Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“…..”

“Huhuhuhu.”

“…..”

“Hahaha. Hahahahat! Euhahahahahahahahat!”

“…..”

Jo-Gol, who was looking at Im Sobyeong in awe as he continued to burst into laughter, quietly opened his mouth.

“Sahyung.”

“Why?”

“Why is he acting like that?”

“…He must be feeling good.”

“Like that?”

He still looked at Im Sobyeong with a look of incomprehension.

No, he understands that’s a good thing, but….

“Euahahahahahat!”

Isn’t that a bit too much?

However, Im Sobyeong kept bursting into laughter regardless of whether Jo-Gol thought it was strange or not. Im Sobyeong was usually sick and weak person, so he didn’t really feel like Nokrim King, but when Jo-Gol saw him looking up at the sky and bursting into laughter, those thoughts disappeared.

On the other side….

“Why is he like that again?”

“…What else?”

“Him, that guy.”

Yoon Jong’s gaze turned to the other side of Nokrim King. He saw Chung Myung looking depressed, something he had never seen before. His gloominess was such that one could almost see dark clouds gathering over his head.

Im Sobyeong burst into laughter at him as Chung Myung squatted in the corner and scribbled something on the ground with a twig. The way he waved the pledge in his hand as if to show off was like a winner waving a victory flag at a loser.

“Hahahahahahahaha!”

Yoon Jong, who looked alternately at Chung Myung digging into the ground and Im Sobyeong blowing the trumpet of victory, shook his head.

“What a mess.”

“I know right.”

At that time, Baek Cheon smiled and approached Im Sobyeong.

“Congratulations.”

“Aah! Baek Cheon Dojang! Thank you! Really, thank you!”

“…Do you like it that much?”

“I like it!”

Im Sobyeong spread out his fan.

“The harsh years, humiliation, and pain I endured just to get a chance to join Heavenly Comrade Alliance!”

“…,.”

“How could one not feel good when they got all that rewarded at once! Now, our Nokrim is also a proud member of Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”

“…Even though we said we’d announce it later…”

“That’s not important. What matters is we finally have a shield.”

“A shield, you say?”

Im Sobyeong smiled meaningfully at Baek Cheon’s question.

“Think about it, Baek Cheon Dojang. What would have happened if Nokrim had not been close to Mount Hua in this situation?”

“Yes? That’s….”

Baek Cheon pondered for a moment then nodded. He understood what Im Sobyeong was saying.

“Indeed, it would have been dangerous.”

“That’s right. That’s right. The current relationship between Righteous and Evil Sects is at its worst. In addition, Ten Great Sects has been disgraced by Evil Tyrant Alliance and needs a way to restore its honor. In this situation, if Nokrim had not belonged to the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, we would have been destroyed by the crazed Shaolin.”

This is not just a story limited to Shaolin.

There is more than one sect that wants to restore their honor right now.

“For other Evil Sects, it would be okay to just head to Gangnam and join Evil Tyrant Alliance, but for Nokrim, that is impossible. Isn’t Nokrim basically a sect that has to live near the mountains? And most of the mountainous areas in Jungwon are concentrated in Gangbuk.”

“Yes.”

This means that among the large Evil Sects that exist in Jungwon, Nokrim is the only one whose activities are based in Gangbuk. Of course, Nokrim is active in Gangnam as well, but that force doesn’t even make up three-tenths of the whole.

“So, our Nokrim can choose one of two paths. Either abandon all the bases in Gangbuk that we have cultivated, move to Gangnam, and bow our heads to that Evil Tyrant Alliance. Either that or cut off Gangnam and survive in Gangbuk under the watchful eyes of Ten Great Sects.”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

“It will be difficult to survive.”

“Yes, that’s right. No matter how great Nokrim is, can we really stand up to Ten Great Sects? If Ten Great Sects bastards decide to attack us with determination, it wouldn’t take even a month for the seeds of all the bandits in the mountains to dry up.”

“…”

“And the other option is the same. How can I, born a human, bow my head to Jang Ilso? To that devil bastard!”

“…..”

It is well known that Jang Ilso and Im Sobyeong are sworn enemies. To be honest, it is close to Im Sobyeong, who was beaten unilaterally, burning his grudge alone.

“But!”

Chwarararak!

This time, what was unfurled was not a fan, but a pledge with Hyun Jong’s seal.

“Now we too are proud members of Heavenly Comrade Alliance! No matter how much Ten Great Sects is, they can’t touch us who are part of Heavenly Comrade Alliance!”

“…”

As he spoke openly, tears welled up in Im Sobyeong’s eyes. Baek Cheon, puzzled, asked.

“Why, why are you crying?”

“No, Baek Cheon Dojang. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with sadness…”

“Yes? Sad?”

“Yes!”

He said, looking into the distance with wet eyes.

“Those harsh years…. The demon outside is trying his best to manipulate even one more person, and the idiots inside are asking why we have to act like servants to Righteous Sects bastards…! The elders spouted bullshit about how it wasn’t like this in the previous generation! Claiming I didn’t deserve to be Nokrim King! Saying Nokrim had deteriorated!”

“…You’ve had a tough time.”

“No, no! Now, all that hardship has come to an end! Slamming this pledge on the faces of those elders! Aaaaarrggh! I’m so curious to see what kind of facial expression it will make, it’s making me crazy! Hahahahaha! I’ll bury them alive where our ancestors are buried. Damn old fools!”

Baek Cheon quietly wiped his cold sweat and took a couple of steps back.

The reaction was a bit too intense and somewhat overwhelming, but anyway, he’s happy…

Meanwhile, Baek Cheon looked at Im Sobyeong anew.

‘If you look at it on the other hand… What a great person he is.’

This means that Im Sobyeong had a feeling that something like this would happen someday from the time he first met Chung Myung. And at that time, he chose Mount Hua as a sect that could serve as the eaves of Nokrim.

If Im Sobyeong’s choice had been a little late or wrong, Nokrim’s situation would have become incomparably more precarious than it is now.

Although he appears to be a person with many strange aspects, Baek Cheon once again realizes that this person was clearly the person who made the best choice as the head of Nokrim.

On the other hand…

Baek Cheon turned his eyes to the other side. Now, the figure of Chung Myung, leaning against the tree trunk and looking up blankly at the sky, came into view.

He looked indescribably sad. To some extent, he felt sorry for that demon.

“…Chung Myung?”

“…”

“That… Chung Myung?”

Only after calling twice did Chung Myung’s head helplessly turn towards Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk….”

“Yes, yes, Chung Myung. Are you okay?”

Baek Cheon swallowed dry saliva.

“I….”

“Yes?”

“…What kind of wealth and fame am I going to enjoy?”

“…”

Tears moistly gathered in Chung Myung’s eyes.

“To think there would come a day when I share a meal with those of Evil Sects. I’d rather raise maggots. No matter if this is all for survival, how could I ever…”

“Ca- Calm down.”

“Sect Leader is being too much! Even if it pricks his conscience. To accept those Evil Sects son of a beasts. And not just one or two but all those swarming bandit bastard…. Aigo. Aigo Sahyuuuung. What will become of Mount Hua? Ah, my dear Mount Hua. Mount Hua is doomed. Mount Hua is utterly dooomeeeed…”

Baek Cheon was so shocked that he broke into a cold sweat.

He has seen Chung Myung throw tantrum so often that it’s not new to him anymore, nor does it tickle him. However, he had never seen Chung Myung so sorrowful and despairing.

“I should just die, I should just die. I should just bite my tongue and die. What have I lived this long to see…”

“You’re still young, you crazy punk! You’re talking like a grandfather who has lived his whole life!”

Chaos was looming.

Jo-Gol, who was watching this, asked as if it was something new.

“…I guess it’s quite a shock to share a meal with Evil Sects.”

“He has Evil Sects-loathing disease.”

He was already someone who didn’t even treat Evil Sects as a human being, but recently, thanks to the appearance of Jang Ilso, that symptom has gotten several times worse.

Even though Im Sobyeong could be considered a moderate Evil Sects member (?), if this is the reaction, one could hardly imagine how much he despises figures like Jang Ilso or Black Dragon King.

“Try to console him well.”

“Couldn’t we just leave him alone?”

“I’m afraid that bastard might start spouting nonsense like ‘The Righteousness of Mount Hua is dead. In this case, I will drive out Sect Leader and become the Sect Leader and reestablish the spirit of Mount Hua.’”

“…I’ll just stuff his mouth with sweets for now.”

Although it seemed unlikely, the potential aftermath was too terrifying to ignore.

Mount Hua with Chung Myung as the Sect Leader.

It is not just Mount Hua, but a catastrophe spanning the entire Jungwon. For the peace of Jungwon, and beyond that, for the peace of the Nine Provinces and Eight Emperors, it was imperative to prevent this at all costs!

However, most of Mount Hua’s disciples were busy looking at the amazing sight with strange smiles on their faces.

As expected, the fact that Nokrim joined Heavenly Comrade Alliance did not particularly evoke any feelings for them. This is because after seeing Nokrim for a while, much of their feelings of resistance have subtly disappeared.

So, they were just happy that the guy who was running wild all over the world got a big blow.

‘There’s a day when that bastard will be punished too.’

‘Now that Sect Leader has full authority, we might get some peace too.’

‘They say even a rat’s hole sees sunlight!’

At that time, Tang Soso smiled and said.

“That’s why I told you to be kinder, Sahyung. You’re in this mess because you have a bad attitude! Hohohoho!”

“…Is it funny?”

“Hohohoho!”

“Is it funny, I’m asking?”

“Ho… Hoho.”

Tang Soso’s face, which had been laughing exaggeratedly like a villain, gradually stiffened and turned white. Chung Myung, who had been in despair, slowly stood up from his seat.

He then spoke in a low voice.

“Sasuk.”

“…Yes?”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung’s complexion with an anxious face.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“…Yes.”

“I think there is one reason why this disaster occurred.”

“What?”

“It’s because we are too weak.”

“…”

Excuse me? Just two days ago, that… We flew to Yangtze River in one month, destroyed water fortress, and saved Namgung?

But too weak?

Baek Cheon’s eyelids began to flutter.

“Chung Myung… In my opinion, that seems like a misjudgment.”

“No, it’s correct.”

Chung Myung said with a firm face.

“If you think about it, it’s a simple thing. If we could just beat up Evil Tyrant Alliance, Ten Great Sects, all of them, we wouldn’t have had to associate with these bastards of Evil Tyrant Alliance, right?”

“If one sect could do all that, would it be Mount Hua? It’d be Magyo.”

“N- No!”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon was momentarily taken aback by the scream that came from next to him, then he unknowingly covered his mouth.

He understood what mistake he had made.

“…Magyo?”

“…..”

“Magyooooooooo?”

Sure enough, Chung Myung’s eyes began to gleam with madness. Those who saw that look glared at Baek Cheon as if they were about to kill him.

‘Hey, damn it. He even mentions that!’

‘Knowing exactly that that bastard will have a seizure when he hears mention of Magyo!’

‘We really need to tie up that mouth or whatever!’

Baek Cheon, who received a look of resentment, slowly turned his head and looked at the distant sky. Chung Myung muttered ominously.

“That’s right, Magyo. Yes. We have to defeat them too. Then there’s no time to be playing around like this.”

Chung Myung, whose eyes had completely turned overturned, grabbed his Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword.

Baek Cheon hurriedly looked around. He intended to ask Im Sobyeong, who had triggered this whole situation, to try to calm him down.

However….

“W- Where did that yangban go?”

“Nokrim King? Didn’t you see that he ran off like a rabbit as soon as the word Magyo mentioned?”

“…”

Ah. So that’s how life should be lived… He learned something new today.

Seureung.

Chung Myung, who drew out his sword with a swish, smiled and scanned everyone.

“Now.”

“…”

“It’s time for a fun training session.”

Everyone’s faces drained of color.