Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 189

Just one strike? Dang Zhan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

One strike. It was only one strike.

Dang Zhan quickly looked at Dang Ho, who was lying shamefully on the dusty ground.

“How is this possible?” he thought.

Dang Ho might not be as skilled as Dang Zhan, but he was still the son of the Sichuan Tang Family leader. He wasn’t someone who could be easily beaten by just anyone. In fact, Dang Ho was very skilled.

Yet, there he was, Dang Ho, lying disgracefully on the ground, knocked out with a single blow.

Had Dang Ho been careless?

Maybe.

But even so, it didn’t change anything. Using an opponent’s mistake is also skill.

Dang Zhan’s lips moved as if he wanted to speak, but he closed his mouth tightly.

Words were useless now.

Dang Zhan tried to hide his confusion, but Jo Gul’s face was red.

“Wow! I can’t believe it!”

His eyes fell upon Dang Ho, lying on the ground.

A direct descendant of the Tang Family.

To Jo Gul in the past, Dang Ho was like a wall he could never climb over, a problem he could never solve.

Joy surged through Jo Gul, a feeling so strong it almost made him dizzy. But then, fear crept in – could he really face someone stronger?

Jo Gul gripped the sword hilt tightly.

And at that moment.

“So, who’s next in line to fall?”

…

A mocking voice pierced Jo Gul’s ears.

‘I mustn’t look back. I absolutely mustn’t turn around.’

He could vividly imagine the expressions on his fellow disciples’ faces behind him. He mustn’t show any weakness to those guys behind him.

“Thinks he’s a sword saint.”

“He’s all talk and no action!”

“He needs to be beaten some more.”

He called it ‘heartwarming’, but really, he was terrified and sweating.

‘I mustn’t make eye contact with them for a while.’

If he did…

“So, who’s neeeeext?”

…

For now, he had to avoid that one at all costs, even if it meant facing anyone else.

Jo Gul coughed to hide his embarrassment and pointed his sword directly at Dang Zhan.

“Are you not coming?”

…

It wasn’t Dang Zhan who reacted to those words, but Dang Myeong, who was guarding his side.

“How dare you, you scoundrel!”

Just as Dang Myeong was about to step forward, grinding his teeth, a hand in a green leather glove blocked his path.

“Brother?”

Dang Zhan looked at Dang Myeong with cold, sunken eyes.

“Step back.”

“But that fellow is too arrogant…”

“He is not your match.”

Dang Myeong’s eyes widened.

Dang Myeong knew what Dang Zhan meant. Dang Myeong’s gaze shifted between Dang Zhan and Jo Gul before settling on Dang Ho, who was lying on the ground.

…

His skill wasn’t much different from Dang Ho’s. If Dang Ho had been defeated, it meant he could be too.

Furthermore, it meant that Jo Gul’s defeat of Dang Ho was by no means accidental.

He felt less confident. Dang Myeong bit his lip tightly and walked forward without a word. This time, Dang Zhan didn’t stop him.

Dang Myeong hoisted Dang Ho, who was lying on the ground, onto his back and returned to his position.

“Stand back.”

“Yes.”

Even if he didn’t acknowledge Jo Gul’s skill, he couldn’t defy Dang Zhan’s order. Even though they were brothers, Dang Zhan and he had different standings in the family.

After sending Dang Myeong back, Dang Zhan looked at Jo Gul and the disciples of Mount Hua behind him, who wore relaxed expressions.

“My brother was rude.”

…

“However, I am different from that one, so you’d better be careful.”

Dang Zhan’s eyes narrowed, his voice flat and cold, like ice. Jo Gul’s body tensed up at those words. Even before he thought about it, Jo Gul could feel Dang Zhan’s power.

‘Is he better than the Second Disciples of Wudang?’

He had already crossed swords with the Jinja generation of Wudang and had won without much difficulty. But Dang Zhan seemed to be on a different level.

Well, to be fair.

You can’t compare Wudang disciples to Tang family members. Wudang is a large group, but the Tang family is small and very skilled. To face Dang Zhan, someone like Sword Dragon would have to come out himself.

‘Sword Dragon, huh.’

It was the same as Jo Gul facing the Sword Dragon that Baek Cheon had faced.

‘How strong am I?’

Jo Gul’s heart fluttered with excitement.

And it was at that very moment.

“Look at him, look at him. Look at his shoulders twitching. He’s asking for death.”

…

That ghostly bastard.

Chung Myung’s irritated voice pierced Jo Gul’s ears.

“I’ve told him countless times not to get excited when facing an opponent, but how can he start twitching like a calf seeing food in less than a moment? Does he have rocks in his ears? Why doesn’t he listen?”

Thud.

Chung Myung’s words struck Jo Gul’s back like a dagger.

“I’ve said so many times that the first one to die on the battlefield is the one who gets excited, so why doesn’t he listen? Does he really want to die? If he wants to die, there are easier ways! Why does he have to get killed by someone else?”

Again, thud.

Jo Gul shuddered.

Even if a real dagger were stuck in his body, it wouldn’t hurt this much.

But it wasn’t just pain.

‘I’ve gone mad.’

To be excited by the fact that he could fight an enemy before his eyes. Even a child who had just picked up a sword wouldn’t make such a foolish mistake.

Head cold. And the heart?

‘Heart cold too!’

Mount Hua martial arts is about precise sword movements. If one couldn’t perfectly control the sword, its power wouldn’t be revealed even by half.

‘Coldly. More coldly.’

Jo Gul’s eyes lowered.

“Hmph.”

Chung Myung, who was watching the scene, finally nodded.

“He only listens when I tell him.”

He needs to learn to think for himself!

But considering that, he quickly regained his composure. Chung Myung was relieved that his training hadn’t been in vain.

Baek Cheon, who was standing behind him, cast a strange gaze at him.

‘That guy…’

Baek Cheon couldn’t lead his junior brothers like Chung Myung.

He couldn’t go ahead and teach them like him. But he had always thought that he would be better than Chung Myung at embracing them and leading them in the right direction.

But at this moment, Baek Cheon couldn’t help but realize.

‘Maybe this guy is the one who really cares about the junior brothers.’

People can’t grow if they are always protected. You have to let them try, even if you are worried.

Let them go.

Even if he was worried and anxious, he would trust them and let them go. That was the way to raise people.

If Chung Myung stepped in directly, Dang Zhan wouldn’t be able to withstand even a single move. But instead of that easy way, Chung Myung clenched his fist tightly and tried to soothe his uneasy heart.

‘I still have a long way to go.’

Baek Cheon bit his lip slightly and looked at Jo Gul’s back.

I trust them.

His junior brothers.

And the disciples of Mount Hua.

Dang Zhan’s eyes glared at Jo Gul.

It was silent.

Jo Gul aimed his sword, his face completely focused. Nothing could distract him.

He was more than just focused. He was completely lost in the moment.

‘Can I concentrate like that?’

Impossible.

At least, not right now.

However, Dang Zhan was confident. Concentration was just a way to get power, and it meant nothing against someone with greater strength.

The blades in his sleeve made a creaking sound.

The creaking grew louder and faster, building suspense.

Then, in a flash!

Dang Zhan’s hand shot out from his sleeve like lightning. At the same time, three blades flew towards Jo Gul like streaks of light.

Whoosh!

The blades were almost on Jo Gul in a blink of an eye.

Jo Gul’s eyes shone brightly.

Clang! Clang!

Jo Gul blocked two of the blades and twisted his body sharply. Even as the best swordsman of the third-generation disciples from Mount Hua, he couldn’t block all three.

He had to twist his body to dodge the last one.

Whoosh!

Two more blades flew towards Jo Gul.

“Tch!”

Losing his balance, Jo Gul slammed his sword into the ground. Using the force, he jumped into the air, barely dodging the blades.

Swish.

The blades grazed his hair, slicing off strands that floated in the air.

‘Strong!’ Jo Gul thought, a grin flashing across his face even as he dodged another blade. A thrill shot through him. He loved a real challenge, and Dang Zhan was proving to be exactly that.

It was just a flying blade technique, simple in its idea. Dang Zhan was just putting his inner power into the blades and throwing them hard. But the perfection of it was breathtaking. Each throw was precise, each blade flew with deadly speed. It was clear Dang Zhan had spent years, maybe his whole life, perfecting this skill.

There were no wasted movements. Every action was efficient, focused.

And the speed… it was like lightning. Jo Gul had never faced such speed before.

More than anything…

“Taaah!”

Five blades rushed towards Jo Gul as he fell to the ground.

‘A combination!’

It was as if Dang Zhan had planned this from the start, his attacks were relentless.

Wham!

The five blades spun, targeting Jo Gul’s entire body.

Even one blade hitting him would cause a terrible, possibly deadly, wound. That was if the blades weren’t poisoned.

‘Strong.’

Dang Zhan was undeniably strong.

But!

‘Sorry, but!’

Jo Gul bit his lip.

Pulling back his leg slightly, Jo Gul kicked off the air with all his might. Gaining speed from the force of his energy, he charged towards the blades.

‘I fight a monster even greater than you every single day! The monster of my own weakness, the endless training to become stronger!’

His fingers gripped his sword tightly.

It was as if the sword was part of his arm.

His opponent was strong? It was dangerous?

So what?

The plum blossoms of Mount Hua bloom even in rain and wind, even in the blizzards of bitter winter. Mount Hua was known for its strong swordsmen, and plum blossoms were their symbol of resilience.

There was no reason a plum blossom couldn’t bloom in any situation!

A small bud formed at the tip of Jo Gul’s sword.

Bloom.

Bloom!

Soon, Jo Gul’s plum blossom burst forth, covering the five incoming blades.

Clang! Clang clang clang!

The blades couldn’t break through the plum blossom and bounced back.

Jo Gul, who was about to charge towards Dang Zhan, stopped.

Whooooosh!

The last blade was spinning in Dang Zhan’s hand so fast it was invisible.

You could see how much energy he was putting into that blade just by looking at his face.

‘The Eleventh Flying Blade!’

He had heard of it before.

The flying blade technique of the Dang family.

‘Beware the one who has eleven flying blades. The last blade will steal your soul before you even know it.’

That last blade, in Dang Zhan’s hand, was ready to pierce Jo Gul’s soul.

Oooooooo…

The blade left Dang Zhan’s hand and slowly floated towards Jo Gul.

Slowly. Very slowly.

Jo Gul stared in confusion.

It was strange that the blade didn’t fall even at that speed. It was so slow that even if he wanted to be hit, he couldn’t.

But even though it looked ridiculous, the moment Jo Gul saw that blade, sweat poured from his body.

It was coming.

Something huge was definitely coming.

Then!

Wham!

The blade, which had been floating slowly as if frozen, shot towards Jo Gul with explosive speed.

It was too fast to see.

By the time he knew it, the blade was right in front of Jo Gul’s neck.

“Jo Gul!”

“Aaargh!”

The disciples of Mount Hua were horrified by the speed.

But Jo Gul didn’t move his eyes.

He stepped to the side.

One step.

He twisted.

His whole body!

Shkkk!

With a horrible sound, Jo Gul’s neck was sliced a little. Blood sprayed into the air.

Jo Gul staggered, as if he was going to fall.

‘I’ve got him…!’ At that moment, just as Dang Zhan was about to celebrate.

Jo Gul spun around, then kicked off the ground and charged towards Dang Zhan like lightning.

“Huh?”

In that moment, Dang Zhan didn’t see Jo Gul.

‘Plum blossoms?’

All he saw was a burst of plum blossoms. The plum blossom of sword energy bloomed around Jo Gul’s sword, a flash of white light against the grey blades. They smelled faintly of spring, a promise of hope even in this harsh fight.

It was a beautiful sight.

Thud!

Dang Zhan felt a small weight on his shoulder.

Jo Gul was standing where the plum blossoms had been, bleeding from his neck.

His sword was on Dang Zhan’s shoulder.

…

Dang Zhan couldn’t say anything, he just opened his mouth.

“Next… well, I can’t do it.”

Jo Gul chuckled and shook his head.

“Anyway, I win.”

Seeing his smile, Dang Zhan squeezed his eyes shut. Defeat. A bitter taste filled his mouth. But as he opened his eyes and looked at Jo Gul, he saw not mockery, but respect in his eyes. Perhaps, this defeat was not the end.