Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1029

His eyes were like dark holes, deep and empty. His lips were dry and cracked, like the desert floor. His skin was rough, like old tree bark, and his face was so pale it looked like all the blood had drained away.

Everything about him showed the hardships Man-Geum Daebu had been through.

Even without looking at his face, it was easy to guess what he had suffered. More than anything, the arm that was cut off just below the shoulder made his situation clear.

Man-Geum Daebu looked at the person sitting across from him with a tired and worn face. The one leaning back on the jade throne was looking down at Man-Geum Daebu with crossed legs. His gaze was extremely arrogant.

It was hard to read his eyes. Was it contempt? Concern? Ridicule? Maybe it was all of those things.

Man-Geum Daebu straightened his shoulders. He felt like they wanted to slump.

Was it because of the crime he had committed?

Of course, that could be part of it, but it wasn’t the whole story.

Jang Il-So, whom he hadn’t seen for three years, was not the Jang Il-So he remembered.

In just three years, Jang Il-So had changed so much. Even Man-Geum Daebu felt small in his presence.

“…That’s not a very funny joke.”

Jang Il-So said in a slow, relaxed voice.

“The Black Dragon King had his arm cut off at Plum Blossom Island not long ago, and now Man-Geum Daebu shows up with his arm cut off… At this rate, we might have to hire someone to make fake arms for the Sapa Alliance.”

“⋯⋯.”

When Man-Geum Daebu didn’t answer, Jang Il-So shook his head. He found it boring to talk to someone who didn’t understand jokes.

“Alright, tell me what happened.”

At those words, Man-Geum Daebu’s empty eyes stared at Jang Il-So.

“Give me an excuse or try to convince me. I don’t know if fighting the Demonic Cult alone and losing an arm will really save you from trouble.”

A cruel, amused look flashed in Jang Il-So’s eyes, a stark contrast to Man-Geum Daebu’s almost dead gaze.

However, Man-Geum Daebu wasn’t scared by that look. What he had experienced was too shocking to be afraid.

“…The prelate…”

Man-Geum Daebu forced himself to speak.

“That… is not human.”

Jang Il-So’s eyes turned cold.

“You learned something truly amazing in exchange for an arm.”

“…I’m not trying to make excuses, Alliance Lord.”

Man-Geum Daebu’s lips trembled slightly, as if even thinking about the prelate was painful.

“Nothing worked. Nothing at all… Not even the sword I stabbed into that monster’s chest could hurt him.”

The moment he said that, Jang Il-So’s eyebrows went up.

No matter what he thought of Man-Geum Daebu personally, his Ghost King Twelve Styles was amazing swordsmanship that even Jang Il-So had to admit was powerful.

And yet, there was someone Man-Geum Daebu couldn’t hurt?

‘Unrealistic.’

Jang Il-So leaned forward.

“Tell me more.”

“In all my life… I’ve never faced anything like that. It’s beyond human ability. Nothing works… Absolutely nothing.”

“There’s nothing in this world beyond human ability.”

Jang Il-So said casually.

“The Jianghu already almost destroyed those Demonic Cult guys a hundred years ago. And now? That’s a bad joke.”

“…Does it sound like a joke?”

At Man-Geum Daebu’s question, Jang Il-So looked annoyed.

He still thought it was nonsense, but he couldn’t ignore it, which made him even more annoyed. The reason was simple: the one saying this nonsense was Man-Geum Daebu.

If the Black Dragon King or Thousand-Faced Examiner had said this, he would have thought it was just the words of a scared person.

But not Man-Geum Daebu. The Man-Geum Daebu that Jang Il-So knew wouldn’t lose his calmness even if he was about to be killed.

“…Even I couldn’t understand it. No… To be honest, I was just terrified.”

“So…”

Jang Il-So spoke, his voice serious.

“You’re saying that prelate is so strong that even someone like you can’t handle him?”

Man-Geum Daebu hesitated, as if he needed to think about it.

“…It’s a little different.”

“Different?”

“He was definitely strong. Unbelievably so. He didn’t get a single scratch while fighting me and the hundred or so skilled fighters I led.”

Man-Geum Daebu shivered as he remembered that scene.

“But… yes. Now that I think about it, it’s definitely strange.”

“Stop talking to yourself and tell me clearly. Unless your mind has been affected too.”

As Jang Il-So urged him, Man-Geum Daebu spoke in a shaky voice after thinking for a moment.

“…I couldn’t use my full power.”

Hearing those words, Jang Il-So’s eyes flickered strangely.

“Tell me more.”

“It’s not like there was anything wrong with my body. I can’t deny that I was overwhelmed by his presence, but that doesn’t explain it. I did my best, but my sword didn’t feel like my own. It was as if… yes, as if I was swinging a sword in very deep water.”

Jang Il-So slowly licked his lips.

“Demonic arts…”

The stories about the Demonic Cult were always exaggerated.

Among them, the most exaggerated was that they were never many in number, yet they always pushed the entire Central Plains to the edge of destruction.

No matter how much they were like beasts who had given themselves over to evil, they were still human, so there couldn’t be that much difference in what they learned.

But now, listening to Man-Geum Daebu’s words, it seemed like the secret to that strangeness was being revealed.

Man-Geum Daebu added.

“…It felt like I had hit a wall. A wall that couldn’t be broken through.”

Jang Il-So frowned and thought.

Looking back, no one in the Sapa had become famous in the battles against the Demonic Cult. Even in the past war against the Demonic Cult, the Sapa had simply been swept aside.

Was it normal for the Sapa to give in to the strong?

That was ridiculous.

Giving in only made sense if you were guaranteed to survive. What was the point of giving in to the Demonic Cult, who never spared anyone who surrendered?

The best fighters in the Sapa at the time must have fought back against the Demonic Cult. But strangely, those who were almost as strong as the Orthodox Sects had no victories against the Demonic Cult.

Then the answer became clear.

“It’s a matter of compatibility.”

“…Perhaps.”

Jang Il-So rubbed his temples.

If Man-Geum Daebu was right, then the Demonic Cult’s martial arts might be a counter to the Sapa.

‘No, not just to us.’

If that were the case, the Demonic Cult’s influence couldn’t have spread through the entire Jianghu. It had to be something that destroyed most of the Central Plains’ martial arts.

‘But how?’

Was that even possible?

Who could create something like that? If that was possible, then that ability had to be beyond human limits.

“…No.”

Jang Il-So tightened his fingers.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Jang Il-So always tried to understand the cause and reason for everything. He didn’t like dealing with things he didn’t understand.

But sometimes, it was better to focus on what was happening instead of trying to understand it. If you denied what you couldn’t understand, you might make things worse.

‘Understand it as it is.’

Even if it didn’t make sense, even if he couldn’t understand it, accepting it would be better than denying it.

“How many of them are there?”

“I couldn’t really tell.”

Jang Il-So frowned.

“But they’re not many. It didn’t seem like there were any other prelates besides the one I saw.”

“…That means they’re either the first to arrive, or a small group that broke off from the main force. Or maybe that’s all that’s left of the Demonic Cult.”

Man-Geum Daebu nodded.

“Then the solution is simple. We just need to kill that prelate somehow.”

“Using a lot of people won’t work. His martial arts seemed to be very good at killing many people.”

“In other words, you’re saying you had your arm cut off by such a guy and ran away. You’re saying that so easily. You must not be ashamed, Daebu.”

“You will understand.”

Jang Il-So’s eyes narrowed for a moment.

But Man-Geum Daebu, as if he didn’t even see his reaction, stared blankly and muttered.

“If you face that monster… you will understand that being ashamed is not important… You will understand. Definitely…”

“Tsk.”

Jang Il-So clicked his tongue and leaned back in his chair.

‘Of all places, it had to be Hangzhou.’

The most important thing in war was money, and the Demonic Cult had appeared in the richest area of Jiangnan. If that place was ruined, the Sapa Alliance’s income would be greatly affected.

No matter what, it had to be solved quickly.

He closed his eyes and thought about the situation.

‘The solution is…’

How much time had passed?

When Jang Il-So opened his eyes again, they shone coldly.

“…The Immortal Path.”

“…”

“It’s the Immortal Path.”

Jang Il-So smiled strangely, as if he had finally found the answer.

“If they really have strange powers that we can’t understand, then the only thing that can stop them is the Immortal Path or the Buddhist Path. I never thought I would believe in strange ideas like magic to remove evil spirits.”

He looked up at the ceiling as if feeling empty.

“But… it’s better for me to be someone who believes too strongly than to hide what has happened and pretend it’s not true.”

With his head tilted back, Jang Il-So finally stood up.

Man-Geum Daebu watched him and asked.

“What do you plan to do?”

“I need a sword.”

Jang Il-So’s eyes shone coldly.

“The situation isn’t easy. It’s not a simple enemy that I can defeat with injured people. The worst thing would be if I failed. Then everything would fall apart. I must not fail.”

“…”

“Then I need to get a famous sword. A sword that can cut off that monster’s head.”

Man-Geum Daebu was smart. He knew who Jang Il-So meant by ‘sword’ without needing to be told.

“Do you think they will agree?”

“Hmph. You’re talking nonsense, Daebu. I’m not hoping they’ll agree. I’m making them agree.”

“…”

An evil look flashed in Jang Il-So’s greasy eyes.

“The world is truly interesting. To think that I would be asking them for help. Haha!”

He laughed loudly, then walked forward, his fancy decorations jingling.

Man-Geum Daebu watched Jang Il-So leave, his eyes filled with worry and hope.