Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Across it, three silver lines crisscrossed.

Three throwing knives of different speeds and strengths, belonging to Tang Gun’ak, flew toward Chung Myung, drawing lines that cannot be explained except by the word beautiful.

One goes straight ahead and the other two turn sharply to the left and right.

The turning throwing knives were much faster than the ones flying straight. So much so that by the time they neared Chung Myung, they were almost simultaneous…

‘No!’

Paaaaaaat!

Chung Myung swung his Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword like lightning, deflecting Chuhonbi coming from the sides.

Kwaaang!

Kwaaaaaang!

The moment the sword and throwing knives collided, a massive shockwave swept through the surroundings. The ground shook as if there had been an earthquake, and the dirt rose up upside down.

Paaaaaaaat!

However, even in the midst of the great shock, Chung Myung stretched his sword forward without a single disruption. The tip of the sword rushed towards Chuhonbi flying from the front like a flash.

But at that moment…

Swaeek!

The throwing knife, which was flying in a straight line, momentarily changed direction and soared upward just before it made contact with Chung Myung’s sword. Like a snake crawling on the ground and then springing up towards its prey.

“Heok!”

“This…!”

A mixture of gasps and screams came from the mouths of Mount Hua’s disciples, who were watching the fierce battle between the two with sweating palms.

The throwing knife that rose up after overcoming the horizontally swung sword seemed like it would pierce Chung Myung’s face at any moment.

But the opponent is Chung Myung.

It was a moment in which anyone could not help but be taken aback, but Chung Myung’s response was surprisingly fast. Almost simultaneously with the throwing knife change in direction, his head sharply jerked backward.

Swaeaeaeaek!

The throwing knife grazed right in front of Chung Myung’s face.

‘Do- Dodged…’

And at that moment, Baek Cheon saw.

Round and round.

The sight of the throwing knife, which narrowly passed by Chung Myung’s face, turned again at a right angle in the air.

“What…!”

For once, the world-renowned Baek Cheon couldn’t help but be appalled. Even Chung Myung raised his eyes wide as if he was caught off guard.

Paaaaat!

It even changed direction near his face and then swiftly flew in, creating a situation where it was impossible to even think of dodging.

Kagak!

But Chung Myung had something faster than his body. His sword, already retrieved, intercepted the incoming throwing knife.

Kagagagagagak! Kagagagak!

The throwing knife didn’t lose its force upon hitting the sword blade. It kept spinning, pressing in as if to bore through the sword.

Then!

Kagagagagak!

Soon, the throwing knife that twisted sideways passed right next to Chung Myung’s face.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

The moment the throwing knife hit, the ground overturned and erupted as if a cannonball had landed.

“…….”

Chung Myung slowly turned his gaze towards the utterly destroyed ground.

A faint red line appeared on his cheek, gradually becoming more distinct.

Jureureuk.

A clear wound was etched on his cheek, from which red blood began to flow.

“…This guy?”

Chung Myung gritted his teeth and glared at Tang Gun-ak.

“…Are you really trying to kill me?”

Jo-Gol spoke with a stern face.

In the first place, a throwing knife is a weapon that cannot be easily retrieved once it is released from one’s fingertips. In other words, unlike a sword, this means that even if the blade is about to burrow into the opponent’s heart, it cannot be stopped.

That’s why those who use throwing knives or hidden weapons must consider the opponent’s situation as much as possible when engaging in a spar. Before the spar takes each other’s lives.

However, the throwing knives that Tang Gun-ak threw did not show any consideration for the opponent. Rather, it seemed filled with a desperate will to take the opponent’s life at all costs.

“If the opponent weren’t Chung Myung, they would’ve surely been dead.”

A throwing knife that once dodged, changes direction right in front of one’s face and flies back in? If Jo-Gol had been subjected to the same case, he wouldn’t have even thought of dealing with it properly.

Knowing it, one can deal with it, but if not, it’s an unavoidable move. Isn’t that why the world calls such an attack a ‘lethal technique’?

In other words, Tang Gun-ak was indiscriminately unleashing lethal techniques right from the start of sparring. And this should never happen.

“Sasuk.”

“Just watch.”

But Baek Cheon, who had already regained his composure, spoke as if it was no big deal.

“…But…!”

“Using a lethal technique doesn’t necessarily mean you intend to kill the opponent. As long as one assurance exists, it doesn’t matter how much you use it.”

“Assurance?”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon nodded lightly.

“The confidence that the opponent can definitely block it without harm.”

“…….”

Jo-Gol closes his mouth at the words.

Baek Cheon sighed and looked alternately between Tang Gun-ak and Chung Myung.

‘An unbelievable level of trust.’

He watched with his own eyes the inexplicable sight of Chung Myung, who trained them, becoming stronger at a faster rate than them. Therefore, he has no doubt about Chung Myung’s strength.

But how can Tang Gun-ak be sure?

If Chung Myung isn’t as strong…. No, if he hadn’t been sure Chung Myung had come back stronger than he thought, he wouldn’t have been able to unleash a lethal technique right from the start that could kill life by a single mistake.

Then, a quiet voice reached his ears.

“That’s a relief.”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon glanced back at Yoo Iseol.

His Samae, who was always expressionless, and hard to know what she was thinking, mumbled quietly with her eyes fixed on the two ahead.

“There won’t be any disappointment.”

Hearing those words, the corners of Baek Cheon’s lips slightly curled up.

“That’s obvious.”

He looked at Chung Myung, who was lightly wiping the blood on his cheek.

“I can assure you, that crazy guy can’t be stopped with just that.”

His voice was full of confidence and trust.

But then, a startling voice pierced his ears.

“Poison?”

“…….”

“Poooiiiisoooon? No, this yangban is using poison in a spar? Agh! My blood pressure! Urgh!”

“…….”

Chung Myung staggered, holding his head. Baek Cheon’s face paled slightly. Jo-Gol and Yoon Jong looked back at him with blank expressions.

“…Assure me?”

“…….”

“You’re still so reckless after having seen blood more than once or twice due to that assurance of yours…”

“…….”

Baek Cheon just looked up into the distant sky without saying a word.

Chiiik.

The blood dripping from his fingertip corroded the solid white quartz, producing a white steam. It meant the poison mixed in the blood was unbelievably lethal.

Chung Myung glared at Tang Gun-ak with a sense of absurdity.

“Poiisooooooon?”

“Why act so surprised.”

Tang Gun-ak shrugged his shoulders as if it was not a big deal.

“Agh!”

Chung Myung grabbed the back of his neck as his veins became stiff.

“No, you’re using poison while sparring with a rising star? Poison? And such a lethal one at that?”

“I wasn’t planning to say this, but…”

“What?”

“Isn’t it a little embarrassing to refer to yourself as a rising star with your own mouth? You should have some conscience.”

“…….”

Chung Myung’s mouth dropped open.

Was the man, the one who used lethal poison in a spar, lecturing him about conscience?

No matter how devoted to the path of virtue and how divinely kind hearted Chung Myung is, this is untolerabl-….

– Ah, stop talking nonsense!

Ah, why don’t you keep quiet for once! I might just rip off all the glue on the ancestral tablets.

Chiiiik.

As the ground continued to corrode, Chung Myung ground his teeth.

“You want to win that badly?”

“I don’t necessarily feel that way. Just….”

Tang Gun-ak grinned.

“My skills are poor enough to bring out all of your skills, so what choice do I have but to use every possible method at my disposal?”

“…I thought you weren’t going to use poison anymore? Saying it’s of little use in fights against martial masters?”

“That’s a false remark.”

“Huh?”

Tang Gun-ak glared at Chung Myung with cold eyes.

“Of course, it’s tough to defeat someone of your caliber with poison. But at least it can waste the opponent’s internal strength since they have to suppress the poison, and as the injury deepens, it can lead to seizures.”

“…….”

“Only one effect. No, is it any stranger not to use it if even a single little thing can be advantageous?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s obvious who will be more advantageous between you, who needs to use a lot of your internal strength to ward off the poison, or me, who can just apply the poison to my throwing knife before fighting.”

…Now that I think about it, isn’t he right?

Then why didn’t Tang Bo use poison during the war? Was he an idiot?

Suddenly, a past conversation with Tang Bo flashed through Chung Myung’s mind.

– But why don’t you use poison?

– No, this frustrating yangban! I need to have the poison first to use it!

– Your family didn’t give you any, it seems?

– Seriously, do you think poison just springs from the ground? It’s been a long time since we ran out of poison in the Tang Sect! There’s no time to recreate! If I step back to make poison, everything will fall apart.

– Incompetent bastard.

– Be careful what you say. If I had poison for my throwing knife, even you, Taoist Hyung-nim, would be done in one blow, one blow…. Hahaha. That… let’s communicate with word. Don’t draw your sword. Is it because you only eat grass to survive in Mount Hua? You don’t know humo-… Eeek!

Ah… I was the idiot.

“Ugh!”

Feeling his head spinning for a moment, Chung Myung quickly circulated his internal strength to suppress the poison.

The clear and pure ‘Immortal Qi’ (??(仙氣)) unique to Chung Myung instantly neutralized the poison.

Only then did Chung Myung, who caught his breath, ground his teeth and raised his sword.

“If you’re going to be like this, I can’t just stand idly by either.”

“No.”

Tang Gun-ak shook his head.

“This is hardly the extent of it.”

Tang Gun-ak’s hands went into his sleeves and reemerged. In his right hand, Chuhonbi glistened, and in his left hand, thin, fine needles were densely raised.

The throwing knives sparkled under the sunlight with a light green hue.

Chung Myung’s face hardened slightly once again, realizing that Tang Gun-ak was truly serious about this fight.

“Of course, I intend to test how much stronger you’ve become. But you should also be aware of one thing.”

“…One thing?”

“Of who I am.”

Tang Gun-ak’s voice, laden with an overwhelming presence, pressed down on Chung Myung.

“Of who the person you will fight together with is. Who the Poison King, Tang Gun-ak is.”

The green robes covering Tang Gun-ak’s whole body began to swell and flutter. The fighting spirit he exuded grated on Chung Myung’s nerves relentlessly.

Chung Myung’s mouth slightly opened, revealing his white teeth. His face was distorted like a demon.

“Really…”

Squeeze!

Chung Myung’s body, clutching the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword, soon burst out with a storm-like spirit.

“You keep saying whatever you like!”

Kwang!

At that moment, Tang Gun-ak stepped forward and released five throwing knives. Five knives, which were released with vivid glow, quickly flew toward Chung Myung, spinning as if they were intertwined.

“Haha!”

Chung Myung burst into a cheerful voice and rushed back toward the throwing knives rushing toward him.

Paaaaat!

Chung Myung’s sword, emitting a sunset-like red sword energy, plunged into the midst of the five approaching throwing knives. In that split-second, the extended sword split in all directions and struck down all the throwing knives spinning at incredible speeds.

Kwakwakwang!

An explosive sound erupted! Throwing knives scattered in all directions!

But soon after, what greeted Chung Myung was a cloud of dust that had briefly enshrouded his head.

‘Soul Severing Sand.’ (???(斷魂沙))

The sand containing poison is scattered, and hundreds of fine needles are poured from the front. Amidst Soul Severing Sand, dark throwing knives were mixed in.

‘Ghost King Decree!’ (???(鬼王令))

These vicious hidden weapons, that were said to be used exclusively against enemies of Tang’s, enveloped Chung Myung’s entire body.

At that moment, Chung Myung’s sword trembled and began to create what was supposed to be on Mount Hua.

Bright red plum blossoms.