day in and day out. Training while staring at a wall with no rival is, honestly, a foolish thing to do. You understand roughly what I mean, don’t you?”

“That is true.”

“Who knows?”

“What?”

“You might be more talented than me at teaching disciples.”

“Do you even need to say that? Naturally, I would be better.”

I played along a little with the indignant Master Yukhap.

“Now that I think about it, no. Naturally, I would be better.”

“With that damned personality of yours, I’m sure you’d be very impressive.”

“You’re no less damned than I am.”

I chuckled, then teased Master Yukhap.

“And I’ve already won.”

“What kind of bullshit is that? We don’t even have disciples yet.”

I took the box of Uhwahyang from my robe and shook it toward Master Yukhap.

“I didn’t eat mine, you see. I’ll keep it until then and give it to my disciple, so he can beat the stuffing out of your ridiculous disciple right away.”

Master Yukhap answered with a sneer.

“It’ll rot away. Store it well. It’ll turn into poisonous herbs, and you’ll lose your disciple the moment he eats it. In any case, you’re far too impulsive.”

As soon as I heard Master Yukhap’s words, I opened the box, put the Uhwahyang in my mouth, and chewed it while looking at him.

“Master, thank you for your sincere advice. I’d better eat it right away.”

Master Yukhap looked elsewhere with an uneasy expression.

As I chewed the Uhwahyang, I muttered.

“This really tastes like absolute hell. The bitter taste of life, I suppose.”

Master Yukhap sprang to his feet and said to me.

“I’ll take a look around, so start circulating your qi at once. Though I don’t know if a greenhorn like you understands that one can fight well only after thoroughly examining the terrain.”

With his hands clasped behind his back, Master Yukhap began strolling around Uhyang Valley and looking over the area. It seemed he thought I would feel uncomfortable if he stayed nearby.

I stared blankly at Master Yukhap’s back for a long while, then let out a long breath.

A thought suddenly occurred to me.

People really do seem to change.

But that change……

For both me and the Ghost Demon of my previous life, it was by no means an easy thing. I went to the table, stuck the Flash Dagger into it, then stretched both legs out onto an empty chair. The White-Faced Young Master would be heading to Mount Hua after getting his first vacation, but for me, moments like this were a brief vacation.

With both hands behind my head, I looked up at the sky over Uhyang Valley and drew in a deep breath. While smelling the rich floral fragrance of Uhyang Valley, I asked Master Yukhap, who was walking around nearby.

“Yukhap.”

“What is it?”

“Do you think there are many flowers on Mount Hua too?”

“Do you even need to say that? Is that a question? Of course there are many.”

“As expected……”

“As expected what?”

“You don’t suit Mount Hua. Get lost to Zhongnan. The flowers will be startled by your ugly face. It’s only right that I go.”

From some distance away came the sound of Master Yukhap’s long sigh.

I declared it to Master Yukhap and to the sky I was looking at.

“I’m going to Mount Hua. Because I’m better-looking than Yukgap.”

From somewhere, Master Yukhab suddenly roared.

“Hey, enough of that damn hysterical bullshit. Do some qi circulation and breathing!”

“Did you just say damn hysterical bullshit?”

“…….”

“That is me.”

As I admired the flowers of Uhyanggok, I muttered whatever came to mind.

“……Jaha over flowers.”

That seemed to have gone a bit too far, so I clicked my tongue at myself.

Tsk, tsk, tsk…….

From far away, Master Yukhab clicked his tongue after me. When I suddenly turned my head, I saw that the Ghost Demon from my past life, of all people, was silently admiring the flowers of Uhyanggok with his mouth firmly shut.

‘You’ll scare the flowers, you bastard.’

This time, I did not let my inner thoughts slip out of my mouth.