Return of the Mount Hua Sect

At the same time as when Hyun Jong conversed with Un Am.

Post morning training, the gathered individuals gazed aimlessly into the distance, food from the nearby food hall spread before them.

Two people, swords in hand, vaulted over the building eaves and shouted.

“Halt right there!”

“I’d rather not.”

“No, we should at least talk! You can’t just decide!”

Chung Myung vaulted over the eaves and responded.

“My condition would improve if you just waited, hence the discussion!”

“AHHH! You devil!”

Im So-Byeong bitterly chased after Chung Myung. Mount Hua’s disciples watched the chase unfurl in stunned fascination.

“… seriously.”

“Didn’t he identify himself as the Green Forest King?”

“He did.”

“Isn’t the Green Forest King a high-ranking figure?”

“Indeed?”

“…Yes.”

“Well, it’s Chung Myung.”

“Indeed, it’s because he is Chung Myung.”

The sight was absurd, yet none who witnessed it found it strange. Instead, they simply felt perplexed, only to promptly forget about it.

“Pay it no mind. Just eat.”

“…Yes.”

“If you turn a blind eye, nothing is amiss.”

“…Sahyung. It appears you have just progressed past the path of Tao.”

“If we don’t, we’ll perish from confusion and pent-up frustration.”

However, their issues weren’t confined to Chung Myung alone.

“No, seriously, this bastard!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Jo Gul leaped to his feet in great frustration. Yoon Jong glanced over at him and asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah! Look at what he’s doing!”

Yoon Jong followed Jo Gul’s pointed finger to Baek Ah. Sitting in a position of pride atop the table, she had lifted a chicken leg intended for Jo Gul with her two front paws and was now tearing into it.

“Hey! That’s mine…!”

When Jo Gul reached out to reclaim the stolen food, Baek Ah swiftly clawed at his hand with her hair bristling in fury.

“Ugh!”

Startled by its menacing demeanor, Jo Gul quickly recoiled.

Kiiiiik!

Upon seeing Baek Ah hissing threateningly and Jo Gul wide-eyed with indignation, Yoon Jong could only shake his head.

“…it really is just like its owner…”

“Right…”

Holding back tears, Jo Gul silently agreed.

“We’re still muddy from training, so I can’t even enter the food hall to eat… remove it.”

How frustrating.

Didn’t it echo a certain someone’s personality, going for another’s food first?

Baek Cheon, upon witnessing this, simply smiled.

“Let it go now. She’s not in a good mood.”

“Huh? Is there more to it? An animal not in a good mood? What does that mean?”

“It was attempting to nab the leftovers from the Heavenly Violet Pill and was caught by Chung Myung.”

“…”

A beast caught trying to steal a spiritual pill?

Didn’t this signify it being more than a mere beast?

“R-right?”

“Why this doubt now? The ascent up the cliff must have been arduous. That marten is swift, but the cliff of Mount Hua must be exceedingly tall.”

“…”

So, she discarded the pill.

Yes, she must have done that.

A subconscious smile crept onto Jo Gul’s face.

‘It really doesn’t matter if it’s a person or an animal.’

How capable was he to maintain such fairness? Our beloved sajae.

“The beast pilfers a spiritual pill, and the human hurls it from the cliff…”

“The master and his beast.”

Finally, Jo Gul fought back his tears at the sight of the barren table.

‘I’m already beset by hardship. Now I’m even forgoing my food.’

Three days had elapsed since his training commenced. He had coped initially, but steadily, it was becoming more challenging.

The real issue was his constant retreating, edging back further and further.

‘I was growing stronger more rapidly than I had ever imagined.’

Each passing day was revealing the effects of the pill. He was gradually absorbing its power. Considering how the pill’s effectiveness was revealing itself, it was clear that his body would grow exponentially stronger with time.

‘At this point, the North Sea Ice Palace will no longer be able to defeat me.’

No, on the contrary, he would outmatch them.

If this occurred, Mount Hua would be fully fortified and capable of making its name known worldwide for the first time since the war with the Demonic Sect.

“Argh! The marten stole my chicken leg!”

“If you dare to touch that, I will indeed kill you! Just watch me! Yikes! You little rascal!”

“Someone ought to transform her into a scarf already!”

“….”

Naturally, the issue was that the disciples of the esteemed Mount Hua were being tricked and taunted by this marten.

And the owner of that marten…

“Ehh? Really?”

Chung Myung, who dashed off to the area where the tables were arrayed, shoved Im So-Byeong, who was tailing him.

“We need some rice! Rice!”

But as if unaffected by the shove, Im So-Byeong immediately latched onto Chung Myung once more.

“You can have rice anytime!”

“Oh? Why not give me the pill, then? You’re unnecessarily robust.”

“Cough! The chill… it hasn’t lifted… cough!”

“Look! You’re feigning again! Again!”

Finally, Baek Cheon gave a sigh and halted.

“Chung Myung, the illness in question has not yet been cured. You admitted this yourself. It persists.”

“Just as one might find warmth in the Mongolian grasslands after braving the chilling North Sea, it’s unsurprising if someone succumbs in three blocks instead of one!”

“…Indeed.”

Baek Cheon regarded Im So-Byeong with skeptical eyes. Evidently tired, Chung Myung said to Im So-Byeong.

“Well, I’m about to eat, so don’t disturb me. You know, they say not to bother a dog while it’s eating!”

“But you’re not a dog, right?”

“…”

“Oh, right?”

“This man is unbelievable!”

“Ugh, just hurry up and finish your work. My stomach feels out of sorts right now.”

“How on earth does a bandit even behave like this?”

“Because I am a bandit, I am despised! I wouldn’t have taken to the mountains if I intended to live a clean life! Catch those fleeing and rob them! Pursue those departing! That’s what we bandits do!”

Uh?

Wait, now that he mentioned it, he was correct, wasn’t he?

Chung Myung stared blankly at him while Im So-Byeong pounded his chest and declared,

“Even as we do this, the fate of the forest remains uncertain!”

“If that was to occur, it would have already taken place. Besides, wouldn’t it be beneficial for the world if something happened to the bandits?”

“Ughh… ughhh.”

As Im So-Byeong clutched his chest and moaned, Baek Cheon supported him by the shoulder.

“Stay composed. Applying common sense, in his case, is futile.”

“Ah, indeed.”

“That’s an understanding you should garner from observation.”

Chung Myung intervened, causing Baek Cheon to laugh unwittingly. Seeing this, it was evident that these two got along quite well, especially in such circumstances.

‘The Green Forest King’ was a title that denoted the leader of the bandits, who held one of the five paramount bandit positions. Regardless of how low they set their status, it couldn’t be much lesser than that of the Nine Great Sects.

Wasn’t it peculiar for such a person to be this way?

“Ah! Let me finish my meal before we continue discussing!”

“Why is this man so obstinate!”

“…”

The issue was that they fit together too well.

Baek Cheon, who had sighed deeply, suddenly widened his eyes.

“Hmm?”

He glanced around to see someone rushing in from the Sect’s gates.

‘What is going on?’

“Sasukkkkk!”

The person, who seemed to be in quite a hurry, caught sight of him and called out. Interrupted from his thoughts, Baek Cheon turned, maintaining a neutral expression.

“What’s the matter?”

“S-someone has arrived at the gate!”

“The sect gate?”

Baek Cheon furrowed his brow in confusion.

Naturally, Mount Hua’s rugged terrain deterred casual visitors. But that didn’t imply there were few guests, so the arrival of someone new seldom caused a stir.

“So?”

“Their demeanor… It’s really strange. You should come and see.”

“Huh?”

“They… They look like a bandit, no matter how you inspect them…”

A bandit?

All gazes converged on one figure.

In So-Byeong, becoming the focus of their attention, clucked his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. Are there bandits on Mount Hua?”

“…Is this man insane? They came after you!”

“Uh?”

Surprised, he looked towards the sect gate.

“Ah, yes!”

“…I can’t tell if this man is truly intelligent.”

“C-Chung Myung, you’re addressing the Green Forest King, so please…”

“Then he should start acting like the Green Forest King!”

Baek Cheon couldn’t find words to counter this.

He genuinely felt regretful.

“Well, let’s go!”

Im So-Byeong and the disciples of Mount Hua swiftly moved towards the sect gate.

Every onlooker was shocked by the scene beyond the gate.

“Beon Chung!”

Beon Chung was the man Chung Myung, and his party had encountered just the other day. He was currently sitting in a troubled state, gasping for breath. His crimson-stained clothes and dried blood traces on the exposed parts of his body seemed severe at first glance.

“Uh? Black Night Tiger?”

Yoon Jong recognized the figure behind Beon Chung and exclaimed. The condition of the Black Night Tiger was not much better.

His face was pale as a corpse, his shoes stained with blood that was dripping everywhere.

Im So-Byeong’s expression hardened.

“…they did this.”

Upon hearing this, Black Night Tiger nodded, and Beon Chung collapsed.

“Please kill me. I failed to protect the Green Forest Bandits!”

“…Who was it?”

“The only thing I managed to see was the Mad Cow Blade.”

“…The Mad Cow Blade? What’s next?”

Surprisingly, Im So-Byeong’s expression remained largely unchanged.

“If that’s the case, he couldn’t have acted alone. He’s not intelligent enough and lacks the necessary agility. It can be safely surmised that at least three bandit leaders acted in unison.”

Im So-Byeong murmured in a low tone, his gaze drifting toward Black Night Tiger.

“What’s going on?”

“The Green Forest brothers are oblivious to the current circumstances. Their leaders have fallen, and their ten lieutenants are in disarray.”

“I understand.”

Im So-Byeong gave a succinct response before turning his attention to Chung Myung.

“Taoist.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s time for you to make a decision.”

Im So-Byeong’s expression was a stark contrast to his previous demeanor. The mischief and cunning that once danced in his eyes ebbed away, vanishing as if doused with icy water.

“If the Taoists refuse to lend me their help, I will depart from this place.”

“And what do you plan to do upon leaving?”

“You cannot give up, even if it means dying in battle. Doing this is non-negotiable.”

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung opened his mouth to speak right at that moment.

“What is it?”

“Sect leader!”

“We greet the sect leader.”

Upon noticing Hyun Jong walking by, everyone immediately bowed their heads.

Hyun Jong lightly waved his hand in acknowledgment and assessed the situation with his own eyes.

“Indeed… it seems something has occurred.”

“Yes, about that…”

“Soso.”

“Yes, sect leader.”

With Tang Soso’s response, Hyun Jong instructed:

“Escort the guests to the Medicine Hall. Their condition appears grave at first sight.”

“Is that acceptable?”

“It is against our creed to abandon those who have sought refuge within our Sect. Regardless of who the visitor may be, should we cast aside our wounded? Mount Hua does not behave in such a way.”

“Yes, sect leader! As you command.”

Tang Soso promptly assessed the patients’ conditions and exclaimed,

“There are some who cannot move, so please, sahyungs, move them to the hall!”

“Understood!”

The Chung disciples swiftly started transporting the wounded.

“Be cautious not to aggravate your injuries! If they worsen, your lives might truly be at risk!”

“Understood!”

Beon Chung glanced at the Mount Hua disciples as they supported each other, then turned to Im So-Byeong.

“I-I…”

“Receive treatment first.”

“…”

“Information is sufficient. I will handle it.”

Beon Chung, who had been silent, quietly nodded his head.

“Yes.”

When even Beon Chung had left for the Medicine Hall, the remaining people exchanged glances.

“That’s right.”

Hyun Jong gazed at Im So-Byeong with sympathetic eyes before speaking.

“Would it be alright to inquire about the situation from the Green Forest King?”

Im So-Byeong heaved a brief sigh.

“I have already told someone, but…”

Upon seeing Chung Myung, he instantly focused his gaze on Hyun Jong.

“I believe it’s not just about persuading a single person. I’ll lay everything out, so I seek your assistance, sect leader.”

“…please come in for now.”

“Understood.”

Hyun Jong then addressed Baek Cheon and the group.

“You should all follow as well.”

“Acknowledged!”

Leading the way, Hyun Jong, with Im So-Byeong and others in tow, moved towards his residence.

A cloud of war was starting to engulf them.