Return of the Mount Hua

But please understand (3)

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With sharp, sunken eyes, cracked and parched lips, rough and weathered skin that resembled a gnarled tree-bark, and a face drained of color, everything about Mangeum Daebu told the tale of the hardships he had endured.

However, even without looking at his face, it wasn’t very difficult to guess what he had been through. Most notably, the severed arm from just below the shoulder was a clear indicator of his plight.

Mangeum Daebu glanced at the person sitting across from him. The person who was half-sprawled on the throne, looking down at him, had an exceedingly haughty gaze.

It was impossible to discern whether the look in their eyes was disdain, apprehension, or perhaps mockery. It might have even contained all of those emotions, or none at all.

Mangeum Daebu consciously straightened his shoulders. Otherwise, they kept involuntarily slouching.

Was this person here because they had committed a crime?

Certainly, that could be a possibility. But that wasn’t all.

In just three years, the person he knew as Jang Ilso had become someone entirely different.

In just three years, Jang Ilso had become so well-suited to the throne that not even Mangeum Daebu could help but feel overwhelmed by their presence.

“…A dull joke,”

Jang Ilso remarked in a languid voice.

“It hasn’t been long since the Black Dragon King had his arm severed on Mehwado, and now Mangeum Daebu shows up with his arm missing… At this rate, we might need to recruit a limb prosthetic specialist in Sapaeryeon.”

“…”

As Mangeum Daebu remained silent, Jang Ilso tilted his head. Sometimes, it wasn’t fun to engage in a conversation with someone who didn’t take jokes.

“Fine, say what you have to say,”

Jang Ilso continued.

“Try explaining yourself or persuading me. I don’t know if presenting your case will help cover the fact that you recklessly fought against the Magyo and lost an arm, but go on.”

A sinister glint mixed with a hint of laughter pierced Mangeum Daebu. It was a stark contrast to his lifeless eyes, but the current Mangeum Daebu had experienced something too shocking to be frightened by that gaze.

“…Bishop,”

He struggled to release his locked lips.

“That… is not a human.”

Jang Ilso’s eyes darkened ominously.

“As compensation for giving up one arm, you sure understood something significant.”

“I’m not trying to make excuses, Ryeonju.”

Mangeum Daebu’s lips began to tremble slightly. Even thinking about the Bishop seemed arduous and painful for him.

“Nothing worked. Nothing… not even the sword I plunged into that monster’s chest managed to harm it.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Jang Ilso’s eyebrows twitched.

Setting aside his personal feelings towards Mangeum Daebu, Jang Ilso couldn’t ignore the fact that his Twelve Paths of the Ghost King was second to none, even in his own assessment. But the idea that this very same Mangeum Daebu couldn’t even inflict a wound on someone was unrealistic.

“Tell me more,”

Jang Ilso demanded.

“I’ve never encountered something like that in my life. That’s something a person can’t do anything about. Nothing worked… really, nothing at all.”

“A person can handle anything that exists in this world,”

Jang Ilso replied.

“Our country’s heroes already eradicated those Magyo a hundred years ago. So, now you’re saying this? What a feeble joke.”

“Is it really a joke?”

In response to Mangeum Daebu’s question, Jang Ilso’s eyes briefly showed annoyance.

He still believed it was an unrealistic tale, but he couldn’t just dismiss it since it was coming from Mangeum Daebu. The discomfort came from one simple reason: Mangeum Daebu himself was the one making these absurd claims.

If it had been Black Dragon King or Cheon Myeon Susa [천면수사(千面手士) – The Thousand Faced Man] making such remarks, he could have easily ignored them, even though they were frightening. But this was Mangeum Daebu.

Jang Ilso knew he is the one who didn’t lose his senses even when his head was about to be chopped off.

“I… I didn’t even understand. No, to be honest, I was just terrified.”

“So…?”

Jang Ilso spoke in a very serious tone.

“Are you saying that this ‘Bishop’ is so powerful that even someone of your caliber can’t do anything against him?”

Mangeum Daebu hesitated, clearly needing to gather his thoughts.

“It’s a bit different. He was undoubtedly strong, unbelievably so. He faced a hundred of my elites and me simultaneously without receiving a single wound.”

As if reliving that scene, Mangeum Daebu shivered.

“But… yes. Now that I think about it, it is indeed strange.”

“Instead of mumbling to yourself, why don’t you explain it properly? As long as you haven’t lost your mind.”

Pressed by Jang Ilso, Mangeum Daebu took a moment to ponder, then spoke in a slightly cracked voice.

“…I couldn’t unleash my full strength.”

His words made Jang Ilso’s eyes light up.

“Explain in more detail.”

“There was nothing wrong with my body, and I certainly felt the pressure, but that alone doesn’t explain it. I gave it my all, but my sword felt different. It was as if… yes, it was like wielding a sword in very deep water.”

Jang Ilso slowly licked his lips.

“Demonic Arts…”

Tales about Magyo were always dubious.

Among them, the most absurd thing is how they managed to consistently push the entire Central Plains despite considerably lower numbers.

Even though they were fanatics, these beings born from humans wouldn’t have learned anything significantly different.

But as he listened to Mangeum Daebu, it seemed like the strange aspect of their nature was starting to unravel to some extent.

“I felt like I hit a wall. A wall that was impenetrable by anything.”

Jang Ilso stared ahead, his face frozen in thought.

Looking back, the evil factions never gained any reputation in the battles against Demonic Cult. In their last war against Magyo, the whole Sapa had been swept away without a fight.

Isn’t it common for evil factions to submit to someone stronger?

It was a ludicrous idea.

Submission implied that they received something in return, like the guarantee of survival. When Magyo, which left no way to spare those who submitted, was the opponent, what sense did it make to bow down to them?

Sapa’s leaders at the time probably took action against Demonic Cult. However, strangely enough, there are no mentions of them dealing with Magyo.

If that’s the case, the interpretation becomes all too obvious.

“It’s a matter of balance, I suppose.”

“……Probably.”

Jang Ilso tightly pressed his temples.

According to Mangeum Daebu’s words, Magyo’s martial arts might act as a kind of counterbalance for the Sapa.

‘No, not just for us.’

If that was the case, Magyo’s Demonic arts wouldn’t be able to sweep away the entire Gangho. It must be something that devours most of the middle-level martial arts.

‘But how?’

Is that realistically possible?

Who in the world could create something like that? If it was possible, it had to be considered beyond human capabilities.

‘……No.’

Strength flowed into Jang Ilso’s fingers as he continued pressing his temple.

‘No, this isn’t it.’

People like Jang Ilso, when faced with a situation, would try to grasp the cause and principles behind it because they found it uncomfortable to not understand.

But sometimes, it’s better to focus on the phenomenon itself rather than understanding it. Denying what you can’t interpret will only lead to your defeat sooner or later.

‘Interpret it as it is.’

Even if it doesn’t make sense or if it’s something he can’t understand with his mind, accepting it in this situation would yield better results than denial.

“How many of them are there?”

“I couldn’t determine that properly.”

Jang Ilso furrowed his brow.

“But it’s certain that they are not a large group. Aside from what I’ve seen, there don’t seem to be any other Bishop.”

“…They might be deserters or a select group. Or perhaps, they could be all that’s left of Magyo.”

Mangeum Daebu nodded in agreement.

“In that case, the solution is simple. We just need to find a way to kill that Bishop.”

“Forcing a direct confrontation might not work. His martial arts seem to be highly specialized in mass slaughter.”

“In other words, you lost your arm and ran away from someone like that. You talks big nonsense. You seem to have lost all shame, Mangeum Daebu.”

“You’ll come to understand.”

Jang Ilso’s eyes dimmed slightly.

But Mangeum Daebu, seemingly oblivious to his reaction, stared blankly into space and muttered.

“When you face that monster in person… Shame will be a luxury… You’ll understand. For sure…”

“Tch.”

Jang Ilso clicked his tongue in annoyance. Then he leaned back in his chair.

‘Of all things, it had to be Hangzhou.’

In war, the most important thing is military funds. And the fact that Magyo has chosen Gangnam, the wealthiest area, of all places to start this fire is self-evident. If that place is destroyed, it will undoubtedly cause a significant financial setback for the Sapaeryeon. We must resolve this as quickly as possible, no matter what means we have to use.

Silently, he closed his eyes and calmly assessed the situation.

‘The solution is…,’

How much time had passed? When Jang Ilso opened his eyes again, they sparkled with cold determination.

“Sen-Do [선도(仙道) – Tao Of The Immortals],”

he uttered.

“…”

“Taoists [선도로군 – seondorogun], I mean.”

Finally, Jang Ilso chuckled as if he had found the solution.

“If demonic cultists posses the power that defies common sense, the only thing that can break it is ultimately Sen-Do(仙道) or Bul-Do [불도(佛道) – Buddhist Way]. I never thought I’d end up believing in superstitious nonsense like the energy of Pa-Sa [파사(破邪)의 기운 – pasa-ui giu – The Power to Dispel Evil], but well…”

He gazed up at the ceiling with a sense of resignation.

“But…rather than denying what has already happened and covering it up, I suppose I should become a foolish zealot as well.”

With a nod, Jang Ilso slowly rose from his seat. Mangeum Daebu watched his movements closely and asked,

“What are you planning to do?”

“I need a sword,”

Jang Ilso replied, his eyes gleaming coldly.

“The situation is far from ideal. It doesn’t seem as simple as facing a ridiculous enemy with two useless arms, you know. It would be the worst-case scenario if I were to take action and fail. Then everything would crumble. Failure is not an option.”

“…”

“Then, I must obtain a proper sword. A sword that can surely sever the monster’s head.”

Mangeum Daebu understood without the need for a detailed explanation who Jang Ilso meant by ‘sword’.

“Do you think they will comply?”

“Heh, you’re talking nonsense. I don’t expect them to comply. I intend to make them comply.”

“…”

A mischievous glint flashed in Jang Ilso’s dark eyes.

“The world is quite interesting. I never thought I’d be extending a hand to them. Hahahaha.”

His hearty laughter resounded through the room.

After laughing for a while, he confidently strode forward, making clanking noises with his ornaments.

Mangeum Daebu stood behind him, gazing at Jang Ilso’s back with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation in his eyes.

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