Return of Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 798

“The entrance is too narrow.”

“Hmm… Besides, there are too many obstacles.”

The eyes of the sect leaders turned to the river.

In front of a deep valley in the middle of the cliffs on the other side, a fleet of ships was densely packed.

‘This is not going to be as easy as I thought.’’

This is why dealing with pirates is difficult.

If they are located in open terrain like other sects, it would be a simple matter of sweeping them away with the overwhelming forces of Shaolin, Wudang, Namgung, and Qingcheng.

However, in order to attack such terrain, it is necessary to receive damage right from the entrance.

‘No, not from the entrance.’

It would be correct to say from the approach.

Only after fighting those ships can they finally enter the valley.

‘At times like this, I even envy those Evil Sects.’

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth.

He felt nauseous looking at the topography of that valley.

On our side, the means we can use are limited because of the commoners whose presence is unknown, but it’s not the same for them. It’s hard to tell what kind of special traps may be hidden in that narrow valley.

“We need to secure the upper side.”

“Yes, we don’t know what tricks they may pull.”

“…This won’t be easy.”

They don’t even think of losing. The forces gathered are not just sufficient but excessive for taking on the Black Dragon Water Fortress.

But the most important thing now is not just a simple victory.
They should achieve more than another sect while receiving as minor damage as possible. That’s why their minds are so complicated.

‘You have to be active in order to make a contribution. However, if that happens, there is no choice but to suffer great damage.’

‘If we bleed, they’ll only enjoy it.’

‘What to do?’

Among those exchanging glances, Bop Kye opens his mouth first.

“Shaolin will take the lead.”

“As expected of Shaolin. Who in the world would doubt Shaolin’s willingness to act Righteous? But please let us, Wudang, lead the attack this time.”

“Namgung also brought ships.”

“So did Qingcheng.”

The four glanced at each other.

“Then first of all…….”

“Euhahahahat!”

“Who takes the lead…….”

“Here, have a drink!”

“…We need to decide that first…”

“Hey! Bring out all the alcohol we’ve got! I know you brought it!”

“….”

Blood veins appeared again on the face of Namgung Hwang, who had barely calmed down.

“This….”

“Calm down, Namgung Gaju.”

“Don’t mind it.”

“Ugh….”

With the dissuasion of other sect leaders, Namgung Hwang’s eyes bulged with his face on the verge of exploding in rage.

It was no wonder; a feast was taking place behind them, regardless of their troubles.

Mount Hua guys in black, the bandits in green, and the pirates in blue all mingled together, setting up a drinking party.

“Drinking on the battlefield…”

Even Hyun Cheonja, who had shown quite a favor to Mount Hua, frowned as if he couldn’t understand this.

“Never mind! Would those who hang out with the Evil Sect have any thoughts? We can’t involve such people in the battlefield. Not if we don’t want to be stabbed in the back.”

“Keuheum.”

The three showed signs of displeasure.

But only one, Heo Dojin, clicked his tongue secretly at this.

‘Fools.’

Being displeased with a drinking party was not the point.

The important thing was that they had prepared alcohol. In other words, some of them knew from the time they came here that they would not be able to participate in the battle, that the Ten Great Sect and the Five Great Family would unite and push them away.
Is that something that could be guessed?

‘No way.’

They are Mount Hua.

A sect that is currently gaining fame and is the most vibrant in Jungwon. At the same time, however, they have been expelled from the Ten Great Sect for almost a hundred years. In other words, none of them has experienced the Ten Great Sect or the Five Great Family.

One might be able to understand their physiology to a certain extent if they’ve been through Ten Great Sect and Five Great Family, but Mount Hua who has been pushed out of their position for more than a hundred years were so certain they even prepared alcohol?

The most important thing to note here is the insight.

And the one who guessed it most probably be…

Heo Dojin’s gaze turned to Chung Myung, who was gleefully drinking alcohol in the center.

‘A truly incomprehensible character.’

How could someone that age possess such insight? He saw a lot of geniuses in Kangho, but it was the first time he’d seen someone like that.

‘There are many talented people.’

Of course, Mount Hua Divine Dragon’s talent was incomparable to others. But more than that talent, what made Heo Dojin tense was the ease and insight that seemed as though he had roamed Kangho for decades.

‘I might have to think again.’

Surely his judgment was not wrong. Mount Hua must be in a hurry to close the gap with Wudang for some time to come.

But… What if he dies and that child becomes Sect Leader of Mount Hua? Will Wudang really be able to deal with Chung Myung’s Mount Hua then?

‘The more I think about it, the more I fear-…’

“Kahahahaha! Sect Leader! Have a drink! Wow, the view here is amazing!”

“…I’ll have tea.”

“Ei! On a day like this, alcohol is better than tea! Drink, drink, drink! Drink, drink, drink!”

“….”

Heo Dojin’s eyes twitched.

He’s great, but…

He really is great, but…….

Somehow, Heo Dojin hated it more than dying to think highly of that bastard.

“…Will it be okay?”

“….”

“Is this really okay?”

They had seen too many bizarre things this person had done until now.

Now, Baek Cheon is confident that he would be able to just lay back and watch with his hands behind his back even if a serpent suddenly jumps out from the backyard of Mount Hua and tries to ascend to heaven, got caught by Chung Myung and beaten up, before ended up offering him a magic pearl and ran away. *Note

But…

‘Is this really okay?’

Four of the elite sects are gathered before their eyes.

Shaolin, Wudang, Qingcheng, Namgung.

Each of those names alone was enough to shake Kangho. How extraordinary must it be that four of them were gathered in one place?

And yet…. right in the middle of such a place, Taoists and bandits and pirates were gathering and having a drinking party.

‘Even if the location isn’t here, this scene is strange!’

The bigger problem was the expression of those drinking the alcohol.

“…I feel like I’m going to get a hole in my stomach.”

“Can we really drink this?”

“I, I’d rather fight.”

Mount Hua may feel the pressure from the sects in front, but that was nothing compared to what the Nokrim and pirates were feeling.

The bandits of Nokrim lost focus on their eyes with a completely pale face.

“Let, le- let’s… Let’s drink…”

Shake shake shake.

The hand of the person lifting the alcohol cup was shaking like a persimmon tree.

‘I feel like throwing up.’

‘What if they change directions and attack this way?’

‘Mountain deity, please save us!’

It was a natural reaction.
Although the situation has somehow turned out to be like this, the Ten Great Sect in front of them were originally the enemies of the mountain bandits, not their allies. It wouldn’t be strange if they were the ones being suppressed instead of the pirates of Black Dragon Water Fortress.

But instead of running away, they had to sit down in front of them and drink alcohol. It would have been more comfortable to set oil on fire and drink it.

But if one had to pick, they were still better off.

“Hiccup!”

“….”

“Hiccup!”

‘Corpse might look healthier.’

The bandits glanced at the pirates with pitiful faces.

They are at least warriors of Nokchae which is regarded as the most elite in Nokrim, and there is even the Noklim King here.

But those pirates were literally just bandits from a mere water fortress, and not long ago, they were not in the position of subjugating, but being subjugated themselves.

Since such people were brought in like slaves and held a drinking party in front of the place where their former colleagues are being subjugated, it was a wonder they managed to even stay sane.

“…So, why did you bring alcohol?”

“H- He told us to bring it… How can we dare to object…”

Indeed,

If they were told to do it, they must do it. The person who orders them is Mount Hua Divine Dragon after all.

The water bandits who looked like they might collapse from a heart attack at any moment and the mountain bandits seated before them who’s seriously contemplating whether they should flee or tightly restrain themselves. The disciples of Mount Hua Sect who’s just drinking because they are told to drink, but continue to glance around, unable to grasp whether it’s really okay to do so.

And then there were the four sects, whose stomachs were churning as they watched them.

Everyone who had taken over the riverbank was uncomfortable, displeased, and awkward.

In the meantime, there was only one person who was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Glug, glug, glug, glug, glug!

Chung Myung drank the alcohol refreshingly and pulled the bottle from his mouth.

“Kuaaaaaah!! Amazing! The taste of the alcohol is fantastic! The view is to die for too!”

Hyun Jong stared at Chung Myung with trembling eyes.

He understood. Everything Chung Myung does has its own calculations. It might be confusing at the moment, but following him usually turned out to be beneficial.

He knows. He understands, but…

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“…Is it really okay to do this?”

He was matching the rhythm fantastically, but he couldn’t help feeling anxious.

“They told us not to join in.”

“Even so…”

“If we just stand behind, looking sullen, only those bastards will feel good about it. Sect Leader, please understand this, so that Sect Leader can survive this tough political situation in the future.”

“…Yes?”

“Politics isn’t about making ourselves feel good! It’s about turning the stomachs of those you dislike!”

Hyun Jong smiled pleasedly at Chung Myung’s words.

‘Ancestors.’

‘I’ve been feeling really drained lately. Sometimes I feel even more tired than I was in the past.’

‘Please do something about this guy……’

“Also.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung spoke in a slightly more serious voice, wiping the alcohol from his mouth with his sleeve.

“The kids should learn how to watch from behind. So far, we have a habit of running ahead and fixing things whenever there’s a problem, but Sect Leader hasn’t forgotten what happened to Mount Hua back then due to that habit, have you?

“…Of course, I haven’t forgotten.”

“They are bastards who just watched as Mount Hua was about to collapse. It’s weirder for us to feel uneasy about not being able to help them with this mere small trouble. I feel like pouring oil into the river and setting it on fire if it were up to me.”

The moment he heard that, Hyun Jong’s face hardened.

“Well, even so Sect Leader would definitely step forward if they were in crisis. Since Sect Leader isn’t one to wait and just watch people suffer. But what about those bastards? When Mount Hua was burning and the disciples were dying horribly, was there a single one of them who helped? They just drank with their hands behind their back and perhaps even emptied our warehouse.”
Hyun Jong clenched his fist.

‘I…’

Anger surged.

Looking back, those sects did not help when Magyo attacked Mount Hua, setting it on fire, and slaughtering the disciples.

What Mount Hua is doing now is not witnessing fire across the river; What they did back then was what witnessing fire across the river truly is. Yet I’m feeling uncomfortable to just watch those very people go to war?

‘How could I forget that, just because things have gotten a lot better lately?’

Hyun Jong grits his teeth.

“Alcohol!”

“Yes?”

“Bring me some alcohol! Let me try drinking too!”

“Se- Sect Leader!”

“Hurry!”

At Hyun Jong’s roar, Hyun Young scurried to get the alcohol. Chung Myung grinned at the sight.

“Sect Leader understands now.”

Hyun Jong nods with a stiff face.

“There are things to forget and things to never forget. It definitely doesn’t mean to get back at them the same way, but…….”

“That’s good enough.”

Hyun Jong turned his head and shouted at the disciples.

“Drink! Let’s enjoy playing in the water properly!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

Hyun Jong poured the liquor brought by Hyun Young into his mouth at once.

“Keuu!”

“Come on. Have a snack, too.”

“Yes!”

Chung Myung giggled as he saw Hyun Jong munching on beef jerky.

That’s right, they must not forget.

What they did to Mount Hua in the past. And Chung Myung must not forget either. What kind of mistake Mount Hua made.

‘This is how it is for now, but……’

One day, the time will come when they too will shed bloody tears like Mount Hua.

“Let’s just enjoy the entertainment. However, um….”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung rolled up the corners of his mouth.

“This better not turn into witnessing fire across the river for real.”

“…What do you mean?”

“No. Would it be better that way? I don’t know. Kikikik.”

At the sight of Chung Myung’s inexplicable laughter and strange words, Hyun Jong gave up trying to understand and shook his head.