Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Jang Ilso, who was sitting and watching the flowing river, heard Ho Gamyeong’s voice.

“Ryeonju-nim.”

“Hm?”

When Jang Ilso turned his gaze, Ho Gamyeong, who was rowing, calmly opened his mouth.

“May I ask one thing?”

Jang Ilso nodded graciously.

“As I say repeatedly, you can just ask. What’s new?”

After a slight hesitation, Ho Gamyeong spoke.

“I understand that Ryeonju-nim needs someone who has mastered Taoist martial arts to deal with Magyo.”

undefined

“That’s right. However?”

“However, I don’t understand why it has to be this Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.”

“Hmm.”

Instead of answering, Jang Ilso smiled as if amused.

But for Ho Gamyeong, that smile alone was not a sufficient answer.

“If Ryeonju-nim were determined, Ryeonju-nim could involve not only Wudang but even Shaolin.”

“Indeed… that might be possible.”

This is not a matter of relationship. Magyo is a more serious problem than anything else for those living in Kangho.

But that also means that Jang Ilso has acquired a powerful trump card incomparable to anything else. If he had put his mind to it, he might have been able to move even Shaolin.

“If you need a sharp sword, wouldn’t it have been better to join hands with them? It is true that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword cut off the arm of Black Dragon King, but it is not the sharpest sword in Righteous Sects….”

undefined

“Tsk.”

Jang Ilso clicked his tongue as if he did not like it. Ho Gamyeong quickly bowed his head, apologizing.

“Gamyeong-ah.”

“Yes, Ryeonju-nim.”

“You sometimes miss the point in strange ways.”

Ho Gamyeong looked at Jang Ilso with questioning eyes and shared his thoughts.

“In my view, there are sharper swords within Righteous Sects. And there are swords that are easier to control. No matter how sharp Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Association is, a sword that can even harm the person holding the hilt can never be called a renowned sword.”

Jang Ilso smiled and quietly nodded.

“You’re right. Your words make sense.”

“But why then…”

“Surely, as you said, Righteous Sects have swords that are easier to handle. Even more, there might be stronger and safer swords.”

“Yes.”

“But Gamyeong-ah. Why don’t you understand? If it’s not dangerous to me, it’s also not dangerous to others.”

“….”

“If it was an enemy that could be dealt with so easily, would there even be a need for me to cross this river? What I want isn’t a safe and sturdy sword. I want a bewitching sword (??(妖劍) /demonic/monster/phantom) that can perfectly cut off an enemy’s head, even if it means cutting off my arm.”

Jang Ilso’s eyes gleamed as he gently curved them into a smile.

“That’s why it has to be Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword. Do you understand now?”

Ho Gamyeong nodded slowly without saying a word.

However, contrary to his nod of approval, his expression was still not convinced at all. His thoughts remained unchanged.

‘…Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword is a very dangerous person.’

By Jang Ilso’s side, Ho Gamyeong fought many fierce battles and overcame numerous crises. Probably no one else in Evil Sects has been as steeped in the mire of warfare as Jang Ilso, excluding him.

His senses speak for themselves.

They say that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword is more dangerous than any of the enemies they have faced so far. Perhaps several times more dangerous.

‘No, there is no need to discuss senses.’

It is said that there is no other sect that has expanded its influence in as short a period of time as Myriad Man Manor. That may be true. Except for Mount Hua.

Myriad Man Manor is a well-established sect that started out on a small island in Guangxi and rose to the position of the ruler of Evil Tyrant Alliance. However, Mount Hua was also an absurd sect that rose from a third-rate sect that was evaluated to doom soon to the position of leader of Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

If you were to ask who holds a higher position, it would certainly be Myriad Man Manor. But if you consider which path was more difficult…

Ho Gamyeong slightly bit his lip.

‘How many years has it been?’

In less than ten years, Mount Hua, which was just a small sect in Shaanxi, has risen to this point.

No matter what anyone says, at the center of it all is Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.

That’s why the man is dangerous. More than anyone else in the world.

‘Of course.’

Jang Ilso must have thought all of this too. Even taking all that into account, he’s probably trying to use that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword as an arrow to decapitate the bishop.

But Ho Gamyeong did not agree with that plan.

‘Because what we pursue is different.’

Myriad Man Manor, Evil Tyrant Alliance, and even Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword and Ho Gamyeong, even Jang Ilso himself could be a sacrifice if needed.

For him, the objective is something that cannot be exchanged for anything.

But not for Ho Gamyeong.

For Ho Gamyeong, the most important thing was not to have Kangho under their feet, but the well-being of Jang Ilso.

He would do anything to ensure Jang Ilso’s safety. In the past, wasn’t the reason he tried to kill and eliminate Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword that entered Gangnam, even against orders, because he thought that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword could become a threat to Jang Ilso one day?

“And…”

As if reading Ho Gamyeong’s thoughts, Jang Ilso opened his mouth with a subtle smile on his face.

“It’s not just that.”

“Yes?”

“…Yes, it’s not just that.”

Jang Ilso slowly raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth. His blood-red lips were numb from his rough touch. His eyes held a depth that was impossible to fathom.

Ho Gamyeong sighed without realizing it. Is there anyone in the world who can guess what was inside Jang Ilso?

The lord he chose is outstanding, but that very excellence sometimes burdens his followers.

Ho Gamyeong’s complexion slowly hardened.

‘He’s dangerous.’

Certainly, as Jang Ilso said, a bewitching sword may be needed to deal with Magyo. But what after defeating Magyo?

In a situation where there are no enemies, a bewitching sword is of no use. It is reduced to a monstrosity that must be disposed of.

The more confident a person is in himself, the more likely they are to get hurt by a bewitching sword. This is because they are confident that only they can handle this bewitching sword.

Thus…

A cold darkness fell on Ho Gamyeong’s eyes as he rowed in silence.

* * *

Hyun Jong, who watched Jang Ilso’s boat moving away in silence for a long time, let out a deep sigh.

‘It’s immense.’

Every time he faced Jang Ilso, I felt as if a great mountain was pressing down on him.

Nevertheless, the reason why he can stand calmly in front of Jang Ilso is very simple. Because there was another great mountain behind him.

Hyun Jong turned his head and looked at Chung Myung.

He thought of many things to say but eventually shook his head. There was too much he wanted to say, yet nothing he could speak.

Only one thing remained.

“Do you really intend to go?”

Chung Myung smiled slightly at those words.

The agony he felt a moment ago has disappeared as if it has already been washed away. Clear eyes as if transparent and a face full of playfulness. It’s the usual Chung Myung.

“Well, considering how much he’s begging, it would be polite to go, wouldn’t it?”

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung’s grinning face for a long time and then sighed.

He knew they shouldn’t do this, but as soon as he saw Chung Myung’s confident face before him, his anxiety faded away. He knew all too well how much was hidden behind that smiling face.

“If that’s the case, Mount Hua also…”

“No, Sect Leader.”

When Chung Myung abruptly cut him off, Hyun Jong frowned.

“What?”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

“So….”

“It’s not Mount Hua that’s dangerous; it’s us.”

“Hm?”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.

“That bastard, Jang Ilso, is like a venomous snake and will sting us whenever he gets the chance.”

“…Right.”

“So it is dangerous for the entire Mount Hua to enter that damn territory. If a problem arises, help should be available at any time.”

Hyun Jong kept his mouth shut.

Rather than entering Gangnam together, it would be better to distract Jang Ilso’s schemes by having Mount Hua watching closely from across the river. It certainly makes sense.

But… There is one thing that Chung Myung did not reveal.

“Please answer just one question.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“The reason you don’t want to take the other disciples of Mount Hua… Is it because you’re worried about them? Or because it would be easier for you to move if something happens?”

“It’s the latter.”

A peculiar heat passed through Chung Myung’s eyes.

“This time….”

The corners of his mouth twitched.

“I really wanted to run wild.”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders while looking at Hyun Jong, who seemed to be thinking about what to say for a moment.

“You don’t have to worry, Sect Leader.”

Chung Myung glanced back at those standing behind him.

“Honestly, they’re not that reliable, but at least I’m not going alone.”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly and reluctantly.

“I am…”

He then quietly looked at Chung Myung and the people standing behind him and spoke as if sighing.

“I still don’t know. What’s right and what’s wrong.”

“….”

“But I know one thing.”

For the first time, a smile appeared on Hyun Jong’s lips.

“What to do when I don’t have a choice… It’s just a matter of trust.”

“Sect Leader.”

“Remember one thing, Chung Myung.”

Chung Myung stared at Hyun Jong in silence. The hesitation was now gone from Hyun Jong’s face. Hyun Jong gazed at Chung Myung with deep, thoughtful eyes.

“If something happens to you in Gangnam.”

“….”

“Mount Hua will definitely hold Evil Tyrant Alliance, Myriad Man Manor, and Jang Ilso responsible for their sins. Even if it’s something you don’t want, even if that decision is a foolish one that pushes Mount Hua into further downfall than before.”

Hyun Jong’s voice no longer wavered or trembled.

“I will not hesitate.”

He looked each of them in the eye, one by one. The sharpness in his gaze proved that he was not just mouthing empty words.

“So….”

Faith and concern, worry and trust.

Hyun Jong’s voice contained it all with great weight.

“Be sure to come back alive.”

Chung Myung straightened up. Simultaneously, the other Mount Hua disciples also straightened their postures.

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

The disciples of Mount Hua present there all shouted at Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader.

Unfinished ties, lingering regrets, and new resolutions. Chung Myung’s gaze, containing all of that, turned to the land beyond the Yangtze River.