Chapter 73

Chapter 72. Something seems different about the volcano. (2)

"Tsk. It’s a lot of work."

Qingming ascended the mountain with a face that clearly showed his dissatisfaction.

"How slow can you be?"

Qingming sighed deeply.

He had never trained disciples in his previous life.

Even Qingwen, his senior brother who was obsessed with trying to make use of Qingming, could not bring himself to ask Qingming to train disciples.

To his junior brothers who worried that Qingming’s sword skills would not be passed down to future generations, Qingwen said this:

- I am worried about that too. But I am also human, and I cannot bear to place disciples under that guy. It’s something that even a person who has endured the trials of the human world cannot do. What sin have the children who become his disciples committed that they should suffer such a punishment? If you truly cultivate the Dao, you should not utter such harsh words.

After that, the junior brothers never once suggested that Qingming take on disciples.

'Thinking about it makes me feel bad. These brats?'

What’s wrong with me! I’m doing a good job training them!

Of course, it does take a lot of effort.

Training Qingming’s three major disciples is not much different from a grown adult teaching a child to walk.

The only difference is this: a child will naturally learn to walk if left alone, but these guys need to be guided step by step to even understand what walking is.

"Ugh. I’d rather die than suffer like this."

As a result, it took more time than expected, and with the time taken, there was less time for practice. Now, to make time for practice, he almost has to give up sleep.

Qingming sighed deeply and looked up at the sky.

"Senior Sect Leader. Do I have to go this far? It would be easier to just do everything myself."

- Then do that.

"Hey, really!"

Qingming sighed deeply.

He also knew very well that it was impossible to restore the glory of Huashan by himself.

Making Huashan famous?

He could do that alone. But can Qingming live forever? What good is a glory that will disappear when he dies?

What Qingming needs to create now is the spirit of Huashan that will continue even without him.

Glory is like a flower petal, beautiful but fleeting; the spirit is like a root, unseen but essential for the tree to live.

"I know, but..."

Is it really as easy as that?

Qingming clicked his tongue.

While organizing his thoughts, he had already arrived at Luoyan Peak. His gaze quickly swept over the surroundings.

'She won’t come, will she?'

It was now the hour of the Pig. A time when everyone should be in bed. No matter how obsessed with practice, no one would come to the mountain gate to practice at this hour.

Of course, they met at a later time that day, but that was because she had just returned to Huashan.

"Right, she’s not here?"

After thoroughly checking the surroundings, Qingming lifted the wooden sword at his waist.

He extended the sword and took a high stance, his eyes slowly sinking. The playful look he had when teaching the children was gone, replaced by the eyes of a seasoned swordsman who had fought countless battles.

'Return to my former self?'

No. That’s not enough.

Qingming had demolished all the foundations. He negated the inner strength he had built up in his previous life and replaced it with new inner strength.

To advance further.

But that was not enough. He had changed his inner strength, but not his sword. If his sword did not change, it would only become stronger and faster, but nothing would truly change.

'Could I have defeated the Heavenly Demon alone?'

No.

If the Heavenly Demon had not been weakened by the combined efforts of those who ascended the mountain, Qingming would never have been able to face him.

Despite boasting about being the best swordsman of Huashan or the best swordsman in the world, Qingming was a defeated man who could not defeat the Heavenly Demon alone.

'If I could have defeated the Heavenly Demon alone?'

Then no one would have died.

Senior Sect Leader and the junior brothers would have all returned safely to protect Huashan. Senior Sect Leader would have chased after Qingming, and the junior brothers would have secretly reported to their senior brother, continuing a peaceful daily life.

If Qingming had been strong enough, the deaths on the mountain and the fall of Huashan would not have happened.

Regret?

It’s not that.

He has no interest in crying over spilt milk. The problem is the future.

'Is there any guarantee that someone like the Heavenly Demon won’t appear again?'

Perhaps someone even more terrifying than the Heavenly Demon might target the martial world.

To protect Huashan from all such crises, he must become stronger. Stronger than anyone in the world, stronger than the past Qingming, and stronger than the Heavenly Demon!

To do that...

Qingming’s sword had almost reached perfection in the past, yet he could not defeat the Heavenly Demon.

'Why?'

Because he did not hone his sword further?

No.

"A tiger, no matter how sharp its claws, cannot catch a bird in the sky."

Because he could not transcend his limits.

The Heavenly Demon’s martial arts shattered everything Qingming believed in. It mocked Qingming, who thought that following the path laid out by sages would lead to the end.

Like a person on the ground looking up at a flying bird, he could only gaze at a realm he could never reach.

To surpass the Heavenly Demon, he must first surpass his past self and fly into the sky.

But how?

Qingming’s eyes sank.

'I will discard.'

But he will not discard.

One must empty to fill. But Qingming had already emptied everything when he was reborn. Now, he must fill again.

Then what will he fill?

Huashan’s? Or Qingming’s? Or something else?

"Anything will do."

Qingming’s sword began to move slowly.

Protect Huashan’s? Abandon everything about Huashan? Or Qingming’s?

- It’s all attachment.

Right, Senior Brother.

If filling is natural, then discarding is also natural. There’s no need to struggle over what to fill and what to discard.

Look.

Does the sword not flow on its own?

It does not set limits.

The moment the sword decides what to take and what to discard, it becomes trapped in its own limits. Just let it be. Let the sword go where it wants, and Qingming will go where he wants.

Qingming’s sword drew a soft, flowing curve.

At the same time, plum blossoms began to bloom in the sky, one by one.

These were Huashan’s plum blossoms, but they were different from the ones Qingming had drawn before.

They were a bit more vibrant and a bit more gentle.

They spread out, scattered, and then settled.

From movement (動) to stillness (靜) and back to movement (動).

The plum blossoms, starting from the tip of the sword, bloomed profusely. They covered Luoyan Peak, bringing spring to the late night with their pure white flowers.

Softly, swiftly, dazzlingly, and beautifully.

But the plum blossoms did not last long, withering sadly.

In the now quiet Luoyan Peak, Qingming, who had lowered his sword, was standing still with his eyes closed.

'Something seems within reach.'

He did not sprout a seed, but he felt he had found a clue.

A sword of Huashan, yet surpassing the swords of Huashan, a sword unique to Qingming.

A sword that transcends his limits and the limits of Huashan, leading to new places.

"Huuu."

Qingming let out a low sigh.

'It won’t be easy.'

Creating a new sword technique is not the same as opening a new realm. It is still a distant goal for Qingming. As his inner strength grows with him, this sword will also grow with him.

Now, it is just a plum bud (梅花芽).

But someday...

"Hey..."

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a voice came from the side, making Qingming jump back in shock.

"Damn! What the hell!"

Someone else was standing on Luoyan Peak. Qingming, startled, blinked and tried to identify the person.

'...Isn’t that the woman from last time?'

Yu... Yu... What was her name?

Ah, right! Yu Yixue! That was her name.

Yu Yixue was looking at Qingming with a subtle gaze, her eyes slightly unfocused.

'But how did she get here without me noticing?'

Even if he was in a state of no-self (無我) while practicing his sword, Qingming was still Qingming. In that state, he could feel the presence of anything within ten yards as if he were touching it.

Yet, not only did he not notice her last time, but she also approached him without any issues this time. This woman is a bit strange.

'Or did she learn some kind of assassin technique? How did I not sense her?'

Even though she was right in front of him, her presence was strangely faint. He could not feel her presence even when he tried to sense it consciously.

For someone who relies on their five senses, it might not be a problem, but for Qingming, who is more attuned to his qi senses, this is what happens.

Looking at Yu Yixue, who was staring at him intently, Qingming thought hard.

'How do I handle this? How much did she see?'

First, let’s try to bluff...

Then Yu Yixue slowly opened her mouth.

"Plum blossoms..."

She saw everything.

Damn.

Her head tilted slightly to the side, as if she couldn’t understand what she had seen.

Yeah, yeah.

Keep not understanding.

Qingming smiled.

If it were someone else, they might have been flustered, but who is Qingming? A troublemaker in the history of Huashan.

As Senior Sect Leader Qingwen once said, there were more accidents caused by Qingming after he joined Huashan than before he joined.

For Qingming, this is nothing!

First, naturally. Naturally, as if nothing is wrong.

He bowed slightly to Yu Yixue.

"Senior. Have you been well?"

As Qingming took a step forward, Yu Yixue flinched.

Huh? Why did she flinch?

Yu Yixue looked at Qingming with a slightly serious expression.

"Massacre?"

"Are you crazy, this is?"

"..."

Ah...

Naturally is out of the question.

Qingming, who had inadvertently sworn, covered his mouth with his hand.

The other white-robed disciples are still on their way to Huashan, so why did this woman come early and make things so complicated?

Now, there’s only one way.

Qingming waved his hand and quickly left Luoyan Peak.

"Then I’ll be going!"

"Ah... Wait!"

A voice tried to stop him, but Qingming ignored it. When words can’t explain, evasion is the best.

Yu Yixue’s hand reached out toward Qingming’s back and then slowly fell.

"Plum blossoms..."

She stared at his back with a dazed look and clenched her fist slightly.

"I’m scared!"

This is clearly Qingming’s mistake.

But on the other hand, even if she saw, it doesn’t really change anything. If she tells everyone what she saw, no one will believe her.

From now on, he needs to be more careful. One witness might be dismissed as crazy, but three witnesses can summon a tiger.

'I need to be careful when practicing after the white-robed disciples return.'

Ah...

Not just practicing.

Qingming nodded firmly.

"I have something to do before the white-robed disciples return!"

He began to quickly descend the mountain gate.