Return of the Mount Hua Sect
chapter-684

“What? You didn’t know?”

“…”

“You didn’t know at all?”

In life, everyone goes through a crisis at some point.

Of course, Im So-Byeong had lived a very tough life. He had encountered too many small crises and had to overcome life-threatening crises too many times.

But… it felt strange.

The current situation felt clearly 15 times more horrible than any crisis he had experienced before.

“Haa… Hahaha…”

Im So-Byeong tried to smile as brightly as possible. However, his already clenched muscles were unable to even form a smile.

“C-calm down first….”

“Calm down?”

Chung Myung’s eyes shone. As he looked at the killing intent, he couldn’t help but think that even if he wasn’t wrong, he surely was in the wrong.

In essence, Taoists were different from monks.

The purpose of Buddhism in the Central Plains was to save the people of the Central Plains, but the purpose of Taoism was self-healing. And so, while monks stayed in the temples and didn’t cut off their ties with the people, Taoists moved to the deep valleys in the mountains to refine their bodies and minds until they reached enlightenment.

To put it bluntly, the Taoists had no need to express their love for the people.

But what kind of world was this?

Even if their goal was something else, people tended to expect some warmth and divine teaching from Taoists. And so, Taoists also tried to treat people with a good heart whenever they could.

But…

‘The killing intent is…’

How on earth were they supposed to interpret the situation in which the most odd behavior, which had never been experienced in their life, was now coming from a Taoist, not a person of the Evil Faction?

‘No, there is no need to reason this!’

Before that reasoning even formed, a plum sword would be struck into his neck, or a fist would come to his mouth.

“T-taoist, please calm down….”

“… calm down. Right, calming down isn’t so difficult.”

“R-right…”

Chung Myung’s eyes blazed with killing intent.

“I think if I just take down the rat in front of me, I’ll feel better and calm down, too. Or at least, make that handsome face twice its size!”

“…then just kill me…”

“I’m saying I will kill you, and you want to die!”

Chung Myung grabbed Im So-Byeong by the collar and shook him.

“What? No one recognized you? Then, was there a ghost spying for that bastard Jang Ilso! Huh?”

“…”

This was unfair. Far too unfair.

Even if they had gathered the elders and people from the top sects and asked them to predict it, not a single one would have expected Jang Ilso to come to Mount Hua.

It’s a mistake, a mistake of not considering what a sane person would do. But was it wrong to hope and consider what an insane man might do?

And so, Im So-Byeong was quite happy.

Overall, if there was any problem… then it was that the man in front of him wasn’t one to listen to logic.

“That… hehe. Taoist… unexpected things happen in life sometimes.”

“…So.”

“Hehe. That’s why the world is interesting…”

Kwaak!

Before he could finish his words, Chung Myung’s fist connected with his chin.

“Kuaak!”

Im So-Byeong was beaten to the ground and rolled into a corner. Raising his head with glaring eyes, he protested.

“E-even so, I am the Green Forest King…”

“I guess you haven’t thought about the fact that you’re still alive because you are the Green Forest King, right? Now tell me, what happens if I forget about that title you have and hit you?”

“…Forget it.”

He didn’t want to know. Never!

“Die, Die! Instead of dying now, you would have died long ago! Why are you still alive after the accident?”

“That… Taoist spared me.”

“Right! I am now taking back the life I saved! Taking everything back!”

“Eikkk!”

Im So-Byeong was so terrified that he began to crawl away. Then, Chung Myung’s sword flew into the spot where he had been sitting moments before, piercing the ground deeply.

“You really are trying to kill me!?”

“You know something about faking your own death?”

“Taoist! This is all a huge misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Seeing Chung Myung’s fury, Im So-Byeong quickly added,

“Well, as I mentioned before, Jang Ilso is no ordinary bastard!”

“And?”

“Even if I hadn’t been here, I’m sure he would have prepared someone else! I’m certain of it!”

“…”

“Hehe. So, this situation isn’t something that happened because of me…”

“Oh, is that so?”

Chung Myung smiled.

“Uh?”

“Uh?”

At that laugh, the faces of Im So-Byeong and the Five Swords became anxious.

Soon, Chung Myung pulled the sword out of the ground as swiftly as a lightning bolt. Baek Cheon and the other Five Swords, with faces pale as ghosts, ran towards Chung Myung without looking back.

“Chung Myungggggggg!”

“Calm down, damn it!”

Of course, it was commendable for a member of the justice faction to kill a leader of the Evil Sect. Still, at that moment, Chung Myung’s temperament was completely off.

Baek Cheon, sensing that something terrible would happen if they did nothing, grabbed Chung Myung’s legs. The others clung to different parts of Chung Myung.

“Will you not let go! Let go! Ahhh, I’m really losing my mind here! Just let me shut that mouth for good!”

But Chung Myung’s anger didn’t subside even for a moment. His furious expression, with veins bulging in his neck and foam at his mouth, seemed as if it could detach from his body and attack Im So-Byeong directly.

“G-green Forest King, I am!”

“I’m doing this because you are the Green Forest King, okay! Didn’t you hear me? If you weren’t the Green Forest King… no, I still would have killed you! If you are the Green Forest King, there’s even more reason to kill!”

For now, Yoon Jong just tried to calm down Chung Myung.

“Even so, let us calm down and talk. If you think about it, it isn’t the Green Forest King’s fault.”

“What?”

Chung Myung turned to Yoon Jong.

“Sahyung.”

“U-Uh?”

“I know.”

Chung Myung slowly relaxed his excited body and nodded.

“There is no way that a person like Jang Ilso would miss the chance. As that man said, there must have been at least one person put across to play a similar role. They either came on their own, or Jang Ilso sent them.”

“R-right.”

“Besides, I didn’t know that Jang Ilso could recognize that man in disguise. So, it cannot be helped.”

“Right. That is what I am saying, too!”

Of course, it was true that Im So-Byeong caused this mess, but when one looked at it, he was also in an unfortunate situation. It was the duty of a Taoist to examine such details properly and consider them with a calm mind…

“B. U. T!”

Chung Myung’s mouth began to speak again as if it was throwing flames.

“Because it is such a situation, I need to be angry!”

“…”

“If I have to understand your situation, then you should also understand my situation! I took so many things into consideration, so why can you not take into account what is making me this enraged? Don’t you have to understand my emotions too?”

Even Confucius himself might have applauded this one. But no matter what logic it was, it managed to impress the Five Swords.

“Ugh. Just what sins did I commit in the past…? No, I committed a sin, but does that mean I have to witness such a thing here?”

Chung Myung was grinding his teeth. Im So-Byeong, who watched that, had the most absurd look on his face.

“Yo… You do not have to be so angry now, Taoist Chung Myung.”

“… what?”

“Sure, the situation has indeed turned a bit more ambiguous, but it has a positive effect too.”

“What positive effect?”

“Haha!”

When Chung Myung showed interest, Im So-Byeong smiled triumphantly and broadened his shoulders.

“At least thanks to that bastard Jang Ilso speaking out, didn’t everyone come to know that there are some ties between Mount Hua, the Heavenly Friends Alliance, and the Green Forest?”

“…Yes.”

“Huhuhu. Then that is the positive effect.”

He placed his hands on his waist as if he had just accomplished something amazing.

“Now, you don’t have to worry about explaining the ties between the Heavenly Friends Alliance and the Green Forest. They will now think of us as one. One less trouble, the Green Forest officially joined the Heavenly Friends Alliance and became brothers….”

Paaat!

Chung Myung’s body turned into a ray of light and flew. None of the Five Swords could even hold him back.

“Die! Die! You bastard! Just die!”

“Ackk! Ach! Ugh! Someone stop… ahhhh!”

Chung Myung was sitting on top of Im So-Byeong, beating him.

All of the Five Swords had a happy smile, seeing this sight for the first time in a long while.

“He’s hitting so well.”

“Phew, so refreshing.”

“Can I go and lend a helping hand?”

“…Just hold back for a while.”

“Yes.”

There were people in the world who deserved a beating.

“…”

Hyun Jong looked at Im So-Byeong with a puzzled look.

All the guests had left, and now all who remained were from the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Just as they were about to discuss the future, Tang Gunak’s suggestion was to bring Chung Myung and the Green Forest King together.

But… there was something about Im So-Byeong’s face that, when he came into the room, felt a bit, no… a lot strange.

“That…”

Without even giving him a chance to explain, Hyun Jong turned to Chung Myung.

He couldn’t help but let his mouth fall open when the expression on Chung Myung’s face clearly conveyed, ‘I was angry, but I only beat him because he deserved it. If he hadn’t been the Green Forest King, I wouldn’t have just beaten him; I would have chopped him!’

‘Even so, he is the Green Forest King….’

No, but when one thought about it, it felt right.

No matter where they went and said that a disciple of Mount Hua beat up the Green Forest King and turned his face into a swollen dumpling in anger, no one would believe it.

Right, thank God…

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat and glanced away.

But they had to quickly look the other way as they saw Tang Gunak with a red face, holding back laughter.

“That… ahem, right.”

Naturally, very naturally. As if they saw nothing.

“We are lucky that the event ended without any major mishaps.”

Meng So couldn’t stand the calm words of Hyun Jong and said,

“… seems like the Green Forest King got hit a lot.”

“Anyway, it isn’t much of a deal.”

“…”

Meng So was speechless and looked at Chung Myung and Im So-Byeong.

“That… I think the problem in the Central Plains is a bit different from my understanding.”

“Same here.”

While listening to the talks of the palace people, Im So-Byeong wiped the corner of his eyes in silence.

“Crying?”

“… no.”

“Right. You aren’t that sad because I see no tears. Let me continue. I will teach him what true sadness is.”

“…”

All the leaders turned their heads at the killing intent that rose from Chung Myung.

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat loudly and changed the topic. Now, it was time to say something else for Im So-Byeong to come out of this despair.

“The purpose of gathering you all like this is to speak about the future. I would really like an honest talk.”

Tang Gunak nodded at that. As if it had to happen, the laughter had calmed down and then everyone looked serious.

“It is a nice thing that the opening of the alliance happened with no major incidents. Thank you all for the hard work you put in.”

“The hard work was all done by the disciples. What trouble did we go through to do that?”

“True.”

Meng spoke honestly in response to Tang Gunak’s words.

“Although the opening of the alliance is declared to those gathered, in reality, it is the same as declaring it to the entire world. They will begin to tell the world what their eyes and ears have witnessed here.”

“Hmm.”

Everyone nodded at those words.

“It is a good thing that we had conveyed our intentions right from the start for the alliance. But…”

The eyes of Tang Gunak frowned. Everyone could guess what was going to come next.

“I cannot help but talk about the Ten Thousand People Clan and Jang Ilso.”

When the name of Jang Ilso came up, the entire room tensed up.