Return of Mount Hua Sect

“Kyaa! It tastes good!”

A statement that came from the throat.

Even before the sun had set over Mount Seosan, the people gathered at its base were drinking heavily.

“I am really offended by those disgusting pirates!”

“That is right! Damn it, they are so stubborn they can’t see where they are going! Those who cannot even use their strength in front of Shaolin or Wudang!”

“That is why they are the Evil Faction!”

The drunken people shared their thoughts and a glass of joy.

Just because the toll that the pirates made them pay disappeared, it didn’t mean life was in bloom right away. However, the joy of being able to at least keep all the money they earned was a relief compared to meeting a knife-wielding robber on the vast river.

“Tsk. To put it conversely, doesn’t it mean that we haven’t done something that should have been done just once?”

“Yah! They say that if you save a drowning person, they give you a bundle of things. That is exactly what you are saying. These are all normal people! The work should be done now, too, so why look here for something?”

“Right! That is right!”

It was true that at first, there were people who looked at the Nine Great Sects and Namgung family who arrived at the Yangtze River, all belatedly chasing after Mount Hua, with suspicious eyes, but now it had all vanished.

Whatever the reason, whether they came early or late, wouldn’t it be good if the pirates were cleaned out?

“Well, I hope they drive out all the pirates like this.”

“Don’t expect too much. How can they drive out so many of them? That’s something even the officials cannot do.”

“The officials cannot? They aren’t doing it! Aren’t they just sitting by and watching us get attacked because they cannot use a ship? If a high-ranking official gets robbed by the Evil Faction, they will run to take down the pirates, right?”

“Well, that is too much. I wonder if they continue to reside in the Yangtze River.”

“That, too, remains to be seen. I heard that some of the Mount Hua sect is residing here?”

“Uh? What does that mean?”

“I just heard that the Mount Hua people are sailing ships around the place where they cleared out the pirates. A ship which goes across the river regularly.”

“Isn’t that a common occurrence until now?”

“I don’t know. Wasn’t it a daily occurrence for ships that operated so regularly to get robbed? Even the ships which come and go irregularly can easily be robbed, so a ship which departs with a set time and route is no different from a well-done meal.”

“Right.”

“But what kind of courage would the pirates have to mess with Mount Hua? It might be a long way from Guxiang, but now we don’t have to worry about being taken down by pirates when heading up the River!”

“R-right.”

“And in order to do that, Mount Hua people will probably stay in their positions for some time. Then maybe we won’t have to care about the pirates around here.”

“If only it were so!”

One by one, people began to grow hopeful.

If they no longer have to worry about being attacked by pirates, they wouldn’t just be able to make a little more money right away. As more money is made, more money can be spent, and when more money is spent, offsetting becomes active.

People shared a drink cheerfully, dreaming of a day when the Yangtze River would be filled with people and luggage.

But in such places, there was bound to be someone who blew out the candle.

“I don’t know. I wonder if it will turn out so well.”

“… what are you even saying?”

“If the pirates vanished like that, would there have been any cases of new pirates in the Yangtze River?”

“You, again….”

“The 18 Families. They are one of the Shenzhou Five clans. They will not simply suffer like that. And maybe this is a bad thing for us.”

“Why? Why is it bad news if that happens?”

“Isn’t the reason we’ve been able to travel along the water by paying tolls to them because they wanted money from us?”

“We know that.”

“But once something like this happens, those people can’t think of spending their lives plundering the Yangtze River. So, wouldn’t they just try to snatch the money in front of them before the subjugation comes again?”

“… that…”

The person who was speaking shook his head.

“If you touch a snake without safety, it will turn to poison for the hand. If they get upset and retreat, the anger of pirates will come for us. And will those noble bastards really protect the Yangtze till the end? Are they going to risk their lives protecting the pirates?”

“….”

Everyone closed their mouths.

They wanted to deny it, but there was definitely some truth to it.

“I don’t know if that will be the case. But I hope not.”

“Pathetic.”

“N-Now! Stop the gloom and drink! Drink!”

As the air cooled down, people became excited and raised their voices to drink again. However, the anxiety that had sunk in remained curled up in their hearts until the drinking party ended.

---

“Did you say the base was empty?”

“Yes!”

Beop Gye sighed.

“Tracking? Is it possible to track them?”

“It isn’t easy. Rather than fleeing to land like bandits, they took a ship and moved to the middle of the Yangtze….”

“…”

“We need ships to attack those in the Yangtze River. But fighting on them…”

“Must be difficult.”

“I guess so.”

“Right. There’s nothing you can do about it. First, look at the empty base and inspect it.”

“Yes, elder.”

Beop Gye’s eyes sank.

He was in no position to show it, so he pretended to be calm on the outside, but inside he was quite anxious.

‘This is bad.’

If the pirates escaped by ship again, Shaolin would be unable to pursue them. As he said a moment ago, engaging in war with pirates on the water was like inviting disaster onto themselves.

Of course, if the goal was to destroy them, even if it meant taking some damage, he would have gone ahead. But this fight wasn’t a fierce one where the pirates and Shaolin battle for their fate. Wasn’t the goal to achieve more results with less damage than other sects who came to the Yangtze River?

‘There is a higher chance that we stall and waste time.’

The Yangtze River was wide.

Even if they didn’t run away to the middle of the river, it would still be a tough task to sweep through the wide and long Yangtze River and eliminate the pirates. It would be impossible, no matter how great Shaolin, Wudang, Qingcheng, and Namgung that were all gathered at the Yangtze were.

Beop Gye looked at the Yangtze River, lost in thought.

‘Right now, we are attacking with one mind and one goal, but if even one of the four sects decides to withdraw…’

Then, the other sects would start to feel irritated.

‘No, that is still a long way off.’

For now, it was right to concentrate on the task at hand.

But just one thing.

‘Oddly, there is little resistance.’

Anyway, the opponent was the Yangtze River’s 18 Families. At this point, even the bandits would have moved…

‘I guess I am just aging. Amitabha.’

Beop Gye shook his head.

It was a movement as if he was trying to shake off the doubts filling his mind.

---

Hangzhou.

Above the sky was Heaven, and below it were Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Hangzhou, located by the West Lake, was one of the most beautiful cities in the entire Central Plains. Its outstanding scenery has inspired countless poets since ancient times.

But Hangzhou wasn’t just famous for its beautiful scenery.

A place where one could experience all the joys, luxuries, and pleasures in the world. The city best described as a night city was Hangzhou.

The time was three in the morning. Although not a single star could be found in the cloudy sky, the night in Hangzhou was brighter than the day. Lanterns lit up here and there, making the streets dazzlingly bright.

“Now then! We have amazing drinks and even more amazing snacks!”

“The best places on the top floor are empty! It is the perfect place for heroes!”

“It’s full of rare food brought in from Xi’an!”

The dazzling night streets were filled with the voices of people walking around and of those soliciting customers.

And among the night scenes of Hangzhou, there was a most notable place.

The tallest 10-story pavilion in Hangzhou, the Musk Incense Tower.

There, at the top floor window, a man was drinking alone. It was a strange sight.

The price of a place on the top floor of the tower was enough to cover the living expenses of an average family for months. If they drank alcohol, they would have to pay 10 times more than on the lower floor.

And yet, there was an empty place on the top floor of Musk Incense Tower.

This place, which overlooked the streets of Hangzhou and the West Lake through the open window, was the symbol of Hangzhou. It wasn’t just because the entertainers of Hangzhou were there, but also because the children of families who came to Hangzhou from the rumors somehow tried to leave behind memories of having visited the top floor of the tower.

But today, there was no one up there.

No, there was just one person seated there on the spacious floor. If someone who didn’t know saw that, they wouldn’t believe their eyes.

But if someone who knew saw the scene, they would nod like it was natural, and if someone who knew better saw this, they would immediately turn and run.

This was because the man enjoying the best seat there was none other than Jang Ilso, the Hegemony Lord.

“Hmm.”

He looked at the yellow alcohol in the glass and mumbled.

“Shaoxing wine.”

There were countless varieties of alcohol sold under the name Shaoxing all over the world.

But the true Shaoxing wine was made from the waters of Lake Gan in Zhejiang. In other words, one could only truly taste it if they went to that specific place.

Moreover, the alcohol that the Hegemony Lord was currently tasting, considered premium in Shaoxing, was of top quality and sold exclusively in the restaurant.

“Intoxicated by scent….”

The Hegemony Lord smiled and took a sip.

As expected.

The scent was indescribably deep and unique. The moment he sipped it, he felt as if his entire body was drenched in the aroma.

“How delightful.”

Of course, the alcohol of Guangxi, where his base was, and the alcohol of Guizhou were not inferior to the alcohol in Zhejiang.

But even if the alcohols were similar, the scent and feel were different. It was impossible to rank which one was the best.

The world was vast and diverse. Countless alcohols were made everywhere, each with its own unique characteristics.

An ordinary person would die without tasting even one-tenth of the alcohol produced in all parts of the world.

“Same here.”

Savoring Shaoxing wine wasn’t a tough task.

However, the true essence of local famous alcohol could only be understood when one went to that specific area and tasted it.

Could it be that the alcohol they drink in Guangxi and the alcohol they drink in Hangzhou are the same?

When one thinks about it that way, it feels boring, like being trapped. Then how many lands in this wide world could this person step on?

The Hegemony Lord gulped down another glass of the alcohol he loved and lightly rubbed his lips with the tip of his index finger.

‘But there isn’t much left.’

He would put the world under his feet.

He would have more land under his feet than anyone else and drink more alcohol than anyone else.

“This is Jang Ilso.”

At that moment, he began to hear footsteps from downstairs.

“Hmm.”

He turned his gaze to the stairs. Soon, a giant man, completely covered in black clothing, appeared.

“You little brat… How dare you ask me to come?”

“Welcome, Black Dragon King.”

Jang Il-so flashed a bright, triumphant smile.