Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1115

In this way, Tang Family was immersed in a very heavy atmosphere. They might be able to make an excuse for losing once by mistake, but repeated defeats left no room for excuses.

And the shock only grew stronger as time passed. At the moment of defeat, it might have been passed off because they were out of their mind and in pain, but the more they thought about it, the more it gnawed at them.

This atmosphere became even more serious after all those who were considered influential in Tang Family were summoned by Sogaju. It showed that they were taking this loss very seriously.

However… Currently, the one in the most unfavorable atmosphere within the manor where Heavenly Comrade Alliance resides is not Tang family, but Namgung Family.

Namgung Dowi’s cheek kept twitching non-stop.

Namgung Dan, who saw his face like that, lowered his head as if avoiding eye contact.

Whose son was Namgung Dowi?

He is none other than the son of Namgung Hwang. While it’s not always true that children inherit their parents’ dispositions completely, they often bear a strong resemblance, don’t they?

Namgung Dan knew. Normally, Namgung Dowi was a rational person, hardly reminiscent of Namgung Hwang, but when Namgung Dowi lost his temper, he could be even more explosive than his father.

So in times like this, it was best to bow one’s head and appear dead. If you didn’t want to be completely obliterated, that is.

‘He’s so pissed.’

Well, he had a right to be.

Namgung Dowi threw away a lot of things when they joined Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

Pride in his family, pride in himself. Moreover, not only the wealth accumulated by the family but also the external reputation was put aside to some extent.

But there was one thing Namgung Dowi absolutely could not let go of…

“Not just anyone else…”

“….”

“To Evil Sects….”

Namgung Dowi’s eyes twitched. Everyone who saw his expression bowed their heads even lower.

“If my father in the afterlife saw this….”

Just imagining it made their body tremble. In their minds, they could see Namgung Hwang, eyes bloodshot, rushing with his sword.

If Namgung Hwang had really seen this, he might have tried to cut off the head of Yama (King of Hell) to descend to the mortal world. Whether that was possible or not is a secondary matter.

Namgung Dowi was now trembling all the way to his fingertips. The shock was overwhelming.

“How did Namgung Family end up like this…”

“So- Sogaju! Don’t be too hard on yourself! This is not Sogaju’s fault!”

“Yes, Sogaju! This is all because of our incompetence!”

“Ugh. I am sorry.”

There was no need for a separate funeral home. This wasn’t just Namgung Dowi’s issue.

Of course, Nokrim is not an ordinary Evil Sects, and even among the stronghold of Nokrim, Nokchae, where only the very best gather, is by no means to be underestimated. It may have been a difficult place for Namgung Family, who had lost most of their power, to deal with.

But that was just a practical consideration. Namgung Family members had grown up hearing that they should never lose to Evil Sects, even if it meant dying. There was no way that this high pride would not be hurt.

“No, no. This is all my fault.”

“Sogaju. That’s not true.”

“If my father had led you instead of me, would we have suffered such a crushing defeat?”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

“It’s not just about swordsmanship. Even if my father’s martial prowess was only at my level, had he led Namgung Family, we would not have lost to Nokrim.”

They didn’t affirm it, but they couldn’t deny it either. If they agreed, they would be disrespecting Namgung Dowi. If they disagreed, they would be disrespecting Namgung Hwang. Since neither one nor the other can be an answer, they could only remain silent.

“Yes. I am lacking right now. Namgung Family is lacking. But…”

Namgung Dowi’s eyes turned bloodshot.

“I will not just sit back and take this. I will make sure they know exactly what Namgung Family is, and I will restore Namgung’s honor!”

“Yes, Sogaju-nim!”

“Sogaju-nim You can do it!”

Namgung Dowi nodded his head vigorously as he looked at the cheering crowd.

“However….”

“Yes?”

For some reason, when Namgung Dowi’s expression changed strangely, the members of Namgung Family flinched.

“This isn’t something I can do alone, is it?”

Namgung Dowi’s voice took on a strangely curt tone.

“Huh?”

“…That… That’s right?”

“I’m not blaming you, but… it seems like everyone’s skills are a bit, just a bit lacking.”

“….”

“If your skills are lacking, don’t you have no choice but to increase your training?”

“More training here?”

We’re already training to the point of death. Is this not enough?

“No, no.”

Namgung Dowi shook his head vigorously.

“I’m not saying you’re lazy. But… considering we can’t even defeat those Evil Sects members, don’t you think we need to put in a bit more effort?”

“….”

“What do you think?”

“….”

“Hm?”

“That….”

Namgung Dan awkwardly opened his mouth and glanced back. Everyone had their eyes closed with resigned faces.

‘Rotten….’

Well, the name of none other than Namgung Hwang was mentioned, so how could they possibly resist?

“As…you wish.”

“Thank you!”

Namgung Dowi sprang to his feet.

“Since we’re talking about it, let’s go train right now!”

“Huh? R- Right now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No… it’s just that the injuries from today are still…”

At that, everyone subtly nodded and timidly agreed.

“My bones are aching…”

“My arms are numb….”

As everyone avoided eye contact, Namgung Dowi stared at them and then turned his head away. His face, looking out at the night sky, seemed sorrowful.

“My father must be watching….”

“….”

“The previous Gaju, who passed away in the Yangtze River, must be eagerly waiting for us to restore Namgung’s honor…”

“Oh, damn it! Fine! What are you doing, you bastards! Let’s go! Time for training!”

“…Yes.”

“Ugh…”

Namgung Dowi smiled happily as he looked at the people going out like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse.

“True sincerity always gets through.”

In this way, another person was falling.

* * *

“Hahahaha! Nokrim King! Did you see the expressions on those bastards’ faces?”

“They were so arrogant, acting all high and mighty! Hahaha!”

“Ah. Ten years of constipation is all gone!”

The morale of Nokrim bandits was through the roof.

To them, Namgung Family was like a natural enemy. How many bandits of Nokrim had suffered humiliation from those rotten Namgung Family?

Of course, it was fundamentally Nokrim’s fault, but right or wrong, the thrill was still the thrill.

Just by flattening the noses of Righteous Sects, they could get drunk without a drop of alcohol, and since that Righteous Sects were none other than Namgung Family, they couldn’t feel better than this.

“Those nobodies!”

“I told you I could smash them all if I really fought!”

“Huhu. At this rate, it would’ve been worth it even if Namgung Hwang were still alive!”

Just when they were starting to become intoxicated with fantasy beyond reality, they heard the sound of a fan being folded from somewhere.

For a moment, the bandit of Nokrim became quiet as if they were dead, and slowly turned their gaze to look at Im Sobyeong’s complexion. His expression was noticeably hardened.

“Are you happy?”

“….”

“Are you okay, you little shits?”

Bon Chung quietly stepped forward on behalf of Nokrim bandits who were hesitant with an awkward expression.

“Why are you in such a bad mood? We crushed those Namgung Family members so thoroughly they couldn’t even squeak.”

“Crushed them?”

Im Sobyeong snorted.

“Do you think we’re the ones who did the crushing here? Or do you think we’re the ones who got crushed?”

At those words, several bandits’ faces turned red with shame.

They were excited, but their faces were also ridiculous. It was swollen here and there from the hard struggle.

“You idiots. You fought tooth and nail against a bunch of greenhorns and barely won, and you think that’s worth celebrating?”

“S- Still, a win is a win…”

“…What?”

As Im Sobyeong’s eyes grew dim, Bon Chung quickly shrank his thick neck like a turtle.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Im Sobyeong clicked his tongue, showing displeasure.

‘If I had been less careful, we would have lost.’

The reason they won today is very simple. Namgung Family’s power is less than half of what it used to be, and the one who commanded Nokrim was none other than Im Sobyeong.

Conversely, it means that if Im Sobyeong had not been in command, Nokrim could have been defeated even against the half-dead Namgung Family.

‘This is a problem.’

Im Sobyeong groaned.

Nokrim is by no means a sect led by a few strong individuals. Their power comes from their overwhelming numbers. So, in a way, the outcome might not be something to be regretful about.

But Im Sobyeong knows. That this is just an excuse. And he knew this was the reason why, despite being the oldest sect among Evil Sects, Nokrim had never once become the leader of Evil Sects.

“Based on what we’ve seen, we can’t even handle Namgung Family. That means we’d get crushed by any other sect of Evil Tyrant Alliance.”

“What are you talking about! If all our brothers in the world gather together, there will be no sect in the world that we cannot compete with!”

“…Gather?”

Im Sobyeong glared at Bon Chung as if asking what nonsense he was saying.

“So, when have they ever all gathered?”

“…That’s ….”

“How can you bring all these guys from literally all over Jungwon together in one place? It’d take over a month just for the message to get around.”

Bon Chung closed his mouth.

That is true. Nokrim is a sect that has influence over the mountains of the world, but because it is so widespread, it is almost impossible to move in a unified manner.

“And… even if the order is given, do you think they would abandon their strongholds and come running just because I said so?”

“Of course! It’s Nokrim King’s command!”

“Really?”

“….”

“Really?”

“…That… If we leave too many strongholds empty, problems can arise.”

“Haah.”

Im Sobyeong sighed deeply.

Even he didn’t have the energy to organize all of this before he entered Heavenly Comrade Alliance. He was in a situation where all his mental strength was wasted just by hiding his sickly body and waging a delayed battle against Jang Ilso, who was eagerly targeting him. No matter how talented he was, there were limits.

Now, with the help of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, he has barely solved one problem, but another problem has popped up in huge numbers.

“First of all… to speak realistically, Nokrim is by no means weak.”

“Of course.”

“But at the same time, it’s absurdly weak. We have plenty of forces, but the forces we can actually use are pathetically weak.”

“….”

“And even if we gather them, it’s just a bunch of people, useless in localized battles. This means that there is nothing they can do during a war other than supplying numbers.”

Im Sobyeong muttered, looking around at everyone.

“What do you think?”

“Yes?”

“If there’s a problem, we need to solve it. Right?”

“…That’s true, but…”

“Luckily, I know a way to solve this. If you know the solution and don’t act on it, you have no right to complain even if you are called the fool of the world, right?”

“Uh….”

Bon Chung asked quietly.

“Excuse me, may I ask what the solution is?”

Im Sobyong nodded as if pleased by the question.

“It’s simple. We need to strengthen the core forces first. If Nokrim’s core gets stronger, its influence will grow, and so will my influence over Nokrim. Then, in the end, the entire Nokrim will become a little faster, right?”

Bon Chung asked back with a puzzled look on his face.

“But isn’t that what we’ve been doing? That’s why Nokrim King…”

“No.”

Im Sobyeong waved his finger left and right.

“I thought we were doing it, but we weren’t. Since I was born in Evil Sects, I assumed everyone handled their training individually.”

“….”

“But when I saw what those Mount Hua Sect guys were doing, I realized there’s a new way. If it could be done like that, why didn’t we do it before?”

“Tha- That’s because our method is…”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. Our method is whatever I decide. Right?”

“….”

“And it seems to me… Mount Hua’s method is a bit weak.”

“Huh?”

At that moment, bandits of Nokrim with their mouths wide open looked at Im Sobyeong blankly. The look in their eyes was full of questions as to what kind of bullshit this was.

“If we’re going to do it like real combat, we need to do it like real combat. Those Righteous Sects members bastard pretend because they’re worried about someone getting seriously hurt.”

“….”

“If you’re truly determined, you have to accept sacrifices. Right?”

“….”

“Huhuhuhu. I didn’t expect to get to compete with Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword in wit like this. I’ll show them properly what Evil Sects’s methods are.”

The faces of Nokrim bandits began to look increasingly disheartened.

* * *

The next morning.

“Phew.”

Hyun Jong let out a deep sigh.

Considering the situation he was in, it would be strange to not have any worries, but even considering that, Hyun Jong’s expression looked unusually dark today.

“It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this…”

In fact, it was not their intention to stay in the Yangtze region.

Originally, they planned to rescue the refugees and then return to Shaanxi.

But then the situation got messed up with the sudden appearance of Magyo, and they ended up stuck here.

Of course, Hyun Jong didn’t entirely see this situation as bad.

Anyway, since Tang Family and Heavenly Comrade Alliance were staying together, he thought there was no better opportunity to strengthen ties.

Yes, for camaraderie… for camaraderie’s sake.

However.

“How did it come to this…”

Instead of strengthening ties, it seemed like the rifts between them were only growing deeper?

From the perspective of Hyun Jong, Maengju of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, it was a situation that was making him feel as if his insides were rotting away.

“Ugh.”

Hyun Jong shook his head vigorously, recalling the image of Chung Myung giggling wickedly in his head.

He doesn’t think that rascal does things thoughtlessly, but it’s definitely not good for this situation to continue.

“This can’t go on.”

He needs to mediate at an appropriate level before that rascal runs wild any further.

Hyun Jong, who had decided to personally observe the training today, quickly headed towards the training ground.

Since Chung Myung hadn’t come out yet, he thought he could sit down first and keep an eye on things, hoping to improve the situation.

However, Hyun Jong’s expectations were literally shattered the moment he arrived at the training ground.

“Euaaaa!”

“Hey, Evil Sects bastard!”

“You dog-like poisonous bastards!”

“You guys are the biggest problem! You Mount Hua damned devil!”

“….”

Hyun Jong stared blankly at the chaotic scene in the training ground.

There were no allies or enemies anymore.

Mount Hua. Tang Family. Namgung Family. Nokrim.

There were sects that could represent the world, each entangled in their own way, fighting each other.

“Uh….”

Hyun Jong’s mouth gaped open.

“Dieeee!”

Hyun Jong involuntarily closed his eyes at the sight of Tang Soso’s beautiful spin kick sending her brother’s jaw flying.

This must be hell. This place.

“Wow. They started on their own already.”

“….”

Hyun Jong slowly turned his head and looked at Chung Myung strolling over.

“I didn’t even ask them to. They’re doing well. Keueuh.This is the joy of teaching! The joy!”

“….”

It seemed.

Heavenly Comrade Alliance is doomed.