Return of the Mount Hua Sect - Ch. 826
The white carriage and the Ten Thousand People clan following it drove away.
Tang Gunak, who arrived with the Tang family, sighed softly at this sight.
“… I guess we ended up coming too late.”
“No.”
Chung Myung shook his head.
“You came right on time.”
“Your body…”
“Well, it is fine.”
Although the word ‘rag’ couldn’t be more appropriate, Chung Myung smiled calmly.
Actually, to him, these injuries weren’t a huge deal compared to the past. It wasn’t like his limbs fell off.
“… I brought several people who are excellent at healing, so you should get treatment first.”
“No. It is fine. Rather…”
As Chung Myung tried to turn around, Tang Gunak grabbed him by the shoulder.
“…”
When Chung Myung looked around unsure, he repeated with a stern look.
“Get treatment first.”
“…”
“What are you doing?”
“Yes, lord!”
As the elder of a Tang family with a white cloth wrapped around his shoulders came running, Chung Myung licked his lips with a bit of an embarrassed look.
“I will get treatment. I will really get treatment. But not now. Let us organize the other things first.”
“Is it urgent?”
“Rather than urgent… because it is something I have to do.”
Seeing the look in Chung Myung’s eyes, Tang Gunak hesitated in displeasure but eventually reluctantly nodded.
“I understand. Just remember one thing. Your body isn’t just yours. That is what leading people is all about.”
“…”
“Why do you look at me like that?”
“No, well…”
Chung Myung scratched the back of his head.
“It is nothing.”
This was something Chung Myung heard quite often in the past.
-Yah! Do you think your body is yours alone!
‘Nagging…’
He never thought he would hear those obvious naggings again here. Perhaps because he had just experienced something urgent, the tip of his nose felt numb.
“Fine. How was it, Jang Ilso and all?”
“… he is a snake.”
“A big snake at that. The world calls giant snakes dragons.”
“That dragon can freeze to death. Right, he is a snake.”
Chung Myung glared at Jang Ilso’s retreating carriage, now just a faint dot in the distance.
‘Be as much as you want now.’
But the next time they met, that smile would vanish.
“Tsk.”
Chung Myung briefly clicked his tongue and turned around in frustration.
“Let us climb up. The sect leader is waiting there.”
“I understand. But what happened? Looking at your condition, it seems like a big fight. Why did Jang Ilso just retreat? He didn’t seem to be harmed enough to retreat.”
“That…”
Chung Myung searched for words, scratching the back of his head, and sighed.
“It is a bit complicated to explain.”
Tang Gunak’s eyes were filled with doubt.
“Chung Myung!”
The Five Swords, who had been waiting anxiously, were startled by the sight of Chung Myung climbing the cliff again and running towards him.
They had said they would come, but they had no choice but to wait there because Chung Myung insisted that if they all went, it would lead to another fight. And he wasn’t the type to be stopped, even if they went along.
“Is it alright? Did that bastard Jang Ilso try something again?”
“What the hell! If you don’t want to be fooled, at least keep your mouth shut!”
“… I really don’t get what you are.”
After examining Chung Myung’s physical condition, they all took a deep breath, relieved to find no new injuries.
“What are you even doing?”
“Nothing. I was upset to just let him go, so I decided to at least shout out.”
“… insane bastard, please…”
Baek Cheon held his throbbing head. At that moment, Hyun Jong approached from behind them.
Chung Myung spoke awkwardly as he looked at Hyun Jong, who was right in front of him.
“Sect leader…”
Hyun Jong bit his lip tightly.
Looking at Chung Myung’s face, he felt as if his insides were burning and he was being sliced into pieces.
He placed his trembling hands on both sides of Chung Myung’s shoulders.
“… you did great.”
Still, he bowed his head slightly. It was difficult to see Chung Myung’s face.
“Really… you really worked hard… I have no shame…”
He could do nothing because the Ten Thousand People Clan blocked them. He believed the best choice was to reduce the damage to the other disciples, but seeing Chung Myung in front of him, even those words felt useless.
Was it right to force this child to make sacrifices to protect others?
“I am…”
At that moment, Chung Myung held Hyun Jong’s hand, which was on his shoulder.
“You were great.”
“…”
“If the sect leader had been excited, everyone wouldn’t have been safe. Thanks to the sect leader being there, I could fight in peace.”
Hyun Jong couldn’t bear to say anything more and closed his eyes tightly.
‘Damned boy.’
Why did he think of others even in such a situation? The person who suffered the most here was none other than Chung Myung himself.
‘This kid has been through this hell every time.’
It made him think again.
The fact that Mount Hua might have been created by the blood shed by Chung Myung. Hyun Jong’s insides burned as he faced a reality that he couldn’t ignore.
“I…”
“Sect leader. Lord Tang has come.”
A deep sigh escaped Hyun Jong’s mouth as he stopped trying to say something.
When he raised his head, he saw Tang Gunak standing a little behind. As Chung Myung moved to the side to clear the way, Hyun Jong calmly greeted the Tang family head.
“It has been a while since I saw you, Lord Tang.”
“I greet you, Lord.”
Tang Gunak politely bowed.
“Sorry. I arrived too late…”
“No. Thank you for coming here. But how did you know…”
“I received a message from Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”
When Hyun Jong turned as if to check, Chung Myung scratched the back of his head with a flustered look on his face.
“Something was happening in a delicate situation. If you make a fuss, you will lose strength, but it is better than being trapped in a dangerous time. I am sorry for not telling you in advance.”
“No, no.”
Hyun Jong shook his head.
It never occurred to him that the situation was strange until he came here. So it would have been difficult to inform.
‘We are holding his ankles.’
Both he and the current Mount Hua were still insufficient for Chung Myung.
“I heard about the situation on the way here, Alliance leader.”
Hyun Jong sighed softly at those words. This was because he felt that Tang Gunak’s voice was colder and stiffer than usual.
“…where were you?”
Tang Gunak bit his lip and asked again.
“Where are the others now?”
“Ugh…”
“Sajae, you alright?”
Those who came back down were taking care of the injured. Every time they saw the corpses around, an indescribable look of devastation appeared on their faces.
“S-sahyung…”
One of the Wudang disciples, who was injured and writhing, grabbed the arm of the helper and squeezed out a voice.
“Evil… Evil Faction bastards…”
“…”
They couldn’t bear to answer. The person who closed their eyes tightly turned their head and answered briefly.
“First, handle your body state first.”
“…S-sahyung…”
“Move to the ship.”
“Yes.”
Those carrying the wounded quickly moved to the anchored ship.
Jin Hyun, who was watching this, closed his eyes without realizing it.
The agreement was based on sacrifice. Those who claim the name of righteousness and justice must know how to abandon their lives for the sake of justice. That is what they heard.
Then… what had all these people here died for?
They failed to do their job, and they failed to stay right.
So what else did the remaining people protect? In the end, all those alive at the end had pitifully saved their lives.
“Hurry!”
Namgung Hwang’s voice came out cold.
“We must finish the settlement before the sun sets!”
“Yes.”
The members of the Namgung family responded, but unlike when they first arrived, their voices lacked strength.
Of course, Namgung Hwang couldn’t blame them either.
Clench.
He clenched his fist and looked around. He saw the survivors of the Black Dragon pirates glaring at him as if watching.
His teeth ground together.
Those hateful bastards were laughing at them, but Namgung Hwang couldn’t do anything about it. They had already lost. In a situation like that, taking out his anger on them would only make him look more foolish.
‘Yangtze River.’
There might be no need for a treaty.
Because he would not step on the Yangtze River on his own again. If he saw the Yangtze River flowing with his eyes, it was obvious that the humiliation of the day would come back to him.
“Lord, the settlement is done.”
“And the bodies?”
“… respectfully done…”
Namgung Hwang nodded slowly.
If he thought about it, the damage wasn’t so severe. Although those who fell down the cliff sustained serious injuries, the actual number of those who died wasn’t large.
Namgung Hwang’s eyes were fixed on one place.
The back of a person who was busy pushing away fallen rocks and tending to the injured.
It wasn’t often for him to express gratitude to others, but at this moment, he truly felt grateful to the man. If he hadn’t kept the Black Dragon pirates in check from below, all those who had fallen and been injured would have been dead at the hands of those Black Dragon pirates.
“… was it Hae Yeon?”
“Yes. The one who walked with Mount Hua here…”
“Is it Mount Hua again?”
Why did it end up like this?
Clearly, they were all full of spirit when they entered. But now he felt like a dog with its tail between its legs, heading home helplessly.
Namgung Hwang suddenly looked at the culprit of the incident.
Venerable Heo Do.
He could clearly see him taking care of the Wudang disciples and putting them on the ship.
Clench.
Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth as he spoke.
“Now, the entire world will point its fingers at us.”
“Lord…”
“How on this world do I bear such humiliation?”
“There will come a time for redemption. It is said that it isn’t too late for the right man to take revenge, even after ten years. One day, you will cut off the head of that wicked Four Precepts Alliance leader and repay the debt.”
“… damn it.”
It was then.
“Hmm?”
Namgung Hwang turned his head at the unfamiliar presence he felt for a moment. Several people were coming down from the top of the cliff.
‘Is it Mount Hua?’
His face contorted at that.
He didn’t want to see Mount Hua right now.
Since he was human, it was natural for him to be grateful, but this feeling was different from that. As he was a rather shameful person, it was tough for him to look up at Mount Hua.
But… Namgung Hwang’s face contorted even more as he looked ahead.
The first thing he saw was the familiar face of Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, Chung Myung. And the one following…
Namgung Hwang’s face turned pale as he recognized the man.
Perhaps there was someone there at this moment that he almost didn’t want to see in the world.
Tak.
He descended to the bottom of the cliff and slowly walked ahead.
A cold, cold face as if covered in armor.
Deer skin gloves exposed beneath and the wide green sleeves of the robes.
“Tang… Gunak…”
A voice like a groan came out from Namgung Hwang’s mouth.
Tang Gunak, the Sichuan Tang family lord, walked straight to him.
Step. Step. Step.
Tang Gunak, who was standing in front, slowly looked around and then looked at Namgung Hwang.
And his mouth slowly opened.
“… is…”
“…”
“Is this the choice of the Five Great Families?”
Tang Gunak’s face contorted like a demon.
“This… you morons who don’t even know what pirates are!”
Namgung Hwang closed his eyes tightly, overwhelmed by the unfiltered anger pouring out from Tang Gunak.