Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 252

Hyun Sang’s voice was sharp. “Wait, you can’t do it? But Chung Myung, didn’t you just brag about cutting Hancheol?”

Chung Myung froze. Hyun Sang’s words felt like ice water thrown on him. He could feel his heart thump hard against his ribs.

“Think fast!” his mind screamed. “Lie!”

“Y-yes,” Chung Myung stammered, “I can.”

“What does that mean? Can you cut it, or can’t you?”

“I, I can cut it.”

“Hmm?”

Hyun Sang tilted his head, his brow furrowed.

“Speak a bit more clearly. Why…”

At that moment, Hyun Young burst out, “Why are you discouraging our child!”

“When, when did I?” Hyun Sang asked, surprised.

“He’s getting anxious, so keep your mouth shut!” Hyun Young snapped.

Hyun Young clicked his tongue a couple of times, then turned to Chung Myung. Chung Myung saw Hyun Young’s face change from annoyed to a big smile very quickly. This smile made Chung Myung feel cold inside.

“So, Chung Myung-ah. There must be a reason, right?”

“Y-yes, of course?”

“Then let’s hear that reason first.”

Chung Myung thought, *Ah, I’m in trouble.*

Chung Myung cleared his throat. “Ahem.”

“Ah, of course, I can cut through Hancheol. Of course, I can. That’s why I made the cauldron.”

“Yes, yes,” Hyun Young said, nodding.

“But I suffered so much while making that cauldron that I feel very tired and weak.”

Hyun Young’s eyes widened. “Euuuhm?”

“Are you saying you have internal injuries?”

“Well, that’s… I used so much internal energy to make the Jasodan…”

“That’s right, that’s right! You overdid it!”

“Yes! Exactly!” Chung Myung said, relieved.

But then, Hyun Young tilted his head again, looking confused. “But… if you feel very tired and weak, why didn’t you take the Jasodan?”

Chung Myung thought, *You’re quite sharp.*

“Ah. I haven’t taken it yet.”

“Then quickly take the Jasodan to heal yourself. What’s the problem?”

“Uh… well.” Chung Myung rolled his eyes, trying to think of an excuse.

*Let’s say anything to get out of this situation!*

“I think I can get even stronger if I take the Jasodan this time, so I’m waiting to feel a bit better before I take it.”

“Ooh!” Hyun Young exclaimed.

“Advance again! Goodness!”

Chung Myung thought, *Don’t be impressed! There’s no such thing!*

Sweat beaded on Chung Myung’s forehead. *No, why is the situation unfolding like this!*

*Goodness… I dug my own grave.*

Hyun Jong, who had been listening to the entire conversation, summarized the situation. “So, you’re saying you can only cut through Hancheol after you feel better and heal your internal injuries by taking the Jasodan.”

“Yes. That’s exactly right, Sect Leader.”

“Then how many days will it take for you to feel better?”

“Uh… well. I think I’ll need about seven days and nights.”

“That long?”

Chung Myung clutched his stomach. “I didn’t say it, but… this internal injury is really bad…”

Chung Myung frowned as if in pain. Hyun Young immediately rolled his eyes back and started to panic. “You rascal! You should have said something right away if you had internal injuries! I was just happy without knowing! Where does it hurt? Does it hurt a lot?”

Chung Myung thought, *Huh? It shouldn’t be this serious, should it?*

But it wasn’t just Hyun Young who was like that. Hyun Jong and Hyun Sang were also looking at him with serious faces.

“Chung Myung-ah,” Hyun Jong said.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“No matter what, taking care of your body is the most important thing.”

Chung Myung was speechless.

“Forget what I said and go back and focus on healing. Take as much time as you need. If you try to use your energy while you have internal injuries, something really bad could happen. And the other elders should stop pressuring Chung Myung from now on!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!” the elders replied.

Chung Myung smiled awkwardly, seeing the atmosphere suddenly turn serious. *Uh… I’m really screwed, aren’t I? What should I do?*

“Looks like he’s coming?” Jo Gul smirked, watching Chung Myung running towards the Baekmae Hall.

“I wonder what he’s up to this time.”

“We’ll find out if we ask,” Yoon Jong replied.

Jo Gul, who was half-blocking the entrance, raised his hand slightly towards Chung Myung, who was running straight towards him. “Chung Myung-ah. The Sect Leader…”

“Get out of the way!” Chung Myung shouted.

Whoosh!

“Aaaaaaargh!” Jo Gul cried out.

Chung Myung threw Jo Gul, who was blocking the entrance, far away and dashed into the Baekmae Hall.

Yoon Jong’s eyes twitched slightly as he watched the scene.

*What’s going on?* It seems like it’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy so frantic?

Yoon Jong, not at all concerned about Jo Gul who had been thrown far away, only felt uneasy at Chung Myung’s urgent behavior.

Soon.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

With heavy footsteps, Chung Myung showed his face again at the entrance of the Baekmae Hall.

Yoon Jong looked at Chung Myung with a questioning expression. “Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yeah?”

“What crime did you commit? Don’t do this and think again. I’ll pray with you.”

Yoon Jong said this because the sight of Chung Myung coming out with a large bundle on his back looked exactly like he was running away in the middle of the night. Of course, it’s not nighttime now.

“Senior Brother.”

“Yes. Tell me quickly.”

“I’m going away for a few days.”

“Where to?”

“I’m going to take care of my body in Hwayeom for a while, so don’t look for me! And don’t come looking for me!”

“Chung Myung,” Yoon Jong said, his voice serious. “Think carefully about this.”

They stood near the training grounds of Mount Hua Sect, their mountain home, the morning sun casting long shadows across the dusty ground. Yoon Jong watched Chung Myung, his brow furrowed with worry.

“No one in their right mind would bother trying to find you,” Yoon Jong continued.

“Did you even tell the Sect Leader, our master?” Yoon Jong asked, wanting to be sure.

“Of course! Told him everything!” Chung Myung replied with a grin.

“Alright. Have a good trip, then,” Yoon Jong sighed. “It would be even better if you didn’t come back,” he muttered under his breath, only half-joking. “Really think about it, Chung Myung. Life outside of Mount Hua might be happier for you.”

“Then, I’m off!” Chung Myung said cheerfully.

“…Okay, then,” Yoon Jong replied, a small smile touching his lips despite his worry.

Chung Myung dashed towards the main gate, his robes flapping behind him like wings, without another word. Yoon Jong watched his retreating figure with a worried expression. ‘It’s a good thing, really,’ Yoon Jong thought, but a small worry tugged at his heart. ‘Will he be alright on his own? And… what trouble will he cause out there?’

Just the fact that Chung Myung would be gone for a few days was enough to bring a sense of peace, like spring, to Mount Hua.

However.

The arrival of spring in Mount Hua meant that winter was coming somewhere else.

Yoon Jong closed his eyes slightly and offered a silent prayer for those about to face the winter.

Meanwhile, far from the peaceful mountains of Mount Hua…

Eunha Merchant Guild, Hwaeum Branch.

Thud!

“What…?”

‘What is—’

He wanted to shout, ‘Who is it?!’ with dignity, but alas, Hwang Jongi’s wish was not to be fulfilled.

‘Why is the young master here?’

The reason was quite simple. The person who kicked the door open and strode in was someone he knew very well.

A figure he used to call Young Master.

But now, Chung Myung had become someone he could no longer address in such a way.

“Are you not the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, Young Master?”

“Don’t call me by that weird title, just call me Chung Myung.”

“…How could I possibly do that?”

Hwang Jongi looked at Chung Myung with a renewed sense of awe.

It had only been two years since he had met Chung Myung, but in those two years, Chung Myung’s status had risen to an incredible height.

The greatest rising star in the world.

The Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.

The sword prodigy born of Mount Hua.

People were using countless other titles to refer to Chung Myung. Perhaps the people who least realized Chung Myung’s changed status were Chung Myung himself and the people of Mount Hua.

Mount Hua was well-known in Hwaeum. But Chung Myung was even more famous than Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader. That’s how famous he had become.

The problem, if there was one, was that the person himself hadn’t changed in the slightest compared to his reputation.

Consistency was usually a good thing, but when that consistency met the name Chung Myung, it created a rather depressing synergy.

“But what brings you here…?”

“Give me a room.”

“…A room?”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung nodded.

“I have something to do, but it’s a bit difficult to do it in Mount Hua. Give me a room and don’t let anyone approach me.”

“…That’s not a difficult request.”

Hwang Mun-yak had ordered that, if possible, whatever Chung Myung wanted to do should be carried out without question. And even if that order hadn’t existed, Hwang Jongi’s answer wouldn’t have changed.

How many places in the world would refuse the Mount Hua Divine Dragon if he asked for a room?

Even the other famous sword schools would give him a room first and then think about what to do next.

However, if one were to find a problem…

“For meals, I’d like them served on time, three times a day, with plenty of rich and nutritious food. The best alcohol! Oh, and you can add another bottle of alcohol at night. No, make it two bottles!”

“…”

The problem was that this guy was a Taoist… and Taoists are supposed to be disciplined.

“Is that all you need?”

“I’ll take care of everything else, so just take care of the food.”

“Hmm. I understand for now. I’ll do as you wish.”

“Ah… and!”

“Hmm?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“I came down here in such a hurry that I didn’t bring any money. Can you give me some?”

“…”

“That guy is really a Taoist?” Hwang Jongi thought.

That bastard is a Taoist, alright.

After being led by Hwang Jongi to a room, Chung Myung repeatedly emphasized that no one should approach him and locked the door.

Hwang Jongi led him to a quiet room on an upper floor. It was simply furnished with a bed, a table, and a chair, but clean and comfortable. Sunlight streamed through the window, making dust motes dance in the air.

Then, he unpacked his luggage and took out the empty notebooks and writing materials he had prepared in advance.

“Ugh. I’d rather die than suffer!”

It was a terrible situation, but if he thought about it the other way around, it was a good opportunity. If he could create a situation where the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, the most important sword skill of Mount Hua, was discovered inside the Sect Leader’s vault, no one would suspect anything.

Who would imagine that there would be a crazy lunatic who broke into a very strong vault, left a martial arts manual, and then left?

‘The problem is that it’s here.’

Chung Myung groaned and looked at the spread-out books.

‘It won’t do just to throw the martial arts manual down.’

No matter how much Chung Myung was implicitly recognized as the best martial artist in Mount Hua, his status was still that of the youngest disciple.

If such a Chung Myung were to teach the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, it would look strange no matter how one looked at it.

Therefore, it would be good to make it so that Un Geom and Hyun Sang could understand the technique to some extent just by looking at the manual. Then, through their teachings, everyone could naturally learn the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

The problem is…

‘Ha, this is driving me crazy. Can they really understand this just by looking at the manual?’

Why was the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique called the essence of Mount Hua and the representative martial art of Mount Hua?

Even if one looked at other famous sword schools, they possessed not only the Taecheong Sword Technique, but also numerous high-level sword techniques such as the Great Yang-Eui Sword Technique and the Joyang Sword.

But Mount Hua had endured with only the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

To put it nicely, they were persistent; to put it badly, they were a sect that only dug one well for martial arts, a sect that couldn’t be found to have any flexibility.

Why?

Because the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique was that difficult.

Even if one started learning it at the age of twenty, it was only at the age of forty that one would barely understand what completion was. It wasn’t that there was no higher level, but most people couldn’t even think of moving on to the next level even after mastering the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique for their entire lives.

And Chung Myung had a duty to properly pass on this Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique to them.

“A manual won’t do.”

Giving them only a manual and telling them to learn the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique was no different from asking a blind man to find a single grain of sand on a huge beach.

So, what he had to create now was not a manual, but a diagram of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

One book per stance.

Twenty-four books in total!

He had to create these as quickly as possible.

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung scratched his head vigorously.

In his previous life, he would only hold a brush once a year, but in this life, he didn’t know how many books he had already written.

“But I have to do it!”

Since he was doing it anyway, he would do it perfectly!

Even if Tang Soso saw it,

‘Ah! So that’s what this means!’

He would make it so detailed that she could understand it right away!

Scritch. Scritch. Scritch!

Chung Myung began to grind the ink with a serious attitude.

“Since it’s come to this! I’ll refill the vault this time!”

Flames flared in his eyes.

It wasn’t just the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Because it was important to learn the basics right away, he had to shove all the martial arts that he hadn’t been able to pass on to Mount Hua into the vault this time.

If he missed this opportunity, he might not have another chance to naturally pass on the martial arts.

“Hoo!”

He took a short breath, opened the empty book, and began to fill the blank spaces at a terrifying speed.

His eyes glazed over as he wrote endlessly in a straight posture.

Scritch. Scritch. Scritch.

Soon, only his breathing and the sound of the brush and paper rubbing against each other echoed softly in the room.