There was a crackling sound inside the White Plum Hall. Before long, someones thumbnail had slightly diminished.

But the person biting the nail didnt seem to even know what he was doing.

Uh sasuk.

Uh?

it will bleed to this extent.

Clench.

Baek Cheon, who couldnt bear it anymore and bit his fingernails again despite being told not to, raised his head and looked at Yoon Jong.

Woah, shit!

Only then did Yoon Jong, who saw Baek Cheons face properly, get startled and step back.

His face wasnt near or pretty like usual. The skin looked rough, the darkness under his eyes was so visible that it reached his chin, and the facial features that made him stand out were nowhere to be found.

D-did you end up eating something bad? Why is your face?

Yoon Jong.

Uh?

will it be alright?

Baek Cheons face turned pale as if he had come across a ghost, as if just saying the words made him more anxious. Now, seeing even his lips tremble, Yoon Jong began to get anxious, too.

And Baek Cheon asked again,

Will it be alright?

It was a complicated question, but Yoon Jong understood what he was trying to ask.

You worry about everything. No matter what will he do it the same way he did to us? Chung Myung also has a head.

His head is different from us.

Baek Cheon bit his nails again.

its because something is missing in his head.

Uh there was no thought to rebuke.

Baek Cheon helplessly mumbled as if he wasnt fully sane.

what do we do now right, because the body has already been thrown away.

Wait a minute, sasuk. You cannot freely dispose of other peoples bodies.

But sect leader for the elders and all, this is the first time experiencing Chung Myung.

Baek Cheon held his head high with trembling hands. His hair, which had always been neat and clean without a messy strand, had turned frazzled.

No matter how much I think about this, I cannot get a clear picture. Wouldnt it be better to just stop it now? Should I go stop him?

No still, you cannot.

Yoon Jong tried to comfort Baek Cheon but couldnt finish the sentence in a reassuring tone. This was because he, too, felt anxious.

still, hes up and down in the head no, nothing, right? No, it cannot be?

Yoon Jongs face was now filled with confusion.

Right its like his head is up and down, and its also like it isnt there.

Anxious?

yes.

The more he thought about it, the more his stomach twisted.

As the two faces gradually became stained with anxiety, Jo Gul, who was resting next to them, chuckled.

Anyway, you both worry a lot. So many worries.

Uh?

When it comes to training, it doesnt always work out the way you want it to, no matter how hard you try. If its something like sword technique or footwork, you can beat people to death, but how can you beat people when it comes to cultivation? In the end, qi is what makes one move.

.

.

The two faces turned blank at Jo Guls calm words. Jo Gul hesitated for a moment and tilted his head.

Why do you look at me like that?

Nothing.

When Baek Cheon hesitated, Yoon Jong spoke for him.

I thought there were times when the right words came from your mouth.

Seriously, you people

Whether Jo Gul was upset or not, Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong looked at each other and nodded.

That makes sense.

Right that is true. No matter how much of a bastard Chung Myung is, he couldnt possibly hit someone who is learning cultivation arts.

Now, they finally felt relieved.

But it seemed that there was someone who had different thoughts from them.

You think so?

Everyones eyes focused on one place.

Yu Yiseol, who had been sitting silently, mumbled with a sullen look.

Maybe?

She could make people anxious by saying the fewest words.

Sago has different thoughts?

Someone who will harass others no matter what.

true.

It was the moment when it became clear what Mount Huas disciples thought of Chung Myung.

should we sneak a peek then?

They told us that ordinary disciples should never approach them. And if we go and get caught, senior sasuk Un Am will not be pleased.

right, that wont work.

Baek Cheon trembled slightly.

Un Geom, who faced them every day, they could get away from him by joking around. But Un Am was a difficult person for Baek Cheon to deal with. He was more familiar with the Hyun disciples than Un Am.

There should always be someone like him in a sect.

It wasnt necessarily a good thing for everyone to be like family. At some point, there needed to be someone who would control the discipline of the sect and fine-tune it. In the Un Disciples, Un Am plays that role, and in the Baek Disciples, Baek Sang is that person.

Right. Even if my stomach hurts, I cannot check it.

Now that we dont hear anything, should we be relieved?

. But that too

Baek Cheon was just about to sigh.

The door to the White Plum Hall burst open, and Baek Sang hurriedly stuck his head inside.

Sahyung! The sect leader and elders are coming down!

What?

Baek Cheon jumped up from his place and rushed to the door.

Move!

Ack!

He even kicked Baek Sang, who was half blocking the door and ran without looking back. The other Five Swords followed him.

Where? Where are they?

That side!

Baek Cheons eyes suddenly turned to where Yoon Jong pointed. Indeed, several people could be seen moving along the path leading to the back of Mount Hua.

They look okay?

They should be telling you that, you idiot!

Yoon Jong reflexively grabbed the neck of Jo Gul and almost strangled him.

Kuak! Cough! S-sorry!

Baek Cheon broke into a cold sweat as he watched Yoon Jong shaking Jo Guls neck.

If we look closely, it seems like this brat is ready to beat up Jo Gul at any time.

But no matter who saw it, it wasnt Yoon Jongs fault. It was Jo Guls fault for making Yoon Jong like this and Chung Myungs fault for turning Jo Gul like that.

Well, lets go first.

Yes!

The Five Swords, led by Baek Cheon, rushed in the direction where the sect leader was. Seeing as he wasnt limping or stumbling, it felt like nothing had happened.

But Chung Myung is the one there.

If he has a conscience, he wouldnt do that to the sect leader.

He is a devil, but he doesnt seem like the real one!

Everyone sat there for an hour in tension. But it was then.

Uh?

Uh?

T-that

The steps of the sect leader and elders turned slower and slower.

s-sect leader?

Baek Cheon seemed embarrassed and called Hyun Jong. Hyun Jong slightly raised his head and looked at him.

Flinch.

Baek Cheon felt startled and stuttered like someone who had forgotten how to speak.

Ah, no why why do you look so troubled you I

Of course, Hyun Jongs face was beyond what words could describe.

Baek Cheons face wasnt in a good state either, but compared to Hyun Jongs face, it could be said that he had a clean and good nights sleep and even washed his face with rice water.

His skin and bones are this close to a body?

N-No, what did that guy do?

I am scared.

The same was true not only for Hyun Jong but also for Hyun Young and Hyun Sangs faces. Didnt it seem like they got mummified in one day?

S-sect leader. Just what happened

Hyun Jong spoke in a low tone like he was dying.

It is nothing.

No, this seemed like something?

Ugh, it is refreshing.

At that time, Baek Cheons gaze turned to the voice.

From behind, Chung Myung was walking briskly, his face resembling that of a cat after a good nights sleep.

Y-You bastard!

Baek Cheon, who had lost his sanity, rushed towards him and grabbed him by the collar. Or at least, he tried to.

But a dream always stays a dream, and Baek Cheon bounced off faster than he had run, rolling on the ground.

Oh my, fuck. What.

Chung Myung looked between his extended fist and Baek Cheon, clicking his tongue.

H-How many times have I told you not to do that? Am I reflexively raising my fist without even realizing it?

Ugh bastard.

Baek Cheon raised his head, his eyes full of sadness.

Yah, you fucking insane bastard! What did you do to the sect leader! You bastard who doesnt know how to do things right!

TT-this? This.

You bastard with no manners or rules!

Ah, so you.

You idiot who only knows greed! The guy who needs to get rid of the brain and fix the hair! Let me break you.

Ugh, seriously!

Puaj!

The shoe that Chung Myung had taken off struck Baek Cheon in the face. Baek Cheon finally fell silent and collapsed to the side.

Thud.

look at you, so excited, so excited. Tsk tsk.

Seeing him collapse, Chung Myung clicked his tongue. Baek Cheon had been alright in the past; he didnt know what had happened, but he was getting worse the longer they continued.

At that moment, Yu Yiseol quickly approached Hyun Jong. Yoon Jong suddenly came to his senses and shouted.

Sect leader, are you alright? Help them quickly!

Yes!

Yu Yiseol, Tang Soso, and Jo Gul quickly assisted the sect leader and the elders. Yoon Jong turned to Chung Myung.

Werent you teaching martial arts today?

Yes.

Well, why is it like this? Even if you are the devil?

I will freeze to death, I am telling you. That also requires some learning. If coins are melted in a day, they will not be remembered in history.

T-then why?

Sigh.

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

It isnt that big of a deal. Its just their first time doing it, and they dont seem to understand.

Because it is the same?

I thought about giving them time but I thought it was a waste too. So I put a bit of qi into the body and forced it back?

You infused qi into someone elses body and forced it back?

Yes.

Uh that is the problem? You are a Taoist with righteous qi. No, that was before.

No.

Uh?

Chung Myung smiled.

The righteous qi sends the qi to a place where it needs to flow. Forcibly twisting it to a place it wasnt supposed to go.

Twist? Twist what?

Through qi and blood?

Pushing it?

Scraping, breaking, crushing, and tearing it up!

Jo Gul, who was listening and supporting the elder, began to break into a cold sweat.

W-well then, what happened?

Hmm. Uh well, it isnt a big problem. Anyway, I succeeded in doing it. Now, all that is left is for them to get better.

Yoon Jong tilted his head.

Then why is the sect leaders condition like this?

It is nothing, and in the end, it is a good thing. When the flow is changed from one place you always directed it to, to another um, I mean, it hurts a little bit.

How much?

Um. How do I compare it?

Chung Myung, who had been thinking for a moment, smiled like he remembered something.

Would you be able to understand if I told you that it feels like a hole the size of a finger being dug inside the body from head to toe? Wrongly following the qi?

Eikkkkk.

Yoon Jong turned thoughtful and stepped back. Sweat was coming down his face.

You you insane bastard, how can someone in their right mind endure it!

Hold on, hold on. They can do it. Look there. They did great jobs at this.

That? Their soul their soul was gone, you bastard!

Are you alright, sect leader?

Yoon Jong approached the sect leader and checked his condition. There was a low light in Hyun Jongs eyes, which couldnt focus on him.

Yoon Jong

Yes, sect leader! It is me! Yoon Jong! Are you alright?

pull back.

Uh?

clear his name and kick that bastard out.

.

rotten bastard.

Hyun Jongs body moved and fell to the side.

Ughhhhh! Sect leader!

Elder! Elder, come to your senses!

This insane bastard, what did you do to make someone faint from learning a cultivation skill!

Medicine! Take him to the Hall! Quickly!

Chung Myung, who was looking at the noisy scene, clicked his tongue.

Tsk tsk, it is because they are weak.

Well, it was alright because they wouldnt be weak for much longer.

Chung Myung stretched out his body.

But at this moment, he didnt even know.

What kind of storm this thing he committed to would bring upon Mount Hua.