Mount Hua Reincarnation - Chapter 6: Mount Hua Swordsmanship

Chapter 6: Mount Hua Swordsmanship

As the bone-chilling wind finally ceased, animals that had been hibernating awoke and stirred.

The snow that had whitened the ground melted away, and with the warm sunshine, vibrant flowers began to bloom.

The early-blooming plum blossoms on Mount Hua were now in full bloom, known as “early plum”.

Named for being the earliest to bloom.

A year had passed along with the winter, and Zhou Xuchuan turned ten years old.

Enhanced Physical Exercise is no more, it had been several months since he started cliff climbing.

“Bravo.”

Liu Zhengmu smiled with teary eyes.

“You must have had a hard time these past few months, but you finally did it.

Now, your cliff climbing training is over.”

Liu Zhengmu patted Zhou Xuchuan’s shoulder several times, then turned around as if he couldn’t hold back any longer.

He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, proud of his disciple who had carried out his teachings to the end.

“I hate cliffs… I hate them… Please, no more.

Stop shouting at me to hang in there.

I hate it, the rocks above… no more…”

Zhou Xuchuan muttered with vacant eyes.

His eyes were lifeless, like frozen fish eyes.

The Enhanced Physical Exercise that had gone on for months!

No, the hellish training hidden behind the name of Enhanced Physical Exercise!

Compared to it, even the misery of Louya Hell seemed trivial.

In Louya Hell, one might be rolled to the brink of collapse, but at least life wasn’t directly threatened.

It was merely painful.

But cliff climbing posed a threat to life if one lost focus even for a moment.

There had been more than a couple of instances when he nearly fell due to a misstep or drowsiness.

Worse still, he was not allowed to moan, cry, or ask to stop even if it was tough.

For instance, if he said he couldn’t do it anymore or begged for his life what would follow is…

“It’s okay, you can do it!”

Liu Zhengmu would shout in a crying voice.

The problem was that his voice, filled with zeal and support, caused the gravel and stones to shake and fall.

Just thinking about those moments still made him dizzy.

He had nearly died several times and eventually gave up making any sound of pain or plea for help.

Ever wanted to quit?

He had thought about it tens, hundreds, thousands of times.

But each time he barely managed to climb the cliff, Liu Zhengmu would rush to him, hug him, and apologize in a sorry voice.

“I’m truly sorry to make you go through all this.

But it was necessary for you.

Feel free to resent me.”

Liu Zhengmu, the only person he could call family in all his lives, couldn’t bring himself to quit as he apologized repeatedly with a guilt-ridden face.

‘I wish I had a quirky master who would beat me with a stick instead…’

Then he really would have argued back in anger.

But alas, his heart ached too much to do anything.

In the end, he couldn’t refuse the Enhanced Physical Exercise, including cliff climbing, and followed everything as instructed, completing it all.

The more he did it, the less strenuous it became, but it was still perilous.

Every misstep, every crumbling rockface made him see flashes of a new life.

However, the effectiveness of the training was as high as its dangers.

In the past few months, Zhou Xuchuan’s body had grown remarkably.

After returning from the training hall, he would immediately be led by his master to climb the cliff.

Initially, it took all day to climb.

He rested several times along the way.

It was that hard.

But as time passed, he quickly regretted it.

As it got darker, he realized the increased danger and tried not to rest too much thereafter.

He focused on climbing before nightfall with minimal rest in between.

After climbing, he would return to his quarters, exhausted, and relax his muscles.

Then he would fill his empty dantian by qi circulation before falling asleep.

Thanks to this systematic training, he saw great improvement.

Continuous cliff climbing increased his physical strength and muscle power.

But it also strained his body, especially his muscles.

However, these muscle injuries were healed by the internal energy he gained through qi circulation before sleep.

His daily repetitive training noticeably strengthened and toughened Zhou Xuchuan’s body.

Despite being only ten years old, he looked like he was fourteen.

Zhou Xuchuan worried that his excessive growth might affect his height, but fortunately, he grew tall as well.

The internal energy from the Water Spirit Fruit was indeed significant, but the qi and regenerative power obtained from the plum blossoms were also crucial.

The next day.

When he woke up in the morning, he felt relieved.

The thought of no longer having to climb that dreadful and perilous cliff brought a smile to his face.

He would have slapped anyone who asked if he felt awkward not following his routine of several months.

Zhou Xuchuan practiced Plum Blossom Fist as usual in the training hall.

“Ho?”

The instructor, Tie Xiong, looked at Zhou Xuchuan.

‘He’s growing well because he’s in his growth period. Has he grown taller again?’

Ten years old looking like a fourteen year old was a bit much, but not impossible.

It wouldn’t be strange for his body to grow in the Mount Hua Sect, where they ate balanced meals regularly and spent most of their leisure time moving their bodies.

“Zhou Xuchuan, huh? He’s quick at mastering the Plum Blossom Fist. He seems to be growing up quite well.”

Tie Xiong thought to himself, smiling contentedly.

“Sigh, what should I do when I return home today?”

Zhou Xuchuan headed back to his quarters.

He had already mastered the Plum Blossom Fist.

It wasn’t particularly difficult, thanks to the memories he had from his previous life.

It felt quite strange to be in his quarters at a time when he would usually be at the cliffs.

But it was a pleasantly strange feeling.

A few days later.

The door opened, and Liu Zhengmu entered.

“Master.”

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

Liu Zhengmu smiled gently.

‘Yes. I’m so glad not to go to the cliff.’

He almost said it out loud.

Liu Zhengmu would probably get gloomy and say something like, ‘Do you dislike being with this master that much…?’

“Aren’t you itching to move?”

“N– Yes, a little.”

He didn’t feel like moving at all while lying down.

That was the truth.

“Haha, I knew it. Come on, let’s go outside.”

Zhou Xuchuan followed Liu Zhengmu outside.

They arrived at a private training ground near their quarters.

It wasn’t very large, but it was a space just for the two of them.

Liu Zhengmu pointed to a wooden sword he had prepared.

“Use this. From today, I will teach you swordsmanship.”

‘Ah, is it already time for that.’

From ancient times, Mount Hua was synonymous with swords!

The true beginning of Mount Hua’s martial arts was when one held a wooden sword.

Its importance was such that it was passed down in sayings like these.

Even newly initiated disciples and their instructors at Mount Hua Sect thought the same.

Before holding a sword, it was all about building basic physical strength and conditioning the body.

Zhou Xuchuan, in his past life, had been overjoyed to hear that he would be taught swordsmanship, jumping up on the spot.

“Now, let me show you a demonstration of the swordsmanship you will learn. This is the Plum Blossom Sword.”

Liu Zhengmu unfolded the basic sword technique of Mount Hua, the Plum Blossom Sword.

He deliberately slowed down the speed so that his disciple could imprint the moves in his eyes.

‘Hmm.’

Zhou Xuchuan sat on the ground of the training ground and watched.

‘I already know all this.’

Before returning to the past, he was one of the five elders of Mount Hua, and later reached the unrestrained realm.

In terms of swordsmanship, Zhou Xuchuan was above Liu Zhengmu.

The Plum Blossom Sword was so easy for him that there was no need to practice it specifically.

Just like the Plum Blossom Fist, it would be enough to familiarize it with the body.

No, it wouldn’t even take as long as the Plum Blossom Fist.

The basics and structure of the Plum Blossom Sword and Fist were almost identical, so once you grasped their essence, you could easily perform both.

It was not for nothing that the Plum Blossom Fist was taught first.

But he couldn’t say to his master, ‘Master, I know the Plum Blossom Sword better than you.’

So he had to pretend to be as interested as possible on the outside.

‘Hmm, master’s cultivation was at the Peak realm if I recall correctly…’

Beyond third-rate, second-rate, and first-rate, one reaches the Peak.

Only at that level could one be discussed as a master in the martial world.

‘Surely, I remember Master was about to reach the Transcendence before he passed away…’

Recalling his past life wasn’t always pleasant, especially when it came to his master, who was like a father to him.

Liu Zhengmu, lying on his deathbed, struggling, and then closing his eyes.

He didn’t even want to imagine that last scene.

In any case, Liu Zhengmu was at the pinnacle of the Peak realm.

He was close to Transcendence but couldn’t overcome that barrier.

‘…Huh?’

While watching the Plum Blossom Sword, a sudden thought struck him.

‘If what Master lacks is not internal energy but enlightenment, then can I teach him…?’

Martial artists, especially those who can’t overcome a barrier, are always thirsty for advice.

Both lower and higher level martial artists listen to those several levels above them.

They hope to get a clue to overcome their barrier from those who have already crossed it.

Such events weren’t common, but they did occur occasionally, leading some to seek masters for enlightenment.

‘Yes, that’s it!’

His mind lit up.

‘If he is stuck before a barrier due to lack of enlightenment, I can help him.’

It was fortunate that Liu Zhengmu was at the Peak realm.

If he had been at the Transcendence, or facing the barrier to the Unrestrained realm, even Zhou Xuchuan wouldn’t be able to help much.

The height of the barrier was one thing, but each master of the Unrestrained realm had their own unique enlightenment to reach that level.

‘I don’t need to teach him anything.

If I just figure out what Master is curious about and give him that clue…’

In both martial arts and academic studies, it’s meaningless to just give the answer.

Even if you give the answer, if it’s not understood, it can increase confusion and thicken the barrier instead of solving it.

‘Okay, let’s try this.’

It felt like the roles of master and disciple had somewhat reversed, but that didn’t matter.

Zhou Xuchuan, who was thrown into the world as an orphan, losing everything.

His master was the one who saved him.

For Zhou Xuchuan, his master was his heaven and earth.

He is a person beyond comparison, even with the leader of the martial alliance or the leader of the Mount Hua sect.

Even after reincarnating, his respect and gratitude for his master remained unchanged, and he was confident enough to say that he would embrace the unorthodox path or become a devil for his sake.

“Master Liu is certainly not someone to remain at just the Peak realm.”

***

A week flew by like an arrow.

During this week, Zhou Xuchuan had been receiving instruction in the Plum Blossom Sword from Liu Zhengmu while pondering how to impart enlightenment. Since the Plum Blossom Sword was fundamental and he already had a perfect understanding of it, Zhou Xuchuan was free to contemplate other things during practice.

However, engrossed in his own thoughts, Zhou Xuchuan overlooked one crucial detail – that Liu Zhengmu was observing him.

“What a surprise!”

Liu Zhengmu was astounded by the swordsmanship displayed by Zhou Xuchuan.

“A year ago, I sensed something extraordinary, but I never imagined it would be to this extent!”

The Plum Blossom Sword, being fundamental, is easy. If one has mastered the Plum Blossom Fist, its difficulty significantly decreases. However, it’s impossible to wield the Plum Blossom Sword so effortlessly within just a week. Even if it was initially explained in theory, such proficiency was unusual.

The only conclusion Liu Zhengmu could draw was, “My disciple is a genius!”

Zhou Xuchuan was certainly not a genius in the traditional sense. He did not possess innate physical abilities like strong bones or reflexes, nor was he born with exceptional qi or blood vessels. Liu Zhengmu, more than anyone else, knew this.

But talent is not limited to physical and mental abilities; it can also be a specific affinity, like for the sword in Zhou Xuchuan’s case. Liu Zhengmu believed, or rather, was mistaken to think, that Zhou Xuchuan had such innate talent for swordsmanship. In reality, Zhou Xuchuan was merely replicating the skills he had achieved in his previous life, and the Plum Blossom Sword was fundamental enough to facilitate this.

Unaware of this, Liu Zhengmu assumed Zhou Xuchuan had a natural gift for swordsmanship. Had it not been for Liu Zhengmu’s Enhanced Physical Exercise and the Louya Hell, Zhou Xuchuan wouldn’t have been able to progress this far. Even while contemplating advice for his master, Zhou Xuchuan had to perform at his best without arousing suspicion, yet the physical prowess gained from the hellish training unconsciously made him display the full breadth of the Plum Blossom Sword.

“This level of skill could surely qualify him for the Lotus Pavilion…”

The Lotus Pavilion, one of the structures within the Mount Hua Sect, was an institution only for the chosen ‘Fourth Generation Disciples.’ It was essentially a concentrated version of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters, meant for the most promising disciples under adult age to receive specialized training. Exceptional individuals, like the disciples of the Sect Leader or the Five Elders of Mount Hua, also trained there, typically starting with a considerable advantage over regular disciples.

Most of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters throughout history came from the Lotus Pavilion. Unfortunately, Liu Zhengmu never made it to the Pavilion due to his frail constitution. However, with Zhou Xuchuan’s skills, he could easily enter the Pavilion for higher-level training. If lucky, he might even receive a special spiritual medicine and direct instruction from dedicated masters. Proving one’s strength and talent could earn the highest treatment – a common practice in large sects like Mount Hua, or indeed in the martial world.

A few days later

Zhou Xuchuan made a request to Liu Zhengmu.

“Master, I apologize for the imposition, but could you show me a sword technique other than the Plum Blossom Sword?”

“A sword technique other than the Plum Blossom Sword?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Xuchuan nodded affirmatively.

Liu Zhengmu pondered upon his disciple’s request. His disciple had only been practicing the Plum Blossom Sword for just under two weeks – not even two weeks since he first held a sword. No matter how talented, teaching advanced sword techniques would be detrimental if the Plum Blossom Sword hadn’t been fully mastered yet.

Sensing his master’s concern, Zhou Xuchuan quickly added, “I’m not asking for instruction, just to observe. As a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, I would like to see a proper Mount Hua sword technique at least once.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Simply showing, as opposed to teaching, shouldn’t pose a problem. In the training halls, senior disciples often practiced sword techniques beyond the Plum Blossom Sword. If merely watching was problematic, restrictions would have been imposed long ago.

Before demonstrating, Liu Zhengmu felt his disciple’s expectant gaze and pondered which technique to display.

‘Let’s see…’

Five techniques came to mind: the Six Harmonies Sword, Falling Blossom Sword Technique, Plum Blossom Luminous Sword, Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, and Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art.

The Six Harmonies Sword and Falling Blossom Sword Technique were slightly advanced compared to fundamental sword skills, typically learned by outer disciples before they leave the mountain. The Plum Blossom Luminous Sword was one of the rare swift swords of Mount Hua, and the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword incorporated the five elements. Both were moderately advanced, accessible only to recognized outer disciples and represented the limit for them. Higher-level techniques were exclusive to the core disciples.

The Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art, as the name suggests, was a simplified version of the Twenty-Four Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art. It was at the higher end of advanced Mount Hua martial arts, correspondingly difficult. Even Liu Zhengmu hadn’t fully mastered it.

“I will show you the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art.”

Liu Zhengmu decided to demonstrate the most advanced technique he could perform, wanting to show his best to his disciple.

“Before I demonstrate, let me ask you something. Do you know about the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art?”

“Yes, Master. The Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art, starting with ‘Plum Blossom by the Road’ and ending with ‘Plum Blossom Bursting Forth’, is a Mount Hua sword art composed of fourteen movements.”

The Twenty-Four Movements Plum Blossom Sword Technique, as the name implies, consists of twenty-four movements. Reaching its final movement, ‘Plum Blossom Fragrance Travels Thousand Miles’, one’s swordplay could emit the scent of plum blossoms. Some may ridicule this as trivial, but it signifies the ability to influence the natural order through swordplay – a realm every swordsman dreams of.

“Good, you know it well. But let me add something so you don’t misunderstand. The movements of the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art, while appearing similar to the Twenty-Four Movements, are slightly different. If they were the same, it wouldn’t be the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art, would it?”

“A scaled-down version, or a lower compatibility, if you will.”

Zhou Xuchuan, already knowledgeable, responded to Liu Zhengmu’s lengthy explanation. The Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art was a simplified version of the Twenty-Four Movements. By condensing the fourteen movements into one technique, the difficulty decreased, but so did its power.

“You understand well. That’s enough.”

Liu Zhengmu smiled satisfactorily at his disciple’s answer and then positioned himself to demonstrate the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art.

Watching the technique unfold, starting with ‘Plum Blossom by the Road’, Zhou Xuchuan felt an unexpected surge of emotion.

“To see something I couldn’t in my previous life…”

In his previous life, mastering just the Plum Blossom Sword was challenging enough. Liu Zhengmu didn’t show him advanced techniques, fearing it might hinder his progress. The plan was to teach him when he reached a certain level, but tragically, Liu Zhengmu died before that could happen. Despite their close master-disciple relationship, Zhou Xuchuan had rarely seen his master’s swordplay.

‘Ah, this is not the time for such thoughts.’

Zhou Xuchuan internally admonished himself and focused intently on Liu Zhengmu. Although Liu Zhengmu was currently at a higher cultivation realm, Zhou Xuchuan, having reached the unrestrained realm in his past life, had a more discerning eye.

He quickly understood the nuances of Liu Zhengmu’s swordsmanship and martial arts. “He seems perfect up to the ninth movement, but he struggles from the tenth, ‘Plum Blossom in Full Bloom.’ Fortunately, it seems more a matter of practice than a lack of understanding…”

Zhou Xuchuan had mastered the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art before his reincarnation. Given enough internal energy and time, he was confident he could perform it even more perfectly than Liu Zhengmu.

Suddenly, his eyes sparkled with insight.

Liu Zhengmu executed up to the fourteenth movement, ‘Plum Blossom Bursting Forth,’ visibly exhausting a significant amount of energy and stamina, evident from his sweat.

“Now, what you’ve seen up to now is the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art. Unfortunately, this unworthy master couldn’t perform it perfectly. I apologize.”

True to Liu Zhengmu’s character, he didn’t resort to pretense or vanity, common among martial artists, especially in the orthodox faction, who often have high pride and try to hide their shortcomings. Liu Zhengmu openly admitted his limitations and apologized for not demonstrating the martial arts fully.

“No, Master!” Zhou Xuchuan clapped his hands with eyes full of boundless trust. “Even the Sect Leader or the Martial Alliance Leader would exclaim in admiration upon seeing such excellent swordsmanship!”

Liu Zhengmu laughed as if he couldn’t help it, seemingly not displeased. “You haven’t heard the saying ‘too much of a good thing’? Overpraise can seem like flattery.”

“I’ll bear that in mind, Master.” It was not flattery. For Zhou Xuchuan, Liu Zhengmu was akin to a deity.

“Is there any other sword technique you wish to see? Since it has come to this, I’ll show you something else.”

Zhou Xuchuan inwardly rejoiced, yet outwardly maintained the guise of an innocent, curious ten-year-old. “I would like to see the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, Master.”

“An opportunity for this master to redeem himself. I have perfected the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, so I will demonstrate it in full.”

As core disciples of the Mount Hua Sect master the Plum Blossom Sword, they learn several higher-level martial arts, including the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword. Liu Zhengmu didn’t find it odd or surprising that his disciple wanted to see it.

“Master, due to my limited experience, I failed to fully grasp the Fourteen Movements of Plum Blossom Sword Art when you demonstrated it earlier. May I trouble you to perform the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword slower?”

“Of course.”

Liu Zhengmu was pleased to see his young disciple, only ten years old, showing such enthusiasm for martial arts study. Talented and with such a commendable attitude, Zhou Xuchuan was a source of pride as a disciple.

He proceeded to demonstrate the first movement of the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, deliberately slowing down the pace. It’s a well-known fact in martial arts that performing any technique – be it swordplay or otherwise – more slowly is often more challenging. Slowing down requires significant strength, stamina, endurance, and mental focus.

Although Liu Zhengmu had previously mastered this technique, performing it slowly required considerable concentration, especially for advanced techniques beyond the level of the Plum Blossom Sword.

And Zhou Xuchuan was aiming for that.