Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 193

“L, Lord?”

Even Baek Cheon, who was always calm, suddenly went white. His face lost all its color, like paper.

The Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

How many martial artists in the world would be scared by that powerful title?

“Wow, suddenly a huge figure appears?”

Ah, but there’s one person who isn’t.

Over there.

That damned bastard doesn’t know what panic is. Bloody hell!

“T, Tang Clan Lord?”

Yoon Jong couldn’t hide his dismay either.

“It’s not like an adult interfering in a children’s fight, but the Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan himself is here?”

Baek Cheon bit his lip.

He had thought the Tang Clan might get involved themselves. But he never imagined that the Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan would come himself.

It wasn’t just Baek Cheon. Everyone was confused and didn’t know what to do.

Just then, Jo Pyung, who had been sitting on the floor, woke up and jumped to his feet.

Then, he shouted outside.

“Are you saying the Tang Clan Lord has come in person?”

“Yes! Th, that’s right.”

“Where is the Tang Clan Lord now?”

“He is waiting in front of the main gate.”

Jo Pyung gritted his teeth.

Waiting outside until the owner opened the door meant that the Tang Clan Lord still wanted to show some respect.

If he had really come ready to kill, none of them would have lived.

At least, that’s what Jo Pyung thought.

“Geol.”

“Yes, Father!”

Jo Gul, his face pale, hurried to Jo Pyung.

“From now on, no matter what happens, do not get involved.”

“Yes?”

“Promise me!”

“…”

“Quickly!”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Jo Pyung turned around, looking serious.

“The rest of you too. Absolutely do not get involved. You don’t know what it means to anger the Tang Clan Lord in Sichuan! Absolutely do not get involved! Absolutely!”

Hearing his serious and firm voice, Baek Cheon nodded without thinking.

“Hoo.”

Jo Pyung took a deep breath, turned around with a stiff face, and left the main hall.

He wanted to tell everyone to run away right away.

But now that the Tang Clan Lord had come this far, running away was impossible. The Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan would never come alone.

By now, the entire Sahaeshanghoe would be surrounded by the bodyguards secretly protecting him.

‘A tiger’s den, is it?’

People say if a tiger bites you, you can live if you are smart.

Maybe that’s a little true.

One person out of a thousand might escape if they are lucky and clever.

But most people die when a tiger bites them, no matter what.

Jo Pyung bit his lip and stood in front of the main gate of the Sahaeshanghoe. Behind this door was a tiger.

No.

Not like a tiger, a truly scary person had come here to tear him apart.

Seeing the gatekeepers trembling, Jo Pyung felt grateful to the Tang Clan Lord for waiting outside. If he had barged in without warning, some of them might have fainted.

In Chengdu, the Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan was that important.

“Open the gate!”

“Yes!”

With Jo Pyung’s shout, the main gate finally began to open to the left and right. And through the opening, a dignified middle-aged man in green martial clothes appeared.

Jo Pyung bowed deeply before the gate was even fully open.

“It is a great honor to meet the Lord of the Great Sichuan Tang Clan.”

Tang Gun-ak quietly looked at Jo Pyung and nodded slowly.

“It has been a while.”

“Yes, Lord. I should have visited you first, but please forgive me for making you come all the way here.”

“Enough with the polite words. I have business to talk about.”

Jo Pyung swallowed hard.

“Would you like to come inside first?”

“That wouldn’t be bad.”

“This way, please.”

Jo Pyung, his face stiff with worry, led Tang Gun-ak to the inner hall of the Sahaeshanghoe.

As Tang Gun-ak followed Jo Pyung, Tang Pae and Tang Zan followed behind him.

Last night, Tang Zan’s presence alone had made everyone nervous, but now Jo Pyung didn’t even see Tang Zan. No one would notice a wildcat next to a tiger.

With his head down and in a very respectful way, Jo Pyung’s back, as he guided Tang Gun-ak with great respect, was already covered in sweat.

‘What should I do?’

In fact, Jo Pyung already knew.

There was almost nothing he could do. The important thing wasn’t what he did, but what Tang Gun-ak was thinking when he came here in person.

‘First, I must try to…’

“Head of the Sahaeshanghoe.”

At that moment, Jo Pyung stopped walking and stood up straight when he heard the low voice from behind.

“Yes, Tang Clan Lord!”

“Are those children inside?”

“…By those children, do you mean?”

“The children from Mount Hua.”

Jo Pyung closed his eyes slightly.

What he was expecting had come.

“Yes, they are.”

Lying was useless. At least, not to this man.

“Hmm.”

Tang Gun-ak made a small sound.

Jo Pyung held his breath and tried to guess what that small sound meant, and then Tang Gun-ak spoke again.

“I think I should see those children.”

Cold sweat began to flow on Jo Pyung’s forehead.

He had expected this to be said.

But it was happening too soon.

If Tang Gun-ak wanted to put pressure on the Sahaeshanghoe using the Mount Hua disciples as an excuse, he would have slowly put pressure on Jo Pyung without mentioning the main point.

The fact that he said this so directly meant that Tang Gun-ak wanted to see the Mount Hua disciples themselves.

“Head of the Sahaeshanghoe.”

“Yes? Ah! Yes!”

Jo Pyung, startled, lowered his head deeply.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult, should it?”

“O, of course. But…”

Jo Pyung’s lips twitched.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of an excuse. How could he refuse to show the people who were clearly here?

“Tang Clan Lord. About what happened yesterday…”

“Hmm, that’s right.”

Tang Gun-ak looked at Jo Pyung and smiled slightly.

“Congratulations.”

“…Yes?”

“I heard that your second son is doing very well. I heard that Zan-ah was embarrassed.”

Jo Pyung’s eyes fluttered.

“It was just luck. How could my son be better than Tang Zan Gongzi?”

“Being humble is good.”

Tang Gun-ak smiled.

“But too much humility can make the other person uncomfortable. It’s something to be happy about, so be happy.”

“T, Tang Clan Lord.”

Jo Pyung was nervous and couldn’t speak, so Tang Gun-ak turned his head slightly.

“Tang Zan.”

“Yes! Lord!”

“Tell me. Do you have any excuses for losing?”

“No. Jo Gul was strong.”

“So, that’s what he says.”

Tang Gun-ak looked at Jo Pyung, who didn’t know what to do, and said quietly.

“It would have been better if that talent was in the Tang Clan, but it’s good that he found a place where he can show his talent.”

“T, thank you.”

“However.”

A quiet voice.

But it was heavier than a shout filled with anger. Jo Pyung’s head dropped as if something was pushing down on it.

“People are more foolish than you think. When they see what a few talented people have done, they think they can do it too. What do you think about this, Head of the Sahaeshanghoe?”

Jo Pyung’s body jumped.

There was only one answer he could give.

“Even if people are foolish, wouldn’t they know their place? Not many people will have silly dreams.”

“Then what about you?”

Jo Pyung raised his head quickly. He saw Tang Gun-ak’s smiling face.

His lips were smiling, but his eyes were cold. Seeing that strange expression, his legs shook without him wanting them to, and his mouth felt dry.

“Do you have any thoughts of dreaming?”

“My dream is already with you, Tang Clan Lord.”

“A good answer.”

Tang Gun-ak nodded as if he was happy with the answer.

“Bring them here. The children of Mount Hua.”

“…Tang Clan Lord. They are…”

“Can’t you hear me?”

“……”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes turned cold.

“It’s good that your son is doing well. But it seems that the Sahaeshanghoe is not thinking clearly because of this. I have already said the same thing twice.”

Jo Pyung couldn’t even speak and nodded.

“This is the third time. Bring the disciples of Mount Hua to me. I will not say it again.”

Jo Pyung’s legs shook.

His body felt weak, and his head was spinning. It was normal, since an ordinary person was facing Tang Gun-ak’s anger.

But Jo Pyung didn’t fall.

He gave strength to his legs and forced his lips to smile. Jo Pyung, with a strange face that was between a smile and a cry, opened his mouth with a shaking voice.

“Tang Clan Lord. The disciples of Mount Hua are guests who have come to the Sahaeshanghoe. And my son is one of them.”

“So?”

Jo Pyung shook his head. His face was already covered in cold sweat, but he shook his head firmly.

“As the Head of the Sahaeshanghoe, I cannot hand over guests without a reason. And as a father, I cannot hand over my son.”

The Tang Clan Lord glared at Jo Pyung with cold eyes.

“Even if the Sahaeshanghoe is destroyed?”

“What father would hand over his son because he was afraid of something like that?”

“You don’t seem to understand what destruction means. If I use my power, not even a rat will live here. Are you saying that even knowing that?”

“If I must be punished!”

Jo Pyung said with determined eyes.

“Please end it with my life. I must take responsibility for everything that happened within the Sahaeshanghoe!”

“……”

“I believe that hurting innocent people is not what the Tang Clan does.”

Hearing those words, Tang Gun-ak laughed as if he was shocked.

“It seems the Head of the Sahaeshanghoe is dreaming. It seems you’ve forgotten what the Tang Clan does. I will show you what the Tang Clan does myself. So you never forget it again.”

Tang Gun-ak’s fingers moved slightly.

Just as Jo Pyung gritted his teeth and was about to shout for everyone to run away—

“No, that old man’s personality is really strange.”

Bang!

The doors of the central hall burst open, and a person walked out.

“C, Chung Myung!”

Jo Pyung cried out in fear.

“I told you not to get involved…!”

“Hey, Head of the Sahaeshanghoe, can’t you see what’s happening? That old man is coming all the way here and doing this on purpose! He’s doing it so I can hear!”

“…Ah?”

Jo Pyung turned his head to look at Tang Gun-ak, confused.

But Tang Gun-ak seemed to have lost interest in Jo Pyung and was only staring at Chung Myung.

“Are you the Hwasan Shinryong?”

“You’re asking even though you know, right?”

“Huh?”

Tang Gun-ak laughed.

Had anyone ever dared to speak to him like that?

Well, maybe someone had in the past.

But since he became the Lord of the Tang Clan, he swore it was the first time.

Tang Gun-ak smiled.

But no one would think of that smile as a smile. How could such a scary smile be shown with such warm words?

Tang Zan’s face, who was watching from the side, became stiff.

He knew better than anyone that his father’s expression meant he was even more ready to kill.

“Hwasan Shinryong. You’re a little different than I thought. But it doesn’t matter.”

Tang Gun-ak smiled and moved towards Chung Myung.

“Let’s see what kind of guy you are.”

His hand slowly went inside his sleeve.