Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1066

The very notion of thought was being swept away.

It wasn’t fear or terror that gripped them. It was simply that the moment they faced the murderous aura emanating from Chun Sal, thoughts vanished from their minds.

A murderous aura that made everything they had experienced and overcome until now seem like a mere jest. Before that dreadful pressure, all living things ceased to breathe.

It was a moment of forced understanding as to why the saying that one could kill with mere intent had come to be.

Chun Sal’s gaze, like the biting north wind from the frigid Northern Sea, slowly swept over everyone remaining there.

It was as if someone with dreadful malice was holding an incredibly sharp blade to their throats. The pressure was such that the moment even a finger twitched, the blade would instantly pierce their necks. The voice of Chun Sal, as if whispering into the ears of those who knew not what to do before him, was heard.

“Hwasan… Yes. Hwasan, indeed. So it has managed to maintain its lineage well enough.”

From that reaction alone, it was clear that this newly appeared Bishop harbored a deep grudge against Hwasan.

And the result of that grudge… anyone could foresee it.

Chung Myung and Jang Il-so, already tattered from their fight against Danzaga, would absolutely be unable to handle that Bishop. And if it was impossible for those two, it was impossible for anyone here.

The only path left was escape.

Rather than meaninglessly resisting an enemy impossible to defeat, it was better to survive, even if it meant turning one’s back. Wasn’t that what Hwasan had endlessly emphasized to its disciples?

‘Is that really possible?’

To run away from that Bishop?

Even thinking was a struggle, and attempting anything was even more impossible. All they could do was barely manage not to collapse on the spot. So how could they possibly escape from such a being?

But it was precisely then.

In the midst of that dreadful pressure, someone began to move. Someone who was neither Chung Myung, nor Baek Cheon, nor even Jang Il-so.

Thud. Thud.

Gazes poured upon the back of the man who walked forward through the tightly frozen crowd.

A back that wasn’t particularly broad.

One sleeve awkwardly empty and fluttering.

“S, Sasuk…”

A groan-like voice leaked from Baek Cheon’s lips. His Sasuk, Un-geom, was moving forward alone.

Baek Cheon swallowed hard without realizing it.

‘Un-geom Sasuk!’

How could he do that? It was already a struggle just to endure without losing his mind to the dreadful murderous aura, so how could he possibly move like that?

Baek Cheon watched Un-geom with a feeling bordering on astonishment.

Un-geom finally took his last step and stood facing Chun Sal. He trembled for a moment, as if it was difficult even to straighten his body, and then opened his mouth in a suppressed voice.

“Dae… Hwasan Sect.”

Those behind him could not see Un-geom’s expression. All they could see was Un-geom’s shoulders and voice trembling slightly. It was a sight that could not be described as particularly dignified, even as a platitude.

But who would dare to belittle that back? Un-geom’s back, standing alone against Chun Sal, seemed even more impressive than Chun Sal standing before him. At least, in the eyes of the Hwasan disciples.

“…I am Un-geom, a first-generation disciple.”

Chun Sal stared silently, with only cold eyes, at Un-geom. At that moment, the dreadful pressure that had been weighing down on the others lessened. But that meant that even greater pressure began to bear down on Un-geom.

But Un-geom finally finished his sentence.

“…Do you… have business with Hwasan?”

“Ha…?”

Chun Sal let out a hollow laugh, as if he was dumbfounded.

Of course, they might not know what had happened between Hwasan and the Demonic Sect in the past. But even taking that into account, wasn’t this question too far removed from common sense?

They had been at war with the Demonic Sect until just now, and had driven Danzaga, a Bishop of the Demonic Sect, to the brink of death. And now, they were asking Chun Sal what his business was.

“Hahahahaha.”

Chun Sal ended up laughing loudly.

“Business, you say…”

Then, suddenly wiping away his laughter, he glared coldly at Un-geom and asked.

“Then what will you do?”

“…”

“If I were to decide to kill you all here and now, are you saying you would try to stop me, descendant of Hwasan?”

“…”

“With that feeble ability?”

Chun Sal slowly shook his head, as if to emphasize the point.

“It’s preposterous. You may have inherited the name of Hwasan, but you have inherited none of its power. Compared to those whom I could not help but respect even as enemies, you are less than a worm. And yet, you dare to stand before me?”

At that moment, the terrifying murderous aura emanating from Chun Sal was directed entirely at Un-geom.

“You, who have inherited nothing but those two words, Hwasan?”

“Cough!”

Black blood gushed from Un-geom’s mouth. The murderous aura, which was beyond dreadful, had completely shaken his energy.

Un-geom, who had suffered internal injuries from the murderous aura alone, wiped his mouth with his one remaining arm after vomiting black blood several times.

“…There seems to have been a misunderstanding.”

Although his face was pale from the internal injuries, Un-geom’s expression seemed a little more relaxed than before.

“I, too, am one who knows his place. I do not have such dreams.”

“Then why did you dare to stand before me?”

“…You, too, are one who stands above others, so you must understand.”

“Hmm?”

Un-geom smiled weakly.

“Even if one is lacking in ability, if there are those who follow behind… one must at least be willing to die first.”

Un-geom gripped the sword at his waist. His hand was no longer trembling.

“As you said, my ability may seem less than a worm to you. But even people can die from being bitten by worms. If I’m lucky, I might be able to save even one more person, mightn’t I?”

Chun Sal’s eyes narrowed.

“Is the value of your life only that much?”

“Only…?”

Un-geom grinned, revealing his teeth. His expression was endlessly bright, but his blood-soaked teeth created a strange sense of eeriness.

“Where else could there be something more valuable than that?”

Chun Sal silently watched Un-geom for a moment, as if he was intrigued.

He could tell just by looking. That man was merely enduring in front of him. But he would never back down. He was standing there, enduring, even as he carved away at his very soul.

Chun Sal slowly nodded.

“So it’s not just the name that you’ve inherited.”

Chun Sal took his eyes off Un-geom and looked at the distant sky. As if recalling old memories from long ago.

“Even after a hundred years, even after losing that power, Hwasan is still Hwasan…”

Chun Sal’s expression momentarily relaxed. At the same time, the dreadful murderous aura that had seemed ready to lacerate everything around him vanished as if washed away.

“I was momentarily agitated.”

Everyone looked at Chun Sal with doubtful faces. Chun Sal slowly shook his head and said.

“There’s no need to look at me with such eyes. I will not harm you here today.”

“…”

“But don’t misunderstand. The Sect does not show leniency to lowly infidels. Especially those who use the name Hwasan. My honest feeling is that I don’t want to leave even a single ant alive. But…”

Chun Sal glanced sideways. There, the ashes of what had been Danzaga were scattered.

“Everyone has their own position.”

“…”

“Erasing the traces of Hwasan from the world is an unavoidable duty given to me, but taking over the work that a traitor was trying to do is something that I, as a member of the Sect, must avoid. So you will not die. At least, not in this place today.”

“Heh heh heh.”

At that moment, a low chuckle burst out.

Chun Sal’s gaze naturally turned to the source of the laughter. A man in flamboyant attire was holding his mouth shut, as if he was finding it difficult to hold back.

When Chun Sal stared silently at him, Jang Il-so waved his hand.

“Ah, my apologies. You were speaking so seriously.”

“…”

“But I’m a bit of a twisted person, you see. When someone acts as if they’re holding my lifeline, I find it hard to hold back my laughter.”

Chun Sal narrowed his eyes at Jang Il-so before shaking his head.

“The Central Plains has changed a lot.”

“…”

“Yes, enough time has passed for that. A hundred years have already passed, so it would be enough time to forget us.”

Chun Sal slowly looked around.

A land that was nothing short of 惨酷. It was a land with almost nothing remaining, but he could clearly feel the aura of death that had permeated this place.

One city had disappeared. All the lives that existed within it had disappeared. But…

“Don’t think that this is all there is. What you have seen is only a fragment of the power that the Sect possesses.”

“…”

“You will come to know. You will be forced to recall, even if you don’t want to. Infidels of the Central Plains.”

At that moment, an indescribable solemnity bloomed on Chun Sal’s face.

“Soon, that person will return.”

Everyone’s heart sank.

Was there anyone here who did not understand who ‘that person’ from his mouth referred to? Among those who were part of the Demonic Sect, and especially those called Bishops, the only being who could make them so reverent was only one in the world.

“Then, you will face it. The result that has already been decided. A destiny that cannot be avoided.”

Chun Sal turned his body.

“Until then… enjoy the remaining time given to you. Although it won’t be much.”

Chun Sal indifferently moved his steps. No, he was about to move them.

What grabbed his ankle was a monotonous voice that dug into his ear.

“That’s not it, is it.”

Chun Sal, who had stopped his feet, glanced back while keeping his body still. He saw the young Sword Saint of Hwasan, who had not yet shed all traces of youth.

Chung Myung said quietly.

“It’s not that you’re not killing us, it’s that you can’t kill us, isn’t it? Isn’t that right?”

“…”

“What should I do?”

The jeering voice seemed to pierce Chun Sal’s heart.

“What if? Among the people here who were killed and eliminated because you couldn’t properly control the guys running wild… what if that precious Heavenly Demon was among them? Isn’t that right?”

“You…”

Crack!

Chun Sal gritted his teeth. In an instant, his eyes became bloodshot. It wasn’t because he had drawn up Demonic Art and was emitting bloody light. It was purely because he was enraged, and the blood vessels in his eyes had burst.

“Hahahaha!”

Chung Myung laughed like a madman at the sight.

“Are you angry?”

“…You, you bastard…”

“Then what are you going to do? Are you going to try to kill me?”

Everyone could clearly feel the great anger that Chun Sal was emitting. But unlike before, his anger did not lead to hostility towards them.

“No. I can’t, can I?”

Chung Myung sneered crookedly.

“I.”

“Eeee…”

“Might be the Heavenly Demon, you know? Isn’t that right?”

“Youuuuuuu!”

A scream poured out, a mixture of piercing resentment, dreadful malice, and foul-smelling spite. Red blood flowed down from the corners of Chun Sal’s eyes.