Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 380

“Aigo! Great Taoist Master!” a woman with a kind face called out.

“Please, accept these fruits! I picked them fresh this morning,” said a man, holding out a basket overflowing with bright red apples and juicy pears.

“Taoist Master, you are so busy, yet you always do this for us! How can we ever repay you?” another merchant added, bowing deeply.

The air was filled with the sweet smell of fruits and freshly baked pancakes. Chung Myung, with a smile that could charm even the grumpiest person, accepted their gifts. He bowed slightly, his back bending like a reed in the wind.

“No trouble at all,” Chung Myung said gently. “Everything is peaceful here, I hope?”

“Peaceful! More than peaceful, Taoist Master!” exclaimed the first woman. “Ever since you dealt with those thugs at the city gates two days ago, we haven’t seen a single bad person. If it could always be like this, life would be perfect!”

“Eii. Of course, it will continue to be like this. Don’t worry. Hwayeong Sect will continue to manage things diligently.”

“Aigooo! You saved us, Taoist Master!”

“Hehehe. It was nothing.”

“This! Please try this too! It’s a pancake I just made…”

“Here, here! These are the best dumplings from my place!”

“Hey! Mine first!”

Those who saw Chung Myung came rushing out, each with something in their hands.

Chung Myung grinned, accepting the gifts from here and there.

“Aigoo. I told you not to give me these things every time. Hehe… Oh, that mooncake… I like mooncakes.”

“Aigo! If Taoist Master likes them, of course, we must give them to you! I’ll send a whole box to Hwayeong Sect separately.”

“Hehe. There’s no need to go that far… Please write my name on it. Those rice-guzzlers might eat it otherwise.”

“⋯⋯.”

And the faces of the Hwasan disciples, who were watching this from behind, gradually contorted.

“⋯⋯Every time I see this… doesn’t it feel like he’s collecting protection money?”

“This is… well… No, it’s definitely not a bad thing since people are doing it out of goodwill, but…”

“This looks exactly like the Black Hand gang managing their territory.”

“Suits him,” Jo Gul muttered.

“⋯⋯I suppose so.”

While he was at it, he beat up the thugs causing trouble in the market, and Chung Myung’s popularity soared to unprecedented heights.

“Taoist Master, my child is four years old this year, and I was wondering if…”

“Eii. They are too young to learn martial arts now. They need to grow stronger first. Like eating, you can’t rush learning. Let them grow up well, and then I will teach them.”

The people around Chung Myung shouted first at his answer.

“Hey! Such matters should be inquired at Hwayeong Sect! Why would the Taoist Master bother with such trivial matters! He will become the greatest swordsman in the world one day!”

“That’s right! That’s right! He has great things to do!”

“Indeed!”

The Hwasan disciples couldn’t understand this enthusiastic reaction at all.

‘No, why is that rascal so popular?’

‘People don’t know what kind of guy he usually is. If they went up to Hwasan and experienced just one day with him, they’d run away without looking back.’

It was frustrating for the disciples of Hwasan, but unfortunately, the people of Seoan did not know Chung Myung’s true nature.

Therefore, the attention showered on Chung Myung and Hwasan was exceedingly friendly.

Reason?

Of course, there were many reasons…

“Please take good care of us! We will work hard!”

“Aigo, Taoist Master! We are the ones who should be asking you to take care of us.”

“Goodness, how can he be so humble?”

“⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon was convinced that 90% of the reason was Chung Myung’s attitude.

It was the same now. Even while accepting food and chatting, Chung Myung’s waist bent and straightened three or four times in the blink of an eye.

That lithe waist and flexible knees were hard to find in most martial artists.

‘Especially hard to see in the Jongnam guys.’

Seoan was like Jongnam’s living room, so they could often see their disciples, but would they ever bow and show humility to the ordinary people of Seoan?

Those Jongnam disciples?

‘There’s no way.’

Just thinking about Jin Geum-ryong made the conclusion obvious.

It was embarrassing, but Baek Cheon, too, before meeting Chung Myung and getting his head cracked open, had been full of himself just because he was a disciple of a prestigious sect.

As someone who practiced martial arts, he thought he was incomparable to ordinary commoners.

Even though he was a disciple of Hwasan, which was as good as fallen.

One could easily guess how arrogant the disciples of Jongnam, who were at the height of their power, must have been without even seeing it.

So, how good would Chung Myung’s flexible waist and constantly bowing head look to these ordinary commoners?

Unsurprisingly, the praise for Chung Myung was endless.

“Indeed, the Taoist sects are different. Hwasan Shinryong must be one of the most talked-about titles in the world right now, yet he is so humble.”

“That’s right! Isn’t that what a Taoist is? Hwasan is not just a sword sect that hones swords but a Taoist sect that reveres the Tao. Now I know what that means.”

“He is a true Taoist! A true Taoist indeed! As expected, he is different from Jongnam.”

Everyone.

You are now witnessing with your own eyes the most hellish Taoist since the creation of Taoism.

I am certain that if the Supreme Old Lord were to descend to earth, he would rush here first and kick that rascal in the mouth.

So please, look at reality straight on and…

“Everyone is being deceived⋯⋯!”

“Be quiet, Sasuk.”

“Shhh.”

“⋯⋯.”

But before he could reveal the truth, Jo Gul and Yiseol gave him a warning look. Baek Cheon sighed with a frustrated expression.

Still, anyway… thanks to the lie that wasn’t a lie(?), the popularity of Chung Myung, as well as Hwasan and Hwayeong Sect, was indeed increasing day by day.

Now, even if people just saw someone wearing the Hwayeong Sect’s uniform, the people of Seoan would greet them first.

‘Seriously, what an amazing guy.’

Baek Cheon couldn’t help but be amazed by Chung Myung’s drive.

But then.

Murmur murmur.

“Huh?”

A commotion began to stir from the back of the crowd.

‘What’s going on?’

Baek Cheon’s greasy eyes narrowed slightly. It didn’t seem like a commotion caused simply by people gathering.

He watched that way with curious eyes.

“Ah?”

Soon, the figures of those who were familiar, yet unfamiliar, began to appear in his eyes.

‘Was it Yu Hae-sang?’

The one at the head was clearly Yu Hae-sang, the head of the Bokyeon branch of Jongnam. Behind him, the disciples of Bokyeon followed with awkward faces.

“Heo!”

“Hehe. My, aren’t they shameless.”

“They ran away in the dead of night, but they come back in broad daylight. It’s the end of the world, the end of the world.”

And, of course, the reaction of the people of Seoan looking at them was not the same as before.

“Look at those fellows with swords. I don’t know why they carry swords around like that when they don’t even draw them.”

“What do you mean they don’t draw them? Didn’t they draw them against us?”

“Ah, that’s right! Hehe. Those who claim to be righteous and just threaten innocent people with swords, but when bandits come, they run away with their tails between their legs? Ptooey! You dog-like bastards!”

The voices of criticism grew louder and louder.

Yu Hae-sang’s face contorted as he walked towards the crowd.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time he had received such looks on his way here.

But until now, only a courageous few had clicked their tongues and turned their heads, and no one had dared to directly pour out criticism in front of his face.

But now, they weren’t just giving him the side-eye; they were openly cursing at him, weren’t they?

“⋯⋯Those ignorant fools?”

“Y-You must be patient, Branch Leader.”

“Keeueung.”

At the voice of someone trying to dissuade him, Yu Hae-sang suppressed his anger with a face that turned red and blue.

He knew he had done wrong. But it was not easy to bear the rising anger when he was being openly cursed at by those who used to be nothing and whom he had paid no attention to.

“Get out of here right now! You swindlers!”

“They can only act big because of their main group! They act like they are in charge, but they have no real power here!”

“I don’t know what face they have to show themselves in broad daylight! If I were them, I wouldn’t even come near Seoan!”

But as the voices of criticism did not stop, he finally couldn’t bear it and rolled his eyes.

“You impudent bastards⋯⋯!”

His face was red from shouting, like it might explode.

He already felt ashamed inside. He knew he had done wrong.

But he was stubborn. He came back to Seoan to sell the building he left behind when he ran away quickly.

The Crimson Brigade, those thugs, were supposed to burn it down. But the building was still there, untouched.

He couldn’t just leave Seoan with the building still standing, could he?

He thought he could handle people looking at him coldly. But he never expected these ordinary people to shout such insults.

“Let’s see about this! Do you know who I am!”

He pulled his sword out a little. The people of Seoan, who were shouting insults, suddenly became scared and stepped back. They stumbled as they moved.

“M-Master!”

“Master! You mustn’t do this.”

Yoo Hae-sang’s angry reaction scared his Bokyeon Clan disciples. They tried to stop him.

“Let go!”

But Yoo Hae-sang didn’t calm down; instead, he raised his voice even higher.

“Maybe I made a mistake, but how dare they insult me! After all I’ve done for Seoan! Ungrateful people! Fine! If you call me a liar and a cheat, then maybe I will become a bandit!”

The merchants looked terrified. His words were clearly threats.

“Don’t forget who I am! I am…”

“Who are you?”

“…What?”

Just then, a calm voice spoke from the crowd.

People quickly moved to the sides, making a path. Chung Myung walked through the opening.

“…Oh…”

Yoo Hae-sang stopped talking.

He had wondered why everyone was here. Now he saw the Hwasan kids.

‘Ah, that’s why…’

Why hadn’t he realized? He should have known why these people, who usually wouldn’t even look at him, were now insulting him together. He had been too angry to think clearly.

“…Ah, who are you?”

“Ah…”

Chung Myung looked at Yoo Hae-sang calmly, then clicked his tongue like he was disgusted.

“Hey, mister. No matter how tall you build something, it can still fall down.”

“…”

Yoo Hae-sang closed his mouth like a clam.

“You’ll probably say it was just one mistake. But people saw armed thugs in the streets. Once you break trust like that, you’re just a bandit.”

“I, I…”

“And.”

Yoo Hae-sang lost his words. Chung Myung smirked and gestured with his chin.

“I don’t know why you came back, but this isn’t the Seoan you knew anymore. You’d better leave before you see something worse.”

As soon as Chung Myung finished, cheers and shouts came from the crowd.

“That’s right!”

“How dare you come back to Seoan!”

“Why are you here? To run away again?”

Yoo Hae-sang closed his eyes tightly.

He had expected anger, but this was worse than he imagined. The people of Seoan completely hated Jongnam now. Seeing it for himself made him feel truly defeated and miserable.

“Ah, and one more thing.”

Chung Myung’s eyes became hard.

“If you draw your sword and threaten anyone in Seoan again, I will cut off your hand.”

“…”

“Our money… no, I mean, the parents of our students are here. They are important to us. Threatening them is like threatening Hwayoung Clan.”

They pay for our school.

Yes.

“Do you understand?”

Yoo Hae-sang lowered his head as Chung Myung spoke sharply.

He knew he was wrong now. All he had left was his fighting skill. But how could he fight Chung Myung, the famous Hwasan Divine Dragon?

Yoo Hae-sang hesitated, then nodded slowly.

“…I understand.”

The Bokyeon Clan disciples looked miserable, their shoulders slumped, heads down.

People finally moved aside. Yoo Hae-sang and his disciples walked through the crowd like defeated soldiers, heads bowed.

Baek Cheon shook his head, watching them look so miserable.

‘The anger of the people is scary.’

Just a few days ago, they were powerful. Now, they looked so weak.

Then, Chung Myung came closer and whispered to Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk.”

“Hm?”

“Keep watching them.”

“…Why? You think they’ll make trouble?”

“No. But if they mess up again, use it as a reason to attack them.”

“…”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung, a little surprised.

Chung Myung seemed really… disappointed.

“They look so weak, like they’ll break if you touch them… Should I have insulted them more?”

“…Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yeah?”

“Try to act like a normal person.”

“Hey! I am normal!”

“…”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

This guy is really something else.

The Hwasan disciples, who had watched over Seoan until late, returned to Hwayoung Clan feeling like they had won.

“It looks like Seoan is calm now.”

“Maybe too calm.”

“Then we should start getting ready to go back.”

“No one is staying at Hwayoung Clan?”

“We can visit sometimes and send people to check in, but we won’t live here. It’s Hwayoung Clan’s job now.”

Wi Rip-san and Wi So-haeng will be fine.

And Hwasan isn’t far, so we can help quickly if needed.

“There won’t be any problems until Jongnam comes out of hiding.”

“Really?”

“Haha. What problems could there be after all this?”

Chung Myung’s nose went up in the air.

But Chung Myung opened the doors of Hwayoung Clan and stepped inside, and he quickly learned something new. Problems always come from unexpected places.

“Ch, Chung Myung-ah! Chung Myung-aaaaaah!”

“Oh no! Chung Myung-ah!”

“Hiiiik! Sasuk Baek Cheon! Why did you take so long?!”

“…Huh?”

The Hwasan disciples and some Hwayoung Clan disciples ran towards them, their faces white as ghosts.

“What is it! Did the Ten Thousand Clan attack or something?”

“N, no, it’s not that…!”

“Then what?”

“Gh, ghosts!”

“…Huh?”

One of the Hwayoung Clan disciples screamed, his voice high and scared. His face was full of fear.

“Gh, ghosts! There are ghosts!”