Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 822

Yoon Jong clenched his teeth so hard that the muscles in his jaw stood out. The hand gripping his sword was drained of blood.

He felt like he was about to be consumed by madness.

Yoon Jong felt Jang Il-So’s anger like a heavy weight pushing on him. It was wild and uncontrolled, like a storm.

He had never imagined such a human being could exist. Just standing face to face with him felt like his heart was being devoured.

How could they stand against him?

Yoon Jong watched Chung Myung face Jang Il-So. His heart pounded in his chest.

Chung Myung is at his limit, Yoon Jong thought, his stomach twisting with worry. Maybe even past it. He saw Chung Myung’s legs shaking, just a little, but it was there.

But Chung Myung stood tall, not moving back even a step. How can he do it? Yoon Jong wondered, feeling a surge of both fear and admiration.

Then, Jang Il-So slowly swept back his fallen hair.

He neatly swept back his sweat-soaked hair, wiped the blood from his face, and stared at Chung Myung with strange eyes.

“A whelp, you say….”

Jang Il-So’s bared teeth made him look like a blood-starved wolf.

You could feel his cruelty in the air, sending shivers down the spine. It felt like those teeth would tear at his neck and cut off his breath at any moment.

“Could there be anyone else in this world who would call me that?”

Certainly, the word ‘whelp’ was far from fitting for Jang Il-So.

Especially not for the vanquisher, Jang Il-So.

“This is amusing. And yet, I don’t find it offensive.”

A bright smile bloomed on Jang Il-So’s lips. The smile on Jang Il-So’s face was like a cold wind. Suddenly, everything felt still and quiet, even though the fight was not over.

They couldn’t name this feeling, but their hearts ached with worry.

Jang Il-So spoke in a voice that was like honey but dripped with poison.

“But… I can’t simply ignore those words, can I? Wouldn’t that be a loss of face? Don’t you think so?”

Jang Il-So unleashed a terrifying aura from his entire body in an instant.

Chung Myung, taking the brunt of that force, staggered as if he would collapse at any moment.

“Cough!”

A torrent of blood poured from Chung Myung’s mouth.

He pushed his body too hard, using all his energy and even more, but the side effects were now engulfing his entire body.

“Ugh….”

Blood filled Chung Myung’s mouth, but his eyes were still sharp. I have to stand up, he thought. I can’t fall here.

It was the moment Chung Myung forcibly squeezed out the strength he didn’t have and gripped his sword.

Thud!

Yoo Iseol stepped forward.

Yoo Iseol’s hand trembled as she raised her sword, but her eyes were fixed on Jang Il-So. She would protect Chung Myung, no matter what. Her face was pale, utterly devoid of blood, as she absorbed the energy Jang Il-So was emitting. She took one step, then another, finally standing in front of Chung Myung, shielding him.

And she raised her trembling sword, aiming it at Jang Il-So’s neck.

Jang Il-So’s eyes darkened.

It was different from when they had rushed in with such spirit. Now, they were clearly aware that even if all of them stood against him, it would be impossible to face Jang Il-So.

But there were those who stood in his way, even knowing this.

Thud!

Baek Cheon, too, forced his unwilling feet to move and walked forward.

Baek Cheon’s face was stiff with fear, but he stepped forward anyway. He had to stand with his friends. With a stiff expression, he stood beside Yoo Iseol and aimed his sword at Jang Il-So.

“Ha….”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were the same. Everyone stepped forward, shielding Chung Myung and blocking Jang Il-So.

Well, this is just great, Jo Gul said, trying to sound light, but his voice shook a little. Looks like we picked a bad day for a picnic. Jo Gul forced the corners of his lips up, speaking playfully.

“We have to save Chung Myung.”

“Sasuk, take the kid and run! We’ll… we’ll hold him off somehow,” Jo Gul urged.

Baek Cheon shook his head. “Don’t talk rubbish. I’m the one who dies first,” he said stubbornly.

“Sasuk’s stubbornness, as always….”

Everyone was trying to put on a brave face with trembling voices.

The jokes they uttered with trembling legs and bloodless lips were merely pathetic attempts to desperately conceal their weakness.

But….

Even Jang Il-So, who laughed and mocked everything in the world, did not laugh at them this time.

Stepping forward was not difficult.

A puppy does not know the terror of a tiger. And in this world, there were more than enough puppies, overflowing even.

But this was not the recklessness of a fearless fool.

Courage is not the absence of fear. The absence of fear is merely foolishness.

It was stepping forward despite knowing fear.

Trembling like an aspen tree from the fear of the enemy and the terror of death, yet still knowing how to take another step.

Knowing how to raise a sword, however shakily, with trembling hands.

That was courage.

At that moment, Jang Il-So clearly felt it.

The moment these people stood in his way, Chung Myung’s breathing changed. Even with the Jang Il-So of the world before him, he dared to calmly gather his breath and begin to muster his strength again.

‘Do these fellows think they can stop me, even for a moment?’

There was no way that clever fellow would entertain such a foolish thought. But now, Chung Myung clearly trusted those who stood before him.

Those whelps, at that.

“Ha, hahaha!”

Jang Il-So smirked and looked at Chung Myung, who was behind them.

“I admit it. Your courage is commendable. But… that’s not always a good thing. The coward survives the longest, and the courageous die first.”

“⋯⋯.”

“So… who among you is the most courageous?”

Crack.

Jang Il-So’s face was pale and tight, his eyes burning like black coals. He clenched his fist. With a ghastly face, he took a step forward, intimidating everyone.

“Go on, prove your courage with your lives.”

The air smelled like sweat and blood. Yoon Jong could hear his own heart pounding in his ears. The ground felt cold under his feet. Jang Il-So’s presence began to weigh down on the entire Five Swords.

Their breath was constricted by the powerful pressure, as if a typhoon was raging. Everyone groaned under the pressure.

Then, a twisted voice flowed from behind the Five Swords.

“Always running his mouth….”

“⋯⋯.”

Jang Il-So’s gaze turned to Chung Myung.

Chung Myung cracked his neck, the sound sharp and loud in the tense silence, like a branch breaking. He cracked his stiff neck from side to side.

“You talk a lot for a member of the Demonic Sect. If that’s what you think, you should just attack. Why do you keep barking like a scared dog?”

Chung Myung bared his teeth.

A limit? An enemy you can’t defeat?

So what?

‘There’s no way someone who calculates such things could have climbed the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.’

Jang Il-So did not know.

No matter how many battles Jang Il-So had fought, no matter how many countless wounds he had suffered, no matter how many times he had thrown his life away and crossed the line between life and death as if it were a daily meal, that alone could never make him the same as Chung Myung.

He did not know.

What it was like to fight against despair.

What the feelings were of those who had to grit their teeth and fight, knowing that they would lose their lives without even being able to inflict a single scratch, even if they rushed in with all their might.

And… what it was like to overcome that!

“Sorry.”

Chung Myung smiled faintly, leaving behind the many faces that flashed through his mind.

“I’ve been through too much to call something like this a crisis.”

“⋯⋯.”

“So stop barking and attack. I’ll show you exactly why you’re a whelp.”

Jang Il-So silently stared at him.

Chung Myung was very tired. He was so tired that even holding his sword felt heavy.

And yet…

‘Those eyes.’

Why did those eyes believe in his victory without a shred of doubt?

In that instant, Jang Il-so sensed it.

For the first time, he met someone he could not understand.

It was at that moment.

“Keeeugh….”

The cliff was very quiet. Then, suddenly, a hand reached up from below and grabbed the edge.

All eyes turned towards it.

“Ugh….”

Hands, hurt and scraped, pulled themselves up. The Wudang swordsmen and Shaolin monks were finally climbing the hard cliff.

“Climb!”

“Don’t let your guard down and climb to the end! Those who make it up, protect the rear!”

More and more people began to climb onto the cliff.

It just happened that the people who climbed up gathered behind Chung Myung.

Then, the fighters from Hao Moon and the Ghost Sword troop quickly went behind Jang Il-so. They looked like they wanted to kill.

A tense atmosphere filled the cliff.

Chung Myung slowly turned his gaze towards Jang Il-so.

“This….”

A clear mockery was on his face.

“Well, well…. For someone who talked so big, it looks like your plan didn’t work? Too bad. Everyone is up here now, you see.”

“…….”

“You should have fought instead of wasting time talking. The situation might have been a little different then.”

Jang Il-so could not argue with that. His plan to fight them at the bottom of the cliff was ruined.

Everyone stared at Jang Il-so’s face.

They wondered what Jang Il-so would look like now that his plan had failed.

Then, everyone was quiet when they saw Jang Il-so’s face.

He had the biggest smile anyone had seen on him.

“I give up.”

“…….”

His slow tone sounded strangely happy.

“This battle….”

He paused, licked his lips as he looked at Chung Myung, and then spoke very slowly.

“…you won.”

“…….”

Chung Myung was very surprised by Jang Il-so’s words. He frowned and stared hard at Jang Il-so.

He was trying to hide his anger and said slowly, ‘…What trick are you playing?’

“It’s as I said.”

Jang Il-so shrugged. He looked calm again.

“I didn’t think you would stop me this much. You really messed up my plan. So, I have to admit it, right?”

“…….”

‘I lost. You won this fight. It’s true, the strongest person doesn’t always win in a fight. This hurts a little. Ga-myung will laugh at me.’

Chung Myung watched Jang Il-so carefully, not moving at all. He knew Jang Il-so was not finished talking.

“But….”

Jang Il-so’s lips parted slightly, showing his white teeth.

“That’s only in battle.”

“…….”

“I won this war, Hwasan Divine Dragon.”

If it were the usual Chung Myung, he wouldn’t have even listened to those words.

But it was different now. The moment he heard Jang Il-so’s words filled with conviction, he couldn’t help but sense that something was wrong.

“You don’t understand.”

Jang Il-so’s lips twisted.

“You should know this best here, but you don’t know at all. That’s strange. You are very special.”

“What are you talking….”

“I’ll tell you.”

Jang Il-so stopped Chung Myung from speaking and looked at him kindly. Then, he spoke softly, like a kind teacher.

‘Let me explain, Hwasan Divine Dragon. Just like in a fight, the strongest person doesn’t always win in a war. War… is when people who have things to protect are beaten.’

Jang Il-so tapped his head with his finger.

“That’s why you can’t beat me. Do you understand?”

Chung Myung held his sword tightly.

“You jerk….”

Crack!

He pushed his feet into the ground, ready to jump forward.

He couldn’t understand exactly what Jang Il-so’s words meant or what trick he was playing. However, when he heard the words ‘something to protect,’ he thought of the Five Swords, Hwasan, and Hye-yeon.

And one thing was certain now.

He had to shut that mouth before Jang Il-so could pull any more tricks!

As Chung Myung lowered his stance like a hungry wolf, Jang Il-so smiled and shook his head.

“You didn’t understand my words at all, Hwasan Divine Dragon. This war….”

Jang Il-so spread his arms wide as if declaring.

“Is already over.”

“Shut your trap, you bastard!”

Finally, Chung Myung jumped off the ground and rushed at Jang Il-so. He didn’t know how he had the strength, but his sword was glowing red.

But Jang Il-so just smiled in a strange way as he looked at Chung Myung.

It was like he knew the sword would never hit him.

‘What is going on?’

Right then, Chung Myung felt very worried and scared.

Wham!

Chung Myung’s eyes, looking at Jang Il-so, opened wide. He turned his head fast to the side.

Wham!

But it was too late. Something hit Chung Myung hard in his side.

“Chung Myungaaaaaaah!”

Yoo I-seol, who was going to run after Chung Myung, screamed at what happened. It was too shocking to believe.

“Ch, Chung Myung! Chung Myungaaaaaah!”

Chung Myung flew through the air and fell hard to the ground.

The Five Swords screamed and rushed towards Chung Myung.

But only one person.

Baek Cheon’s face looked like a demon. He turned his head to look at someone else.

The person who attacked Chung Myung.

The person who made the surprise attack.

“Th….”

Grinding.

Baek Cheon ground his teeth. His eyes turned red with anger. He spoke in a low, rough voice.

“Heo…do.”

Then, he shouted like a wild animal, ‘Heodooooooo!’

It was Heo Do-jin, the leader of the Wudang Sect.

He was staring at them with a horrible face.