Gu Chil seriously pondered the meaning of the word "absurd."
The reason for this was that Chung Myung, who had just shouted some bizarre sounds and rushed out of the hut, came back grumbling and started spouting nonsense.
"I'm going to the volcano."
"..."
"It might sound a little absurd, but listen to me carefully."
At least he recognized it was absurd, so Gu Chil thought he should give him credit for that.
However, that thought completely disappeared the moment he heard the next line.
"The reason I came back to say all this instead of just leaving is because I think I owe you a debt of gratitude."
He at least understood that much.
There was no reason to listen to the ramblings of a madman, but the reason Gu Chil couldn't dismiss it entirely was because of the look of utter seriousness on Chung Myung's face.
"I repay gratitude twofold, and I repay resentment tenfold. Someday, I will repay this favor, so remember the name Chung Myung of the Volcano. When we meet again, I will repay this debt."
It was a very cool thing to say.
If it hadn't been spoken by a disheveled young beggar with bruised eyes and cracked lips, it would've sounded quite impressive.
Unfortunately, Gu Chil's impression of the elegant words Chung Myung had just spoken was rather simple.
"...What a load of crap."
Chung Myung's face twisted slightly.
"Of course, it might sound strange to you right now, but remember these words. One day, they'll change your destiny..."
"The boss is looking for you. He says he's going to beat you to death."
"Really?"
Their eyes met.
"..."
"..."
"Kehehehe."
There are many types of fools in the world. It's neither extraordinary nor strange when someone you know joins the ranks of the absurd.
Of course, it's extremely odd when someone changes overnight.
"Anyway, I'm leaving!"
"...Go beg for food. Or else I really might beat you to death."
"I'm going! But remember this! Chung Myung of the Volcano. Remember that name!"
Chung Myung turned around and left with a confident stride.
Watching him, Gu Chil couldn't help but shake his head.
"Life sure is strange."
Well, maybe that wasn't such a bad choice. If he got caught by the boss, he would get beaten senseless again, probably to the brink of death.
"What should I say to the boss...?"
At that moment, the cloth blocking the entrance to the hut was pulled aside, and Chung Myung entered again, walking firmly.
"..."
Why's he back?
Before Gu Chil could ask, Chung Myung boldly spoke up.
"Hey!"
"Hm?"
"What was that beggar's name from earlier?"
"Who?"
"The one who hit me."
"Ah... The boss? His name is probably Jong Pal (宗八)."
"Jong Pal? What a pathetic name. Tell him this: If I see him again, I won't let him off."
...You won't let him off, huh.
The boss will take care of that.
"Alright, I'm really leaving this time."
Chung Myung turned and left again, but just as Gu Chil thought this would be another strange day, Chung Myung returned once more.
"Ah, what now!"
"Hey."
"What? What is it now?!"
"If I want to go to the Huashan Volcano, which way do I go?"
"..."
"..."
No matter how he thought about it...
This guy is definitely insane.
Chung Myung ran and ran.
There was no one in the world who would take a filthy little beggar all the way to Shaanxi. His only support were his... well, they used to be strong legs and his exhausted heart.
When did Chung Myung ever ride a horse or take a cart?
In the past, he never once rode a horse. He was never the type to be so leisurely as to move slowly on a horse.
If he added up all the distance he ran in his past life, he could probably circle the Central Plains ten times. So, without any hesitation, he ran with all his might.
And just a moment later, he collapsed to the ground.
"Gasp! Hhh... Gasp! Hah... Ughhh! My heart's going to explode."
He didn't realize that he had the body of a child.
What used to be like steel legs were now weak sticks, and the heart that once never tired was now aggressively protesting against this unexpected strain.
What was he saying?
His heart felt like it might explode out of his throat.
"Why is my body like this?!"
After running for just a moment, he was already in such a bad state!
Had he run for an hour or two? But to be gasping like this after a short sprint! How bad was his physical condition for this to happen?
"Ughhh..."
When he took a careful look at his body, it wasn't surprising.
Before considering his innate talent, his physical condition was just awful. He hadn't even been fed a proper meal, much less healthy food.
Going to Shaanxi in this state?
It was a dream. He would definitely die before reaching the Volcano.
The greatest sword master of the world dying from exhaustion during a journey? If someone from the underworld heard about it, they'd probably laugh at him for three or four days straight.
"To get to Shaanxi, I have to fix this sorry excuse of a body first!"
The best way to get his body back in shape?
Chung Myung already knew exactly what to do.
"Heheheh."
A mysterious laugh escaped Chung Myung's lips. No matter how hard he tried to suppress it, he just couldn't hold it in.
"Hehehehehe."
His martial arts were gone, his body was in the worst shape, his Volcano was either destroyed or in ruins, and he was starving to death.
But in this pitiful state, the only thing that could bring him solace was this.
"So, I just need to practice martial arts from scratch again!"
He could start over.
Others wouldn't even begin to imagine how incredible that was.
Those who never made it to the top of the mountain regretted their lives? Sure, that's true. But even those who reached the peak still had regrets.
What if I had done that back then?!
What if, when I was younger, I had laid a better foundation?!
What if, when my master dragged me by the ear to train, I didn't run away and at least pretended to practice?!
What if I hadn't been caught stealing wine from my senior...
Ah, forget the last one.
Anyway!
"I can start again."
In the past, Chung Myung was known as one of the three greatest sword masters of the world. But that didn't mean he was satisfied with his martial arts. In fact, as his understanding deepened, he realized more than anyone just how inefficiently he had trained and how misguided his growth had been.
The foundation.
His master, his seniors, the secret manuals—everyone kept shouting about the importance of the foundation!
When he was training, he hated hearing about it, and he couldn't stand those who kept talking about it. But now that he had become a master himself, he understood why it was so vital.
The foundation is the bedrock.
To build a tall tower, a solid base and strong foundation are needed. The more carefully the foundation is laid, the higher the tower can reach.
But when you're young, you can't understand that. No matter how many times you hear it, you don't get it. And even if you do, you can't put it into action.
Why?
"Because I'm human."
When I'm digging the ground to build my foundation, but my senior has already built a three-story tower beside me, wouldn't anyone get impatient?
Moreover!
"They tell me to work on my foundation, but when I do, they only praise those ahead of me!"
Damn those who prioritize results!
Of course, I understand. After all, my master is just a person, too.
Everyone knows that building the foundation is necessary for greatness. But while I'm struggling with it, my senior's disciple is showing off incredible sword skills, or winning a friendly martial arts tournament, and all anyone cares about is that.
That's fine up until a point. Up until then, my master can bear it.
But that evening, when the masters sit down to drink and someone starts bragging about their disciples, that's when it all falls apart.
"However!"
Now, Chung Myung was different!
There was no need to rush. There was no master to pressure him. He already knew the path that would take him higher, so all he had to do was move forward steadily.
The foundation?
While others were busy laying the ground, Chung Myung was going to tear down mountains and fill up rivers to create a vast plain! On that plain, he would build a tower taller than any other.
"The first step is the most important."
The martial arts of the Volcano were a combination of Taoist and righteous techniques.
Though slow and weak at first, righteous cultivation grew rapidly with time. While martial arts like the sword or energy techniques give immediate power, righteous cultivation starts weak but eventually surpasses all other martial arts in depth.
In simple terms...
"It's like rolling a snowball down a mountain."
At the top of a snow-covered mountain, start rolling a small snowball. At first, it's the size of a fingernail, but as it rolls, it grows exponentially. A tiny rock can become a massive avalanche that no human force can stop.
Now, what Chung Myung needed to do was create a solid core, a stone that would start the snowball rolling. And he had to find a mountain face where it wouldn't stop rolling.
"Alright then."
Ready to meditate, Chung Myung suddenly looked around.
Doing anything in the middle of the road could lead to unexpected problems.
He slowly stood up and moved toward the forest. Starting meditation in a quiet place was crucial. He needed to avoid outside distractions.
"Here should be good."
Finding the shade of a large tree, Chung Myung prepared the ground and sat cross-legged.
"Now, what should I practice?"
His mind was filled with countless martial techniques. The entire history of the Volcano was with him. He knew more than ten different internal cultivation methods.
The peerless technique that rules the world, Purple Haze Strong Qi (紫霞剛氣).
The plum blossom sword technique, optimized for the Plum Blossom Heart Method (梅花心法).
The sharpest energy, Seven Star True Qi (七星眞氣).
Everything needed for ascension was contained in the Grand Taoist Theory (太乙迷理氣).
And countless more martial arts that far exceeded what was considered "outstanding." If he expanded beyond the Volcano's teachings, the list would be even longer.
But Chung Myung didn't hesitate.
He knew exactly which method he needed to master now.
"Six Harmonies."