Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Hmmm.”

Jang Ilso smiled lightly as he observed the four leaders approaching.

This was Mount Hua.

And now, he was facing the leaders of the famous sects directly in front of him. Even behind them, elders from the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, who would rule the world, were following.

Anyone who defined themselves as belonging to evil would be in a state of panic.

However, Jang Ilso felt none of that, not even nervousness.

His expression and hand gestures were all full of leisure as if he were in the front yard of the Ten Thousand People Clan.

As Hyun Jong looked at him like this, there was a bit of oddness.

The lips were slightly contorted as they touched each other. The expression made it difficult for him to guess what the other was thinking. Finally, Hyun Jong slowly opened his mouth.

“You are…”

“…”

The calm voice, but no matter how much he tried to stop, the strength drained from Hyun Sang’s body.

“There are many eyes.”

“… Un Geom.”

Hyun Sang’s eyes turned to Un Geom and then to his empty sleeve.

Because of the Ten Thousand People Clan, Un Geom lost his arm and almost died. If things had gone a bit more wrong, he wouldn’t even be here right now.

But that sUn Geom was the one stopping Hyun Sang. Feeling his body burn with anger, Hyun Sang bit his lip and glared at Jang Ilso.

Of course, it wasn’t just Hyun Sang who showed such hostility towards Jang Ilso.

All of Mount Hua’s disciples were now glaring at him with hands on their swords. It was as if they would run right then to cut off the head of the man known as Jang Ilso.

The deadly killing intent showed how determined the disciples were, and that scared off the Central Plains guests. However, Jang Ilso, who was the target of this killing intent, reacted normally.

“One can never know.”

He tilted his head and clicked his tongue as if he didn’t understand what was happening.

“It means that we are the ones who suffered the damage in the war against Mount Hua. Because of that, the Ten Thousand People clan has been so humiliated that it’s becoming embarrassing to show our faces, and Mount Hua, thanks to it, gained a reputation…”

And he shook his head.

“I don’t know what you dislike so much for you to be this enraged. Do you have to be so harsh when you are called Taoists? Hmm.”

Hyun Jong took a deep breath.

Every word from Jang Ilso had broken his calm. But now, he wasn’t standing here as the sect leader of Mount Hua but as the Alliance leader.

So…

Hyun Jong lifted both hands and stretched them ahead.

“I greet the Ten Thousand People clan’s clan leader.”

And Jang Ilso also looked at him and bowed.

“Nice to meet you.”

After this brief meeting, Hyun Jong had a friendly smile as he asked Jang Ilso.

“It is indeed a long distance from your Ten Thousand People clan. Why did you have to call the way to Mount Hua?”

The lips of Jang Ilso twitched.

“The reason is so obvious, though.”

“…”

“Of course, I am here to celebrate the start of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.”

“…Celebrate?”

Jang Ilso nodded.

“I, Jang Ilso, am not an outstanding person, but I pride myself on not being insignificant either. When something as huge as this happens in Kangho, there is no way we wouldn’t celebrate.”

“…”

“Bring it!”

“Yes!”

As soon as Jang Ilso said that, the warriors of his clan, who had been guarding the man’s back, cfrom behind holding something.

‘A chest?’

There were a total of 3 chests on their shoulders, and all of them seemed large. The Central Plains people were unable to hide their curiosity about what these chests held. They slowly raised their heads to focus their attention.

Thud! Hud! Thud!

“Open them!”

“Yes!”

As soon as the order was given, the clan members opened the lids of the chests.

“Ohh!”

“Myyy!”

At the stime, exclamations cfrom the mouths of the people around.

“This is treasure.”

What immediately caught their attention was the treasure within the chest. That dazzling gold and jewels filled the large chest to the brim. The amount was so enormous that even the elders of the Nine Great Sects, who prided themselves on their amassed treasures, were all shocked.

“Next!”

“Yes!”

And before the first shock could be calmed, the second chest was being opened. Faintly, suppressed groans escaped around.

“Hmm!”

“T-that…”

Another chest full of treasured swords, which held a sharpness that one could understand without wielding them.

‘… they are treasured weapons!’

‘Oh my, to have them in such a huge amount.’

‘It is said that the wealth of the Ten Thousand People clan could reach the sky and also cover the land….’

If they had to consider the value of the items, the treasures of the first chest held a higher value. But for warriors, a treasured sword was something that couldn’t be based on value. Moreover, wasn’t a treasured sword something hard to obtain, even with a thousand gold?

But to bring such things in huge chests….

Shhh.

The Ten Thousand People clan, standing in front of the chest, lifted a sword and placed it on top of the lid, then pulled it out lightly. And the sight of it made everyone admire it.

At a glance, they understood that this was no ordinary treasured sword.

The Central Plains guests gulped and then turned to the third chest. Since the two chests they opened were this worthy, they were curious about what this last one could contain.

Jang Ilso, being confident, spoke as if their curiosity would be met.

“Open it!”

“Yes!”

The lid was opened with a clean scent that pierced their noses, and that was enough for everyone to know the contents of the chest.

‘Spiritual pill!’

‘All of that…’

The swords left their minds.

These items held the most value. If it weren’t for the Ten Thousand People who surrounded them, swould have run to grab a handful. A greed that couldn’t be hidden shone in their eyes, their hearts pounding.

“It is a gift to the Heavenly Friends Alliance.”

Jang Ilso looked at Hyun Jong and smiled.

But Hyun Jong, observing the lavish display of wealth by Jang Ilso, sighed as if he felt confused.

“I thank the clan leader for his intentions, but all this seems a bit excessive for a gift from a clan.”

“Excessive?”

Jang Ilso’s lips twitched at the words, finding them amusing.

“Alliance leader, I am Jang Ilso.”

“…”

“A gift of this extent isn’t too much for me. Rather, it isn’t enough to express my thoughts about the Alliance as such.”

How Hyun Jong responded to those words wasn’t important. The most important thing was that this was something the guests of the Central {lains would remember.

“And on top of that…”

Jang Ilso smiled and looked at the elders of the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects behind Hyun Jong.

“Congratulations expressed merely in words are not true congratulations. If one truly wants to celebrate, one must give up something regrettable. Isn’t that expected?”

Tang! Tang! Tang!

As soon as Jang Ilso finished speaking, the lids of the chests were closed again. The Ten Thousand People clan members pushed their chests right in front of Hyun Jong.

“How about it? Is this enough forto convey sincere congratulations on the initiation of the Heavenly Friends Alliance?”

Hyun Jong looked at Jang Ilso in silence.

Jang Ilso burst into laughter at the gaze and softly spoke.

“Look here, Alliance leader. Doesn’t this seem a bit hilarious?”

“…”

“Even though the Ten Thousand People Class suffered the most damage due to the fight against Mount Hua, we call the way here to present gifts. But the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, who reaped the greatest benefits of the war, cannot put aside personal grudges and respect their guest?”

At Jang Ilso’s words, the disciples of Mount Hua all had their faces contorted.

“Still, you are the Alliance Leader; you will have to be able to embrace the sects under your command.”

“You bastard!”

Chung Myung, unable to hold back his anger, shouted. Even Baek Cheon, who would normally stop him, stayed silent this time. No, he actually gripped his sword with a cold killing intent.

This made Jang Ilso smile further.

An outright insult.

‘An outright arrogance, thinking no one will care,’ was probably accurate to describe this. Although he said he was there to congratulate them, the tone of his voice and actions felt more like ridicule.

The reason why such behavior seemed truly justified is because this man is Jang Ilso.

‘Ahh….’

Baek Cheon bit his lip. From a moment ago, it felt like his entire body was heavy.

Baek Cheon didn’t know how strong or heartless this man was.

But he was able to feel this pressure, which he had never experienced before, and by standing there, Jang Ilso was able to make countless people listen to him.

This overwhelming presence.

‘… that is the Hegemony Lord.’

There have been quite a few people who managed to intimidate Mount Hua disciples with their nand fame. But this man was the first to make them step back with his presence.

‘Even the high priest of the Demonic Sect cannot go against this man alone….’

With his hands trembling, Baek Cheon slightly moved his eyes and looked at Chung Myung in front.

And he didn’t move.

What was Chung Myung thinking?

That was when Jang Ilso spoke again.

“I cto see the great Mount Hua and Heavenly Friends Alliance, but all I get to witness is disappointment. Sigh, I have no interest.”

He looked around at the people, casting a wary glance. The only ones who had the courage looked back at Jang Ilso.

“I am heading back.”

It was then that Jang Ilso snorted and turned.

“Celebrate….”

“….”

Hearing the soft voice from behind, Jang Ilso turned his head and stared at Hyun Jong.

“It cannot be a word that is said from the mouth alone by the clan leader, right?”

“Ohh?”

A calm voice that showed no fear.

Although he is said to be the sect leader of Mount Hua, until recently, he was just a regular Taoist of any ruined third-class sect. The fact that such a person was looking him in the eye was what caught the interest of Jang Ilso.

“And so, I would like to ask.”

“….”

“What does the Hegemony Lord want to see?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes were like a deep lake, and Jang Ilso’s eyes burned like wildfire, intertwined in the air.

“… not bad.”

Jang Ilso nodded.

And then he turned to Hyun Jong and spread his arms as if he was delighted. There was a jingling sound as if smetal was clacking against another.

“Did you askwhat I wanted?”

“Right.”

“Hmm. What I want….”

A smile formed on the lips of Jang Ilso.

“How about this?”

“…?”

“Us all…”

The red lips opened.

“If I said I wanted us to be brothers of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, what would you say?”

A chilling silence fell on Mount Hua like a blade had been brought to their throats.