Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1013

Boom!

Another swordsman from the inspection team collapsed onto the ground.

Namgung Dowi slowly opened his eyes and counted the men on the ground.

“One, two, three… Six…”

Exactly six.

Six men were on the ground. This showed how weak the Namgung Clan was right now. But it also showed they didn’t give up easily. Even after seeing their friends defeated, they still tried to fight.

Simply put, six men who shouted, “I cannot accept this result!” had their heads cracked open and fainted, all by Tang Soso’s sword.

‘I don’t know what to make of this.’

Should he laugh? Or should he cry?

Tang Soso’s victory over the Namgung Clan’s inspection team proved Namgung Dowi’s choice was right. There was no better way to prove it.

‘But is this really good?’

Namgung Dowi watched Tang Soso defeat the Namgung swordsmen easily, like leaves in the wind. She hadn’t even trained with a sword for very long. He didn’t know what to think.

Namgung Dowi glanced back.

The Namgung Clan’s swordsmen looked like they had seen a ghost.

They looked shocked. They couldn’t believe it. They stared at the men on the ground with mixed feelings.

And then…

Clap, clap, clap.

Someone clapped lightly as they stepped forward.

“Well, this sparring is good enough. Let’s stop here. It’s just sparring, so don’t worry about who won or lost…”

Baek Cheon stepped forward quickly, his smile tight and awkward. He was trying to fix the situation, to help the Namgung Clan keep some pride. Namgung Dowi felt grateful to Baek Cheon, but also sorry for putting him in this position.

But…

“Just a moment, Martial Uncle.”

“Soso-ya. That’s enough…”

“I still have something to say. It will only take a moment.”

“…Alright.”

Tang Soso gently pushed past Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon lowered his head and walked to the side. She stepped forward and looked at the Namgung Clan’s swordsmen.

No one, not even Namgung Dowi, could look her in the eye.

“You lot.”

“…”

“I heard you were complaining even though your Senior Brother was kindly offering to train you?”

“…”

“What makes you so special?”

The shoulders of the Namgung Clan’s swordsmen trembled. They felt defeated and ashamed.

“Namgung Clan? A famous family? Of course, it’s great. But… did you make the Namgung Clan famous?”

“…”

“Get a grip.”

Tang Soso glared at everyone with cold eyes.

Tang Soso knew how arrogant people with famous names could be. If she hadn’t been forced to leave the Dang Clan because she was a woman, she might have been just like them.

“You’re just kids. Kids who are nothing without the name of the Namgung Clan.”

Namgung Dowi closed his eyes tightly. Even though she wasn’t talking to him, his chest hurt.

“You think you’ll become strong just by hiding behind the Namgung Clan. But if you are the future of the Namgung Clan, then the day the Namgung Clan falls is not far away.”

“Nuna!”

“…Aren’t you being a little harsh?”

“Harsh?”

Tang Soso sneered. “Are you saying that after you lost to someone who hasn’t even been learning the sword for very long?”

“…”

The Namgung Clan’s swordsmen closed their mouths. They had no excuse. Even the best speaker in the world couldn’t help them now.

“Showing off when you don’t even know the basics.”

Tang Soso sneered coldly.

“If you really want to become strong, start over with the basics. No one in this Jianghu will be fooled by your flashy, empty moves.”

She turned sharply.

“…”

Just as they were relieved it was over, her cold voice came back.

“And.”

“…”

“Be grateful to our Senior Brother. He sent me because he was thinking of you. If others had come, you would have lost even worse.”

That was the final blow. The Namgung Clan’s swordsmen hung their heads low, with no will to fight back. Their eyes were empty, and their fingers trembled.

Baek Cheon watched the sad scene with a strange look. Jo Gul whispered to him.

“Hey, Martial Uncle.”

“…What?”

“Isn’t this a complete fraud?”

“…Be quiet.”

Baek Cheon put his finger to his lips.

“No, it’s definitely fraud…”

Yoon Jong grabbed Jo Gul’s mouth.

“Be quiet, you little brat.”

Baek Cheon looked at the Namgung Clan, feeling a little guilty.

‘It is fraud.’

If others had fought, they would have been even more devastated?

‘Well…’

Of course, if someone like the Five Swords had fought, that would be true. But Tang Soso was not weak in Mount Hua.

Tang Soso was now one of the strongest in Mount Hua. Tang Gunak had favored her since she was young, giving her spiritual medicines, and she also had the power of the Ziso Elixir.

Tang Soso was one of the top two in Mount Hua when it came to internal energy.

Others might have won more easily, but only Tang Soso could have completely overwhelmed them like this.

She had worked hard for three years to catch up to the others. Her skills improved so fast that it made people want to give up. But watching her train made people want to work harder. That was Tang Soso.

So, only she could have created this scene.

‘Chung Myung must have sent Soso to create this scene.’

Being beaten in the basics by someone who started later was very humiliating.

The Namgung Clan’s swordsmen looked shocked. Baek Cheon was impressed with Tang Soso.

She was the daughter of Tang Gunak, the head of the Sichuan Dang Clan.

Her presence showed the connection between Mount Hua and the Sichuan Dang Clan. Even if she didn’t train and just lived as a symbol, no one would have blamed her.

But Tang Soso gave up everything. She only wanted to be known as a swordsman. Only those who saw her efforts knew how hard she worked.

And now, her hard work had paid off.

At this moment, Tang Soso could be proud of herself.

“Sago-ooooooo!”

Tang Soso grabbed Yoo Iseol and hugged her tightly.

“I did well, right? Right?”

Yoo Iseol’s body tilted from side to side.

Soso-ya. You need to remember that you are much stronger now… My lady, your sister’s waist is going to break…

Even in all that, Yoo Iseol kept her face expressionless. It was amazing.

“…Your elbows are still stiff.”

“R-Really? I was paying attention.”

Tang Soso pretended to move her arms.

“Keep your lower body firm and your arms more flexible.”

“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind!”

Tang Soso nodded.

Baek Cheon chuckled.

‘No, it’s not just Soso.’

If Yoo Iseol hadn’t been teaching Tang Soso for the past three years, this wouldn’t have been possible.

And then…

Chung Myung walked forward.

“Hmm.”

Everyone looked at him as he looked at the Namgung Clan with calm eyes.

“Then.”

“…”

“What more do you want me to prove?”

Chung Myung smirked, and the Namgung Clan’s swordsmen turned red. They knew they had acted foolishly in front of the Mount Hua Sword Saint.

They had been beaten by Tang Soso, not even the Mount Hua Sword Saint.

“Let’s stop playing around.”

Chung Myung flicked his fingers.

“I don’t have time to deal with people who don’t understand words or actions.”

“Clan Leader…”

“Decide what you want to do by tomorrow morning.”

He finished the situation quickly.

“From tomorrow, we’ll be doing real training, not the easy training we’ve been doing. It’ll be twice as hard.”

“…”

“If you don’t like it, don’t come to training. I won’t stop you.”

Namgung Dowi looked up.

“C-Clan Leader! That’s…”

“You need to decide too.”

Chung Myung said, “It’s wrong to force people who don’t want to follow. It only hurts those who are motivated. If you care about the Namgung Clan, you need to get rid of the bad parts.”

Namgung Dowi sighed.

“…I understand, Clan Leader.”

Namgung Dowi knew Chung Myung was right. With their current attitude, they would just be wasting time.

“Then until tomorrow…”

“Just one thing…”

Chung Myung looked down. Namgung Dan was looking at him.

“Can I ask one thing…?”

“Well, go ahead.”

Namgung Dan stood up and stared at Chung Myung.

“…If we follow the Clan Leader’s training… can we become stronger…?”

Chung Myung smirked.

“Become stronger?”

“Yes. We…”

“Enough already, you morons.”

Namgung Dan looked surprised and froze at Chung Myung’s glare.

Chung Myung glared at Namgung Dan and growled, “I help those who work hard, not those who whine.”

Namgung Dan turned pale.

“Clan, Clan Leader…”

“If you want to become stronger, you need to work harder. Don’t ask me to do it for you.”

Namgung Dan clenched his fist. Chung Myung glanced at him and said to Namgung Dowi, “Don’t force them.”

“…”

“Let them choose. It’s better to have fewer people who are willing than to have more who aren’t.”

Namgung Dowi nodded.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Chung Myung turned and walked away, pulling out his liquor bottle. The Five Swords and the disciples of Mount Hua followed him.

The Namgung Clan’s swordsmen stared at the backs of the departing Mount Hua disciples.