Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 256

The heavy wooden door stood open, but no one moved. Dust motes danced in the sliver of light spilling from within.

Tension hung thick in the air, mixed with a nervous excitement. Anxiety tightened chests, but beneath it, a flicker of anticipation burned.

They were frozen, staring at the doorway. Hyun-jong’s breath felt tight in his lungs. Hyun-young nervously ran a hand through his hair. Even Cheong-myeong, who had been so bold moments before, stood silent, his usual smirk gone.

Hyun-young was the first to break the spell. He swallowed hard and turned to Hyun-jong.

“Sect Leader,” he said, his voice a little shaky.

“…Yes,” Hyun-jong replied, his voice low.

“Shouldn’t you… shouldn’t we go inside and see?”

Hyun-jong’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Hmm. Yes, I suppose we must.”

His eyes were heavy with worry as he gazed at the open doorway, as if expecting something to jump out.

It was frightening.

What if there was nothing inside?

But turning back now was impossible.

“Hoo!”

He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and stepped through the open door. The elders and the Unja generation followed behind him.

Seeing this, Hyun-young helped Cheong-myeong up.

“Cheong-myeong.”

“Ugh.”

“You’ve worked hard. I’m truly proud of you for cutting through ten thousand years of frozen iron.”

“Oh, it was nothing. Heh heh.”

Cheong-myeong was very skilled, but people rarely praised him. When someone did, his mouth would smile wide, and his lips would twitch.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Cheong-myeong followed Hyun-young into the Bigo.

Hyun-jong, who had entered first, looked around with uncertain eyes.

“This place is…”

Simple.

The room was simple, like a quiet study. Dust motes danced in the single ray of light from the doorway. The air felt still and cool. There were only three bookshelves.

It seemed more bare than simple.

This simple room showed what a Mount Hua Sect Leader should be like. Hyun-jong felt a shiver in his heart.

He swallowed hard and approached the bookshelves.

As he walked towards them, his anticipation grew.

And…

“Ah…”

He covered his face with his hands.

“Ancestors… Mount Hua’s ancestors! How… How can you care for us so much?”

His body trembled as he lost control of his emotions. The hardships he had endured flashed through his mind.

“Sect Leader, this is…!”

“Good heavens!”

Hyun-sang and Hyun-young’s eyes widened like lanterns.

“Sect Leader! This is the Secret Fragrance Step, the Secret Fragrance Step! Mount Hua’s lost divine skill!”

“Pl-Plum Blossom Steps! Not even Seven Star Steps, but Plum Blossom Steps!”

“Incredible! These are the lost texts! Sect Leader, there’s N-Nine Palace Sword here!”

They were practically losing their minds.

One bookshelf was filled with Mount Hua’s martial arts techniques. And most of them were techniques that Mount Hua had already lost.

The advanced martial arts they thought they had lost forever were filling the bookshelves.

Hyun-sang, who was in charge of managing Mount Hua’s martial arts, was on the verge of losing his mind.

“…Th-This can’t be happening.”

He mumbled blankly, as if he had completely lost his soul.

How desperately had he wished for this?

How much had he searched for it?

Everything he had so desperately wanted and searched for was sleeping here.

Instead of Hyun-jong and Hyun-sang, who couldn’t even dare to touch them, Hyun-young carefully took out a book.

“Oh! It’s so well preserved! It’s like a new book. Sect Leader!”

Cheong-myeong, who was watching the elders from behind, flinched at those words.

Ah… I forgot to put some dirt on it.

Cold sweat ran down his back.

“Oooooh! It’s so well preserved that it still smells of ink, Sect Leader!”

Ah… I should have dried it properly.

“Even… Uh… This… The ink seems a little wet?”

Even Hyun-young began to tilt his head.

Cheong-myeong desperately began to look for a way to resolve this situation, beads of sweat dripping down his face.

“How… How can this be?”

“Hahaha!”

Then, Hyun-jong suddenly burst into hearty laughter. It was a laugh of relief, joy, and disbelief.

“I wondered why the ancestors made this storage room out of frozen iron, but this was their intention. I once heard that boxes made of frozen iron retain coolness and prevent the contents from spoiling.”

“Ah! Now that you mention it, I’ve heard something similar.”

“Isn’t that why these books are so clean?”

No. That’s not it.

Ah, no. No! That’s not it!

Kuh! Sect Leader!

That’s why he’s the Sect Leader!

Cheong-myeong smiled contentedly as he watched Hyun-jong perfectly match his words without having to step forward.

‘He’s taking care of everything himself.’

It was then.

“Sect Leader! H-Here!”

“Wh-What is it?”

“Here, look here!”

“Where?”

“Here!”

Hyun-young urgently pointed to one side. Hyun-jong’s body froze in place as he followed his finger.

Twenty-five manuals neatly placed at the bottom of the bookshelf.

“N-No way…”

The titles of the books seemed to loom large, as if floating in the air.

Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay Illustrated (二十四手梅花劍法圖解).

“Uh… Uh-oh…”

Hyun-jong’s face went blank as he stared at the bookshelf.

Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay.

Not just the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay, but an illustrated version.

“Il-Il… Il…”

“Sect Leader!”

“Illustrated… Grrrk!”

Hyun-jong finally rolled his eyes back and fell over.

“Aaaah! Sect Leader!”

“Get a grip! How can you faint here! Get up, Sect Leader!”

Hyun-young grabbed Hyun-jong by the collar and shook him, raising his voice in alarm. Only after shaking him for a while did Hyun-jong open his eyes wide.

“Hoo-ooh!”

“Are you feeling a little bett…”

“Get out of the way!”

Hyun-jong jumped up, threw Hyun-young aside, and practically lunged at the bookshelf. His eyes were wide, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

“Illustrated! An illustrated version! The illustrated version of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay!”

He looked like someone who hadn’t eaten in ten days seeing food. Hyun-jong stared at the manuals as if he were about to devour them, trembling as if he couldn’t come to his senses. His body trembled, and his breath caught in his throat.

“Th-This is… Th-This is… Huh. Huh!”

What was an illustrated version?

It was an interpretation with illustrations and explanations to make it easier to learn the manual.

It was so difficult and arduous to completely explain a martial art that illustrated versions were rarely made.

But for them, who had to learn martial arts without a teacher, this illustrated version was more necessary than anything else.

“Ch-Check it, Sect Leader! Quickly!”

At Hyun-sang’s cry, Hyun-jong picked up the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay manual with trembling hands.

Rustle.

As he carefully turned the cover, the first page, written in majestic calligraphy, was revealed.

From Cheong-myeong, the thirteenth disciple of the Great Mount Hua Sect, to posterity.

“Ch-Cheong-myeong?”

“Yes! I’m here.”

“Not you, you rascal!”

“…”

I am the rascal, aren’t I?

Cheong-myeong glared with a sulky expression, but Hyun-jong had no interest in him whatsoever.

Cheong-myeong.

How much had he longed for and drawn that name?

How much had he wished for and desired that name?

The moment he saw that name, Hyun-jong couldn’t bear the overwhelming emotions that surged within him.

In the end, he uttered the epithet he had held in his heart all along in a trembling voice.

“Sword Saint of the Plum Blossoms.”

The forgotten legend of Mount Hua.

That name, which had allowed him to hold onto Mount Hua even through the long years of hardship, was here.

“Wait, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint? Did *he* write this Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique himself?”

Hyun Young moved closer to Hyun Jong, trying to see.

“Chung Myung, you said…!” He started shaking, his eyes wide.

Everyone in Mount Hua admired the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. He was like a legend to them.

Hyun Jong tried to calm down. His heart was beating fast. He read the words:

“The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique is the base of Mount Hua, its heart. I have drawn pictures for each move so that people later can understand it better.

Look at these pictures and practice hard, again and again. If you learn this sword technique well, you will be strong against any sword in the world.

Remember this: You are not just getting a sword, but the spirit of Mount Hua. I put the spirit of Mount Hua into these twenty-four pictures.

If you keep this spirit alive, Mount Hua will always be famous.”

“It *is* the Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s book with pictures! The Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s!”

“Hahaha! I can’t believe it! This is crazy! Hahahaha!” Hyun Young laughed loudly.

Just finding the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique would have been amazing for Mount Hua. But this is the Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s *picture book*! It’s worth more than anything!

“A treasure from long ago! Hahaha! We are so lucky! So lucky!”

Hyun Young ran to Hyun Jong, snatching the book from his hands.

“Where! Where… .”

Hyun Young, about to flip through the pages excitedly, stopped. He frowned, confused.

“Sect Leader.”

“Yes?”

“… The ink is still wet. The pages are stuck together… ?”

“……”

Hyun Jong and Hyun Young looked at the book, confused.

At the same time, cold sweat started on Chung Myung’s back again.

‘Too careful! Really!’

Just ignore it, please! Just ignore it a little! Why are they looking so closely? They never used to be like this!

“Hmm. It looks like the Plum Blossom Sword Saint wrote this book and put it here right away. Maybe that’s why the ink is still wet?”

“Maybe?”

“Hahaha. Of course! You’re talking like someone could just walk into this vault made of ice iron that’s ten-thousand years old. And just now!”

“That’s impossible! Hahahahaha!”

Sweat dripped from Chung Myung’s head.

Baek Cheon watched from outside the door, his eyes getting smaller.

‘Why is that kid sweating so much?’

Is he really hurt inside? No, that can’t be right.

Then,

“Sect Leader!”

“What is it?”

“The handwriting is all the same!”

“Huh?”

“I just checked, and all the books here are written in the same handwriting. It looks like one person wrote them all.”

Chung Myung stared at Hyun Sang, wide-eyed.

‘Why would you even notice that?’

No, why do you have to be so observant!

“Does that mean… ?”

“Yes! It seems all the books here were personally created by the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!”

“Oh! The Sword Saint! These are so valuable!”

Hyun Jong was filled with strong feelings.

“Sword Saint… Sword Saint. I don’t need anything else….”

Hyun Jong’s face became gentle, and he looked like he might fall over. Hyun Young ran to him, grabbed his clothes, and shook him hard.

“Hey! Are you trying to die right now?! If you’re going to die anyway, why did you take the Rejuvenation Pill, you old man! Give back the Zaso Pill before you go!”

“I’m not dying, you kid!”

Hyun Jong suddenly stood up straight.

But he thought he saw some strange colors for a moment.

I need to be careful.

“Hahaha! This is amazing! Amazing for Mount Hua!”

The three Hyun elders were very happy. They were smiling widely and jumping up and down a little.

“Sect Leader. Could we… ?”

“Ah, yes! Let’s do that!”

Hyun Jong led the Hyun elders outside. Because not everyone could fit inside the vault, the Un elders and other disciples were waiting outside.

The elders moved aside, and the other disciples went in.

“Plum Blossom Scattering Hand!”

“S-Senior Brother! The Great Void Palm is here too!”

“Moon Goddess Harmony Sword!”

They were amazed just by reading the names on the books.

Baek Cheon felt a little overwhelmed, and he put his hand on the bookshelf and took a deep breath.

But then… Creak!

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon looked down.

“Huh?”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.

Oh no. That? That?

“Sect Leader! There’s a space here! It looks like there’s more room!”

That guy?

“Oh? Really?”

Hyun Jong quickly went back inside.

“Oh, you’re right!”

“I’ll open it all the way!”

“Yes! Do it.”

Before Chung Myung could do anything, the bookshelf was moved, and the door beneath it opened.

“Let’s go down!”

“Let’s go! Let’s go in quickly!”

The Hyun elders rushed into the space below the vault.

But sadly, the space was empty. There was nothing inside.

“……I thought there would be something.”

“Hmm. It looks like a room that was made but never used.”

“Too bad, but we can’t do anything about it.”

“Yes. We already got so much… Huh?”

Hyun Jong was talking calmly, but then he looked down like he saw something.

“This… ?”

“Yes?”

The Hyun elders looked down too.

“There’s a circle… here.”

“It’s round.”

“……Big.”

“……” Hyun Young said, looking puzzled.

“Doesn’t it look like someone cut it and then put it back together?”

“Hahahaha!”

The Hyun elders turned to look at the sudden laugh. Chung Myung was smiling nervously, looking in from the doorway.

“N-No one would glue ice iron together. No way. Even the Plum Blossom Sword Saint couldn’t do that!”

“Really?”

“O-Of course!”

“Yes. That’s right. But why are you sweating so much? Is your injury still bad?”

“I-I hurt myself again trying to cut the door… .”

“Oh no, oh no. Too bad.”

Even as Hyun Young worried about Chung Myung, Hyun Jong looked at the circle seriously for a moment, then nodded like he understood.

“I get it.”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.

Understands? Understands what?

“A secret room and a big circle. Don’t you see? This is an important lesson from the immortals.”

“A lesson?”

“An empty room, and an empty circle. It means we have enough already. We should be happy with what we have and not want more.”

“Ah! That’s right!”

“The immortals wanted to teach us about the Dao.”

“Ah, yes. It must be telling us that Mount Hua is not just about fighting, but about the Dao. We learned another lesson.”

“The immortals’ ideas are very deep. Yes, yes.”

Watching the Hyun elders saying these wise words together, Chung Myung felt all his stress leave him. He just fell to the ground.

‘The Dao, really?’

If this keeps up, my heart will stop! Oh no, my luck!

The elders were happy, but Chung Myung knew he wasn’t out of trouble yet.