Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1523

Paaah! The sound echoed in the cool morning air.

The sun was just rising, painting the sky with soft pink and orange colors. The dew still clung to the grass beside the main road, sparkling like tiny jewels. A group of about ten people hurried along the dusty path, their horses’ hooves kicking up small clouds of dust.

“How much longer until we reach Shanxi?” one of them asked, his voice a little breathless from the fast pace.

“If we don’t have any trouble,” another replied, “maybe two days at the most.”

“Two days, huh?” the first man sighed. “When we get there, it’ll be nothing but work, work, work.”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Even now, you’re only thinking about how to slack off. That’s the problem.”

“…Still, wouldn’t a lot of it be finished by now?”

“There will be no end to the small jobs. It seems…”

“Right. Managing people isn’t easy. People create work just by being there, you know? That’s why we’re struggling.”

The Mount Hua disciples all looked in one direction. Something felt strange, like it was interrupting their talk.

“But, uhm,”

“Yeah?”

“Are you allowed to be here?”

Hong Daeguang, now the center of attention, looked at them directly with a ‘what’s the problem?’ look.

“Why?”

“…Amitabha (a Buddhist expression of surprise). Shouldn’t you be at the ruined Beggars’ Sect, instead of worrying about the Cheonwoo Alliance?”

“Tsk tsk. You’re a monk who only lives in the mountains, so you don’t know how the world works.”

“…Excuse me?”

Hong Daeguang cleared his throat and shrugged.

“Originally, the position of the Chief isn’t for doing unimportant tasks. Making good friends with other groups is the most important thing.”

“…”

“So, what’s most important to me right now? It’s the relationship with the Cheonwoo Alliance! And within the Cheonwoo Alliance, it’s the relationship with you all, who are the core! Isn’t it about strengthening that relationship? This is all work, I tell you!”

“But that relationship is failing, isn’t it?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Ugh…”

The Mount Hua disciples all sighed together. Their shoulders slumped, and they exchanged tired looks. It felt like they couldn’t escape this annoying person.

That burden even started poking and bothering Chung Myung.

“Hey, Divine Dragon of Mount Hua. Wake up. How long are you going to sleep? Of course, I know that the One Sword Dividing Light’s back is wide and good for sleeping.”

Jo Gul, who was sullenly looking ahead and running, asked Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk. Can I hit this guy?”

“…Don’t. He’s going to be the Chief.”

“We hit the person who’s going to be the Sect Leader anyway, don’t we?”

“…Did you perhaps hit me?”

Jo Gul flinched and avoided Baek Cheon’s eyes.

At that moment, Chung Myung groaned and tossed and turned. Something drooled from his slightly open mouth.

“Ew! It’s wet! Don’t drool, you bastard!”

“Ugh… Don’t shout. My head is ringing.”

“How much did you drink!”

“Ugh, urgh…”

“Ah, no!”

Jo Gul grabbed what was on his back and threw it away. Then, Chung Myung spun in the air and landed on the ground.

“Uwaaaaaaaah!”

“…Ten points.”

“Yeah. Ten points from me too.”

“Adding artistry to the finish, eleven points.”

“Isn’t that a deduction?”

Chung Myung shook his head, hitting his chest. His hangover seemed truly terrible. His face was pale, and his eyes were red. He groaned loudly, like he was in great pain.

“Hey, Divine Dragon of Mount Hua. Are you okay… Aaaaargh! Don’t wipe your mouth with someone else’s sleeve!”

“…It’s tattered anyway.”

“What are you saying! You crazy bastard!”

Hong Daeguang shuddered and quickly ran away from Chung Myung. Chung Myung staggered and grumbled.

“Ugh. I’m really going to die. How strong is that guy’s alcohol…”

“Ah, the Chief? Our Wang Geoji was originally famous for his heavy drinking. Not many people drank with him, so the rumors didn’t spread. Ugh, don’t even mention it. Let me tell you about something that happened to me a long time ago…”

“Ah, no thanks. I’m not interested in your old stories.”

Hong Daeguang, wounded in his heart, quickly became dejected. Chung Myung, not caring, asked with a gaunt face.

“More importantly… Why are you here?”

“I told you. I’m going to the Cheonwoo Alliance, remember?”

“Why?”

“Why else? I have to greet the Sect Leader… No, the Alliance Lord. To ask for their kind cooperation in the future.”

Chung Myung’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“You didn’t run away because you didn’t want to work, did you?”

“Good heavens! What do you take this Hong Daeguang for!”

Chung Myung seriously pondered. If he truly thought about the future of the Beggars’ Sect, burying this guy somewhere here would be…

“Well, that’s part of it, but there’s no point in me being there right now.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

When Chung Myung asked again, Hong Daeguang clicked his tongue and said.

“Now that the Chief and Ilhoshin-gae have declared that they will give me the position of Chief, the elders will be desperately looking for me.”

“…Why?”

“That’s just how those guys are. The place they were attached to has lost power, so they’ll try to attach themselves to the one who has gained power. If I stay in Gaebong, I won’t be able to avoid that situation.”

“Hmm.”

“But if I push them away without any reason, those guys will feel a sense of crisis, won’t they? Either way, the best thing is to not be seen.”

Chung Myung wore a displeased expression, but in fact, when he thought about it, Hong Daeguang’s words made sense.

“I know what you mean, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it? Attaching themselves means they’re going to submit, anyway.”

“Not a bad thing? How sly those old people are. They’ll definitely pretend to submit and try to manipulate me as they please.”

“Well, that’s a given.”

Hong Daeguang snorted.

“And! The Chief said he would bury the elders’ wrongdoings, but I have no intention of doing that. If they committed a crime, they have to pay the price.”

Hong Daeguang’s eyes were firm, as if he had already made up his mind. Chung Myung looked at Hong Daeguang with slightly new eyes.

“Huh? What are you going to do? It’s not like the Chief left those guys alone because he liked them, right? If the Beggars’ Sect, which already has a weak high-level force, gets rid of all those guys, won’t it just become a group of beggars?”

“Get rid of them? Nonsense. If I get rid of them, they’ll just go somewhere and live like people who live alone and far away. Is that a punishment? It’s a reward.”

“…Then?”

“I’m going to push them all to the front lines.”

“…Huh?”

Chung Myung was momentarily taken aback. What was this beggar saying…

“There’s no need to sacrifice the beggars on the front lines. I’m going to push all the elders to the Sae Pae Ryun front lines and cut off their support. Treat them the same as ordinary beggars. Oh, and I’m going to get rid of all the privileges that the elders have.”

“…That far?”

“You’re an outsider, so you don’t know.”

Hong Daeguang snorted.

“The Chief talks about direction and whatnot, but that’s all nonsense. In my opinion, the biggest reason why the Beggars’ Sect is a mess is that the elders have all forgotten the days when they lived as beggars. They need to be cold and hungry again to understand the hardships of beggars and the pain of the powerless. So, I’m going to work those elders hard.”

Chung Myung blinked.

“Ah, no. I understand the intention…”

“Right? You understand, don’t you?”

“No, but who’s going to handle what happens next? Even if they are strong, they are not above doing hard work like everyone else. Even if your hide is tough, you won’t be able to handle a bamboo spear wielded by the elders.”

“Of course I’m going to the Cheonwu Alliance! Isn’t that the only way to deal with this problem?”

Chung Myung looked confused. “Problem? What problem?”

Hong Daeguang’s eyes went wide. “The Divine Dragon of Mount Hua! Only *he* can help me!” He grabbed Chung Myung’s hand tightly. “Please, you have to save me!”

*SMACK!*

Hong Daeguang made a choked sound and fell forward suddenly. “Huh? Alliance Lord?”

Pungyeong Singae stood where Hong Daeguang had been just a moment ago. He had appeared so fast it was like magic. He looked down at Hong Daeguang with a face that showed he was annoyed, angry, and tired of everything.

The disciples of Mount Hua nodded to each other. *We get it, Alliance Lord. We really do.*

Pungyeong Singae looked down, a little ashamed. “…Sorry for the trouble.” He quickly grabbed Hong Daeguang by the feet. “I’ll put him in his place as Alliance Lord now, and then he can properly meet you later.”

“Yes, please,” someone replied quickly.

“Good.”

Pungyeong Singae, holding Hong Daeguang like a limp doll, vanished in a blink. It was an amazing skill, like he became invisible.

“…Well, what goes around, comes around,” one of the disciples muttered.

“Yeah, justice wins in the end,” said another.

“And there’s only so much silliness anyone can take!” a third one added.

Baek Cheon frowned, thinking. *Was it even right for the Alliance Lord to run away from his job like that?*

Baek Cheon suddenly looked unsure, a little shocked. Yoon Jong noticed and asked, “What is it, Sasuk? Something wrong?”

“No, it’s just… the rumor about the Alliance Lord drinking a lot seems true. He drank all night with Chung Myung. Even if he used his special power to get rid of the alcohol, how could he be okay after so much…?”

In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned to Chung Myung.

Chung Myung was busy.

“Uwaaaaargh!”

“…He wasn’t Pungyeong Singae, but alcohol ghost Singae.”

There is a sky above the sky. The disciples of Mount Hua were belatedly realizing that obvious fact.

“Ugh… Finally arrived.”

“It felt like a single leap on the way there, but it takes so long on the way back.”

“It’s just a feeling. Or maybe it’s because you’re tired.”

Baek Cheon nodded at Tang Soso’s words. They were returning after a fierce battle without proper rest. It was only natural to be exhausted.

But they couldn’t delay any longer. They knew better than anyone that there was a mountain of work waiting for them back in Hwaeum.

“Anyway, it’s a relief that we have something to say now that we’ve arrived.”

“That’s right. If we had returned empty-handed, we wouldn’t have had a word to say even if we were beaten to death.”

“When you think about it, didn’t we sneak away while everyone else was working? We should be grateful even if they hang us upside down in Bulhoek Valley.”

A sigh escaped. It was fortunate that things turned out well…

Chung Myung, who had come back to life on the way, said nonchalantly.

“If the result is good, everything is good.”

“You’re going to get seriously hurt one of these days, you know.”

“I’ve already been hurt many times, Sahyung. The problem is that it doesn’t get fixed even after that.”

“…That’s true.”

Baek Cheon straightened his shoulders. The process was difficult, but they had managed to gain the Beggars’ Sect’s cooperation and even built a subtle relationship with the Shaolin. It was an enormous achievement compared to the time spent.

He felt strangely like a returning general.

“This is a feeling I haven’t felt in a while.”

“Right? I don’t think we’ve ever returned with such a joyful heart recently.”

“I want to wash up.”

“Hurry up and wash up and rest, you troublemaker!”

“Alright, let’s go quickly.”

Baek Cheon strode confidently towards Hwaeum.

Before he could take more than a few steps, someone loitering near the entrance of the village spotted them. He quickly ran towards the disciples of Mount Hua.

“Oh? Isn’t that Un-geom Sasookjo?”

“Did he already hear that we were coming?”

Along with their joy, bright smiles spread across everyone’s faces.

It had only been a few days since they had been apart, but they were very happy and pleased to meet him here.

Un-geom seemed to be welcoming them as well, running towards them with his arms… No, with one arm outstretched.

“He’s giving us a warm welcome!”

“Haha! As if we’ve done something great!”

Chung Myung proudly puffed out his chest and tried to step forward, but Baek Cheon grabbed the back of his head and pulled him back.

“Tsk. There’s an order to things.”

“…Ouch! How petty!”

“Move!”

Baek Cheon pushed Chung Myung aside and greeted the approaching Un-geom with a bright smile and a fist salute.

“Sasook! We have safely completed our task and returned….”

Baek Cheon’s greeting was cut short. Un-geom’s knee, which had come like a bolt of lightning, slammed directly into Baek Cheon’s forehead.

“Kweeeck!”

Baek Cheon let out a pig-squealing sound that didn’t suit him at all and was thrown backward.

‘Huh? What was that?’

‘Did I see something wrong?’

The disciples of Mount Hua paused for a moment and looked at Un-geom.

And they came face to face with it.

The appearance of Un-geom, like a demon, that they had never seen before.

“S-Sasookjo?”

“You guys….”

A thick murderous aura swirled in Un-geom’s eyes.

“Is it true that you wore the clothes of Jongnam and entered Gaebong to destroy the Beggars’ Sect headquarters?”

“…Huh?”

Th-that…that… uh… is it true? Uh… It’s true, but.

“J-just a moment, Sasookjo! Please listen to us first! There are circumstances…!”

“The disciples of Mount Hua….”

Un-geom didn’t withdraw his blue murderous intent; instead, he gritted his teeth even more fiercely.

“Wearing the clothes of Jongnam, of all places?”

Ah… The problem wasn’t destroying the headquarters, but wearing the clothes of Jongnam. There was no room for excuses.

“I will correct your rotten minds today.”

“S-Sasookjo!”

“No, please listen to what we have to say first!”

“Shut up!”

Un-geom, who had turned into a furious demon, kicked off the ground towards the pale-faced Five Swords. Soon after, a desperate wail began to spread in all directions.

Later, Chung Myung recalled that day like this.

There was something in the world scarier than the Heavenly Demon, he said.