Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1760

Power rushed into his legs. He moved fast, like a hawk diving down to catch its prey.

Baek Cheon’s sword attack was strong and brave. But Heo Do-jin blocked it with a simple, light move. It was surprisingly easy.

Then, Heo Do-jin gently touched Baek Cheon’s chest with his open hand. The touch looked soft, but it was incredibly powerful. Baek Cheon flew backwards like a leaf in a strong wind.

“You are very foolish,” Heo Do-jin said, his voice cold and empty of feeling. “I have told you so many times, this is pointless. Why can’t you stop doing what you are used to?” He moved towards Baek Cheon so quickly it was like he suddenly appeared closer, and raised his fist again.

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and twisted his body. He dodged the incoming fist with his shoulder, then quickly turned and attacked Heo Do-jin’s chest.

But again, Baek Cheon was knocked away. Heo Do-jin looked at Baek Cheon with cold eyes and scolded him.

“I told you not to think with your head, but to feel with your body.”

Heo Do-jin extended his foot. It was a light kick, almost like a fake. But it was still a hard blow to Baek Cheon, who could barely use his inner strength.

Baek Cheon rolled to avoid it, not even having time to think. Heo Do-jin’s kick went past him with a tearing sound.

Right after, Baek Cheon tried to stand up quickly.

But the foot twisted and hit Baek Cheon’s side.

Baek Cheon groaned, trying to catch his breath, and rolled across the floor.

“Even a weak body has some strength. But if you keep trying to use your own strength alone, you won’t be able to control even a little weight, let alone a lot.”

Heo Do-jin stepped forward and punched at Baek Cheon, who had already stood up. Baek Cheon quickly moved his head to dodge the fist.

“Dodge.”

An elbow came at Baek Cheon’s head. Surprised, Baek Cheon tried to block it, but he hesitated and raised his shoulder instead.

“Block.”

Baek Cheon kicked out at Heo Do-jin’s chest.

“Counterattack.”

Before his foot could even move, Heo Do-jin’s shoulder hit Baek Cheon’s chest. Baek Cheon fell down.

“Very foolish.”

Heo Do-jin looked at Baek Cheon with a disrespectful look.

“Don’t you understand that dodging, blocking, and counterattacking all go against the idea of using a small force to move a great weight?”

“Ugh…….”

“To use the opponent’s strength, you must not dodge, block, or try to counterattack with your own weak strength. You must simply redirect and return it!”

Heo Do-jin stomped the ground hard, like he was scolding him.

“Is there any pride left in that body?”

“…….”

“The start of all martial arts is watching. Know your own limits by looking at yourself, and know the enemy’s strength by looking at them. If you want to understand how to use their strength against them, you must see even the flow of their energy!”

Baek Cheon’s face twisted.

Do not dodge, do not block, do not counterattack. He had heard it many times. He knew it in his head.

But it was like telling him to forget everything he had learned. No matter how much he knew the words were right, he couldn’t just erase decades of training.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

As soon as Baek Cheon answered, Heo Do-jin disappeared, like he was sinking into the ground. Then, he was right in front of Baek Cheon.

An attack came, using a special energy technique. Baek Cheon was hit in the chest and spun around, crashing to the ground.

He couldn’t breathe for a moment, and coughed.

“You speak well enough.”

“I’m sorry…….”

“Your strength is not even good enough to be called third-rate. It’s just like a strong person who isn’t trained.”

“…….”

“If you can’t perfectly learn how to use the opponent’s strength, you won’t last long in a fight. If it’s not working, you should just give up. Even farming for the rest of your life would be better.”

These words could have been a great insult.

But Baek Cheon didn’t seem bothered. Seeing his eyes, which were even more determined, Heo Do-jin sighed.

“Rest for a while.”

“I can do more.”

“That’s not your decision, it’s mine.”

“……Yes.”

Only then did Baek Cheon nod and sit down. He didn’t care how he looked. He seemed determined to rest as much as possible, not wasting a single moment.

Heo Do-jin’s look became serious.

Had it only been a few days since he started teaching Baek Cheon?

‘But how…….’

He could see it. In that unsteady movement, the ideas of using a small force to move a great weight were starting to show.

‘Clumsy, but…….’

This was normal. With his body in that condition, it was unavoidable that he would be clumsy.

That meant that if Baek Cheon’s body was in good condition, he would have already shown amazing progress.

How could that be?

‘Even if I brought a genius and taught them, it would take at least a month to understand the basics.’

Of course, Heo Do-jin had tried his best to teach him quickly. But even with that, was this speed possible?

Could this young man really be a genius, better than Heo Gong?

No, that couldn’t be.

Then there was only one answer.

“May I ask you something?”

“Please ask.”

Heo Do-jin paused, choosing his words before speaking.

“Who did you learn martial arts from?”

“Yes?”

Heo Do-jin, after asking, laughed, finding it silly even to himself. Asking a student of Hwasan who he learned martial arts from—how ridiculous was that?

But he had to know the answer.

“It’s a foolish question…… but will you answer it?”

“When I was young, I actually learned martial arts from my family. Though I didn’t learn the Jinsin techniques of Jongnam. After entering Mount Hua, I mostly learned martial arts from Un-geom, my martial uncle.”

“Un-geom, you say……”

“Of course… well… after I got a bit older, I mostly learned by getting beaten by that rascal, Chung Myung.”

In that instant, the eyes of Heo Do Jin-in darkened. Again, that name.

“You learned by being beaten?”

“Yes. That fellow said that if you just roll around with your body, you’ll naturally learn the mysteries.”

“From someone younger and of a lower rank than you?”

Baek Cheon chuckled.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? But when you’re actually with that guy, it doesn’t feel like anything at all.”

“It doesn’t feel strange… really?”

“Yes?”

“That child is younger than you. But from what I see, most of those who use the swords of Mount Hua seem to be influenced by that child.”

Heo Do Jin-in stared intently at Baek Cheon. If there were any lies, they would be revealed on his face. But Baek Cheon met his eyes confidently, without the slightest hesitation.

Heo Do Jin-in was very surprised.

“The power of Saryangbalcheongeun is already inside you. It’s like someone put it there on purpose. Not for now, but for later. When you face a big challenge to get stronger, this power will help you climb over it more easily.”

“……”

“Who do you think did that?”

Baek Cheon didn’t answer. After all, wasn’t the answer obvious?

“How do you think he could do such a thing? You’re saying that child has nothing hidden……”

Baek Cheon spoke calmly before he even finished the question.

“Doesn’t everyone have secrets they don’t want to reveal?”

Heo Do Jin-in closed his mouth.

“And if it’s a secret that doesn’t cause harm, isn’t it also a person’s duty not to try to dig it up?”

“……Are you satisfied with that?”

“I don’t know if I should be saying this in my position… but that fellow is my martial nephew, and I am merely his martial uncle.”

Baek Cheon said calmly.

“Isn’t that enough?”

Heo Do Jin-in let out a soft sigh.

“Whether you’re foolish or clever.”

“If that mystery is already planted in my body… that’s fortunate. Of course, the person who planted it probably didn’t know it would be used like this, but anyway, it means I can learn it a little faster.”

Baek Cheon staggered to his feet.

“I’ll go back now.”

“……I think you’re definitely foolish. I told you to rest.”

“I don’t have much time to spare,” Baek Cheon said, his voice strained, each word costing him effort. He swayed slightly on his feet, but his eyes burned with determination.

Heo Do Jin-in shook his head slowly, a sigh escaping his lips. *Foolish boy,* he thought, *pushing himself too hard.*

It was clear that this young man, despite his spirit, was not touched by true genius. *Such a waste.* If only this young man had been a disciple of Wudang… a pang of regret tightened Heo Do Jin-in’s chest.

*Even I would have wanted to make him my successor.* He understood now why Mount Hua and Jongnam were so desperate for Baek Cheon. This young man possessed a rare kind of unwavering heart. But Heo Do Jin-in kept his face stern, hiding the admiration he felt deep inside.

“Abandon your arrogance. Even if the mystery is embedded in your body, it will still take at least seven days and nights.”

“I can’t afford to drag it out that long. I’ll master it within the next day.”

“……You are still confident.”

Tap!

Without another word, Baek Cheon pushed off the floor, his body a blur as he charged at Heo Do Jin-in, the sound of his feet sharp in the quiet room.

*Don’t make that face.*

He, too, knew. That he was being unreasonable.

To continue learning martial arts with this body, and to cram the mysteries of the Supreme Ascension into his body in three days, were all ridiculous things to say.

But even knowing that, Baek Cheon had to do it.

Because he had realized. What kind of shock his collapse had given to his martial nephew.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t forget it. The expression his martial nephew, whom he thought wouldn’t be shaken even if Mount Tai collapsed, had made that night.

The face that sobbed like a child who had lost everything was constantly before his eyes.

*Damn it.*

If Baek Cheon collapsed here, all of this would become that rascal’s responsibility. Even if everyone in the world didn’t think so, that rascal would definitely think so. Knowing this, he couldn’t help but move.

So, Baek Cheon had to prove it.

That he hadn’t collapsed yet. That he was still Baek Cheon.

He had to stand up with this body, not just with words, and give that foolish face a good punch.

“Taaah!”

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and threw himself towards Heo Do Jin-in’s chest.

You were here?

At the voice he heard, Chung Myung slowly turned his gaze. The person who had come sighed and said.

“I’ve been looking for you for a while. Where have you been wandering off to?”

“Why.”

Yoon Jong felt that Chung Myung’s reply was more curt than usual, but he didn’t point it out or show it.

“Why? I’m telling the other disciples the knack for using the Divine Power, but it’s not going as well as I thought……”

Yoon Jong, who was speaking quietly, suddenly flinched.

“Chung Myung, you……?”

The corner of Chung Myung’s mouth seemed to be dark. Looking closely, it looked as if something had been rubbed and wiped off.

Without thinking, Yoon Jong looked at Chung Myung’s sleeve. He even looked behind Chung Myung. He saw something black staining the floor.

In that instant, his heart turned cold. A chill ran down Yoon Jong’s spine as he saw the dark stain.

Dead blood.

Only then did a faint stench reach Yoon Jong’s nose. He had smelled it many times on the battlefield. It was the smell that only came from rotten blood.

Why on earth was Chung Myung vomiting such dead blood?

“Chung Myung!”

Yoon Jong raised his voice, demanding an answer. Chung Myung silently brushed past Yoon Jong. Yoon Jong reflexively reached out to grab his shoulder, but Chung Myung roughly brushed it off.

“Don’t touch me,” Chung Myung mumbled, his voice rough, a storm of emotions raging inside him that he couldn’t show.

“What on earth is going on? When did you get like this……”

“Like what?”

Chung Myung’s gaze, which was glaring at Yoon Jong, was so cold that it was chilling. But Yoon Jong was more concerned about Chung Myung’s complexion than his cold eyes. It was as pale as a blank sheet of paper, without a trace of blood.

“Are you really okay?”

“If you have time to worry about me, worry about yourselves. You might drop dead tomorrow.”

Chung Myung, who had spat out those words coldly, turned his gaze away and walked away.

Yoon Jong bit his lip and alternately looked at Chung Myung’s back and the dead blood that he had clearly shed.

He had to do something right away. But……

*Is that… really the Chung Myung I know?*

The coldness he had felt a moment ago was even unfamiliar. And the unfamiliar feeling soon became a wall between them.

Yoon Jong, who had been clenching his fist and agonizing, turned around and began to run somewhere. The metallic, rotten smell filled Yoon Jong’s nose, and the dark stain on the floor was sickening to look at.