Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 226

Chung Myung watched as a small, dark animal with bristling fur stood before him, making hissing sounds.

“Haaah!”

“Haaah!”

Seeing the sable bristling its fur in front of him, Chung Myung chuckled.

“Sit.”

Thump!

The sable, which had been bristling and threatening, immediately plopped its bottom on the ground and froze at his word.

“Come here.”

Scurry scurry scurry.

“Tsk.”

He picked up the sable with one hand. Then, the sable began to desperately try to ingratiate itself. It wiggled its front paws, twisted its body this way and that, turned its belly up, and acted cute.

The sight was undeniably adorable.

‘Pitiful.’

‘Doesn’t Chung Myung look like the Grim Reaper in its eyes right now?’

‘It has to be desperate to live. Right.’

On the one hand, it was so desperate that it was heartbreaking.

Just then, the Beast Palace Lord, who had finished vomiting and was briefly composing herself, saw the scene and said.

“Hmm. Interesting. Baega doesn’t usually warm up to strangers.”

“Baega?” Chung Myung repeated.

“That’s the sable’s name. Baekjeon,” she said. “It means white lightning.”

Chung Myung chuckled. “Sounds like someone else I know.” He glanced at Baek Cheon, who was now turning red.

“It doesn’t warm up to people easily, and its temper is vicious.”

“Ah. That’s right. Definitely right.”

“And on top of that, it’s picky. Sometimes I don’t understand what it’s relying on.”

“Kuh. You really know him well.”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul quickly grabbed Baek Cheon’s arms, who was twitching. If they hadn’t, Baek Cheon would have jumped out and caused a ruckus any second.

“Calm down, Sasuk!”

“He’s not talking about Sasuk!”

“Keeeugh.”

Baek Cheon trembled.

It can’t be the Beast Palace Lord! But that bastard is right!

Now he’s even bringing a sable to diss people!

Chung Myung grabbed the back of Baek’jeon’s neck and put him down on the floor. Baekjeon, glancing at him, slowly backed away.

The Beast Palace Lord seemed genuinely impressed.

“Heh heh. He even gets along with the animals of the Beast Palace. They say animals recognize the goodness in people. Seeing that, you must be a pretty good person.”

“Well, I try to be a good person. I’m a Taoist, after all.”

The disciples of Mount Hua were dumbfounded by the natural conversation.

Should they be amazed by the audacity of that Chung Myung, who boldly claimed to be good because he was a Taoist, or should they be amazed that the Beast Palace Lord accepted that he got along well with the animals?

‘Anyway, they’re both weird.’

‘I want to go home.’

“But is there really a need to raise a guy who’s so bad-tempered and doesn’t listen well?”

“Even so, that guy is a spirit animal among spirit animals. Even a tiger as big as a house can’t move in front of him.”

“This little thing?”

“Size isn’t everything.”

The Beast Palace Lord said something that didn’t match her physique. Now, the disciples of Mount Hua were too tired to be surprised.

“Now, let’s get going.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung turned around, following the Beast Palace Lord. Then, he glanced back and shouted.

“Let’s go, Baega!”

“That bastard⋯⋯!”

“Please bear with it, Sasuk!”

“He’s not talking to Sasuk!”

“Keeeugh!”

Baek Cheon groaned and trudged after the Beast Palace Lord and Chung Myung.

In fact, even if they hadn’t stopped him, what could he do in front of the Beast Palace Lord? He was just furious.

As they left the room and crossed the plaza, the guards rushed over and bowed deeply to the Beast Palace Lord.

“Palace Lord!”

“Palace Lord, where are you going?”

The Beast Palace Lord answered indifferently.

“I’m going to the Divine Pool.”

“D-Did you say the Divine Pool?”

The guards’ gazes sharply landed on the disciples of Mount Hua who were following behind him.

Baek Cheon’s complexion hardened slightly at the momentarily changed gaze.

‘The Divine Pool must be no ordinary place.’

Otherwise, why would they look at them like that? If that place was forbidden to outsiders⋯⋯.

“Have the guests committed some great wrong? The Divine Pool?”

Huh?

What?

The guards’ gazes were full of suspicion and doubt. The disciples of Mount Hua also looked at them with eyes that asked what they were talking about.

The Beast Palace Lord shouted in a booming voice.

“What wrong are you talking about! I just have something to do at the Divine Pool!”

“But, Palace Lord! The Divine Pool is⋯⋯.”

“Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

The guards immediately bowed as the Beast Palace Lord glared with bulging eyes.

“No, Palace Lord! Your subordinates were foolish!”

“Tsk!”

The guards, not knowing what to do, quietly stepped back as the Beast Palace Lord clicked his tongue as if displeased.

‘Wow.’

‘Amazing.’

It was a scene that made them realize how much power the Beast Palace Lord had in the Beast Palace.

The guards seemed important, like elders in Mount Hua. But they were very afraid of the Palace Lord and couldn’t speak freely to her.

Of course, even the sect leader of Mount Hua, Hyun Jong, was treated with respect by the elders, but compared to the Beast Palace, it was no exaggeration to say that he was treated like a doddering old man.

‘Even the Tang family wasn’t this bad.’

Whether it was the characteristic of the Beast Palace or the characteristic of Yunnan, the authority of the Palace Lord of the Namban Beast Palace seemed to clearly surpass the authority that the sect leaders had in the Central Plains.

“Move!”

The guards flinched and stepped back as the Beast Palace Lord stepped forward. The guards guarding the main gate also quickly opened the gate to match his pace.

“Long live the Palace Lord!”

“Please be careful on your trip!”

Yoon Jong clicked his tongue as he watched the palace members prostrate themselves on the spot.

“They say the Beast Palace Lord is practically a king in Yunnan, and it seems that’s true.”

“Hmm, I see. I didn’t know the Namban Beast Palace had such a system. The hierarchy is more defined than in the Central Plains.”

It was Baek Cheon’s reply.

Then, an indifferent voice was heard.

“I don’t think so?”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung said sullenly, clasping his hands behind his head.

“I’ve never heard of the Beast Palace treating the Palace Lord with respect. I’ve only heard that the Palace Lord changes often.”

“⋯⋯Then why?”

“What else could it be? Does that muscle make you want to stand up to him?”

Baek Cheon’s gaze turned to the Beast Palace Lord, who was walking ahead.

He felt like he knew what it meant to carry a mountain on his back⋯⋯. No, wasn’t that not the right expression for this?

Anyway, it was like a mountain was moving. Thanks to his half-exposed upper body, his back muscles powerfully twitched and pulsated with every step he took.

Considering the Beast Palace Lord’s quick temper that they had seen so far⋯⋯.

“⋯⋯No.”

“I’d rather die.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to just hang myself?”

Only then did everyone understand the excessive loyalty.

Chung Myung also fixed his gaze on the Palace Lord’s back and said.

“Kuh. Mount Hua should be like that too.”

“Don’t say weird things!”

“Don’t ruin my Mount Hua!”

“Don’t say such terrible things!”

However, no matter what the disciples of Mount Hua said, Chung Myung nodded, looking at the Beast Palace Lord with a very impressed face.

The disciples of Mount Hua shuddered at the sight. These days, their worries about the future of Mount Hua were only growing.

“Come quickly!”

“Yes.”

At the Beast Palace Lord’s words, everyone quickened their pace. The Beast Palace Lord led them out of the stone buildings and into a forest that felt ancient and untamed. Towering trees, their leaves a deep, shadowy green, blocked out much of the sunlight, creating a cool, dim world beneath. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and unknown blossoms.

“It’s like a jungle,” Yoon Jong murmured, his eyes wide as he looked around. “We don’t see forests like this back home.”

“So, Shindam is through here. But why did those people look so scared when we mentioned it?”

“Shindam,” the Beast Palace Lord said, not turning around. “It’s sacred ground for us.”

“Sorry?” Baek Cheon asked, confused.

She stopped walking and faced them. “Sacred and forbidden. For us, in the Beast Palace. We think of Shindam as holy. No one from here can go there. Not even me.” She gestured to herself. “The Palace Lord.”

Baek Cheon frowned. “So…?”

“But,” she continued, “that rule is only for us. Outsiders can go to Shindam.”

Chungmyung blinked. “Wait, what?”

“But usually,” Baek Cheon said, “aren’t sacred places closed to everyone who isn’t part of them?”

The Beast Palace Lord shrugged. “Why bother? If we stopped people, we’d have to stop animals too.”

“But people and animals are different,” Chungmyung pointed out.

“Are they?” She tilted her head slightly. “We don’t think so. Humans are just animals who think a bit more. People from the Central Plains,” she explained, seeing their confused faces, “you often think we love animals here.”

“We’ve heard that,” Baek Cheon agreed.

“But it’s not really love. We just know we’re not so different. We live together.”

“If we let animals in, we let people in. For us, sacred ground is just… sacred to *us*. It’s nature. We don’t expect others to treat it like we do.”

Baek Cheon frowned. “But what if someone hurts the sacred ground?”

She laughed softly. “What would change? It’s still sacred to us. Even if it’s broken, it’s still sacred. Worrying about how it looks is silly. If I say it’s sacred, it’s sacred, no matter what.”

“Ah…” Baek Cheon was impressed. *She’s right. She’s much smarter than she looks to be Palace Lord.*

But Chungmyung just tilted his head. “So… why call it sacred at all then?”

The Beast Palace Lord blinked. “Huh. Good point. Never thought of that.”

… Maybe she wasn’t *that* smart.

The forest grew thicker with every step. Sunlight couldn’t reach through the leaves, making it dark and damp. The air was heavy and smelled of wet earth and strange flowers.

Deeper in the woods, they started seeing animals. Once, a snake as long as five men lay head-to-toe slithered across their path. Another time, a tiger twice the size of any tiger from home stepped out of the trees.

*Wait, is this safe?* Baek Cheon thought, nervously glancing around.

Then, the tiger roared – a sound that made the air vibrate – and charged straight at the Beast Palace Lord.

“Hoa! You old rascal! Look how big you’ve gotten!” she laughed, scratching the tiger behind its ears as it rolled onto its back, paws in the air like a playful kitten.

*Right,* Chungmyung thought, watching the scene. *Everyone just wants to survive. Muscles talk loudest.*

It was strange to see such a huge, fearsome tiger acting like a house cat. But with the Beast Palace Lord, it seemed… normal.

The Beast Palace Lord, who had been chatting and petting animals the whole way, suddenly grew serious, her brow furrowing as she looked ahead.

“Shindam is just beyond these trees.”

“We’re finally here,” Baek Cheon breathed.

Her voice was low and serious now, a change from her earlier easy manner. “The Jamokcho – you call it Spirit Herb in Yunnan – used to grow everywhere. It wasn’t rare at all. But almost all of it is gone now.”

“What happened?” Chungmyung asked.

“A hundred years ago, when the Demonic Sect attacked, they burned the forests. Said it was some kind of fire attack.” Her voice was tight with anger. “I wish I’d been there to watch them burn instead.”

“Did it work?” Yiseol asked quietly.

“No. Stupid fools. Martial artists are faster than fire. They just ran away.” She scoffed. “Burning everything for nothing.”

*Idiots,* Chungmyung thought. *Think before you act!*

“Anyway,” she sighed, pushing aside the last of the bushes, “Shindam is the only place left in Yunnan where you can find Spirit Herb.”

“Oh!”

“Wow…”

The trees parted, and Shindam opened before them. The Mount Hua disciples gasped.

It wasn’t just beautiful. It was… holy.

In a clearing in the deep forest lay a huge lake, bigger than any pond they’d ever seen. The water was so clear it looked like glass, reflecting the sky perfectly. Around the edge, flowers in colours they’d never imagined bloomed in thick clusters. It was breathtaking, but also… unsettling.

*How deep is that water?* Baek Cheon wondered, a shiver running down his spine. He could see right through the surface, but the blue just deepened and deepened, like falling into the sky itself.

*Shindam… Pond of the Gods?* If gods lived anywhere, it would be a place like this.

“This is Shindam,” she announced. “I can’t go any further.”

“So we go on alone?” Baek Cheon asked.

“Wait.” She held up a hand, her brow still furrowed.

“We can go in, right?” Chungmyung asked, confused. “You said outsiders could.”

“Yes, yes. You can go in. It’s just…” She hesitated, glancing at the still, clear water. “There’s a tiny problem.”

“Problem?”

“Better if you see it.” She reached out suddenly.

*Whoosh!* A rabbit hopping past froze in mid-air, yanked towards her hand. It wiggled its nose, startled.

“What’s with the rabbit?” Chungmyung muttered.

“Watch,” she said, her voice low.

She tossed the rabbit gently towards the lake’s edge.

*Splash.* The rabbit landed softly, ears twitching, looking around the peaceful scene.

*Peaceful… too peaceful,* Baek Cheon thought, a prickle of unease on his skin.

Then, the water exploded.

*KABOOM!*

Baek Cheon’s breath hitched. From the dark depths, something black and massive erupted, tearing through the surface.

“WHAT IS THAT?!” he yelled, stumbling back.

“EEEK!” Yiseol shrieked, pointing.

A mouth like a gaping black cave filled their vision, lined with teeth like daggers, long and sharp.

The monstrous jaws snapped shut where the rabbit had been.

*KABOOM!* The sound echoed across the silent lake.

… Silence again.

The creature, whatever it was, had vanished back into the depths, leaving only ripples and a gaping hole in the earth where the rabbit had stood.

The Mount Hua disciples stared, eyes wide, mouths open, frozen. The only sound was the gentle lapping of water against the shore.

Finally, Yiseol whispered, her voice trembling, “W-what… was that?”

Then, the others found their voices, all talking at once.

“Huge! It was HUGE!”

“It could swallow a whole person!”

The Beast Palace Lord nodded grimly. “Mookrin Blood Serpent,” she said. “It lives in Shindam.”

A serpent?

*Dragon,* Chungmyung thought, his mind reeling. *That’s a dragon, not a snake!*

*So it’s not sacred because they respect it… it’s sacred because they’re terrified of it!*

Chungmyung let out a shaky laugh. “Heh… heh heh…” Even the great Chungmyung, master of all he surveyed, was speechless.