“Umm.’

Wei Lishan gently rubbed his chest.

‘It isn’t getting better.’

He could tell from experience.

The trauma his body took would likely haunt him for a long time. It was clear that a full recovery would be nearly impossible.

Internal injuries weren’t something that could be cured just by visiting a good medical practitioner. The wounds disturb the flow of qi within the body and can only be resolved by the person themselves.

However, the wounds Wei Lishan had suffered were deeper than expected and were tormenting him every day.

‘I want to get better.’

When Mount Hua’s disciples defeated the Wudang disciples, Wei Lishan felt as though his injuries were washed away. The rush of emotions he had experienced made him forget all pain in his body. However, as the situation settled and he returned to reality, his body slowly began to ache again.

“Father. Have a good night’s sleep.”

“Okay.”

Wei Lishan responded to his son, who was outside the door.

He couldn’t allow himself to show any weakness.

Wei Lishan is the Gate leader of Huayoung Gate. The Gate had just emerged from a great crisis, which was a chance for a new start. At this time, if news broke of the Gate leader’s wounds, then it would cause trouble for Huayoung Gate.

‘I cannot let that happen.’

This is a rare opportunity that they had finally managed to seize. However, if Huayoung Gate missed this chance because of him, then he would never be able to rest in peace.

Throb!

Wei Lishan grabbed his sides.

“Uh…”

The pain from his internal injuries flared up from time to time. But, perhaps because of his complex mood, the intensity had deepened.

With a low sigh, he laid down on his bed.

‘News of this event will spread, and the name of Huayoung Gate will grow. My actions and how I perform will affect the people’s perception of Mount Hua.’

So, he could not allow himself to show his weakness.

When the leader loses power, the sect loses power. They had just managed to defeat the Wudang disciples; Wei Lishan couldn’t accept the idea that his lack of strength could cause them to undo everything they had just gained.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his blanket.

‘I need to sleep.’

He couldn’t get a moments relief, but he needed sleep. He still had a lot of work to do tomorrow.

‘Life isn’t so unfortunate.’

There was still one wish that Wei Lishan held close to his heart. He desired to see the day that Huayoung Gate rose up, with Wei Soheng taking the helm as Gate leader. Until that day, he would give his all to survive.

If there was just one other thing he wanted, it was to see Mount Hua’s disciples grow and spread the sect’s name throughout the world. However, he felt that may be too great of a wish.

Wei Lishan pulled the blanket over himself.

It was then.

Click.

“Huh? Sleeping already?”

“…”

Wei Lishan smiled, despite the man boldly entering the Gate leader’s bedroom on his own terms without knocking.

‘I shouldn’t hope for anything.’

It was only a few days, but Wei Lishan had come to understand this guy’s personality. No, he was still trying to figure it out.

He was a man that moved at his own pace.

“What is it, young disciple? Is something wrong?”

As usual, Wei Lishan thought Chung Myung was here to ask for something. But the response he received was outside of his expectations.

“It’s not me that has something wrong, but the Gate leader, right?”

“…”

Chung Myung closed the door and walked inside.

“Since the urgent matters have been extinguished, I can clean up around here.”

“… clean what?”

“Your internal wounds. They need to be treated.”

“…”

Wei Lishan’s eyes widened.

“Are you saying that you, young disciple, will treat my internal injuries?”

“Yes.”

Wei Lishan looked at Chung Myung with curious eyes.

There were only two ways to control and treat internal wounds. The first was to correct the twisted qi flow with one’s own qi. However, Wei Lishan didn’t have the skill to heal himself.

The second method was even more difficult. The twisted flow of qi needed to be corrected by utilizing the qi of another person.

This method is ten times more difficult than the first.

It made sense after thinking about it.

Many warriors devoted their entire lives to overcome the difficulty of learning how to properly control their own qi. Then, how difficult would it be to control their qi through someone else’s body?

This was why Wei Lishan did not request a practitioner to heal his internal injuries, even after the fight with Wudang had concluded.

He believed that Mount Hua might not have a master capable of healing his injuries. He worried that it would make the relationship with Mount Hua awkward if he had carelessly made an impossible request.

Yet, this young man said that he could heal Wei Lishan’s internal wounds?

“Young disciple. It isn’t as easy as you think.”

“Yes. I know.”

“… if you make a mistake, even the young disciple could receive a severe injury.”

“Ah, as if I would do that.”

“…”

Seeing the smiling face of Chung Myung made Wei Lishan’s heart flutter.

‘No, doesn’t he understand what I’m saying?’

Were his ears blocked?

“Kuaham!”

Wei Lishan coughed loudly and said to Chung Myung.

“Look here, young disciple. I fully understand that your intention is to heal my body, and that alone fills me with gratitude. But this isn’t something you can try. If something goes wrong, both you and I could get seriously hurt. It would be better not to try this until the urgent tasks are taken care of.”

“No way. The longer you leave it alone, the deeper it gets. Something like this leaves a lot of aftereffects. We need to treat it quickly.”

‘No, you brat!’

‘If you make a mistake, I will die, you idiot! Why won’t you listen to me!?’

Wei Lishan’s eyes twitched.

‘He’s called Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon. How the hell did this guy get such an exaggerated nickname?’

Divine Dragon was too strong of a title for this man. That title is something given to the one responsible for the success of future generations. How moved had Wei Lishan been when he first heard that the Divine Dragon had been sent to him?

But this is the sort of guy that he is?

For some reason, that thought brought tears to Wei Lishan’s eyes.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at Chung Myung.

“Young disciple. I don’t know how to make you understand. I see that you mean well, but some things in this world cannot be achieved with good intentions alone.”

‘Thank you, sincerely.’

Wei Lishan comforted the young disciple to dissuade him from trying it.

‘Contrary to his appearance, he’s a good-natured kid.’

Wei Lishan began to feel that Chung Myung wasn’t a disciple of Mount Hua for nothing…

“You don’t seem to understand what’s being told to you.”

“… Huh?”

“Lay down. Lay down now. I’m a busy person and I have a lot of work to do.”

“Oh no, I’m fine!”

“I’m not fine with it.”

‘Why are you not fine?’

‘It’s my body, I’ll handle it!’

“Enough, please leave—”

At that moment, Chung Myung reached out and pushed Wei Lishan. With no time to react, he fell onto the bed, unable to resist.

“N-No!”

Thud!

Chung Myung grabbed Wei Lishan’s hand and began to infuse his qi.

“…!”

Wei Lishan’s eyes opened wide.

‘Hey, you crazy man!’

He wanted to scream right away, but he couldn’t.

He was unable to act at this time. Whether it was the one giving or the one receiving an infusion of qi, it was taboo to speak as it could disturb the exchange of qi.

Since Chung Myung’s qi had already begun to enter his body, Wei Lishan had no choice but to remain quiet and pray to the gods of Heaven and Earth.

However, it felt like the Gods had betrayed him too.

No, to be precise, the Gods were unable to do anything about Chung Myung either.

“Look at this, look here. It’s crazy!”

‘Eikkkk!’

Was he speaking?

Did Wei Lishan just hear something?

Was it the words kept in Chung Myung’s heart? No way, there was no way that Wei Lishan had mastered mind reading!

Wei Lishan, as hard as a stone, turned to the side and looked at Chung Myung, who calmly grabbed his wrist and frowned.

‘Maybe I just heard wrong….’

“Well, luckily it isn’t completely damaged.”

Wei Lishan was wide-eyed.

‘He’s talking?’

Speaking while infusing qi into another person was something that only a master with outstanding achievements could accomplish. Not even the elders of most sects would dare try it.

But Chung Myung, a third-class disciple, was doing it?

‘Am I dreaming again?’

However, the qi entering Wei Lishan’s body was too clear for this to be a dream. The heavy and robust qi continued to flow…

‘Ah…’

It was clean and clear.

Chung Myung’s qi was clearer than anything Wei Lishan had ever experienced. If he had to put it into words, it was like pure water flowing through a valley. Water that was so pure even the ground beneath it could be seen perfectly.

A cool yet warm qi continued to flow through Wei Lishan’s body and began to caress the wounded area.

Wei Lishan closed his eyes without realizing it.

“Hold on for a little longer, it’ll be over soon.”

It felt weird.

Wei Lishan felt more comforted by the qi penetrating his body rather than the words of Chung Myung.

The qi of a Taoist.

Chung Myung was drenched in the path of Dao, which Wei Lishan had always admired.

‘Young disciple is truly a disciple of Mount Hua.’

He could finally feel it.

On the surface, it felt ridiculously light, which made Wei Lishan frown. However, the pure qi that contained the essence of Dao was proof that Chung Myung was truly a disciple of Mount Hua.

At that moment, Chung Myung’s qi began to swirl around the wounded area and caressed the damaged qi flow.

A warm qi radiated within the body.

Woong!

The pain began to vanish and fade away.

The pain tormenting Wei Lishan for a long time was quickly disappearing, and the blocked qi was beginning to flow again.

“I’ll direct it. So, move your qi as directed.”

Wei Lishan couldn’t respond to Chung Myung’s words.

However, Wei Lishan faithfully followed his directions and guided the qi as Chung Myung began to circulate his energy.

The first point, and then the second point.

Wei Lishan instantly followed the qi flow to twelve different points in the body and analyzed his body again.

‘No more!’

There was no trace remaining of the internal wounds that had tormented him. With just one stroke, the wounds that he feared would linger for life had been fully healed.

Chung Myung’s qi escaped from Wei Lishan’s body before he even had a chance to feel it.

As the pure and clean qi returned to Chung Myung, Wei Lishan was left with a slight sense of regret rather than happiness for his body’s recovery.

Chung Myung, who had regathered all of his qi, released Wei Lishan’s hand. He slowly opened his eyes to see the young disciple staring back with a serious face, unlike before.

“Young disciple…”

“Mount Hua will remember.”

“…”

Chung Myung, a third-class disciple of the Great Mount Hua Sect.

Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.

He spoke to Wei Lishan as if making a declaration.

“Mount Hua never forgets the grace received. The Gate leader’s devotion to Mount Hua over the past decades will surely be rewarded. Gate leader, please continue to guard the name of Mount Hua as you’ve done until now. Then Huayoung Gate’s name will resound throughout the world along with the name of Mount Hua.”

At the moment, Wei Lishan couldn’t find any of the light-hearted demeanor Chung Myung had shown previously.

Overwhelmed by the heavy presence, Wei Lishan stared at Chung Myung blankly and clenched his fist.

“I…”

Emotions ran deep as tears began to fall.

Wei Lishan licked his lips and opened his mouth with a trembling voice, trying to suppress the tears in his eyes.

“I will make sure to do that.”

This was the moment when Huayoung Gate declared its resurrection after a long period of hardship.