Return of the Mount Hua Sect

‘Haha….’

His eyes were half dead and the light almost extinguished.

When he looked around, his brothers, who had given up on using their hands to eat, had their faces buried in their bowls.

They couldn’t survive without eating, but using their hands to eat was impossible, so they had thrown away any semblance of dignity and were just shoveling food into their mouths any way they could.

‘Stamina…’

At this moment, Tang Pae perfectly understood why Chung Myung said that physical strength was essential to Tang Family’s martial arts.

With hands that couldn’t even hold a spoon, how could they possibly throw hidden weapons?

It is not wrong to say that Tang Family martial arts requires sophistication. However, that sophistication can only be demonstrated based on strong physical strength that doesn’t falter under any circumstances.

How sophisticated can someone be if they can’t even control their own hands?

‘I get it, but…’

He recalled what Baek Cheon said to him before.

There was a time when Tang Pae, puzzled, asked why Baek Cheon always got so angry whenever Chung Myung spoke. He thinks Chung Myung Dojang is saying the right thing, so why the anger? At that time, Baek Cheon clearly answered like this.

– …You’ll understand when you experience it later.

Yes. Now he understood. He understood it painfully well.

Since he says the right things, there is no room for resistance. But if they just shut up and follow what is told, it feels like a death sentence.

The problem is that if Tang Pae resists, he ends up looking like a lazy and shameless fool who doesn’t try. Who would have imagined how terrifying it is to be driven by proper justification?

“Keueueu….”

“Da- Damn it…”

Groans constantly came out from the mouths of Tang Family members.

‘I wondered why Mount Hua Sect became so strong. If they train like this, even a rabbit could beat a tiger in a few years.’

“Hyu- Hyung-nim. Are we really going to die like this?”

“Don’t worry. We won’t die.”

“No, how can you be so sure?”

“Look over there.”

“Yes?”

“They’re not dead, are they?”

Tang Zhan raised his head and looked at the direction pointed by Tang Pae. There, the dying disciples of Mount Hua Sect with pale faces were half-slumped on chairs, just staring blankly at the food in front of them.

“…Why aren’t they eating?”

“They threw up all their breakfast.”

“….”

“I didn’t know either. Who knew Gaju-nim would be so thrilled to be doing this?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen something like that in my life.”

“What a relief.”

“Huh? What?”

“That we’re seeing it for the first time… It’s better not to see such things.”

Tang Gun-ak had found his water.

It was as if he was possessed by the vengeful spirit of someone who had died unable to throw their throwing knives, and whenever he saw disciples of Mount Hua Sect, he threw throwing knives as a greeting. Of course, just because he threw throwing knives as a greeting, there was no way that the recipients could have accepted it as a greeting.

Mount Hua’s disciples, who felt the threat to their lives dozens of times a day, were drying up and withering away so much that it was obvious to the naked eye.

‘So that’s what it means when they say life is draining from your body.’

Tang Pae put down his spoon and sighed.

“Still, aren’t we in a slightly better position? So let’s not complain.”

“…Did you not hear?”

“What?”

“…After morning training, Chung Myung Dojang said, ‘Now that the basics are in place, it’s time to ramp up the intensity and do it properly.’”

“That crazy bas…! Kehuhuhum!”

Tang Pae quickly cleared his throat and cut off the words that were about to escape his mouth.

‘No. What….’

At this point, isn’t Chung Myung and Tang Gun-ak competing to see who can harass the disciples better? The innocent shrimps were getting crushed in the fight between the two whales.

“…They say that doing what you know is the hardest thing in the world.”

Tang Pae sighed heavily and suddenly looked at Mount Hua’s disciples with warm eyes.

“Still, it’s fortunate that we have them.”

“Yes?”

“…Imagine if only Tang Family had suffered this. Wouldn’t there have been ten times more dissatisfaction by now?”

“That… that’s true?”

Tang Zhan nodded.

There was no need to speculate. Until a few days ago, voices criticizing Mount Hua and Chung Myung had been flowing non-stop, but after Tang Gun-ak began to personally handle Mount Hua disciples, those words completely vanished.

And instead of subtle hostility, a sense of camaraderie had begun to form.

In any case, aren’t they comrade suffering the same pain, and those who have been receiving the training they are receiving now?

“When burdens are shared, they become a little lighter.”

“…Isn’t it just that the burden has increased?”

“Let’s just say that’s the case.”

Tang Pae looked at Mount Hua’s disciples with a peculiar gaze.

‘Did Gaju-nim or Chung Myung Dojang even have this in mind?’

If you think about it, the close relationship between Tang Family and Mount Hua Sect was a bit of an illusion.

In reality, the close relationships were between Hyun Jong and Tang Gun-ak, and between Chung Myung and Tang Gun-ak.

Since they represent Mount Hua Sect and Tang Family, it would not be wrong to say that the relationships between the sects were close, but in fact, there was no significant exchange between the members of each sect.

It wasn’t like they were reluctant to each other, but that didn’t mean they were close enough to have personal conversations.

‘In other words, if the current leaders were to step down, the relationship between Mount Hua and Tang Family wouldn’t remain the same.’

Tang Pae will try to maintain its relationship with Mount Hua, but no matter how much he thinks about it, it is difficult for Tang Pae to become a sovereign Gaju like Tang Gun-ak. So in the end, he would have no choice but to listen to others’ opinions.

However, if situations like this one kept repeating, a sense of camaraderie might develop between Mount Hua and Tang Family, and the members might also maintain good relationships with each other.

‘Is that why the two of them are willingly playing the villains?’

Perhaps the leaders were seeing a bigger picture that he couldn’t yet see. With this thought, Tang Pae nodded unconsciously.

Tang Zhan, who did not know the thoughts of such Tang Pae, said with a tearful face.

“…How are we supposed to handle the afternoon training?”

“Stop crying. Aren’t you given time to sleep?”

“Sleeping doesn’t mean you can recover from all your fatigue. These days, even when I practice meditation, my body doesn’t feel lighter. It feels like I’m carrying a block of iron on my shoulders.”

Tang Pae, who heard those words, nodded and looked at Tang Zhan.

“That’s the key.”

“…Yes?”

“From now on, we must endure not just short battles but wars. You understand that, right?”

“Yes.”

Tang Zhan nodded.

“War is not concluded overnight. Everyone must have felt that during Plum Blossom Island incident. It could be as short as a few days, or as long as several months, with daily fighting without being able to rest or sleep properly.”

“….”

“Look.”

Tang Zhan turned his head at Tang Pae’s words. The people of Tang Family were still dying without being able to eat properly.

“Over there too.”

Tang Zhan’s eyes widened slightly as he turned his head in accordance with Tang Pae’s words. Apparently, the disciples of Mount Hua, who slumped like corpses just a moment ago, had suddenly regained their energy and were shoveling food into their mouths.

“Do you understand what would happen if we were thrown into war in our current state?”

“…Yes, Hyung-nim. We wouldn’t be able to demonstrate even half of our abilities.”

“That’s also wrong.”

“Huh?”

“Abilities that cannot be demonstrated are not abilities at all. They’re just excuses. Only the strength that can be fully utilized in real combat can be called ability.”

“….”

“If you think like that, everything in the world will change. The public assessment that the Tang Family is ahead of Mount Hua Sect in terms of force is also incorrect. Now we are not even as good as them.”

“Hyu- Hyung-nim. That’s….”

Tang Pae looked back at Tang Zhan with cold eyes.

“What? Do you also want to cling to the superficial evaluations of others and elevate yourself?”

“….”

“After seeing Namgung Family, who were considered stronger than us, suffer so miserably?”

“That’s not what I mean, Hyung-nim.”

Tang Pae nodded.

“In my view, Chung Myung Dojang and Gaju-nim are not people who simply look at one thing and do their work. They are probably considering at least three or four things. It may be tough now, but if we follow them, there will surely be a moment when we see the light. Do you think they would do this just to torment us?”

“…That’s right.”

“Good. So, let’s eat. We need to eat to endure.”

Tang Pae somehow grabbed hold of the bowl and started stuffing the food into his mouth.

But at that moment, Tang Pae didn’t realize it.

No matter how good the intentions, no matter how benevolent the purpose, depending on the method, it can be more dreadful than acts done with malice.

* * *

“…What did you say?”

“Don’t you understand?”

Chung Myung smiled brightly.

It was an extremely refreshing expression to anyone’s eyes, but at least in the eyes of Tang Pae, that smile did not look good. No, rather, it looked more like the smile of a demon from hell.

“You’re exhausted too.”

“…Yes.”

“You want to rest, don’t you?”

“Yes….”

“So I will give you a chance to rest.”

Tang Pae was momentarily speechless.

No, Dojang-nim? I’m not stupid, of course I understood that.

“But the method….”

“Keueu, yes. That’s the key point.”

Chung Myung snapped his fingers loudly.

“Rest is good. Really good. But you know how people are, right? They don’t value something that’s just handed to them.”

“What kind of nonsense…? No, what do you mean by that?”

“So, I’m going to make you feel the value.”

Chung Myung grinned.

“As members of Tang Family, you also have pride in your skills, right? The belief that you can win against anyone.”

“…Yes.”

Chung Myung nodded as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Right. But it’s probably the same for those guys too, right?”

Chung Myung pointed to Mount Hua’s disciples with his chin. They nodded their heads with eyes filled with nothing but venom, looking like starving madmen.

“The law of Kangho is simple. The strong take and those who prove themselves gain. So….”

Chung Myung snapped his fingers again.

“The winners get to skip tomorrow morning’s training. Simple, right?”

“W- Wait a minute. What do you mean?”

Even so, colleagues who trained together split sides and fight! Does he think this kind of behavior is acceptable?

And if Tang Family and Mount Hua Sect split sides and fight, wouldn’t it uproot the budding camaraderie? This is something that shouldn’t be done…

“Ah, that damned bastard talks a lot. Well, yes. You’re probably not used to it yet. I understand. It’s very simple to solve it.”

Chung Myung smiled brightly.

“Once you get beaten up, you’ll come to your senses.”

“Huh?”

“Whoever stands last wins. Get ready.”

“Yes?”

“Start.”

Chung Myung clapped his hands.

Tang Pae let out a wry laugh. No matter how absurd this is, who would follow such a ridiculous…

“Aaaarghhh!”

And at that moment, a desperate scream was heard. Tang Pae quickly turned his head in shock.

The disciple of Mount Hua, who felt like a blood comrade in arms… No, the converts of Mount Hua Sect, were charging madly with bloodshot eyes.

“Dieee!”

It was the moment when the alliance between Mount Hua and Tang Family completely shattered into pieces.