Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 623

“Wait a minute,” a voice said clearly. It was a sharp voice, cutting through the air.

“Elder?” Moo-Jin turned quickly, surprised, to look at Heo San-ja.

But Heo San-ja didn’t even look at Moo-Jin. His eyes were locked on Baek Cheon, who stood ready on the sparring stage.

‘The Plum Blossom Sword.’

The other Wudang disciples had only heard rumors about Mount Hua. But Heo San-ja had to lead them, so he couldn’t just rely on rumors to make his plans.

He gathered as much information about Mount Hua as he could before coming here.

Almost none of the information about their skills was correct. It was so wrong that he wanted to demand answers from the Beggars’ Union. But some information couldn’t be ignored.

‘Mount Hua’s greatest talent.’

Everyone who knew about Mount Hua said the same thing.

They called him the Plum Blossom Sword. Baek Cheon was Mount Hua’s greatest talent.

There was also the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua, but he was too strong and influential to be considered a junior disciple. So, Baek Cheon was seen as the junior disciple representing Mount Hua.

There were many opinions about him, but one word caught Heo San-ja’s attention the most.

Genius.

Baek Cheon had defeated Jin Geum-ryong, one of the famous Five Dragons. He had even defeated the Lord of the Myriad Manors in a real fight.

And he would almost certainly become the next leader of Mount Hua.

No matter how you looked at it, he was someone who couldn’t be ignored.

So, Baek Cheon would be stronger than the Mount Hua disciples who fought earlier.

Then Heo San-ja had to think about something else.

Could he be sure that Moo-Jin would win against Baek Cheon?

Heo San-ja knew that Moo-Jin was strong. Wudang had high hopes for him.

But Heo San-ja had watched the previous fights. He couldn’t promise a sure victory. If something went wrong, Wudang would be in a very bad situation.

‘Maybe….’

Heo San-ja’s eyes gleamed. He slowly said,

“Moo-Jin.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“You will not fight this time.”

“…Yes?”

Heo San-ja glanced at Moo-Jin, who looked surprised. Then he looked back and said,

“Moo-Ho!”

“Yes!”

“You go out.”

Moo-Ho was surprised. He didn’t expect to be chosen. He asked, confused,

“M-Me, Elder? Are you talking about me?”

“That’s right.”

Moo-Ho closed his mouth. His eyes widened, his mouth going dry. His hands felt clammy.

He knew what was happening. He wasn’t sure of his own sword skills. This fight wasn’t for him. He was near the bottom of the first-generation disciples.

“E-Elder, that person challenged Moo-Jin, Senior Brother.”

“I have ears. Do you think I didn’t hear that?”

“Then why…?”

Heo San-ja was annoyed. Moo-Ho was hesitating. He turned to Baek Cheon and said irritably,

“Moo-Jin is one of the Wudang Three Swords. He is among the best of Wudang’s first-generation disciples. Moo-Jin is too important to fight a junior disciple.”

“Elder!”

Moo-Jin raised his voice without thinking. He realized what Heo San-ja really meant.

Heo San-ja was avoiding the fight. Wudang was doing that.

“They started this match. How can we avoid it? They are challenging us with someone of a lower rank. Are you saying we should be afraid and run away?”

“You’re saying strange things,” Heo San-ja said, his voice smooth.

Heo San-ja’s smile was cold and thin, barely a twitch at the corners of his lips, not reaching his eyes.

“Didn’t you and Moo-Yeon say this was just a friendly fight? It makes more sense for Moo-Ho to learn from Mount Hua’s swordsmanship. You’ve already learned everything you need to, haven’t you?”

Moo-Jin’s body began to tremble.

But Heo San-ja didn’t care. He said,

“There’s no need to say more. Moo-Ho will face Baek Cheon.”

“Elder!”

Moo-Jin was about to shout again. But he bit his lip. He lowered his voice. People were starting to stare at them.

“This isn’t right.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t do something dishonorable. Others are watching!”

“Foolish one,” Heo San-ja sneered coldly.

“We have already lost three times.”

He spat out the words as if they tasted bad.

“If we lose again, what will people say about us? Do you think they will praise us for being honorable even though we lost?”

Moo-Jin looked into Heo San-ja’s eyes and closed his mouth. Words wouldn’t work. It didn’t matter if he was right or wrong.

“We can’t achieve what we came here for. People will remember that Mount Hua won. Wudang’s first-generation disciples lost twice to Mount Hua’s third-generation disciples. That’s terrible. Nothing can excuse that. And…”

One of the Wudang disciples who lost was one of the Wudang Three Swords. That was even worse.

Heo San-ja couldn’t say these words. He was too ashamed.

“But maybe…” Heo San-ja’s bloodshot eyes glared at Moo-Jin.

“If you lose, Wudang’s reputation will be ruined. The world will praise Mount Hua and laugh at Wudang. We will never be great again!”

“…Elder.”

“You are the leader of the Wudang Three Swords. You must not lose to them.”

Moo-Jin felt hopeless.

Heo San-ja was usually rational and gentle. But he wasn’t like that now.

“…Still, this isn’t right. Elder, this is…”

“There’s no need to say more. This is an order.”

Moo-Jin sighed and closed his eyes. Heo San-ja was Wudang’s first-generation disciple and elder. Heo Do-jin, the sect leader, had given him all authority. So, Heo San-ja’s order was like the sect leader’s order.

“Step back.”

“I… I obey the order.”

Moo-Jin bit his lip and stepped back. His shoulders slumped slightly, his face falling.

Heo San-ja bit his lip and turned away. He felt a pang of shame, but he pushed it down. Reputation was more important now.

He knew this was shameful and dishonorable. How could he not know?

This wasn’t the right way. What was the point of winning if they avoided the fight?

But shame was temporary. The result was forever. No shame could compare to Wudang being pushed back by Mount Hua’s young disciples.

“Moo-Ho. Step forward.”

“…Yes.”

Moo-Ho sighed and stepped onto the sparring stage with slumped shoulders. Moo-Ho’s eyes widened, his mouth going dry. His hands felt clammy.

“What?”

“It’s not Great Warrior Moo-Jin?”

The Mount Hua disciples began to stir. The sparring stage was a raised platform in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by a sea of faces. The air buzzed with whispers and anticipation. Dust motes danced in the afternoon sun that beat down on the wooden stage.

They expected Moo-Jin to come up. But it was someone they had never seen before.

“Who is it?”

“Is he one of the Wudang Three Swords?”

“I don’t think so?”

Everyone was confused. They expected someone worthy of Baek Cheon to come out. Baek Cheon was the best among them.

Mount Hua had won the last two matches. They expected Wudang to try their best.

“Is he a hidden master or something?”

“Does it look like it?”

“…I guess not?”

It didn’t look like it. Moo-Jin had a strong presence. Moo-Yeon had overwhelmed Yoon-Jong. But this person felt much weaker.

Jo-Geol watched the Mount Hua disciples whispering. He gritted his teeth and said to Chung Myung,

“Is this what you were talking about earlier?”

Chung Myung sneered at the Wudang side and nodded.

“I didn’t know they would be this obvious about it.”

“…They don’t want to win?”

Anger flashed across Jo-Geol’s face. He was a smart merchant’s son. He knew what Wudang was doing.

It was a win-win strategy.

They wouldn’t send out strong fighters like Baek Cheon and Yoo I-seol. They would win with their confident fighters against the remaining Mount Hua disciples.

Baek Cheon would win easily.

Yoo I-seol would also win easily.

But what about the others?

Who else in Mount Hua could win against the remaining first-generation disciples of Wudang?

Only Chung Myung.

“We can win if we just fight! Why are they being so sly!”

“That’s what prestigious sects are like,” Chung Myung said indifferently.

“They became prestigious because they were good. But what matters to a prestigious sect is results. They know that the process doesn’t matter.”

“So, is that right?”

“No one said it was right.”

Jo-Geol gritted his teeth. He glared at the Wudang side as if they had betrayed him. The other disciples glared at Wudang too.

Chung Myung thought it was foolish to expect fairness from the enemy. But he understood how they felt.

‘Yeah, they’d be angry.’

Mount Hua wanted to be like Wudang. They admired them.

They had never imagined that they could be better than Wudang.

Wudang must have seemed strong and lofty to them.

But now they saw Wudang’s true colors. It was natural that they felt betrayed.

Chung Myung looked at Heo San-ja and smiled quietly.

‘Yeah, they’ve given up on pride,’

It was a bold decision.

People who care too much about appearances often fail. It seemed wise to give up everything for victory.

“Watch closely,” Chung Myung said coldly.

“Compromise is for those who aren’t in danger. When someone is threatened, they show their true nature.”

Everyone was silent. They looked at the sparring stage. Chung Myung’s eyes darkened.

‘However….’

He smiled twistedly.

‘We’ll see if it goes their way.’

He looked at Heo San-ja with cold eyes.