Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 791

“You…!” The Black Dragon King slammed his fist on the table, making the cups jump. He was already in a foul mood, and Jang Il-so’s words had pushed him over the edge. His face went red, and he looked ready to explode.

But before he could roar, the Thousand-Faced Hermit spoke, his voice smooth and calm, like cool water on hot stones.

“Heads will roll, you say?” A slow smile spread across his face, but it didn’t reach his cold eyes. “Is the Overlord planning to chop off our heads, then?”

Jang Il-so smiled back.

“What frightening words! Do you really think that would happen?”

The Thousand-Faced Hermit turned his gentle gaze to Jang Il-so.

“Then who is going to take our heads?”

“You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t already know. If there’s anyone here who doesn’t understand that and still came to this place, then I don’t see any reason to talk to them.”

“Hahaha….”

The laughter continued, but a chilling murderous intent flashed in the Thousand-Faced Hermit’s eyes.

He might always look like a good person, but he was known as the cruelest of the Shinju Opae leaders. Because he worked with secrets, he didn’t think torturing and killing people was wrong.

“Your jokes are going too far, Overlord.”

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so quietly poured more alcohol into his glass.

The Thousand-Faced Hermit’s eyes narrowed at this disrespectful action. Then, Jang Il-so spoke.

“First, the Janggang Seventeen Water Camps.”

“….”

“Next, perhaps… the Black Demon Fortress.”

The Magnanimous Tycoon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

He was usually calm and showed no feelings. So, even this small movement showed he was very worried.

“After that, the Myriad Man Clan. And lastly, the Hao Gate.”

“….”

“They’ll be hunted down one by one, and everyone’s heads will roll. Or they can give up everything they have now and run away.”

Thud!

The Black Dragon King slammed the table.

“Who dares to do such a thing?”

“The Nine Great Sects.”

The Black Dragon King was speechless at the immediate answer.

“….”

“And… perhaps even the Cheonwu Alliance.”

Grrrr.

The Black Dragon King’s face twisted like a demon as he glared at Jang Il-so.

“Let’s say the Nine Great Sects are like that. But are you saying we have to talk about those Cheonwu Alliance bastards too?”

“Bastards?”

Jang Il-so smiled slyly and looked straight at the Black Dragon King.

“Is there anyone here who can confidently face the Cheonwu Alliance alone?”

“….”

“The Sichuan Tang Clan, the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, the Northern Sea Ice Palace, and Mount Hua… And who can face the Cheonwu Alliance, which even the Green Forest joined? That great Janggang Seventeen Water Camps?”

“This bastard….”

“Times have changed, Black Dragon King. The name of the Janggang Seventeen Water Camps doesn’t scare people anymore.”

“Hmm.”

The Magnanimous Tycoon nodded.

“It’s impossible to face the Cheonwu Alliance alone. But it’s unlikely they can work together. They are too different and not closely connected. The Cheonwu Alliance’s power won’t be focused in one place.”

“That is correct. However….”

Jang Il-so’s lips curled up.

“The Cheonwu Alliance is a problem just because it exists.”

“….”

“As you all know, if there was no Cheonwu Alliance, Shaolin and Wudang would never have moved.”

The Magnanimous Tycoon nodded.

“That’s right. Because there’s nothing to gain.”

Controlling the Janggang would bring fame and benefits.

But Shaolin, Wudang, and the Namgung Clan don’t need more fame. It only matters to those who haven’t become famous yet. Those with great reputations don’t need to desire more fame.

“But if there is a Cheonwu Alliance, things change.”

It’s like there’s another choice.

If there was no Cheonwu Alliance, everyone would have to rely on the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families, no matter how unpleasant it was. Because they are the only ones who can deal with the Demonic Path.

But now, they don’t have to rely on them anymore. Because the Cheonwu Alliance has shown enough power and independence.

“The history of the Murim always repeats itself. When two strong groups compete for power, they don’t fight directly. For example, Wudang and Shaolin have never fought to the death. Instead….”

Jang Il-so showed his teeth.

“They look for prey.”

“….”

“There are two ways to show I’m the stronger tiger. One is to fight and win, and the other is… to prove it by killing more wolves.”

“…So we are the wolves.”

“That is correct.”

Jang Il-so pushed the empty glasses in front of him one by one.

“First, the Janggang Water Camp.”

Jang Il-so’s finger pressed down on the glass in front of him.

Clang!

The glass cracked with a sharp noise.

“Next?”

“….”

“It’s pointless to bet on whose head will be cut off first. If you’re going to bet, something else is more fun. Which sect’s latrine will my head be thrown into? Shaolin, Wudang, or Mount Hua or Tang Clan? Hee hee hee.”

Jang Il-so chuckled and slowly looked at the three people.

“I’ll bet on Shaolin. Where will you bet?”

“….”

No one spoke.

Because they knew Jang Il-so was telling the truth.

The Black Dragon King, who was being directly threatened, and the others felt a great sense of danger.

“So?”

The Magnanimous Tycoon interrupted coldly.

“Stop the useless talk. It’s a waste of time. So what are you going to do?”

“We must join forces.”

“Trash?” The Black Dragon King and Thousand-Faced Examiner looked angry when they heard the word “trash.”

“Watch your mouth, Grand Master of Myriad Gold. Or we’ll cut out your tongue and leave you to die.”

“Or maybe we should cut you apart and feed you to the dogs.”

Their voices were full of hate, but the Grand Master of Myriad Gold didn’t even flinch.

“Anyone can talk about working together. But no one can actually do it. We can never trust each other.”

“…That’s very true.”

“Just looking at you makes me sick.”

The Demonic Faction hates the Orthodox Faction.

But they hate each other even more. The Demonic Faction fights and hurts each other more than they fight the Orthodox.

“Perhaps I should simply seize this opportunity to relieve you all of your heads and devour your power.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

Suddenly, the three men showed their anger. It filled the Delightful Fragrance Pavilion. It was a horrible feeling that would make normal people, and even strong fighters, feel sick.

But at that moment…

“Hahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-So suddenly started laughing loudly. It was so loud it felt like the building would shake.

“Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

He hit the table and laughed so much he cried. The angry feeling from the three men disappeared right away. All eyes were fixed on Jang Il-So.

“…What’s so funny?”

Jang Il-So lifted his hand and wiped tears from his eyes.

“Oh… Oh, sorry. Oh my… It’s just too funny.”

“I asked what’s so funny.”

“Wouldn’t it be weird if I *wasn’t* laughing?”

Jang Il-So said, his face still creased with laughter.

“To see you pests, not even knowing you’re already stuck in the mud, growling and fighting! How can I not laugh when you weaklings are the leaders of the Shinju Ohpae! Haha!”

“…What did you just say?”

Jang Il-So’s red lips twisted.

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

“…”

“Even animals, when they are in danger, will work together even if they are enemies. But you humans bring your small fights into a situation that could kill you?”

“…”

His fake polite voice was gone. Jang Il-So showed his white teeth, like an animal.

“Your fights, your hate, all those small feelings you hold onto, only matter because you are alive. When you are dead, fights mean nothing. The most important thing for a person is not fights, or pride, or even getting something you want.”

Everyone watched Jang Il-So, unable to retort.

Receiving their gazes, Jang Il-So slowly opened his mouth.

“Survival.”

“…”

“You must survive to have a future. If you don’t survive, nothing matters. I’ll do anything to survive. Even wallow in filth, even shamelessly lick the boots of my enemies!”

These were not words you’d expect from the leader of the Shinju Ohpae.

But that’s why Jang Il-So sounded so real and honest.

“Compared to that, guarding the back of someone I was pointing a sword at yesterday is nothing at all.”

Jang Il-So downed the fresh cup of liquor in one gulp, a strange smile playing on his lips as he looked directly at everyone. Then, he asked softly.

“Don’t you agree?”

“Hmm.”

A slight groan escaped the lips of the Thousand-Faced Examiner and the Black Dragon King.

Certainly, those advancing Orthodox bastards were more hateful than those in front of them. Their history was, after all, a history of killing each other.

But in any case, they were the Demonic Faction. They could not join hands with the Orthodox. To face the Orthodox Faction, which had begun to move in earnest, they had no choice but to rely on each other.

“First…”

The Grand Master of Myriad Gold opened his mouth.

“If this is only going to be temporary, then all this discussion is meaningless. Only the Suro Clan will suffer.”

“That won’t happen.”

Jang Il-So said firmly.

“If the Cheonwu Alliance doesn’t stop, the Guhpae Clan has no way to stop them on their own. They may be stronger, but the Cheonwu Alliance already holds the initiative.”

“…”

“And Hwasan, the head of the Cheonwu Alliance, is not a place that will ever stop. They are greedy. Perhaps as much as I am.”

Jang Il-So’s smile deepened as he thought of Hwasan. A hint of madness flickered in his eyes.

“One way or another, they will push south of the Jang River. Then the Guhpae Clan won’t be able to stand idly by either.”

“Because of face?”

“That’s part of it. But more precisely, it’s because they can’t bear to watch the Cheonwu Alliance steadily absorb the land south of the Jang River into their territory.”

The Grand Master of Myriad Gold nodded as if he had finished calculating on his abacus.

“So, to oppose the Cheonwu Alliance, the Guhpae Clan, and the Ohdae Clan, we must unite?”

“That’s right. If not, you must choose one of two options.”

Jang Il-So, who had suddenly wiped away his smile, said in a low growl.

“Live like a dog, or die like a wolf.”

“…”

“…”

“But what I want is to survive as a wolf. I will only see my enemy as food if I know I can hunt them without getting hurt. If I might lose an arm or get my guts ripped out to hunt, then I won’t even think about hunting.”

Jang Il-So said, his face twisted in one hand.

“Attach any grand reason you like.”

His eyes, visible between his fingers, were eerily sharp.

“Whatever the cause, the goal is survival. To survive. If you miss the opportunity, then even if you unite, you will only be torn apart. I must live. I must survive and enjoy everything I have gained. Without missing a single grain.”

The Thousand-Faced Examiner, who had been listening quietly, put a hand to his forehead and chuckled softly.

“It’s too obvious and cheap to even talk about.”

“…”

“But…”

His eyes emitted a sharp, blue light.

“There’s nothing wrong with what you say. I’m not so eager to die either. If that’s the only way to survive, then so be it. I will join forces with Paegun.”

Jang Il-So smoothly curled up the corners of his lips.

“From this moment on, the Shinju Ohpae no longer exists.”

A resounding declaration burst forth.

“What remains are four clans, and an alliance! The Shinju Ohpae is gone. Now, there is only the ‘Sahpae Alliance’!” This new name will spread everywhere like a storm.

The moment the existence of the Sahpae Alliance was first uttered from Jang Il-So’s lips.