Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 617

“Did Mount Hua really win?” someone whispered.

“Are you blind?” another voice replied, louder. “We just saw it!”

A third voice added, still in disbelief, “Two wins in a row…”

The crowd stared at the arena, eyes wide with disbelief. They blinked, they shifted, but the sight remained the same: a Wudang disciple lay on the ground.

“This can’t be normal, right?” someone stammered.

“A third-level student beating a first-level student?”

“Normal?” another scoffed. “It’s like a grandson defeating his grandfather!”

A third voice interjected, “But age usually means strength…”

“Look at him!” the second voice snapped back. “Does he look weak to you? In our world, older fighters are *stronger*!”

Everyone watching knew this. They had left their homes and work to see this fight. They understood the basics of martial arts.

Still, the unbelievable scene made them ask obvious questions.

What kind of place was Wudang?

Wasn’t it a sect called the Northern Dipper of the righteous path, along with Shaolin? How could a first-level disciple of Wudang lose to a third-level disciple of Mount Hua, a sect that had just begun to make a name for itself?

No one would believe it if you told them.

Even they would have found it hard to believe if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes.

They came here to support Mount Hua, but that was just ‘support’ in the literal sense. No one really believed that Mount Hua could win against Wudang.

But what they were seeing was not just surprising, it was completely unexpected.

“Mount Hua really…”

Became stronger.

No, even saying they had become powerful felt wrong.

Mount Hua wasn’t known for strength. Until recently, most people had never even heard of them.

But that Mount Hua had become strong enough to win against Wudang in just a few years.

Even if Mount Hua lost every match after this, their name would become famous because of this one win.

‘And maybe….’

The audience began to look at the arena with strange expectations.

Maybe something unbelievable will happen here. A rabbit catching a tiger, something that should never happen.

“M-Mu-ho….”

Heo San-ja sighed, the sound escaping his lips.

“What, what are you doing! Quickly retrieve Mu-ho!”

“Yes!”

The Wudang disciples, shocked and worried, rushed into the arena.

“Saje!”

“Saje! Are you okay?”

They shook his shoulder lightly, but Mu-ho couldn’t come to his senses. The first-generation disciples of Wudang, with their lips tightly shut, picked up the fallen Mu-ho and came down from the arena.

“How is he?”

At Heo San-ja’s question, a disciple answered in a heavy voice.

“It’s not a major injury. There won’t be any problems. However… he is not regaining consciousness easily.”

“…I see.”

Heo San-ja nodded heavily. Several disciples stuck to Mu-ho, who had been blown away, and checked his condition and took measures.

Heo San-ja stared blankly at the scene. Slowly, he turned his head towards the Mount Hua side.

Here, it felt like a silent mourning. But on the other side, it was loud and full of joy.

Why wouldn’t they be?

The third-generation disciple of Mount Hua defeated the first-generation disciple of Wudang.

‘Where is there such humiliation….’

Heo San-ja’s face was bloodless. He imagined the stories that would spread from tomorrow, and a wave of nausea washed over him.

But even then, he couldn’t fault Mu-ho. That Jo Gul, that seemingly carefree young man, had shown a sword that astonished even Heo San-ja.

It wasn’t that he was careless and lost in a fight he could have won.

‘He was pushed back by skill.’

This fact plunged Heo San-ja into utter shock.

He had heard of the Hwasan Ohgeom, but thought it was just a fancy title for a sect that was just becoming known again.

But now, Mount Hua had proven through the sword that the title was truly worth it.

How famous would the Hwasan Ohgeom become after today? People would say a third-level student with that title was as strong as a first-level Wudang disciple.

This was truly an unspeakable humiliation.

At that time, Mu-jin quietly called him.

“Elder.”

“…….”

“You must calm down. The match is not over yet.”

“Not over?”

Heo San-ja turned his head and glared at Mu-jin sharply.

“What do you mean it’s not over?”

“…Elder.”

Heo San-ja spoke quickly, his voice tight with anger.

“The first-generation disciple of Wudang was defeated by the third-generation disciple of Mount Hua. Whatever we do in the following matches, do you think this fact will be erased? The world enjoys cheering for rising heroes and feels joy in the fall of the strong. Even if we win all the remaining matches, do you think their voices discussing Wudang will be more friendly?”

“…Elder. The Sajes are listening.”

Only then did Heo San-ja come to his senses and quickly shut his mouth.

‘Such a mistake….’

No matter how emotional he was, it was not something to say in front of the disciples who had to go out for the competition. What good would it do to criticize their purpose, instead of lifting their spirits?

“Hoo.”

Heo San-ja took a deep breath and organized his mind.

‘Yes. There’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened.’

Looking back, he realized it was all his fault. His lack of attention had led to this, his carelessness had caused their loss.

‘There is only Hwasan Ohgeom in Hwasan. Even if they win five times in a row, we will not lose.’

He had chosen the ten-match format to protect against upsets like this. He thought he had planned for everything.

But as soon as the competition began, he had dismissed the Hwasan Ohgeom in his mind. His own foolish pride had led to this defeat.

“Mu-jin.”

“Yes.”

Heo San-ja couldn’t easily open his mouth, and after moving his lips, he tightly closed his eyes.

“Send out Mu-yeon(無然).”

“…Mu-yeon?”

“Yes.”

Even though things had come to this, he still had no intention of sending out Mu-jin. He had to be the last bastion of Wudang in this match.

If it was Mu-yeon, one of the Wudang Three Swords, it would be enough to reverse the lost momentum.

Mu-jin, who was quietly looking at Heo San-ja, nodded.

“I understand.”

He went to the back, called Mu-yeon, brought him back, and returned to Heo San-ja. Heo San-ja looked at Mu-yeon standing in front of him and said with a firm face.

Heo San-ja looked Mu-yeon directly in the eyes. “Do you understand what is required of you?”

Mu-yeon’s voice was calm but firm. “I will restore the sect’s honor.”

“Correct. You saw it yourself. The Mount Hua sword is dazzling. That dazzling style can confuse the eye and stop our swords from moving freely.”

“Yes.”

“Stay calm and focused, and nothing can hurt you. Never forget Wudang’s lessons.” Elder Heo Sanja spoke firmly.

“Yes, Elder,” Mu-yeon replied. His reply was quiet, not strong or excited.

Hearing Mu-yeon’s low voice, Heo Sanja felt a little better.

‘Right. It’s just one loss,’ he thought. ‘Everyone faces setbacks sometimes. It just happened to be our turn.’

“Go now! Fight for Wudang’s honor!” Heo Sanja commanded.

“I will do my best,” Mu-yeon repeated.

Heo Sanja watched Mu-yeon walk silently towards the sparring stage and laughed sadly to himself.

‘”Do his best,” he says?’ Heo Sanja thought.

Good words, yes. But they sounded empty to him now.

When did Wudang disciples, especially the best ones, have to try so hard in a simple fight against Mount Hua? Heo Sanja felt anger rising inside him. He stared at the Mount Hua disciples, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

“I am Mu-yeon of Wudang.”

Standing on the sparring stage, Mu-yeon looked at Mount Hua with calm eyes and spoke. The Mount Hua disciples, who had been chattering noisily, became quiet and stared at him.

“I congratulate you on your victory. But we must also be given a chance for redemption. Who will be my opponent?”

Hyun-young, who had been listening quietly, looked serious and whispered softly.

“Senior Brother, Mu-yeon, you say…?”

“Yes. One of the Wudang Three Swords. I’ve heard the name as well.”

“Ah…”

The weight of the name ‘Wudang Three Swords’ was much greater than ‘Mount Hua Five Swords’. Even in Wudang, known as the greatest sword sect, only those who might become the best in Wudang could be called one of the Wudang Three Swords.

Maybe one day, the Mount Hua Five Swords will be as famous. But right now, they are not as well-known as the Wudang Three Swords.

Hyun-sang muttered with a worried face.

But then, a calm voice was heard.

“I will go out.”

“Yoon-jong?”

Hyun-sang turned around, surprised, and Yoon-jong smiled brightly.

“If this goes on, I’ll have to listen to Jo-geol brag for another two months. If I, his senior brother, face someone like the Wudang Three Swords, that guy will quiet down, won’t he?”

“But it’s the Wudang Three Swords. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Yoon-jong answered calmly, as if it were nothing.

“Of course, I’m afraid.”

“But I know now. If I only retreat because I’m afraid, I’ll never be able to move forward. I will win.”

Hyun-sang nodded without realizing it at those words.

He had secretly hoped that Baek-cheon or Yoo Iseol would fight. If the opponent was one of the Wudang Three Swords, shouldn’t the strongest among them step forward?

But looking into Yoon-jong’s eyes, he couldn’t stop him.

Baek-cheon, who had come closer, spoke seriously.

“Yoon-jong. The honor of the sect rests on your shoulders…”

“Achoooo!”

Chung-myung’s loud sneeze cut off his words. Baek-cheon’s eyes, which had been tightly closed, trembled.

‘What don’t you like now!’

As he turned around with fierce eyes, Chung-myung wiped his nose and joked.

“Ugh. I think I caught a cold.”

“……You’re likely to catch a cold.”

Chung-myung, pretending to wipe his nose, casually said as he passed by.

“Senior Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“Just do what you always do and come back.”

“……”

“It’ll be more fun than you think.”

Yoon-jong, who was looking at Chung-myung, chuckled.

“Do you think I’m like you or Jo-geol?”

“Not much different.”

“What, you punk?”

Chung-myung grinned as Yoon-jong flared up.

“Sect or whatever, I don’t need any of that, so just go and have some fun. If you lose, I’ll tease you with all my heart and soul.”

“……”

Yoon-jong, whose face had softened slightly, smiled and nodded before heading to the sparring stage.

Baek-cheon, who had watched everything, nodded. He had to admit it.

‘I almost made a mistake.’

The advice he was about to give might be right for Jo-geol, but not for Yoon-jong. Yoon-jong thinks too much already. If he had given that advice, it would have only made things harder for him.

Baek-cheon stood next to Chung-myung and quietly asked.

“Will he be alright?”

“What?”

“Yoon-jong, I mean. Facing the Wudang Three Swords won’t be easy.”

Mu-yeon’s presence on the sparring stage was powerful.

Chung-myung’s understanding was usually accurate, but his answer was a little different from what Baek-cheon expected.

“Even if he’s not alright, he has to endure.”

“……Huh?”

“Even if he can’t win, he has to win.”

“What do you mean?”

As Baek-cheon asked again, Chung-myung’s voice became more serious.

“One day, your sword will be the symbol of Mount Hua. That is the fate of someone who will lead Mount Hua.”

Watching Yoon-jong walk onto the sparring stage, Baek-cheon thought to himself.

‘The leader’s successor, huh….’

He seemed to understand.

‘In the future, that guy will become the sect leader of Mount Hua.’

And when that time comes, Baek-cheon and Yoo Iseol, and maybe even Chung-myung, will have stepped down.

Then, Yoon-jong’s sword will become the standard of Mount Hua. The swords of the Mount Hua Five Swords each have their own style, but the sword that will represent Mount Hua in the future is Yoon-jong’s sword.

‘Does Yoon-jong know?’

How much he carries on his shoulders.

He probably knows. That’s why he looks so determined.

‘Show me.’

What the sword of Mount Hua is.

This was the perfect stage to show it.