Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“W-what?”

The sajaes who had jumped inside ‘flew’ out?

And they were twice as fast to leave as they were when entering?

Wudang’s disciples caught the sajaes that were thrown back.

“Ack.”

“Ahh… did something hit you?”

Fortunately, it seemed like they weren’t seriously wounded. Considering the speed at which they bounced back, they were strangely uninjured.

“What happened?”

“… I don’t know. I saw something hazy….”

Jin Hyeon’s face hardened.

‘They didn’t even see the attack?’

It sounded like utter nonsense.

One person could say that. Humans make mistakes. But it was impossible for all three of them to be unable to see what had attacked them.

It would only be possible if the attacker’s skill level was several times higher than his sajaes.…

‘… we’re only up against the disciples of Mount Hua and Huayoung Gate.’

Jin Hyeon, who had such thoughts, quickly found a reasonable answer.

“Looks like we stepped into a trap. Though I’m not sure how.”

“You mean it wasn’t an attack?”

“If it had been a proper attack, would it have ended with such little damage? It wouldn’t have been strange if one of them had been cut down.”

“Ah… right, you’re right Sahyung!”

Jin Hyeon bit his lip.

‘Was it really a trap? If not?’

The exact method was unknown, but what became apparent was that the enemies had someone that could utilize some tricks. It seemed that this was the reason they had requested a battle and not a spar.

“They’re playing tricks.”

Jin Hyeon drew his sword and took two steps forward.

“Follow behind me. I don’t know what sort of traps they’re using, so I’ll lead the charge and break through.”

“Yes! Sahyung!”

Jin Hyeon looked at Huayoung Gate’s tightly shut entrance with slightly nervous eyes.

‘What could be behind this? Either way, excessive caution would just play into another trap.’

“Let’s go!”

Without waiting for an answer, Jin Hyeon rushed forward and kicked the gate.

Kwang!

The door shattered and splintered with a crashing roar, scattering shrapnel everywhere.

The dust that had risen gradually subsided, and then there was silence.

‘… where’s the trap?’

Jin Hyeon had gathered his resolve to break in, but nothing happened. He could only see Mount Hua’s disciples standing off in the distance and staring back at him.

“Geez, why did you break the gate? It wasn’t even locked. Ah, kids these days make a mess of everything.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

There were so many reasons that Yoon Jong wanted to scold Chung Myung, but now it was time to deal with the enemy.

Jin Hyeon scanned to the left and then the right before frowning.

“Is this all?”

“What?”

When Chung Myung asked, Jin Hyeon growled.

“Do you intend to deal with all of us with only the few of you? That’s quite bold! I don’t know if that’s confidence or arrogance.”

Chung Myung looked at Yoon Jong with a pouty face.

“What’s he talking about?”

“Well, I’m getting a familiar feeling from him.”

Chung Myung smiled and spoke.

“Don’t you feel like you’re looking at the old Baek Cheon sasuk?”

Baek Cheon, who was suddenly brought into the issue, gnashed his teeth.

“… Don’t.”

“Don’t~.”

“Hey!”

Baek Cheon’s face flushed red.

However, Baek Cheon himself couldn’t deny that Jin Hyeon’s words and actions were similar to his former self.

‘That’s what happens to those who don’t know that there’s another sky above our sky.’

Baek Cheon’s mind was broken after meeting Chung Myung… no, not just literally or metaphorically. Although his head had been beaten, it really did help him to understand reality.

However, no matter how much he’d changed, it was unpleasant to see his shameful past alive and well in front of his eyes.

“…. Let’s just finish this quickly.”

Baek Cheon spoke through a blushing face, and Yoon Jong and Jo Gul turned their heads as they struggled to restrain their laughter.

A look of bewilderment appeared on Jin Hyeon as he watched that scene.

‘What is this? They look relaxed?’

‘Are there other traps?’

Yet, no matter how he scanned the area or searched, he couldn’t feel any qi. What sort of trap could even be used in this place?

And yet, they still greeted him with this attitude?

Jin Hyeon’s face began to heat up.

‘These arrogant bastards!’

Defeating them in a battle of words could help knock them down a peg, but it didn’t seem like it could solve the problem. Jin Hyeon’s mouth opened.

“I don’t know where the hell your confidence comes from. Do you believe that Mount Hua, which has never defeated Wudang in the past, can fight back now?”

Chung Myung laughed.

“Who was never defeated? A hundred years ago, we were much stronger than you.”

Although it was never officially recognized.

“Ha? A hundred years ago?”

Jin Hyeon smiled and laughed.

“Yeah, right. A hundred years ago. The era of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint that you’re so proud of.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung was a bit shocked.

It felt strange to hear the name ‘Plum Blossom Sword Saint’ coming from this guy’s mouth. That name couldn’t even be heard in Mount Hua, but now it was coming from a disciple of Wudang?

“Did you know that the Plum Blossom Sword Saint you’re so proud of was defeated by the Wudang’s Taiji Sword Emperor?”

“What?”

Baek Cheon was enraged.

“What nonsense are you saying?”

“Hahaha. Nonsense, you say? The two of them once had a spar. To protect the honor of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, our ancestor hid the result.”

“This…”

“Mount Hua has never been a match for the Wudang sect. It would help you to understand that.”

As Jin Hyeon continued his taunting, the faces of Mount Hua’s disciples flushed red in anger.

It was fine to ignore and look down on them, but disrespecting their ancestors was unforgivable.

The Plum Blossom Sword Saint is the pride of Mount Hua.

“How dare you speak such drivel about our ancestors!”

“You’re crossing the line!”

“He’s not someone your foul mouth can speak of!”

“… I cannot forgive you.”

An unknown sadness encroached upon Chung Myung’s heart when he saw his fellow disciples react like this.

‘They’re protecting me so much! Me!’

‘Hey, you kids! I’m the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!’

‘Ah, oh my, damn it! I can’t even tell them the truth! How tragic!’

But apart from those emotions, Chung Myung didn’t feel particularly angry at Jin Hyeon’s words. He just thought it was a bit absurd.

‘Wow, this is such a distortion of history.’

‘That Taoist bastard demanded a spar with such a determined expression that it seemed like he wouldn’t give up even if he died. It’s a bit annoying to call it a ‘secret spar’, I was just too lazy to fight that weak idiot.’

And what?

Who had beaten whom?

- Your wickedness has gone too far. As a fellow member of a Taoist sect, I will show you the true path of a Taoist. Please do not blame my sword for being merciless; I ask that you reflect on what you have done.

- …t-that… I admit that your power surpasses mine. Knowing that I am lacking, I want to back down. No… I am not trying to walk away; no, wait!—stop hitting me! You’ve already won! How can a Taoist act like this… ah! Ack! No! I am not saying that… ackk!

- Hyung! Spare me!

“He was such a good little brother.”

Although he was older, he referred to Chung Myung respectfully as Hyung.

“Huh?”

“Ah, nothing.”

Chung Myung waved his hand.

After that, whenever Chung Myung stopped by Wudang, he would call out to the Taiji Sword Emperor and have a nice time. They would visit a popular neighborhood where there were a lot of expensive stores. Chung Myung had the pleasure of renting the top floor of the most expensive restaurants and drinking the most expensive alcohol, while the Wudang sect was left to pay the bills.

Whenever Chung Myung thought of the Taiji Sword Emperor’s distressed expression, he felt a little bad before laughing.

No… Now wasn’t the time to reminisce.

“Wow, the story changed this much.”

No one knows the truth, and there is no proof either.

At that time, Jin Hyeon, who misunderstood Chung Myung’s reaction, scoffed at him.

“Even Mount Hua’s most powerful swordsman couldn’t withstand the power of Wudang. Don’t you think you’re too arrogant to try and deal with us now? Your pride in front of Wudang—”

“Hey, shut up and come fight! Come on!”

“…”

Chung Myung sighed heavily.

“You see, it doesn’t matter who won a hundred years ago. Can men from a hundred years ago come and support or cheer for you now? They’re all dead, you bastard! If you like those old men so much, just go join the Wudang—ah, you already are a bastard of Wudang.”

He already is one.

“…. How dare you!”

“Anyway, you old-fashioned people….”

Even though his past had been distorted, Chung Myung didn’t feel angry.

‘What does it matter now? I got defeated by the Heavenly Demon anyway.’

The present is what matters most.

And…

‘That’s what those in power do.’

The Wudang sect would never have dared to say such a thing if Mount Hua was stronger than them. In other words, if the current Mount Hua was overwhelmingly more powerful than the Wudang sect, then even if they claimed that the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was stronger than the Taiji Sword Emperor, there would be no backlash.

Control belongs to those who grasp power, whether it’s history, money, or the right to speak.

This was something that Chung Myung had no complaints about.

‘I’m strong!’

‘It’ll all be mine!’

This problem could be resolved as long as Mount Hua could take down the Wudang sect.

Well, it didn’t really matter if the distorted history was corrected anyway.

The current Chung Myung needed to receive a higher evaluation than the past Plum Blossom Sword Saint.

“You really need to see blood to get your mind strai—”

“Young trainee Wei! Wei!”

Jin Hyeon tried to speak but was interrupted when Chung Myung called for Wei Soheng.

Wei Soheng, who was watching from behind, was utterly puzzled.

“Yes?”

“Did you do everything I asked you to?”

“About the rumors? Y-yes, I spread word to the people in Nanyang.”

“Good. Now then, ugh!”

Chung Myung drew his sword.

The disciples of Wudang flinched as they stepped back.

All of a sudden…

As Chung Myung swung his sword, qi gushed out from the tip.

However, the sword’s slash wasn’t directed at the Wudang disciples. Rather, it headed toward the walls of Huayoung Gate before slicing them open several times.

Crack!

In an instant, the walls collapsed.

“W-what are you doing?”

Wei Lishan’s eyes widened.

‘No, why would that son of a bitch tear down the walls of their own sub-sect?’

“Ah…”

But Wei Lishan soon understood Chung Myung’s intent and went silent.

Around the wall, a stampede of people from Nanyang was rushing to view what was happening.

Having heard that Wudang and Mount Hua would fight at Huayoung Gate, an audience came to watch. Who wouldn’t want to witness this battle?

“I kind of like growing my name.”

Chung Myung chuckled.

Their purpose here wasn’t just to help Huayoung Gate. They needed people to see that Mount Hua could beat down the Wudang sect.

Every small victory they achieved would help raise Mount Hua’s reputation in the future.

“… It’s quite embarrassing.”

Hearing Baek Cheon’s words, Chung Myung smiled.

“If you are going to do it, do it perfectly.”

“Right.”

“Then there’s only one thing left to do.”

Chung Myung looked at the Wudang disciples.

“Sahyung. How many are possible for you?”

“… um… two.”

“I think it’s three for me?”

“Alright, that’s five.”

Chung Myung stroked his chin.

“Yu Sago should take care of four. Baek Cheon sasuk, you can handle him.”

“And you?”

“Do I have to?”

“… forget it.”

‘There are people around, so restrain yourself, please.’

“Then let’s go! Sasuk! Sago! Sahyung!”

“aa…”

“Ack…”

“Phew!”

Mount Hua’s disciples each sighed in various ways as they trudged forward.

“Someone needs to fall today.”

A cold chill flickered in Baek Cheon’s eyes.

“If they’re the disciples of the Wudang Sect, they’ll be more than enough to show the results of your training. Let’s go, guys. Show those bastards the sword of Mount Hua!”

“Yes, Sasuk!”

“Yes, Sahyung!”

Behind them, they heard a quiet voice respond.

“Why do you all react so differently even though I said the same thing?”

‘You should just shut your mouth, brat….’