Mount Hua Reincarnation - Chapter 3: Plum Blossom Loner

Chapter 3: Plum Blossom Loner

Training Hall.

“Zhou Xuchuan!”

“Yes!”

Zhou Xuchuan answered with a strong voice as he came out in response to the call of Tie Xiong, the third-Generation Disciple of the Mount Hua Sect and the overseer of Luoya Hell.

“I heard that you achieved five-tenths of mastery over the Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation Method yesterday. Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then, from today, you will also join the fist technique training.”

The physical training before achieving the five-tenths mastery of Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation Method only involved walking back and forth through Luoya Hell and practicing the horse stance.

After about a year of training, when one achieves the five-tenths mastery of Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation Method, the physical training progresses to the next stage.

“I will teach you the Plum Blossom Fist.”

“Yes, I understand.”

While the pride of Mount Hua lies in swordsmanship, it’s not that other martial arts are non-existent.

Although not as prominent as sword techniques, they exist.

Most are not too complicated, relatively simple, and serve as a backup for times when a sword is not used, forming the basics.

“In the martial arts world, there is a saying that it takes a hundred days to master a spear, a thousand days to master a saber, and ten thousand days to master a sword.”

These phrases metaphorically indicate that learning to wield a sword is the most difficult and time-consuming among all weapons.

“Fist techniques also contain the essence of Mount Hua, and they will form a good foundation for learning sword techniques.

So follow without complaints!”

Tie Xiong spoke in a stern voice.

Zhou Xuchuan joined the fist technique training without any complaints.

“Ho, usually people are disappointed not to start with Mount Hua’s sword… But he has a good stance.”

Tie Xiong admired Zhou Xuchuan’s back in his thoughts.

Afterward, Zhou Xuchuan’s daily routine changed slightly.

He would wake up at dawn and practice Qi circulation near a plum tree.

However, this caught some attention.

Most of the fourth disciples were still children, not yet adults.

Children are known for their curiosity.

Naturally, sitting alone by a plum tree every day to practice Qi circulation would attract attention.

“Hey, Plum Blossom Loner.”

As Zhou Xuchuan opened his eyes after finishing his Qi circulation, a group of peers had gathered around.

They were all about his age.

“You only have the plum tree as your friend, huh?”

Hehe.

“It is said that there’s no evil as pure as a child.”

Zhou Xuchuan murmured with a face sunken in sadness.

“What did you say?”

The leader of the children’s group, looking confused, made a face as if he couldn’t understand Zhou Xuchuan’s words.

Zhou Xuchuan stood up silently, his eyes filled with melancholy, and continued.

“Normally, at this point, one would say, ‘I can’t be bothered to deal with you kids, better leave while you can.'”

“What?”

“But you will surely pick a fight with me anyway.

That’s how the world is, a chain of hatred.

So, I will break that chain before it starts.”

Zhou Xuchuan’s words were too complex for the children.

In a child’s world, speaking complexly is seen as being pretentious or annoying.

Initially, they came to tease Zhou Xuchuan, but his attitude gradually annoyed them.

“Come on, you villains! I have been honing my Plum Blossom Fist to break this chain of hatred!”

Zhou Xuchuan leaped into the air, kicking off the ground.

He wasn’t particularly fast.

Having just started learning the Plum Blossom Qi Absorption Method and Plum Blossom Fist, it was natural.

“What the? This crazy guy!”

The leader of the kids, taken aback, threw a punch at the incoming Zhou Xuchuan.

His speed was quite fast.

“Ha ha.”

Zhou Xuchuan dodged lightly, amused.

Although the leader kid was faster and stronger, he was still just a child.

To Zhou Xuchuan, who possessed memories of a past life, the kid was no match.

He could clearly see every move and attack coming.

“Huh?”

The leader kid was startled and turned around quickly, but it was too late.

Zhou Xuchuan had already kicked him in the chest.

“Ugh!”

The leader kid screamed and fell backward.

Zhou Xuchuan stood tall and said in a sad voice, “This is the fist of the martial world.”

“What are you talking about? That was a kick just now!”

The original Zhou Xuchuan was quite quiet and well-behaved. He lived oppressed by a sense of pressure. He had spent his life training, and by middle age, he had become gloomy due to always being cautious.

However, his personality changed after his return. More accurately, he started to unleash everything that had been suppressed. He wanted to live more freely in this new life. But this took a rather absurd turn.

“Cough, cough… Catch that crazy guy!” The leader kid, clutching his stomach, shouted.

Then the other kids screamed and rushed at Zhou Xuchuan.

“Ha ha, this is the Plum Blossom Fist! Take this!” Zhou Xuchuan, with a smirk, faced the kids.

Of course, for him, fighting these children was just child’s play. The kids seemed to be trying their best, but their movements were too monotonous and easy for Zhou Xuchuan. He could dodge them even with his eyes closed.

Zhou Xuchuan dodged the attacking kids like a slippery loach, overwhelming them.

“Aaaah!”

“Eeek!”

The children screamed and fell in droves.

Zhou Xuchuan looked at them and smiled kindly.

“Do you want to be secret friends with this uncle?”

“Eeeek!”

“A maniac!”

For a child, especially a young boy, losing a fight is a matter of great shame, even more so if the opponent is younger and smaller in stature.

The kids who had picked a fight with Zhou Xuchuan were embarrassed about being thoroughly defeated by a child who was not even nine years old. They didn’t talk about it to avoid losing face.

On the other hand, Zhou Xuchuan was worried if they would speak out, but they closely watched him instead.

“Ha ha, that’s kids for you.”

Thanks to this, the commotion didn’t escalate, and Zhou Xuchuan was pleased that he didn’t attract too much attention.

“But I should reflect. I got angry and couldn’t control myself. I feel like I’m regressing in age.”

Zhou Xuchuan reflected on himself but smiled contentedly, recalling the recent event. He had never been this unrestrained before, even in his past life.

“Well, now that there are no distractions, I can focus on training again.”

Incidentally, the kids who had caused trouble were among the highest-ranked in their age group. They prevented others from approaching Zhou Xuchuan out of curiosity, fearing he might boast about his martial prowess.

This allowed Zhou Xuchuan to train alone near the plum tree without attracting attention.

***

A month had passed since Zhou Xuchuan started practicing the Plum Blossom Qi Absorption Method and learning the Plum Blossom Fist.

“Ha ha!”

The results were remarkable.

“I’ve accumulated half a year’s worth of internal energy in just one month!”

The speed of energy accumulation with the Plum Blossom Qi Absorption was no joke. By breathing in unison with the plum tree, he had accumulated half a year’s worth of internal energy in just one month.

At the age of eight, he completed his energy center, and it took him a year to accumulate energy for the five-tenths mastery of Plum Blossom Qi Cultivation Method.

But now, he had achieved half of that in just one month.

It would be strange not to be happy.

Zhou Xuchuan’s internal energy now equaled a year and a half.

“I wonder if this is enough for the Plum Blossom Fist.”

Zhou Xuchuan lightly swung his fist.

Swish!

He already knew more about the Plum Blossom Fist than the instructor. It was just a matter of his body not being skilled yet. After a few focused training sessions, he almost mastered it in less than a month. Before his reincarnation, it took him nearly a year, but now he could handle effortlessly in less than a month.

‘Hmm, the rest is just tedious repetition.’

Even if there’s a mental understanding, it’s meaningless if the body doesn’t follow. Unless one has the legendary Heavenly Martial Body, pushing oneself too hard will result in the body not being able to keep up. He’s still a nine-year-old child whose body is growing. If he gets too greedy, his body could be damaged.

If his body could keep up, he would have already started swordsmanship, but since he couldn’t, he had to progress step by step, using the Plum Blossom Fist to train his body.

To Zhou Xuchuan, this might seem slow, but to others, it was incredibly fast. Usually, unless one is a genius, the understanding of martial arts is low at the beginning, so it’s slow.

‘I should review my plans in the meantime.’

He could execute the Plum Blossom Fist without much thought. It was almost unconscious.

He didn’t need to focus on the specific gestures or the fist path.

Instead, Zhou Xuchuan pondered a few things about the future, organizing his thoughts.

“I really don’t want to think about it, but the first thing that comes to mind among the things that happen to me is…”

A dark shadow fell over Zhou Xuchuan’s face.

It was about something that would happen in five years, when he would be fourteen. It was a decades-old memory, but he still couldn’t forget it. Because that was the year he would no longer be able to see his master, Liu Zhengmu.

Gentle Smiling Sword, Liu Zhengmu.

This nickname, alluding to his ever-gentle smile, suited him perfectly. Zhou Xuchuan knew more about Liu Zhengmu than anyone else and also what the future held.

‘Master…’

Liu Zhengmu was a respectable and honorable martial artist. His considerate nature, kindness, and comforting smile left nothing to be criticized, and his martial skills were exceptional.

In the Mount Hua Sect, there is a position known as the Plum Blossom Swordmaster. This title is only bestowed upon those who pass rigorous assessments and tests of martial prowess, five-tenths of mastery, and character. It represents the pinnacle within the Mount Hua Sect, an idol that every disciple aspires to.

Liu Zhengmu was once a candidate for this prestigious role, a testament to his exceptional abilities. He had dreams and diligently worked towards them, passing several examinations.

However, Liu Zhengmu never became the Plum Blossom Swordmaster due to a chronic illness that he had unknowingly carried since childhood. He had a high understanding of martial arts and executed movements with precision. Yet, he tired easily and had a frail physique due to inherent weaknesses in stamina and bone structure.

As a new disciple in the Mount Hua Sect, he was often teased for his frailty. But Liu Zhengmu didn’t let this discourage him; he worked harder than others to compensate for his physical shortcomings. Despite the difficulty, his resolute willpower saw him through. However, this frailty never improved, even as he aged. Thankfully, he never fell seriously ill but did suffer from minor recurring ailments.

The criteria to become a Plum Blossom Swordmaster are stringent, and frequent illness was a contributing factor to his failure in the assessments.

Zhou Xuchuan was his only disciple because Liu Zhengmu’s health didn’t allow him to take on more students.

‘It was strange when you think about it.’

For a martial artist to be frail is unusual. Internal martial arts are supposed to strengthen the body and mind. It’s odd for a martial artist practicing internal techniques to suffer from frequent illnesses like an ordinary person. Liu Zhengmu wasn’t malnourished or unhygienic. He lived a disciplined life, with proper diet, sleep, and breathed in the essence of nature, which should have ensured good health. Even if he had been born weak, his practice should have overcome this long ago, unless he was extremely old or had suffered a severe internal injury in the past. None of these applied to Liu Zhengmu.

So, why was he ill?

The answer was simple: ‘It was not a weakness, but an illness.’

The nature and duration of the illness were unknown, as well as whether it was congenital or acquired. But this disease slowly eroded Liu Zhengmu’s health and eventually claimed his life five years later.

Zhou Xuchuan only became aware of Liu Zhengmu’s serious illness when his health had significantly deteriorated.

‘I still can’t forget that feeling of helplessness.’

One day, his master collapsed with a high fever. The doctor’s prognosis was grim, indicating the illness had been latent for a long time.

Liu Zhengmu, often sick since childhood, had been under regular medical supervision, but no symptoms were detected until his collapse.

Eventually, Liu Zhengmu passed away without leaving a will, losing consciousness a few days later.

‘I must prevent it!’

Zhou Xuchuan wept profusely upon seeing his master after his regression. Liu Zhengmu’s presence was precious and special to him. He vowed repeatedly to not let his master die.

Saving his master was his first priority.

‘Then, about six years later, when I’m around 15…’

A year after Liu Zhengmu’s passing, a significant event in the martial world’s history occurred.

‘The Secret Vault of the Three-Eyed Divine Thief!’

Three hundred years ago, a legendary thief, known for leaving a mark with three eyes wherever they stole, terrorized the martial world and beyond. This thief, active for nearly a hundred years, was never caught, despite the efforts of the authorities, various martial sects, the orthodox and unorthodox factions, and even the royal court. People believed the thief died naturally, leaving their stolen treasures hidden.

Six years later, this legendary vault would be discovered, causing chaos as everyone rushed to claim the treasure. The ensuing bloodshed was almost like a war, and the vault collapsed due to a mishandled mechanism before all treasures could be retrieved.

‘I must get there first, before this happens!’

In the future, Zhou Xuchuan was unable to venture out due to the Mount Hua Sect’s restrictions. Disciples were not freely allowed into the martial world until they reached a certain age, except in exceptional cases. This was to ensure the disciples were well-prepared and didn’t meet untimely deaths.

‘What should I do?’

Zhou Xuchuan pondered his next steps.

***

Two more months swiftly passed, during which Zhou Xuchuan managed to accumulate another year’s worth of internal energy. His total internal strength now equated to two and a half years.

“Even though I felt it before my reincarnation, this is amazing…”

He was often amazed at the speed of his energy cultivation. Orthodox martial arts are generally safe, emphasizing correct practice to reduce the risk of qi deviation. However, they are also known for their slow progression in building internal strength. On the other hand, demonic martial arts are infamously fast in energy accumulation and training, but come with numerous dangerous side effects.

The Plum Blossom Qi Absorption Method, despite being an orthodox art, had an energy accumulation speed akin to demonic arts. It wasn’t as rapid as demonic arts but was still remarkably fast, bordering on the edge of what one might call semi-demonic.

“Ah, another fulfilling day,” Zhou Xuchuan mused, finishing his daily routine and heading towards his master Liu Zhengmu’s residence around 5 to 7 PM.

Standing at the door, he brushed off the dirt from his clothes and composed himself before entering.

“Cough… cough…”

Startled, Zhou Xuchuan froze, recognizing the coughing sound from behind the door as Liu Zhengmu’s. The same voice that haunted him from his previous life, the voice of the only person he could call family, the person he had always relied on, even as an adult.

‘I’m nine years old, it’s still too early,’ he thought. Liu Zhengmu still had five years left, but it wasn’t “as long as five years” but “only five years.” Early detection and treatment were crucial for any disease. Without knowing the exact nature of the illness, it might already be time for urgent intervention.

For nearly two months, alongside his diligent martial arts training, Zhou Xuchuan had been pondering a solution.

‘I have no choice but to ask the Divine Physician for help.’

The Divine Physician was a legendary figure in medicine. A physician whose medical skills surpass those of a famed doctor. In this era of turmoil, there were many masters and oddities, and the Divine Physician was among them, later dying and leaving his name in history.

‘But how do I call upon the Divine Physician?’

Known for his eccentric nature, the Divine Physician couldn’t be easily summoned or persuaded. Even threats were ineffective against him, and he had a history of ignoring or refusing requests from powerful individuals like martial sect leaders.

‘I remember he had a fascination with rare medical texts…’

The Divine Physician was a collector of medical texts, rumored to possess every medical book in the central plains. If he had not seen a particular medical text before, he was known to do almost anything to obtain it.

‘I wonder if spreading rumors about a medical text in the Mount Hua Sect’s library would work?’

It was a feasible plan, but not sufficient on its own. The Divine Physician wouldn’t just act on a rumor.

Zhou Xuchuan had gone over several ideas, with the most certain one being the Secret Vault of the Three-Eyed Divine Thief. However, he was too young and restricted in his movements to venture out of the sect or travel to the vault’s location.

‘Is there no other way?’

He felt helpless and frustrated at his inability to utilize future knowledge in this situation.

Then, an idea struck him. ‘What about a medicinal spiritual medicine created by the Divine Physician?’

The Divine Physician’s medicines were incredibly valuable, often unobtainable even with vast sums of money. But Zhou Xuchuan realized that he didn’t necessarily need a medicine from the Divine Physician.

‘Spiritual Medicine!’

Spiritual Medicine, containing the essence of nature, were often used by martial artists to enhance internal energy. However, their primary purpose was for healing.

‘Why didn’t I think of this before!’

It was an oversight on his part, having been too focused on more complex solutions.

‘Recalling from my past life, there were several Spiritual Medicines discovered…’

One, in particular, was located near Mount Hua – the Water Spirit Fruit, discovered about twenty years later during the time of turmoil. A rogue, gravely injured in war, stumbled upon a hidden underwater cave with a tree bearing this fruit. Consuming the fruit, his internal energy dramatically increased, elevating him to the ranks of the top martial artists.

‘Thankfully, it’s geographically close!’

The cave was near Huayin, a town just north of Mount Hua, near the rivers that bordered Shanxi, Henan, and Shaanxi. The location was accessible within a day using light body technique or by horse.

‘This rogue was quite talkative, making the location quite famous in the future.’

Moreover, Mount Hua Sect had thoroughly searched nearby caves for more Water Spirit Fruits, so Zhou Xuchuan knew the details.

‘Despite the search, no more fruits or trees were found, but the possibility is worth pursuing.’

The energy contained in such a spiritual medicine could potentially be sufficient to treat Liu Zhengmu’s illness.

‘All this time, I was blinded by the idea of the Three-Eyed Divine Thief’s Vault. I need to broaden my perspective.’

Reflecting on his past actions, Zhou Xuchuan realized he had an opportunity coming up – Liu Zhengmu’s participation in a regular meeting scheduled a week later, lasting three to five days.

‘That will be my chance.’