Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 674

The first-generation disciples led the younger ones with strong determination.

They were not as strict as the Sichuan Tang Family, as fierce as the North Sea Ice Palace, or as relaxed as the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. But you could feel their strong spirit, different from other groups, coming from these first disciples.

Watching them was like looking into a very deep lake.

You could feel how deep they were, but it wasn’t scary or too much. They showed their strength quietly, and everyone watching had to take a breath and admire them.

‘I heard the first disciples of Mount Hua weren’t very special.’

‘That’s not true, it seems. How could the younger members become so famous if their leaders weren’t good?’

‘It must be very hard and amazing to train people like this! Really!’

It’s like when people build a place, that place then changes the people.

There are many groups in the world, but has any group had as many big events as Mount Hua? The first disciples are the ones who lived through all the hard times and changes of Mount Hua, sharing its whole story.

It was the young disciples of Mount Hua who gained fame, but no one could deny that their existence was the foundation.

Behind the few first-generation disciples, the second and third-generation disciples of Mount Hua appeared, maintaining a slight distance.

“The Flowing Blossom Sword!”

“That’s really him, the Flowing Blossom Sword!”

Everyone nodded, admiring Baek Cheon’s impressive look as he led the second and third disciples.

“He’s the one who beat Jin Geum-ryong from Jongnam and even defeated Jin Hyun from Mu-dang!”

“Is that all? I heard he easily won against a first disciple in the last fight with Mu-dang!”

“That’s not right! The biggest thing the Flowing Blossom Sword did was beat Red Demon Do Yeop-pyeong! No one else has done something like that!”

“No! Helping to defeat the Daebyeolchae group is even more important, right?”

“…I didn’t really think about it, but hearing this, the Flowing Blossom Sword has done amazing things.”

The crowd was freshly reminded of just how much Mount Hua had accomplished.

“Behind him are the Five Swords, right?”

“The Mount Hua Five Swords! Yes, those are the Five Swords of Mount Hua!”

“If what people from the North Sea say is true, they went to the North Sea and stopped the Demonic Sect from getting stronger, right?”

“So young…”

People were amazed, watching Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and Cheong-myeong walk behind Baek Cheon.

It’s not too much to say that these five people are Mount Hua.

They were always important to Mount Hua, which became famous quickly because of them. If you knew anything about Mount Hua, you would know the Five Swords.

Behind the dignified five, the second and third-generation disciples followed in a line.

“These are Mount Hua…”

Most of those who climbed this steep mountain had come from afar just to see this sight.

To be honest, Mount Hua is still not a very famous group in the world. But the reason people can’t forget about Mount Hua is because of the Five Swords.

If they grow up and lead Mount Hua, who in the world would not take Mount Hua seriously? The people here wanted to see not just Mount Hua now, but what Mount Hua would become in the future.

And now, right before their eyes, was that very future of Mount Hua.

The crowd, slightly dazed, busily moved their gazes here and there, capturing them in their eyes.

“So, who is the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua?”

“He must be one of the Five Swords!”

The Mount Hua Five Swords are very famous, but you can’t talk about Mount Hua now without saying the name Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.

He is known as the best young fighter in the world.

But now, even that title doesn’t fully describe him.

Someone who was looking around carefully suddenly shouted loudly.

“It’s the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua!”

“Oh, where! Where!”

“That person over there! The smaller one!”

“…That person is…”

Cheong-myeong was walking slowly at the very back of the Five Swords.

If you just looked quickly, his walk didn’t seem very serious. But how you see someone walk depends on who they are.

If someone not famous or skilled walked like that at this event, people would be unhappy.

But the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua had already shown everyone in the world how strong he was. So, even his relaxed walk looked like the confident ease of a strong person.

“That’s the famous Divine Dragon of Mount Hua!”

“The one who defeated Heo Gong of Mu-dang…”

“Indeed! Even at a glance, he’s extraordinary!”

“Divine Dragon of Mount Hua! Divine Dragon of Mount Hua!”

As the voices of the crowd echoed loudly from here and there, Cheong-myeong glanced around and grinned.

“Heh heh. It’s like a really important person has arrived. Yes, I am the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.”

Then, as if he wasn’t nervous at all, he relaxed his face completely, smiled widely, and started waving his hand a lot to everyone.

But right then.

Crack!

Yoo Iseol’s elbow hit Cheong-myeong’s side hard while he was grinning.

“Guh…”

Cheong-myeong’s hand went down without thinking and covered his side.

“……”

Cheong-myeong quickly turned his head to look at Yoo Iseol, but she was walking with an expressionless face, like nothing had happened.

“Hey, why did you hit me with your elbow…!”

Cheong-myeong’s mouth closed quickly just as he was about to shout.

Tap. Tap tap.

It wasn’t because he remembered where he was. It was because of a very cold feeling on his back.

Cheong-myeong’s face turned pale, and he slowly turned around to see Dang So-so smiling brightly. The long needle she was holding, hidden from everyone else, was gently poking Cheong-myeong’s back.

“……”

Cheong-myeong, seeing her eyes, which were strangely calm even though she was smiling, quietly closed his mouth and started walking silently.

“……”

“……”

The crowd, watching this with unsure eyes, looked at each other and whispered.

“…Is that really happening?”

“It looks like it…”

Anyway.

With even the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua showing up, people’s excitement grew very high.

The Sichuan Tang Family, the North Sea Ice Palace, the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, and now Mount Hua.

Just seeing these four groups arrive was enough to make everyone’s hearts beat fast and faces turned red.

Finally, Mount Hua lined up in the middle.

The important people from the martial world, watching from the special seats, had to try hard to relax their faces, which were getting serious.

“…Amitabha.”

Beop-gye also said a short Buddhist prayer, trying to calm down. But he still had a slight worry in his eyes as he looked at the four groups.

‘Yes…’

Seeing them all together like this, it felt even more real.

These are groups with very strong and different ways of doing things, so it’s hard to believe they joined together in an alliance. But Beop-gye could see something similar in all of them.

The Sichuan Tang Family, famous everywhere for their poisons and hidden weapons, but quietly avoided because of it.

The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, very powerful in the South, but hated as barbarians.

The North Sea Ice Palace, building their own world in that far, cold land, too far away from the main lands of the martial world. The Central Plains is the main area of the martial world.

And…

‘Even Mount Hua, which was once world-famous, but had completely fallen apart.’

All of them are groups that are not part of the main groups, and they don’t really like the main groups in the martial world. These groups have finally come together as one under the name of Mount Hua.

‘How will the martial world change from now on?’

The future that no one could guess felt not just uncertain, but even bad.

Soon, the place became quiet again. Everyone looked at the platform. It was clear what would happen next, and the excitement was about to explode.

As if they knew what everyone wanted, four people slowly walked onto the platform.

Hyun Jong from Mount Hua.

Tang Gun-ak from the Sichuan Tang Family.

Maeng So from the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.

Seol So-baek from the North Sea Ice Palace.

When the leaders of the four groups, who were the main part of the Heavenly Union, stood on the platform, people who understood how important they were felt a chill of excitement.

These were leaders of famous and huge groups.

Tang Gun-ak, who had been quietly watching everyone, stepped forward.

Everyone took a breath when they saw his cold face.

Poison King Tang Gun-ak.

Among everyone here, no one was as famous as Tang Gun-ak. So, he was the best person to announce the start of the Heavenly Union.

Tang Gun-ak looked around and then slowly started to speak.

“First.”

His voice was low but strong, and it went all over the top of Mount Hua.

“In the name of the Heavenly Union, I thank everyone who has come here to celebrate the start of the Heavenly Union, and to the important people from the martial world who came here today.”

His voice was calm but strong, like only a strong person can have.

Tang Gun-ak’s words, which had everyone listening closely, continued.

“The Mount Hua Sect, the Sichuan Tang Family, the North Sea Ice Palace, and the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. These four groups, under the name Heavenly Union, will join together and work for lasting peace and a good future for the martial world. We are gathered here to show everyone in the martial world that these four groups want to start the Heavenly Union together.”

Tang Gun-ak looked back.

“Our four groups have all agreed to choose the leader of Mount Hua Sect, Hyun Jong, as the leader of the Heavenly Union. From now on, the leader of Mount Hua Sect, Hyun Jong, will be the leader and guide the Heavenly Union.”

When he said that, everyone looked at Hyun Jong.

Everyone had expected it and knew it without being told directly, but the official announcement felt much stronger. It was now very clear that Mount Hua was the most important part of this big alliance called the Heavenly Union.

Hyun Jong, with everyone looking at him, took a short, deep breath and walked forward. Usually, there would be a big party and speeches first, but it seemed like that wasn’t needed, because he moved calmly.

Tang Gun-ak stepped back, and Hyun Jong stood in the middle.

“I am Hyun Jong, the leader of Mount Hua Sect.”

Unlike Tang Gun-ak’s strong voice, his voice was gentle. It felt like it had a calming energy that made people feel relaxed.

Hyun Jong bowed very deeply, putting his hands together in front of him. The bow was very deep for a leader of an alliance, and everyone watching was surprised.

Some people even moved back a little and tried to bow back, but then they realized this wasn’t the right thing to do and felt unsure and put their hands down.

‘He’s different.’

‘That person is Hyun Jong…’

Some people shout to show their power.

But Hyun Jong, instead, bowed to show he was worthy. He was someone who was never proud even though he became important. It was clear what kind of person the leader of Mount Hua and the leader of the Heavenly Union was.

Hyun Jong, after taking apart his hands he had put together, smiled at everyone.

But before he could speak.

Thud!

Someone in the front row stomped his foot hard.

Everyone, including the people on the platform, the people watching, and even the people lined up, looked in that direction.

It was Cheong-myeong.

He stood up straight from stomping his foot. Then, with a perfect posture, he put his hands together in front of him.

“Greetings to the Leader!”

As soon as he finished saying that, everyone in line followed Cheong-myeong and put their hands together perfectly together.

“Greetings to the Leader!”

When hundreds of martial artists shouted with energy at the same time, it felt like the whole mountain was shaking. With that powerful energy, people watching felt a shiver of excitement. After being a little surprised, everyone looked at Hyun Jong again with a new way of seeing him.

They were now understanding that this kind old man was the leader of this big alliance.

‘That rascal…’

Hyun Jong smiled with a small sad smile as he looked at Cheong-myeong.

Cheong-myeong was showing everyone around how strong the Heavenly Union was, and at the same time, he was sending a message to Hyun Jong. It was good to bow, but he shouldn’t forget that he was speaking for all these people. If he bowed too low, it was like a warning that the Heavenly Union here would also be seen as lower.

‘I know, I know.’

Hyun Jong nodded a little, and his eyes became serious. Finally, he started to speak.