Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 619

Everyone knows you can only use one martial art at a time. It’s just common sense. Think about it – when you fight, you focus your energy into your sword or your footwork. So, it’s not really true that you can *never* do two martial arts at once.

What people really mean is, you can’t use *two of the same kind* of martial art at the same time. Could you use the Plum Blossom Sword on your right and the Seven Plum Sword on your left? Or Plum Blossom Sword in one hand and Bamboo Leaf Hand in the other?

Maybe you could switch back and forth between them a little, but to use two completely different styles at the same moment? Almost impossible.

That’s because each martial art uses energy in a different way, and the movements are different. If you try to mix them perfectly, so they don’t get in each other’s way, it’s not really two martial arts anymore – it becomes one new technique.

That’s why everyone says it’s impossible to do two martial arts at once. It’s like you’d need two minds to control them both, not just one.

But there was a sect that made this impossible thing possible, and that was Wudang.

Wudang Mountain was known for its unusual Taoist temples and the strange people who lived there. They were always trying new and unusual ways to understand the Tao.

Among them, there was someone who tried to divide his mind into two.

Humans can only see others objectively, excluding themselves, and others cannot fully see into the human’s inner self. So, if I become two, I can realize the Tao faster than anyone else.

This crazy idea actually worked! After many tries, they finally succeeded in dividing their consciousness into two.

It wasn’t a great help in understanding the Tao, like the founder hoped, but it had a huge effect on their martial arts.

Look.

Kraaaash!

Within the raging river of sword energy, a soft force was surging.

It was like two different powers – sword energy and another force – were mixed together, then split apart to attack in their own ways.

‘What, what is this…’

Yoon Jong was horrified and flew backward. But the sword energy and force chased after him, as if they would never stop.

“Kuk!”

Realizing that he couldn’t escape, Yoon Jong released a blue sword energy and slashed down, then horizontally.

Paaah!

Instantly, a large wall of sword energy appeared in front of him.

Rumble!

As it hit the oncoming sword energy, the wall shook greatly and was pushed back, but somehow managed to hold without breaking.

‘It, it worked…’

But at that moment.

Yoon Jong’s eyes went wide with shock.

The force that had been rushing in with the sword energy suddenly changed direction and flew towards his side, going around the sword wall.

Seeing the white force change direction was like watching something alive, or even a ghost, move on its own.

‘No way!’

But there was no time to think. Yoon Jong quickly pulled back his sword and jumped into the air. The sword energy and force swept through the space just below him.

Whooooosh!

The soles of his shoes were cut off by the sword energy. Yoon Jong flipped his body several times in the air and rolled as soon as he landed on the empty arena.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

The pure white force flew to the spot where he had briefly landed, destroying and crushing the bluestone.

Yoon Jong scrambled to his feet, like a flying squirrel, near the edge of the arena. He stared at Mu-yeon, tense and ready to fight back, like a cat about to pounce.

Drip, drip. Sweat dripped from his chin.

It was a fierce attack, like a storm. Yoon Jong opened his mouth as if groaning.

“…Yang-ui Sim Gong.”

“That’s right.”

Mu-yeon smiled brightly.

“It’s not perfect yet, but it’s good enough. How is it? Does it seem quite useful?”

Useful?

Yoon Jong almost laughed, but stopped himself. It sounded bitter.

Yang-ui Sim Gong. It’s known as one of Wudang’s deepest and most powerful martial arts, letting you use two styles at once.

Yoon Jong had heard of it, but until now, he hadn’t really understood what it meant to use two martial arts at the same time. He thought it was just martial arts, so he just had to deal with them at the same time.

But the Yang-ui Sim Gong that he actually experienced was completely different from what he had expected.

‘It’s like fighting two absolute masters at the same time.’

Yoon Jong knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to face two masters.

This is because Yoon Jong is the most specialized in suppressing opponents by matching their combinations. When he was with Jo Gul, it was possible to face enemies much stronger than them.

When different sword styles work together, like gears turning together, they become much stronger – not just twice as strong, but three or four times stronger.

But now, Mu-yeon was doing alone what Jo Gul and Yoon Jong had to do together.

‘This is Yang-ui Sim Gong…’

This Yang-ui Sim Gong is truly unbelievable!

Yoon Jong swallowed hard. It was a moment when he deeply realized why the world praised Wudang’s martial arts.

“…Can we deal with that?”

Baek Cheon groaned as he watched the sparring match.

Yang-ui Sim Gong is a martial art that anyone who is involved in the world cannot help but know. Isn’t Yang-ui Sim Gong the martial art that symbolizes Wudang along with the Taegeuk Hyegeom, Myeonjang, and Sipdangeum?

But what you hear and what you see are literally worlds apart.

“…No, that’s… a cheat.”

Jo Gul, who had already received treatment and returned, muttered with a lost face. He also mainly used joint attacks with Yoon Jong, so he couldn’t help but know how great the martial art unfolding before his eyes was.

“This is… Wudang.”

Even Yoo Iseol muttered, her face still serious.

This showed why Wudang was so respected. It explained why they were one of the most powerful Taoist groups, even though they hadn’t been around as long as others.

Baek Cheon opened his mouth without taking his eyes off the arena.

“…Cheong-myeong.”

“Huh?”

“…Does that even seem possible to you?”

Cheong-myeong chuckled.

“That’s why I told you.”

“…”

“Wudang’s martial arts get stronger over time. That Yang-ui Sim Gong is half the reason they are so strong.”

Yang-ui Sim Gong is the most difficult martial art in Wudang, along with Taegeuk Hyegeom. It is a martial art that is not even allowed to be learned unless you are in the top ranks of the first-generation disciples.

“Anyway, that thing pisses me off every time I see it.”

“…When did you see that again?”

“No, think about it.”

“Huh?”

Cheong-myeong glared and said as if complaining.

“What? Divide a person’s mind into two? What could be stranger and more wrong than splitting your mind in two? Is this really a good martial art for a proper group? Even the bad guys don’t do things like this!”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s pupils trembled slightly.

Listening to it, it seems like it’s true…

“What about those bastards? The Plum Blossom Sword Technique is heretical? I wish I could hit them over the head with a stick! Who are they to say our Plum Blossom Sword is bad?”

“Ca, calm down, Cheong-myeong.”

Baek Cheon grabbed Cheong-myeong, who was so angry he looked like he was going to run over to the Wudang people. Baek Cheon was sweating with worry.

Why is this bastard suddenly accelerating…?

“Th, that’s not important right now. What about giving Yoon Jong some advice on how to deal with that…”

“Advice my foot!”

But Cheong-myeong snorted.

“If there was such a method, we wouldn’t be suffering.”

“…Huh?”

“There’s no such thing as a countermeasure. That’s not a trick or a deception. It’s literally martial arts.”

“…”

“Annoying and irritating.”

Baek Cheon’s face noticeably hardened at the returning answer.

“It’s annoying, but the effect is certain. From the moment you can use Yang-ui Sim Gong, your martial prowess increases by at least half.”

“…It seems so.”

I don’t know what principle makes this possible, but the effect was certainly confirmed.

Baek Cheon felt a sense of frustration, as if something was stuck in his chest.

If you think you’ve surpassed it, there’s a bigger mountain behind it, and if you think you’ve surpassed that, there’s an even bigger mountain blocking your way.

Now I know why they say the power of a prestigious family is endless.

‘That’s the mountain we have to overcome in the end.’

Two tigers cannot coexist on one mountain. If Mount Hua is to stand tall as a Taoist family in the world, Wudang must be overcome.

‘But…’

Baek Cheon’s gaze, fixed on Yoon Jong’s back, was filled with pity. The burden seemed too heavy for Yoon Jong to bear alone.

“Yoon Jong-ah…”

Cheong-myeong chuckled at Baek Cheon’s appearance, who couldn’t help but murmur Yoon Jong’s name.

“Why? Does it seem too much for Yoon Jong?”

“…”

“Can you do it, Uncle?”

“Wh, who said that?”

Baek Cheon’s face turned red. Cheong-myeong shook his head and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“That’s how geniuses are…”

“Wh, what do you want to say?”

“Watch carefully.”

“Huh?”

As Cheong-myeong’s voice became serious, Baek Cheon’s eyes also took on a different light.

“Smart people have one way, and regular people have another. But…”

Cheong-myeong stared at Yoon Jong’s back without blinking.

“Yoon Jong knows that best.”

Slowly, Yoon Jong’s shoulders stopped shaking. Yoon Jong, who had calmed his breathing, quietly stared at Mu-yeon.

‘Sparring…’

If this were a real battle, he would not have been given time to catch his breath.

Maybe Mu-yeon was giving him time because it was just practice, or maybe he was just too confident. Yoon Jong felt relief first, then anger.

‘Strong.’

Mu-yeon was strong. He deserved to be called one of the Wudang Samgeom.

The sword energy and force that simultaneously attacked with Yang-ui Sim Gong were enough to confuse the mind of the opponent. If Yoon Jong had experienced this situation for the first time, he would have been lying on the floor without even realizing what was going on.

But…

‘It’s not as desperate as that time.’

The time when he fought with the Lord was still vivid in his mind.

He still clearly remembered the tremendous momentum, as if Asura had manifested on earth.

Compared to the shock of facing the creator of despair and chaos in front of him, this was rather humane.

‘I didn’t know what to do back then either.’

Yoon Jong just screamed, clung on, and endured.

And that doesn’t change this time either.

Yoon Jong quietly took a middle stance.

The basic posture of all swords.

From there, he shifted his center of gravity back by three tenths and said in a low voice.

“Come.”

A smile formed on Mu-yeon’s lips.

‘I should have brought more second-generation and third-generation disciples. If I had, I would have learned a lot from him.’

No, in fact, he is also learning.

From that unwavering posture.

Whooooosh.

Mu-yeon’s sword, filled with internal energy, began to tremble on its own.

‘Then I need to give it my all!’

Mu-yeon hardened his resolve and swung his sword.

The sword energy, which was even thicker than before, turned into a rapid current and covered Yoon Jong. Yoon Jong’s body, exposed to that enormous energy, began to shake like a small boat in a storm.