Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 902

It was very quiet. So quiet it felt heavy.

Though over a hundred people were there, you couldn’t hear a sound. Everyone stared at one place. They were holding their breath.

Something strange and shocking was happening.

A throwing knife, not very big, was floating in the air. It looked like it was hanging from a string you couldn’t see. It didn’t seem to follow the rules of nature.

Then, the knife started to move. It was very slow, like a tiny worm crawling.

Everyone watching was serious, not smiling at all.

Their faces showed exactly how they felt watching the strange knife move.

“Th-That…”

Baek Cheon clenched his fist.

The knife was moving so slowly it was hard to believe it was moving at all.

But Baek Cheon could feel it. The power from the knife was so strong. Baek Cheon felt his own power inside him moving to protect him, even though he didn’t want it to.

He knew how dangerous that knife was and how much power it held.

Cold sweat dripped down Baek Cheon’s forehead, making his palms slippery.

‘Where is Chung Myung?’

He looked away from the knife to where it was aimed.

Chung Myung had stopped moving. Chung Myung’s feet, which had been moving forward strongly, were now still on the ground. This was the first time he stopped moving since the fight started.

More than the floating knife, more than Tang Gun-ak’s pale face, Baek Cheon was worried about Chung Myung’s face. Chung Myung was focused on the knife, his lips tight.

“F-Father…”

Tang So-so’s voice was very quiet. She had her hands together tightly and her eyes closed.

She was conflicted. She didn’t want anyone to win or lose.

But Baek Cheon wanted to see what would happen, and so did everyone else.

Tang Gun-ak, the famous Poison King.

What did his name mean?

For Baek Cheon and the younger people, Tang Gun-ak’s name meant power and respect in the martial arts world.

Could Chung Myung beat someone so strong and scary?

‘Beat him!’

Baek Cheon bit his lip.

‘Chung Myung!’

He looked at Chung Myung, worried. Chung Myung was still watching the knife.

Ooooooooong!

It was like the knife was not giving Chung Myung a chance to fight back. It moved slowly towards him.

Chung Myung’s body was tense.

‘This is…?’

It felt so dangerous. If he moved even a little, it was like a poisonous snake would bite him instantly.

‘Hidden Poison Throwing Knife?’

…No.

He didn’t know this technique.

Tang Bo didn’t use anything like this.

So, was this a technique Tang Bo didn’t know?

No, that wasn’t possible.

Tang Bo knew everything about the Twelve Flying Knives. That’s why he was called the Dark Lord.

Tang Bo would have known all the techniques, and he would have shown them to Chung Myung.

So…

Grip.

Chung Myung held his sword tightly, like it would break.

‘I have to find out what this is.’

As Chung Myung moved, the knife moved a little faster.

Ooooooooong!

The knife made a noise.

The knife, which was very slow before, was now moving faster, like a snail. It was getting faster and faster.

And.

Rumble!

The knife made a rough sound, and then it started to spin slowly. It spun faster and faster until you couldn’t see it clearly.

Whirr!

The power from the knife, which had been spreading out, now started to spin around it. The wind from this pushed dirt to the sides and then started to pull it back in.

Dirt and small stones flew up with a light noise and were pulled into the big spinning wind.

Kwaaaaah!

The spinning wind looked like a huge yellow dragon rising up, not just wind.

“Kuh!”

“Fall back!”

People watching from far away lowered themselves, like the strong pull of the wind would pull them in too.

But that wasn’t all.

The spinning wind was getting faster and faster.

It was just spinning, like it was warning Chung Myung.

Chung Myung’s eyes shone brightly. He smiled, showing his teeth. He looked happy about this.

‘It’s coming!’

And then.

Kwaaaaah!

The knife, which had been moving so slowly, suddenly shot forward very fast, like an explosion.

Chung Myung saw it.

The knife was spinning so fast, it seemed to move faster than time itself. The wind behind it was pulling everything in.

Even Chung Myung’s body was being pulled towards the knife.

Then, Chung Myung’s eyes opened wide.

He had fought many battles, but this attack was unbelievable. But that wasn’t the main reason.

All the hidden weapons that he had knocked down were now rising up and flying towards the knife.

‘What…?’

It was like the ground was exploding upwards and covering Chung Myung.

Like when many flowers fall from the sky and cover everything, this attack would take everything from the ground.

Even Chung Myung, who was very strong, was shocked by this attack.

In front, the knife, with its deadly power, was flying to cut him apart. Behind him, hidden weapons covered in poison were coming like a heavy rain.

There was nowhere to run, not even up.

In that moment, Chung Myung saw Baek Cheon and the others shouting with their mouths open.

‘Those…’

They looked desperate, and Chung Myung frowned.

‘Fools.’

Why were they panicking?

Were they afraid he would lose? Did they think the Mount Hua swords couldn’t handle it?

Chung Myung moved his sword in a smooth arc.

‘Watch closely.’

Everyone wanted to see this.

Ever since their ancestor in Mount Hua first used his sword, everyone had wished to see how strong that sword could become.

The predecessors pass on their will to the successors.

The successors learn and uphold the teachings of the predecessors.

From the tip of Chung Myung’s sword, a red plum blossom bloomed.

Blooming. It is the promise of new beginnings, of something pure and strong being born.

And after that?

Spread forth! This was their goal: to make the scent of Mount Hua’s plum blossoms known everywhere, across all the Nine Provinces.

Plum blossoms… Plum Blossom Chaos the Nine Provinces…

The bloomed plum blossoms sway gently, scattering in the blowing wind, in the soft rustling of grass, in the flowing clouds.

Not a single one is the same; each plum blossom is different. Some lack petals, some have not fully bloomed, and others are modest. Even amidst the profusion of full bloom, some plum blossoms are pale and do not blend in.

But as more plum blossoms bloom, each different flower is contained in a single flow, forming waves and harmonizing.

The plum blossoms do not resist the blowing wind but rather ride it, slowly floating in the air.

Sometimes lightly, sometimes softly. Riding the oncoming wind, swirling and soaring, gently landing, and then far away again.

Red plum blossom petals danced around Chung Myung, a swirling shield against the hidden weapons aimed at his back.

“Clang!” A sharp, metallic sound echoed as a steel needle ripped through a petal.

But even as one petal tore, another fluttered into its place, blocking the next attack. Petal after petal met the cold steel, each sacrifice a tiny, crimson shield.

“Clang! Clang!” The sounds rang out, not like harsh battle noises, but almost like a strange, delicate music in the air.

The poison-laced sand and the steel needles, shot forth reflecting the sunlight, were entangled in the petals, which seemed to possess no strength, and lost their momentum.

It was said that the net of heaven is wide and sparse, appearing crude, but it does not miss anything.

The petals flying on the wind also seemed to be merely scattering, but they did not miss anything flying towards Chung Myung.

And at that moment, everyone saw it.

They saw the hidden weapons and poisoned sand, which seemed as though they would instantly engulf Chung Myung and turn him to mincemeat, colliding with the plum blossoms and bouncing away.

“⋯⋯!”

The plum blossoms gently pushed away everything that clung and lingered, scattering and spreading chaotically throughout the world (Plum Blossom Chaos the Nine Provinces).

Beyond the vast training grounds, to even more distant places.

The red-tinged plum blossom petals spread as if a giant plum blossom were unfolding its petals and blooming.

Crack! Crunch!

The Soul-Reaping Dagger, imbued with all of Tang Gunak’s power, advanced, piercing through the oncoming plum blossoms. Forward, ever forward.

Trembling as if it would fall at any moment, it never stopped.

It fiercely swirled, tearing and pushing away the petals, stretching forward, ever forward, as if exerting its last strength.

Swish.

Tearing through another petal.

Swish.

Breaking another sword aura.

But the dagger, which had somehow been advancing, soon trembled and slowed down as if its power had been exhausted, and came to a halt. Even the disciples of Mount Hua gasped in pity at the sight.

But at that very moment.

Boom!

With an explosion that instantly blew away the silence that had covered Mount Hua, Tang Gunak’s body flew like lightning towards the stopped dagger.

The disciples of Mount Hua widened their eyes at the completely unexpected movement.

Tang Gunak, instantly seizing the dagger, broke through the plum blossom sword aura in a flash and charged forward.

And Chung Myung, as if it were only natural, rushed towards him.

“Stop!”

“N-No, stop it!”

Voices like screams erupted from the mouths of the Mount Hua disciples, who thought that anything beyond this point would only end with one of them dead.

Kawaaaaaang!

The Soul-Reaping Dagger and the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword collided head-on in the air.

Kawaaaaaa!

A fierce wind exploded in all directions, and a terrifying shockwave surged.

Ooooooong.

The dagger aimed right in front of Chung Myung’s neck trembled. Tang Gunak’s sleeves swelled up as if they would unleash hidden weapons at any moment.

Squeeze!

The sword, which seemed as if it would split Tang Gunak’s face at any moment, emitted a red sword aura, as if it would tear Tang Gunak apart, dagger and all, right now.

A world frozen with blades facing each other.

A moment when no one dared to step forward and no one could open their mouths.

Only one thing moved.

A single fluttering petal.

A fragile petal, swept up into the sky by their duel, slowly fell, carried by the calmed flow of air.

Everyone’s gaze rested on that sight.

Slowly falling, then slightly rising again, swaying this way and that, the petal soon approached the Soul-Reaping Dagger and the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword, which were aimed at each other.

And as if meeting a quiet end, it very gently landed on the dagger.

“⋯⋯.”

“⋯⋯.”

The two men’s gazes turned to the plum blossom petal that had landed on the blue blade.

Not a plum blossom sword aura, but a real plum blossom petal.

The faces of the two men simultaneously went blank at the sight of the petal, which did not suit this intense clash.

Naturally, the sword was lowered.

Their lips soon broke into a hollow smile as they looked alternately at the petal and each other’s faces.

Chung Myung’s hand lightly caught the blade of the dagger aimed at his neck with his left hand. Tang Gunak also lightly grasped the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword facing his face with his left hand.

The two men, having seized each other’s weapons as if snatching them away, silently examined the weapons in their hands.

“⋯⋯To think the blade of this sword would be damaged.”

“I was about to say the same thing. For the Dang Family Head’s weapon to be in this state⋯⋯.”

The numerous scars engraved on the sword’s surface seemed to tell of each other’s past.

Clack.

Tang Gunak, having caught the dagger thrown by Chung Myung, held out the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword in his hand to Chung Myung.

The two men, who had been silently staring at each other for a long time, burst into laughter without saying a word.

Chung Myung, shrugging his shoulders, smiled and asked.

“Shall we continue?”

“Hmm.”

Tang Gunak hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.

“There’s no more meaning to it.”

“⋯⋯.”

A warm smile spread across his lips.

“Welcome back, Mount Hua Sword Saint.”

“Waaaaaah!”

Finally, a great cheer erupted from all directions.

What was conveyed was not merely martial prowess. Mount Hua and the Dang Family. It was the moment when those two great names stood facing each other, transcending the time of three years.