Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 801

Hyun Jong’s breath hitched. His eyes widened as he stared at Namgung Hwang.

*Namgung Hwang.*

To be honest, Namgung Hwang had been annoying at the sect leader meeting. Hyun Jong remembered his rude words and arrogant attitude. It didn’t seem right for the head of the Namgung Clan, the top clan in the world.

But now, Namgung Hwang looked completely different. Hyun Jong quickly forgot his earlier thoughts.

*Dignity?*

It seemed Namgung Hwang was saying strength was everything in the martial world. Kindness and peace didn’t matter. A leader only needed the power to carry his clan’s name forward. That was all.

“That’s an absolute master.”

Baek Cheon’s palms were slick with cold sweat.

‘How does he compare to the Bishop?’

It was difficult to compare.

The Bishop had been terrifyingly strong. But back then, Baek Cheon hadn’t possessed the ability to properly assess the Bishop’s strength. He had simply charged in with all his might, prepared to die, and left the rest to that rascal, Chung Myung.

But this was different.

Witnessing the divine might emanating from an absolute master from a coolly detached position sent shivers down his spine and made his hands tremble.

‘The Nine Great Sects. And the Five Great Clans.’

A chill went down Baek Cheon’s spine. He had only read the words, never truly understood their weight. Now, watching Namgung Hwang, he finally felt it.

“Glug glug glug!”

The Jang River’s blue waters churned and turned red in an instant, the metallic scent of blood rising in the air.

The Changqiong Sword Squad plunged into the water, easily defeating the pirates.

The sword technique filled with power couldn’t split the river like Namgung Hwang, but it could easily cleave through the currents. Moreover, the inner strength they had diligently built up since childhood allowed them to maintain their movements in the water as if they were on land.

That left only the overwhelming difference in skill.

Whack!

A sword sliced through the water and found its way into a pirate’s heart. Those who had approached swiftly were now being flung back even faster, sinking into the depths.

“Hmph!”

Namgung Hwang, observing the scene, swung his sword grandly once more.

“Peace has lasted too long if weak pirates attack us, even when they see the Namgung flag!”

Then he would have to show them.

The only reason they had been merely watching the Demonic Sects was certainly not due to a lack of power.

Whoooooooosh!

An immense sword aura began to gather once more around Namgung Hwang’s blade. The sheer force was so astonishing that one couldn’t even begin to fathom how much inner strength was contained within his dantian.

“Th-that… that’s…”

Baek Cheon stammered, seemingly in shock, and Chung Myung retorted coldly.

“Sasuk.”

“Huh?”

“Keep your eyes peeled and watch carefully.”

Chung Myung gestured with his chin towards the boat Namgung Hwang was on.

“Do you know why the Namgung Clan is the First Clan Under Heaven?”

“…Why?”

In that instant, a multitude of thoughts raced through Baek Cheon’s mind. Because their power was strong, because the descendants they produced were naturally gifted, because their immense wealth allowed them to lavish elixirs upon themselves, because they could steadily focus solely on cultivation…

But Baek Cheon knew that none of those were the answer Chung Myung wanted.

Chung Myung said quietly.

“The Namgung Clan is just full of fools. If you really want to pursue dominance, it’s better to wield a dao than a sword. Like the Habuk Peng Clan.”

Baek Cheon nodded in agreement.

If one were to use a forceful sword, it would be much easier to use a thick, strong dao rather than a thin, flexible sword.

“But those guys are pursuing dominance without letting go of the sword. They want both strength and skill with their swords. These two things are hard to combine, but they manage to do it.”

“…”

“If you’re a swordsman, Sasuk, watch that man’s sword closely. You’ll see a different kind of sword than what we use in Mount Hua.”

“Alright.”

A greater sense of gravity settled on Baek Cheon’s face. Nodding, he stared intently at Namgung Hwang. Having overheard their conversation, the other disciples also focused intently on Namgung Hwang.

Chung Myung, pleased with the sight, nodded.

‘Good.’

The truth was, the reason Chung Myung had decided to step back wasn’t just because he didn’t want to fight alongside them.

What the disciples of Mount Hua lacked was experience.

But experience didn’t just mean fighting with one’s own hands and experiencing things firsthand. Watching how others fought and what martial arts they used, and pondering over it, was also a valuable experience.

Mount Hua, Wudang, Namgung Clan.

Back when Chung Myung was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, those three sects were known as the Three Great Sword Sects Under Heaven. And the best martial artists from each sect were referred to as the Three Great Swordsmen Under Heaven, weren’t they?

Mount Hua had its flamboyant phantom sword. Wudang had its soft, flowing sword. And the Namgung Clan pursued a powerful, forceful sword that was rarely seen in the weapon known as the sword.

‘The swords of Mount Hua are the best.’

But the best didn’t necessarily mean perfection. If they could learn something from Namgung Hwang’s sword, the swords of the Mount Hua disciples would become even more complete.

“Taaaap!”

Namgung Hwang’s sword was swung mightily once more.

The river roared and split, surging to the left and right like a wounded beast.

The sword aura, cleaving through the river, swallowed the massive ship in an instant.

Kaaaaaa-BOOM!

The force was devastating, dwarfing even the power of cannons. It blew up the entire ship and then proceeded to destroy several more ships in succession.

A straight path began to form amidst the densely packed pirate ships.

Truly, it was the Blade of the Emperor.

An emperor only knows how to move forward. He knows how to advance, but he doesn’t know how to retreat or detour.

And the Namgung’s sword is the sword of an emperor. The sword of an emperor destroys everything that stands in its way.

“Kill them all! Make those who dare to block the path of the Namgung pay the price for their ignorance!”

“Yes, sir!” Namgung Do-wi replied, his voice tight with eagerness.

The ships flanking Namgung Hwang’s, which had been following on either side, increased their speed and surged forward.

Swish.

Namgung Hwang slowly sheathed his sword and turned his head slightly.

“Hmph.”

From the start, the pirates blocking their path were of no concern to him. What he was keeping a close eye on were the Wudang, Qingcheng, and Shaolin, who had boarded their ships and were following behind.

Namgung Hwang, staring at them with cold eyes, suddenly turned his gaze towards the riverbank.

He could see the Mount Hua Sect staring at them with wide eyes.

‘Hmph.’

The look of astonishment on their faces was clear.

‘Fools.’

Just because they had gained some fame, they thought they were something special. That was why Namgung Hwang didn’t like Mount Hua. A true master never acted rashly and should silently cultivate their strength.

“Watch closely. This is the power of the Namgung Clan.”

“Hmm.”

Heo Do-jin twisted the corner of his lips and chuckled.

“Looks like the Namgung Clan Leader is really showing off,” Heo Do-jin chuckled.

“Wouldn’t he be? A martial artist with no chance to use his sword is a hollow thing.”

“Indeed.”

Peace had lasted for far too long.

Enough time to replenish the strength they had expended during the war with the Demonic Sect… No, enough time to condense even more power than that.

Those who gathered strength inevitably wanted to prove it. But until now, there had been no way or opportunity to do so in the martial world. Proving one’s strength ultimately required an enemy. It wasn’t as if one could run out into the main street and perform a sword dance to demonstrate the level of one’s martial arts.

“In any case, the Namgung Clan Leader’s martial prowess is more impressive than I thought.”

“Indeed. It seems the Namgung Clan has also been biding their time, just like us.”

Heo Do-jin’s eyes gleamed coldly. He felt a slight surge of emotion. Putting aside the perfection of the sword, there was something about the unrestrained sword energy that stimulated people.

Sure enough.

“A-mi-ta-bha!”

A sonorous Buddhist chant echoed from the ship on the right, and golden fist energy erupted forth.

It was as if a golden waterfall was cascading onto the riverbank, an immense power! The pirate ships caught in its wake were instantly crushed and lost their shape.

It wasn’t an attack that shattered and exploded as spectacularly as Namgung Hwang’s sword strikes. However, it was a blow that crushed the ships themselves with its immense weight.

The methods might have been different, but the power contained within was in no way inferior to Namgung Hwang’s sword energy.

“It seems that Great Master Beopgye’s cultivation is not as strong as Great Master Beopjeong’s.”

“Even a monk is still a martial artist. It’s only natural for him to have a competitive spirit.”

Heo Do-jin chuckled quietly.

If Beopjeong had been here, he would have worn a benevolent smile and leisurely watched Namgung Hwang’s rampage. But Beopgye, no matter how outstanding, was ultimately just an elder. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency that the Shaolin, which he was leading on this expedition, shouldn’t fall behind the Namgung.

“What shall we do?”

“The stage isn’t good.”

Heo Do-jin clicked his tongue slightly.

It wasn’t that their skills were lacking, but the nature of their martial arts was different. No matter how much power they exerted, it was difficult to match the impact of the unrestrained sword energy and fist power.

‘It’s not impossible if we push ourselves, but there’s no need to do that now.’

This place wasn’t a stage prepared for them. The real stage was inside that valley.

“The Namgung and Shaolin will clear the path. As soon as we enter, we will get off the ships and push the pirates back.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

Just then, Namgung Hwang’s ship, which had been leading the charge, finally managed to carve a straight path.

The pirate ships, which had been firmly entrenched in their formation, relying on their numbers, were now frightened and began to turn their bows to the left and right. Of course, they knew that they would have no future if they lost the Black Dragon Troupe, but the divine might of Namgung Hwang, who was unleashing sword strikes right before their eyes, was enough to erase their reason and instill fear.

Just two sword strikes.

With just those two sword strikes, Namgung Hwang had succeeded in creating a massive path through the ships that had gathered so densely that the water couldn’t even be seen.

“Don’t worry about the small fry! The sects following behind will take care of them. We will break through and enter the Black Dragon Troupe’s lair!”

“Yes, sir!”

Namgung Hwang smiled.

‘They’ve yielded the lead?’

They must have their own calculations to willingly place the Namgung Clan at the forefront…

‘Your miscalculation is that you’ve underestimated the power of the Namgung.’

He had no intention of letting those following behind gain any merit. As long as they were there, there would be no chance of retreat. He would break through in one fell swoop and destroy everything at once.

So that only the name of the Namgung would echo throughout this Jang River.

“Do-wi!”

“Yes, Clan Leader!”

Namgung Hwang glanced at Namgung Do-wi. His face was flushed, and he was already fully prepared to fight.

“When we disembark, take the lead. Reclaim the fame you have lost with your own hands!”

“I will definitely do so!”

“Good!”

Now, the path leading to the valley was unfolding before Namgung Hwang’s eyes.

“Increase speed! Break through in one fell swoop! Don’t worry about traps! I will destroy them with my own hands!”

“Yes, sir!”

The warriors of the Namgung Clan, their morale soaring, let out a unified roar that echoed through the entrance of the valley.

Countless ships sliced through the waters of the Jang River and surged into the deep, dark valley in one go.