Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 72

Un-geom gracefully pulled back his sword.

A drop of sweat ran down his face.

Un-geom thought, ‘This is a fine sword.’

This Seven Plum Sword was different from the Mount Hua swords he knew. It wasn’t the best sword skill ever, but it had a strong power.

Learning this sword would take time. But even now, they could see the Seven Plum Sword was better than other Mount Hua swords.

‘If we teach this sword well, Mount Hua will become stronger,’ he thought.

The current students would get stronger, and the students after them even more.

Thinking about this made Un-geom smile widely.

“Ahem.” Un-geom quickly rubbed his mouth with his hand.

“This is quite troubling.”

A master should look serious to his students, but lately, he found himself smiling like a fool.

Why wouldn’t he smile?

The problems of the third-generation students were small compared to what the first students faced. Their first students had a much harder time when they joined Mount Hua.

The first students gave their whole young lives to Mount Hua. They carried the weight of a sect that was falling apart. They faced problems and pain. Now, after a long dark time, things were finally getting better.

‘Although we can’t call it true success yet.’

They were just starting to see good things happen. Un-geom knew there was still a long way to go.

But he couldn’t stop smiling because the third-generation students were improving so quickly.

His martial uncles and older brothers were very happy that Mount Hua was getting richer and learning old fighting styles again. But Un-geom was happy about something else.

As the head of the Hundred Flowers Hall, the growth of his students was the most important thing to him, and also his greatest pleasure.

‘These young students are different.’

The first students worked hard too, but Mount Hua was not in good shape back then. They couldn’t focus only on fighting skills. And to be honest, they weren’t as excited about fighting as these new students.

But these third-generation students were more excited about training than any students Mount Hua had ever had.

“Hmm.” Un-geom, humming happily, put his sword away and left the training grounds with a light step. It was time to train the children.

He had happy thoughts in his mind.

Mount Hua was no longer poor. They had new fighting skills. And the students were very eager. If these things came together, Mount Hua could become great again.

And the third-generation students would lead that change.

“I must work even harder to make that happen!”

How could he call himself a master if he couldn’t guide his hardworking students?

Turning the corner and entering the training grounds, Un-geom’s face lit up as he shouted,

“Alright, let’s work hard today… What in the world!”

Un-geom stepped back in shock.

Before his eyes was total chaos.

“Ugh… My arm… my arm!”

“My, my back… My back is breaking… My back!”

“Sa, save me. Save…”

Un-geom rubbed his eyes without realizing it. The air smelled of sweat and dust. He could hear the wooden swords hitting each other and the students groaning.

Why was this terrible scene in the training grounds? This place should be full of dreams, hope, and excitement for the future!

The third-generation students were all lying on the ground, holding wooden swords and groaning. Their shoulders were twitching, and drool was dripping from their mouths.

“What on earth…”

At that moment, Un-geom heard a voice that still had some life in it.

“Hoo-ooo-oop!”

Un-geom’s head snapped around. He saw Jo-geol, shirtless, practicing downward strikes with a wooden sword.

“Jo, Jo-geol…”

“Hoo-ooook! Hoo-ooo-ooo-ook! Hoo-eeee-eeee-aaaaah!”

Sweat poured from his entire body like rain. Each time he swung the sword, sweat scattered in all directions, and hot breaths puffed from his mouth.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his shoulders were trembling. Even Un-geom, who had only watched for a moment, felt his shoulders stiff and his legs wobbly.

“Alright, one more.”

Un-geom’s gaze shifted slightly to the side.

‘What is that?’

Next to Jo-geol, Chung Myung was leisurely holding a sword. Unlike Jo-geol, who was pouring sweat like rain, Chung Myung looked completely fine.

His clothes were neatly arranged, and not a single strand of his combed-back hair was out of place. Unlike his older brothers, who looked like they were dying, he was swinging his sword with a relaxed expression.

“It’s not just about swinging! Even if you swing once, think about putting all your strength from your toes to the top of your head into the sword! One more time!”

A sound like a creaking cartwheel echoed in Un-geom’s head. His mind, unable to understand the situation, felt like it was rattling.

What is going on?

Wasn’t Chung Myung the youngest of the third-generation students? But why was Chung Myung teaching Jo-geol?

The bigger problem was that everything he was saying was right.

“Okay, just one…”

“Kraaah!”

In the end, Jo-geol couldn’t hold on and collapsed to the ground, writhing. Chung Myung clicked his tongue as he watched.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You can’t be so weak.”

Chung Myung sighed deeply.

“Even cows can just exhaust their bodies. Use your head! Think about how to swing so that you can put all your strength into the sword!”

Well, well?

Un-geom’s eyes twitched.

The other senior brothers might not know, but Un-geom was somewhat aware that Chung Myung was in control of the third-generation students. It was hard to believe, but geniuses who were beyond their age often appeared in the world, didn’t they?

But what Chung Myung was saying now was not something that could be known simply by being talented or capable.

‘Does he understand fighting skills so well?’

The more he looked, the more amazing it was.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Un-geom shook his head.

This is not the time for this.

“What is going on here!”

Un-geom shouted, and Chung Myung quickly turned his head.

“Oh, Hall Master!”

Then, he scurried over to Un-geom.

“Did you have a peaceful night?”

Watching the scene, the third-generation students gritted their teeth.

‘That detestable bastard!’

‘If he had entered the imperial palace, he would have been remembered in history as a treacherous villain!’

‘He’s such a terrible human being that a needle would bend if you tried to poke him!’

How could they not be furious when that guy, who usually lived without any manners, was so polite only to Un-geom?

In particular, Jo-geol and Yoon-jong, who could be said to be the biggest victims, were staring at Chung Myung with faces of complete defeat.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“We were training.”

“Training? This?”

No, training was training, wasn’t it? He had seen Jo-geol swinging his sword with his own eyes. But the result was…

“Ugh…”

“H, Hall Master…”

“It’s… too hard. I feel like I’m going to die…”

The third-generation students looked at their master like wet puppies. Moved by their gaze, Un-geom raised his voice without realizing it.

“Training is a part of the process to strengthen the body and get stronger. Don’t you know that too much is worse than too little? And you…”

“I know, Hall Master.”

“Huh?”

Un-geom narrowed his eyes slightly at Chung Myung’s voice, which had interrupted him. It seemed like he had cut off a word that would have led to an appropriate answer, didn’t it?

“But I didn’t start this training. The senior brothers said that they would never be humiliated at the Hwajong Tournament this time…”

“…Hwa, Hwajong Tournament?”

That’s right. The Hwajong Tournament wasn’t far off. The Hwajong Tournament is an important martial arts competition. But that’s…

“The senior brothers are so determined to avenge the humiliation of the last Hwajong Tournament that they are holding back their tears…”

Tears?

Un-geom glanced at the third-generation students.

Behind Chung Myung, the children were desperately waving their hands. Watching them, Un-geom felt something rising from within.

“They don’t look like that to me?”

“Oh, come on. How could that be? Master! If they were beaten by those Jongnam bastards and didn’t care, how could they call themselves disciples of the Great Mount Hua! Mount Hua has its pride!”

Huh?

That was also true.

“We can lose once. But losing twice is unacceptable, isn’t it? A disciple of the Great Mount Hua losing to the likes of Jongnam.”

“…That’s right.”

Confusion began to settle in Un-geom’s mind.

There were only two things he valued most in the world. One was his pride in Mount Hua, and the other was raising his disciples properly.

Now, those two issues were fighting each other in his head, pointing fingers and arguing.

Un-geom was a little naive, and he doubted himself as a master for being swayed by Chung Myung.

Reading Un-geom’s expression, Chung Myung slyly approached him and whispered lowly.

“Think about it, Hall Master. Isn’t the best way to make Mount Hua look good for the senior brothers to become stronger and defeat those guys easily?”

“Well…”

“Then the elders will also praise your hard work.”

‘That treacherous villain.’

It wasn’t that Un-geom didn’t know that Chung Myung was tricking him. But the words he was hearing were so sweet. He wasn’t interested in being praised for his hard work or anything, but defeating Jongnam…

“Do you think it’s possible?”

Un-geom asked without realizing it. The words contained many different meanings.

Hearing Un-geom’s question, Chung Myung grinned.

“I am Chung Myung.”

“…”

Un-geom stared at Chung Myung for a moment, then cleared his throat.

Come to think of it, it was none other than Chung Myung who had changed these children. The children, who had been lazy and not improving, had changed in just a few months after meeting Chung Myung, hadn’t they?

This training might be more important than learning another sword right now. No matter how skilled Un-geom was, it was impossible to teach them starting now and make them defeat the disciples of Jongnam.

‘Just this once…’

Un-geom looked around at everyone and opened his mouth.

“Disciples, listen.”

“Yes! Hall Master!”

The third-generation disciples looked at Un-geom with pitiful eyes. He was, quite literally, their last hope…

“I am very proud that you are showing such passion. Originally, it would be my duty to train you, but it would not be right to interfere with the training you are doing yourselves.”

…It’s collapsing?

Huh? Is hope collapsing?

“I will let you train as you want until the Hwajong Tournament. You don’t have to come to the training grounds during that time. However, you must be careful not to injure yourselves.”

Hall Master?

…This isn’t it? Huh? Hall Master?

“Ahem. Then, continue.”

Un-geom turned his body away.

Some of the third-generation disciples without thinking, reached out their hands, but slowly lowered them after seeing Chung Myung’s eyes.

Soon, as Un-geom completely moved away from the training grounds, Chung Myung spun around and tilted his head.

“Anyone who told the Hall Master that they were having a hard time, step forward.”

“…”

“Quickly.”

“…”

Watching Chung Myung draw the wooden sword from his waist, the eyes of the third-generation disciples were filled with despair.