Chapter Text
A nine-year-old boy named Ji walked for several days until he reached Huain County in Shaanxi. The entire journey he had made seemed like nothing compared to these mountains, but the boy... only with renewed vigor he gathered his resolve and trudged towards them. On the way he stopped at the river - he had not drunk for a long time, and the water in his bamboo vessel was over. On the water surface reflected a young face. Even though he was just a boy, he looked like a beggar and looked like a beggar, which he was until he decided to go to the Huashan sect. Long, light brown hair fell into the water, dulled by dirt and dust, as did his almond-shaped black eyes, which shimmered with a reddish tint in the light. After washing his face, Ji turned towards Huashan, and memories of his purpose for coming here flooded back.
A few days ago,
A brilliant pink flower towered over the entire Jianhu, and a black-clad swordsman held it in his hand, looking like a protector. When Ji woke up, he spent the entire day thinking about this dream and asking the older beggars about the pink flower and whether there was a sect like it. The boy couldn't forget the awe-inspiring feeling he had experienced from this sign and the swordsman who protected the flower. To Ji, it seemed like something out of this world. So finally a beggar told him about the Hua Mountain sect and Ji decided to go there, even though the same beggar uncle warned him that the sect was in debt and they lived worse than the beggars themselves.
Our time
As he continued through the forest, he could feel the freshness of the rain that had recently fallen. Ji was glad that Huashan was located in Shaanxi, near the city of Jinyang (formerly Taiyuan). By the end of the day, he had reached the huai and spent the night there.
In the early morning, Ji got up and began climbing the mountain, determined to reach the top before sunset. The mountain freshness was different from the forest freshness, and it was pleasant, but the whole idyll was disrupted by the fact that his legs began to give out at some point on the way up. Gee looked at the mountain with annoyance and a little bit of anger, muttering to himself:
"Damn Taoists..."— forgetting the fact that he would soon become a fucking Taoist himself.
After continuing on his way for several hours, he sat down in the shade to rest. The sky was blue, the sun was bright, and Ji's thoughts were dark, and he was already considering changing his mind about going to the Hua Shan Sect. As he looked down at his feet, he remembered his last dream, which was about the swordsman who protected Hua Mountain. This time, he saw more clearly the pinkish-red eyes and the high ponytail tied with a green ribbon, but he looked desperate. Usually, Ji wasn't used to showing sympathy for people, but his man from his dreams looked far too wretched and burdened. Memories of his dream flashed through his mind, and bile rose in his throat. The swordsman reminded him of a wounded animal, and he convinced himself that this was the reason why he felt sympathy and wanted to help the swordsman carry his burden.
Unlike the cruel villain from Guanxi that he had heard about, this swordsman exuded not evil, but an endless, hard-won loyalty. Rising abruptly, Ji shouted to himself that this strong, unfortunate swordsman would not be sad, and with this determination and renewed energy, he continued his ascent, vowing not to stop again..
So, by sunset, with his breath heavy and labored, he reached the gates of the Huashan Sect. When he saw the gates, he sighed heavily.
"This sect is indeed poorer than the beggars," but then he thought that Taoists would not beg, so he dismissed the idea.
Standing at the gates of the school, he knocked. Within a few minutes, a man opened the door. Based on his attire, he appeared to be a first-generation disciple. Remembering that he should introduce himself, he folded his hands in greeting and said in a voice full of determination:
"Greetings! My name is Ji. I wish to join the Huashan Sect!"
So Eun Am, as the man who was the senior teacher of the first generation introduced himself, took him first to the ancestral temple to pay his respects, and then to the sect leader's residence. As they walked, Ji noticed that the place was worthy of its name. The entire place was filled with the scent of plum blossoms. Even though they had already wilted, but the smell was pleasant and calming. The sect itself was in a state of disrepair, but he had expected this, as even the poor had not come, and he was not included. Perhaps he is beginning to understand why that swordsman, perhaps his Sasuk or Saheng, or even his Sajil, is protecting the sect.
At the entrance to the sect leader's residence, HYoon Jong, as Un-am told him on the way, his gaze was full of concern as he looked up at the sky. Ji's first impression of the sect leader was that he resembled a true daoist, which he was unlikely to become, but he would strive to be. As Un-am approached the sect leader, he began to tell him about the boy:
"This child, Ji, said he wanted to join the sect, and I told him that we were currently recruiting students for the third generation of Cheon."
Hyeon Jong listened and approached the boy. Ji saw the sect leader's calm gaze, but he saw wisdom in it. He greeted the sect leader in the same way as he had done before the sect gates. The sect leader, looking into the boy's eyes, which were simply staring back without disdain, asked softly, "Why do you wish to join our sect?"
At that moment, Ji began to think about what to say, and he said the first thing that came to mind, which he had heard from some beggars about a man associated with the Hua Shan sect:
"I admire the Plum Blossom Sword Saint! And I... I like the Huashan Sect itself. It's a sect of heroes." the last sentence was said more quietly but with sincerity. He had seen in his dreams that many Huashan disciples were fighting against a cult, and he believed in his dreams, so for him, the sect was also a sect of heroes. However, the real reason was that he wanted to be a part of something bigger and was curious about what was weighing down the swordsman in his dreams. Thus, he was accepted as a disciple. HYoon Jong looked after the child, whose name was now Chung Ji, and thought,
"The child knows about Hua-shan and looks happy to be accepted into the sect."
To him, Chung Ji was a cute child, and he hoped that he wouldn't be disappointed in the sect.
Sasuk Un-am escorted him to the White Plum dormitory, and on the way, he learned that there was only one other disciple, Yoon Jong.
Once they arrived at the dormitory, Chung Ji washed and bathed, and met with his sahen, Yoon Jong. In Chung Ji's eyes, Yoon Jong appeared gentle and kind, but he was not as powerful as the sect leader. That's how Yoon Jong met him, showed him the dormitory, and explained the daily routine. This marked the beginning of his life at the Huashan Sect.
Months passed, new disciples came, time flowed like water that flows and you don't pay attention.
6 years later
The day was supposed to be like usual. Chung Ji as always got up early and did strength training, he believed a true warrior should have muscles, not stick-like arms.. Against all odds it was a long awaited day for Chung Ji he had been seeing more visions in his dreams of that swordsman, but younger. and he thought it should be in the near future but still it was fast.
After training, which was difficult for Chung Ji to call training because they didn't put in their full effort, which annoyed him, he heard a ruckus coming from the dormitory.. Near the door to one of the rooms, he could hear the voice of his sajil, Jo Gol. As Chung Ji approached, he saw a boy about his age with his hair tied in a high ponytail and pink eyes.:
"It's him!"
Chung Ji immediately approached and wanted to scold Jo Gol, but he was faster, and the new kid sent him flying towards the ceiling with a single punch, and Cheong Ji decided to retreat before he became the next target. As he looked around the corner, his whole body was buzzing with adrenaline as he waited for the chaos to subside. When it was over, he stepped out of the corner and looked at Jo Gol, who said reproachfully,
"Sajil, I told you your 'greetings' would lead to no good."
The swordsman from his dreams turned his gaze upon him. As Chung Ji introduced himself, Chung Myung watched him closely. He saw a determined, excited glint in the boy's eyes — a look that felt like he had been waiting to see him for a very, very long time.