Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 425

“Is he coming now?”

Hong Daegwang craned his neck.

He felt several people coming quickly up the mountain.

A glint of interest flickered in his eyes.

“Who could it be?”

Mount Hua? Or the Spirit Sect?

The Spirit Sect was very good at moving quickly, but not as strong in direct attacks. Their fighting style focused only on speed and light steps. This made them fast.

So, it was hard to say which side was better at moving quickly. Even Hong Daegwang, who thought he was good at moving fast, found it hard to guess.

‘Still, Mount Hua should….’

The Mount Hua Five Swords should at least keep up with the Spirit Sect….

Just then…

Whoosh!

Someone burst out of the trees and ran towards the top.

“Too slow!”

“Oh?”

The person was incredibly fast. They reached the top, touched the tree, and then turned around and ran back down just as quickly.

‘The Spirit Sect?’

He had expected Baek Cheon or Yu Yiseol to arrive first, but surprisingly, Ak So of the Spirit Sect reached the summit first.

“The way down is that way!”

“I know!”

Ak So dashed off without looking back.

Watching his back as he ran away, a question flashed through Hong Daegwang’s mind.

‘Then what about Mount Hua?’

At that moment, several more people shot up towards the summit from below.

“Too slow!”

“Still here?”

The four people who reached the summit one after another were all disciples of the Spirit Sect. Hong Daegwang’s eyes widened.

‘Is this really happening?’

No, even if they are fast, Mount Hua shouldn’t be so far behind, should they?

As if answering his question, a strange scream burst out from somewhere.

“Aaaaargh!”

“I’ll kill you!”

“Huh?”

The voice arrived before the person.

The ground beneath Hong Daegwang’s feet suddenly trembled. The trees around him swayed wildly, leaves rustling like whispered warnings. Then, with a crash of branches, someone exploded from the trees.

“Whoa…” Hong Daegwang gasped, stepping back quickly in surprise.

It was… Baek Cheon? He could barely believe his eyes. Covered head to toe in thick, yellow mud, Baek Cheon charged up the mountain like a wild animal. His eyes were wide and staring, his face smeared with dirt. Hong Daegwang felt a chill run down his spine just looking at him. *What in the world happened to him?* he wondered.

‘Is it him?’

But why is he covering his whole body in mud?

“Ah, no. Young Master Baek Cheon! What happened…?”

Before he could answer, Baek Cheon jumped into the air, kicked off the tree at the summit as if to break it, and then jumped back in the opposite direction.

One after another, the disciples of Mount Hua burst out of the trees.

‘Why, why are they like that?’

At least Baek Cheon was only covered in dirt on the front, but Jo Gul and Yoon Jong, who were now appearing, were covered in yellow dirt all over their bodies, looking almost like humans made of mud.

Each time they took a rough step, the dried mud fell off in clumps, and dust swirled around.

Watching the strange scene, Hong Daegwang couldn’t help but wonder what on earth they were doing.

“Aaaaargh!”

“I’ll kill you! I’ll definitely kill you!”

The two men ran like wild animals, their eyes rolling back in their heads. As their voices faded away, a moment of silence fell.

⋯⋯.”

Hong Daegwang blinked.

Wasn’t this just a simple race?

“Then the others….”

Whoosh!

Before he could finish his thought, something black shot out of the forest.

⋯⋯.”

It was Yu Yiseol. Giving off a strange feeling from her eyes, she soared up like a hawk, kicked off the tree, and quickly disappeared.

Seeing her icy face, as if covered with a layer of ice, Hong Daegwang felt a chill run down his spine.

‘What on earth is going on?’

Anyway, nothing involving those Mount Hua fellows ever goes smoothly.

“Sasuk!”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who had caught up, called out loudly to Baek Cheon.

⋯⋯Kill.”

But Baek Cheon didn’t even glance at them, only running forward faster. His gaze was fixed solely on the front.

At that moment, a chilling voice rang out from beside them.

“Faster!”

“Mom! You scared me!”

Jo Gul was startled and turned to the side. Yu Yiseol, who had already caught up with them, was giving off a blue chill from her eyes.

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and said.

“Catch them! We must catch them! I can’t lose, even if I die!”

“Yes!”

“Let’s kill them!”

“Oooooooooh!”

The disciples of Mount Hua began to increase their speed even more.

Kaaaaah!

As the four people ran with all their might, a huge aftershock swept back behind them.

“More! Faster! Use all the energy you have!”

At Baek Cheon’s cry, the disciples of Mount Hua gritted their teeth.

“Those sons of bitches!”

“Catch them and kill them!”

Words that a Taoist should never say were spewing out wildly.

Even though they were acting like they were not Taoists, their speed was terrifyingly fast. They were proving that being a good person and being good at fighting had nothing to do with each other.

“I see them!”

“Got them!”

Their eyes gleamed with madness as they spotted the Spirit Sect disciples running ahead.

“Hee hee hee. That’s why they’re called bookworms.”

Ak So smirked as if amused.

They weren’t competing in moving quickly right now. They were competing in who arrived first.

Moving quickly was just a way to arrive at a specific point quickly; it wasn’t the goal itself. Any method was fine as long as they arrived the fastest.

Perhaps those Mount Hua bookworms would learn that fact painfully through this incident.

“When we arrive, we’ll have a drink and apologize….”

At that moment, the Spirit Sect disciple running at the very rear felt a strange energy behind him and glanced back. And he screamed in horror.

“S-Senior! The Mount Hua guys are coming!”

“What? Already?”

Ak So turned around in alarm. Sure enough, he saw the Mount Hua disciples charging like wild animals.

“Increase the speed! More!”

“T-This is already the limit!”

“Damn it! What kind of Taoists are so fast?”

Unfortunately, even at this moment, Ak So was missing one thing.

The fact that the Mount Hua disciples weren’t just fast, but half out of their minds.

“Geol!”

“Grrrr!”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong, standing side by side on either side of Jo Gul, reached out and grabbed his shoulders.

“Bite!”

“Go!”

The two men threw Jo Gul forward very hard.

And shouted.

“There’s no rule saying we can’t fight!”

“Bite them!”

Jo Gul, covered in dried mud, drew his sword, scabbard and all, his eyes filled with madness.

“Hey, you sons of bitches!”

“Eek!”

“Dodge!”

The Spirit Sect disciples, seeing Jo Gul falling from above, scattered in all directions in terror.

“Too slow!”

But not everyone could escape.

Jo Gul’s sword struck the thigh of the last fleeing Spirit Sect disciple.

“Aaaagh!”

The Spirit Sect disciple collapsed and rolled, and at the same time, Jo Gul slammed into the ground.

Thud!

But Jo Gul, as if not hurt by the impact, jumped up and shouted with determination.

“I’ll take care of this bastard! Go on!”

“Finish him quickly and catch up!”

“Yes!”

As the remaining four shot forward, the fallen Spirit Sect disciple was startled and tried to get up and run.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

But Jo Gul stood in his way.

A scary smile formed on his lips.

“I don’t want to let you go either. I don’t want to, but….”

Jo Gul smiled in a scary way and raised his sword.

“You’re finished. This is the end for you.”

Jo Gul, his face twisted in anger, charged towards the disciples of the Ghostly Shadow Sect.

“How far are they?”

“They’re getting closer!”

“Damn it!”

Ak So gnashed his teeth.

He was running as if his legs would shatter, but the distance refused to widen. In fact, it was shrinking.

‘Are we falling behind in lightness skill?’

This was a shock.

The Ghostly Shadow Sect was famous for being fast and light. Losing to Taoists in speed? It hurt their pride.

“Chu Pyeong!”

“Yes, Senior!”

“Go! Slow them down!”

“Yes!”

Chu Pyeong, who had been following behind him, whirled around and charged towards the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect.

His hands, which had disappeared into his sleeves, reappeared filled with small, round pellets.

“Eat this!” Chu Pyeong shouted, throwing the small pellets into the air.

Bang! Ba-BOOM! The pellets exploded with a deafening crash, sending white smoke billowing through the trees like a sudden fog. The smell of gunpowder filled the air.

Chu Pyeong grinned, thinking, ‘Now I’ll surprise anyone who runs out of the smoke!’ But then, suddenly…

From within the thick white cloud, a dark shape flew straight at Chu Pyeong. There was no warning.

“Huh?” Chu Pyeong gasped, surprised.

Wham!

Yoo Iseol’s fist, like a rock, slammed into Chu Pyeong’s face. He didn’t even see it coming.

“Kuweeeh!” Chu Pyeong choked, his eyes wide with pain.

Thud! Thud! Thud! He flew backwards, bouncing and rolling on the rocky path.

Yoo Iseol didn’t stop. She leaped into the air like a hawk diving for its prey. Then, she landed on top of him with a thump!

Straddling Chu Pyeong, Yoo Iseol’s blue eyes burned with a cold light. She ground her teeth. “You’re the one who bothered us before.”

“M-Miss? I, I’m…!” Chu Pyeong stammered, terrified.

Whack!

Before he could finish, Yoo Iseol’s fist smashed into his jaw. Each time she punched, twisting her body, a cry of pain echoed through the trees.

“I’m going first!”

“…Where have I seen that before?”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong shot past her, racing forward.

“M-Miss! Save m-! Ack! Ack! Please save me! Ack!”

Her face showed no feeling at all as she hit Chu Pyeong. She showed him no mercy.

“Aaaargh! Those clingy leeches!”

Ak So shrieked.

‘But wait! He’s a Taoist!’ Ak So didn’t know much about Taoists, but he thought they should be serious and act with honor.

Even when using lightness skill, they should be leaping lightly!

But the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect showed absolutely none of that. On the contrary, they charged ahead mindlessly, like boars that had been struck by lightning.

“What about the traps?”

“T-They’re not working!”

When a rain of arrows poured down, they deflected them with their swords. When the ground gave way, they leaped out without a moment’s hesitation. If a wooden spear sprang out from the side, they even bit it with their teeth.

“There’s no choice! Run! The final showdown will be with lightness skill!”

“Yes!”

The disciples of the Ghostly Shadow Sect gritted their teeth and began to run with all their might.

Whaaaaaaam!

Their pride was at stake.

As the Ghostly Shadow Sect disciples, who were said to be second to none in lightness skill, began to pick up speed, their swiftness became so great that it was impossible to follow with the eye.

But….

“T-They’re not falling behind, Senior!”

“Just what are those bastards…?”

Ak So’s eyes twitched.

‘N-No, I can’t lose.’

This was the path they used for training. Although it changed each time, they knew about half of where the traps were and where they needed to be careful.

And yet, they were losing?

“Aaaaaaargh!”

Ak So gathered all the internal energy from his dantian and pushed it into his legs. Each breath burned in his chest, and his legs screamed in protest, but Ak So pushed harder. He had to win. He couldn’t let his sect down. Even if he collapsed, vomiting blood, as soon as he arrived, he couldn’t afford to lose.

His body shot forward, leaving his fellow disciples behind.

“Go, Senior!”

“You must win!”

As if they knew what they had to do without being told, his fellow disciples began to slow down. And they shouted, looking at the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect.

“Stop them!”

“Don’t let them through!”

Ak So squeezed his eyes shut at the sound coming from behind him.

‘I won’t forget your sacrifice….’

But at that moment.

“Hang on. These bastards were the first to act cowardly, and now they’re putting on a brave face! I’m going to rip their chins off!”

Huh….

Actually, that’s right. Uh, yeah, that’s right.

“Dieeeee!”

The screams of his fellow disciples pierced his ears, accompanied by a satisfying thud.

But Ak So ran on without looking back.

‘Faster! Faster!’

His legs felt weak.

He was gasping for breath, and his lungs felt like they were about to burst.

‘I can see it!’

Finally, the sight of the Ghostly Shadow Sect came into view in the distance.

Now that it was in sight, it would be over in an instant. If he could just hold on a little longer, he could win. And once he won….

“Hoo?”

“……”

At that moment, an eerie voice came from behind him.

Ak So turned and saw a face covered in mud, making him look like a dirty doll. But his eyes were sharp and bright, and a strange smile played on his lips.

“Hey, remember the rules? Did you read them carefully?”

“……”

Huh?

“Oops. Looks like they forgot to say ‘no fighting’!” Baek Cheon grinned.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

Ak So, terrified, mustered every last ounce of strength and charged towards the Ghostly Shadow Sect.

‘Just a little! Just a little more!’

He could almost taste victory. Just a few more steps!

The surrounding scenery stretched out. That was how fast he was going.

His heart felt like it was about to explode, but Ak So didn’t stop his legs. His speed, as he was propelled towards the Ghostly Shadow Sect, increased.

‘Try and catch me, you bastard!’

Swords and fighting skills only matter if you can catch me. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, I am faster!

Wham! Wham!

The sound of him kicking off the ground was powerful.

Ak So, realizing that he was running faster than he ever had in his life, gritted his teeth as if they would break.

The mountain whizzed by.

He leaped across the stream.

As Ak So climbed the final mountain path leading to the Ghostly Shadow Sect, a strong sense of exhilaration washed over him.

The gate of the Ghostly Shadow Sect, which had looked like a small dot, rapidly grew larger.

Twenty yards! Ten yards! Five yards! Three yards!

Ak So stayed focused until the last moment. He used all his power to push off the ground, like a spring suddenly released. Stretching out both legs and bringing both hands to his chest, he became an arrow, shooting straight towards the gate of the Ghostly Shadow Sect.

“I’ve wo-!”

Thud!

“Huh?”

Ak So tilted his head for a moment.

‘What’s going on?’

His legs were still floating in the air. Of course, his arms weren’t touching the ground either.

But….

But why had his body stopped? Why?

Ak So slowly turned his head to the side. A man standing right next to him came into view.

A man who had reached out and firmly grabbed the back of his neck.

Baek Cheon’s smile widened, a playful glint in his eyes. “Did you really think you could get away?” he said softly, almost like a cat playing with its prey. The man, smiling gently, pointed downwards with his eyes.

‘Huh?’

Ak So’s gaze shifted slightly downwards.

And he saw it.

The ground, covered in rain and mud.

“…You.”

Splash!

Ak So’s body was plunged straight into the mud. Mud and water splattered everywhere, creating a chaotic mess.

“……”

His twisted legs twitched and spasmed.

Looking down at him, Baek Cheon smiled gently.

“…It’s not like I held a grudge or anything. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

He dusted off his hands lightly and walked into the Ghostly Shadow Sect with the most refreshing face in the world.

…It was a petty and pathetic moment of victory.