Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1416

“No.”

The word came from his mouth like a sad moan.

Silence fell. Everyone’s face was pale, drained of blood by fear. Tang Gunak stood very still and straight, like he was made of iron.

Jang Il-so was going to the Sichuan Dang Family. Everyone there knew what that meant.

Something terrible was going to happen. It was clear as day.

“D-Don’t we need to do something?”

Jo Gul’s voice was confused and shaky. But no one answered him.

“No! Not like this…!”

“Geol, calm down first.”

“Calm down? How can I be calm? Do you not understand what it means for Jang Il-so to go to the Dang Family?”

Jo Gul’s eyes were bloodshot, veins standing out like red threads in white cloth.

Jo Gul would not have been this scared even if Jang Il-so went to Mount Hua. That would hurt him deeply, like a bad wound inside, but he could handle it.

The buildings in Mount Hua are old and important to their history. Thinking about them burning is awful, but they are just buildings.

But the Dang Family was different.

The Dang Family is like a big family village. People who are related live there together. Besides the people here, hundreds of family members live there. Hadn’t they already seen how they lived?

People there make poisons and hidden weapons. Children are growing up to become strong fighters for the Dang Family. All of them were in the Sichuan Dang Family, where Jang Il-so was going.

Everyone there could die at the same time.

“Let’s go!”

Jo Gul shouted as if he was screaming.

“What are you all doing? We have to go right now! Let’s go to Sichuan. If we hurry, we might be able to stop him!”

“Geol, I said calm down!”

“Damn it! This isn’t the time to talk about calming down, Senior Brother!”

Jo Gul glared at Yoon Jong, not like himself at all. He even pushed away Yoon Jong’s hand from his shoulder.

Instead of getting angry, Yoon Jong sighed heavily.

“It’s already too late. We are…”

“What weak talk is that! So, are you saying that since it’s too late, we should just watch?”

Yoon Jong stopped talking when Jo Gul glared angrily at him.

Really, Jo Gul was just fighting for hope, even if it was unlikely. But Yoon Jong couldn’t blame him. How could Yoon Jong not know how he felt?

“That’s Soso’s home too!”

Everyone looked at Tang Soso.

Tang Soso’s face was pale as she bit her lip, remaining silent. Tang Soso felt a cold fear spread through her body. Were her parents safe? Her younger siblings?

Her face, which was always bright, was now so pitiful that it hurt to look at.

Jo Gul clenched his fist and shouted.

“If no one else goes, I’ll go alone!”

“Hey, you little…!”

“I’ll go too.”

Someone spoke, supporting Jo Gul’s words.

“We might be able to go.”

“Baek Cheon Dojang.”

Namgung Dowi looked at Baek Cheon, who spoke with a groan. Baek Cheon spoke firmly, even though he was half-dead. Baek Cheon winced in pain as he spoke, but his voice was firm.

“It might not be too late. We have to go right now.”

“…That’s nonsense. Do you know how far it is from here to Sichuan? And if we cross the river now, we’ll be destroyed. The Surochae’s ships haven’t all left yet.”

Im Sobyung muttered weakly. But Baek Cheon’s eyes stayed the same.

“If we can’t cross the river, then we just won’t cross it.”

“…Huh?”

Baek Cheon looked towards the Sae Pae Union forces that were leaving.

“Can’t we just break through?”

“…”

“If we want to go to Sichuan, we don’t need to cross the river. We can go to Sichuan by following the riverbank.”

“Ba, Baek Cheon-ah.”

Finally, Hyun Jong spoke, trying to stop him, sounding very scared.

Was he trying to fight even now? Even after seeing that huge army?

“We have to go.”

“First, calm down…”

“Do I look like I’m excited right now?”

Hyun Jong closed his mouth.

Baek Cheon was right. He did not seem excited at all.

“The people in Sichuan are our friends. I can’t leave my friends just because things are hard.”

Everyone was silent and stared at Baek Cheon.

Even if they thought about it a hundred times, it was impossible. Even if they left right away and went as fast as they could, by the time they got to Sichuan, nothing would be left of the Dang Family.

And even if they had enough time, they would be hurt badly if they tried to break through the Sae Pae Union’s forces to go to Sichuan.

Baek Cheon knew this. But he was still saying he would do it.

What could they say to him?

Even this man, who was so hurt, was still trying to fight.

“…There’s no time to talk. I’ll break through first. Sect Leader, please get everyone ready and support me from behind.”

“Ba, Baek Cheon-ah, you rascal!”

Just as Baek Cheon was about to grab his sword, as if he had said everything he could.

“Calm down, Acting Sect Leader.”

Tang Gunak grabbed Baek Cheon by the back of his neck. Even Baek Cheon had to listen to these words.

It was Tang Gunak who was speaking.

“Calm down. If you don’t see things clearly, you will make a mistake you can’t fix.”

It sounded harsh, but no one could blame him for saying it when his family was in danger.

“If the Destroying King is your enemy, it’s too late to run.”

Tang Gunak’s face was very cold. Baek Cheon shouted.

“But… but we have to do something!”

“What if that’s what the Destroying King wants?”

Baek Cheon’s hand shook slightly. Tang Gunak scolded him calmly.

“Even if the Destroying King wants you to be angry, can you still act like this?”

“That’s…”

Baek Cheon couldn’t speak and bit his lip.

It didn’t make sense. How could he control people’s feelings like that?

But the problem was that the enemy was Jang Il-so. It was strange, but it felt like he could control even how people felt.

Tang Gunak looked calmly at the back and said.

“Ho Gamyeong isn’t coming.”

“…”

“Sect Leader, we must join Shaolin and then cross the river. We don’t know what will happen here.”

“Family Head…”

Hyun Jong looked sad for a moment.

“Sect Leader.”

But Tang Gunak didn’t even blink. He spoke as if he knew what Hyun Jong was thinking.

“Don’t underestimate the Dang Family.”

“…”

“The Dang Family is not just about fighting. It’s the Dang Family. It’s strong because brave people are there, making it strong.”

Everyone who heard this felt a little scared.

“Even if they are not fighters, they are people with the Dang name. They will be able to protect themselves and escape without us. So, we don’t need to worry.”

Hyun Jong showed many emotions.

He knew what Tang Gunak was saying. He knew he had to do that.

But he couldn’t agree. How could he do that? He knew that those words were not completely true.

Hyun Jong still couldn’t speak, so Tang Gunak looked at Maeng So and said.

“Palace Lord.”

“U-Umm. Speak.”

“Please lead the Heavenly Union. You are the only one here who can think clearly.”

The Wild Beast Palace Lord clicked his tongue.

“Are you sure about this?”

Tang Gunak didn’t answer and stared at Maeng So. Maeng So understood and sighed.

Saying more to a fighter who had already decided would be disrespectful.

“It’s okay.”

Tang Soso answered Maeng So, not Tang Gunak.

“…Everyone there is strong and smart. They will find a way to escape. I’m sure of it.”

Dang Pae nodded.

“The Dang Family has many traps and secret paths. It won’t be easy to get in. They will find a way out.”

Everyone knew. They didn’t even believe it themselves.

Even if the Sichuan Dang Family was the best at poison and hidden weapons, it would be hard to fight the Sae Pae Union without the strong fighters who were here.

But no one could say that.

After a long silence, Maeng So spoke.

“First…”

He looked down for a moment. The Nine Great Sects had crossed the Yangtze River and were stepping on the sad and empty place where the Sae Pae Union had just been.

“First… let’s join them. We should talk together. The Dang Family isn’t the only one in trouble, so they must be worried too.”

Several people nodded.

The Heavenly Union wasn’t the only one in trouble. Cheongseong and Emei, two of the Nine Great Sects, were attacked first, so they were even more worried.

“Sect Leader!”

“…I understand.”

Hyun Jong nodded. He knew that this was the only way.

“Let’s go.”

Hyun Jong led the way and left Nanjing. He walked towards that sad and empty place where the Sae Pae Union had just been.

The other members of the Heavenly Union followed him.

Yoon Jong spoke quietly to Jo Gul as Jo Gul clenched his teeth and ran forward.

“Geol, are you okay?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“…Aren’t you close to the Dang Family?”

Jo Gul closed his mouth.

Yes. He was close to the Dang Family. The Sahaesangdan where his family was.

“You…”

“That’s not important now.”

Jo Gul cut him off and ran faster. Yoon Jong watched him and bit his lip.

‘Jang Il-so!’

Yoon Jong never knew he could hate someone so much.

‘How far will you go?’

He turned and saw Chung Myung, who had passed out again.

‘Please…’

He knew.

It was cruel to ask Chung Myung for more. But Yoon Jong had to hope.

Chung Myung was the only one who could stay strong in this situation.

Even if he couldn’t fight, people would feel better just knowing he was awake.

Before Yoon Jong could finish feeling sad, Hyun Jong was standing in front of Beop Jeong, who had just come from across the river.

“…Abbot.”

Beop Jeong, who was wet from the Yangtze River, stared at Hyun Jong after seeing that the Sae Pae Union had left. Then he asked.

“What do you think?”

Hyun Jong couldn’t speak and forced himself to open his mouth.

“The Destroying King… Sichuan…”

“What do you think?”

Beop Jeong’s eyes were cold.

“How does it feel to let others get hurt because you were too reckless?!”

Beop Jeong’s angry shout was very loud.