Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 281

Jin Song mumbled, glancing back, “Ugh… Surrender?”

From the platform where the sect leaders were seated, Heo Do, the leader of Wudang, was staring at him with cold eyes.

‘Keeeuh.’

He knew he was no match for Chung Myung. His heart pounded like a drum against his ribs. Surrender? The word tasted like ash in his mouth. Not here. Not in front of everyone.

In the end, Jin Song squeezed his eyes shut and raised his sword towards Chung Myung.

“I, I will learn from you.”

“Learn?”

“⋯⋯Yes.”

Chung Myung frowned, tilting his head. “What nonsense are you spouting? Go learn from your own teachers!”

“⋯⋯Ah, no! That’s not what I meant⋯⋯.”

“Fine. I’ll teach you.”

Chung Myung stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.

“But!”

“⋯⋯Yes?”

Chung Myung said, his eyes narrowing. “Listen closely. I will teach you a lesson today. Whether you live to remember it… well, that depends on you!”

Jin Song, meeting Chung Myung’s gaze, which gleamed with murderous intent, smiled faintly.

‘How did such a monster appear in a righteous sect?’

And the heavens were unkind.

How could they bestow such power upon such a man?

Jin Song clutched his sword with a grimace.

“Hoo.”

After taking a deep breath, he pointed his sword at Chung Myung with resolute eyes.

“Oho. You’re going to try until the end?”

“I, I know I’m no match.”

“Hm?”

“But⋯⋯.”

Jin Song continued, trembling.

“My master taught me to never back down,” Jin Song said, his voice shaking slightly but firming with each word. “I know I probably can’t win. But I won’t just give up. I will fight you with everything I have.”

“Hoo?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“This guy’s interesting?”

There were such people from time to time.

It was the same during the war with the Demonic Sect in the past.

Those who discussed compromise and insisted on not retreating failed to uphold even half of what they had spouted from their mouths when they actually went to war.

But these kinds of guys, even while trembling with fear, never retreated and stubbornly did what they had to do.

‘Wudang is Wudang.’

There’s even a guy like this.

Chung Myung grinned.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“What did you say your name was?”

“Jin Song.”

“Jin Song. Right, Jin Song. I’ll remember it.”

Chung Myung lightly raised his sword.

“Then let’s begin.”

“Yes!”

Like a lightning bolt, Chung Myung shot forward. Jin Song’s eyes widened to the size of saucers in an instant.

“Eek!”

Though he screamed, the sword in his hand followed the swordplay of the Taecheong Sword Style, a style known for its precise and flowing movements, resolutely and without wavering.

A precise and neat sword form unfolded in the air.

“Your leg’s gone!”

The flat of Chung Myung’s sword cracked against Jin Song’s knee, a sharp, sickening sound.

“Ugh!”

Jin Song reflexively twisted his sword to aim for Chung Myung’s neck.

“Your waist!”

Jin Song gritted his teeth as he was struck in the side.

If it were a real battle, his leg would have been cut off and his side would have been severely slashed.

But this was a duel! He had to do his best until he fell.

“Haaaah!”

Jin Song shouted loudly and shook off his sword.

The move of the Taecheong Sword Style, a technique called ‘Clear River Rolling,’ unfolded gracefully.

“Shoulder! Wrist! Index finger!”

Chung Myung’s sword struck Jin Song’s shoulder, wrist, and second finger in quick succession.

“Aaaargh!”

The sword that had been unfolding the swordplay flew into the air.

“⋯⋯.”

Jin Song stared at Chung Myung with a dumbfounded look.

‘How could this⋯⋯.’

“Heeeeeeaaaaaad!”

Chung Myung, having struck Jin Song’s head with the scabbard, retrieved his sword and dusted off his hands.

“Swordplay isn’t just about fancy moves,” Chung Myung said, looking down at Jin Song. “It starts from the ground up, from your stance and your body’s core. And in a real fight,” he tapped his scabbard against Jin Song’s head, “the head is always a target. Remember that lesson, Wudang brat.”

It was doubtful whether Jin Song, already collapsed on the floor, could hear those words, but Chung Myung didn’t care and turned his body away.

Explosive cheers poured out for him.

Chung Myung smiled and waved to the audience.

“He’s the best! Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon!”

“Another one down in one blow!”

“Hahaha! To subdue a Wudang disciple so easily! He hasn’t even drawn his sword once yet!”

“The victory is as good as decided!”

Chung Myung twitched his face as he received the pouring cheers.

‘Kuh. This has its own flavor.’

So this is why people try to gain fame!

Chung Myung vigorously waved his hand, realizing it anew.

Behind Chung Myung, Jin Song, dazed but determined, struggled to his feet.

‘Huh?’

He groped his crown with his hand.

‘It doesn’t hurt?’

He clearly heard something breaking, but he didn’t feel any pain in his head.

Jin Song stared at Chung Myung’s receding figure with bewildered eyes.

‘Master Chung Myung.’

Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.

And Mount Hua’s good-for-nothing.

If you excluded his martial prowess, there were few who spoke well of him. But strangely, Mu Jin and Heo Sanja, who had exchanged blows with him, didn’t speak so badly of Chung Myung.

Somehow⋯⋯.

Jin Song felt like he knew the reason.

“This duel is won by Mount Hua’s Chung Myung!”

Amid the pouring cheers, Chung Myung left the dueling arena.

“Uwaaaah! Master Chung Myung!”

Wi Sohaeng screamed at the top of his lungs. Of course, his voice was buried in the cheers pouring out from around him, but he cheered like a desperate man, not caring.

“Master Chung Myung! Hahaha! Master Chung Myung!”

It was that moment.

Chung Myung, who was descending from the dueling arena, turned his head sharply towards the audience.

“Huh?”

Chung Myung and Wi Sohaeng’s eyes met.

‘No way my voice could be heard from there.’

It was impossible to accurately find someone among so many people⋯⋯.

But at that moment, Chung Myung’s face lit up and he waved his hand.

‘Did he really see me?’

He leaped from the dueling arena and landed among the crowd.

The surprised crowd cheered and reached out to Chung Myung. Chung Myung lightly grasped the hands that were suddenly thrust out and strode quickly to where the Hwayoung Sect members were.

“Aigo, Sect Leader! How did you come all the way here!”

Chung Myung exclaimed happily, and Wi Lipsan’s smile stretched wide, crinkling the corners of his eyes. His whole face lit up as if Chung Myung’s arrival was the best thing that could have happened.

Chung Myung grinned, clapping Wi Lipsan on the shoulder. It seemed this tournament was becoming more interesting by the minute.

Wiripsan was not a fool.

Seeing the enthusiastic cheers, Wiripsan couldn’t help but notice how much his status had changed since his last visit to Hwayeongmun.

Yet, Chung Myung greeted him with the same familiar face.

‘He really isn’t like the calm Taoists I expected…’

Yet, in his own chaotic way, Chung Myung possessed a certain freedom, a lack of pretense, that some might argue was truly Taoist.

“I brought my disciples after hearing that Hwasan was participating in the tournament,” Wiripsan said.

“You came just in time!” Chung Myung grabbed Wiripsan’s hand tightly.

“It couldn’t have been easy getting here!”

“Haha. Seeing Chung Myung Dojang win makes all the hardships of coming here disappear,” Wiripsan replied.

“Hehehe. Right?” Chung Myung grinned and subtly sized up Wiripsan.

“But perhaps…” Chung Myung smacked his lips slightly, gazing towards Wiripsan’s luggage. Wiripsan glanced around before whispering softly.

“Ten bottles of plum wine.”

“Kroooooh.”

Chung Myung gripped Wiripsan’s hand tightly, seemingly moved. “Let’s go over there. Hwasan has a spot over there.”

“Haha. We are a sect focused on worldly matters, so…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. There’s room left.”

“Ah, no. The regulations basically…”

“Forget the rules! We’ll use our space. If any monks complain,” Chung Myung paused for effect, “I’ll make their heads so shiny they’ll blind everyone, so don’t worry.”

Wiripsan shook his head as if he couldn’t win. ‘He really hasn’t changed at all.’

When a person gains fame and their status changes, they tend to be more careful with their words and actions, putting on a serious face.

But Chung Myung, despite gaining fame that couldn’t be compared to the past, hadn’t changed in the slightest.

No… In some ways, it seemed like he had gotten worse. ‘It’s not necessarily a good thing, but…’ Wiripsan couldn’t deny that the sight was more than welcome.

At that moment, Wisoheng, who was behind Wiripsan, quickly opened his mouth. “Chung Myung Dojang!”

Chung Myung grinned at him. “Did you see it well?”

“Yes! You are really strong,” Wisoheng said, his eyes shining with admiration.

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not that I’m strong, it’s that they’re weak.”

“Really?”

“…No. It could be that I’m strong.”

Chung Myung chuckled and pulled Wisoheng and Wiripsan along. “Anyway, come this way. This way.”

“Oh!” Chung Myung, holding onto the two, pushed through the crowd and headed to one side. The disciples of Hwayeongmun all followed behind him.

“Elder! Elder!” Chung Myung pushed through the crowd, crossed the line, and went to the area where the sects were waiting, shouting, “The Lord of Hwayeongmun has arrived!”

“Hwayeongmun?”

“Oh!” Baek Cheon and his group, who had ties with Hwayeongmun, jumped up from their seats as soon as they heard the sound.

“Lord! It’s been a while!”

“Have you been well?” Wiripsan, who was about to respond with a gentle smile, flinched for a moment and stepped back slightly.

‘What, what is it?’ Didn’t they say this was where Hwasan was? ‘It is?’

The black uniforms, with the plum blossom patterns stark white against the dark fabric like a brand burned onto their chests, proved that they were disciples of Hwasan.

No, but… ‘Hwasan?’ Really?

At least Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and Baek Cheon were better off. They felt a bit more mature than when he had seen them before, but they hadn’t changed much from the way he remembered them.

But the people around them were definitely up to something. Wiripsan felt a prickle of unease on his skin. Something about these Hwasan disciples was… different. Sharper. Like wolves in sheep’s clothing.

“…Soheng.”

“…Yes?”

“Were they like that when you went to Hwasan before?”

“No, no. They weren’t like this before.”

It hadn’t even been a year since Wisoheng had visited Hwasan. Then what on earth had happened in that less than a year to make them so intimidating that just facing them made one shrink back?

“Elder, Elder!”

“Huh?”

“We have a guest.”

“A guest? What guest would Hwasan have!” A large bandit… No, a man walked out from the front of Hwasan’s disciples.

‘He looked more like a scholar who spent his days reading books than a powerful martial arts elder.’ It was very disrespectful to evaluate the sect’s elder like that, but it felt so fitting that there was no other comparison to be found.

‘But an elder?’ Was there such a young person among Hwasan’s elders?

“Who is it?”

“He is the Lord of Hwayeongmun.”

“Hwayeong… Hwayeongmun?” At that moment, the man’s face lit up, and he wore a kind smile as if he were emitting a halo. ‘What, what is it?’

Elder Hyun Young quickly ran out and grabbed the hand of Wiripsan, the Lord of Hwayeongmun. “You’re the Lord of Hwayeongmun!”

“Yes? Ah, yes… I am Wiripsan, the Lord of Hwayeongmun.”

“Yes, yes!” Hyun Young chuckled. “You probably don’t remember, you were just a little thing! But I remember you visiting Hwasan years ago.”

Hyun Young, who was about to stroke Wiripsan’s head, glanced around and patted him on the shoulder. “You came well. You came well! I should have stopped by Hwayeongmun on the way, but I forgot because I was so distracted!” Hyun Young massaged Wiripsan’s shoulder with an extremely pleased face. His gestures and expressions were full of joy, to the point of being overwhelmed.

“But… are you really Elder Hyun Young?”

“Yes. Yes. Didn’t you see me when you visited Hwasan when you were young?”

“…You’re too young.”

“Haha. Something good happened. Yes, the long journey…” Hyun Young, who was about to say something, suddenly glared back. “What are you doing! You freeloading bastards! If a guest comes, you should bring a chair! You guys who eat without paying a penny, where’s the customer… Ah, no. The worldly people have come, but you’re sitting there taking up space! Can’t you get up right now?!”

“⋯⋯.”

Wiripsan’s eyes widened. ‘No, the words are too harsh…’

But the reaction of the Hwasan disciples was completely different from his expectations. “Chairs! Chairs! Quickly!”

“Move it, you guys!” They quickly lifted the chairs they were sitting on all at once and ran over as if using martial arts, making space for the worldly people.

“Please sit comfortably!”

“We can just stand and watch. Don’t worry about us.”

“⋯⋯.”

Wiripsan was too embarrassed to say anything, but Hyun Young nodded as if it were natural. “Ah. Chung Myung, you’re okay. You can attach a chair to the front and lie down.”

“I was going to.”

“Yes, yes. My baby.” This is a bit strange too…

Hyun Young smiled and offered Wiripsan a seat. “The Head is currently elsewhere, so you can meet him in the evening and say hello.”

“Ah. I will, Elder. I don’t know what to do with such a welcome…” At that moment, Hyun Young grabbed his hand again.

“Lord of Hwayeongmun.”

“Yes?”

“Hwasan knows very well how much Hwayeongmun, and you, have done for the main sect. So don’t feel uncomfortable and please be at ease.”

“Elder…” Wiripsan’s eyes welled up with emotion. Looking at Hyun Young’s firm grip, all sorts of emotions flooded in.

At that moment, Hyun Young opened his mouth with a slightly troubled face. “But, um…”

“Yes?” And he said with a slightly awkward expression, “I couldn’t check because I was coming here, but this month’s contribution… No, was the donation sent to Hwasan?”

“⋯⋯It was sent before departure.”

“Yes, yes. Aahm. Please be at ease. By all means, be at ease! Haha!”

“⋯⋯.” Wiripsan thought that something was seriously wrong with Hwasan.