Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 633

After coming down from the stage, Mu-Gak bowed his head to Heo San-ja.

“I… I am sorry,” Mu-Gak said.

Heo San-ja remained silent.

“I used the Hye-geom, even though I knew I shouldn’t have. I will accept whatever punishment you give me.”

Heo San-ja looked at Mu-Gak thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed slightly. “Why?” he asked.

Mu-Gak hesitated. “…”

“You could have easily won without using the Hye-geom. Why did you break the rules of the sect?”

“It’s hard to explain,” Mu-Gak replied.

Heo San-ja nodded. “That’s not important,” he said, patting Mu-Gak on the shoulder. “The important thing is that you won. If we punish the winner, the world will laugh at Wudang. I will forget about your mistake.”

“But…” Mu-Gak started to protest.

“It’s alright. Stand tall! This isn’t something to apologize for.”

“Yes,” Mu-Gak said, straightening his shoulders.

Heo San-ja’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Now that they’ve seen the Hye-geom and watched their best disciple lose so badly, they must have lost their confidence. They might be angry now, but they’ll soon understand the truth.”

Mu-Gak remained silent.

“All that’s left is to win all the remaining matches. That’s all.”

Mu-Gak simply nodded and walked past Heo San-ja towards the back. A mix of emotions showed on his face. Was he ashamed? Confused? He felt no pride in this victory.

‘I won…?’ he thought.

A strange feeling washed over Mu-Gak. He had won, but it didn’t feel like a victory. He had won the match, but he felt like he had been defeated as a swordsman.

Mu-Jin approached him. “Senior Brother,” he said.

“What did you think?” Mu-Gak asked.

Mu-Jin hesitated. “…”

Mu-Gak found it hard to put his feelings about the match into words.

“Senior Brother, perhaps we have been…” Mu-Jin started to say, but then he looked at Heo San-ja in the distance.

“Perhaps we have been blinded by our pride in Wudang,” Mu-Jin said. It was not something a Wudang disciple should say.

But instead of scolding him, Mu-Jin simply nodded silently, placing a hand on Mu-Gak’s shoulder.

“Sparring…” Mu-Jin thought to himself, “This sparring… it’s not just about winning. It’s about seeing how others fight, learning from them.”

In that sense, they were learning more than they had expected through this sparring match. ‘I wish the other disciples understood this as well,’ Mu-Jin sighed softly. ‘I feel like I learned something important.’

“It’s alright. He’s just exhausted,” Dang So-So said.

“Are you really alright?” another disciple asked.

“Yes,” Un-Geom replied.

Dang So-So nodded seriously, still holding Un-Geom’s wrist, as if she was worried. “He’s hurt inside, but he’ll be fine if he rests for a few days.”

“Hoo,” one of the disciples sighed.

“That’s a relief…” another said.

The Mount Hua disciples relaxed, the tension easing from their shoulders. They would have been devastated if Un-Geom had been seriously hurt. They were whispering and gathered around Un-Geom.

“Abbot…” one of them murmured.

Un-Geom’s face, who had lost consciousness, looked strangely peaceful. It was strange because it contrasted with how he usually looked. Seeing him like that made some of the Mount Hua disciples wipe their eyes.

Baek Sang bit his lip tightly, as if he was about to cry. His face turned red, and he clenched his fists.

At that moment, a low voice came from behind them. The sound of footsteps approached.

“Don’t let your emotions control you,” Chung Myung said calmly. He was trying to be strong for them.

Everyone turned to see Chung Myung approaching. “Remember what you saw and learned. The Abbot would want that.”

“Of course,” one disciple said.

“I will never forget!” another exclaimed.

How could they forget? They had seen it with their own eyes. They had felt what Un-Geom was trying to show them with their whole bodies.

Seeing their serious faces, Chung Myung smiled slightly. This was a lesson they had to learn themselves. He couldn’t just explain it.

Everyone has their limits. That’s why people gather together. Because even if one person can’t do it alone, they can do it together.

“So…” Chung Myung looked around at everyone.

“Is there anyone who is still afraid of losing?”

No one answered, but their eyes spoke volumes. Their eyes met Chung Myung’s, no longer filled with fear, but with a newfound resolve.

“Good!” Chung Myung nodded and pointed to the sparring stage with his chin. “Who wants to go next?”

“I will!” someone shouted.

“Step aside, Senior Brother! I will go!” another yelled.

“There’s no need for even the older members to step forward! I will go!”

As soon as the words were spoken, shouts burst from everywhere with loud and eager voices. It was the opposite of before, when they were all hesitant and looking at each other.

“Ah, Senior Brother is weaker than me! I will go!”

“What, you little punk? Want to fight?”

“Let’s be fair! Everyone should have a chance! Stop talking nonsense and get lost!”

“What? I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”

“So, So-So, calm down,” one of the disciples said.

“…”

Well… it seemed a bit excessive.

But it was better than hesitating.

Chung Myung, slightly embarrassed, was about to point to one of them when…

“Everyone, be quiet,” a voice that made everyone freeze said.

It was Baek Sang, gripping his sword with a look of intense determination.

“I will go,” he stated.

Silence.

“Anyone have a problem with that?”

“No, sir,” someone replied.

Everyone shut their mouths. It felt like their lives would be at risk if they complained.

Baek Sang bit his lip and looked at Chung Myung. “I can go, right?”

“Uh… uh. Go ahead,” Chung Myung stammered.

Even the mighty Chung Myung was surprised by his intensity.

“I’m going.”

Baek Sang headed to the sparring stage without looking back. Watching him, Chung Myung wiped away a cold sweat. It was a quick, nervous wipe.

‘Is it because they’re young?’ Chung Myung thought.

“That’s a bit mean, don’t you think?” someone mumbled quietly.

Soso spoke clearly and firmly, “Everyone, please step back now. Master Kwan-ju needs to rest.”

People around Un-geom quickly moved back. They didn’t want to bother him while he rested.

Cheong-myeong stayed behind for a moment. He looked down at Un-geom, who was still not awake.

*I wish I could show that much dedication,* Cheong-myeong thought.

“Wow,” Cheong-myeong said softly.

*I didn’t think he would do it so well.*

Cheong-myeong had only taught them how to keep going, even when it was hard.

But Un-geom had shown them something more. He had shown them the true spirit of never giving up, something Cheong-myeong himself had almost forgotten.

*Good job,* Cheong-myeong thought.

Feeling grateful, Cheong-myeong turned away from Un-geom and went back to his seat. He felt like the Plum Blossom Sword Saint again, full of pride.

Back in his seat, he looked at Baek-sang, who was standing on the sparring stage.

It seemed like Mount Hua hadn’t decided on the next fighter, as Baek-sang was the only one there.

“Who will go next?”

“Someone will, I guess,” came a reply.

“Can we win?”

“Don’t be silly,” Cheong-myeong replied sharply.

Baek-cheon chuckled at Cheong-myeong’s response.

“I guess not.”

They couldn’t rely on luck anymore. Even if they had won the first five matches, ten losses in a row would erase those victories and leave them feeling hopeless.

*It would have been like that if it weren’t for Un-geom,* Cheong-myeong thought.

But now things were different.

Un-geom had shown the Mount Hua disciples that winning wasn’t everything.

The disciples had been afraid to step forward, scared of losing. But now, they were all eager to try. Wasn’t that proof enough?

“If we can lose with honor, then losing isn’t so bad.”

Cheong-myeong’s face twisted, as if he didn’t like what Baek-cheon said. He looked like he was dying of displeasure but couldn’t say anything. Baek-cheon sighed and added,

“I know that winning is better.”

“Kkeueung,” Cheong-myeong groaned and sighed deeply.

“This time…”

He glared at the Wudang fighters.

“This time, I have to put up with it. But…”

He gritted his teeth.

“Next time, I’ll beat them all!”

Baek-cheon shook his head at Cheong-myeong’s angry words.

*He’s always so greedy,* Baek-cheon thought.

They had already achieved a lot.

This sparring match wasn’t even planned. It was a lucky surprise, like winning the lottery.

But Cheong-myeong still wasn’t happy.

*But it’s thanks to his attitude that Mount Hua has come this far…*

Baek-cheon looked at Baek-sang on the stage.

Baek-sang probably knew it too. Sometimes, losing can be more valuable than winning.

“Do your best, Baek-sang.”

Showing the spirit of Mount Hua would be enough.

Baek-sang fought as hard as he could, but the difference in skill was too great. Still, he showed that he wouldn’t give up.

The others who fought after him also did their best, but they couldn’t beat the experienced Wudang disciples.

It was impossible.

But the crowd wasn’t just watching Mount Hua lose.

“Lost again, huh?”

“Is that seven to five now?”

“Seven to four.”

“Oh, right. We’re not counting the first match.”

The crowd clicked their tongues.

“Too bad. They fought hard, but they’re worn out. What a shame.”

“Indeed.”

The people watching felt sorry for them, and then they realized something.

To feel regret meant they had hope. It meant they thought Mount Hua could actually beat Wudang.

Even though that seemed impossible.

It was the same now.

Everyone could see that the Mount Hua disciples were losing, but they didn’t feel like laughing at them.

“Amazing…”

“You mean Wudang?”

“Wudang, my foot! It’s Mount Hua that’s amazing!”

One of the onlookers spoke loudly.

“Is this even fair? Why is an experienced disciple fighting a newer disciple? They should fight someone of the same level.”

“Why is that Wudang’s fault? Mount Hua’s experienced disciples are just weak.”

“Yes, they may be weak!” the speaker shouted.

“But should a famous martial arts school take advantage of their opponent’s weakness? If Wudang was fair, they would have used their newer disciples too! Why didn’t they? Is it because they wanted Mount Hua’s newer disciples to fight their experienced disciples?”

“Maybe that’s not why. Maybe it just happened that way.”

“Even if it happened that way, they could have waited and brought the newer disciples from their main school!”

The crowd’s opinion of Wudang was changing.

At first, they didn’t care. They were just enjoying the show. But as the competition became more intense and Mount Hua struggled, they started to see that something was wrong.

“So that’s why Mount Hua is amazing!”

“If I had to fight someone much more experienced than me in front of all these people, I would run away. But they’re not afraid. They fight bravely and quietly, don’t they?”

“Now that I think about it…”

“The one fighting that experienced disciple will probably lose. But in ten or twenty years, will Wudang be able to beat Mount Hua? Mount Hua already has young disciples who can fight Wudang’s experienced disciples.”

At first, it was just goodwill.

Everyone liked Mount Hua for sharing the stolen goods from the bandits. So they cheered for them, even if they couldn’t win.

But now, those watching the match understood why Mount Hua was becoming so famous.

“The world is changing. There’s a reason why Mount Hua is becoming so popular.”

Many people agreed.

Some disagreed, and some openly criticized them. But everyone knew that Mount Hua was not the same as before.

Mount Hua had become strong enough to stand alongside the famous Wudang.

And…

In the crowd, a man stood up.

“Tsk.”

He was a strong man, somewhere between middle-aged and old, wearing simple clothes. He looked at the stage with cold eyes and muttered,

“I wasn’t paying attention…”