Return of the Mount Hua Sect Chapter 1351: That’s Just How He’s Made. (1)

Hong Dae-Kwang, now ashen, fumbled and continued speaking.

“Um, currently the Four Sects Alliance reports that Jang Ilso has set out with the Red Dogs and other elites. Um, the exact destination isn’t known, but roughly the south...”

“Are you sure?”

Hong Dae-Kwang nodded vigorously without answering. He was sweating profusely; just looking at his face you could feel the urgency and tension.

“We—the Beggars’ Union—have lost most of our informants in the Southern lands, but it’s not to the point that we can’t even watch the Four Sects Alliance’s main force. To be honest, we’re barely watching their main force... Anyway, moving on!”

Hong Dae-Kwang continued speaking.

“Anyway, since the last Hangzhou incident, this is the first time Jang Ilso has personally moved! The Beggars’ Union is in an uproar! And the fact he mobilized the Red Dogs and elites of the Ten Thousand People Clan means they’re planning something big, doesn’t it?”

Hyun Jong’s face remained hardened the whole time as he listened.

The Beggars’ Union still doesn’t know the situation of Chung Myung and the Heavenly Friends Alliance party. So they can only make that interpretation.

But to Hyun Jong, who knew the situation of those who went to Southern Island, Jang Ilso’s objective was clear.

“If the Beggars’ Union learned this news, it means the Nine Great Sects know as well.”

Hong Dae-Kwang fell silent like a mute and nodded.

Of course the Beggars’ Union still belongs to the Nine Great Sects, and it’s natural that the information they obtain is passed on to the Sects. Frankly speaking, Hong Dae-Kwang telling the Heavenly Friends Alliance this news could actually be problematic.

Still, whenever Hong Dae-Kwang said such things in front of Hyun Jong, he couldn’t help but feel as if he were committing a sin.

Hyun Jong, as if understanding that feeling, bowed deeply to Hong Dae-Kwang.

“Thank you. It must have been difficult to bring the news.”

“P-Please don’t do that, Alliance leader!”

Hong Dae-Kwang recoiled and waved his arms.

“You don’t need to thank me. And... thanks are usually for outsiders. Though I’m formally of the Beggars’ Union and my position is awkward, how could I possibly be on equal terms with Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon... no, Mount Hua’s Sword Saint?”

Hyun Jong quietly nodded. Knowing it wasn’t empty praise, he was simply grateful.

But now there was no time to leisurely express gratitude.

His gaze turned to the Yangtze river spreading beyond the wall of the manor. In the distance, the Yangtze was still dominated by fleets of the Pirates.

He wanted to break through that deployment and advance at once, but that was unrealistic. All the more reason there was no time. They had to move immediately and cross the Yangtze river by a place out of the Pirates’ reach.

Hyun Jong said.

“Sect leader.”

“Yes.”

“There is no time.”

“I’ll prepare to depart immediately.”

“I’m sorry, Sect leader.”

Un Am shook his head firmly.

“I think Master was not wrong even a little.”

“...”

“If Mount Hua’s disciples were isolated in the Southern lands and Chung Myung had been among us, what would he have said?”

Hyun Jong’s face went blank for a moment. Seeing that expression, Un Am smiled faintly.

“That fellow would, of course, insist without the slightest hesitation that he must go to Southern Lands immediately. He wouldn’t have listened to anyone trying to stop him, and if it came to it, he’d have gone to Southern lands alone without hesitation. Wouldn’t he?”

“...Sect leader.”

“It’s not because they are those kids that we’re going to rescue them. Precisely because they are them, we hesitated even for a moment, wondering if this was the right choice. If it had been others, would we even have pondered?”

Hyun Jong slowly nodded.

Un Am was right. It would have been the same no matter who was in danger now.

“They’re all disciples, children Mount Hua must embrace. There is no need for hesitation or wavering. If you’re not prepared to lay down a hundred lives to save one, then the name ‘sect’ is nothing but a facade.”

Un Am’s gaze turned to his disciples.

“Isn’t that so?”

“Yes, Sect leader!”

There were no usual cheers or grumbles. Only determined voices rose in unison.

Hyun Jong suppressed something swelling in his chest and nodded.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Yes, Sect leader!”

Hyun Jong’s gaze turned to Tang Gunak.

“Family lord.”

But before he could speak, Tang Gunak shook his head.

“Don’t tell us to stay and guard this place, Alliance leader.”

He said bluntly, as if he already knew what Hyun Jong would say.

“There are my children there. My children, more important than anyone.”

“One thing though...”

“But that’s a secondary matter.”

A chill appeared on Tang Gunak’s face.

“For the sake of the Tang Family, I can give up my children’s lives anytime. But as the head of the Tang Family, there is one thing I can never give up.”

Tang Gunak’s face was utterly stern.

“Those who harm someone of Tang Family blood will surely pay. This is the Tang Family’s law passed down for centuries, the iron rule of the Tang Family that must be kept with blood. That rule even takes precedence over the Tang Family’s existence.”

A cold blue ferocity filled his eyes.

“Even if Mount Hua doesn’t go, the Tang Family would have crossed the river. So please don’t tell me to stay here.”

“Family Lord...”

You could tell just by looking at his face. There was no way to break Tang Gunak’s will. He, too, had restrained himself until now because of the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s name.

“Indeed, the Tang Family’s laws are well known.”

At the voice from behind, the two turned to the speaker.

“But the duty to that law is unlikely to be greater than Namgung’s urgency right now.”

“...Namgung Elder.”

Namgung Myung nodded heavily.

“The clan won’t vanish just because we don’t follow the law. But right now, for Namgung, the existence of the Young lord is greater than the clan itself.”

Namgung Myung spoke with a face as cold as if clad in iron.

“It would’ve been best not to send him in the first place, but now we must take the second-best option. Namgung’s second-best is to rescue the Young lord, even if everyone risks their lives. There is no fallback.”

A frosty chill emanated from Namgung Myung. Beside him, Namgung Dan also expressed agreement with a grave face.

The Namgung Family had lost Namgung Hwang. They could not afford to lose Namgung Do-Wei here as well.

“Namgung will go along as well.”

Mount Hua, the Tang Family, and the Namgung Family declared their intentions.

“Then the Ice Palace will join as well.”

“Elder Han...”

“We also can’t afford to lose our Palace Lord. Shouldn’t we add even one more sect’s strength?”

But Tang Gunak shook his head firmly at that.

“The Ice Palace must guard this place.”

Then Song Won of the Ice Palace, watching the situation from the side, flared up.

“Why? Because we’re not people of this place?”

“Song Won!”

Han Yi-myung shouted in an icy voice.

“What nonsense is that! After seeing how the Heavenly Friends Alliance people have treated us, you still spout such words?”

“...”

“Say that kind of nonsense one more time and I won’t be the one to forgive you.”

Song Won hung his head low. Han Yi-myung apologized to Tang Gunak on his behalf.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I understand completely.”

To the Northern Sea Ice Palace, the Tang Family was also a fellow Central Plains house, but in truth the Tang Family had often been looked down upon in the Central Plains for various reasons. So they knew those feelings all too well.

“There are two reasons we won’t bring the Ice Palace along. One is that in hot Southern Lands, the Ice Palace people’s ice techniques can’t exert their full power.”

“...That is...”

Han Yi-myung couldn’t deny that. It’s natural that the power of cold qi techniques diminishes the warmer the region.

Normally he might have boldly said it wouldn’t matter, but facing the Four Sects Alliance, even that remark wouldn’t come easily.

“The other is that if this place becomes ownerless, they could concentrate their full strength against us who entered Southern lands. For us to return alive and set foot here again, we need a sect to check them.”

Han Yi-myung bit his lip softly.

He too desperately wanted to go rescue the Palace Lord, but he was currently standing in for the Ice Palace’s Palace Lord. Naturally, he couldn’t ignore practical concerns.

If someone had to cover the rear, it had to be the Ice Palace. Their current military strength and influence were clearly weaker than the other sects.

Above all, what made Han Yi-myung hesitate was the fear that their joining might actually be a hindrance.

As if sensing that, Hyun Jong bowed deeply to Han Yi-myung.

“We will certainly bring back the Palace Lord. So please take responsibility for things here.”

“...Understood.”

In the end, Han Yi-myung stepped back.

Tang Gunak’s gaze this time turned to Meng So, who was silent.

“In the same way, the Beast Palace must also guard this place.”

A complex expression colored Meng So’s eyes. He twitched his lips once and asked Tang Gunak in a somewhat brusque tone.

“Do you think the Beast Palace also wouldn’t be able to show its strength in the Southern lands, Family lord?”

“That’s not to say they couldn’t. But... it’s impossible to secretly cross the river with those beasts in tow.”

“...”

“And if someone must guard the rear, I think there’s no one more suitable than the Palace Lord. They can respond the fastest at any time. If it’s the Palace Lord, the Tang Family can trust them to hold the rear.”

Meng So shook his head as if he couldn’t help it.

Anyone who says the Sichuan Tang Family is cruel and selfish is an idiot. Where in them is there cruelty or selfishness?

“...So be it.”

With that, those who would go to Gangnam were decided.

Mount Hua, the Sichuan Tang Family, and the Namgung Family.

Meng So asked with a slightly worried face.

“Will three sects be enough?”

“It might not be just three sects.”

“Hm?”

“...No matter how much you try to stop the Green Forest, they won’t listen. The Green Forest people will follow even unto death.”

“Mm.”

Meng So nodded as if that made sense. Without Im So-Byeong, the Green Forest is a place impossible to control even in the name of the Heavenly Friends Alliance. They would act according to their own will.

For the Green Forest, who had stayed by Im So-Byeong’s side even in moments of crisis, that choice was virtually predetermined.

“Then now...”

“But you two cannot head to Southern lands blindly.”

Namgung Myung said with a stern face.

“Even crossing the Yangtze immediately won’t be easy. The Yangtze is completely controlled by the Pirates, and we don’t even have suitable boats to cross, do we?”

“So we must hurry to secure boats.”

“That’s not all. Even if we cross the Yangtze without losses, in that vast Southern lands, if we don’t know which route those who went to Southern Island will take northward, it will be like searching for a needle in a desert.”

Tang Gunak fell silent. It was indeed a valid point and hard to refute.

“Namgung once let his heart run ahead and lost what mustn’t have been lost. We cannot repeat the same mistake twice.”

One couldn’t miss the heavy weight carried by those words.

The corner of Tang Gunak’s eye twitched faintly. Though he pretended calm, he too was riled now—enough to miss things he would normally have noticed.

“Then...”

“I know where they’ll come.”

Tang Gunak’s gaze turned to Hyun Jong. Hyun Jong spoke calmly.

“So please finish preparations quickly. My cultivation isn’t deep; it’s hard for me to wait long.”

Tang Gunak and Namgung Myung, who had been silently watching Hyun Jong, nodded at the same time.

“Understood, Alliance.”

“We will finish preparations immediately.”

“Please.”

Hyun Jong bowed deeply.

The two immediately led their disciples and rushed to the lodgings where the others stayed, their movements urgent as if they couldn’t spare time even for greetings.

Hyun Jong, raising his head, didn’t look at them either. His gaze was once again fixed on the distant south.

‘Chung Myung... you bastards...’

He then squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Hang on a little. I’m coming soon.’

He could only fervently hope that his voice would reach the exhausted ones.