Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 296

“Sasuk!”

“S-Senior Brother!”

“Bloody hell!”

Screams erupted from the disciples of Mount Hua.

Blood was scattered all over the sparring arena.

Jo Gul, Yoon Jong, and even Yoo Iseol jumped to their feet, their eyes wide with shock.

The only one who remained seated was Chung Myung.

He watched the sparring arena with cold eyes, like a hawk watching a clumsy bird. He saw Baek Cheon’s mistakes even before they happened.

‘He’s agitated.’

There is a right way to use swordsmanship.

If you could win just by using stronger moves, there would be no need for sparring.

The measure of skill is how perfectly timed and appropriate your moves are.

Baek Cheon was making a mistake.

The Plum Blossom Sword is a showy style.

But it needs space and time to work. If you try to execute flashy changes against a rapidly approaching sword, your neck will be cut off before you even have a chance to wield your sword.

“He must know this.”

Chung Myung gritted his teeth slightly.

There was no way Baek Cheon didn’t know this. He had explained the theory of swords countless times. Objectively speaking, Baek Cheon could be considered a prodigy, so there was no way he wouldn’t understand.

But when you are upset, you forget what you know. Being angry makes you make mistakes.

If his opponent wasn’t Jin Geum-ryong, if it was a disciple from a prestigious clan with similar skills, Baek Cheon would never have made such a mistake.

Only Jin Geum-ryong could agitate Baek Cheon and shatter his composure.

“That idiot.”

Chung Myung’s jaw tightened. His gaze remained fixed on the sparring arena.

Just then, Jo Gul habitually called out Chung Myung’s name.

“Ch-Chung Myung-ah!”

“Don’t make a fuss!”

But Chung Myung retorted quietly.

“Sasuk may be a bit of an idiot, full of pride, doing stupid things, causing unnecessary trouble, or just being unlucky!”

“…Just swear at me, you little rascal.”

“Still, a swordsman should be able to endure at least that much injury.”

His gaze was colder and heavier than usual.

“If he can still hold a sword, he hasn’t lost. Even that idiot knows that.”

At those words, Jo Gul swallowed hard and turned his head. He saw Baek Cheon clutching his wrist, blood streaming down.

‘Sasuk.’

Jo Gul watched Baek Cheon with a heart that felt like it was drying up.

Throb.

A terrible pain was felt in his wrist.

Baek Cheon pressed down on the wound with his uninjured hand to stop the bleeding.

‘Was I careless?’

No, it wasn’t carelessness.

It was more like arrogance. Yes, he was arrogant.

‘I knew my opponent was strong.’

He is strong because all my plans don’t work. When facing such a person, you have to think and think again every time you move your sword.

But he momentarily became intoxicated with himself and forgot to think. The wound on his wrist was the price of that arrogance.

When Baek Cheon took his hand off the bleeding, a deeply cut wound was revealed, almost exposing the bone.

Looking at the wound, Jin Geum-ryong opened his mouth calmly.

“The flowers of Mount Hua are beautiful.”

A nonchalant voice.

Jin Geum-ryong’s voice had no inflection, as if injuring Baek Cheon was the most natural outcome.

“But if the branches are cut off before the flowers bloom, it’s all useless. Just like you now.”

Baek Cheon bit his lower lip tightly.

Jin Geum-ryong’s words were piercing him painfully. To add to that, Jin Geum-ryong spoke coldly.

“Didn’t I tell you? You’re presumptuous.”

“……”

“You’ve been hanging around Chung Myung, so you must think you’re something, but you are just pretending to be strong because of Chung Myung. Without the protection of the 화산신룡, you are nothing. Yes, literally nothing.”

The words pierced his heart.

Whether it was because of the wound or those words, his heart began to beat erratically. His face flushed, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Baek Cheon tried to put strength into the hand holding his sword.

‘It moves.’

Even in the midst of the terrible pain, thankfully, his hand moved. The tendons didn’t seem to be damaged.

With this much, there would be no major difficulty in wielding the sword.

‘I can still do it.’

Seeing the fighting spirit returning to his eyes, Jin Geum-ryong narrowed his eyes.

“Are you going to continue?”

“…Of course.”

“Nothing will change. Don’t you know?”

“Maybe not.”

Baek Cheon bared his teeth and growled.

“But I know what’s pathetic. If I back down here, I’m just a stupid piece of trash.”

“…Trash, huh.”

Jin Geum-ryong smiled coldly.

“You seem to have a good grasp of your place. That’s a relief. I thought you had forgotten your place.”

His chilling mockery pierced Baek Cheon’s ears.

“Then try to attack me. Trash.”

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and stared at Jin Geum-ryong.

‘I can still do it.’

He hadn’t lost. Not yet… Not yet.

At least, he could accept defeat if he had done his best. If he lost without being able to do anything, he would never be able to surpass Jin Geum-ryong in his life.

So, he had to do his best now.

Throb! Throb!

As he gripped the sword as if it would break, hellish pain surged up from his wrist.

Was it because he had lost too much blood? He felt his vision blurring. The clear world was gradually fading.

‘Focus!’

He had to focus. Enough to forget the pain of the wound.

But…

Can he really win?

His heart began to pound.

Even in a normal state, he couldn’t overwhelm Jin Geum-ryong. No, to be honest, he had to admit he was being pushed back.

But could he win against Jin Geum-ryong with a wrist injury?

‘Bloody hell.’

Suddenly, Jin Geum-ryong looked incredibly large.

Jin Geum-ryong’s face, looking down with an arrogant expression, began to overlap with his past self.

‘He always had that face.’

– You can’t beat me.

And he had always heard those words.

Every time.

Every time he challenged, the result was always the same. He always believed he would win, but he always lost in the same way.

So, this time too?

‘Am I going to lose again…’ He remembered the sting of losing to Jin Geum-ryong before, the same feeling of helplessness.

He had been talking big, but he knew himself that his chances of winning were slim. A match isn’t something that can be achieved simply with willpower.

Facing Jin Geum-ryong in an injured state was too difficult.

Then what on earth…

“Yaaah! You useless lump!”

Baek Cheon was startled and turned his head.

Chung Myung had jumped up from his seat, his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Uh…”

He bared his teeth and growled, then shouted.

“Why are you hanging your head! I’ll smash your head in!”

“……”

“Is that how a senior disciple of Mount Hua acts!”

As if that wasn’t enough, Chung Myung started foaming at the mouth and charged towards the sparring arena.

Immediately, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who had been waiting nearby, rushed over and grabbed his arms and legs.

As if suppressing a stubborn, strong beast, Yoon Jong shouted to the other disciples behind him with a pale face.

“Pile on! Quickly!”

The disciples of Mount Hua rushed towards Chung Myung without looking back.

“Stop him! Stop him!”

“Chung Myung! There are many eyes watching! That person is your Sasuk!”

“Cover his mouth! Cover his mouth first!”

They all rushed in and piled on top of Chung Myung. They climbed on top of Chung Myung like a small mountain, but Chung Myung, even buried underneath, still rolled his eyes back and shouted.

“Why are you making such a pathetic, dejected face! Even if your head is broken, your neck should be stiff! That’s Mount Hua! You bloody Sasuk!”

The audience all stared at Chung Myung with bewildered faces.

Even Jin Geum-ryong, who was standing on the stage to fight, looked surprised.

For Baek Cheon, only one thing was important now.

Baek Cheon chuckled mockingly at Chung Myung’s words.

“That annoying martial brother,” he muttered.

Then, Baek Cheon straightened his back. He realized Chung Myung was right.

Winning or losing was not what mattered. If he really thought Jin Geum-ryong was like a strong wall, he shouldn’t give up before even trying to break through it.

“What did you learn!”

“⋯⋯.”

“Don’t forget! What you learned!”

Baek Cheon’s face started to relax. The worry lines around his eyes softened.

‘What did I learn?’

He smirked.

“Why, how to win, of course.”

Whoosh!

Baek Cheon ripped a strip of cloth from his clothes and tied his injured hand tightly to the handle of his sword. He wrapped it so tightly it would barely move. Then, he raised his sword and pointed it straight at Jin Geum-ryong.

His face looked calm again. He seemed ready to fight.

Seeing that, Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed.

With a shout, “Heave-ho!” Chung Myung pushed the Mount Hua disciples who were crowded around him.

“Ack!”

“Whoaa!”

The disciples were flung in all directions. Chung Myung jumped to his feet, grinned, and said.

“Yeah. Martial Uncle looks better when he’s a bit rough around the edges,” Chung Myung said with a grin.

Much better than seeing him frozen with fear!

Then, Jo Gul, approaching again, opened his mouth with a worried face.

“Chung Myung, Martial Uncle is⋯⋯.”

“No need to worry,” Chung Myung interrupted him quickly, without even turning around.

“Martial Uncle is stronger than you guys think.”

His voice showed strong belief.

Baek Cheon felt himself sinking.

His mind was sinking slowly.

‘I was foolish.’

Excited?

Of course, that was also a mistake.

But his even bigger mistake was forgetting the martial arts teachings of Mount Hua.

Calmness? How can you maintain calmness on a battlefield where blood splatters and flesh tears? That’s just nonsense from those who don’t know anything. Everyone gets excited. The important thing is not to lose your sword even in that excitement.

It’s a funny thing.

He had heard those nagging words so often during training that they were practically etched into his ears. Sometimes, he just wanted to tell Chung Myung to be quiet.

But those terrible nagging words were now opening the way for him.

‘Remember.’

The teachings of Mount Hua.

That blasted man’s nagging.

Who fights with just their hands? You can’t use a sword properly if your feet aren’t firm on the ground! Are you going to fly around in the air and dance with a sword? A sword that your legs can’t support is just a sword fight! All swords start from the feet! A plum blossom without roots cannot bloom!

‘Right.’

The beginning is the feet. And the lower body.

All swords start from the lower body. He had forgotten even that basic thing.

Chung Myung always emphasized ‘Dongjungjeong’ – the principle of inner stillness at the heart of Mount Hua swordsmanship. Don’t chase after the beauty of my sword moves! If I am captivated by the beauty of my sword moves, I will end up being distracted by the sword’s beauty. The foundation of Mount Hua is not the Plum Blossom Sword Technique! It’s the Six Harmony Sword! Dongjungjeong! The basis of the Mount Hua sword is Dongjungjeong. If you cannot maintain the stillness of your mind amidst splendid movements, no matter how beautiful a plum blossom you bloom, it is just a silly show!

‘Right. I forgot that too.’

Baek Cheon chuckled.

He had forgotten everything he had learned, yet still hoped to win. How could he have been so foolish?

Seeing Baek Cheon laughing to himself, Jin Geum-ryong narrowed his eyes.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ah⋯⋯. It seems I made you misunderstand. No need to worry. I’m not laughing at you, Brother. I was just laughing at myself.”

“Looks like you’ve lost your mind.”

“Maybe I have.”

Baek Cheon shook his sword once, powerfully.

And looked at Jin Geum-ryong with unwavering eyes.

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

“⋯⋯.”

“What I need to prove is the strength of the Mount Hua sword. Come on. I’ll prove that the Jongnam sword is not as good as the Mount Hua sword.”

“With that injured hand?”

“Even better.”

Baek Cheon grinned.

“Thanks to that, it will be even clearer.”

Jin Geum-ryong laughed, but it sounded empty.

“There’s nothing more pathetic than boasting when you’re not good enough.”

“I agree,” Baek Cheon said.

Baek Cheon raised his chin slightly and smiled.

“Stop just talking and come fight me.”

At that moment, a cold, killing look came into Jin Geum-ryong’s eyes.

“Alright,” Jin Geum-ryong said.

He charged towards Baek Cheon, moving incredibly fast.

“Keep talking nonsense!”

Clang!

The sword, moving like a ray of light, was blocked just before it hit Baek Cheon’s neck.

‘What?’

Jin Geum-ryong couldn’t hide his quick surprise.

It wasn’t just that Baek Cheon blocked his attack. It was *how* he blocked it. Baek Cheon’s movements were now smooth and natural, completely different from before.

‘What’s going on?’ Jin Geum-ryong thought.

Clearly, something had changed in Baek Cheon. Jin Geum-ryong gritted his teeth and swung his sword again. In an instant, more than ten sword strikes poured down on Baek Cheon. These incredibly fast sword strikes were too quick for most people to even see.

But Baek Cheon, his eyes now calm, blocked all the strikes easily. The rapid clanging of swords echoed around them.

‘Keep your head cool.’

Keep your heart even cooler.

The lower body firmly kicks off the ground, and the waist is straightened to support the body.

Someone who can’t find their balance can’t even lift a sword properly.

‘Remember.’

The Mount Hua teachings were now deeply learned, part of him. If he just followed them and didn’t forget, there was no reason why he should lose.

While chasing after the sword strikes, his gaze turns past Jin Geum-ryong to the disciples of Mount Hua.

‘Don’t look at me with those eyes.’

You admire me? You believe in me?

You fools.

I have only ever lost until now.

I have never once surpassed Jin Geum-ryong, and I have never properly led you.

Lost and lost again.

Even so.

‘Why are you looking at me with such admiring eyes?’

You fools.

Baek Cheon grits his teeth.

Clang!

Light flashed in Baek Cheon’s eyes as he pushed back the attacks with great power.

Seeing a small opening from his perfect defense, he suddenly changed from blocking to attacking.

Jin Geum-ryong was surprised by Baek Cheon’s fast sword coming towards his neck and stepped back without thinking.

‘You jerk!’ he shouted.

“Shut up!”

Baek Cheon replied sharply. *There are people who believe in me.* *Fools who have lost again and again, but still believe I will win this time.*

And yet I⋯⋯!

“I can’t lose to you!”

Baek Cheon’s sword flashed, reflecting the bright sunlight. The light shone all over Jin Geum-ryong.

Chung Myung, watching the fight, spoke in a low voice, not like his usual loud voice.

“Watch closely.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Because it’s about to bloom now.”

Everything he had built up over time. Like a dried-up flower that had waited patiently for so long, it was finally starting to bloom in spring.