When A Friend Calls, You Have To Come. (5)

Unlike the warm and friendly atmosphere of Mount Hua and Ice Palace, the mood among the Beast Palace members was not very good.

In the end, they had to back down because they could not ignore the authority of the Northern Sea Ice Palace lord, but coldly speaking, being pushed aside by someone barely a generation younger than them meant they could hardly feel good about it.

Moreover, the young man’s attitude toward them was so different from the one he showed to Mount Hua that it also upset them.

Depending on how you look at it, all these actions could easily be seen as disrespect toward the Nanman Beast Palace.

Just because they were grouped under the name of the Five Palaces Beyond the Great Wall, how much bond could there really be between Ice Palace and Beast Palace? The only thing that united them was the discriminatory treatment they received from the Central Plains people.

However, when the Heavenly Friends Alliance resolved those issues to some extent, the previously hidden cultural differences between them began to surface.

“Isn’t that a bit harsh, no matter what?”

“Didn’t they just call us enemies a moment ago?”

“Can those who kill innocent beasts just for unnecessary skins be considered virtuous? They’re people we can’t associate with.”

“The worst.”

The Beast Palace members quietly exchanged opinions among themselves. Their hostility toward Ice Palace only grew stronger.

“He’s still young but sounds too arrogant.”

“He may be the Ice Palace lord, but if he were in the Beast Palace, he wouldn’t even be a young palace lord at his age.”

“He seems lacking in ability too.”

“I don’t like him.”

What they found especially disgraceful was that no matter how they looked, the Ice Palace lord did not seem very strong.

Of course, they did not deny that his spirit was impressive for his age, but anyone could see that those standing behind the Ice Palace lord looked stronger.

In nature, the strong ones become the lord; it was natural. For someone without experience or strength to occupy a high position just by status was incomprehensible to them.

“He doesn’t know how high the sky is just because he wears a hat of authority.”

At that moment, a sharp voice reached their ears.

“What did you just say?”

“Hmm?”

Unlike the noisy Mount Hua, the Ice Palace members quietly observing from behind seemed to have heard their conversation. Some at the front of the Ice Palace approached the Beast Palace members with cold glares.

“I asked what you just said.”

“…But do these guys think we’re easy?”

“Barbarians who don’t even know how to wear clothes properly are talking big with their loose mouths. What? Lacking ability?”

And naturally, the Beast Palace’s gaze was also unacceptable to the Ice Palace.

If the Beast Palace follows the law of the jungle, the Ice Palace fights against nature itself. They believe that not the strong but the wise survive.

And Seol So-Baek is the Palace Lord even recognized by the elders of Ice Palace. Denying the Ice Palace Lord Seol So-Baek was tantamount to denying the entire way of life of the Ice Palace members.

“…Did you just call us barbarians?”

Hostility surged between the two groups.

Until the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s faction split, the two sects were not on bad terms… in fact, they were on good terms, but now they were baring their teeth at each other.

Just as the tension between the two groups reached its peak.

“Enough.”

The Beast Palace Lord, Meng So, who had been quietly observing, spoke loudly to settle the situation.

As soon as the Beast Palace lord stepped forward, the Beast Palace members bowed their heads and stepped back.

The Ice Palace members also looked displeased but had no choice but to step back. They knew that ignoring Meng So’s words now would be tantamount to excusing the Beast Palace members’ earlier pressure on Seol So-Baek.

“Hmm.”

Meng So frowned as he looked at his subordinates.

“This time, you were wrong. Apologize to the Ice Palace lord.”

“P-palace lord! We…”

“Enough.”

Meng So waved his hand dismissively.

“What do the Central Plains people say about us?”

“…”

“Don’t they call us rude, barbaric people who don’t know how to live? What do you say every time?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

One Beast Palace member bowed his head and replied.

“They said that if they came to live at the edge of Yunnan or in the Southern Barbarian lands, they would have to live like us.”

“That’s right. A person’s life inevitably differs depending on where they live. But… you, who were so offended by that view, are doing the same to Ice Palace people. You criticize them without trying to understand, just by your own standards.”

“…”

“If you had been a bit more rude, I would have broken your backs myself.”

“S-sorry.”

“I’m not the one you should apologize to.”

At those words, the Beast Palace members bowed their heads toward Seol So-Baek.

“We apologize, Ice Palace lord.”

“We were rude.”

Seol So-Baek glanced at the Beast Palace members. In the past, he would have accepted the apology immediately, but this time he did not say a word. It was not that he was upset personally, but that the Northern Sea was being disrespected.

“I apologize too, Ice Palace lord. Please understand.”

“Ah, no, Palace lord. Of course, I understand.”

But even that feeling melted away as Meng So slightly bowed his head himself. Seol So-Baek knew well how difficult it was for a Beast Palace lord to bow to others.

Seol So-Baek scratched his nose awkwardly.

“At first… well, I was acting a bit sensitive too.”

“I understand. You must have heard similar things as we did.”

A sigh escaped Seol So-Baek’s lips. Being looked down upon for living differently from the Central Plains was not so different for them either. That was why they were sensitive to such remarks.

“If you think about it, the Central Plains people are the problem.”

“That’s true.”

“There’s no reason for us to fight among ourselves.”

“Yes. Palace lord, you are right.”

Hearing that, Chung Myung frowned and rubbed his ear.

“I don’t think this is something to say in front of a Central Plains guy.”

“Hahaha. You’re different. You don’t discriminate between Central Plains and Outer regions.”

“Yes. That’s right. I completely agree.”

“…Is that an insult?”

“Ahahaha. How could it be? Anyone who values their life wouldn’t dare insult Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.”

“Exactly! Who dares insult the Taoist! I’ll personally throw them to the bottom of the Northern Sea lake.”

Chung Mun Sahyung.

I don’t like these guys… It’s uncomfortable for me…

Chung Myung sighed deeply. What could he do? Embracing these kinds of people was the path he had chosen himself.

“So, what shall we do now?”

“Huh?”

“Please give the order! We are ready.”

Chung Myung, feeling burdened by the approaching Seol So-Baek, stepped back sweating nervously.

“Well… your enthusiasm is good, but since you’ve traveled far, wouldn’t it be better to rest first? We should meet the Sect leader first, right?”

“Yes! We should!”

Seol So-Baek nodded vigorously, almost overwhelming. Then he quickly began leading the Ice Palace members into the manor.

“Be careful not to damage the gift cart!”

“Yes!”

Chung Myung wiped the sweat from his forehead. Meng So, standing beside him, spoke quietly.

“…It seems they’ve grown in a strange direction.”

“Y-yeah?”

“I don’t think it’s bad… but it’s a bit odd.”

Meng So gave a wry smile. Chung Myung sighed deeply.

Though the situation was somehow settled, the Ice Palace and Beast Palace members still harbored resentment and cast unfriendly glances at each other even as they retreated.

Watching this, Chung Myung clicked his tongue softly and then spoke seriously.

“Thank you.”

“What are you thanking for?”

“Even the Palace lord probably wasn’t in a good mood.”

Meng So chuckled.

“What’s there to be upset about?”

Of course, though he said that, he couldn’t have been happy. The Beast Palace members’ mindset was not much different from Meng So’s. If the Palace members were displeased, Meng So had to be displeased too.

In fact, he might have been even more upset than the average sect member, since Meng So was the Beast Palace lord.

But he held back those feelings and scolded his own sect members first.

Though they were both leaders of the Five Palaces Beyond the Great Wall, Seol So-Baek was incomparable to him. If he had tried to suppress him with power and authority, it wouldn’t have been difficult, but Meng So apologized first and bowed his head. That was why Chung Myung also rarely expressed gratitude.

“It’s nothing compared to what you do.”

“…Yes?”

“Even someone as hot-tempered as you is restraining himself.”

“No… my personality isn’t as bad as you think…”

“If you were your old self, the moment the Palace members sharpened their blades at each other, you’d have beaten them both without a second thought.”

Huh? Now that I think about it…

“But isn’t it ridiculous that I’m the one stepping in and getting angry?”

“…”

“More than that… it won’t be as easy as I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

Meng So stared at Chung Myung as if to say, “You know the answer, why ask again?”

“Every time trouble breaks out, neither I nor Palace Lord Seol can always run to mediate. If that were possible, I wouldn’t have asked for your help when you came to Yunnan in the past.”

“…True.”

“The palace members acknowledge and worship the strong, but they don’t understand that they must endure stuff. Especially, they find it hard to endure situations they can’t accept.”

“They’re just too free-spirited.”

Meng So wore a bitter expression.

He hadn’t expected such problems to arise immediately upon meeting. He felt sorry for only bringing headaches despite coming to help.

“There might be some problems, is that okay?”

“Ah, what problems?”

“Huh?”

Meng So asked with a puzzled look as Chung Myung’s response was indifferent.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Instead of answering, Chung Myung smiled slyly.

“By the way, you took care of the Beast Palace neatly, right?”

“As you said, we’ve taken measures so we won’t return for years. That’s why it took so long.”

“That’s good.”

Chung Myung nodded.

With this, the full power of the Heavenly Friends Alliance is gathered here.

“Looking at it all together, it’s really no joke.”

Mount Hua, Tang family, Namgung and Green Forest, and then Ice Palace and Beast Palace.

Six of the world’s dominant sects are gathered here. Considering that the Nine Great Sects were regarded as rulers of the martial world with only ten sects, this is no small force.

“Still, it’s not enough…”

Crack. Crack.

Chung Myung cracked his neck left and right.

“Well, that’s something we can fill from now on.”

It’s not that difficult. Just like Mount Hua grew big, they can raise theirs too. Of course, since there’s no time to raise them leisurely, it will be a bit rough and painful for those on the receiving end…

“They’re doing it for their own good, so we have to understand. Even if we don’t, what can they do?”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Chung Myung chuckled as if just thinking about it made him happy.

Meng So felt uneasy seeing him look like a child who just got an amusing toy.