Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 945

Maybe Jang Il-so wasn’t the strongest fighter in the world. People called him the Supreme Devil, but no one really knew if his fighting skill was the greatest. And they didn’t want to find out.

The reason was simple.

Strength wasn’t the only thing that mattered with him.

In the Jianghu, the world of martial artists, strength decided your place. To become famous in this dangerous world, sometimes called the Sword Forest of Massacre, you had to prove yourself again and again.

But Jang Il-so… he was different.

Tyrant Jang Il-so.

His name stood apart, unusual even in the Jianghu.

Even if Jang Il-so’s fighting skill was no better than a common street fighter, everyone would agree:

This man… was the most dangerous person in the Jianghu right now.

The venomous snake, carrying its deadly poison, slowly walked across the sandy beach. His steps were light and elegant, not heavy or threatening. He strolled as if he were out for a walk.

But everyone on Plum Blossom Island watched him closely.

“……”

They swallowed nervously.

No one had told them to stop fighting, but the battle had stopped on its own.

At least, Namgung Myung seemed to understand why.

No rabbit would fight over land in front of a wolf.

The moment Jang Il-so showed himself, everyone knew they shouldn’t be fighting each other.

“Hmm.”

A low voice, with a nasal tone, drifted on the wind through Plum Blossom Island.

“This…”

Jang Il-so looked at Namgung Hwang.

“You seem to be in quite a state…”

Namgung Hwang clenched his fist. He felt like a cold snake was tightening around his neck.

It might have been more than a feeling. Namgung Hwang saw that the ships following Jang Il-so weren’t docking, but blocking the river between Plum Blossom Island and Shaolin.

Even if Shaolin decided to help, it would be hard to get through now.

Even though he walked slowly, Jang Il-so was trapping them. Like a noose tightening, escape was becoming impossible.

Warriors from the Myriad Man Clan hurried off the ships to follow Jang Il-so. Ho Gamyeong ran out and stood beside him, as if to protect him.

Even though he knew it was a bad time, Namgung Hwang felt like laughing weakly.

Jang Il-so and protection? It seemed strange to think of Jang Il-so needing protection. He was the one who made others need protection.

Then, Jang Il-so smirked.

“The Namgung Clan… How did you end up like this? Hmm?”

His gaze, like a snake coiling around its prey, tightened on the tired swordsmen of the Namgung Clan. Jang Il-so took a deep breath and smiled.

He found this sight wonderful.

The Sky Origin Namgung Clan.

The eyes that once shone brightly were now empty and filled with despair.

Some were bitter and crying, some were sad because it was all over. Some glared at him, while others begged for mercy.

All eyes were on Jang Il-so.

But they all had one thing in common.

There was no hope left.

Thud. Thud.

Jang Il-so stepped forward.

The pirates in front of the Namgung Clan moved aside with scared looks. A path opened up in the crowded pirates.

Jang Il-so walked down that path as if it were normal.

He stopped in front of the Sky Vault Sword Squad of the Namgung Clan. They were the front line, the best swordsmen Namgung had.

They had fought a short, hard battle. The Sky Vault members still standing were covered in blood.

As Jang Il-so came closer, they raised their swords and bared their teeth like trapped animals.

But Jang Il-so kept walking at the same pace, as if he didn’t even see the swords.

Twitch.

The tips of the Sky Vault members’ swords began to shake.

It was strange. The one with the sword was shaking, and the one with bare hands was smiling.

“D-don’t come…”

The Sky Vault member in front of Jang Il-so barely spoke. He moved the tip of his sword closer, as if to stab Jang Il-so’s neck.

But Jang Il-so seemed to know the sword wouldn’t reach his neck. Or maybe he didn’t care.

When he stopped, the tip of the bloody sword was almost touching his neck.

All he had to do was stab.

He could put energy into his arm and stab that white neck. He just needed courage.

But…

The sword didn’t move. It just shook, like it couldn’t believe a Namgung Clan swordsman was holding it. It even moved back a little.

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so smiled and slowly put his finger on the shaking blade.

Rustle.

They saw it then.

The tip of Jang Il-so’s finger split a little, and a drop of red blood went down the sword.

“……”

Before, they thought the sword couldn’t hurt that hand. That’s why they were scared.

But when they saw the blood, they felt even more fear.

Who was more scary? The one who didn’t bleed and didn’t fear death, or the one who bled but still didn’t fear death?

Swoosh.

The white finger, with ornaments, slowly moved along the shaking blade. It stroked the bloody blade and reached the back of the Sky Vault member’s hand, holding the sword.

Jang Il-so’s finger moved up his arm, slow and cold as a snake slithering in the shadows. It brushed the Sky Vault member’s shoulder, touched his pale cheek with blood, and reached his forehead.

It was a slow movement, but everyone watched without breathing, as if they were under a spell.

At that moment.

Jang Il-so’s hand opened wide.

Everyone flinched, and then.

Thud.

Jang Il-so’s large hand covered the Sky Vault member’s head, like he was patting a child.

“Poor thing.”

Jang Il-so’s kind voice, full of pity, echoed softly.

“You fought so hard…”

The Sky Vault member began to shake. The Namgung Clan swordsmen bit their lips until they bled.

How could they describe this? They were being comforted by the enemy and felt a moment of peace.

When Jang Il-so appeared, who would have thought this would happen?

Jang Il-so slowly shook his head and spoke again.

“And yet, in the end…”

He said the words the Namgung Clan didn’t want to hear.

“You were abandoned.”

Everyone felt like they couldn’t breathe.

They had seen despair, then hope, and then fallen from that hope into hell. They didn’t want to hear that.

“Poor thing… Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Jang Il-so looked sad, as if he really felt sorry for them.

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth at that fake sight. He couldn’t watch anymore.

“Jang… Il-so!”

Then Jang Il-so slowly turned around, looking puzzled, as if he had forgotten Namgung Hwang was there.

“…Don’t mock us.”

“Mock?”

Jang Il-so repeated, as if he found it interesting, then laughed.

“Yes! Mock! A warrior would rather die than be insulted! Just kill us!”

Jang Il-so smiled at Namgung Hwang’s words.

“That’s weird… The more I hear it, the weirder it sounds.”

“…What’s so strange about it?”

“When did I ever mock you?”

“……”

He looked innocent, as if he was truly puzzled. Everyone knew he was acting. But what mattered was how much he shook them with that expression.

“The one who mocked you… Isn’t it Shaolin, not me?”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Isn’t it?”

Jang Il-so raised his hand high, then slowly pointed to Shaolin across the river.

“Look.”

“……”

“It’s just a river. You can cross it. If you can’t cross a river because of boats, wouldn’t Shaolin be ashamed?”

Namgung Hwang bit his lip.

“But what are they doing? They’re just watching you die.”

“Jang Il-so!”

“That’s exactly…”

Jang Il-so smirked as he lowered his arm.

“That’s what you call mockery.”

Namgung Hwang clenched his fist tightly.

Jang Il-so continued.

“They ran here like they were going to save you, but they don’t want to risk their lives. That’s how much they value you.”

Namgung Hwang knew he wasn’t angry because he was being mocked.

It hurt because what Jang Il-so said was true. He couldn’t scream.

“…So? Are you going to laugh at us?”

He said, grinding his teeth.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jang Il-so! Namgung will never be a joke! We will fight to the end! Being abandoned won’t ruin our name!”

He spoke wildly, not knowing what he was saying.

But the anger in his voice reached the Namgung Clan. Some of them regained their focus.

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so shook his head, looking troubled.

“Come forward, Jang Il-so! I will die first!”

Namgung Hwang gathered his energy.

He had to show the scared swordsmen that a warrior dies with honor.

Jang Il-so stared at Namgung Hwang, who was about to charge.

Just as Namgung Hwang was about to grab his sword, Jang Il-so slowly spoke.

“…Shall I save you?”

Namgung Hwang stopped, as if struck by lightning.

Disbelief, shock, frustration, and hope swirled in his eyes.

“Wh-what…”

It was a demon’s whisper. He shouldn’t listen. But Namgung Hwang had to listen.

He stammered, struggling to speak.

“What… did you say?”

Jang Il-so smiled like a demon from hell.

He repeated the same words.

“Shall I save you?”

“……”

Silence fell on Plum Blossom Island.

“Hahaha…”

The demon laughed.

“Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! Euhahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Jang Il-so’s laughter and the jingling of his ornaments covered Plum Blossom Island like the cries of a ghost.