Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 587

Dust swirled in the center of the mountain fortress. Bandits slumped to their knees, ropes digging into their wrists. They could not fight anymore.

Sadness and fear were carved into their faces.

For fighters, losing their skills was worse than dying. Hyun Sang looked at them. He would not show them mercy.

‘They’re just bandits who suck the blood of innocent people anyway.’

Some who practiced fighting were good for the world. Others were harmful because they practiced fighting.

He thought these men were the harmful kind.

Trying to teach them a little bit would sometimes make things worse than doing nothing. It was better to stop them from causing trouble again by showing them what happens.

“How are the children?”

“Some of the children have small injuries, but none are seriously hurt.”

“Hmm!”

Hyun Sang nodded.

Even though the Hwasan disciples were much stronger, people could still get hurt in a big fight.

But luckily, no one was seriously hurt this time.

Hwasan had truly become strong.

Before Chung Myung arrived, Hwasan could not have handled even a small bandit fortress, let alone the Red Bear Fortress.

But now, they cleared a very strong bandit fortress without anyone getting hurt. This change happened in just a few years. It was amazing how quickly they became strong.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

“It’s nothing, Elder!”

“We can handle this easily!”

The disciples seemed to think the same thing.

They were trying not to show how proud they were, but their red faces showed they were very proud.

But…

Everyone was too excited and forgot. There was a devil here, and that devil could not stand to see people happy.

“Why are you dancing like you’ve done something great? You’ve only beaten up some bandits.”

The Hwasan disciples stared at Chung Myung, surprised by his cold words.

But he pushed out his stomach.

“What? Why? Did I say something wrong?”

“…That guy wouldn’t bleed even if you stabbed him with a needle.”

“He always has to spoil the mood!”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, looking unhappy.

“When did Hwasan become a weak place that brags about beating up some bandits?! If the ancestors saw this, they’d be very angry in their graves!”

– I am not! I am not!

“Ah, please be quiet over there!”

“…Who was talking?”

Everyone sighed as they watched Chung Myung say nonsense.

“Hmm.”

But even after being scolded, the disciples could not hide their red faces and either smiled or tried not to laugh.

Chung Myung finally chuckled.

‘Of course, they’d be happy.’

Victory was more valuable than anything else.

Of course, they could learn from losing, but right now, feeling confident from winning was more important.

The Hwasan disciples felt a slight feeling of being less important.

Because no one had ever recognized their talents, they felt less important than those who had been recognized and joined the great sects.

‘The best way to change that is to do something those guys wouldn’t dare to do.’

Becoming famous was most important, but also giving them confidence was not bad.

‘They’ll also gain experience.’

The best thing about this fight was that the entire Hwasan sect fought together for the first time. Just having this experience now, when the world was peaceful, was very helpful.

Someday, they would have to fight like this.

So, they gained a lot from this battle…

However… However, what should I say?

“Hehe.”

“Hee hee hee.”

“Kuh. We’re stronger than I thought.”

“Hehe, the Wudang and whatever aren’t anything special!”

“Haha!”

“…”

Watching his fellow disciples laugh and smile too much made him feel weird and bad.

“Happy?”

“Haha! Of course!”

“Are you happy?”

“…Huh?”

The disciples, who had been smiling, slowly stopped when Chung Myung said that.

“You’re that happy, huh?”

As Chung Myung asked with a bright smile, the Hwasan disciples started to feel worried.

“Then you should be even happier!”

“Huh?”

“Where did you say the next fortress was?”

Huh?

Ch, Chung Myung-ah?

❀ ❀ ❀

The Blood Wolf Fortress Lord, Tam Hyeol-rang Yang Kwae, stared at what was happening.

‘What is this…?’

It was like a strong force was attacking them.

And not just any force, but a force covered in blooming flowers.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Wh, who are these guys?!”

His men were easily defeated.

“…”

Yang Kwae swallowed hard.

‘Where did things go wrong?’

When he saw Im So-byeong behind the Hwasan warriors, Yang Kwae became very scared.

He usually looked sick, but today looked healthy.

‘Was the story about him being sick all a lie? Was it a trick to fool us?’

He didn’t know what was true or false.

Alright. No, it’s fine up to that point.

He could understand up to that point.

But what bothered him greatly was not Im So-byeong, but the bad thing happening in front of him.

A pale, young kid was coming closer with a serious face, while the other kids were trying to stop him.

“No, Sasuk has done enough! Why do you have to do everything you see?!”

“Then me.”

“Accident! Accident already beat one guy today! Please let someone else do it, please!”

“You fought the Yacha Clan leader!”

“You can’t hit him!”

“…”

Yang Kwae trembled as he listened to them.

So, right now… uh… so…

‘Are these young punks fighting over who gets to fight me?’

Finally, a bald monk wearing different clothes stepped forward, but someone grabbed his hair. Yang Kwae could not hold back and shouted.

“You bastards! Do you even know who I am?!”

“Ah, mister, stay out of this!”

“Just wait there! We’ll decide soon!”

“…”

Yang Kwae’s shoulders dropped.

The guys who had been arguing raised their voices, and finally, one of them stepped forward.

Slightly narrow eyes.

A neat topknot.

“…”

Compared to the other guys who looked like normal bad guys, this one looked like a proper fighter. He stepped forward and bowed politely.

“I am Yoon Jong, from Hwasan. Let me show you…”

“Yoon Jong-ah! This is a real fight!”

“…Come at me. Bandit.”

Yang Kwae changed his mind.

He didn’t look like a proper fighter. This guy was crazy.

Holding his big weapon tightly, Yang Kwae gritted his teeth and charged at Yoon Jong.

“I’ll teach you some manners!”

A short time later, Yoon Jong wiped the sweat from his face and bowed politely.

“I have learned well.”

But Yang Kwae was already unconscious.

It didn’t matter if he was awake or not. He had been beaten so badly that he could not answer.

Jo Gul, Yoo Iseol, and Baek Cheon knew how to take risks to win.

But Yoon Jong only used basic moves. He never did too much and only repeated the safest attacks.

In a practice fight, the opponent can admit they are losing and stop. But this was a real fight, not practice. Yang Kwae could not give up. So, Yoon Jong fought him like a cat plays with a mouse.

No matter how many small injuries he got, Yang Kwae could not give up. He kept attacking until he lost consciousness from too much blood loss. The result was a bad state.

Yoon Jong turned around, looking proud.

“I have beat the leader… Why are you looking like that?”

He asked, puzzled by their reactions. Baek Cheon and his group shook their heads.

“…He’s too harsh.”

“Wow, he beat him up really badly.”

“…I never knew only using basic moves could be this frightening.”

It would be kinder to kill them fast.

‘Well, that’s Yoon Jong’s frightening trait.’

Baek Cheon thought, looking at Yang Kwae and Yoon Jong.

Someone who only trains in hitting down for a year cannot beat someone who has learned other skills. But if someone trains in hitting down for a long time, no other skill can stop that one hit.

Everyone knows it, but no one tries it.

Who could train in only hitting down again and again?

Yoon Jong does it.

Not fancy or special, but a sword that uses basic moves more than anyone else.

Yoon Jong is the least strong of the five best disciples.

He is not even as strong as Jo Gul.

But…

‘If ten or twenty years pass, maybe that guy will be the strongest among us.’

It was strange.

Baek Cheon, Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul.

They were very different people. They learned the same skills, but they all fought with swords in their own way.

Yet, they were all growing stronger. Different but the same, the same but different.

And not just them…

Baek Cheon looked back.

Hyun Sang and Un Geom were easily defeating the bandits.

Looking at the strength of their attacks, he nodded.

Including the small fight in Jangsa, there had only been three battles. But the Hwasan disciples’ sword skills were improving fast.

Baek Cheon watched Chung Myung, who was sitting and feeding snacks to Baek Ah, as if he didn’t care about what was happening.

‘Seriously.’

– What? Hwasan is weak? That’s nonsense! It’s not that Hwasan is weak, it’s that you guys are weak!

Baek Cheon smiled. His world had changed since he met that guy.

After looking at Chung Myung, Baek Cheon took a deep breath and said.

“Well, shall we clean up?”

“We need to hurry to go to the next fortress.”

“Right.”

Nodding, he moved towards the bandits who were still fighting.

“But Chung Myung told us not to help catch the other bandits. Is it okay to go like this?”

“Can’t we just stand there with swords and look at them?”

“…Seriously.”

The five best disciples except Chung Myung drew their swords and walked towards the bandits.

And.

Hwasan cleared both fortresses quickly. They went to the last fortress.