Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 955

Jang Il-Soo hummed softly as he lifted his wine glass. The bright full moon reflected in his eyes.

“Late at night, upon the Jang River…” His lips curved into a gentle smile.

“…I am also here, though.”

“Tsk.” Jang Il-Soo, looking momentarily annoyed, turned to Ho Ga-Myung, who sat across from him.

“You will never understand romance.”

“I may not understand romance, but I understand reason.”

“Enough.” Jang Il-Soo waved his hand dismissively and slowly finished his wine. He placed the glass on the table, looking slightly relaxed.

Jang Il-Soo smiled. “Isn’t this wonderful?”

Ho Ga-Myung watched Jang Il-Soo, who seemed as relaxed as if they were just taking a walk in the moonlight. Ho Ga-Myung sighed heavily. He did not feel the same joy.

“Lord Ryunju may be happy,” Ho Ga-Myung said, his voice low, “but I am not.”

Jang Il-Soo raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What worries you?”

“Worrying, you say?” Ho Ga-Myung glanced around with a troubled expression. They were drinking on the deck of the Black Dragon Ship.

Even though the Black Dragon King was the Vice-Lord of the Alliance of Four Groups, and Jang Il-Soo was the Lord, the Black Dragon Ship was a symbol of the Water Rogue Fortress. To act as if it were his own home on that deck was disrespectful, like invading someone’s home.

‘Even I feel this way.’

If the Black Dragon King were to invade the Myriad Man Manor and sit on Jang Il-Soo’s throne, Ho Ga-Myung would stop at nothing to kill him.

‘Can this be described as boldness?’

Moreover, this was on the river, and the Myriad Man Manor warriors they had brought were staying on other ships, not this Black Dragon Ship. This meant that if the Black Dragon King had any bad intentions, things could become very dangerous.

But Jang Il-Soo seemed unconcerned, casually sipping his wine.

“Heh heh heh.” Jang Il-Soo chuckled softly, watching Ho Ga-Myung anxiously looking around.

“Ga-Myung, you can’t be so timid.”

“…If it were my own life at stake, I wouldn’t be afraid. But I am not great enough to gamble with Lord Ryunju’s life.”

“Gamble, you say…” Jang Il-Soo lightly waved his index finger from side to side.

“No, no. This isn’t a gamble, it’s a calculation.”

“…”

“The Black Dragon King is smarter than you think. That’s why he can’t touch me right now.”

“Why…”

“If I die, the Alliance of Four Groups will lose its leader and fall apart. Then who will face the fury of the angry monks, those angry monks watching us closely?”

“Ah…” Ho Ga-Myung nodded slowly.

Certainly, if Jang Il-Soo were to withdraw, the Jang River, if not Jiangnan, would surely be devastated. The Shaolin’s fury must be terrifying now.

“The Black Dragon King is probably on edge, fearing that I might die from a stray arrow. So don’t worry and just drink. It’s lonely drinking alone.”

“…You said you were drinking with the moon as your companion.”

“You hold grudges for too long. It’s a bad habit.” Jang Il-Soo chuckled and slowly turned his head. He could see Plum Blossom Island, hidden in darkness.

“Isn’t it pitiful?”

“Is this something new?” Ho Ga-Myung slowly drank his wine.

He placed the glass on the table and said with an indifferent face, “Compared to what Lord Ryunju has gone through, such things are not even worth calling a crisis.”

“It’s not just what I’ve gone through.”

“… ?”

“It’s what you and I have gone through.” At Jang Il-Soo’s words, a faint smile crossed Ho Ga-Myung’s face, which had been expressionless all along.

People only see Jang Il-Soo’s impressive side.

Becoming the Lord of the Myriad Man Manor at a young age, and making that Myriad Man Manor a member of the Five Great Powers. And now, he has risen to the position of Lord of the Alliance of Four Groups, overseeing the unorthodox groups of the world, surpassing even the Myriad Man Manor.

It is an unparalleled, brilliant record.

But who would know what kind of path Jang Il-Soo and Ho Ga-Myung had walked to achieve those brilliant feats?

They had faced death many times. These close calls were so common, they weren’t even good stories to tell while drinking. For them, danger was as normal as night following day.

Ho Ga-Myung picked up the wine bottle and filled Jang Il-Soo’s empty glass.

“And it will be something we will continue to experience in the future.”

“That’s right. Haha!” Jang Il-Soo laughed as if he was delighted and emptied the glass filled with wine in one gulp. Even in the midst of all this, his eyes were fixed on Plum Blossom Island, hidden in darkness.

“Hmm?” At that moment, Jang Il-Soo’s eyes twitched slightly. Ho Ga-Myung’s face hardened at the reaction and he asked.

“Is there a problem?”

“No.” But Jang Il-Soo shook his head calmly.

“It’s nothing.” Lips as red as blood curved into a smile.

“The preparations?”

“…They are complete.”

Namgung Hwang looked back at Namgung Dowi with a serious face. His son, whom he thought would always be young, was looking straight at him with the face of a warrior.

Namgung Hwang nodded his head greatly.

Even if he wasn’t his son, it didn’t matter. If it was someone who could make such an expression, he was worth risking his life for, no matter who he was.

“The elders?”

“They are ready, Lord.” The elders standing behind Namgung Dowi were the same.

They were tired and thin, looking as if they could collapse at any moment, but their eyes were shining more brightly and clearly than ever. He was worried they would be discovered because of that gleam.

Namgung Hwang took a short breath.

“Dowi.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“I know you have made up your mind, but I will ask you one last time.”

“Yes.”

“Do not look back.” Namgung Dowi clenched his fist tightly.

“What is on your shoulders is the lives of the Namgung on this island. Compared to that, our lives are nothing more than insignificant.”

“…I know.” Namgung Hwang nodded after speaking, staring at Namgung Dowi with more determined eyes than ever before.

He looked at his son one last time, remembering his face. Namgung Hwang turned away as if he had no regrets left.

“Namgung Myung.”

“L, Lord.”

“I entrust this place to you.” Namgung Myung gritted his teeth. A resolute spirit settled on his face as well.

“Yes, leave it to me.”

“Good.” Namgung Hwang said powerfully without looking back.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

“Approach without being detected as much as possible.”

Exactly seven: Namgung Hwang and Namgung Dowi, and the five elders who were the core of Namgung.

They began to slip into the dark Jang River without a sound.

They submerged below the surface of the water without even making a splash and slowly approached the ship.

Namgung Dowi followed right behind Namgung Hwang and swam as carefully as possible.

Namgung Dowi, who had been swimming for a long time in the water where he couldn’t even see properly, suddenly had a small hope: that they might be able to reach the land by passing under that ship without being detected.

But wishes are just wishes, and hope is mostly shattered.

Before they had even reached halfway to the ship, something soared up from the bottom.

“Kuh!” White bubbles poured from Namgung Hwang’s mouth.

The pirates were watching for anyone passing by, even underwater.

If they were on land, Namgung Hwang could have hidden easily. But in the water, it was impossible to hide.

A loud noise swept through the water one after another, and dozens of long harpoons swirled and flew towards them.

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth and drew his sword.

A huge waterspout soared above the calm surface of the Jang River.

“What is it!”

“An enemy attack! There are rats in the water!”

“Crossbows!” The quiet Jang River was instantly filled with shouts and screams.

The Black Dragon King rushed out of the cabin like a thunderbolt.

“What’s going on!”

“It seems they are trying to escape.”

“What?” The Black Dragon King turned his head sharply and looked at Plum Blossom Island. When he narrowed his eyes, he could clearly see those who were still groaning in the center of Plum Blossom Island.

‘What is it?’

Most of the personnel were still staying on Plum Blossom Island.

Then?

“Namgung Hwang!” The Black Dragon King shouted loudly and ran across the deck.

The figure of Emperor Sword Namgung Hwang rising above the water came into clear view.

“Hahaha! You rat-like bastard! So you want to live, too!” The Black Dragon King burst into great laughter and gestured with his hand.

“Shoot him! Cover him with arrows!”

As the pirates flocked to one side of the deck, the ship tilted momentarily. The pirates, packed so tightly that their shoulders touched each other, simultaneously raised their bows and aimed at Namgung Hwang.

“Fire!”

Arrows filled with power were fired all at once. The arrows fired simultaneously from not only the Black Dragon Ship but also dozens of other ships covered Namgung Hwang’s head like a heavy rain.

If it were daytime and not night, it would have been a sight that would have created a huge shadow on the Jang River.

“Black Dragon King!”

The huge sword energy emitted by Namgung Hwang shone like the sun rising through the river, lighting up the surroundings. Then, the pouring rain of arrows collided with the soaring sword energy and bounced off in all directions.

It was a terrifying sword energy that made the onlookers shudder.

“Hahaha!” But the Black Dragon King laughed even more heartily at the sight.

“Attack him! Let him know exactly what the price is for putting his body in the Jang River!” The pirates dropped their bows and jumped into the water.

There were so many of them that the river seemed to turn white momentarily just from the foam that rose as they jumped into the water.

The many people split the water at a tremendous speed and rushed towards Namgung Hwang and the seven others. Not only outside the water, but also inside the water.

It was like a pack of sharks attacking a tiger in the water.

“Lord!”

“I know!” Namgung Hwang shouted loudly.

“The elders block those approaching in the water! I will take care of the surface!” He gripped the sword hilt so tightly that all his knuckles turned white.

‘I will save Dowi!’ An intense will that had never existed before surged in his eyes.

“Come! Dogs of the Water Rogue Fortress! I will show you how the Lord of Namgung dies!”

Namgung Hwang’s sword, roaring like a wounded tiger, crashed into the water, sending waves everywhere.

Then, huge ripples began to form on the surface of the Jang River. The surging waves greatly shook the ships floating on the water.

The pirates floated above the water like dolphins and threw harpoons at Namgung Hwang and Namgung Dowi.

“Dowi!”

“Yes!” Namgung Dowi stepped on Namgung Hwang’s shoulder and jumped above the water like a flying bird. His sword created a white pattern in the air.

Dark sky and the dark Jang River. The white pattern in the dark sky looked small and lonely.