Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Spring Comes to Mount Hua (Part 3)

Dam Ho emerged from Spirit Treasure Palace well after nightfall. Darkness had descended, and lanterns had been hung throughout Mount Hua.

The plum blossoms illuminated by the lanterns glittered like snowflakes. Dam Ho stood rooted to the spot, gazing at the scene for a long while.

A wind blew, scattering plum petals through the air. For some reason, the image was seared deeply into his mind.

Nightfall did not mean the Mount Hua Sect's duties were concluded. The Taoist halls scattered across the mountain blazed with light, and the Taoists within remained busy.

Then a group approached Dam Ho.

They were Taoists wearing Daoist robes. From their bodies emanated an extraordinary aura.

Dam Ho bowed his head to them.

These were the First Generation Disciples of the Mount Hua Sect. At their head walked a Taoist in his mid-thirties—Mu-gyeong, disciple of Sage Hyeon-cheon, Grandmaster of the Mount Hua Sect.

Mu-gyeong had been gifted in martial arts since childhood, and was a prodigy upon whom the expectations of the entire Mount Hua Sect rested.

His martial achievement was so remarkable that rumors circulated he had already entered the Supreme Clarity Heart Method—a technique that only Elders and above were permitted to learn.

His character was as admirable as his martial skill. Among the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, there was none who did not respect him.

At Mu-gyeong's side were Un-gyeong and Han So-yu, his closest companions.

Un-gyeong was Mu-gyeong's Junior Brother and the leader of the Plum Blossom Thirty-Six Sword Unit, one of the Mount Hua Sect's elite groups. His cold, detached gaze spoke volumes about his temperament.

Han So-yu was a female disciple—a rarity in the Mount Hua Sect. She too was a member of the Plum Blossom Thirty-Six Sword Unit, boasting exceptional skill.

Mu-gyeong smiled.

"So it is Cheong-gyeong."

"Senior Brother."

"Are you returning to your quarters?"

"Yes."

"Is Martial Uncle Hyeon-so well?"

"He is in good health."

"That is a relief. I keep meaning to visit, but there is always so much work that I can never find the time."

"Master will understand."

At Dam Ho's reply, Mu-gyeong's smile deepened. But Un-gyeong, who stood beside him, regarded Dam Ho with cold eyes—something clearly displeasing him.

His eyes, cold as a serpent's and devoid of emotion, swept over Dam Ho from head to toe.

"How is your leg?"

"The same."

"And still you persist in pursuing martial arts? When the limit is so clear? Would it not be better to follow Martial Uncle Hyeon-so's example and devote yourself to the study of Taoism instead?"

"Junior Brother!"

At Un-gyeong's cutting remark, Mu-gyeong cried out in alarm. But Un-gyeong's expression did not change by so much as a fraction.

"There is no greater fool than to waste time on futile endeavors. Remember my words."

"I am grateful for Senior Brother's counsel. I shall engrave it upon my bones."

Dam Ho bowed deeply.

Un-gyeong regarded him with those icy eyes. At Un-gyeong's attitude, Mu-gyeong raised his shoulders in a helpless gesture and looked toward Han So-yu.

Han So-yu approached Dam Ho with light, graceful steps. A faint, pleasant fragrance stimulated his senses.

Dam Ho raised his head and looked at her. Han So-yu's delicate features, reminiscent of Mount Hua's plum blossoms, came into view.

"Do not take Senior Brother Un-gyeong's words to heart, Junior Brother. He means no ill will."

"I understand."

"If you ever hit a wall with your martial arts, come to me. I will help however I can."

"Thank you."

"I believe in you, Junior Brother."

Han So-yu offered him a bright, refreshing smile. It was the kind of smile that could shake the hearts of countless men.

"Then I shall take my leave."

Dam Ho clasped his fists and departed.

The three watched his retreating figure—the slight limp in his gait—and said nothing. On Mu-gyeong's face, a look of sympathy surfaced.

Mu-gyeong turned sharply toward Un-gyeong.

"Do you realize that sometimes your words make my affection for you vanish entirely? How could you say such things right in front of the person himself?"

"It is all for Cheong-gyeong's sake."

"What do you mean, for his sake? The boy already limps—do you know how deeply that wounds him?"

"What Cheong-gyeong needs is not empty comfort and encouragement, but honest counsel."

"You—"

"Let us be frank. What are the chances that Cheong-gyeong will ever properly master Mount Hua's martial arts? A martial artist who cannot learn footwork is only half a warrior. And the Mount Hua Sect has no need for half warriors."

"My word! You truly are cold."

"I cannot help it. Remaining clear-headed and making rational judgments in any situation is my role."

"You really are…"

Mu-gyeong shook his head slowly. But his expression was not one of displeasure.

If Mu-gyeong was the symbolic pillar of the Mount Hua Sect's martial might as its chief disciple, then Un-gyeong occupied the position of the cold, rational advisor who offered ceaseless counsel.

He had been raised that way from the beginning, and it was considered the best path for the Mount Hua Sect.

Han So-yu laughed and interjected into their conversation.

"Come, come! Let us speak no more of Cheong-gyeong. There are far more important matters at hand."

"That is true…"

Mu-gyeong nodded.

The Mount Hua Sect stood at a critical juncture.

They needed to select capable outer disciples and admit them as Main Mountain Disciples. But admitting Main Mountain Disciples was not the end—they had to be forged into proper martial artists.

The Mount Hua Sect of today was desperately in need of new strength. To that end, First Generation Disciples like Mu-gyeong and Un-gyeong had to work tirelessly.

"Come, let us go."

Mu-gyeong led the way forward. In his mind, Dam Ho's figure had already faded.

***

Dam Ho walked by moonlight. He headed toward a small valley beneath Cloud Peak.

At the base of the valley lay a modest pond. The path to it was not easy to find, so even the Taoists of the Mount Hua rarely visited. Whenever his chest felt tight, this was where Dam Ho sought refuge.

Dam Ho stripped off his clothes and waded into the water.

Though it was spring, the valley water still held the bite of winter. The icy chill jolted his mind to sharp awareness.

'Fine. This much is nothing…'

Dam Ho clenched his teeth.

The extreme cold seeped not only into his skin but into his very bones. Yet Dam Ho did not leave the water—instead, he submerged his head entirely.

He settled into a cross-legged position beneath the surface.

Countless thoughts swept through his mind.

Peaceful days—shattered in an instant by a bandit raid. An unexpected rescue. Life on Mount Hua.

For the first several months after his limbs had been shattered, he had been unable to move under his own power. The one who had nursed and healed him through that time was his Master, Sage Hyeon-so.

Without Sage Hyeon-so's devoted care, Dam Ho would not be able to walk at all now. Though he limped on one leg, he was alive.

To Dam Ho, the fact of being alive was everything. As long as he drew breath, he could look to the future.

'Father, Mother, Ga-ryeong.'

Their images rose vividly in his mind.

Dam Ho had failed to protect them.

At the age of twelve, having no strength was nothing but an excuse. They were already gone from this world, and he remained.

Because he was alive, there were things he had to do. And for that, he needed strength.

Splash!

Dam Ho stood, sending water cascading in all directions.

"Hah! Hah!"

He gasped for breath, chest heaving.

His gaze fell to his left leg. Compared to his healthy, sturdy right leg, it was wretchedly thin. Despite all the countless climbs up and down the mountain, the muscle simply would not develop properly.

With such a leg, he could never properly execute the dazzling footwork of the Mount Hua Sect.

"Mount Hua's footwork does not suit me. I need something else."

Over the past five years, Dam Ho had come to realize this truth with agonizing clarity.

The problem was that he did not know how to solve it.

If only he had a good teacher to guide him in times like these. But unfortunately, the only one by his side was Sage Hyeon-so.

In the end, he would have to find his own way.

"For now, I will do what I can."

Dam Ho moved his left foot back and forth through the water. Perhaps because he was submerged, he felt a considerable resistance.

His leg was normal above the knee. The problem was the knee itself.

The cartilage and muscle had been crushed, leaving the joint without free movement. No medicinal elixir could heal such a wound. The only possibility was the legendary transformation of bone and marrow—but that was the stuff of dreams and impossible fantasies.

"I will strengthen and train the muscles of my left leg further. The rest, I will consider afterward."

Dam Ho climbed out of the water.

He roughly dried himself and dressed.

Though he still felt the chill, his mind had cleared. The memory of being mocked by his fellow disciples no longer lingered.

From the next day forward, a sandbag was strapped to Dam Ho's left ankle as he climbed the mountain.

"Hah! Hah!"

Ragged breaths escaped through his lips. The added weight was slight, but the burden he felt was beyond imagining—as though he had strapped iron weights to his ankles.

Dam Ho gritted his teeth and walked on. Sweat streamed ceaselessly down his spine.

"Hah!"

Watching Dam Ho from afar, a man he could not see let out a quiet sigh. It was Sage Hyeon-so, Dam Ho's master.

"That child's obsession with martial arts knows no bounds. What am I to do about him?"

Sage Hyeon-so's sigh scattered on the wind.

It was a day when he missed his own long-departed master, the Heaven Vault Master.