"The great disciples are returning."
"Mm."
Hyunjong let out a heavy sigh.
While it was good news that the children who had left the closed door were coming back, he could not think of it positively when considering what would follow.
"How far along are they?"
"Some seem to have already arrived at Hwaeum, and most are almost there."
"I see."
Hyunjong raised his head to look at Unam.
"Headmaster."
"Speak."
"Why has the Hwa Jong meeting, which was supposed to be held in half a year, been moved up?"
"A message came from Jongnam. They want to hold the Hwa Jong meeting a bit earlier this time."
"Is there no way to postpone or delay it?"
"That would be difficult."
Unam sighed.
"Hwasan is currently on the rise. Everything is going well, and at least we are starting to live without worrying about food. Everyone's faces are filled with smiles. This is a remarkable change compared to just a few months ago."
"Indeed."
Hyunjong agreed with Unam's words.
The most significant change was that Hwasan was now full of vitality.
Those who had lived without knowing what tomorrow would bring had found hope.
The smiles on their faces warmed the hearts of those who watched.
"However, we are essentially without martial arts."
"That is true."
"We are discovering and training new martial arts, but it is not yet the time for proper results. And even if results do come, they will not be enough to stand against Jongnam."
Hyunjong nodded silently.
Unam's words were all correct.
In the past, Hwasan possessed martial arts that could overwhelm Jongnam, but now, what remained was merely a shell.
They had found the Chilmmaegyeom, which gave them a glimmer of hope, but that hope was faint.
The road ahead was still very long.
They had just managed to solve the problem of survival.
However, to reclaim Hwasan's former glory and fame, they ultimately needed to regain their past martial prowess.
But could martial arts be resolved overnight? Time was absolutely insufficient.
"If the outcome of this Hwa Jong meeting is the same as before, I fear that the disciples, who have just begun to have hope, will fall into defeatism again."
"Unam."
"Yes, Headmaster."
"Do you think I do not understand that?"
Hyunjong shook his head.
"But will avoiding it change anything? If we avoid the Hwa Jong meeting, will the disciples still hold onto hope? Wouldn't they think that even the Headmaster does not believe in them?"
"That…."
Unam lowered his head.
"Losing in a competition is not shameful. If you have done your best and still lose, it is unavoidable. You can just try harder. However, avoiding a competition to avoid losing is something that must never be done. It is like inviting greater disaster for the sake of immediate comfort."
"I was short-sighted, Headmaster."
"I fully understand your concern. But… postponing the Hwa Jong meeting will be difficult in many ways."
Unam sighed. 'I have said unnecessary words and disturbed the Headmaster's mood.'
In this case, it might be necessary to speak a bit more hopefully.
"In fact, if the great disciples can achieve good results, wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"That is true."
Both Hyunjong and Unam knew that it would not be easy.
Jongnam, which they once looked down upon, had now widened the gap to an unbridgeable extent.
The weight of Jongnam's great disciples and Hwasan's great disciples was as different as a mountain and a feather.
They had made efforts through the closed door, but winning would be difficult. 'At least I hope we do not lose easily.' Hyunjong's heart sank heavily.
"Unam."
"Yes."
"The children are returning after much hardship. Prepare good food and open some wine."
"But…."
"A day of rest for the children who have trained hard should be fine. And shouldn't they also know that Hwasan's situation has changed?"
"Indeed. I will prepare without any issues."
"Good."
"Then I will take my leave."
Unam stood up and carefully bowed.
As Unam left the room, Hyunjong quietly rose from his seat and opened the window.
Looking at Yeonhwa Peak outside, he let out a suppressed sigh. 'Jongnam.' It felt like a thorn embedded in his heart.
It hurt with every breath, and someday it would dig deeper, cutting off his breath entirely.
"It's difficult. So difficult."
Winter was long, and Hwasan's spring was still far away.
"Can we win?" Yoonjong and Jogul gathered in Cheongmyeong's room.
If someone else had said such a thing, they would have ignored it, but Cheongmyeong's words carried a different weight.
Both Yoonjong and Jogul knew that Cheongmyeong had never spoken empty words.
No matter how absurd the statement, Cheongmyeong always kept his promises.
"Us?" Cheongmyeong clicked his tongue as he looked at the two.
"Not right now."
"Huh? Even after becoming this strong?"
"The seniors are indeed strong."
"Right?" Cheongmyeong raised his thumb and index finger just a tiny bit.
"About this much?"
"……."
"……."
"Hey! Is it reasonable to say we have only become this strong after all the hard work we've put in? I can feel it in my body."
"Just a few months of rolling around and you think you're strong? Not a chance!"
"No, I have definitely become stronger than before…."
"Does a nut compare to a tree just because it has tripled in size?"
"Ugh."
Cheongmyeong was giving an honest assessment.
The growth rate of the three great disciples was indeed frightening.
He had never seen anyone grow at such a pace.
After all, they had been pushed hard and fed well; if their skills did not improve, that would be even more remarkable.
But… 'There is still a long way to go.' Compared to the past three great disciples of Hwasan, they still had a long journey ahead.
And the same could be said when compared to Jongnam.
It was true that the Jongnam of that era could hardly be compared to Hwasan, but they were still the Nine Great Families.
If they had maintained their skills from that time, there would be no one among the current disciples of Hwasan who could defeat Jongnam's three great disciples.
'At least this one?' Jogul might have a chance if he met the right opponent.
Yoonjong needed to meet someone even better.
Among the three great disciples, only two had a chance.
In a broader comparison, there was no need to think too hard.
"Then how do we win?"
"Just get stronger."
Yoonjong frowned.
"It will take at least fifteen days to reach the Hwa Jong meeting. How can we catch up to an opponent we can't defeat even after months of training in just fifteen days?"
"That's why I asked."
"…Huh?" Cheongmyeong smiled slyly.
"Are you prepared to die?"
"…."
No, that is… "Can you at least tell me what method you have in mind?"
"What's important is whether you're prepared or not."
"No…."
Just as Jogul was about to say something, Yoonjong interrupted him.
"I am prepared."
"Hyung!" Jogul raised his voice, but Yoonjong did not even glance at him.
"I don't know about the other brothers, but I am prepared. And I believe most of the others are prepared too."
"Hyung, but what this guy is planning…."
"I know."
Yoonjong was resolute.
"But that doesn't matter. If I die, then I die. I can't bear to see that sight again. The way those Jongnam bastards laughed while stepping on my chest still haunts my dreams."
"…That is true."
The two had already experienced the humiliation of representing their sect at the Hwa Jong meeting two years ago.
They had faced a defeat that could only be described as tragic.
How could they express the humiliation they felt?
"If I could just repay that humiliation, I would be willing to face death. Living with that is not what a martial artist should do. I would rather return to the mundane world than see that sight again."
Jogul nodded in agreement.
Hearing Yoonjong's words brought back the humiliation they had felt then.
They truly did not want to experience that again.
"Hmm, then I will make you win, hyung."
"I trust you."
"Good."
Cheongmyeong smiled slyly.
But the anxious Jogul asked a question he shouldn't have.
"But Cheongmyeong."
"Yes?"
"Can you tell us what that method is?"
"Oh, it's nothing special. I'm just going to change the training method a bit."
"How?"
Cheongmyeong answered nonchalantly.
"Practical training."
"Huh?"
"If you've built it up, now you need to use it. I will teach you how to use that trained body."
"……."
The two felt a sense of foreboding.
In the dead of night, the three great disciples gathered in the training hall.
"Do we really have to meet like this at night?" Jogul pouted and complained.
By now, everyone knew that the three great disciples trained at dawn.
Initially, there were concerns about their training, and some elders had objections to their methods, but as the training continued for months, everyone had come to accept it.
The head of Baekmaegwan, Ungeom, had acknowledged the effectiveness and prevented any interference.
So now, they could train during the day, but Cheongmyeong insisted on training only at this early hour.
"But what exactly are we going to do, hyung?"
"Who knows?" Yoonjong shrugged.
Everyone was expressing their dissatisfaction about training at this hour, yet not a single person was absent from the lineup.
They all knew by now that although Cheongmyeong's training was intense, it was effective.
Since Cheongmyeong had confidently declared he would make them stronger, they believed it would be the same this time.
"Is everyone here?" Just then, Cheongmyeong sauntered into the training hall.
The three great disciples looked at him with a mix of excitement and fear.
They were sure he would do something outrageous again, but if they could just endure it, they would surely see results.
Now, they had come to trust Cheongmyeong with a subtle feeling.
"Cheongmyeong, but this training we are doing…."
At that moment, Cheongmyeong drew the sword from his waist.
"……."
A real sword?… Huh? That looks like a real sword! The sword Cheongmyeong drew shone blue under the moonlight.
Even an ordinary person would feel a hint of fear when holding a real sword, but seeing a madman wielding one under the moonlight made their hearts drop.
"Oh, training?" Cheongmyeong asked nonchalantly.
Then, slowly approaching them with the sword in hand, he smiled.
"There's nothing special. You just need to die once each."
"Is that all?" What is this crazy guy saying?