Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Sasuk!”

“S-sahyung!”

“Damn it!”

The disciples from Mount Hua all shouted at the sight of blood that splattered onto the stage.

Jo Gul, Yoon Jong, and even Yu Yiseol jumped up, looking shocked.

The only person still seated was Chung Myung, who was looking toward the stage with cold eyes.

‘He got excited.’

Sword techniques had obvious uses and clear timing.

If an opponent could be taken down with a strong technique, then there was no need for anything else, and how often one used their technique at the right time was a clear indication of skill.

Just then, Baek Cheon had made a mistake.

The Plum Blossom Sword was a splendid technique.

However, that sword technique took time and distance to bloom properly. If someone tried to make a splendid charge against a swift sword, then they could die.

“He must know that for sure,” grunted Chung Myung.

There was no way that Baek Cheon was unaware of this. The theories of sword techniques were explained countless times. From an objective point of view, there was no way Baek Cheon, who was a nerd, wouldn’t know that.

One, he got too caught up in the moment, which made him forget what he clearly knew. And two, this had also negatively affected his judgment.

If his opponent wasn’t Jin Geum-Ryong, but another disciple from Southern Edge or of any other prestigious sect, Baek Cheon would have never made such a mistake.

As this was Jin Geum-Ryong, Baek Cheon couldn’t hold his usual calm.

“That idiot.”

Chung Myung looked at the stage with a stiff face. And at that time, Jo Gul habitually called for Chung Myung,

“C-Chung Myung!”

“Don’t make a fuss!”

But Chung Myung was unusually silent.

“Even though sasuk is usually this stupid, he only seems to care about his self-esteem and pride and talks nonsense only to cause unnecessary accidents for us, or he acts all cheeky!”

“… it would be better if you just cursed, you idiot!”

“Still, he is a swordsman, so he must endure that wound.”

Unlike usual, his gaze was cold.

“If he can lift his sword, he will not lose. That idiot should know that too.”

At that time, Jo Gul gulped as he turned to look at Baek Cheon, who was clutching his wrist, which was bleeding.

‘Sasuk.’

Jo Gul looked at Baek Cheon, trying to stop the blood from flowing.

The terrible pain in his wrist. Baek Cheon pressed the wound with his other hand to stop the bleeding.

‘Was I careless?’

No, it wasn’t carelessness.

This was arrogance. Right. He was being arrogant.

‘I knew my opponent was strong.’

He had moved forward without a thought, but when dealing with such a person, one must ponder their decisions before making a move.

But for a moment, he got drunk on his own strength and forgot to do such things; now, the price he paid was the wound on his hand.

When Baek Cheon lifted his bleeding hand, the cut was deep enough to expose the bone.

Seeing the wound, Jin Geum-Ryong said,

“The flowers on Mount Hua are beautiful.”

A dull voice.

It wasn’t loud or small; it was as if the wound on the hand was bound to happen.

“But it is no use if the branch is cut down before they bloom. Like now.”

Baek Cheon bit his lip at the words which stabbed him, and the guy continued,

“Didn’t I tell you? Not to get cocky.”

“…”

“You seem to think you are as good as Chung Myung, but this is nothing but a fox taking itself to be a tiger. You are nothing without the protection of Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”

Those words pierced his heart.

Maybe because of the wound or those words, but his heart began to pound. And his face began to heat up, with cold sweat dripping down it.

Baek Cheon barely held onto his sword.

‘Move.’

Despite the pain, his hand could move. Neither the muscles nor veins appeared to be injured. Then it wouldn’t be too much of a problem to continue using his sword.

‘I can still do it.’

Jin Geum-Ryong narrowed his eyes, looking at Baek Cheon.

“You want more?”

“… of course.”

“Nothing will change. Do you not know this?”

“We never know.”

Baek Cheon growled

“But I know what is bad, if I get out right now, I will be stupid trash.”

“… you are trash.”

Jin Geum-Ryong smiled,

“You seem to be able to grasp the situation. Good. I thought you had forgotten about it.”

This cynicism penetrated Baek Cheon’s ear.

“Then come, trash.”

Baek Cheon clenched his teeth and looked at Jin Geum-Ryong.

‘I can still do it.’

You didn’t lose. You… don’t lose yet.

At least try your best before being defeated. If he lost without doing anything, then he would never be able to surpass Jin Geum-Ryong for the rest of his life.

So, for now, do your best.

Throb!

He gripped the sword like he was trying to crush the handle and moved his wrist, which was still wracked with pain.

Was it because he had bled too much? His eyes felt blurry, and his clarity was fading away.

‘Focus!’

Focus! At least forget the pain.

But…

Could he win?

His heart was pounding. If he couldn’t overpower Jin Geum-Ryong in his normal state, then could he do it now, when he was wounded?

‘Damn it!’

Suddenly Jin Geum-Ryong looked huge.

Jin Geum-Ryong was always looking down with an arrogant expression.

‘Always that same face.’

-You can never beat me.

He had always heard that.

Every fucking time.

Every time he tried, the results would always be the same. He always believed he would win and rushed in only to lose.

This time too?

‘Am I going to lose…’

He was bragging about it till now, but he knew his odds were slim. Winning wasn’t something that could be achieved only by one’s will.

And it was difficult to deal with Jin geum-Ryong after being injured.

Then how should…

“Youuuuuuuuuuu idiotttttttttttttttt!”

Baek Cheon turned his head in shock. Chung Myung stood up from his seat.

“Ugh…”

And he growled with his teeth exposed,

“How dare you bow your head! I will break your head!”

“….”

“You are a disciple of Mount Hua!”

Chung Myung was moving toward the stage while cursing.

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who were next to him, rushed to him without delay and grabbed his hands.

As if a beast was pulling them, they couldn’t hold him back, which made the other disciples be called in by Yoon Jong,

“Get over here! Hurry!”

All the disciples rushed to Chung Myung.

“Stop him! Stop him!”

“Chung Myung! There are people watching us! And that person is sasuk!”

“Shut your mouth! You shut your mouth first!”

All of them rushed to Chung Myung, climbing onto him like a mountain, but that guy kept shouting,

“What is with that face?! Even if your head is broken, your head should still be lifted tall! That is Mount Hua! You fucking sasuk!”

All the people around looked at Chung Myung with absurd faces. Even Jin Geum-Ryong couldn’t hide the shock on his face.

Save one.

Baek Cheon smiled at the words of Chung Myung,

“That damned fucking sajil of mine.”

And he straightened his head.

Chung Myung’s words were correct.

Winning or losing didn’t matter. If he truly felt that Jin Geum-Ryong was a wall, he shouldn’t be in despair in front of that man.

“What did you learn!”

“…”

“Do not forget! What you have learned!”

Calm began to settle back on Baek Cheon’s face.

‘What I learned?’

He gently smiled,

“That is the way to win.”

Woong!

Baek Cheon tore off a piece of his clothes and tied his wounded hand to the handle of his sword. With his hand tied tightly, blood wouldn’t be able to flow so freely, and he raised his sword and aimed it at Jin Geum-Ryong.

Seeing that he looked calm, Chung Myung calmed down a little.

“Ughhhh!”

“Ouch!”

“Kuak!”

All of the disciples who were pulling him back were off in all directions. Dusting himself off, Chung Myung said,

“Right. I prefer this side of sasuk a little more.”

This was a hundred times better than being scared!

Jo Gul approached Chung Myung with a worried face,

“Chung Myung. Sasuk…”

“Don’t worry,”

Chung Myung cut the conversation short without looking back.

“Sasuk is stronger than you think.”

There was firm trust in that voice.

And Baek Cheon’s heart calmed. Slowly.

‘Stupid’

Too excited?

That was a mistake.

But the bigger mistake was to forget the teachings of Mount Hua.

-Cool head? How do you cool your head on the battlefield with blood splashing around? That is just bullshit and something that people don’t know. Everyone gets too excited in places like that. The important thing is to not lose your sword technique in that excitement.

Funny.

Throughout practice, Chung Myung would constantly nag about the same thing. Sometimes, it made him want to pull his sword on Chung Myung, who would constantly nag him.

But those terrible naggings were paving the way for him.

‘I remember.’

The teachings of Mount Hua.

That idiot’s nagging.

-Why use a sword with only your hand? Can a guy on foot with no balance use a sword? Would you like to do a sword dance by flying in the air? A sword can’t stand when it doesn’t have the legs to hold its weight! It all starts from the feet! A plum tree doesn’t stand without roots!

‘Right.’

Start with the feet. The lower body.

All swords start from the lower body. Do not forget that.

-Don’t go after glamor! If you are too enchanted with the concept of looking good, then that sword of yours will be swayed. The origin of Mount Hua isn’t the Plum Blossom Sword technique! It is the Six Equilibrium Sword! It is tranquility among stillness! The basis of Mount Hua’s sword technique is that. If you cannot keep your mind quiet and choose to go after flashy movements, no matter how gorgeous the blossoms are… you are just a clown in a circus!

‘Right. I forgot that.’

Baek Cheon smiled bitterly.

He had hoped for a victory while forgetting everything he had learned. Where else could such a stupid person be?

Jin Geum-Ryong frowned and looked at Baek Cheon, who was smiling.

“What is so funny?”

“Ah… don’t misunderstand. It isn’t about you. I am not laughing at hyung, I was laughing at myself.”

“Looks like you know yourself well.”

“Maybe.”

Baek Cheon took his sword and looked at Jin Geum-Ryong,

“I forgot for a moment. What I need to prove isn’t that I’m stronger than you.”

“…”

“What I need to prove is the sword of Mount Hua. Come, I will prove that the sword of the Southern Edge Sect isn’t as good as Mount Hua.”

“With that wounded hand?”

“It is even better with this.”

Baek Cheon smiled,

“Thanks to this, I can prove it more clearly.”

Jin Geum-Ryong snorted,

“There is nothing more ugly than a pretentious bastard acting out.”

“I agree. So…”

Baek Cheon looked ahead and spoke with a smile,

“Stop acting pretentious and come at me.”

A coldness oozed from Jin Geum-Ryong’s eyes.

“Right.”

His body rushed for Baek Cheon,

“How dare you keep talking like that!”

Kang!

The sword once again moved with the speed of light toward Baek Cheon’s neck.

‘What?’

Jin Geum-Ryong didn’t hide his shock. It wasn’t shocking that Baek Cheon blocked his sword. Unlike before, the movement of the sword blocking felt too natural.

‘What is this?’

Something had changed.

Jin Geum-Ryong clenched his teeth and moved his sword. In an instant, dozens of attacks fell toward Baek Cheon.

It was a sword that couldn’t be understood with normal eyes, but Baek Cheon handled each attack without much difficulty.

The sound of swords clashing could be constantly heard.

‘My head is calm.’

My chest colder.

My lower body is firm on the ground, and my waist stabilizes my body as support.

Those who cannot balance their bodies cannot raise their swords.

‘Think.’

The teachings from Mount Hua were etched into his body. There was no reason to lose as long as he didn’t forget that.

In the midst of clashing swords, his gaze fell on Jin Geum-Ryong and then on the Mount Hua disciples.

‘Don’t look at me with those eyes.’

Did they adore me? Do they believe in me?

Stupid kids.

I only lost all the time.

Never once have I surpassed Jin Geum-Ryong, and not once have I led you properly.

I lose and keep losing over and over.

Yet.

‘Why do you look at me with such trust in your eyes?’

You idiots!

Baek Cheon hated such people.

Kaaak!

The eyes of Baek Cheon, who was being pushed back, were shining.

Without missing the gap which had been created by his perfect defense, he switched to offense.

Jin Geum-Ryong, who was surprised at the swift change in the form of Baek Cheon, aimed for his throat, and stepped back.

“You!”

“Shut up!”

Baek Cheon swung his sword.

There are people who believe in me.

Even if I lose and lose and lose again, there are fools, idiots who will believe that I will win the next time!

So I…!

“Cannot lose to you!”

Baek Cheon’s sword under the dazzling sunlight… This light scattered all over the body of Jin Geum-Ryong.

Chung Myung, who saw it, slowly said,

“Look carefully.”

“…”

“Because now it blooms.”

Built and grown over and over again.

The dried flower that had endured hardships for far too long.

Finally, saw the spring.