Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 436

A small, white ball of fur spun in a circle. It fell onto its back, showing its soft belly. Then, it ran quickly to Chung Myung and rubbed its face against his leg.

“Hee hee hee,” Chung Myung chuckled. “This little thing is very cute.”

The Mount Hua disciples watched silently.

Someone who didn’t know them might think it was a sweet scene.

But the Mount Hua disciples knew the truth. To them, it looked sad.

“It really is a spirit beast.”

“I felt it last time, and it is definitely a spirit beast.”

“It knows what to do to avoid becoming a pelt.”

They thought the face under the white fur looked strangely pale.

The disciples of Mount Hua couldn’t help but feel sorry for Baek Ah as it desperately tried to win Chung Myung’s favor.

“Does it really have to go that far?”

“It’s better than becoming a scarf after death, isn’t it?”

“I suppose, but…”

But Chung Myung wasn’t noticing how hard Baek Ah was trying. He chuckled happily.

“So soft.”

As Chung Myung reached out to stroke it, Baek Ah clung to his hand, rubbing its face against him with all its might. Chung Myung smiled happily.

“Hmm. Even a small animal knows a good person when it sees one.”

The faces of the Mount Hua disciples turned sour.

‘It recognizes the most vicious bastard!’

‘It must be desperate to act like that!’

Just then, Baek Ah climbed onto Chung Myung’s shoulder and gently wrapped itself around his neck, as if to say it could be a scarf without needing to be skinned.

“This one is somewhat useful…”

Chung Myung said, pleased. Then he turned his head to look at the tiger sitting behind him.

The tiger was as big as a small house. It sat curled up.

“Wow. There really is a tiger this big.”

Hong Daeguang walked toward the tiger, looking amazed.

“Heh heh heh. If those beggar bastards saw this, they’d be so scared…”

Kroooooh!

As Hong Daeguang got closer, the tiger, which had been quiet, suddenly roared and jumped forward.

“Eeeeek?”

Terrified, he jumped to the side. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt, but the patched-up backside of his ragged clothes tore with a rip.

“Aaaah! My clothes!”

As Hong Daeguang ran away in a panic, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“I don’t know how that guy begs for food when he’s so silly.”

The tiger spat out the rag it had been chewing on. Then, it turned its head sharply towards Chung Myung, showing its scary teeth.

Grrrr.

Even a normal tiger could scare you if you were close to it. So, how much more scary was the feeling coming from this huge animal?

Chung Myung frowned a little, looking unhappy.

“I don’t like this one so much…”

But then…

Whoosh!

Baek Ah shot off Chung Myung’s shoulder like lightning. It grabbed onto the tiger’s face and slapped it with its front paws like a thunderbolt.

Wham!

At the same time, the eyes of the Mount Hua disciples popped out.

‘A weasel hit a tiger?’

‘Listen to that smack!’

They had heard it was a spirit beast, but the size difference was still huge. Could that tiny weasel really slap a tiger across the face?

The tiger rolled once on the ground. Then, it jumped up in surprise and immediately flattened itself against the floor, like a child begging for forgiveness after being scolded by an older sibling.

Kyarrrrrr!

Baek Ah, still angry, raised its fur and made a sharp noise.

The tiger then buried its face in the ground and whimpered.

Squeak.

“…”

Baek Cheon had never known a tiger could make such a sound. He opened his mouth in shock. Baek Ah showed its teeth, still not happy, but Chung Myung flicked his hand lightly.

“Alright, alright. It didn’t know any better.”

Whoosh!

As soon as Chung Myung said that, Baek Ah jumped back onto Chung Myung’s lap and rolled onto its back, showing its belly.

Chung Myung clicked his tongue as he looked at the tiger, now lying flat as if its earlier anger had been a lie.

“Tsk. I thought its fur would be good, but too bad. There’s no reason to do it now.”

It was a very quiet mutter. And the disciples of Mount Hua clearly saw Baek Ah sweating.

‘That thing definitely understands human speech.’

‘Does a weasel sweat? Not even a human, but a weasel?’

The common sense they had always known was being turned upside down.

“Hahaha! I knew this Baek Ah would like you. I’m glad I brought it along.”

The Beast Palace Lord lightly patted Chung Myung’s shoulder with his hand, which was as big as a pot lid.

Crack!

The chair Chung Myung was sitting on groaned and twisted.

“Ah, ouch!”

Chung Myung made a face and squirmed. Then he asked the Beast Palace Lord.

“But why did you bring so many beasts? It couldn’t have been easy to bring them all.”

The Beast Palace Lord laughed loudly.

“Isn’t this my first time visiting the Tang Family of Sichuan? When visiting the Tang Family, the powerful Tang Family of Sichuan, I have to bring a special gift.”

“These are the gifts?”

Chung Myung looked around.

A huge elephant, a tiger, a snake whose body was thicker than most people, a white leopard, a black leopard…

‘It looks like they’ve been brought here to attack.’

Or maybe the end of the human era had finally arrived.

“There are plenty of beasts, but not many people. Didn’t you bring any elders? They must all be disappointed.”

“Those guys only complain when I bring them along.”

The Beast Palace Lord waved his hand, as if he didn’t want to even think about it.

“I’m just making a quick stop in the Central Plains, but they complain so much. It’s dangerous, this and that! Just look at my body! How could I possibly be in danger!”

The Beast Palace Lord’s huge chest muscles, hidden under his clothes, moved, showing how big they were.

Seeing those strong muscles, Chung Myung said without thinking.

“Wouldn’t that mean other people are in danger?”

Those muscles are definitely dangerous.

Death by graze.

“Kahaha!”

The Beast Palace Lord laughed so hard that his head almost fell back, and he patted Chung Myung’s shoulder again.

“That’s why I like you! You understand me!”

“Ouch! I said it hurts!”

Baek Cheon and the other disciples, who were listening to the conversation, all nodded as if they were hypnotized.

Yes, that’s right.

They could be mistaken for brothers. If Chung Myung were only two or three times bigger.

Just then, Jo Gul tilted his head and spoke.

“But, Sasuk.”

“Hm?”

“Did you know that the Beast Palace Lord was visiting the Tang Family?”

“I didn’t.”

“Isn’t this a big deal if you think about it?”

At Jo Gul’s words, Baek Cheon frowned a little.

‘It is, indeed…’

In fact, it was a big deal.

Maeng So was the Palace Lord of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, one of the Four Outer Palaces. And the Four Outer Palaces were now enemies of the Central Plains.

For the Palace Lord of an Outer Palace to enter the Central Plains and visit the Sichuan Tang Family, one of the Five Great Families?

If this became known, many places would be in chaos.

‘It’s really strange when you think about it.’

Baek Cheon looked at the three people sitting across from him.

In a grand room, three powerful figures sat together. One was the master of the Seoe Palace, a place of great power.

Another was the leader of the Sichuan Tang family, known as one of the best families in the Central Plains.

And then there was Cheong-myeong, called the Hwasan Divine Dragon, a very famous person from the Hwasan Sect. It was surprising to see these important people together, talking like old friends.

The Seoe Palace, the Five Great Families, and the old Nine Great Sects. These people, who seemed impossible to mix, were sitting and talking to each other as if it were nothing.

‘That man is acting very friendly,’ someone thought.

It was more than just being friendly, though. It was unusual.

“Hahaha! I brought this for you, Hwasan Divine Dragon!”

The Beast Palace Lord opened the chest next to him and took out a bunch of white gourds from inside.

“Oh? Isn’t this the Peach Blossom Spring Wine we drank in Yunnan back then?”

“That’s right. I thought you liked it, so I brought it!”

“Kuh! As expected of the Palace Lord!”

“Hahaha! Let’s drink until our noses are crooked today!”

“Ehehehehe!”

As if they had made a promise, the two shared the Peach Blossom Spring Wine and started chugging it at the same time.

They lifted the bottles high and drank deeply, the wine disappearing quickly.

“Kroooooh!”

“Kaaaah!”

“Another bottle?”

“Sure!”

A hearty drinking party naturally unfolded.

It was not surprising that those two drunkards were having a drinking party. The problem was not those two drunkards, but Tang Gun-ak, who was stuck between them.

‘He must be having a hard time.’

Baek Cheon gave Tang Gun-ak a sad look.

Looking at Tang Gun-ak staring blankly at the ceiling with a soul-stripped face, an unknown sadness washed over him. If there are two fools on either side, there is nothing for a sane person to do. Baek Cheon knew that fact better than anyone else.

“Ahem.”

Baek Cheon cleared his throat quietly.

This drinking party was obviously led by that Cheong-myeong, but anyway, he was Cheong-myeong’s superior. He had a duty to control his junior if he went too far.

“Ahem, Cheong-myeong.”

“Huh?”

At Baek Cheon’s call, Cheong-myeong, who was blowing on a wine bottle, turned his head.

“I think you’re going a bit too far now⋯⋯.”

“Ah! Look at my mind!”

“Huh⋯⋯?”

Cheong-myeong suddenly stood up, grabbing the bottles of wine as if they were precious treasures.

“Wait!” he said, then rushed over to Baek Cheon and the others.

“You all must try this Peach Blossom Spring Wine too! I almost forgot to share!”

“⋯⋯.”

Cheong-myeong smiled brightly, waved his hand, and headed back to his seat.

“No, that⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon stretched out an empty hand towards Cheong-myeong’s back.

No, you⋯⋯. That’s not what I meant⋯⋯.

“Guys, say something⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon turned his head towards his juniors and soon opened his mouth wide.

Everyone next to him grabbed a bottle of Peach Blossom Spring Wine and started chugging it.

“Kroooooh, this is amazing!”

“It’s exactly the same taste as I had in Yunnan!”

“Sasuk! Sasuk! You have to try this quickly. The peach scent is indescribable!”

“⋯⋯.”

Everyone didn’t even touch the snacks. They were just busy sticking the bottle in their mouths and drinking coolly.

“Ehehehehehe.”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Baek Cheon, who alternately looked at the place where Cheong-myeong was sitting and the disciples of Hwasan, smiled happily and tightly grabbed the bottleneck of Peach Blossom Spring Wine.

‘I don’t know anymore.’

Alright. Let’s drink.

Let’s drink until we can’t drink anymore, you guys.

The banquet went on and on, lamps glowing warmly in the large room.

Between loud cheers and laughter, the Tang family formally welcomed the Beast Palace Lord.

But really, the night was all about drinking. The sounds of clinking cups and happy shouts filled the air. Food was forgotten as everyone focused on the wine.

What could be better than alcohol to connect people?

Even those who were careful of the fact that the Beast Palace Lord had entered the Tang family at first began to slowly let their guard down as they got drunk.

“Euhahahaha! To think that the day would come when I would drink with the Sichuan Tang family! You never know what will happen in life! Here, have a drink!”

“Yes! I am honored to receive the Palace Lord’s wine.”

“Give me a drink too!”

“Of course! Of course!”

The Beast Palace Lord left the head seat and walked around and talked to the Tang family members, exchanging drinks.

“Hey! Are you only going to drink that much! Have another drink!”

“Yes!”

Maeng So mixed glasses with everyone in the banquet hall, not missing a single one.

Then eventually⋯⋯.

“Kuh⋯⋯. I can’t drink anymore⋯⋯.”

The Beast Palace Lord finally knocked down all the Tang family members. Maeng So clicked his tongue as he watched everyone except Tang Gun-ak fall sadly.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Everyone is so weak at drinking.”

“⋯⋯It’s just that the Palace Lord is too strong.”

Cheong-myeong shook his head.

In the first place, how could the warriors of the Sichuan Tang family be weak at drinking? Maeng So was just a monster.

“Hmm. This is not enough.”

Maeng So looked around like a hawk chasing prey and fixed his gaze on Cheong-myeong.

“How about it? Shall we see one of us die today?”

“I’d love to⋯⋯.”

Just as Cheong-myeong was about to accept willingly, Tang Gun-ak opened his mouth quietly.

“Wait,” Tang Gun-ak said, his voice suddenly sharp and clear, cutting through the drunken noise.

His eyes, which had been relaxed, now looked directly and seriously at Cheong-myeong and Maeng So.

“I think,” he continued, his voice firm, “that we have enjoyed ourselves enough. Perhaps… it is time to talk about business.”

“Business?”

Tang Gun-ak nodded at Cheong-myeong’s question.

Tang Gun-ak looked at Maeng So, a serious expression on his face. “Surely, Palace Lord, you didn’t come all this way *just* for a drinking party?”

Cheong-myeong answered quickly, with a grin, “Actually… yes!”

Tang Gun-ak cleared his throat, “Ahem.”

“⋯⋯That could be true. Hmm, yes. That could be true. But not this time.”

“Kuh, that’s right.”

Maeng So nodded as if he agreed with those words.

“Hwasan Divine Dragon.”

“Yes.”

“Come with me. There are things the three of us need to talk about separately.”

Then Cheong-myeong said as if testing the waters.

“You’re setting the stage as if you’re going to have a very important conversation.”

“It’s important.”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes shone brightly.

“Very important. It’s a story about the future of the Tang family, the Beast Palace, and Hwasan. From the beginning, didn’t you come all the way here for that?”

Cheong-myeong curled up the corners of his mouth.

“That’s why I like people who can communicate.”

“Let’s go.”

The real banquet was about to begin.