Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 583

“Let’s go, you bandit!”

At the voice, Dongwoong looked at the mountain path ahead, his eyes tired.

He was a bandit, at least in name.

Daebyeolsan was like his own front yard, but even though he was a bandit, he didn’t feel strong entering the mountains. Instead, he felt a deep sadness he had never felt before.

The rope around his body tightened.

Tied up tightly and forced to lead the way, Dongwoong looked back with very sad eyes.

“What?”

Chung Myung asked directly, his face saying, ‘What’s the problem?’

“Nothing.”

Of course, he had a lot to say. So much. But it wouldn’t work on this monster. He hadn’t known Chung Myung for long, but it was enough to know what kind of person he was.

“Why do you keep looking back?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“This bandit should be very grateful to me for letting him live, but he keeps looking annoyed? Why? Is the rope uncomfortable? Should I just cut off your arms so you don’t need it?”

“N-no, it’s absolutely not uncomfortable! It’s as comfortable as if I’ve been tied up since birth!”

Dongwoong answered urgently.

He could cut the rope if he wanted to. But Dongwoong knew this rope was his lifeline. If he cut it, that devilish monster would cut his neck.

‘How did I end up in this situation?’

He promised himself that if he survived, he would never even think of Mount Hua again.

“You’re walking awfully slow? Are you resisting?”

“W-well, the path here is a bit rough. I was worried someone might fall behind if we go too fast.”

“What?”

“I-I’m not looking down on the Mount Hua disciples.”

“No, before that. What did you say?”

“Yes? T-that the path here is a bit rough.”

Chung Myung looked at the Mount Hua disciples with an unhappy look.

The other disciples who heard Dongwoong’s words were confused.

“So, this is a mountain path?”

“I’ve been yawning the whole time wondering when we’d enter the mountains.”

“You don’t think this path is rough, do you? Does this mean a rough path is coming up?”

Dongwoong’s face twitched.

‘That doesn’t seem like a bluff?’

Judging by their faces, they really didn’t understand his words.

Then, one fact came to his mind.

‘Ah, these people are from the Mount Hua Sect, aren’t they?’

The Mount Hua Sect was on ‘Mount Hua.’

Among the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains, Mount Hua was famous for being very hard to climb.

Having spent their lives on Mount Hua, where even birds had to rest, Mount Heng probably looked like a backyard to them.

‘So why do these guys seem more like bandits than I do!’

It seemed like he should be the Taoist and these guys should be the bandits.

“Rough?”

“No. I was wrong. I will go as fast as possible.”

“Don’t just talk, move!”

“Yes!”

As Dongwoong hurried to climb, Chung Myung clicked his tongue and followed him.

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Huh?”

“Is it safe to trust this man?”

“It’s fine.”

Chung Myung laughed at Baek Cheon’s question.

“He doesn’t seem smart enough to pull off any tricks.”

“I suppose. He certainly looks that way.”

Whether Dongwoong was suffering or not, the two continued their conversation, ignoring him.

“And Daebyeolchae is at the top, and we’re visiting the other camps first. So there’s even less chance of him pulling any tricks.”

“Why?”

“Why else? Would bandits who have no loyalty risk their lives for bandits from another camp? If they had that kind of loyalty, they wouldn’t be bandits.”

“Hmm. That’s true.”

Lim Sobyeong cleared his throat quietly at the criticism of bandits.

“Dojang. It’s embarrassing to say this, but there is such a thing as loyalty among bandits.”

“The guy who got backstabbed by his own subordinate should be quiet.”

“Yes.”

As Lim Sobyeong sulked, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“Anyway, these bandits try to take care of everything. They don’t know their place.”

Hearing Chung Myung’s grumbling, Hyeonja Bae and Unja Bae shook their heads.

They were heading to attack some of the top bandit camps. Even those with experience would be nervous in this situation.

‘Doesn’t that guy feel any tension?’

‘Anyway, a prodigy is a prodigy.’

Chung Myung seemed as relaxed as someone going to buy alcohol. And it wasn’t just Chung Myung.

Hyun Sang’s head turned slightly back.

He saw the Mount Hua disciples following with determined faces. They were different from when they entered Jangsa.

‘They’ve gained confidence.’

Position makes a person, and fame makes them proud.

The cheers in Jangsa were the first encouragement these disciples had ever received. Some had received cheers at the Mount Hua Tournament, but most had never been respected so much.

It might seem small, but people gained confidence from such things.

Hyun Sang thought as he looked at Chung Myung.

‘He’s truly mysterious.’

He ignored small things, only looked at the results, and charged forward, but he also took care of the smallest details, giving confidence to his disciples.

That brat sometimes showed a maturity that even he couldn’t match.

He had spent years with Chung Myung, yet Hyun Sang was still learning new things about him.

‘Anyway.’

The fact that those who would soon face a battle had confidence was good.

Just looking at the disciples, who weren’t scared despite invading enemy territory, proved that.

Whether Chung Myung had planned this far ahead was something he couldn’t know.

“Hehe.”

Watching the disciples grow was always good. Once this was over, he would step back and support them.

“Ah, please go faster! What are you doing being so slow!”

His thoughts returned to reality thanks to Hyun Young, who was poking his back with a grimace. Hyun Sang smiled at Hyun Young.

‘It’s impossible before this guy steps down.’

The sect would be a mess! Absolutely!

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung turned around. Hyun Sang said with a serious face.

“I heard that if we continue this way, Jeokungchae will be the first to appear.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If we arrive, we’ll have to fight right away. What are you planning to do?”

“What do you mean, what to do?”

“Don’t you have a plan?”

“Ah, plan.”

Chung Myung smiled as if he understood.

“Elder. Have you ever heard this saying?”

“What saying?”

“Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated!”

“Yes, yes. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you will not be in danger!”

Hyun Sang nodded, as if Chung Myung had said something right. It was good to hear such normal words from that guy.

“If we can understand the enemy and create a perfect plan, there will be no problem in fighting them.”

“Right! Right! Our Chung Myung also knows military strategy!”

It was a statement that would make military experts upset, but this was Hyun Sang’s honest feeling.

However, Chung Myung’s next words ruined his expectations.

“But we don’t know the enemy.”

“Huh?”

“What do we know about Jeokungchae or Hyeolrangchae? Even they don’t know much about themselves, so how can we know?”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“We need to know the enemy to create a plan, but since we don’t know the enemy, we have no plan.”

Why does it have to be that way?

“T-then, are you saying we’re just going to fight without any plan?”

“Hey, Elder.”

“Yes?”

“Plans are for the weak to beat the strong. We’re stronger, so why should we make a plan? We can just charge in.”

It sounded like nonsense, but it seemed right.

It seemed like no one could make nonsense sound so real like Chung Myung.

Still, Hyun Sang tried to persuade him.

“No, still, we need to have some kind of plan.”

It was then.

“It’s there!”

“Oh, my.”

Why already?

A wooden fence taller than a person appeared before Hyun Sang.

“A bandit camp.”

“A bandit camp indeed.”

“It’s obviously a bandit den.”

Chung Myung clapped as he looked at the wooden fence.

“It’s nice to see them trying to be bandits even when they come to someone else’s mountain.”

The wooden fence, made by cutting down thick trees, looked new. Even though they might not stay long, the bandits had cut down trees and built a camp quickly.

“Hehe.”

“What are you grinning at?”

Chung Myung frowned as Lim Sobyeong smiled proudly. Lim Sobyeong puffed out his chest and said.

“It says, ‘The ruler should be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, and the son a son’? Although they are bandits, it was beautiful to see them being faithful to their roles.”

“So you’re saying the world is beautiful when bandits are being bandit-like?”

“…”

“Isn’t this guy crazy?”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue as if he had seen something pathetic and turned to everyone.

“Elder.”

“Ummm.”

Hyun Sang looked back and forth between Chung Myung and the bandit camp before sighing.

‘There’s no other way.’

They had already reached the enemy, so what plan could they make?

“Ugh. Will it be alright?”

“Hey. Elder, you’ve become scared. What’s there to worry about when we’re just cleaning up some unimportant bandits? We can just destroy it all.”

The other disciples were excited, as if they agreed. Hyun Sang’s head hurt as he looked at the disciples fidgeting with their swords.

‘Anyone would think you guys came to rob them.’

In the end, he gave up and nodded.

“Be careful not to get hurt.”

Baek Cheon, who received Hyun Sang’s gaze, nodded.

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon and Chung Myung looked at each other.

“Right away?”

“Yeah.”

“The vanguard?”

“Well, Sasook can go first, but.”

Chung Myung grinned and walked forward.

“It’s better to start with a bang, don’t you think?”

Pushing Dongwoong aside and taking the lead, he stood in front of the wooden fence.

“Eura-chaa!”

Without hesitating, he kicked the wooden fence.

The shattered wooden fences flew like leaves, sweeping through the bandit camp.

The giant trees fell on the huts and tents inside the bandit camp.

“What, what is it!”

“Is it an attack!”

“Who are these guys!”

The bandits quickly drew their swords and rushed out.

“What else could it be, you bastards.”

Chung Myung grinned and said.

“It’s divine punishment. Sweep them all away!”

“Oooooooooh!”

The Mount Hua disciples drew their swords and charged towards the bandits.