Fist Demon of Mount Hua Episode 5
If There Are Things That Change, There Are Also Things That Do Not 2
Dam-ho stepped outside.
His face had grown noticeably pale over the last few days, a consequence of shutting himself away to immerse entirely in the Heavy Sky Heart Art.
He had memorized the entire manual perfectly after reading it only a couple of times. Yet that wasn’t enough for him. He continued to read it over and over again.
During the entire time Dam-ho immersed himself in the Heavy Sky Heart Art, Master Hyun-so had never once opened the door to check on him. He knew that Dam-ho was in a state of complete concentration.
Now that he had finally come outside, Dam-ho looked much more refreshed. Within the Heavy Sky Heart Art, he had glimpsed a possibility he had long sought.
Nothing was certain yet.
There was no guarantee he could achieve what he desired.
But the mere existence of even the slightest possibility was enough to set his heart racing.
“Hoo…”
Just as Dam-ho took a deep breath of fresh air—
“Junior Brother!”
A clear, pleasant voice called out.
Turning his head, he saw a woman radiating an elegant aura. There was only one woman on Mount Hua who possessed such an atmosphere.
“Senior Sister.”
It was Han So-yu.
She walked up to him.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, nothing is wrong.”
“Then why haven’t you shown your face lately?”
“Pardon?”
“You used to climb up and down Mount Hua every single day, but I haven’t seen you for the past few days. I was worried.”
“Ah, I had some matters to attend to.”
“Really? You aren’t sick, are you?”
“No, I am fine.”
Han So-yu stared intently into Dam-ho’s eyes. Dam-ho did not avert his gaze. Seeing this, a smile graced Han So-yu’s lips.
“So you’re all right. That’s a relief.”
“Is that why you came?”
“I came to deliver some news as well. You haven’t heard yet, have you?”
“Heard what?”
“Looks like nobody told you after all.”
A slight furrow formed between Han So-yu’s brows.
She turned toward Lotus Blossom Peak with a somewhat dissatisfied expression.
“Senior Sister.”
“Ah, sorry. Soon, all of the first-generation disciples will be summoned to the True Martial Palace.”
“True Martial Palace?”
The True Martial Palace was the symbol of the Mount Hua Sect’s martial might. Naturally, every disciple affiliated with the sect dreamed of entering it. However, its threshold was both high and narrow, admitting only a select few.
Even among the first-generation disciples, only a few were permitted to come and go as they pleased.
Dam-ho was not yet qualified to enter, of course.
“But why True Martial Palace?”
“Junior Uncle Hyun-geom has finally emerged from seclusion. He ordered all first-generation disciples to gather.”
Han So-yu’s face flushed slightly. That was how excited she was.
Sage Hyun-geom was the head of True Martial Palace.
He was also widely acknowledged as the strongest swordsman in Mount Hua of the current era.
Six years ago, he had entered closed-door cultivation to organize and deepen his enlightenment. That was before Dam-ho had even joined the sect.
As a result, Dam-ho had only heard stories about him and had never seen him in person.
A man who had comprehended the ultimate essence of the Mount Hua Sword.
They said that whenever he drew his sword, plum blossoms bloomed from its movements.
Some even claimed that the current sage Hyun-geom possessed martial prowess comparable to the legendary Heavenly Sky Sage of decades past.
Such was the esteem in which he was held.
“He ordered all the disciples to gather?”
“That’s right!”
“Why?”
“I think he intends to share his insights with the younger generation.”
Han So-yu’s face was glowing with anticipation.
Receiving guidance from Sage Hyun-geom, the greatest swordsman of Mount Hua, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Because of that, the entire sect was abuzz with excitement.
“And it’s not just the first-generation disciples. Later on, he apparently plans to see the second-generation disciples and even the outer disciples separately.”
“Hm.”
“So you’d better prepare too. Who knows? If you catch his eye, he might share an insight that’s perfectly suited for you.”
It was a statement packed with underlying meaning.
Dam-ho silently nodded.
Seeing his reaction, Han So-yu chuckled.
“You’re so serious. Anyway, I’ll be going. Someone will come to summon you later, so we’ll meet again then.”
“Thank you, Senior Sister.”
Han So-yu waved as she departed.
Dam-ho watched her retreating figure for a long time.
Among the countless people in Mount Hua, she was one of the very few who saw him for who he truly was.
There was neither pity nor sympathy in her gaze.
She simply viewed him as another disciple of Mount Hua, no different from herself.
For that, he was grateful.
“Junior Uncle Hyungeom…”
Dam-ho looked toward the summit of Cloud Platform Peak.
Though hidden by the forest, the True Martial Palace was somewhere up there.
And sage Hyun-geom would be there as well.
He didn’t know what teachings the man would offer.
But Dam-ho had no spare attention to devote to that right now.
Meeting Hyungeom Jinin was something that hadn’t happened yet.
There was no need to get excited over it in advance.
First, Dam-ho fastened a sandbag around his left ankle.
The training he had interrupted after unexpectedly obtaining the Heavy Sky Heart Art-
Climbing Mount Hua once more.
With the sandbag attached, he descended the mountain.
Descending Mount Hua’s steep slopes was even more challenging than ascending them.
One misstep would send a person plunging to their death.
Yet Dam-ho moved down the path at remarkable speed.
The disability in his leg was no obstacle.
Five years of relentless effort had sharpened his sense of balance to an extraordinary degree.
Thanks to that, he safely reached the foot of the mountain.
After pausing briefly to catch his breath, he started climbing again.
While descending required a heightened sense of balance, ascending demanded formidable leg strength and lung capacity. Gritting his teeth, Dam-ho climbed the stone steps one by one.
By the time he returned to his residence, he was utterly exhausted.
He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
“Huff… Huff…”
His breath reeked of sweat, and his heart felt as if it would burst.
Every muscle in his body screamed in pain.
Yet Dam-ho forced himself back to his feet.
After catching his breath, he stretched and loosened his body.
Despite being completely exhausted, he intended to practise his martial arts.
The first martial art he performed was Bamboo Leaf Hand.
It was the technique every Mount Hua disciple learned at the beginning of their training.
He started with the first form:
Bamboo Leaf Cutting the Sky.
Whoosh!
Dam-ho’s performance of the Bamboo Leaf Hand was sharp and precise.
His palm sliced through the air while his waist spun like a top.
Next came the second form:
Flying Leaf Across a Thousand Miles.
His palms flowed like waves, yet the sharpness of their aura was unparalleled.
Whooom!
The next movement was the final stance of the Bamboo Leaf Hand, Screaming Leaf Piercing the Sun. Damho’s hand cut through the void like a flash of lightning.
His movements while executing the Bamboo Leaf Hand were fluid. At the same time, a razor-sharp momentum extended outwards like the edge of a blade.
Then he returned to the beginning.
Again he executed Bamboo Leaf Cutting the Sky.
The air rippled.
Flying Leaf Across a Thousand Miles.
Leaf Piercing the Sun.
The sequence flowed from one form to the next in an instant.
Completely forgetting the passage of time, Dam-ho repeated Bamboo Leaf Hand endlessly.
The greatest characteristic of Bamboo Leaf Hand was that it could be performed without any special footwork.
At first, Dam-ho practiced with both feet planted firmly on the ground, never moving.
When the technique reached its peak, he carefully began moving his legs.
One step forward.
One step back.
A simple, repetitive motion.
It could hardly be called sophisticated footwork.
Using his crippled left leg as a support, he advanced with his right.
Any elder of Mount Hua would have scolded him for such terrible footwork.
But for Dam-ho, this was the best he could do.
Thud!
Every time he stepped with his left foot, his face twisted slightly.
The external wounds might have healed, but the pain remained.
Yet Dam-ho forced himself to ignore the pain radiating from below his knee.
‘This level of pain won’t stop me.’
Dam-ho stamped his left foot even harder.
Thud!
In an instant, his momentum shifted.
Bamboo Leaf Hand transformed into Tiger Subduing Fist.
The sharpness vanished, replaced by a heavy and overwhelming force.
Tiger Subduing Fist was a martial art modeled after the movements of a tiger.
Nowadays, it was considered little more than an ordinary technique practiced mainly by secular disciples.
Yet in truth, it was an exceptionally well-crafted fist art.
Dam-ho had always wondered:
Are a tiger’s only weapons its sharp fangs and claws? Are biting and slashing truly its most effective means of attack?
He didn’t think so.
Its greatest weapon is its massive body. When that immense weight comes crashing down, prey freeze with terror and are crushed by the pressure. If that’s the case, Tiger Subduing Fist shouldn’t just imitate claws and fangs. It should utilise the human body to its fullest extent.
Whoosh!
His fist tore through the air.
To fully express the overwhelming force of Tiger Subduing Fist, tremendous leg strength was required.
One had to withstand powerful recoil forces.
Yet his footwork remained unchanged.
Forward.
Backward.
Advance.
Retreat.
When Tiger Subduing Fist reached its peak, his movements abruptly changed.
His fists shot out in all directions.
Six Harmonies Fist.
Alongside Bamboo Leaf Hand and Tiger Subduing Fist, it was one of the three fundamental fist arts of Mount Hua.
Like the others, its variations were simple.
But its momentum was fierce and explosive.
Forgetting his exhaustion, Dam-ho entered a state of complete absorption and practised the three fist arts one after another.
Among the countless martial arts of Mount Hua, these three foundational fist arts were the ones he loved most.
When Master Hyun-so returned to his residence later that night, he found Dam-ho asleep on the wooden platform, looking as though he had nearly passed out from exhaustion.
Hyun-so was not surprised.
After all, it was a sight he had witnessed every day for the past five years.
Instead, his gaze fell upon the traces left on the ground.
A line of footprints stretched across the clearing.
Dam-ho’s footprints.
Master Hyun-so looked at him with eyes filled with pride.
Dam-ho remained fast asleep.
Carefully, Hyun-so sat beside him and began massaging his legs.
“A repetitive routine may bring boredom, but overcoming that boredom and continuing one’s training is what forges a person into someone unbreakable, Ho.”
He kneaded Dam-ho’s legs with great care.
Having done this repeatedly over the past five years, his massage technique had reached a considerable level of proficiency. He kneaded the tightly knotted muscles and gently eased the aching joints.
He paid particular attention to Damho’s left leg. Due to the deformity, the muscles there were clenched into an even tighter knot.
As he massaged Damho’s left leg, there was a deep, profound warmth in Sage Hyunso’s hands. Perhaps sensing this warmth, a faint smile graced the lips of the unconscious boy.
Only after confirming that Dam-ho’s muscles were completely relaxed did Hyunso finally lift his hands.
“Whew!”
He let out a long breath and rose to his feet.
Though the night had grown late, his work was not yet finished. He reached into his robes and pulled out a book.
The Heavenly Pill Refinement Manual.
It was an old text that had been gathering dust in Mount Hua’s Spirit Treasure Hall.
A book he had read long ago.
For Dam-ho’s sake, he had once again sought out the book he had read a very long time ago.
Immersing himself in the manual, sage Hyun-so read until the break of dawn. Beside him, Damho slept peacefully.
Dam-ho sat up.
“Mmm!”
His entire body felt refreshed, as though he had soaked in a hot bath.
As he stretched, he noticed Master Hyun-so sleeping nearby.
“Master did it again…”
He didn’t need to check to know.
Hyun-so had given him another pressure-point massage while he slept.
His master had an unfamiliar book open beside him. Dam-ho gently closed it, then carefully carried his master back into the room.
Only after making sure his master was resting comfortably did he step outside.
The night sky was still brimming with stars.
The scent of plum blossoms wafted on the breeze. Dam-ho began his qigong practice on a wooden bench filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms. Although he had been immersed in studying the Heavy Sky Heart Art for the past few days, this was the first time he was actually putting it into practice.
Most people would feel anxious attempting an unfamiliar cultivation method for the first time.
Dam-ho felt none.
Without hesitation, he sank into a deep meditative state.
Before him lay an unexplored path that no one had walked for hundreds of years.
Even Dam-ho had no idea what awaited at its end.
The plum-scented breeze gently brushed against his body, yet he was too deeply immersed to notice.
The Heavy Sky Heart Art was not a cultivation method that rapidly accumulated internal energy.
Nor was it as versatile and ever-changing as the Lesser Clear Heart Art practiced by Mount Hua’s core disciples.
True to its name, the Heavy Sky Heart Art was heavy.
If the internal energy cultivated through the Lesser Clear Heart Art was light and elusive like the wind, the energy cultivated through the Heavy Sky Heart Art was slow and viscous, like a swamp.
As a result, it was difficult to circulate.
Before long, beads of sweat formed across Dam-ho’s forehead.
A cool breeze soon arrived and cooled them.
Forgetting even the passage of time, Dam-ho immersed himself completely in the Heavy Sky Heart Art.
He finally opened his eyes when the sun rose high enough to bathe Lotus Blossom Peak in light.
He had begun cultivating before dawn.
Yet it was already morning.
After finishing his cultivation, Dam-ho shook his head.
“This won’t be easy.”
With another cultivation method, he could have completed at least three full circulation cycles in that amount of time.
Yet with the Middle Heaven Heart Art, he had managed only a single cycle.
In other words, its rate of internal energy accumulation was at least three times slower than that of ordinary cultivation methods.
However, the energy it produced was far denser.
If he could reach the same level of internal energy as others, its power would likely be far greater.
The problem was how to accumulate internal energy equal to—or greater than—that of everyone else.
Dam-ho shook his head.
“I’ll have to sleep even less.”
That was the conclusion he reached.
Sleep less than others.
Cultivate harder than others.
From that day onward, Dam-ho reduced his sleep even further.
He slept for only two hours before waking.
Throughout the early morning hours, he devoted himself entirely to cultivation.
During the mornings, he trained his body by climbing Mount Hua again and again.
Then, throughout the afternoons and nights, he practiced every Mount Hua martial art he knew.
And so, day by day, Dam-ho’s time continued to pass.
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