Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 599

Nokchae slowly came back to life, quicker than anyone thought possible. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air, but the sounds of people working replaced the echoes of battle. Nokchae was bruised, but healing.

Actually, there wasn’t much left for Chung Myung and the others to do. The remaining Daebyeolchae bandits had been arrested. The bodies of the fallen were being cleared away. That was almost the end of the outside troubles.

Now, the important thing was to fix the communication lines that Go Hong had cut. And then, deal with all the work that had piled up.

Im So-byeong darted around like a trapped rabbit, shouting orders and waving his arms. But the Hwasan disciples had finished their part. They stood around, watching with amusement.

The real problem, however, was…

“Aigoo! If you abandon me, you’ll regret it immediately if you leave!”

“Let go! Won’t you let go? Won’t you?”

“I’m telling you, you can’t leave!”

The problem was Im So-byeong. He was in a panic and trying to stop Hwasan from leaving, even crying.

“Aish, this is for real!”

Wham!

Chung Myung ruthlessly kicked Im So-byeong into a wall and wagged his finger.

“No, you wanted me to take care of the bandits! You wanted me to reclaim Nokchae! You wanted me to kill Gwangwoo! I’ve done everything you asked, so why are you clinging to me like this?”

“It’s not that I want you to do more, but I’m asking you to stay just a few more days! Just a few days! We’ll prepare warm beds and amazing meals for you.”

“If that were possible, would this be a bandit’s den? A bandit’s den?”

“Hehe. It depends on how you look at it, doesn’t it? For those who have attained enlightenment, a hard bed is like a luxurious silk mattress, and a rough meal is like a feast from the heavens…”

“Keep going. Let’s see how far you’ll go.”

“⋯⋯I’m sorry.”

Im So-byeong quickly lowered his head. He quickly became serious and confessed honestly.

“As I’ve already said, Nokchae has practically no military force right now. If other guys invade before those who are friendly to me bring their troops, my head will be gone!”

“…No, is that really something the Green Forest King should be saying?”

“Doesn’t the Green Forest King die? Whether you’re the Green Forest King or the Jade Emperor, if a knife comes to your neck, you die the same!”

Those who were watching the situation from the side paled as if they had seen a ghost, and whispered.

‘Wow, Chung Myung is being pushed back.’

‘Goodness, I’m seeing Chung Myung speechless for the first time in my life.’

‘Honestly, you can’t win against that.’

No matter how perfect one’s logic and good speaking may be, one cannot defeat someone who has given up everything. Im So-byeong was proving that fact right here.

“Ugh… So when are they coming?”

“Two days! Two days is all I need. I’ve sent a messenger pigeon, so everyone will flock here like clouds in two days.”

“If they had that much loyalty, they would have helped already.”

“Then three days…”

“⋯⋯.”

“No, four days?”

“Argh, you human!”

“Ack!”

Chung Myung kicked Im So-byeong away once again, gritted his teeth.

“Seriously, you don’t have a single useful quality!”

Just as Chung Myung was about to breathe fire at Im So-byeong, who was clinging to him again…

“Ah, no! I’m a friend of Hwasan!”

A hurried and high-pitched voice came from the entrance of the mountain fortress. Chung Myung frowned and turned his head to see a beggar surrounded by bandits.

“What’s that now?”

“I, I didn’t come here to scout! So… I, I am dressed as a beggar, and it’s also true that I belong to the Beggars’ Sect… Heeik! Why are you holding a knife to my neck!”

The familiar beggar raised both hands high, his face pale.

Chung Myung covered his face and sighed deeply. Just then, the beggar also found him and was overjoyed.

“Oh, Hwasan Shinryong! Put in a word for me here! These bandit scu… No, these heroes are trying to kill me!”

“…Let him in. He’s someone I know.”

“Yes!”

Having seen and heard things, the bandits moved away from the beggar as soon as Chung Myung finished speaking. The beggar shrugged and straightened his clothes.

“See? I told you I’m friends with that Hwasan Shinryong, friends!”

Hong Daekwang, puffed up with pride, ran towards Chung Myung. Chung Myung asked bluntly.

“Why are you here again?”

“Can a friend not follow a friend?”

Chung Myung sighed deeply at the returning jest.

‘There isn’t a normal person around me.’

How can they all be like this?

Whatever Chung Myung’s feelings, Hong Daekwang, who had been carefully looking around, couldn’t help but exclaim.

“You really did defeat Go Hong and conquer Daebyeolchae.”

“It’s nothing much.”

“No, no! This is truly a great feat.”

Hong Daekwang nodded with a serious face.

Others may not know, but Hong Daekwang knew how amazing Hwasan’s potential was. With that Hwasan Shinryong taking the lead and Hwasan moving, the conquering of Daebyeolchae was as good as done.

However.

‘The effects of this will be significant.’

Seeing the result with his own eyes made his heart pound so hard it felt like it was being kneaded.

Daebyeolchae’s bad reputation was, quite literally, sky-high.

Not only in Hubei, where Daebyeolsan was located, but also in the surrounding provinces, their bad reputation was well-known. Therefore, the best way for people to avoid them was to stay as far away from Daebyeolsan as possible.

“Do you not know what it means for Daebyeolchae to be conquered here?”

“What does it mean?”

“It means conquering was possible.”

As Chung Myung sent him an increasingly indifferent gaze, Hong Daekwang quickly waved his hands.

“No, listen to what I have to say! Don’t look at me with that ‘Is this guy a moron?’ face!”

“You’re quick on the uptake, at least.”

“Ugh.”

Hong Daekwang wore a deathly expression and scratched his head vigorously.

“Anyway, the reason people haven’t complained much about Daebyeolchae is because their bad reputation was so incredibly high.”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

“No. It’s not that, but it means that because Daebyeolchae was so infamous, even famous and respected groups thought they couldn’t do anything about them.”

“Huh?”

At the slightly different words, Chung Myung scratched his chin slightly.

Well, those who didn’t know the world of martial arts well might think so.

“But Hwasan has stepped up like this, beheaded Go Hong, and crushed Daebyeolchae, so what will they think now?”

“Hwasan is awesome?”

“⋯⋯.”

“Isn’t it?”

“⋯⋯Of course, that’s also true, but⋯⋯.”

Hong Daeguang frowned. “Don’t you think,” he began, his voice a bit grumpy, “that the big sects, the ones who watched Daebyeolchae do terrible things for so long without doing anything, will look bad now? Hwasan Sect came all the way from Seoseo to beat Daebyeolchae. But Wudang and Shaolin, who are much closer, just sat around and did nothing!”

“Really?” Yoon Jong asked, surprised. “Is that true?”

“Absolutely!” Hong Daeguang grinned, his bad mood suddenly gone. “Once this rumor really gets going, the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families will be so angry! We really showed them, didn’t we!”

“You’re right!” the other man agreed, laughing.

At the same time, a giggling sound echoed. The way the two were laughing, they could easily be mistaken for back alley thugs.

Watching them, Yoon Jong turned to Baek Cheon and said,

“Sasuk.”

“Hmm?”

“Um… isn’t Great Hero Hong also part of the Beggars’ Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why is he so happy? He’s also from one of the Nine Great Sects, so this news is bad for him as well.”

“…How would I know?”

Baek Cheon smiled contentedly.

“Just take it as it is. He’s not tied to a single sect like us, and anyone who chases after that rascal Chung Myung can’t be quite right in the head, can they?”

“Suddenly, it all makes perfect sense.”

Hong Daeguang didn’t notice what they were saying about him, grinning with a thoroughly excited expression.

“So, what I’m saying is, we’ve accomplished something amazing!”

“Alright, enough with the self-praise.”

“Huh?”

“Is the preparation complete?”

“Preparation?”

Hong Daeguang, who had been tilting his head in confusion, quickly understood the meaning and grinned.

“Ah, that preparation? Of course! I couldn’t even fight alongside you because I was preparing this! If it weren’t for that, I would have just used this Striking Dog Beating Staff to….”

As Hong Daeguang’s hand flashed to the club at his waist, the bandits behind him stiffened, their eyes narrowing to slits.

Startled, Hong Daeguang subtly removed his hand from the club and smiled awkwardly.

“…Just a deer passing by….”

“Enough with the nonsense.”

Chung Myung cut him off bluntly.

“This time, you really need to do it properly.”

Hong Daeguang thumped his chest with his fist.

“Trust me, Hwasan Divine Dragon! Trust me!”

“…I’d trust you if you were trustworthy.”

Chung Myung shook his head. Then, he turned to Baek Cheon and said,

“Sasuk.”

“Hmm?”

“We were supposed to return to Hwasan immediately after this, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I think we need to change the plan a bit.”

“…Why all of a sudden?”

Chung Myung gestured with his chin towards Hong Daeguang.

“Didn’t you hear what the beggar ajusshi said? We crushed Daebyeolchae, so the Nine Great Sects got a taste of their own medicine.”

“So?”

Chung Myung grinned, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“If we’re going to make them angry, let’s make them really angry! If we’re going to do something, we need to do it right! Now that it’s come to this, we need to go all the way to Daebyeolsan and crush all the remaining Daebyeolchae bastards!”

“…….”

“Wouldn’t the Nine Sects get even more flak then?”

“…….”

Seriously.

Why does he dislike the Nine Great Sects so much?

‘Even a real enemy wouldn’t be treated this badly.’

“Anyway, keep that in mind.”

“…….”

The disciples of Hwasan, who were suddenly facing a trip to Daebyeolsan instead of returning to Hwasan, glared at Hong Daeguang with resentment.

Startled by the glare, Hong Daeguang quickly averted his gaze and turned around.

“Then I’ll go finish up the work!”

“Alright, then.”

“When you go to Daebyeolsan, you have to take me with you! Don’t leave me behind this time!”

“……I got it.”

Hong Daeguang turned and scrambled down the rocky slope, almost tripping in his haste to escape the glares.

Chung Myung watched Hong Daeguang dash down the mountain. At that moment, Lim Sobyeong cautiously approached him.

“You’re leaving in four days, right?”

“…….”

Chung Myung blankly raised his head to look at the sky and muttered inwardly.

Sahyung.

Jangmun Sahyung.

Can I just beat all these bastards to a pulp?

He smiled to himself, already planning their next move.

People quickly heard that Hwasan climbed Mount Heng and beat Daebyeolchae. The news spread faster than the wind.

Jangsa, where all sorts of merchants gather, was the center of transportation. Even if left alone, rumors would spread quickly.

Hong Daeguang got all the beggars to help spread the news quickly, so it took only two days for the news to spread throughout the Central Plains.

Those who heard the rumors were excited by the brave things they hadn’t heard about for a while.

“Heo, Daebyeolchae! Are you saying the Hwasan Sect beat those vile bastards?”

“But it’s quite strange. Why would the Hwasan Sect from Seoseo go all the way there to beat Daebyeolchae?”

“Why else! Since the others nearby didn’t beat them, Hwasan stepped up themselves!”

“…I heard the Green Forest King asked them to do it?”

“What does that matter! Even if the Green Forest King had asked Shaolin or Wudang, would those bastards who have been lying low and watching have stepped up? The Green Forest King must have had his reasons for asking the distant Hwasan!”

“Th, that’s true.”

“To be honest, how much damage have people suffered because of Daebyeolchae and those other mountain fortress bastards? It’s not like only one or two people have died!”

“That’s right! You’re right!”

“To beat those bastards, wow…. Hwasan used to be a shining prestigious clan in the world, and it seems a prestigious clan doesn’t go anywhere! Amazing! Yes, amazing indeed!”

As soon as the conversation paused, someone who had been listening nearby shouted as if something had occurred to them.

“Come to think of it, didn’t they promise that if this goes well, the Green Forest will no longer harm people?”

“That’s right! I think I heard something like that too.”

“A blessing, a blessing. If it only turns out that way, what more could we ask for!”

The story got bigger and bigger as it traveled. If two or more people gathered, they all mentioned Hwasan and praised their heroic deeds.

Of course, some cynical people criticized Hwasan for associating with the Green Forest itself. However, because they actually beat Daebyeolchae, it was difficult to gain traction.

The news, which spread like wildfire, finally reached the ears of the Nine Great Sects.