Return of the Mount Hua Sect

‘What should we do?’

Everyone has a taboo. A part that should never be touched. The moment you touch it, it reveals anger anyone can’t do anything about.

To Chung Myung, that taboo is undoubtedly Magyo.

The problem is that Chung Myung’s reaction to anything related to Magyo is incomparably fierce compared to others. When Chung Myung hears the word ‘Magyo’, he becomes a completely different person.

Baek Cheon doesn’t know. Why on earth does Chung Myung react so violently at the mere mention of Magyo? But what was important to Baek Cheon now was not understanding but response.

“Chung Myung. This….”

Baek Cheon tried to talk it out somehow, but Chung Myung’s cold voice cut him off.

“Answer me, Sasuk.”

Chung Myung’s eyes were grim.

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“What has appeared?”

The murderous intent flowing out was extremely cold. Even Baek Cheon, knowing it wasn’t directed at him, momentarily shivered.

“Chung Myung. First of all… calm down.”

“Answer first.”

“Chung Myung.”

Suddenly, Chung Myung’s face twisted with anger. It was almost on the verge of exploding.

That’s when someone lightly grabbed his arm.

Chung Myung turned his gaze to the person holding his arm. Yoo Iseol was staring at him. With an expressionless face as usual.

“Calm down.”

“….”

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“Calm.”

Hearing that calm, unwavering voice, a long sigh eventually came out from Chung Myung’s mouth. The blood gradually returned to the lips that had been bitten tightly.

“…Right. Now that I’ve calmed down, tell me.”

“….”

“Sasuk.”

Baek Cheon sighed heavily.

Continuing to hide it wasn’t the best strategy. In the end, Chung Myung would find out anyway.

Baek Cheon looked back at Jo-Gol as if prompting him to explain. Jo-Gol looked at Baek Cheon and Chung Myung alternately, then scratched the back of his head and opened his mouth.

“Wel. That’s… I don’t know the situation exactly yet… but it looks like a messenger came from Evil Tyrant Alliance.”

“Evil Tyrant Alliance?”

“That’s what I heard.”

Chung Myung’s eyes sank a bit more.

“Go on.”

“…The messenger said that they wanted to meet Sect Leader and that they had come to tell him that Magyo had emerged in Gangnam.”

Throughout his explanation, Jo-Gol kept an eye on Chung Myung’s eyes. But with Chung Myung’s face remaining impassive, it was hard to read his emotions.

“And?”

Jo-Gol shook his head.

“That’s all I heard. Unam Great Sasuk took them to Sect Leader. There was also mention of Tang Gaju, so they might be together now.”

Jo-Gol looked at Chung Myung once more and muttered in an uncertain voice.

“So, if it’s something we need to know, they’ll probably tell us soon, right?”

“….”

Chung Myung looked at Jo-Gol and the other Five Swords in silence for a moment, then turned and started walking away. Baek Cheon called out to him in desperation.

“Hey! Where are you going!”

Chung Myung speaks without even turning his head.

“I’ll have to check.”

Fortunately, or unfortunately, he didn’t say he’d immediately run off to Gangnam. However, the next words made Baek Cheon panicked and run to Chung Myung.

“To those bastards from Evil Tyrant Alliance.”

“Hey, you crazy guy!”

Baek Cheon ran with all his might and grabbed Chung Myung’s arm.

“Why would you check with Evil Tyrant Alliance, man!”

“….”

“Calm down first! Rushing into this won’t solve anything, will it?”

“Rushing?”

Chung Myung looked back at Baek Cheon. When his eyes met, Baek Cheon almost let go of his arm. It was because Chung Myung’s eyes felt so unfamiliar for a moment. They were unmistakably Chung Myung’s eyes, yet they seemed different from the Chung Myung he knew.

“Sasuk.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what Magyo is?”

Baek Cheon kept his mouth shut.

Of course, he knows. He’s already encountered Magyo.

But he couldn’t answer that question. This is because he knows that knowing a little more about Magyo than others does not answer the question of whether he understands the essence of Magyo.

“Let go.”

“…No.”

Baek Cheon bit his lip and shook his head.

“Still, it’s not okay. You’ve lost your reason.”

“I got it, so let go.”

“Damn it! Why don’t you just listen…!”

Baek Cheon grabbed Chung Myung by the collar. It was just when he was about to let out a shout.

“What are you doing!”

A loud reprimand pierces their ears. Baek Cheon flinched, released his hand from holding Chung Myung’s collar, and looked behind him.

Hyun Young was glaring at them with an angry face.

“You’re really acting out.”

“…Great Sasuk, this is….”

Baek Cheon, who had nothing to say, trailed off. Hyun Jong, who glared at the two without hiding his anger, spoke coldly.

“Follow me.”

When the two didn’t move right away, Hyun Young clicked his tongue.

“Sect Leader is calling.”

Baek Cheon glanced back at Chung Myung. As Chung Myung, who had been silent, walked towards Hyun Young, Baek Cheon also breathed a sigh of relief and followed behind.

Five Swords, who were tense, also let out the breath they had been holding.

Jo-Gol, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, looked back at Yoon Jong, unable to hide his anxious expression.

“What happens now, Sahyung?”

“…Who knows.”

Yoon Jong’s face was stiffer than usual as he watched Chung Myung’s back.

“First, we have to meet Sect Leader. We have to check how the situation unfolds.”

“…Yes, Sahyung.”

Yoon Jong let out a short sigh at Jo-Gol’s reluctant answer.

A heavy silence descends on the room.

Tang Gun-ak was sitting next to Hyun Jong, who had an unusually dark complexion, and to his left and right, Mount Hua’s and Tang Family’s leading figures gathered.

It was not Hyun Jong or Tang Gun-ak that made the atmosphere in this room so dark. Seated across from him was Chung Myung. As he remained silent with his face hardened, no one could open their mouth.

It was a sight that clearly showed how much influence the existence of Chung Myung had on this Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

“Sect Leader.”

“…Yes.”

Perhaps thinking the silence had stretched too long, Tang Gun-ak gently prodded. Then Tang Gun-ak opened his mouth in a heavy tone.

“From Evil Tyrant Alliance…”

Still, he paused for a moment and closed his eyes. His words continued only after everyone sighed two or three times.

“A situation has been reported by Evil Tyrant Alliance. It appears that people believed to be members of Magyo have appeared in Hangzhou.”

“…Magyo.”

Someone murmured almost like a groan.

Whether silent or sighing helplessly, their feelings weren’t so different. The weight of the one word ‘Magyo’ wasn’t light for anyone.

Especially….

“Magyo….”

The reaction shown by Mount Hua’s disciples was so intense that it could not be compared to that of Tang Family. It is only natural. Mount Hua harbors complex and dark emotions towards the Demon Sect.

“Was there no other message?”

Hyun Jong shook his head when Hyun Sang asked.

“First of all, they say this is all. And they say they will deliver the additional details separately.”

Hyun Sang nodded with a gloomy expression. This time, Hyun Young spoke up.

“If this is what Evil Tyrant Alliance says, it must have been Jang Ilso’s instructions. Can we trust all of this? It could be Jang Ilso’s scheme.”

But Tang Gun-ak shook his head.

“It would not be unlikely, Elder-nim.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because the area reported for its emergence is Hangzhou.”

Tang Gun-ak spoke as if forcing his lips apart.

“People of Mount Hua would know this especially well. Magyo does not discriminate between martial artists and commoners. Isn’t that why they became public enemies?”

Hyun Young nodded silently.

But to be honest, he wasn’t fully aware of that fact. The downfall of Mount Hua didn’t just erase its history. Information on Magyo wasn’t abundantly available to Mount Hua either.

“It’s Hangzhou. It is a place where many people live. In particular, Hangzhou is a place where people flock from all over the world. If what Evil Tyrant Alliance says is true, it won’t take days for the news to spread everywhere.”

“Um. Indeed…”

“I don’t think Jang Ilso would bother with such an easily exposed ruse.”

Hyun Young nodded, thinking that Tang Gun-ak’s words made sense.

Moreover, according to Hyun Jong, Evil Tyrant Alliance did not ask for anything in particular. Wasn’t it just about conveying the situation? No matter how much he was appalled by Jang Ilso’s schemes, it was premature to suspect Jang Ilso.

“If so….”

At that time, Tang Gun-ak opened his mouth with a grim expression on his face.

“Doesn’t this mean that there is a high probability that the information they conveyed is true?”

“….”

No one answered that question.

“Keuhum.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat loudly to lighten the mood.

“Anyway, that’s the situation we’ve been informed of. So… our first step is to inquire with Beggar Union to check what’s happening in Gangnam before deciding the alliance’s next move.”

Everyone nodded. It was indeed the logical course of action in this situation.

However, Hyun Jong, who said those words, still had a look as if something was bothering him. His eyes were fixed on the person across from him.

“Chung Myung.”

At that soft voice, Chung Myung opened his closed eyes and stared at Hyun Jong. His gaze was eerily sunken.

Hyun Jong let out a soft sigh and asked.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Chung Myung remained silent for a while.

“Chung Myung?”

“I’m not sure what difference my words will make.”

Only after being prompted once more did he speak. His voice was sharper than usual.

“If you understand what the appearance of Magyo means, you wouldn’t suggest waiting here leisurely for more information.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Heavenly Demon does not distinguish between martial artists and commoners. It was definitely said.”

This time, Chung Myung’s gaze turned to Tang Gun-ak. That was indeed what he had said. That was indeed what he had said. Tang Gun-ak slowly nodded.

“…That’s right.”

“Do you understand the meaning of what you said?”

The moment Tang Gun-ak was about to ask again, Chung Myung spoke first.

“Today, it was Hangzhou.”

“….”

“Tomorrow, it will be Suzhou.”

Tang Gun-ak found himself unable to say anything.

“Next will be Wenzhou, followed by Fuzhou.”

It was a voice devoid of warmth. Yet, even colder was the meaning behind his words.

“Villages will be erased.”

Someone swallowed dry saliva.

“Cities will be erased.”

“….”

“Everything alive will be erased.”

Hyun Jong’s fingertips trembled involuntarily.

“For the day that Sect Leader asked to wait.”

Chung Myung’s gaze pierced through Hyun Jong.

“Not hundreds, but thousands of lives will be lost.”

“….”

“And so!”

Chung Myung’s voice rose for the first time.

“…There were those who, knowing there are those who seek their own gain and hesitate at the back, still risked their lives to fight.”

Eudeuduk.

The sound of Chung Myung’s teeth grinding echoed in the silent room.

“Chung Myung….”

“I’m not blaming anyone. Just please understand, Sect Leader.”

“….”

“What the cost of waiting for just one day is.”

Hyun Jong felt a sense of dread for a moment and closed his eyes.