Chapter 635

Within the Wudang Sect, a modest ceremony was taking place.

It was a ceremony to formally accept Soma as a disciple.

If Soma had been an ordinary disciple, there would have been no need for such a ceremony.

But Soma was not an ordinary disciple.

While he was nominally a disciple of Master Cheongjin, he was actually inheriting the legacy of Master Il Geom Jin.

Because of this, even his peers felt an immense pressure regarding Soma’s induction. Despite being from the same generation, there was a significant age gap, and Soma had already reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

Soma’s induction could be described as the most groundbreaking event in the history of the Wudang Sect.

Master Cheongjin asked Soma,

“Do you wish to become a disciple of the Wudang Sect?”

“I do.”

“Do you vow to serve the Wudang Sect wholeheartedly?”

“I vow.”

“Very well. I grant you the Taoist name ‘Wooyoung.’ From now on, use the name Wooyoung in place of Soma.”

“I will do so.”

“Today, Taoist Wooyoung is declared a first-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect. Primordial Heavenly Deity, a new disciple now walks your path, please shine light upon his future.”

With Master Cheongjin’s prayer to the Primordial Heavenly Deity, the ceremony concluded.

“So, he’s one of our core disciples now?”

“At that age, he’s already reached the pinnacle.”

“The youngest, yet most formidable among us.”

The first-generation disciples murmured, dispersing.

Accepting someone so young as a core disciple would’ve been met with resistance under normal circumstances.

However, given the circumstances, everyone seemed to come to terms with it.

“Welcome, Taoist Wooyoung.”

“Now, Taoist Wooyoung becomes the youngest among us.”

“Such profound martial skills in a first-generation disciple. This will be a lot to take in.”

The first-generation disciples greeted Soma.

Soma bowed to them, saying,

“Now that I am the youngest, please treat me with Kindness.”

Perhaps he was becoming a Taoist, but even his tone seemed more mature.

The disciples gathered around Soma, engaging in lively conversation.

Pyo Wol, who was worried that Soma might not fit in well with the Wudang sect’s disciples, was relieved to see their interactions.

Soma’s seamless integration with the disciples was unexpected.

They say that position makes the man, and Soma was exactly that.

From the moment he received the name Wooyoung, he acted and spoke like a true Taoist.

Even his eyes had changed.

His eyes, which were always full of life, were now filled with zen.

Pyo Wol found Soma’s transformation astounding.

He didn’t understand how a person could change so dramatically.

Nearby, Hong Ye-seol cautiously inquired,

“What’s our next move? We won’t stay in the Wudang Sect indefinitely, right?”

“Now that we have seen Soma become a Taoist of the Wudang Sect, we have no reason to stay here.

“So, we depart immediately?”

“Indeed.”

The Wudang Sect was a secluded sect.

Staying in the Wudang Sect wouldn’t benefit Pyo Wol or the sect itself.

The sooner they left, the less strain it would be for both the Wudang Sect and Soma.

Pyo Wol decided to bid Soma farewell straight away.

“We will descend from Mount Wudang now.”

“Brother!”

“Take care of yourself, and let’s meet again later.”

“I’ll find you, Brother. Stay well.”

“Sure.”

Soma’s formal tone felt a bit awkward. But he had to get used to it now.

Pyo Wol bid farewell to Cheongjin and the elders and began to descend the mountain.

Hong Ye-seol, Wind Saint, and Nam Shin-woo followed him out of the Wudang Sect.

Wind Saint walked beside him and asked.

“What’s our next move?”

“There’s a mansion not far from here where my men are staying. We should head there first.”

“May I come with you?”

“As you wish.”

Normally, Wind Saint would have acted on his own after descending from Wudang Mountain. But now, that wasn’t an option.

While they were there, they had no idea what mischief Jang Cheon-hwa was up to.

Because the Wudang Sect had closed its doors, almost no external information came through.

Although they had only been in Wudang Sect for a few days, they had no idea how the situation in Kangho had changed.

The fastest way to get information was to move with Pyo Wol, as he had established his own information network using the Black Sect.

The four headed towards the temporary residence of the Black Sect’s assassins.

It was around noon the next day when they arrived at the residence.

“Master!”

“Welcome.”

Thunder Eye and Death Shadow greeted Pyo Wol and his party.

Pyo Wol asked,

“Any new information while we were gone?”

“The Silver Lotus Hall has fallen.”

“…”

“That’s the news now.”

“Did the Golden Heavenly Hall win?”

“It seems that way.”

“What happened to Lee Geom-han?”

“We’re still looking into it. As of now, other than the fact that Silver Lotus Hall has fallen, we have no certain information.”

There was a tense glow on Thunder Eye’s face as he made his report.

It was such a shocking event that Thunder Eye, who never shows emotion in the face of anything, was surprised.

The extent of their shock was immeasurable.

Considering the distance from where the event occurred, it would undoubtedly take some time to get to know the details.

Pyo Wol commanded as he stepped inside,

“Immediately summon all the leaders.”

“Understood.”

Thunder Eye signaled to an attendant nearby, who rushed to convey Pyo Wol’s order.

Hong Ye-seol spoke with a grave expression,

“What on earth happened? Just a few days ago, Silver Lotus Hall was clearly dominant.”

Until they joined the Wudang Sect, the Silver Lotus Hall had overwhelmed the Golden Heavenly Hall, which had lost the public support

But in just a few days, the situation had completely reversed.

She couldn’t comprehend this drastic turn of events.

Wind Saint said,

“‘Elder brother’ must have intervened.”

“You mean Jang Cheon-hwa?”

“Yes! He’s finally intervening in Kangho’s affairs. It’s the only explanation.”

“It makes sense.”

Pyo Wol nodded.

Hong Ye-seol turned to Pyo Wol,

“Let me investigate this.”

“Contact Hong Yushin. He’ll likely know the details.”

“I will.”

As Hong Ye-seol hurried away, Pyo Wol looked up at the sky with a deeply contemplative expression.

‘Jang Cheon-hwa!’

＊＊＊

A vast plain with a lone mountain standing tall.

From a distance, it appeared as a singular mountain. But upon closer inspection, it comprised numerous peaks.

Each peak resembled an upturned knife, its edges razor sharp, and its presence seemed to

pierce the clouds as if it could rise to the heavens.

Mount Hua.

A renowned mountain in Kangho and home to Mount Hua Sect, one of the Three Great Sect.

The legendary martial arts faction, Mount Hua Sect, which boasts the tale of the Fist Demon.

A man was ascending the Lotus Peak, where the Mount Hua Sect resided.

There was not a bead of sweat on his face as he climbed the steep mountain path with his sword in his hand.

Normally, one would be out of breath after climbing such a mountain, but this man showed no signs of it.

It was as if he were merely sightseeing, enjoying the breathtaking scenery of Mount Hua. But, each step he took propelled him several yards forward.

His extraordinary Qigong technique was indeed awe-inspiring.

The man traversed a rocky path famously known as the Thousand-Foot Pillar, with 370 steep stone steps. This treacherous, nearly vertical path was notoriously dangerous.

After passing through it, he encountered another narrow stone staircase between cliffs known as the Hundred-Foot Gorge.

Only just wide enough for a grown man to pass, the Hundred-Foot Gorge stretched nearly a hundred feet, living up to its name.

Despite the treacherous path, a playful smile never left the man’s lips.

He genuinely seemed to relish the scenic beauty.

But his journey was interrupted.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

From all around, martial artists of the Mount Hua Sect, donned in their uniforms, sprang forth, blocking his path.

Undeterred by the sharp and fierce aura of the sect members, the man just looked at them as if he had expected them to appear.

Emerging from the crowd, an elderly martial artist with a flowing beard approached him.

The old master, exuding an aura of authority, addressed the stranger,

“I am Jacheong, the elder of the Mount Hua Sect. Who are you, and why do you bring such tumultuous energy into our sacred mountain?”

“Are you Jacheong, the renowned Mount Hua Sword Master? Then I have called out the right person.”

“You have yet to reveal your identity.”

“I am Jang Cheon-hwa of the Heavenly Martial Sect.”

“Hmm!”

For a moment, Jacheong’s expression turned grim.

During his cultivation, he felt a piercing aura.

Only a martial artist of Jacheong’s caliber could detect such an aura, and it was clear that it was being projected intentionally.

The shocking thing was that this aura was coming from the base of the mountain.

Mount Hua wasn’t just any mountain.

Recognized as one of the five sacred mountains, it boasted prominent peaks such as Morning Sun Peak, Descending Goose Peak, Lotus Peak, Cloud Terrace Peak, and Jade Maiden Peak were all towering crags, each standing as high as seven hundred zhang.

Jang Cheon-hwa’s aura pierced through the entirety of Mount Hua, reaching Jacheong.

It was an inconceivable martial prowess.

It was beyond Jacheong’s comprehension how a single individual’s aura could be so overwhelmingly powerful.

Jacheong cautiously inquired,

“You sought me out? For what reason have you come?”

“I have always wanted to experience the essence of Mount Hua’s martial prowess. Not its fist – that’s out of reach. Instead, I want to experience Mount Hua’s famous sword technique.”

“Your admiration is heartwarming. However, I fear that my reputation is exaggerated and may not live up to your expectations.

“Are you avoiding my challenge?”

“As I said, I’m old and not in the best of health to duel with a master like you. Please leave in peace.”

“And you felt my aura from the base of Mount Hua, even in this frail state? Even a dog wouldn’t buy that lie.”

“Erm…”

Jacheong’s face showed signs of confusion.

Jang Cheon-hwa took a few steps closer.

“If you avoid this duel, I will leave the Mount Hua Sect in ruins.”

“…”

“How will you choose? Will you hide behind your disciples? Or will you face me in a true duel?”

“Huff!”

Jacheong exhaled deeply.

He realized there was no avoiding the confrontation with Jang Cheon-hwa.

Jacheong turned to the senior master beside him and said

“Senior, It seems that today, misfortune might outweigh our luck. If I happen to fall, restrain yourself from rashly attacking him. Please, hold back.”

“Master?”

“This is my last request. Please honor it.”

The elder master let out a deep lament.

This was Ja Gong Jin, the chief disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

He sensed that they were facing one of the greatest crises in the history of the Mount Hua Sect.

Depending on how today’s situation was handled, the fate of the Mount Hua Sect would be determined.

‘How has the Mount Hua Sect, the birthplace of the Fist Demon, come to this?’

If the martial techniques of the Fist Demon had remained intact within the sect, their standing would not be so precarious today.

Unfortunately, the Fist Demon had not passed down his ultimate techniques to the Mount Hua Sect. As a result, they had to face the formidable martial artist, Jang Cheon-hwa, with only their swordsmanship.

‘Yes! I have to believe. If I don’t trust my Master Jacheong, who else can I?’

With his resolution firm, Ja Gong Jin nodded, saying,

“I will heed Master’s words.”

“Thank you.”

With a determined and fearless expression, having cast away any remnants of hesitation, Jacheong turned and approached Jang Cheon-hwa.

“Let us begin.”