Return of Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 822

Outstretched hands and clenched lips.

Everyone’s gaze was focused on Heo Dojin.

Not only the Five Swords, but also the Ten Great Sect in the back, and even the Evil Faction looked at Heo Dojin with their eyes wide open in shock.

Among them, Jang Ilso was the only one who didn’t change his expression.

“Huuk… Huuk, huuk….”

Rough breaths flowed out from Heo Dojin’s mouth. He clenched the hand he had extended and wiped his sweat-drenched face.

“This… this crazy bastard!”

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and radiated murderous momentum as if he would lunge at Heo Dojin at any moment.

“What have you done! What have you! You…!”

Baek Cheon’s head was filled with anger enough to spit out swear words and curse at Wudang’s Sect Leader.

But Heo Dojin showed no reaction to his yelling. He simply glanced at him briefly and slowly walked toward Jang Ilso.

It’s not that he particularly held a grudge against Chung Myung.

No, even if he did, now was not the time to settle it. Heo Dojin attacked Chung Myung for just one reason.

It is because he could not bear to watch Chung Myung attack Jang Ilso and turn the cliff back into a battlefield.

Heo Dojin stood one Li in front of Jang Ilso. Then he sighed deeply.

Even at this moment, there were those who were climbing up the cliff. The face was a mess, and the eyes were shaking in despair.

Heo Dojin, biting his lips at the sight, finally faced Jang Ilso directly. His gaze was bloodshot. Jang Ilso received the hateful look with a smile on his face.

The focus of attention had heavily shifted to the two men.

“Paegeun…. No, Evil Tyrant Ryeonju.”

And in the midst of it all, Heo Dojin opened his mouth.

“The Great Wudang Sect….”

His voice was suppressed as if he was holding back something with all his might.

“As the Sect Leader of the Great Wudang Sect, on behalf of Wudang…. No, on behalf of Wudang and the Righteous Factions of the world…”

The corners of Jang Ilso’s mouth curled up even more.

The moment a wicked smile spread across his face, Heo Dojin spat out his words as if throwing up.

“… I request a truce with the Evil Tyrant Alliance.”

A hellish silence sank on the cliff.

Everyone held their breath and stared at Heo Dojin.

‘What did I just hear?’

A truce?

Is he talking about a truce right now? That Wudang asking for a truce with the Evil Tyrant Alliance?

Nobody could understand. The words ‘Wudang,’ ‘Evil Tyrant Alliance,’ and ‘Truce’ didn’t fit together at all. The faces of those who faced something they had never imagined before turned white.

It was Jang Ilso who broke the deathly silence.

“Hmm….”

The soft nasal sound he made was quite sweet, as if he was having fun and amusement.

“A truce….”

Staring still at Heo Dojin, he spoke in a voice tinged with laughter.

“I never thought such words would come out of the mouth of the esteemed Sect Leader of Wudang. How flattering.”

“….”

Despite Jang Ilso’s mockery, Heo Dojin just kept his mouth shut. As if to endure any humiliation,

“So… What are the terms?”

“One year!”

Heo Dojin spat out the words.

“For the next year, the Five Great Family and the Ten Great Sect will not cross the Yangtze River. No, we won’t even approach the Yangtze. That is if we reach an agreement here and you let us go today!”

“Heo Dooooojiiiiiin!”

It was then that Namgung Hwang, who had finally climbed up the cliff, let out a desperate shout.
“Have you gone mad? What nonsense are you babbling about!”

His eyes were filled with a rage that seemed ready to overflow at any moment.

Who in their right mind would say such a thing? He can’t believe that the Ten Great Sect and the Five Great Family are having a conversation with the Evil Tyrant Alliance. This would upend the very foundation of the Ten Great Sect and the Five Great Family.

“Are you so scared that you’ve lost your mind? How dare you give in to those filthy Evil Faction villains! And you claim to be the Sect Leader of Wudang Sect! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself!”

Namgung Hwang’s voice was truly heartbreaking, but Heo Dojin opened his mouth with an unchanged expression.

“…..-t up.”

“What?”

“I said shut up.”

Heo Dojin stared at Namgung Hwang intently. Killing intent spilling from his eyes.

At the formidable momentum, Namgung Hwang shut his mouth as if choked. He would not have glared like that even if he faced an arch-enemy.

“…You pitiful man.”

Heo Dojin gritted his teeth.

However, Bop Kye, who had arrived late at the cliff, was just as puzzled.

“Sect Leader! What in the world are you planning to do? Shaolin cannot overlook this situation.”

His face was almost despondent.

Then Heo Dojin questioned Bop Kye with an icy voice.

“Overlook?”

“….”

“What if you won’t?”

“…Amitabha.”

Heo Dojin’s momentum forced Bop Kye to shut his mouth and chant unknowingly.

“Can you take responsibility?”

“…For what…”

“I asked if you were confident to report to Bangjang that you have lost all the disciples here and return to Shaolin. No, can you handle a situation where you’re dead and there’s no one left to report? Can you handle the responsibility?”

“….”

Bop Kye couldn’t say anything.

Who in the world could take responsibility for such a thing? Especially when he was just an elder, not even the head of Shaolin. He could never handle such situation.

When Bop Kye couldn’t answer, Heo Dojin gave a cold rebuke.

“Then back off.”

“But… Sect Leader.”

“Do you not understand my words?”

“….”

“I told you to back off.”

Heo Dojin growled.

“If you’re not prepared to take responsibility or have the ability to solve this situation, you should at least know to shut up. Barking like a dog won’t solve anything.”

Blood dripped down from his bitten lips and trickled down his chin.

Humiliation?

Pride?

What does any of that matter now?

Now, right here, his disciples are dying. There is no way for them, who have exhausted all their strength to climb the cliff, to overcome the Evil Tyrant Alliance akin to jackals, who were encamped above the cliff.

Even if they win, what would be left for them?

Only a handful would survive. That means the downfall of Wudang Sect.

They want him to be prepared for demise in exchange for driving out the Evil Faction?

‘What a load of bullshit.’

If the shamans drive out the Evil Tyrant Alliance and get wiped out, the remaining Five Great Family and Ten Great Sect will share the achievement. Wudang, Shaolin, Namgung, and Qingcheng would never recover their strength and would decline.
Just like what happened with the Mount Hua Sect in the past.

Though Mount Hua Sect miraculously recovered its strength, there is no guarantee that Wudang will experience the same miracle. No, as Sect Leader of Wudang Sect, he should never create a situation in which Wudang Sect had to hope for such a miracle.

“A truce, Evil Tyrant Ryeonju!”
Heo Dojin opened his mouth with bloodshot eyes.

“We shall form a non-aggression pact for a year in exchange for reconciliation. Those who declare themselves as Righteous shall not set foot in Gangnam for one year.”

“Hmm.”

Jang Ilso tilted his head slightly with a look of no interest.

“Gangnam, huh… I don’t see what’s so special about it. Gangnam is already our territory.”

“You should know better than anyone that it’s not.”

“…Hoo?”

Jang Ilso chuckled smugly.

But Heo Dojin could not show such leisure. He bit his lips nervously and opened his mouth desperately.

“Evil Tyrant Alliance is a hastily assembled group. If you take even slight damage here, you could disintegrate in an instant. That’s not what you want.”

“….”

“A year would be enough time to rebuild Evil Tyrant Alliance and have complete control over Gangnam. Isn’t that so?”

A peculiar expression crossed Jang Ilso’s face as Heo Dojin pressed on.

“If not, we’ll have to fight here until mutual destruction. Is that really the ending you desire, where Evil Tyrant Alliance and the five sects here all perish?”

Jang Ilso grinned triumphantly at the words. His white tooth came out eerie.

“I think you’re overestimating yourself.”

“At least you won’t want the remaining sects to get a chance for ‘fisherman’s profit’ (????/????).” (This is an idiom meaning that a third party takes advantage without any effort while both parties are fighting)

“Hahahahahat!”

Jang Ilso burst into loud laughter.

Fisherman’s profit.

That’s right. If they use up their power here, the remaining Ten Great Sect and Five Great Family will not miss this opportunity and move south.

Even if they achieved a total victory against these five sects, they wouldn’t be able to handle the subsequent attacks. A cornered rat bites the cat. Those who have lost everything will fight to the bitter end.

“You’re smart, Heo Dojin.”

“….”

“But… you’re pathetic and vile. Ah, and also cunning. Right, just like…”

A derisive horse flew slowly toward Heo Dojin.

“Like one of Evil Faction.”

An overwhelming sense of humiliation crushed Heo Dojin’s whole body. His body trembled slightly. But he couldn’t dare to refute; the one holding the hilt of the sword was Jang Ilso.

“Good. I like someone like you. Hahahahahat! To think that the mighty Sect Leader of Wudang would beg for his life! Euhahahahahahahat!”

Jang Ilso’s laughter echoed over the cliff.

Eudeududuk.

The disciples of Ten Great Sect, who stood on the cliff, clenched their fists and bit their lips in anger.

It was because of the extreme humiliation. No one could have imagined that they would end up begging for their lives to the Evil Faction in order to survive.

They should have fought till they died.

That’s the Righteousness, and that’s what they’ve learned. But no one could step up and say, ‘I’ll die.’

It doesn’t end when one person dies. Fighting here means death for everyone. Who would dare bear that terrible weight?

“However… I need to know first.”

Jang Ilso abruptly stopped laughing and stared intently at Heo Dojin.

“Do you have the qualifications? The power to negotiate on behalf of the Righteous Faction and enforce them?”

“If Wudang can’t, no one else can.”

“….”

“We live for Righteousness and die for Righteousness. An agreement made in the name of Shaolin and Wudang can’t be ignored. And if Shaolin and Wudang, along with Namgung, won’t intervene…”

Heo Dojin hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, and continued speaking.
“None will dare set foot in Gangnam. Not on land controlled by the Evil Tyrant Alliance….”

Jang Ilso nodded as if agreeing.

“But that alone is insufficient, isn’t it?”

“…I’ll put my neck on the line.”

“Hmm.”

Jang Ilso snorted and laughed.

“How pathetic.”

At those words, Heo Dojin’s fist clenched so tightly that it turned white. His nails dug into his palms as blood trickled through the gaps.

“There is no way his life is worth anything, but when Sect Leader of the world-famous Wudang makes such a humble request, I feel him and it makes me want to relent.”

“….”

“But be aware. This is not an untouchable agreement but a conditional truce. You guys are the only ones who cannot cross the Yangtze River, and Evil Tyrant Alliance is not restricted from crossing the Yangtze River and advancing north. And the period is not one year, but three years.”

Heo Dojin’s eyes trembled wildly.

Who can fully understand how he feels as he stands there with such pride? But Jang Il-so smiled as if he peered deeply into him.

“If you accept this….”

He whispered, accompanied by a sneering laugh.

“I will be benevolent and let you keep that pathetic life of yours.”

“….”

Heo Dojin looked back in silence.

He can see the disciples of Wudang Sec clenching their teeth.

The faces of Wudang disciples could be seen, their eyes brimming with fierce determination as if urging him to never accept this humiliation, even at the cost of their lives.

However, what he had to do was already decided.

Heo Dojin’s hand slowly rose.

His slightly trembling fingertips were telling everyone how he felt. His shaking hands were put together to form a salute.

Bowing slowly towards Jang Ilso, Heo Dojin lowered his head as if he could not bear to look at the sky and spoke softly. It was a sound close to a whisper.

“…I accept.”

“Hmm.”

Jang Ilso nodded. He then scanned everyone gathered on the cliff. A voice resounded deeply from his lips, a voice full of sinister intent.

“I, Jang Ilso, hereby declare that in the name of Evil Tyrant Ryeonju that the Ten Great Sect, Five Great Family, and Evil Tyrant Alliance signed a truce of non-aggression. For the next three years! Neither Ten Great Sect nor Five Great Family can step into Gangnam land! In exchange….”

Jang Ilso slowly traced his lips with his index finger and smiled softly.

“Go back alive. Keep that pathetic life.”

“….”

Those words became a dagger and pierced the hearts of everyone who climbed the cliff.

“Hahahat.”

Jang Ilso glanced at everyone and then turned around.

“Let’s go back. It’s very painful to see the faces of the losers. Hahaha. Hahahahaha!”

As if the rest were not even worth paying attention to, he burst into laughter and walked away.

All of the disciples of the Ten Great Sect were unable to raise their heads as they heard laughter.

They wanted to resent him, curse him, and express their anger.

But they knew all too well their own shame.

No one was able to come forward.

Even though something that could never happen was happening right in front of their eyes, no one was angry and tried to stop Heo Dojin by raising their voice.

That’s why they had no choice but to bow their heads.

“Hahahahahahahahahahat! Euhahahahahahahahahahahat!”

Tears of blood streamed down from Heo Dojin’s eyes.
Inexcusable defeat.

It was a perfect defeat, that felt like driving a dagger through one’s bone.