Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1035

The boat moved slowly to the riverbank and gently bumped against it.

Yoon Jong watched Jang Il-So standing on the boat. He felt that familiar feeling again.

*This man is strange.* Yoon Jong thought. It didn’t matter what they were talking about, or what was happening. When Jang Il-So arrived, everything changed.

It was the same feeling he had at Mount Hua, at the entrance of Daesan, in the Black Dragon Fortress, and on Plum Blossom Island.

Before, Yoon Jong thought it was because they always met in exciting moments. But now, he knew it was more than that. Jang Il-So changed the air around him just by being there.

A strange silence filled the air. It felt like the silence before a storm. Jang Il-So slowly raised his hand.

His hand came out from his wide, decorated sleeve. On his finger, a ring with five colors shone brightly, catching Yoon Jong’s eye.

“This…”

Jang Il-So put his hand over his mouth and opened his eyes wide, pretending to be surprised.

“Oh, am I interrupting something important?”

What Jang Il-So said was not strange in itself.

But that was why it felt so wrong. It was strange to hear such normal words from Jang Il-So, like hearing a cat bark like a dog.

Jang Il-So stepped off the boat and walked slowly towards them.

*Splash.*

The sound of his foot stepping in the shallow water was loud in the quiet night.

Jang Il-So stopped a short distance away and bowed slightly to Hyun Jong before speaking.

“If you are having a private talk… I can wait and come back later. I am not completely clueless, you know.”

He smiled, as if he was making fun of them.

Baek Cheon was about to answer back angrily, but Chung Myung spoke calmly, faster than him.

“If you had any sense, you wouldn’t have shown your pale face here alone in the first place.”

“Hmm?” Jang Il-So made a questioning sound.

Chung Myung showed his teeth in a snarl and laughed without humor.

“Or what? Are you tired of living? Do you want your head cut off?”

“Haha.”

Jang Il-So laughed softly, just a short sound.

“Don’t be so angry. We know each other quite well by now, don’t we?”

The Five Swords behind Chung Myung were so angry they clenched their jaws tightly. But Chung Myung’s face stayed calm as he answered coldly.

“I’m sorry to say this, but please try to understand how we feel. Just being in the same place as you makes me want to throw up.”

“That’s a little sad to hear.”

“Enough talk. Say what you came to say.”

Jang Il-So’s smile grew wider. Everyone around Chung Myung bit their lips without thinking, feeling the strange and unsettling air around them.

In the darkness of the night, Jang Il-So stood alone in red clothes. His presence felt huge, bigger than ever before.

“You know what’s happening, right?” Jang Il-So asked.

“Yes, thanks to someone’s kind message,” Chung Myung replied.

Jang Il-So shrugged in a big, showy way. “This is quite a problem.”

Chung Myung didn’t say anything. But Baek Cheon could not hold back his anger any longer.

“You were always showing off how strong you are! And now you can’t even deal with one Demonic Sect and you have to come all the way here? Maybe the Four Evil Sects are not so amazing after all.”

The Five Swords turned to Baek Cheon, their eyes wide with surprise. They were all angry at Jang Il-So, but they were too afraid to be rude to him.

But Baek Cheon didn’t seem scared by Jang Il-So at all.

Or maybe he was actually scared, and that’s why he was acting out. Baek Cheon was always like that.

“Tsk, tsk.” Jang Il-So clicked his tongue and looked at Baek Cheon with annoyance. Then, he turned to Chung Myung.

“These Mount Hua kids have no manners. They talk when adults are speaking. Shouldn’t someone teach them how to behave?”

“It seems you don’t understand,” Chung Myung said.

“Hm?” Jang Il-So raised an eyebrow.

“In Mount Hua, we are taught to respect only people who deserve it.”

Jang Il-So was silent for a moment.

“I would rather respect a dog walking by than respect you.” Chung Myung finished.

“Hmm. So, you are saying I am worse than a dog.”

“You understand perfectly.”

Jang Il-So smiled widely, showing his teeth. Baek Cheon’s hand tightened on the handle of his sword without him even thinking about it.

But Jang Il-So just shrugged, as if Chung Myung’s words were unimportant.

“The respected righteous sects also know how to insult politely. You really think highly of me.”

Jang Il-So paused. “I’m almost touched, really.”

“Just words,” Chung Myung said dismissively.

The smiles on both men’s faces grew wider, but their eyes were like sharp knives, staring hard at each other.

“Can’t handle one Demonic Sect…” Jang Il-So repeated Baek Cheon’s words. He sighed loudly and looked down for a moment.

“Well… you are not wrong. That is true. But…”

He looked up suddenly, his eyes cold as ice as he stared at Chung Myung and Baek Cheon.

“You need to understand this. If I can’t stop the Demonic Sect, it’s not just us who will be burned by that fire. That fire… will spread and burn all of the Central Plains. Past the Jang River, Hanam, and Seoseo too.”

“Stop talking in circles and tell me what you want,” Chung Myung said, cutting him off.

When Chung Myung asked, Jang Il-So’s smile changed. It became deep and unsettling, like something dangerous was hidden behind it.

“I don’t need much,” Jang Il-So said softly. “Just a sword will be enough.”

“A sword?” Chung Myung repeated, surprised.

Jang Il-So nodded slowly. “It’s hard to explain, but it seems my sword is not effective against them.”

Chung Myung’s face became serious.

“Then you have no choice, do you? Even if it’s a sword you don’t know and it’s dangerous to use, you have to borrow a sharp sword. To stab into the neck of that crazy person, the bishop or whatever he is…”

Jang Il-So narrowed his eyes, a sweet smile still on his face, and looked directly at Chung Myung.

“A very, very sharp sword.”

Chung Myung’s face became ice cold.

He had expected Jang Il-So to ask for help from the start.

*Because he is from the Evil Sect.* Chung Myung thought.

If it was just a normal member of the Demonic Sect, Jang Il-So might be able to handle it. But if the bishop Jang Il-So talked about was real, the same bishop Chung Myung remembered from the past, then the Evil Sect people could never defeat him.

Demonic martial arts were on a different level. They could break apart even the strongest martial artists.

Righteousness was the symbol of the Orthodox Sects, and desire was the symbol of the Evil Sects. But the Demonic Path was symbolized by something else: pure evil. Evil aimed at humans.

Even Chung Myung found it hard to understand exactly how it worked. But he knew that Demonic martial arts made normal martial arts weaker, so they couldn’t use their full power against it.

They had learned this in many battles in the past.

But…

*He has never even fought the bishop directly, but he figured all this out just by thinking…* Chung Myung was surprised.

He didn’t want to admit it, but Jang Il-So was truly scary smart.

But even more scary than his smart mind was his determination. He had come here across the river without any doubt in his mind about what he needed to do.

“A sharp sword, huh…” Chung Myung said, still thinking. He showed his teeth in a snarl.

“I don’t know if a stupid Evil Sect guy like you would understand, but a good sword needs the right person to use it.”

“Hmph?” Jang Il-So made a sound of disbelief.

“You are not good enough to use a good sword,” Chung Myung stated plainly.

“Well.” Jang Il-So said, a small laugh escaping him. “What do you think?”

Then, in a flash, his smile disappeared completely. His face became serious.

“Let’s stop with these silly comparisons, Sword Saint of Mount Hua.” Jang Il-So said, his voice sharp.

Chung Myung didn’t answer.

“I need you to cut off that crazy bishop’s head. Every moment we waste makes things worse. You need to decide quickly.”

“You think I would work together with someone like you?” Chung Myung asked, his voice full of disgust.

“No, no, no. That’s not it at all, Sword Saint of Mount Hua.” Jang Il-So shook his head quickly.

“This is not working together. You will deal with the bishop in your way, and I will deal with him in my way.”

Jang Il-So paused, his eyes fixed on Chung Myung. “You haven’t forgotten, have you? That you owe me your life from before?”

Chung Myung bit down hard on his teeth, making a grinding sound. Jang Il-So’s shoulders moved up and down, like he was trying not to laugh out loud.

“Why? Are you going to pretend you don’t owe anything to someone from the lowly Evil Sect?” Jang Il-So taunted.

Chung Myung glared at Jang Il-So, his eyes like ice.

“What if I do?” Chung Myung challenged.

“Hm?” Jang Il-So tilted his head to the side, pretending to be confused.

Chung Myung spoke casually, “What will you do if I say I don’t owe anything to an Evil Sect person? Are you going to kneel down and beg?”

“Kneel? Hahahahahahahahahat!”

Suddenly, Jang Il-So exploded with wild laughter.

His laughter was filled with powerful energy. It bounced across the Jang River, echoing loudly in the night. The Five Swords stumbled back, feeling the force of his laughter hit them like a physical blow.

“Kneel? Kneel, you say? Me, Jang Il-So? Hahahahahahahahahat!”

Jang Il-So laughed so hard it looked like he might cry. The decorated ornaments on his clothes shook and made loud ringing sounds. It was a strange and scary sight.

After laughing for a long time, as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard, Jang Il-So stared at Chung Myung. There was a strange, intense light in his eyes. His eyes were slightly red and seemed to glow strangely against his pale white face.

“So. You are telling Jang Il-So to kneel and beg?”

“I will,” Jang Il-So said, his voice suddenly calm.

Chung Myung’s face became hard and serious. But Jang Il-So’s smile grew even wider and more relaxed.

“If you want me to, I will do it,” Jang Il-So said softly.

*Step.*

Jang Il-So took one step closer to Chung Myung.

“Kneeling,” he whispered.

*Another step.*

“Bowing my head to the ground,” he continued, his voice low and intense.

Now, Jang Il-So was so close to Chung Myung they could almost touch.

“If you need more…”

Finally, Jang Il-So, standing right in front of Chung Myung, whispered in a voice that was strangely hot and eager.

“I will even lick your shoes and beg you. Please help me. Please. Please. Please.”

Baek Cheon, who had been watching everything like he was in a trance, took a step back without thinking.

He felt the small hairs on his arms and neck stand up straight.

He knew in his mind that Jang Il-So was just acting, exaggerating to get what he wanted. But knowing that didn’t make it any less disturbing. Just hearing Jang Il-So’s voice made him feel like a cold snake was sliding across his skin.

*What kind of person is this guy…?* Baek Cheon thought, a shiver running down his spine.

*Step.*

Jang Il-So took one last step and looked down at Chung Myung’s face, his eyes intense.

“If you want, I will do anything you ask. Is that enough for you?”

In that instant.

Chung Myung’s hand shot out and grabbed Jang Il-So by the collar, pulling him down hard. Jang Il-So’s body bent forward, and suddenly Chung Myung and Jang Il-So were face to face, their eyes level.

Chung Myung stared directly into Jang Il-So’s eyes, now very close to his own, and growled in a low voice.

“Listen to me carefully, you bastard.”

Jang Il-So was silent, his eyes fixed on Chung Myung.

“I don’t care about any debts or owing you anything. Even if you hadn’t asked, I was going to go and deal with this myself. So, understand this clearly. Neither I nor Mount Hua are moving because of someone like you.”

*Thud!*

Chung Myung shoved Jang Il-So hard in the chest. Jang Il-So stumbled back a few steps, but then he laughed softly.

“Of course, you would,” Jang Il-So said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You better be ready,” Chung Myung warned. “You’ll have to work hard to keep up with us.”

“Of course…” Jang Il-So repeated, his voice trailing off slightly.

Jang Il-So was about to nod with a mocking smile, but he stopped suddenly. He looked at Chung Myung, his eyes questioning.

“Us?” Jang Il-So asked, confused.

“Yes, us,” Chung Myung repeated firmly.

Jang Il-So was silent for a moment, looking at Chung Myung.

“You said you needed a sword, didn’t you? A sword to cut off the bishop’s head.” Chung Myung reminded him.

“…I did,” Jang Il-So admitted slowly.

“These guys…” Chung Myung said, gesturing to Baek Cheon and the other Five Swords standing behind him.

“*They* are that sword.”

Chung Myung’s words hit Baek Cheon like a punch. He clenched his fist tightly without even thinking.

“…They don’t exactly *look* very sharp,” Jang Il-So said, looking at the group with doubt.

“You’ll see,” Chung Myung said, a wide, sharp smile spreading across his face, showing his teeth.

“I made them myself. They are sharp enough to cut off not only the bishop’s head, but also *your* head, someday.”

“…That is definitely something to look forward to,” Jang Il-So replied, a strange tone in his voice.

Jang Il-So looked at the Five Swords again, his eyes now seeing them in a new way. He had a strange smile on his face, a smile that was hard to understand. After a moment, he slowly turned around, as if their business was finished.

“We leave at dawn,” Jang Il-So announced.

He paused, then looked back at them one last time. “Then… we will meet again. Righteous sect kids.”

Jang Il-So turned and walked away slowly, going back the way he had come, disappearing into the darkness.