Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 624

Baek Cheon looked at Muho on the sparring stage. He was not happy.

Baek Cheon was smart. He could see the mood of Wudang and Muho’s face. He understood what was happening.

‘So, you’re going to do this?’

Now he understood what Chungmyung had said before.

“I am Muho, the first disciple of Wudang.”

Baek Cheon stared closely at Muho without answering. Muho looked away a little, unable to hold his gaze.

If Muho had been confident, Baek Cheon would have cursed him. Baek Cheon held back a sigh.

Muho hadn’t really done anything wrong. He was also a victim.

The problem was…

Baek Cheon looked at Heosanja, who was watching the stage.

‘It must be him.’

Heosanja was dignified.

Unlike the Wudang disciples who avoided Baek Cheon’s eyes, Heosanja held his head high, without any shame.

The disciples in the back and Heosanja reacted very differently. Baek Cheon sighed quietly.

Baek Cheon understood the way of the Jianghu, the harsh logic of power. He didn’t want to say the elder’s choice was completely wrong.

But he wondered:

‘What would our elders have done?’

Would Hyun Sang and Hyun Young have told Baek Cheon to be ashamed for the sect’s glory? To follow the harsh logic of the Jianghu?

No, they wouldn’t.

It might seem foolish. If they ignored feelings, Wudang’s choice might be better for the sect.

But…

Baek Cheon looked at Muho with sad eyes and spoke.

“I am Baek Cheon, the second disciple of Mount Hua.”

He put his hands together and bowed politely. The situation had changed, but he kept his manners.

Clang.

They greeted each other and then drew their swords at the same time.

Muho seemed hurried, but Baek Cheon slowly drew his sword and took a relaxed stance.

Muho glanced at Baek Cheon.

They had drawn their swords, so words weren’t needed. But Baek Cheon could tell Muho wanted to say something.

“Speak.”

Muho hesitated when Baek Cheon spoke first, then sighed.

“It’s not what I wanted.”

“I understand.”

The sect’s orders were very important. Muho had to obey them.

“But,”

Baek Cheon said calmly.

“No matter what happens in the match, I will leave with my head held high.”

Muho didn’t answer. He looked down, his face red.

‘What good is it?’

What good is fame if our disciples are ashamed? What good is honor if we blush with it? What good is a victory we can’t be proud of?

‘Yes, maybe that choice is right.’

But Baek Cheon didn’t want fame he couldn’t be proud of. This was how all the Mount Hua disciples felt.

‘At least for now.’

Baek Cheon raised his sword.

‘Poor Wudang with its great reputation.’

He took his stance again and said:

“Watch carefully.”

Muho looked at him with doubt. The other Wudang disciples stared at Baek Cheon.

‘Yoon Jong did his part.’

He had to be a symbol of hope for the disciples.

So, what was his job? What did Baek Cheon have to do in Mount Hua?

Baek Cheon’s strong voice spread everywhere.

“No matter what happens in this match, or even the whole tournament, Wudang and Mount Hua will keep competing. And this sword will chase after you. Watch carefully.”

The Wudang disciples looked angry at his proud and impolite words.

But they were even angrier because they couldn’t argue with him.

“This is the sword of Mount Hua.”

Baek Cheon took a deep breath, his eyes shining.

“Wow, look at our Dong-ryong causing trouble.”

Chungmyung watched Baek Cheon from below the stage, chuckling.

‘Unstoppable.’

Was he too perfect? Chungmyung was impressed.

Chungmyung couldn’t have done that. He could have pointed out their mistakes and made them angry, but he couldn’t have made them feel so ashamed.

‘Does the result matter?’

Chungmyung glanced at Heosanja.

Yes, maybe it did. Once you lose fame, it’s hard to get it back.

But Chungmyung knew something now. In the past, he would have done anything to win, but now he knew there were different kinds of victory.

Winning this match wasn’t everything.

It was more important for Mount Hua to catch up to Wudang.

Because of Heosanja’s choice, the Mount Hua disciples would remember that the first disciples of Wudang had avoided the match.

The Wudang disciples would always remember that fact.

The Mount Hua disciples still thought of Wudang as a high mountain. They could climb it, but they didn’t dare to.

Now they would realize that the mountain wasn’t as high as they thought. Whether that was true or not.

“Drive in the wedge.”

Baek Cheon would now prove that.

Whoosh.

Baek Cheon’s sword moved lightly through the air.

He was using Mount Hua’s special starting stance. He looked calmly at Muho, but Muho was shrinking back.

‘Why is this happening?’

Baek Cheon was the second disciple.

He was famous and talented, but he had less training and experience.

Why was Muho shrinking like this?

‘Is it because of what happened earlier?’

Was his worry affecting him?

No, that wasn’t it.

Muho looked at Baek Cheon again.

This man was different from the other Mount Hua disciples.

He had a sense of intimidation and pressure. He had the presence of a ‘big shot’.

‘It’s like facing my senior brother.’

It was a strange pressure that reminded him of sparring with Mujin. How could he feel pressure from someone ten years younger?

But reality was reality. Muho was clearly shrinking in front of Baek Cheon.

‘I’m the challenger.’

Muho bit his lip.

The situation was bad, but he was still the first disciple of Wudang. He couldn’t lose.

He calmed down and unleashed his sword energy with a shout.

Fwaat!

The sword energy flew towards Baek Cheon like a crescent moon.

But.

Clang!

The plum blossom sword moved easily and blocked the sword energy.

It was an easy movement.

Muho couldn’t believe it and widened his eyes.

‘Lightly?’

The sword energy had a lot of power. How could Baek Cheon block it so easily?

Baek Cheon was much stronger than he thought.

Baek Cheon glanced at Muho with a slightly proud look and slowly started to approach. His pace made Muho feel pressured.

Muho bit his lip, shouted again, and rushed towards him.

‘The senior brothers lost because they stayed far away.’

Wudang’s sword techniques were strong at mid-range. But the senior brothers had given the opponent space and lost to Mount Hua’s swordsmanship.

There was something wrong with that.

‘I’ll end the match before he can use the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.’

Muho’s idea was right. It was a smart way to fight Mount Hua’s swordsmanship.

The only problem was that his opponent was Baek Cheon.

“Haaah!”

The sword, filled with power, came at Baek Cheon.

Clang! Clang!

But the plum blossom sword blocked it.

Crack.

When the swords met, Muho felt an unbelievable force. His wrist felt like it would break.

Jo Gul’s sword was fast, and Yoon Jong’s sword was simple.

But this sword?

‘Magnificent.’

It felt like it was pushing down on his sword with force. No, it was pushing down on Muho himself.

‘Is this really the second disciple’s sword?’

He didn’t understand how the second disciple could use such a sword.

“Haaah!”

Muho shouted and swung his sword again after blocking the plum blossom sword.

‘I am a disciple of Wudang.’

No matter how strong the opponent was, he was proud to be a disciple of the greatest sect. He didn’t want to look bad. He couldn’t.

Water-like sword energy poured out of his sword. It was Wudang’s sword energy that didn’t stop.

‘I won’t give him a chance.’

He knew it in his gut. If he let Baek Cheon use the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, he would lose. But if he kept pushing, he might win.

‘My sword will not be cut off….’

At that moment.

Whoosh.

Baek Cheon’s sword drew a smooth arc and cut into Muho’s sword energy.

‘What?’

It didn’t block it, but cut into it. It was going to cut off Muho’s sword energy. Muho was annoyed.

‘Foolish act….’

Swish!

Baek Cheon’s sword cut Muho’s sword energy in half.

‘…What?’

Muho was shocked.

The unceasing flow of Wudang’s sword energy was cut off by a single sword. It was like cutting off a waterfall.

The plum blossom sword rushed in. Baek Cheon hit Muho’s chest with the hilt of his sword.

Wham!

Muho fell backward without understanding what had happened.

He crashed to the ground, but he didn’t feel the pain.

His chest didn’t hurt either.

He was still shocked that his sword energy had been cut off by a single sword.

Baek Cheon looked at Muho and said quietly:

“You are not the only one watching the opponent’s sword.”

A smile appeared on Baek Cheon’s face.

“I’ll cut it off, along with your pride.”

Muho’s face twisted.