Return of the Mount Hua Sect

The Green Forest returned to normal faster than expected.

In reality, there wasn’t much to do. As long as the remaining traitors from the main force were arrested and the scattered rebels were removed, most of the problems were almost resolved.

What was crucial was to restore the contacts that had been lost during Go Hong’s occupation and to process the tasks that had been delayed.

Im So-Byeong was frantically busy, but the disciples of Mount Hua had nothing to do.

The problem was…

“Oh my! If left alone, I won’t be able to travel ten miles before I get sick!”

“Let go! Won’t you let go? Won’t let go!”

“I cannot let go!”

The issue was that Im So-Byeong blocked the return of Mount Hua with tears in his eyes.

“Ehhh, this is real!”

Puak!

Chung Myung kicked Im So-Byeong so hard that he was thrown against the wall.

“No! Destroy the bandits! Bring back Green Forest! Kill Go Hong! I have done everything you asked of me, but you are so shameless that you ask for more!”

“I am not asking for anything more from you. I am just asking you to stay a few more days! Just a few more! We will make sure to prepare a warm bed and a tasty meal for all!”

“If that happened, we would be bandits! Are we bandits?”

“Hahah. Doesn’t it all depend on how one thinks? If you are someone who has realized the way of Tao, even a hard bed is like a bed of golden duck feathers, and a rough meal is like heaven brought….”

“Keep going. I want to hear just how far your words can go.”

“… Sorry.”

Im So-Byeong quickly lowered his head. And he admitted it honestly.

“As I already told you. The Green Forest has no troops right now. If others attack me before the friendly troops arrive, my head will be blown off!”

“… No, that is not something a person called the Green Forest King should say.”

“Isn’t the Green Forest King bound to death? Whether it’s the Green Forest King or the Jade Emperor, everyone dies if a sword is put to their throat!”

“…”

Those who were observing the situation from the sidelines grumbled at this sight.

‘Wow, Chung Myung is being defeated in words.’

‘Oh God, in my life, I have never seen Chung Myung this speechless.’

‘Honestly, no one can win against that.’

No matter how flawless a person was with impeccable logic and speech, they simply could not defeat those who have given up everything. Im So-Byeong was proving that now.

“Ugh… so when will they come?”

“Two days! It will take just two days! I sent all the messengers, so everyone will come like rain clouds in two days.”

“People with that kind of loyalty would have already helped.”

“Then three days…”

“…”

“No, four days?”

“Ehh, this man!”

“Ack!”

Chung Myung, who kicked Im So-Byeong once again, gritted his teeth.

“I knew it; there is nothing useful about you!”

It was at that moment that Chung Myung was ready to unleash his fury on Im So-Byeong.

“N-No! I am a friend of Mount Hua!”

A high-pitched voice came from the entrance of the lodges. Chung Myung frowned as he turned his head and saw a beggar surrounded by bandits.

“What now?”

“I-I didn’t come here to spy! So… T-these are my real clothes, okay! And it’s because I am poor, I belong to the Beggars Union… ack! Why are you holding that blade to someone else’s throat!”

This familiar beggar raised his hand with a pale face. Chung Myung just covered his face as he sighed. At that moment, the beggar who also saw him was delighted.

“Oh, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon! Say something to these people! These bandits… No, these bigots are trying to murder me!”

“… let that person in. I know them.”

“Yes!”

The bandits also saw and heard his words, so as soon as Chung Myung finished speaking, they abandoned the beggar. The beggar shrugged his shoulders and adjusted his clothes.

“Did you see that? I am friends with Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, friends!”

Hong Dae-Kwang, who shrugged his shoulders in pride, ran to Chung Myung with a look of victory. However, Chung Myung asked rather bluntly.

“Why are you here now?”

“How can you sharpen a needle without a thread?”

Chung Myung just sighed at those words.

‘I don’t have a single normal person around me.’

Just how did the world come to this?

Regardless of how Chung Myung felt, Hong Dae-Kwang only exclaimed and looked around in awe.

“You really defeated Go Hong and his troops.”

“It was nothing.”

“No, no! It is something amazing.”

Hong Dae-Kwang nodded and spoke with a serious look.

Although others might not realize it, Hong Dae-Kwang was a person who knew how strong Mount Hua was. Since Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon stepped forward with Mount Hua, he already knew the outcome of this subjugation.

But.

‘The outcomes of this matter will play a significant role.’

When he saw the results with his own eyes, his heart began to pound, and he became tense.

The Great Star Bandits had made a great reputation for themselves.

Not only that, the mountain they were standing on was known to be surrounded by other smaller yet terrifying bandits. People were warned to never get close to this mountain.

“Don’t you realize what it means for you to have subjugated the bandits in this place?”

“What does it mean?”

“That subjugation is possible.”

When Chung Myung suddenly looked annoyed, Hong Dae-kwang quickly threw his hands up.

“No, at least listen till the end! Don’t just glare at me with eyes that are asking, ‘What is this idiot saying now?’!”

“Well, at least you have good insight.”

“Ugh.”

Hong Dae-Kwang scratched his head, feeling like he would die.

“In any case, the reason why people didn’t express any complaints even though they suffered from large bandits was because of their name.”

“You’re saying useless things again.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. The Great Star Bandits are known to be feared even by the justice sects.”

“Uh?”

Chung Myung scratched his chin at those odd words. Well, people who didn’t know Kangho might think like this.

“But what would the people think now with Mount Hua coming out and cutting the head of Go Hong and destroying their base?”

“Mount Hua brought things to an end?”

“…”

“No?”

“… Of course, that too, but…”

Hong Dae-Kwang quietly said.

“Wouldn’t it be natural for the unfavorable views to be cast on the justice factions, which only watched and never acted against Go Hong and his evil deeds? Mount Hua, known to come from far off Shaanxi, destroyed the base of the bandits, but Wudang and Shaolin, who were closer than them, didn’t take a step from their temples?”

“Oh? Right?”

“If this rumor spreads in earnest, then the Nine Great Sects and Five Families would surely have upset stomachs. In true words, they can be called screwed!”

“That is true!”

At the same time, the sound of giggling rang out. Looking at the two people giggling, it looked like two thugs were up to no good.

Yoon Jong, who was watching this, looked at Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“I… Doesn’t Hong Dae-Kwang belong to the Beggars Union, which is under the Nine Great sects?”

“Right.”

“Why does he like this so much, then? If we think about it, he is screwed too.”

“… How can I know?”

Baek Cheon smiled.

“That’s that. We aren’t connected under the same sect, so how can someone who chases after Chung Myung be alright?”

“Now I suddenly understand it.”

Hong Dae-Kwang, who had no way of knowing what others were thinking about him, continued to smile.

“That’s why I am saying you did a good job!”

“Well, then, I guess everything is fine.”

“Uh?”

“Are all the preparations complete?”

“Preparations?”

Hong Dae-Kwang, who couldn’t understand for a moment, tilted his head and quickly grasped what he meant.

“Ah, those preparations? Of course! I was so busy getting things ready that I missed the fight! If it hadn’t been for that, I would have just…”

As Hong Dae-Kwang reached for the baton on his belt, the bandits behind him glared at him, making him flinch and retract his hand with an awkward smile.

“… I saw a deer passing by…”

“Stop spouting nonsense.”

Chung Myung cut him off.

“We need to handle this properly.”

Hong Dae-Kwang pounded his chest with a fist.

“Just trust me, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon! Just me!”

“… One needs faith to trust.”

Chung Myung shook his head and then turned to Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“We were supposed to return to Mount Hua immediately after this.”

“Yes.”

“There will be a slight change in plans.”

“… Why now?”

Chung Myung pointed to Hong Dae-Kwang with his chin.

“Didn’t you hear what that beggar said? They claimed that because we defeated the bandit group, the reputation of the Nine Great Sects was tarnished.”

“So?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“If we want to accomplish something, we need to do it ourselves. If we’re going to do anything, we need to do it right! Now that things have turned out this way, we have to go all the way to the Great Star Mountain and eliminate all the remaining bandits!”

“…”

“Wouldn’t the Nine Great Sects be cursed even more then?”

“…”

Just why?

Where did his deep-rooted resentment for the Nine Great Sects come from?

‘He even wants to bother the leftover bandits.’

“Anyway, that’s what I want.”

“….”

The disciples of Mount Hua, who suddenly found themselves on a new path and unable to return to Mount Hua, glared at Hong Dae-Kwang with eyes filled with resentment.

Hong Dae-Kwang, who flinched at their stares, quickly turned away to avoid their gazes.

“Then I will go finish the work!”

“Okay then.”

“Well, when you go to the mountain, you have to take me with you! Don’t leave me behind this time!”

“…I understand.”

Chung Myung watched Hong Dae-Kwang as he ran down the mountain. At that moment, Im So-Byeong stealthily approached him.

“You’re leaving in four days?”

“…”

Chung Myung simply looked up at the sky in a dazed manner and mumbled.

Sahyung.

Sect leader Sahyung.

Can I just beat all these people up?

The news that Mount Hua had ascended Mount Hyeong and eradicated all three mountain bandit groups, including their main base, spread faster than the wind.

Jiangsu was a transportation hub where all kinds of commercial activities were done. Even if left alone, rumors were bound to spread quickly.

Moreover, Hong Dae-Kwang had mobilized all available resources, both existent and non-existent, and the beggars had spread the news around. As a result, it took just two days for the news to spread throughout the entire Central Plains.

Those who heard the rumors couldn’t help but be excited about the great alliance they were hearing about for the first time.

“Huh, a large bandit union! Are they saying that Mount Hua alone subdued them?”

“But why does it sound so odd? Why would the Mount Hua sect in Shaanxi come all the way here to take down the bandits?”

“Why? Mount Hua had to step in because those nearby didn’t subdue them!”

“…From what I heard, the Green Forest King asked for help?”

“Who cares! So, if the King of Green Forest had asked Shaolin or Wudang for a favor, would those who were sleeping have come forward? The Green Forest King must have had his reasons for asking Mount Hua!”

“T-that is true.”

“To put it bluntly, how much damage did people suffer from those bandits? How many people died?”

“Right! That’s correct!”

“To subdue those people, oh my… it was said that Mount Hua was once the world’s brightest sect, and as expected, its fame never faded! Wonderful! Truly amazing!”

As soon as the conversation ended, a person listening nearby shouted as if a thought had struck him.

“Now that I think about it, didn’t they say that if the subjugation went well, the Green Forest would no longer harm people, right?”

“Is that so? I think I heard something like that.”

“Then I am happy! What more could we ask for if this happens?”

Words that were lightly caught in the wind circulated around the world again and again. When two or more people spoke together, they all mentioned Mount Hua and praised its deeds.

Of course, some cynical people criticized the fact that Mount Hua was getting along well with the Green Forest. However, arguing against the visible achievement of conquering the bandit base was hard.

The news spread as if it had wings and eventually reached all of the Nine Great Sects.