Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Ugh….”

“Kuk!”

The prisoners, including Yo Sa-Heon, couldn’t breathe and groaned due to the overwhelming killing intent.

Mind and Form Killing Intent.

It was a killing intent that showed the true meaning of taking someone’s life.

“Disciple!”

“Yah! Chung Myung! Calm down!”

Baek Cheon frowned as he approached Chung Myung and grabbed both of his shoulders. Chung Myung flinched and looked forward, letting his killing intent subside.

“Kuak!”

Yo Sa-Heon, relieved, coughed loudly.

Usually, Chung Myung was the kind of man to immediately apologize for his wrongdoings, but he didn’t do it this time.

“Second coming? Heavenly Demon?”

“…Yes! I clearly heard it.”

“…Insane bastards….”

Things that didn’t seem to make sense finally fell into place.

Why did they come all the way to the North Sea? Why did they want the ice crystals?

“I don’t know the reason, but….”

What if they were plotting the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon in some way, and they needed a large number of ice crystals for the ritual?

“… I’m sure they didn’t choose the North Sea because it was far.”

From the beginning, their goal was the North Sea, especially for the ice crystals.

Chung Myung’s heart started to chill.

-Remember, Disciple of Mount Hua. This isn’t the end. The Demon will return.

“Fucking nonsense.”

Chung Myung clenched his teeth.

The Heavenly Demon would be resurrected?

‘Who said you could?’

As long as Chung Myung was alive, something like that would not be allowed to happen. That demon looked the most beautiful with his head cut off.

‘Damn it.’

Should this be considered good or bad luck?

It was fortunate that he arrived in the North Sea at a time when the Demonic Sect was planning the revival of their leader. If there was a real revival, not just Mount Hua but the entire Central Plains would descend into chaos.

However, being in a situation where help from Mount Hua or any sect couldn’t be obtained was terrible.

If that didn’t happen, they would have to fight the people of the Demonic Sect alone.

“Uh, I will change it all!”

Chung Myung, who understood the situation, grabbed his hair. His long hair was pulled all around.

“Chung Myung, are you okay?”

“Do I look okay?”

Chung Myung asked with wide eyes and shut them as he took a deep breath.

“Huk! Huk! I need to calm down now. Calm down.”

There was a small hope in this new hell, and that was that the Heavenly Demon had not been revived yet.

“No, do those madmen have a greed for power!? The man from above who used to beat people with a stick said it would be right to give a nice meal and enough if the people could live well. Just what are they thinking, trying to bring that absurd bastard back to life….”

“… No. Can people come back to life at all?”

At Jo Gul’s question, Chung Myung was silent.

It could not happen. There was no way it was possible. But he couldn’t say that. That was because there was proof that it could happen to an extent.

‘I can do it, so why can’t he?’

This was something he thought a lot of times. Sometimes he thought that he was consciously choosing to turn a blind eye and maybe the Heavenly Demon was already revived. He might be revived already and just waiting for the right time.

And what Chung Myung did must be possible for him too.

Every time he thought that he felt goosebumps rise and his heart drop.

Somewhere in this world, there was that madman still alive. What a horrid thought it was.

“Is this a good thing or bad thing…?”

But seeing how the insane things have yet to happen, it must mean that the Heavenly Demon wasn’t fully revived.

“Ugh!”

He should get sick and die.

“Here. Sit here.”

As Chung Myung pounded on the ground, Mount Hua’s disciples sat down without another word.

Chung Myung opened his mouth with a contorted expression.

“Now, let’s sort out this situation. The Demonic Sect is using the ice crystals in large quantities to bring back their Heavenly Demon.”

“It seems so.”

“And the Ice Palace must be…. Are they cooperating… no, have they gone insane? Do they realize what the Heavenly Demon is, and are they cooperating with it? If the Heavenly Demon comes back to life, the first head he cuts off will be the Ice Palace Lord.”

There were many different ways to die in the world; among them, there was no need to choose to die in the hands of such a being.

“Maybe they’re thinking about being under him?”

“Sasuk, you speak like this because you don’t know the Heavenly Demon.”

“How can I know?”

“… there is a way to learn everything. Don’t ask now, though.”

First of all, the Heavenly Demon did not have subordinates.

What did that mean?

“He is someone who didn’t blink an eye at the death of all the members of his sect, so accepting the Ice Palace Lord is out of the question.”

The faith in the Demonic Sect only applied one way.

The members of the Demonic Sect feared the Heavenly Demon, but the Heavenly Demon didn’t care about the sect or the members.

Then why did they follow the Heavenly Demon?

“They are crazy.”

“What now?”

“Nothing.”

Chung Myung shook his head and sighed.

“Phew, anyway, the revival seems to be right around the corner, and they need more ice crystals, so they are pushing these people for it, right?”

When Chung Myung turned his head, the old man nodded.

“Normally, the labor here was harsh, but lately, they have been pushing us to death. Thanks to that, it wasn’t just one or two people who died from exhaustion.”

“Ughh. It shouldn’t be a good thing.”

Even though every clue was falling into place, this didn’t feel all pleased for Chung Myung.

“Ice crystals are the key. But the ice crystals…”

Chung Myung glanced at his sleeve.

All the ice crystals he had taken in here were in his sleeves.

“… they are all here.”

“…”

The disciples of Mount Hua flinched.

“Should we dig more?”

“There will be no ice crystals for a while.”

“Why?”

“We pulled them all out. There is no point digging unless the yin qi rises once again and creates a new core essence. Unless we intend to rush underground.”

Baek Cheon, who thought that, mumbled with a confused face.

“So… that means…..”

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung nodded.

“The last key needed to revive the Heavenly Demon is in my hands.”

It was already not looking good.

The sight of the blinded demons who were for the ice crystals, running to him with mad looks.

As long as the name of Heavenly Demon was here, it was clear that they would try to kill Chung Myung for the ice crystals.

“Hehehehe.”

Chung Myung, who was giggling like he lost his mind, suddenly hit the ground.

“This situation is so fucking nasty, damn it!”

The Palace Lord’s room.

“Ice crystals were excavated? In huge quantities?”

“Yes, palace Lord.”

Seol Chun-Sang’s face twisted at the report.

“You mean they unearthed the ice crystals that we couldn’t dig up with so many prisoners?”

“…yes.”

Seol Chun-Sang chuckled, finding the situation absurd.

“I’ve heard that people have a talent for finding things…”

He didn’t know how this had happened, but it was possible that the report was false.

“Ice crystals…”

He had already given the disciples permission to purchase the crystals they unearthed. Ultimately, this meant that all the ice crystals they mined belonged to Mount Hua.

“This is no joke.”

Despite his words, Seol Chun-Sang was smiling. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed.

“…what do you want us to do, lord?”

The second elder, who was present, asked.

“If ‘they’ find out about this, they won’t remain inactive.”

Seol Chun-Sang’s expression contorted at this, and he glared at the elder.

“So you want me to be afraid of them?”

“I-I didn’t mean it like that.”

The elder lowered his gaze and denied it. Seol Chun-Sang looked out the window with an annoyed expression.

‘This is bad.’

He had given them permission to spend time in the mine, but he hadn’t expected them to do this.

“It cannot be helped.”

Seol Chun-Sang, lost in thought, said with a smile,

“We need to appease them in order to obtain the ice crystals. Furthermore, we must give everything we can for it.”

“… What if they don’t listen?”

“Did you not listen?”

He smiled.

“Then there is only one option left.”

His voice felt chilling as he mentioned it.

“We have no choice but to take them down by force.”

“Are you thinking of killing them?”

“Tsk. Didn’t you hear? They cannot die here.”

“Then how…”

“There is a difference between killing and stealing, and simply stealing. If we kill them, the martial sects in the Central Plains will protest. So how can we ask them to steal things from them here?”

“Right. Actually, these are items from the ice palace.”

“Right. They are….”

But Seol Chun-Sang, who was speaking, went stiff and said,

“No…”

“… uh?”

“No, no. It is something we cannot be sure of. They might take the ice crystals and run.”

Upon hearing those words, the second elder tilted his head.

“Is there a reason for that?”

“These are stupid words. The ice crystals are valuable. Even if they are sold at half price, do they have the money to buy them? And even if they do, they couldn’t have brought money all the way here.”

“Ah….”

Seol Chun-Sang’s face turned pale.

“Then, if they run….”

Cold sweat broke out on his back.

If that happened, the inevitable wrath of the high priest was clearly evident to him.

“Send the Ice Sword troops to catch them.”

“They are skilled enough to deal with it.”

“Do not underestimate them. If the rumors are true that they are the leading warriors in the Central Plains, they won’t be easy to capture.”

His voice was more determined than ever.

“There shouldn’t be a single mistake. Not even a one in a thousand chance should be left open!”

The second elder bowed his head.

“I understand! I will give the order!”

“If they resist too much, kill them.”

“…”

“Hurry up! Start moving!”

“Yes!”

The second elder hurriedly left.

“Follow me!”

“Yes!”

The man who came to report also followed him. The second elder closed the door after leaving the Lord’s room in the palace.

“He is so scared.”

He pretended to be logical and bold in his words, but in the end, their lord feared the wrath of the high priest, so he abandoned all the rules that had been established until now.

“Palace Lord. That is why you cannot be trusted.”

The second elder closed the door and walked toward the stairs.

The two of them went down quickly.

“You heard everything.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Immediately go to the Ice Sword troops and deliver the order.”

“… Should I do it?”

At that cautious question, the second elder took a card from his chest to prove his status as an elder and handed it out.

“Show this, and everything will be fine.”

“I understand. Then what about the elder…”

“There are other things I need to attend to. Move now, don’t wait any longer!”

“Yes!”

The man, who bowed his head deeply, descended the stairs. The second elder, who watched this, halted and smiled.

‘I managed to gather some valuable information.’

Such valuable information.

They would definitely be pleased to hear this. The elder, who was following the man, changed his direction and headed outside of the palace, not inside.

Shhh.

He left the castle and began to move stealthily. Jumping over the western wall like a swallow, he ran through the snowfield.

And he spoke in a haunting voice.

“The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon.”

The final piece to the awaited end was coming together.