Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1276

“This much is okay… Aargh!”

Chung Myung shrieked and looked at his leg. Tang Soso was pulling the stitches tight. You could see the blue veins on the back of her hand. They showed how strongly she felt.

“That… Soso…”

“What? Does it hurt?”

“…No.”

Tang Soso, her lips pressed together in a sulky line, finished stitching Chung Myung’s wound. The long gash on his calf was now neatly closed.

“Done.”

Tang Soso wiped her hands with a cotton cloth and looked at Chung Myung’s leg.

“The treatment is done. The problem is…”

“If the treatment’s done, it’s done.”

“…No, Sajong is…!”

“Aigo, this is frustrating! Being stuck inside the cabin is making me feel suffocated. I’m going out for some fresh air!”

“Your leg! Don’t use that leg! Hey!”

Chung Myung, hopping like a zombie on his good leg, dashed out of the cabin. Tang Soso let out a long, weary sigh that seemed to carry all her worry.

“What on earth is wrong with that man…”

Everyone gave her a look of sympathy.

“How is it?”

Outwardly, the treatment seemed to be finished cleanly, and Chung Myung looked fine. But Yoon Jong knew Chung Myung was pretending to be okay.

Tang Soso clicked her tongue and replied.

“He’s fine. The detoxification is complete, and the wound isn’t that severe compared to the ones he usually gets.”

Hearing that, Namgung Dowi stared at Tang Soso, dumbfounded.

‘This is less severe than usual?’

A person’s leg split open enough to see the bone, and more than ten poisoned needles longer than fingers stuck in their body?

What kind of injuries does he usually sustain? Does that man have a dozen lives or something?

“Then isn’t that a good thing?”

“It is a good thing. It’s just…”

Tang Soso trailed off, sighed, and opened her mouth.

“The most terrifying patient for a doctor isn’t one with a large wound. In many cases, you can do something as long as they’re conscious.”

“But?”

“The really troublesome patients are those whose old wounds reopen and worsen. After that, the problem is not just the outside wound, but damage inside the body. If a person’s blood starts to get bad, it becomes impossible to fix.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Yoon Jong nodded slowly with a heavy expression.

Until now, it was enough for Chung Myung to be alive, no matter what kind of injuries he sustained. They always tended to Chung Myung’s wounds after the battle was completely over.

But now?

‘This is just the beginning.’

They had only just escaped Hainan Island. Now, they had to break through Jiangnan, no less, and head to the Yangtze River. Even they couldn’t dare to guess how many more battles of this scale would occur in the meantime.

“It’s going to be difficult to fully recover before the next battle.”

“Yes.”

Tang Soso answered firmly and said.

“So, Sajong.”

“Huh?”

“Next time Chung Myung Sajong tries to act recklessly, you have to tie a rope around his neck, grab onto his pant leg, or do whatever it takes to stop him.”

“…I understand.”

“Don’t just listen casually.”

Yoon Jong’s face hardened at Tang Soso’s slightly chilling voice.

“I know better than anyone that you can’t stop Chung Myung Sajong. But this time, it’s not something you can just ignore. Maybe the next time will be alright. But what about the time after that? Or the time after that?”

“…”

“You seem to forget sometimes, but that man is still human. Humans die when they suffer severe injuries. He’s definitely going to overdo it again, and this time, it’s really…”

“I know.”

Yoon Jong cut off Tang Soso’s words calmly. Tang Soso narrowed her eyes slightly, but Yoon Jong’s expression remained unwavering.

“The things you’re worried about won’t happen, so don’t worry.”

“Sahyung…”

“I haven’t been swinging my sword from behind just to suck my thumb. I put up with it on the coast because I had to. But from now on, I won’t let Chung Myung act so recklessly.”

Yoon Jong was much more resolute than usual. Tang Soso looked at him with a renewed gaze.

Originally, Yoon Jong’s nature was gentle and moderate. But sometimes, he could be more firm than anyone else in Hwasan. Just like now.

“…I understand, Sahyung.”

Tang Soso nodded without another word.

As the atmosphere eased slightly, Jo Gul stretched, placing his hands behind his head, and joked.

“Ugh. Easier said than done. Just thinking about stopping that bastard is already making my stomach churn.”

“Still, we’re lucky.”

“…Huh?”

Yoon Jong chuckled and said.

“Just think about the person who would have been nagging Chung Myung to death by his side if things were normal. Since he can’t even be here right now, how frustrated must he be?”

“Ah.”

Jo Gul, letting out a brief exclamation, chuckled.

“That’s definitely true, with that personality.”

In another cabin, Baek Cheon was sitting upright. Surprise flickered across Geum Yang-baek’s face as he saw this.

Even after a hard fight, Baek Cheon’s clothes had no blood on them. This showed he was still calm and in control during the battle.

‘Hwasan, huh…’

He thought he was evaluating them highly. He thought he was evaluating them to the best of his ability, removing as much bias as possible.

But the power of Hwasan, as seen in actual combat, rendered Geum Yang-baek’s efforts meaningless.

A person who has never seen the sea finds it difficult to understand its vastness, no matter how much they are told. Similarly, one who has not experienced Hwasan cannot fully understand its power, no matter how much they hear about it and ponder it.

‘If there are over a hundred of these people gathered…’

No, in fact, what he saw wasn’t even the true power of Hwasan. It was merely the performance of a few of the most renowned members of Hwasan.

If those filling their ranks were not from Hainan, but those who had always trained together, sharing joys and sorrows, what kind of power would they wield? The mere thought sent a chill down his spine.

‘I need to reassess the Cheonwoo Alliance.’

It’s not that Geum Yang-baek thought poorly of the Cheonwoo Alliance. No, he actually held them in very high regard.

Even if they hadn’t risked their lives to come to Hainan, he would have still highly valued the ideals and worth of the Cheonwoo Alliance.

But despite that, a prejudice remained deep in his heart: that the Cheonwoo Alliance was ultimately a league formed by those who couldn’t become the mainstream of the Nine Great Sects.

However, he realized something after seeing the battle on the coast.

‘That’s not it.’

They weren’t pushed out, they joined. He realized that after seeing that sword and that person.

“…First.”

At that moment, Baek Cheon opened his mouth. Geum Yang-baek’s shoulders tensed involuntarily.

From the moment they met, Geum Yang-baek had treated Baek Cheon with the utmost respect as the acting leader of Hwasan, but after seeing him fight, his attitude couldn’t help but be different from before.

“I offer my deepest condolences for the grief you must feel at the loss of your disciples.”

Geum Yang-baek slowly shook his head and replied in a somber voice.

“Don’t worry about it. It was something we were prepared for.”

“…”

“And those children would have been prepared as well.”

Baek Cheon nodded silently. Suddenly, Geum Yang-baek cleared his throat. He had suddenly realized that he was scrutinizing Baek Cheon’s reaction.

No, scrutinizing wasn’t the right word.

Was he waiting to see what Baek Cheon thought before deciding if he was right? Was that just being too worried about what others think?

Even though no one was looking into his heart, he felt subtly ashamed.

But anyone other than Geum Yang-baek would inevitably feel this way if they saw such a sight before their eyes. The reason why sects in the Jianghu use every means possible to acquire even one more absolute master is all for this reason.

He tried to hide his embarrassment and shame, and said calmly.

“I also thank the acting leader. I heard that the Hwasan Sword Saint was injured, but I didn’t expect you to come to us before even checking on his well-being…”

“It is only natural. Even if he is injured, how can it compare to those who have lost their lives?”

Is that so? I don’t know.

What if there were other sects from the Nine Great Sects here instead of the Cheonwoo Alliance?

Would even one of those sect leaders have tried to comfort the death of the Hainan disciples before the Hwasan Sword Saint’s injury?

‘There wouldn’t have been.’

It might be a slightly sad thought, but that’s how the world is.

But Baek Cheon didn’t check on his Sajae’s injury, and instead comforted the Hainan disciples first, and came to comfort Geum Yang-baek. He says it’s only natural, but the world calls those who can do the natural thing naturally heroes.

Geum Yang-baek thought anew. The power of Hwasan might not come from martial strength, but from aspects like this.

“But, Sect Leader.”

At that moment, Baek Cheon raised his head and looked at Geum Yang-baek.

“This is just the beginning.”

“…”

“The Hainan disciples are probably very confused right now. Vowing to fight with their lives and actually fighting with their lives are two very different things.”

Geum Yang-baek’s expression hardened. There was no arguing with that. Geum Yang-baek, of all people, was keenly aware of that fact, so how much more would the young disciples be?

“The more this is the case, the more you need to comfort your disciples.”

If it were the usual Geum Yang-baek, he would have said something along the lines of, ‘We’ll take care of it ourselves, so don’t worry about unnecessary things.’

But now, Geum Yang-baek simply nodded in affirmation. He had to admit that his experience didn’t match theirs.

“The Four Evil Sects will chase after us right away. If that happens, battles will be constantly breaking out from the moment we arrive in Jiangnan.”

“…”

“Please don’t let the disciples’ spirits be broken. We will also do our best.”

“Hmm.”

Geum Yang-baek nodded heavily.

“I will do my best.”

Seeing Baek Cheon bowing politely, Geum Yang-baek wore an awkward smile.

“The situation is difficult, but… there is one piece of good news.”

“Good news?”

Baek Cheon looked at him with a puzzled expression. Then, Geum Yang-baek’s smile became a little more natural and bright.

“Fortunately, we are facing a headwind.”

Baek Cheon frowned slightly, as if he didn’t understand.

“You might think everyone from the South Sea is the same. But Guangdong and Hainan are very different. Their cultures, food, and even ships are not the same.”

“Ah.”

Geum Yang-baek chuckled.

“The people of Hainan can sail the ships of Guangdong, but the people of Guangdong rarely have the opportunity to sail the ships of Hainan. So, even if they take ships, it will take them a long time to sail against this wind.”

“…”

“You can think of it as having a little more time.”

Geum Yang-baek smiled brightly and looked at Baek Cheon. But Baek Cheon’s expression didn’t particularly brighten.

“Excuse me, Sect Leader.”

“…Hmm?”

He shook his head heavily and said to Geum Yang-baek.

“If you think that way, you are underestimating the Four Evil Sects… the Myriad Man House too easily.”

“…”

“They will not loosen their grip on the pursuit. No matter what methods they use.”

His voice was full of conviction. Geum Yang-baek closed his mouth tightly for a moment.

And at the same time.

The scene unfolding in Hainan was proving that Baek Cheon’s prediction was not far off.