Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 887

Gal Cheon-rip slowly looked down at his chest.

A sword with a faint white glow had pierced more than halfway through him. The tip was likely sticking out of his back.

Many feelings flashed in his eyes. Despair, fear, frustration, and anger all swirled within him. But the strongest feeling was astonishment.

“You…”

He could barely speak. His jaw trembled so much he couldn’t talk properly. Finally, blood gushed out before he could say anything.

“You…”

The blood choked Gal Cheon-rip.

Un-geom stopped twisting the sword and looked at Gal Cheon-rip.

“Once.”

“…”

“You might have had a chance to get what you wanted,” Un-geom said.

Gal Cheon-rip stared at Un-geom, his eyes dimming. He was trying his best to understand.

“If only you weren’t happy with so little.”

“…”

Un-geom almost said more, then shook his head. He thought of saying, ‘Even I am not perfect, but shouldn’t a martial artist always try to get better until they die?’ But the words would mean nothing to Gal Cheon-rip. He wasn’t a true martial artist anymore.

“Death comes to everyone, good or bad. If there is another life, maybe you can make up for your mistakes there,” Un-geom said with the calm voice of a Taoist priest. Even at the very end, he remembered his duty as a Taoist.

Gal Cheon-rip stumbled backward.

It wasn’t because Un-geom was pushing him. He was so close to death that just standing was hard.

“I… am…”

The blood choked him. The world still wasn’t giving him what he wanted.

He turned his head with difficulty.

The Hwasan disciples surrounding him and the Demonic Sect members he had led were watching him die with cold eyes. There was no warmth at all.

“Kheu…”

Gal Cheon-rip’s body slowly fell apart.

“You son of a…”

Plop!

Un-geom’s sword went deeper into Gal Cheon-rip’s chest as he fell. That was enough to end his life.

Gal Cheon-rip’s body, unable to close his eyes before he died, slowly began to cool.

Un-geom sighed deeply.

Gal Cheon-rip had been a strong opponent. If Un-geom hadn’t been so out of practice, it would have been a difficult fight. But Un-geom had won.

“Chief!”

“Martial Uncle!”

The others rushed to him, checking for injuries. Even though the battle was short, it was fierce, making everyone watching nervous.

“I am fine,” Un-geom said.

Just then, someone slowly walked forward.

The Demonic Sect members held their breath, as if they had forgotten how to breathe.

Cheong-myeong approached at a slow pace, flipped Gal Cheon-rip over with his toe, and pulled Un-geom’s sword from his chest.

Swish.

The sound of the sword being pulled out echoed in everyone’s ears.

Fwoosh!

Cheong-myeong shook the blood from the sword, then looked around at the Demonic Sect members with their tense faces.

Flinch.

Those who met Cheong-myeong’s eyes were shaken.

“Shall we continue?” Cheong-myeong asked.

There were many words he could have used, but at that moment, none could have broken their will to fight more effectively.

The battle paused. As the blood cooled in their heads, they saw the situation clearly.

Gal Cheon-rip was dead, his eyes wide open. Dan Hon-hyeol-su and the other masters were dead as well. Some were subdued and groaning. The Hwasan swordsmen were glaring at them with cold expressions.

The situation was obvious.

Thud.

A weapon fell from someone’s hand, echoing in the quiet manor. That small sound destroyed their remaining will to fight.

Weapons fell from the hands of the Demonic Sect members one after another.

They had taken up arms without a real reason. Now that their leader was gone, there was no reason to risk their lives.

“You pathetic bastards,” Cheong-myeong said, glaring at them with cold eyes. He wanted to cut off all their heads, whether they fought back or not.

They were excited and wild when they had power, but begged for their lives when they were losing. Cheong-myeong despised them.

He gripped his sword tightly, but someone tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned to see Un-geom quietly shaking his head.

“You’ve shed too much blood,” Un-geom said.

“…I know.”

Cheong-myeong clicked his tongue and handed the sword to Un-geom.

Un-geom sheathed his sword and looked at Hyeon-jong, who was approaching.

“Disciples, listen!” Hyeon-jong said in a heavy voice.

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

“Disable the martial arts of these sinners, subdue them, and imprison them. We will decide what to do with them later.”

“Yes!”

“Move the injured to the medical ward. Check the area for other enemies and prevent any damage to innocent people!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

As soon as Hyeon-jong finished speaking, the Hwasan disciples moved in an orderly way.

The Demonic Sect members, who had thrown away their weapons and knelt, turned pale at the thought of losing their martial arts. But remembering the sight of the Hwasan swordsmen, they didn’t dare to resist.

“Kkeueuk!”

“Ah, Aack!”

He felt like his insides were falling apart, and all his strength was leaving him.

But he didn’t even have time to groan from the awful weakness, because all his strength drained from his body. Rough hands slammed them to the ground and bound their entire bodies tightly with ropes taken from somewhere.

Hong Daeguang watched this and fell to his knees. His legs were too weak to hold him up.

Watching the Mount Hua disciples subdue the remaining members of the Demonic Sect and Hyun Jong standing with his hands behind his back, he felt so empty that a laugh escaped him.

“…Heh, heh heh. So easily…”

Mount Hua appeared suddenly. Then, very quickly, Danhon Hyulsu and Gal Cheonrip were defeated. Everything happened so fast.

‘Is this even possible?’

Hong Daeguang knew Mount Hua’s true worth better than anyone. He was the one who recognized the value of Mount Hua when it had neither fame nor skill, nor anything else, and even gave up his position as the Luo Yang branch leader to come here.

But the spectacle unfolding before his eyes today was absurd even for him.

Those notorious demonic figures who had terrorized Jiangnan.

They fell as if they were weak enemies, at the hands of Mount Hua, not Shaolin, Wudang, or Zhongnan.

‘They’ve gotten stronger…’ It was surprising, but possible. Mount Hua had always exceeded Hong Daeguang’s expectations. But the reason he was bewildered now wasn’t simply because Mount Hua had become stronger.

Hyun Jong, who had been watching his disciples subdue the enemies, turned around. And he began to stride towards Hong Daeguang.

He swallowed hard.

Watching Hyun Jong approach with unwavering steps, followed by the elders and Mount Hua’s swordsmen as if they were guarding him, Hong Daeguang involuntarily swallowed hard.

‘What’s different?’

In the past, Hong Daeguang would have greeted Hyun Jong with a smile. He might have even teased him for being so late.

But now, Hong Daeguang straightened his posture, forgetting even the pain in his body, as if he were paying respects to the Abbot of Shaolin or the Grandmaster of Wudang.

The best word to describe what he felt from Hyun Jong was… ‘dignity.’

Hyun Jong, standing before the people of the Seoan affiliated families gathered with Hong Daeguang, slowly took them all in.

Even though Hyun Jong didn’t seem angry or threatening, everyone facing him felt a strong sense of his importance and power.

“Grand Master…”

In the end, someone unable to bear the weight opened their mouth urgently, about to express their gratitude.

Hyun Jong slowly, but clearly, bowed deeply. Very deeply.

“Grand Master!”

“Why are you doing this!”

Those who saw it cried out in alarm. Some immediately rushed to raise Hyun Jong, but couldn’t bring themselves to touch him and stamped their feet, while others trembled, their faces drained of blood in an instant.

A low voice leaked from Hyun Jong’s bowed head.

“I am sorry.”

“……”

At that moment, everyone fell silent.

“Our small group arrived too late, and many groups have been badly hurt. I hope you can understand and forgive Mount Hua for not helping sooner. Please be kind and understanding towards us.”

Someone bit their lip tightly at the unexpected words.

“…Please don’t do this, Grand Master.”

Nam Ja-myeong, the Lord of Seowol, opened his mouth with a deep sigh.

“If Mount Hua hadn’t come, everyone here would have died.”

Nam Ja-myeong, who was about to express his gratitude, bit his lip for a moment and clenched his fist tightly. And then he spoke.

“Our Seowol Clan is affiliated with Zhongnan. Originally, you, as the Grand Master, had no obligation to save us. But… you bow your head to us like this. Even if Mount Hua, which doesn’t usually get involved in outside matters, hadn’t come, no one would have blamed you…”

Nam Ja-myeong, trailing off, clasped his hands together and extended them forward. And he bowed deeply, truly filled with gratitude and respect.

“…Thank you so much for Mount Hua’s help.”

“Thank you!”

“Thank you, Grand Master!”

The lords of the Seoan affiliated families, and the disciples of the affiliated families, all bowed in unison, clasping their fists. Even those who were not in good condition due to injuries expressed their heartfelt gratitude without regard for their own bodies.

Only then did Hyun Jong slowly straighten his bowed back.

“I am only grateful that you understand our mistakes with understanding.”

At those words, difficult emotions showed on the faces of the lords.

‘It’s over.’

Hong Daeguang realized at that moment.

Perhaps the lords of the Seoan affiliated families… No, everyone belonging to the Seoan affiliated families would never forget this sight for the rest of their lives.

Sometimes, a single word can capture a person’s heart more than great power. Like this.

‘The Grand Master has changed from the past as well.’

Kindness and tolerance. And a presence that overwhelms those around him. None of them lacked the qualifications of a Grand Master of a great sect.

The fact that Mount Hua had become a completely different sect from the past was newly realized. Upon realizing this, Hong Daeguang’s eyes naturally searched for another person.

The person who created all these changes.

“Huh?”

At that moment, Hong Daeguang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘What is it?’

Chung Myung, who would normally be running around busily or at least guarding Hyun Jong’s side, was standing still in the middle, staring at that distant place.

“What is he looking at?”

Baek Cheon, also wondering the same thing as Hong Daeguang, approached Chung Myung and asked.

“What are you looking at?”

“Hmph.”

Chung Myung snorted softly and twisted the corners of his mouth with a strange expression.

“I was watching how much those little brats have grown.”

“…Your little brats are in front of you, though.”

“No. Not those little brats. The real little brats.”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon asked back, not knowing what he meant, but Chung Myung didn’t answer and turned around.

“Let’s clean up. I want to finish quickly and return to Mount Hua.”

“…Is it because he hasn’t seen people in a while? He’s saying strange things.”

The corners of Chung Myung’s lips were slightly raised, so Baek Cheon tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

“It seems like you are always understanding things slowly, Senior Brother.”

“Hmph.”

He sounded a little annoyed when he snorted.

“Aren’t you disappointed?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t get to see how strong Chung Myung became. Or your younger brother…”

“If you have time to talk strange things, go back and swing your sword. We haven’t stopped being isolated yet.”

“Yes, Senior Brother. I will.”

The edge of Seoan.

A group of skilled warriors who had entered a path not many people use turned around happily and walked faster.

The one who followed last stopped in his place and looked back.

“We will be able to see you again soon, Chung Myung.”

Lee Songbaek, with a bright smile, looked at Seoan as if he missed it, then turned around again and walked faster. His every step was energetic.