Fist Demon of Mount Hua Episode 10

Walking the Road Together (1)

Sage Hyun-so gazed down at Dam-ho with a complicated look in his eyes. Dam-ho’s entire body was covered in crushed medicinal herbs of unknown origin and thin silver needles had been inserted into his vital acupoints.

To save Dam-ho, Sage Hyun-so employed every bit of medical knowledge he possessed. The healing techniques he had learned five years ago for Dam-ho’s sake were now being used to save him once again.

He reached out and gently stroked Dam-ho’s forehead.

“Ho, you must never give up. You have always endured until now.”

Dam-ho was in a truly wretched state. If he had not trained his body all this time, he would not have been able to walk again.

At last, Sage Hyun-geom’s intentions became clear.

“Did you injure him so severely that he would have no choice but to abandon martial arts? How cold and ruthless you are, Senior Brother Hyun-geom.”

It would take Dam-ho at least three years to recover fully. Yet these were the most important years for learning martial arts. If he lost that time, his muscles and bones would stiffen, and even if he resumed training later, it would be nearly impossible for him to reach his full potential.

In other words, Hyun-geom had found a clever way to destroy Dam-ho’s future as a martial artist.

“But things will not go as you planned, Senior Brother.”

Sage Hyun-so placed his fingers against Dam-ho’s wrist and checked his pulse. Beneath his fingertips, he sensed a faint trace of energy.

Although Dam-ho’s body had been terribly damaged, his inner organs and meridians had escaped fatal harm.

“The Heavy Sky Heart Technique protected his heart meridian. Without it, he would have become nothing more than a living corpse. This must also be the will of the Primordial Heaven Sovereign. I will no longer resist the will of heaven.”

The energy created by the Heavy Sky Heart Technique was heavy and slow, yet it was also remarkably resilient and persistent. It was this energy that had protected Dam-ho from within.

For now, it remained dormant and could not circulate properly. However, once Dam-ho mastered the technique, it would give him the capacity to accept and unite all the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect.

“Endure a little longer, Ho. Your master will make sure you rise again.”

After watching over Dam-ho for a long time, Sage Hyun-so finally stood. His face was filled with firm determination.

He stepped outside and looked up at the sky.

“Only after the boat overturns can you tell who truly knows how to swim.”

Just as a capsized boat revealed a person’s true swimming ability, hardship revealed what a person was truly capable of.

Sage Hyun-so believed Dam-ho would be no different.

“I will return soon.”

With those words, he began descending Mount Hua, which was still wrapped in darkness.

After half a day of walking, Sage Hyun-so arrived at Three Elders’ Mountain, a rugged peak that faced Mount Hua from across a deep ravine.

The mountain had earned its name because its three peaks resembled three old men looking toward Mount Hua’s main summits. Its steep and jagged terrain looked like countless swords driven upside down into the earth.

There was hardly enough flat ground to place a foot, but Sage Hyun-so began climbing nonetheless.

Before long, sweat soaked his entire body. Having spent most of his life as a scholar, his physical strength was poorer than that of an ordinary person.

He had not climbed far before his legs began to stiffen and his breathing grew heavy.

“Phew.”

Sage Hyun-so stopped briefly to catch his breath.

Three Elders’ Mountain stood close to Mount Hua, yet everyone avoided it because of its dangerous terrain. Even Sage Hyun-so had not visited this place in thirty years.

He had deliberately stayed away. One careless step could send a person plunging down a sheer cliff whose bottom could not even be seen.

Had it not been for Dam-ho, he would never have returned.

As he stood near the edge of the cliff, his legs began to tremble on their own, and fear surged through him.

Sage Hyun-so let out a quiet sigh.

“I have spent decades learning to control and calm my mind, yet all of that feels useless when I stand before a cliff like this. How foolish you are, Hyun-so.”

Then a sudden realization came to him.

“The courage to take a single step toward the edge of a cliff can never be learned from books.”

Sage Hyun-so closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, his gaze was far calmer than before.

He stepped toward the narrow, dizzying ridge. Suppressing the fear rising from deep within his heart, he forced his trembling legs to move.

Whoosh!

A powerful gust swept across the ridge, causing his body to sway. However, he quickly managed to regain his balance.

“Huff… huff…”

Fear continued to wash over him, but Sage Hyun-so did not stop.

He was not doing this for himself.

He was doing it for his disciple.

***
Ugh

Damho opened his eyes with a groan. The first thing he heard was a familiar voice.

“You’re awake at last. Thank goodness!”

“Master…?”

“Yes, Ho. It’s your master.”

Dam-ho turned his head and saw Sage Hyun-so gazing at him. His master looked as though he had aged more than ten years since Dam-ho had last seen him. The sight made tears well up in Dam-ho’s eyes.

“Master…”

“Yes?”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? What have you done wrong? You haven’t done anything wrong, so there is no reason to be sorry.”

Dam-ho tried to sit up, but there was no strength in his limbs. Only then did he realize how badly he had been injured during his duel with Soo-gyeong.

“Keugh!”

His eyes reddened with frustration.

Although he had been unconscious for a long time, he could immediately tell how thoroughly his body had been broken. With injuries this severe, it would take years just to recover, let alone return to martial arts training.

At that moment, Sage Hyun-so reached out and gently stroked his head.

“Don’t worry, Ho.”

“Master…”

“Your recovery will not take as long as you think.”

Sage Hyun-so carefully lifted Dam-ho’s upper body and helped him sit upright. Only then did Dam-ho notice the various medicinal herbs covering his body.

He did not need to ask who had applied them. It could only have been his master.

After leaning Dam-ho against the wall, Sage Hyun-so walked to the corner of the room and brought over a large wooden box. When he opened the lid, dozens of dark-red pills were revealed inside.

“What are those?”

“Medicine that will help you recover.”

Sage Hyun-so picked up one of the pills.

At that moment, Dam-ho’s eyes trembled.

His master’s hands were covered in cuts and scars.

“Master, your hands…!”

“It’s nothing. Don’t concern yourself with it.”

What could have left such wounds on the hands of a man who had spent his entire life studying scriptures?

He must have searched the mountains surrounding Mount Hua for the medicinal herbs now covering Dam-ho’s body.

The torn and ragged state of his silk robes was proof of how much effort he had put in. There were likely even worse injuries hidden beneath his clothes.

“Come, take it.”

“Master…”

“What is it? Do you not trust your master’s medical skills?”

Sage Hyun-so smiled warmly.

“It’s not that…”

“Then hurry and swallow it.”

“Yes, Master.”

Dam-ho asked no further questions and swallowed the pill.

“Now circulate the Heavy Sky Heart Technique and spread the pill’s medicinal energy throughout your body.”

Dam-ho nodded and began circulating his qi. Only then did Sage Hyun-so collapse onto the floor with a heavy thud.

“Haa…”

A long sigh escaped his lips.

The pill Dam-ho had taken was known as the Surging Yang Elixir, a rare medicine created from a secret recipe passed down among scholars. In the present day, almost no one knew how to make it. Most had never even heard its name.

Unlike the Plum Blossom Spiritual Elixir, which granted an explosive increase in internal energy all at once, the Surging Yang Elixir worked gradually. When taken continuously, it slowly increased one’s internal energy while strengthening the muscles and bones.

Sage Hyun-so had spent three full days searching Three Elders’ Mountain for the herbs needed to make it. Most of the ingredients were not particularly rare, but they grew on sheer cliffs and in remote, inaccessible places, making them extremely dangerous to gather.

He had nearly fallen from the cliffs or been swept into a ravine several times, yet he had still managed to collect everything he needed.

Even then, Sage Hyun-so had been unable to rest. Refining the herbs into the Surging Yang Elixir was an arduous process.

A single lapse in concentration while controlling the flames could ruin several days of work. Creating the elixir required that much care and precision.

After enduring countless sleepless nights, Sage Hyun-so had finally managed to produce several dozen pills.

“If the Heavy Sky Heart Technique is an iron furnace, then the Surging Yang Elixir is dry firewood. Add enough firewood, and the furnace will burn even hotter.”

Although Sage Hyun-so could not practice martial arts himself, his knowledge of them was extensive. As a scholar, he had memorized countless martial arts manuals. He might not have been able to demonstrate their techniques, but his theoretical understanding surpassed that of most martial artists.

Sage Hyun-so sat with his arms folded and watched Dam-ho meditate as he circulated his internal energy.

Before long, a trace of color began returning to Dam-ho’s pale face. His recovery was far from immediate, but it seemed the most dangerous stage had passed.

Even so, Sage Hyun-so did not lower his guard. He continued watching Dam-ho closely as the hours slowly passed.

It was almost dawn the following day when Dam-ho finally completed his energy circulation.

“Hoo…”

Dam-ho steadied his breathing and opened his eyes.

The first person he saw was naturally Sage Hyun-so, who had remained by his side throughout the entire night.

“Master?”

“How do you feel?”

“Much better.”

It was not merely something he said to reassure his master. Before circulating his energy, even breathing had been difficult. Now, it came far more easily.

“That is a relief.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Master.”

“For the time being, continue taking the Surging Yang Elixir while practicing the Heavy Sky Heart Technique. You won’t be able to move around much in your current condition anyway.”

“I’ll do as you say.”

Dam-ho nodded obediently.

Sage Hyun-so studied him in silence, and Dam-ho quietly met his gaze.

“I heard what happened. You sparred with Soo-gyeong, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Haa… Don’t resent him. I doubt he intended for things to go this far.”

“I understand.”

“Senior Brother Hyun-geom has always been extreme. Once he sets his mind on a goal, he will sacrifice anything to achieve it.”

“I realized that.”

“I apologize on his behalf.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Master.”

“No. This is all my fault. Had I made my decision sooner, you would never have ended up like this.”

Sage Hyun-so said nothing more. He merely turned his gaze toward the open window.

In the distance, Lotus Flower Peak could be seen beyond it.

Dam-ho followed his master’s gaze and looked out as well.

As the two stared toward Lotus Flower Peak, the expressions in their eyes were remarkably similar.

After a long silence, Sage Hyun-so finally spoke.

“Ho.”

“Yes, Master?”

“I will help you.”