Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 664
“The Ice Clan?!”
“They’re really coming.”
The Jungwon people swallowed dry saliva and focused on the gate.
Along with Namman Yasugung Clan as the Five Outer Clan, the North Sea Ice Clan reigns like a king in the North Sea.
They’ve finally traveled a long way and showed up right here in Mt. Hua.
It has already been widely known that the North Sea Ice Clan was on the side of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. However, there was a significant difference between merely being together and the North Sea Ice Clan coming all the way here from afar.
Expectant gazes poured out momentarily, and soon the North Sea Ice Clan warriors appeared along the open path.
“…Oh.”
“They, they’re people of Ice Clan…….”
Everyone swallowed their words, unable to even breathe loudly.
The appearance of the Namman Yasugung Clan was shocking but daunting. It was just different and fascinating.
However, the sensation felt by the warriors of the Ice Clan was completely different.
‘They’re completely on edge.’
‘Those are the famous swordsmen of the North Sea….’
The swordsmen of the North Sea Ice Clan were known for being cold and sharp like the North Sea’s biting wind. And the Ice Clan warriors gathered here proved that this was not an exaggeration.
The warriors, dressed in white, with cold, unmatched expressions, walked in perfect formation, and it was enough to make one admire them, leaving aside their feelings for the North Sea.
People who had doubted whether Five Outer Clan, which had been cut off from Jungwon for so long, really deserved to be mentioned alongside the Ten Great Sect or Five Great Family would have to nod their heads when they saw the appearance of the North Sea Ice Clan now.
Chok! Chok! Chok! Chok!
Their disciplined footsteps continued.
It seemed more like a march to fight a war than those who came for friendly events. Naturally, the faces of those watching were tense.
However.
“Chung Myung Dojang-niiiiiiiiiiiim!”
“Eh?”
The people tilted their heads at the sudden voice.
“Baby?”
“Why is that kid there?”
Among the solemn warriors, a young boy with a still youthful face jumped out and ran into the gate with all his strength.
“Gu- Gungju-niiim! I told you to keep your dignity….!”
And behind the boy, a middle-aged man followed, looking flustered.
‘What’s going on?’
Everyone’s gaze was drawn to the unexpected situation, but the boy didn’t seem to notice the attention.
The boy ran straight and stopped abruptly in front of someone.
“Haa… Heuk… Huu…! Chung Myung Dojang-nim!”
“….”
Chung Myung snickered as he saw Seol So-baek standing in front of him with a flushed face.
“You seem to have grown a bit?”
“Yes, Dojang-nim!”
“Why did you come all the way here? Just sending someone would have been enough.”
“I told him the same.”
Han Yi-myung, who had followed behind, sighed deeply.
“I said I could come alone, but Gungju-nim insisted on seeing Mount Hua himself…”
Seol So-baek looked back at Han Yi-myung and spoke seriously.
“How can we discuss a relationship that lasts over a thousand years without even seeing the place of the sect we share a bond with?”
Chung Myung, who saw it, expressed his sincere admiration.
“… You’ve become quite eloquent.”
It’s quite impressive.
“It’s great to see you again, Dojang-nim!”
“Yeah, yeah. You’ve had a hard time coming here.”
Chung Myung grinned and pointed to the back.
“But it seems like there’s something else you need to do right now?”
“Ah! That person…!”
Seol So-baek nodded as if he knew. Waiting momentarily for all swordsmen in the back to enter the gate, he took the lead and headed toward Hyun Jong.
At the sight, Tang Gun-ak and Maeng So stepped aside. They noticed that Ice Clan and Mount Hua needed a place to greet each other.
Hyun Jong smiled awkwardly, but Seol So-baek soon stood before him and made a grand bow.
“Seol So-baek, the Leader of the North Sea Ice Clan, greets the Sect Leader of Mount Hua Sect!”
“Welcome, Gungju. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Hyun Jong looked warmly at Seol So-baek.
“You must have had a hard time coming all this way. I don’t know how to express my gratitude for Gungju personally present and brightening this occasion.”
“No, Sect Leader!”
Seol So-baek raised his head and shouted confidently.
“Compared to the grace Mount Hua has given to Ice Clan, coming all the way here is not a hardship.”
Seol So-baek, paused for a moment, and glanced back at Han Yi-myung.
Then Han Yi-myung nodded slightly, saying now is the right time.
“First of all…”
Seol So-baek, who took a breath, spoke firmly.
“The North Sea has been greatly indebted to Mount Hua. Thanks to Sect Leader’s decision to send Mount Hua Five Swords to the North Sea, we were able to resolve the North Sea’s turmoil and save the people. The generosity of Mount Hua, who even offered their own food to help the people of the North Sea, is still being celebrated in North Sea!”
When Chung Myung slightly flinched, he saw Han Yi-myung who seemed to have a subtle smile on his face.
‘He definitely told him to say it.’
‘That yangban. That… Aigo. This.’
“Also!”
Seol So-baek shouted in a slightly awkward voice as if he hadn’t finished what he had prepared to say yet. Those who know Seol So-baek well may notice the awkwardness, but most of the people here were seeing Seol So-baek for the first time, so there was no way to know what was wrong.
“More than anything, the North Sea will never forget the fact that we were able to prevent the cursed plot of Magyo thanks to the help of Mount Hua.”
At that, those listening around them looked at each other with blank faces.
“Why is Magyo mentioned here?”
Magyo.
They might not know any other words, but that one was heard loud and clear. It was a word that could not be missed by anyone living in Kangho.
“There was Magyo in the North Sea?”
“Mount Hua helped the Ice Clan stop Magyo?”
“That Magyo?”
“It, it must be the remnants.”
“No, no! Even if it’s just the remnants, stopping Magyo is an incredible feat! But why wasn’t this fact known in Jungwon?”
“…Because the people of the North Sea haven’t come to Jungwon until now, and they haven’t interacted with the people from Jungwon. There was no opportunity to talk about it even if they wanted to.”
“So you’re saying that Mount Hua hasn’t taken credit for such a formidable feat so far?”
“Does, does that make sense?”
Everyone looked back and forth between Hyun Jong and Seol So-baek with disbelief.
It was a difficult story to believe.
However, even though he is a boy who has not yet become an adult, the North Sea Ice Clan leader would never lie in front of so many people.
Besides, isn’t Seol So-baek’s lack of dignity filled by Han Yi-myung and the North Sea Ice Clan’s swordsmen with their razor-sharp aura?
“Even though it’s the duty of a Taoist to not boast, my gosh …. to think that they did such a thing and didn’t say a word about it in the world.”
“If Gungju hadn’t mentioned it, we wouldn’t have known about it.”
“Amazing. Truly amazing.”
As Seol So-baek heard the whispers of Jungwon people, strength filled his shoulders.
“The North Sea never forget favors (북해불망은(北海不忘恩)). The North Sea will never forget the graces bestowed upon it. Everyone in the North Sea will bear this in their hearts and repay Mount Hua’s kindness.”
As Seol So-baek was about to bow his head and salute again, Hyun Jong reached out and grabbed his hand. Then, he smiled warmly.
“From what I’ve heard…”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“My disciples and the people of the Ice Clan have become close friends, haven’t they?”
“Yes, Sect Leader. We dare to call ourselves friends of Mount Hua Sect.”
Hyun Jong nodded his head.
“Then, all of this talk is in vain. What meaning does gratitude have between sincere friends who trust and interact with each other?”
“Sect Leader…”
“You have come well. Truly, you have come well.”
Seol So-Baek, who was looking at Hyun Jong with a slightly flustered expression, soon smiled. Hyun Jong led him gently.
“Please come inside. It seems like we have a lot to talk about.”
As Seol So-baek glanced back, Han Yi-myung nodded.
“Go ahead, Gungju-nim. Leave the outside matters to me.”
“Then, General-nim.”
“Here.”
Hyun Jong, Tang Gun-ak, Maeng So, and Seol So-baek chatted and walked toward Sect Leader’s place.
The people of Jungwon remained shocked even after they disappeared.
However, that was only possible for those who had come here without any particular purpose. Everyone who climbed up Mount Hua with a purpose was whispering with a stiff face.
“Elder-nim. The bond between Mount Hua and Outer Clan seems stronger than we thought.”
“…Indeed.”
Peng Ak, who had hardened his face, looked toward Sect Leader’s residence with a stiff face.
The Heavenly Comrade Alliance was a very peculiar one.
It consisted of Mount Hua, which used to be of the Ten Great Sect, the Sichuan Tang Family, which was part of the Five Great Family, and Namman Yasugung Clan and the North Sea Ice Clan from the Five Outer Clan.
Ten Great Sect and Five Great Family may not be a bad relationship, but they have a delicate relationship. And their relationship with the Five Outer Clan could not be more distant.
Yet, the sect from these three factions has come together to form an alliance.
‘I thought the trade route connecting the South (Namman Yasugung), Jungwon, and the North Sea was at the center of this alliance.’
Money can even control ghosts. There is no reason not to join hands even with enemies if there are substantial benefits.
That’s why they thought the formation of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was an extension of that.
However, those who observed the current situation had to revise their thoughts completely.
“The Tang Family didn’t put Mount Hua as a scarecrow. The center of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was not the Tang Family, but Mount Hua Sect itself.”
This was a bigger issue than they had anticipated.
Those who gather for profit will turn away without hesitation when there is no longer any profit to be made. However, those who come together out of loyalty will not ignore each other’s difficulties.
“Include this information in the report. It seems like we need to inform them of the situation.”
“Yes!”
Peng Ak, who had given the order, listened intently. The people of Jungwon, who had regained their senses, were raising their voices about this matter.
“So, according to Namman Yasugungju’s words, the Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign from Mount Hua Sect saved Yunnan in the past, right?”
“Ei. That can’t be true. How do Yunnan people know things that we don’t even know?”
“What a stupid thing to say! So, you’re saying Namman Yasugungju bowed his head so humbly to Mount Hua’s Sect Leader for an uncertain matter?”
“… Wouldn’t it just for a show?”
“The Namman Yasugung Clan bows down to Mount Hua just to make a show? What is Namman Yasugung Clan inferior to Mount Hua Sect in?”
“That, that’s true, but…….”
“Namman Yasugung is a clan that has never forgotten their grudge even when starving to death. That’s why they cut off trade with Jungwon for nearly a hundred years! Such a clan simply talks lies for profit and bows its head in front of others? Don’t talk nonsense!”
“…That means all that word is true. Then, who exactly was that Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign?”
Some people were preoccupied with talking about Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.
“Magyo… My goodness, are there still remnants of Magyo left?”
“I don’t know about Jungwon, but it’s understandable for the North Sea. Isn’t it famous that the North Sea has a large land?”
“Even if it’s a remnant, it’s still Magyo! Defeating the remnants of Magyo is a great achievement! But has it been kept secret until now?”
“It’s Mount Hua Sect! The very place that defeated Nokrim’s Daebyeolchae and distributed all the wealth to the civilian around.”
“Hohoho…. are they really talking about chivalry? In today’s world?”
Peng Ak, who had been listening to all the whispers, let out a quiet sigh.
‘It seems the words will spread like wildfire.’
The words of Namman Yasugungju and Ice Clan Gungju were all too interesting to ignore.
Those gathered here are either the senior disciples of their own sect or those who have taken the unnecessary path due to their excessive interest in Kangho.
Now that everyone has heard it, how big would the impact be?
‘If this situation was deliberately created…’
Peng Ak’s gaze fiercely fixated on Hyun Jong’s residence.
‘Mount Hua Sect is truly more terrifying than I thought… No, I should say the Heavenly Comrade Alliance is a more terrifying place than I thought.’
He had no choice but to completely revise his assessment of Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
“Kikikik.”
“….”
However, Peng Ak turned his head slightly at the sound of laughter which was completely inappropriate for the situation.
Mount Hua Divine Dragon was laughing wickedly with a sinister expression.
“This is why people should live kindly. Kikikikik.”
“….”
For some reason, Peng Ak’s mood was getting worse.