Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 919

The pirates from Surochae shouted loudly and fought the Changqiong Swordsmen. They waved their weapons in the air.

You begged for your lives from the enemy, and now you dare to show your faces again! You righteous groups are shameless!”

“You should be quiet and just die!”

The pirates mocked and made fun of the Namgung Family as they faced the Changqiong Swordsmen. Even though the Changqiong Swordsmen stood firm, they couldn’t help but blush at those words.

The moment they survived on the Jang River, the moment they begged for their lives from those villains, was still clear in their minds!

“Hold your positions!”

Shame burned in the chests of the Changqiong Swordsmen. Namgung Dowi felt it too. He kept his head down for a moment, his hands clenching into fists. But then, he lifted his head, his eyes meeting theirs, and spoke with a strong voice.

“It is shameful to do wrong. But it is worse to let that wrong control you! Don’t be ashamed to be here now. Be thankful… thankful you can be here to fix it!”

At those words, the eyes of the Changqiong Swordsmen sharpened once more like blades.

How could they forget? That humiliation. That misery of having to break their resolve to survive.

For three years, the swordsmen trained for this fight. They wanted to fix their shame and bring honor back to the Namgung Family!

“Dieee!”

At that moment, a terrifying glaive flew towards Namgung Dowi’s face. Namgung Dowi’s eyebrows jumped.

Wham!

His sword, swung like lightning, cut the glaive in half and stuck into the pirate’s body.

“Gack!”

A look of horror flashed across the pirate’s face.

Crack!

The sword, driven by immense force, quickly split the enemy’s body in two. The pirate’s body was flung away, scattering red blood.

Blood sprayed everywhere, but Namgung Dowi didn’t even blink. He shouted.

“I will lead the way! Changqiong Swordsmen, follow me!”

“Aye!”

Namgung Dowi dashed forward without hesitation.

His face was serious and determined. You couldn’t see any of his old recklessness.

‘I am an insignificant human.’

He thought he could catch up. He knew he was not as strong as the Mount Hua Sword Hermit (Qingming), but he was still a man of the Namgung Family. He believed if he kept working hard his whole life, he could be as good as Qingming one day.

He was confident that he could work harder than anyone else, and he was confident that he could endure more persistently than anyone else.

So he thought that was enough.

He thought Qingming was just ahead because he was talented. Namgung Dowi believed if he kept working hard his whole life, he could be as good as Qingming one day.

But…

‘What a joke.’

He knows now. How foolish that thought was.

‘It’s not something you can do just because you’re strong.’

If Namgung Dowi were as strong as Qingming, could he have faced Jang Ilso in that place?

If he were that strong, could he have fought alone, risking his life even when everyone else was silent, valuing their own lives?

He couldn’t even answer that with bravado. It was impossible for Namgung Dowi.

In fact, he had frozen, unable to do anything, even when Qingming faced Jang Ilso, when the Hwa-Ui occurred, and when Qingming’s fist was embedded in the face of the Wudang sect leader.

He felt ashamed. The Namgung Family sword was meant to protect what is right.

‘It’s not that you can be that kind of person because you are strong. It’s that you are strong because you are that kind of person.’

He could make excuses for losing in martial arts. But there was no room for excuses for losing as a person.

Everyone, strong or weak, has only one life. Being willing to risk your life is not about how good you are at fighting.

That day, Namgung Dowi realized just how foolish he had been.

“I will not say be the strongest!”

This was a message to those who were protecting his back, and at the same time, it was a message to himself.

“It is fine to be defeated in swordsmanship! But at least do not be defeated in righteousness! We are the Changcheon Namgung Family!”

“Aye!”

The Changqiong Swordsmen rushed at the pirates right away. Swords, more determined than ever, began to massacre the pirates in the blink of an eye.

Namgung Dowi’s sword was the brightest and most powerful of them all as he led the attack.

News of the Namgung Family’s actions traveled quickly, reaching even the quiet monasteries.

Beopjeong’s lips trembled, and his face went pale. He stared at Beopgye, his voice barely a whisper.

“…Is that true?”

“Yes, Abbot! We have received word that the Namgung Family Head, Emperor Sword Namgung Hwang, is leading the Changqiong Swordsmen to Gugang.”

Jao-gae glanced at the door. A beggar, who had told Beopgye the news, was hesitating to enter the room and peeking in. The beggar nodded vigorously the moment his eyes met Jao-gae’s.

It all meant it was true.

“Namgung Hwang. Namgung Hwang, you say…”

Jao-gae had been talking softly to himself. He chuckled, but he looked more confused than happy.

‘Knowing how angry that old man can get… yes. This could happen.’

Namgung Hwang was second to none in the world when it came to having a fiery temper.

He must still be very ashamed and angry about what happened at the Jang River three years ago. So, when news reached his ears that the Four Evil Sects had crossed the Jang River and set foot on Gangbuk land…

Jao-gae sighed deeply.

This was clearly the Beggars’ Sect’s mistake. Information itself is meaningless. It only has meaning if you can predict what will happen based on that information.

The Beggars’ Sect should have known this would happen when the Four Evil Sects came to Gangbuk. But they only realized it late, when they heard the Namgung Family was moving.

‘No, no. How many people in the world could have predicted that in that urgent situation?’

They had to pay attention to everything happening all over the world, so they had no choice but to postpone the response of a sect that had gone into seclusion.

Jao-gae tried to make himself feel better by making excuses, Beopjeong’s angry voice reached his ears.

“What in the world is Namgung Family Head thinking! He went to the Jang River? Is the Namgung Family going to fight the Four Evil Sects alone?”

Beopjeong looked at Beopgye with a face that he couldn’t believe at all. There was no way the situation would change even if he scolded him, but he couldn’t handle the situation that had started running wild beyond his control.

‘He’s out of his mind.’

How could a sect launch a solo attack on such a place?

Gugang, or Plum Blossom Island, is like a bomb ready to explode. The eyes of the entire Jianghu are focused on it, and the conflicts of all forces are gathered there.

It was hard to understand how that insignificant island had become such an important place, but everyone agreed it was now a very important place where the Four Evil Sects and the Nine Sects were fighting for pride and power.

But to attack such a place alone without any consultation?

If this starts a big war between the Four Evil Sects and the Nine Sects, how will they deal with what happens after?

“What are you thinking! What!”

Crack!

Beopjeong rubbed his Buddhist prayer beads so hard they made a clicking sound. He felt like he was losing control of everything, and things were going in a direction he didn’t want.

“This is the Namgung Clan’s fault if the world falls apart! How could the Clan Head be so reckless? He leads one of the Five Great Families!”

Angry shouts filled the room. Everyone was talking at once, but no one spoke too loudly. They were angry, but also afraid.

Jao-gae sighed quietly to himself.

“Reckless?” he thought.

Maybe. It might look that way.

But in their world, it wasn’t called reckless.

“It’s called doing what’s right.”

Wasn’t it brave and honorable to fight evil, even if it was dangerous? To put others first?

The Namgung Clan had done what everyone who talked about justice always said they should do. But now, if they were being blamed right away, it was like saying all that talk about justice was fake.

Jao-gae could not listen to Beop-jeong’s angry words anymore. He spoke up.

“Abbot.”

Beop-jeong looked at Jao-gae. He was still angry, but he listened.

“Yes, the Namgung Clan surprised us all. But blaming them now won’t help. We need to think about what to do next.”

Jao-gae stopped for a moment, letting his words sink in. He watched Beop-jeong’s face. Then, in a calm, clear voice, he asked:

“What will *you* do?”

The question hung in the air, sharp and direct.

“The Namgung Clan has started this fight. Now we have to decide. Will we help them attack Surochae? Or will we say they are on their own and we will not get involved?”

Beop-jeong closed his eyes tightly. He felt a headache coming.

It made sense to help the Namgung Clan. But what if they did? What if helping them made the Four Evil Alliances attack the Yangtze River area?

“Then it would be a real war.”

If a big war started, they couldn’t control it. Win or lose, they would be badly hurt.

“Elder,” Beop-gye said.

Beop-jeong was taking too long to answer. Beop-gye spoke first.

“Could this all be a trick by Jang Il-so?”

“A trick, you say?”

“Yes, a trick. Didn’t everyone get dragged into the Yangtze three years ago along with the movements of that Surochae?”

Jao-gae frowned, his jaw tightening. He quickly smoothed his expression, but inside, he was thinking, ‘That’s because you were blinded by your ambition and rushed to the Yangtze without looking back!’

There were many things he wanted to say, but he held back. This was Shaolin, and the people in front of him were the Abbot and Elders of Shaolin.

“The chance of that is not high.”

“Why? That Jang Il-so….”

“It would take too long to explain. I don’t think this is the time to waste time with such words. In any case, everything that is happening now is likely because the Black Dragon King is doing things on his own.”

Beop-jeong laughed humorlessly.

“Doing things on his own….”

It was a ridiculous situation.

‘Two people who get angry easily are driving the situation to hell.’

The Black Dragon King and the Emperor Sword.

Both were important figures with power in their groups. But that didn’t mean they were strong enough to change the balance of power in the Central Plains.

But because they were both acting on their own at the same time, the Nine Sects and the Four Evil Alliances were being pulled into a war they didn’t want, at a time they didn’t want it.

‘Is this what war is really like?’

That wasn’t what Beop-jeong thought. He thought war was a fight between leaders, using the forces they controlled.

But the world was changing in a way he didn’t understand. Everyone was doing what they wanted. How could he fight a war with people like that?

“I don’t know why you’re hesitating,” Paeng-yeop said, frowning.

“I don’t like that the Namgung Clan acted so arrogant and did things on their own. But now that it’s happened, we have to support them.”

But Jongri-hyeong didn’t agree.

“Clan Leader Paeng, I think you need to calm down. If we rush to the Yangtze now, the other members of the Four Evil Alliances will have to move too, not just Surochae. Then we really can’t turn back.”

“But if we just watch and the Four Evil Alliances move first, it will be too late to support them. The Namgung Clan will fall first.”

“I know. I know, but shouldn’t we think carefully before we act?”

“How is this acting without thinking!”

As the two men argued, Beop-jeong’s face grew darker.

It made sense to support the Namgung Clan right away and push out Surochae. It wouldn’t be too hard if the Paeng Clan and the Joint Forces helped.

But what if the Four Evil Alliances moved north and a big war started?

Could the groups here really fight the Four Evil Alliances with just their own forces? The Four Evil Alliances led by Jang Il-so?

‘It’s not enough.’

If the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families all supported Shaolin, he wouldn’t have to hesitate. But as it was, it was hard to deal with those Four Evil Alliances.

Even if they won, they would see the other groups, who had been waiting to see what happened, sneak in and attack them from behind, since they would all be weak from fighting.

Beop-jeong bit his lip, lost in thought.

‘What are you hesitating about?’

He would feel shame, but others would die. As a Buddhist, shouldn’t he choose shame?

“Anyway….”

When he spoke, everyone looked at him, as if his words still had power.

“Even if we rush to the Yangtze right now, it will be too late. By then, the fight between Namgung and Surochae will be over.”

“Hmm. That’s true.”

“Then, we will have to prepare for what happens next.”

Beop-jeong stood up slowly.

“Give me one day.”

“One day?”

Jao-gae looked at Beop-jeong, confused. What could he do in just one day?

“Yes. One day is enough.”

“Excuse me, Abbot. What are you going to do?”

“…I will go to Shanxi.”

“Sh, Shanxi? Could it be…?”

Everyone’s eyes widened. Beop-jeong nodded.

“Yes.”

His eyes were steady and strong.

“I must meet the Heavenly Union Lord and the Mount Hua Sword Master myself.”