Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1011

Namgung Dan watched Tang Soso walk towards him, his eyes wide with confusion. He couldn’t understand what was happening.

‘What in the world is going on?’

So… Tang Soso was going to fight him?

With that sword in her hand?

Namgung Dan turned around, bewildered. The other Namgung Clan swordsmen looked just as confused as he felt.

‘Okay, so it’s not just me who thinks this is strange.’

It was so strange that he wondered if he was missing something.

Namgung Dan looked at Chung Myung and spoke.

“…Hey, Chief.”

“Hm?” Chung Myung replied, not even looking at him.

Hearing this casual reply made Namgung Dan feel annoyed, but he held back his anger.

“Are you telling me to spar with Senior Sister Tang Soso?”

“Why make it sound so grand? It’s just a friendly match.” Chung Myung chuckled.

‘Friendly match?’ Namgung Dan thought, his face getting darker. This was anything but friendly. He bit his lip.

The reason he was so upset was simple: his opponent was Tang Soso.

‘Is he making fun of me?’

Tang Soso was from the Sichuan Tang Family. The Namgung Clan and the Sichuan Tang Family were important families who often competed with each other. They had known each other since they were children.

Namgung Dan knew Tang Soso’s life story well.

In the Tang Family, women were not taught the secret fighting skills. So, Tang Soso had not had proper martial arts training until she came to Mount Hua.

Of course, she would have learned some basic energy control and simple moves. But in Namgung Dan’s eyes, who had trained hard in the Namgung Clan since he was a child, she was barely worthy of being called a martial artist. In his mind, because she was a woman from the Tang Family, she wouldn’t have had serious martial arts training.

‘But… someone like her…’

Even if Tang Soso had joined Mount Hua and started learning swords, how long could it have been?

In the Namgung Clan, they wouldn’t even give a real sword to someone who had trained with a sword for that long. Judging by the length of her sword training, she would only just be beyond the beginner level. How could they put someone like that up against Namgung Dan?

This was simply absurd.

“Chief. Please reconsider. This is…”

“Oh, stop talking so much.”

Chung Myung picked at his ear and said,

“What’s so important that I need to reconsider? If you have something to say, just win and then say it. Right?”

Namgung Dan’s face hardened. He glared at Chung Myung with eyes filled with mixed emotions, then said in a chilling voice,

“…Don’t regret this.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Chung Myung replied casually, and Namgung Dan looked at Tang Soso. She was smiling brightly, as if she was enjoying herself.

As if she wasn’t at all burdened by the situation.

“Hoo.”

Namgung Dan sighed as he looked at her calm expression and was about to step forward when—

“Brother!”

Voices from behind him grabbed at his ankles, trying to stop him.

“Brother, this is…”

“I’d rather go out there myself. This isn’t something you should be doing, Brother.”

“Even so, for you to…”

“Enough.”

Namgung Dan cut them off firmly.

“Sometimes, one action is better than a hundred words. I’ll take care of it, so just watch.”

“…But…”

“Didn’t you hear me say enough?”

The Namgung Clan swordsmen nodded. But they couldn’t completely erase the dissatisfaction from their faces.

They all knew who Tang Soso was. So, the very act of having Namgung Dan and Tang Soso fight to determine a winner was something they couldn’t help but feel was disrespectful to the Namgung Clan.

Namgung Dan felt suffocated.

Why wouldn’t he be angry? But if he were to vent his dissatisfaction, Namgung Dowi’s position would become even more difficult. So, for now, he had no choice but to prove it with his sword.

Namgung Dan walked forward, stood facing Tang Soso, and stretched out his body. Then, making eye contact, he said,

“It’s been a while, Senior Sister.”

“Yeah. It’s been a while, Dan.”

He had seen her face a few times since coming here, but there hadn’t been an opportunity to exchange greetings like this. After offering a belated greeting, Namgung Dan sighed and said,

“You must be going through a lot, Senior Sister.”

“Going through a lot? Once I start complaining, I could go on for ten days straight.”

“…I suppose so.”

Practical martial attire, hair that could be described as plain, and a face without makeup. She was so different from the Tang Soso he remembered.

He glanced at the sword hanging at her waist. With her changed appearance and now carrying a sword, Tang Soso’s appearance felt very awkward to him.

“Senior Sister.”

“Why?”

“Wouldn’t you be willing to say something?”

“Hm?”

Namgung Dan shook his head.

“Please don’t misunderstand me, Senior Sister. I’m not trying to disrespect you.”

Namgung Dan wasn’t a fool.

They had already been crushed by Tang Soso in terms of physical strength. Just seeing that, he couldn’t help but realize how much difficult training she had gone through since entering Mount Hua.

Far from disrespecting her, he admired her and even felt respect for her.

‘Besides…’

Namgung Dan’s gaze shifted slightly to Tang Soso’s hands.

The countless small scars etched into her hands were clearly sword wounds, not injuries from Tang Family hidden weapons. Had Namgung Dan ever trained to the point where his hands were in such a state?

“Everyone who isn’t a fool knows that you’ve been working hard, Senior Sister. But… isn’t the sword something you build up over time?”

“…”

“Maybe in the future, but not now. For the sake of your reputation, this ridiculous match…”

“Reputation?”

“Yes.”

Namgung Dan didn’t have bad feelings towards Tang Soso. There was no reason to have bad feelings in the first place. That’s why he didn’t want to do something like defeat Tang Soso in front of everyone.

In the first place, this was a match where the outcome was already decided. As a proud Namgung Clan swordsman, could he be happy about winning such a match?

“There are many people watching.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Soso nodded as if he had a point.

“Of course…”

Namgung Dan trailed off and glanced back.

“It might not be easy to persuade that person, but still, if you say something…”

“You.”

At that moment, Tang Soso cut him off, and Namgung Dan quickly looked back at her.

Tang Soso had narrowed her large eyes.

“I thought you used to be a bit smarter.”

“Yes?”

“You’re not doing so well anymore.”

“…What…”

She asked with a sulky face,

“Are you still talking about reputation and stuff like that?”

“…S-Senior Sister.”

Namgung Dan couldn’t close his mouth, his face bewildered. The reputation he was talking about wasn’t the Namgung Clan’s reputation, but Tang Soso’s. But she was taking it like this…

“Let me tell you one thing as your senior.”

Namgung Dan asked, his voice a little stiff, “Yes?”

Tang Soso smiled, her eyes bright. “Words are easy,” she said, her voice light but clear.

*Thuck.* She tapped the wooden sword at her waist with her fingers.

“But real skill… that’s shown with a sword.”

Namgung Dan’s smile vanished. His jaw tightened as he looked at her. Tang Soso just kept smiling, watching him with amusement.

“Don’t you agree?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“⋯⋯.”

Shhhhing.

Namgung Dan wordlessly drew his sword.

“⋯⋯If that’s how you feel, let’s see what you’ve got then.”

“No, wait a moment,” Tang Soso lightly waved her hand.

“Yes?”

“Let’s use wooden swords instead of real ones.”

“⋯⋯.”

“I was going to use real swords if possible, but seeing you, I think wooden swords will be more… *interesting* for you.”

Namgung Dan was truly dumbfounded. *Was she saying he wasn’t worth her time to even use a real sword on him?* He was going to be scared to spar with real swords? What was she thinking?

“How about it?”

“⋯⋯I don’t mind either way.”

“Okay. Senior Brother! Throw us two wooden swords over here!”

But the more absurd thing started from then on.

Yoon Jong, receiving Tang Soso’s gaze, spoke with a terribly reluctant face.

“Um… Soso.” He even sweated as he dissuaded Tang Soso.

“Do we really need wooden swords…?”

“Why?”

“No, it’s just… I was wondering if we really need to use wooden swords. I think we can just use real swords…”

“I know, so hurry up and give them to me.”

“⋯⋯.”

Yoon Jong anxiously looked back and forth between Tang Soso and Namgung Dan. And as if it was hard to make a decision, he quickly turned his head towards Baek Cheon.

Baek Cheon nodded. “Give them to her.”

“S-Senior Uncle.”

“It’s alright, just give them to her.”

“⋯⋯.”

Even Baek Cheon was firm, so Yoon Jong had no choice but to sigh deeply and pick up the two wooden swords placed beside him, throwing them to Tang Soso.

“⋯⋯Go easy on him, Soso.”

“Yes, yes.”

Tang Soso received the wooden swords thrown by Yoon Jong with both hands. And she threw one to Namgung Dan.

Thwack.

Namgung Dan, who received the wooden sword in a daze, looked at Tang Soso with a dubious face. *What on earth was she trying to do?*

“⋯⋯Shall we begin now?”

Namgung Dan tightly gripped the wooden sword in his hand and took a fighting stance.

“I shall learn a thing or two.”

Usually, people introduce themselves before a fight. But he didn’t bother. He didn’t want to call this fight a real duel. ‘Let’s finish this quickly,’ he thought.

What Tang Soso could do was obvious anyway.

It was obvious that she would attack from a distance, based on the Dang family’s unique nimble footwork. In the first place, the Dang family’s martial arts had similarities to the Mount Hua’s swordsmanship.

As long as he wasn’t deceived by her flashy swordplay, there was no way Namgung Dan would be in danger.

Of course, Tang Soso might drag the match into a long fight based on her flashy swordplay and pressure him with her superior stamina.

‘But that’s only if she can withstand my sword!’ He had no personal grudge against Tang Soso, but he was now carrying the pride of the Namgung family on his shoulders. To turn around this atmosphere of the Namgung family being looked down upon, an overwhelming victory was necessary.

Crack.

Namgung Dan, gripping his sword tightly, put strength into his toes.

‘I’ll overwhelm you in one go and finish it!’ He glared at Tang Soso with strength. The muscles of his entire body, drawing up his inner strength, were tautly stretched.

‘Here I go!’

His foot pushed hard against the dusty ground, sending pebbles scattering.

“Taa… Ack!”

But the shout that was bursting out of Namgung Dan’s stomach was suddenly blocked in his throat. The moment he kicked off the ground, Tang Soso literally ‘appeared’ right in front of him.

‘Wh-What!’

Tang Soso’s sword fell fiercely towards his head. Namgung Dan was horrified and hurriedly raised his sword.

Clang!

Two wooden swords CRACKED together strongly right above his head.

‘D-Dangerous…’ Namgung Dan gritted his teeth. Even though he knew the opponent’s footwork was excellent, he was almost caught off guard.

‘But this is the end of it.’ Unless a surprise attack works, all that’s left is skill. Besides, Tang Soso made a mistake. If she closes the distance like this, there’s no room to unfold her flashy swordplay.

‘I’ll finish it in one go!’

Namgung Dan pushed away the pressing sword and swung his sword. No, he was about to swing it.

Crack!

‘Huh?’ At that moment, Namgung Dan’s gaze involuntarily went up.

Tang Soso’s sword, which should have been knocked away, was still pressing down on his sword.

‘Wh-What…’

He drew up his inner strength and once again deflected Tang Soso’s sword.

Crack!

But at that moment, his wrist twisted. Tang Soso’s sword was pressing down on him, along with his sword.

“Ugh…” His arm began to tremble.

‘Wh-What is this?’ Cold sweat trickled down Namgung Dan’s spine.

It felt like a ten-thousand-pound boulder was placed on top of his sword. No matter how hard he struggled, he could only be pressed down, unable to shake it off.

Flustered, Namgung Dan looked at Tang Soso with wide eyes.

Tang Soso, still with a smiling face, looked at him and grinned broadly.

“First.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Let’s get hit once.”

“Huh…?”

At that moment, an enormous force pressed down on Namgung Dan’s sword.

As if time had slowed down, everything was clearly visible in Namgung Dan’s eyes: the sight of his wrist bending, and the wooden sword he was holding falling fiercely towards his forehead.

Huh? This shouldn’t be happening…

Huh?

Kooooooong!

The enormous roar created by a person’s head and a hard wooden sword spread painfully and clearly throughout the entire manor.