Cheongmyeong

Cheongmyeong (靑明). ISTP. Cheongmyeong of the previous life was no different from an orphan. If we use the birthday that Cheongmun assigned based on the day Cheongmyeong entered the volcano in the previous life, it is October 10th.

The personality is widely recognized as having a terrible character. He knows this well himself. He was not influenced by anyone but born with this nature, which indicates that he has a bad temperament; it seems he was scolded by Cheongmun throughout his life from his previous existence. In the present life, he does not even intend to hide his dirty personality and, during the two years he stayed at the volcano, while outside the volcano the nickname Hwasanshinryong (華山神龍) spread, he was called Hwasan Crazy Dog (華山狂犬) within the volcano.

In fact, his inner self is very mature and adult-like. Although he is a child, he is not childish at all; he is described as rather elderly and wise. No matter how temperamental Cheongmyeong is described, he cannot essentially be a person with bad character. Especially due to his past as the Mei Hua Sword Sovereign, he must have experienced a heavy sense of responsibility and anguish that comes with being the best in the world, and even in this reincarnation, when we see him sincerely apologize for his past mistakes and genuinely help the descendants of the volcano, it is impossible to view him as a person with bad character. Cheongmyeong's bad temperament does not refer to being a bad person, but rather to being passionate and having a comical side. In fact, among those who meet Cheongmyeong, there are quite a few who are impressed by his words.

Of course, he does not really cross the line. He certainly does not hit innocent or powerless people. Although he often growls at other factions, he respects those of strong moral integrity.

However, since his reincarnation, he has developed a bossy trait and often says things like 'Back in my day...' and 'These kids today...' while scolding Baekja and Cheongja. At first, he genuinely respected the high-ranking individuals in the current sect, but after experiencing several twists and turns together, he began to realize the difficulties they faced due to the sect's decline and has come to respect the current sages and fortune-tellers of the volcano in his own way. Looking back, his temperament seemed even worse in his previous life. In a comical atmosphere while beating someone, he would say things like 'If it were the old days, I would have started by chopping off their limbs,' giving a slight eeriness. He often seems to reflect on his past self, sometimes muttering to himself, 'I've become soft-hearted raising kids' when he realizes he has gotten weaker than before. Although his temperament has somewhat calmed down since his past life, he still has an unreasonably dirty disposition, which leads to the death of the disciples of the volcano who are bullied beneath him.

Due to living life as a reckless hooligan in his previous life, perhaps because he lived without receiving any praise despite extraordinary martial skills, he is very sensitive to compliments. If praised openly or looked up to by a crowd, he completely loses his composure. In these two situations, Cheongmyeong's reaction is to giggle and laugh inappropriately for his age. Surprisingly, in his past life, no one had ever praised Cheongmyeong to the extent that he would laugh like that. This has been used in the storyline to move Cheongmyeong.

However, Baekja and Cheongja have, despite their aversions to Cheongmyeong's temperament, been influenced by him and are evaluated as self-proclaimed bandits or black market factions. In the story, Yoon Jong once thought when he saw the significantly grown-up third-generation disciples, 'Is this Hwasan or Hwasanchae?' This is not limited to Hwasan; even Hyeyeon, who came to learn from Cheongmyeong, became a bit rough around the edges while spending time with him (...).

Nevertheless, he is not without wisdom as he shows a mature side during crucial moments or decisions related to the volcano. The elder disciples of the current volcano seem to acknowledge this, as indicated by their comments such as 'Talking to Cheongmyeong doesn't feel like talking to a child.' After living long as a sage, he takes secret care of the only living being in the volcano, Hooyoungmun, showing he is indeed a true immortal. Therefore, Hyeyeon describes him as someone who talks about benefits but acts in justice.

Most of the time, he walks around laughing foolishly but shows a coldly cynical or pessimistic attitude when serious. His usual appearance differs significantly from his serious ones, making him one of the characters with the greatest contrast. During a scene, a character thinks that Cheongmyeong hides his true self behind noisy and boisterous words and actions. His impulsiveness can appear chaotic; however, it is revealed that these actions are calculated disruptions observed in a thorough manner regarding the situation.

As Cheongmyeong gradually realizes things, he attempts to behave more obediently, but he shows signs of exploding when those around him create a ruckus, causing him to revert to his wild ways. However, as people around him begin to adapt to Cheongmyeong's demeanor, he is starting to be unable to handle their behaviors.

He prefers sweets over alcohol and meat. No matter how angry he wants to be, when something sweet enters his mouth, he remains calm until it is all gone. If he drinks, he quickly expels it through his nose and ears, but he doesn't seem to enjoy it much, asking, 'If you are going to do that, why drink?'

He has long black hair loosely tied up and possesses plum-colored eyes.

[Previous Life] Height 6 feet 1 inch. Died at around the age of 82. He was the 13th disciple of the Hwasan sect. He was one of the three greatest sword masters active 100 years ago. The best swordsman of the era, also known as the Mei Hua Sword Sovereign (梅花劍尊). At the end of the war with the Demon Sect, he participated as an elder of the Hwasan sect in the effort to kill the Demon Lord, known as the first demon of all ages. He survived until the end of the operation and succeeded in beheading the demon lord but lost one arm and died shortly thereafter due to severe injuries.

In his previous life, he was an abandoned newborn left at the entrance of the Hwasan sect. The warriors of Hwasan decided to raise him, and thus the nameless child entered Hwasan and attained the title Cheongmyeong (靑明). He was the first among the Cheongja disciples to join the sect, but because Cheongmun, who was about ten years older, became the great senior brother, it was only natural. Possessing heavenly talents for martial arts from the moment he picked up a sword, Cheongmyeong was a genius who could bloom plum blossoms. Along with that, he was a remarkably diligent hard worker, enabling his martial prowess to grow stronger daily. However, Cheongmyeong had a violent personality that was incompatible with being a true sage; he would fist-fight his senior brothers and, at a tender age, indulge in drinking. His extraordinary talents made it difficult for him to understand the ordinary thoughts of regular people. As a result, not only his senior brothers but also the elders and fellow students found it challenging to associate with him due to his temperament.

Only Cheongmun became a source of support and understanding, sometimes firmly scolding him for his foolish actions like a father figure and giving advice. Young Cheongmyeong sometimes viewed his advice as nagging, but he still followed Cheongmun like a real brother, resulting in him not becoming a lonely outcast, steering clear from going astray. Eventually, even those who avoided Cheongmyeong among the senior brothers began to open their hearts to him, starting with Cheongjin, allowing them to remain as disciples of the Hwasan sect. While he never succeeded in correcting his eccentric temperament (...)

At that time, he was solely focused on training. Every so often, he would sneak down to a village, avoiding Cheongmun's gaze to enjoy drinking. One frequent destination was the town of Jongnam, which had poor relations with Hwasan. Playing in the territory of Hwasan would quickly get him caught and scolded. Naturally, the Jong Nam sect disapproved of seeing Hwasan figures appear frequently in their territory, resulting in conflicts, which Cheongmyeong would resolve by defeating them effortlessly with his overwhelming martial power.

In truth, Cheongmyeong cared little for seeking peace and preferred an easy life with his brothers. Although he found stepping into trouble bothersome, most issues tended to resolve within the senior brothers due to their high martial skills, and he believed that the bandits were already extinct and posed no danger.

However, in the end, during the Great War of Righteousness, he died alone, filled with endless regret.

[Current Life] Height 5 feet 9 inches (growing). In this life, he is the third disciple of the Hwasan sect, having reincarnated into the body of a 15-year-old beggar named Chosam, 100 years after his death. He struggles to revive the Hwasan sect, which has fallen due to the war. He is one of the Hwasan Five Swords: Cheongmyeong, Jogeol, Yoon Jong, Dang Soso, and Yoo Yiseol. After single-handedly defeating ten of Jongnam's second-generation disciples, he gained the nickname Hwasanshinryong (華山神龍), meaning the top rising star of the Hwasan sect. Three years later, after the Black Dragon Clan battle, Jang Ilsu spread the nickname Hwasan Sword Hero (華山劒俠), which later became the most commonly used nickname for Cheongmyeong in the story. Eight years later, the nickname Plum Blossom Sword Ghost (梅花劍鬼) was spread within the Waninbang.

At the beginning of the early events of the Janggang River Water Channel, Cheongmyeong acted overly kind perhaps because he couldn’t go on a mission together, frightening the remaining disciples, even Cheongmun's hallucination (...).

External strength with internal warmth. He feels a sense of discomfort regarding his stagnant presence compared to the flow that should have been with his brothers. When reminded of the past, he often dreams of the old days. Continually, he talks in hallucinations with the dead in the void and feels fortunate that he can revive Hwasan after reincarnation while viewing himself as a wandering spirit. He ponders why he cannot flow like the others and hopes to return to his brothers someday. He knows it is only a fictional voice he created—mainly the voice of Cheongmun, whom he sometimes relies on in moments of extreme loneliness and hardship.

Additionally, he tends to sink into thoughts and depression frequently. But he tries to shake them off, feeling he has way too much to do and should not cling to them. When such thoughts linger too long, the Hwasan's young star should gather loudly to distract him from it.

Although he generally remains busy and mentally strong, after realizing that the Demon Lord may have resurrected, he dreams more often of the demon war from his previous life and experiences phantom pains in the left arm, which was cut during the battle with the Demon Lord. A few years later, after recovering Cheongjin's remains, he exhibits symptoms of panic, like clutching his mouth and curling up as his insides churn and his vision blurs.

In the early chapters, Cheongmyeong bears the contradictory inner conflict of being the world’s greatest warrior yet filled with regrets, which becomes the source of his self-blame. In particular, he feels a strong sense of debt towards the current Hwasan because he and his brothers poured all their energy into the Great Blood Battle but did not return from it, and this realization was a significant contributor to Hwasan's gradual downfall. Thus, in order to repay this debt, he constantly strives to help, with every action motivated by helping Hwasan and its disciples. Therefore, fundamentally, his focus is on the prosperity and safety of Hwasan rather than on the peace of the world, demonstrating an intense concentration on ensuring the welfare of Hwasan and its disciples. Although he may appear outwardly self-assured, deep down, he harbors self-loathing doubts and anxiety about himself, which Hyunjong perceives suspiciously. He is excessively concerned about Hwasan's revival, deeply involved in all important matters, and often considers himself as a mere tool for Hwasan.

He consciously tries not to think deeply about the past, deeming it foolish, yet he holds onto profound self-blame for prioritizing his martial arts over his brothers, resulting in their eventual annihilation. But some years later, he acknowledges that the old Hwasan and Cheongmun were wrong, finally putting down a longstanding burden of the heart. He admits that while the old Hwasan and Cheongmun were undoubtedly perfect and noble, they were, in fact, an isolated sect, fighting alone and having to perish without friends to support them, revealing flaws in both himself and the past Hwasan. Following this event, conversations with Cheongmun become scarce.

He harbors considerable hatred for Gupaibaibang, especially compared to the Odaeseong Family. Strangely, he offers positive remarks about Kunlun, calling them "special beings like immortals," indicative of his shared sense of kinship since Kunlun suffered significantly at the hands of the Demon Sect after Hwasan. This might indicate an affinity for Gupaibaibang. He also dislikes Jongnam, as they frequently collided with each other as they were located in the same Shaanxi region, with fundamentally opposite approaches to martial arts. He dislikes Jongnam the most among Gupaibaibang, but he holds no bad feelings toward the individual disciples.

Most of the time, he appears as a carefree troublemaker, but when faced with serious battles, the appearance of the sword demon from his past life is vividly revealed. Furthermore, due to his experience of having slain countless ruthless Demon Sect disciples, he shows no mercy towards those who confront him in life-and-death situations.

Currently, he participates in both minor and major matters of the sect, showcasing considerable foresight and strategy. He consistently finds ways to outsmart opponents, cleverly seizing profits in advantageous situations and exposing their schemes to benefit Hwasan, thereby redefining the power dynamics of the martial world. As a result, the high officers of the factions he encounters (Danggunak, Im Sobyeong, Beopjeong, Gaebang Buntachu, Binggung Elder, etc.) all agree on the assessment that He seems to be raising a hundred clever snakes in his belly.

He believes it is more important to protect and strengthen current disciples so they can leave more for the descendants rather than being concerned about descendants he does not know. Years later, after the formation of Cheonwoo Alliance, Danggunak led the other representatives to promote Cheongmyeong to the position of commander.


- Cheongmun
Cheongmyeong's senior brother during the Mei Hua Sword Sovereign era. He was the leader of the Hwasan sect during its heyday. Since he was the leader, Cheongmyeong refers to him as the senior brother of the leader. Because Cheongmun raised him like a son, he was almost the only person who could keep the reckless Cheongmyeong in check. He is depicted as either a big brother or a father figure to the orphaned Cheongmyeong as described in the story. Despite being busy scolding and reprimanding Cheongmyeong every day, he loved him more than anyone else. Cheongmyeong deeply respected Cheongmun as he was the only one who provided careful consideration and heartfelt advice. Worrying about Cheongmyeong, who shouldered everything himself due to his extraordinary talent, he endeavored to guide him on how to live as a character and a sage. He is, in essence, the most significant contributor to Cheongmyeong's mental growth.

- Cheongjin
Cheongmyeong's disciple during the Mei Hua Sword Sovereign era, handling martial arts at that time as the Master of Martial Arts. While Cheongmyeong often teased Cheongjin, they maintained a close relationship full of banter and jokes.

- Baekcheon
The classmate of Cheongmyeong in his current life. Their initial relationship was nearly worst-case, but after witnessing Cheongmyeong perfectly defeat Jin Geumryong in the Hwa Jung Ji Hyoi, he inspired Baekcheon, leading him to set aside his pride and learn under Cheongmyeong alongside the other Baekja disciples. Later, he experiences tremendous growth through Cheongmyeong's hellish training but starts displaying a somewhat violent temperament as his character gains influence from Cheongmyeong's nature.

- Yoo Yiseol
Cheongmyeong's younger sister in the current life, who initially thinks Yiseol's sword resembles the old Hwasan sword positively, but soon changes her impression upon discovering Yiseol's eccentricities, deeming her a 'dumb crazy.'

- Jogeol
Cheongmyeong's senior brother in the current life. He was already mischievous before meeting Cheongmyeong, but his temperament and verbosity peaked after that. Jogeol was the first disciple to be acknowledged by Cheongmyeong for having good qualities.

- Yoon Jong
Cheongmyeong's great senior brother in the current life. He was the one who took the lead in stopping Cheongmyeong before Baekcheon appeared and still suffers along with Baekcheon.

- Dang Soso
Cheongmyeong's younger sister in the current life. Dreaming of freedom, Soso viewed Cheongmyeong as a suitable partner, but after being inspired by Yiseol's martial arts competition, she decided to join the Hwasan sect, ultimately becoming just one of the disciples.

- Dangbo
During the Mei Hua Sword Sovereign era, he was Cheongmyeong's only true friend, aside from his senior brothers within the sect. Additionally, he was another revered figure guarding Cheongmyeong's back during the Great War of Righteousness, a unique comrade of his. His alias implies the supreme master of memory arts.

- Danggunak
The head of the Dang family and Cheongmyeong's close friend in the current life. Essentially, among all characters excluding Hwasan disciples, he is the closest person to Cheongmyeong.

- Im Sobyeong
The King of the Green Forest. Among those working alongside Cheongmyeong, he is one of the individuals who comprehends Cheongmyeong's thoughts well.

- Hong Daegwang
The Seven Flawless from Gaebang, who became connected to Cheongmyeong when he came to sell items during the incident at the Tomb of the