Return of the Blossoming Blade — Chapter 187

HEAVENS, A VERITABLE SWORD AURA!

STAND BACK, ELDERS!

I OUGHT TO LEAVE THE MARKINGS ON THE DOOR INTACT, IN CASE THEY PROVE TO BE OF SOME USE DOWN THE LINE.

I'M CERTAIN I CAN CUT AROUND IT.

BUT FIRST...!

THE CLASSIC OVERHEAD SLASH!!!

?!

CLANG? NOT A SLICE?

WHY DID THE BLADE ONLY CUT HALFWAY?

AHA!

OF COURSE IT'S NO ORDINARY DOOR!

HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN ITS SHEER THICKNESS? IT'S HARDLY MY FIRST TIME!

WILL IT NOT YIELD, CHEONGMYEONG?

N-NOT TO WORRY, SECT LEADER! JUST LEAVE IT TO ME!

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...

...BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF IT UNTIL YOU DO!

DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS? MORE LIKE THEFT BY A THOUSAND CUTS!!!

YIELD, YOU STUBBORN SLAB OF JUNK METAL!

CAN I NOT HAVE ONE LOUSY THING GO MY WAY THE FIRST TIME?!

THIS HEAVENS-FORSAKEN SECT...!

YOU'LL PUT ME INTO AN EARLY GRAVE, THE LOT OF YOU!

Episode 181

B-BROTHER SECT LEADER...

WOULD YOU CARE TO DO THE HONOR?

A STRANGE APPREHENSION GRIPS ME.

THE VAGUE SENSE OF DISMAY THAT WHAT AWAITS US BEYOND THE DOOR IS NAUGHT BUT AN EMPTY CHAMBER.

EVEN SO...

...IT DOES NOT BEHOOVE THE LEADER OF A PROUD SECT TO BACK AWAY NOW...!

COME, MY BOY.

HOW MODEST...

WITH ONLY THREE BOOKCASES HERE TO GREET US...

THIS PLACE RESEMBLES MORE A LIBRARY THAN A TREASURE TROVE.

MODEST IS CERTAINLY ONE WORD, BUT LACKING MAY BE ANOTHER.

NEVERTHELESS...

...THIS ANXIOUS PALPITATION SIMPLY REFUSES TO ABATE.

IT IS AS IF THIS SENSE OF AUSTERITY EMBODIES THE VERY SPIRIT DESIRED OF MOUNT HUA'S FIGUREHEAD.

PERHAPS SUCH IS THE LESSON THAT OUR ANCESTORS HOPED TO IMPART UPON US WITH THIS HIDDEN ARCHIVE...

S-SECT LEADER!

BEHOLD, THE INSTRUCTION TOME FOR THE SCATTERING BLOSSOM SHADOW! AN ADVANCED TECHNIQUE OF OUR SECT, LONG CONSIDERED TO BE LOST TO TIME!

HOW CAN THIS BE?!

O-OVER HERE WE HAVE THE PLUM BLOSSOM STEPS! A TECHNIQUE SUPERIOR TO EVEN THE SEVEN STAR STEPS!

LORD SECT LEADER, I SEE ONE FOR THE BLADE OF NINE HOUSES!

BY THE HEAVENS...! HOW COULD THEY BE PRESERVED IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION?

ONE MIGHT MISTAKE THEM FOR BRAND-NEW BOOKS, SECT LEADER!

IN FACT, SO PERFECTLY PRESERVED ARE THEY THAT I CAN STILL CATCH A WHIFF OF THE INK FROM THE PAGES!

OOPS...! I SHOULD HAVE LET THEM DRY FIRST!

YES, QUITE SO... THE WRITING EVEN SEEMS POSITIVELY DAMP IN PLACES.

JUST WHAT IS THIS INK MADE OF...?

HMM...

HAHAHA! THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED, BROTHERS!

I MYSELF WAS STRUGGLING TO FATHOM WHY OUR FOREBEARS WOULD BUILD THIS VAULT WITH MILLENNIUM STEEL OF ALL THINGS.

AND WHY IS THAT, BROTHER?

LEGEND HAS IT THAT ANY CONTAINER FORGED FROM MILLENNIUM STEEL POSSESSES A PRETERNATURAL FROSTINESS, WHICH PREVENTS WHATEVER OBJECT LIES WITHIN FROM SPOILING.

AHA...! THAT IS WHY SOME EVEN CALL IT MILLENNIUM FROST STEEL!

IT THEN STANDS TO REASON THAT ITS COOLING PROPERTIES HAVE ALLOWED THESE INVALUABLE TOMES TO ENDURE THROUGH THE AGES!

THERE! THERE IT IS!

OUTSTANDING EXPOSITION, LORD SECT LEADER!

HMM?

SECT LEADER!

O-OVER HERE!

WHAT IS IT, HYEONYEONG?!

WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED?!

ON THE BOTTOM SHELF, DOWN BELOW!

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT, BROTHER...?!

THE TOME FOR THE 24-STRIKE PLUM BLOSSOM SWORD TECHNIQUE!!!

2-24-STRIKE WHAT NOW...?!

OUR FOREBEARS PRESERVE US...!

TH-THE 24-STRIKE PLUM BLOSSOM SWORD TECHNIQUE...

...WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRACTICE...

...AND ILLUSTRATIONS?!

GUHHH!

B-BROTHER SECT LEADER! NO!!!

THIS IS NO TIME TO SHUFFLE OFF THIS MORTAL COIL!

DO I NOT ALWAYS TELL YOU TO SETTLE YOUR WILL BEFORE YOU ASCEND?!

AT LEAST SPIT OUT THAT WASTED VIOLET SKY PELLET YOU SWALLOWED!

THUS FOLLOWS THE LEGACY OF CHEONGMYEONG, A 13TH-GENERATION DISCIPLE OF THE GREAT MOUNT HUA SECT.

CH-CHEONGMYEONG...?

HERE I AM! WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

CHEONGMYEONG...

HERE LIES A NAME KNOWN TO US ALL...

INDEED, A PROUD NAME REVERED IN OUR SECT FOR GENERATIONS.

THE MASTER OF THE BLOSSOMING BLADE.

OH, THAT FADED LEGEND OF MOUNT HUA...

ONE THAT INSPIRED ME TO PERSEVERE IN SPITE OF OUR SECT'S WANING FORTUNE.

TO THINK THAT I SHOULD BE HONORED WITH YOUR WRITING...!

WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO HIM? IT'S HARDLY SOME TEARJERKER ROMANCE NOVEL...

THE 24-STRIKE PLUM BLOSSOM SWORD TECHNIQUE CONSTITUTES BOTH THE ESSENCE AND PINNACLE OF OUR PATH.

THIS EXTRAORDINARILY HUMBLE DISCIPLE AIMS TO LEAVE BEHIND ILLUSTRATED DIAGRAMS FOR EACH STROKE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE ABLE TO BETTER COMPREHEND THE TECHNIQUE.

ALL NEWCOMERS WHO READ THIS TOME ARE HEREBY URGED TO CARVE THE ILLUSTRATIONS INTO MEMORY AND DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO ITS MASTERY.

IT IS NO BOASTFUL EXAGGERATION TO CLAIM THAT ANYONE WHO SUCCEEDS IN TRULY MASTERING THE 24-STRIKE PLUM BLOSSOM SWORD TECHNIQUE SHALL FEAR NO FOE BENEATH THE HEAVENS.

YET, HEED THESE WORDS.

IT IS NOT A MERE TECHNIQUE YOU MUST ENDEAVOR TO INHERIT, BUT THE SPIRIT OF MOUNT HUA ITSELF.

ACROSS THE PAGES OF THESE 24 VOLUMES, I HAVE SOUGHT TO CAPTURE THE HALLOWED SPIRIT OF OUR SECT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

FOR AS LONG AS ITS WILL LIVES ON...

...THE PROUD NAME OF MOUNT HUA SHALL NEVER BE EXTINGUISHED.

TH-THE MASTER OF THE BLOSSOMING BLADE, YOU SAY?!

AND THIS IS HIS OWN TAKE ON THE TECHNIQUE, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS TO BOOT?!

COME, BROTHER! ALLOW ME TO APPRAISE--

HMM...?

BROTHER SECT LEADER...

ARE THE PAGES SUPPOSED TO BE ALL STUCK TOGETHER THIS WAY?

I CERTAINLY HOPE IT IS THE INK AT LEAST...

WHAT? SURELY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, THE INK CANNOT BE YET TO DRY...

COME TO THINK OF IT, SECT LEADER, EVEN THE HANDWRITING IS THE SAME!

FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE SECRET TOMES, I MEAN!

ARE YOU CERTAIN?!

SUSPICIOUSLY FRESH INK, ALL WRITTEN IN THE SAME HAND...

ONE MIGHT EVEN SUSPECT THESE WERE ALL PENNED BY THE SAME DISCIPLE ON THE SAME DAY...!

MEANING WHAT, PRAY?!

UHH, HELLO?! SINCE WHEN WERE YOU ALL EXPERTS ON ANCIENT TEXTS? DID THE PANACEA GROW BACK YOUR BRAINS AS WELL?!

IT CAN ONLY IMPLY ONE THING, SECT LEADER...!

OH! PRAISE BE TO THE BLOSSOMING BLADE! WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO BE LEFT SUCH A PRICELESS LEGACY!

PHEW... SAVED BY SLOW WITS, FOR ONCE.

ONE CAN SCARCELY BELIEVE IT, ELDERS...

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HOLD THE LEGACY OF THE BLOSSOMING BLADE IN MY OWN HANDS...

HUH?

L-LORD SECT LEADER?!

THERE APPEARS TO BE A HIDDEN COMPARTMENT UNDERNEATH THE BOOKCASE OVER HERE!

FOOL OF A SENIOR BROTHER! THROW YOURSELF IN NEXT TIME AND RID US OF YOUR STUPIDITY!

AN EMPTY CHAMBER...?

I SUPPOSE IT WAS BUILT THEN LEFT UNUSED FOR LATER GENERATIONS.

NOT EVEN A MINOR TREASURE IN SIGHT... HMPH!

NOT THAT ANYTHING IS MORE VALUABLE THAN KNOWLEDGE, OF COURSE.

NO NEED TO BE DISAPPOINTED, BROTHER. AS YOU SAY, WE HAVE ALREADY GAINED A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THIS DAY--

HMM?

A CIRCULAR MARKING OF SOME SORT UPON THE FLOOR...?

HOW VERY PERFECTLY ROUND...

AND LARGE ENOUGH FOR A PERSON, EVEN.

HMM, WERE I TO HAZARD A GUESS...

...IT MIGHT EVEN RESEMBLE A HOLE INTENTIONALLY CUT OUT TO--

AS IF ANY LIVING SOUL ON THIS EARTH COULD CUT OUT AND SPLICE BACK TOGETHER MILLENNIUM STEEL, LORD ELDER!

I'D WAGER EVEN THE MASTER OF THE BLOSSOMING BLADE COULD BARELY MAKE A SCRATCH ON A VAULT THIS SIZE!

N-NOW... WHY WASTE TIME ON AN EMPTY ROOM WHEN WE HAVE AN ENTIRE LIBRARY OF TOMES TO STUDY UP THERE? SHALL WE, ELDERS?

ARE YOU WELL, CHEONGMYEONG ? YOU SEEM TO BE SWEATING AN AWFUL LOT.

ARE YOU STILL AFFLICTED BY YOUR INTERNAL WOUND?

P-PRECISELY, CUTTING THROUGH THE DOOR MUST HAVE TAKEN ITS TOLL...

AHA, I SEE IT NOW!

WHAT NOW? STOP SEEING THINGS ALREADY!

AN EMPTY CIRCLE AT THE CENTER OF AN EMPTY CHAMBER...!

DO YOU NOT COMPREHEND THE SYMBOLISM?

THIS TOO MUST BE SOME PROFOUND LESSON LEFT FOR US BY OUR ANCESTORS!

PERHAPS THE MESSAGE HERE IS THAT WE MUST LEARN TO EMPTY OUR HEARTS OF EXCESS DESIRE ONCE WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED THAT WHICH WE DESERVE!

WELL SAID, BROTHER SECT LEADER!

OUR FOREBEARS WISHED FOR US TO REMAIN EVER-MINDFUL OF THE TAO!

INDEED, THEY KNEW THAT THE DEEPEST FOUNDATION OF MOUNT HUA LIES NOT IN ITS MIGHT, BUT ITS PHILOSOPHY.

I FIND MYSELF HUMBLED BY THE SIMPLE ELEGANCE OF THIS LESSON.

RIGHT YOU ARE, BROTHER. I'M IN AWE OF OUR ANCESTORS' WISDOM!

O PREDECESSORS OF OUR GREAT SECT...

WHAT IN THE DAY-ONE PHILOSOPHY STUDENT PRETENTIOUSNESS...?

IF ONLY I COULD BUST SOME SENSE INTO THEIR HEADS...

...BUT I OUGHT TO BE GLAD THAT MY WORK HERE IS DONE.

THE RESURRECTED VIOLET SKY PELLETS HAVE ENHANCED THEIR QI MANIFOLD...

...THESE TOMES HAVE LEFT THEM WITH MUCH TO PORE OVER...

...AND THE TRAINING REGIMEN I ESTABLISHED FROM THE BEGINNING HAS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THE MODEL OF SELF-MOTIVATED TRAINING.

WITH THIS, NOT EVEN BROTHER JANGMUN CAN DENY THAT I HAVE ACHIEVED THE FIRST OF MY MANY GOALS UPON RETURNING TO MOUNT HUA.

YOU'LL NOT SCOLD ME FOR SLACKING FOR A WHILE THEN, WILL YOU, BROTHER...?

AS IN ALL MATTERS, ONE CANNOT HOPE TO ALWAYS FIND SUCCESS BY FORGING AHEAD WITH RESOLVE.

AT TIMES, IT IS BETTER TO ALLOW A MOMENT FOR RESPITE AND REFLECTION, INSTEAD OF DEMANDING PROGRESS.

A QUIET MONTH OR SO SHOULD SUFFICE...

WELL, MORE LIKE A FORTNIGHT.

YOU MEAN TO SEND ME WHERE, SECT LEADER?

BACK TO THE EUNHA TRADING COMPANY, MY BOY.

MASTER HWANG HAS GRACIOUSLY INVITED OUR SECT TO A FEAST IN CELEBRATION OF HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY ON THE DAY OF THE NEXT FULL MOON.

THOUGH IT WOULD BE MORE FITTING FOR THE SECT'S ELDERS TO ATTEND, GIVEN ALL THAT WE OWE THE GENTLEMAN, I'M AFRAID I FIND MYSELF UTTERLY INDISPOSED FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

THEREFORE, IT IS YOUR NEXT MISSION TO REPRESENT US AT SAID FEAST.

ME, SENT TO A FEAST? WHAT'S THE CATCH?

AS YOU KNOW FULL WELL, OUR SECT IS CURRENTLY THE MOST OCCUPIED IT HAS BEEN IN MANY YEARS.

THE FINANCE OFFICE IS ENTIRELY CONSUMED WITH TASKS PERTAINING TO THE TRADING OF TEA AND PROVISION OF GRAIN TO YUNNAN, NOT TO MENTION THE WEAPONS TO BE SUPPLIED TO US BY THE SICHUAN TANG CLAN...

...WHILE THE SECT ARCHIVE LIKEWISE HAS ITS HANDS FULL WITH SORTING THROUGH THE TOMES RECOVERED FROM THE HIDDEN VAULT AND PRODUCING COPIES SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN TEACHING THE REDISCOVERED TECHNIQUES TO OUR TRAINEES.

WITH THESE VITAL MATTERS STILL TO BE SEEN THROUGH, YOU CAN IMAGINE I AM IN NO POSITION TO VACATE THE SECT GROUNDS.

IN THAT CASE, WILL SENIOR BROTHER BAEKCHEON ACCOMPANY ME? YOU ALWAYS SAY I REQUIRE SUPERVISION...

ORDINARILY, YES, BUT EVEN BAEKCHEON IS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING UN-GEOM WITH THE JUNIOR TRAINEES FOR THE MOMENT.

IT SEEMED IMPRUDENT TO DISRUPT THE FLOW OF THINGS AND SEND HIM AWAY AT SUCH A CRUCIAL JUNCTURE.

BESIDES, LET US NOT FORGET THAT IT WAS YOU WHO AIDED MASTER HWANG AND HIS ORGANIZATION IN THEIR HOUR OF CRISIS.

THE LETTER SAYS SO ITSELF, DOES IT NOT? I BELIEVE IT IS QUITE CLEAR THE PRESIDENT AWAITS YOUR ATTENDANCE MOST OF ALL.

I DARESAY YOUR PRESENCE ALONE WILL BRING GREAT CHEER TO OUR ESTEEMED MERCHANT ALLY.

NOT ANOTHER IMPROMPTU JOURNEY... THOUGH I SUPPOSE THE SECT LEADER IS RIGHT.

IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR ME TO ATTEND, CONSIDERING MY RAPPORT WITH THE EUNHA TRADING COMPANY...

WELL, SINCE HE INSISTS ON TWISTING MY ARM...

...I SUPPOSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN ONE TO TURN DOWN FESTIVITIES WITH FREE LIQUOR AND FOOD.

SHALL I DEPART FORTHWITH, SECT LEADER?

ONE, TWO!

GOING SOMEWHERE, CHEONGMYEONG?

HERE I GO, OFF TO THE EUNHA TRADING COMPANY AGAIN.

ALL THE WAY TO CHENGDU?

I TAKE IT YOU WILL BE AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN.

AT THE VERY LEAST. I'VE BEEN TOLD TO TAKE MY TIME AND MAKE SURE TO LEAVE THE OLD MAN IN GOOD CHEER.

IS THAT SO?

TRY NOT TO EAT AND DRINK THEIR ENTIRE PANTRY EMPTY.

REALLY, BROTHER! WHAT AM I, A STARVING HOG?

IT WAS NOT SO LONG AGO YOU DID THE EXACT SAME TO THE SICHUAN TANG CLAN UNDER THE PRETENSE OF CULTIVATING MASS...

COME TO THINK OF IT... WHO THOUGHT IT WISE TO SEND THIS GOBLIN OF CHAOS TO AN OFFICIAL EVENT BY HIMSELF?

WOULD YOU PREFER THAT I ACCOMPANY YOU? SURELY TWO REPRESENTATIVES IS BETTER THAN ONE--

SO ARE TWO FISTS OVER ONE!

ANYHOW, HOW DARE YOU SLACK OFF WHEN YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE TRAINING GROUND FULL OF TRAINEES TO WHIP INTO SHAPE?!

NO, YOU STAY PUT AND MAKE SURE NOT TO DO ANYTHING I WOULD OR WOULD NOT DO, WHICHEVER LEADS TO TROUBLE!

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

WHY, YOU LITTLE...! WHO DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!

TEEHEE!

ENJOY RUNNING AROUND WITH SWEATY YOUTHS WHILE I WINE AND DINE!

THAT BLASTED SCOUNDREL...!

EVEN THE MEREST WHISPER OF HIS USUAL SHENANIGANS AND LORD SECT LEADER WILL HEAR ALL ABOUT IT, I SWEAR!

WILL HE BE ALL RIGHT, BROTHER?

NO DOUBT HE WILL. THIS IS HARDLY HIS FIRST DUTY AS THE SECT'S MOST DERANGED ERRAND BOY.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE MISSION I WORRY ABOUT...

THAT GHOULISH GRIN UPON HIS FACE...

I FEAR HE MAY BE EVEN MORE UNHINGED THAN USUAL.

HEHEHEHE!

WELL... IT IS OUT OF OUR HANDS NOW.

IF YOU SAY SO...

HOW MANY YEARS, I WONDER?

I RECKON IT HAS BEEN OVER THREE DECADES, BROTHER.

30 LONG YEARS... AN ENTIRE ERA HAS COME AND GONE.

NOT ONCE DID I EXPECT THAT I WOULD ASCEND THESE MOUNTAIN TRAILS ONCE MORE.

NOR US, SENIOR BROTHER.

HAD YOU NOT SENT WORD TO GATHER US ALL AGAIN, I DARESAY NOT ONE OF US WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO REVISIT THESE PEAKS.

PERHAPS SO.

JUST A LITTLE FARTHER, BROTHERS. HYEONJONG AWAITS US.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS... WE SHALL HAVE MUCH TO CATCH UP ON.