Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 68

The woman glared at Chung Myung with cold eyes.

Even while the woman glared at him, Chung Myung noticed some things about her.

First, this woman belonged to Mount Hua.

The plum blossom pattern on her uniform showed this. Only Mount Hua disciples could wear it.

Second, she was beautiful.

In his past life, Chung Myung had traveled the Jianghu many times. As a Taoist, he should have focused on his training, but Chung Myung, the greatest master of Mount Hua, couldn’t stay inside the sect all the time.

This started when he was a young student. He used to beat the best young fighters from other groups – the famous geniuses and talented students.

After that, he had to make Mount Hua famous by doing good deeds, like catching evil cult members or tricking members of other sects.

And even when he was old, he had to defeat the best masters to prove that Mount Hua’s sword was the best.

Of course, he didn’t want to do it himself.

‘Those old men were always nagging.’

People don’t like being told what to do. The old leaders of Mount Hua always wanted Chung Myung to work with Chung Mun and go out into the world, even though he didn’t want to. Because of them, Chung Myung had seen enough of the Jianghu for a lifetime.

But even after all his travels, he had rarely seen someone as beautiful as this woman. She was like a flower that hadn’t fully bloomed, making him wonder what she would look like when she did.

She had black hair and eyebrows, very white skin, and big, bright eyes that caught your attention.

If Chung Myung were a young boy, he might have been nervous because of her beauty.

But Chung Myung was an old man who had seen too much to be affected by her looks.

“Who are you?”

“A person.”

“…”

The sword poked him a little harder.

Ouch, that hurt! Did she not understand jokes?

“You’re wearing the uniform of Mount Hua.”

Her eyes looked at Chung Myung’s chest and then back at his face.

“I don’t recognize you. Who are you?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you a Third-Class Disciple?”

“Yes.”

“Third-Class Disciples aren’t allowed to leave after dark.”

“I am.”

“What?”

“The Sect Leader said I could.”

The woman’s face turned colder at Chung Myung’s bold answer.

“The Sect Leader did?”

“Yes.”

“To a Third-Class Disciple?”

“Yes.”

“Liar.”

Chung Myung just shrugged.

“You can check if you want. A Mount Hua disciple wouldn’t lie about what the Sect Leader said, right?”

The woman’s eyes flickered. She seemed to think he might be telling the truth.

“So, can you put the sword away? It’s poking me.”

“…”

The woman lowered her sword. She couldn’t be sure if he was telling the truth, but if the Sect Leader had allowed it, then Chung Myung wasn’t doing anything wrong.

However,

“You’re not supposed to watch others train.”

“This is where I usually train. I was here yesterday, and now you’re here. Why shouldn’t I watch?”

“You should leave when someone else is here.”

“I have to see why a stranger is hanging around Mount Hua.”

The woman bit her lip. Her pale face turned a little red. She was getting angry.

‘She’s not good at arguing.’

Her sword was sharp, but her words weren’t. With her face, she probably didn’t have to argue much.

‘It’s an unfair world.’

People with good looks have it easy.

“What’s your name?”

“Chung Myung.”

“Have you received your Taoist name yet?”

“No. My name is Chung Myung.”

“Third-Class Disciples usually have ‘Chung’ in their Taoist names, not their given names, right?”

“Yeah, probably,” Chung Myung said, sounding bored. “So if I get a Taoist name, it’ll probably be Chung Myung too. Double Chung Myung. Sounds good, right?”

Yoo Iseol blinked, a little confused by his strange answer. “Ah… I see.”

“I am Yoo Iseol.”

“Yes.”

Yoo Iseol stared at Chung Myung.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“As a Second-Class Disciple, I would be your Martial Aunt if you are part of the ‘Chung’ generation.”

Huh?

Chung Myung tilted his head.

‘There was a ‘Baek’ generation?’

Mount Hua’s generations went in the order of Chung, Myung, Hyun, Woon, Baek, so there should be a ‘Baek’ generation after ‘Woon’.

So, there should be a ‘Baek’ generation below the ‘Woon’ generation, who were teaching the children.

‘I forgot because I haven’t seen any of them.’

When there was a war or the sect closed its doors, the generations were skipped because of age differences. He thought that was what happened because of Mount Hua’s problems, but there was a ‘Baek’ generation?

“This is the first time I’ve heard about Martial Uncles or Aunts in Mount Hua.”

“You’re the youngest in Mount Hua, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Didn’t your senior brothers tell you?”

“Uh… Well…”

The Third-Class Disciples were always trying to avoid Chung Myung, so they wouldn’t have told him anything.

‘It’s my fault.’

Chung Myung understood and nodded.

“I guess there was a misunderstanding. But does it matter?”

A ‘Baek’ generation had appeared, but so what? To Chung Myung, they were just more kids.

“Is that all?”

“Yes?”

“What about the greeting?”

Chung Myung frowned.

‘Seriously? This little runt wants an old man to greet her.’

Being young is a sin. It’s so unfair.

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Martial Aunt,” Chung Myung said without any emotion.

‘Now, get lost.’

I need to train. Don’t waste my time! The sun’s about to rise!

“You’re a strange child.”

Who?

Me?

Yoo Iseol looked at Chung Myung strangely and said in a colder voice:

“I’ll check with the Sect Leader to see if you’re telling the truth. If you’re lying, you’ll be sorry.”

Chung Myung said, “Do as you please.”

“…”

Yoo Iseol stared at Chung Myung for a while and then tilted her head.

“You’re really strange.”

“…”

He wanted to say the same to her.

Yoo Iseol put away her sword, looked at Chung Myung, and walked down from Nakha Peak. As she left, Chung Myung sighed, looking at the rising sun.

“Oh, my fate.”

To be treated like this by a kid who isn’t even my great-grandchild.

“Now my training time is messed up too.”

He could still train, but he didn’t want to because someone else was using the place.

‘I’ll have to go up and down Mount Hua every time I want to train.’

Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

He would have to find another training spot.

Chung Myung sighed and started walking down the mountain towards the dining hall. He wondered what was making everyone so gloomy.

The dining hall was quiet and dark, like a funeral home. Usually, it was noisy and full of laughter, but today, people spoke quietly and barely touched their food. The air felt heavy and sad.

“You’re here?” Yoon Jong asked.

Yoon Jong raised his hand.

Chung Myung got his food and went to the table where Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were sitting. He asked, “Why is everyone so quiet?”

“Your Martial Uncles are coming back,” Yoon Jong said.

“The ‘Baek’ generation?”

“Oh? You know about them?”

“…”

Should I hit this kid?

‘I’ve only lived in Mount Hua, you little rascal!’

“Anyway, so what? What’s wrong with the ‘Baek’ generation coming back?”

“Um, don’t call them the ‘Baek’ generation. They won’t like it. You’ll get in trouble,” Yoon Jong said.

“Me? Or you?”

“…I’ll have to think about that,” Yoon Jong said with a smile.

“The Martial Uncles have been away training. Before, the training areas weren’t good enough, so they couldn’t train here,” Yoon Jong explained.

“So, they went to study somewhere else,” Chung Myung said.

“It’s not really studying, since they didn’t go to another sect,” Yoon Jong replied.

“Anyway, why are they acting like this? Are the Martial Uncles mean and beat them up?” Chung Myung asked.

“The Martial Uncles don’t treat people badly like someone else does,” Yoon Jong said.

“I wonder who that ‘someone’ is,” Chung Myung said.

“…Let’s move on,” Yoon Jong said.

Yoon Jong tried to argue but then stopped, looking embarrassed. Jo Gul quickly started talking instead.

“It’s because of the Hua-Jong Gathering,” Jo Gul said.

“Huh? The gathering where the flowers end?” Chung Myung asked.

“No, the Mount Hua and Jongnam Gathering,” Jo Gul replied.

“What’s that?” Chung Myung asked.

Jo Gul sighed. “Mount Hua and Jongnam visit each other sometimes. Every two years, they have a martial arts competition.”

“Ah, I think I heard about that… When did it start?” Chung Myung asked.

“I don’t know. I heard it’s been going on for a while,” Jo Gul said.

Yoon Jong added, “The first Hua-Jong Gathering was a friendly meeting every five years. Now, it’s a martial arts competition between Second-Class and Third-Class Disciples.”

“Martial arts competition?” Chung Myung asked.

“Martial arts competition, you say…”

Someone else answered, “We always lose.”

“My back still hurts from the last time,” another said.

“How will we handle it this time? The Senior Martial Uncles will be embarrassed again. It’ll be terrible,” someone else added.

Chung Myung chuckled. “So, the leaders fight, and then the Second-Class and Third-Class Disciples fight instead? And you always lose?”

“Yes. The Martial Uncles trained to avoid that, and now they’re back. So, it’s time for the Hua-Jong Gathering,” Yoon Jong said.

“I see.” Chung Myung smiled. “So, we’re having a martial arts competition with Jongnam?”

Jongnam.

That Jongnam.

He hated Jongnam more than ever.

He used to feel sorry for them, but after learning about the Snow Flower Twelve Forms, he couldn’t stand Jongnam.

“Martial arts competition…”

When Chung Myung was around, there was no Hua-Jong Gathering.

Mount Hua was the best sword sect, and Jongnam wasn’t strong, so a competition was pointless. But now, they were using Mount Hua’s weakness to have a friendly competition?

What a joke.

‘They’re underestimating Mount Hua?’

Chung Myung’s eyes turned fierce.

Mount Hua was still Chung Myung’s baby. I can scold my own kids, but I won’t let others scold them!

“So, those Second-Class Disciple bastards!”

“Chung Myung, please call them Martial Uncles,” Yoon Jong begged.

“Oh. Then those Martial Uncle bastards!”

“…”

“If they trained, can they win?” Chung Myung asked.

“…That’s not likely,” Yoon Jong said.

The fact that they trained meant they were at a disadvantage, and even if they improved, they might not win.

“I see.” Chung Myung gritted his teeth. “Then we have to win!”

“Huh?”

“Senior brothers! Be ready to do anything to win! Swallowing poison! Breaking your arms and legs! If you beat those Jongnam brats and make Mount Hua proud, you’d die for it, right?”

Well, maybe not die…

Aren’t you going too far?

“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure you win! I’ll turn them into a bloody mess!” Chung Myung shouted.

He wasn’t a Taoist after all.

‘He should be a bandit. Why is he here?’

Well, this is also a mountain.

Heh heh.

Heh heh heh.