Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 685

“What? You don’t know?”

“⋯⋯.”

“Nobody knows?”

Everyone faces a crisis in their life.

Im So-byeong’s life had been far from easy. He had overcome many small crises and survived life-threatening situations more than once.

But this felt different.

This situation felt ten times worse than any crisis he had ever faced.

“Ha… Hahaha…”

Im So-byeong tried to smile, but his face wouldn’t cooperate.

“C-calm down, please…”

“Calm down?”

Cheong-myeong’s eyes rolled wildly. Seeing the anger in them, Im So-byeong knew something was terribly wrong.

Taoists and monks are different.

In China, Buddhist monks try to save people, but Taoists focus on their own training. Monks stay in temples but still help people, while Taoists train in mountains to become immortal.

So, Taoists don’t always have to love everyone.

But people still expect Taoists to be good and kind. So, Taoists usually try to be nice to others.

But…

‘What is this anger?’

How could a Taoist, not a demon from the Demonic Sect, have such intense anger?

‘No, don’t even think about it!’

Before he could figure it out, a plum blossom sword might stab him, or a plum blossom punch might smash his face.

“D-Do Master, please calm down…”

Cheong-myeong’s eyes narrowed. “Calm down? Yes, easy.”

“Y-Yes…”

Cheong-myeong glared, his eyes full of anger. “I’ll be calm when I break the neck of this rat! Or maybe just smash his pretty face until it’s twice as big!”

Im So-byeong’s eyes widened. “Then I’ll die…”

“Exactly! I *want* you to die!”

Cheong-myeong grabbed Im So-byeong by the collar and shook him hard.

“What? Nobody knows you? Then is Jang Il-so blind? Huh?”

“⋯⋯.”

This was unfair.

Even the smartest people couldn’t have guessed that Jang Il-so would suddenly attack Mount Hua.

It’s one thing to not predict what a normal person would do, but is it a sin to not predict what a crazy person would do?

So, Im So-byeong felt he was right.

But there was a problem: Cheong-myeong wasn’t someone who cared about logic.

“Well… hehe. Do Master… Life is full of surprises.”

“⋯⋯So?”

“Hehe. That’s what makes the world interesting…”

Wham!

Before he could finish, Cheong-myeong punched Im So-byeong in the jaw.

“Kyaaaak!”

Im So-byeong yelped and tumbled across the floor. Cornered, he looked up with tearful eyes.

“E-Even so, I’m still the Green Forest King…”

“Just because you’re the Green Forest King doesn’t mean you want to die, right? Do you want me to show you what happens when I stop holding back?”

“⋯⋯No.”

He definitely didn’t want to know.

“Die, die! No! You shouldn’t be alive now! Why are you causing trouble!”

“Well… Do Master saved me.”

“Oh yes! I’ll take back the life I saved! Here’s your neck!”

“Hiiiik!”

Im So-byeong screamed and crawled away. Cheong-myeong’s sword flew and stabbed the spot where he had just been sitting.

“A-Are you really going to kill me?!”

“Is there such a thing as fake dying?”

“Do Master! This is a misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding?”

Seeing Cheong-myeong’s wild eyes, Im So-byeong quickly explained, “Hegemon Jang Il-so is no ordinary man!”

“So?”

“Even if I wasn’t there, he would have found someone else! I’m sure of it!”

“⋯⋯.”

“Hehe. So, this didn’t happen because of me…”

“Hoo. Is that so?”

Cheong-myeong grinned.

“Huh?”

Im So-byeong and the Five Swords felt uneasy at that smile.

Cheong-myeong pulled the sword from the ground. Looking like a ghost, Baek Cheon and the Five Swords ran towards him.

“Cheong-myeongaahhhh!”

“Calm down, calm down!”

Killing a leader of the Demonic Sect would be good, but Cheong-myeong seemed too angry.

Sensing danger, Baek Cheon grabbed Cheong-myeong’s legs. The others grabbed his arms.

“Let go! Let go! I’m so frustrated! I’m going to rip his mouth off!”

Cheong-myeong’s anger didn’t stop. He foamed at the mouth, his veins bulging. It looked like his head might fly off and bite Im So-byeong.

“H-He’s the Green Forest King!”

“That’s why I’m doing this! Didn’t you hear me? Even if he wasn’t the Green Forest King, I would have killed him anyway! But he is, so I should kill him even more!”

Yoon Jong tried to calm Cheong-myeong. “Let’s calm down and talk. It’s not really his fault, is it?”

“What?”

Cheong-myeong turned to Yoon Jong.

“Senior Brother.”

“U-Uhm?”

“I know too.”

Cheong-myeong relaxed a little and nodded. “Jang Il-so wouldn’t miss this chance. Someone else would have done the same thing. Whether he came on his own or Jang Il-so sent him.”

“T-That’s right.”

“Besides, we didn’t know Jang Il-so could recognize him. It can’t be helped.”

“Yes! That’s what I’m saying!”

Im So-byeong had caused trouble, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. Taoists should be fair and understanding…

“B-But!”

Cheong-myeong was still angry. “Whatever the reason, I’m still angry!”

“⋯⋯.”

“If I have to understand them, they should understand me too! I’m thinking about everything, but why can’t they see that I’m angry! They should understand my feelings!”

Even Confucius would agree with this logic. The Five Swords were impressed.

“Kkeueung. What did I do wrong in my past life… Well, I did do something wrong, but do I deserve this?”

Cheong-myeong gritted his teeth. Im So-byeong spoke carefully, “It’s not necessarily something to be so angry about, Do Master Cheong-myeong.”

“⋯⋯Huh?”

“Of course, the situation is a bit awkward, but there have been good things too.”

“What good things?”

“Haha!”

Cheong-myeong was interested. Im So-byeong smiled proudly and puffed out his chest. “Thanks to Jang Il-so, everyone knows that Mount Hua, the Heavenly Union, and the Green Forest are connected, right?”

“⋯⋯That’s right.”

“Hehehe. So, it’s a good thing.”

He put his hands on his hips. “Now, we don’t have to explain the relationship between the Heavenly Union and the Green Forest. They’ll figure it out. We’ve solved one problem, so we can officially bring the Green Forest into the Heavenly Union and become brothers…”

Fwoooosh!

Cheong-myeong flew like lightning.

The Five Swords couldn’t stop him.

“Die! Die, you bastard! Just dieeeeee!”

“Ack! Aaaaargh! Ack! Someone stop him… Aaaaaaaargh!”

Cheong-myeong beat Im So-byeong. The Five Swords smiled.

“He’s beating him well.”

“Ahem, it’s refreshing.”

“Can I help a little?”

“⋯⋯Let’s not.”

“Yes.”

Some people deserve a beating.

❀ ❀ ❀

“⋯⋯.”

Hyun Jong stared at Im So-byeong, speechless.

The guests had left, and only the Heavenly Union remained. They were about to discuss what to do next. Tang Gunak suggested bringing in the Green Forest King and Cheong-myeong.

But Im So-byeong’s face was very strange.

“Well…”

Hyun Jong stopped and looked at Cheong-myeong.

Cheong-myeong’s face said, ‘I beat him, and he deserved it. If he wasn’t the Green Forest King, I would have done worse!’ Hyun Jong couldn’t speak.

‘He’s the Green Forest King…’

But it was fortunate. No one would believe that his disciple beat the Green Forest King because he was angry.

Yes, it’s fortunate…

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat and looked away. Tang Gunak was trying not to laugh, so he looked the other way.

“Well… um, yes.”

He acted like he hadn’t seen anything.

“It’s fortunate that the event ended without any major problems.”

Maeng So spoke, “It seems like the Green Forest King got beaten up. A lot.”

“Anyway, without any major problems.”

“⋯⋯.”

Maeng So looked at Cheong-myeong and Im So-byeong.

“The problems in China are different from what I’m used to.”

“I think so too.”

Im So-byeong wiped his eyes as the leaders talked.

“Are you crying?”

“⋯⋯No.”

“Yes. You’re still crying, so you’re not that sad. I’ll show you what true sadness is.”

“⋯⋯.”

The leaders looked away from Cheong-myeong.

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat and changed the subject. He needed to say something else, for Im So-byeong’s sake. “I’ve gathered you to discuss the future. Please speak honestly.”

Tang Gunak nodded. He was serious now. “The opening ceremony went well. Everyone worked hard.”

“The disciples did the hard work. We didn’t do much.”

“That’s true.”

Tang Gunak smiled at Maeng So. “We announced the Heavenly Union to everyone here, and they will spread the word. They will tell the world what they saw and heard.”

“Hmm.”

Everyone nodded.

“We explained the purpose of the Heavenly Union. However…”

Tang Gunak’s eyes narrowed. Everyone knew what he would say next. “We need to talk about the Myriad Man House and Jang Il-so.”

Jang Il-so’s name made the room tense.