“Gul?”

“He isn’t conscious yet, but he isn’t seriously injured either.”

Baek Cheon frowned,

“He was caught up in such an attack, but he wasn’t injured?”

“Because there was no intention to kill.”

Baek Cheon, who was silent, nodded his head.

And then he glanced around.

Inside where Mount Hua resided. This place which was once bustling with noise, was now silent.

‘Everyone must have been too shocked.’

Seeing their stiff faces, it felt like it was only sinking in now, but he couldn’t blame them.

Baek Cheon was also shocked by Hae Yeon’s skills.

‘How can a person be that good?’

Of course, he knew that the guy was strong.

He was acknowledged as a genius by Chung Myung, so it was natural that he was stronger than others.

But what shocked him was how accurate he was with his techniques.

It wasn’t surprising that the guy was that skilled. What was shocking was that this fight really only lasted for less than a few seconds.

The Hundred Step Divine Fist, which he used to finish, and the basics he was using before that.

‘It took him less than a hundred seconds to subdue.’

However, Hae Yeon made sure that Jo Gul didn’t even get any chance to land an attack; this was what made him scary.

When even Baek Cheon stiffened, Baek Sang, who was watching this closely, spoke out,

“What is with this atmosphere? On such a nice day! Chung Myung and Yu samae advanced ahead! This is something no other sect has achieved!”

“Yes!”

“Yes, it is a good achievement, but…”

The answers which came back weren’t bright, and hearing those gloomy voices, Baek Sang frowned.

He was about to say more–

Bang!

Baek Sang turned toward the source of the noise, and he saw the door open intensely… no there was one person who was coming in,

“Chung Myung!”

Baek Sang felt happy and approached him.

“See how these guys are.”

“Uh?”

Chung Myung tilted his head.

“Why?”

“No…”

Baek Sang sighed,

“The atmosphere is down, perhaps because they are too shocked.”

At those words, Chung Myung glanced at the disciples of Mount Hua. They all tried to show bright faces to him, but they couldn’t hide the underlying anxiety,

“Umm.”

Chung Myung raised his lips into a smile,

“But now the chickens are a little off.”

“Uh?”

Baek Sang was a bit surprised at this unexpected reaction. Those who were holding their breath were hoping Chung Myung would say something.

‘Did he eat something weird?’

‘No. He couldn’t have eaten anything weird. The only thing he eats is meat.’

‘Isn’t this how one gets their head broken?’

The eyes which stared at Chung Myung turned to Baek Cheon, who flinched,

‘What?’

‘Tell us something.’

‘Why me?’

‘Aren’t you great, sahyung?’

Baek Cheon’s face contorted at these people considering him their great sahyung only now!

“Ahem.”

But in the end, Baek Cheon, who coughed, looked at Chung Myung,

“Aren’t you angry?”

“Uh? Me?”

“No… we were just wondering if you will say killing the opponent is nice.”

Chung Myung smiled,

“Well. Dying wouldn’t do me any good, and it is better to see them continue being alive.”

“…Uh?”

Chung Myung seeing Hae Yeon’s skills and not wanting him dead was shocking.

In the past, the disciples of Mount Hua couldn’t compare themselves with Jin Geum-Ryong, let alone Hae Yeon. They wouldn’t even dare to compare.

Why? Because they thought that both sects were living in different worlds.

There was nothing but despair if they began to compare. It was self-evident that they would stay on the comfortable side of things.

But now, everyone in Mount Hua was in despair, comparing themselves to Hae Yeon.

‘Development starts with realizing the gap between you and your opponent.’

Even if there was despair at the wide gorge of a difference, in the end, one could develop from this. That was a hundred times better than not comparing at all.

“Everyone pay attention.”

Chung Myung was on the ground.

Those who were already paying attention just looked at him.

“So. What do you want to say?”

“…”

No, this bastard called for their attention and then asked them?

Baek Cheon shook his head and opened his mouth,

“How strong is Shaolin’s Hae Yeon?”

“Umm.”

Chung Myung scratched his cheek.

How to explain this…

When Chung Myung seemed to hesitate, Baek Cheon spoke.

“I’ve seen a lot of people who are quite strong, but this is my first time seeing a guy who gives me such a strong feeling. I don’t think we can win, no matter what. That genius out…”

“Ah. Wait. Wait.”

Chung Myung stopped Baek Cheon with a wave of his hand.

“You aren’t thinking that he was born with incredible talent, and that is why we cannot win even if we try our best, right?”

“…”

Every disciple avoided his eyes.

“… to refer to you people as sajae.”

Chung Myung let out a groan,

“Genius or not, where is a guy who cannot be taken down?”

“You.”

“… I am an exception.”

Chung Myung immediately changed his words,

“Anyway! It isn’t that he is extremely talented or something.”

And he looked at Yoon Jong,

“Sahyung!”

“Uh!”

“And what is the reason for that?”

“That…”

Yoon Jong frowned. He knew the guy was strong, but he could never pinpoint it,

“A great amount of internal qi.”

“And.”

“Perfect… uh, right, perfect operation of techniques.”

“Right.”

Chung Myung nodded his head lightly,

“The reason why he is talented and stuff is because he kept honing his skills countless times. He has probably repeated the same training that sahyungs have done, but for over a decade or so.”

“… what?”

“The training sahyungs did.”

“… what we did with you?”

“Yes.”

This.

So…

Was the only difference that he repeated it for more than ten years when they had only done so for the past half year?

“… this sounds like despair-indulging?”

“Is he a Buddha, maybe? A human cannot be doing that.”

“Is that guy insane? Why would he do it?”

So chilling.

For half a year, they had endured the harsh training Chung Myung did and tried not to die.

Thanks to that, they were able to achieve amazing results in this competition. But to do such crazy training for ten years?

“… then.”

“That is enough time for a monkey to kill a tiger.”

Everyone nodded.

If they have been practicing for just half a year, then they were weak.

“Don’t worry.”

Chung Myung waved his hand,

“People tend to limit their talent to only comprehension. They believe a brilliant brain that learns a technique at a glance or rises to a higher level symbolizes a genius.”

“…”

“And that isn’t even half of it. Real geniuses are those who do things that others cannot.”

Chung Myung looked around.

“So don’t be too harsh on yourself, idiots. Are you going to catch up with someone who did what you did for ten years? Is there even one person among us who thought they could surpass the guy who trained for ten years?”

At those words, they realized. As Chung Myung said, there was no one who thought about catching up with Hae Yeon.

And Chung Myung’s eyes, which looked around, were cold.

“Since when did Mount Hua become such a great sect? Did you become skilled people by beating those who claim to be the descendants of famous sects?”

“…”

His relentless words pierced their hearts. Even those who were blushing in shame and those who were arrogant.

Various thoughts ran through their minds.

“There is nothing else that makes him dangerous. It is just that he has always been dedicated. In other words.”

Everyone didn’t take their eyes off Mount Hua.

“Get yourselves together. Do not lose your start. Think of each day as your last. Don’t lose the passion for martial arts, and do your best!”

Such obvious words were said.

“It means that a person who can do the most obvious things is superior. The one who has done it for more than ten or twenty years is like this.”

Baek Cheon nodded his head.

What put them into a shock wasn’t Hae Yeon’s skills or the technique he used.

It was that one fist.

That there was something ‘different’ about him.

And when they understood the secret of it, they felt Hae Yeon was even more shocking.

“There are more martial arts in Shaolin than all the sects in the world, and there are more techniques in other sects, too, which are used similarly. Do you know what it is?”

“… um?”

“Horse Stance.”

“…”

“Those who entered Shaolin always learn it. If they endure it, they increase their weight and do it again, and if they endure, again weight is added.”

Horse stance. Such an absurd thing.

“After that, one year, they practice the basics until a perfect stance can be created. Do you get what I mean?”

Chung Myung continued,

“People pay attention to Shaolin’s splendid movement and strength. But Shaolin isn’t blinded by those things. They pursue a solid foundation rather than the splendor of attacks. Hae Yeon is the one who most perfectly embodies this.”

Baek Cheon took a deep breath,

“… not only to pursue strength but to think about how to become strong.”

“Still, sasuk managed to understand.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue,

“Do not despair in his strength. It is hope. He is proving what would happen if we continue walking on the same path as now. You should be so happy!”

Slowly the eyes of the disciples began to shine.

Clearly, Chung Myung was right.

‘It means we can reach that level if we devote ourselves to that much training.’

How beautiful would their plum blossoms be on that day?

Yoon Jong was a bit shocked,

“But, Chung Myung.”

“Uh?”

“What about you? As you said, we haven’t been able to train as much as Hae Yeon, so you cannot handle Hae Yeon too, right?”

“What nonsense.”

“… Uh?”

Chung Myung held out his stomach.

“He’d have to get lost. The ones with or without hair cannot beat me.”

“…”

It could not be done.

No matter how much they thought, this guy was not a human.

Everyone shook their heads. At that moment, Chung Myung’s face distorted,

“These Shaolin bastards seem to be writing something up, so I will not let them do what they want. I will swallow them!”

“…”

Everyone realized once again what kind of human Chung Myung was.

“Then you will beat Hae Yeon in the finals?”

“Um, well.”

Chung Myung looked at Yu Yiseol,

“Isn’t that something that can only happen if that bastard wins over sago?”

“…”

Everyone turned to her. It was a situation where their burdensome gaze was being accepted by her.

“You mean Samae can beat him?”

“I don’t know.”

“… then?”

“Only one thing is certain.”

Chung Myung smiled,

“Perhaps he will be shocked too. It is the first time he will walk with someone who is on the same path as him.”

“…”

“For now, let’s start by breaking the noses of the Shaolin bastards.”

Chung Myung smiled bitterly.

‘Should I go out right now and play with them?’

He did it before, too, beating them into dogs. And nothing has changed or been learned in the past hundred years.

‘If your ancestors didn’t teach you properly, I will.’

This means things will not go the way their shiny bald heads want.

A bizarre smile crept on his lips, and the disciples of Mount Hua who looked at this trembled.

‘Something feels off.’

‘That bastard seems to be up to something.’

It was the disciples of Mount Hua who left a large dark cloud over the future of Shaolin.