Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 774

“Die!” someone screamed.

“Aaargh! You pirates!” another yelled.

“I’ll kill you all!”

The young warriors from the Mount Hua sect ran forward. Their eyes were wide and wild, showing only the whites. They looked like they were in a rage.

“W-what’s wrong with them?” a pirate stammered, confused.

“Why are they so crazy?” another asked, his voice shaking.

It’s normal to be angry at enemies in a fight. But this was more than just normal anger. The Mount Hua disciples attacked the pirates like they were facing their worst enemies, people who had hurt their families.

“Aaaargh! You bastards!”

“Why, why are you all doing this!”

The pirates were confused, but the Mount Hua disciples felt it was perfectly normal.

How hard had they trained? After the sparring with Wudang, they trained without stopping, forgetting sleep and food. They really felt they were not good enough. And they had even learned the Ja Haeng Divine Art with determination.

Even though they weren’t experts yet, it was still the Ja Haeng Divine Art.

They had learned a lot and worked hard, so they knew they would be important in this battle.

But…

“Being dragged around with your bellies ripped open!”

“Flapping around caught in nets!”

“Force-feeding us poison!”

“Is this something a human being should do! You dog-like bastards!”

Of course, these pirates weren’t the ones who had done those things. But to the young Mount Hua disciples, who hadn’t seen much of the world, all pirates were the same.

The Mount Hua disciples, with eyes wide like Chung Myung, swung their swords wildly. Their swords moved in strange ways, with great force. Watching them, you might think they were evil villains, not good people fighting for what’s right.

“Euhwaaaaah!”

Jo Gul’s sword spun around, ready to cut anyone to pieces.

“C-crazy bastards!”

“We can’t win! Jump!”

“Where do you think you’re going, you bastards!”

The Mount Hua disciples charged fiercely. Their eyes showed only the whites. The pirates were terrified and ran, throwing themselves into the river.

“They’re running away?”

“Hey! Go across! The next one is that ship over there!”

“Let’s go!”

The Green Forest bandits watched silently, their mouths closed in surprise as they saw the crazed eyes of Mount Hua’s disciples.

‘Let’s not make them angry.’

‘Are they like that because they live in the mountains…? We seem weak compared to them.’

‘I need to tell everyone never to mess with the Mount Hua sect.’

The leader was destroying everything in front, and his followers were just as fierce.

They were so fierce, it felt like they could destroy mountains. Then the Green Forest’s land would change…

“Go across! Go across!”

“There are a lot of pirate bastards over there!”

“Kill them all!”

“M-Master Disciples… Perhaps you should calm down a bit…”

“What?”

“Ah, nothing…”

Who were the bandits and who were the Taoists?

Luckily, no one was brave enough to ask.

“Eura-chaaaa!”

Rumble!

Chung Myung was sinking another ship in the front.

He flew around like a bird, destroying ships. Baek Cheon and his group, including the monk, led the bandits, climbing over ships and defeating the pirates.

“Kraaaah!”

“D-damn it!”

The pirates jumped off their ships, their faces showing panic.

The pirates couldn’t win against the Mount Hua disciples unless they had more people. The Five Swords were now stronger than most mid-level masters from famous sects.

Once they got on the ships, the pirates had no chance. They couldn’t use their numbers in the small space, and it was hard to use weapons.

So they had to fight with skill, but the Mount Hua disciples were too strong, even with shaky footing.

Moreover…

“Aaaargh! Follow the bosses!”

“Mount Hua! Mount Hua! Mount Hua Camp!”

“It’s not Mount Hua Camp, it’s Mount Hua Sect, you idiot!”

“Who cares!”

The bandits liked to follow the strong. They were swept away by the Mount Hua disciples, shouting and attacking the pirates.

Lim So-byeong watched from his ship, scratching his head with his fan.

“This is…”

Lim So-byeong tilted his head, a confused look on his face.

“Is this even possible?”

He wasn’t complaining. He should be happy. But it was still strange.

‘The battle shouldn’t be going this way.’

The pirates had good land and were fighting well. Even if Lim So-byeong commanded with the same number of people, he would still lose some ships.

‘I would have lost about half of the ships.’

They would be attacked by cannons while getting close. Even if Gongming came back, he could only make it a little better, but he couldn’t win.

But that crazy man jumped in and changed the whole battle.

“Haha. I’m going crazy.”

This fight was going against everything Lim So-byeong knew about battles. But instead of being angry, he was amused.

“That’s right. This is what the Mount Hua Divine Dragon should be like!”

It’s better if that man is a little crazy.

“Pull out the ram! Attack the next ship!”

“Yes!”

Lim So-byeong waved his fan.

“Don’t stop! Keep going and help them! Archers! What are you doing! Shoot all the guys who fell into the water!”

“Yes!”

The archers on each ship began to shoot arrows.

“Kuaaack!”

“A-arrows! Dive!”

“N-no!”

The river currents were very strong.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

The arrows hit people, and they cried out in pain. Some died and sank, but even those who were hit in the arms and legs were in danger.

The strong currents pulled them into the deep whirlpool.

“S-save me!”

“Save meeee! Pleeeease!”

Jo Seung clicked his tongue as he watched the river turn into a scene of death.

Someone sighed, “That’s what happens when you underestimate the river.” Around them, bandits checked their swords. Being a river bandit wasn’t just about fighting; it was about surviving the river itself.

A nervous voice spoke, “Um… Green Forest King.”

The Green Forest King turned his head, his eyes sharp. “What is it?” he asked.

Jo Seung said, sounding a little nervous, “Maybe we should position those who wield spears along the edges of the ship.”

“Spearmen?”

“Yes… When people fall in the river, panic takes over. They’ll grab anything to stay afloat – even the side of an enemy ship. They just want to survive.”

Im So-byeong chuckled, a smile playing on his lips.

“A good suggestion. So it shall be.”

“Thank you!”

Jo Seung quickly bowed.

Jo Seung was much more respectful to Im So-byeong than he would ever be to Jan Poheukeo, the leader of Daegyeongchae. Jan Poheukeo was important, but Im So-byeong was on a different level. He was as powerful as the Black Dragon King, almost like the emperor of the Yangtze River.

Jo Seung felt incredibly honored that the Green Forest King had listened to him.

Im So-byeong grinned. “Quite clever, aren’t you?”

Jo Seung stammered, “T-thank you.”

“The leader didn’t seem all that bright. You must have suffered quite a bit?”

“…A little…”

Im So-byeong leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Jo Seung. “Have you ever thought about working for me?”

Jo Seung blinked, surprised. “Yes? Would… would that be okay?”

“Ah, just so you know, you don’t really have a choice. If you don’t join *my* group, that *man* over there will probably grab you, and you’ll have a terrible time.”

Jo Seung turned his head, following Im So-byeong’s gaze. He saw a man standing on the deck of another ship, waving a sword and yelling wildly. It was Cheong-myeong.

“Uwahahahat! Die! Die, you *river rats*!”

With a face like stone, Jo Seung quickly turned back and bowed deeply, pressing his forehead to the deck.

“If you would only accept me, I would be eternally grateful.”

“Good, you’re a smart one. Let’s get you some new clothes. Cheong-myeong doesn’t remember faces, he might attack you by mistake!”

“Tsk tsk tsk. So violent.”

It was a strange world when a bandit leader called a Taoist ‘violent,’ and nobody even blinked.

Shouts of “Fall back!” and “Retreat to the naval base!” echoed across the water. The enemy ships, battered and broken, began to turn, oars churning the water in a desperate attempt to escape.

It was a bizarre scene: river bandits, who usually ruled the water, were fleeing *towards* the land, chased by mountain bandits and a wild Taoist. Nobody would believe it if they weren’t seeing it.

“Y-you bastards!”

“Take us with you!”

“Oh, heavens…”

Arrows rained down on those struggling in the water. “You bastards!” one yelled. “Don’t leave us!” cried another. “Oh, heavens…” someone whispered, despair in their voice. They watched their ships pull away, leaving them to drown or be killed. Retreating was one thing, but abandoning their comrades like this? It was cruel.

“‘We’re all going to die…’ someone choked out. There was no escape. Anyone trying to climb onto the Green Forest King’s ships was met with spears, pushed back into the churning water. Drown or be pierced by arrows – those were their only choices now. Maybe a few strong swimmers could reach the riverbank, but most were doomed.

Just as despair began to crush the river bandits’ spirits…

Suddenly, a roar of pure rage ripped through the air. “Those bastards are running away?”

“Chase them! Chase those bastards!”

Someone started to say, “But what about the ones in the water?” Cheong-myeong cut them off, his voice booming, “Forget about them! Just chase those cowards! What are you waiting for?”

“Y-yes, sir! Everyone, leave these guys and chase those ships! No! Stop shooting, you idiots! Chase them!”

“Tell everyone – anyone who falls behind will be left to die!” Cheong-myeong yelled. “Keep up!”

“‘Yes, sir!’ came the reply. The Green Forest King’s ships surged forward, dodging the wreckage of sinking enemy vessels. Bandits who had boarded enemy ships scrambled back to their own, jumping across the gap between boats.

Cheong-myeong rounded on the oarsmen, his face red. “Did you eat snails for breakfast? Why are you so slow?”

“‘Your best?’ Cheong-myeong scoffed. ‘All you bandits do is steal and row, and you can’t even row fast? And you expect to eat tonight? Maybe I should skip your dinner!'”

“I-I’ll increase the speed right now!”

“Hurry!”

The river bandit hurriedly ran and jumped into the cabin. Grabbing the pole installed in the cabin, the river bandit went down to the bottom in one go and shouted.

“R-row faster! Faster, you bastards! If that man comes down to the oar room, we’re all dead!”

Who wouldn’t know who ‘that man’ was?

“Eek!”

“Drummer, beat the drums faster! Faster!”

Boom! Boom! Boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom boom boom!

The sound of the drummer sitting at the very front of the oar room began to speed up. Then, the oarsmen holding the oars rowed faster and faster in time with the sound.

These weren’t ordinary oarsmen; they were martial artists, trained to channel their inner energy for incredible speed and power.

“Faster! Even faster!”

“Aaaaargh!”

“Kraaah!”

With even fear added to the mix, the river bandits holding the oars rowed until their lungs burned and their muscles screamed. The sound of the oars breaking continuously rang out, and the ship began to move forward at an incredible speed.

“Good!”

Cheong-myeong nodded with satisfaction. The distance between them and the fleeing ships was getting closer and closer.

“Let’s goooo!”

Cheong-myeong, who was on the ship at the very front, drew his sword and pointed forward.

Up ahead, the fleeing ships were making for a small island covered in tall reeds. But they weren’t slowing down! “Huh?” someone gasped. Then, with a deafening rumble, the first ship slammed into the sandbar, tilting violently to one side. Another crash followed immediately.

“W-wait a minute! Hey, slow down! Slow down! Stop, you bastards!”

Of course, a ship that had already picked up speed could not be stopped at once.

“W-we’re going to crash!”

“Hold on tight! Hold on tight! No, rather, jump off!”

“Aaaaargh! What are you doing, you crazy bastard!”

The oars were desperately lowered, but there was no way to stop the ship.

Cheong-myeong smiled contentedly as he watched the enemy ship approaching at a rapid speed.

“Was that a bit too much?”

KABOOM! The sound of splintering wood and tearing metal exploded across the river as Cheong-myeong’s ship slammed into the back of the enemy vessel. The impact was devastating, the enemy ship buckling and breaking apart like a toy.

“Aaaaargh! You son of a biiitch!” A final, desperate scream rose above the chaos. Then, something unexpected happened. Jo Seung, who had been standing near the front of Cheong-myeong’s ship, was suddenly thrown into the air by the force of the collision. His voice, filled with shock and surprise, echoed faintly over the flowing river.