Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Ohh! This…?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes trembled,

“…you mean this is the sword made of cold steel by the Tang Family?”

“Yes.”

A simple answer, yet it wasn’t a short answer without meaning.

“…as expected.”

Hyun Jong reached out and lightly touched the wooden box.

“The box is odd… perhaps because it is made by the Tang Family.”

Baek Cheon looked at Hyun Jong with a smile. Actually, the wooden box containing the swords was nothing special. However, the reason Hyun Jong was misunderstood wasn’t funny, but how he looked was what Baek Cheon understood.

“Please open it, Sect Leader.”

“Right, right.”

Hyun Jong nodded and slowly opened the box.

Kiik.

“Ohh!”

At the sight of the finally revealed swords, Hyun Jong’s eyes shone with passion. His gaze was fixed on these swords that had plum blossoms engraved on them.

Just by looking at the sheath of the sword, it was made clear how subtle the colors used were, and the effect made it look elegant. Moreover, what made him even happier was the plum blossom design engraved on the sheaths and the swords.

‘Plum Blossom sword.’

For some reason, this made him emotional.

‘How happy would our ancestors have been if they had seen this?’

It seemed like yesterday that they couldn’t give their kids proper swords, but now they had cold steel….

To others, these might be treasured swords, but to Hyun Jong, these swords held a much more profound meaning.

“So wonderful.”

Hyun Jong smiled softly and stretched out his hand toward the swords.

But…

Snap!

Before his hands could even grab one, someone had snatched it away with lightning-fast speed.

“That….”

…this brat.

Still, I am the sect leader, before I even look…

But he couldn’t say anything. Even the eyes of Hyun Sang seemed to be tainted with madness.

“… cold steel sword.”

“….”

Srng!

Hyun Sang slowly pulled the sheath off to reveal the blade. The blade was whiter than a normal sword and began to glow faint blue.

“Ohh….” exclaimed Hyun Sang at the sight. Anyone who had wielded a sword their whole life would have no other choice but to notice how amazing this sword was.

Hyun Sang stretched out a hand and touched the plum blossom engraved on the sword blade. He only touched it lightly, but his hand felt cold.

When he lightly flicked the blade, it rang with this clear sound.

“An amazing sword! What a great sword!”

Hyun Sang was excited by this and turned to swing it.

‘Would this be alright?’

Unlike Hyun Young, who opened his mouth when something wrong happened, Hyun Sang always kept his calm. So, seeing him act like a child holding a new toy, Hyun Jong smiled.

“It is fine…”

“Just once!”

Hyun Sang lightly swung his sword. Strangely, the sword had this blue qi rising from within, collecting at the tip…

Sword qi?

“Ackkkk!”

“Eeeik!”

Baek Cheon and the others had to throw themselves to the ground as the sword suddenly exuded sword qi.

Slash!

The sword qi dug into the wall, leaving a large scar on it.

“… Uh?”

Seeing this, Hyun Sang’s eyes shook greatly. And at the same time, Hyun Jong jumped from his spot and kicked Hyun Sang on the butt.

“You madman!”

Thud!

Hit, Hyun Sang tumbled onto the ground.

“To unfold sword qi in this room?! Have you lost it?”

Hyun Jong widened his eyes and pointed at him.

Almost as if shocked, Hyun Sang looked at the sword with a gaping mouth.

“N-No, it wasn’t like that, Sect Leader… I really didn’t put much effort into it! I just infused a very little…”

At that time…

Grrr!

The wall that had been slashed by Hyun Sang’s sword qi collapsed right then, and now one side of the room had a hole in it.

“…”

Hyun Jong raised his eyes and looked at the collapsed wall. His eyes widened when he saw the extent of his slash.

‘This guy and that guy too…’

The disciples were out earning a good name while the elders were creating accidents.

‘Oh my, what was this…’ mumbled Hyun Sang, unable to come to terms with this.

“N-No, this cannot be.”

But those words only served to annoy Hyun Jong,

“When a so-called elder is so blinded by a sword that he makes a mistake that even the kids don’t!”

“T-That is not it, Sect Leader! This sword… this sword is strange! It cannot be like this!”

Even when he was being yelled at, Hyun Sang was admiring the sword. In the end, it was Hyun Jong who couldn’t keep his anger inside.

“Look at me!”

Hyun Jong snatched the sword from Hyun Sang before carefully infusing his internal qi into the blade.

Shh!

He had just put in a little, but the sword qi rose up to the tip of the sword and continued to grow as if he was continuing to infuse qi.

“… this cannot be.”

Hyun Jong eventually lost his words as he was shocked.

“… that is why these are treasured swords.”

To be honest, he thought that a treasured sword would just be a bit harder and sharper than the normal ones. But this, this, seemed a whole lot different.

It was at this moment that he finally understood why the so-called best swordsmen on the Central Plains were so adamant about using treasured swords.

“I heard that a master in calligraphy doesn’t choose a brush.”

“What nonsense. The better the brush, the cleaner his attempt.”

“Uh?”

Hearing his words, Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung, who smiled happily and continued,

“Because if you are a calligrapher, you make a lot of money.”

“…”

“Therefore, you should use a good brush.”

Ahh…

Right.

Chung Myung shrugged.

“It is the same for all. There are no penniless masters, and it is all a bluff when people say they used bad weapons to get strong and famous. Like, ‘I can use this weapon and still be stronger than you…’ that kind of person.”

“…”

Baek Cheon, who was staring blankly at the collapsed wall, asked Chung Myung,

“I also heard that… but isn’t this a bit too exaggerated? As far as I heard, in the past, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was said to have defeated the Demonic Sect with a single strand of grass…”

“What kind of madman spread such rumors? So he changed the Plum Blossom Sword? Why would he even carry a strand of grass, leaving a perfectly fine sword? Who is the nonsense person who said such things!”

Instead of answering, Baek Cheon turned his gaze to the side and looked at where Hyun Sang was standing with a shy expression.

“… sorry.”

“E-Elder? I didn’t know that, hehe.”

He had only told the trainees that once. But Hyun Sang, quick at highlighting such things, made them spread like wildfire, and now he felt a bit shy.

Chung Myung coughed.

“Hmm, anyway, you should always use a good sword!”

Hyun Jong nodded.

Actually, he wasn’t too happy with Chung Myung speaking badly about their ancestors, but seeing how the iron was this good, he could understand why Chung Myung emphasized using a good sword.

This sword would take the skills of the Mount Hua disciples to the next level. And because of this, there would be less risk of them being wounded in future battles.

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with gentle eyes and nodded,

“I think so…”

Bang!

At that moment, the door opened with a loud bang.

“…”

And Hyun Young hurriedly jumped through the half-open door,

“Damn it! What the hell is making this meeting take so long?! Why did they have to be this sloppy!”

“…”

Hyun Young, who was grumbling wildly, smiled brightly when he found Chung Myung,

“Chung Myung!”

“Yes, Elder!”

“Right, right, you! What more did you bring… this?”

Hyun Young jumped at Hyun Jong, looking at the sword he was holding.

“… you brought…”

Still thinking it was fortunate that it wasn’t Hyun Sang, Hyun Jong handed the sword over to Hyun Young.

“Ohh. This color… besides, there are plum blossom petals engraved on it, haha. Indeed this is a sword worthy of being called a plum blossom sword.”

Moreover, he was feeling the proper weight and balance from it, making it perfect for the Mount Hua sword techniques.

“Infuse your internal qi into it, your Sahyung has already taken down a wall.”

“Wall? Oh my? What is with him?”

Shocked, Hyun Young looked at the wall. Then, with a frightened face, he turned his head and glared at Hyun Sang, making him flinch and avert his gaze. As expected, Hyun Young’s harsh words soon followed.

“You don’t earn even a single penny!”

“… sorry.”

“This fresh blood goes all the way to Sichuan to earn money! And an elder is out here!”

“… I said sorry…”

“Tch tch. Egh!”

Hyun Young clicked his tongue, disapproving of what happened, and said to Hyun Jong,

“Sect Leader, the kids came back after doing something good.”

“Yes, indeed they have.”

“Chung Myung.”

“Yes.”

“Did you bring enough swords?”

“Yes, I brought enough for use in the proper manner. However, I am a bit unsure if they were being generous. The cold steel… we are running out of it.”

“Yes!”

Hyun Young nodded happily, seeing that Hyun Jong was also smiling. Now that everything was working out, his heart felt so warm…

“That is why, with the right method, we can treat them. He suffered so much all this time!”

“….”

“Do you get to decide what we take and leave to the grave? People should know how to let go! Eh!”

“…”

“Didn’t I say the last time, if we let them go, they will take care of themselves! When have you ever seen this young guy do his job properly?”

Hyun Jong turned his head and looked out the window… and he rather thought the sky looked clear.

‘This guy and that one too…’

He really wished they would all just be off.

However, whether or not Hyun Jong was cursing them, Hyun Sang and Hyun Young were filled with joy.

“Right, right! You have suffered so much! Hehehe! You have made a much better sword than I thought!”

“Tch tch. How hard must it have been to have half his face sink away!”

Listening to this, Baek Cheon’s lips twitched.

Half? Half?

If Chung Myung’s face doubled, he would be like a moon. He was the one who laid down, ate, and slept all the time…

At that time, Hyun Young, who was roughly stroking Chung Myung’s head, flinched as he saw something pure white around Chung Myung’s neck.

“W-What is that?”

“Ah, this thing? The Beast Palace Lord gifted this to me.”

“…the fur looks unusual… expensive too.”

“Right?”

Perhaps seeing the greed in the eyes of Hyun Young, Baek Ah looked shocked and growled.

Hwaaak!

“How dare you!”

Tak!

After being punished right away by Chung Myung, Baek Ah became sullen. It tucked its head back into Chung Myung’s neck.

Chung Myung shrugged,

“Still not away from old habits.”

“I see, so unlike you.”

No, Elder.

It is really similar…

Hyun Young gazed at Chung Myung’s sword.

“Hmm? This?”

“Ah.”

Chung Myung nodded and unwrapped his sword, the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword, from his waist and held it out.

“A gift given by the Tang Family.”

“…”

Hyun Jong and the elders were speechless as they inspected the sword.

“… this.”

In particular, Hyun Sang was unable to speak and gulped.

‘This is quite different.’

A sword made of cold steel by the Tang Family wouldn’t lack the title of a treasured sword, but the skill in forging that sword was incomparable to normal cold steel swords.

“Can I see it for a moment?”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung obediently handed over his sword to Hyun Sang, who took it carefully, his hands trembling.

“Huh!”

Looking at the body of the sword, he gulped.

“This… this sword….”

His voice sounded like he was losing it, and Hyun Young, who was to the side, also couldn’t hide his shock and asked Chung Myung,

“You mean this sword was made just like this?”

“Yes, it was a gift given to Mount Hua.”

“… a gift for Mount Hua.”

Hyun Jong repeated Chung Myung’s words and nodded.

“It is something I am really grateful for.”

“Want to keep it?”

“No.”

At Chung Myung’s question, Hyun Jong shook his head right away.

“You say they gave it to Mount Hua as a gift, but this was a sword made for you to use.”

“Hmmm. Right.”

“Then you are right. The heart of the gift recipient is important, but so is the will of the person giving it.”

Chung Myung nodded,

“Yes.”

However, even after the decision was made, Hyun Sang couldn’t easily give the sword back to Chung Myung.

“If you want to keep it….”

Hyun Young turned his eyes,

“Give it to me! How slow are you being!”

“Y-You! You know how important a sword is to a swordsman!”

“Enough of this!”

Hyun Young shouted and snatched the sword from the hands of Hyun Sang and gave it back to Chung Myung.

“You use it.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung grinned and tied the sword back at his waist while Hyun Sang smacked his lips.

“Then lend it to me once…”

“Shut up! Shut up already!”

“…”

Hyun Young shook his head and looked at Chung Myung. As always, his eyes softened at the sight of him.

“Right, you suffered so much. So did you do anything else?”

“Ah, for now, we managed to solve the Ghost Clan thing. We have informed the Eunha Merchant Guild of the situation, so we should be able to start our business soon.”

“That is good news.”

“And, uh…”

Chung Myung thought for a moment and said,

“I ended up forming an alliance with two sects, Sichuan Tang and the Nanman Beast Palace.”

“Alliance?”

“Yes. We named it the Heavenly Friends Alliance. For now, there are three of us, but we will add more factions.”

Hyun Jong slightly frowned at the news.

“Since you have done so, you must have looked carefully. So, I don’t think it was a hasty decision. We will have to coordinate the big and small things.”

“Yes, we need to do that. Because Sect Leader is the alliance leader.”

“Uh? Who?”

“Sect Leader.”

“What am I?”

“The Alliance Leader.”

“…”

Hyun Jong’s eyes trembled at Chung Myung’s words.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“… why me?”

Unfortunately… no one had an answer for him.

Unfortunately.