Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1079

I felt like all my energy was draining away. It wasn’t just their raw power. Just being near their anger made my own energy feel wild and uncontrollable.

They were different, with different skills. But they didn’t care, and neither would give way.

The tension was tight, like a pulled rope.

A soft sigh from Jang Il-so broke the heavy silence.

“Ha.”

The sound was quiet, but it cut through the tension like a sharp knife.

Chung Myung’s shoulders tightened a little. Seeing this, Jang Il-so took a small step back, his eyes never leaving Chung Myung’s.

A heavy silence fell again.

Jang Il-so, stepping back casually, looked at Chung Myung with a slightly confused expression.

“What the…”

The moment he stepped back, Chung Myung moved. It showed he wasn’t bluffing. If Jang Il-so had even hinted at attacking, Chung Myung’s sword would have been at his neck.

He wouldn’t have hesitated, even then.

“…You really are crazy.”

It was hard to tell if it was admiration or criticism, maybe both. Chung Myung scoffed.

“You’re one to talk?”

Jang Il-so shook his head.

“No. It means something coming from me. I don’t call many people crazy, you know.”

“And this bastard is?”

Normally, the Mount Hua disciples would have reacted, but they were silent. The tension between the two was too strong.

Baek Cheon understood.

Jang Il-so had stepped back first. But to do that in such a tense situation took guts. Retreating meant showing weakness.

Who would risk showing weakness to Chung Myung?

So, even though he retreated, it wasn’t weakness. Jang Il-so had proven his strength.

‘Both of them…’

It was more than just a fight. It was a battle of wills, filled with deadly intent.

Seeing them face off was lucky and unlucky at the same time.

“So, you want to test me…”

Jang Il-so clicked his tongue and smiled slightly.

“Sure, I’m not afraid to fight… but it depends who I’m fighting. I’m not stupid enough to risk my life against the famous Sword Saint of Mount Hua.”

“…What a load of rubbish.”

Chung Myung showed his teeth.

Everyone knew Jang Il-so didn’t care about his life. His flattery was annoying.

But Jang Il-so raised his hands as if giving up and stepped back. He didn’t look scared, just mocking.

“So, should we stop here?”

“Leader!”

Ho Ga-myung shouted, worried. He knew Jang Il-so wasn’t just taking a few steps back.

“We can’t let them go!”

Jang Il-so sighed and looked at him.

“Ga-myung.”

“This isn’t like you, Leader! We have to kill that Sword Saint, no matter what! That bastard must…”

“Ga-myung.”

Ho Ga-myung stopped talking. Jang Il-so’s voice was soft, not angry. That’s why he had to obey.

Jang Il-so looked at Ho Ga-myung sadly.

“I didn’t know you were so ambitious.”

“…Yes?”

“Did you want me dead so badly?”

“…Wh, what are you talking about…”

Ho Ga-myung was confused. Jang Il-so looked at him and Chung Myung, looking annoyed.

“Don’t you get it? It’s not the Sword Saint’s life at risk, it’s mine.”

“…Yes?”

Ho Ga-myung didn’t understand. Jang Il-so looked at Chung Myung.

“Thirty percent? Maybe around that much?”

Chung Myung’s eyes flickered.

“…That’s right.”

Jang Il-so sighed.

“Those orthodox martial arts are annoying. Wasting thirty percent of my energy just to recover after that short fight. How are we different fighters supposed to survive?”

Jang Il-so shook his head, annoyed.

“With thirty percent of his energy gone, that bastard could easily take my weak neck.”

Ho Ga-myung was surprised.

He was there, and the Thousand-Faced Scholar was there, plus the Red Dog and Black Ghost Squads. They would all protect Jang Il-so, but he was saying Chung Myung could get through them all and kill him?

‘Ah, no…’

Ho Ga-myung bit his lip. He’d seen Chung Myung fight the Lord.

Considering his stubbornness, Jang Il-so might be right. Even if he was torn apart, he’d try to cut Jang Il-so’s neck at least once.

‘Can we really stop him?’

Ho Ga-myung hesitated, but the answer was easy. He couldn’t risk Jang Il-so’s life. Even a one percent chance was too much.

Jang Il-so shrugged, seeing Ho Ga-myung’s face change.

“Do you understand? Looks like someone is begging for their life…”

Jang Il-so’s eyes curved.

“…and it’s you.”

Even saying his life was in danger, Jang Il-so didn’t look worried.

Ho Ga-myung was different. He tried to stand between Jang Il-so and Chung Myung, but Jang Il-so pushed him away.

“Tsk. How ugly.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. Unless I attack first, that sword won’t be coming for me.”

Jang Il-so asked Chung Myung with a strange smile.

“Isn’t that right?”

“…It would be if you just shut that mouth of yours.”

“Haha!”

Jang Il-so laughed.

Chung Myung could kill Jang Il-so now. But then the Mount Hua disciples would die, and Chung Myung too.

It was crazy, but if Jang Il-so lived, they lived. If he died, they died. So, Chung Myung could kill him, but he couldn’t.

“Hmm, no choice, I guess.”

Jang Il-so muttered. Everyone watched him closely. Finally, he spoke.

“I’ll let you go.”

He shrugged.

“As a favor to a comrade.”

“Bullshit.”

“Goodness, so cynical. I’m being sincere.”

Jang Il-so shook his head and looked around, deciding something.

“Let’s see…”

He looked around and grinned.

“Over there.”

Jang Il-so walked away casually, leaving everyone behind. No one stopped him: not the Mount Hua disciples, not his own men, not even Chung Myung.

He went to a spot far away and looked down at some ruins.

Boom!

Jang Il-so stomped on the ground. The ground shook, and something flew up.

‘A chest?’

The Mount Hua disciples tensed. This was Jang Il-so, who always did unpredictable things. They wondered what he was planning.

“That’s right.”

Jang Il-so opened the chest and took something out. He walked back to the Mount Hua disciples.

“Here.”

Jang Il-so threw something to Chung Myung. Everyone was surprised, but Chung Myung caught it casually.

Everyone looked at what Chung Myung held. Baek Cheon laughed. It was unbelievable.

The white bottle was clearly…

“…Liquor?”

It was a liquor bottle.

“Why are you so surprised? Did you think I’d eat you?”

Jang Il-so chuckled.

“A big tavern always has liquor stored in the basement.”

“…”

“If we fought together, it’s our way to share a drink. I don’t know if you orthodox folks will like our ways…”

Before Jang Il-so finished, a cork popped. Chung Myung glanced at Jang Il-so, tossed the cork, and drank from the bottle without hesitation.

“…Hmm.”

Jang Il-so smiled.

“It tastes good.”

He pulled the cork from his bottle and drank like Chung Myung.

It was a strange sight.

Two enemies who had fought together, now going their own ways, drank in silence. Only the sound of drinking filled the air.

They passed the bottle, drinking it all. Then they stopped.

Their eyes met. Chung Myung’s eyes were cold, while Jang Il-so’s were strangely intense.

Jang Il-so spoke.

“Next time…”

“Yeah.”

Chung Myung finished his sentence.

“It’s your neck.”

They smiled at the same time, filled with deadly intent.

After staring at each other, Jang Il-so turned away.

“Let’s go, Ga-myung.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Ho Ga-myung followed Jang Il-so, turning to Mount Hua.

He said, grinding his teeth.

“Go north. That’s the only way. If you don’t, you’ll die.”

“…”

“I hope you ignore me.”

He followed Jang Il-so. The Red Dog and Black Ghost Squads also left.

Chung Myung watched Jang Il-so leave, then shouted.

“Hey, Jang Il-so.”

Jang Il-so stopped and turned his head.

Their eyes met, and Chung Myung smirked.

“Forty percent.”

Jang Il-so’s eyebrows twitched. Chung Myung said.

“The debt is paid. There won’t be a next time.”

“Ha…”

Jang Il-so’s red lips curved into a smile.

“Haha. Hahaha…”

Jang Il-so laughed quietly, like a demon.

“Let’s meet again, Sword Saint of Mount Hua.”

Jang Il-so smiled brightly at Chung Myung, then walked away.

The Mount Hua disciples stayed there, frozen, until Jang Il-so was gone.