Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1133

Years later, the Beast Palace disciples would recall that day with a shudder.

One of them might say, “They say a tiger among sheep is something, but honestly, a tiger eyeing sheep doesn’t usually cause such a fuss, does it?”

“No, that’s right, isn’t it?” another would reply.

The first one continued, “Usually, when a tiger comes, the sheep just huddle together, and the tiger takes one from the edge of the flock and that’s it.”

Another chimed in, “Tigers don’t usually attack if they’re not hungry, right?”

“That’s right… Definitely not.”

Words could not easily describe what happened that day. It was too strange.

“If I had to find something similar…” one began.

Another interrupted, “Is there even anything similar to that?”

The first one continued, “No. It’s not similar, but… if I had to find words to explain it to those who remained in the palace, there’s only one thing that comes to mind.”

“What is it?”

“It was like… like a storm suddenly hitting a quiet village,” one disciple whispered, his voice trembling.

“A storm?” another asked, his eyes wide with fear.

Yes,” the first one said, “A terrible storm that destroys everything, even things it doesn’t need to destroy. We were trapped, like houses in the path of the wind… it was total confusion.”

“Yes…” the other agreed, shuddering. “That’s exactly it. We were the houses.”

“Is the Mount Hua Sword Saint the storm, then?”

“No… Thinking about it, even that analogy feels wrong. It’s not right to compare him to a storm. He was… well, just the Mount Hua Sword Saint rampaging through everything.”

“I still have nightmares about that day. The demonic Mount Hua Sword Saint, eyes rolled back, charging at me…”

“S-stop it. Stop, please…”

“I can still hear the screams from that day. Like phantom echoes…”

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

The disciples of Mount Hua were brave.

No one could deny that fact. Mount Hua was the sect that moved the most people to the dangerous lands of Jiangnan, and they were the ones who stood against the terrifying bishop of the Demonic Sect without backing down.

In fact, even without such examples, no one in the current fighting world would deny that Mount Hua was the most courageous sect… or, to put it more bluntly, the sect with the most guts.

But now, the disciples of Mount Hua, who were second to none in bravery, were screaming as if they had seen a ghost, scrambling to escape.

“Get out of the way!”

“No! Senior Uncle! What are we supposed to do if Senior Uncle runs away?”

“Shut up, you little brat! Do you think I have two lives to spare?”

The Mount Hua disciples had suffered Chung Myung’s temper for a long time. They knew exactly what he was like when he got like this. When Chung Myung was like that, there was no way to deal with him. If you wanted to live, you had to run.

But, alas, even their retreating figures were all too familiar to Chung Myung.

Wham!

“Aaaaaaaaargh!”

“Eeeeeek!”

Startled by the desperate screams behind him, Baek Cheon instinctively rolled his body to the floor. At that moment, something fiercely grazed over his head.

“Y-you’re trying to kill me… Kraaah!”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Chung Myung had already uppercutted Baek Cheon’s chin. Baek Cheon flew into the air in a perfectly upright posture.

The sight of him maintaining his dignity even while being sent flying was enough to inspire admiration, as one might say, ‘Truly, Baek Cheon.’ Of course, the one being hit and sent flying wouldn’t be pleased to hear those words.

Having sent Baek Cheon flying with a single blow, Chung Myung’s bloodshot eyes gleamed as he sought out his next victim. A beastly sound escaped his lips.

Yoon Jong lowered his stance and carefully extended one hand.

“C-Chung Myung. L-let’s calm down. Okay? Good boy…”

“Calm down?”

“Th-that…”

“Caaalm dooown?”

“Eek?”

Chung Myung’s foot slammed squarely into the middle of Yoon Jong’s face. Unable to even scream, Yoon Jong spun like a well-hit top, flying past the Tang family and the Green Forest, and crashing into a corner of the manor.

Whoosh.

Yoon Jong fell, a red footprint clear on his cheek, like a brand. The moment everyone saw the clear footprint left on his face, chills ran down their spines.

‘B-Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong…’

‘I-in one hit…’

The people here had been fighting each other fiercely for several days already. They knew each other’s capabilities very well.

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong were no longer people who could be called promising juniors. If they were thrown into the fighting world right now, wouldn’t they be considered outstanding swordsmen worthy of being called strong fighters at the very least?

But whether they were outstanding swordsmen or not, their fate was simply equal before Chung Myung.

“Ugh, why am I…”

At that moment, Jo Gul, regaining his senses, raised his upper body and looked around with dazed eyes. He tilted his head, puzzled by the strange atmosphere, but then he froze. His eyes met with Chung Myung’s, whose eyes were almost completely rolled back.

A subtle silence flowed.

Jo Gul smiled faintly.

“Ah… I should have just died a little while ago.”

And at that moment, Chung Myung, pouncing on Jo Gul like a tiger, began to throw punches without mercy.

“You guys!”

“Kyaaaaah!”

“Are you even human? Are you human?”

Fists like hammers pounded Jo Gul’s face. Jo Gul’s head spun wildly.

“Die! Die, you bastards! Die!”

Each time his head turned and his vision shifted, he saw the faces of those watching him with horrified expressions, alternating with the sight of Chung Myung’s eyes rolled back.

‘Heu…’

Even in his fading consciousness, a small smile lingered on Jo Gul’s lips. He saw Yoon Jong, who had also lost consciousness. He, too, was unconscious with a similar smile on his face.

Of course, it wasn’t because they were crazy, nor because they had lost their minds.

‘You guys… are all doomed now…’

If the others suffered the same fate that only Mount Hua had endured until now, it was worth being beaten to death.

‘Just… try to endure it…’

Even as his face swelled up, Jo Gul’s head lolled to the side with a blissful smile. Chung Myung slowly rose, leaving the limp Jo Gul behind.

Drip.

A single drop of blood, pooled at the end of his fist, fell to the floor. That small sound spread widely throughout the deathly silent training ground.

“…If you’re human beings.”

Those who were staring blankly at the unconscious Jo Gul flinched and turned their gaze to Chung Myung.

“There should still be a limit.”

“Setting fires?”

“That was the Green Forest…”

“Putting poison in the food?”

“That was the Tang family. I saw it!”

“The palace lord is the first to fall ill after fighting, and those bastards who dragged beasts all the way here can’t even manage them, letting them attack civilians?”

“That’s the Ice Palace.”

“The Beast Palace is…”

“Are you even human?”

Of course, they had nothing to say, even if they had ten mouths.

Even though Chung Myung created the situation, it was everyone’s responsibility that the situation had escalated this far. If the superiors wanted to play comfortably, they couldn’t complain even if they were rolled up and beaten.

“I was short-sighted. I thought you were at least human. I thought you would act like humans because you were human. But… you weren’t human, were you?”

“Then there’s a proper way to deal with it. In the past! The great Head of Mount Hua said this.”

“Wh-what did he say…”

“A dog, a madman, and a disobedient disciple need a beating!”

– I never said that about dogs and madmen!

“Shut up!”

Chung Myung, who suddenly shouted into the air even though no one was making a sound, charged towards Tang Pae, who happened to be nearby.

“S-stop him!”

“Protect the Young Lord!”

The Tang family retainers screamed in horror. They threw hidden weapons and spewed poisonous fumes at the charging Chung Myung.

“Euraaaaaah!”

Chung Myung drew his sword and spun it like a windmill as he surged forward. The strong wind pressure pushed back the poisonous fumes, and the hidden weapons were deflected in all directions.

“H-heek!”

Tang Pae, his face turning pale, hurriedly retreated, grabbing and scattering the hidden weapons in his sleeves.

“Ugh! Poisonous caltrops! Feather needles! Ghost King’s Bell! Blood Dagger! Ah! What else! Ah! Seven Treasure Chasing Soul…”

Thwack.

But, to no avail, Chung Myung, who had reached right in front of him, grabbed Tang Pae’s wrist.

“Seven Treasure, what?”

“Seven Treasure Chasing Soul?”

“Haa… Haha.”

Cold sweat streamed down Tang Pae’s forehead.

“D-dojang! How could I possibly use such a vicious thing on Dojang…”

“Really? Then what’s this in my hand?”

Chung Myung shook Tang Pae’s hand lightly while holding his wrist. The poison pouch in his hand swayed weakly.

“…This is… uh… yes. Uh, just ordinary Mountain Air Poison. Very weak, uh…”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Y-yes, it is…”

“Is this bastard playing with me right now?”

“Gack!”

Chung Myung’s fist plunged into Tang Pae’s abdomen without hesitation. The impact caused Tang Pae’s mouth to gape open for a moment. Chung Myung opened the poison pouch that Tang Pae was holding and shoved it straight into his open mouth.

“If it’s ordinary Mountain Air Poison, nothing much will happen.”

“Mmph! Mmph!”

“It’s okay. You won’t die, you won’t die. It’s just Seven Treasure Chasing Soul. Surely you won’t die from that, will you?”

Tang Pae foamed at the mouth and fell backward. Since the Tang family basically trained to build up immunity to poison from a young age, it was unlikely that someone of the Young Lord’s status would die from being poisoned by his own poison, but if he ate that much Seven Treasure Chasing Soul, it was safe to say that he wouldn’t be able to function as a human being for a while.

“Koo… Rrrrrrr!”

As expected, Tang Pae, who had fallen backward, began to convulse all over his body and twist strangely.

Those who saw the situation were all half-stunned. Where in the world would you see a Tang family member collapse from their own poison? And it was the Tang family’s Young Lord.

“Ah, you all like poisoning, don’t you?”

At Chung Myung’s question, the Tang family retainers all shook their heads desperately. But Chung Myung began to rummage through the sleeves of the fallen Tang Pae, pulling out a string of things.

“Th-those are dangerous to touch carelessly…”

“But… where did you use those? Why are you so natural at it…”

Chung Myung, holding a bunch of Tang family poison pouches in both hands, began to chuckle.

“Ah, have I used them before?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“You seem very familiar with it…”

“It’s my first time, my first time. So… why don’t you all just die, you bastards!”

“Your words don’t make any sense!”

Chung Myung threw the poison pouches and unleashed his energy. Green, black, and pink poisonous fumes spread instantly to where the Tang family was standing.

“Heeek!”

“No, what did that guy bring so much of!”

“D-don’t breathe! You’ll get poisoned!”

In the midst of a spectacle of poisonous fumes that seemed like it was not of this world, Chung Myung, who had thrown off the things he had been wearing like ill-fitting clothes, no, had torn them all to shreds, cackled like a madman and charged forward.

“Eheeheehee! This is fun!”

The Tang family retainers, trapped in the thick poisonous fumes, were sent soaring into the sky like fireworks. How pitiful.

It was the Heavenly Union who were now realizing the simple truth that all indulgence must be paid for.