Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 305

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, watching Namgung Dowi. Namgung Dowi was a mess, lying flat on the arena floor.

“Honestly, these youngsters today.”

“Hey!

Back in my day, if you wanted to swing a sword, you tied a very heavy rock to it and swung it thousands of times, you hear me? Huh?

We made ourselves tough by rolling down cliffs until we could shout, ‘Ah, that’s refreshing!’ Only then would we just begin to learn swordsmanship!

And this weak-legged brat, what?

Imperial Sword what?

Imperial Sword what?

“Honestly, I should just hit him hard.”

Ah, is he already awake?

“Tsk.”

Chung Myung turned away, looking unhappy.

This is why he didn’t like geniuses. People who become strong fast often get too excited and don’t pay attention to important things.

Only when someone like Lee Song-baek moved slowly but surely and eventually passed him would he realize what he had missed.

Actually, there was no reason for Chung Myung not to tell him if he asked…

‘But why would I?’

He had no interest in the Namgung Clan, so there was no need to bother. He was busy enough teaching the Mount Hua disciples very strictly; what did he care about the Namgung Clan!

Chung Myung walked quickly off the stage. Loud shouts came from everywhere.

Loud cheers!

Excited shouts!

Loud cheers!

Chung Myung tilted his head, watching his fellow disciples give him thumbs up.

“What’s wrong with you guys? Why are you suddenly so surprised?”

“Why are you suddenly so surprised? That’s Namgung Dowi! He’s Namgung Dowi! He’s called the Danak Sword of the Namgung Clan, and everyone thought he would win the tournament!”

Jo Gul nodded many times, looking very impressed.

“Namgung Dowi, the Danak Sword of the Namgung Clan, who everyone thought would win! And you defeated him completely.”

“Sometimes I wonder if this guy really eats the same food as I do.”

Chung Myung chuckled because their reaction was more excited than usual.

“It’s not that big of a deal…”

“No. It was truly amazing!”

“You were really amazing, Chung Myung!”

Chung Myung’s lips twitched slightly.

“No. Well, it’s just beating up one kid, what…”

“That ‘kid’ is Namgung Dowi, he’s not just any kid, is he?”

“Keeeuh. That was so refreshing. Chung Myung, you really did a great job!”

“…Hehehe.”

Chung Myung scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

It really wasn’t a big deal, but they kept praising him like this, and it felt subtly… well… good.

“Look at him, he’s loving it.”

“Dong-ryong, be quiet.”

“…”

Baek Cheon became quiet. Chung Myung shrugged and sat down. He took out jerky from his bag next to him.

“Jo Gul, did you get the money?”

“Ah, yes! Chung Myung! We won a lot of money! This time, because the opponent was Namgung Dowi, many people were betting against you!”

“Tsk tsk tsk. This is why gambling can ruin people.”

Betting against someone like Namgung! How dare they!

They deserve to lose!

Chung Myung chuckled and began to chew on the jerky eagerly.

Baek Cheon watched Chung Myung and then looked at Namgung Dowi on the stage. Namgung Dowi was still lying there, looking unconscious, surrounded by the Namgung Clan’s warriors.

‘He must be very shocked.’

Honestly, he felt sorry for him.

Danak Sword Namgung Dowi.

His confidence must have been as strong as his reputation.

If he had truly understood what it means to be a swordsman, he might have been able to accept defeat. But right now, this was too painful to just call it a defeat.

Well, that was something anyone who met Chung Myung had to experience at least once.

Baek Cheon looked down slightly, watching Chung Myung chew on the jerky like taffy.

“…”

Heo Do-jin’s face, as he looked at the seat next to him, was very serious.

No wonder… Namgung Hwang’s eyes were wide open, like a mudskipper, and he was staring blankly at the stage with his mouth open.

“Uh… th-that… uh?”

Heo Do-jin couldn’t watch anymore and closed his eyes.

The Shaolin sect was quiet right now. So, the Wudang sect was the most important of the Nine Great Sects. And among the Five Great Families, the Namgung Clan was the most important.

Heo Do-jin, as the leader of Wudang, had seen Namgung Hwang many times.

But in all those meetings, Heo Do-jin had never seen Namgung Hwang make such a face.

‘Well, it’s understandable.’

His son, who was the pride of the world, was beaten badly, like a common person being attacked. If he didn’t react like that, it would be even stranger, wouldn’t it?

Heo Do-jin stared seriously at Chung Myung as he came down from the stage.

‘He’s really like something out of control.’

If this had happened to someone else, Heo Do-jin might have cheered like the crowd.

He didn’t want to admit it, but honestly, just watching it made him feel relieved.

But the problem was that the people hurt by this amazing fight were from the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families.

“…How can he be like that?”

“A gasp…”

Sect leaders kept making sounds of shock and admiration.

Heo Do-jin knew.

They had all silently agreed not to talk about Chung Myung here.

If they talked about the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, they would have to take the Mount Hua sect seriously, because he belonged to it. That’s why they had been purposely ignoring him.

But now, the moment had come when they could no longer ignore that monstrous fellow.

“…It’s more than just talent.”

Everyone nodded at the Qingcheng sect leader’s words.

“I think I understand now why the Jongnam sect leader was so upset. Even I…”

Someone couldn’t finish their sentence and closed their mouth.

It meant that if a monster like him was in a sect they always competed with, they wouldn’t be able to stay calm.

Yes. A monster.

He was simply a monster.

And…

‘It seems everyone has realized that now.’

The audience was also very excited and whispering to each other.

“…Namgung Dowi lost like that?”

“Oh my goodness, really?”

“So, how strong is the Mount Hua Divine Dragon?”

The Namgung name was very powerful.

The Namgung Clan was the leader of the Five Great Families and a famous and respected family in the martial arts world (Jianghu). They had many great swordsmen for many generations. They always had masters who people thought were the best swordsmen of their time.

And everyone thought Namgung Dowi would be the next great swordsman from the Namgung Clan.

So, Namgung Dowi was expected to become one of the best swordsmen in the world.

The fact that such a Namgung Dowi was completely defeated without even using his sword properly was very important.

Heo Do-jin frowned slightly and looked to one side.

A smile.

Tang Gunak had a small smile on his lips as he sat next to Hyun Jong. Master Heo Do saw that smile and felt a cold knot tighten in his stomach. *What does that smile mean?* he wondered, feeling a sudden worry.

Just then, Tang Gunak spoke quietly.

“Congratulations, Sect Leader.”

“You flatter me.”

“I wonder, how on earth did you raise such a monster?”

At Tang Gunak’s words, the sect leaders all looked at Hyun Jong.

Master Heo Do frowned. He watched Tang Gunak cleverly guide the conversation. By speaking in front of everyone, Tang Gunak made sure everyone focused on Hyun Jong.

Hyun Jong quietly shook his head and opened his mouth.

“Do I even have the right to say I raised that child?”

He was calm and composed, quite different from how he had appeared at the start of the competition.

“A tiger cub is a tiger from birth. A tiger raised by a dog does not become a dog.”

“Sect Leader, you’re being too humble. If it was just about the Divine Dragon, maybe you’d be right. But Mount Hua is doing better than everyone else now, isn’t it?”

The room went silent. You could hear the soft crackle of the fire and the nervous breaths of the sect leaders.

Tang Gunak was making them say what they didn’t want to say.

“Haha. The Tang family has suffered because of Mount Hua. I thought my children were skilled, but compared to Mount Hua, I am ashamed.”

“You are too kind.”

Even as he talked, Tang Gunak watched the sect leaders’ faces.

They looked uncomfortable and couldn’t hide it. The sect leaders were usually good at hiding their feelings, so this meant they were feeling even more uncomfortable inside.

Tang Gunak chuckled to himself.

‘If the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua hadn’t visited Sichuan, I would be just as upset as them.’

He knew that making an alliance with Mount Hua was one of the best decisions he had made as family head.

‘And I’m getting rewarded so quickly.’

He thought it would take five to ten years to see the benefits of supporting Mount Hua.

It seemed like the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua did things no one expected.

“Anyway…”

Tang Gunak was about to praise Mount Hua more when…

“The Divine Dragon of Mount Hua is certainly remarkable.”

Master Heo Do, who had been watching, spoke up.

Tang Gunak narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at him. Master Heo Do continued.

“He is not just strong. That child understands the sword deeply. It’s amazing how someone under thirty can be so skilled.”

He praised him, nodding.

Then, he glanced at Hyun Jong and said.

“However…”

Everyone knew he was about to say what he really thought.

“It is a pity. With such talent… If the sect could guide and support him, he could become a swordsman famous for ages.”

Master Heo Do even sighed softly, as if he truly felt bad.

“You can’t have everything, but it’s still a shame. A tiger could have even grown wings.”

It was a clever way to speak.

He seemed to be praising Chung Myung while also putting down Mount Hua.

Even more cleverly, if Hyun Jong showed any discomfort, the atmosphere that Tang Gunak had created would be ruined.

But Master Heo Do had forgotten one thing.

Hyun Jong was the best in the world at enduring and persevering.

He was used to being ignored.

“I also think it’s regrettable.”

“Hmm?”

Master Heo Do frowned at Hyun Jong’s calm voice.

“But it is alright.”

Hyun Jong smiled peacefully and looked down. He saw Chung Myung chewing jerky and the disciples of Mount Hua gathered around him.

“What Mount Hua cannot provide, his fellow disciples can.”

He looked at his disciples with the warmth of the spring sun.

“Mount Hua doesn’t just have Chung Myung. Those children can stand by Chung Myung’s side. Even if no one guides him, isn’t it enough if they walk together with him?”

Master Heo Do felt uncomfortable with that kind smile and cleared his throat.

“That will not be easy.”

“Those children are strong.”

Hyun Jong’s voice was firm.

“And now, those children will prove that.”

A loud voice rang out in the noisy Mount Hua Sect.

“Next is Mount Hua’s Yu Yiseol!”

Yu Yiseol, who had been taking care of her sword in the back, slowly raised her head.

Tang Soso looked at her with a flushed face.

“Sago!”

“Mm.”

Yu Yiseol slid the sword back into its scabbard and rose from her seat with her usual quiet grace.

“I will be back, Sahyung.”

“Alright.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“Don’t be nervous, just show your skills.”

“Yes.”

As she walked towards the sparring arena, Tang Soso shouted.

“Sago, you must win…”

But she stopped, as if realizing something.

Yu Yiseol stopped walking and waited patiently for her to speak again.

Soon, Tang Soso smiled brightly.

“Sago.”

She looked playful but sincere.

“Fight without regrets and come back.”

Saying ‘you must win’ would only be a burden.

Yu Yiseol nodded slightly and gently patted Tang Soso’s head.

“I am watching.”

“…”

With those words, Yu Yiseol walked on.

Jo Gul, who had been watching, slyly asked Chung Myung.

“You aren’t going to say anything?”

“About what?”

“Like, if you lose, I won’t let you off easy…”

Chung Myung, who had been chewing jerky, scowled.

“That’s something you’d say to blockheads like the Sahyungs.”

“…”

“Sago doesn’t need that.”

Chung Myung looked at Yu Yiseol as she went to the sparring arena.

“The only one here who won’t shame the Plum Blossom Sword Saint is Sago.”

“…”

“Watch closely.”

And he said firmly.

“The soul of Mount Hua is there.”

Right there.