In the residence of the sect leader, Hyun Jong, along with Unam and the owner of Mugak, Hyun Sang, they faced each other.
"What do you think?" At Hyun Jong's question, Unam smiled.
"It is a Dao Tool."
"You felt the same way."
Hyun Jong smiled with satisfaction.
It was true that Cheong Myung looked lovely.
Why wouldn't she? Thanks to Cheong Myung, Hwasan had escaped the crisis of extinction.
It wasn't because the enemy had invaded, nor was it due to internal strife; it was merely because of money that the historically rich Hwasan avoided the most humiliating situation of lowering its banner.
From Hyun Jong's perspective, it would not be enough to just carry Cheong Myung around.
However, this evaluation was not due to her loveliness.
"Even though she is a child, wisdom is evident in her words. Sometimes she has a rough edge, but considering her age, it is quite understandable."
"That's right."
At the sect leader's interjection, Unam's thoughts deepened.
When talking with Cheong Myung, it didn't feel like conversing with a child.
It wasn't just because of her manner of speaking.
There was no childish recklessness in Cheong Myung.
Rather, how should I put it? 'Am I the only one sensing the aura of the Dao?' There was a fragrance of the Dao.
This feeling could not be explained by logic.
The scent of the Dao from a child?
"It can only be described as a Dao Tool."
Unam slightly raised his head.
"She thinks deeply for a child. I can see that she ponders before speaking. In many ways, she is a clever child."
"That's right."
"If she is certain in her abilities... she will become a pillar to lead Hwasan in the future."
Hyun Jong nodded silently.
Then he turned his gaze to Hyun Sang.
"What do you think?"
Hyun Sang, who had been quietly observing the situation, sighed.
"You know that I cannot judge people, right, sect leader?"
"Come on. Don't you have a feeling about it?"
"A feeling..."
Hyun Sang closed his eyes quietly.
Time passed slowly.
After a long while of deep thought, Hyun Sang slowly opened his mouth.
"The child is not childlike."
"..."
"I understand that children who have lived a rough life or those who think deeply can show such traits. But that only means they are more mature than their peers, not that they act like adults."
Seeking agreement with a slight glance, Hyun Sang continued.
"However, that child does not just seem mature; she speaks and acts like an adult. It makes me want to dig deeper and see what is inside her."
"Does that mean she has a dark side?"
"Not to that extent. It's just..."
Hyun Sang trailed off.
"I see."
Hyun Jong nodded.
"I understand what everyone is thinking, but let's not put too much meaning into it for now. As you can see, she is still a child, right?"
"Yes, sect leader."
"We are not those who use people, but those who nurture them. If she is a talented individual, we should allow her to showcase her abilities, and if she has issues, we should guide her to resolve them."
"That is indeed true."
"Unam."
"Yes, sect leader."
"How is the construction going?"
"The terrain is rugged, making it difficult to replenish materials. We are cutting down trees to gather as much as we can, but the time it takes to dry and process the wood cannot be helped. It seems it will take a little while."
"I see."
Hyun Jong, stroking his beard quietly, asked with a serious face.
"Are you displeased that I am focusing on appearances now that we have funds?"
"How could I be, sect leader?"
"Understand this. Hwasan must be reborn now. When a person makes a new commitment and sets new intentions, they refine their appearance and carry themselves properly. This is no different for a sect. To convey new intentions to the disciples, I believed this was the most certain way."
"Your intentions are correct, sect leader."
Hyun Jong nodded quietly.
"Hyun Sang."
"Yes, sect leader."
Hyun Sang slightly bowed his head.
"Finish the interpretation of the newly acquired martial arts as quickly as possible. However, it must not be done carelessly. How we pass on that martial arts will determine the fate of Hwasan."
"I will ensure there is not a single flaw."
"I will trust you."
Seeing Hyun Jong lost in thought, Hyun Sang slightly hardened his expression. 'Should I say something?' No. Perhaps not.
The sect leader is currently envisioning the future of Hwasan, which will last for a hundred years or even a thousand.
I cannot let trivial matters distract him.
'But...' Hyun Sang sighed softly.
When he discovered the secret manual, he was so shocked that he didn't feel anything strange.
However, as he rummaged through the manual for interpretation, he couldn't shake off his curiosity recently.
'The paper is too clean to be a book that is at least a hundred years old.'
And there were even spots where the ink had bled out.
If Hyun Sang's suspicion is correct, this secret manual is not from a hundred years ago.
It is a relatively recent creation by someone.
But who could it be? Who could create a martial art that has been practiced in Hwasan? It doesn't make sense.
If there was someone capable of such a feat, it would have been better for them to bring the manual directly rather than creating it and letting it be discovered.
Then all the disciples of Hwasan would treat him like a king.
This means there is someone who helps Hwasan but does not reveal their identity.
Hyun Sang shook his head.
That is excessive.
It is an excessive thought.
Even considering the possibility of a conspiracy, he reviewed the martial arts again and again, but no matter how he looked at it, it was genuine.
There were no discrepancies, no mistakes.
There was nothing sinister to be found, even if he searched with eyes wide open.
'Let's review it one more time.' If it is strange, it would not be too late to speak then.
"Ugh. It seems like a sect that even a beggar wouldn't pick up!" Cheong Myung kicked a stone.
"What have you done that not a single elixir is left?"
From the sect leader's expression, one could guess.
It was clear that this sect had not even a single Mei Flower Pill left, let alone the basic elixirs.
It was utterly despairing.
If they couldn't make the basic elixirs due to a lack of money, the answer now that they had money was to 'just wait for now.' However, the sect leader chose to change the subject instead of saying to wait.
This meant that not only was there no elixir in Hwasan, but the method to create elixirs had also been lost.
"There's not a single intact thing!" It was infuriating.
Even if someone had plotted to destroy Hwasan on purpose, it couldn't have been shattered in so many different ways.
The sect had no martial arts, no elixirs, no people, and even lacked money?
"Well, it hasn't been destroyed well."
It was infuriating, but what good would it do to get angry? This was all his own karma.
Cheong Myung licked his lips and rubbed his lower abdomen.
"Ah, this is troublesome."
His body was not recovering as easily as he thought.
Given that he was still a child whose bones had not fully developed, and he had used innate energy with almost no foundation, he thought he would have to brace for some side effects...
'But it's not just some side effects that's the problem.' His body was recovering much slower than expected.
Perhaps he had unconsciously been using his past body and past level as a standard.
Indeed, if the Cheong Myung of that year had heard that a child was using innate energy, he would have surely rounded up everyone around him and given them a good beating.
It was that dangerous of a thing.
But that's how people are.
They think that while it may not be possible for others, it might be possible for them.
And then they end up in ruin.
The problem is that the one facing ruin now is none other than Cheong Myung.
Since his body was not recovering, training was difficult, and since training was difficult, his martial arts could not improve.
The frustration of having to bear the cost of reviving Hwasan was too much to handle.
If this continued, he would need at least half a year of recuperation.
"Half a year? No way!" If it were an old man's body, it might be bearable.
But at this young age, half a year would be too fatal.
Six months now is like ten years in the distant future.
It wasn't just about recovering his body to feel comfortable.
Right now, Cheong Myung was in the process of laying a perfect foundation.
But a person's body is not like the earth, is it?
Children grow and change.
As such, there is a proper timing for everything.
If this timing is missed, there are things that can never be made again.
The foundation must be laid when the body is naturally absorbing martial arts.
"I need to find a way."
Cheong Myung's face grew serious as he fell into deep thought.
"First of all, I absolutely need elixirs..."
The weakened energy can only be healed with energy.
If it cannot be resolved with a gentle flow of energy, then a large amount of energy must be taken in at once to fill the innate energy.
In that case, there are two methods.
Either consume precious elixirs or receive help from a technique like Gyeokche Jeonryeok.
However, it would be impossible for Cheong Myung to find someone to help him with Gyeokche Jeonryeok, and he couldn't obtain elixirs either.
Elixirs are not something that can be bought just because you have money.
Moreover, Cheong Myung is still a child, isn't he?
It was nearly impossible for him, who could not leave Hwasan, to obtain elixirs.
There was no way.
"Ah, really! They say even dog poop is hard to find when you need it! What kind of sect has not a single elixir left? Damn those medicine shop people!"
In the past, it could be said that elixirs were rolling on the ground in Hwasan.
Basic elixirs were so common that most disciples would have at least one in their lifetime, and the Mei Flower Pill could be obtained just by doing some work or training hard.
And the Mei Flower Pill?
"That wasn't even considered medicine."
The Mei Flower Pill was so common that it was not even regarded as a valuable elixir.
If Cheong Myung were not in this state, he wouldn't even have asked for a Mei Flower Pill.
For the current Cheong Myung, it would be helpful, but for the Cheong Myung of the past, a Mei Flower Pill was nothing more than a useless elixir that wouldn't even raise his internal energy.
How could it be that the past Cheong Myung used the Mei Flower Pill as a hangover remedy?
'It worked wonders.'
When he secretly drank heavily and even the innate energy couldn't completely relieve his hangover, taking a Mei Flower Pill would clear his stomach right up!
While it had no value as an elixir, it was the best remedy for hangovers in the world.
Of course, if the sect leader had known about this, he would have chased Cheong Myung down, frothing at the mouth, wanting to kill him.
So he hid the Mei Flower Pill and...
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Cheong Myung, who had been walking unsteadily, stopped abruptly.
"Hangover remedy?"
His head tilted to the side.
"Why didn't I think of that?"
There must be! Elixirs! No, no! There should be! Elixirs! The troublemaker of Hwasan, Cheong Myung... no, the former troublemaker of Hwasan must have hidden elixirs!
"Sometimes being a bit slow can be helpful!"
Cheong Myung chuckled and began to run with all his might toward the mountain gate.