Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 512

He gulped. His mouth was suddenly dry.

His fingers were cold and tense. They trembled and felt numb. He couldn’t calm his heart; it was beating too fast.

He just wanted his voice to be steady. He managed to say, though his voice shook a little, “Bishop.”

The chair was old and simple, not what you’d expect for someone like the Bishop. It was meant to show he was humble and focused on his faith, especially after failing to meet the Heavenly Demon. Usually, the chair made the enforcer feel faith. But now, all he felt was fear.

“…Problem?” The Bishop’s foot moved just a little. Even that small movement made the enforcer bow his head quickly, as if he had been burned.

“Speak.” The Bishop’s voice sounded calm, but it felt heavy, like a weight.

“The Ice Palace is gone.”

“It has fallen.”

“People who supported the old Palace Lord attacked it. They took over the Ice Palace. They killed Seol Cheon-sang. An old leader, who was kicked out before, is now in charge. He has made Seol So-baek, the old Palace Lord’s child, the new leader. This happened yesterday.”

“What happened to the Ice Crystal?”

“T-the Ice Crystal…” He stopped for a second, trying to hide how much his voice was shaking.

“We checked the Ice Crystal Mine. They said no more crystals are being made. It looks like someone went there before. They freed the people who were trapped, and they took all the Ice Crystals that were left.”

“Who was it?”

“…They seem to be people from the Central Plains.”

“The Central Plains?”

“Yes. Those who entered the Northern Sea the other day…”

“Those Central Plains people are getting in our way again!” Swish. The sound of the Bishop stroking his beard felt sharp and threatening to the enforcer.

“It was a mistake to entrust all this to someone like Seol Cheon-sang. If there was something truly to be done, I should have done it myself.”

“Guide me to them.”

“B-Bishop!” The enforcer was very worried and slammed his head on the ground. “I am useless! I have made things bad. Please, give me another chance! I will get the Ice Crystal back, I promise!”

“Nonsense.”

“This plan is huge. We have waited a hundred years for it. Even if it’s going wrong now, I can’t just blame others. How can I face the Heavenly Demon when he comes back if I do nothing? Lead the way!”

The enforcer slammed his head against the floor again.

“Please think about your health! Don’t forget the big plan we’ve had for a hundred years! If you get hurt over something small like this, our church’s dreams will be lost! Please, remember why we are here!”

“Go.”

“Take the followers and get the Ice Crystal back. Anyone who fights you, punish them badly. Make them pay for what they have done.”

“I will do it!” he shouted. “Heavenly Demon will be reborn! May demons bless us!” The enforcer jumped up and ran out quickly.

The Bishop, watching his back filled with determination, slowly sat down on the chair. His brow was deeply furrowed as he clutched his chest.

“Central Plains people…” Just hearing those words made him feel sick with anger. He remembered *that day*. The day the church was destroyed. He was young then, just becoming Bishop after the last one died in the war. What happened that day was too awful for him to forget. Even after a hundred years, he still saw it in his mind. But… soon… “The church’s fire will never die. It will burn you all.” His eyes were full of madness.

Cheong-myeong stared at Seol So-baek with a blank look.

Then, he smiled bitterly and opened his mouth.

“That chair’s gonna eat you alive.”

Seol So-baek also met his gaze with a slightly awkward expression.

Seol So-baek sat on the huge Palace Lord’s chair. It was covered in white fur and shiny jewels. He looked small and awkward in such a grand chair. It was too big and fancy for a young boy like him.

‘It’s just like looking at that guy’s situation right now.’

He had been placed in the position of Palace Lord against his will, and this was not exactly a good result for Seol So-baek. At least, that’s what Cheong-myeong thought.

“Ahem.”

Yeo Sa-hon, standing next to Seol So-baek, looked at Cheong-myeong with an exceedingly pleased expression. His eyes held both gentleness and caution.

Yeo Sa-hon had been polite before, calling them ‘benefactors.’ But now, he was even more polite. He stood straighter and bowed deeper.

Cheong-myeong had won the war almost by himself. He had gone into the enemy camp, killed Seol Cheon-sang, and stopped the fighting. Yeo Sa-hon’s people and the Mount Hua disciples helped, but everyone knew Cheong-myeong was the reason they won. Without him, they would have lost. He had changed everything.

As a martial artist, he deserved respect, and as an Ice Palace warrior, he could only admire him.

Yeo Sa-hon spoke to Cheong-myeong with the utmost respect and admiration.

“So, is your body alright?”

“Do I look alright? Are your eyes not working properly?”

Yeo Sa-hon’s respect diminished slightly.

“…It seems the injury is significant.”

“You seem perfectly fine, Elder.”

Yeo Sa-hon’s respect diminished a little more.

“This is unbelievable! I came from far away and got hurt fighting for you. But you people who are fighting for your own home are all fine? Oh, world! My bones hurt so much, I can barely stand.”

“Th-that…”

Yeo Sa-hon’s face turned red.

He hadn’t meant to be ungrateful, but Cheong-myeong was right. Yeo Sa-hon was not hurt at all.

He had a petty thought of showing off the bruises from the energy strike, but he quietly covered it up because he felt like he wouldn’t get anything out of it if he clumsily opened his mouth.

“Th-that…”

“And!”

Cheong-myeong shouted abruptly, as if he hadn’t finished speaking, and distorted his face.

“You people need to be fair! If someone gets hurt fighting for you, shouldn’t you get them doctors? Not just leave them to heal themselves! Doctors, please!”

No, you guys said you would do it that way…

There were so many things he could say. But Yeo Sa-hon couldn’t bring any of them out. Because he also had a sense of shame.

“If you can’t provide treatment, you should at least give them some of the elixirs you’ve been hoarding! That’s the way people live! Ugh, the Northern Sea is so heartless and harsh…”

“Ah, Father.”

Seol So-baek, with a slightly pale face, opened his mouth as the grumbling continued. Han I-myeong quickly corrected the young Palace Lord’s words.

“You must call him Head Attendant, Palace Lord.”

“Yes, Head Attendant Han. Do you happen to have any elixirs left in the Ice Palace?”

“…There is one that was recovered from Seol Cheon-sang’s residence.”

“Q-quickly, give him one.”

“Hurry.”

“I will have my subordinates bring it.”

Only then did Cheong-myeong smile, looking pleased, like a cat that had just eaten a big meal.

“No, well. It’s not like I was specifically asking for it, I was just saying it… I feel a bit embarrassed that you’re coming out like this.”

Yeo Sa-hon’s eyes twitched.

Just saying it?

He looked like he was about to grab a sword and charge if they didn’t give him an elixir!

But before he could say anything, the disciples of Mount Hua made the first move.

“Kuh, look at our Cheong-myeong. So clever.”

“Of course, of course. You have to get what you deserve. Your body is hurt.”

“Smart.”

Baek Cheon looked back at them with a bewildered face. But they raised their chins with brazen faces.

Baek Cheon, outnumbered, turned his head back powerlessly.

‘It’s over.’

Everything is ruined.

Whether he knew of Baek Cheon’s bewilderment or not, Cheong-myeong was only looking at Seol So-baek with a nonchalant attitude.

“How is it?”

The young Palace Lord seemed slightly embarrassed by the sudden question.

“Your impressions of sitting in that seat.”

Seol So-baek, who understood only after Cheong-myeong spoke again, quickly nodded and swallowed hard.

“I don’t know yet. I’m too flustered.”

Cheong-myeong chuckled.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

But he shook his head, as if he was about to say something more but changed his mind.

“Well, that’s that. So…”

And he turned his gaze to Yeo Sa-hon, who was standing next to him.

“When are you going to depart?”

“Depart? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t think you’re asking because you don’t know?”

As Cheong-myeong questioned him with his eyes, Yeo Sa-hon hesitated slightly before letting out an exclamation as if he had finally understood.

“Ah. You mean that.”

“Yes, the Demonic Sect.”

Cheong-myeong’s voice, when he brought up the words ‘Demonic Sect,’ was somehow gloomy.

“I don’t think we have time to dawdle, shouldn’t we start soon?”

“Hmm, that’s right. But…”

A slightly troubled look crossed Yeo Sa-hon’s face.

“Listen, young Daoist. Maybe you don’t know, but the Demonic Sect is really dangerous.”

“I know.”

*I know too well. That’s the problem.*

“And we are very tired after this war. Fighting enemies we might not even beat when we are strong is going to be very hard.”

“I know that too.”

At Cheong-myeong’s short answer, Yeo Sa-hon awkwardly opened his mouth.

“So, what I mean is… you are from the Central Plains, right? Maybe you should go back there and get more help. We can try to defend ourselves here while you are gone. Then, we can *really* defeat those bad Demonic Sect people, okay?”

Cheong-myeong looked at Yeo Sa-hon and smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile. Then he looked at Seol So-baek.

“Did you hear him?”

“…Yes?”

“These are the people you have around you.” Cheong-myeong’s voice became colder and colder. “The Northern Sea is suffering, not just because of Seol Cheon-sang. It’s because of *this*. Remember that.” Suddenly, the room felt freezing cold.