Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1120

The handsome man who had been staggering from the poison finally fell to one knee. The countless eyes that had been looking at him as if they were fed up with it were filled with a base thrill at that moment.

“This….”

The man, who was trembling, eventually fell forward without being able to raise his head.

“These… trash….”

Thud.

The moment Baek Cheon, who was the last one left, fell, everyone surrounding him cheered.

“We defeated the evils!”

“We won!”

“How do you like that! Mount Hua scum! This is justice!”

A groan of resentment escaped from the mouths of the disciples of Mount Hua who were lying on the ground.

‘Justice is a bit much…’

‘Are we the villains now, you little shits?’

The fact that there were those wretched bandits mixed in with the cheering crowd made them feel even more resentful.

No, they are pushing people to this extent just because they won something. Those yangban who should know better…

‘No matter how, this is too much.’

‘Is this for real?’

But at that moment, Tang Family and Namgung hugged each other tightly and their eyes became moist.

“I can’t believe the day has come when I get to relieve this grudge.”

“Sniff. Namgung Hyung. You’ve worked hard.”

“When those bastards knocked us last time and said, ‘They’re nothing special,’ I wanted to bite my tongue and die…”

At those words, the disciples of Mount Hua Sect who had collapsed exchanged glances.

‘Did that really happen?’

‘…I think I heard something like that.’

“Don’t get me started. When I heard, ‘Well, they’re supposed to be a prestigious sect, but they’re weak,’ I wanted to cry at my ancestors’ graves.”

The disciples of Mount Hua… No, the bastards of Mount Hua flinched and looked at each other again.

‘We went that far?’

‘It was Jo-Gol Sahyung. I heard him.’

‘That bastard, really…’

Then, a bandit from Nokchae who was unable to join in the hug shouted.

“We even heard, ‘It was Five Great Evil Sects, but they’re not all the same’.”

“Wow, that was too much.”

“That was the worst. We weren’t on good terms with Myriad Man Manor to begin with.”

The bastards of Mount Hua… No, the evils of Mount Hua turned their heads slightly. Everyone clearly remembered hearing that…

‘Was it Sasuk?’

‘It was Baek Cheon Sahyung.’

‘That guy is even worse than Jo-Gol when he gets drunk every once in a while.’

Of course, Baek Cheon wasn’t the only one who got drunk. If only one or two people had done such things, it would have been obvious right away. The fact that they hadn’t noticed until now meant that everyone had been doing similar things.

“Justice prevails, scum!”

“How does it feel now! Do you understand our resentment now!”

“Ahahahahahaha!”

The disciples of Mount Hua gnashed their teeth as they watched the three-sect alliance enjoying the joy of victory. In particular, Jo-Gol, who could not endure this situation, raised his head with a blazed gaze.

“You… you filthy bastards… Don’t you have any pride? A joint attack!?”

“Hahaha. Such can happen, Jo-Gol Dojang.”

Im Sobyeong waved his fan gently. Of course, one of his eyes was bruised and blue, so it didn’t quite have the intended effect.

“I never expected Jo-Gol Dojang to understand strategy in the first place. Huhuhuhu. What can I do? We live in different worlds.”

“Ugh….”

Jo-Gol, overwhelmed with anger, spat blood and collapsed.

The cheers of those who had completely destroyed Mount Hua bastards for the first time echoed through the training ground for a long time.

* * *

“Keuhuhuhuhu.”

“….”

“Hyung-nim. Did you see Jo-Gol Dojang that bastard’s… No, that man’s face?”

“….”

“It feels like a decade-old constipation has completely gone away. Aigoo, I feel full even without eating today.”

“Are you that happy?”

“I know what you are going to say, Hyung-nim.”

Tang Zhan placed both hands on his waist and put on a solemn expression.

“Is it such a joyous thing that three sects rushed in and barely managed to defeat one sect!”

“….”

“Isn’t that what you were trying to say?”

“Haha.”

Tang Pae laughed and shook his head. Tang Zhan spoke with a face that couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“I know it’s embarrassing, but today, I’m just going to openly rejoice. Don’t stop me.”

“I won’t stop you, so enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

Tang Pae laughed heartily. But Tang Zhan plopped down on a chair, exhausted.

“Actually, I’d like to stay happy all day, but I don’t have the strength left…”

Tang Zhan leaned his head back, his body as limp as a soaked sponge.

“…I thought I wouldn’t get tired at all if I won… But winning means fighting until the very end. It would be better to fall early so that I could at least save some strength.”

“I see.”

“Those Mount Hua bastards… they are really something. How do they do this every time…”

Tang Zhan trailed off without finishing his sentence. Tang Pae turned his head and looked at him. He had already fallen asleep as if he had passed out.

“…It must have been hard.”

In truth, their bodies had reached their limits long ago. Sparring is different from training. It is when your physical strength evaporates in an instant as if you were under a spell.

It was not an ordinary spar, but a melee battle where it was difficult to distinguish between the two sides, so it was natural that they would become completely exhausted after fighting day and night for several days.

‘Even mere training is of this level.’

Then how much effort must it have been for those who fought against Magyo in the past, unable to sleep properly for tens of days and repeatedly fighting wars?

At that time, the ancestors of Tang Family must have fought with all their might on the battlefield. But did the current generation truly appreciate their efforts?

‘Maybe we’ve been too indifferent to the past.’

They say that when one is enamored with glorious achievements, the blood shed to achieve that glory is forgotten and that saying is exactly right. What they really should have focused on was not the achievements of defeating Magyo, but the sacrifices made to achieve those achievements….

If they were to return to their family, Tang Pae thought he should reexamine the records from a hundred years ago still remaining within the family, but he too eventually succumbed to sleep.

In the room where the two were sleeping, only the lamplight flickered quietly.

* * *

Humans sometimes have experiences that surpass their own limitations.

These people, who were already physically ruined, had only one driving force that allowed them to endure until now. It was the will to smash those nasty, filthy Mount Hua bastards in the face with a stick.

That strong will ignited their mental power and kept their bodies moving.

Of course, this experience would be valuable for those who had soaked the training ground with blood and screams. Some might have found a way to reach a higher level through this process, and others will have fallen into deep contemplation as to whether the path they are walking is the right one.

Even if someone didn’t achieve such progress, the experience of fighting to their limits would undoubtedly be helpful. Maybe in the future, when they’re on the brink of defeat, this experience might save their lives.

Yes, it would definitely be helpful.

…in the distant future, that is.

“Ugh….”

“I feel like I’m going to die….”

“K- Kill me….”

But what mattered to them was not the distant future but the immediate present. For those who had burned themselves to the fullest, all that was left was melted candle wax… No, only their half-burned bodies and the intense dull pain that felt like they were on fire at the slightest movement.

Their lips were chapped, and their eyes were sunken. At first glance, they were so battered that someone would spontaneously ask, ‘Are they from Beggar Union?’ They were barely standing on shaky legs.

“…I think I’m going to die, Sogaju.”

“…I think it’s harder than Plum Blossom Island.”

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“No. I think that’s true too….”

Even the Namgung Family, who had experienced their limits on Plum Blossom Island, couldn’t stay focused. Back then, the fear for their lives had kept them going, but now there is no such thing as a hill to lean on. Isn’t it a situation where they have to support their battered bodies with sheer willpower alone?

Sichuan Tang Family and Namgung Family, who were somehow managing to stand and endure, were relatively better off.

The bandits of Nokrim, who didn’t care about appearances and had no face to save, simply plopped down on the training ground, wailing in pain.

“Aigoo…. My, my back….”

“Hey, Hyung-nim. But isn’t lying down a bit too much?”

“You lie down too. It’s comfortable.”

“…Should I?”

“Look at boss over there. He’s already lying down.”

“…Really.”

Im Sobyeong was half-lying down, having thrown aside the fan he always carried. His originally pale face had now turned into something that looked almost like a corpse.

“I… What… What kind of wealth and honor did I ask for…”

“Nokrim King. Please don’t speak too much. I’m afraid you might actually die.”

“Ugh….”

This was the tragic outcome for someone who had forgotten his sickness in his obsession with surpassing Mount Hua.

Tang Family and Namgung would have clicked their tongues at the sight of such Nokrim bandits usually, but at this moment, they looked on with boundless envy.

‘They must be comfortable.’

‘I want to lie down too.’

‘Evil Sect is better. Why was I born in Tang Family?’

The two sects realized once again that they needed to have at least a minimal amount of comfort to take care of things like face and manners.

At that moment, a group approached them.

“Aigo, my body is so sore.”

“The place I got hit yesterday hurts so much?”

“We have to get revenge today!”

“We can lose once, but not twice!”

It was the disciples of Mount Hua who entered the training ground. Namgung Dowi and Tang Pae were dumbfounded as they watched the scene.

‘What?’

‘Why are they so lively?’

It was incomprehensible.

Didn’t they clearly beat up those sons of a… No, those Taoists yesterday? But while those who dealt the blows were barely surviving, how come the ones who took the hits were so energetic?

When they trained, they trained together, and even when they fought, they all fought together.

“Alright, today… huh?”

Baek Cheon, who was about to shout loudly from the front, tilted his head.

“What’s wrong with these yangbans?”

“….”

“Did you guys have another fight among yourselves yesterday?”

A breath of air escaped from Namgung Dowi’s mouth.

‘Are they human?’

This wasn’t a problem that could be explained by differences in tenacity or experience in the first place. If it’s to this extent, wouldn’t it be appropriate to say that they’re different breeds entirely?

“…They look like they might die without us needing to hit them?”

“Um…. they do, don’t they?”

“Should we just go back today?”

“Yoon Jong-ah.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t help but feel disappointed in you.”

“…How come?”

Baek Cheon scolded him with a stern face.

“Even exhausted, they’re children of a prestigious sect! Do you not know that showing such consideration is actually disrespectful?”

“Ah….”

“It’s only manner that, even more so in this kind of situation, that we do our best to beat them up… No, to fight them!”

Baek Cheon Dojang…. We’re good with that kind of manner.

“But Sasuk. But we are still a Righteous Sects….”

“Huh? Us?”

“…Yes?”

“Didn’t they call us villains yesterday?”

“….”

Baek Cheon grinned mischievously as he approached the near-dead figures.

“If they treat us as villains, shouldn’t we act the part? Don’t you think so?”

“Kikikiki. That’s right.”

“Kill.”

“Zhan, come here. While I’m still telling you nicely. Come here. Or I’ll kill you. If you don’t, you’ll die. If you do, you’ll still die.”

Yoon Jong shook his head as he watched Baek Cheon, Jo-Gol, Yoo Iseol, and Tang Soso slowly move forward.

At this rate, wouldn’t they indeed become true villains?

“Bloody revenge!”

“Revenge!”

The moment Baek Cheon overturned his eyes and rushed forward, someone suddenly appeared from behind and kicked his butt.

“Grow up, you idiot!”

“Aarghh!”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue as he looked at Baek Cheon who had fallen forward.

“To think I believed in this…”

“Chung Myung-ah. I’m your Sasuk….”

“I’m doing this exactly because you’re Sasuk! So you’d grow up!”

“That does make sense.”

Baek Cheon conceded and stood up. Chung Myung clicked his tongue once more and glanced over at Namgung, Tang, and Nokrim bandits, who were barely holding on, looking like zombies. The core disciples seemed to be in a little better condition, but the rest were almost out of breath.

Chung Myung shrugged.

“I would like to torture you guys a bit longer, but… Well, I guess we should consider the situation.”

“…Are you saying we are resting today?”

“Rest?”

Chung Myung opened his eyes wide.

“Is there such a word in this world?”

“…You dog….”

“I think we should do something else instead of sparring today.”

“Huh? Just what….”

“Let’s welcome the guests first.”

Namgung Dowi tilted his head at the unexpected remark. At that moment, Chung Myung looked to one side and spoke.

“There they come.”

Just then, Namgung Dowi’s ears were filled with a resounding noise. It was the cry of a beast, something he had never heard in his life.