Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 294

Warm morning sunlight streamed through the window.

The cheerful sound of birds drifted in, filling the air.

Baek Cheon slowly opened his eyes.

He sat up and looked around the quiet room.

It was a peaceful morning, but Baek Cheon felt a knot of tension inside.

‘Today is the day.’

His eyes darkened as he looked out the window.

He tightened the hero’s headband around his forehead and gazed at his reflection in the bronze mirror.

He saw the dark blue Hwasan uniform, the plum blossom on his chest, and the white headband.

He was reminded again that he was a disciple of Hwasan.

He imagined himself wearing the grey and blue uniform of Jongnam instead.

‘He looks like him,’ he thought, seeing Jin Geum-ryong’s face in his own reflection.

Even if they had been separated as children, they were so alike they would know they were brothers instantly.

He sighed softly, sat down, and drew his sword.

He began to wipe the blade with an oil-soaked cloth.

*Whoosh. Whoosh.*

Each time he wiped the sword, he felt his mind calming down.

Perhaps there might have been another choice.

A life where he didn’t run away from home and enter Hwasan, but stayed in Jongnam, learned from Jin Cho-baek, and followed Jin Geum-ryong.

If he had, he would be very different now.

*Do I regret it?*

Not at all.

Even if blood doesn’t connect you, even if you haven’t been together since birth, you can still be family.

Now, his family is not the Jin family. Only Hwasan is his family.

Today’s competition would confirm that.

So, he needed to focus even more.

*Bang!*

“Sasuk, are you awake?”

Baek Cheon’s eyes twitched as he turned to the one who had kicked open the door.

“I’ve told you so many times, doors aren’t for kicking, they’re for opening with your hands…”

“Ah, whatever. The Sect Leader wants you to hurry up.”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul peeked out from behind Chung Myung.

“Sasuk, let’s go!”

“We’re all ready!”

Baek Cheon quietly stared at the three of them before chuckling.

Yes, what did it matter? It didn’t matter at all.

‘My family is here.’

He smiled and rose from his seat.

“Alright, you rascals. Let’s go!”

“Oh? You seem confident! Eager to do the terrible thing of beating up your older brother!”

Ah…

Let’s exclude that rascal.

That rascal.

The audience was quieter than before.

Of the many participants, only sixty-four remained.

The audience, once interested in which sect was more active, now focused on who would win.

“Isn’t Namgung Dowui of the Namgung Clan the most likely to win?”

“What are you talking about! This is the time for the Peng Clan to surpass the Namgung Clan.”

“You’re wrong. The Five Great Families can’t surpass the Nine Great Sects. Hye-yeon of Shaolin will definitely win.”

“You can’t leave out Wudang!”

If there were a thousand people, there were a thousand opinions. They watched the same competition but each picked a different winner.

“It might not be the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t there Hwasan?”

“Ah, Hwasan! That’s right!”

As soon as the word Hwasan came out, the crowd began to nod.

It was a statement that would have been met with finger-pointing and shouts of ‘crazy person’ before the competition started, but now, no one objected.

“The Hwasan Divine Dragon is definitely worth aiming for the win!”

“Not only the Hwasan Divine Dragon, but also Hwajeong Sword Baek Cheon is not to be underestimated. The sword he showed in the last competition was truly amazing. Who would have imagined that Hwasan’s sword would be so beautiful and splendid?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about! Hwasan has been called the Plum Blossom Sword Sect since ancient times. Their swords were famous for being among the strongest in the martial world.”

“Then why did they fall?”

“Fall! How can you say they fell when they are so strong?”

“Weren’t they kicked out of the Nine Great Sects?”

“I don’t know the details, but I know one thing.”

“Huh?”

The speaker grinned and continued.

“If Hwasan wins this time, it’s not impossible that they could rejoin the Nine Great Sects.”

“Heo. That’s true.”

People’s eyes subtly turned towards where Hwasan was.

‘The Nine Great Sects are changing…’

Since ancient times, the Nine Great Sects have been like a symbol representing the martial world.

And although it is rare, it has often happened that a sect that has lost its momentum is removed from the Nine Great Sects and a new sect joins them.

But a sect that had once been kicked out of the Nine Great Sects has never regained its place.

‘If that really happens?’

‘This is getting really interesting.’

The crowd began to look at Hwasan with a strange sense of anticipation.

“Chung Myung.”

“Huh?”

“Can’t you hear it too?”

“Hear what?”

“The sound of people whispering.”

“Why is that?”

Chung Myung looked back at Jo Gul, puzzled.

Then, Jo Gul checked that there were no elders around and asked quietly.

“If we win, can we really return to the Nine Great Sects?”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.

And the other disciples’ gazes turned to the two of them.

“The Nine Great Sects?”

“We’re going to join the Nine Great Sects?”

The faces of the Hwasan disciples began to flush red.

‘The Nine Great Sects.’

‘Good heavens! Can we even hope for something like that?’

It was only three years ago that the creditors were taking away the buildings and there was talk of taking down the Hwasan signboard.

But in just three years, the Nine Great Sects.

They didn’t fully believe the rumors, but just hearing them showed how much Hwasan had changed.

So, the disciples of Hwasan couldn’t be more proud.

Just in time, Yoon Jong began to add fuel to the fire.

“If you think about it, isn’t it not that strange?”

“Yes?”

“There are many conditions for joining the Nine Great Sects, but above all, it’s martial prowess. We are now proving that Hwasan’s martial prowess is not inferior to the Nine Sects.”

He paused for a moment and swallowed hard.

“It may be impossible right now, but if we continue like this, returning to the Nine Sects may not be a dream. If that happens, we will truly recreate the glory that Hwasan had in the past.”

Everyone was lost in thought for a moment.

And soon, they were filled with dreams.

But in this world, there are always people who don’t like to see others happy.

“Go back where?”

“⋯⋯Huh?”

“Nine Great Sects?”

“⋯⋯.”

Jo Gul, seeing Chung Myung tilting his head to the side, closed his eyes tightly.

‘Why again?!’

‘No, why is he suddenly like that?’

‘Did someone make a mistake? Who?’

The junior disciples quietly turned their heads, knowing it was best to avoid eye contact with the unpredictable Chung Myung.

“Are we really stooping to begging now that we’re short on funds?” Chung Myung shouted, his voice rising. “Why are we trying to rejoin them? The Nine Great Sects? Why would we even consider it? Have you all lost your pride?”

Chung Myung rolled his eyes, his anger building.

“Good heavens, how utterly shameless must you be to even think about bowing your heads and crawling back to those who kicked us out, declaring Mount Hua useless?” he continued. “Why not just go to Jongnam and wag your tails, begging for their approval too!”

“That’s not what I meant…” someone mumbled.

“Even if those bastards crawled on their knees, begging us to return, I wouldn’t set foot among the Nine Great Sects again!” Chung Myung declared. “Tell them all to go to hell!”

Chung Myung was beyond angry; he was practically spitting with rage.

“Just thinking about those Nine Great Sects’ scoundrels makes my blood boil!” he exclaimed. “I’m so angry! So, so angry!”

“Calm down, Chung Myung!” Jo Gul said, sweating. “It was my fault!”

Chung Myung’s reaction was understandable. The other disciples hadn’t been part of the Nine Great Sects since they joined Mount Hua, so they didn’t feel the sting of being excluded. They simply saw Mount Hua as a declining sect that had lost its status.

But Chung Myung knew the real story behind Mount Hua’s expulsion. The words ‘Nine Great Sects’ always made him tense up.

He wanted to plant plum blossoms into their smug faces.

Return to the Nine Great Sects?

“No way! Not even if they begged!” Chung Myung repeated. “Nine Great Sects, my foot! Tell them all to get lost!”

“We get it, just calm down!” Jo Gul and Yoon Jong grabbed Chung Myung, struggling to hold him back. When he didn’t calm down, they called for help.

“Sasuk, please do something about him!”

Baek Cheon frowned, looking unconcerned. “Why? He’s not wrong.”

He then said firmly, “Have you no pride? Are you saying you’ll bow your heads and crawl back to the place that abandoned us? I’m against it. What’s so great about the Nine Great Sects anyway?”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul exchanged wry smiles. Baek Cheon was becoming increasingly hopeless.

But Baek Cheon interrupted them in a chilly tone. “I’m not joking.”

His serious tone made the Mount Hua disciples tense, their faces hardening as they looked at him.

“What we need to do isn’t to get good grades and try to impress them,” Baek Cheon stated. “It’s to prove that Mount Hua can be a great sect even without being part of the Nine Great Sects.”

Chung Myung nodded enthusiastically. “That’s right, that’s right!”

Then, staring intently at Baek Cheon, he asked, “You know what we need to do to make that happen, don’t you, Sasuk?”

“Yes, I know,” Baek Cheon replied.

Baek Cheon’s gaze shifted towards the sparring arena. The moment of truth was approaching. He picked up his sword and stood up.

“We must prove to everyone here that Mount Hua’s swordsmanship is not inferior to that of the Nine Great Sects,” he declared.

Chung Myung grinned. “Win.”

“Of course,” Baek Cheon replied.

Baek Cheon took a deep breath and walked towards the sparring arena.

Hyun Sang was waiting for him, his face determined.

“Elder, I will return victorious,” Baek Cheon said.

“Baek Cheon-ah,” Hyun Sang said.

“Yes?”

Hyun Sang spoke with emphasis and sincerity. “I know this match is a great burden for you. But you must show them. You, of all people, must show them.”

“I know. Don’t worry,” Baek Cheon replied.

“Good. I trust you and will wait,” Hyun Sang said, patting Baek Cheon’s shoulder in support.

Baek Cheon nodded and headed towards the sparring arena.

‘I must prove it,’ Baek Cheon thought.

Baek Cheon knew what those words meant. Chung Myung couldn’t prove Mount Hua’s swordsmanship because he was too extraordinary. He would excel anywhere, regardless of the sect. Even if he had joined a third-rate sect, he would have become the best.

For someone like that, the sect they belonged to was irrelevant.

Therefore, Baek Cheon had to prove that Mount Hua’s swordsmanship was not inferior to the Nine Great Sects, and that they could be stronger even without the Nine Great Sects’ reputation.

A familiar figure approached from the opposite side of the sparring arena.

He would prove it against Jin Geum-ryong.

Baek Cheon stepped onto the sparring arena and looked up at the sky.

The blue sky, without a single cloud, felt vast and endless.

‘It was like this that day too,’ he remembered. The day he ran away from home to join Mount Hua, the sky had been just as clear and bright.

Now, it was time to prove the determination he had felt then, the path he had chosen.

Baek Cheon lowered his gaze. Jin Geum-ryong’s face was cold and hard, his eyes filled with chilling intent. He was completely different from the Jin Geum-ryong of the past.

Anyone who knew him would be saddened by the change.

But as a swordsman?

‘Like a honed sword,’ Baek Cheon thought. So sharp that it could cut anything it touched.

Jin Geum-ryong had pushed himself hard to become like this.

Although their paths had diverged, Baek Cheon respected Jin Geum-ryong’s dedication.

“Baek Cheon of Mount Hua requests a duel with Jin Geum-ryong of Jongnam,” Baek Cheon announced, performing the formalities with a serious expression.

The corner of Jin Geum-ryong’s mouth curled into a slight smile.

“Presumptuous bastard,” he said.

With a swift motion, he drew his sword. Sunlight flashed on the polished steel, making it gleam like a blade of pure white fire.

“I acknowledge it,” Jin Geum-ryong said.

“You have become stronger. The foolish, immature brat of the past has become a swordsman.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened in surprise. He had never been acknowledged by Jin Geum-ryong before, never even heard a compliment. Yet, in this moment, Jin Geum-ryong was acknowledging him.

“However,” Jin Geum-ryong continued.

He twisted his lips into a smile. “You’re still far behind.”

“I’ll show you today that as much as you’ve improved, I’ve improved even more,” he said. “The difference is something you can never overcome.”

He glared at Baek Cheon, coldly declaring, “I am still your wall.”

“And I will be your wall for the rest of your life.”

A smile formed on Baek Cheon’s lips, a gentle smile unlike Jin Geum-ryong’s twisted sneer.

“That’s impossible,” Baek Cheon said.

“What?” Jin Geum-ryong asked.

“My wall is somewhere else,” Baek Cheon replied. “There is a wall so immense that it cannot even be compared to you, Senior Brother.”

“So, I will show you that a wall ultimately exists to be overcome,” Baek Cheon declared.

“Presumptuous bastard!” Jin Geum-ryong exclaimed.

No more words were needed. The tension between them grew as they stared at each other.

The sounds of the world faded away. The murmurs of the audience, the cheers of the disciples, even the sound of the wind disappeared.

In that moment…

“Let’s go!”

“Taaaah!”

Baek Cheon and Jin Geum-ryong charged towards each other with all their might, as if they had planned it all along.