8 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 8 Hyeon Do scrutinized Cheon Hui. “It seems he's better now.” There was a smile of relief on his face. Sure, he didn't know Cheon Hui well and hadn't met him often. But he too had visited when Cheon Hui had collapsed and prayed for his safety. "Because he's Hyeon Gang's pupil." Gazing intently at Cheon Hui, Hyeon Do reminisced about Hyeon Gang, who was no longer in this world. Eight years ago. Hyeon Gang had ventured into the martial world with the newly appointed Plum Blossom Sword Masters. And on that day, Hyeon Do began a closed-door training. He felt proud of Hyeon Gang rapidly catching up to him, yet it also ignited a competitive spark within him as a warrior. But it was a mistake he would regret for a lifetime. Just half a year after entering the closed-door training, he was hit with shocking news. ―The youngest disciple and the Plum Blossom Sword Masters have perished. As soon as the desolated Hyeon Ryeo saw him, those were the words that came out. Furious and heartbroken, he clamored for revenge. But everyone dissuaded him. The opponent was Baek Gu Seong. It was a formidable force, known throughout the world as one of the Six Iron Clans of the Sa Heuk Ryeon. Though it seemed impossible with the strength of the Hwasan Sect alone, they had thought of seeking help from the Martial Alliance, but were met with unexpected news. Baek Gu Seong claimed they too had lost Myeoljeolpa Geom and the subordinate Suppression Brigade, so they proposed to let the matter slide, and the Martial Alliance accepted the offer. They had said, if you want revenge, you should declare war between the sects. Anger consumed him, and resentment brewed. But waging a full-scale war? He couldn’t bring himself to do it. Unlike Baek Gu Seong, which had only lost one of its six armed forces, the Hwasan Sect had lost Hyeon Gang and the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, their core strength. A clear defeat loomed. He couldn’t end the nearly five hundred years of Hwasan Sect history with his own hands. Eventually, he gave up and asked Hyeon Ryeo. "Where did they lay them?" “As per the youngest's will, they were sent off to the sky of Hwasan as a handful of ashes.” It felt like his world was crumbling. At the time, it was a phrase everyone had laughed at. What sort of will is that? But no one in the Hwasan Sect had anticipated it would become a harsh reality. He couldn’t escape the sorrow for a long time after that day. If only he had followed! If only he hadn’t been in closed-door training! Regret suffocated Hyeon Do. He should've gone with them somehow. Yet he had been selfishly engrossed in his competitive spirit, which led to the intensive closed-door training, and thus, he couldn't even meet Hyeon Gang and the disciples one last time. Then came a turning point when Hyeon Cheong, his senior, laid everything down and entered Mangyeong Pavilion. "It’s all because our sect is weak." The words spoken before entering Mangyeong Pavilion struck Hyeon Do deeply. “If I become an absolute master, we’ll never suffer this kind of loss again!” Awakened, he plunged back into training with everything he had. To become an absolute master. Perhaps because he focused solely on training, pushing everything else aside, six years later, he finally reached the brink of the pinnacle stage, just in sight of reaching the Supreme Celestial Stage. Only a single step remained. The mere act of taking that step would allow him to ascend to the Supreme Celestial Stage and become an absolute master. Nevertheless... “It still eludes my grasp.” Even now, the wall of the Supreme Celestial Stage naggingly flickered before him, out of reach. For a whole two years. Thud— Hyeon Do collapsed to the ground. He pounded the ground with his calloused right hand and spoke. "First, sit." Cheon Hui then took his seat accordingly. “Before mastering martial arts, we must lay the foundation of mental cultivation, so let me teach you the method of internal breathing first.” Hyeon Do, searching through distant memories from when he first learned martial arts, hesitantly began to speak. “To accept the right energy, one must have a clear mind and body. It begins with expelling the old, stagnant energy within you. Afterward, you take deep breaths to accept fresh energy, which is the internal breathing method's foundation...” Expel and inhale. Though the explanation was long-winded, the essence boiled down to those two actions. Haam, when will this end? Blinking at the monotonous lecture, Cheon Hui appeared disinterested. Yet, he had to feign attentive listening. Hyeon Do, from across, was staring at him with intensity, ablaze with expectation. After feigning interest while letting Hyeon Do's explanations in one ear and out the other for roughly an hour— “That concludes the internal breathing method.” Finally, Hyeon Do finished speaking. At last, it’s over. Just as Cheon Hui gathered strength to lift his heavy eyelids— “Now, give it a try.” Hyeon Do said with a grin. Though the internal breathing method was fundamental, no one could excel with a mere single explanation. Typically, demonstrations were given, or energy was channeled to aid learning the method. However, he deliberately refrained from doing so. “Please teach Cheon Hui martial arts.” Having received a rare request from Hyeon Ryeo, who rarely asked for anything, Hyeon Do intended to teach Cheon Hui methodically. “After assessing the situation, I could help channel the energy to make it noticeable.” This was his philosophy in martial arts. It was more effective to act once than to hear a hundred times. “All right.” Cheon Hui sat in a meditation posture. “Yes, yes. That’s the way.” Hyeon Do smiled contentedly. It was a surprisingly good posture. Most young ones couldn't sit properly in the meditation position, yet Cheon Hui had done it perfectly, as if he had been training for a long time like a Taoist monk. “Perhaps he imitated the youngest disciple?” Seeing the posture reminiscent of the youngest disciple, he briefly lost himself in nostalgia. Inhale, exhale. Cheon Hui, with closed eyes, repeated this breathing cycle several times. After about an hour had passed— Swoosh— Cheon Hui opened his eyes. “I’m finished.” Hyeon Do nodded. “That’s the breathing exercise. By doing the internal breathing every day without fail, at some point, you'll notice a peculiar sensation unlike before...” “Are you referring to the energy entering the mouth and knocking at the lower danjeon?” “Yes. Accumulating the energy that knocks at the lower danjeon becomes your inner strength... what?” Hyeon Do's expression was one of utter bewilderment. The first internal breathing and already sensing energy? It was an impossible notion. “Wha-what do you mean?” "Just as you explained, I gathered it at the lower danjeon." The follow-up remark made Hyeon Do chuckle dryly. He thought it was a joke. "Haha. That's quite the exaggeration." "Exaggeration?" Initially dismissing it as the jest of a young kid, Hyeon Do froze upon seeing Cheon Hui's expression. There was no trace of falsehood on that face. "...Are you serious?" "Yes." "Let me see your hand." Cheon Hui extended his right hand. As Hyeon Do grasped Cheon Hui's slender, white wrist, he injected his own energy to check the lower danjeon, and his jaw dropped. "...!" He nearly sprang to his feet. There was internal energy accumulated at the lower danjeon. It was still minuscule but impeccably pure. "How... How did you do this?" "I followed your instructions." "Just from my verbal explanation?" "Yes." "That's impossible!" "Impossible? What do you mean?" "How could you possibly accumulate inner energy from a mere verbal instruction alone?" "So, are you telling me you asked me to do something impossible?" Cheon Hui tilted his head in mild confusion while internally scoffing. Is this incompetent guy trying to test me? Realizing Hyeon Do's intention to test him, he feigned ignorance. Unaware of Cheon Hui's internal thoughts, Hyeon Do shook his head and murmured softly. "I had planned to assist if you got stuck, to guide the flow of energy by channeling my own. But..." Midway through expressing his bewilderment, Hyeon Do caught himself and firmed his grasp. Squeeze— "It's clear that the Celestial Lord didn't take the youngest disciple for nothing! Haha!" Cheon Hui was taken aback, staring at the suddenly exuberant Hyeon Do, puzzled. Is he mad? Hyeon Do laughed heartily, gripping Cheon Hui’s wrist with enthusiasm before finally releasing it. That hurts. Cheon Hui rubbed his sore wrist. A red mark was vividly imprinted, swelling on his wrist from Hyeon Do's grip. Watching Cheon Hui nursing his wrist, Hyeon Do spoke. "I will teach you the heart cultivation technique." It was an unexpected offer. Typically, even if one could accumulate internal energy, it was customary in the Hwasan Sect to first become proficient with the internal breathing method before learning the heart cultivation technique. Yet Hyeon Do decided to skip the usual formalities. ‘Astonishing talent, feeling the energy at the first attempt and even building inner energy at the danjeon.’ It seemed a waste of talent to have him spend more time on the internal breathing method. ‘Senior Jang-mun will understand if I explain later.’ Cheon Hui watched Hyeon Do as he pondered. What? I heard that the orthodox factions take their time with martial arts. Is Hwasan Sect different? Though it was a radical deviation from tradition, for the sake of one individual, Cheon Hui was indifferent. “I will teach you Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation. It's a heart technique that only the true disciples of our sect can learn, forming the foundation of all martial arts within our sect.” Hyeon Do launched into another lengthy explanation. However, this time it wasn't boring. Reading about it was different, wasn’t it? He had read about the Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation in martial arts manuals, and the mnemonics were identical to what he'd read. But Hyeon Do added his own interpretation to make it understandable, sparking Cheon Hui’s interest. “Combine the internal energy as one...” * * * The next day, upon returning from Mangyeong Pavilion, Cheon Hui found Hyeon Do waiting for him. "Senior master?" Hyeon Do held out a wooden sword. "Take it." Cheon Hui grabbed the wooden sword, a bit bewildered. Hyeon Do then unsheathed a sword. The Baekryeon Sword, which would normally gleam with a pure white blade, was now tinged with the hues of dusk. He raised the sword with enthusiasm. Swoosh— He was genuinely excited. It was because of what happened the day before. Cheon Hui had absorbed the Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation teachings perfectly and completed the minor circulation. In less than an hour! At that moment, he had realized. ‘A prodigy destined to be recorded in history!’ He had then formulated a plan. To nurture Cheon Hui not just for the Hwasan Sect but to make him a master recorded in the annals of the martial world. “Watch closely. This is our sect’s sword technique, the Six Harmony Sword Technique.” Hyeon Do demonstrated the Six Harmony Sword Technique. Swish— Swish— The sword was brandished with force. Cheon Hui, who had initially been eyeing Hyeon Do critically for acting and speaking unilaterally, felt his perspective change as the sword techniques were displayed. Hyeon Do swung the sword effortlessly in all directions humans could move, making the sharp Baekryeon Sword adaptable to any situation. But something felt a bit off. Cheon Hui observed Hyeon Do closely, trying to pinpoint what felt unnatural. After a while, as Hyeon Do concluded the Six Harmony Sword Technique, he drew the sword back and spoke. “Did you see well?” "I watched." “Then let me explain the stances to you.” He lifted the sword again. He demonstrated the starting stance again and began to explain. “First is the first form, the Six Harmony Opening Formation. You extend one step forward and raise the sword high as the opening stance. In this position…” Hyeon Do demonstrated all six stances after the first form, before sheathing his sword and speaking. “Then, give it a try.” Gripping the wooden sword again, Cheon Hui felt a slight thrill rise within him. A sword, it’s been a while. He went through the Six Harmony Sword Technique. After repeating the forms several times: That's what it was. He had pinpointed what felt off when Hyeon Do had demonstrated the techniques earlier. There were no connections between the stances. Viewed in isolation, the stances seemed complete, but when combined into the Six Harmony Sword Technique, the disconnection was evident. It’s better to perform like this. Swish! The Six Harmony Sword Technique began to evolve. The sword, which had been moving around freely without connections among the stances, started to flow and connect as one. Watching these changes from start to finish, Hyeon Do's brows furrowed. Initially, it seemed okay as he wielded as taught, but as time passed, the technique was deteriorating. ‘To be this inexperienced.’ As the saying goes, great expectations lead to great disappointments, he felt a twinge of regret. ‘No, excessive efforts lead to nothing. For someone who hasn't held a sword in hand before, this is more than satisfactory.’ He shook his head. While a slight disappointment lingered, he was still content. "Unlike internal energy cultivation techniques, which require elixirs and innate talent, the sword techniques, with effort, can quickly lead to mastery." With a nod of acknowledgment, Hyeon Do strode over to Cheon Hui, who was struggling to properly execute the Six Harmony Sword Technique. "That's clumsy. Didn't I explain the Six Harmony Sword Technique clearly? When you swing like this, you have to raise the sword. To truly split the heavens, you must achieve full blossom…." "But doesn't swinging this way feel more natural?" Ordinarily, Hyeon Do would have been furious at having his words interrupted. However, ever since their meeting the day before, the distance between them had narrowed, allowing Cheon Hui to interrupt or engage in conversation without restraint, which Hyeon Do could accommodate. Hyeon Do gazed intently at Cheon Hui, who wore a look like he couldn't comprehend why this wasn't obvious, and asked, "What are you talking about?" "Watch." Cheon Hui responded by immediately demonstrating the altered version of the Six Harmony Sword Technique he had improvised. Swish— Swish— At a glance, it might have seemed the same as what Hyeon Do had shown, but it lacked the sharpness and the essence of the original Six Harmony Sword Technique was absent. The style soon completely transformed. "You little...!" Hyeon Do, who had been watching in silence, narrowed his eyes sharply. "The Six Harmony Sword Technique is a sword technique passed down through our sect for generations. Are you trying to commit the grave sin of desecrating your master and ancestors by altering the technique on a whim?" "But isn’t this version better?" "You're still not coming to your senses!" With an outburst, he drew his sword once more, unleashing his internal energy. "Watch closely how erroneous your actions were." To illustrate how grave Cheon Hui's error was, Hyeon Do replicated the very version of the Six Harmony Sword Technique Cheon Hui had demonstrated. The first form, Six Harmony Opening Formation. The second form, Six Harmony Nine Currents. As he proceeded to swing the third form, Six Harmony Bitter Rain. Swish— Swish— Without realizing it, he became increasingly immersed. Thus, he carried out the transformed Six Harmony Sword Technique until the very end. "……." Afterward, Hyeon Do stood in a daze. In his eyes, the sword paths of the Six Harmony Sword Technique he had executed were still vividly present. "Such seamless transitions…." Cheon Hui approached Hyeon Do, who hadn't yet emerged from the profound impression, and softly spoke. "You see, I was right, wasn't I?"