Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 626

Silence fell. You could hear only the wind. Everyone watching the fight from Wudang became completely silent. They stared at Baek Cheon, their eyes wide with shock.

‘Is he copying us?’ one Wudang disciple thought.

No, it was more than just copying. It was like he truly *understood* Wudang’s sword style.

The way he moved was different, but that single sword move held the very heart of Wudang’s martial arts.

‘How is this possible?’

It was already shocking that they had lost three times. Before, they could think it was just luck for Mount Hua. They believed if they fought again, they could make it a close fight.

But not now. Baek Cheon was completely beating Mu-oh.

And he was doing it with sword moves that looked like Wudang’s most secret techniques, not his own Mount Hua style.

‘When…?’

Heo Sanja’s eyes narrowed. He felt a cold feeling in his stomach.

‘When did Mount Hua become this strong?’

The earlier fights showed Mount Hua was getting closer to their level. But what he saw now made him understand Mount Hua was already stronger.

It felt, and this was not an exaggeration, like Baek Cheon’s sword was pointed right at Heo Sanja’s throat.

‘Genius,’ Heo Sanja thought.

But he knew that just saying “genius” didn’t explain everything. He knew talent alone was not enough.

So many people are born with talent. Many show great promise when they are young. But after twenty, most of those talented people become normal. By thirty, only a few remain truly exceptional.

Talent is just the beginning. If you don’t have the right place to train and grow, even the most talented person will end up ordinary.

‘Baek Cheon wasn’t this good before.’

He had done well in past fights, but Hye-yeon and Cheong-myeong were the ones who became famous then. Baek Cheon was good, but just had normal talent, not as impressive as those two.

But now, that talent, which seemed hidden before, was bursting out.

‘What happened to him?’

It didn’t make sense. Talent that was not special before cannot suddenly become amazing. Something must have changed him in a short time.

Heo Sanja could not understand it at all.

‘Could Mu-jin defeat him?’

Even though he thought it was impossible, Heo Sanja told Mu-jin to step back, just in case something unexpected happened. Now, watching Baek Cheon, Heo Sanja felt relieved he had made that choice. It was the right one.

Seventy percent.

Even if Mu-jin was very strong, Heo Sanja could not be more than 70% sure Mu-jin would win against Baek Cheon. A 70% chance of winning means he could lose one out of every three fights. And what if this fight was that one time he lost?

‘Mount Hua…’

Heo Sanja understood deeply. Mount Hua was no longer a small problem for Wudang. They were a real threat.

Mu-oh’s face was a mess of feelings. You could see humiliation, anger, shock, fear, frustration, and hatred all at once. His face was red, and his hands were shaking on his sword. He spoke in a low, rough voice, like his throat was tight.

“So…” He swallowed hard. “…’Not bad,’ you say?”

The Wudang sword?

To call the famous Wudang sword just “not bad”?

*Grind.*

He clenched his teeth so hard they made a grinding sound.

He could handle being ignored himself. But he could not stand to see the Wudang sword insulted.

“That arrogant…” He spat out the words, words a Wudang Taoist should not say. “…bastard.”

Baek Cheon just looked at him, his eyes calm.

“I didn’t mean to insult the Wudang sword,” Baek Cheon said.

“Then why did you say such thoughtless words?” Mu-oh demanded.

“I just feel sorry for it,” Baek Cheon replied.

“…” Mu-oh stared at him, not understanding.

Baek Cheon continued, his voice steady. “The sword tries to be like water, flowing and natural. But the people who use the sword try to fight against what is natural. How can the sword not be something to feel sorry for?”

“…”

Mu-oh could not answer. His hand on his sword trembled.

‘Elder…’ he thought.

*This is why we should not choose a path that is not natural.* Even now, when the Wudang sword is being insulted and all his training seems worthless, he cannot even argue back.

It was clear that Wudang had tried to go against what is natural, to seek unfair gain. The fact that he was facing Baek Cheon now proved it.

“The sword of a sect is more than just sword skills,” Baek Cheon said.

Without thinking, Baek Cheon glanced at Cheong-myeong.

He saw Cheong-myeong sitting alone, yawning as if he was bored. Even though this was a very important fight for Mount Hua, Cheong-myeong looked completely uninterested. Baek Cheon let out a small, helpless laugh.

“A sect’s sword shows what that sect is,” Baek Cheon explained. “That’s why Shaolin’s fist is strong and heavy, Qingcheng’s sword is fast, and Wudang’s sword is soft and flowing, right?”

“…” Mu-oh remained silent.

“It’s clear what will happen to a sect that loses its way, that forgets what is most important about itself.”

Suddenly, Baek Cheon understood Cheong-myeong.

Before, he couldn’t understand why Cheong-myeong had secretly helped Lee Song-baek from Jongnam sect. Jongnam was Mount Hua’s enemy, and Lee Song-baek was a Jongnam disciple. Why would Cheong-myeong help him?

But now, looking at Mu-oh, he thought he understood.

It was the feeling of watching a famous sect, a sect that should be great, fail to protect what was important and lose their way.

It was a sad feeling for him as a martial artist, even if he didn’t like Wudang sect.

“You are talking like you think you are better than everyone,” Mu-oh said, his voice full of anger. He clenched his teeth again.

“Maybe you are right,” Mu-oh continued. “But you are still arrogant. Even if you are right, it is arrogant to be so sure you are completely right.”

“…” Baek Cheon remained silent.

“What is wrong with thinking carefully and following the decisions of the elders? They have more experience!” Mu-oh argued.

Baek Cheon sighed, feeling frustrated.

Mu-oh was not completely wrong. Disciples should trust their teachers. Even if they don’t understand, if disciples don’t trust their teachers’ decisions, it will cause problems.

But…

“If there is one big difference between Mount Hua and Wudang,” Baek Cheon said,

“…” Mu-oh waited, listening.

“It’s that we are not afraid of different opinions.”

That was Mount Hua.

Even if a disciple complains and says something is wrong, it doesn’t cause a disaster. Everyone listens to even the smallest voice. No one questions if someone has the right to speak their mind.

Yes. That was Mount Hua.

Baek Cheon smiled softly.

‘How amusing.’

Mu-oh also tried to push Chung Myung down using his position and power when they first met. When that didn’t work, Mu-oh even tried to beat Chung Myung using his fighting skills.

Mu-oh used to be narrow-minded like Baek Cheon was before. Now, Mu-oh was more open-minded.

Things change when your place changes. Baek Cheon now saw things differently because of his new role.

Now, Baek Cheon looked at Mu-oh and felt angry. Mu-oh just trusted Wudang completely, and Baek Cheon was annoyed by this blind trust.

“Talking won’t solve this, will it?”

Baek Cheon lowered his sword.

“Come on. Fighting with swords is the only way to show who is right. I will prove to you that I am not wrong.”

Mu-oh’s face showed pain and anger.

The audience seats were close to the fighting area. Everyone watching must have heard everything they said.

Mu-oh didn’t mean to, but now he had to prove that Wudang had made the right choice. Even if he didn’t want to, everyone watching would expect him to do that.

‘This cunning…’

Mu-oh bit his lip hard. He couldn’t say anything now. Trying to explain would just show everyone he was weak.

So, he had to use his sword to show he was right. He had no other choice.

This was the fate of those who chose the sword and entered this fighting world.

“Hoo-oo.”

Mu-oh took a deep breath and gripped his sword tightly.

‘It’s impossible to gain an advantage at close range.’

Baek Cheon moved in close fighting as if he was born for it. Mu-oh felt a chill, as if Baek Cheon carried the memory of countless real fights, the clang of steel on steel echoing in his very movements.

This meant his best plan was already gone.

So, what should he do?

‘Obvious.’

Then he had no choice but to return to his strengths.

Mu-oh slowly moved his sword. From the tip of his sword, a fierce blue energy began to pour out.

‘No matter how beautiful or strong they are, I will destroy them all.’

Cut if you dare.

I will show you that even my cut sword energy is very powerful!

Mu-oh’s sword energy was strong and determined, like an angry ocean wave. It was different from Wudang’s sword energy, which was calm and steady like a peaceful river. Mu-oh’s energy was more like a muddy, fast river pushed by a storm.

This strong energy looked even bigger and more powerful than what Mu-yeon had shown before.

But Baek Cheon frowned and sighed as he looked at the sword energy rushing toward him.

‘Is this it, in the end?’

It seemed talking wouldn’t help. Wudang sword fighting is about being calm and respectful. Using angry, wild sword energy like this means losing the true meaning of Wudang style.

It looked stronger on the outside, but the inside was only filled with unrefined, rough energy.

– Sasuk is the one who will spread the name of Mount Hua throughout the world.

‘Alright.’

If that’s the role you think I should play.

‘I will do my best to achieve it!’

So that those annoying disciples who talk behind my back can see it clearly!

Hwaaaaaah!

Baek Cheon’s sword moved in a wide circle. As the tip of his sword traced a gentle, flowing curve, bright plum blossoms seemed to burst into life, spreading like waves of color.

These plum blossoms were much more powerful than what the Wudang disciples had seen before. The flowers appeared so easily, as if they grew wherever the sword moved. They were so bright and colorful, like someone had thrown buckets of red paint across the sky.

It was an amazing sight to see.

The plum blossoms were so red, almost magical. They filled the sky with their beauty, like they were dancing gracefully.

Everyone watching was mesmerized.

The audience, and even the Wudang disciples who had already seen quite a bit of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Even the Mount Hua disciples, who had seen Baek Cheon’s sword many times, were completely amazed and couldn’t look away.

“Ah…”

Even Mu-oh, who was facing him, was momentarily stunned.

‘Plum blossoms…’

The red plum blossoms spun and danced around Mu-oh’s powerful sword energy. It was like the sword energy was a wave of water, and the plum blossoms were sharp stones, smashing through it, breaking it into pieces.

Paaaaah!

The plum blossom petals, after destroying the sword energy, flew up into the sky, carried by the wind. The petals spread everywhere, making the world look red, and even more red.

Flower Garden.

It looked like the whole world was filled with red flowers in full bloom.

For Mu-oh, watching this, it felt like everything around him had become flower petals.

And after a moment.

Hwaaaaah!

The plum blossoms, which had looked so beautiful in the sky, now rushed towards Mu-oh, carried by the wind.

Scritch!

The fabric of his shoulder was cut.

Scritch!

His pants belt was also cut.

The plum blossoms touched Mu-oh’s body, who was too shocked to even move. They brushed past him gently, even though they were sharp and dangerous.

Scritch! Scritch! Scritch!

Dozens, hundreds of petals slashed through the Wudang uniform as they brushed past.

Hwaaaaah!

After the plum blossoms rushed past him like a storm, Mu-oh’s clothes were completely ripped.

……

But not a single scratch remained on his body. Even though so much sword energy had brushed past him.

……

Mu-oh and Baek Cheon’s eyes met in the air.

Red blood trickled down from Mu-oh’s bitten lower lip.

It’s not hard to hurt someone with sword energy.

But to control it so perfectly, to only scare someone without hurting them at all, is much harder. It’s even harder than injuring them, or even killing them.

In the face of this hopeless difference, Mu-oh had nothing else to say.

“I…”

His body trembled like an aspen tree.

“…I have lost.”

Seeing him trembling without even sheathing his sword, Baek Cheon slowly pushed his sword back into its scabbard.

Screeeech.

And after straightening his shoulders, he brought his hands together in front of his chest and held them out.

“I understand now.”

It was a perfect, overwhelming victory that left no room for further discussion.