Return of the Mount Hua Sect

It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight, but for those witnessing it, the scene filled their hearts not with wonder, but with a growing sense of dread.

Bop Kye’s eyes trembled uncontrollably as he looked at the rising sun.

“…”

Silently, the fifth day had passed, and the promised day’s sun rose indifferently. Bop Kye turned his creaking head and looked at Bop Jeong.

“Ba- Bangjang….”

But he couldn’t say anything more.

It was because he didn’t know what to say.

Bop Kye understood Bop Jeong’s feelings well. If anyone in this place truly understood Bop Jeong, it would undoubtedly be Bop Kye.

Yet even he had thought that Bop Jeong would surely do something before this day’s sun rose.

Bop Jeong simply looked back without a word.

The disciples of Shaolin stood like statues. One could feel all kinds of agony on their faces. In the past few days, their faces looked more like weathered wooden Buddha statues than human expressions.

The vigor they had when coming to the Yangzte River now felt like a distant memory.

By nature, Buddhists have to bear the anguish of the world. But… Is this really the anguish they must bear?

The purpose of bearing suffering as a Buddhist is to save sentient beings. But who is being saved now?

Rather, isn’t everyone being led into hell!

Bop Kye looked at Bop Jeong again with bloodshot eyes.

“Bangjang.”

“…”

“Bangjang!”

Only then did Bop Jeong slowly turn to face Bop Kye. Bop Kye clenched his lips. The faces of Bop Jeong were not much different from the disciples standing behind him. In that short period of time, it felt like he had aged ten years.

But why?

Looking at such Bop Jeong, he didn’t feel any sympathy at all now.

“…Shouldn’t we do something?”

“…”

“Anything! Shouldn’t we do something?”

Bop Jeong looked at Bop Kye with unfocused eyes.

“Bangjang! As it is…”

“I know.”

“Bangjang….”

“…”

Bop Jeong turned his head and only looked at the Yangtze River without answering. The fleets surrounding Plum Blossom Island gazed back impassively.

‘How could he not know?’

If all these tribulations come to an end with the annihilation of Namgung, Shaolin will bear an indelible scar. It wasn’t just a wound from a sword, but a wound twisted with fire. It is a wound that will not disappear until the moment the sect called Shaolin is forgotten.

But then…

‘What should be done?’

They only need to take one step. It is not that difficult to take a step towards that water. As soon as he gives the order, Shaolin’s disciples will fight bravely against those evil enemies without a moment’s hesitation.

However.

‘Isn’t that just self-satisfaction?’

That place is a trap. A prepared pit of fire. From the beginning, Jang Ilso’s target wasn’t Namgung. After severing Namgung’s limbs and taking them hostage, his aim was to lure those who would come to their rescue.

Yes, specifically Shaolin.

No one can fathom what evils lurk in those undulating blue waves. The moment he steps in, everything Jang Ilso has prepared for them will come aiming at Shaolin’s throat.

Why think so?

Because it’s painfully obvious.

If Jang Ilso had wanted to, he could have replenished as many troops as he wanted during these five days. Because neither Hao Sect nor Black Ghost Fortress has yet appeared in the Yangtze River.

If only they had shown up here, Bop Jeong’s choice would have been much easier. After all, jumping into something realistically impossible is not something one can do.

However, Jang Ilso did not further reinforce his forces.

As if he would never destroy the subtle hope that Shaolin had. He cunningly maintained his forces, enticing Shaolin to jump towards Namgung at any moment

Udeudeuk.

Bop Jeong clenched his teeth.

‘Coward?’

The one who wants to attack more than anyone else right now is Bop Jeong. The blame for everything that happened here will fall on none other than Shaolin and Bop Jeong.

Is it difficult to say that he ordered them to attack and that Shaolin threw their life like straw for Chivalrousness? Is it really difficult to wail in front of the corpses of Shaolin disciples and cry out for Shaolin’s Chivalrousness?

Then, the name Bop Jeong will remain as a Chivalrous person like no other in the world. Even if Shaolin collapses, the name of Bop Jeong may be forever known to this Kangho.

But what does it matter?

Doesn’t he know? What happened to Mount Hua Sect that dragged the sect to the brink of destruction for the sake of Chivalrousness!

Did Kangho really protect them as they perished together with Heavenly Demon at the summit of the Hundred Thousand Mountains?

Cheong Mun.

The name Great Virtuous Sword Cheong Mun cannot be forgotten even if one tries. He is the person who sacrificed everything to save this Kangho.

So, is that Cheong Mun now happy underworld?

Absolutely not!

‘He must be wailing miserably.’

He’s probably shedding bloody tears. That he should never have made that choice.

What’s holding Bop Jeong’s ankles right now is precisely the specter of Mount Hua.

If that ridiculous person called Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword had not suddenly appeared, Mount Hua would have been completely ruined by now. No one in the world would have remembered the name of Plum Blossom Sword Sect Mount Hua.

Who can force such dire sacrifice upon their own sect! Who!

“Bangjang!”

“This…..”

It was at that moment when Bop Jeong was glaring at Bop Kye with bloodshot eyes.

“O- Over there!”

“….”

At Bop Kye’s urgent gesture, he sharply turned his head. And he saw it.

The sight of a small boat moored next to the huge hull of the Black Dragon Ship. And someone leaping from the Black Dragon Ship to that small boat.

“Jang… Ilso….”

It’s impossible not to know.

No matter how far the distance, that attire catches one’s attention immediately.

Following Jang Ilso, a small boat carrying one more person slowly approached them. It looked as if they were leisurely enjoying a boat ride on this Yangtze River.

Eudeudeudeuk!

The sound of someone grinding their teeth clearly pierced Bop Jeong’s ears.

His heart started beating faster and faster. The heart, which he couldn’t hear its beat as if the blood had dried up, began to pound rapidly, pumping blood all the way up to Bop Jeong’s head.

Paegun Jang Ilso. The root cause of all this mess!

A demon wearing human skin is slowly approaching without a proper escort.

“This…..”

Bop Jeong’s face flushed with rage.

He applied so much force that his blood vessels burst and his eyes turned red.

And that anger wasn’t felt by Bop Jeong alone. Everyone occupying the riverbank of the Yangtze glared at Jang Ilso with all the malice they could muster. The mere murderous intent would have been enough to stop the heart of any ordinary person.

But Jang Ilso himself seemed relaxed amidst that intense murderous aura.

Chalrang.

The liquor bottle in his hand made a heavy sound as it swayed.

Sitting on the small boat, he leisurely gulped down the liquor, seemingly enjoying the malice directed at him. The alcohol flowed down the corner of his mouth and dripped down onto the Yangtze.

“Keueu…”

Unable to contain his rage, Bop Jeong clenched his fists. The nails dug into his palms, and the red blood that flowed dripped down and seeped into the ground.

‘How far will this go…!’

How much more must one toy with people before being satisfied?

Even the demon that Buddha dealt with couldn’t have been this dreadful!

The boat, which was moving so slowly towards them, eventually slowly stopped. Just about twenty Zhang away. It’s a position where someone as powerful as Bop Jeong could rush in and attack in an instant if he so wished.

“Ryeonju-nim.”

Jang Ilso, who was looking at the Yangtze River with a composed face, glanced back at Ho Gamyeong. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if showing discomfort.

“Let’s move a bit closer. Shouldn’t these old fellows hear my voice more clearly?”

“It’s not that they’re deaf out of age, but rather they have ears but choose not to listen, so this distance should be appropriate.”

“Tsk.”

Jang Ilso shook his head as if displeased.

“You’re too scared.”

“…It’s rather that you, Ryeonju-nim, are overly fearless.”

Ho Gamyeong chuckled softly and added.

“And it is right for me to be a coward when it comes to matters related to Ryeonju-nim. Isn’t that my role? And Ryeonju-nim should start valuing your precious self more…”

“I get it, I get it. Enough nagging.”

Jang Ilso waved his hands as if fed up and slowly stood up.

Clink.

The distance is such that the sound of the jewelry he wears hitting each other can be clearly heard. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is extremely close distance for martial artists, cpunovel dot com but over that distance, Jang Ilso cast an arrogant gaze towards the martial artists of Ten Great Sects who were glaring at him.

“This….”

Everyone’s faces are as distorted as they could be.

Who wouldn’t understand the meaning of approaching this close without proper escort, in a distance where one could attack at any moment?

Their stomach churned as if they had swallowed a whole piece of hot charcoal. Everyone glared at Jang Ilso with faces like demons.

And that moment.

Jang Ilso extended the liquor bottle in his hand forward and gave it a light shake.

“Care for a drink?”

His voice was incomparably languid.

At that instant, the blood in Bop Jeong surged upside down.

However, Jang Ilso just admired the faces of Bop Jeong as if it were amusing.

“If you’re going to just sit there and watch anyway, having a sip of liquor with this view of the Yangtze as a side dish wouldn’t be too shabby, would it? Isn’t that right, Gamyeong?”

“There is no way that Righteous Sects bastards would understand taste.”

“That’s true. Tsk tsk, what a pity. Just too stiff.”

Jang Ilso lifted the bottle to his mouth as if regretful. And then took a swig, making sure everyone saw. The alcohol that had dribbled at the corner of his red lips flowed down his chin.

It was an eerily bizarre scene.

Even though Jang Ilso, Ryeonju of Evil Tyrant Alliance, who can be said to be the greatest enemy of Ten Great Sects, is within arm’s reach, no one on this riverbank dared to move a foot to attack.

As if their feet were glued to the ground, they could only blankly watch Jang Ilso drinking in front of them.

“Hmm.”

After a while, Jang Ilso removed the bottle from his mouth and let out a satisfied sound. The sight of his stark white teeth shining between his blood-red lips was truly chilling.

“At least…”

He looked around at everyone on the riverside and chuckled loudly. His laughter was filled with blatant scorn.

“I thought there would be at least something.”

“… … .”

“I must have seen you too great. No, no. Perhaps I underestimated you, not realizing you could be this despicable?”

“Uh….”

Jang Ilso nodded slowly.

“At this point, there seems to be no need to distinguish between Righteous and Evil Sects. Like you, we can’t desperately search for our own way of survival as vicious… This, it seems I’ve rather learned something from you.”

“Jang Ilso!”

It was the moment when Bop Jeong let out a scream as if his throat would burst.

“Watch closely. You hypocrites who talk of Chivalrousness and Righteousness with your mouths.”

Jang Ilso’s eerie voice pressed down on them.

Ttaak.

Jang Ilso lightly flicked his fingers and shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll give you a reward for enduring, with your feet stuck to that ground. As of this moment, Namgung disappears from the world.”

“Ah…”

“Let us listen. The screams. The shouts. The resentment. Right here…”

The corners of Jang Ilso’s mouth went up.

“Hold on to that life you’ve saved in exchange for your conscience, dearly.”

After a while, the boat carrying him slowly turned its bow. Jang Ilso cast his gaze slightly backward and said.

“Or… Would you try killing me right now? The great chivalrous martial artists of Righteous Sects?”

“…”

“Hahahahahahahahahahat! Ahahahahahahahahahat!”

Humiliation.

Defeat.

And a feeling of guilt.

In that hell mingled with all these emotions, the figure of Jang Ilso, bearing the rising sun on his back, slowly drifted away.

At that moment.

The fleets that had lined up as if on guard against the Ten Great Sects began to turn their bows in unison.

Toward Plum Blossom Island, toward the survivors of Namgung Family who remained there.