Chapter 665
“Mount Hua, huh.”
Byup Gye looked at the mountain peak with shocked eyes.
He had felt this way when he came with the abbot in the past, but this mountain, Mount Hua, did not seem like a good place for a Taoist sect to thrive.
Didn’t the peak, towering towards the sky, seem to threaten people rather than embrace them?
However, the man shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.
Now, he was on his way to celebrate the start of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, following the orders of the Sect Leader. It was better not to dwell on unnecessary thoughts.
The mission was to quietly offer congratulations and leave without revealing his presence as much as possible…
Uh?
Byup Gye tilted his head at the odd sight that caught his eye.
A group of people gathered at the gate, watching those who came up with anxious expressions.
Of course, he had seen crowds coming up Mount Hua all this while, so it wasn’t that odd to see so many people gathered. But what was peculiar was that the people gathered looked quite odd to Byup Gye.
‘They?’
Looking at their attire, they seemed to be from the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families. Why were these people, who usually reveled in being treated with high regard, looking anxious and stamping their feet?
And then, something even more absurd happened.
“Oh. He is coming!”
“There he is!”
Uh?
Byup Gye looked a bit shocked.
In an instant, people from the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families rushed towards him and surrounded him.
“A-amitabha. Why is it like this?”
“It has been so long, Elder Byup Gye!”
After they all greeted him urgently with a quick, minimal bow, they soon spoke up.
“There is something we would like to ask Shaolin.”
“Uh?”
“That… i-is it true that the disciples of Mount Hua went to the North Sea and fought against the Demonic Sect?”
Byup Gye was shocked.
“T-that… how?”
“The Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace had personally stated that. Is it true?”
“,… Amitabha.”
Byup Gye, unsure of himself, barely whispered his chant and then tightly closed his eyes.
‘Finally…’
It wasn’t something they intended to hide. It would be strange if Shaolin were openly discussing it while Mount Hua remained silent about their actions, so he chose to keep quiet. Wasn’t it peculiar that they felt the need to announce it first when no one had asked them to?
But it seemed the news had now broken out.
“Is that true?”
“… Yes.”
Byup Gye nodded. If everyone knew, there was no longer a need for him to deny it.
“Didn’t we already inform you about the traces of the Demonic Sect being discovered in the North Sea and request your assistance?”
“…”
“It was a region Shaolin couldn’t intervene in. So, we sought Mount Hua’s help. Fortunately, thanks to Mount Hua’s expedition to the North Sea, we managed to thwart the remnants of the Demonic Sect from launching an attack.”
“… Huh.”
“Then…”
Observing their gazes, now tinged with a mix of regret and anger, Byup Gye recited the chants.
‘So foolish.’
If the sects now questioning him had taken the initiative alongside Shaolin to address the issue in the North Sea, none of this would have occurred. When one thought about it, this situation arose from their arrogance and attitude, so how dare they react in such a manner?
‘Abbot.’
He understood why the abbot was striving to protect Mount Hua.
“Of course, it is a positive outcome that we stopped the Demonic Sect… but I never imagined it would become public knowledge like this…”
“The reaction is somewhat unexpected.”
“I believe we need to respond appropriately.”
Observing these individuals, who couldn’t even conceal their disarray, Byup Gye sighed and said,
“Amitabha.”
He had come here to offer congratulations, but now his heart felt incredibly heavy right from the start.
“…”
Chung Myung looked at Meng So and Seol So-Baek with a sullen expression.
“.. Do you really need to do that?”
“Yes.”
“So openly?”
“Hahahaha”
Meng So burst into laughter.
“To put it bluntly, anyone who sees that will think it was something kept secret! It is something that should be considered nicely, not hidden, so why not say it!”
“Anyway…”
Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
He felt this every time, but Meng So wasn’t as clueless as he looked. He was quite smart and quick.
Meng So was someone who fit the description of a fox in sheep’s fur.
There was no way he would have brought up the story of the Plum Blossom Sword in front of so many people without even thinking about it. Everything must have been a thought-out action.
“You should have told me in advance.”
“Why?”
Meng So laughed as if he had heard something interesting.
“It isn’t for me to ask permission to talk about a benefactor of Yunnan. Even if they were disciples of Mount Hua itself.”
“Ughh. I get it…”
‘And it was me, you bastard! I was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!’
Woahhh, it seemed like it had been so long since he said it! People! He was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint! Him! He was him! The Plum Blossom Sword Saint is him!
And!
Kwang!
At that time, Meng So suddenly hit the table violently. It was shocking that the table was still there after being hit by such a man.
“I was so angry all the way here that I couldn’t even stand it! How can these ungrateful bastards not know about the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!”
People who realized for the first time that the voice of a person can indeed make the roof tremble covered their ears.
“These worthless beings! If the Sword Saint hadn’t defeated the Demonic Sect, they wouldn’t have even been alive! And yet they treat Mount Hua like this!”
“H-How about you calm down…”
“Do I look like I can calm down! This is something Yunnan has never thought of!”
Meng So, whose face was red with anger, continued to pound the table. And with every strike, the most beloved teacup of Hyun Jong shifted, making him turn pale as if he were about to die.
“It looks like he was struck by lightning.”
Uh… that was right. True…
Since he got angry, it seems a bit odd for Chung Myung to be angry at him now…
It was then.
“Right!”
“Uh?”
Chung Myung turned his head and saw Seol So-Baek, his face flushed red.
“It is understandable to forget what happened in the past. But the destruction of the Demonic Sect!”
“The remnants! They are the remnants! Of the remnants of the Demonic Sect! Demonic Sect!”
Just say they were remnants, you brat! Don’t call them the Demonic Sect. When he said it like that, it sounded like they did something insane. That was something even Mount Hua of the past couldn’t do!
“Isn’t it Mount Hua that saved the North Sea and the central plains in the long run, too? If it was Mount Hua who did this to create a new Alliance, I would have come to bow my head right away!”
“Have you lost it?”
“I am saying this in my right mind!”
“…”
“How can you keep your achievements hidden like that!”
“Yes!”
Meng So, the huge man, and Seol So-Baek, who hadn’t yet grown up, joined hands.
Chung Myung smiled at this sight, which he couldn’t quite believe.
‘Is this alright?’
Was it all alright for such simple-minded people to gather and form an alliance?
Tang Gunak, who had been listening silently until then, smiled and said.
“If one doesn’t know, they just have to find out.”
“Yes!”
“Right.”
“It can be said that the reputation isn’t as high as what Mount Hua had, but that is all. And if we learn about the aspects Mount Hua did in the past and what it did now, Kangho will do the same.”
Meng So snorted.
“Do those ungrateful things even understand it?”
“Right!”
So-Baek… you shouldn’t be influenced. It would become difficult for the people of the North Sea in the future. Why did you have to come and….
Suddenly, everyone turned their arrows toward Chung Myung.
“Aren’t you angry, Taoist? The peace they enjoy is the price you all paid by risking your lives and fighting!”
“No, they don’t know, so what can I do?”
“There is no way they don’t know! But this is what happens because those who knew the entire thing kept silent! I am so enraged!”
Chung Myung burst out laughing as he saw Seol So-Baek huffing and puffing, his face turning red as if he were enraged.
“Angry….”
Seol So-Baek may have been talking about something that happened in the North Sea, but to Chung Myung, it was as if he was referring to the plot of the past.
“Of course, I am angry….”
Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.
“But I don’t plan on yelling for them to know.”
“Why?”
“…”
Those words were a bit sarcastic.
Seol So-Baek looked at Chung Myung with blank eyes.
“The reputation is good, the praise is good. But that doesn’t help when one really needs it. If that meant anything, Mount Hua wouldn’t have collapsed.”
“Hmm….”
“What you need isn’t someone to praise us, but someone who can trust us. And so….”
Chung Myung, who was speaking softly, smiled.
“Like the people gathered here.”
“Kuahahahaha!”
Meng So, happy with the words, hit his thighs and laughed loudly.
“That is true. Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon makes us feel like this once in a while. Usually, it’s a problem because he only hits people.”
Me? I don’t think there was any need to go into the details, right?
Meng So stopped laughing and smiled.
“This isn’t wrong. What matters is the essence. Because that is why we gathered here.”
“Yes, right.”
Even Seol So-Baek nodded.
Tang Gunak calmly added the words.
“That is why it is called the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Haven’t we already been through times where we only say nice things to each other and then count the benefits?”
Everyone nodded in agreement with those words.
“I think we have gathered here to establish a relationship where we can help each other, putting aside profit and utility.”
“Right.”
“True.”
The eyes of the three people focused on Hyun Jong.
“Sect leader, you are in a position that isn’t easy. But the three sects came together here only because of their ties with Mount Hua. So, sect leader, please represent Mount Hua and ascend to the position of the leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance and lead everyone.”
The story was decided.
However, this was the first time the heads of the four different sects had gathered to make this official.
Hyun Jong, who was quietly stroking the teacup, smiled.
“It is a little different, Tang family leader.”
“Uh?”
“If we come together and help one another, it isn’t right to say that I lead. I’ll just think that I am using my wits.”
“Ah…”
“Everyone, please help Mount Hua. We at Mount Hua will do our best to help everyone.”
The three people nodded at those words because they felt the same.
“Chung Myung.”
“Uh?”
Chung Myung raised his head at Hyun Jong’s call.
“Is this what happened?”
“Hmm…”
Chung Myung scratched his cheek.
“I don’t know if this is my place to talk.”
“When did you ever ask such things?”
“Hahaha. You are pretending, eh, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”
“As expected, Taoist! You are so polite, too!”
“…”
Chung Myung began to think that Seol So-Baek was the worst of these people and said with a contorted face.
“I think both the Nine Sects and Five Families look fine at first glance.”
“Uh?”
“At first, they probably did come together with good thoughts to help each other.”
“…”
“But as time went on, relations became strained, and other factors got involved too.”
“Right.”
“I don’t know now, but it could be in the future.”
As if that made perfect sense, everyone nodded.
“So.”
Pang!
Chung Myung hit the ground and laughed.
“Let’s try not to let that happen!”
“Yes!”
“So that we can be of strength to one another.”
Everyone smiled.
Even if they smiled on the outside, in the end, they had to think a lot about the relationship between sects.
But hearing things like this made them want to put everything aside for a moment. That was the strength of Chung Myung, who brought everyone into the alliance.
Hyun Jong, who had nothing to add there, looked at Chung Myung with pride in his eyes and spoke gently.
“Chung Myung.”
“Yes!”
Chung Myung tilted his neck slightly like a puppy waiting for praise.
“I saw earlier that you were speaking to Palace Lord Seol informally.”
“…”
“Give respect.”
“…”
Chung Myung turned to Seol So-Baek.
Looking at the young face, which had this awkward look, Chung Myung tried to hold back the tears in his eyes.
‘My age… just how old do you think I am!’
What could he say… When could he even say it?
‘Sect leader sahyung.’
This was his life here…
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