Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 41

Chung Myung lifted his head, his face full of determination. His jaw was clenched tight as he tilted his head back a little more.

A little more.

A little more.

And just a little more.

“⋯⋯.”

Only after straining his neck back as far as it could go, Chung Myung finally saw what he was looking for.

A sheer cliff face.

A terrifying cliff, so incredibly high that its peak disappeared into the swirling mist, filled Chung Myung’s view.

“⋯⋯Foolish me.”

A small laugh escaped his lips.

The people of Mount Hua called this cliff Danjangae—the Cliff of Severed Intestines. Mount Hua is one of the Five Great Mountains, famous for being rough and wild. Danjangae is the highest and most dangerous cliff there.

And in the heart of this dangerous cliff was the place Chung Myung was trying to find.

The most secret of Mount Hua’s many hidden places.

A place known only to a select few within Mount Hua—a select few among the select few!

He chuckled to himself, “Well, because back then, only *I* knew about it.”

About halfway up this cliff, there was a small cave that could only be found by climbing directly to it.

Because of the natural dangers, disciples were not allowed to practice their lightness skill on Danjangae. But Chung Myung, always rebellious, always had to do what he was told not to do, so he enjoyed practicing his lightness skill on Danjangae.

It was during one of these forbidden practices that he had found a small cave halfway up Danjangae, and from then on, he had used it as his own hideout.

“It was a great help.”

For example, he would drink alcohol there to avoid his Senior Brother Head Disciple’s watchful eyes, or maybe he would sneak away to eat meat, or even take a nap, all while avoiding his Senior Brother Head Disciple’s gaze…

“Senior Brother Head Disciple.”

Why did you spare me?

You should have just beaten me to death.

Now that he was older and facing the consequences, he understood why his Senior Brother Head Disciple had always been so angry when he saw Chung Myung. If Chung Myung had been in his position, he would have beaten himself to death.

But even without switching places, Chung Myung felt like beating his former self to death.

“No, you crazy fool⋯⋯.”

His neck felt like it was about to break.

No sane person would even think about using the middle of such a cliff as their own space. Only someone as crazy as Chung Myung would do such a thing.

And the consequences of that were now being fully felt by the current Chung Myung.

If he were Plum Blossom Sword Saint Chung Myung, he could climb such a cliff with just a couple of running starts, but Chung Myung, the third-generation disciple of Mount Hua, found it completely impossible to even start climbing this cliff.

Why was Danjangae called Danjangae!

There was nowhere to step, nowhere to grab. The cliff was so smooth that it was enough to make anyone feel refreshed.

This cliff was originally like this.

It was definitely not because Chung Myung had carefully smoothed the cliff face in places to stop others from finding the cave.

“⋯⋯I really did everything.”

To feel like killing his past self. Who in the world would ever feel such a thing?

“Hoo.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath and then looked up at the cliff again with determined eyes.

“Still, I’m going!”

There was no turning back.

If someone were to ask why he was climbing the cliff, Chung Myung would answer like this:

“Because there’s a spirit medicine there! Damn it!”

If Chung Myung’s memory was right, the Plum Blossom Pill and the Snow Plum Pill were in that very cave!

Because that was where Chung Myung used to drink himself silly and pass out. It was where he kept Plum Blossom Pills for hangover relief.

‘I really was hopeless.’

Even if they were common, they were still spirit pills. To hide them away in a cave for hangover relief. Only a madman would do such a thing.

But because of his past foolishness, the current Chung Myung now had a chance. And that was the important thing.

Chung Myung stared at Danjangae with a determined face, then turned and walked quickly into the forest on the other side.

“Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath.

“No matter how I think about it, this is crazy.”

Chung Myung was now standing at the top of Danjangae. He had gone around the ridge on the opposite side. In his hands, he held a long rope made of woven vines.

No matter how he thought about it, climbing up to the cave from the bottom of Danjangae was impossible. Climbing that smooth cliff was hard enough, and it was simply too high.

It was too difficult a cliff for Chung Myung, who was still just a child, to climb.

But what if he went down from above? It would be much easier than climbing from below.

There was only one problem⋯⋯.

“It’s only about ten times more dangerous.”

Chung Myung glanced down and swallowed hard without realizing it. He couldn’t see the bottom. All he could see was the sheer cliff face and the mist hanging in the middle of it like a ghostly blanket.

He quietly backed away.

And clutched at his heart.

“Ah, damn it. I’m scared to death.”

A place he used to stroll through like a garden now felt like the entrance to hell. How many people in their right mind would even think about going down this place with just a single rope?

But in this world, there were things one did because one wanted to, and things one did because one had to. This was clearly the latter.

“Die once, die twice… No, this is even worse than dying! This is like dying a hundred times!”

Chung Myung first tied the rope he held tightly to a nearby rock. This rope was his lifeline. After pulling on the tied rope several times to make sure it was secure, he took a deep breath and stood at the edge of the cliff.

“Haa.”

Saving the Mount Hua Sect is damn hard. Do I really have to risk my life for something like this?

“Damn it!”

Chung Myung cursed and bravely began to go down the cliff.

Going down the smooth cliff was by no means easy. It was hard to find even a tiny crack to put a finger into. Chung Myung used the smallest of cracks to hold his weight, and when there were no cracks, he stuck to the wall using the Suction Art.

After struggling down the cliff for a long time, curses tumbled out of Chung Myung’s mouth without him even realizing it.

“Aoh! Crap! Damn it! If I had known it would be like this, I would have learned Wall Tiger Skill!”

He hadn’t bothered to learn it because he thought it was just a trick, but now that things had come to this, even that trick seemed valuable.

It was then.

Tap! Tap!

A small rock that he had stepped on broke off and fell below.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Chung Myung stared blankly at the falling rock. The rock bounced off the cliff and plunged into the thick clouds.

And after a long time.

Thud!

“⋯⋯Wow.”

It takes that long for it to fall to the bottom from here. If I fall, there won’t even be a corpse left. Really.

Chung Myung shuddered and swallowed hard.

Plum Blossom Sword Saint Chung Myung, who had not feared even the Heavenly Demon, but that was only when the opponent was the Heavenly Demon. Even if it was the same death, he refused to fall from a cliff.

Let’s imagine he died here and went to the afterlife.

How would his fellow disciples view him, who had ended his newly given life by falling to his death? He would be demoted from the hero who killed the Heavenly Demon to the biggest fool in the world. He absolutely refused that.

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung began to move his hands skillfully.

At first, he was a little awkward, but after repeating it a few times, Chung Myung was climbing the cliff as skillfully as a gecko stuck to a wall.

‘It should be down there.’

Chung Myung frowned as he went down. There was a huge crack in the middle of the cliff.

‘It’s impossible to go inside.’

Which meant he had to jump⋯⋯.

“Hoo.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath and looked down with determined eyes.

“I am, for goodness’ sake, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!”

I can’t chicken out over something like this!

He boldly throws himself downwards. The moment he feels himself floating slightly, the cliff face rushes towards him.

“Eurrgh!”

With a grunt of effort, “Ugh!” Chung Myung stretched out his hand at the last second and grabbed a rock that stuck out a little. Dangling from the cliff, Chung Myung cried out,

“Ugh, this is nerve-wracking!”

Because he grabbed the rock, he went down the cliff quite a bit.

Then, he heard a tap sound.

“Huh?”

Chung Myung’s head snapped upwards. His eyes fell upon the rock he was holding onto.

“No, surely not?”

Tap tap!

Seriously…

He thought to the rock, “Couldn’t you be a little stronger? Do you have no heart?”

Crack!

The rock snapped in an instant. Chung Myung’s body began to fall downwards.

“Heeeeeeeeeeek!”

Chung Myung frantically waved his arms and kicked his legs in the air.

‘If I fall from here?’

He’d die. He knew, without a doubt, he would die. There was no magic trick, no sword skill that could save him from this fall.

‘Die?’

Die? This Chung Myung?

It was then.

Thud!

Suddenly, he felt a strong impact on his waist, and Chung Myung’s body floated into the air.

“Huh?”

A swaying rope came into Chung Myung’s view.

‘That’s right!’

Thud! Thud!

After bouncing a couple of times, the movement stopped. Chung Myung, dangling from the rope, sighed deeply. And after a moment, he burst into a refreshing laugh.

“Indeed, one must always be prepared!”

If he had come down without tying the rope, he would have been done for. He was wondering if the rope made of woven vines would hold, but fortunately, it seemed to be enough to support little Chung Myung’s body.

Chung Myung subtly turned his gaze.

‘There it is!’

Chung Myung’s eyes sparkled.

Not far from where he was hanging, there was a section sticking out. Below that was the hideout Chung Myung used to visit often. He roughly guessed the length of the rope, and it seemed to have worked out!

“Heh. The heavens are helping me.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath and gripped the rope. First, he needed to stick to that cliff. To do that, he needed to create some speed and force…

“Hnnng!”

Chung Myung began to swing his body. At first, the rope didn’t move, but as he continuously swung his body, it gradually began to sway back and forth.

‘Alright, adjust the angle carefully.’

Whoosh.

Whooosh.

Chung Myung’s body, hanging from the rope, repeatedly moved away from the cliff and then rushed towards it. The range gradually increased, coming close to the point where he almost touched the cliff.

“Euraaaah!”

He reached out and grabbed the cliff, but the rock was so smooth that he couldn’t grip it properly with just his grip strength.

“One more time!”

Chung Myung kicked off the cliff and pushed his body backwards. Now, if he went back again, he could use both hands…

Snap snap!

“Huh?”

Chung Myung’s head shot upwards like lightning. And his gaze miraculously found exactly the part he wanted.

The vine was half-cut, hanging dangerously.

“Aish.”

Surely not.

Usually, in situations like this, it would hold until he approached the cliff, and then the rope would break when he stuck to the cliff…

Crack!

“…Could that be it! Aaaaaaargh!”

Carrying the speed and force he had built up, Chung Myung’s body plummeted downwards.

“Heeeeeeek! I’m going to die! I’m really going to die!”

At least, because he had built up speed and force, he was able to stick close to the cliff. Gathering all the inner strength he had, Chung Myung pushed his hand into the cliff.

Crack!

With a cheerful sound of bone breaking, Chung Myung’s body fell rapidly.

“Aaaaaargh! Crazy!”

His wrist couldn’t handle the weight combined with the speed. Chung Myung desperately stabbed his other hand into the cliff.

Crack!

But the result was the same.

“Argh! It’s not even as strong as paper, but why do my bones break so easily! You damn body!”

Can’t you help when I’m trying to live!

Panic filled Chung Myung. He waved his arms and kicked his legs wildly, like he was trying to swim in the air. ‘Anything! Just anything to slow down!’ Surprisingly, it seemed to work a little. He felt himself moving slightly towards the cliff face.

“Haaaah!”

If his hands wouldn’t work, he’d use his whole body!

Chung Myung clung to the cliff like a frog. He scraped the cliff with his feet and hugged the cliff with his arms instead of his broken hands.

“Aaaaaargh! Hot! Ah, hot!”

Rough stone scraped against his skin, and a burning heat spread across his body as he slid down the cliff. It felt like his clothes were being ripped apart. But it was somewhat effective. The speed of his fall decreased significantly.

Now, if he could just find a part sticking out!

Chung Myung smiled happily as he lowered his gaze.

There was no way there would be a part sticking out.

This was Danjang-en.

But as if he wasn’t meant to die, he was able to find an even better place. A much safer place than some rock sticking out.

“Heh heh. It’s the ground.”

It was the ground.

Falling happened in a flash.

Chung Myung’s body, which had been laughing to himself, slammed straight into the ground.

Kuuuuuung!

“Guh.”

The impact of the crash sent him flying a foot into the air before he fell again.

Thud!

Dust scattered in all directions. Chung Myung’s entire body, covered in the fluttering dust, trembled.

“I… lived.”

He managed to avoid instant death thanks to sticking to the cliff and reducing his speed. But because of that, his whole body seemed to be completely broken to pieces. There wasn’t a place that didn’t hurt.

“Keeeuuuuuhng.”

After struggling for a while, Chung Myung barely managed to raise his body and glared at the cliff with eyes full of anger.

“…I will climb you no matter what, you damn cliff!”

Crack.

Ah. His jaw was out of place.