Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 827

The white carriage and many guards went further and further away.

Tang Gunak, the leader of the Tang family, arrived and watched. He sighed quietly.

“…It seems I was too late after all.”

“No.”

Chung Myung shook his head.

“You came just in time.”

“Your condition…”

“Well, it’s nothing much.”

Chung Myung looked very messy and hurt. But he smiled like it was nothing. His body ached, but he didn’t want to show it.

In truth, such injuries were nothing to him compared to the past. It’s not like he lost arms or legs.

“…I’ve brought several skilled healers with me, so you should receive treatment first.”

“No. I’m fine. More importantly…”

The moment Chung Myung tried to turn his body, Tang Gunak gripped his shoulder.

“…”

Chung Myung turned back, puzzled. Tang Gunak repeated with a firm face.

“Get treatment first.”

“…”

“What are you doing?”

“Yes, Lord!”

A Tang family elder with a white cloth draped over his shoulders rushed over. Chung Myung clicked his tongue. He looked a little worried.

“I’ll get treatment. I’ll really get treatment. But not now. Let’s finish cleaning up first.”

“Is it urgent?”

“It’s not exactly urgent, but I must do it.”

Seeing Chung Myung’s eyes, Tang Gunak hesitated. He looked unhappy, but finally nodded slowly.

“I understand. But remember one thing. Your body is not just your own. That’s what it means to lead.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, well…”

Chung Myung scratched the back of his head.

“It’s nothing.”

It was a phrase he had heard quite often in the past.

– You rascal! Do you think your body belongs only to you!

‘Nagging…’

To think he would hear that familiar nagging again here. Maybe because of everything that just happened, his nose felt a little funny.

“Yes. How was it? What about Jang Il-so?”

“…A snake, he was.”

“A very large snake indeed. The world calls a giant snake a dragon.”

“Dragon? No. He’s just a snake.”

Chung Myung glared at Jang Il-so’s carriage, now a faint dot in the distance.

‘Enjoy your happiness while you can.’

But when they met again, that smile would be completely gone.

“Tsk.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue again. He turned around, looking annoyed.

“Let’s go up. The Sect Leader is up there.”

“I understand. But what exactly happened? You look hurt. There must have been a big fight. But why did Jang Il-so leave so easily? He didn’t look very hurt.”

“That’s…”

Chung Myung chose his words carefully, scratched the back of his head, and then sighed.

“It’s a bit complicated to explain.”

Tang Gunak’s eyes were filled with questions.

“Chung Myung-ah!”

The Five Swords, who had been waiting anxiously, were startled and rushed towards Chung Myung as he climbed back up the cliff.

They had wanted to go with him, but Chung Myung had said that if too many people went, another fight would break out, so they had no choice but to wait here. Besides, he wasn’t the type to listen even if they tried to stop him.

“Are you alright? That bastard Jang Il-so didn’t try anything again, did he?”

“As if he could! He’d better shut his mouth if he doesn’t want to die!”

“…I really don’t understand you.”

After examining Chung Myung’s condition, they let out a deep sigh of relief only after confirming that he had no new injuries.

“What on earth did you do?”

“Nothing much. I just couldn’t stand letting them go like that, so I went and stirred them up a bit.”

“You are crazy!” Baek Cheon said, holding his head that was hurting.

Just then, Hyun Jong walked out from behind the Five Swords.

Chung Myung looked at Hyun Jong, who had come right in front of him, and said awkwardly.

“Sect Leader…”

Hyun Jong bit his lip tightly.

Seeing Chung Myung hurt, Hyun Jong felt terrible. It was like his heart was burning, like his body was being ripped apart. He felt like he had failed as a leader.

With trembling hands, he grasped Chung Myung’s shoulders.

“…You’ve suffered.”

Even so, he lowered his head slightly, as if he couldn’t bear to meet Chung Myung’s face.

“Chung Myung… look at you. Because of me… because of us… you are hurt again. I… I am so sorry.”

He had been blocked by the Myriad Man and had been unable to do anything. He believed it was the best choice to minimize the damage to his disciples, but seeing Chung Myung’s appearance before his eyes, even those words felt meaningless.

Was it right to force this child to sacrifice himself to protect the other children?

“I…”

At that moment, Chung Myung quietly grasped Hyun Jong’s hand, which was holding his shoulder.

“You were wonderful.”

“…”

“If the Sect Leader had lost his temper, everyone would have been in danger. I was able to fight with peace of mind because the Sect Leader was there.”

Hyun Jong couldn’t bring himself to say anything more and closed his eyes tightly.

‘That damned rascal.’

Why was he thinking of others even in this situation? The one who suffered the most here was none other than Chung Myung himself.

‘This child has overcome such hell every time.’

He couldn’t help but think anew.

The fact that the current Mount Hua might have been created by the blood Chung Myung had shed. Hyun Jong felt deep pain. He understood something important that he could not ignore.

“I…”

“Sect Leader. The Tang Family Head has arrived.”

A deep sigh escaped from Hyun Jong’s lips as he stopped trying to say something.

He raised his head and saw Tang Gunak standing a little behind. Chung Myung stepped aside to make way, and Hyun Jong quietly clasped his hands towards the Tang Family Head.

“It’s been a while, Tang Family Head.”

“Greetings, Alliance Lord.”

Tang Gunak bowed respectfully.

“I’m sorry. I arrived too late…”

“No. I’m grateful that you came all this way. But how did you know…”

“I received a message from the Mount Hua Divine Dragon.”

Hyun Jong turned back as if to confirm, and Chung Myung scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed face.

“The situation seemed a bit strange. It would be a waste of effort if you came for nothing, but it’s better than being in danger. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance.”

“No. It’s alright.”

Hyun Jong shook his head.

He hadn’t even considered that the situation was strange until he came here. So it would have been difficult to tell him.

‘Just holding me back.’

Still, the current Mount Hua was still too lacking for Chung Myung.

“I heard the situation on the way, Alliance Lord.”

At those words, Hyun Jong sighed quietly. He noticed Tang Gunak’s voice was colder and harder than normal.

“…Where are they?”

Tang Gunak bit his lip and asked again.

“Where are the others now?”

“Ugh…”

“Are you alright, Junior Brother?”

They looked very sad and upset seeing dead bodies all around.

“S-Senior Brother…”

One of the Wudang disciples, injured and writhing, grabbed the arm of the person helping him and squeezed out a voice.

“The… the Demonic Sect bastards…”

“…”

He couldn’t bring himself to answer. The person who had closed his eyes tightly turned his head and answered briefly.

“Take care of your body first.”

“S-Senior Brother…”

“Move them to the ship.”

“Yes.”

Those who were carrying the injured quickly moved to the docked ship.

Jin Hyun, who was watching the scene, closed his eyes without realizing it.

He thought that talking and making deals means giving up something. People who believe in doing what is right must be ready to die for it. That’s what he thought.

If so… what exactly did those who died here die for?

They failed to uphold negotiation, and they failed to uphold righteousness.

What did the people who lived actually protect? Maybe they only protected their own sad lives.

“Hurry!”

Namgung Hwang’s cold voice rang out.

“We must finish cleaning up before the sun sets!”

“Yes.”

The members of the Namgung family replied. But unlike when they had come here, there was no strength in their voices.

Of course, Namgung Hwang couldn’t blame them.

However, he clenched his fist and looked around. He saw the survivors of the Black Dragon Corps glaring at him as if they were watching him.

His teeth were grinding.

Those hateful bastards were mocking them, but Namgung Hwang couldn’t lay a hand on them. He had already lost enough. If he got angry at them now, he would just look weak.

‘The Yangtze River.’

Perhaps a treaty wouldn’t be necessary.

Because he would never set foot on the Yangtze River again. Seeing the Yangtze River again would remind him of today’s shame.

“Family Head, the cleanup is finished.”

“The bodies?”

“…Respectfully…”

Namgung Hwang nodded slowly.

When he thought about it, the damage wasn’t that great. Those who had fallen off the cliff had suffered serious injuries, but the number of people who had actually died wasn’t that high.

Namgung Hwang’s gaze was fixed on one place.

He saw the back of a young monk who was busy pushing away the fallen boulders and tending to the injured.

He wasn’t one to express gratitude to others, but at this moment, he felt truly grateful to him. If he hadn’t been keeping the Black Dragon Corps in check from below, those who had been injured and fallen would have all lost their lives at the hands of the Black Dragon Corps.

“…Hye-yeon, was it?”

“Yes. The one who was traveling with Mount Hua…”

“Mount Hua again.”

How did it come to this?

When they first came here, they were strong and full of energy. But now, they were going back home like defeated dogs, with no power.

Namgung Hwang suddenly looked angrily at Heo Do-jin. He blamed him for everything.

He could clearly see him disciplining the Wudang disciples and putting them on the ship.

Grind.

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth and spoke angrily, like spitting out words.

“Now the whole world will point fingers at us.”

“Family Head…”

“How can we endure this humiliation?”

“The time to make amends will come. A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years. Someday, we will cut off the head of that treacherous leader of the Four Evil Sects and repay today’s debt.”

“…Damn it.”

It was then.

“Hmm?”

Namgung Hwang turned his head at the sudden strange presence he felt. Several people were coming down from the cliff above.

‘Mount Hua?’

Namgung Hwang’s face twisted slightly.

He didn’t want to see Mount Hua right now.

He was human, so of course he had a sense of gratitude, but that was separate from this feeling. Rather, because he was a person of conscience, he found it difficult to face Mount Hua right now.

But what Namgung Hwang was about to see was even worse.

The first thing he saw was the face of the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, Chung Myung, which he was now used to. And following behind him was…

Namgung Hwang’s face turned pale as he recognized him.

Perhaps the person he least wanted to see in the world at this moment was there.

Thud.

He stepped down to the bottom of the cliff and slowly walked forward.

Tang Gunak had a cold, emotionless face, like he was wearing armor. He had come to respect this young man from Mount Hua.

Deer-skin gloves revealed beneath the wide sleeves of his green martial uniform.

“Dang… Gun-ak…”

Namgung Hwang spoke in a weak, painful voice.

The Tang Family Head of Sichuan, Tang Gunak, walked straight towards him.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Tang Gunak, who was standing about ten feet away, slowly looked around once and then fixed his gaze on Namgung Hwang.

His lips slowly opened.

“…Is this…”

“…”

“The choice of the esteemed Five Great Families?”

Tang Gunak’s face became twisted and angry.

“Is this… is this what you have chosen? Have you no shame?” He looked at the scene of defeat and then at Namgung Hwang. His voice was low and dangerous.

Namgung Hwang eventually closed his eyes tightly at Tang Gunak’s unfiltered rage.