Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 138

Chung Myung’s face felt hot. He felt like he was seeing red. This wasn’t just about small coins or extra food anymore. This was something huge. Something important.

Yakseon? Of all people, it was Yakseon?

Everyone knew Yakseon. He was the best pill maker ever, in old times and now. Pill making was like magic, making special potions called elixirs. Yakseon’s Hondon Pill was famous. People said it was even better than the Great Revitalizing Pill from Shaolin, the famous temple known for its monks and martial arts.

That Great Revitalizing Pill! The Great Revitalizing Pill!

Every important sect had its own pill-making secrets. They used these secrets to help their students get stronger. Shaolin’s Great Revitalizing Pill and Wudang’s Violet Dawn Pill were the most famous.

Wudang and Shaolin had lots of money and people to help them make pills. So, their elixirs were very powerful.

But Yakseon learned to make pills all by himself. And he made pills that were even better than the ones from those two sects.

Martial artists risk their lives for inner strength. For them, the Hondon Pill was a treasure. It was even better than Shaolin’s Great Revitalizing Pill.

The Hondon Pill could make someone a master quickly because it gave them so much inner strength. It was more than just a treasure.

A hundred years ago, people heard that the Hondon Pill was out in the world. They fought and killed each other to get it.

And not just the Hondon Pill, but Yakseon’s tomb too?

That meant…

‘The pill-making secrets might be there!’

People usually leave behind what they’ve learned!

Yakseon was amazing at making pills. He wouldn’t just destroy his secrets! He must have written them down somewhere.

And if the Sword Tomb was real, the pill-making secrets were probably inside.

‘I must have this, even if it kills me!’

No. Hwasan must have it.

Why were Shaolin’s Great Revitalizing Pill and Wudang’s Violet Dawn Pill so famous? Because inner strength was very important for martial arts.

If someone had more inner strength, they would be better at martial arts!

So, Shaolin and Wudang spent lots of money and time to learn about making pills. They made the best elixirs in the world. The students who took these elixirs got stronger every day.

Like Mujin, who had lots of sword energy because he had so much inner strength, even though he was young.

But Hwasan…

‘Doesn’t have a pill-making technique.’

It was lost.

‘And no elixirs either.’

So, the Hwasan students couldn’t even see elixirs. They had to share the Plum Blossom Pills, which Chung Myung used to eat when he had a hangover.

Now, they didn’t even have Plum Blossom Pills.

Chung Myung could help them with his strong will, but when he was gone, it would be bad for Hwasan because they had lost the pill-making secrets.

“No! Why didn’t you leave it behind! That thing!”

Chung Myung pointed at the sky.

– …Did I know?

He took care of the books and martial arts, but not the pill-making secrets! Maybe that’s why the doctors were angry because they were ignored!

But that wasn’t important now!

Chung Myung glared at Jin Hyun.

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“So, you sure the Sword Tomb is Yakseon’s tomb?”

Jin Hyun cleared his throat.

“You know Talgeom Muheun, right? He was the strongest fighter, but people didn’t understand his skills. That’s why he wasn’t famous.”

“Oh, right.”

Usually, when someone is the strongest, their martial arts become famous too. But Chung Myung had never heard of Talgeom Muheun’s martial arts.

‘That’s strange.’

“Talgeom Muheun won without special moves. He just had lots of inner strength. Some people thought Yakseon helped him, but Yakseon said no. But after Yakseon died, someone who knew him told the truth.”

“Only a few sects knew?”

“That’s right.”

Jin Hyun sighed.

Now, Hwasan would know too. Or a robber would know.

But he couldn’t do anything. A martial artist’s promise was very important. He couldn’t ruin his uncle’s honor.

And…

‘If I don’t tell him, he won’t let us go.’

People might not believe that Wudang students were being threatened, but it was happening.

“Now, I told you everything. Please, let us go.”

“Of course. I keep my promises.”

Chung Myung smiled.

He would let them go. After taking one more thing.

“So, where’s the Treasure Map?”

“Yes?”

“Where is the Treasure Map? You said you found it.”

…

Jin Hyun’s eyes darted around.

“Th-that’s…”

Jin Hyun tried to think.

“I said I’d tell you everything, but I didn’t say I’d give you the Treasure Map!”

“You did. I know.”

“Then why?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“Think about it. If I let you go, you’ll bring Wudang students, right?”

…

“They’ll swarm in like angry ants whose nest has been kicked. Right?”

…

“Then I’ll be chasing chickens. I can’t do anything when Wudang is swarming. You don’t know where the Sword Tomb is. I can’t find it alone in Nanyang when you couldn’t find it with the map.”

That’s why he told him.

Chung Myung smiled at Jin Hyun.

Jin Hyun wanted to leave. Chung Myung couldn’t beat Wudang alone. Hwasan was far away.

He thought Chung Myung couldn’t do anything.

“So, give me the Treasure Map to make things fair.”

Why?

Jin Hyun’s face became stiff and pale.

“I can’t give you the Treasure Map. It wasn’t part of the deal!”

“You can’t give it?”

“That’s right!”

“You can’t give it?”

…Th-that’s…

“Really?”

…

Jin Hyun’s face turned blue. Chung Myung smiled and came closer. Jin Hyun’s mind went blank.

“Are you, a Taoist, robbing someone? If you follow the Tao…”

“Tao?”

“Y-yes!”

“Who?”

.”…

Chung Myung clenched his fist.

*Crack!*

The sound of bones cracking scared Jin Hyun.

“How many times do I have to tell you, who am I?”

“Hwa, Hwasan…”

“Tsk tsk. Our Taoist doesn’t understand! I’m just a passing robber!”

…

No. He couldn’t win by arguing…

“Choose!”

Chung Myung’s eyes were angry.

“Give me the Treasure Map and go back to Wudang for help… Or!”

*Thud!*

Chung Myung’s foot slammed into the earth. Dust flew up, and a deep *thud* echoed through the trees. The ground *shook* under Jin Hyun’s feet.

“You can bury yourself here with only your head sticking out and wait until I find the Sword Tomb!”

…

His head tilted.

“Which one?”

Jin Hyun tried a different tactic. He put on his most innocent smile.

“Shouldn’t a true Taoist abandon worldly desires?”

When someone is stronger, Taoism doesn’t matter.

Chung Myung walked down the mountain, looking at the Treasure Map.

It had lines and symbols. It felt strange. It was real.

“Hehehe. Yakseon’s tomb, huh? The heavens are helping me. It pays to be good.”

He thought someone was swearing at him, but he didn’t care.

Hey, stay still! You didn’t leave the pill-making secrets, so I have to do this!

Chung Myung smiled and looked at the Treasure Map.

It had symbols and lines.

“You have to solve this to enter my tomb, huh?”

Haha!

That was cute.

The Treasure Map showed Yakseon was proud. He must have been! Otherwise, why make such a hard-to-understand map?

He thought someone who could solve the map would want to enter his tomb. He was confident.

“Well, he’s right.”

Chung Myung was interested.

Chung Myung chuckled at the Treasure Map.

“So, this is a code, huh?”

It was made so normal people couldn’t solve it.

But who was Chung Myung?

“Hehe.”

Chung Myung was very talented in Hwasan, even when Hwasan was strong.

Chung Myung could solve the Treasure Map.

Chung Myung looked at the Treasure Map.

After looking at the lines, Chung Myung put down the Treasure Map.

“I don’t understand!”

Talent? He was good at hitting people. He never did this!

“Ugh.”

He looked at the Treasure Map and shook his head.

“This is impossible.”

It hurt his eyes and head. If it was a sword book, he could look at it all day. But this wasn’t about swords.

Chung Myung thought.

“I don’t have to solve it myself!”

He had his uncle and senior brothers!

“Anyway!”

The Wudang students would bring help.

If they knew Chung Myung beat Mujin and stole the Treasure Map, the Wudang elders would come.

Chung Myung couldn’t beat them all. He could beat ten Wudang elders when he was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, but he wasn’t strong now.

‘Three days?’

The main force would come in three days. He had to find the Sword Tomb before Wudang.

“No time!”

Chung Myung ran.

If he got the Hondon Pill secrets, Hwasan could be strong again. Inner strength was important to become the best sword sect.

“First, I need to eat!”

Chung Myung rubbed his stomach and ran faster.