Work Text:
Even though Hyun Sang was the highest ranking person among the disciples currently congregating outside the mansion gates, Baek Cheon positioned himself at the front.
This mission for which they were hired was a special favor for the emperor's favorite concubine, who was very fond of books written by the mysterious Chung Myung.
Chung Myung didn't often leave the compound he lives in except to wander to the restaurant that is a few li from the mansion, and to the best liquor store in Xi'An, where he was considered their most valuable customer. He was addicted to alcohol and every time he published a new piece, he will visit his favorite restaurant to eat a banquet. That was the information they gathered about his behavior after inquiring among local civilians.
Baek Cheon was here in the capacity of leader, practicing some of the valuable qualities he would need in leading the biggest and best Sect in Kangho. He would prove to be able to lead his Sajae, protect the client and form good relations with the imperial family.
He even read some of Chung Myung's works: 'Crimson Snow Flowers', 'Longing For Spring', 'The Proud Immortal Swordsman' and 'The Young Master's Portrait'.
Although he had to admit that he read more than strictly necessary for true pleasure. He had even stowed a few among the luggage they were carrying. The stories were mostly about martial artists, which naturally attracted his interest, and he would also go over concepts about swordsmanship and the Tao, which led him to reflect on his own attitude.
If he had to criticize something... It would be that the end for the protagonist used to be rather bitter, how many nights did he spend drying his tears with a handkerchief while he kept quiet so as not to be mocked by his classmates?
Ahem! Actually, none of this was related to the mission itself, they were to escort Chung Myung to the Emperor's palace!
The mansion door slowly opened, revealing several servants waiting for them, and upon seeing them, they bowed politely.
'Welcome to the immortal masters, allow me to lead you to the guest room where our master awaits you."
“We appreciate your help, young maiden” Baek Cheon nodded equally courteously, following the maiden, who seemed a bit flustered. She was perhaps not used to receiving visits from cultivators, although it is not what she would expect from those living in Xi'An.
Actually, he wasn't clear on this matter. The first ones they should call to escort the grandmaster from Xi'An should be the Zhongnan cultivators, out of some sense of loyalty instilled in living in the city where their sect enjoys a good reputation. But Chung Myung himself refused to be led by them and instead the emperor's concubine suggested with great relief the Mount Hua Sect.
Who were some Zhongnan cultivators compared to the famous plum blossom swordsmen?
Somehow, Baek Cheon knew that there would be some political conflict that would blow up in his face. Fortunately, Master Chung Myung was known for being aloof, and Baek Cheon dared to surmise (based entirely on the books he read), his personality was reserved, analytical, and courteous.
Soon Baek Cheon's group arrived at the waiting room, where the respected master was already seated in front of the low table as informed by the maid. It's just that his posture... It was somewhat carefree.
“Master, the guests from the Mount Hua Sect have arrived”, the maiden announced despite the fact that it was quite obvious, probably hoping that if she did, her master would be forced to rise from his comfortable position to greet them warmly with the respect people should show to such esteemed guests.
Master Chung didn't seem concerned with social norms or the conventional manners, it was much to his chagrin that he stood up to greet them with a higher than appropriate bow.
“I welcome the esteemed guests of the Mount Hua Sect. Let me introduce myself: I am Master Chung Myung."
'He sure has a fat face to call himself master', Baek Cheon thought.
With a smile, he said instead, “It's a pleasure to meet Master Chung. I am Baek Cheon, first class disciple of the Mount Hua Sect."
Said master didn't seem to have the patience to continue with the proper greetings and introductions, he quickly motioned them to the cushions on the other side of the table.
"Please, feel free to take a seat."
It was rare for him to use cushions instead of a high table, but Baek Cheon did not vocalize thoughts of him. In his place, he took the initiative by settling himself in front of Chung Myung. To Baek Cheon's right, Hyun Sang sat looking reserved, followed by Yu Iseol, and to his left was Yoon Jong, followed by Jo Gul.
Thus, Baek Cheon again take the word.
“We have received Lady Yin's letter to escort Master Chung to the royal palace."
He left the words hanging in the air, waiting for the other to add some comment, preferably an effusive thank you. In his place, Chung Myung seemed quite unhappy, dangling the glass of liquor between his fingers as if he was criticizing them in the privacy of his mind.
It is worth mentioning that he was not very private, since the grimace on his face reflected very well his feelings of reluctance.
The young maiden approached their table, holding a tray with a steaming teapot that gave off the soft fragrance of jasmine tea. As Baek Cheon bowed his head waiting for Master Chung to address them, the maid handed out the cups and poured the liquid into them in silence. Afterward, she set out a small plate of snacks for the guests.
Finally, Chung Myung spewed out eight words, “… So, are you guys going to escort me?"
The room fell silent. The maiden froze in the position of her where she was walking towards the door. Hyun Sang squeezed the ceramic cup with a frown. Yoon Jong narrowed his eyes. Jo Gul opened his mouth slightly. Baek Cheon... He was honestly speechless.
In the truest sense of the word, the wording just bordered on rude, but the tone that went with it… Whoever he turned to, they just wanted to punch him right in the face.
Using the patience he has hard cultivated, Baek Cheon forced himself not to frown. "That's right, I hope Master Chung finds the arrangement satisfactory."
'Clearly I find you highly unsatisfactory, brat', Chung Myung's plum-colored eyes seemed to say.
“Not at all,” he said instead, “I just hope it won't be too much of a burden for the young disciples to escort someone as important as me. After all, it would be troublesome for them to give up halfway or something, so what would I do if I am assaulted by some mountain bandits with no one to defend me?"
"The audacity to call us cowards and inexperienced! Also, what bandit? Just look at you, the bandits might as well run away from you!"
Never before had Baek Cheon been directly insulted by someone. Just being a disciple of Mount Hua was enough to deter any offensive comments, much less would there be people who would dare to call him insufficient in any aspect, his reputation having already been known for years, when he debuted in the intersecting competitions.
“I assure you, no such scenario will happen. Any Mount Hua Sect disciple worthy of his name would not dare commit such an act of cowardice,” he replied with apparent calm, pointing out the insult for what it is. "We stand before you as the Sect Leader deemed us fit for the task, so Master Chung's fears may be assuaged."
Baek Cheon's eyes were like sharp swords backed by his steadfast determination not to back down when it came to something as valuable as the reputation of his beloved sect.
Chung Myung smiled, a little crooked and even seemed mischievous, but a smile all the same. “Okay kid, maybe you're not so bad after all."
Baek Cheon thought that his mental strength was higher than expected, as he was even able to manage to continue the conversation in a civil manner. "If Master Chung has no objection to that arrangement, we will be ready to depart as soon as deems appropriate."
"We will leave tomorrow morning, when the carriage is ready. Until then, stay in the west wing. If they need anything, they can consult one of the servants”, he nodded to the maids who had positioned themselves outside the door as if they were the escort itself.
With a bitter taste in his mouth, Baek Cheon continued exchanging pleasantries. “Master Chung is considerate."
Chung Myung raised the glass to his lips, taking a slow swallow with lowered lashes. His shoulders contracted slightly.
He seemed to be holding back a laugh.
The servants entered at that moment, bringing with them several plates of food, just the smell was enough to start salivating.
Putting down his glass, Chung Myung pointed his open palm up in the direction of the servants. "They've come a long way and... All that. Please enjoy the feast."
Never before had the disciples of Mount Hua been offended by someone offering them food! The phrase that speaks of the value of good company along with food has some merit
Hyun Sang, who had let Baek Cheon lead the conversation until now, put down the cup of jasmine tea with a small thump on the wood. "Master Chung should know, the Sect Leader accepted Lady Yin's request in consideration of the Sect's good relationship with the imperial family. Another thing is, however, the relationship of Master Chung and the Mount Hua Sect."
At this, Chung Myung did not seem concerned. "I hope the major doesn't feel prejudiced, but it is also my duty to ensure the quality of my escort. However, I concede your point. After all, this is an arrangement arranged by Lady Yin, I wouldn't have to worry at all!"
Jo Gul looked back and forth at the conversation with narrowed eyes, almost like the exchange that would take place between two swordsmen. As the son of merchants, he was the one most familiar with the subtle hints thrown between sentences.
Hyun Sang said, 'We are doing this for Lady Yin, even if we continue with this, your personal relationship with Mount Hua will suffer at the end of this.'
And Chung Myung unhesitatingly responded in kind: 'You are bound by Lady Yin, if you don't like it, I dare you to leave.'
'How insidious. What could Major Hyung Sang, or Sasuk, have to say to that?' Jo Gul thought with a growing headache. 'Even if Master Chung decides to continue behaving inappropriately the rest of the way, there's nothing we can do until we return him safely to his mansion.'
After that, who cares if they like each other or not? Chung Myung will still have the favor of Lady Yin that they so seek, so they could not be deliberately difficult with him at the risk of souring Mount Hua's relationship with the imperial family. The worst part is that the thug knew it and seemed ready to abuse it.
Once Baek Cheon had gotten ready to go to bed, he touched the scroll he had previously tucked up his sleeve with regret.
The story was not to blame for being written by a bastard...
Until then, Baek Cheon had amused himself by reading 'Crimson Snow Flowers' before they arrived at the author's mansion.
Shin Yong, the protagonist of said story, had left his home Sect after suffering betrayal at the hands of his own master, whom he previously admired. The aftermath of the betrayal damaged his dantian, leaving him unable to perform any technique that requires spiritual energy, for which he had to abandon his path as a master swordsman.
Resentful of the betrayal of the one in whom he placed his trust, he thinks of revenge. However, since he could not carry out any kind of act of force on his own, he sets up a business that allows him to hire rogue cultivators willing to attack a master of one of the righteous sects.
Baek Cheon had left the book halfway through, once he had earned enough money to start his plan, where he began to plot with the help of the connections he made on his journey.
Going through the previous pages, he found one of his favorite pages:
“Almost a year ago, he had glimpsed the same stars through the window of the room where he used to spend his nights as a disciple.
»When he first arrived, he was still filled with dull happiness, unable to fully believe that he could form a place to belong with his master and martial brothers. He had practiced until the skin on his hands peeled off, absorbed in learning. every nugget of information others had to give and eager to show how grateful he was.
»The calluses of that time had healed. His hands, if he looked closely, began the process of forming new calluses in other places according to the tools he had become familiar with on the farm. The quiet contentment and firm ground on which he walked safely were torn away.
»After that incident, he felt that his anger did not leave room for other thoughts, he only wanted to reach his master to repay the humiliation in a thousand ways.
“Perhaps what hurt the most was the loneliness.
»So he couldn't stay in his Sect, he had to leave the home he built with so much effort on his own feet. He wasn't even sure where to turn, who to meet, why continue.
»It was like withered leaves cradled by the wind, with no clear destination, just drifting."
For this protagonist, Baek Cheon had imagined the soft gaze filled with sadness, silently carrying the heavy thoughts of resentment sitting softly in the background. The lonely but hard-working image was a bit pitiful.
But at this moment, he felt the blue eyes turn pink, the stoic expression slowly turning into a vivacious one, full of conflicting emotions that lit his eyes with the fire that was ready to consume the world, keeping others in fear of his explosion. The words would then contain the frustration he must have been experiencing.
Baek Cheon imagined a lost Chung Myung, how could he help being less than stubbornly impulsive in his frustration? He wasn't a bad image, per se.
See that man wander, taking a random direction while pretending to have a goal so as not to be consumed by helplessness in a moment of vulnerability.
If it weren't for the less than stellar manners that the other party shamelessly exhibited, he might have qualified his appearance as cute. It was a pity that the soul residing in that body was that of an asura and not some good lowly man.
Just imagining his beloved protagonist with that appearance made his stomach twist in disgust!
Yuck.
The book was left on the nightstand with a disappointed sigh.
The candles went out with a flick of the hand.
The next day, Yoon Jong was afraid that he would have to wait until afternoon for Master Chung to wake up. It must be said that the impression received was not positive, so they waited for all the bad habits that he might exhibit later in an effort not to be disappointed.
He wasn't the only one surprised to see him fully prepared for a productive day, sending his servants around to get their things in a certain order onto the carriage long before a sect's own disciples had even emerged from their rooms.
"Aah, they're finally awake," Chung Myung pointed out wryly, more alert than was appropriate for the ungodly hour. If he squinted, he could see the sun just peeking over the horizon.
The bandits they faced were taken down with the joint efforts of the young disciples. The disciples' appearance could not be called bad, but after struggling and even rolling on the ground, their white robes were found to be stained with road dust, some tears, and even the blood of the bandits who were now helplessly tied up. make one more move.
Chung Myung clicked his tongue. Barely half a stick of incense had passed since the start of the battle when Master Chung had begun to loudly complain about his work.
"Hurry up, we don't have all day!"
"They're just bandits, they barely know a trick or two with qi, why do they learn martial arts if they don't apply them correctly!?"
"Aigoo, this is why you shouldn't be soft with children, or later they won't be able to face the real world..."
Jo Gul had been the first to turn angrily towards Master Chung, his face wrinkled in an ugly expression filled with all the resentment stored in his little heart.
Baek Cheon, who was gritting his teeth as he swung his sword with more force than necessary to hit his opponent, was not having a good time either. First of all, this young disciple was used to the praise and positive reinforcement that the elders had to offer. Secondly, these bandits couldn't even be called bandits, they looked like seasoned old disciples who had been sent out anonymously by some sect, how dare that hooligan sit around doing nothing while he criticizes his efforts?
If it's that easy, do it yourself, Baek Cheon thought stoically.
"We're doing the best we can!" Yoon Jong responded kindly, saving the group from a political incident. "Master Chung, please stay calm, we will take care of this."
"Really?" Chung Myung snorted, but then his expression changed. "Hey, Blue! Get down!"
Yoon Jong thought "Am I blue?", but he ducked anyway. The sword of one of his enemies, who had hidden out of his line of sight, passed over his head, brushing a few hairs that were cut by the shining edge of the sword.
"Hey, Blue," Chung Myung called again, smiling.
Yoon Jong thanked him out loud, moving a little closer to the carriage when he realized that the bandits had been leading them away.
"Point to the left."
Yoon Jong followed the instructions carefully, facing the exchange between his swords several times before daring to aim to his left as he saw the opportunity. The bandit turned around quickly, steadying his stance, but Yoon Jong had realized his opponent's weakness at that moment: he was overprotecting his left side, where his leg seemed to have some kind of injury, and if he aimed there, his posture would also be affected.
Yoon Jong changed focus, going from defense to offense. Chung Myung smiled, knowing that his advice was listened to something and clear, so he looked over to where the other young disciples were.
"Hey, Red," Master Chung called up, moving toward his second victim. The older ones could hold their own well enough. "Lower your posture!"
Jo Gul automatically complied, realizing his mistake and bringing to mind the scolding of his elders. It was a common but easily forgettable lesson in the heat of battle.
"Also, raise your ass!"
"...?"
Despite him, Jo Gul complied again.
Chung Myung sighed to himself, thinking that after correcting his stance, Jo Gul would gain more stability and could increase the force of each blow, so it shouldn't be long before he's done.
His gaze searched instead for the senior disciple, Baek Cheon. That child was the only one with whom he had exchanged words the day before, leaving a minimally positive impression of his person. He also seemed to have some talent, with the way he handled more opponents than the other disciples. Six bandits pounced on him, clearly used to working as a team. Baek Cheon concentrated on staying on the defensive as he searched for the right moment to counterattack.
That won't work, Chung Myung thought, noting the signs of exhaustion on the senior disciple. For someone like Baek Cheon, facing multiple opponents while his own stamina was low, he would have to rush forward to create an opening for himself.
'Aigoo, what do they teach children these days? They need to train more. They're talented, I can see it, it's just...'
"Hey, daesahyung!" Chung Myung exclaimed. "Do you intend to sit still all day or are you ever going to attack?"
Baek Cheon could feel his head throbbing slowly, bringing a headache as constant as this Master Chung's words.
"I'm busy," he replied through gritted teeth.
"...You're not understanding. You can't just stand there, use your sword!"
Baek Cheon tightened his grip on the sword hilt, retaliating with the next attack on the helpless bandit.
"Master Chung, please wait quietly while I deal with them."
Chung Myung stood up on the carriage. "Can I stay calm? Ha! You brats can't even properly hold a sword and you plan to disregard this master's advice? Listen carefully, carefully!" He took a breath. "You, Baek Cheon, slow down your sword every time you block, you must turn your wrist! From the moment you transition between the poses you must keep the movements flowing, not interrupt it again with that basic pose! What are you, a little disciple who just learned to hold his sword?"
Chung Myung even waved his arm as he demonstrated a smooth transition between moves. He seemed more frustrated than Baek Cheon himself that was being criticized. The bandits were stunned, unsure whether to take the advice to themselves or ignore their target's monologue before cutting him to pieces.
One of the bandits, the one fighting Jo Gul, began to laugh. "Well, it's a harsh criticism, but the young master isn't wrong. These pups are still out of practice, I'm sure they would have improved if they didn't face the fate of dying under our swords."
Jo Gul blinked at the bandit. "Are you... taking pity on us?" He muttered, incredulous.
The bandit listened carefully to the advice and even nodded at all the right moments, then congratulated Master Chung and stood up for the Mount Hua disciples. This all seemed surreal.
However, it seemed that the bandit's defense worked, as Chung Myung calmed down, sitting back down. "That's right, in my day people begged to listen to just one piece of advice from me, and here I am giving it generously but only bandits listen to it, hmmph!" Chung Myung took the bottle of alcohol strapped to his waist, taking a long swallow before continuing spitefully, "If you get cut up, it's none of my business."
Baek Cheon rolled his eyes, but once he calmed down again, he resumed his pleasant speech. “Master Chung, you are right. This disciple is still ignorant, so he would be delighted to receive guidance from him."
A hooligan had a spark of knowledge but now he thinks he's a great teacher, he's just a master at writing!
However, Baek Cheon had noticed that the books written by Chung Myung were full of excellent advice on cultivation and martial arts, so he too didn't dare to look down on him after noticing a certain level of knowledge. Sometimes there are people like that, he supposed, like Elder Chung Jin, those who are much more talented in theory than in practice.
Hyun Sang watched all this in silence, assessing the abilities of the disciples, and with growing suspicion, Master Chung as well. This was the side mission that Hyun Sang was specially entrusted with: determining Chung Myung's true identity. Currently, suspicions seemed to indicate a past as a martial artist, but then, what sect did he come from, and why didn't he carry his sword?
If the rumors were true, then could it be Zhongnan's...?
Chung Myung seemed pleased with the peace offering, happily reclining next to his bottle of alcohol to continue making a list of constructive criticism especially for the young disciples.
Chung Myung's display of skill did not allow him to rest to nights. Baek Cheon took the first turn on guard alongside Yoon Jong, claiming that as the eldest, he should be the first to watch over everyone's safety. Secretly, he thought to himself that he was too eager to sleep, so he might as well do some reading. And Yoon Jong was understanding and tactful.
Opening the scroll that he leafed through that day in Master Chung's mansion, the story continued as follows:
»Shin Yong had always carried the concepts that were taught to him from a young age in his heart. His breathing was always steady, he always maintained a stable posture, and his ears were constantly alert.
»Now, he bent his knees and spread his legs in the initial posture of the Frostcloud Sect's sword style. The foundation lay in the stability of the base, the constancy and sharpness; simple but absolute. From the dantian to the shoulder, from the shoulder to the arm, from the arm to the wrist, from the wrist to the sword... The movements flowed in the succession that he had repeated countless times.
»His sword swung rapidly, the sound of cutting through the air coming a moment after the afterimage left by the sword. Next to the sword, his body moved, forming a continuous circle on the ground that connected all of his movements.
»When he returned to the beginning, closing the cyclic movement, Shin Yong allowed himself to cough. The coughing didn't stop after a moment, and even he found himself having to bring a hand to his mouth, holding back the blood. His right arm didn't respond, hanging limp with only the faint painful tickle in his spirit channels that reminded him of an undeniable truth: he could no longer swing his sword like a swordsman.
»Perhaps dying back then would have been easier than continuing to live with the constant reminder of all he lost and no rope to hold on to. Desperate, he thought: "That bastard is still alive, I can't die yet!"
»For Shin Yong, who had lost the ability to wield the sword he had spent his entire life cultivating on, as well as the place he called home, the only purpose for holding on to his life and fighting on could only be called revenge.
»And yet, traces of despair remained in his heart that clung to another motive: to find a new home.
»He tried to forget everything related to cultivation, but the attempts were in vain. Shin Yong loved martial arts, every bit of his life contained a memory related to it, and even if he tried to lead his life in another path, his mind would inevitably end up plagued with thoughts of new ways to improve this posture or other."
Baek Cheon stared at the last line for a long time.
Even if he tried to steer his life in another direction, he reread slowly. His gaze drifted slowly to Master Chung, who was snoring loudly from the cart with a bottle in his solid grip that reminded him of the unyielding will not to let go of the sword of seasoned warriors.
"It can't be true, right?"
Chung Myung... Who are you?
No, who were you?
All these stories...
He reviewed the titles of the scrolls he brought with him, recalling the plot of each one. In reality, the personality might appear different, but the fundamental points of view that constituted a person remained the same. The stories also had their common threads: a young talent is betrayed by someone he trusted, forced to live a different life adrift as he tries to find purpose, and ultimately ends in tragedy.
Baek Cheon thought of the previous scroll, 'longing for spring', where the young protagonist completed his revenge, and after wandering aimlessly, ended his own life.
Suddenly reinvigorated, Baek Cheon clenches his fists. He was not going to let that happen! Chung Myung could be rude, cheeky, whiny, proud, impatient, spoiled, conceited, haughty- ahem! But he was talented in martial arts, something even Yoon Jong could tell from their brief interaction, when Chung Myung figured out how to deal with an experienced martial artist at a glance; furthermore, it was thinking several steps into the future. He knew where to aim to expose a previously hidden weakness in the opponent's stance.
This kind of talent could also be welcomed in the Mount Hua Sect. If not to fight for himself, then to teach others to do so.
Even Hyun Sang must have recognized his talent, and would probably agree with Baek Cheon's assessment.
He had to recruit Chung Myung.
As Chung Myung slept peacefully, he dreamed of holding a sword in front of himself as he demonstrated the correct stances to the young disciples of Mount Hua, correcting the small angles in their stances and swords that he had noticed in his youth that he would make. He wanted the movements to be more effective.
... If memories of him intruded how they used to do, he would recall emotionally demonstrating these discoveries to his teacher while his warm eyes hid a stinging coldness...
But in his dream, Chung Myung scolded the young disciples loudly as he hid a smile, puffing out his chest with pride at the achievements of the youths who listened intently.
The next day, they all stepped forward with a renewed will.
The young disciples had heard from Baek Cheon about the new plan: they were going to act like young disciples ready to take advice from his senior to stay on his good side, and eventually recruit him into his Sect!
Hyun Sang thought that he should try to get a new ally for his Sect.
And Chung Myung thought he found a good use for his knowledge.
These idiots embarked on a journey of subtle persuasion while pretending to be reluctant.