Return of the Blossoming Blade — Chapter 186

THE HALL OF MEDICINE HAS AT LAST WEATHERED ITS GREATEST TEMPEST IN ALL MY TENURE AS CHIEF PHYSICIAN.

TO THINK THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF ALL THE MEDICAL DISCIPLES AS WELL AS THE ELDERS AND YOUNG CHEONGMYEONG TO PRODUCE THE FABLED VIOLET SKY PELLETS...

AND WHAT A FEAT IT WAS, TOO.

A SHINING ACHIEVEMENT WHOSE GLOW SHALL BE FELT BY OUR DESCENDANTS FOR THE REST OF TIME.

ALTHOUGH...

...NOW THAT THE BURNING PASSION OF THAT DAY HAS SUBSIDED, THE OFFICE FEELS EMPTIER THAN EVER.

THE MEMORY OF ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO SEEMS ALMOST AS FLEETING AS A DREAM.

WITHOUT THE MILLENNIUM STEEL POT HERE AS PROOF, I MIGHT HAVE EVEN BELIEVED THAT I TRULY HAD DREAMED THE WHOLE THING.

HMM?

HAHA... SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHERE DID THE POT DISAPPEAR TO?

TIME TO WAKE UP, UN-GAK.

SOUND THE ALARM! THIEEEF!!!

WHAT A COLOSSAL...

...WASTE OF MY TIME!!!

HOW MANY TIMES MUST I BASH THIS HUNK OF METAL INTO SHAPE?!

IS THIS WHAT A LIFETIME OF MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING COMES DOWN TO?

USING MY BARE HANDS TO FILL IN A HOLE THAT I CARVED OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I SPENT AN ENTIRE NIGHT MANUALLY BASHING THE POT INTO SHAPE, AND NOW I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK EXACTLY AS IT WAS!

SURE, THEY CALL ME THE MAD DOG OF MOUNT HUA, BUT LITTLE DO THEY KNOW HOW THEY HAVE ME WORKING LIKE A DOG AS WELL!

OF ALL THE THANKLESS MENIAL WORK I HAVE HAD TO DO, THIS SURELY TAKES THE RICE CAKE!

HOW AM I STILL DOING SO MUCH PHYSICAL LABOR AS A MAN OVER A CENTURY OLD?!

THE THINGS I DO FOR YOU LOUSY DESCENDANTS... AND YOU'LL NEVER EVEN KNOW IT!

I SWEAR, THIS BLASTED SECT HAD BETTER BECOME THE GREATEST SECT IN THE ENTIRE REALM... OR ELSE!!!

EITHER GET WITH THE PROGRAM OR BE LEFT BEHIND, THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT!!!

I'LL BET MY SO-CALLED DESCENDANTS ARE SLEEPING SOUNDLY IN THEIR BEDS AS I SPEAK... MUST BE NICE HAVING THEIR ANCESTOR DO THE BACK-BREAKING WORK ON THEIR BEHALF.

THIS SECT COULD SCARCELY EVEN AFFORD A BED UNTIL I CAME ALONG.

WHO GOES THERE?!

HMM?

A FELLOW NIGHT OWL, EH?

IS IT JUST ME, OR ARE THESE WOODS A LITTLE MORE CROWDED THAN WHEN I CRAWLED INTO THAT HOLE IN THE GROUND EARLIER...?

I SUPPOSE THEY MUST BE OUT LOOKING FOR THE MILLENNIUM POT THAT NO LONGER EXISTS.

AND CREDIT TO BAEKSANG OVER HERE... HE SOMEHOW SENSED MY PRESENCE AMID THE COMMOTION.

A SIGN OF GROWTH, IF EVER I'VE SEEN ONE.

PERHAPS HE DESERVES SOME PRAISE NOW AND AGAIN--

OVER HERE!!!

I HAVE THE FILTHY, STINKING THIEF DEAD TO RIGHTS!!!

I TAKE BACK EVERY KIND WORD I EVER UTTERED ABOUT THIS BUFFOON.

Episode 180

HA... IF ONLY THEY MOVED THIS SWIFTLY TO MUSTER FOR TRAINING.

LOOK AT THEM SWARMING LIKE FLIES.

SEIZE HIM!

BREAK BOTH HIS LEGS FIRST SO HE WILL NOT GET AWAY!

WHAT A BUNCH OF UNRULY SAVAGES...

IS THIS HOW I TAUGHT THEM TO ACT?

D*** RIGHT IT WAS, THOUGH THIS IS HARDLY THE TIME FOR A PAT ON THE BACK.

SINCE I HAVE URGENT BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO ELSEWHERE, I SHALL LEAVE YOU ALL TO IT.

AS YOU WERE, DISCIPLES OF MOUNT HUA--

DID YOU HEAR THAT? THE BURGLAR'S TOO BUSY TO DEAL WITH THE LIKES OF US!

WAAAH! BOO HOO, LITTLE BABY THIEF WANTS TO ROB A MARTIAL ARTS SECT AND TALK HIS WAY OUT OF IT, DOES HE?

LOOK HOW TINY HE IS! PSPSPS, COME HERE, LITTLE THIEF! WHO'S A GOOD BOY?

AWW, DON'T CRY! WE WON'T BITE!

CONSIDER THIS YOUR FIRST AND LAST WARNING.

YOU MAY NOT BITE, BUT I DO.

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

OH NO! WHATEVER WILL WE DO?!

HAHAHAHA, WATCH OUT!

LITTLE THIEF'S GOING TO BITE US ON OUR BEHINDS!

MM-HMM. I HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME.

THIS IS ALL BECAUSE I FAILED TO TEACH THEM ANY MANNERS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

OH, BUT IT IS NEVER TOO LATE FOR A NEW LESSON.

A LESSON HARD-LEARNED, THE TRUE TAOIST WAY.

WHO DARES DISTURB OUR SACRED TRAINING GROUNDS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT?!

SENIOR BROTHER!

IT'S SENIOR BROTHER BAEKCHEON!

BROTHER BAEKCHEON!

MOUNT HUA IS STRICTLY OFF-LIMITS TO MASKED INTRUDERS SUCH AS YOURSELF...

HMM?

BY THE BLOSSOMS...!

ON THIS EPISODE OF...

...WHO'S THAT MASKED INTRUDER?!

IIIT'S CHEONGMYEONG!!!

S-STOP RIGHT THERE... UH, CRIMINAL SCUM... IF YOU ARE QUITE DONE WITH WHATEVER YOU WERE DOING, THAT IS...

?

SENIOR BROTHER?

UGH... HEAVENS HELP ME...

I AM SO UTTERLY DONE WITH THIS S***.

SENIOR BROTHER?!

L-LANGUAGE!

GO...!

GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE ANY OF THE OTHERS SEE THROUGH YOUR FLIMSY DISGUISE, D*** YOU!

THAT WAY! BEGONE!

IS HE MEAN MUGGING ME?

Y-YOU KNOW SOCIAL CUES MIGHT AS WELL BE ANCIENT PICTOGRAMS TO HIM, SENIOR BROTHER! WHAT DO WE DO?

CAN YOU FAULT ME FOR TRYING?! WHY ON EARTH IS HE STILL HERE WHEN HE COULD HAVE LEFT US IN THE DUST MINUTES AGO?!

I RATHER SUSPECT HE WANTS US TO SET THE SCENE, SENIOR BROTHER.

SET THE SCENE?

INDEED, A STAGED FARCE WHEREBY CHEONGMYEONG CAN FLEE IN THE MIDST OF THE ENSUING SCUFFLE.

PREPARE TO FACE JUSTICE, YOU WRETCH!!!

A WIDE, PREDICTABLE SWING OF THE SWORD AND HE SHOULD KNOW THAT IS HIS TIMING TO FLEE!

I COULD NOT POSSIBLY MAKE IT ANY CLEARER!

COME, CHEONGMYEONG! PRETEND TO PARRY MY STRIKE AND USE THE MOMENTUM TO--

RUN?

HA... YOU GIANT BLOSSOMING A**HOLE.

HAHAHAHA! FAREWELL, DISCIPLES OF MOUNT HUA.

YOU WILL NEED TO TRAIN HARDER THAN THAT TO STOP ME NEXT TIME!

BWAHAHAHA!!!

AFTER HIM!

RAAAH!

PERHAPS THEN I'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF RESPITE FROM HIS NONSENSE.

HAHAHA...

HAHAHAHA...

IT'S CHEONGMYEONG! BROTHER CHEONGMYEONG HAS RETURNED!

NOT SO FORTUNATE, AFTER ALL.

ONLY HE WOULD HAVE THE GALL TO ROB HIS OWN SECT, THEN WALK BACK THROUGH THE MAIN GATES THE NEXT MORNING.

UNBELIEVABLE...

I HAVE NO WORDS, EXCEPT TO SAY...

...WHAT A NITWIT.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, CHEONGMYEONG?! WE WERE BROKEN INTO OVERNIGHT!

THE MILLENNIUM STEEL POT WAS STOLEN!

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE BURGLAR FIGHT, I TELL YOU!

HE FOLDED BROTHER YUNJONG LIKE A DIRTY SECT UNIFORM WITH BUT ONE BLOW!

WHAAAT? NOOO!

CONSIDER MY FLABBER WELL AND TRULY GASTED!

IMAGINE IF YOU FINE DISCIPLES HAD TRAINED HARDER INSTEAD OF LOITERING AROUND FOR A COMMON THIEF TO TAKE OUR TREASURES!

I SWEAR...

ALL I AM SAYING IS, I SIMPLY CANNOT RELATE!

OH, WELL! NO USE CRYING OVER SPILLED MILK, OR INDEED, A STOLEN PRICELESS MILLENNIUM STEEL POT!

WHAT A PITY! PERHAPS NEXT TIME, BROTHERS!

WELCOME BACK, CHEONGMYEONG! ARE YOU WELL?

I AM, SECT LEADER!

EXCELLENT!

THE INCIDENT OF THE BURGLAR OVERNIGHT GAVE ME CONCERN, YOU SEE.

I FEARED YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THE INTRUDER'S TRUE TARGET AND SOUGHT TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY, BUT I SEE YOU WERE UNHARMED, WHICH IS A RELIEF.

WHY, I WOULD HAVE SENT THE THIEF PACKING WITH A FLICK OF MY WRIST!

INDEED, I DO NOT DOUBT IT.

ON THAT NOTE... I BELIEVE WE OWE YOU AN APOLOGY.

OUR LACK OF VIGILANCE ALLOWED THE THEFT OF THE PRECIOUS ARTIFACT YOU PROCURED FOR THE SECT.

WE ARE NOT WORTHY TO CALL OURSELVES YOUR ELDERS...

HARDLY. WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HARMED, IF ANYTHING.

WE CAN ALWAYS FIND ANOTHER POT TO BOIL MEDICINE WITH.

AFTER ALL, YOU ARE ALWAYS TELLING ME THAT A SECT IS ITS PEOPLE, NOT ITS TREASURES.

OH, SUCH A SAINT OF A BOY...!

YOU TRULY ARE, CHEONGMYEONG...

A SAINT?

I HAVE HALF A MIND TO TATTLE ON YOU BEFORE THE SECT LEADER HIMSELF...

I HAVEN'T THE FAINTEST IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN, SENIOR BROTHER. HAHA...

BACK OFF, OR I'LL TATTLE ON YOU FIRST FOR BULLYING YOUR POOR, INNOCENT JUNIOR BROTHER...

SECT LEADER, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BREAK-IN LED ME TO SUSPECT THAT THE INTRUDER SPECIFICALLY CAME IN SEARCH OF THE MILLENNIUM STEEL POT.

THIS IS NO LIGHT INCIDENT TO BE BRUSHED ASIDE SIMPLY BECAUSE NOBODY WAS HARMED.

PARDON ME, SENIOR BROTHER, BUT ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT INFORMATION IS BEING LEAKED FROM OUR SECT SOMEHOW?

NOTHING IS CONCLUSIVE FOR NOW, HYEONYEONG. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE INTRUDER SPOTTED THE POT BY COINCIDENCE WHILE SCOPING OUT OUR HALLS.

EVEN SO, THERE IS NO DENYING THAT SOME ENTERPRISING THIEF TOOK THE TIME TO CLIMB THESE PERILOUS PEAKS AND INFILTRATE OUR VERY BASE.

IT WOULD NOT BE PARANOID TO THINK THAT OUTSIDE FORCES HAVE NOW BEGUN TO PRY INTO MOUNT HUA'S BUSINESS,

ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FEATS ACHIEVED BY OUR DISCIPLES OF LATE...

HMM, I SUPPOSE IT MAKES SENSE, WITH THE EVENTS OF THE HUAZHONG CONTEST STILL BEING SPOKEN OF IN AWE...

IT MAY INCONVENIENCE THE CHILDREN SOMEWHAT, BUT I BELIEVE IT MAY BE BEST TO REINSTITUTE NIGHTLY GUARD DUTY FROM NOW ON.

AN EXCELLENT IDEA, SECT LEADER.

GREAT, MORE MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE ARE SOME REALM-WIDE THREAT...

THIS IS PRECISELY WHY WE MUST ACT NOW, BROTHER.

CHEONGMYEONG, NOW THAT YOU APPEAR TO BE BACK TO FULL HEALTH...

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO CARVE THROUGH MILLENNIUM STEEL?

OF COURSE, SECT LEADER.

ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU WANT US ALL TO SEE, SECT LEADER?

WHATEVER WE DISCOVER WITHIN THE VAULT, I MEAN TO BRING IT ALL OUT WITH US. AFTER ALL, WHAT USE WOULD WE HAVE FOR A SECRET VAULT IN THE SECT WE INTEND TO BUILD?

FOR MY PART, I HAVE NO DESIRE TO KEEP ANY MORE SECRETS FROM MY CHERISHED SIBLINGS OF MOUNT HUA.

COME, LET US HEAD BELOW.

SUCH IMPENETRABLE DARKNESS...

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS HALLWAY WAS ONCE LIT AS BRIGHT AS DAY WITH LIGHTSTONES.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM, SECT LEADER? ASKING FOR A FRIEND...

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED ABOUT THE SPORADIC INFUSIONS OF CASH INTO OUR ACCOUNTS?

NO COMMENT...

I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE TIGHTENED OUR BELTS EVEN TIGHTER, HAD I KNOWN THAT THE FUNDS CAME FROM SELLING OFF THE LIGHTS IN OUR SECRET VAULT...

HERE WE ARE.

B-BROTHER SECT LEADER... IS THIS IT?

INDEED.

THE SECRET VAULT OF THE SECT LEADER, PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS OF MOUNT HUA.

BUT HOW WOULD WE EVEN BEGIN TO SEE ABOUT OPENING THIS DOOR?

THAT IS PRECISELY THE CONUNDRUM.

MY GUESS IS THAT IT MAY RESPOND TO A CERTAIN MARTIAL TECHNIQUE TAUGHT ONLY TO THE CURRENT SECT LEADER OF OUR SECT.

ONE THAT WAS LOST TO TIME, YOU MEAN...

WHO KNOWS? IT MAY YET BE AWAITING US INSIDE.

THAT IS... IF THE TIME HAS COME TO UNRAVEL ITS SECRETS.