"That's called a stalemate. It literally ans walking in place."
Pan Guan said.
At those words, Cho Myung nodded his head.
Because those words were right. No matter how hard he tried, he was walking in place. He could not feel that he was moving forward at all.
"You rascal, you don't have to be so down about sothing like that. That's also a wall in the end. When a martial artist ets a wall, it also ans that he has grown that much, so you should accept eting the wall as a matter of course and find a way to overco that wall, how can you act as if you've lived all your life?"
"I don't know. I don't know what to do at all. If my master were here, he would have told ..."
"It seems you only see us as useless old n in the back room."
"What?"
"Isn't it that you didn't even think of asking because you think you're no match for us with one punch?"
"That's..."
Cho Myung could not say that it was not so. Because it was true that he had not even thought of asking.
"I'm sorry."
Cho Myung got up from his seat and bowed his head.
At that sight, Pan Guan nodded his head.
"Only those who admit their own shortcomings can fill them. Sit down."
"Yes."
Cho Myung sat down.
He was so sorry that he could not even et his eyes. Pan Guan chuckled at that sight.
"You rascal, you don't have to act like a criminal like that. From now on, if you have any worries, you can just confide in your grandfathers."
"Yes."
Although he answered, he still could not lift his head.
Pan Guan looked at him and recalled what he had heard from the Fighting Demon, Ban Nahan, while drinking with him. And based on those things, he began to speak to Cho Myung.
"To overco the wall you've t, you have to know well about the martial arts you're learning. There are all sorts of martial arts in the world, but they are roughly classified into the martial arts of the Orthodox Faction and the martial arts of the Demonic Faction. If we follow that classification, the Hundred Strikes Art of the Fighting Demon, your big brother, is a martial art of the Demonic Faction."
"......!"
"Don't be surprised. It's just that if we classify it into two, it's closer to the Demonic Faction side. Anyway, if we classify it like that, what's the difference between the two? Well, there are many things, but they are all shabby things, so I'll skip them and tell you mainly about what to do when you et a wall like you, Myung, now. The martial arts of the Orthodox Faction, the so-called martial arts of the prestigious Orthodox Faction, which are called the Xuann Zhengzong, emphasize ditation and training. Because only with enlightennt can you rise to a higher level. So when they et a wall, they do Zen ditation or endless training. They find a greater enlightennt there. That's why the martial arts of the Xuann Zhengzong are also called the martial arts of enlightennt."
It was a lecture on martial arts that he had never heard before.
Cho Myung did not even blink and focused on Pan Guan.
"The martial arts of the Demonic Faction are different. It's the sa that they emphasize training, but while the Xuann Zhengzong finds the parts that cannot be obtained even with training through ditation, the Demonic Faction finds them through fierce actual combat. So the martial arts of the Demonic Faction are also called practical martial arts."
"Practical martial arts..."
Cho Myung muttered.
"That's right. The Hundred Strikes Art you've learned is a practical martial art. It's not a martial art or a martial art that you have to understand the principles of, but a martial art and a martial art that you have to polish and make your own through countless repetitions and actual combat."
"......"
"Just as all streams gather in the river and then flow to the sea, martial arts will also eventually et at the absolute level, so I don't know if enlightennt will be needed soday, but the wall that is blocking you, Myung, now is probably not at that level."
"Yes."
Cho Myung answered and nodded his head.
Since the absolute level refers to the level that people like the Six Orthodox Heavens have reached, he could not even dare to look at it with his current self.
"I heard that you didn't learn by directly clashing with your big brother, the Fighting Demon."
"Yes."
"Martial arts like the Hundred Strikes Art have to be learned by directly clashing with your master. But you couldn't do that because of your big brother's physical condition. Perhaps the wall you've encountered now is due to that."
"Actual combat..."
"That's right. What you need now is actual combat. A fierce actual combat with a strong person like the Mara's Brain Buddha, or at the very least, an actual combat with a person against whom you can fully unleash the Hundred Strikes Art, even if they are not as good as the Mara's Brain Buddha."
At Pan Guan's words, the other people were more impressed than Cho Myung. Because when they heard it, it seed that Pan Guan's words were really right.
Cho Myung also brightened up as if he had found a clue. But he soon hardened.
"I can't leave the clinic. No, I don't want to leave."
The dejected Cho Myung.
Pan Guan did not open his mouth any more.
When he turned his head and looked at Hua Sochen and Jeok Yorap, the two were just staring at Cho Myung with heavy faces.
'Myung has to leave this place. He has to fight and roll around in a bigger world. Only then can he expect sothing that doesn't make sense.'
That was Pan Guan's conviction, who had been watching Cho Myung until now.
***
The cold wind blew and it started to snow just yesterday, but the long, long winter had ended and a warm spring had co.
There was no big change in the Hua Family Clinic.
But the five children, including Biyun, were growing day by day like the new shoots that began to grow at the end of winter.
The children, who had always been hungry, ate well, slept well, and so they gained weight and grew tall.
Thanks to the adults of the Hua Family Clinic who always treated them with the sa warm heart, their wary hearts were released, and they finally showed a bright and energetic appearance like children.
On the other hand, Cho Myung was the sa.
Although he forced a smile, when he turned around, his face was full of serious worries.
Pan Guan's judgnt was right.
What Cho Myung needed was actual combat.
Although he went up to the mountain every day and trained like crazy, he did not feel that he was getting stronger at all.
'No! It's because I'm not good enough. I just have to work harder.'
Cho Myung clenched his teeth and devoted himself to training.
But even when the long, long winter ended, he could not escape the stalemate.
Spring ca, and the wind beca warm, and soon it was sumr. And when the unusually hot sumr was also ending, the Black Night God ca to visit.
It was to take Bai Chuliang and i Yushang.
i Yushang's injury had recovered to the point where she could move on her own. Although it was still difficult for her to exert her martial arts and fight, there was no need for her to stay at the clinic.
"You saved my life. I won't forget it."
i Yushang approached Cho Myung and hugged him.
It was the greatest gratitude she could show.
"Take care of your body."
"Yes. As long as I don't die, the day will co when we et again. I'm already looking forward to how much stronger you will be then. Take care until then."
"Yes."
i Yushang, who had stroked Cho Myung's head, faced Hua Sochen.
"Thank you."
"Don't ntion it."
There were no more words.
But they exchanged greetings of won by looking at each other's eyes, facial expressions, and holding hands. After greeting Hua Sochen like that, when i Yushang greeted the others and got on the carriage, the Black Night God approached Hua Sochen.
"Head of the family Hua."
"Yes?"
"I understand your resentnt towards Tianlian. I will not say anything about that. But always hide it. The greater the resentnt, the more you should hide it. Even beasts only show their claws when necessary."
Hua Sochen just nodded her head without a word.
The Black Night God had more he wanted to say, but he closed his mouth.
'Since she's a smart person, she must have understood.'
Just because Tianlian is the heaven of the Orthodox Faction does not an it is always right.
The Orthodox Path is the path that the people of the Orthodox Faction aim for, but they are not obsessed with it. In order to protect the banner of the Orthodox Path, they do not hesitate to kill. Sotis they even do inhuman things. Of course, in a place that the world does not know.
If Hua Sochen continues to show hostility to Tianlian, a day will surely co when she will suffer a great disaster. He had warned her out of concern for that.
"The road is long. Let's go."
The Black Night God urged Bai Chuliang, who was exchanging greetings, and got on the carriage.
A mont later, until the carriage carrying the three people moved away, the people of the Hua Family Clinic waved their hands.
In the midst of that, Hua Sochen was thinking about the words that the Black Night God had left.
Hide my claws?
Claws...
Well, even a young beast, no, even a full-grown beast, if it carelessly shows its claws, it will beco a prey to a bigger beast, that is the world of the law of the jungle.
What's more, if it's a clinic that can't even beco a young beast, there's no need to say more.
It's right to hide my claws.
I shouldn't show hostility.
No matter who the opponent is.
'It's not enough for just Myung to beco strong. I have to beco strong first.'
I have to beco so solid that I can hide my hostility and always smile. That is the way for , a doctor, and the head of the Hua Family Clinic, to beco strong.
Hua Sochen twisted her lips and smiled.
It was an awkward smile even to herself.
'I'll have to practice more.'
It was when Hua Sochen had made up her mind to change.
"Are you going to the mountain?"
When Hua Sochen looked back, Jeok Yorap was asking Cho Myung.
"Yes."
"Pack your lunch well, and you've been coming down only when it gets dark lately, so I hope you co down when it's bright."
"Yes."
Cho Myung, who had answered almost reflexively, went inside the clinic with heavy steps.
When Hua Sochen was watching him, Pan Guan approached.
"Head of the family."
"Yes."
"We have to kick that kid out. A dragon must leave its narrow pond before it becos an adult."
"......"
It was a statent he had been hearing since winter.
Hua Sochen, as she had been until now, could not refute at all.
***
Thud!
A large tree broke with a crack and fell.
It was a huge tree that would take an adult's arms to wrap around, but when Cho Myung hit it with his shoulder, it broke like a reed.
Cho Myung, who had corrected his posture and turned around.
Behind him, tens of huge trees were lying in a row. They were all things that Cho Myung had broken by hitting them with his shoulder. It was a sight that would have surprised even the so-called masters of the first rate. Nevertheless, Cho Myung's face was not a satisfied expression.
'It's not enough. I couldn't even defeat the Mara's Brain Buddha with this much!'
Cho Myung held up his fist.
He had to beco stronger and more solid.
He took the stance of the Hundred Strikes Art and stretched out his fist.
Thud!
The huge tree broke with a crack.
'This much is not enough!'
Cho Myung looked around and found a huge rock wall in the distance and ran to it in one go.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Cho Myung, who had arrived in front of the rock wall, making his unique loud sound, stretched out his fist.
Thud!
A piece of rock fell and scattered.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Cho Myung stretched out his two fists alternately without resting.
Every ti it exploded, a roar like thunder burst out, and pieces of rock scattered in all directions.
'More! More! More! I have to beco stronger! You and I have to beco one and beco stronger! I have to smash a wall like this with one punch!'
Cho Myung's shout was directed at the Immortal Demonic Aura in his lower dantian.
Until now, he had thought that he had beco one with the Immortal Demonic Aura, but it was not so.
If they had really beco one, he would have beco a huge master like the Immortal Divine Demon.
Now he knew.
That the Hundred Strikes Art, the Immortal Demonic Aura, and himself had not beco one.
That only when the three really beca one would he have the qualification to look at the Six Orthodox Heavens.
Cho Myung stretched out his fist tenaciously.
He was hitting so hard that it felt like his fist was breaking with every punch.
Although he had put all his heart into it in his own way, the Immortal Demonic Aura did not add enough power to smash the rock wall with one punch.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Cho Myung's punching did not stop, not knowing the passage of ti.
The ti when it got dark.
Cho Myung ca down the mountain with a listless face.
But a person was waiting in the dark place.
It was Hua Sochen.
"You're here now?"
"Were you waiting for ?"
"Yes."
"You weren't waiting in Longevity Hall?"
"I had sothing to say separately... shall we walk a little?"
"Yes."
Cho Myung quickly approached and walked side by side with Hua Sochen.
The two walked along the wall of the Hua Family Clinic, which was subrged in darkness.
Cho Myung was curious about what Hua Sochen had to say to him. But Hua Sochen just walked silently for a long ti.
It was when Cho Myung was beginning to worry if sothing was wrong that Hua Sochen opened her mouth.
"Myung."
"Yes?"
"Isn't it hard?"
"What is?"
"You're training all day long, saying you'll protect the clinic."
"It's not hard. I'm worried because I don't have enough strength, but it's not hard at all. Even if it's hard, I can do it as much as I want."
"Yes. You should. You are our family, and we are your family, so of course we have to protect each other."
"Yes. That's right."
When Cho Myung nodded and answered vigorously, Hua Sochen stopped walking. And even though she could not see well because it was dark, she stared at Cho Myung in front of her.
After looking at him like that for a long ti, she suddenly said.
"Myung."
"Yes."
"Let hug you one last ti before you get bigger."
And then she spread her arms.
Cho Myung was hugged without any hesitation.
Hua Sochen, who had hugged Cho Myung with her two arms, stayed like that for a long ti and then said in a soft voice.
"The three, including old master Liu Sheng."
"Yes."
"How strong are they?"
"Well."
"The three of them are there, and they are also mbers of the Haowu Sect."
"Yes."
"Can the demonic path gangs touch our main family?"
"Absolutely not. Even if only one of the three is there, those people can't even look at them."
Although he did not know the martial arts of the three clearly, he knew that they would be more than the King of Hell to the gangs of the demonic path.
"Then the clinic will be safe even without you, Myung?"
"What?"
Cho Myung was so surprised that he tried to get out of Hua Sochen's embrace. But Hua Sochen put more strength and did not let him go.
"Myung, go out into the world. Go out and beco stronger. Co back when you can safely protect all of us even if the whole world cos at you, as Old Man Ban had said. Your sister, the people of the clinic, will be waiting for you until then."
"Sister..."
"Your sister will always be cheering for you. So don't be afraid to go out into the world, and don't hesitate. Got it?"
Cho Myung could not answer.
He just stood there endlessly, hugged in Hua Sochen's embrace.
If only he were a little smarter, if only he were a little stronger...
Since he had heard Pan Guan's story, the more he trained, the more he felt that he had to leave the clinic.
"Sister... I'm sorry."
"No, no. I'm the one who's sorry. And I'm always grateful. So don't say such things, and let's both do our best. Got it?"
"Yes, I will. I'll do my best."
Cho Myung hugged Hua Sochen tightly.
Hua Sochen also hugged Cho Myung tightly.
"Yes. Your sister believes in you, Myung. Everything will be fine."
Dinner ti.
Everyone gathered in Longevity Hall and had a al.
When the al was over, the story of Cho Myung going out into the world ca up. It seed they had already talked about it beforehand, so no one was surprised. Everyone had a worried face for Cho Myung, who was only eight years old in reality. But no one stopped him or held him back. How could they stop a man who was going out into the world to grow further?
Cho Myung's departure into the martial world was decided like that.
And a mont later.
As if Hua Sochen had brought it in advance, she brought a set of martial arts clothes from Cho Myung's bed.
"This is not from , but from Old Man Ban."
"What?"
"He said to give you these martial arts clothes on the day you leave the clinic."
"My master...!"
"Yes, it seems the old master thought that a day like this would co."
Cho Myung looked at the martial arts clothes placed in front of him for a long ti without even touching them.
"The fact that he prepared the martial arts clothes in advance must be so that you don't forget."
"What?"
"That you are the disciple of the old master."
"How can I forget that? I will never forget."
"Yes, don't ever forget, wherever you go. That you are the disciple of the old master, and that you must return to the clinic."
"Yes..."
"This is your ho. You are the younger brother, grandson, and family of everyone here. So you must return."
"Yes."
"Take this too."
Hua Sochen placed two things on the table.
One was a purse containing money, and the other was a letter.
"When you leave ho, everything is money. It might not be enough, so use it sparingly, and if you can earn money while you're out in the world, try to earn it. That will also be a precious experience."
"Yes."
"Have you decided where to go?"
"No."
"Then take this letter and go and see the head of the Eun Family rchant Guild in Chengdu."
"The Eun Family rchant Guild?"
"The rchant guild wanders the world a lot. If you travel with them, you'll be able to see and learn a lot."
Hearing that, it seed so.
But after thinking for a mont, Cho Myung shook his head.
"I think your sister's idea is good, but I won't go to the Eun Family rchant Guild."
"Why?"
A light of worry imdiately appeared on Hua Sochen's face as she asked.
Cho Myung looked straight at that face and answered.
"I think I have to experience it myself, without anyone's help or teaching. And if what I need is actual combat, as grandfather Pan Guan said, then I have to fight a lot. My fighting might cause damage to the rchant guild."
When he said that and looked back at Pan Guan, he was nodding his head with a proud face.
"Seeing you talk, I don't think I need to worry. Have a good trip. We will be protecting the clinic here."
"Then, then. As long as the head of the family doesn't kick us out, we'll stick our butts here until the disciples grow up and you co back."
Following Pan Guan, Liu Sheng said a word.
Cho Myung bowed his head with a grateful face.
"Since you've made up your mind anyway, it wouldn't be bad to do as you wish, Myung. But don't forget that you must return soday, whenever that may be."
Jeok Yorap also said, deliberately shaking off his worries.
"Yes. I will. I will do that, grandfather."
Cho Myung said with a forced smile.
At that sight, Jeok Yorap also smiled.
Two days later, in the morning.
Cho Myung went out of the Hua Family Clinic.
He left the Hua Family Clinic, wearing the blue martial arts clothes left by Old Man Ban, and being sent off by everyone.
It was the powerful step of a young hidden dragon leaving its pond to fly up to the blue sky.
(End of Chapter)
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