#1134: Let’s Try To Get Along Together ! (4) — Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Ha…”

Chung Myung stretched with an endlessly refreshed face. His face even looked shiny.

“Now I feel like I can live a bit.”

“…”

“So you should have taken it easy, sasuk.”

At Chung Myung’s glance downward and words, Baek Cheon’s eyes welled up with tears.

‘You told me to do it, you bastard.’

When it was time to say to beat without mercy, now say it was excessive. What rhythm am I supposed to dance to?

Of course… Baek Cheon also felt uneasy inside. It was a bit excessive. A bit… no, actually very excessive.

“Anyway, those who use swords don’t know moderation. If you let them loose, they just climb up accordingly.”

Crack. Crack.

Chung Myung twisted his neck left and right and looked around at the sprawled people.

Seeing the pitifully sprawled figures, he felt proud as if he had accomplished something great.

If they were all in normal condition, no matter how much Chung Myung cooperated with other sect leaders or elders, he wouldn’t have been able to sweep them away so neatly.

But these crazy guys hadn’t slept for almost ten days, repeatedly hitting each other, so they would fall over if anyone just touched them lightly. So they couldn’t face strong opponents who preserved their stamina by watching leisurely.

“Especially you! You bastard!”

Chung Myung poked and kicked the one collapsed at his feet.

Im So-Byeong, half out of his mind, rolled weakly as Chung Myung kicked him.

“You should do it moderately! Setting fire where people are sleeping?”

“Fire attack… has been… a strategy used since ancient times…”

“You still have energy, I see. You’re persistent. Die already!”

Chung Myung, having kicked Im So-Byeong away, turned around with a relieved face. Tang Gunak approached with a mysterious expression. Chung Myung greeted him.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Gunak, uncharacteristically, scratched his cheek slightly with a suspicious face.

“You did as you were told… but I’m not sure if this was really the right thing to do.”

“For someone who says that, you have quite a joyful expression.”

Tang Gunak blushed slightly and cleared his throat. Of course, he thinks this now, but when he was throwing coins at the Tang Family guys earlier, he felt quite relieved.

“Kids usually grow up by getting hit a bit.”

“Kids…”

Tang Gunak looked at the sprawled ones with a subtle expression. They are at an age where they would have already started families and had children if they were from a family sect. Can these guys really be called kids…?

“Well, we didn’t act out of emotion; it’s a kind of training.”

“…That’s true.”

Tang Gunak nodded at Meng So’s words. Of course, he felt a bit guilty about the part of not acting out of emotion.

“Everyone listen carefully.”

Though it was doubtful if the unconscious could hear well, Chung Myung shouted without concern.

“Tomorrow we’ll train the same way. Don’t whine, everyone come out.”

“…”

“Looks like you have leftover energy with nowhere to release it, so I’ll let you release it properly. That’s all!”

“…”

“Let’s go.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Ah, I feel refreshed. Hehehe.”

Chung Myung, accompanied by the leaders of each sect, moved away from the training ground.

Jo Gul, covered in dust and lying on the ground, muttered quietly as he watched.

“…Son of a bitch.”

Everyone strongly agreed with that in their hearts.

“Are you really okay with this?”

“What?”

“Everyone seems to have exceeded their limits, but repeating the same training in this situation…”

What Tang Gunak worries about is something else.

The “same training” Chung Myung mentioned is not the sparring among themselves. From tomorrow, Chung Myung, other sect leaders, and elders will push them hard in training.

“Is there a problem?”

“…Shouldn’t they be given some rest?”

“Ah. The family lord is overconfident.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think we could win if they weren’t in that state?”

Tang Gunak fell silent as if deep in thought, his expression hardened.

“It wouldn’t be easy.”

“We have to beat them thoroughly now so it’s easier to deal with them later.”

“…That intention seems a bit impure.”

Chung Myung replied indifferently.

“That’s the point.”

Tang Gunak tilted his head.

“What do you mean by that?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“Now everyone has figured out the skill level of those they are with. They saw the bottom by punching each other.”

“That’s right.”

Though the problem is they saw it a bit excessively.

“I thought that far. It’s just a bit excessive than expected… a bit, um. Yes, quite a lot.”

“Very much indeed.”

“…Honestly, I didn’t expect them to be that crazy. Mount Hua is one thing, but why is Tang family like that?”

“Have you heard the saying ‘You become blackened by ink’?”

“Well, Tang family is a bit dark indeed.”

Tang Gunak was speechless and looked back with a displeased face, and Chung Myung shrugged.

“Anyway, we have to get there. People can’t truly understand each other under awkward politeness.”

“But won’t only bad feelings remain?”

“That’s why the following training is necessary.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“Do you know when a person truly needs comrades?”

“…I don’t know.”

“When you don’t have the strength to even move a finger, but there’s an enemy in front of you that you can’t handle alone.”

Chung Myung said calmly.

“At that time, you desperately want anyone, someone. Whether it’s the guy you fought yesterday or the one you usually hate, you can’t be more glad and thankful.”

Tang Gunak quietly nodded. Though he hasn’t experienced it, he can understand. Just think about how the Namgung Family reacted to Mount Hua when trapped on Plum Blossom Island.

Since then, the Namgung Family regards Mount Hua as an unparalleled benefactor.

“Then they naturally come together.”

“…That means…”

Tang Gunak, understanding Chung Myung’s words, narrowed his eyes slightly.

“So you’re saying people need a common enemy to unite.”

“Yes. A powerful enemy that no one dares to face.”

Chung Myung slightly raised his head and looked at the distant sky.

When the Demonic Cult first appeared, the Central Plains were literally divided and chaotic. More precisely, even in the early war against the cult, it was a mess.

No need to look for reasons. For the martial artists of the time, the crazy cult members who suddenly appeared were less troublesome than the neighbors who had been growling at each other.

Isn’t that why Mount Hua couldn’t share the battlefield with Southern Edge?

But as the war continued, and they realized the cult’s power, and above all understood who the Heavenly Demon was, their relationships somewhat reconciled.

Except outside the battlefield, at least those at the front entrusted their backs to disciples of enemy sects without doubt.

That’s how comradeship is born.

‘Well… those guys all died at the summit of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.’

Probably this greatly influenced the later chaos in the martial world and Mount Hua’s destruction. If even one survivor remained, they would have become heroes and led the future murim world.

The cowards and incompetent who didn’t join the death squad survived and led the murim world, causing all these problems.

In any case, the conclusion is that the Heavenly Demon was the one who at least outwardly united the divided martial world.

“This time too, it will end up like that. Jang Ilso is here, and the Heavenly Demon might return.”

“Hmm.”

“But if you try to unite then, it will be too late. Then you won’t just get beaten like now, but pay with your life.”

How many sacrifices and blood were shed before the murim world moved as one?

“You have to experience it in advance. Seeing the bottom of your allies, fighting a powerful enemy, and even having those you fought with growling beside you as strength.”

“…”

“It can’t compare to experiencing it directly, but at least it’s better than not doing it.”

Chung Myung turned to look at Tang Gunak and Meng So. Meng So spoke before Chung Myung could.

“If we’re going to do it, do it properly. Don’t regret losing disciples later.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung grinned.

“Well… we’ll hear some complaints, but hearing complaints is better than watching the kids die, right?”

Whether he said it with that intention or not, these words pierced Tang Gunak and Meng So like a sharp dagger.

As Chung Myung said, any sect leader’s top priority is to protect disciples. Not to fear complaints or lose authority, but to lead them to survival even if it means being cursed or seeing them rise up.

Yes. That was how it should be.

But until now, Tang Gunak and Meng So couldn’t do that. They just stepped back, saying it was impossible for them and only Mount Hua could do it.

“…It was this side then.”

“What do you mean?”

Tang Gunak gave a bitter smile as he saw Chung Myung feigning ignorance.

‘I thought he was angry at those kids.’

Actually, Chung Myung’s anger was directed at the sect leaders. Beating those kids today was punishment for their negligence and a warning to the sect leaders who allowed the situation to get this bad.

“…I understand what you mean.”

Tang Gunak sighed deeply.

The Tang family also knew they had to change. Considering what they would face, survival would be difficult otherwise. But somehow, he had excluded himself from the change he envisioned.

He believed that if Chung Myung could lead the Tang family’s kids well, the Tang family would change too.

‘No way.’

If the upper water isn’t clear, how can the lower water be clear? It’s obvious when you think about it.

“I’m ashamed.”

“You’re just saying nonsense now.”

Tang Gunak smiled bitterly watching Chung Myung shrug as if clueless. Meng So also nodded seriously, sharing the same thoughts.

‘Treating the Green Forest King and Namgung’s young lord the same as them wasn’t a punishment.’

They didn’t need to be whipped separately. They were already mixing with others and trying to change.

Understanding that meaning, he realized how pathetic he was to have laughed at them. His face flushed anew.

How shameful it was to mock those who tried to change while being stagnant oneself.

The kids got beaten today, but the real punishment was for Tang Gunak and Meng So.

“Ahem.”

Tang Gunak cleared his throat loudly, steeled his resolve, and looked at Chung Myung.

“…If what you say is true, we must become the most powerful enemy. Even if some bad feelings accumulate.”

“That’s better than fighting among themselves.”

When Tang Gunak and Meng So spoke as if understanding, Chung Myung grinned.

“If we’re going to do it, please do it thoroughly.”

“Understood.”

“Leave it to us.”

Nodding, Tang Gunak suddenly realized something.

‘In the end, all this training was about everyone becoming one mind.’

They resent, fight, and growl over minor differences. Then, facing a powerful enemy, they unite with those they fought yesterday to resist.

This is what they will have to face against the Demonic Cult someday. Chung Myung is creating the pain Heavenly Friends Alliance will endure in the future in a much milder way here.

The reason for making them go through this troublesome and frustrating process was very clear.

Chung Myung’s principle is one: to save even one more disciple of Mount Hua. Now, those to be saved are not only from Mount Hua.

Not just words, but sincerely.

“…I misunderstood you a bit.”

“What?”

“I’m embarrassed, but I really thought you beat the kids out of anger. I didn’t think you had a plan.”

“…”

“Now I see, even scolding those kids today was all your plan…”

Tang Gunak suddenly stopped speaking.

Because Chung Myung rolled his eyes and avoided eye contact.

“…You?”

“Ha… haha! Of course! It was supposed to be today! I had it all planned!”