Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Pat!

The sword that stretched forward was indeed sharp.

Even if you had learned the same martial arts, the temperament of the sword varied greatly depending on the person.

Jo Gul’s sword was unusually light and sharp among the swords of Mount Hua. This differed from the usual splendor.

Just because it was fast or because the change was extremely drastic didn’t mean it was flashy. This sword was developed simply to pursue the best form to destroy the opponent.

On the other hand, Mu Ho’s sword was solid and magnificent.

If Jo Gul’s sword was like a gust of wind rising into the sky, Mu Ho’s sword was a 10,000-year-old rock that firmly stayed in place.

Now that these two had clashed, the style of battle was obvious.

Pat!

Mu Ho’s sword silently blocked Jo Gul’s sword, which swept quickly and concisely.

Kwaang

The moment the swords met, sparks flew, and the two people’s gazes crossed in the air.

‘He stopped it?’

‘So swift!’

There was no way they could stop admiring each other’s swords.

Swordsmen were bound to look at each other’s swords no matter what the situation.

‘Different.’

Jo Gul quickly pulled his sword back, and his face stiffened. This was different from any martial arts he had ever experienced.

It was significantly different from the sword of Jin Hyun.

Jo Gul was keenly feeling what it meant to say that Wudang’s sword revealed its true value as time passed.

Heavy. It felt like he was facing an iron wall.

No, that expression wasn’t appropriate either.

Didn’t an iron wall have a rebound force that bounced back when you hit it? However, this sword gently absorbed everything that flew at it.

To put it bluntly, it was like a sword that was like a lake.

The lake was always there, no matter how many stones or trees were thrown or shoved in. One could find that quiet original form again if given just a little time.

No matter how much Jo Gul’s sword aimed at the enemy and whipped around, Mu Ho’s sword returned to its original position as if nothing had happened.

‘This is Wudang’s sword, huh…’

He felt like he understood why the whole world praised Wudang so much.

This unwavering spirit was maintained throughout the fierce fights.

Rather, it possessed a sternness that could cause the attacker to despair and a softness that completely absorbed the power of the opponent without pushing back.

‘A sword can be used like this, too.’

He felt as if he was being enlightened, and goosebumps rose on Jo Gul’s skin.

Until then, he had never experienced a proper sword of the justice sects.

He dealt with people who were on the bad side, the evil ones, demons, and bandits.

He had fought with Southern Edge and seen several swords in the martial arts competition, but that was, at best, an afterthought. Only those who were weak failed to understand why the prestigious sects had a thousand years of history.

Could a sword that was merely an imitation of a shell be called the true sword of the sect?

But here was the true sword of the justice sect.

It was majestic, heavy, soft, yet strong. The sword of the justice sect, which was as compliant as water but still had a firm will inside, pressured him heavily.

‘Right, I get it.’

Why was it said that the sword of Mount Hua was closer to the evil sect’s side than to the just ones, despite being on the same side of Taoism? Only now did he fully understand how practical the sword of Mount Hua was?

Perhaps that was why…

“It makes you want to win more!”

Jo Gul shouted out loud and created dozens of sword forms, firing them all at Mu Ho.

“Hmm!”

Mu Ho swallowed a sigh of relief and lowered his sword.

‘This is the sword of a third-class disciple?’

It wasn’t funny anymore.

He had watched Jin Hyun’s spar with his own eyes and confirmed the results. Defeat was something that could not be excused, but it was also true that if Jin Hyun had fought with his real skills, he wouldn’t have lost like that.

However, after experiencing Jo Gul’s sword himself, his thoughts changed drastically.

‘In the beginning, it was impossible for Jin Hyun.’

The boy could have fought a hundred times and not won even once. If he couldn’t guarantee a complete win against this sword, then how could Jin Hyun even handle it?

Fast.

Accurate.

‘Plus, so bizarre.’

It wasn’t known if this person, referred to as Jo Gul, was the one who used the sword like this or if the sword of Mount Hua was like this, but this was truly a sword that caught people off guard.

There was no sign of willingness to legitimately suppress the opponent. The fierce ambition to somehow achieve the result of ‘win’ permeated not just the swordsman but the sword too.

‘This is Mount Hua’s sword!’

A smile formed on the lips of Mu Ho.

The responsibility of protecting the honor of a fellow disciple and the fact that the other person was a lot younger had vanished from his mind.

He, too, had lived his life honing his own sword, and the moment he came across a sword different from his own, his soul and spirit as a swordsman ignited.

“Hap!”

Mu Ho’s sword pushed away Jo Gul’s flying sword images one by one.

Minimal movement and force.

A sword that minimized any movement and slowed it down. The sword swam in the air as if smoothly flowing, and a large circle was created at the end of the sword, blocking all sword forms.

“Ugh….”

Tang Soso’s face contorted as if she couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

“I-Isn’t he going to lose?”

“Hmmm.”

Baek Cheon neither confirmed nor denied the words. He just sighed.

“… that is the Sword of Wudang.”

Now, Baek Cheon also had no choice but to reflect on this.

He had heard about this from Chung Myung. Yet it was still nothing.

He acknowledged it on the surface of the issue and thought it in his head, too. But it was clear that arrogance had built up inside him.

Indeed, he had fought and won against the captains and leaders of the Ten Thousand People clan, defeated an elder of the Ice Palace, and even survived at the hands of that horrifying high priest.

He thought that there would be no one of at least the same age as him, or even the same class as him, who would have had the same experience and crossed the line. So he thought he would be able to deal with them, no matter how strong the opponent was.

But now, Wudang’s sword was showing Baek Cheon how wide this world was.

‘It isn’t important that there is something beyond Wudang.’

To truly overcome Wudang, one had to cross this sword. The sword, which was soft like water, hard as stone, and sturdy as a pine tree in the field!

“S-sasuk!”

Tang Soso urged again, and Baek Cheon nodded.

“He is strong.”

“…”

“There is nothing wrong with what he said. The first-class disciples are on a level different from the second-class disciple.”

How strange.

If he had to explain it, there was a difference as big as that between a village head and an official. Understanding how something could change so much in just one tier was hard.

“Then Jo Gul sahyung…”

“But.”

Baek Cheon said with a serious look.

“Gul isn’t an easy opponent to deal with. You know that, right? That guy has never taken a break from training.”

“…”

“He is a mess, annoying, doesn’t have manners anymore, he cannot read the room, is constantly spouting nonsense, and he is a guy who had a rough life despite being a young master…”

“… why are you swearing that much?”

“Wow, sasuk, you are really good at criticizing him. Truly.”

Baek Cheon continued speaking, trying to ignore Chung Myung’s voice, which seemed sincere.

“Nevertheless, Jo Gul was more serious than anyone when it came to his sword. No matter how excellent the sword of Wudang was, there was no reason why Mount Hua would be inferior to it.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes shone as he looked at the stage.

“Then his experience will solve the problem this time.”

Tang Soso nodded and looked at Jo Gul.

He was a boat that swayed like a ship that had lost its way in the rushing river.

‘Strong.’

Jo Gul smiled, showing his teeth. The inside of his mouth had been cut, and blood was flowing down his lips.

It wasn’t just the mouth; he hadn’t been hit particularly hard, but his shoulder was in crushing pain, and his fingers were slowly going numb.

I guess this was what it meant to subdue an opponent with qi.

It didn’t stab him with force, nor did it try to push him. Nevertheless, Jo Gul found himself increasingly on the defensive.

This was the Splash Sword.

A sword that focused on subduing the opponent and not defeating. A sword to save people, a sword that was the foundation of the justice sects.

‘Heavy.’

Additionally, it held strength that was clear and pure.

It was different from just drastically increasing the amount. He could understand why Chung Myung always complained about him having internal qi but never using it correctly.

Just having it within the body held no meaning.

Only when one could use it right with the sword and completely dominate the opponent would the qi be his own.

Even now, the plum blossom sword was bending as if it would break due to the force flowing through the blade.

If the martial arts of evil sects were similar to a waterfall on the opponent, the martial arts of the justice faction were like water rising to the ankles.

And the water was clear.

And so Taoism must be.

If martial arts were to climb to a higher place based on the layers accumulated through training, then what was slowly built up in the sword couldn’t be compared to Jo Gul’s way.

Right, strong. It was infinitely stronger and clearer than anything experienced before.

But!

Jo Gul’s gaze reflexively shifted to the side. He saw Chung Myung’s face as he squatted next to Baek Chen.

He didn’t want it because he needed help. He just wanted to make sure that he was thinking right.

And Jo Gul, who saw him, smiled without realizing it.

‘I knew you would be making that face, you bastard!’

Chung Myung was speaking with his face.

‘So?’

Right, so.

It was a sword and martial arts, too.

There was no reason not to face it and no reason to overcome it.

‘Flowing like water?’

Jo Gul’s face slowly held confidence. Even though his fingers were swollen from the endless surge of sword qi, and his internal organs were in pain as if they were being crushed, he smiled.

“Then how…”

Soon, his sword began to sway.

The sword, which couldn’t withstand the pressure of sword qi and was bent as though it would break, regained its form in an instant and swung softly with no pressure.

“Shall we see if flowers bleed underwater, too?”

Wheeik

The tip of Jo Gul’s sword scattered into the world.

Flowers bloomed far away in Yunnan and even in the cold North Sea. So, was there any reason why Plum Blossoms could not bloom even if they were underwater?

Soon, plum blossoms grew on the tip of the shaking sword.

The plum blossoms that he, and no one else, bloomed.

It was the plum blossoms of Mount Hua and the plum blossoms of Jo Gul.

Someone said this.

It was said that the colder the winter and the stronger the wind that harasses the plum tree, the more beautiful the plum blossoms bloom.

So what about the winter he had endured?

Was it enough to make plum blossoms bloom?

Plum blossoms bloomed one by one, spreading their leaves as if stretching out across the realm.

Flowers with an unbelievable appearance that bloomed at the tip of Jo Gul’s sword eventually formed a forest.

The middle of the river split, revealing the plum blossom forest. Even then, the forest expanded and completely displaced the flowing water.

‘This?’

Mu Ho’s eyes shone.

‘Plum Blossom Sword technique.’

He had heard the name countless times.

However, the Plum Blossom Sword Technique he witnessed with his own eyes differed from what he had heard.

A sword that was so beautiful and resplendent, and…

Riding the wind, the plum blossoms began to flutter around the world.

Ultimately, unlike water, which couldn’t leave the ground, the plum blossoms weren’t tied to the earth. And the flying petals swirled around like an illusion, enveloping Mu Ho.

The moment Mu Ho was distracted by this, he prepared to swing his sword in mild shock.

Paaaat!

A sword emerged from the gently shaking and fluttering flower petals and shot like an arrow towards Mu Ho.