Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1303. Is there a place to rest on this earth? (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Step. Step. Step.
A man draped head-to-toe in black robes strode down the pure white marble path like a tiger.
His expression was icy, and his footsteps carried a weight mixed with unmistakable hostility.
“S- Stop right there!”
"You cannot proceed further!"
Just as he reached the long stairway, the guards crossed their spears to block his path.
Anyone observing this scene closely would surely sense something amiss.
The place these guards were protecting was none other than the residence of Paegun Jang Ilso, ryeonju of Evil Tyrant Alliance.
Even if they were nothing more than watchdogs, the value of the house they guarded determined their own worth.
Guards protecting Jang Ilso's quarters should command respect from anyone belonging to Evil Tyrant Alliance.
Yet clear tension lined the faces of those confronting the black-robed man.
As if they were blocking someone they could not afford to block.
“Step aside.”
"Rye- Ryeonju-nim commanded that no one be allowed in..."
The man in complete black merely stared at the guards in silence.
One of the guards flinched and instinctively lowered his head.
“I’ll say this one last time. Step aside.”
After a moment's silence, the guards' spears slowly withdrew.
Ryeonju’s orders were absolute.
But the man who had approached them just now made them reconsider that absolute command.
He had that much power.
No sooner had the spears withdrawn than the man resumed his stride.
He climbed the white marble staircase with swift steps and, without hesitation, pushed open the grand doors of the main hall.
Creaaaak!
The door creaked open violently, and the man quickly scanned the interior.
Then he stepped inside without hesitation.
"Y- You cannot enter here!"
"Leave at once!"
Panicked servants rushed forward to block his path.
But the man in black shoved them aside as if they were mere nuisances and continued strode deeper inside.
"Where is Lord Ryeonju?"
"Y- You can't..."
"I asked where is he!"
When the man in black roared, the attendants’ eyes instinctively darted toward one side of the room.
Noticing their glance, the man turned and walked in that direction.
"N- No!"
The few servants desperately blocked his path...
No, to be exact, they threw themselves in front of the door he was approaching, blocking it with their bodies.
"You absolutely cannot enter here! Lord Ryeonju will be furious!"
“Move.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Is that so?”
Udeuk.
The black-robed man slightly clenched his fist.
It was clear he was moments away from beating them down and force his way in.
But just then, a languid voice called out from behind the servants.
"Why all this fuss?"
“Lo- Lord Ryeonju!”
The servant turned back hurriedly with pale faces.
The tightly closed door swung open and a man walked out unhurriedly.
Paegun Jang Ilso.
He appeared through the open door.
His voice carried the usual air of leisure and gentle, and his expression clearly showed signs of annoyance, yet something about him was starkly different from how Evil Tyrant Alliance's disciples had commonly known him.
The hair he usually kept neatly tied and combed back hung loosely around his face, and his upper body was exposed without clothing.
His upper body was bare, his exposed skin covered in countless scars—so many that at a glance, it looked as though his body had been etched with tattoos.
And surprisingly, his body was drenched in sweat.
With every step he took, hot droplets of sweat dripped heavily onto the marble floor.
The sweat that had run down seemed unable to endure his body's heated energy and rose as steam along his skin.
"Br- Bring a cloth to wipe Lord Ryeonju body! Quickly!"
"Yes!"
The flustered servant began moving busily.
It was even more disconcerting because Jang Ilso was almost never seen in such a state.
But the man in complete black knelt down with a composed motion, showing no sign of being fazed by Jang Ilso’s unusual appearance.
“I greet Lord Bangju.”
Jang Ilso casually brushed the strands of damp hair from his face with an indifferent gesture.
At that moment, the flustered servants returned hurriedly and offered the pure white cloth with both hands.
“Lo- Lord Ryeonju. H- Here….”
Jang Ilso glanced briefly at the servant’s pale face and let out a faint smile.
“Why are you trembling?”
“W- We….”
"No need to quiver. It is not your fault."
Jang Il-so's gaze turned to the prostrate man.
"If there's a fault, it lies with the one who ignored your words and entered here. Don’t you agree?"
Despite the obvious and clear rebuke, the man's expression remained unchanged.
He simply kept his head bowed in silence.
"Now then, tell me."
Jang Ilso looked down at him with sharp gaze.
"What matter brings you here?"
The man in black raised his head and met Jang Ilso’s gaze directly.
He knew too.
How precarious his current situation was.
Jang Ilso had an almost pathological aversion to being seen during his training.
Was it because he was practicing demonic arts that humans shouldn't learn, arts that would incur heaven's wrath?
Or was there some hidden weakness in his martial prowess that needed to be concealed?
Neither.
Training meant pushing oneself to the limit and exhausting one’s internal strength.
And for someone like Jang Ilso, the intensity would necessarily be extreme.
In other words, he was more vulnerable to attacks than at any other time.
There was no way Jang Ilso would tolerate anyone approaching him in such a state.
So if the black-robed man couldn't provide a proper answer here, Jang Ilso would certainly exact payment for this transgression.
Nevertheless, the man in black looked at Jang Ilso without the slightest wavering and calmly opened his mouth.
“Bangju. No, Ryeonju.”
“….”
"I have something to report."
"Report?"
Jang Ilso repeated with half-opened eyes.
"Humm. A report…"
His lips, tinged slightly blue without makeup, curled up eerily.
"It must be important, yes? Important enough to improve my foul mood?"
Jang Ilso's eyes flickered.
It was a signal of danger.
But the bloodthirst that had been simmering in his gaze quickly subsided as the man in black continued speaking.
"There’s something unusual about the movements of the armies sent to Hainan Island."
“….”
"In my judgment, it was a matter requiring urgency."
“Hmm.”
After a brief silence, Jang Ilso handed the cloth in his hand back to one of the servants.
He then looked at the man in black with a thoughtful expression before clicking his tongue lightly.
He turned his body and began walking.
“Follow me.”
"Yes."
Step. Step. Step.
Jang Ilso strode leisurely toward one side of the hall.
The servants waiting in advance swiftly opened the doors in time with his steps.
A large, ornate bathroom filled with hot steam revealed itself.
Jang Ilso walked straight into the bath situated in the center of the room.
Submerging himself to his upper body, he leaned against the bath wall and languidly tilted his head back.
It wasn’t a particularly grand movement, yet it exuded overwhelming arrogance.
His loose, long black hair flowed gracefully across the water's surface.
Jang Ilso spoke.
“Jeok Ho.”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
"Continue what you were saying. Right, you said something about Gamyeong acting strangely?"
“To be precise…”
The one called Jeok Ho swallowed dryly before continuing.
“Rather than strange, it’s suspicious.”
“…Suspicious?”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
The steaming hot water continued to produce a mist that faintly veiled Jang Ilso’s face.
But Jeok Ho could guess what kind of expression Jang Ilso was making right now without even looking.
“…I’m aware that you all don’t particularly like Gamyeong. But this seems a bit petty, doesn’t it? Even when trampling on someone, one must maintain a minimum level of dignity."
"This is no slander, Ryeonju."
"Hm?"
Jang Ilso stared at Jeok Ho as if urging him to provide a clearer explanation.
"After arriving at Hainan Island, the daily reports to headquarters have ceased."
Jang Ilso’s eyes narrowed slightly at those words.
The reports Jeok Ho referred to were the regular updates Ho Gamyeong had been sending to the headquarters.
Jang Ilso himself trusted Ho Gamyeong and didn’t feel the need for such reports, but Ho Gamyeong had nevertheless adhered to principles so thoroughly it might have seemed inflexible.
Even if he knew Jang Ilso wouldn’t bother looking at the reports he sent.
"Ceased... Ceased. Does this mean something has happened?"
Jeok Ho pulled another report from his robe and placed it on the floor.
"And this is the report that arrived today."
Jeok Ho unfolded the report and presented it to Jang Ilso.
Jang Ilso looked at it for a moment.
The corners of his eyes twitched slightly.
"The battle with Hainan Sect... is taking longer than expected?"
“Yes.”
Several reasons were written below.
But those reasons did not register to Jang Ilso.
The only thing that mattered was this: given Ho Gamyeong’s abilities and the armies he commanded, there was no way the battle with Hainan Sect should have been prolonged.
Unless someone had intervened, Hainan Sect could never stand against Ho Gamyeong.
That meant this report was either false or incomplete.
“Hmm.”
Jang Ilso’s eyes narrowed further.
"Who opened this report?"
“I did.”
Jang Ilso looked at Jeok Ho as if amused.
Reports sent by Myriad Man Manor's dispatched forces are sent to the manor itself, so anyone of sufficient rank could read them.
But if the report sent by Ho Gamyeong was a little different.
Though that may be the rule, who would dare casually open reports sent by Ho Gamyeong?
Jang Ilso wouldn't bother looking unless it was urgent, and others wouldn't dare open Ho Gamyeong's reports, so that report would never have seen light.
Had Jeok Ho not finished his secluded training early and come to headquarters ahead of schedule.
Chalrang.
Jang Ilso's fingers lightly tapped the water's surface.
“So… something’s happening down there that I’m not aware of?”
His gaze darkened slightly.
"As the matter wasn't certain enough to report to Ryeonju, I personally investigated several additional matters."
After finishing his explanation, Jeok Go gazed silently at Jang Ilso.
Jang Ilso slowly nodded, signaling him to continue.
“From what I’ve found, mobilization orders have been issued in the name of Ho Gamyeong to small and mid-sized sects in the south.”
"...Mobilization orders?"
"Yes. And... this isn’t entirely certain yet, but…"
A slight trace of tension crossed Jeok Ho’s face.
"There are signs that Hao Sect is on the move."
This news carried a different weight from the earlier report.
Jang Ilso muttered slowly.
"Leave aside those worthless small and medium sects... Hao Sect..."
When all this information was pieced together, the conclusion became clear.
“Gamyeong….”
Chalrang.
He tapped the surface of the water repeatedly with his fingertip as if calculating something.
"Gamyeong is deceiving me…"
Jang Ilso's elongated eyes curved like a crescent moon.
Cold sunken gaze, and gently curved eyes.
Two opposing emotions coexisted in that brief moment, creating an eerie and chilling atmosphere.
"Is that what you're saying?"
Unhurried and gentle tone.
But the overwhelming weight contained within was pressing down on the air inside the bathroom as if to crush it entirely.
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 10 Chapters
|Note
Comments Box