Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 154

Chung Myung smacked his lips and turned around.

“Ah, let’s go!”

“Ughhh. I have to take all that stuff.”

“Why are you so greedy, you brat! You have so much money!”

“There’s never enough money! Do you know how many hungry people there are in Mount Hua? It costs a thousand gold just to feed them! A thousand gold! I’d rather raise beggars and cows!”

Chung Myung stared at the night-shining pearls in the cave, his eyes shining with desire.

“Ughhh. That’s a lot of money.”

Then, he looked at Hong Daeguang.

Hong Daeguang looked away from Chung Myung’s fierce gaze.

Chung Myung really wanted to take the night-shining pearls. If he hadn’t seen the ceiling fall before, he would have grabbed them all. But after that scary experience, he couldn’t touch them.

Chung Myung felt like crying as he walked past the pearls. It was like seeing treasure he could never have.

“Beggars…”

“……”

“I won’t forget this grudge.”

“No… What did I do?”

Well, he did do something. He did something big.

“Get out! Get out quickly!”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong quickly pulled Chung Myung out of the cave before he started a fight. The others sighed and followed.

“Wow?”

Everyone looked around in surprise.

‘They made a space like this underground?’

They stepped out into a vast plaza. It was a huge space.

Rumble.

“Hmm?”

Hong Daeguang quickly turned his head. A large stone wall was falling from the ceiling where they had just walked.

Thud!

Dust flew everywhere. Hong Daeguang frowned. He saw the stone wall blocked the way they came. There was no going back.

‘This isn’t good.’

Even if they went back, they couldn’t escape the Sword Tomb. The way back was blocked anyway.

Still, it was unsettling to have their escape route cut off.

But Hong Daeguang was more worried about what he saw in front of him.

In the middle of the plaza, a group of people were giving off a murderous aura.

‘Who are they?’

Their clothes were a mix of colors.

Not a uniform.

Hong Daeguang, familiar with the ways of the martial world, knew these colorful clothes meant they were a group who had joined forces here. This wasn’t a big problem yet.

The real problem was what they said next.

“New ones have arrived.”

“Looks like the party’s getting crowded,” one of the men said, glancing at the newcomers. “Best deal with these lot now. Don’t want them messing things up later, or worse, grabbing the prize.”

“That’s right.”

Hong Daeguang’s face hardened.

‘The smell of blood.’

The stench of blood filled the air. Hong Daeguang saw corpses scattered at their feet.

Hong Daeguang focused to see the group more clearly. He said in a low voice,

“Great Strength Axe Mak Hoi.”

“Heh heh heh. Someone knows my name. Who are you then? Speak up, who are you?”

Hong Daeguang frowned at the man’s huge size and the massive axe he carried.

“Three Kill Ghosts and Daera Sword. Shandong Quick Sword Son Myeong. Ugh… Janggang Ink Knife Jo Myeongsan! Even you have joined this madness?”

The man in black martial attire raised his head slightly. This must be Janggang Ink Knife Jo Myeongsan.

“Looking at you now, you’re Hong the Beggar.”

“That’s right! It’s me! I thought that at least you and Daera Sword knew what was right! Slaughtering innocent warriors! This is just murder!”

“Innocent?”

Jo Myeongsan smiled.

“Hong the Beggar, you are wrong. Don’t forget the saying of the martial world. Just having a treasure is a sin. And wanting the treasure is also a sin.”

“This…”

Hong Daeguang’s face turned red.

“I thought you knew what chivalry was!”

“Of course, Beggar.”

Jo Myeongsan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Hong Daeguang. “With the divine object, I’ll be stronger. Then I can spread chivalry… my way.”

“Tell that to those who are dead because of you!”

“I can do it anytime. Because these people are not the ones I need to protect.”

“…Crazy bastard.”

Jo Myeongsan shrugged.

“I thought a beggar would understand me.”

“I don’t understand crazy bastards! If I understand you, it means I’m crazy too.”

The disciples of Mount Hua looked at Hong Daeguang with new eyes.

He had seemed half-dazed, but now Hong Daeguang was the picture of a chivalrous beggar from the Beggars’ Sect.

Hong Daeguang gritted his teeth and said,

“You’re blinded by treasure! No matter how greedy you are, there are things you should and shouldn’t do!”

“Heh heh heh. That beggar is talking big.”

Great Strength Axe Mak Hoi sneered in a rough voice.

“Chat’s over, Beggar. You think we’re here for a tea party? From the moment you came here, you planned to kill us and take the divine object! And you’re acting so high and mighty!”

“I don’t kill people I can beat easily! Especially not by waiting for others to kill them first! There’s a limit to everything!”

“Limits are different for everyone, Beggar,” Daera Sword said, standing up.

“Daera Sword…”

“No need for long words. You’re going to die anyway.”

“…Why are you doing this here?”

“Daera Sword laughed. Obvious, isn’t it? Why waste energy fighting traps? Anyone who gets this far is already weak. And they’ll be watching each other’s backs, easy targets. We’re just being smart.”

Hong Daeguang gritted his teeth.

Wudang would be in the lead. And the crowd is chasing Wudang. They plan to wait for the two to fight and then steal the divine object.

He didn’t criticize that. That’s also a good plan.

But…

Hong Daeguang turned his head slightly. He saw several doors leading to the plaza, which he hadn’t seen before. They were hidden by stone walls like the one they had come through.

There is only one exit behind them.

“Do you understand?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“We are just following the will of Talgeommuheun. The paths meet here in a large plaza. And there is only one path behind this. In other words…”

Daera Sword smiled, showing his teeth.

“It means to kill each other here.”

Hong Daeguang’s body trembled at the eerie words.

‘What was Yakseon thinking when he created a place like this?’

Even if it’s not them…

With this design, those who want the treasure will have to fight each other here. Those who survive the traps will be strong, and they will be nervous from the pressure of the Sword Tomb.

If those people meet, a fight will easily start.

“So what’s wrong with killing and being killed? We’re just in the position of killing.”

Daera Sword slowly drew his sword.

There was fresh blood on the sharp blade.

Hong Daeguang’s eyes turned bloodshot at the sight of the blood.

“For such a small reason…”

“Don’t act innocent, Beggar. Don’t you know? Since the name Sword Tomb spread, there has always been blood. Even a fake Sword Tomb calls for blood. You can’t think everyone can get along in a real Sword Tomb, right? So you brought your gang here too, didn’t you?”

Hong Daeguang couldn’t answer.

Those words were true. Hong Daeguang came here ready to see blood.

He hadn’t fought anyone because he was going through the traps with the Mount Hua disciples. But if he had fought enemies, Hong Daeguang wouldn’t have held back.

But…

‘But this isn’t right, is it?’

Kill the enemies you have to kill.

But there’s no reason to kill enemies you don’t have to kill. Taking a position here and killing everyone who comes is just murder to avoid a little trouble.

Hong Daeguang couldn’t forgive that.

“So you’re going to kill us too?”

“Is there a choice?”

“Then there’s no need for words.”

Hong Daeguang gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. The beggars of the Beggars’ Sect stood behind Hong Daeguang.

“The Beggars’ Sect… usually they’d be a problem. But here, with no witnesses, they’re just beggars,” Daera Sword sneered.

Hong Daeguang had to admit they were weak. Each of those enemies was strong. Since they were in groups of ten, the Beggars’ Sect branch couldn’t handle them.

So…

“Young Baek Cheon. Please help us.”

“Of course, I will.”

Baek Cheon drew his sword and stood next to Hong Daeguang. Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and Yu Yiseol stood behind him.

“I don’t care much about chivalry, but I won’t let those who go too far get away with it.”

The disciples of Mount Hua nodded.

There were at least twenty corpses at their feet. They had hunted and killed more than twenty people here.

Daera Sword smiled at the angry faces of the Mount Hua disciples.

“Oh, the disciples of Mount Hua. Mount Hua has become famous recently. But today you’ll learn that the martial world is not easy.”

“Shut up!”

Daera Sword laughed at Baek Cheon’s shout.

“That’s why it’s fun to watch newcomers to the martial world.”

“No time to waste. Let’s finish them off and chase Wudang.”

“Heh heh heh. I’ll taste blood again.”

The group drew their weapons and began to pressure the Beggars’ Sect and Mount Hua.

Hong Daeguang’s face darkened.

‘I can’t believe they’re all allied.’

It seemed like all the experts who came to Nanyang were gathered there. Even Wudang would have trouble if they all joined forces. And they were doing such petty things.

But even if it’s petty, it’s still dangerous. The Beggars’ Sect and Mount Hua alone couldn’t handle them. They would probably be defeated.

“Hong the Beggar. Don’t blame me. The martial world is a ruthless place.”

Hong Daeguang bit his lip.

‘I have to find a way to escape to the path behind us.’

Hong Daeguang was about to make that decision.

“Are you done talking?”

A cold voice cut through the air, making Hong Daeguang’s skin prickle. It was low and flat, without any warmth.

Hong Daeguang slowly turned his head.

It was Chung Myung.

Chung Myung, with a blank face, walked past him.

“Hmm?”

Daera Sword’s eyes flickered as he saw him walking forward.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“…What did you say?”

Chung Myung stared at Daera Sword and shouted in a cold voice,

“Did you say the martial world is a ruthless place?”

“……”

“I’ll show you what true ruthlessness is.”

Chung Myung slowly drew his sword.