Chapter 8: Introduction to Volcanoes (3)

In the middle of the training yard, a boy was walking beneath a fully bloomed plum blossom tree.

Another boy, about the same age, came chasing after him.

“Hey, Cheon-gu! Where’ve you been? You’re just getting here now?”

“Oh, it’s you, Cheon-gak. You done with training already?”

“Yeah, I’m quick like that.”

They had entered on the same day and, while not senior or junior brothers, they had become friends.

But the two were quite different.

Cheon-gak was the rising star of the Hwasan Sect.

When it came to talent, he had no rivals in the entire sect.

Even before he officially became a disciple and received his Taoist name, he was already well known.

So much so that after the sect’s generational character Cheon (天), he was given the rare and auspicious Gak (珏), symbolizing twin jades.

“You really are a genius, huh?”

“Hey, don’t flatter me too much. You’re no slouch either.”

Cheon-gu scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Cheon-gak wasn’t wrong.

Cheon-gu had never seriously held a sword in his life.

Even so, he had made it into the main sect alongside Cheon-gak, outshining many talented competitors.

“But still, how am I supposed to keep up with you?”

“Well… yeah, true.”

Cheon-gak puffed up his chest, feigning pride.

It was funny enough that Cheon-gu chuckled.

“Oh, right. That new sword—did it fit well in your hand?”

“Man, don’t even mention it. I owe you big time for this one. It’s amazing.”

The sword hanging at Cheon-gak’s waist had been crafted by Cheon-gu’s father’s business, Silver Road Trading Company.

Its shape followed the traditional plum blossom sword design used by the Hwasan sect,

but the material was entirely different.

White Lotus Steel.

And supposedly, it was infused with secret materials and techniques.

Thanks to that, the blade had excellent elasticity and a perfectly straight edge.

“Is it usable?”

“It’s incredible.”

“Great. I’ll let my dad know the prototype got a good review.”

“W-Wait, prototype?!”

Cheon-gak looked horrified.

Cheon-gu smiled sweetly and replied,

“Of course! You think we’d just hand over a sword made with an expensive new forging method for free?”

“What if it explodes or something?!”

“You’ll be fine!”

A vein popped on Cheon-gak’s forehead.

Cheon-gu was already getting ready to run… but—

“Hehehe… Cheon-gu.”

There was no escaping Cheon-gak’s iron grip.

“Ah… I’m screwed…”

“A Taoist disciple shouldn’t say such nasty words, right?”

Cheon-gak’s smiling eyes sparkled in Cheon-gu’s vision—

eyes that somehow looked terrifying.

“S-Spare me…!”

“I won’t kill you. Just a little beating.”

“E-Even though I brought amazing news?!”

Cheon-gak’s fist paused midair.

“If it’s not amazing, I’ll actually kill you.”

“I-I swear, it’s legit!”

“Spit it out.”

“We’re…”

Cheon-gu gulped.

So did Cheon-gak.

“We’re getting a junior sister. And she’s really cute.”

Cheon-gak lowered his fist.

★★★

Great Hwasan Sect (대화산파).

Its majestic aura flowed with noble dignity.

The plaque over the gate looked like a masterpiece written by a calligraphy master.

In front of it, the area bustled like a market.

Cheon-gak and Cheon-gu stood at the entrance,

waiting for their master, who had been gone for half a year.

“Hah… I’m not gonna let Master off easy when he gets here.”

“Cheon-gak, no matter how strong you are, you’re still no match for Master.”

“I know…”

Cheon-gak clenched his teeth at Cheon-gu’s words.

Just then, he spotted Eunsong.

“There! He’s here!”

“Master! Master!”

Cheon-gak and Cheon-gu waved simultaneously.

Eunsong waved back.

“You brats. Managed to stay out of trouble?”

Then, from behind, Myung-gon appeared.

He meant for Eunsong to hand the kids over and follow him right away.

Eunsong, looking pale, quickly handed Cheon-soyak over to the boys.

“Master? Where are you going…?”

“These two will guide you to the dormitory and help with whatever else you need.
I must go—Master Myung-gon is calling for me.”

Cheon-soyak looked quietly at Eunsong, then nodded.

“Yes. Safe travels, Master.”

“Alright. I’ll be back la—wait, what?”

“I said, Master.”

Eunsong and Cheon-soyak locked eyes.

Time seemed to stand still.

She had been calling him “Lord” all this time.

She had said she’d call him “Master” if the Hwasan sect accepted her…

But still—he’d grown used to hearing “Lord” from her, and had let his guard down.

“Master… You could just call me ‘Teacher,’ you know.”

“No. I prefer ‘Master.’”

“…Alright then, if that’s what you want.”

Eunsong gently stroked Cheon-soyak’s head.

She simply closed her eyes and took in the warmth.

Master.

A word made from “teacher” and “father.”

Maybe… it was a misunderstanding.

Sure, he’d been kind to her over the past few days.

But calling him not just teacher, but Master—as if he were a second father?

Maybe it was just a reaction, a yearning born of affection deprivation.

After all, she hadn’t known love or care since she lost her father years ago.

No—almost certainly that was the case.

And yet, she couldn’t help it.

He had saved her from the fate of being a servant girl.

He had given her a chance to spread her wings in the martial world.

They shared the same pain. The same desire for vengeance.

He was no longer just a teacher.

He was her teacher—and something like a second father.

“Well then, see you later.”

“Yes, Master.”

Myung-gon waited patiently until Eunsong finished saying goodbye to Cheon-soyak—then grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him away.

It was a pretty comical sight.

★★★

A rather ill-tempered and slightly crooked-looking boy.

But now, he was standing there staring blankly at her, mouth half-open.

That was Cheon Soyak’s first impression of Cheon Gak.

Compared to him, the boy next to him—Cheon Gu—seemed much more decent.

With his plain looks and warm, gentle expression.

Cheon Gak was also on the handsome side, but his impression was rough.

“Nice to meet you, senior.”

A young voice.

It was a strangely incomprehensible kind of beauty.

Like an unripe fruit hanging at the end of a dried, lonely branch.

Unfathomable.

He had never met someone so ‘unfathomable’ in his life.

“My name is Cheon Soyak.”

Cheon Soyak was the first to reach out a small hand.

Cheon Gak didn’t respond to the gesture right away.

Because he was caught in Soyak’s eyes.

Those vast, unburdened black eyes.

“Hey, Cheon Gak. Are you zoning out? You’re the senior, you know. Show some dignity.”

“What, when did I ever not show dignity?”

Cheon Gak grumbled and took Soyak’s tiny hand.

It was small, cold, and soft.

Only after getting elbowed in the ribs by Cheon Gu did he let go of it.

“I’m Cheon Gu. Nice to meet you.”

Cheon Soyak grasped Cheon Gu’s extended hand and gave it a shake.

That was the first meeting of the three.

“Alright. First, let’s show you where you’ll be staying. Then we’ll go greet Senior Cheon Jeong… Training probably starts tomorrow?”

“Yeah, probably. Can’t start training someone the moment they arrive.”

Cheon Gak shrugged.

Cheon Gu nodded calmly and teased.

“Though who knows? Senior Cheon Jeong might tell you to start this afternoon.”

“Senior? Doesn’t seem like something he’d do.”

Cheon Gak and Cheon Gu looked straight at Cheon Soyak.

Soyak blinked, not understanding.

“Your name was Cheon Soyak, right?”

“Yes, senior.”

“I’m curious about something.”

“Please ask.”

“How old are you?”

It was a kind of childish ritual.

Soyak answered obediently.

“Fourteen.”

“Huh? Fourteen? We’re fifteen!”

Cheon Gu wrapped his arm around Cheon Gak’s shoulders.

Then whispered,

“Cheon Gak.”

“What?”

“Do you like being one year older that much?”

“Better than having a younger sister older than me!”

It was true.

Especially among kids.

Cheon Gak and Cheon Gu led Cheon Soyak up to Ahwa Hall.

The sky was already painted with the colors of dusk.

At the training yard, children who had just returned from learning under their masters were practicing hard.

The one guiding and overseeing them was none other than Senior Cheon Jeong.

A seventeen-year-old boy with a sharp gaze.

His tightly tied black hair and thick brows.

He had the look of someone born with resolve.

“Cheon Gak, Cheon Gu. You’re back.”

“Yes, senior.”

“We’ve returned.”

“Good. Go in and rest.”

His gaze briefly swept to Cheon Soyak.

Cheon Gak and Cheon Gu hesitated, then entered Ahwa Hall.

Cheon Soyak removed her bamboo hat, held it in her hands, and bowed.

“Third generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect, Cheon Soyak. I greet you, senior.”

“There’s no need to be so formal. We’re all around the same age.”

Though he said that,

His eyes didn’t reflect it.

Still, among the many stares, Cheon Jeong’s was relatively kind.

The over a hundred third-generation disciples all had intense eyes.

“You may begin training tomorrow. You were brought by Master Eunsong, correct?”

“Yes. Master Eunsong brought me here.”

“I’ll say this now—life in Ahwa Hall won’t be entirely pleasant.”

Cheon Soyak looked around.

Everyone was staring at her.

It wasn’t contempt… but closer to caution.

As if a new rival had arrived.

“It does seem that way.”

“It’s because the Iljihoe (One Branch Gathering) is about to begin.”

“What is the Iljihoe…?”

“It’s a martial competition where the top third and second generation disciples are selected.

It’s a test to separate the gems from the rocks.”

Only then did Cheon Soyak understand the purpose of Ahwa Hall.

A place where the third-generation disciples lived together.

All serving different masters, but gathered deliberately.

To fuel their sense of rivalry and competition.

“To the disciple who proves themselves the best, the Purple Sky Pill will be awarded. It’s the most prized elixir in Mount Hua.”

Only then did Cheon Soyak realize why there was fire in everyone’s eyes.

The Purple Sky Pill—now it made sense.

Depending on how it was refined, a single pill could grant enough internal energy for half a season’s worth of cultivation.

Who wouldn’t want that?

“I see.”

But Soyak remained calm.

Cheon Jeong caught a flicker of something in her dull response.

“You don’t want it?”

“It’d be nice to have. It’s certainly desirable.”

“You don’t sound like it at all.”

“It’s just…”

Cheon Soyak looked over the gathered children.

Not one of them was shorter than her.

And all of them were glaring at her.

“I just wondered… is one pill really worth setting your eyes aflame and glaring at your fellow disciples like that?”

With that, Cheon Soyak bowed.

“I’ll be going now.”

“…Alright.”

Even as she walked toward Ahwa Hall,

The gathered third-generation disciples couldn’t take their eyes off her small back.

Neither could Cheon Jeong.

At the entrance of Ahwa Hall, Cheon Gak and Cheon Gu were waiting.

They had heard everything.

“Didn’t the senior tell you to go rest?”

Cheon Soyak tilted her head.

Cheon Gak shrugged.

“If I’d just gone off and flopped down, he’d have smacked me in the head, for real.”

“Really?”

“Cheon Gak’s right. Even if he looks like that…”

Cheon Gu gazed toward Cheon Jeong, still instructing the disciples in the distance.

“He’s actually kind of a romantic.”

“He didn’t look like that to me.”

“Give it some time. You’ll see I was right.”