Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 501

A loud, urgent voice made Seol Cheon-sang jump. He looked up, annoyed.

The door to his office burst open, and an elder rushed in, panting.

“What’s wrong?” Seol Cheon-sang asked, his voice cold.

Usually, he would be polite to an elder. Even if he didn’t like them, he needed the elders in the Ice Palace to listen to him and follow his orders.

But now, he knew someone in the Ice Palace was telling secrets to the Demonic Sect. This made him angry, and he couldn’t be nice.

“Calm down and talk. What’s wrong?”

The elder’s face was red as he shouted, “Warriors are attacking the Ice Palace!”

Seol Cheon-sang frowned.

Anyone would be shocked by this news. Seol Cheon-sang tried to stay calm. But what the elder said next made his calm disappear completely.

“The followers of the previous Palace Lord have gathered and are attacking…”

“What!”

Seol Cheon-sang slammed his fist on the desk and stood up quickly. The marble desk cracked with a loud BANG! Stone pieces flew everywhere. Seol Cheon-sang’s face was red with rage.

“How dare they…” He had worked so hard to secure his position. This rebellion threatened everything.

He knew that some followers he hadn’t caught were still hiding in the Northern Sea.

He hadn’t caught them all because he didn’t have enough people to search everywhere in the Northern Sea.

He thought that without their leader, these scattered groups wouldn’t come together again, unless Seol So-baek himself showed up.

“How could those bastards gather again?”

“Well, it seems the former elders who escaped from the mine are using the son of the previous Palace Lord to gather the remaining followers.”

When Seol Cheon-sang heard “elder” and “son of the previous Palace Lord,” he became even angrier.

“Who is leading them?”

“They say they saw First Elder leading… Ah, no, Yeo Sa-hon.”

“I let those weaklings live because I thought they were nothing. And now they dare to attack the Ice Palace? How dare they!” Seol Cheon-sang roared.

“Get ready to fight them now!”

“Yes, Palace Lord!”

“Call back everyone who is searching outside and close the gates!”

“Yes!”

“Move now!”

The elder didn’t answer and hurried out because Seol Cheon-sang shouted so fiercely.

Seol Cheon-sang was left alone in his office, unable to calm down. He gasped for air.

‘In the mine, and now even Seol So-baek?’

He had just heard that the missing search teams had returned and stopped the Mount Hua disciples from capturing the son of the previous Palace Lord.

“What are those bastards doing…”

Seol So-baek and Yeo Sa-hon.

The Mount Hua disciples had gotten involved with those two who should never have met. It was hard to believe. What had those bastards done in such a short time to make such ridiculous things happen one after another?

“…No. This is better.”

Seol Cheon-sang started to walk forward.

He was already planning to deal with those Mount Hua bastards anyway.

“This is my chance to kill Seol So-baek, the remaining followers, and those Mount Hua bastards!”

A blue, deadly aura came from Seol Cheon-sang’s eyes.

A huge group of warriors charged across the wide, snow-covered plains. The wind whipped snow around them as they ran.

As they moved forward, more people joined them.

“Amazing.”

“This is great! They are really motivated.”

The Mount Hua disciples watched with surprise as the warriors charged forward.

They thought the warriors were already motivated when they started, but they became even more motivated as time passed.

“But isn’t that normal? More supporters keep joining.”

“That’s right.”

The group started with two hundred people, grew to four hundred with the people who escaped from the mine, and then reached five hundred with the people who joined along the way.

Even the Mount Hua disciples, who were just watching, started to feel hopeful. They thought, ‘Maybe this will actually work.’ Imagine how excited the people fighting must feel!

“With so many people, why have they been oppressed for so long?”

Baek Cheon quietly answered Jo Gul’s question.

“It’s like having a lot of wood, but no fire to burn it.”

“…And now the fire has been lit?”

“That’s right.”

“Things are different here than in the Central Plains. Just telling people that Young Master Seol is alive has made everyone join them.”

“That’s not it.”

“…Yes?”

Baek Cheon didn’t answer, but looked ahead with a sad expression.

Seol So-baek had been alive before.

Han Yi-myung hadn’t revealed this until now because he was waiting for the right moment.

Even if they gathered all the people who supported Seol So-baek, they couldn’t defeat the Ice Palace.

“If those who escaped from the Ice Crystal Mine didn’t exist, people wouldn’t have joined, no matter how much they heard about Seol So-baek. They think it’s worth trying because those people are here.”

“That’s definitely true.”

Baek Cheon glanced back with a strange look.

‘When you think about it, it’s all because of that bastard again…’

If Chung Myung hadn’t caused chaos in the mine, this wouldn’t be happening. Even if they escaped, they would have still been trapped if Chung Myung hadn’t freed them.

It was starting to get scary.

Who would have thought that one person could do so much in a foreign land where they didn’t know anyone?

‘He really is amazing…’

“What are you looking at?”

“……”

Baek Cheon shook his head and looked forward.

‘In many ways.’

Many thoughts filled Baek Cheon’s head, but he pushed them away.

The Ice Palace walls, pure white and now familiar to them, appeared in the distance.

“Sasuk!”

“Yeah.”

Baek Cheon said, “The Ice Palace.”

He felt different now than when he had first seen the walls.

Before, he was amazed by how grand and white the walls were.

But now, they felt heavy and scary.

The thick gates and towering walls, so high that he couldn’t see the top, reminded him that they were facing the Northern Ice Palace, which controlled the Northern Sea.

“Sasuk.”

“…Yeah.”

It seemed they weren’t the only ones who felt the weight of the walls.

The warriors, who had been so motivated, were now slowing down.

Without anyone saying anything, they gradually slowed down.

Finally, when they were about a hundred steps from the walls, everyone stopped.

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing echoed loudly. Even the blizzard was quiet, and the small sound made everyone feel tense.

“Ice Palace…”

“It is the Ice Palace.”

“……”

Baek Cheon was surprised. The warriors had been so motivated, but now they seemed hesitant.

‘Is it more scary to face the Ice Palace as someone who lives in the Northern Sea?’

He didn’t know if it was because they were loyal to the Ice Palace or because they knew how strong the Ice Palace was.

At that moment, when everyone was hesitant, someone said,

“What are you doing?”

“……”

Baek Cheon turned his head, annoyed.

The most clueless person in the world was walking forward. He looked confused about why they were blocking the way.

Baek Cheon said quietly, “…It seems we’ve arrived at the Ice Palace.”

“Then we need to go faster! Why are we just standing here instead of going in?” Chung Myung asked loudly.

“Well…” Baek Cheon hesitated. He stopped talking because others were listening. He couldn’t say out loud that these people seemed to have become scared.

“Why? Are you deciding who gets to be in the lead? Does everyone want to be at the front?”

Chung Myung grinned and walked forward confidently.

He stopped in front of Seol Sobaek.

Seol Sobaek looked up at Chung Myung, his face pale and tense. (Seol Sobaek thought, *’I’m so afraid, but I have to be brave.’*)

Chung Myung smiled gently and said, “Why the long face?”

“Yes?”

“It’s not always good for a child to be too smart too soon. A child should be a child.”

Chung Myung put his hand on the boy’s head and ruffled his hair roughly.

“I told you, you don’t need to do anything.”

“D-Do…sa-nim.”

“Always acting like an old man.”

Chung Myung chuckled and took his hand off Seol Sobaek’s head.

“You’ve done well just by coming this far. So, straighten your shoulders. Straighten your face, too. From now on, *we* adults will take care of things.”

From behind, Jo Gul grumbled.

“Says the one who’s not fully grown himself.”

“Jo Gul, shut your mouth.”

“Yes.”

Yoon Jong glared quietly, and Jo Gul flinched, shrinking back.

Chung Myung stared silently at the Ice Palace’s walls, walls of ice, shining like glass in the cold sun. Then he abruptly pointed his Plum Blossom Sword forward.

“Sasuk.”

“Yes.”

“Get ready. Let’s go.”

“Right!”

Baek Cheon stood beside Chung Myung without another word. Yuisul, with precise steps, stood next to Baek Cheon, on the opposite side of Chung Myung, and Tang Soso quickly followed behind them.

“Ugh. Feels like I’m always on the front lines these days.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s familiar and nice, isn’t it?”

Jo Gul and Yoon Jong supported Chung Myung from behind.

“Amitabha.”

Hae Yeon stood firmly behind Yoon Jong with an unwavering expression.

Watching the Mount Hua disciples form their ranks, Yeo Sahon asked, looking worried,

“W-What are you trying to do?”

“Hehe. This old man is saying some funny things. What else would we do, coming all the way here? We’re just going to charge right in.”

Yeo Sahon shut his mouth tightly at Chung Myung’s casual words.

This was what he should have been doing.

“Wait a moment… First, we need to form a formation…”

“Old man.”

Chung Myung looked at Yeo Sahon and smirked.

“In war, hesitating will ruin everything. Fear only grows stronger with time. And once a fire goes out, you can’t revive it no matter what you do.”

Yeo Sahon’s face was still filled with worry.

“Don’t worry.”

Chung Myung grinned.

“I’m the best at starting fires, after all.”

Baek Cheon, who was listening, nodded quietly.

“You’re better at starting fires than being a Taoist priest.”

“Dongryong, be quiet.”

Yeo Sahon stared blankly at Chung Myung.

‘Is this guy really not scared?’

They were facing the Ice Palace with not enough soldiers. Even if he didn’t know much about the Ice Palace, there was no way he could be this fearless.

Also, not only Chung Myung, but none of his friends seemed scared.

‘What on earth is the Mount Hua Sect…?’

Chung Myung said firmly,

“Anyway, if you’re too scared to go, just stay here. We’ll take care of it.”

“What!”

“How insolent!”

Angry shouts erupted: ‘Who do you think you are?!’ and ‘We are not cowards!’

The prisoners of the Gwangsan, who had been helped by the Mount Hua disciples, couldn’t join in, but those who didn’t know Chung Myung and Mount Hua seemed deeply offended.

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

Chung Myung smiled at those who were angry.

“I heard people from the Northern Sea are very brave and strong, but now I see you are smart enough to be scared. You’re too scared to fight the Ice Palace, but you think we’re easy targets?”

Snap! Crack!

The sounds of teeth grinding and fists clenching came from all around.

“We…”

“Ah, that’s enough.”

Someone tried to shout something, but Chung Myung stopped them with a wave of his hand.

“There’s no point in arguing. If you’re not cowards, then prove it. We’ll start first.”

Chung Myung turned sharply.

“Sasuk!”

“Right!”

The air crackled with tension.

Baek Cheon drew his sword without hesitating. Then, the rest of the Mount Hua disciples drew their swords together.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Baek Cheon took the lead and started running. The Mount Hua disciples and Hae Yeon followed behind him like black arrows flying towards the ice, without looking back.

The remaining people stared, shocked.

“Th-Th-Those…!”

“This is…!”

The warriors of the Northern Sea stared with confused faces.

Then,

Yeo Sahon looked at the Mount Hua disciples. Their courage was like a fire, burning away his fear.

Yeo Sahon roared at the top of his lungs.

“This is *our* fight! This is for the Northern Sea! Are we going to let outsiders be braver than us?”

His eyes were blazing as if he had never been afraid.

“A Northern Sea warrior would rather die than be shamed! Let’s go!”

The warriors of the Northern Sea, their faces red with anger, shouted together.

Yeo Sahon started running, and those who had been standing still rushed towards the walls with great speed.