Return of the Mount Hua Sect

When someone is referred to as a normal person, it implies that the other person is someone who does not significantly deviate from the social and cultural perception to which they belong.

This means that even if you are considered a normal person in some places if you end up alone in a place among entirely different people, you can be called a strange person.

And right now, Namgung Dowi was painfully realizing this fact.

‘Am I the one who’s wrong?’

He might have been inflexible in his thinking in the past, but he now prided himself on being more open-minded. However, what was happening before his eyes was difficult for even him to accept.

No, no matter how much you think about it, this was not his fault.

Who in the world could have imagined such a scene?

Mount Hua’s disciple is climbing on top of Tang Gaju’s son and punching him in the jaw, while Mount Hua’s female sword warrior is mercilessly twisting the arm of Tang Family’s Sogaju.

No, let’s just say they did go that far. Things like that happen, too. Someone with an exceptionally broad mind might say, ‘Well, it could happen,’ and take it in stride.

But when you see a monk stomping on a Tang Family member’s face, and a female martial artist from Tang Family stabbing her own brothers with her sword, even the most open-minded person would have to reconsider.

Uh? Isn’t someone missing…?

“Stomp! Stomp!”

“Kill them!”

“Aaaaaaah!”

Aigoo, Yoon Jong Dojang. Why are you being stomped over there? Aigoom my gosh. They really stomped him fiercely…

Namgung Dowi, watching the scene before him with eyes full of disbelief, finally closed his eyes tightly. After seeing a pure white marten wearing Mount Hua black uniform jump up and slap a Tang Family member on the face, he wants to stop thinking altogether.

‘What is happening to the world?’

The ruler of Shaanxi and the ruler of Sichuan were facing off on the Yangtze River.

Just hearing it sounds grand and impressive, but in reality, it was nothing more than a brawl of dark path (??)…. No, dark path is a bit too much, this was no different from back alley thugs grabbing each other and fighting.

Namgung Family, who had been pushed to a corner of the training ground to avoid the cruel (?) and terrible fight, watched the thug fight as if they were looking at something rare.

“Mount Hua really has great stamina.”

“There was a perception that Tang Family was weak in a melee fight, but that wasn’t necessarily true. Once it turns into this kind of melee, it’s hard to avoid their poison.”

“For that matter, Mount Hua disciples are fighting well?”

“They’ve been trained by someone even more venomous than Tang Family’s poison.”

“Ah, that’s right. Understandable.”

Don’t make sense of it! Why do you understand that!

As time goes on, Namgung Family seems to be getting stranger and stranger. In the past, those who would have frowned at that sight and thought it was unsightly are now applauding with genuine admiration.

But what could Namgung Dowi say? The person who brought them to Heavenly Comrade Alliance and put them in this situation (?) was none other than Namgung Dowi.

“N- No. Is this really okay?”

As bitter as it was for him to admit, the current Namgung Family could not compare to these two sects. Anyone who knows Heavenly Comrade Alliance would consider those two sects to be the core of Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

Yet, these two core sects were now hurling curses at each other as they fought.

‘Won’t we just build up ill feelings with this?’

He found it hard to understand the meaning behind this training. But the bigger problem was that there was no way to stop Chung Myung or Tang Gun-ak. So, the only option left was…

“O- Over there….”

“Huh?”

“That….”

Namgung Dowi swallowed dry saliva and looked at Im Sobyeong. Unlike Namgung Dowi, Im Sobyeong, who was leisurely observing the situation with the attitude of ‘Nothing happens in this corner of the house that isn’t surprising’, slightly raised his chin and made eye contact.

“What is it?”

Namgung Dowi’s expression became extremely awkward.

He understood. In Heavenly Comrade Alliance, there were no boundaries between sects, nor distinctions between Righteous and Evil. The fact is that anyone who can trust each other with one mind can come into the fence of Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

And Nokrim proved themselves worthy of becoming a proud member of Heavenly Comrade Alliance. In the first place, the moment Im Sobyeong, the leader of Nokrim, risked his life to join the fight against Magyo, no one could doubt his sincerity.

‘I understand that… I really do.’

Even if he understood it mentally, talking to Im Sobyeong wasn’t easy.

In the first place, he was Sogaju of Namgung Family. He lived his life without once thinking that the day would come when he would speak in a friendly way to head of Evil Sects. To him, Nokrim King was nothing more than a target whose head he would someday take to make a name for himself.

No, that’s right. What are the Noklim people like in the first place? A leech-like bastard that occupies a lush mountain and sucks the blood of the commoners who travel….

“Sogaju.”

“Yes?”

“Now… It seems like you’re calling me here to swear with your eyes?”

“Tha- That can’t be possible.”

Namgung Dowi was a scion of a prestigious family. In Heavenly Comrade Alliance, he was one of the few who understood the bare minimum of etiquette. He composed himself and spoke.

“That… Shouldn’t we calm them down a little bit?”

“Why bother?”

“Pardon?”

Im Sobyeong shrugged his shoulders as if annoyed.

“Chung Myung Dojang will take care of it. Tang Gaju-nim is there too.”

“N- No. I know that… I’m just worried this might just build unnecessary animosity.”

“Ho?”

At that moment, Im Sobyeong looked at Namgung Dowi with a meaningful gaze.

“Oh, so you have the insight to see further than Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword and Poison King?”

“Huh?”

“So, you’ve noticed something they haven’t, and you’re suggesting a solution? And you’re using me, someone of some status, as a messenger to avoid causing discomfort?”

“Wa- Wait a moment…”

Namgung Dowi was visibly confused. Is this something that can be interpreted that way?

“In other words, while those two are very uncomfortable, the bandit leader is very easy to deal with?”

“…I- I didn’t say that!”

“Aah. So you’re saying the bandit leader is so stupid that he won’t even realize it unless you tell him directly?”

“….”

Can someone really be this twisted?

‘Was he originally like this?’

Obviously, when they went to Gangnam together, he used to grumble a lot, but Namgung Dowi thought he was quite smart and courageous…

This reaction was clearly strange even to a bandit of Nokrim, as one of the bandits tilted his head and cautiously asked Im Sobyeong.

“Chief, why are you so angry? It doesn’t seem like he said anything particularly wrong.”

“There’s nothing wrong with what he said.”

“Yes?”

“The person who spoke that is the problem?”

The bandit who spoke to Im Sobyeong glanced at Namgung Dowi.

“…Is there an issue?”

“Issue? There’s no issue with him. The issue is with me!”

“…No. What do you mean? You keep…”

“Why?”

At that moment, Im Sobyeong glares at the bandit.

“Why? I was born into a family of bandits, and I even took the civil service exam to try to make a name for myself, but I failed the exam and ended up living as a bandit. Do you think I’m like this because my stomach is twisted when I see a young master who was born into a prestigious family and is living well?”

“….”

“Hahat! That’s not even funny! Of course, no matter how much I recite the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, I’m just a bandit, while he, even if that guy beats an innocent guy to death on the street, after looking at his status and face, people will think, ‘Ah, the dead guy must have done something warrant for it.’ He’s a guy who lives a comfortable life, but I don’t envy him at all. Why would I envy him?”

“…Take a breath while you speak.”

Not only Nokrim, but even Namgung Family became solemn for some reason.

Once Im Sobyeong opened his mouth, his mouth did not stop.

“Aigoo, I must have been wrong. I was wrong. A prestigious personage has entrusted me with a task, I as a person of Evil Sects must somehow carry out the order! So, should I go deliver the message now?”

Maybe things would have ended a bit awkwardly but without further issues.

At this point, it would have been the same if Namgung Dowi had simply apologized for being short-sighted. Of course, Namgung Dowi was willing to do that and actually tried to do so right away.

But things in this world rarely go as planned, and it always spreads from a small spark to a big fire in an instant?

“Well, you’re taking it too negatively.”

At the sound of a voice coming from behind, Namgung Dowi was startled and turned around.

One of the swordsmen of Namgung Family, who was standing behind, looked at Im Sobyeong with an expression of disapproval and blurted out something.

“Don’t be so twisted.”

“Shut your mo….”

Namgung Dowi hurriedly tried to cover the person’s mouth. Contrary to appearances, Im Sobyeong is the Nokrim King. No matter what, an ordinary martial artist from Namgung Family shouldn’t speak to him so lightly.

But before he could finish his sentence, someone else responded.

“Twisted?”

“…!”

This time, Namgung Dowi’s head turned in the opposite direction. A grim-looking bandit, who was standing behind Im Sobyeong, spat on the ground.

“Aigoo. You must not have any hardships in life if you don’t recognize the ups and downs. Which son of a beast makes fun of Nokrim King?”

“What? Do these bandit bastards think they can just talk like that?”

“Bandits? Yes, I am a bandit. And what about you? Do you think you’re still Namgung Family of the old days? If it weren’t for Mount Hua, people like you would have been beaten to death long ago.”

“Oh, really? By whom? You? Surely you don’t think you could do that, do you? Know your place, bandit scum.”

“Who doesn’t know their place here?”

Namgung Family sword warriors grabbed the handle of their swords and moved cautiously. Then, bandit of Nokrim also came out threateningly, holding a sword in their waist.

“Consider yourself lucky. If this wasn’t Heavenly Comrade Alliance, you’d all be dead.”

“You’re one to talk! If Chung Myung Dojang hadn’t taken you as his servants, we would have wiped you out ourselves.”

“What? Servants? You who abandoned your family and fled here!”

“What? Flee? A bandit dares to talk nonsense with that filthy mouth?”

The atmosphere became extremely ugly.

Just as the flustered Namgung Dowi was about to intervene and calm everyone down, a voice rang out.

“Oh, nice. The atmosphere.”

“Chu- Chung Myung Dojang!”

Chung Myung had appeared before he knew it and was walking towards them. He looked over the bandit of Nokrim and Namgung Family sword warriors, both with their swords drawn, and furrowed his brows. Namgung Dowi stepped forward to try and prevent a storm.

“I’ll handle this…”

“This just worked out well.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

“Since you’ve already set the atmosphere, there’s no need to explain. You were probably bored just watching anyway, right?”

“….”

“But there’s one thing that bothers me.”

“Wha- What….”

“Even though you’re from Namgung Family and Nokrim, if you have complaints, you should settle it with your swords or fists. Why are you using words when you have such fine swords?”

“Pardon?”

Chung Myung, with his hands behind his back, gestured with his chin.

“See over there? That fight?”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, it’s no different. Whoever stands last today gets the day off tomorrow. The loser will train until dawn.”

“….”

“Start whenever you’re ready. The winners can come report to me.”

“Ju- Just a moment. Chung Myung Dojang? Chung Myung Dojang!”

After finishing what he had to say, Chung Myung walked away without even looking back.

Namgung Dowi, who stared blankly at his back, turned back with a pale face.

Bandit of Nokrim, holding their sword, smiled heartily and approached Namgung Family, and sword warriors of Namgung Family were looking at them as if mocking.

“Well, I really didn’t want to do this. Honestly.”

“Not my intention, really.”

“Can’t be helped. I don’t have any hard feelings, though.”

Just insult us already, please, just insult us.

“You all heard him, right? Today, let’s show these nerds just how terrifying Kangho really is!”

“Show these bandit bastards what happens when they come down from the mountains!”

It was a moment when Namgung and Nokrim, who had always been unwelcome to each other, vented all their dissatisfaction and rushed at each other.