Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“What are you doing?”

“What a rude act!”

The disciples of Mount Hua were about to run to Song Yuan, but Chung Myung waved his hand.

“That’s enough. It’s fine.”

“…”

“We need to confirm something.”

Then he looked at Song Yuan, who was still holding his hand.

“Well? Are you done confirming?”

Song Yuan looked at Chung Myung’s face, then at his hands. Finally, he let go, stepping back and bowing.

“I apologize. I committed a rude act in my attempt to be thorough. Guests, please forgive my rudeness.”

“I hope your lord is pleased to have such an attentive person in his service.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

Song Yuan looked at the others and said,

“If anything is uncomfortable for you, please let me know. If you call for me, I will show you around the Ice Palace.”

“Yes, thank you.”

When Baek Cheon replied as the representative, Song Yuan glanced at the room once more before stepping back.

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung smiled as he watched Song Yuan leave through the door, with the other disciples rushing to him.

“Why did he suddenly hold your hand?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he see a wound?”

Chung Myung smiled.

“It’s a trick.”

“What?”

Chung Myung shrugged instead of answering.

“He’s quite impressive.”

Anyone else would have easily fallen for his trick. It seemed that he was a formidable person.

Now that Baek Cheon thought the situation was cleared, he turned to the others.

“Everyone, please listen.”

All eyes turned to him.

“It’s true that they doubted it.”

“Yes.”

“Everyone, don’t forget that this place is outside of town. Be cautious of your surroundings.”

“Sasuk.”

“Don’t get caught…”

“Sasuk.”

“Uh.”

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Baek Cheon turned to find Chung Myung smiling brightly.

“…what?”

“Well, um…”

Chung Myung cupped his ear and said,

“I saw something strange last time.”

“…”

“I saw someone looking at me and then closing the window.”

“…”

“Who?”

“You…”

“You have a good memory.”

Step. Step.

Song Yuan’s face was tense as he walked down the hall.

“Did I make a mistake?”

Even with a mask, the body couldn’t be hidden. The intruder’s body resembled Chung Myung’s very closely.

But…

“There’s no Yin qi in his body.”

Anyone who has encountered the Ice White Divine Palm must have Yin qi in their body. No matter how much they tried to cleanse it, removing this qi in just half a day was impossible.

But when he held Chung Myung’s hand to check, he couldn’t find any traces.

“At his age, he blocked the palace lord’s attack and even expelled the yin qi…”

It would be possible if he were Mount Hua’s Martial God and not the Divine Dragon. So, if one were to think logically, the person called Chung Myung couldn’t be that fearsome.

But…

“It’s embarrassing.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

He shook his head at the subordinate looking up at him, and Song Yuan frowned.

‘What’s wrong?’

The opponent’s body was clean; there was no doubt about it. But he felt uncomfortable because of the boy’s attitude.

‘Anyone should show some fear under inspection from the guards.’

But this boy wasn’t just confident. It was like he knew what Song Yuan would do and was prepared for it.

“… Maybe I’m overthinking it.”

Song Yuan glanced around the room where the disciples of Mount Hua lived.

“I’ll know when I see it.”

He looked straight ahead and quickened his steps again.

“Hmph…”

“…”

“Haha…”

“Jo Gul.”

“Huh?”

“Stop laughing. Unless you want to die.”

“Okay.”

Jo Gul gritted his teeth as he saw the bump on Baek Cheon’s head. His cheeks, swollen from laughter, looked like they were about to burst, but if he laughed any more, he would be beaten to death.

Buried in this distant snowy land.

“… now, let’s continue our conversation.”

“Yes. Sasuk… haha!”

“…”

Baek Cheon stared at the ceiling with empty eyes.

‘Life is…’

What did he do to end up like this?

“Hey, cut it out. Sasuk, get off.”

“Ah! I said stop!”

“It’s not clear.”

“Ack!”

After a while, Baek Cheon sighed and asked Chung Myung.

“So… they’re not on good terms with the Demonic Sect?”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon frowned at this.

“I don’t understand. According to that person named Han Yi-Myung, it was the palace that brought in the Demonic Sect.”

“Yes.”

“But they oppose each other? Is that possible?”

Chung Myung poked sternly.

“Is there any reason not to?”

“… Huh?”

“The act of attracting an external enemy to defeat the internal one has happened numerous times in history. But that doesn’t mean one has to be friendly with the foreign ones.”

“Are you saying that the actions are meaningless as long as the conditions are met?”

“Right.”

Chung Myung nodded lightly.

“As expected.”

Baek Cheon mumbled to himself. He definitely understood the first part, but when it came to this, something else happened.

“The fact that the conditions are right meant that the Demonic Sect had something to gain.”

“Hmm.”

“I thought the Demonic Sect was trying to take over the Ice Palace and turn it into their lair. But that doesn’t seem to be the case, so what are they aiming for?”

Chung Myung smiled at the question.

“I don’t know.”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s face twisted.

“Is Sasuk an idiot? If you’re going to act like this, why be here? Just tell the Abbot to handle the situation.”

“…”

“Did your head get messed up after a hit?”

It wasn’t known if his head was messed up, but it definitely seemed like steam was coming out of it.

“… Forget it. I’m an idiot for asking you.”

“You know well.”

In the end, Baek Cheon was on the verge of losing his temper, but Tang Soso quickly intervened.

“Is the Demonic Sect trying to obtain something from the Ice Palace?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t the Demonic Sect have plans to become a part of the Central Plains? And the fact that they came all the way here suggests that they had a reason to be here. Otherwise, why come to such a desolate place? There are many other places where their influence would have been more useful.”

Baek Cheon agreed.

“Hmm. I think so too.”

At that moment, Chung Myung clapped his hands and jumped up.

“Ah! Right!”

“Huh?”

“I have records! I have papers! Baek Ah!”

When Chung Myung shouted, Baek Ah, who had been curled up in a blanket, poked her head out.

“That! What about the papers?”

When Chung Myung asked, Baek Ah quickly nodded a couple of times towards the window and then skillfully opened the latch and slipped out.

Baek Cheon, who was watching this, asked.

“…did she just unlock a window?”

“It is a spirit beast.”

“…”

Baek Cheon wondered what else this marten could do and why it was more intelligent just because it was a spirit beast.

‘Well, nothing is normal with him.’

Click.

The window, which was closed, opened up again, and now there was a pile of papers.

‘It almost looked like the window was opened with a hand.’

…No. Don’t go there, don’t think like that.

Baek Ah didn’t bring the papers in his mouth to Chung Myung but instead passed them to Baek Cheon. That showed how intelligent he was.

“… What is this?”

“They were in the room. I got them right away! Hehe!”

Upon seeing his Sajil, who appeared proud, Baek Cheon smiled warmly.

‘A Taoist who takes joy in stealing.’

What could be done with Mount Hua? What was this?

Stealing was stealing, and he had to examine them first.

With these thoughts in mind, he began examining the papers curiously.

Turn! Turn!

The papers were swiftly moved.

Tak!

In an instant, Baek Cheon looked over everything and smiled.

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“What?”

“How did you get rid of the Ice Palace people yesterday?”

“Didn’t I explain?”

Chung Myung looked stiff as if he had to say it again.

“These bastards, they cling to people so annoyingly. That’s why I dug a hole in the lake and hid under it so they wouldn’t find me!”

“… a hole in the lake?”

“Yes! I must be the only one who could come up with such an idea, right? No matter how cautious one is, they wouldn’t suspect someone dug a hole in the lake. Ha. Clever, huh?”

Chung Myung proudly stuck out his stomach.

Baek Cheon smiled even more.

“Under the lake?”

“Because I thought I would freeze.”

“You went into the water?”

“Why do you keep asking? Don’t you get it?”

“Uh. I don’t understand. Are you saying you took the papers and brought them into the water?”

“… huh?”

Baek Cheon threw the papers up in the air toward Chung Myung.

“Huh! You crazy idiot! What should we do if you went in the water with a paper that has ink on it? Look at this clean paper! Just as clean as your head!”

Chung Myung grabbed the stack of papers and quickly examined them.

“This shouldn’t be happening.”

White.

The North Sea’s clear and transparent water had made the paper clear.

“…I went through so much…?”

Chung Myung felt like his soul had left his body and was trying to warm himself.

“What are you doing?”

“My heart feels cold, so I should at least warm my body.”

“…”

Baek Cheon pressed his throbbing forehead and asked,

“…is there anything else you found?”

“Sasuk.”

“Huh?”

“You have it, right?”

“… don’t say a word.”

Baek Cheon grabbed his head with one hand and screamed. He placed his hand on the spot where Chung Myung had hit him.

“Seriously, nothing good is going to happen.”

At that moment, Tang Soso, who had taken the paper from Chung Myung, shouted as if she had discovered something.

“Sasuk! There’s still the words’ Ice Crystal’ here.”

“Ice crystal?”

“Yes, Ice Crystal. It’s like a mountain…well, it seems to be a number.”

In the dim light, Tang Soso hesitated and slowly read out the contents, and only then did Chung Myung look at them.

“Ah, right! I overheard the palace lord talking to an elder, and it seemed like the Demonic Sect wanted ice crystals.”

“Ice crystals?”

“Yes, and it sounded like they were discussing how difficult it would be to meet their demands.”

“… The Demonic Sect is requesting ice crystals?”

Baek Cheon anxiously covered his face.

“Perhaps the reason the ice crystals stopped coming to the Central Plains was not due to the change in the Central Plains, but rather a lack of them.”

“Amitabha.”

Hae Yeon, who had been silent, exclaimed at this.

“Why does the Demonic Sect need the ice crystals? And in such a large quantity that even the Ice Palace cannot provide?”

“Well…”

Baek Cheon found himself troubled by this thought.

‘Something doesn’t seem right.’

People were disappearing, and a large amount of ice crystals…

“It seems certain that the Demonic Sect is plotting something here.”

“It certainly appears so, sasuk.”

Baek Cheon asked while looking at Chung Myung, who was warming up.

“So, what do you plan to do now? Even if we gather more information, it doesn’t seem like it will be easy to learn much more than this.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“And tracking down the Demonic Sect in this vast land is not easy. It was simply a coincidence that we stumbled upon them that one time.”

“That’s true.”

“Then, is there no way?”

But when he asked if there was no way, Chung Myung smiled.

“Why do we have to search for them?”

“Huh?”

“If those bastards from the Demonic Sect are up to something in the North Sea, they must be on edge right now. So, instead of searching for them, we can create a little chaos, and they will come running to us, right?”

“…”

“Don’t you know the trick to rattle the snake by hitting the grass? It startles the snake and makes it show itself.”

“Yes, and then the snake bites.”

“… Uh?”

That did sound like the right approach…

When Chung Myung tilted his head, Baek Cheon sighed and gently stroked his chin.

Half of this makes sense, but the other half was intriguing.

“So what do you propose?”

Chung Myung pondered for a moment and smiled.

“They mentioned they were searching for Ice Crystals?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“But we need those too.”

“… yes.”

Baek Cheon started to feel anxious.

So…

“Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“Do you know?”

“What….”

“About this.”

Madness sparkled in Chung Myung’s eyes.

“I would rather set fire to the Ice Palace than let my belongings fall into the hands of those Demonic Sect bastards.”

“….”

“From now on, all the Ice Crystals are mine. Anyone who dares to touch them shall meet their end!”

Baek Cheon smiled contentedly.

Ah, yes.

Do as you wish.

Whatever you desire.