Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1041

The sound of rushing wind filled Baek Cheon’s ears as he ran. The setting sun, a fiery orange ball sinking towards the horizon, cast long shadows ahead.

With each powerful step, he leaped forward like a flying squirrel through the trees. He was incredibly fast, moving with lightning speed.

But this wasn’t unusual. Everyone around him kept the same pace.

Baek Cheon glanced to his left.

Un Geom was running with an expressionless face. He didn’t seem particularly strained. Baek Cheon, inwardly relieved, turned to look behind him. Everyone was keeping up without falling behind.

Oh Geom had often done this kind of high-speed movement, so he wasn’t too worried. What worried him was none other than Namgung Dowi and Im So-byeong.

But, contrary to his worries, the seemingly frail Im So-byeong was running with a nonchalant face. Moreover, Namgung Dowi was also keeping up well without falling behind.

‘Impressive.’

Hwasan was a sect that valued the basics. Of course, now he thought that the rascal Chung Myung had been paying attention not only to the basics but also to the sect’s mobility….

Anyway, neither Im So-byeong nor Namgung Dowi seemed to feel much discomfort with Hwasan’s speed, which was built from the basics. It was a sight that allowed him to guess how high their inner strength was.

‘It’s not the time to worry about others.’

Baek Cheon’s breathing quickened slightly.

He wasn’t one to be exhausted by this much of a light skill. Normally, he wouldn’t have changed his expression even if he maintained a speed half again as fast as this.

Nevertheless, the only reason Baek Cheon was feeling burdened now was one thing.

Unlike the calm and polite groups they usually met, these men were different. They showed their wildness openly, like they were ready to fight at any second. They were running together, surrounding Hwasan’s group as if to encircle them.

Baek Cheon’s face hardened.

He knew that they didn’t have any particular malice. But he couldn’t help but feel burdened. They were the ones who had crossed swords with Hwasan until recently.

‘The Maninbang….’

Elites wearing the Maninbang’s unique white and red robes.

‘The Red Dogs.’

The first name they were called must have been different. It probably would have been a plausible name. But at some point, the Jianghu began to call them the Red Dogs.

Red Dogs.

The dogs of Jang Il-so, who were loyal only to their master.

It was a derogatory term mixed with fear of Jang Il-so and contempt for those who followed him. But the people involved were rather pleased with the name. And they called themselves the Red Dogs, flaunting their blind loyalty to Jang Il-so.

That’s why the Jianghu feared them even while calling them dogs.

Wearing the symbolic white and red robes, they were always around Jang Il-so, guarding him and trampling on Jang Il-so’s enemies as his hands and feet.

Those Red Dogs were now surrounding the disciples of Hwasan.

Every time a wave of raw energy came from the Red Dogs, he felt the hair all over his body stand on end. It was a completely different energy from that of the orthodox sects. The sharp wildness made it impossible to let his guard down for even a moment.

‘Is the Maninbang this strong?’

It wasn’t like they were running at full speed, but the group from Hwasan prided themselves on being second to none when it came to light skills.

However, in the Maninbang, the number of Red Dogs keeping up with this speed was over a hundred.

Thanks to his experience fighting the Maninbang’s Red Death Squad and defeating the group that attacked Hwasan, he had been confident that he could take on the Maninbang at any time, but his earlier confidence began to crack like thin ice.

Baek Cheon bit his lip slightly.

‘Well.’

That’s how the Maninbang was able to sit at the head of the Four Evil Sects. No matter how great Jang Il-so was, he would never have been able to rise above those formidable people if the power of the supporting forces had been insufficient.

Taat!

Instinctively, strength entered Baek Cheon’s legs as he kicked off the ground.

‘They are the enemy.’

He certainly knew that. That’s why Baek Cheon couldn’t let his guard down, wasn’t it?

But at this moment, these terrifying men were becoming comrades aiming for the same enemy as them.

The feeling of anxiety and reassurance, awkwardness and anticipation coexisting was strange. Then Yoon Jong’s voice was heard.

“Martial Uncle. When do you think we’ll arrive?”

“It’ll be soon now.”

From Gugang to Hangzhou was a thousand li. It was a distance that would take an ordinary person ten days of walking all day long, but it was a distance that they could reach in just half a day.

They had been running non-stop from sunrise to sunset, so they would probably enter Hangzhou soon.

“…Then we’ll see them soon.”

The word referring to the target was missing. But everyone here knew who Yoon Jong was referring to.

Baek Cheon, who had the two letters ‘Demonic Sect’ in his head, naturally looked ahead. The front of the group. The two men running in the very front.

In an instant, he felt breathless.

The image of Chung Myung in black and Jang Il-so in red, side-by-side, burned into Baek Cheon’s mind like a brand he would never forget.

‘In my life… I never thought I’d see those two running side by side.’

The person the disciples of Hwasan could rely on the most was Chung Myung, no matter what anyone said. He was the most untrustworthy guy in the world on a normal day, but Chung Myung on the battlefield was someone you could trust more than anyone else.

And the person the disciples of Hwasan feared the most was Jang Il-so, no matter what anyone said. For Hwasan, Jang Il-so was a symbol of both hatred and fear.

Those two were now leading those who followed side by side.

A sight he had never imagined even once. No, it was a sight he had no reason to even imagine. So, it felt very strange to Baek Cheon, and that was normal.

But at the same time….

‘I might be called crazy if I said this.’

Baek Cheon glanced back. As if worried that the other disciples might hear his inner thoughts.

‘Seeing those two together, I don’t think we’ll lose.’

Perhaps the other disciples of Hwasan were thinking something similar?

Then Jang Il-so’s relaxed voice was heard.

“You seem quite nervous, Hwasan Sword Saint.”

Chung Myung did not respond to Jang Il-so’s words. He simply kept his eyes fixed forward as he ran. But Jang Il-so smiled slyly, as if he had expected that reaction.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. You won’t have that much to do. You just need to finish things off at the right time. If I ask too much of a kid like you, I’ll look too bad.”

At that moment, Chung Myung looked at Jang Il-so, who was running next to him, and raised the corners of his mouth. It was a clear smile that even Baek Cheon, who was running behind him, could see.

“Hmm?”

Jang Il-so looked at Chung Myung with a strange face and asked:

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Keep going,” Chung Myung said.

“Huh?” Jang Il-so responded.

“You better talk now while you still can,” Chung Myung said. “Because soon, that calm look on your face will disappear.”

Jang Il-so raised an eyebrow, a small smile on his face. “Hoo?” he questioned, looking at Chung Myung with interest.

“You think I’m underestimating them?” Jang Il-so asked.

“No. A guy like you wouldn’t do something so foolish,” Chung Myung replied.

“Then what is it?”

Chung Myung’s eyes darkened.

“You will see soon enough.”

“…”

“There are things in this world you can’t plan for, things you can only feel.”

Chung Myung didn’t explain further.

He glanced back at Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and Tang Soso, who were following him.

Only those who had faced the Demonic Sect in the Northern Sea reacted to Chung Myung’s words. They understood the hidden meaning.

“Because you’re about to see something you’ve never imagined,” Chung Myung added.

With a sharp tone, Chung Myung spoke, and Jang Il-so watched with strange eyes.

“That…” Jang Il-so started.

The corners of Jang Il-so’s lips curled into a smile.

“How exciting,” he said.

With a light gesture, Jang Il-so signaled Ho Gamyung, who quickly caught up. Jang Il-so gave him a few instructions in a low voice.

Ho Gamyung nodded, slowed down, and joined Hong Gyeon in the back.

Chung Myung watched all of this with a twinkle in his eyes.

Jang Il-so felt Chung Myung’s gaze, smiled slightly, and turned to him.

“Why? What are you curious about?” Jang Il-so asked.

“…What instructions did you give?” Chung Myung questioned.

“Nothing special. Just told them not to be surprised by what they see, like you said,” Jang Il-so replied.

“…”

“I don’t know if you’re right or wrong, but only a fool wouldn’t prepare for what can be prepared for. Since you’re kind enough to give advice, there’s no reason not to take it, wouldn’t you agree?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

In the past, even people from his own side, the traditional groups, didn’t listen to him. But this unusual man was taking his words seriously.

For this guy, there’s no difference between traditional and unusual. There’s only what can be used and what cannot.

That thought occurred to him again.

Chung Myung and the Heavenly Demon were beings who didn’t follow the rules. If they hadn’t appeared, what would this world have become?

Wouldn’t it have been controlled at will in this guy’s hands?

From that perspective, perhaps the one who had to lose the most because of the Heavenly Demon and Chung Myung was Jang Il-so.

“That’s a strangely… unpleasant look.”

Jang Il-so smiled with his red lips. His accessories made a constant, noisy sound.

“Don’t look at me like that. It makes me want to pluck your eyes out, you know?”

“Crazy bastard,” Chung Myung said.

The words were harsh, but his voice was terribly gentle. Chung Myung turned his head away with a disgusted expression.

No matter what kind of guy Jang Il-so was, they were just naturally not going to get along. This was the only time he would work together with this guy.

It was then.

“There!” Baek Cheon shouted, as if he had discovered something. Chung Myung looked forward.

“…”

At the same time, his feet slowed down.

Slowing down little by little, it turned into a fast walk, and soon it became a slow walk. Then, finally, he stopped completely.

Everyone who had been running like the wind stopped in their tracks.

No one spoke. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Everyone was just watching the scene in complete silence.

All that could be seen was… the ground, and corpses.

The ground, stained black with dried blood, was filled with miserable corpses.

They knew. Because they were people who had fought many battles, they could tell just by looking. This wasn’t signs of a battle. Those who fought and screamed would never leave such traces.

This was… just a place where a massacre had happened.

“Ugh!” Tang Soso covered her mouth and bent over. Yu Yiseol, who was next to her, grabbed her shoulder tightly.

“How could…” she muttered.

Corpses were scattered everywhere.

They couldn’t even imagine how a person could do such a thing. Only a mad person could kill so many, like they were nothing.

Thud.

At that moment, Jang Il-so took a step forward.

“This is…”

Standing before the land stained with death, he slowly licked his red lips. A cruel smile spread across his face, which was filled with a dangerous feeling.

“It’s the Demonic Sect.”

A deep murderous intent began to gather in his pale eyes.