Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 450

“Ugh…”

Groans kept coming. Baek Cheon looked at Im So-byeong with pity.

His face, already pale and sick, was now very pale blue, like a dead man.

But it wasn’t his sickness getting worse…

“Kreeeeuh!”

Chung Myung clapped his hands together, chuckling.

Unlike Im So-byeong, who looked like he was dying, Chung Myung was full of energy.

“Hehe. Green Forest King, you are very generous, just as I thought! I’m impressed.”

Everyone else felt sad hearing these words from the man who had just forced someone to be generous.

Im So-byeong, who had been robbed of all his secret emergency money, slumped in his chair. The tiger skin, that showed he was the Green Forest King, now looked like it would eat Im So-byeong.

Baek Cheon shook his head.

‘I know, why did he get mixed up with that monster?’

People can be similar.

They can even get along well.

But could there really be two people like Chung Myung in the world?

He hadn’t searched every place in the world to check every person, but he was sure there couldn’t be another monster like him. Baek Cheon would bet everything he had on that fact.

Im So-byeong made a mistake by not knowing this.

“…The seal.”

Im So-byeong glared at Chung Myung, his eyes full of anger.

“I hope you keep your promise! You really must!”

“Hey. Of course I will. It’s not like I’ve never done business before.”

Chung Myung chuckled and just laughed.

The other Mount Hua disciples felt both sad and relieved at the same time.

‘It’s not just us who suffer.’

‘Seeing even the Green Forest King suffer like that, it means we are not so stupid.’

They understood again that everyone suffered the same way when Chung Myung was around.

“So, when will I get the goods?”

“I’ll send them later when I get to Mount Hua.”

“Kkeueung. Can I really trust you?”

“Hey, would a Taoist like me lie?”

“That’s what I mean. A Taoist…”

Im So-byeong clenched his teeth. The Mount Hua disciples could tell what he wanted to say but didn’t.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Honestly, we should apologize for him.’

Im So-byeong raised his hand and rubbed his face.

“Kkeueuung.”

He glared at Chung Myung with angry red eyes through his fingers.

‘Oh no, a Taoist is supposed to be better than this…’

He had been robbed of the money he earned because he was the Green Forest King, and also all the money from his ancestors. And now, he had to sell the things in the Green Forest’s warehouse.

“The payment… Please wait a little. I need to sell the things first…”

“Ah. I’ll send someone to help with that.”

“…Yes?”

Chung Myung smiled brightly.

“I know many merchant groups. They will give you a fair price, honestly. Should I call them now?”

“Ya, honestly… Honestly? Cough! Cough! Keuk. My chest! Cough! Cough!”

Im So-byeong bent over and coughed violently. He coughed up blood, and Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk tsk. That’s why you need to take your medicine and get better quickly. It makes me sad to see you like this.” (said sarcastically)

“Th, this! Cough! Whose fault is it!”

Im So-byeong rolled his eyes and pointed at Chung Myung. If this kept going, he would die of anger before he got better.

‘What kind of Taoist is so obsessed with money!’

Even the greediest merchants wouldn’t be this bad.

But Chung Myung just shrugged when he saw Im So-byeong’s anger.

“Now, now, let’s think positive. You can always make more money. Your health is most important, your health.”

“Kkeueuk… Wa, water!”

“Here it is!”

Beon Chung quickly ran over and gave him a gourd.

Im So-byeong quickly grabbed the gourd and drank the water. Then, he immediately spat it all out.

“This is alcohol, you idiot!”

“Huh? I, I must have mixed them up? I was preparing both, so I just…”

“Cough! I, I’m going to cough!”

Baek Cheon quietly shook his head.

‘He’s going to die like this.’

Im So-byeong wiped his mouth and stared at Chung Myung for a long time, then sighed deeply.

“…Anyway, I hope you keep your promise.”

“Of course.”

Chung Myung nodded, looking pleased.

“And you also need to keep your promise, Green Forest King. I gave you a special discount, remember?”

“…If you hadn’t given me a discount, the Green Forest would have gone bankrupt.”

Im So-byeong smiled sadly.

“If you need it quickly, do you want to come to Mount Hua with me? I can give it to you right away if you come.”

“I refuse.”

Im So-byeong shook his head strongly and quickly when Chung Myung said this.

“Why? Is it because we are good people?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go to Mount Hua, it’s that I don’t even want to go near Mount Hua. I’m afraid I’ll cough up blood and die before I even get there!”

That was a good point. Jo Gul nodded quietly.

“He’s a smart man.”

“Wise.”

“He’s learned. A clever man.”

He wasn’t wearing that scholar’s robe for nothing.

“Anyway.”

Im So-byeong waved his fan without opening it.

“In my whole life, this is the first time I’ve seen someone come to a fortress in the mountains and rob it. No wonder everyone is talking about Mount Hua lately.”

“Well, it’s normal.”

“Kkeueung. I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

Im So-byeong sighed, looking regretful, and Chung Myung smiled slightly.

“Don’t complain so much. You are making a profitable deal.”

“…”

Im So-byeong’s face, which had become a little stiff, twitched.

“I’m only doing this much because of our future relationship. But don’t forget that we are helping you out here.”

“Haha.”

Im So-byeong just laughed quietly at Chung Myung’s words, without saying anything else.

“Then.”

Chung Myung finished talking and turned around quickly.

“I trust you will keep your promise. I’ll send the goods as soon as I get back to Mount Hua.”

“Taoist.”

Then, Im So-byeong called out to him in a voice a little quieter than before.

“What are you going to do with the seal?”

It was a sudden question. Everyone who had been listening to them tilted their heads, not understanding what it meant.

“Well.”

Chung Myung just shrugged as if he understood why Im So-byeong asked that.

“It’s just to make everyone get along.”

“…Is that really all?”

Chung Myung quietly looked at Im So-byeong.

Im So-byeong’s eyes didn’t change, but his grip tightened.

Squeeze.

The fan bent like it might break.

Chung Myung grinned.

“We need to fix problems before they get worse, you know,” Chung Myung said. He meant it was important to fix things before they became big issues.

“Well then.”

Chung Myung walked out. The Mount Hua disciples bowed to Im So-byeong before following him.

Im So-byeong stared at the spot where Chung Myung had been standing, not saying anything for a long time.

“Is something wrong?” Beon Chung asked, confused. But Im So-byeong just shook his head.

“No. Nothing at all.”

But his face looked different than before.

‘What is inside him?’

The chilling look in Chung Myung’s eyes, just for a moment, was hard to forget.

Creak!

“Hyungnim! Are you really leaving like this!” Beon Chung shouted loudly. Chung Myung made a face and covered his ears on the cart.

“Keep it down!”

“Sorry. I’m just naturally loud.”

“Tsk.”

‘The more I see him, the more I want to introduce him to the Wild Beast Palace Lord.’

“A Taoist shouldn’t hang around bandit places for too long. I did what I came to do, so I’m leaving.”

“That is true, but…” Beon Chung looked at Chung Myung with a sincere and sad face, then lowered his big shoulders.

“I wish I could take you all the way to Mount Hua, but…”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Chung Myung waved his hand, looking scared.

“There’s already a Taoist, a monk, and a beggar here. Should we really add a bandit to the group?”

That was also true. Still, Beon Chung clicked his tongue, looking sad.

“We’ll meet again soon.”

“Yes, Hyungnim! I’ll be waiting!”

It was a nice sight. Baek Cheon and the others, ready to pull the cart, smiled.

‘They’ve only known each other for two days.’

‘You’d think they’d been friends for ten years, looking at them.’

Beon Chung called Chung Myung ‘Hyungnim’ even though Chung Myung was much smaller. Chung Myung accepted it like it was normal. Both were strange.

The people who came to see them off were also surprised and whispered to each other. Cheol Sin-jang, one of the Green Forest Ten Heroes, seemed surprised to see himself being so friendly with a Taoist from Mount Hua.

Hong Dae-gwang narrowed his eyes and thought.

‘Soon, everyone in the Green Forest will know the name of the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.’

He didn’t fully trust Cheol Sin-jang’s intentions. It seemed like more than just Cheol Sin-jang’s loyalty.

“Please be careful on your trip.”

Im So-byeong, acting as a Military Strategist, walked over and greeted Chung Myung.

“Take care of yourself.”

“I won’t die before then.”

Chung Myung and Im So-byeong looked at each other briefly, as if they didn’t need to say more.

“Then let’s go! Sasook, Sago, Sahyung!”

“Ugh.”

With a groan, the cart started moving slowly, leaving Daeho Fortress behind.

“Farewell!”

“Long live Mount Hua!”

“Long live the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua!”

Loud cheers echoed from behind. Chung Myung, sitting on the cart, waved slowly to the bandits of Daeho Fortress.

“It seems the Fortress Lord is leaving the fortress.”

“So it seems.”

The Mount Hua disciples sighed and walked faster.

Im So-byeong watched the cart get smaller until it was gone. Then, he opened his fan. He kept looking in the distance.

“The wind is cold.”

Heuk-yaho came to Im So-byeong, worried.

“The wind…”

Im So-byeong said something unclear, like he didn’t want to go inside.

“Yes, the wind.”

“A change is coming. Big things are going to happen.”

“Do you mean Mount Hua?” Heuk-yaho asked. Im So-byeong nodded. Then, he looked thoughtful and said,

“Heuk-yaho.”

“Yes.”

“When was the last time the good and evil groups worked together?”

“Well… wasn’t it when the evil group got strong last time? They had to work together to survive.”

Im So-byeong nodded.

“I hear Mount Hua has been traveling around the world lately.”

“Aren’t they just starting and growing their business?”

“Even bringing in us from the evil group?”

“Well…” Heuk-yaho didn’t finish his sentence. Im So-byeong shook his head and said,

“There are many ways to do it. But that man called us on purpose. And then…”

He stopped talking.

‘To give me the Honwon Pill, of all things.’

There were many ways to work together without giving the Honwon Pill. If Chung Myung hadn’t said those words, Im So-byeong wouldn’t have known Mount Hua had the Honwon Pill until he died.

Even though he had taken a lot of money, the Honwon Pill was worth more to Im So-byeong than money.

“He gathers people from both good and evil groups, giving favors and making connections.”

Im So-byeong’s eyes shone.

“Like he’s getting ready for something big.”

“Something big?” Heuk-yaho asked carefully. Im So-byeong looked down and shook his head.

“I don’t know either.”

“But I know one thing. Don’t judge that man by what you see now. He may seem silly, but all his actions have a reason.”

“Can that young Taoist be better than Byeongseo-saeng’s plans?”

“A young Taoist?” Im So-byeong chuckled.

“You can tame a tiger, but you can’t control a dragon. Even a young dragon is the same.”

“Things will get busy.”

Im So-byeong said unclear words and turned around slowly.