Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 896

Chung Myung sighed, the sound long and weary. He scratched his cheek, his eyes looking tired. “Hmm,” he mumbled, breaking the silence in the simple room. “I was really hoping to just relax and do nothing for a while.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes narrowed, a look of disgust on his face. “Don’t joke around,” he said sharply.

“I’m serious!” Chung Myung insisted, raising his hands slightly.

Baek Cheon just stared at him, saying nothing, his silence filled with disbelief. Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively, his face showing clear annoyance. “Why are you looking at me like that again? It’s not my decision.”

“Huh?”

“Those bastards decide it.”

Everyone knew who Chung Myung was referring to by ‘those bastards’.

“…The Four Evil Sects.”

“Yeah.”

Chung Myung nodded lightly as Baek Cheon spoke with concern.

“It’s definitely true, but…” Yoon Jong tilted his head and said,

“But according to Hong, the Branch Leader, the Four Evil Sects might not be able to move due to fighting among themselves, right?”

“That won’t happen.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

“There might be fighting among themselves, sure. But they won’t waste time because of it. Jang Il-so isn’t the type to be held back by something like that.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

They knew that the leaders of the Shinju Five Great Clans were no ordinary people. They had witnessed their power in the Yangtze River.

These leaders hadn’t been pushed back against the leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families. In some ways, they had even overwhelmed them.

But…

‘Would Jang Il-so be held back by them?’

Even if Jang Il-so was stopped, he wouldn’t waste time. He is the type to cut off his own leg to keep going.

Baek Cheon’s face hardened as he thought this.

He wasn’t underestimating the leaders of the Shinju Five Great Clans. Jang Il-so’s presence was too great, even more so than them.

“Certainly, if it’s Jang Il-so…” Chung Myung nodded indifferently.

“And think about it. Jang Il-so knows that we know, the Beggars’ Sect knows, and all the traditional groups know, right?”

“…Of course, he would know.”

“Yeah. He would know. If he knows, he’ll prepare. There’s no way he wouldn’t think of what I’m thinking.”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung with new eyes.

Chung Myung hated Jang Il-so more than anyone else. But listening to him, one might think that Chung Myung’s most respected person was Jang Il-so.

‘It’s a little annoying.’

Who could make those words come out of that damned mouth?

“And he’s already moving.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Jo Gul asked, his eyes wide.

Chung Myung chuckled. “Do you really think it’s a coincidence that those evil bastards invaded Shaanxi this time?”

“…You’re saying that was also intended by Jang Il-so?” Yoon Jong shook his head.

“That’s too far-fetched. We interrogated those Kangseo Seven Killers, but Gal Cheon-rip had no connection to the Four Evil Sects. And he’s not the type to listen to Jang Il-so.”

Chung Myung stared intently at Yoon Jong and shook his head.

“Senior Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re good at everything, but your problem is that you’re too kind.”

“…Is that an insult?”

Considering who that person is, it’s definitely not a compliment. Absolutely not.

“A real master creates a situation where things happen on their own, without having to lift a finger.”

Chung Myung pulled over a new bottle of alcohol, took a sip, and continued.

“Even if Gangnam is vast, if Jang Il-so wanted to, he could have beheaded those guys before they even came up to Gangbuk. He’s already occupied the Yangtze River, so it’s even stranger that he missed them.”

“…So you’re saying Jang Il-so deliberately sent those guys to Shaanxi?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?” Baek Cheon asked, puzzled.

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know either.”

Then everyone’s eyes narrowed. There was a subtle dislike in them. Chung Myung, seeing their reaction, twisted his face.

“No, am I a mind reader? How would I know what that crazy bastard is thinking!”

“We thought you’d know.”

“They say crazy people understand each other.”

“Even if everyone else in the world doesn’t know, you have to know.”

“…Damn it.”

Chung Myung gulped down the alcohol as if his throat was burning.

He passed it off as a joke, but his eyes were darker than before, as if unspoken words were sinking into them.

‘Jang Il-so…’

He put down the bottle, wiped his mouth, and spoke again.

“We just need to know what’s certain.”

“What’s certain?”

Chung Myung nodded. “He’s moving.”

The room fell silent.

Everyone knew this fact. They had endured that difficult training because they had anticipated it.

Baek Cheon nodded. “We need to finish preparing before that, so that we can deal with whatever nonsense Jang Il-so does.”

“Well…” Chung Myung glanced at Baek Cheon and smiled.

“We’ve prepared a lot, haven’t we?”

“That’s right.”

“…We prepared so much that we’re not just sick of it, we’re bitter.”

“Ah, Senior Brother, are you talking about when you threw up back then?”

“You threw up too, you bastard!” Yoon Jong kicked Jo Gul.

Jo Gul had grown over the past three years, and now he showed the spirit to say what he wanted even while being beaten.

“I just spilled a little, but Senior Brother threw up everything he ate for breakfast!”

“When did I ever, you punk!” Yoon Jong protested, his face reddened.

No one bothered to tease Yoon Jong. During that harsh training, such an event was just a small incident to laugh off.

“Rather than preparing, we need to organize.”

“Organize?”

“Yeah, organize.” Chung Myung slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

“We need to organize the chaotic situation so that it’ll be easier to deal with Jang Il-so when that bastard comes running with his eyes flipped. More than anything… we need to do something about those damned Nine Great Sects first.”

As the story of the Nine Great Sects came up, Chung Myung’s face showed anger again, and Hye-yeon flinched and slyly turned his gaze away.

“So, you don’t need to think too hard about it now,” Chung Myung said with certainty.

“Soon, a time to fight to our heart’s content will come.”

Everyone hardened their faces and nodded.

As the atmosphere died down, Chung Myung raised the bottle of alcohol in his hand and shook it lightly. “So let’s just drink today.”

“Not a bad idea.”

“He does say something right once in a while.”

The air in the room became loud with laughter again. Bottles clinked as the young men drank quickly, as if it was a race. Chung Myung watched them, leaning against the cool wall, a small smile on his face.

‘They deserve it.’

Chung Myung used to scold these young disciples for only wanting to have fun. But he wouldn’t say those things about them now. They had trained very hard for three years without complaining.

Even the Chung Myung of the past would have found it difficult to endure that training at their age. Of course, he would have done it, but…

– Who? You? Youuuuu?

“Ugh, that old man, really.”

“Huh?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Chung Myung quietly frowned.

Anyway.

Those who had pushed themselves so hard deserved a good rest. It wasn’t like Chung Myung stole the alcohol from the storage because he wanted to drink…

– The brat, causing trouble.

“No, this old man, really!”

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“…No.”

Unable to complain to anyone, Chung Myung sighed deeply.

‘More than that…’

Suddenly, Chung Myung’s eyes became sharp and cold. His smile disappeared, and his gaze hardened.

‘He’s definitely plotting something.’

It was unlikely that Jang Il-So would start a war by crossing the Yangtze River openly. Jang Il-So was the type to create a battlefield that favored him and use it as he wished.

The fact that the Four Evil Sects had been quiet recently clearly meant he was preparing something. Reorganizing the problems within the Four Evil Sects and planning to win the war against the Nine Sects.

“…Well, it’s all the same in the end.”

Chung Myung muttered quietly, twisting the corner of his lips.

No matter how clever the plan, it was useless if the skill was lacking. That was what Chung Myung had learned painfully on the Yangtze River.

Now, Chung Myung… No, Hwasan would let Jang Il-So know that fact.

“…Sasuk. Hey, look at him. Is he smiling strangely?”

“Just leave him be. He’s acting crazy again. It seems to be getting worse these days.”

“If he goes any more insane, it’ll be hard to see him as a person.”

No, let’s just… let Chung Myung teach him.

Yeah.

“The compensation is all finished.”

“Hmm.”

“We have collected all the bodies from the villages destroyed by the Demonic Sects’ attack and held proper funerals for each body, with prayers and respect. The survivors have been moved to the next village. We have promised support in the name of Hwasan and the Eunha Merchant Guild, so they will be cared for and safe.”

“That’s good.”

“The head of the Wiripsan sect, who went to Nanyang, is also returning after handing over the body.”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly as he listened to the report.

With this, Hwasan’s work in Xi’an could be said to be finished. It took a little longer than expected, but thanks to that, it was possible to finish it more neatly.

“Guild Leader.”

When Hyun Jong called him the Guild Leader, Hwang Jong-i straightened his body with a slightly nervous look. He knew Hyun Jong was going to speak formally now, with important words.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong looked at Hwang Jong-i and opened his mouth.

“You have worked hard.”

“Ah, no.”

Hwang Jong-i waved his hand in embarrassment, and Hyun Jong said with a warm smile.

“I am not just saying this about this incident. After learning how much hardship the Guild Leader suffered while Hwasan was weak and poor for a long time, and Hyun Jong felt responsible, I find it difficult to lift my head.”

“Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong bowed his head towards Hwang Jong-i.

“I am always grateful for what you have done for the lacking Hwasan.”

Hwang Jong-i’s eyes widened in horror. He quickly reached out to stop Hyun Jong from bowing further.

“Why are you doing this, Sect Leader! Hwasan is lacking? How can you say such a thing! Hwasan is by no means a lacking place.”

At those words, Hyun Jong slyly raised his head, a playful glint in his eyes. He knew he had caught Hwang Jong-i.

“Did you say it is not lacking?”

“Y-yes.”

Hyun Jong turned his gaze to a certain place. And he stared intently at that place and asked again.

“…Do you really think so?”

“…”

Hwang Jong-i couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth for a moment.

This was because at the end of Hyun Jong’s gaze were the Hwasan disciples, who were kneeling and hitting their foreheads on the floor as a sign of apology and shame.

“Keueung…”

“Head…”

“Jo Gul, you bastard… Who told you to use internal energy? Do you want to die?”

“…And you’re snitching on that again…”

Hyun Jong’s voice boomed like thunder.

“Why aren’t you slamming properly, you damn bastards!”

Those here were not the Hwasan disciples who had quietly returned to the Eunha Merchant Guild in the early morning and got caught. They were the ones who had caused the most trouble, who had drunk as much as they could and passed out, only to return in the morning reeking of alcohol…

‘Fools!’

‘How can not even one of them get up?’

‘I believed these things were my fellow disciples.’

Hyun Jong’s angry words fell on the backs of his five best disciples, known as the Five Swords of Hwasan. They glared at each other with sharp, angry looks, blaming each other for getting caught.

“We are still dealing with the problems from the Demonic Sects, and you are drinking? Alcohol? Aaalcohol? And you stole alcohol from someone else’s storage to drink? Taoists are supposed to be disciplined and moral, followers of a peaceful way of life. And you call yourselves Taoists? You call yourselves Taoists!”

At that moment, Chung Myung raised his hand high behind him, still bumping his head lightly on the floor.

“What is it?”

“Well… Hehe. It’s true we did wrong, but when you think about it, the Eunha Merchant Guild and us aren’t strangers, aren’t we…”

“What, you little rascal?”

The moment Hyun Jong was about to explode with anger, Hyun Young and Hyun Sang hurriedly grabbed and clung to him from both sides.

“Sect Leader, calm down!”

“People are watching, Sect Leader!”

“That’s the problem!”

Hyun Jong shouted like thunder and glared at the elders as if he would devour them.

“I’m doing this because people are watching, because people are watching! I can’t live because I’m so ashamed!”

“Ahem.”

“In the past, Chung Myung caused trouble by himself, but now…”

At those words, everyone including Baek Cheon flinched and closed their eyes.

“…I thought after three years of hard training and hardship, you would have matured a bit, but it’s even worse than before! Much worse! What will become of Hwasan!”

Hyun Jong, exhausted from being angry, sighed and turned his head. And he took Hwang Jong-i’s hand and bowed his head.

“Thank you so much for being with this pathetic Hwasan…”

“…”

Looking at his face, which was a mixture of sadness and injustice, Hwang Jong-i couldn’t say anything. He had no choice but to shut his mouth.

Hyun Jong had made a confused apology, mixing together being sorry for the drinking and being sorry for embarrassing Hwasan, raised his head sharply.

“Hyun Sang, Hyun Young.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Prepare immediately.”

“Yes?”

“We will return to Hwasan.”

Hyun Sang looked at Hyun Jong with a happy face.

“Now that we have finished all the work, we are returning to Hwasan…”

“I’m too embarrassed to stay here any longer! Pack your bags right away! Immediately!”

“…”

“Hurry!”

“…Yes.”

And just like that, because of a drunken mistake and a mountain of embarrassment, the Hwasan Sect’s return home was suddenly decided.