Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 565

“Ugh, my back……”

“Aargh… my legs……”

The disciples of Mount Hua groaned in pain, crawling about. They were back in the Hundred Flowers Hall, but they were so tired they didn’t remember how they got there.

“…I almost drowned while washing up.”

“I was so tired, I thought I saw my grandfather who has passed away……”

Gathered in the central living room of the Hundred Flowers Hall, they wearily grabbed onto chairs one by one, sighing deeply.

“…We went this far.”

“Exactly.”

“We even took the special medicine!”

“Why can’t we win! Why!”

The Cheongja disciples’ eyes narrowed with anger.

“Just one punch! I wouldn’t ask for more than landing just one solid punch!”

“Did you see Jo Gul laughing while he was beating us? He was always mean, but being with Chung Myung has made him even worse!”

“And what about Great Sajong? At least when Jo Gul laughs, I know he’s being mean! Great Sajong just looks serious while he beats us up and says whatever he wants!”

“…You’re right.”

Everyone gritted their teeth, remembering how they had been beaten by Jo Gul and Yoon Jong all day long.

Everyone present took another Violet Elixir.

Thanks to that, they felt full of energy, like they could break through the ceiling. Yet, this large group had been completely defeated by those two. No matter how they thought about it, they couldn’t accept or understand it.

“What on earth did Chung Myung do to those two?”

“It’s not just those two. Didn’t the senior disciples get beaten like dogs by Baek Cheon and Yoo Iseol?”

“…They were even getting beaten by Hae Yeon Monk.”

“How pitiful……”

The disciples remembered their seniors. Tears welled up in their eyes, and they clenched their fists.

“It’s not like I’m suddenly trying to beat Yoon Jong or Jo Gul now!” Jonghoe said, his eyes blazing.

“But we can’t just end up being beaten like this as martial artists!”

“That’s right!”

“Just one hit is enough! Just one hit!”

“I don’t even expect anything from Chung Myung, but I can’t live my whole life getting beaten by Yoon Jong or Jo Gul! This isn’t just a matter of winning or losing!”

“That’s right!”

The Cheongja disciples strongly agreed.

In the midst of that, Jonghoe sighed.

“Everyone, listen.”

“Yes, Sajong.”

“I said it like a joke, but this isn’t a normal matter. You all know what we ate, right?”

“…We know.”

“How could we not know what kind of special medicine it is?”

The Cheongja disciples knew how amazing what they had received was. They knew it very well.

Two Violet Elixirs.

They had never heard of any sect giving two special medicines to their disciples. Moreover, wasn’t the Violet Elixir comparable to the Great Revival Pill of Shaolin, or even better?

“…And even the Gongcheong Seokyu.”

“I never thought I’d even smell Gongcheong Seokyu in my life.”

His legs trembled again.

In what sect would they sprinkle Gongcheong Seokyu on their third-generation disciples?

Because it was Mount Hua, they thought it was normal, but if another sect did the same thing, they would call them crazy.

“To be honest……” Jonghoe said, his eyes wide open.

“If we don’t become stronger after taking these amazing medicines, we are useless.”

“…Th, that’s right.”

The Cheongja disciples all nodded.

It was a bit extreme, but it wasn’t wrong.

“There’s still an excuse. Honestly, we did take the special medicine, but we haven’t fully absorbed it yet, right?”

“Yes, Sajong.”

“But if there’s no significant change even after we absorb all of this, Mount Hua will have wasted those precious special medicines.”

“I can’t stand to see that happen. How hard was it to get these? Chung Myung, who complains about everything, went all the way to the distant Northern Sea to get them.”

“…That’s right.”

Jonghoe ground his teeth with a very angry face, and Jin Woobo, who was standing next to him, slowly chimed in.

“Sajong is right.”

He looked around at the Cheongja disciples and bit his lip slightly.

“Did you… see the wounds on the senior disciples’ bodies earlier?”

“…Yes.”

Everyone had clearly seen the wounds inside their clothes that were revealed during the sparring.

“Having such wounds means they must have gone through life-and-death situations. The senior disciples are too foolish to boast about their achievements, but those special medicines were literally obtained by risking their lives.”

“They are giving us such special medicines without any airs. If we are human, we must not forget that grace. Even beasts know gratitude.”

The Cheongja disciples all nodded in agreement.

The senior disciples had become much rougher in their speech than before, and they were increasingly reluctant to reveal their inner thoughts. But the Cheongja disciples knew how consistently they cared for their fellow disciples.

“Let’s all risk our lives in training.” Jonghoe glared.

“Lately, it seems like only Chung Myung and the senior disciples are chosen for important tasks in Mount Hua. If we were trustworthy, would the Sect Leader have sent only those people to distant places?”

“We need to support them. We can’t just be burdens forever.”

“That’s right, Sajong!”

As the atmosphere gradually heated up, Jonghoe nodded.

“If anyone slacks off in training from now on, I won’t stand by, let alone the senior disciples. Everyone, throw yourselves into it. Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

The fire burning in the hearts of the Cheongja disciples clearly blazed in their eyes.

They were also martial artists of Mount Hua.

It was true that the senior disciples were leading the way under the name of the Five Swords of Mount Hua, but they had no intention of leaving everything to them and being lazy.

“Everyone, rest quickly, and let’s really land just one hit tomorrow!”

“Yes! Sajong!”

“We will really strike a blow tomorrow!”

The Cheongja disciples dispersed to their respective rooms, each with their own will and determination.

“…They’re coming up faster than I thought.”

“The Violet Elixir is definitely no ordinary special medicine. The power in their swords has become tremendous.”

Baek Cheon and his group, who had gathered to discuss the training they had conducted today, expressed their impressions with slightly admiring faces.

“I think I know what Chung Myung meant when he said they lacked practical experience. When we unleash relentless attacks without worrying about hurting them, the swords they wield in response become increasingly sharp.”

“I definitely felt it too.”

At that moment, Yoo Iseol, who had been silently listening to their conversation, spoke softly.

“It’s still not enough.”

“…That’s right.”

Sweat dripped from Jo Gul’s forehead, stinging his eyes. He lowered his wooden sword, his chest heaving. “This training… it feels like a real battle now.”

Yoon Jong groaned, wiping his own sweat with the back of his hand. “I don’t think it *can* get any harder than this, can it?”

Baek Cheon’s voice was firm, cutting through the heavy air. “It can.” He watched the younger disciples struggling in the training yard, their faces red with effort.

A moment of silence hung in the air, broken only by the sounds of strained breathing and clashing wood.

Yoo Iseol, her expression as calm as ever even after the intense session, turned to Jo Gul. Her voice was quiet but resolute. “They are Mount Hua disciples. They will endure.”

“⋯⋯What if they can’t?”

“Make them endure it.”

Hearing the resolute tone, Jo Gul nodded reluctantly.

“Understood.”

Baek Cheon smiled faintly as he watched them.

“Everyone, listen up.”

“Yes.”

“What do you all think about the current skill level of our disciples?”

“⋯⋯Hmm.”

Yoon Jong scratched his chin. “Frankly, I don’t think the Blue Cloud disciples are as strong as the warriors of the Northern Ice Palace yet. Of course, they have become much stronger, but⋯⋯.”

This was natural. The Blue Cloud disciples were young, barely adults. They were ten to twenty years younger than the Ice Palace warriors, who trained for many years.

The fact that they could even be compared was remarkable.

“The White Cloud disciples are about the same level.”

“Indeed.”

Baek Cheon nodded. “I agree. But at this level, we can’t do anything.”

His face hardened with resolve. “Those Northern Ice Palace warriors were cut down like grass by the demonic cultists. They were overwhelmed, but their skills were lacking.”

“That’s right.”

“What would happen if the demonic cult invaded Mount Hua now?”

Everyone’s face changed at that question. Even Yoo Iseol frowned.

It was a thought they didn’t want to imagine.

If that happened, the remaining disciples wouldn’t be able to fight back properly.

The demonic cult was that fearsome.

“We must prevent that. But we can’t guarantee it won’t happen.”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon said firmly, “We must train them as quickly as possible, so they can fight back whenever the demonic cult invades.”

Jo Gul, who had been thinking deeply, sighed. “I’m realizing something.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s a huge burden to raise them to a certain level, not just train aimlessly. Even if it works now, the stronger our junior brothers get, the harder it will be to help them grow further.”

“That’s true. Why are you saying that?”

Jo Gul said, slightly annoyed, “Doesn’t that mean Chung Myung has been doing this all along?”

Everyone fell silent.

“That guy has been focused on making Mount Hua stronger since he arrived. He made the Blue Cloud disciples stronger than Jongnam by pushing them at the Hwajong Tournament, and he’s doing the same at the Mount Hua Divine Dragon Competition.”

“⋯⋯He did.”

Baek Cheon shook his head, looking complicated, as if he couldn’t say anything.

He was starting to understand Chung Myung’s position.

Only by walking in someone’s shoes can you understand how they feel. Now that he was leading the disciples, he understood what Chung Myung had been worrying about.

“What a monstrous bastard,” Baek Cheon muttered, looking back at everyone.

“But we are not the youngsters we used to be.”

His eyes showed strong conviction.

The fight against Maninbang, the battle with the Ice Palace, and the war against the demonic cult had changed them.

Those experiences gave them confidence.

“If he could do it, we can too. Now we have to support him and reduce his burden.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle. We should.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Everyone nodded.

The world expands with experience.

There was a difference between living in the small world of Mount Hua and experiencing the wider world.

“Our junior brothers and sisters will become stronger. We need to help them absorb the spiritual medicines faster and become even stronger.”

“Yes.”

“As you know, once Chung Myung decides something, he does it no matter what. Everyone will be experiencing real combat soon.”

Yoon Jong nodded.

“So⋯⋯ do your best so you don’t regret it. If someone gets seriously hurt or dies, we won’t be able to bear that pain.”

At Baek Cheon’s words, small flames ignited in the eyes of Yoo Iseol, Jo Gul, and Yoon Jong.

“⋯⋯I’d rather they all die by my hand.”

“I really need to push them to the point of death.”

“I’ll work harder starting tomorrow.”

Baek Cheon nodded with a faint smile.

“We also ate the Jasodan and Gongcheong Seokyu spiritual medicines, so we have to earn our keep! Everyone, rest well and let’s work harder starting tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

The moonlight was bright, as if to encourage them. It was at that moment, when everything was about to end warmly.

“Um⋯⋯.”

“Hmm?”

Everyone turned to the voice.

Hae Yeon, who was in the corner, looked at them with pitiful eyes.

“⋯⋯I didn’t get to eat any.”

“⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened.

“Why⋯⋯. No⋯⋯ No, why didn’t you get to eat⋯⋯?”

“Well, how can I eat if no one gives it to me?”

“I distributed it according to the number of people⋯⋯.”

“Ch-, Chung Myung Sajuk took it away, saying, ‘Why would a Shaolin bastard lay his hands on Mount Hua’s spiritual medicine?’”

Baek Cheon’s eyes closed tightly.

‘That devilish bastard.’

Hae Yeon had gone to the Northern Sea and suffered hardships, but Chung Myung still stole the spiritual medicine.

“He’s not even human⋯⋯.”

“Really.”

Seeing Hae Yeon’s tears, Jo Gul placed his hand on his shoulder. “⋯⋯I’ll get it for you somehow, so don’t cry, Monk.”

“Ah, Amitabha⋯Buddha⋯⋯.”

With Hae Yeon’s tears, the night at Mount Hua deepened.