Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 326

Hye-yeon felt a sharp pain in his jaw and touched it quickly.

But at that moment, he was more confused and surprised than in pain.

“I couldn’t block it.”

Shaolin training taught him to focus on defense first, not just attacking.

People said Hye-yeon was a master of the Shaolin fist.

And yet, he had been hit directly by his opponent’s attack.

“Was it a surprise attack?”

No. It couldn’t be.

There were no surprise attacks in a sparring match. How could there be when they were both there to fight?

This was clearly skill.

Hye-yeon was shaken and stumbled slightly. Just then, he heard a sharp voice from behind.

“Hye-yeon!”

He flinched at the stern voice and turned around.

The abbot of Shaolin, Beop-jeong, was glaring at him with cold eyes.

“Hye-yeon! Remember the honor of Shaolin! Focus your mind!”

Hye-yeon bit his lip and quickly stood up.

Then, he looked at Chung Myung and got into a fighting stance. Chung Myung stared back with cold eyes.

It was chilling.

It wasn’t just cold; it felt like ice water was flowing through his veins, freezing him from the inside out.

“Why?”

Hye-yeon couldn’t understand what was happening.

He was a disciple of Shaolin.

Those who trained with him were all outstanding disciples of Shaolin. Even the elders helped him personally.

But…

“Why do I feel more pressure from him than I ever felt from the elders?”

“Was it just because this was the final match? Was that why he felt so much pressure?”

“…Or is it something else…?”

Hye-yeon bit his lip tightly.

It couldn’t be.

It shouldn’t be possible. How could the person in front of him be better than the elders of Shaolin?

He thought about skill and experience. Could someone so young really be better than Shaolin elders? Elders who had trained their whole lives in martial arts and Buddhist teachings?

Never!

“The reason I’m unsure is because I am not good enough.”

If he had stayed calm, he wouldn’t have been caught off guard by Chung Myung’s attack. And even if he had been hit, he wouldn’t have felt so shaken.

“Amitabha.”

Hye-yeon calmed himself by quietly chanting the Buddha’s name. He stopped wavering and got into a stance.

He spread his legs a little wider than his shoulders and put his left hand on his side. Then, he gently placed his open right hand in front of his chest.

The Half-Palm Stance.

It was the base of Shaolin martial arts and the starting position of the Lohan Fist, a basic Shaolin martial art.

As he took the familiar stance, his distracting thoughts went away and his mind calmed down.

“I am….”

He took a deep breath.

– If you can let go of your fears and truly want to win, no one can beat you. You need to fix your mind, not your body.

“I will not waver.”

His feet pressed firmly into the ground.

Chung Myung watched Hye-yeon with a strange look.

“He’s learned well.”

Though it seemed more like he was born with it than learned it.

That’s what made Shaolin so impressive.

If Mount Hua was like a tall tree on a mountain that bloomed with beautiful plum blossoms, Shaolin was like a timeless, giant rock. It wasn’t showy, but it didn’t move in any storm.

Immovable.

That word described Shaolin.

Shaolin martial arts took a long time to master for a simple reason. People could become skilled at martial arts with talent and hard work, but a strong mind that didn’t waver could only come with time.

Only after facing many challenges and building a strong mind could Shaolin martial arts truly show its power.

But now, even though he was young, Hye-yeon was showing signs of that Shaolin steadiness.

He was a genius.

A genius sent from the heavens.

But…

“Immovable, you say?”

Chung Myung smirked.

“You lot?”

It made him sick.

Who in Shaolin now had the right to talk about being immovable?

A strong and steady mind was only good if it was used for the right things. Could something twisted and stubborn really be called immovable?

That was just another kind of evil.

Of course, Chung Myung didn’t feel it was his duty to judge evil.

But he knew one thing.

Right now, Chung Myung and Mount Hua were the only ones who could call out the lies of Shaolin and the Nine Great Sects.

Chung Myung stared at Hye-yeon with cold eyes.

He didn’t like it.

Those righteous eyes.

Those eyes that thought they were doing the right thing without any shame made Chung Myung’s stomach turn. (Mount Hua used to be like that, but now they were struggling, while Shaolin was strong and respected.)

“You shouldn’t have those eyes.”

The disciples of Mount Hua should have had those eyes.

Eyes full of pride in their sect.

Eyes that looked up to their ancestors and wanted to continue their work.

Yes.

That should have been Mount Hua’s.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth, and blood flowed from his lips.

He felt a rage he couldn’t control.

While Hye-yeon was getting all the help from Shaolin and growing like a flower in a greenhouse, Mount Hua, who deserved it more, was being destroyed by the storms and suffering.

No matter how hard Chung Myung tried, he couldn’t go back in time. Even if he brought Mount Hua back to its glory days, he couldn’t erase the pain they had gone through.

That…

That was too much to bear.

“Taaah!”

Boom!

Hye-yeon’s feet pushed hard against the floor.

He put all his strength into a punch, using the power from his toes to create a spinning force.

Perfect power.

The golden fist shot like an arrow towards Chung Myung’s face. It took some time to get the stance ready, but the punch itself was incredibly fast.

However.

Thud!

Chung Myung’s hand flashed out, knocking the fist away with a sharp crack.

The Lohan Fist hit the sparring stage floor with so much force that it crushed the bluestone like clay.

But Hye-yeon didn’t even look at the destruction he had caused. He just stared at Chung Myung in shock.

“He deflected it?”

So easily?

He looked at Chung Myung’s right hand. The green energy coming from Chung Myung’s fingertips was sharp like a blade.

Hyun Sang watched the fight from below. He was very surprised.

“…Bamboo Leaf Hand? Perfected? … How did he learn that?”

‘I barely had time to teach him sword skills. I didn’t even consider teaching him other fighting styles.’

‘What is that kid…?’

Hyun Sang stared at Chung Myung, his eyes shaking.

Chung Myung casually shook off the energy from the Bamboo Leaf Hand, as if it were nothing.

His cold eyes stared at Hae Yeon.

“Is that all?”

“You didn’t call me reckless just for *that*, did you?”

Chung Myung looked calm and walked slowly towards Hae Yeon. Hae Yeon was ready to defend himself.

‘Show me more.’

You must prove your strength.

You need to convince me that you are the best talent from Shaolin, someone irreplaceable.

If not.

“Is this all the world has created after barely managing to protect itself?”

Hae Yeon stepped forward and charged at Chung Myung again.

He moved quickly, but with power.

Hae Yeon stood strong, his feet firm on the ground. He looked confident.

But Chung Myung’s eyes twisted in anger.

A swift fist was aimed at his stomach. The technique was perfect, the result of much training.

It was beautiful to watch.

But.

“Weak.”

Thud!

Chung Myung blocked Hae Yeon’s fist with his Bamboo Leaf Hand.

Hae Yeon’s eyes flickered.

It felt like hitting a solid iron wall. He couldn’t move it at all, no matter how hard he pushed.

Is this possible?

He was stronger than any second-generation disciple! How could a third-generation disciple block him so easily? It made no sense.

“Iit!”

Hae Yeon gritted his teeth.

He pulled back his fist and punched again quickly. He threw three punches, then twisted and tried to slam his shoulder into Chung Myung.

No, he tried to slam.

But before he could move, Chung Myung stepped on his foot.

Crack!

His foot sank into the floor.

He lost his balance for a moment, and couldn’t put his full power into his shoulder.

The result was obvious.

Boom!

Chung Myung blocked his weak shoulder with his hand.

Chung Myung stomped on Hae Yeon’s foot and kicked him away as he bent over.

Hae Yeon rolled across the floor like a ball.

Whish.

The scrape of his yellow robe on the dusty floor was loud in the silent hall. Hae Yeon kicked off the floor and stood up again.

“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”

He stood firm.

But he looked confused. His eyes, wide with shock, followed Chung Myung.

‘What is happening?’

That man is a swordsman.

Hwasan is a sword sect.

Hwasan used to be one of the best sword sects in the world, not a sect known for its fists.

But how?

How could a Hwasan disciple beat him in fist techniques?

How?

He couldn’t understand.

But the most confusing thing was that Chung Myung, who was winning, looked even angrier than Hae Yeon.

“Is that all?”

Chung Myung’s face showed his anger as he walked towards Hae Yeon. Hwasan used to be one of the greatest martial arts schools, but they fell. Chung Myung felt that Shaolin had taken their place while Hwasan suffered.

His eyes were bloodshot.

Those people took what Hwasan deserved. They stole what Hwasan should have had.

If Chung Myung had lived, or even if a few of his generation had lived, Hwasan would have all the glory they enjoy now.

If that had happened, the world would be different.

Baek Cheon might be standing where Hae Yeon is now. Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong, or Jo Gul might be in that place instead of Hae Yeon.

With the Chung generation leading them, they would have become great swordsmen, loved as rising stars of the Nine Great Sects.

“And that’s all it is?”

Is this all they’ve created while ignoring their conscience? Just this?

Their skills are no better than the talents Hwasan would have had. This made Chung Myung even angrier.

“Do more.”

Chung Myung glared at Hae Yeon, his eyes bloodshot.

“Do more. You stupid bastard. It can’t just be this!”

Hae Yeon bit his lip until it bled and shouted.

“Haaaah!”

Wooooo!

Golden light exploded from Hae Yeon, so bright it was like a small sun had appeared. It felt warm even from a distance, like the blessing of a golden Buddha.

Soon, the light gathered into Hae Yeon’s fist.

“The, the Hundred Step Divine Fist!”

“Chung Myung-ah!”

They had seen this technique before.

The Hwasan disciples screamed as Hae Yeon unleashed the Hundred Step Divine Fist.

But before they could be heard, Hae Yeon’s fist unleashed a huge force.

He was no longer trying to avoid hurting Hae Yeon. The Hundred Step Divine Fist, unleashed with all his might, covered Chung Myung.

Then.

The Hwasan disciples saw something strange.

Then, a shocking red light burst from inside the gold. It was fierce and sharp, cutting through the golden light like a sword through silk.

‘How…’

Chung Myung appeared through the golden power and kicked Hae Yeon, sending him flying.

Hae Yeon bounced and rolled across the floor.

Despite the impact, Hae Yeon stubbornly raised his head, his eyes filled with a new emotion.

“Get up.”

Chung Myung swung his hand and slashed at the floor.

His cold gaze went past Hae Yeon and landed on Beop Jeong.

“This is nothing compared to what Hwasan has gone through.”

The chilling voice pierced Beop Jeong’s ears.