Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 62

Blood suddenly shot from Lee Song-baek’s mouth. “Oh… where did I learn it?” he gasped, coughing.

Seeing this, Chung Myung sighed and let go of Lee Song-baek’s collar.

‘Hmm, maybe I hit him a little too hard,’ Chung Myung thought, seeing Lee Song-baek’s blood. ‘My energy is still too strong.’

“Tsk.”

Chung Myung opened his hand and smacked Lee Song-baek’s back once.

Thwack!

Chung Myung’s energy, warm and powerful, flowed through Lee Song-baek’s body, healing his hurt insides. Soon, Lee Song-baek breathed out slowly, looking much more relaxed.

Seeing that Lee Song-baek had calmed down, Chung Myung straightened up and looked up at the sky.

After staring at the sky for a long time, Chung Myung sighed deeply.

“That’s the new Mount Jongnam martial art?”

“…Yes,” Lee Song-baek mumbled.

“Snow Blossom Twelve Forms?”

“That is correct.”

Chung Myung chuckled.

‘They could have at least changed the name a bit.’

This was practically a challenge, daring Mount Hua to do something about it.

‘No. That’s not it.’

It was a certainty that even if they did this openly, Mount Hua would no longer recognize this sword technique.

This was mockery.

If Chung Myung hadn’t appeared, Mount Hua would have remained ignorant, even while the Mount Jongnam disciples brazenly used a sword technique that had been lost from Mount Hua.

Chung Myung felt angry at the evil intention behind this sword.

“Who learns this sword?”

“……”

“Why are you taking so long to answer?”

Lee Song-baek nodded.

“It starts with the second-generation disciples.”

“From the second-generation disciples. So, the first and second-generation disciples, and the elders, know this sword?”

“I heard that the elders have never learned this sword. Those who are currently learning this sword are the second and first generations.”

“Never learned it…”

Chung Myung’s eyes flashed with a terrifying light.

If an elder made the Snow Blossom Twelve Forms, they would have taught it to the first disciples first. That’s the natural way to pass down martial arts.

‘Then does that mean the one who last completed this sword is still in Mount Jongnam?’

That was the better news, at least.

If the one who committed this act had already died and been buried, he wouldn’t be able to find and punish the culprit.

‘I don’t know who it is, but I’ll make sure they pay dearly for daring to do such a dogshit thing!’

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

There was no need to even find out what had happened.

When Mount Hua was in chaos, Mount Jongnam would have come to help as well. If a neighboring sect was being invaded by the Demonic Sect and they just stood by and watched, they would be criticized by the Jianghu.

‘But they only pretended to help and actually stole Mount Hua’s martial arts.’

Not everyone would have done that, but there was someone who did something they shouldn’t have while Mount Hua was burning.

Or perhaps…

‘Could it be that the Demonic Sect wasn’t the only reason Mount Hua burned?’

Grind.

His teeth ground together involuntarily.

The more he thought about it, the more unbearable it became.

“Those dog-like bastards…”

Chung Myung risked his life to save the Jianghu from crisis. But these bastards were repaying that kindness with hatred towards Mount Hua?

Moreover, this wasn’t something that ended with one person’s greed.

People make mistakes. That’s why they commit sins. Let’s say that someone from Mount Jongnam who came to Mount Hua was blinded by greed and made a mistake.

But isn’t it the sect’s job to correct that mistake?

Instead of strongly scolding the sin and returning the stolen manuals, they create a new martial art based on it? And even give it the name Snow Blossom, as if mocking Mount Hua?

“They are making a big deal out of this stolen sword.”

Chung Myung, grinding his teeth, turned to Lee Song-baek with burning eyes.

“You!”

“Yes? Ah… Yes!”

“Don’t learn this.”

“Yes? Why…?”

“If I tell you not to learn it, then don’t learn it, you little brat!”

Chung Myung smacked Lee Song-baek on the back of the head.

Looking at Lee Song-baek holding his head and whimpering, two emotions crossed his mind.

On the one hand, he wanted to beat Lee Song-baek to death because he was a Mount Jongnam bastard…

“Tsk.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue in annoyance and said to Lee Song-baek.

“This is a martial art that cannot be mastered.”

“……”

Lee Song-baek stared at Chung Myung with a blank look. But Chung Myung was only telling the truth now.

If Lee Song-baek hadn’t come to him, requested a duel, and shown him that Snow Blossom Twelve Forms or whatever, Chung Myung would have remained completely ignorant of this matter for years.

In a way, Lee Song-baek had helped Chung Myung.

Chung Myung was one to repay favors when he could and never forget grudges, but this favor was too big to just brush aside.

“Mount Jongnam’s martial arts are based on being unbiased. It may seem slow and heavy at first, but the more you hone your sword, the stronger it becomes. But this is not it. This martial art is not meant to be together with Mount Jongnam. If you want to achieve greatness with the sword, throw this away immediately.”

“But the elders say that this sword is a step forward from the existing Mount Jongnam sword.”

“Of course, they would.”

Because no one has yet mastered the Snow Blossom Twelve Forms.

The showy ones progress quickly. When someone who diligently builds the foundation and someone who learns showy techniques clash when they are at a shallow level, the showy one overwhelmingly wins.

‘No, why doesn’t Mount Jongnam know that….’

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped from Chung Myung’s mouth.

‘I hit him too much.’

He seemed to understand.

Chung Myung’s relentless beating of the Mount Jongnam swordsmen was the root cause of everything.

This wasn’t an overestimation or a guess. In fact, it was a natural thing from Mount Jongnam’s perspective.

They too would have been proud of their swordsmanship. But for decades, from the time Chung Myung appeared in the neighboring sect until he died in the battle against the Demonic Sect, Mount Jongnam had never once defeated Chung Myung.

Does that mean Mount Jongnam was weak?

Absolutely not.

‘If Mount Jongnam was weak, they wouldn’t have held a place among the Nine Great Sects.’

On the contrary, the Mount Jongnam of that era was a time when geniuses were pouring out like never before. Even throughout the history of Mount Jongnam, it would be difficult to find a time when talents exploded as much as they did then.

And those geniuses just happened to be born in the same era as Chung Myung, and they were all crushed by Chung Myung’s hands…

‘It’s no wonder they had fundamental doubts about what they had.’

Fools.

If Chung Myung had been in Mount Jongnam, would he have been buried without being called Sword Saint?

No.

What’s important isn’t martial arts. No, martial arts are important, but who uses them is several times more important.

“Um…”

At that moment, Lee Song-baek cautiously opened his mouth.

“Did you say not to learn the Snow Blossom Twelve Swords?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

As Lee Song-baek seemed to hesitate, Chung Myung glanced at him and spoke in a serious tone, different from before.

“No one else can decide your path for you.”

“……”

Lee Song-baek looked at Chung Myung with slightly changed eyes.

“Some decisions are helped by the advice of others, but the real decisions must be made alone. The words of the elders of the sect, or even my words, will not help you. Worry alone, think alone, and decide alone.”

Chung Myung turned his body. And without another word, he began to walk towards the Eunha Merchant Guild.

“Wa, wait a moment!”

Chung Myung, who was walking, turned his head slightly.

Lee Song-baek clasped his hands respectfully.

“Thank you for your teaching.”

“Well. You’re welcome.”

Chung Myung waved his hand lightly and continued walking.

Lee Song-baek, who was quietly watching his receding figure, sighed deeply and looked up at the sky.

“I feel like I’ve met a real immortal.”

Meanwhile, Chung Myung’s face repeatedly flushed red and then cooled down.

“The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get, those bastards!”

To dare steal the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, of all things? And copy it? He felt like running to Mount Jongnam right now and causing a ruckus.

“Aigo. Senior Brother. That’s the way of the world. These bastards are doing this kind of dogshit instead of repaying our kindness. Do I have to put up with this?”

– If you don’t put up with it, what are you going to do.

It felt like Chung Mun was chuckling and asking from the sky.

“Aoh, if I was only as strong as I used to be…”

If Chung Myung was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint now, the elders of Mount Jongnam would have to beg for forgiveness and admit their defeat, but unfortunately, he was not the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, but a third-generation disciple of Mount Hua.

‘I need to get stronger faster.’

He realized it again.

The Jianghu is a place where those without power can’t do anything in the end. Even if the sect leader and elders of Mount Hua knew about this, could they protest to Mount Jongnam?

They couldn’t.

Protesting and pointing out the other party’s faults is a privilege only those with power can enjoy. The current Mount Hua didn’t even have the power to criticize Mount Jongnam’s careless actions.

“For now, that is.”

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

“But it won’t be long.”

Eventually, Mount Hua will regain its past glory. As long as Chung Myung is there, it can’t help but be that way.

If there was one thing he confirmed today, it was that Mount Hua and Mount Jongnam were ultimately not meant to be together.

Now that Mount Jongnam had done something they shouldn’t have done, it was impossible for Mount Hua to live well and Mount Jongnam to live well, each in their own way.

Even if others wanted that, Chung Myung would no longer allow it.

“I need to get stronger faster.”

A fierce light flickered in Chung Myung’s eyes.

He needed to get stronger, but the overall strength of Mount Hua also needed to increase. If Mount Hua couldn’t become strong as Mount Hua, its weaknesses would become too clear.

Chung Myung didn’t want to create a Mount Hua that relied only on him. It had to become a Mount Hua that could stand tall as the greatest sword sect in the world, even without Chung Myung.

Only then could he punish those reckless bastards.

‘Snow Blossom Twelve Forms, huh….’

It was well made.

It was a sword technique that was clumsily copied from the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique. But it wasn’t just about taking the form; he could feel that they had put a lot of thought into how to incorporate it into Mount Jongnam’s martial arts.

He could also see traces of them reducing the showiness as much as possible and modifying the sword style to suit Mount Jongnam’s inner strength, and he could also see that they had adjusted the speed to harmonize with Mount Jongnam’s other martial arts.

It wasn’t just a copy of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique; it contained the will to completely transform it into Mount Jongnam’s martial art, but…

“Rather, that’s why it will become a deadly poison.”

An unmistakable playfulness appeared on Chung Myung’s face.

“If I just leave it alone, it will gradually get worse.”

And watching that didn’t quite suit Chung Myung’s nature. If he was attacked, he had to fight back. Waiting and praying for it to fail wasn’t his way.

“You messed with the wrong person.”

Chung Myung’s gaze turned south. Looking at Mount Jongnam towering in the distance, he clicked his tongue.

“I will make sure you pay the price for forgetting our kindness and attacking Mount Hua. Mount Jongnam.”

And he strode back towards the Eunha Merchant Guild.

But Chung Myung at this time did not know.

That the opportunity to punish Mount Jongnam, which he thought would come far in the future, would come so quickly.