Chapter 65. The Path of a Mortal (2)

“Hehet. Brother is smiling.”

The teary-eyed Nam Geon smiled brightly.

Was it because of the facial muscles contorted into a smile? Snot ran down his nose.

I chuckled at the funny sight and sat up.

No, I tried to sit up.

“S-stay still, brother!”

“Senior Brother. Your body is not well yet. Please lie down comfortably.”

While I frowned at the pain felt throughout my body, Nam Geon and Junior Sister hastily held me down.

Giving up on getting up, I asked them.

“By the way, where is this place?”

“Uh, um…”

As Nam Geon pondered with a face as if trying to recall his memory, Junior Sister Baek Hyang answered instead.

“This is Changsha, Senior Brother. After the fight in Iyang ended, we came here with the Mount Heng Sect Taoists.”

“Are you saying the Mount Heng Sect Taoists are also here now?”

“Yes, Senior Brother. Taoist Yeongcheon requested that they travel with us, saying that if they left, that group of underworld practitioners would surely target us.”

“Then where is Taoist Yeongcheon now?”

“That is…”

“T-Taoist brother is, is always getting scolded by the Taoist grandpas.”

It seemed he was getting quite an earful for not only interfering in the affairs of the secular world but also lying.

“I’ll have to apologize to Taoist Yeongcheon.”

Since it was something that happened because of us, it was something to be sorry for in many ways.

Nam Geon blurted out something nonsensical.

“B-brother suddenly a-apologizes a lot.”

“What does that mean?”

“B-brother kept apologizing in his sleep. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Brother must have, have done a lot of bad things when he was young.”

Sleep talk?

Come to think of it, it felt like I had a long dream.

I tried to recall that dream again, but as dreams are, I couldn't remember it clearly.

While I was pondering about the dream, a presence was felt from the entrance, along with a Taoist title.

“O, Primordial Lord of Heaven. Seeing the commotion, it seems Young Master Jin has awakened. Is it alright to come inside?”

It was a faint but familiar voice.

“You may come in, Sect Leader.”

A moment after my answer, the sound of the door opening was heard, and the Mount Heng Sect Leader entered.

I tried to get up to show respect, but the Sect Leader stopped me.

“I have no intention of receiving courtesies from a patient, so just lie down comfortably.”

“I apologize, Sect Leader.”

“Hahaha. Are there only one or two things to be sorry for? You’ve dragged out old men who have been cooped up in the mountains.”

“…”

As I was at a loss for words and kept my mouth shut for a moment, the Mount Heng Sect Leader laughed cheerfully and spoke again.

“Come to think of it, we were talking without even introducing ourselves. Hahaha. I am Mokheoja, the Sect Leader of the Mount Heng Sect.”

“I am Jin Yuseong. I have no separate sect.”

While we were introducing ourselves, a slightly different thought came to my mind.

The name of the Mount Heng Sect Leader was different from what I knew.

The Mount Heng Sect that had punished the Steel Sinew Sect ten years in the future.

At that time, the Taoist title of the Mount Heng Sect Leader who had killed the Vajra Dog, Nam Seup, was Gongcheon.

One question was naturally solved.

I had been a little puzzled because the power of the Mount Heng Sect was stronger than I had known.

They say even mountains and rivers change in ten years, so I thought that perhaps in those ten years, the current Sect Leader and the 'Mok' generation Taoists had all ascended to heaven or gone into seclusion.

While I was briefly recalling past memories, the Sect Leader spoke again.

“So. How is your body?”

“It seems it will heal soon with the passage of time. Thank you for saving us.”

“Hahaha. I am glad you are thankful. The reason I have come to see you all is that I have a proposal to make.”

“Would it be alright if I decide after hearing it first?”

“Hahaha. Do so.”

The Sect Leader stroked his long beard a few times and opened his mouth.

“As you know, our Mount Heng Sect has cut ties with the secular world and lives practicing the Dao. However, to forcibly sever a connection that has already been made is also not the Dao. Therefore, how about you all also become disciples of our Mount Heng Sect?”

A completely unexpected proposal.

While I was silent for a moment, the Sect Leader’s words continued.

“We are planning to return to Mount Heng now. If you do not wish it, you may remain here, but those people will surely target you. If that is alright with you, then you may stay here.”

Nam Geon and Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s gazes turned to me.

They seemed to be waiting for a decision.

After organizing my thoughts, I opened my mouth.

“Could I perhaps defer the decision?”

“Defer… It doesn’t particularly matter, but won’t it be dangerous to stay in the secular world?”

“Therefore, I would like to ask a favor. Until I make a decision, would it be possible to stay at Mount Heng?”

The Sect Leader laughed cheerfully and replied.

“Mount Heng belongs to nature, not our Mount Heng Sect. How can we decide yes or no about something that belongs to nature? If you wish to stay, feel free to do so.”

***

A few days later, we arrived at Mount Heng.

Since my body had not yet fully recovered, I climbed Mount Heng on Nam Geon’s back.

After passing the midway point of Mount Heng, a gate with the words [Mount Heng Sect] written on it appeared.

Only then did the Mount Heng Sect Leader turn around and, in an unusually stern tone, give an order to Yeongcheon.

“The crime of disobeying the order not to interfere excessively in the secular world. In addition to that, the crime of deceiving and disrespecting the sect elders by telling lies. Yeongcheon, I order you to a half-year of seclusion. Until then, repent for your sins and practice the Dao.”

Soon, Yeongcheon was dragged away by the hand of an old Taoist who seemed to be an elder.

“Hahaha. I will see you in half a year, Senior Brother, Master, Grandmaster. I will also see you in half a year, Young Chivalrous Hero Jin!”

For someone going to receive punishment, Yeongcheon was truly cheerful.

After Yeongcheon disappeared, a middle-aged Taoist stepped forward and spoke to us.

“You all, follow me this way.”

He guided us to the quarters assigned to us.

It was an ownerless thatched house built on a low peak.

“The Sect Leader said to stay here.”

“Thank you, Taoist.”

We expressed our respect to the middle-aged Taoist with a fist-and-palm salute, and the middle-aged Taoist nodded once and left.

After that, we spent our time in that thatched house.

Since my body was not yet well, I focused on recuperating for my treatment and training in the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art.

When I wasn't training in the divine art, I watched over Nam Geon and Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s training.

“Nam Geon. The tip of your sword is shaking.”

“Junior Sister. For now, focus on building your strength rather than leading the sword with clever tricks.”

After training until they were drenched in sweat and exhausted, the two of them would move separately.

Nam Geon would head into the bushes to find food for us.

He would use the skills he had learned while with me to hunt animals or gather medicinal herbs and fruits.

Junior Sister Baek Hyang would prepare food with what Nam Geon brought, wash the clothes dirtied by training, and fetch water.

After spending about a fortnight like that, my wounds had mostly healed.

From then on, I too began to train in earnest.

The fortnight spent here. And the time it took to get here from Iyang.

For a period of nearly a month, I had spent my time almost entirely lying down or sitting.

It felt like the muscles I had built up had disappeared without a trace.

“Haat!”

I moved my body without internal energy, feeling like I was refining my sword art and movement technique from the basics again. To restore my weakened body.

Perhaps because they were muscles I had built once before? After repeating the training until I was exhausted for a few days, it seemed my body was slowly returning to its former state.

Like that for an additional three months.

Except for eating and sleeping, I repeated my training.

I trained in sword art and movement technique, built up my external energy, and when my body reached its limit, I cultivated my dantian with the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art.

“Senior Brother. I think you've gotten taller.”

I nodded at Junior Sister’s words.

Perhaps because it was an age of growth, focusing only on training without injury seemed to lead to rapid growth.

And Junior Sister Baek Hyang was also in her growth period.

“It seems Junior Sister can also start training with the sword in earnest now.”

“Hehet. I-I grew too!”

Why that burly Nam Geon had grown even more was a mystery.

“How is your dantian?”

“B-bigger!”

“I feel like my internal energy is accumulating faster since I started training here.”

I nodded at their answers.

The reason why Taoists and monks seclude themselves in the mountains to train. It wasn't simply to cut ties with the secular world.

Unlike cities or villages where people gather, spiritual energy flows in the mountains.

Especially in a place called a spiritual mountain like Mount Heng, where natural qi gathers, the speed at which internal energy accumulates was different.

That was why even those who were not Taoists or monks, martial artists who went into seclusion or retirement, all stayed in mountains full of spiritual energy.

And this was also the reason why I had not refused the Mount Heng Sect Leader’s proposal but had deferred it.

It wasn't just me; those two needed time to grow.

Since they could receive the protection of the Mount Heng Sect and also increase their internal energy quickly, staying at Mount Heng was the best choice.

“Since both Junior Sister and Nam Geon seem to be somewhat ready, let’s start learning martial arts in earnest. First, Nam Geon, slowly perform the first form of the Mighty Sword Art I taught you.”

Following my instructions, Nam Geon raised the Mother's Affection Sword and performed a horizontal cut from top to bottom.

As expected, his talent for physical work was excellent, so it was a very clean strike.

I approached Nam Geon and pointed to various acupoints on his body with my finger, saying.

“First, when you take the starting stance, draw the internal energy from your dantian and send it to the Surging Fountain Acupoint. After strengthening your lower body, as you raise the sword…”

It was the process of adding the flow and subtleties of internal energy to the Mighty Sword Art, which had only been practiced in form until now.

“Uh… uh uh uh… I don’t remember, brother. T-teach me slowly.”

Even though the content was not that complicated, Nam Geon made a face as if he were dizzy.

Since it was something I had expected, I calmly explained it again.

It didn't matter if he was slow to learn. After all, if he repeated it, he would eventually learn it.

And if internal energy was added to Nam Geon’s brutish strength, a very formidable Mighty Sword Art would be completed.

After hearing the repeated explanation for a while, Nam Geon smiled sheepishly and said.

“N-now I think I, I get it a little.”

“Alright. For today, just repeat the first form until you get used to it. If you happen to forget again, tell me. I’ll teach you again.”

After making Nam Geon repeat and master the first form, this time I taught Junior Sister Baek Hyang martial arts.

“The first form of the Nine Palace Chain Sword also starts similarly. First, after drawing the internal energy from your dantian…”

Unlike when I was teaching Nam Geon, I explained from the first form to the final ninth form in succession.

And Junior Sister Baek Hyang, who had heard all the explanations, performed all the forms in succession as if it were natural.

It was nothing short of an absurd talent.

But there was one regret.

“Senior Brother. My dantian is empty.”

It had been less than half a year since Junior Sister had started learning martial arts. Naturally, she was bound to lack internal energy.

Probably Nam Geon would also face the same problem after learning the key principles of the Mighty Sword Art.

“Recover your internal energy by practicing energy circulation, and then repeat swinging the sword. The same goes for Nam Geon.”

“O-okay, brother.”

“I understand, Senior Brother.”

However, I wasn't just teaching them.

After telling them the training content for the day, I also devoted myself to training alongside them.

I would swing my sword until I was out of breath and my limbs trembled to train my external energy, and conversely, I would calmly compose my breath and meticulously refine my sword art and movement technique.

When I trained in swordsmanship, I would always recall the memories of that day.

The life-and-death battle with Hyeok Ilso.

And the duel between the Golden Guardian Unit Master and the Mount Heng Sect Leader that I had witnessed afterward.

As I navigated through the hazy fog of memory, at a certain moment, my eyes would open.

The trajectories of that day are embroidered in the air.

“Sseup. Hoo.”

As slowly as possible, and striving for perfection, I followed those trajectories.

When that concentration reached its peak, Sword Qi would sometimes form at the tip of my sword.

Sword Unification.

Now I could step into that realm quite naturally.

One strange thing was that only when my eyes opened like this and the world slowed down.

Only when I exerted extreme concentration and followed the trajectory could I reach it.

Then, when my concentration wavered and the trajectory disappeared, I would take a moment to compose my breath and watch over the two’s training.

“S-sorry, brother. I-I was concentrating on the Jade Cloud Divine Art and f-forgot what brother taught me.”

“It’s fine. I’ll teach you again. And Junior Sister, get a grip. Are you trying to draw on your innate qi by being drunk on the sword?”

After days of devoting ourselves to training like that.

One day, I taught Junior Sister Baek Hyang a new martial art.

“From today, I will teach you the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art.”

It was a bit early for Junior Sister, who had been learning the Jade Cloud Divine Art for about half a year, but considering Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s insight, it seemed she could handle it.

My prediction was accurate.

After telling her the key principles of over a hundred characters and the explanation of several hundred characters, and explaining the meridians through which internal energy passes several times.

“Sseup. Hoo.”

Junior Sister Baek Hyang began to operate the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art as if it were nothing.

Junior Sister, who had entered a deep state of immersion by exerting her concentration, had a very peaceful expression, unlike when I first learned the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art.

As I quietly watched her, Hyeok Ilso’s face came to mind.

It wasn't because Junior Sister Baek Hyang was also originally a member of the Seven Evils.

It was because of Junior Sister's talent.

Probably, at this very moment, that bastard Hyeok Ilso was getting stronger at a tremendous speed. Just as Junior Sister Baek Hyang was.

On the other hand, what about me?

I was honing my sword every day with the help of my eyes, recalling the battle of that day.

But my growth was excruciatingly slow.

I had barely caught up to him in the last fight, but that was just thanks to the experience of my previous life. My talent was still no more than that of a mortal.

At this rate, far from chasing him, the gap would inevitably widen.

Watching Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s skills improve steeply made that fact feel even more real.

The fact that no matter how much a mortal tries, it is nearly impossible to catch up to the speed of a genius.

But that didn't mean I had given up.

“I guess I have no choice but to find the Sun Moon Divine Sword elder's secret grotto.”

There was one way left for me to chase a genius, with my life as the stake.

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