Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Returning to the palace after the banquet, Seol So-Baek appeared extremely joyful.

“I am glad the talks went smoothly.”

“P-Palace Lord.”

However, Han Yi-Myung’s expression seemed devoid of life.

“M-monopoly isn’t something to casually discuss. To gain profit from trade, one must compete with other guilds. If we grant them the monopoly, they will dictate the price of goods as they please.”

“Indeed.”

“And this would result in significant losses.”

Even after hearing those words, Seol So-Baek shook his head.

“I do know that. Father… no, commander.”

“Then why do you look so happy? Right now, the Ice Palace is being plundered by this sect of the Central Plains.”

This made him smile ever so slightly.

“If they were that greedy, they had plenty of opportunities to exploit the North Sea and flee the moment they discovered that the Demonic Sect had arrived. Even if I were captured, they wouldn’t have risked their lives to save me.”

“…”

“It’s true that his words and actions can be harsh and unexpected, but I’ve never seen him do anything that violates our agreement.”

True. That was true.

That was all true, except the fact that they had known them for less than a month!

“But Palace Lord…!”

“Commander.”

Seol So-Baek, who firmly cut off the words of Han Yi-Myung, opened his mouth with shining eyes.

“How much stronger do you think Mount Hua will get?”

“What…”

Han Yi-Myung, who was about to answer, went silent. And after a moment of thought, he said.

“Not long ago, the fame of Mount Hua didn’t even reach the North Sea, but soon it will be the most renowned sect in the North Sea. And perhaps beyond.”

“Indeed. That’s true.”

Seol So-Baek and Han Yi-Myung nodded in agreement.

Hadn’t they witnessed firsthand the astonishing level of their martial arts skills?

Now, they may not quite measure up to Shaolin, the most formidable sect in the Central Plains. However, when Baek Cheon and the other disciples of Mount Hua mature into leaders, could they potentially rival even the mightiest sect?

‘At the very least, they will stand among the most powerful sects in the Central Plains.’

More than anything, the presence of Chung Myung left no doubt in their minds.

Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, and the other disciples of Mount Hua were truly talented. They had the potential to make their sect the strongest, regardless of which sect they belonged to. However, among them, Chung Myung stood out on a whole different level.

It wasn’t just about their skills.

Chung Myung had the ability to understand a situation with minimal information, the wisdom to find the best response, the power to execute a plan without delay, and the unwavering confidence to stand by his decision.

No matter how they appeared, he lacked nothing at all.

Wasn’t he the one leading the disciples of Mount Hua, who each had their own unique personalities and brought them together?

Even if those who supported Chung Myung considered him inferior to Baek Cheon and the other disciples, Mount Hua would still have enough to strive to become the top sect in the world.

With talented individuals like him supporting them, there is no reason to be afraid.

‘On top of that, the bravery of even robbing the Ice Palace.’

Just the thought of it made him tear up.

No.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t given anything in the first place!

Even the crystals from the mine weren’t enough, so Chung Myung also took the ice crystals that Seol Chun-Sang had stolen and swiped the treasures that the Demonic Sect had, too!

While many of the ice crystals from Seol Chun-Sang were used by the Demonic Sect, just under half of them remained. But ice crystals were still ice crystals. They alone held great value…

‘But he is too skilled, too powerful!’

Being too skilled was the issue!

Seol So-Baek smiled at Han Yi-Myung, who was lost in contemplation.

“There is no way making a pact with Mount Hua will harm the Ice Palace.”

“…”

“Of course, we may initially encounter some difficulties. But would it be detrimental for the North Sea Ice Palace to establish a friendly relationship with the Mount Hua sect?”

Han Yi-Myung was momentarily at a loss for words. He gazed at Seol So-Baek with a mixture of awe and admiration.

‘The palace lord is completely unpredictable.’

Rather than blindly adhering to his own beliefs, Han Yi-Myung began contemplating his own role and the prospective path that the Ice Palace should embark upon.

This meant that Seol So-Baek was becoming the true ruler of North Sea Ice Palace, which was proof that he now stood as a soldier.

It brought a bittersweet emotion to see that the reason for his growth was the shadow of Chung Myung and not himself…

‘But it isn’t bad.’

Chung Myung was not a bad person to be a reason for growth. His insides felt like it was raging, and his stomach clenched only if you stood as his opponent, but if one thought of him as a superior, then he was eminently reliable.

Then, it should be considered a positive change…

“Moreover, isn’t this what Taoist Chung Myung suggested!”

“…uh?”

“It’s what Taoist Chung Myung is doing, so nothing can go wrong! I believe in him!”

“…”

No…

Didn’t it feel like something was going terribly amiss here?

Han Yi-Myung sighed, his expression filled with confusion. It was difficult to determine whether Seol So-Baek had matured or if he was simply being swept up in Chung Myung’s actions.

“Isn’t a monopoly a bit excessive, though?”

“What?”

“Well… this place is known as the North Sea…”

Jo Gul stared at Chung Myung, seemingly speechless.

As the son of a merchant, he understood the advantages a monopoly would provide. There was no need to go to great lengths; how much profit did Mount Hua earn from the Yunnan tea trade?

This situation was unique. The trade with Yunnan was a contract between the Beast Palace and Mount Hua on equal terms, ensuring the trade was conducted fairly.

However, if Chung Myung were to secure exclusive trade with the Ice Palace, the potential profit would be unimaginable.

Initially, it may not bring in a significant amount of money, but over the years, the profit would increase exponentially.

“Commander Han is no fool. Why would he agree to this?”

“You say such strange things, sahyung.”

“Huh?”

“He would accept it not because he is dumb but because he isn’t.”

“…”

Chung Myung smiled and said,

“Commander Han… No, the Ice Palace doesn’t have any other option but to accept it. And this is not a loss for the Ice Palace.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Ice Palace needed to witness the Demonic Sect’s true terror with their own eyes.”

“…”

“And there are still members of the Demonic Sect lurking in the world. If one high priest can do something like that, it means the other high priests could intervene at any time.”

“T-that is true.”

“And the Ice Palace doesn’t have the strength to stop them.”

“Ah…”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“We’ve spent too much energy in this war, and now the new Palace Lord, Seol So-Baek, is too young.”

“True.”

“It will take time for the Palace Lord to grow up and train new warriors to have the same strength as before. If something happens in the meantime, the Ice Palace will be ruined beyond repair. They won’t be able to do anything.”

“…”

“So, what is it that…”

At that moment, Baek Cheon, who had been quietly eavesdropping on their conversation, spoke up:

“The Palace requires a refuge.”

“Indeed, Dong Ryong. You have a keen ear.”

Baek Cheon, annoyed by being addressed by name, let out a sigh and responded:

“You’re not mistaken. Having exclusive control over something can be a burden. However, the Ice Palace, having suffered significant losses in power, will struggle to fend off the relentless attacks from the forces of the Central Plains, which will come at them like savage beasts.”

“That… is correct.”

Jo Gul nodded, indicating his understanding.

Merchants possessed a natural greed. And if you were a merchant who ventured to the Ice Palace in search of trade, you were sure to have a reliable sect supporting you.

Given the Ice Palace’s dwindling fame and prestige, it was only logical that they would be troubled and anxious if others were to encroach upon their territory.

“In order to buy time to restore their strength back to normal and get the Ice Palace to rise, and to protect the Ice Palace from the grasp of the Demonic Sect, they would need a sect to be their shield.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung nodded proudly.

In the past, he would have had to explain all of this word by word. But now, everyone would find an answer if he just gave them a hint.

Not only were their martial arts improving, but their insight was growing as well.

“I understand everything, but there is something peculiar about this situation.”

“What’s that?”

“Considering the Ice Palace’s perspective, doesn’t this mean that Mount Hua is seen as a sect capable of protecting them from other sects in the Central Plains and the Demonic Sect?”

“Correct. What’s your point?”

“Well… um…”

Baek Cheon wore an awkward smile.

Mount Hua, once troubled by creditors, had even lost its signboard a few years ago. Now, it felt both proud and awkward that the Ice Palace, one of the Palaces, would come to rely on such a place.

“I don’t know if the other side will even consider these situations, but if they take the time to think about it, they’ll probably come to a similar conclusion.”

“Huh.”

Baek Cheon chuckled at the confident voice of Chung Myung.

For some reason, he thought that they didn’t desire mere riches but were aiming for something grander.

“Do you believe Mount Hua will prosper because of this?”

“Absolutely.”

Chung Myung nodded.

“Despite its current challenges, the North Sea Ice Palace remains one of the Four Palaces in this fantastic realm, boasting a rich history and promising potential. With the right actions from the palace lord, the land’s former glory can be reclaimed.”

“Hmm.”

“As a result, our bond will strengthen.”

“… In the meantime, monetary transactions will also take place.”

“We live by helping each other.”

Baek Cheon’s smile widened upon seeing Chung Myung.

‘Even though it doesn’t seem like it.’

Well, it wasn’t important, and they had to move on now.

“But what I don’t get is…”

“What now?”

“Doesn’t that mean we have to defeat the other sects who will rush to feed the Ice Palace?”

“Yes.”

“But can we do that right now? No matter how strong Mount Hua is, it isn’t easy for us to deal with the other Nine Sects who have their dissatisfaction rise at this?”

“Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“I thought you had become a little smarter, but here you are, speaking useless things again.”

“…”

“Why would we do that? We were originally sent to monitor the Ice Palace and ended up taking care of everything.”

“…”

“If they had been considering all of this, they should have come to handle the situation. Conscience! If they have any! They should use it! Ughh!”

“…”

Upon hearing those words, all eyes turned to one person.

“A-ahem! Amitabha!”

And Hae Yeon’s face turned red with embarrassment. Chung Myung chuckled at this.

“Surely the abbot of Shaolin will also have to step forward unless he wants his beard pulled out. And the Nanman Beast Palace will assist as well. Even if they try to press me with the palaces’ titles, there won’t be any problem.”

“Ah… the Beast Palace.”

Everyone nodded, acknowledging the promise of the Beast Palace, while Chung Myung spoke confidently.

“Above all, once the Ice Palace joins the Heavenly Friends Alliance, everything will come to an end. Mount Hua’s name may not be sufficient to handle the Nine sects, but the Heavenly Friends Alliance will.”

“Absolutely, it will…”

The expressions on everyone’s faces brightened at those words.

“Once the Heavenly Friends Alliance is established, the Ice Palace will express its willingness to join. Then, it will be challenging for anyone to criticize the trading practices within the alliance.”

“A good thought.”

Baek Cheon, who understood everything Chung Myung was thinking, said,

“What that means is that you are going to leave all the responsibility to the Shaolin and the alliance and make Mount Hua fill their pockets by having a monopoly on ice crystals and the things needed for Mount Hua right now.”

“….”

“As expected of our sajil Chung Myung. He can even make the Devil cry.”

“If that happens, then he is worse than the Demonic Sect.”

“One vote for Chung Myung.”

“I vote for sago and sahyung!”

“…”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

‘He is an amazing one. Well.’

What started with a few light words from the Beast Palace Lord eventually grew big, and now a bond with the Ice Palace had also developed. It was not known where the plans were coming from for this bastard, but it wouldn’t be too much to consider this a good result.

“Then, is this roughly all done?”

“Because only the Ice Palace remains as a choice. Regardless of the outcome, I believe most things have been sorted out. All that’s left is the post-processing.”

Chung Myung gently tapped the chin of Baek Ah, who was perched on his shoulder.

“… This feels like hell.”

“I won’t even glance at the North Sea anymore.”

“… Don’t speak as if it’s already over, sahyungs. We still have a long way to go back to Mount Hua.”

Tang Soso let out a groan, but the others simply laughed.

“We must return now.”

“Yes, Sasuk.”

Mount Hua.

To their patiently awaiting home.