Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1098

“Ugh… cough…”

“Help… please…” someone whispered.

“Just… just finish me…” another groaned.

People in green clothes, from the Dang family and the Green Forest group, lay all over the dusty ground. They were breathing hard, like they had run a very long race.

It was a strange thing to see. These were supposed to be strong fighters, from famous groups. The Dang Clan, known for their skills, and the Green Forest bandits, said to be tough and wild. But now, they were just a pile of tired, green-clothed people, barely able to move.

Chung Myung’s lips curved into a smile that showed he was very pleased with himself. His eyes twinkled as he looked at the tired people.

“This is what I call a harmonious alliance between the good guys and the bad guys,” he said.

Namgung Dowook closed his eyes. ‘How can anyone be this cruel?’ he thought. He had seen this training before, but it still shocked him.

The Sichuan Dang Clan was a famous and respected family in the world of martial artists (Jianghu). They were known for their strict training.

The Green Forest group was the same. The people here were the best fighters chosen from all the Green Forest bandits. Anyone could guess that the Green Forest King trained them very hard.

But after only a few hours of training with Chung Myung, these people who had gone through so much hard work were now lying on the ground like soldiers who had lost a war, barely alive.

It seemed like Chung Myung had spent his whole life finding ways to make martial artists suffer.

Namgung Dowook had seen this before, but he still felt sorry for the people on the ground. He had managed to avoid joining them this time.

He and the Namgung Family had cursed more than they ever had before when they first had to go through this training.

But unlike Namgung Dowook, who felt pity, some people were laughing at the sad scene.

“They’re all dead,” one said.

“Come on. They’re not dead yet, are they?” another replied.

“They shouldn’t be breathing so hard already.”

These people could be called little devils.

Namgung Dowook looked at the Five Swords, who were laughing. Seeing these evil Taoists enjoying the suffering of others, he thought about the Supreme Old Lord… Wait, a monk? Why is the monk laughing too?

Namgung Dowook stopped thinking and closed his eyes tightly.

This place felt like a bad place, not caring about any rules of religion or good behavior. It didn’t matter if you followed Taoism or Buddhism.

The only good thing was that even in this bad place, there was one Taoist who was truly good.

Someone, carefully watching the devils, spoke quietly.

“Um… Martial Uncle. They are working so hard after training. Isn’t it a bit much to be enjoying this so openly?”

Tears filled Namgung Dowook’s eyes.

‘Yoon Jong, my student!’ he thought.

He was truly a good person from Hwasan! Even in Hwasan, which had become a place for devils, there was still hope.

Baek Cheon heard Yoon Jong’s words and looked strange.

“Yoon Jong,” he said.

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

“What you’re saying is right. I think so too.”

“Then why…”

“But think about it from their point of view. Haven’t they been watching us train until now?”

“…”

“When I think about how much they must have enjoyed watching us all this time, I can’t help but laugh.”

“…”

“Try to remember how those people looked at us when we were training.”

“No, that’s…”

Yoon Jong thought for a moment and then looked at the people lying on the ground. He muttered,

“Life… is about getting back at those who watched us train.”

“That’s right. You understand now.”

It was the moment when Hwasan’s good person became evil.

Namgung Dowook screamed in his head, ‘Don’t understand such things!’ But Yoon Jong and Baek Cheon didn’t know what he was thinking.

“Looks like the Green Forest King is about to die?”

“Oh dear, someone so weak.”

“He might really die and go to the next world?”

“Come on. He won’t die from just this. The worst thing about the training that guy makes us do is that you feel like you’re really going to die, but you don’t. It would be easier if you just died.”

“That’s right. He still has a long way to go.”

“Get better.”

Lim Sobyeong heard the devils laughing and looked up at the Five Swords. His eyes were red with anger and resentment.

“Y, You guys are worse than the Demonic Sect…” he choked out.

“Hee hee hee hee hee!”

Namgung Dowook watched the terrible scene and finally looked away.

‘Where is the Heavenly Union going?’ he wondered.

It felt like they had reached a point where there was no turning back.

And then…

“Hey!”

Chung Myung looked unhappy. He kicked the floor and stood up.

“Did you all just eat porridge? How much have you rolled around that you’re already stuck to the floor and can’t move?”

“…”

“…”

“And you went around acting proud, calling yourselves the Dang Clan and the Green Forest? With this skill? With this energy? What a waste. I was trusting you guys and fighting in front!”

The people who had been giving angry looks to the Five Swords looked down as soon as Chung Myung stepped forward. Many people had suffered for arguing with him without thinking.

So, the best thing to do was to pretend they were dead and not make eye contact.

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

Chung Myung looked at the scene and clicked his tongue, as if he didn’t like it at all.

“You’re going to face the Demonic Sect with this skill? You’ll be lucky if you don’t wet yourselves and run away.”

The people who had raised their heads to argue lowered them again when they saw Chung Myung’s face.

‘Just close your eyes,’ they thought.

‘That man isn’t the Hwasan Divine Dragon we knew, but the Hwasan Sword Saint.’

‘Even the Clan Leader has to listen to him now.’

His personality hadn’t changed, but the Hwasan Divine Dragon they knew in the past and the current Hwasan Sword Saint were very different.

Even though he was a student of Hwasan and had a close relationship with the Dang Clan Leader, they had to listen to him if he was giving a lesson, because he was so skilled. They just had to deal with it.

The Green Forest bandits were in an even worse position. The Green Forest King was rolling around here himself.

Chung Myung looked at everyone with a sad expression and said,

“From tomorrow, you’ll do twice as much as today, so be ready. If anyone is going to roll around without energy like today, just leave tonight. I’d rather that than waste my time.”

“U, Um, excuse me.”

Dang Pae, the young master of the Dang Clan, raised his hand, looking tempted.

“I, Is it okay to leave? Will there be any punishment or anything…?”

“Why would I punish the Dang Clan or the Green Forest? Of course not.”

“R, Really…?”

Dang Pae’s face lit up. But it quickly turned dark when Chung Myung continued.

“But you’ll have to deal with the Dang Clan Leader’s anger on your own.”

“…”

Dang Pae imagined Tang Gunak running at him with throwing knives in both hands and a blank expression. He lowered his arm, defeated.

That was its own kind of hell. Maybe this place was heaven compared to that situation.

“Anyway.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, as if he didn’t like it at all.

‘That’s why only Hwasan suffered,’ he thought.

In the past, Hwasan had only focused on getting stronger and working well, and hadn’t paid attention to those who supported them.

So, Chung Myung had become a hero by appearing and disappearing like a ghost, fighting the Demonic Sect guys everywhere…

‘Wait, when I think about it, wasn’t I just running around like crazy?’

“- Hehehe. You’re quick to realize it.”

“What is it, old man?”

Chung Myung glared and looked up at the sky.

Recently, he felt like he was losing respect for Cheong Mun. When he thought about it, that old man was just shouting ‘Chung Myung! A Demonic Sect guy has appeared here! Go take care of it!’ day and night, wasn’t he?

Even Hyun Jong would try to stop Chung Myung from rushing out when he got angry, saying he would get hurt.

“…There’s no one to trust in this world.”

“Yes?”

“Ahem. Never mind!”

Chung Myung waved his hand and glared.

“The Nine Great Sects are just trying to trick us, and the Four Evil Sects are just thinking about how to stab us in the back. And you’re going to face both of them at the same time with this skill?”

Lim Sobyeong raised his head quickly.

“No, when did I ever say I would face them at the same time, or even touch the…?”

Thwack!

A shoe flew and hit Lim Sobyeong in the face.

Thud.

Lim Sobyeong fell to the floor.

“How dare you be rude when an elder is speaking!”

Yoon Jong watched and whispered softly,

“Martial Uncle. Isn’t that guy the youngest one here?”

“Let’s just think of him as our older brother. That’ll be easier for both of us, won’t it?”

“…That’s true.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, watching Lim Sobyeong twitching.

“Calling that thing the Green Forest King. Ugh.”

“…”

“Anyway, training will continue tomorrow. Come out tomorrow ready to die.”

“…”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make you useful. Even if it’s just so I can survive.”

Chung Myung rolled his eyes, turned, and walked away.

Baek Cheon waited until he was far away and then shook his head.

“He’s full of poison,” he said.

“Looks like he’s really going to do it right.”

“At this point, I actually feel a bit sorry for him.”

Jo Gul looked at Chung Myung’s back as he walked away with a bottle of alcohol in his hand and said,

“But why is that guy suddenly acting like this?”

“Huh?”

“Well… We’re training with these people, so it’s easier and better than usual…”

The Dang Clan members and the Green Forest bandits glared at Jo Gul.

Easier? Really?

“Considering that guy’s temper, I thought he would yell at us for not doing anything in Hangzhou as soon as he caught his breath… But strangely, he seems to be focused on something else.”

“What else could it be?”

Baek Cheon shrugged.

“The Four Evil Sects and the Demonic Sect, Hwasan can’t handle them alone anymore, can they?”

“That’s true.”

Even the students of Hwasan had to admit that. No matter how hard they tried, the numbers were too different. No matter how strong Hwasan became, it was still a small group.

Even if every student of Hwasan was as strong as an army, the Demonic Sect or the Four Evil Sects would have a hundred times more people. So, there was no way to win.

“So, the only way to fight those guys is to make other groups stronger. Like Hwasan.”

“…Like where?”

“Like Hwasan.”

“…”

Baek Cheon shrugged and said,

“So, Chung Myung wants to make the entire Heavenly Union like Hwasan. Maybe even the entire Central Plains?”

“T, The entire Central Plains like Hwasan?”

Everyone trembled, looking shocked.

“That’s the only way to stand against those Demonic Sect guys and the Heavenly Demon, isn’t it?”

“T, That’s true, but…”

“That sounds terrible.”

“That’s hell itself.”

“No, at that point, shouldn’t we be comparing which is worse, the Demonic Sect’s plan to destroy the Central Plains or that?”

“…Guys. You’re from Hwasan.”

“We know, but…”

Jo Gul shook his head.

“If that happens, Jang Il-so will be really scared.”

“No.”

“Yes?”

Baek Cheon chuckled.

“Isn’t there one person who would hate that situation even more than Jang Il-so?”

“Who…? Ah!”

The Five Swords all looked at one person, at his shiny head.

The shiny head instantly turned bright red.