Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1215

The group was arguing about the best way to travel to their next destination.

“Sea route! I think the sea route would be best!”

“Ah, no, just a moment. First, the land route…”

“Ah, shut up! Just decide on one quickly!”

“Sea route! Let’s go by sea! It’s been my lifelong dream to ride a ship!”

“In fact, if I don’t ride a ship, I get very uncomfortable! I’m serious!”

Everyone was desperate. They knew what kind of person Chung Myung was. Especially the disciples of Mount Hua, who knew enough about Chung Myung, felt a life-threatening crisis and raised their voices.

But…

“Ugh, noisy.”

Chung Myung grinned and waved his hand.

“It’s not like I’ve decided anything yet, is it? I’m just listening to the story. But if the Green Forest King, who is considered the best strategist in the Cheonwoo Alliance, bothered to bring it up, there must be a reasonable reason, right?”

“He’s a Demonic Sect guy, though?”

“You said we should burn him?”

“You said listening to a Demonic Sect guy makes your stomach twist, and you have to take stomach medicine!”

“Did I?”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, looking at the Five Swords.

“Wow, for Taoists to be like this? That’s really bad! Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

The Five Swords covered their faces with both hands and bowed their heads deeply. Despair settled on their shoulders.

Meanwhile, Namgung Dowi, who was still somewhat sane, slyly asked Im So-byeong.

“Green Forest King, what are the advantages of the third option?”

Im So-byeong blew the blood out of his nose and answered nonchalantly.

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s fast.”

Namgung Dowi’s eyes twitched slightly. He looked at Im So-byeong and said with a smile.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I expected too much from someone in the Demonic Sect. It is impolite to demand something beyond their capabilities…”

“Ha?”

This time, Im So-byeong’s face contorted.

“You used to be such a very polite and proper gentleman, but after hanging out with Mount Hua, you’ve learned to be sarcastic. You’re growing up so well?”

“Is that only thanks to Mount Hua? It’s all thanks to the Green Forest King’s help.”

“Ah, is that so?”

The two men’s eyes clashed fiercely in the air.

Watching them, Dang Pae began to press down on his stomach with one hand. Then, Tang Soso silently handed him a small paper bag.

“What’s this?”

“Stomach medicine.”

“…”

“I brought plenty, so don’t worry. We’re used to it.”

“Thank you.”

Still, the only one who cares about her brother is his sister… No, that’s not it!

“This isn’t the time for this! Please, let’s get to work, let’s get to work!”

“Ahem.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

Im So-byeong, clearing his throat loudly at Dang Pae’s remark, said.

“Of course, it may sound a bit crazy…”

“A bit?”

“It sounds very crazy?”

“I’m wondering if you’re in your right mind?”

Im So-byeong, who was briefly speechless, continued with a sullen face.

“But if you look at it one by one, it’s not such an unbelievable opinion.”

“Sounds crazy to me?”

“Isn’t the standard of absurdity different?”

“Is this the Demonic Sect style? Now that I see Jang Il-so, that Demonic Sect guy, he’s definitely not in his right mind.”

Im So-byeong’s cheek twitched. Those Mount Hua guys clearly don’t even consider him a passing bandit. Even so, right in front of the Green Forest King…

“Stop talking nonsense! Just explain it neatly! Anyway, are Demonic Sect people all tricksters? The moment they open their mouths, they talk and talk and talk!”

But Im So-byeong’s dissatisfaction disappeared like snow in front of Chung Myung’s annoyance. Yes, just by having that guy around, the people of Mount Hua deserve to be recognized as righteous Taoists, don’t they?

“What? Why?”

“It’s nothing.”

Im So-byeong sighed and opened his fan quickly and dramatically. But maybe because he had already shown all his embarrassing moments, the reaction wasn’t very enthusiastic.

“The road that pierces Gangnam by land clearly requires considerable risk. But shortening the schedule is worth taking all those risks.”

“Why?”

“Because the risk decreases.”

A moment of silence flowed. Everyone listening thought, ‘He must have hurt his head after getting hit so much,’ and everyone looked at him with pity. Im So-byeong shook his head and quickly opened his mouth.

“Now! Think about it carefully! Think about it the other way around. It’s very simple. What problems arise when the schedule gets longer?”

“Hainan becomes dangerous?”

“That could be true. Hainan is in a very urgent situation right now.”

Namgung Dowi and Dang Pae gave reasonable opinions, but Im So-byeong shook his head firmly.

“No. That’s a less important problem. The main problem is that the Demonic Alliance and the Nine Sects will know of our absence.”

“Ah…”

Yoon Jong nodded as if he had realized something. Jo Gul, still not understanding, quickly asked.

“What do you mean, Senior Brother?”

“Think about it. Whether it’s the Nine Sects or the Demonic Alliance, aren’t they watching carefully the situation in this manor?”

“That’s right.”

Of course, they won’t be able to directly monitor the surroundings. It’s realistically impossible for those with weak martial arts to monitor those who are stronger. Unless Jang Il-so or the heads of the sects come out, they can’t trick Chung Myung and monitor the surroundings in detail.

But it’s not difficult to figure out roughly the situation in the manor through the people coming and going.

“Among them, what they are most concerned about is Chung Myung and the sect leaders. And the movements of our Martial Uncle, who has become the acting sect leader this time. But if the stories about them disappear overnight, what would they think?”

“They’ll know we’ve left the manor.”

“That’s right.”

Clack!

Im So-byeong struck his hand with his folded fan.

“Exactly. In my opinion, the time it will take for them to be sure that we have left this manor will not be more than three days.”

Everyone nodded.

“If they find out we are going to Hainan, even if we are secret, what will they do?”

“They’ll send people to look for us, I suppose.”

“No, they won’t.”

Im So-byeong used his fan to tap twice on Hainan Island on the map.

“There’s no need to go to such lengths. It’s enough to just gather those who can blockade Hainan. No matter which way we go, we’ll end up in Hainan, won’t we?”

“Ah….”

“Or else….”

A cruel smile suddenly appeared on Im So-byeong’s lips, like a snake showing its teeth.

“Erasing Hainan before we arrive would also be a possible option.”

Silence fell instantly. The sounds of breathing seemed loud in the room. Everyone looked at each other, eyes wide. The thought that their actions might hasten Hainan’s doom settled upon them.

“The important thing is three days.”

Im So-byeong’s fan traced a line from Gugang to Hainan once more.

“The distance from here to Gugang is twenty-five hundred *li*, a very long distance. Those here can travel at speeds that make horses seem slow. If we travel a hundred *li* per *sh辰*, which is like an hour, and twelve *sh辰* per day?”

“…Twelve hundred *li*.”

“Yes. Two days is enough. We could reach Hainan before the Four Seas Alliance even realizes we’ve set out!”

“W-wait a moment! Green Forest King!” Namgung Dowook raised his hand, looking flustered.

“Isn’t that a little too optimistic? First, the road to Hainan isn’t a straight line. Besides, we can’t travel on the main roads. If more than ten of us were to dash along the main roads at that speed, all of Gangnam, a region known for…, would know of our movements before even two *sh辰* had passed.”

“Of course, we won’t do that. And as humans, it’s impossible to run for two days straight without rest at the same speed.”

“That’s right.”

“But even considering all that, it’s the same. Even if we use mountain paths to avoid being seen and move cautiously, guarding our surroundings, it won’t take more than five days to reach the coast near Hainan with this group.”

“… ”

“If that’s the case, even if they realize our absence on the third day and send troops to Hainan…?”

“…We can arrive in Hainan first.”

“Exactly.”

Dang Pae spoke cautiously.

“Just a moment. If that happens, wouldn’t we just be attacked and surrounded along with Hainan once we enter?”

“Tsk tsk. It seems the young master of the Dang Clan still doesn’t understand how large-scale forces move. Think about it. How many days did it take for the Sichuan Tang Clan to arrive after deciding to move to the Gang?”

Dang Pae, recalling the past, blushed slightly and answered.

“I think it took about ten days.”

“That’s only because the Sichuan Tang Clan can use their power with a small number of people. To blockade or destroy Hainan, they would need a force that can’t even be compared to the Sichuan Tang Clan. It will take at least half a month.”

“Ah….”

“In that time!”

Im So-byeong struck the map once with his fan.

“It won’t be so tight that we can’t persuade Hainan and find a way to escape before Hainan Island is attacked and surrounded. Of course, we’ll have to see the situation in Hainan, though.”

Cheong-myeong, who had been listening quietly, chuckled.

“And even if things go wrong, it’s enough time for you to get out, right?”

“Well… I won’t deny it. I’m not someone who would risk my life for those people’s circumstances like you all.”

Cheong-myeong grinned and nodded. It would be more awkward if loyalty and cooperation came out of that man’s mouth.

“It sounds possible, but is this really possible? Will they really not know that we’re heading to Gangnam?”

Im So-byeong smirked at Jo-geol’s question.

“Of course, it’s possible. That’s why I requested such a showy succession ceremony.”

“Yes?”

“Changing a sect leader is important. Jang Il-so took over the Four Seas Alliance. Now, he is busy and staying quiet, isn’t he?”

“…That’s right.”

“No matter how much Mount Hua is seen as a weak and unimportant group… No, no! That’s what they think! Not me! Put down your fists!”

“… ”

“Anyway, even if it’s such a sect, they wouldn’t think that they would send the acting sect leader out of the sect as soon as they replaced the sect leader. Especially if it’s the Four Seas Alliance, which can’t accurately grasp what happened in the conversation with the abbot.”

Everyone nodded.

Those here knew what thoughts Baek Cheon had when he became the acting sect leader, and they knew what kind of person Baek Cheon was, so they accepted this situation without difficulty. But from the perspective of the Four Seas Alliance, wouldn’t it just look like the Second Disciple of a sect suddenly became the acting sect leader?

And then, not the next day, but on that very day, that person leaves the sect and heads to Hainan, piercing through Gangnam?

‘That’s crazy.’

‘That’s not something a person would do.’

‘They should send him to a doctor.’

‘But aren’t we doing that?’

Im So-byeong smirked.

“Do you understand?”

“… ”

“They won’t expect it. If they find out later, Jang Il-so will only say ‘crazy, crazy,’ but he never imagined we’d be this crazy… Hey! It’s not an insult, it’s not! Someone, please hold that man down!”

Just when everyone was mostly convinced by Im So-byeong’s showy and convincing words, Yoon-jong spoke up again.

“I understand that. But Green Forest King, can we really pass through Gangnam without being detected by them? In the Four Seas Alliance’s territory? That doesn’t make sense, does it?”

At that moment, Im So-byeong curled up the corner of his lips and sneered.

“Have you forgotten what I said at the beginning?”

“Yes?”

“The first thing to consider when deciding these routes is to move through areas where the Heavenly Union’s influence is strong, so they won’t see us. That’s why we chose Zhejiang, Anhui, Sichuan, and Yunnan.”

“…That’s right.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“Yes?”

Yoon-jong blinked, unable to understand, and Im So-byeong narrowed his eyes.

“Where did we say we would move through when going to Gangnam?”

“Well… mountain paths where people can’t see… Ah!” Yoon-jong’s eyes widened.

At that moment, an overwhelming aura flowed out from Im So-byeong.

“You all seem to have forgotten, but I am the King of the Green Forest.”

“… ”

“Whether it’s Gangnam or Gangbuk, all the mountains in the world are the Green Forest’s territory.”

Everyone looked at Im So-byeong with new eyes at that spirit.

“I will guide you, to that Gangnam. Under the protection of the Green Forest King.”