Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 628
Wudang’s atmosphere was so depressing that it could no longer subside.
They had suffered five consecutive defeats.
No, to be fair, it’s a five-match losing streak.
How would people have reacted if someone had said that Wudang would lose five times to Mount Hua before this match began?
They would have probably thought it was not worth answering and simply laughed it off.
Because it was impossible in common sense.
Today, however, Wudang’s disciples had painfully realized that common sense was actually ignorance of things that had not yet happened As miserable as Wudang’s disciples felt, it paled in comparison to the despair felt by Heo Sanja.
Udeuk.
From his mouth came a sound of teeth being gritted.
It was an absolute humiliation.
Only when he shuddered at this ridiculous sense of humiliation did he understand why their ancestors reacted so sensitively to the name of Mount Hua.
Heo Sanja and others saw it as just a fallen sect, but their predecessors, who had just entered the sect, must have vividly remembered what Mount Hua was like.
If he had seen this sight with his own eyes in his youth, it would have remained in his heart like a poisoned thorn.
‘We follow the same path…’
No two tigers can live on one mountain, and Heo Sanja knew this.
Getting along just because both walk the same path is something that only appears in stories. Rather, precisely because they walk the same path, they have no choice but to growl at each other.
Heo Sanja turned his head and looked over his disciples. Then, he opened his mouth as if he were chewing his anger.
“That’s enough.”
“…Yes?”
“We’ve had enough humiliation. From now on, we’ll win and restore our lost honor.”
Mu Jin said with a dark complexion.
“But Elder-nim. They still have Mount Hua Divine Dragon there.”
“Mount Hua Divine Dragon won’t come out this time.”
“…Yes?”
Heo Sanja turned his head slightly and glanced towards Mount Hua and continued.
“Mount Hua Divine Dragon is a man who hates a hopeless defeat.”
He has heard a lot of information about Chung Myung, and he has also learned about his tendencies.
“If he were to come out now, he would have to accept the result of winning five times and losing the rest. He will never allow that.”
“…So Elder-nim is saying he’s going to cut the flow at the right time.”
“That’s right. Otherwise, he’ll come out in the end and try to wipe out all the previous losses in one go.”
If those who knew Chung Myung well had heard this, they would have nodded in admiration, as Heo Sanja’s analysis was quite accurate and sharp.
“Then, if so….”
“Yes.”
Heo Sanja’s eyes lit up.
“That means they have no one to face us on their side now.”
Since the rule of ten wins had been established, the result had already been predetermined.
The five, called the Five Swords, could compete with Wudang, but the rest never faced the Wudang’s first-class disciple. What was important was how they would fight the remaining battles.
‘It’s the worst result. But it’s still within the range of possibility.’
The five consecutive losses left a big shock to the viewers, but if Wudang wins consecutively in the future, the impact of that shock would be somewhat mitigated. If so, they can only keep the result of winning the sparring match.
“Go ahead.”
Heo Sanja said with his teeth clenched.
“We have to win the rest of the matches perfectly. Don’t worry about Mount Hua Divine Dragon who will appear last, as there is someone else who will face him. But more importantly!”
Heo Sanja looked back at the disciples with eyes full of determination.
“Don’t forget our purpose.”
“….”
“Our purpose is not to beat Mount Hua. It is to inform everyone that there are no intermediate-level disciples in Mount Hua and that the rising star alone can never exceed the name of Wudang Sect.”
“Yes, Elder-nim!”
“Ruthlessly overwhelm them. The fact that the rising star disciples of Mount Hua shone more than ever will prove that they are like a roof without pillars!”
Wudang’s disciples nodded silently.
They have already lost too much. Even if it worked out as Heo Sanja said, everyone knew that the purpose they were trying to achieve had already been ruined.
But that’s why it couldn’t be taken away anymore. They were stuck at a dead end.
“I’ll go out.”
Heo Sanja looked at the one who stepped forward with a calm expression.
“Mu Gak.”
If it’s Mu Gak, it’s not bad. Even though he fell short compared to Wudang’s Three Swords, he didn’t fall far behind. He’s a skilled person who is relatively high among Wudang’s disciples.
“Break their momentum.”
“Yes!”
Mu Gak stepped onto the sparring stage with a determined expression.
“So….”
Baek Cheon looks around the disciples.
“…what should we do?”
There was no one to send out. Baek Cheon unconsciously scratched his head.
‘Did we always lack this much backbone?’
In fact, this is a fundamental problem for Mount Hua.
Of course, all the other disciples are elite Chung Myung soldiers (?) who overdosed on drugs (?) and practiced until they were exhausted. But even so, it was true that they were not comparable to the Five Swords.
‘No, actually, it’s pretty bad.’
If the five of them rush in, they can’t handle even one Yoon Jong.
They left to solve this extreme gap in skill, but in the meantime, a sparring match between Wudang and Mount Hua happened in the midst of it.
“Hey, Chung Myung.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going out?”
Chung Myung shrugged at Jo-Gol’s question.
“I should go out, but if I go out now, what about after that?”
“…Right.”
If they hold up on their own with Chung Myung on their back, those who go out and fight will feel less burdened, but if Chung Myung comes back after winning, the burden of those who come back will only double.
“Then… So-so… Hngg.”
Baek Cheon scratched his head.
Of course So-so is strong. Even after a tough battle in the North Sea, she has become much stronger than before.
However, by any stretch of the imagination, So-so was unlikely to win against Wudang’s first-class disciple. She wasn’t good enough yet.
“Then, uh….”
The disciples flinched and averted their gazes whenever Baek Cheon’s head turned left and right.
“Right! You….”
“Sahyung.”
Baek Sang smiled as soon as he was pointed out.
“I have dedicated myself to Finance Hall. I don’t know how to use a sword.”
“… I’m proud of you, you punk.”
Baek Cheon sighed deeply, unable to contain his frustration.
Everyone seemed unsure. But he couldn’t blame them for that. In the first place, it didn’t make sense for the first, second, and third-class disciples to perform a sparring match.
The Five Swords that managed to make it to victory were strange, and they couldn’t be blamed for that.
“Hngg, just a couple more… Huh?”
Then Baek Cheon’s eyes, wandering around, stopped in one place.
There was something yellow stood out between the black uniforms. When he looked up a little bit more, he saw something shiny…..
“Monk.”
“Huh? Monk Hye Yeon?”
“Were you here?”
“I didn’t even know you followed us.”
As everyone’s attention was focused on him, Hye Yeon’s face burned and turned red in an instant.
“A- Amitabha Buddha. I’m embarrassed to be left alone…..”
In the first place, he was left alone at the merchant guild, saying that if he, a native of the Shaolin Sect, was involved in a sparring match between Mount Hua and Wudang would look strange.
The sight of him sneaking between the disciples made Baek Cheon laugh.
“Monk… uh, Monk Hye Yeon….”
Baek Cheon, who was about to say something, suddenly turned his head with a light in his eyes and asked Chung Myung.
“Can’t Monk Hye Yeon join the sparring match?”
“… Monk. Send…?”
“N- No, can’t he just pretend to be Mount Hua’s eaters? At places like Five Great Family, even guests are recognized as members of the Five Great Family.”
“The grass-eating dog is making noises! I’d rather hit him in the head and give him a sword! Then even if he can’t bloom plum blossoms, he’ll bloom at least lotuses! He’ll make a name for himself!”
Chung Myung glared, but this time Baek Cheon didn’t lose either.
“It’s because there’s no one to send, no one! Then why did you send all the kids when you don’t have any countermeasures?”
“We won, didn’t we!”
“Is that the problem, you damned bastard?”
“A- Amitabha…….”
When the two growled without yielding an inch, Hye Yeon did not know what to do and just chanted.
And at that moment.
A person came up to the stage and saluted Mount Hua’s camp.
“I’m Wudang’s Mu Gak. Who will be my opponent?”
“….”
A sense of gloom spread across Baek Cheon’s face.
They can’t drag on any more time.
‘So-so? Or Baek Sang? Or Gwak Hee… Baek Mu (백무).’
There was no one he was absolutely sure would win, no matter who he chose to send out.
He knows. In the end, the result was already decided. Nevertheless, Baek Cheon agonized because it was obvious that no one would want to bear the burden of the first defeat that would break their winning streak.
He wanted to send someone out who was at least a little bit braver and wouldn’t be hurt by that defeat.
“Sang-ah!”
Baek Cheon’s face became firm.
“You go out.”
“You, you mean me?”
Baek Sang looked at Baek Cheon with a puzzled face and said.
“If Sahyung told me, I will, but… frankly, I’m not very confident.”
“I know.”
Baek Cheon nodded his head.
“Defeat is acceptable. However, defeat has its own dignity. Show yourself as a proud Mount Hua disciple.”
“…Yes, Sahyung.”
Baek Sang nodded as if it couldn’t be helped. And the moment he’s about to go to the stage.
“No.”
Someone stopped Baek Sang’s foot with a calm voice.
Everyone looked back at the man who opened his mouth in surprise.
“No, it’s not you, Sang-ah. It’s me who should go out.”
“Sa, Sasuk?”
“Instructor-nim?”
It was Un Gum.
Mount Hua’s disciples all widened their eyes.
“I- Instructor-nim…….”
“Why are you all reacting like that?” Un Gum chuckled as if their reaction was strange.
“Why can’t I, a first-class disciple of Mount Hua, come forward when a first-class disciple of Wudang comes out?”
“… It’s not, but…”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“….”
No one said a word. However, their eyes were inevitably honest, staring at the empty right sleeve of Un Gum.
Nobody would have tried to stop him if his skill was still intact.
Instead, the fact that Un Gum stood up might have given them courage.
But for now….
“Sasuk.”
“May I go out?”
Baek Cheon bit his lips slightly.
“Please don’t say that. You are my Sasuk. How can I stop you from doing what you need to do?”
“Thank you.”
Un Gum smiled and patted the sword on his waist. Then, he walked forward.
No one stopped him.
Someone with a rough voice stood up and grabbed his arm at that moment.
“Are you all right?”
Un Gum glanced at Chung Myung.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not fully used to the left-handed sword yet.”
Un Gum smiled softly as if he had expected such a response.
“Even so, I can wield a sword. It’s embarrassing when my disciples are fighting so hard but I as the teacher just watching.”
“Hmm.”
Chung Myung sighed quietly.
“I’ll watch you closely.”
“That would be better.”
Un Gum smiled at Chung Myung and was about to take a step forward, but he paused momentarily.
“Didn’t Baek Cheon say something about dignity even in defeat?”
“Yes?”
“Even in defeat, there is dignity.”
“….”
Un Gum looked towards the stage, then resumed walking.
“I wish I could show you that.”
His empty sleeve fluttered in the wind.
The solemnity that was different from before began to appear in the eyes of Mount Hua’s disciples who watched his back as he walked slowly toward the stage.