Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1107

“Right! Training’s over for today!” Chung Myung yelled.

*Thump!*

*Thump!*

As soon as he finished speaking, the Mount Hua disciples, even the monk Hae Yeon, fell to the ground like tired sacks. They had looked relaxed and fresh when they arrived this morning, but now that was completely gone. You couldn’t find a trace of it, even if you looked very closely. They were utterly exhausted.

“Hmm, already?”

“It’s almost midnight.”

“Hmph.”

Tang Gunak slowly picked up his throwing knives, looking like he wished he could keep going.

“I was just getting warmed up. Back in my day, once I got going, I’d throw knives for three days and nights straight… Do we really have to stop now?”

“Don’t worry! We start again in just four hours!”

Hearing that, the Mount Hua disciples, who were lying on the ground like dead men, jumped up as if they’d been shocked.

“F-Four hours?”

“It was supposed to be six hours, you little brat! Why are you changing it now!”

“Oh, was it?”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“You guys must be full of energy. The great Dang Clan Head himself is training you! You should be begging for more time, not complaining!”

“Ugh…”

Actually, he was right. It was rare for that brat to say something correct.

This was Tang Gunak, the Poison King. He was one of the strongest masters in the martial world.

How could they not be grateful that such a master was giving them personal training all day long, not just a simple sparring match?

“If others heard about this, they’d bring mountains of gold and bow down, begging for a chance to train with him! You guys are just spoiled!”

“Keeeugh.”

It’s true… it is true…

“…Mountains of gold or whatever, we need to stay alive first.”

“What good is being skilled if you’re dead?”

“Spare me.”

“Amitabha… I, I see paradise…”

“That’s… hell, Monk. You’re not going to paradise.”

The Five Swords squeezed out tears of despair.

Was Tang Gunak really that merciless? Not really. If he was truly attacking with all his power, how many of the Five Swords would still be alive after blocking him all day?

Of course, Tang Gunak was considering their skills and holding back. Besides, they had been sparring with Chung Myung for three years, who was as skilled as, or even more skilled than, Tang Gunak.

‘Yes, I know, but still.’

Baek Cheon shivered. Even though he knew all this, the goosebumps on his skin wouldn’t go away.

The problem was the difference between swords and throwing knives.

They completely trusted Chung Myung’s sword. Even when Chung Myung swung his sword at their necks with deadly intent, they completely trusted that he would never actually hurt them.

Without that trust, they could never have sparring matches where they exchanged lethal moves. It was because they were absolutely sure of Chung Myung’s skill that they could attack and defend with all their might.

But throwing knives were not swords.

No matter how great the Poison King Tang Gunak was, even if his skill in throwing knives was better than Chung Myung’s, a throwing knife was still a weapon that was final once it left your hand, right?

A small mistake, and a hidden weapon could hit an eye, causing blindness or even death.

‘I never thought it would be this terrifying.’

Each time a throwing knife filled with fierce energy brushed past their faces, it felt like their souls were leaving their bodies and returning. It was that scary.

If anyone wanted a near-death experience, they could just come here.

And they had been doing this all day, from morning until midnight. Who could stay sane?

“How pitiful.”

“…I’d rather just work my body.”

“As expected of the Mount Hua folks. Can’t copy that.”

Just by looking at the reactions of the Green Forest and Dang Clan members, you could tell how extreme their experience was. For a while, these people had been envious of Mount Hua, but now they felt sorry for them, as if they were looking at the most pitiful people in the world. They wouldn’t even look at a starving beggar from the Beggars’ Union like that.

“How is it?”

At Chung Myung’s question, Tang Gunak smiled strangely.

“It’s definitely different than just throwing knives alone. I felt it when we fought at Plum Blossom Island before.”

“Right?”

Tang Gunak nodded.

“I started this to help, but it seems I’m the one being helped. If we keep doing this for just half a month, I feel like I’ll learn something.”

“H-Half a month?”

“We have to do this for another half a month?”

“You’re joking, right?”

The Five Swords panicked.

Even now, their clothes were full of holes, like they had been attacked by a swarm of angry bees with tiny stingers, and their bodies were covered in scratches… and they had to do this for another half a month? Half a month?

“And… I think I know what the Dang Clan was missing. And the solution too.”

Tang Gunak looked back and forth between Mount Hua and the Dang Clan with a strange look in his eyes. The Mount Hua disciples and Dang Clan members shivered at the sight of his eyes, which looked like he had found an interesting toy. For some reason, their spines tingled.

“This combination is good.”

The biggest weakness of the Dang Clan came from the very basics of their martial arts.

Other sects could make up for their weaknesses by practicing with swords and sparring, but the Dang Clan couldn’t do that. Most of their hidden weapons didn’t have weaker versions that they could use for sparring, like wooden swords.

What would happen if they made a needle out of wood instead of steel? If it was made the same way, it would be too light to carry any energy. And if they made it bigger to add weight, it wouldn’t be a hidden weapon anymore.

Besides, no matter how blunt the tip was, a hidden weapon was still a hidden weapon. A small mistake, and a hidden weapon could hit an eye, causing blindness or even death.

So, the Dang Clan could practice throwing hidden weapons into the air, but they couldn’t really practice throwing them at an opponent. This was a built-in problem.

But…

“Anyway, you blocked my throwing knives.”

“…We did?”

“I don’t remember doing that.”

“…I was just standing there.”

Tang Gunak smiled slightly.

“Mount Hua disciples are so modest! Just like that Mount Hua Sword Saint, eh?”

“…Is that an insult?”

“Clan Head, you’ve gone too far. Apologize.”

“That brat? Modest? Modest?”

Tang Gunak nodded, watching the Mount Hua disciples get angry.

“Still energetic. Reliable as ever.”

Even though he was joking, Tang Gunak was surprised.

‘I didn’t think it would be like this.’

Even though they had trained with Chung Myung, he still thought that the late-stage disciples were just that. So, Tang Gunak thought he wouldn’t even need to use thirty percent of his skill.

But their skills were much better than he expected. Even though he didn’t show it, he was quite tired.

‘I almost used a lethal move.’

He felt a chill seeing them block and parry his throwing knives, desperately trying to keep up. What kind of training had these young people gone through to get this good?

Instead of just defending, they were pushing forward, not getting tricked by the changes in his throwing knives.

“In other words…”

“Yes?”

Tang Gunak smiled even more.

‘If they can block my throwing knives, then the hidden weapons our children throw won’t be much of a threat, will they?’

So it would be possible.

Just like he was freely throwing knives at them to test himself, the Dang Clan members could have perfect targets that wouldn’t be easily hurt, no matter how much they attacked.

“Mount Hua Sword Saint.”

“Yes?”

“Anything is good if it improves your skills, right?”

“…”

“Right?”

Feeling the pressure, Chung Myung looked at the Mount Hua disciples.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, but please just say no!’ Their desperate looks were directed at Chung Myung. Chung Myung nodded to reassure them, as if to say not to worry.

Then he looked at Tang Gunak and said.

“Of course.”

“You son of a bitch!”

“That rotten bastard! Are you selling out your fellow disciples?”

“I’ll curse you even in hell! I’ll definitely kill you!”

Chung Myung picked at his ear.

“The dogs are barking like this on a moonlit night.”

The Mount Hua disciples glared at Chung Myung with angry eyes, but it didn’t matter. Could they really kill someone with their eyes?

“Well, let’s go then.”

“Let’s.”

“How about it? You still seem energetic. Want a drink?”

“Hmm. Since you’re offering, it’s hard to say no. But drink in moderation today. And I’ll pick the alcohol.”

“It’s a bit of a shame, but alright.”

The Mount Hua disciples blankly watched the two men walk away, chatting, and then dropped their heads.

“…Yoon Jong.”

“…Yes?”

“Sew up that brat’s mouth.”

“…So So went to get a needle a little while ago.”

“I see. That’s fast.”

Baek Cheon barely managed to sit up, staggering.

“…I never knew throwing knives could be this scary.”

“Me neither. I really feel it.”

“The scary thing is that they’re not held in someone’s hand.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Everyone they had faced so far had held weapons or thrown punches. They could deal with them as long as they could see the person.

But Tang Gunak was different.

He was just standing there, yet the throwing knives that left his hand flew in with terrifying speed and played with them.

“…There are no limits.”

“Yes. That’s right, Junior Sister.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

No matter how free a swordsman wanted to be, they could never escape holding a sword. So, the sword’s movements were limited by the body.

But throwing knives had no such limits. That’s why they were so unpredictable.

This was another shock to them. They had always used swords, so they never thought about how a sword is limited by the person holding it.

“…There’s so much to learn.”

“We’re learning too fast, Uncle-Master.”

“But… what’s certain is…”

Baek Cheon looked at Tang Gunak’s back, which was far away.

“If we learn this completely, Mount Hua will become even stronger. This is a great chance for us martial artists. I’m very happy.”

His eyes shone.

But the others didn’t seem to care.

“Only if we don’t die.”

Jo Gul grumbled.

“We could die tomorrow… Opportunity, my foot.”

“…”

“Let’s go to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“I’m hungry too.”

“I need to eat something.”

Everyone got up, leaving Baek Cheon behind, and headed to their rooms.

“That’s a disease.”

“Leave him alone. He’s our Uncle-Master.”

“Baek Cheon is too serious sometimes. That’s an obsession.”

“Gives me the creeps sometimes. Sigh.”

Baek Cheon watched them leave.

“Hey… guys?”

The cold wind blew past Baek Cheon.

He shivered and got up.

“Ahem.”

He cleared his throat and followed the others with an awkward look.

“Let’s go together, guys. Guys? Hello?”

Baek Ah, who had finished her training and was watching, sighed and shook her head.