Return of the Mount Hua Sect

The basic common sense was that a person could not practice two martial arts simultaneously. But strictly speaking, this did not make sense.

Those who practiced martial arts often used profound skills while wielding a weapon or executing footwork. So, it was incorrect to say that a warrior could not simultaneously perform two martial arts skills.

To be precise, it was true that ‘a person cannot use the same kind of martial arts at the same time.’

Could one execute the Plum Blossom Sword Technique with one hand and the Seven Petals Sword with the left? Could they use the Bamboo Leaf Sword with the left hand and then the Plum Blossom Sword with the right?

It might be possible to do so alternately, but even this was nearly impossible when using two different martial arts.

This was due to the different ways of utilizing internal qi depending on the martial art, each with a distinct drawing style.

If one developed martial arts by carefully organizing them so that they didn’t overlap, it would not be two martial arts but one.

This was why it was said to be impossible to practice two at once. To make it possible, there needed to be a presence of two different entities in the head, not one.

However, a sect made the impossible happen: the Wudang.

Normally, various shrines were located on Mount Wudang, overflowing with the strangest individuals. They didn’t shy away from anything to realize their path and Tao.

Among them, there was one who attempted it.

Humans could objectively observe others instead of themselves, and others could not fully look inside a person. So, if one became two, then the realization would be faster than any other person.

What started with such a radical theory turned into an unexpected success. After numerous changes, he finally managed to divide his consciousness into two.

Although it didn’t help in the realization of Tao as he had hoped, it had an amazing effect in terms of martial arts.

As can be seen.

Wkwaaang

The soft flow of qi within the sword moved like a tornado.

Sword qi and the palm, each with different properties, came together as one before moving apart to deploy their own techniques.

‘Well, something like this is…’

Yoon Jong, frightened, threw himself backward. But the sword and palm qi continued to rush toward him, who had stepped back, refusing to relent.

“Stk!”

Realizing that there was no escape, Yoon Jong slashed the sword downward, releasing a bright blue qi, and then slashed horizontally as well.

Paaat!

In an instant, a large wall made of sword qi formed in front of him.

Rumble!

When the wall collided with the incoming sword qi, it swayed, being pushed back, but somehow it endured without breaking.

‘E-enough…’

At that moment,

Yoon Jong’s eyes widened in shock.

The force of the sword qi coming toward him changed direction instantly, moving past the sword qi wall and flying to the side as if the pure white barrier was alive.

‘It makes no sense.’

But there was no time to think leisurely.

Yoon Jong retracted his sword and leaped into the air. The sword qi and palm qi surged directly below him and swept through the land in an odd manner.

Ohhhh!

The sole of his shoe, which he couldn’t release, was torn off by the sword qi. Yoon Jong, tumbling in the air, rolled over as soon as he hit the ground.

Kwang! Lwang! Kwang!

White palm qi appeared where he had briefly landed and then crushed the tile.

Almost at the edge of the stage, Yoon Jong pulled himself together and stood up quickly like a flying squirrel, looking at Mu Yeon. He resembled a wary cat.

“…”

Drip.

Sweat dripped down his chin.

It was an attack that could be described as nothing less than a storm. Yoon Jong opened his mouth as if in pain.

“… Dual Internal Qi arts.”

“Right.”

Mu Yeon smiled.

“It isn’t perfect, but I can still imitate it. How was it? Does it look good?”

Was it good?

Yoon Jong forced the laughter that bubbled up to stop.

Dual Internal Qi Art.

It was the most common form of Wudang’s martial arts among those taught, allowing one to use two types of martial arts simultaneously.

Of course, Yoon Jong had heard of it, but until then, he hadn’t understood what it meant to use two different martial arts at once. At best, he could manage them one after the other, but he thought it would be alright if he could handle that much.

However, when he experienced it, the Dual Internal Qi Arts were entirely different from what he had expected.

‘It feels like I’m dealing with two different warriors at the same time.’

Yoon Jong knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to face two warriors.

This was because Yoon Jong specialized in subduing opponents by working together. When he teamed up with Jo Gul, they could take on enemies much stronger than themselves.

When swords of different natures interlocked, they could work as two, maybe even three or more.

But now, Mu Yeon was doing it all alone, which he and Jo Gul had achieved together.

‘So this is the Dual Internal Qi Arts…’

It made no sense.

Yoon Jong gulped. It was the moment he realized deep in his bones why the world praised the Wudang sect’s warriors.

“…Can he handle that?”

Baek Cheon spoke with a low groan as he watched the spar.

This was the learning experience of the finest martial arts in Kangho, known to everyone as a symbol of Wudang alongside the Taiji Sword, Ten Thousand Palm.

But what he saw with his eyes and heard with his ears were worlds apart.

“…No, that is… a scam.”

Jo Gul, who had returned from basic treatment, mumbled, looking lost. Since he also performed dual attacks with Yoon Jong by his side, he couldn’t fathom how amazing what was happening before his eyes was.

“This… is Wudang.”

Even Yu Yiseol couldn’t relax her stiff face.

The word “potential” could be used in this situation. Why was Wudang called Wudang? The scene seemed to explain it to them all; despite the short history, they were ahead in terms of Taoism in the Central Plains.

Baek Cheon opened his mouth without taking his eyes off.

“… Chung Myung.”

“Uh?”

“Does it make sense?”

Chung Myung smiled.

“Which is why I said.”

“…”

“The skills of Wudang get stronger with time. Half of what I said then was all because of this damned thing.”

Along with the Taiji Sword, the Dual Internal Qi Arts was known to be the most difficult in Wudang. A Taoist wouldn’t even have the right to learn it unless they were of the highest position among the disciples.

“Well, every time I see that, it makes people enraged,”

“… when did you ever see that?”

“No, just think about it.”

Chung Myung rolled his eyes and spoke as if complaining.

“What? Divide a person’s consciousness into two? Is there anything more odd than the bastards who wouldn’t even mind having their minds split!”

“C-chung Myung, calm down.”

Baek Cheon broke into a cold sweat as he grabbed Chung Myung, who seemed ready to hit the Wudang disciples.

Why was this brat so swift in…

“Well, that isn’t important now. Is there any advice on how Yoon Jong should deal with…”

“Advice my ass!”

But Chung Myung snorted.

“If there was something like that, I wouldn’t have gone through any trouble.”

“… Uh?”

“There is nothing to cope with. That is no trick or technique. He literally is a genius.”

“…”

“Fucking annoying bastard.”

Baek Cheon’s face went stiff as he got the answer.

“It is so fucking annoying but definitely effective. From the moment you are able to do that, the strength itself increases at least by half.”

“… seems like it.”

He didn’t know how it was possible, but he could clearly confirm the effect. Baek Cheon felt frustrated as if something was stuck in his chest.

If one thought jumping in would end it, then there was a bigger mountain behind, and if one thought about jumping behind, then a bigger mountain blocked his way.

Now, he understood what was said about the endless strength of a prestigious sect.

‘It is one problem after another.’

Two tigers could not live on the same mountain. If Mount Hua were to stand tall as a Taoist sect in Kangho, then Wudang was something they had to overcome.

‘But…’

Baek Cheon’s gaze was fixed on the back of Yoon Jong, and he felt bad. The burden seemed too heavy for Yoon Jong to carry alone.

“Yoon Jong…”

Chung Myung chuckled at the sight of Baek Cheon, who could not handle the sight and spoke Yoon Jong’s name.

“Why? Does it seem a bit too much for Yoon Jong sahyung?”

“…”

“Can sasuk do it then?”

“W-who said that?”

Baek Cheon’s face turned bright red. Chung Myung shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“This is why the geniuses are them… tsk.”

“W-what are you saying?”

“Watch now.”

“Uh?”

As Chung Myung’s voice turned serious, Baek Cheon’s eyes lit up.

“If a genius has a way of genius, then commoners have their own way. And…”

Chung Myung stared at Yoon Jong’s back without even blinking.

“Yoon Jong sahyung, who we know is the best for this.”

His shaking shoulders gradually calmed, and Yoon Jong caught his breath and stared at Mu Yeon.

A spar…

If this had been a real fight, there wouldn’t have been time to catch one’s breath.

But his opponent was giving him time to catch his breath. He didn’t know if it was out of kindness or because his opponent had too much leisure, but right now, he felt relief more than anger.

‘Strong,’

It was definitely not for nothing that he received the title of the Three Swords of Wudang.

The sword and the palm technique simultaneously attacked the two main points of the opponent, pushing them into confusion. If Yoon Jong had experienced this situation for the first time, he would have fainted on the ground.

“Even then, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Yoon Jong merely endured. That hadn’t changed.

Yoon Jong quietly assumed a stable stance—the most basic stance.

From there, he shifted his center of gravity back by three inches and snarled,

“Please come.”

A smile appeared on Mu Yeon’s lips.

‘I should have gone for a second or third class disciple; then, I would have learned a lot more.’

But actually, Yoon Jong was learning even now.

From that unwavering form.

Woong.

Mu Yeon’s sword, imbued with internal qi, began to tremble naturally.

‘In that case, it would be polite to at least do my best!’

Mu Yeon steeled his resolve and swung the sword.

The sword qi, darker than before, surged toward Yoon Jong, and his body, now exposed to it, began to shake.