Let’s Try To Get Along Together! (3)

“Waaaaaah!”

Something burst forth like fireworks amidst the colorful smoke.

“Aaaaaaah!”

One, then another, soared higher and higher.

Those that rose wrapped themselves in colorful smoke, drawing a circular rainbow in the sky.

It was truly a rare and splendid sight. If one didn’t know that the colorful smoke was Tang Family’s poisonous smoke and that the things jumping up were people, it would seem magical.

Of course, whether aware or not, to those watching from outside it might seem quite comical… but for those inside the poisonous smoke, there was no greater tragedy.

“Kweeeaaak!”

Another person was struck by Chung Myung’s fist and flew far away.

“Run away!”

“Oh, here he comes!”

Those who turned their heads in fright saw a terrifying sight: Chung Myung charging through the black poisonous smoke, his eyes glowing red one after another.

‘Oh my god.’

It’s scary enough to haunt dreams. No matter how terrifying the Heavenly Demon or whatever, nothing could be more frightening than that.

Chung Myung, enraged like a wounded tiger struck by an arrow, kicked a fleeing Mount Hua disciple from behind.

“I’m pissed off, you bastards!”

“Kyaaaaa!”

With a bang, the struck disciple spun wildly and was flung forward. Everyone’s mouths dropped open at the incomprehensible scene.

“Die! You bastards! Die!”

Chung Myung grabbed another victim, threw him to the ground, climbed on his back, and began pounding with his fists.

“Sa-sago!”

Tang Soso, watching the scene, grabbed the sleeve of Yu Yiseol, their last hope.

“Uh, please do something. Sahyung has completely lost it.”

“How?”

“Sahyung listens to Sago sometimes. We have to try to stop him!”

Yu Yiseol tilted her head slightly to the side.

“That guy?”

“…”

“Him?”

Uh… that’s a bit of an overexpectation. Yes, sago.

“Soso.”

“Yes?”

“Run.”

With that expressionless command, Yu Yiseol quickly fled. Her face showed no change, but her feet looked very urgent.

“…No hope then.”

Tang Soso muttered weakly and quickly followed behind her.

Meanwhile, those who understood this chaotic situation the least were the Beast Palace disciples.

“What kind of ridiculous situation is this?”

“I don’t get why everyone’s so worked up. It’s just one person. Even if he’s Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.”

The reason was simple. To them, Mount Hua’s Sword Saint was merely a friend of the Beast Palace, a descendant of Plum Blossom Sword Saint, recognized by the Beast Palace Lord.

Of course, having witnessed Mount Hua’s power at the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s initiation, they didn’t intend to ignore Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, the core of Mount Hua. But there was no reason to fear just one person.

So to them, the whole scene seemed nothing but ridiculous, like watching a well-rehearsed opera.

“Maybe he’s just pretending to be scary?”

“Should we play along too?”

“No need to go that far.”

“I think it’s just because of that poison. Tang Family’s poison seems worse than we thought.”

The Beast Palace disciples didn’t feel particularly threatened even as Chung Myung charged at them.

“Hey, hey. Don’t hurt him too much. He’s still a precious person, cherished by the Palace Lord.”

“Just hold him down properly.”

Those who scoffed stepped forward slightly. Though Mount Hua’s Sword Saint was a renowned warrior for his age in the Central Plains and couldn’t be handled alone, the number of Beast Palace disciples gathered there easily exceeded a hundred.

Besides, since this wasn’t a real fight, there was no risk of death, so why be afraid?

“Alright, first I’ll…”

One Beast Palace disciple sneered lightly and stepped forward. He planned to grab Chung Myung’s foot first.

Though Chung Myung charged like a beast, handling beasts was the Beast Palace’s specialty. If Chung Myung charged like a wounded boar, they would dodge sideways and then target his legs…

It was at that moment.

As Chung Myung pushed off the ground running ahead, his figure blurred and suddenly appeared right in front of the Beast Palace disciple.

“Huh?”

Before he could doubt if he had seen wrong, his world went pitch black.

‘What is this?’

Why did the world suddenly darken… Ah, no. It’s not the world darkening, but something in front of his eyes.

What is this…?

“Fi…”

Kwahhh!

Before the word “Fist” could even finish leaving his mouth, Chung Myung’s fist slammed into the Beast Palace disciple’s face. The disciple was struck in an instant and flew twistedly like a wooden puppet kicked by a child.

Only the blood splattered along his flight path proved that the one hit and flying was not a puppet but a person.

“Uh…?”

The Beast Palace disciples who saw the scene had their eyes pop out.

One hit? Just one hit?

Of course, the one who was hit wasn’t considered a great master by the Beast Palace standards. But if he was sent flying with one blow like that, wouldn’t he not even be recognized as a Beast Palace disciple?

But what is this…?

“Huu…”

Chung Myung, who had sent the disciple flying with a single blow, gleamed his eyes and grinned. The white teeth revealed between his slightly parted lips looked strangely ominous.

“Oh, I see. You guys still don’t understand the situation.”

“…”

“Today, you’re all going to die! I have to get close to you too! This is so exciting!”

“Your words don’t make sense…”

Like a flying tiger, Chung Myung dashed forward and smashed the jaw of the dazed man standing there.

Bang!

The struck Beast Palace disciple flew like a mouse kicked by an elephant. In this absurd situation, the Beast Palace disciples finally grasped what was happening.

But unfortunately, they had to learn a great lesson today: in the murim world, late comprehension always comes with a heavy price.

“Diiiiieeee!”

Chung Myung beat and kicked everyone in front of him indiscriminately. His eyes flashed with wild madness at every moment.

And the fate of those caught in that madness was miserable. Faces battered beyond recognition, bleeding from their noses, they collapsed heavily.

Even a skilled farmer cutting ripe rice with a sickle couldn’t lay them down more smoothly.

“Eeeek!”

The Beast Palace and Ice Palace disciples, sensing danger late, began to flee without looking back.

‘If caught, we will die!’

‘What kind of monster is that…!’

Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, Mount Hua’s Sword Saint. They had heard the name so much it was drilled into their ears. Of course, they knew he was strong. But who could have imagined he was this strong?

Without that poisonous smoke, they might have managed somehow, but the poisonous smoke covering everywhere combined with the rampaging Chung Myung became a disaster.

“We just have to go over there! Over there!”

“Just climb over the wall! You idiots! Why are you going to the entrance?”

Tang Family and the Beast Palace were the fastest. They saw the wide-open gate of the manor and a not-so-high wall.

“Just climb over there… huh?”

Those moving hurriedly suddenly widened their eyes.

Because just as they were about to climb the wall, familiar figures appeared.

“Family lord!”

Tang Zhan shouted joyfully. Tang Gunak had appeared leading the elders before them.

“F-family lord! There! That Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, no, that crazy Taoist has completely lost it! Quickly subdue him…!”

Having reinforcements like a thousand troops, how could they not be emboldened? Tang Zhan pointed behind with a brightened face.

But.

Thud!

Tang Zhan suddenly collapsed to the side.

Twitch. Twitch.

His body lying on the ground trembled convulsively.

Something popped off his forehead and rolled away. It was a wooden coin. Those who saw it blankly turned to look at Tang Gunak.

Tang Gunak lightly tossed a wooden coin in his hand into the air and caught it, speaking softly.

“Of course, I don’t agree with everything the Mount Hua’s Sword Saint says…”

As he spoke, the elders of Tang Gunak guarding behind stepped forward with grim faces.

“We need to verify. It’s not that I don’t beat him because he lacks authority, but that authority disappears because I don’t beat him.”

“…Yes?”

What do you mean by that…?

“There are no personal feelings involved.”

Tang Gunak shook his head solemnly.

“Of course, I too have been displeased, frustrated, annoyed, and exasperated with you.”

Um… you seem full of personal feelings in that?

“Those are things one who ascends to the family lord’s position must naturally bear. It’s not something to be resolved with personal feelings. So… I hope you understand this is not a decision made out of personal sentiment.”

Tang Gunak curled his lips into a smile and snatched the wooden coin he tossed high into the sky.

As everyone shivered sensing that smile resembled Chung Myung’s, it was then.

“Step on him!”

“Yes!”

As soon as Tang Gunak gave the order, the elders guarding behind him gleamed their eyes and charged toward Tang Gunak.

“You insolent brats!”

“You thought the elders’ council was gone and this was your world, so you acted arrogantly!”

“You don’t even know manners! Back in my day…!”

After the elders’ council collapsed and power shifted to the younger generation, the sidelined elders took this chance to vent their long-suppressed anger.

It was the moment the pushed-around old-timers launched a counterattack on Tang Family.

Not only Tang Family, but similar things were happening everywhere.

“Eek! Palace Lord! Why are you doing this?”

“Hahaha! This is all training! Training!”

Meng So, with his huge frame, moved like lightning, striking fleeing Beast Palace disciples, while Seol So-Baek, who appeared suddenly, gave orders to the elders to efficiently beat down the Ice Palace disciples.

So the two were the ones feeling wronged.

“No…”

Namgung Do-Wei’s face turned pale. Standing beside him, Im So-Byeong groaned with a dark, deathly face.

They clearly saw the sect leaders beating their own disciples.

“Why are we here…”

Shouldn’t they be over there together? Why were only the two of them getting beaten here?

And at that moment, someone slowly walked toward the two.

“What?”

“…”

“I think I know why. Want me to tell you?”

The faces of the two, who met the person they least wanted to see, turned pitch black.

“Um…”

“Ah, no. Maybe we don’t need to know that Taoist..”

“No, no. You have to know.”

Chung Myung smirked. At the same time, a grinding sound came from his clenched fist.

“Even if no one else, you two should know it. Right?”

Bang!

Chung Myung’s foot dug into the ground.

“From now on, I’ll teach you clearly.”

“…”

“Make sure to engrave it properly on your body.”

“Um… if the Taoist beats me, I’ll die.”

“It’s okay. I’m beating you to death.”

“…You aren’t even human.”

Chung Myung chuckled as he charged at Im So-Byeong.

And so, after a moment.

As the poisonous smoke that filled the vast training ground began to dissipate, only one person stood in that wide training ground.

“Hooah…”

Chung Myung wiped his face with his sleeve, looking completely refreshed.

“I feel so relieved inside.”

“…”

“How about it? Don’t you think we’re a bit closer now?”

The half-bodies piled in layers on the ground seemed to hold back tears.