Is Return of the Mount Hua Sect Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read

Quick Answer
Yes — if you like martial-arts action, this is one of the best webtoons out there. Return of the Mount Hua Sect pairs gorgeous sword fights with genuinely funny comedy as a reincarnated master rebuilds his fallen sect. It leans formulaic and its hero is wildly overpowered, but it's such a good time most readers won't care.
Quick Verdict
“Stunning sword fights, a gremlin of a hero, and a comeback story that just works — murim comfort food at its best.”
Best for: Readers who love martial-arts action with a strong comedic streak and a satisfying underdog comeback.
Not for: Readers who want a hero who can actually lose and fights with genuinely uncertain outcomes.
- Type
- Webtoon
- Genres
- Action, Murim
- Status
- Ongoing
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- Biga
- Artist
- LICO
- Publisher
- Naver Webtoon
- Platform
- WEBTOON
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Webtoon, 165 chapters |
| Run | ongoing |
| Community score | MangaUpdates 8.6 |
| Content | Martial-arts violence |
| Where to read | WEBTOON — official |
Overview
Return of the Mount Hua Sect is a Korean murim webtoon adapted from Biga's web novel, with art by LICO. One heads-up on the name: the official English release on WEBTOON is titled Return of the Blossoming Blade, so that's what you search for to read it legally. The story follows Chung Myung, once the youngest disciple of the legendary Mount Hua Sect and a hero who died fighting the Heavenly Demon a hundred years ago. He comes back reincarnated in the body of a young boy, only to find Mount Hua in ruins — a once-great sect now down to a handful of disciples everyone laughs at. So he sets out to drag it back to glory, whether its remaining members like it or not.
What it does well
The action is the headline. LICO draws some of the cleanest, most exciting sword fights in the entire webtoon space. The plum-blossom techniques look beautiful, the choreography is easy to follow even when it's fast, and the big duels carry real weight. If you read for fights, this sits near the top of the genre.
The comedy is the other reason people love it. Chung Myung is a foul-mouthed, petty little gremlin stuck in a kid's body, and the gap between his god-tier skill and his bratty, money-grubbing attitude is endlessly funny. The book swings between epic battle and outright slapstick without losing its footing, which is harder to pull off than it looks.
Underneath the jokes there's a real emotional core. Chung Myung genuinely loves Mount Hua and grieves the world he lost, and that gives the comeback story its punch. Watching the washed-up sect slowly rebuild its pride, and its disciples grow under his brutal training, scratches the same itch as a great sports manga. The wins feel earned.
Where it falls short
It's formulaic. A lot of arcs run on the same engine: someone disrespects Mount Hua, Chung Myung humbles them in spectacular fashion, the sect's reputation climbs. It's crowd-pleasing, but once you spot the pattern you'll see it coming every time.
The other issue is stakes. Chung Myung is absurdly overpowered, so the tension is almost always about how he'll win, not whether he will. He rarely feels in real danger, and if you like fights with genuinely uncertain outcomes, that can wear thin. The pacing also sags in places, especially during longer tournament stretches with big casts of side characters. And if murim is new to you, the sect politics and terminology take a few chapters to click.
Verdict
Return of the Mount Hua Sect is one of the most purely fun action webtoons you can read, and an easy recommendation if you want gorgeous fights and big laughs. It won't surprise you often, and its hero is never really in danger, but it nails the comeback fantasy so well that most readers won't mind. Come for the swordplay, stay for the gremlin.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- LICO's art delivers some of the cleanest, most exciting sword fights in all of webtoons — the choreography is gorgeous and easy to follow.
- It's genuinely funny: the foul-mouthed, petty hero stuck in a kid's body is a constant source of comedy.
- The comeback story has a real emotional core — the hero's love for his fallen sect gives the wins weight.
- It balances epic action and slapstick without the tone ever feeling messy.
Weaknesses
- It's formulaic — many arcs follow the same beat of someone disrespecting Mount Hua and getting humbled.
- The hero is wildly overpowered, so fights are about how he wins, not whether he will, and real tension is rare.
- Pacing sags during longer tournament stretches with big side casts.
Similar Titles
Another Korean action manhwa with a returned hero out for a do-over — similar redemption energy.
A murim regression where a master is reborn young and rebuilds his strength — same wish-fulfillment hook.
If you want more martial-arts action, this modern-day murim classic hits hard.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON | Digital episodes | Free + Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the official English title?
It's released in English on WEBTOON as Return of the Blossoming Blade — same series, just a localized name.
Do I need to know murim or wuxia to follow it?
No, but it helps. The sect politics and terms take a few chapters to settle in; after that it's easy to follow.
Is it finished?
No, it's ongoing on WEBTOON across multiple seasons, with the English release running a bit behind the Korean.


