Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 817

Sweat quickly covered Jo Gul’s back.

Jo Gul, who had faced the Bishop of the Demonic Sect without fear, now looked more serious than ever before.

His hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

His lips were tightly closed and turned white.

It felt like a huge tiger was growling in his face, jaws open wide. The pressure was so strong, he felt like his neck would be ripped apart if those jaws closed. He could barely breathe.

“Hoo…” he inhaled sharply.

Taking a short, deep breath, he gripped his sword tightly as if to steel his resolve.

‘This is Jang Il-So….’

Was he like a snake?

No, worse than that. Maybe like a giant snake, or even a terrible dragon.

And Jo Gul wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

‘He’s strong.’

Baek Cheon also watched Jang Il-So with eyes full of obvious tension.

‘A Bishop? No… He’s more than that.’

Of course, the Bishop was immensely powerful. It was hard to deny that their victory against the Bishop back then was half luck.

They fought just once, and it was clear. Jang Il-So was stronger than the Bishop.

The Bishop of the past was, so to speak, a natural disaster.

The Bishop seemed like he could destroy the whole world with his great power.

But it was like a child swinging a big sword without knowing how to use it. The Bishop’s power was huge, but his fighting skills were not very good.

But Jang Il-So was different.

‘That bastard is just strong.’

Fast, precise, and even skilled.

What Chung Myung had said when he first saw Jang Il-So flashed through Baek Cheon’s mind.

– That guy is a straight-up monster.

Looking back, Chung Myung had never used such an expression on anyone. He had dismissed it as him not being in his right mind, but Chung Myung was someone who said everything he wanted to say even in front of the Abbot of Shaolin, even going so far as to point fingers.

He should have known how serious Chung Myung was when he said that.

‘He’s clearly stronger than the Bishop.’

It wasn’t that strange for someone stronger than the Demonic Sect’s Bishop to exist in the world. Especially if the object of comparison was a Bishop who was clearly already injured.

But facing that person directly was a different matter from understanding it.

Baek Cheon unconsciously glanced at Chung Myung’s face. For some reason, he felt he needed to check what kind of expression that bastard was making right now.

“⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon suddenly felt weak.

Chung Myung was smiling. He had a smile that looked like he was really enjoying this fight.

So… just like Jang Il-So.

“Not bad?”

Chung Myung adjusted the sword he was holding in reverse and opened his mouth.

“An evil person trying to act tough.”

“Hmph.”

“But I will give you credit for getting this strong.”

Jang Il-So lightly snorted and smiled.

“Oh my… Wow, praise from the famous Mount Hua Divine Dragon! I’m so honored.”

Jang Il-So chuckled quietly. The decorations on his body made a sharp clinking sound.

Chung Myung grinned, showing his teeth.

Jang Il-So’s calm attitude was very annoying, just as Chung Myung thought it would be.

It wasn’t just because Jang Il-So was being relaxed in front of Chung Myung. His calm came from being used to this.

It was familiar to Jang Il-So.

Used to fighting in terrible battles like this.

He was used to people trying to kill him, attacking together.

He was used to enemies full of hate, wanting to kill him no matter what.

It was familiar.

He was calm like someone who had fought in countless battles. He acted like life-or-death fights were normal, like eating.

Yes, just like… the Plum Blossom Sword Saint of the past.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth and lowered his stance. His eyes became cold and strange. He looked like a small, wild animal.

“You cocky bastard.”

His eyes were fixed on his prey, chasing after it.

“Hmph.”

Jang Il-So thought as he looked at Chung Myung.

‘How peculiar. So very peculiar.’

These bastards were strange.

To be honest, they seemed crazy.

He had faced countless people until now. Among them were those who had worked together in the Jianghu for decades, and those who had professionally practiced combined attacks.

But even those bastards hadn’t given Jang Il-So this feeling.

Perfectly connected coordination?

They knew their jobs without talking, and they understood what they and their friends could do?

‘How trivial.’

He was sick of seeing that kind of thing.

What truly perplexed Jang Il-So was that these bastards completely entrusted their lives to the person next to them.

Attacking, believing that someone would block the attack falling on their head?

Yes, well, if he had to put it that way, it would be possible.

They trusted each other completely. It wasn’t just trust, it was almost like madness.

‘Just what have they been doing to build up this level of trust?’

And…

‘That bastard.’

Jang Il-So’s eyes followed Chung Myung like a snake.

The most bizarre thing was that bastard.

‘I knew he was impressive, but.’

That bastard’s sword was beyond the realm of understanding.

Words like ‘strange’ and ‘harsh’ were not enough to describe it.

Chung Myung’s sword style was strange and unusual. It was like using the best sword skills with a heavy axe, or using a great sword like it was chopsticks.

His sword skills, power, and body seemed out of control and strange together.

‘If that were to combine into one?’

If his sword style became perfect one day, what would happen?

“⋯⋯Chilling.”

His whole body trembled.

Just thinking about it made him feel very scared, like a huge wave of earth was crashing down on him. He smiled widely, showing his teeth, and started to laugh.

That bastard… no, those bastards would become stronger.

It became clear after exchanging blows. These bastards would one day stand at the pinnacle of the Orthodox Faction. A whole five of them from one sect. On the day they fully unleashed their potential, no sect in the world would dare to raise its head in front of Mount Hua.

So how could he not be delighted?

He had the chance to destroy their great future with his own hands, making it worthless.

This was the best feeling ever.

“I thought you were just puppies, but it turns out you’re at least tiger cubs. But that won’t be a good thing for you. I’m not one to let tiger cubs live.”

Clang. Clang.

It was like his decorations were showing his anger. They started to ring loudly and shake with his power.

“So die here!”

Swish.

Jang Il-So suddenly vanished from where he stood. And before they could even be surprised, he appeared right in front of Chung Myung.

Yoon Jong’s eyes widened.

He was surprised not by Jang Il-So’s movement technique, but because Chung Myung’s sword was already touching Jang Il-So’s neck. As if he had predicted in advance that Jang Il-So would appear there.

Clang!

The bracelets densely packed on Jang Il-So’s wrist and Chung Myung’s sword collided. Baek Cheon’s sword, which had quickly aimed for his back, was also firmly grabbed by Jang Il-So’s other hand.

“Too slow.”

Jang Il-So lightly twisted his wrist, and the swords that were touching each other were flung away like toys.

Wham!

Soon, Jang Il-So’s fist headed towards Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon quickly raised his sword to block Jang Il-So’s fist, but there was no way to stop the aftershock. Baek Cheon’s body was instantly sent flying like a cannonball.

At the same time, Jang Il-So, who had flown towards Chung Myung like a shooting star, brought down his hand, bent like an eagle’s claw.

Swooosh!

Chung Myung flung his body backwards without the slightest hesitation. He just barely dodged the attack. But his collar was ripped, and five red lines of blood appeared on his chest and stomach.

The power of the attack just touched Chung Myung and hit the ground. It was so strong it smashed into the cliff.

Kaaaa-boooom!

“Kugh!”

Yoo Iseol, who had charged through the rising cloud of dust, swung her sword horizontally. Her sword, using her strongest Violet Mist power, was stronger than ever before.

But.

Crrrrrrk!

With a sound of metal scraping metal, her sword stopped.

Yoo Iseol’s eyes widened.

The moment the dust cloud cleared, she saw it. Jang Il-So’s hand, standing nonchalantly, was gripping her sword.

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-So touched his chin and looked closely at the Plum Blossom Sword in his hand.

“A good sword.”

“Eek!”

Thwack!

Before Yoo Iseol could react, Jang Il-So’s foot was embedded in her stomach.

Guhk.

Yoo Iseol’s body was badly hurt by the hit. She coughed up blood and flew backwards.

“Too bad this good sword is wasted on kids like you.”

The dust cloud gradually subsided.

It was their best attack, everything they had practiced together.

But Jang Il-So stopped their attack very easily.

Jang Il-So easily stopped their attack by moving through their group. He smiled like a relaxed tiger in the sun.

“Only one person here is good enough to use a sword like this.”

Thud. Thud.

Chung Myung walked towards Jang Il-So. He had a wound on his chest, like a tiger scratch. He held his sword backwards.

Jang Il-So chuckled. The moment he saw Chung Myung’s eyes, which had sunk like ice, it was as if an electric current ran through his entire body.

‘I can’t figure it out.’

He himself couldn’t understand why he was feeling this much thrill.

Potential was, as the word suggested, merely potential. It was nothing more than an illusion that didn’t exist until it was grasped and achieved with one’s own hands.

So the current Chung Myung was someone who could never reach him. In other words, he was no more than a chess piece.

But strangely, he couldn’t take his eyes off that figure.

If he looked away, he felt like that sword would stab his neck and cut off his head. It made him feel very afraid.

“Ptooey!”

Something made Jang Il-So look away from Chung Myung. It was a quiet sound from behind him.

Yoo Iseol, who he had kicked, was coughing up blood. But she looked calm and was coming back to fight.

‘⋯⋯Her body must be badly damaged?’

She should have died from that attack.

But she was getting up so calmly?

No, even if she did get up, she hadn’t lost her will to fight at all even after receiving such an attack?

And it wasn’t just Yoo Iseol and Chung Myung who were still fighting.

Thud. Thud.

Baek Cheon, who had been punched and thrown back, was also coming back. He looked like nothing happened. Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were also moving closer, their eyes full of determination.

Like wolves cornering a tiger in their home.

“Haha… Hahaha… Hahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-So laughed loudly again, like he was crazy.

He couldn’t believe he was getting so excited fighting these kids here.

Not against the strong fighters from Wudang or the Namgung family, but against these young students from Mount Hua!

“Jang Il-So.”

“Hmm?”

Chung Myung smiled crookedly.

“You better watch out. My students are a bit wild.”

“That’s exactly what I want to hear….”

Madness rapidly filled Jang Il-So’s eyes.

“That’s exactly what I want to hear.”

Power burst out from Jang Il-So’s body. His red robe moved like waves, and the decorations on his body made loud noises, like they would break.

Even seeing this amazing power, the Five Swordsmen did not move back at all.

Fwoooosh!

The five fighters bravely rushed towards Jang Il-So again, like bolts of lightning.

The orange energy from their bodies looked like five red plum flowers opening up.