Multiverse , Leveling Up in the World I Created

Chapter 425: 425 Return to the Volcano 11

I was inwardly pleased, but I didn’t show it.

I had waited a long time to see this guy.

"But why so many chickens..."

"I have a big eater with me. Anyway, let’s go up."

We began to climb Mount Hua.

Cheongmyeong, still lacking internal energy and having a young body, was short on stamina and followed with ragged breaths.

"Should I carry you?"

"Ah, no. I came to join the sect, so I can’t accept help from others."

Cheongmyeong, returning to Mount Hua for the first time in a long while since the battle with the Demonic Cult, seemed determined to climb on his own strength.

"Then let’s rest for a bit."

"Yes."

While Cheongmyeong sat on the steps catching his breath, I took a small water bottle from my inventory and handed it to him.

He drank it down in one gulp and then asked me.

"Which sect does Master belong to..."

"Me? I’m from the Sichuan Jin Manor."

"Oh, there was a sect?"

"Yes, it’s quite famous in Sichuan. It’s a sect founded by refugees after the Demonic Cult Massacre. It’s been exactly 100 years now."

"I see. That’s why I wouldn’t know."

"Hm?"

"Ah, nothing. But how did you become a master at Mount Hua?"

I gave him the same story I had told Mount Hua.

"So you mean you learned Mount Hua’s martial arts without knowing it?"

"Yes, that’s right. So I was serving as a master at the Sect Leader’s request. Now that I’ve taught the 2nd-generation disciples, I suppose my work here is almost done."

"It’s impressive that you bloomed plum blossoms through self-study just from a manual... But did that thief not keep his promise?"

"Hm? Thief?"

"Ah, nothing."

He kept muttering to himself, so I decided to tease him a bit.

"You’re a bit suspicious, you know. Knowing Mount Hua’s plum blossoms, asking so many detailed questions about Mount Hua. Are you perhaps a spy from another sect?"

"What?! No, that’s not it. I just heard stories here and there because I wanted to join Mount Hua... Ahaha..."

I looked at him with a suspicious gaze and asked.

He seemed flustered, hurriedly laughing awkwardly and making excuses.

"Hmm... I don’t know if I should believe that..."

"Please believe me! It’s really not true."

I pretended to think for a moment and then spoke.

"Well, alright. You don’t seem like a bad kid, so I’ll believe you for now. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you."

"Yes..."

"Anyway, let’s head up slowly. It’ll get dark at this rate."

We climbed Mount Hua again and entered the Mount Hua sect.

Cheongmyeong was tired, but he seemed proud to have reached the sect without anyone’s help, and his expression was very bright.

But the moment he set foot inside, his bright expression instantly turned to shock.

"Beautiful again today, my biceps!! Haha, don’t be jealous, thighs, I’ll play with you plenty tomorrow."

"Back muscles, I’m sad I can’t see you... but my love for you never changes."

As usual, the 1st-generation disciples were shirtless, doing intense weight training in the training ground, and some were posing during breaks, looking at their muscles as if they were lovers.

"W, what is this... Did I come to the wrong place? Is this really Mount Hua?"

"Yes, it is?"

"Heh..."

At that moment, Unam, who had been training, saw Cheongmyeong and me, wiped his sweat, and approached.

"Master Jin, you’ve arrived. You bought quite a lot. By the way, who is this child?"

"He says he wants to join Mount Hua, so I brought him along."

"Is that so? But the Sect Leader has said he won’t accept any more 3rd-generation disciples..."

At those words, Cheongmyeong suddenly prostrated himself on the ground and earnestly begged.

"I beg you, please let me see the Sect Leader!! I want to join Mount Hua!!!"

Then the 1st-generation disciples who had been training stopped and all looked at Cheongmyeong.

"He wants to join Mount Hua that badly."

"Kid, you fell for my muscles! Well, you’re right to fall for them. These muscles I’ve built."

"But didn’t the Sect Leader say he won’t accept any more?"

"Still, since he wants to build muscles like that, maybe it’ll be okay?"

"Maybe."

"Kid! Hang in there! If you get into Mount Hua, I’ll teach you how to properly build muscles."

At the 1st-generation disciples’ misunderstanding, Cheongmyeong looked dumbfounded.

But he didn’t say anything, probably thinking that even if they thought he wanted to build muscles, he had to become a disciple first.

Unam also seemed moved by Cheongmyeong’s words.

"He’s that sincere about building muscles... Alright, I’ll go with you to persuade the Sect Leader. Wait a moment."

"It’s not muscles..."

"Hm? Muscles?"

"I mean I want to build muscles quickly, haha..."

"Haha, be patient for a bit. I need to prepare as well."

Unam got dressed and prepared to see the Sect Leader, while Cheongmyeong sighed heavily and waited for him to finish.

Since Unam was taking charge of Cheongmyeong, I put the chickens I had bought into the temporary chicken coop I had built behind my quarters and rested.

In the original, Cheongmyeong was supposed to see Mount Hua’s decline and resolve to revive it, but now he was struggling to adapt to the Mount Hua I had changed.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

’This is fun in its own way.’

The next day, Yui-seol and I prepared for our run as usual.

It was a routine we had grown accustomed to, so there was nothing unfamiliar about it.

When we went outside, the 1st-generation and 3rd-generation disciples who had finished their preparations were warming up.

They too ran with us every morning without fail.

Over time, it had become a part of Mount Hua’s culture.

What was interesting was that some of the 3rd-generation disciples had sour expressions.

Some had bruises on their faces, while others had bumps on their heads.

They had probably tried to give Cheongmyeong his initiation ceremony, as in the original, but ended up getting beaten instead.

Seeing that, Ungeom, the master of the 3rd-generation disciples, asked.

"What happened to your faces?"

Cheongmyeong laughed awkwardly and made an excuse.

"Ahahaha, yesterday when I came in, the senior disciples were demonstrating Yukhap Fist, and it got a bit intense..."

"Tsk, tsk... You should take it easy. You must have been overenthusiastic because a newbie came in."

The 3rd-generation disciples tried to open their mouths in disbelief at that, but when Cheongmyeong shot them a cold glare, they all shut their mouths like mutes who had eaten honey.

They only glanced at each other, afraid of what might happen if they spoke up.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

When the run started, the 1st-generation disciples, being familiar with the training, maintained their pace without anyone falling behind.

On the other hand, the 3rd-generation disciples began to fall behind one by one.

Many were still not used to it and were struggling.

Cheongmyeong asked Yoon Jong, who was running next to him.

"Senior disciple, do you do this every day?"

"Yeah, Master said that stamina is essential for those learning martial arts like us."

"So that’s why Mount Hua hasn’t completely collapsed. Making them do stamina training every single day."

At that moment, Ungeom, who was leading the 3rd-generation disciples, heard their chatter and scolded them.

"You brats, you have energy to spare?! Alright, speed up!"

"Yes, sir!"

The 3rd-generation disciples answered obediently, but their faces were full of discontent.

They couldn’t hide their resentful glares at Cheongmyeong.

"Ugh... I’m dying."

"If we use up all our stamina like this, how are we going to survive the strength training after breakfast?"

"I know. It’s all because of that guy."

"Hah... this is crazy... do something."

"I don’t want to get hit, you do it."

The 3rd-generation disciples were all lying on the training ground floor, breathing heavily.

Cheongmyeong was no exception.

His body wasn’t fully conditioned yet, so he too was exhausted.

Nevertheless, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

After breakfast, the 1st-generation disciples each went off to practice martial arts or attend to their duties, while the 2nd-generation disciples, under Ungeom’s guidance, did strength training and then began learning Yukhap Sword.

It was a daily routine, but today the 3rd-generation disciples seemed particularly tired.

I also went to the back mountain with Yui-seol to practice martial arts.

"Brother, since learning the Jeokmyeong Divine Art, I feel the Chilmae Sword is somewhat lacking. It’s like the sword technique can’t keep up with the divine art."

"That’s true. But since Mount Hua’s current martial arts only go up to the Chilmae Sword, it can’t be helped."

Yui-seol’s level had risen considerably, and she was now noticing such details.

"It would be nice if Mount Hua still had the ’Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique’..."

"Hmm... Should I try restoring it?"

"You would? But the Sect Leader said it’s almost impossible to restore..."

"You never know. Half of it remains even though it was burned, and there are other materials left from restoration attempts."

When I said that, Yui-seol’s expression subtly darkened.

It involved her biological father, so she couldn’t be at ease.

I immediately regretted bringing it up.

After lunch, I went to see Sect Leader Hyeonjong.

I needed to receive the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

"Hmm... I see. You want to try restoring it... That won’t be easy. Oh, that’s right!"

Hyeonjong seemed to remember something and spoke to me with a bright expression.

"I had forgotten about the sword paths! Let’s go to my quarters right now. There’s a carving of what is presumed to be the sword paths of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique there."

Led by Hyeonjong, I headed to the quarters used by successive sect leaders of Mount Hua.

Upon entering, Hyeonjong, with practiced hands, pushed the bookshelf aside.

Eventually, the entrance to a hidden chamber behind the bookshelf was revealed.

Familiar with the place, he walked inside without hesitation.

"This is a place where only the sect leaders of Mount Hua are permitted entry. By showing this to you, I am taking on no small burden. However, I judged that this risk was worth taking to recover our lost martial arts. So please, do not speak of what you see and hear here today to anyone else."

Hyeonjong bringing me here meant he was showing me Mount Hua’s deepest secrets.

It was no different from revealing Mount Hua’s entire foundation, so it must have been a heavy burden.

If anything went wrong, Mount Hua’s very future could be at stake.

Knowing how heavy his decision was, I respectfully cupped my fists.

And I spoke as if making a vow.

"Understood. I will do so."

After that exchange, we headed inside the hidden chamber.

Inside, there was a massive iron door firmly shut, and on that door were engraved multiple sword paths.

"Take a look. It’s embarrassing to say, but I lacked the skill to discern them in the end. But I think you might be able to."

I already knew from the original, but I pretended to examine them before speaking.

"Hmm... It’s ten-thousand-year cold iron. And these are definitely sword paths. From what I can see, there are Yukhap Fist, Jukyeopsu, and sword paths I don’t recognize. Perhaps that is the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique."

"As expected, that’s what I thought. Can you try unfolding it?"

"It’s difficult since it’s my first time seeing these sword paths, but if I compare them with the remaining parts of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, it might be possible."

"That’s wonderful news. Understood. I’ll bring it right away."

In truth, I could have shown it right away, but I said that to avoid raising suspicion.

Hyeonjong returned shortly with the partially burned Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

The fact that he brought it so quickly meant he had kept it stored in his quarters.

I took the manual and examined its contents for a long time.

Then I drew my sword and followed the techniques one by one, swinging it this way and that.

In fact, these sword paths also contained the Plum Blossom Sword Secrets, a higher-level sword technique than the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

But I didn’t tell Hyeonjong that.

I didn’t know how he would react if he learned I knew the Plum Blossom Sword Secrets, so I decided to pass the rest off as the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

"How is it? Can you do it?"

"There are only two new techniques, and I’ve roughly grasped the flow, so I think it’s possible."

Hyeonjong’s face brightened considerably.

"That’s a relief. Give it a try."

I took my stance and precisely followed the engraved sword paths, flowing smoothly from Yukhap Fist to Jukyeopsu, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, and even the Plum Blossom Sword Secrets.

Swoosh! Whish! Clang! Whoosh!!!

Then, the door made of ten-thousand-year cold iron slowly began to open.

The key to opening the door was precisely executing the sword paths with Mount Hua’s internal energy.

Grrrrr!

"Oh!!! Finally!!!"

As soon as the door opened, Hyeonjong entered and began examining the place.

He seemed very curious about what the previous sect leaders had left behind in Mount Hua’s hidden chamber, a place only the sect leader could enter.

"Th, this is the business ledger for the Great Mount Hua Sect’s Huayin County!!! I can’t believe it, it was here all along!!! And even the certificates issued by the state!!!"

When Hyeonjong saw those, he looked like he was about to faint, so I had to quickly catch him.

"Sect Leader!!"