Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 445

Chung Myung stared at Im So-byeong, tilting his head slightly. “So, what’s the plan? Are you going to fight yourself?”

A strange glint flashed in Im So-byeong’s eyes for a moment.

But it disappeared quickly.

“No. As you can see, I’m quite frail,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. His movements seemed slow and tired.

“Physical work is not for me… Cough! Cough! It doesn’t suit me… Cough! Oh dear, a cough…”

Chung Myung tilted his head. “You seem quite strong for someone who is so weak.”

“I look strong, but I am actually not very healthy.”

“Hmm, that’s also true.”

Hye-yeon, who had been quiet, asked the Mount Hua disciples, “Do you understand what they are talking about?”

Jo Gul whispered, “Venerable Monk.”

“Yes?”

“If we don’t understand, let’s pretend we do.”

Hye-yeon wasn’t sure if that was an answer, but he felt better knowing others were confused too.

Im So-byeong glanced at Chung Myung, looking troubled. “And… well, I am the Green Forest King. It wouldn’t be right for me to fight a young Taoist.”

Chung Myung looked confused. “Is it really so embarrassing for you to fight?”

Im So-byeong glared back. “And if I lose? Who will be blamed then?”

Even Chung Myung couldn’t think of a good reply.

‘Is this guy for real?’ he wondered.

“Safety first! The world is all about safety! Solving problems is important, but it’s best to avoid them in the first place!” Im So-byeong said seriously, then scratched his head. “So, it’s hard for me to fight directly. We need someone else. Hmm, who to choose…”

“Then don’t worry. That guy seems strong,” Chung Myung said, pointing behind him.

“Who?”

“The one behind you.”

Im So-byeong looked at the fake Green Forest King with a strange expression. After thinking for a moment, he jumped up, went to the corner, and called Chung Myung over. “Come here for a moment.”

“Yes?”

“This way, over here.”

Chung Myung walked over, puzzled. Im So-byeong put his arm around Chung Myung’s shoulder and leaned in close. “Listen, Taoist.”

“Yes.”

“As a Taoist, you’ll understand this. Bandits are simple. They don’t think much.”

“Is that something the Green Forest King should say?” Chung Myung asked.

“It’s the truth! When they hear an order, they only think about whether they like it or not. They don’t think about why they’re doing it.”

“That’s why I’m doing this obvious trick. ‘The Green Forest King told us to be friendly to strong people’ sounds like ‘The Green Forest King wants us to get close to these strong people,’ but they mean different things. At least, in this Green Forest.”

“That’s quite subtle,” Chung Myung said.

“It’s strange, but simple things can be very tricky.” So, the stronger they think someone is, the nicer they will be.

‘That’s just like the Demonic Sect,’ Chung Myung thought. ‘They don’t listen to words, but they understand a fist in the face.’

Im So-byeong frowned. “Even though that guy looks simple, he’s good at martial arts. He’s very strong.”

“A son of a bitch?” Chung Myung asked.

“Great strength! Great strength! Not a son of a bitch, but great strength!”

“Ah, great strength. Yes, yes.”

“Cough! Cough! Hah, I got excited, and now I’m coughing again… Cough!” Im So-byeong coughed in front of him, and Chung Myung moved his face back, looking uncomfortable.

Im So-byeong whispered, “Little Taoist, you seem confident, but that guy has been in the Green Forest for a long time. He’s also very stupid, so he can’t lose on purpose. You have to beat him with your own strength…”

“I can do that,” Chung Myung said.

“No, it’s not that easy…”

“I’m telling you, I can do it!”

Im So-byeong looked at Chung Myung carefully, then grinned. “It seems I was saying too much.”

“Yes. It’s always good to be sure.”

The Mount Hua disciples looked worried as the two grinned at each other.

“They’re plotting something,” one said.

“But that’s normal. This is a mountain stronghold, after all.”

“That’s true.”

“Chung Myung seems to fit right in.”

The biggest problem was that it wasn’t strange for a Taoist to be plotting with a bandit leader.

“Then, like that…”

“Wait!” The fake Green Forest King shouted loudly. He was just speaking, but his voice was so loud it sounded like a shout. “Green Forest King! Are you telling me to fight that Taoist?”

“Hmm?”

The strong man’s face twisted. “King! It’s my duty to follow your orders, but I don’t want to accidentally beat that young Taoist when you don’t want me to!”

Im So-byeong sighed. “Then do what I want.”

“I can’t do that! A man must always do his best! I, Beonchung, cannot accept that!”

Im So-byeong poked Chung Myung. “Did you see that? That’s what they’re like! They give me a stomach ulcer!”

“If it’s that hard, why be a bandit…” Chung Myung asked.

“It’s all I know! I have to make a living. Damn this life!” Im So-byeong covered his face.

“Anyway… are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, well,” Chung Myung shrugged. “If I’m going to show off, I should do it properly.”

“That’s right…”

Beonchung shouted again. “Is it right for me to fight such a tiny little runt?”

“Tiny little runt?” Chung Myung tilted his head.

The faces of Baek Cheon and the other disciples turned pale.

‘Oh… this isn’t good,’ they thought.

‘Why is he doing this?’

Those who knew Chung Myung were worried by the giant’s words. He was someone you shouldn’t provoke.

“You wouldn’t want to get beaten up by a tiny little runt, would you? Are you sure you’re okay?” Chung Myung asked, smirking.

Beonchung snorted. “You’re just a young pup who’s famous for no reason. You’re not scared.”

“Ah, that’s not true,” Chung Myung said.

“Hmm?”

“I’ve never been scared. So, it’s not that I’ve become arrogant because I’m famous. I’ve always been like this.”

Baek Cheon and his group nodded. “That’s right.”

“An undeniable truth.”

Beon Chung watched the Taoists. They were acting so strange. He blinked, thinking, “What are these guys…?”

Right away, Beon Chung saw that these Taoists were not acting like people who had walked into a dangerous place. This was a bandit camp, a place where robbers lived! Usually, people in the *martial world* (the world of fighters and warriors) would be very careful here. They would be nervous and watch every word when facing someone like the Green Forest King, the leader of these bandits.

But these Taoists were different. They were calm, like they were at home. Even if the Green Forest King was not here, you would expect visitors to be scared in a bandit camp. And these were Taoists, people from a peaceful temple!

Beon Chung just could not understand the Mount Hua Sect, the group these Taoists belonged to.

But Beon Chung knew what he had to do, no matter how strange they acted.

“So, you want to know who is stronger? Come forward then! If you want it so badly, I will break your arms and legs myself!”

“Ah, arms and legs? Yes, those are useful.”

Chung Myung smiled, looking very pleased.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s finish this fast.”

A sweet smile spread across Chung Myung’s face. But the Mount Hua disciples knew that smile. They quickly closed their eyes tightly because they knew trouble was coming.

People rushed to the courtyard, gathering very quickly, like clouds coming together in the sky.

“A duel?” someone shouted.

“What’s going on? Why a duel all of a sudden?” another voice asked.

“I heard it’s Iron Hand General Beon Chung fighting Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon!” someone announced loudly.

“Divine Dragon? That young fighter from Mount Hua who is supposed to be the best?” someone else wondered.

The mountain fortress became very lively and noisy with excitement.

In the Green Forest, being strong was the most important thing. So, when people had arguments, they often fought to decide who was right.

They were used to duels where people fought with all their power. This was not something that happened often in normal *sects* (fighting groups).

But even in the Green Forest, a duel between famous fighters like these was rare.

“It’s a duel between Iron Hand General, one of the Green Forest Ten, and Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, the best young fighter!” someone shouted excitedly.

“I must see this fight before I die!” another person yelled.

Baek Cheon had been watching quietly. He turned his head slightly to Lim Sobyeong, who was sitting beside him.

“Um…” Baek Cheon started to speak.

“Yes?” Lim Sobyeong replied.

“Green Forest…” Baek Cheon said, unsure.

“Ah.” Lim Sobyeong nodded.

Lim Sobyeong put a finger to his lips, telling Baek Cheon to be quiet. He shook his head.

“Please call me Scholar when we are here,” Lim Sobyeong whispered.

“……Yes?” Baek Cheon was confused.

Lim Sobyeong looked around quickly before speaking softly. “The normal bandits here don’t know who I really am.”

“Yes?” Baek Cheon was even more confused.

Baek Cheon looked completely lost. Lim Sobyeong just shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course, Beon Chung knows I am pretending to be the Green Forest King. But he doesn’t know that the *real* Green Forest King is here, with us.”

“……Do you really need to do all this?” Baek Cheon asked, still confused.

“To trick your enemy, you must even trick your friends sometimes. And shouldn’t a king be mysterious and hard to find?” Lim Sobyeong said with a smile.

……” Baek Cheon thought, “This man is definitely not normal.”

Just then, Yoo Iseol, who had been listening, spoke quietly.

“But.”

“Yes?” Lim Sobyeong turned to her.

“This must cause a lot of problems,” Yoo Iseol said simply.

“Ah.” Lim Sobyeong nodded again.

Lim Sobyeong shrugged. “It’s okay. The Green Forest Ten are like the Green Forest King’s best guards. But they also help the King manage all these mountain camps. When one of the Green Forest Ten visits a camp, they are treated like the Green Forest King himself is visiting.”

“Hmm,” Yoo Iseol hummed, understanding a little.

“So, this duel is important,” Lim Sobyeong said.

“Yes?” Baek Cheon asked.

Lim Sobyeong looked at Chung Myung and Beon Chung, his eyes becoming serious.

“What I mean is, the Green Forest Ten are known as very strong fighters in the Green Forest. If Chung Myung, the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua, can beat one of them, the Green Forest will see him as a powerful person and accept him as a friend. And the more strong friends we have, the better.”

Baek Cheon frowned slightly.

He still didn’t really understand how the Green Forest thought. But if the Green Forest King said it, it must be true.

“So, are the Green Forest Ten the strongest fighters in the Green Forest?” Baek Cheon asked.

“Ah, no, not exactly.” Lim Sobyeong explained. “The Green Forest Ten are mainly guards and helpers for the King. The most important parts of the Green Forest are the mountain camps themselves. And the strongest fighters are usually the leaders of the twelve biggest camps.”

“Ah… I see,” Baek Cheon said, understanding a little better.

“But don’t think the Green Forest Ten are weak,” Lim Sobyeong added. “To be honest, a normal young fighter from any sect would have no chance against Beon Chung, even if they trained their whole life again.”

When he heard this, Baek Cheon said calmly, “That might be true. For a *normal* young fighter.”

“For a normal *person*,” Yoo Iseol added quietly.

“If they were even *human*,” Jo Gol mumbled.

“……Yes?” Lim Sobyeong looked confused.

Lim Sobyeong looked back at them, not understanding. But Baek Cheon, instead of explaining, asked another question in a calm voice.

“So, if we compare him to a normal fighting group, is this Green Forest Ten Beon Chung as strong as a top student in a sect?”

“Hmm. It’s not exactly the same, but yes, something like that,” Lim Sobyeong replied.

“……Then Beon Chung has chosen the wrong person to fight,” Baek Cheon said quietly.

“Definitely,” Yoo Iseol agreed.

“……What are you all talking about?” Lim Sobyeong asked, looking puzzled.

The Mount Hua disciples looked at Lim Sobyeong and just sighed.

*You will understand soon. Very soon*, they thought.

“If you give up now, I will let your arms and legs stay in one piece,” Beon Chung said again.

“You keep talking about arms and legs. If your shoulder gets twisted, it will hurt a lot, you know?” Chung Myung replied.

“You little brat!” Beon Chung glared angrily.

“I know you are strong,” Beon Chung admitted, a little grudgingly.

“Yes?” Chung Myung raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t get famous for nothing. Even if it’s just talk, there must be some reason. So, you must be strong,” Beon Chung said.

“Hoo?” Chung Myung looked at Beon Chung with more interest. *Maybe he’s not so stupid after all?* Chung Myung thought.

“But still, you are just like a young plant grown in a safe garden, from a rich family. You can’t beat me in a real fight. Your sword might be sharp enough to scratch me, but it won’t break my bones,” Beon Chung boasted.

“Ah, really?” Chung Myung said, pretending to be surprised.

“The moment I grab you with my hands, you will know how weak your body is. Don’t regret it later!” Beon Chung warned.

“Hoo?” Chung Myung looked down at his *Plum Blossom Sword* (a sword with a beautiful name).

“Hmm. This is a problem,” Chung Myung said, pretending to think hard.

He felt like Beon Chung was looking down on the sword that Dang Boopyeong had made for him. Normally, Chung Myung would have pulled out his sword right away to show how sharp it was. But…

He finally untied the sword and pulled it out of its holder, but still holding the *holder* (the scabbard).

“Um?” Beon Chung was confused.

Then, Chung Myung pushed the sword and its holder straight down into the ground.

*Thud!*

The holder stuck deep into the earth.

“……What are you doing?” Beon Chung asked, tilting his head, not understanding at all.

Chung Myung grinned widely, a mischievous and confident grin.

“It seems you are very sure of your own strength,” Chung Myung said, his eyes sparkling.

And then, slowly, he raised both his fists.

“Let’s put aside our weapons and fight with just our strength!” Chung Myung announced.

“……” Beon Chung was completely stunned for a moment. Then, confusion turned into anger.

“With strength?” Beon Chung repeated, not believing it.

“Yes,” Chung Myung said simply.

“You are saying a swordsman will fight *me*, who is famous for being strong, with just strength?” Beon Chung asked again, making sure he heard right.

“Of course, it would be easier to use my sword,” Chung Myung said, a small smile playing on his lips. “But…”

Chung Myung smirked and moved his finger, beckoning Beon Chung to come closer, as if calling a dog.

“I have a bit of a bad habit. I like to beat people at what they think they are best at. You seem so sure of your strength, so why don’t you try to attack me with your strength?” Chung Myung challenged him.

“……” Beon Chung’s face slowly twisted in anger. He felt a burning rage inside him.

“Are… are you making fun of me?” Beon Chung growled, his voice shaking.

His pride was deeply hurt. His face turned bright red, and he screamed loudly.

“You little insect! How dare you!”

His huge body, with his red face, looked like a *demon* (like a Rakshasa, a scary monster from stories). He was so angry that the air around him felt heavy and dangerous.

“I will kill you!” Beon Chung roared.

With a burst of power, Beon Chung pushed off the ground and charged straight at Chung Myung.