Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 823

Silence fell on the cliff, broken only by heavy breathing. All eyes were on Heo Do-jin, whose hand was outstretched, fingers tight around nothing.

The Five Swords, the Nine Great Sects behind them, and even the Demonic sects stared at Heo Do-jin with wide, shocked eyes.

Only Jang Il-so’s expression remained unchanged.

“Hoo… Hoo, hoo…”

Rough breaths escaped Heo Do-jin’s lips. He pulled back his hand, clenching it tightly, and wiped his sweat-soaked face.

“That… that crazy bastard!”

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth, looking like he would charge at Heo Do-jin any second.

“What have you done! What have you done! You…!”

Baek Cheon was so angry that he screamed insults at the leader of the Mount Hua Sect.

But Heo Do-jin didn’t react. He glanced at Baek Cheon before slowly walking towards Jang Il-so.

Heo Do-jin hadn’t attacked Chung Myung because of a personal problem. It was because he couldn’t let anyone else start fighting again, especially not against Jang Il-so. If the fight started again, the cliff would become a battlefield once more, and Heo Do-jin wanted to stop that.

Heo Do-jin stood a few feet away from Jang Il-so and sighed deeply.

Even at this moment, people were still climbing the cliff, looking panicked and disheveled.

Watching them, Heo Do-jin bit his lip and finally looked directly at Jang Il-so, his eyes bloodshot. Jang Il-so just smiled back.

All eyes were now on the two men.

“Defeated Lord… no, Leader of the Demonic Alliance,” Heo Do-jin began.

His voice was strained, like he was trying to hold something back.

“As the leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect,” Heo Do-jin began, his voice shaking, “representing all the righteous sects…”

Jang Il-so’s smile grew wider.

As a sinister smile spread across Jang Il-so’s face, Heo Do-jin spat out the words: “…I request a truce with the Demonic Alliance.”

A silence as deep as hell descended upon the cliff.

Everyone stared at Heo Do-jin, not even daring to breathe. The Five Swords looked like they had been struck by lightning. Among the Nine Great Sects, some faces were pale, others red with anger. Even the Demonic sects seemed surprised by the unexpected words.

‘What did I just hear?’

A truce?

Did he just say a truce? Mount Hua making a truce with the Demonic Alliance?

Everyone heard but couldn’t understand. Mount Hua, the Demonic Alliance, and the word ‘truce’ just didn’t fit together. The faces of those who heard this unimaginable thing turned deathly pale.

Jang Il-so broke the silence.

“Hmm…”

He sounded happy, like he found it amusing.

“A truce, you say…”

He looked at Heo Do-jin for a moment, then spoke with amusement: “To think that such words would come from the mouth of the esteemed leader of Mount Hua. I am truly humbled.”

“…”

Heo Do-jin kept his mouth shut, enduring Jang Il-so’s mockery, willing to bear any humiliation.

“So… what are the conditions?”

“One year!” Heo Do-jin spat out.

“For one year, the Nine Great Sects, including the Five Great Families, will not cross, or even go near, the Yangtze River. If you agree to a truce here and let us leave as we are!”

“Heo Do-jin!”

A desperate cry came from Namgung Hwang as he reached the top of the cliff.

“Have you gone mad! What nonsense are you saying!”

His eyes burned with rage.

How could he say such things unless he was crazy? The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families making a truce with the Demonic Alliance? This would destroy the foundation of the Nine Sects and the Five Families.

“Have you been driven mad by fear? Are you submitting to those filthy Demonic bastards! And you call yourself the leader of Mount Hua! Aren’t you ashamed!” Baek Cheon said, his voice shaking with anger. “What… what have you done? What have you *done*?”

Namgung Hwang’s voice was desperate, but Heo Do-jin opened his mouth with an unchanged expression.

“…Shut.”

“What?”

“Shut up.”

Heo Do-jin glared at Namgung Hwang, killing intent in his eyes.

The strong aura made Namgung Hwang close his mouth, as if he were intimidated. Even if he faced his mortal enemy, he wouldn’t be glared at like that.

“…Idiotic fool.”

Heo Do-jin gritted his teeth.

Monk Beopgye, who had also climbed up the cliff, didn’t understand his actions either. His face was a mask of confusion.

“Leader! What in the world are you trying to do? Shaolin cannot sit idly by in this situation.”

Heo Do-jin questioned Monk Beopgye coldly: “Sit idly by?”

“…”

“If you don’t sit idly by, then what?”

“…”

“Amitabha.”

Monk Beopgye, intimidated by Heo Do-jin’s aura, unconsciously said a Buddhist prayer and closed his mouth.

“Can you take responsibility?”

“…For what…”

“I’m asking if you have the confidence to lose all your disciples here and return to Shaolin to report to the Abbot. No, can you bear the situation where even you die and there’s no one left to report? Can you take that responsibility?”

“…”

Monk Beopgye couldn’t say anything.

Who could take responsibility for such a thing? Moreover, he was just an elder, not the Abbot of Shaolin. He could never bear that situation.

When Monk Beopgye didn’t answer, Heo Do-jin rebuked him coldly.

“Then step back.”

“But… Leader.”

“Can’t you understand my words?”

“…”

“I said step back.”

Heo Do-jin spoke like he was growling.

“If you’re not prepared to take responsibility and don’t have the ability to resolve this situation, then you should at least know how to shut your mouth. What’s resolved by barking like a dog?”

Blood flowed from his torn lips, dripping down his chin.

Humiliation?

Pride?

What did that matter?

Right now, his precious disciples were dying here. They had used all their strength to climb the cliff and had no way to defeat the Demonic Alliance members on the cliff.

Even if they won, what would be left?

Even if they won, only a few would remain. That would mean the destruction of Mount Hua.

Was he supposed to let his sect be destroyed in exchange for driving out the Demonic sects?

‘What a load of bull.’

If they drove out the Demonic sects and were destroyed, the remaining Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families would divide the spoils. Mount Hua, Shaolin, Namgung, and Cheongseong would never recover and would lose their power.

Wudang had been strong before, like a volcano erupting again. But there was no promise they could do it again now. No, as leader, he must not let Wudang depend on a miracle.

“An armistice, Lord of the Four Evil Sects!”

Heo Do-jin spoke, his voice rough, his eyes red and burning as if he hadn’t slept for days.

“If you agree to stop fighting, we will make an agreement. For one year, we will not attack you, and the righteous sects will not enter Jiangnan.”

“Hrmmm.”

Jang Il-so made a humming sound, tilting his head. His eyes seemed to look past Heo Do-jin, as if he were more interested in a fly buzzing nearby.

“Jiangnan… I don’t know what that means. Jiangnan is already our land.”

“You know better than anyone that’s not true, don’t you?”

“……Is that so?”

Jang Il-so grinned.

Heo Do-jin bit his lip, his hands shaking slightly. “The Four Evil Sects,” he said quickly, “they are new. They are not strong together. If you fight us more, they will break apart. You don’t want that.”

“……”

“A year is enough time to reorganize the Four Evil Sects and completely dominate Jiangnan. Isn’t that so?”

Heo Do-jin tried to persuade Jang Il-so, who was making a strange expression.

“If not, we will fight until everyone here is dead. Do you really want to destroy both your Four Evil Sects and our five sects?”

Jang Il-so threw back his head and laughed, a harsh, triumphant sound. His teeth were very white and sharp, like a wolf’s, showing clearly in his grin.

“You seem to overestimate yourself.”

“At least you don’t want to give the remaining people a chance to take advantage.”

“Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-so roared with laughter, throwing his head back. The sound echoed off the cliff, loud and mocking.

He knew if they were weakened here, the other powerful groups would attack them. It’s like when a rat is trapped, it will fight back fiercely, even against a cat.

“You’re smart, Heo Do-jin.”

“……”

“But… it’s pathetic, and vile. Ah, and also cunning. Yes, like…”

He spoke each word slowly, like a cruel joke.

“A demonic sect.”

Humiliation hit Heo Do-jin like a physical blow, making him stagger. His face burned, and his hands clenched into fists, but he forced himself to stay still. He was shaking, not just a little, but all over. He knew he couldn’t fight back. Jang Il-so held all the power now, like holding a knife to his throat.

“Yes. I don’t like people like you. Hahaha! Hahahahahaha! To think that the great leader of Wudang is begging for his life! Ahahahahahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-so’s laughter became wilder, echoing across the cliff. It felt like his madness was a dark cloud, spreading over everyone, suffocating them.

The disciples of the Nine Great Sects gritted their teeth, their jaws tight. They bit their lips until they bled, trying to control their rage. Humiliation burned in their chests, hot and bitter.

They believed they should fight and die for honor. That’s what they had been taught. But now, no one could say they were ready to die.

They knew fighting meant everyone here would die, not just one person. Who could take responsibility for that?

“But… I need to know first.”

Jang Il-so stopped laughing and looked hard at Heo Do-jin.

“Do you have the right to make this agreement? Can you make sure the righteous sects will keep their promise?”

Heo Do-jin said firmly, “If Wudang can’t guarantee it, no one can.” He paused, then continued, “Honor is everything to us. Wudang and Shaolin made an alliance. We will not break it. And if Wudang, Shaolin, and Namgung agree…” He hesitated, then forced himself to say, “No other sect will dare to enter Jiangnan. Jiangnan will be yours.”

Jang Il-so nodded as if he understood.

“But that’s not enough, is it?”

“……I’ll bet my life on it.”

“Hrm.”

Jang Il-so snorted. “How pathetic.”

At those words, Heo Do-jin’s fist was clenched so tightly that it turned white. His nails dug into his palm, and red blood dripped through the gaps in his fist.

Jang Il-so sneered, “Your life is nothing. But to see the great leader of Wudang beg like this… it’s almost funny. Fine, I will listen, out of pity.” He leaned forward, his voice cold. “But understand this clearly. This is not an agreement where we both stop attacking. It’s just you who must not attack us. You cannot cross the Yangtze River. We can still cross it and attack you. And it’s not for one year, but three years.”

Heo Do-jin’s eyes widened in shock. He was grinding his teeth, but who could truly understand the pain he felt right now? Jang Il-so laughed, as if he knew exactly what Heo Do-jin was going through.

“If you accept this…”

Jang Il-so leaned closer and whispered, a cruel smile on his face. “I will let you live. You can go back.”

“……”

Heo Do-jin turned to face his disciples, saying nothing. He saw them biting their lips, their eyes hard with anger. They were ready to fight and die rather than accept this shame. But seeing their determination, Heo Do-jin knew he had to accept. He had to save them, even if it meant his own humiliation.

Heo Do-jin slowly raised his hand. It shook so much, it showed everyone how he felt. He brought his trembling hand up in a formal gesture of respect. Then, slowly, Heo Do-jin bowed deeply to Jang Il-so. He lowered his head as if the sky itself was too painful to look at, and whispered, his voice barely louder than breath, “I accept.”

“Hrmmm.”

Jang Il-so nodded, then looked slowly at everyone on the cliff. His voice was loud and cruel, filled with power. “I, Jang Il-so, leader of the Four Evil Sects, declare this! The Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and the Four Evil Sects have made an agreement in Jiangnan. For three years! You, the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, cannot enter Jiangnan!”

Jang Il-so smirked, a cold, satisfied smile. “Go home,” he said softly. “Keep your worthless lives.”

“……”

Those words were like sharp knives, stabbing into the hearts of everyone on the cliff.

“Hahaha!”

Jang Il-so stared at everyone and turned around.

“Let’s go back. It’s too painful to see the faces of the losers. Haha. Ahahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-so laughed wildly again and walked away. The disciples of the Nine Great Sects couldn’t lift their heads, listening to his laughter fade away. They wanted to scream, to curse, to fight. But shame held them down, heavy and cold. They knew they had been humiliated. Something unthinkable had just happened – their leader had begged for peace. And no one had stopped him. They could only stand there, heads bowed in defeat.

Tears streamed down Heo Do-jin’s face. It was a complete defeat. There was no excuse, no way to lessen the shame. It felt like a dagger twisting in his bones.