Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 59

Dark energy was around Hwang Mun-yak’s head. It felt alive and was fighting back.

‘I can’t touch this carelessly.’

This was a troublesome situation.

If Chung Myung attacked without thinking, Hwang Mun-yak could die. Chung Myung felt like death was watching him, waiting for him to fail.

But if he backed away?

‘That would be even worse.’

The area under Hwang Mun-yak’s head was very clean. But this was bad. It meant the dark energy could spread faster, like ink in clean water.

Advance and die, retreat and die.

Chung Myung was stuck. He didn’t know what to do.

‘What should I do?’

‘What should I do?’

He wanted to rush in, but he knew that would be a mistake.

After thinking hard, Chung Myung bit his lip.

‘I see how it is.’

He couldn’t go forward or backward?

Then he wouldn’t do either!

Chung Myung focused his energy. Like an animal with no escape, Chung Myung had to fight back.

‘Now, there’s a place to escape to here.’

Chung Myung made a path.

The dark energy had nowhere to go in Hwang Mun-yak’s body. But there was one place. Just one way out.

Chung Myung’s body.

He focused his energy and gently pushed on Hwang Mun-yak’s head. The dark energy rushed out like a broken dam, looking for empty space. It flowed through Chung Myung’s hand, which was touching Hwang Mun-yak. Chung Myung pushed all his energy into Hwang Mun-yak. This made Chung Myung’s own body empty of energy, like a space for the dark energy to go.

“…Ugh…”

Chung Myung groaned.

A tingly feeling went through his arm and spread through his body. He felt terrible pain, his vision blurred, and he almost passed out.

“Kugh!”

Chung Myung pulled his energy away from Hwang Mun-yak’s body and spread it through his own body.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa!

His body roared like a waterfall. The dark energy was lost and fought back desperately. But Chung Myung’s pure energy pushed down the dark energy like an army taking over.

Every part of his body became a battlefield.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Explosions happened in his body. Each explosion caused Chung Myung great pain. But Chung Myung bit his lip, his eyes bloodshot.

Lose consciousness now?

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

The Plum Blossom Sword Saint wouldn’t allow it.

Chung Myung stood strong, waiting for the last explosion. His energy covered the last bit of dark energy.

Kwaaaaaaah!

It sounded like the sky was falling. His vision went white, and he almost lost consciousness. Chung Myung slowly closed his eyes. His energy, having defeated the dark energy, moved through his body, celebrating its victory.

One circle. Two circles.

His energy quickly completed twelve circles and returned to his dantian, satisfied. It coiled up quietly.

Only then did Chung Myung open his eyes.

“Kkeueueueung. I almost died.”

It wasn’t a joke; it was really dangerous.

Chung Myung’s level wasn’t high enough to handle that much dark energy. If he had made a small mistake, either he or Hwang Mun-yak would have died.

‘That was really dangerous. I shouldn’t do that again.’

Chung Myung gently rubbed his dantian.

“But it feels like something has increased.”

There was no reason for it to increase, but his dantian felt strangely full.

“…It’s probably just a tiny bit, though.”

His energy was strong for its size, but it was still small. He couldn’t imagine when it would be as full as a great river.

Chung Myung sighed and looked at Hwang Mun-yak. The color had returned to his face, probably because the poison was gone. He seemed healthy again.

Of course.

Not only was the poison gone, but he had also had a deep healing. It wasn’t a complete change, but his life would be longer by at least ten years.

“Tsk.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, thinking he had only helped someone else. He walked over to Hwang Mun-yak.

“Ugh… Ugh.”

Hwang Mun-yak seemed to be waking up.

His eyelids fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Hwang Mun-yak’s eyes, which had been moving around, stopped on Chung Myung.

He spoke weakly, his voice sounding like he was dying.

“W-where… am I? Who…?”

Chung Myung smiled brightly.

“A divine immortal.”

“…”

“Or, a minor divine immortal? (Just kidding… mostly.)”

“…”

Hwang Mun-yak muttered weakly.

“I must have died and gone to hell.”

“…”

What the heck?

After Hwang Mun-yak woke up, the Eunha Merchant Guild was quickly put back in order.

It seemed that Beon Ja-bok, who had tried to kill Hwang Mun-yak, had planned to kill Hwang Jong-ui and his children next. He planned that if the Hwang family all died slowly from the same disease, people would think they were cursed or had a strange illness, so no one would suspect anything.

The plan had worked well. If Hwang Mun-yak had died suddenly, everyone would have been suspicious. But since he had been sick for almost a year, no one suspected murder.

Even the Tang family had said it wasn’t poison.

If Chung Myung hadn’t appeared, the Hwang family would have died according to the chief manager’s plan, and the chief manager would have taken the Hwang family’s wealth.

It was also revealed that Chief Manager Beon Ja-bok was the son of a merchant family that had competed with Hwang Mun-yak in the past. This sad story was told, but Chung Myung didn’t care.

“If you commit a crime, you have to be punished. Everyone has a story.”

Chung Myung only cared about where the Danma Poison came from. But he was told it was from a secret book found on a dead body in the mountains.

Chung Myung was disappointed.

‘Well, if the Demonic Sect had done it, it wouldn’t have been this sloppy.’

Also, they wouldn’t have been so careful and quiet. They were the type to cause chaos if they didn’t like something.

In the end, the criminal was caught, Master Hwang’s illness was cured, and it was confirmed that the Demonic Sect wasn’t involved. Everything had gone well.

Because of this, Chung Myung, who had helped the Eunha Merchant Guild, was treated like a very important guest.

A very important guest indeed.

“Hmm.”

Hwang Mun-yak sat down carefully.

“Father, you still need to be careful. You haven’t been out of bed for long.”

“It’s alright. I’ve been lying down for a long time, but now I’m stronger than before.”

“Even so…”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

Hwang Jong-ui looked at Hwang Mun-yak suspiciously.

Hwang Mun-yak looked very still and pale, like a statue made of wood. He looked like he could fall over and die at any moment, but he said he was full of strength.

“More than that.”

Hwang Mun-yak looked at Chung Myung.

“…Are you Sodo Master Chung Myung…?”

“Yes. Did we meet before?”

“You look a little different now.”

“Ah. I’ve been eating well.”

Chung Myung scratched his head with his chubby hand.

Everyone who saw this was surprised.

‘He’s doubled in size.’

‘How much did he eat in three days to make his clothes so tight?’

‘His face is shiny with oil, like the Buddha. He should have become a Buddhist, why did he become a Taoist?’

‘The cook was complaining; now I know why.’

Everyone shook their heads as they watched Chung Myung, who had doubled in size in three days.

Only Hwang Mun-yak remained calm. He was showing how experienced he was as a merchant.

“Please accept my thanks.”

Hwang Mun-yak bowed down. Hwang Jong-ui was surprised and tried to stop him, but he stepped back when his father gave him a stern look.

Hwang Mun-yak, having dismissed Hwang Jong-ui with a look, lowered his head again and spoke.

“I have been saved by Sodo Master. I can never thank you enough.”

“Hey hey. Get up, get up.”

Why couldn’t he repay him? There was a lot to repay.

At Chung Myung’s words, Hwang Mun-yak slowly stood up and smiled brightly.

“I heard the story from Jong-ui. If it weren’t for you, I would be dead. Even animals are grateful to those who save them. If a person forgets kindness, they are worse than animals.”

Oh my. He speaks well.

That’s right. That’s right.

Hwang Mun-yak quietly looked at Chung Myung and said.

“I don’t know how to repay you for saving my life, but I want to do everything I can. If there is anything you want, please tell me.”

“Ah. Something I want?”

“Yes.”

“Haha. How can a Taoist save someone and take a reward? My sect would be in trouble if they found out.”

“Repaying kindness is for everyone. If I didn’t repay someone who follows the Tao, people would laugh at me. And I can’t allow that.”

“I appreciate it, but… my sect wouldn’t allow it. I came here without their permission.”

“…Without your sect’s permission?”

“Yes. It was so urgent that I didn’t have time to get permission.”

Hwang Mun-yak looked at the young Taoist with感动eyes.

He had risked breaking the rules of his sect to save him. How could he not be moved?

“To go that far!”

“As I said, it was very urgent.”

Hwang Mun-yak was moved, and Hwang Jong-ui narrowed his eyes.

‘He looked very relaxed, though.’

But he didn’t dare to speak in front of his father.

Hwang Mun-yak nodded and spoke with a satisfied face.

“I will take care of that problem. And Master, I won’t tell your sect, so please tell me what you want. I will do my best…”

“You promised?”

Hwang Mun-yak tilted his head at Chung Myung’s words.

“About what?”

“You promised not to tell the sect.”

“Ah… Of course. I’m still a merchant, so I understand…”

Before Hwang Mun-yak could finish, Chung Myung took a book from his sleeve and opened it.

Hwang Mun-yak stared at the book, puzzled.

“What is that book?”

“Ah. It’s nothing. I’m getting old, so my memory is fading.”

Getting old?

You?

Chung Myung smiled and shook the book.

“I wrote down a little bit.”

“…What?”

“You said to tell you what I want.”

“I did.”

“So I wrote it down.”

Ah.

So.

…That book? All of it?

Chung Myung licked his finger and turned the pages of the book, grinning.

“Well, shall we begin then?”

“…”

“Now?”

“…”

Hwang Mun-yak thought he had made a big mistake.