Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1720

Thousand-Faced Master clutched his side, his hands trembling.

Pain shot through him. It felt like his body was burning. But the pain wasn’t the worst part. Jang Il-so’s eyes were. He looked at Thousand-Faced Master like he was just a bug.

“Ugh… Ugh!”

A pained groan escaped through Thousand-Faced Master’s gritted teeth.

“Jang… Il-so……!”

“Tsk, tsk. See? Like this,” Jang Il-so said, shaking his head. He sighed deeply.

“Do you understand now? You see what someone is really made of when they’re on the ground.”

His eyes gleamed as he looked at Thousand-Faced Master.

“Usually, you act so proud, but when you’re trapped, you bark like a scared dog…”

“Lien……”

“How unsightly,” Jang Il-so said.

Thousand-Faced Master gritted his teeth, as if about to break them. The blood vessels in his eyes burst, turning them red as he fought back his fury. But he couldn’t attack Jang Il-so.

“……Lien Lord!”

Instead, he lashed out, his voice full of anger.

“Did *you* know too, Lien Lord?”

“Hmm?”

“That Ho Ga-myung, the Secret Investigator, was trying to trap me, Thousand-Faced Master, and kill me! I’m asking if you knew about this, Lien Lord!”

The faces of the men around Ho Ga-myung went white. The torchlight seemed to drain all color from their skin, making them look like ghosts.

This was a sensitive question. Even though the Wicked Faction Alliance was mostly controlled by Jang Il-so, it was still an alliance.

Asking this question in front of so many people was like Thousand-Faced Master saying he wouldn’t back down.

No matter what Jang Il-so answered, it would hurt him in some way.

“Answer me, Lien Lord! Did you order all of this? Is it true that you ordered all the Hao Mun disciples and Wicked Faction Alliance disciples, including me, to be buried under rocks on that cliff!”

It wasn’t Thousand-Faced Master’s fault. Everyone knew that. But what if it wasn’t Ho Ga-myung’s fault either?

Then who was responsible?

The Lien disciples looked at Jang Il-so. He was the only one who could answer this.

Jang Il-so glanced around. He didn’t seem worried. Just as he was about to speak…

“Lien Lord is not responsible.”

“Gu, Military Advisor!”

The adjutants turned their heads, startled. Ho Ga-myung, who had stood up, was staring blankly at Thousand-Faced Master and Jang Il-so.

“This incident…”

He stood up straight. Then, with great politeness, he bowed deeply to Jang Il-so.

“It was all my fault. I bragged about success, but I failed to deliver.”

“……”

“The Vice-Lien Lord is right. As the Military Advisor, I must pay for my sins. I beg Lien Lord to punish me. Please take my life and honor the spirits of those who died here.”

Ho Ga-myung knelt down, his head bowed, like a sinner waiting for the blade.

It was silent. The silence was so heavy you could hear someone gulp loudly. The adjutants were trembling.

They knew that too.

Too many people had died in this plan. Even if it had worked perfectly, the number of deaths would have caused criticism.

But since it failed, someone had to take responsibility.

Thousand-Faced Master pressed Jang Il-so.

“Lien Lord! Isn’t the sinner begging for punishment?”

Thousand-Faced Master’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. It was cold and empty.

And then…

“Haha……”

Thousand-Faced Master, Dam Yeo-hae, was stunned.

Jang Il-so was laughing, covering his mouth with a white hand.

“Haha……. Hahahaha. This…….”

Jang Il-so lowered his hand, revealing a twisted smile.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Thousand-Faced Master’s eyes widened.

“Lien Lord?”

“Sin? I must have misheard. Right? Huh?”

White fangs appeared from his red lips. Like a wild beast.

“Ga-myung, Ga-myung.”

Jang Il-so chuckled as he looked at Ho Ga-myung, who was kneeling.

“You’re a bad actor. Stop it. It’s not interesting.”

“Lien Lord……”

Even Ho Ga-myung looked up at Jang Il-so, surprised.

“Lien Lord. This incident……”

“Yes, I know.”

Jang Il-so looked slowly towards Mount Wudang. His face twisted as he looked at the blackened mountain.

“We were disgraced. Completely.”

“……”

“Unless you came all this way just to burn a mountain. How can you show your face in public now? Ugh.”

Jang Il-so covered his forehead and shook his head. Everyone was speechless.

But someone couldn’t stay silent.

“Just……?”

“Hmm?”

“Is that all there is to it!”

Thousand-Faced Master Dam Yeo-hae finally exploded. He glared at Jang Il-so, his eyes bloodshot.

“Do you know how many people died because of that bastard’s actions! Hundreds of lives were wasted, and all you say is you’re ashamed!”

“……”

“A sin that deserves to be torn apart and eaten alive……!”

“Sin?”

Jang Il-so’s calm voice cut him off.

“You’ve been saying things I don’t understand. Can’t you understand, or is your head not working? How can the master of the Hao Mun be so foolish?”

“Lien Lord!”

“Didn’t I say? There’s no such thing as a sinner.”

Jang Il-so stepped towards Thousand-Faced Master.

“Failing isn’t a sin.”

“……”

“Making mistakes isn’t a sin either. Being weak, being tricked by the enemy, none of that is a sin.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes shone coldly. Thousand-Faced Master stopped breathing.

“To me, sin is… doing nothing. Those people don’t deserve to live. But… do you know what’s worse than that?”

Jang Il-so bent down towards Thousand-Faced Master, meeting his eyes.

Thousand-Faced Master felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Jang Il-so’s eyes were like ice. Deep inside, a cold dread began to spread, a feeling he hadn’t known since he was a child facing his cruelest teacher. Jang Il-so asked:

“Are you really that sad about it? The lives of those who died up there?”

“……Lie, Lien Lord.”

“Are you really that heartbroken? That you lost them?”

Thousand-Faced Master’s face went white. He realized that Jang Il-so was filled with murderous intent.

The rings on Jang Il-so’s fingers floated into the air. It looked like a child’s game, but everyone knew how dangerous it was.

“Come on, tell me. How much more of your anger do I have to listen to?”

“Lie, Lien……”

The rings spun in the air, faster and faster, like angry wasps. Then, they shot down towards Thousand-Faced Master.

“Ugh, Aargh!”

Thousand-Faced Master grabbed his left hand and screamed. He didn’t understand what had happened.

The ring had pierced through the back of his hand and into the ground.

“Kraaah!”

Thousand-Faced Master wouldn’t scream like this just because his hand was pierced. It was Jang Il-so’s dark energy that was causing him so much pain. It had entered his body through the wound.

It was freezing cold, yet burning hot.

Thousand-Faced Master crawled on the floor, screaming. His body was already weak, and he couldn’t handle Jang Il-so’s energy.

“Keep in mind,” Jang Il-so said, smiling gently as he looked at Thousand-Faced Master.

Then, he spoke in a gentle voice.

“Nothing is gained without sacrifice.”

“Ugh……. Ugh…….”

“People who are comfortable don’t want to lose what they have, so they argue about its value. The value of wealth, the value of time, and…”

Jang Il-so’s foot stomped on Thousand-Faced Master’s hand.

“Things like their insignificant lives.”

“Aaaaargh!”

“Shh, shh. Be quiet. You said your life was precious. Huh?”

Thousand-Faced Master’s scream stopped. Even in pain, he understood Jang Il-so’s words.

“Hoo. Hoo……. Hoo.”

Thousand-Faced Master blocked his mouth, gasping and shaking. Jang Il-so smiled, satisfied.

“Good. You understand.”

“……”

“Compared to what we want, what we have is nothing. Not wealth, not martial arts, not fame, not even life.”

“……”

“If you weren’t ready to give it all up, you should have stayed in Gangnam, enjoying your easy life. Coming here and complaining…”

Jang Il-so chuckled and stroked Thousand-Faced Master’s head. It was a gentle touch, like caressing a child.

But Thousand-Faced Master didn’t feel humiliated. Only the living can feel humiliation. He only felt fear, the fear that Jang Il-so’s hand might pierce his head.

“Remember,” Jang Il-so’s eyes darkened.

“I came to take. Not to protect.”

“……”

“Tsk.”

Jang Il-so took his foot off Thousand-Faced Master’s hand. Then, he looked at Mount Wudang.

At those who were still on the mountain, and those who had climbed to the top.

“Ga-myung.”

“Yes, Lien Lord.”

Ho Ga-myung bowed.

“Did I lose?”

“……”

“Answer me.”

“It is because of… my incompetence.”

“If it was your fault, then I must be even more incompetent for giving you the chance.”

“Lien Lord……”

“It’s been a while.”

Ho Ga-myung looked up at Jang Il-so. Then, he flinched and clenched his fist. Jang Il-so’s face was twisted.

“This… is a dirty feeling.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes, blazing like the sun, were no longer mocking.