Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 316

Hyun Jong stared at the arena, his mouth slightly open. He hadn’t even noticed he was gaping.

“Uh…”

*That… what was that?*

He felt a strange confusion. Something was trying to surface in his mind, a name or an idea, but it was blurry, just out of reach. He frowned, trying to grasp it.

Tang Gunak, who was sitting next to him, helped him understand.

“Abbot, is that perhaps the Arhat Divine Fist? *That’s one of Shaolin’s most famous and powerful fighting styles.*”

Beop Jeong smiled gently at Tang Gunak’s question.

“Your understanding is deeper than I thought, Clan Leader Dang. Yes, it is the Arhat Divine Fist.”

Tang Gunak gasped, his eyes wide. He leaned forward, gripping the edge of his seat.

“Seventy-Two Supreme Arts. *These are the most secret and difficult martial arts in Shaolin.*”

Hye-yeon had used the Hundred Step Divine Fist before, another of the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts. Hye-yeon had already used two techniques that were said to take a lifetime to master.

Tang Gunak wasn’t the only one surprised.

“The Arhat Divine Fist, you say?”

The other sect leaders stared at Hye-yeon with wide eyes.

To use two of the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts at that age wasn’t just about talent.

Shaolin Temple was known by everyone as the most powerful martial arts school in the land.

Talented people from all over the world tried to become disciples of Shaolin.

Even the geniuses who came to Shaolin had to spend their whole lives mastering just one of the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts. That’s how hard and complex those martial arts were.

But to have mastered two of them at that age? It was unbelievable.

Heo Do-jin, the sect leader of Wudang, frowned and asked Beop Jeong,

“Abbot, if I may ask, how many of the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts has Hye-yeon mastered?”

Beop Jeong smiled gently as he replied.

“There’s no need to be so polite. He probably knows about twelve right now.”

Silence fell on the platform, heavy and cold like winter air. You could hear the birds chirping outside, but no one dared to speak.

Even the leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families, who led the world, were speechless by Beop Jeong’s statement.

‘Twelve?’

‘Good heavens….’

In that quiet atmosphere, Heo Do-jin bit his lip without realizing it.

‘That damned monk.’

It was normal for the abbot of Shaolin to have a secret plan. But judging from the way things were going, it was clear that this one had a very big secret plan.

Twelve, you say?

He had heard that even the best in Shaolin hadn’t mastered even fifteen of the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts.

Of course, there would be differences in skill, but the Seventy-Two Supreme Arts were the most difficult martial arts in the world.

To understand and master twelve of them, even a little, at that age was almost impossible.

A monster.

He was more like a monster than a genius.

‘So that’s why you were so confident that you wouldn’t lose.’

There was only one thing that Heo Do-jin couldn’t understand until now.

It was the fact that Beop Jeong was ignoring Mount Hua so much.

This World Martial Arts Tournament was clearly prepared for Shaolin. In Shaolin’s view, the other sects were just there to make Shaolin look good.

But as soon as the tournament began, Mount Hua took all the attention that Shaolin should have received.

Still, Beop Jeong didn’t do anything and allowed the situation. He couldn’t understand that relaxed attitude at all, but….

‘So that’s what you were thinking.’

And Heo Do-jin wasn’t the only one who realized his intentions.

Tang Gunak stared at Beop Jeong with a deep look.

‘When Mount Hua was at its best, you were going to crush them and take all their fame?’

If the tournament ended with Shaolin’s victory, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

What if Cheong-myeong made it to the finals and everyone expected him to win, and then Hye-yeon defeated Cheong-myeong?

People would once again feel how strong Shaolin was and agree that Shaolin was the one who should lead the world.

A hero needs a proper villain.

Beop Jeong still had a kind smile.

Tang Gunak felt a chill when he thought about what might be hidden behind that smile.

Meanwhile, Beop Jeong, enjoying the attention, smiled even more.

‘It must be chilling to the bone.’

It probably was.

Because he had felt the same way when he realized Hye-yeon’s talent.

There were many people in the world who were called gifted or geniuses, but Hye-yeon was the only one who could truly be called heaven-sent.

A true genius was someone who was beyond the understanding of ordinary people. Someone who was always one step ahead and became more complex the more you understood them.

Beop Jeong thought that Hye-yeon was a genius. If it was Hye-yeon, he would be more than enough to bring a new golden age to Shaolin’s thousand-year history.

However, there was one thing.

Beop Jeong looked at Hye-yeon with slightly sad eyes.

Hye-yeon was too perfect a Buddhist. He didn’t know how to hurt or oppress others. His shy nature never changed, no matter how much martial arts he learned or how strong he became.

That’s why Beop Jeong was aiming for one more thing in this tournament.

‘If that child can only develop a sense of rivalry, he might be able to change the history of Shaolin.’

A heavy feeling settled in Beop Jeong’s eyes as he watched Hye-yeon.

Jo Gul looked back and forth between the broken pavilion and Hye-yeon.

Hye-yeon’s face was red, as if he was embarrassed that he had destroyed the pavilion.

Looking at Hye-yeon, whose face was red all the way to the top of his head, Jo Gul felt very sad.

‘Don’t use such fist techniques with that innocent face, you bastard!’

This was unpleasant in a different way than Cheong-myeong.

Whether it was Cheong-myeong, who smiled and used amazing swordsmanship, or Hye-yeon, who used fist techniques that blew away pavilions with a flustered face, they were both inhuman.

But the feeling was clearly different.

Jo Gul turned his head slightly.

The disciples of Mount Hua were smiling brightly at him.

“He’s going to die, right?”

“He has to die.”

“Eh. There’s no way he’ll survive that.”

“Yoon Jong, light the incense quickly!”

Jo Gul squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Those damned people.’

His fellow disciples were in danger, but instead of worrying, they were almost celebrating. How could this be called the Way of the Tao?

Besides….

“Hee hee hee hee!”

Among the smiling disciples, there was one person who seemed particularly happy.

‘Senior Brother Yoon Jong….’

The moment he saw that smile, Jo Gul trembled.

‘…I’d rather die than give up.’

If he had known this would happen, he would have teased them only half as much….

He had been teasing them for days about how a disciple of Mount Hua would never give up, so if Jo Gul gave up here, he would surely see hell.

“I’d rather die than suffer. Damn it.”

With no way out, Jo Gul finally drew his sword and aimed it at Hye-yeon again.

“Ah, Amitabha. Are you alright, Benefactor?”

Even though a sword was pointed at him, Hye-yeon wasn’t nervous. Instead, he was worried about Jo Gul.

“I, I’m sorry. The Abbot told me that I could do my best from now on, so the power control was a little….”

Jo Gul’s head tilted at that timid muttering.

“From now on?”

Hye-yeon nodded slowly.

“Each of the disciples of Mount Hua are people who can never be underestimated, so I must not be careless and do my best.”

Jo Gul smiled happily.

‘Is that monk really trying to kill me?’

If this guy doesn’t let his guard down and beats me up, wouldn’t the only result be that I get beaten to death?

But he also felt strangely good.

In other words, it meant that the abbot of Shaolin saw Mount Hua as a dangerous opponent.

Jo Gul sighed quietly.

Am I confident that I can win?

Well.

But that doesn’t mean anything.

He put strength into the hand holding the sword. No matter how strong the opponent was, he couldn’t back down without fighting.

At the very least, he had to find out how strong this guy was.

As Jo Gul’s eyes began to regain their calm, Hye-yeon slowly calmed his red face.

Soon, he let one hand hang down and raised the other hand straight in front of his chest.

Half Palm.

In Buddhism, it is normal to put both hands together to show respect, but only Shaolin shows respect with one hand. This is to remember Hye-ga, the second leader of Shaolin, who cut off his arm to learn Buddhist teachings.

But the Half Palm that Hye-yeon is doing now is not for showing respect.

Hae Yeon stood with his feet apart, one hand at his side, the other raised slightly in front of his chest. This simple pose, called a half-stance, was the starting point for all Shaolin martial arts, the Arhat Fist.

Jo Gul watched him, his eyes shining with excitement like polished stones in the dim light. ‘To think,’ he murmured to himself, ‘even the strongest martial arts start from something so basic.’

The more Jo Gul watched, the more he seemed like Chung Myung.

Hadn’t Chung Myung also kept saying, until his throat was sore, that the foundation of all Mount Hua martial arts was the Six Harmonies?

Jo Gul took a deep breath.

In an instant, he shot towards Hae Yeon.

‘Strike first and gain the advantage!’

His swordsmanship was a bit strange, even in Mount Hua.

Other Mount Hua fighters tried to use elegant, flowing sword moves, like beautiful plum blossoms. But Jo Gul was different. This style just wasn’t right for him.

Swiftness, and strength.

A practical swordsmanship that aimed to strike the opponent quickly and powerfully.

No matter how hard he tried, he always came back to this!

Swaaaack!

Jo Gul’s sword aimed for Hae Yeon’s neck like a flash of light.

But Hae Yeon’s half-opened eyes didn’t move, even when faced with the incredible speed of the sword.

His hand moved simply, lightly striking the incoming blade of Jo Gul’s sword.

Taaang!

The sound was sharp and clear, like a bell ringing in a quiet temple, as Jo Gul’s sword bounced away.

Kugh!

Jo Gul stepped back slightly, involuntarily groaning.

‘What is this?’

He had merely flicked the sword away with his hand. But his wrist felt the impact as if he had struck it against a ten-thousand-pound boulder.

Not just his wrist, but his forearm and shoulder felt completely crushed.

Barely managing to gather his wits, Jo Gul retreated, trying to regain his stance.

But Hae Yeon didn’t give him an opening.

Thud!

Hae Yeon’s foot landed, firm and heavy!

Lightly moving into the gap created by deflecting the sword, Hae Yeon blocked Jo Gul’s reflexively swung sword with his elbow. Then, twisting his body as if rotating, he slammed his shoulder into Jo Gul’s chest.

Kuuuuuung!

The sound was like a giant hammer hitting a stone wall, shaking the air around them. Jo Gul felt the force slam into his chest.

Geol!

This is insane!

The Mount Hua disciples cried out in horror.

Yu Yiseol gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “That’s too much!” Yoon Jong cried, his voice filled with alarm.

Someone pressed down hard on Baek Cheon’s shoulder as he tried to leap forward.

Chung Myung?

Wait and see.

Chung Myung’s face was calm, almost too calm. But Baek Cheon, who knew him well, saw a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes.

That guy may lack skill, but he won’t lose in spirit.

As if proving those words, Jo Gul, who had been cutting through the air, flipped his body around. And then he fell downwards like a gliding bird of prey.

Thud!

Jo Gul landed precariously on the sparring stage, vomiting blood from his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot.

‘What is that bastard?’

The hairs on his entire body stood on end.

He had known from the start that he was no match. But this wasn’t simply a matter of that.

He could accept being overwhelmed by overwhelming inner strength and terrifying power. But right now, Jo Gul was being overwhelmed by the precision of basic forms.

Wasn’t this a feeling that all his efforts so far were being denied?

Tuh!

Jo Gul spat phlegm mixed with blood onto the floor.

That’s why geniuses are…

Jo Gul spat blood and grit onto the stage. He tasted iron and defeat, but something else too – anger. He would not be humiliated. He would fight to the end.

He knew the difference in skill between himself and his opponent after just a single exchange. For most martial artists, this exchange alone would have been enough to lose their will. They would have seen a wall that seemed impossible to overcome, no matter what they tried.

But Jo Gul instead raised his momentum.

I know you’re incredibly strong. But…

Then, gritting his teeth, he charged towards Hae Yeon.

I’m used to fighting guys like you!

Paaang!

A sound like cracking a whip came from the tip of his sword. It was the sound of the sword tearing through the air.

The sword, filled with murderous intent, flew towards Hae Yeon.

Thud!

Hae Yeon’s fist, filled with fist energy, deflected the sword without fail.

But Jo Gul used the force with which he pushed the sword away to spin his body around and swing the sword again.

Swaaaack!

Jo Gul’s sword, which had multiplied into fifteen in an instant, rushed in as if to lacerate Hae Yeon’s entire body.

It was a strange and wild attack! Jo Gul’s swords moved in unexpected ways. One sword aimed for Hae Yeon’s head, then suddenly moved to his shoulder. Another sword twisted to attack his stomach.

Each one was a sword filled with the intent to inflict a fatal wound on the opponent. More like that of a demonic sect than a righteous one.

Mount Hua swordsmanship was known as the most direct and effective fighting style. Some even called it ruthless, even though Mount Hua was a good school. Jo Gul was the one among the Mount Hua disciples who most clearly demonstrated that characteristic.

However.

Thud!

Hae Yeon took a step forward even in the face of that storm-like swordsmanship.

His right hand seemed to turn pure white, and then it began to extend out in succession.

One on top of another. And another on top of that.

Suddenly, Hae Yeon’s hands moved so fast they looked like many hands at once, creating a wall of palms.

Thousand Buddha Hands…

Chung Myung whispered. Hae Yeon was using a Shaolin technique that created many palm strikes at once, like a thousand hands.

Clang! Claaang! Clang!

Jo Gul’s sword was completely blocked by the large barrier made of pure white palm shadows.

Horror bloomed in Jo Gul’s eyes.

‘What, this…?’

At that moment.

Wham!

Suddenly, a long leg stretched out from within the palm shadows and kicked Jo Gul in the lower abdomen.

Kugh!

He hurriedly lowered his sword to block it, but it was impossible to withstand all the force.

Jo Gul’s body slid backward.

He bit his lip tightly at the pain in his lower abdomen, and then instinctively felt something and raised his head sharply.

And he saw it.

Hae Yeon took the Shaolin stance again. Everything went silent. Jo Gul knew, with a sinking heart, that this was the end.

Hae Yeon, with his legs wide apart and his back straight, had one hand at his side and the other in front of his chest, taking the half-stance.

Taaaah!

Suddenly, golden light exploded from Hae Yeon’s fist. It was like looking into the sun, a blinding flash of power that filled Jo Gul’s eyes.

‘No, damn it…’

Kwaaaaaaaah!

The power of the Shaolin’s divine fist, the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, reproduced from Hae Yeon’s hand, swept away Jo Gul’s body, which had not yet managed to assume a proper stance.

Jo Gul flew backwards, the air knocked from his lungs. For a moment, he was just tumbling, helpless.

Jo Gul’s body, caught in the torrent of fist strikes pouring down like waves, was swept into the air.

Aaargh!

There!

In that moment of everyone’s shock.

Whoosh!

Someone soared into the air, snatched Jo Gul’s flying body, and descended to the ground.

Thud.

The one who held the unconscious Jo Gul.

Chung Myung quietly looked down at his martial brother in his arms, then raised his head.

Chung Myung’s gaze was like ice, cold and hard. He stared at Hae Yeon, and a silent promise of future trouble hung in the air between them.

Hae Yeon lowered his head, his expression unreadable. Was it regret? Or just polite formality? It was hard to tell what he truly felt.

Soon, when Chung Myung moved his gaze, he saw the abbot of Shaolin, Beop Jeong, smiling on the platform.

Smiling?

Sparks flew from Chung Myung’s eyes.

So that’s it. You’re always going to side with Shaolin, right?

Don’t worry.

I’ll be crushing that precious head of yours soon enough.