Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 466

Clang!

The warriors from the Northern Sea Ice Palace attacked. Their moves were as cold and sharp as their name, ‘Northern Wind, Cold Snow,’ promised. Their swordsmanship was almost as good as the Peng family’s swordsmanship he had seen before.

Of course, what they had witnessed at the martial arts tournament was wielded by inexperienced junior disciples, hardly representative of the true Peng family sword.

Even though it was just the junior Peng family members he saw, their swordsmanship was still famous. For the Ice Palace warriors to be this good meant they were truly skilled.

Indeed, they were warriors of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, one of the Outer Five Palaces.

But for the Ice Palace warriors, it was bad luck. The Mount Hua Five Swords were now much stronger than them.

Creeeaaak!

The sword pushed back the incoming blade with terrifying force.

‘Th-this can’t be…

Cho Gyeom’s face, the leader of the Ice Palace warriors, hardened in an instant.

Swords are usually lighter than sabers. If two people are equally strong, a sword should not be able to push back a saber. Yet, the seemingly fragile sword, bending as if about to break, was now forcing his saber back.

‘H-how?’

The power transmitted through the saber was immense.

The opponent didn’t even seem to be exerting much effort, yet his saber was helplessly pushed back.

“Y-you fiend!”

In a flash, Cho Gyeom exerted his strength, attempting to shake off the sword and create some distance. But it was like the opponent’s sword was stuck to his saber. No matter how hard he pushed, the sword wouldn’t move. Instead, it pushed back harder.

‘W-what kind of inner force…?’

Both strength and inner force were superior.

He looked so young. Cho Gyeom couldn’t understand how he could be so strong.

“Taaaaah!”

Gathering every ounce of inner strength, Cho Gyeom barely managed to shove the sword away and roll backward.

“Hoo!”

A rough breath escaped his lips. A single exchange had exhausted him so much that cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

“…Who are you?”

Unlike before, he asked with a clear note of tension in his voice. Baek Cheon, still brandishing his sword, shrugged.

“That’s not important right now. The real question is, do you want to keep fighting?”

“You insolent brat!”

Cho Gyeom gritted his teeth.

Cho Gyeom felt completely insulted by that.

“Do you think having a bit of strength will change anything? I’ll make you pay the price for that arrogance.”

Then, pure white frost started to cover the tip of Cho Gyeom’s saber. He was using the Ice Palace’s special cold power, making it as strong as possible.

Sensing the chilling aura emanating from the saber’s tip, Baek Cheon adjusted his stance.

“Firstly…”

He opened his mouth with a calm, composed expression.

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding. I never looked down on you. I simply wish to avoid fighting if possible.”

Cho Gyeom’s eyes twitched slightly.

But Baek Cheon’s next words shocked him completely.

“And you know, I’m not even one of the strongest in my group. Maybe you should practice a little more?”

“You little weasel!”

Cho Gyeom, his eyes rolling back in fury, charged madly at Baek Cheon.

“Why are you getting so angry?”

Baek Cheon sighed as if he couldn’t understand, and lightly swung his sword.

Clang!

The moment the sword and saber collided, a tremendous explosion erupted.

Before, if his sword had been hit with such a strong attack, it would have broken. At least, it would have been damaged. More likely, it would have cracked.

But the plum blossom sword, newly crafted from ten-thousand-year-old ice iron, cleanly withstood even this powerful attack without a scratch.

‘Good.’

Incredibly light and incredibly strong.

He now understood why that rascal Cheong Myeong had been singing the praises of using a good sword.

But this sword was good for more than just defense.

Whoosh!

The sword, having blocked the attack, moved with incredible speed towards Cho Gyeom. Cho Gyeom was surprised by how fast the sword moved. He quickly twisted his body to avoid it, but he couldn’t avoid the sword from grazing his shoulder.

The thick, padded clothing tore open in an instant, and blood spurted out.

Baek Cheon, quickly retrieving his sword, unleashed a series of thrusts towards Cho Gyeom even before the blood that had splattered into the air could fall onto the snowy ground.

“Kugh!”

Cho Gyeom rapidly swung his saber to block his thrusts. But with a heavy weapon like a saber, it was inevitably difficult to keep up with the sword’s speed.

“Aaaaargh!”

Cho Gyeom knew he was losing badly. He used all his strength and swung his saber wildly. Even if it meant being pierced in one or two places, he was determined to wound his opponent’s body.

But the moment Cho Gyeom’s saber moved, Baek Cheon retreated backward without any hesitation, creating distance.

Whoosh!

Because of this, the saber just cut through the air without hitting anything.

“…”

Throb.

At the same time, feeling a dull pain in his shoulder, Cho Gyeom stared blankly at Baek Cheon.

When he looked into Baek Cheon’s calm eyes, he felt a chill and got goosebumps.

‘He doesn’t even look twenty yet, how can he be so composed?’

The sword was so sharp it was scary. But Baek Cheon, who held it, seemed calm and gentle.

‘Where did these guys come from…?’

At that moment, Baek Cheon lightly lowered his sword.

“Will you continue?”

“…”

“If you don’t want to fight, please turn back now. I don’t particularly want to create problems.”

“…The problem has already been created.”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon nodded as if he couldn’t help it.

“Then don’t blame my sword for being merciless.”

Baek Cheon kicked off the ground, instantly closing the distance between himself and Cho Gyeom.

Clang!

Yoon Jong blocked the saber that was coming for his head and narrowed his eyes.

‘Certainly…’

The new ice iron sword made their swordsmanship stronger. But it wasn’t just the sword that made him feel better.

‘The strength in my lower body has improved.’

His legs were strong and steady on the ground. This helped him move the sword more freely.

He felt the full power of the Violet Elixir working in him. His muscles were stronger from all the training. With the new sword and his strong legs, it felt like his skills had become twice as good in a short time. It was like he could even hold up a mountain with his legs.

And above all…

“Dieee!”

Clang!

“Had fighting made him this strong?”

The fight with the Myriad Man Fang had changed him.

The old Yoon Jong would have flinched when a deadly blade came at him. But not now. He stayed calm, watching the sword get closer.

Clang!

Yoon Jong didn’t just block. He stepped forward and pushed his sword towards where his opponent’s blade would be.

Clang!

“Kugh!”

Before the enemy could swing his sword fully, Yoon Jong’s thin sword stopped the heavy blade.

He felt like he could see everything around him, like his senses were sharper.

Even as he fought, he felt like he could see behind him, to his left, and to his right. Feeling almost ecstatic, Yoon Jong took a deep breath to calm himself.

‘I have become stronger.’

He hadn’t realized it, because he was surrounded by such amazing people.

Chung Myung was one thing, but even Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol were way better than him. And even Jo Gul had become more skilled than Yoon Jong.

So, he knew this and tried to be happy helping them. But his sword was getting stronger all the time, as if there were many paths ahead.

Yoon Jong smiled slightly and pushed his opponent away.

“I will become even stronger…”

But then, chaos erupted again.

“Uwaaaah!”

Yoon Jong stopped and turned around. Jo Gul was rolling on the ground to dodge a blade.

Yoon Jong asked, confused, “…What are you doing?”

Jo Gul scrambled up, looking flustered, and pleaded, “S-Senior Brother. It’s not working!”

Yoon Jong asked, puzzled, “…What nonsense are you spouting?”

“That…”

Jo Gul looked at his sword and then at the enemy, looking perplexed.

“Whenever I try to do something, that thing keeps popping out! That thing!”

“…That thing?”

“Ah! That thing, that thing!”

Ah, that thing.

Yoon Jong looked up at the sky.

‘Will that one ever become human?’

The Plum Blossom Sword Technique just came out whenever he swung his sword.

It was good that he was using the swordplay without even thinking, but they needed to hide who they were right now.

“Ugh! What sword style *is* that?!”

Yoon Jong said, “…You’re going to get a smack to the mouth, you know that?”

Saying things that the ancestors would hit him for!

It’s usually hard to know what sword style someone is using just by watching. Because, really, all sword styles look alike at first glance.

“Fight with basic swordsmanship! You frustrating fool!”

“I’m trying to, but it’s not working! Uwaaaah!”

Jo Gul rolled on the ground again as strikes rained down. Yoon Jong squeezed his eyes shut.

Jo Gul. Is there anything you’re actually good at?

He sighed and turned his head sharply.

‘This won’t do.’

It would be faster for him to get stronger than to help that idiot.

Yoon Jong raised his sword.

“Are you alright, Father?”

“…I, I’m fine.”

Hong Yi-myeong watched the battle with trembling eyes. He thought his child would escape and then come back, but things were very different.

‘I knew they weren’t ordinary, but…’

This was beyond anything he could imagine.

Hong Yi-myeong wasn’t dumb. He knew they had a sharp energy, but they were so young. It was hard to believe they were this strong.

‘Especially that swordsman…’

Baek Cheon easily dealt with Cho Gyeom. Hong Yi-myeong was beyond surprised; he was dumbfounded.

Who was Cho Gyeom? He was a squad leader in the Northern Ice Palace, at least twenty years older than Baek Cheon.

But he couldn’t even fight back against Baek Cheon.

And it wasn’t just Baek Cheon.

Swaeak!

A light sword danced up the blade and sliced at the wrist.

“Ugh!”

A soft groan escaped the enemy, like air leaking out. Then, Yu Yiseol’s sword lightly pierced his shoulder. Finally, the handle of her spinning sword hit the back of his head.

Her movements were incredibly light and swift.

“Keureuk…”

Plop!

Yu Yiseol glanced at the unconscious man and walked towards her next opponent.

Her movements were so impressive that they inspired admiration.

‘Each and every one of them is a master swordsman.’

Not only Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol, but also Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were very strong.

And…

“Amitabha!”

Flash!

“Aaaaaaaaargh!”

A golden light flashed, and a person was sent flying.

It was a surreal sight. Hong Yi-myeong’s mouth hung open.

‘What on earth is that monk?’

The twin-tailed woman was fighting one of the Ice Palace warriors, and she was good, but the others were so strong that she seemed weak.

The young martial artists here were all skilled enough to beat the Ice Palace warriors.

“How can such people…”

But then…

“Ah, seriously!”

Chung Myung stuck his head out of the cart.

Chung Myung, covered in a bear hide, shouted, annoyed, “Hurry up and finish this, you slowpokes! What are you doing!”

That is…

Just what is that guy? Hong Yi-myeong was confused, looking at someone he had never seen before.

Hong Yi-myeong was left in shock and curiosity, wondering who these people were and what they were truly capable of.