Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 254
Chapter 254 – Finding One’s Place After Coming Full Circle (1)
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Discord
Sealing the gates – closing the doors.
In other words, completely cutting off external activities.
There was only one case when a sect in the murim would choose to seal its gates.
When the sect has completely declined and no longer has the capacity to interact with the outside. Thus it meant isolating from the outside to build up internal strength.
That was Mount Hua’s current situation.
All foundations of Mount Hua were destroyed by the Demon Cult’s surprise attack.
Starting with Sect Leader Sage Hyeon-cheon, numerous elders died or were injured. Among them was Sage Hyeon-geom who was called Mount Hua’s greatest swordsman. It was the worst situation that could be considered complete annihilation.
Additionally, head disciple Mu Kyung died, and an enormous number of first and second generation disciples died. The actual core fighting force forming the sect’s foundation had taken a major blow.
Now Mount Hua Sect’s remaining strength consisted only of a few first and second generation disciples, and the third generation disciples.
Considering the third generation disciples were only in their early to late teens, Mount Hua Sect’s decline was clear as day.
It was the shabby fall of Mount Hua Sect that had shaken the world as one of the Nine Great Sects. Most sects in such a state would lose their influence in the murim and quietly fade into history.
Nevertheless, people didn’t think Mount Hua Sect would make such a shabby exit from the murim.
Because of one warrior.
Fist Demon Dam-ho.
A demon of the era who appeared in the moment of crisis and prevented Mount Hua’s extinction. News that he was actually a Mount Hua Sect disciple spread widely across the world.
An absolute warrior who alone blocked the Demon Cult’s invasion. His overwhelming martial might and unstoppable nature were enough to shake the world.
People no longer simply called him Fist Demon.
Mount Hua’s Fist Demon.
The Fist Demon lives at Mount Hua.
Because of that, Mount Hua was safe.
But that was all.
Though Mount Hua might be safe because of Dam-ho, regaining its former glory was not an easy task.
Spirit Treasure Palace housing Mount Hua Sect’s martial arts manuals had burned. In some ways, the burning of Spirit Treasure Palace might not have been a major blow. Because most martial arts manuals stored in Spirit Treasure Palace were basic techniques.
The biggest blow was that almost all the Hyeon generation elders who could transmit the supreme arts had lost their lives.
Mount Hua Sect’s secret techniques were mostly transmitted orally.
They were passed down by masters adding their insights and passing them to disciples. Though an extremely closed method, there was no more efficient way to transmit supreme arts passed down for several generations.
But with most Hyeon generation elders killed, numerous supreme arts were lost. The loss of supreme arts would naturally lead to Mount Hua Sect’s decline.
Though the surviving second and third generation disciples had learned Mount Hua Sect’s supreme arts, it was uncertain how completely they had inherited the insights.
Even if they had inherited the insights, it would take several decades to properly bear fruit. During that long period, Mount Hua Sect had no choice but to seal its gates.
Spring came to the world, but harsh winter came to Mount Hua.
Mount Hua locked its doors, and people’s footsteps completely stopped.
“Sigh!”
Woon Kyung sighed.
He felt Mount Hua’s decline more than anyone.
With head disciple Mu Kyung having lost his life, he had no choice but to take on the role of Mount Hua Sect’s great disciple. But having lived as second-in-command his whole life, when crisis struck he couldn’t help but feel limited in handling matters proactively.
After repelling the Demon Cult, he spent busier time than anyone.
He collected and handled the corpses of those who died including his master and the elders. Just that was overwhelming work. He hadn’t even started dealing with the collapsed and burned halls.
He wasn’t even given time to grieve. His one consolation was that Dam-ho’s existence allowed the subordinate disciples to unite.
He walked quickly toward True Warrior Palace.
True Warrior Palace, where Sage Hyeon-geom had been hall master, was one of the few buildings that maintained its original form even in the Demon Cult’s invasion.
“Senior Uncle!”
“Great Senior Uncle!”
As he entered True Warrior Palace, several second generation disciples recognized and greeted him. Their expressions were extremely dark, telling of their recent hardships.
“Where’s Dam-ho?”
“Senior Uncle is with Young Hero Cho now.”
“Hmm!”
Woon Kyung nodded and passed by them.
He stood before the door of the innermost room in True Warrior Palace and said:
“Ho! It’s Woon Kyung. May I come in for a moment?”
“Come in.”
Dam-ho’s answer came from inside.
Woon Kyung immediately opened the door and entered the room. Upon entering, he first saw a large bed.
A man with a pale complexion lay on the bed.
It was Cho Yeon-woon who had been severely injured. After receiving severe injuries in that day’s battle, Cho Yeon-woon hadn’t regained consciousness.
A woman sat by Cho Yeon-woon’s side devotedly nursing him. She was Dan Hwa-ran, former head of the Murim Alliance’s Soaring Bird Hall.
[TL Note- Soaring Bird Hall was mistakenly translated as Secret Burial Faction in chapter 214.]
“Master Woon Kyung.”
Dan Hwa-ran stood to greet Woon Kyung.
“Please remain seated, Miss Dan. You’re already working so hard nursing Young Hero Cho.”
“No, I’m just grateful to be allowed to stay at Mount Hua like this.”
Dan Hwa-ran bowed her head repeatedly thanking Woon Kyung. Woon Kyung showed an awkward expression at this.
Woon Kyung’s gaze turned to Dam-ho standing silently behind Dan Hwa-ran.
Dam-ho’s complexion wasn’t good.
His injuries were very severe, making even standing difficult. Yet Dam-ho didn’t show it as he watched over his friend.
Thanks to the Life-Saving Poison Pill, Cho Yeon-woon barely saved his life. But his injuries weren’t light enough to heal in just a day or two.
Help from a skilled physician was desperately needed. But finding a skilled physician near Shaanxi Province where Mount Hua was located was as difficult as picking stars from the sky.
Zhongnan Sect in the same Shaanxi Province had also suffered heavy damage and needed physicians’ help, and above all many physicians had left Shaanxi Province fleeing the Demon Cult’s chaos.
Because of this, Mount Hua Sect was also having difficulties unable to find a proper physician. Everything was lacking for Mount Hua Sect now.
Woon Kyung opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Ho!”
He indicated outside with his eyes.
Dam-ho noticed and went outside. Woon Kyung followed behind.
Coming out of True Warrior Palace, Mount Hua’s scenery came into view at once. Mount Hua still hadn’t recovered from that day’s wounds and revealed its miserable state as is.
Dam-ho looked at Mount Hua’s state indifferently.
Woon Kyung carefully said:
“Ho.”
“Speak!”
“I won’t beat around the bush. Right now Mount Hua desperately needs your help.”
Only then did Dam-ho turn his head to look at Woon Kyung.
“I know well how shameless I am being. But no matter how much I think, I can’t think of any other alternative. Without you, Mount Hua will collapse. Mount Hua desperately needs your help.”
“…”
“Right now Mount Hua has no elders to transmit secret techniques, no middle-aged warriors to be shields. Except for the name Mount Hua, the situation is worse than any small or medium sect.”
“So?”
“Please become Mount Hua’s core. Become the center that unites Mount Hua. I and Mount Hua Sect’s disciples will follow you with sincere hearts.”
Suddenly Woon Kyung knelt and bowed his head.
Woon Kyung was higher ranked than Dam-ho. For such an Woon Kyung to kneel and bow his head meant he had thrown away his pride and put down everything. It also meant he loved Mount Hua that much.
That’s when it happened.
“Senior Brother, I also beg you.”
Suddenly a young warrior ran out from behind the hall and knelt beside Woon Kyung. It was Myung Kyung.
Myung Kyung knelt and kowtowed. Thick tears flowed from his eyes.
After all chaos ended, Myung Kyung had led the third generation disciples outside. The sight seen with his own eyes was truly miserable.
Current Mount Hua was no longer the Mount Hua he knew. Mount Hua had fallen, and there was no hope.
Though Myung Kyung had inherited Sage Hyeon-geom’s legacy, his capacity and reputation were far too insufficient to raise up the massive sect Mount Hua. Knowing this fact, Myung.Kyung could kneel before Dam-ho without hesitation.
Dam-ho indifferently looked at the two people kneeling before him. The two became anxious at this.
“Ho! Please…”
“Senior Brother! Please don’t abandon Mount Hua.”
They begged hitting their foreheads on the ground. The blue stone floor was soaked with their blood.
Dam-ho raised his head to look at Mount Hua.
He had no particular affection for Mount Hua. He had no good memories here after all.
Suddenly Dam-ho shook his head.
No, there was one.
‘Master.’
His memories with Sage Hyeon-so.
The memory of practicing martial arts with Sage Hyeon-so while sweating remained.
That faint memory held Dam-ho’s ankles. And the most decisive reason was still Master Immortal Hyeon-so.
Sage Hyeon-so loved Mount Hua.
The scenery, halls, every leaf, even the invisible air of Mount Hua, Sage Hyeon-so loved it all. Mount Hua was his everything.
If it weren’t for himself, Sage Hyeon-so wouldn’t have had to leave Mount Hua and wander the world.
Thinking of Sage Hyeon-so made one side of his chest ache. Though he thought he had lost human emotions, his chest always ached like this when thinking of Sage Hyeon-so.
‘Master.’
Dam-ho’s eyes soon shone firmly. Having organized his thoughts, he finally opened his mouth.
“I cannot become Mount Hua’s core.”
“Ho!”
“Senior Brother?”
“But I know someone who can become the core.”
The two widened their eyes at Dam-ho’s answer.
“Who is it?”
“Master.”
“Could it be Senior Uncle Hyeon-so?”
“Yes!”
“But his martial arts…”
Woon Kyung hesitated.
Even Woon Kyung acknowledged Sage Hyeon-so’s character. But leading a sect and character were separate matters. His thought was that no matter how good one’s character, without ability to back it up, it was impossible to lead a massive sect like Mount Hua Sect. So he couldn’t help but conflict.
Dam-ho looked at Woon Kyung with cold eyes.
“You don’t know Master.”
“What?”
“No one suits Mount Hua Sect better than Master.”
“Please explain more. I really don’t understand.”
“Master is a scholar priest.”
“Scholar priest?”
“All Mount Hua Sect’s martial arts are in his head.”
The moment they heard Dam-ho’s words, Woon Kyung and Myung-kyung widened their eyes almost simultaneously.
“Is that true?”
“Really, Senior Brother?”
“You can check directly, can’t you?”
“Where is Senior Uncle Hyeon-so?”
Woon Kyung asked urgently.
If Mount Hua Sect’s supreme arts were really in Immortal Hyeon-so’s head, they needed to bring him to Mount Hua as soon as possible. His heart was extremely urgent.
“Mount Huang.”
“Mount Huang? Could it be?”
“Yes! He’s at overlord’s stronghold.”
“We must send someone to bring him immediately.”
“No need.”
“What?”
“Someone has already gone.”
“Really?”
Dam-ho didn’t answer.
Woon Kyung didn’t ask twice. Because he knew well Dam-ho wasn’t someone who would speak nonsense.
While Woon Kyung was busy dealing with fallen Mount Hua, Dam-ho had sent Muk Il-gwang to Mount Huang.
He hadn’t sent him with the current situation in mind from the start. Just that since Sage Hyeon-so had great affection for Mount Hua Sect, he needed to return to Mount Hua and see this sight directly. Only then could he make a cold judgment.
Completely fallen Mount Hua.
Whatever decision Sage Hyeon-so made, Dam-ho planned to follow it.
That’s when it happened.
“Brother, eat something.”
Bang Jin-bo’s energetic voice came from far away.