Return of the Mount Hua Sect

While streams make noise as they flow, very few can hear the sound of a deep river flowing. The river just flows haphazardly.

However, those standing here on Plum Blossom Island clearly heard the sound of the river flowing at this moment. The sound that is like a certain rhythm by the meeting waves.

That’s how terrible the profound silence and stillness that had descended upon this island.

Seeing it with their own eyes, they couldn’t believe it.

Third-class disciples of Mount Hua. A young swordsman who has barely passed age of twenty is pushing Black Dragon King, who has established an absolute position in Kangho called Mountain of Dao and Forest of Sword.

Objectively speaking, the extent of injuries both have suffered isn’t vastly different.

Of course, there were cuts and holes all over Black Dragon King’s body. However, considering his large body and strength, an injury of that magnitude cannot be considered fatal.

On the other hand, Chung Myung’s injury was limited to one hand, but that hand was damaged to the point where it was almost impossible to move.

The flesh on the back of the hand was almost torn off to the point where the white bones were visible, and his palm looked as if it had been shredded.

If someone were to arrive at this scene now and assess the two men, it would be difficult to say who has the upper hand.

However, no one, including those here, who have watched the exchange from the beginning until now, would dare call this fight a ‘draw’.

A terrible sense of disharmony has captivated everyone. In the face of this spectacle where common sense as they knew it collapses, they could only remain silent even if they had mouths to speak.

“…”

Namgung Myung was about to say something, but he couldn’t get the words out and closed his mouth. It would be impossible to express how he feels right now with any words.

He suddenly looked down at his hands. There was so much cold sweat running down his palms.

‘Who the hell is that person….?’

He couldn’t understand. No, perhaps it was terrifying.

The sword of Chung Myung was obviously thoroughly calculated. Namgung Myung is someone who bears the surname Namgung. As a direct descendant of Namgung Family, who has never once lost his place as one of the number one sword sects throughout heaven and earth (??????(天下第一劍家)), he was able to understand it right away.

How much effort and determination were contained in that seemingly insignificant swing.

No, even if one does not bear the Namgung surname, anyone who wields a sword would know.

But can all this effort alone explain this scene? Even if one pushes oneself to the limit, even if one sharpens oneself to the extreme like a sharp sword, can one fight like that?

‘It’s impossible.’

That is not something that can be said learnable. It’s not something achievable just by having the will.

That Chung Myung is simply something fundamentally different.

He doesn’t know what made the man that way, but just witnessing his swordplay sends shivers down the spine and makes the jaw tremble and the blood run cold.

It was then.

“That damned human…”

“Tsk.”

An irritated voice came from Five Swords standing next to him. No, it would be more correct to say that it is anger rather than irritation.

They were looking at Chung Myung.

But shortly after, a bizarre scene unfolded. Chung Myung, who had captured Namgung Myeong’s attention to the point of breathlessness, began tearing his own clothes.

Riiip!

Chung Myung wrapped the torn piece of cloth tightly around his severely damaged left hand.

“Tsk.”

It was inherently impossible to tend to one’s wounds in the midst of battling an enemy. Despite being repeatedly told that avoiding injury is more important than killing the enemy, he had never once taken care of his own injuries during a fight.

But now he was clumsily wrapping his hand using the hem of his clothes as a bandage. It was because he saw the glaring eyes looking as if they would kill him.

‘Damn them.’

Baek Cheon, Jo-Gol, and Yoon Jong were glaring daggers at him, and Yoo Iseol, although her expression did not change, seemed ready to rush in and strangle Chung Myung at any moment. In particular, Tang Soso’s face, spewing killing intent behind him, was so scary that he couldn’t even bear to look at it.

Smirking while wrapping his injured hand, Chung Myung laughed softly.

Taking care of his injury during the battle because of fear of other people’s eyes. If Tang Bo saw this, he might foam at the mouth and collapse.

Kkuuk!

After pulling the bitten piece of cloth tight around his hand, Chung Myung spat out the sand sticking to his lips and readjusted his grip on his sword. Then, he laughed again as if the whole situation was absurd.

Just in time, Black Dragon King raised his large body.

Blood was flowing down from his lips as if he was barely holding back his anger. His guan dao was trembling as it touched the ground.

“This….”

At that moment, a ferocious momentum erupted from the whole body of Black Dragon King.

The momentum was so overwhelming that among the pirates, some even fainted on the spot. Even the disciples of Mount Hua flinched at the immense energy.

“Rat-like bastard!”

Black Dragon King’s eyes were bloodshot.

What does this all mean?

He acknowledged the speed. However, there was no injury he suffered from fighting that damned man that could be attributed to ‘skill’.

It is the result of the sheer courage to push forward without taking care of his injuries, the absurd improvisation, and the madness of that crazy man.

Although he was swearing on the outside, but his face was filled with utmost caution.

‘That man is terribly accustomed to combat.’

No, in fact, the word ‘terribly’ was a poor way to describe what he had just experienced. Even he, who usually neglects to learn, felt bitter that he could not find words to express that madness and venom at this moment.

An ordinary martial artist waits for an opening in their opponent. And peak martial artists create a gap in the opponent with his own power.

But that man doesn’t just stay at such a level.

He forcibly twists to create openings, embedding his claws and fangs into them, and tears the wounds open even further.

Step. Step.

He tightened the strip of cloth wrapped around his hand with his teeth and stared at the approaching Chung Myung.

Even the sound of his footsteps felt oppressive.

Eudeuk.

Black Dragon King gritted his teeth.

No rabbit approaches the tiger first. At least in battle, being the one to approach first is a clear sign of having the upper hand.

It was a situation where Black Dragon King’s lofty pride could be torn to shreds, but instead of swearing and yelling loudly as usual, he slowly aimed his guan dao forward.

His movement was infinitely cautious.

It symbolized acknowledgment. He accepted the young swordsman standing before him as a formidable enemy worth staking his life against.

No strong person was strong from the beginning. Didn’t he also survive among those stronger than himself to climb up to where he is now?

Instead of sweeping the surroundings like a storm, now a blade-like sharp murderous intent began flowing through him.

The corners of Chung Myung’s mouth curled up.

“Now it seems worth a try.”

“Don’t get cocky. You kid…”

Black Dragon King’s words could not be completed. It is as if someone had covered his mouth. It was because he couldn’t bear to call that crazy Taoist bastard a kid.

“Tsk.”

Black Dragon King’s eyes darkened as he pursed his lips.

He knows.

The results justify everything. The stronger the opponent is, the greater the praise given to the Black Dragon King will be when he ultimately wins.

That’s why….

Black Dragon King’s toes slowly push the sand as he catches his breath. The guan dao rose naturally up and down with each breath.

His eyes, once wild like a crazed boar, slowly changed into those of a martial artist.

Chwaak!

As his toes kicked off the ground, Black Dragon King’s figure shot forward like an illusion. At the same time as the sand began to rise upward, the body of Black Dragon King reached Chung Myung’s face.

Hwiwik!

A short, swift stab followed.

It wasn’t just an attack led by brute force. Utilizing the advantage of the long guan dao, more like a spear, he executed a piercing attack. Even before the first stab could reach its full length, the remnants of the dao energy, divided into dozens, poured out with the force of sweeping over Chung Myung’s entire body.

Chung Myung quickly stepped back. However, at that moment, the remnants sent by Black Dragon King chased after him, stretching out even further.

“Heup!”

With a short exclamation, Chung Myung stretched out his sword like a poisonous snake flying toward a point in the air.

Kagang!

Chung Myung’s sword, which accurately penetrated the space between the dao energy, bounced left and right widely, bounced greatly from side to side, and pushed the incoming attack to side. It was the exact moment when Chung Myung was about to swing his sword through the gap that had been created as if squeezed through the space.

Hwiiiing!

Along with a sound reminiscent of a whistle, Black Dragon King’s Dao rushed like a beam of light through the space created by Chung Myung. Chung Myung twisted his hand in an instant, positioning his sword vertically.

Kaaaaang!

The collision of the sword and guan dao in mid-air sent Chung Myung flying backward.

At that moment, Black Dragon King corrected his dao.

Kagang!

At the same time as his foot stepped on the advance as if it would burst the ground, the raised dao fiercely drew a line in the air.

Kwaaaaaaa!

Ink-colored dao energy poured out like a waterfall from the end of the dao. It was as if a line had been drawn in the sky with a single stroke of a huge brush!

Facing the onslaught of ink-colored dao energy that seemed to shatter him into pieces, Chung Myung twisted in mid-air, pulling his sword back as far as possible.

“Heuuaaaaap!”

A red crescent-shaped sword energy was unleashed from the edge of Chung Myung’s sword, which was swung like a whip. The sword energy, which resembled the light of a setting sunset, collided head-on with the flying ink-colored dao energy.

Kwaaaaaaang!

The moment the two energies collided, a massive explosion of energy erupted in the air as if a cannon had been fired.

Kuung!

At that moment, the ink-colored dao energy on the edge of Black Dragon King’s dao surged. The dao energy, which had grown to the size of a house in an instant, was condensed and condensed into a single line. Then, it immediately wrapped itself around the dao and started spinning ferociously.

“Huuooooo!”

Black Dragon King burst his neck and let out a lion-like roar. Then, the energy rose further, and the guan dao was soon completely wrapped in the explosively rotating ink-colored dao energy.

Paaaaaaaaaang!

His dao was swung and made its way as if tearing the air apart. The Reinforced Dao Energy (??(刀剛) It should be reinforced dao energy. Since it has come to this, perhaps I’ll change it altogether.) drawn from the dao painted nine rugged lines across the sky.

Nine Dragons Emerge (????(九龍出陣))!

It seems as if nine black dragons are flying towards Chung Myung.

For the first time, screams came from the mouths of Mount Hua’s disciples who were watching the incredible scene.

“Chung Myung-aaaaah!”

But at that moment, a single red dot rose in the air.

The water-colored sky and the vividly blue river. In that canvas-like world, red flowers bloomed like clouds.

An explosive Blooming (??(開花)).

Dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of plum blossoms bloomed again and again, creating a huge wall in the air. The world seemed to be dyed red as if the sunset spread across the blue sky in an instant.

Eventually, the nine dragons intertwined and collided head-on with the wall of red plum blossoms blocking their path.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

With a colossal explosion, as if a mountain had crumbled, red and black energies burst forth like fireworks, scattering into the air.