Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 28

Hyun Jong sighed softly, looking at the sunlight coming through the window.

Morning light can be cheerful for some. But for Hyun Jong, facing another day felt heavy, and the bright sun seemed to mock him.

‘Another morning.’

Another day had begun.

Two days had already passed. Counting the days Gong Luju had mentioned, only five remained.

Five days. Just five days.

Hyun Jong closed his eyes slowly.

‘Five days.’

If he couldn’t get ten thousand nyang (the currency they needed) in that time, Hwasan would lose its buildings and be thrown out.

People need three things to live: clothing, food, and shelter.

Losing their home meant losing their way of life.

Of course, the people of Hwasan would find other ways to live. But Hwasan could no longer be called Hwasan.

Some strong people might stay to keep the name Hwasan alive, but it would only be a name. For Hwasan, a famous clan for years, it was almost like a death sentence.

Could you say a once-great sect with thousands of students hadn’t fallen when it was down to just a few, barely keeping its martial arts going?

Those who lost their homes would leave. For a while, some would follow him, but as they struggled to survive, they would all leave to find their own way.

And so, slowly…

‘No.’

Hyun Jong shook his head strongly.

‘This is no time to be weak.’

There were still five days left. If he could get the money in that time, he could save Hwasan.

He was the Mount Hua Sect Leader. He couldn’t give up until Hwasan was gone. Everyone else might give up, but he couldn’t.

Hyun Jong raised his hand and rubbed his face. His stomach hurt, and he felt tired all the time from the stress.

He reached out to anyone who knew Hwasan, even a little. Letters about Hwasan’s trouble were sent everywhere. Surely, someone would help Hwasan.

If only one person would help…

A sad, empty laugh escaped Hyun Jong without him even noticing.

‘Someone to help.’

If they wanted to help, they would have already done it. Even when Hwasan was doing better, no one helped much.

And now, who would give ten thousand nyang to a Hwasan that had fallen so low?

‘It’s heavy.’ The worry was like a heavy stone on his chest.

He couldn’t avoid it. But Hyun Jong felt this weight crushing him more each day.

The thought that Hwasan might end with him was almost too much to bear. He couldn’t sleep and prayed that morning wouldn’t come.

Just then, someone called out.

“Sect Leader!”

Hyun Jong quickly straightened his robes.

No matter how he felt, he couldn’t show it to his students. Even if Hwasan fell apart tomorrow, he had to be the dignified Sect Leader they remembered.

“What is it?”

“Y-You need to come outside for a moment.”

“Hmm?”

Hyun Jong was confused. He stood up and went outside. Un-Geom stood there looking dazed.

“Un-Geom?”

Hyun Jong frowned.

Not Un-Am, but Un-Geom. Un-Geom was in charge of the Hundred Flowers Hall. If Un-Am had come, it meant something happened in Hwasan. If Un-Geom came, it meant trouble at the Hundred Flowers Hall.

But something happening at the Hundred Flowers Hall that the Sect Leader had to hear about directly, and so early in the morning?

“What’s wrong?”

“S-Sect Leader.”

Un-Geom looked strange, very surprised and worried.

‘What could have happened?’

Teaching young children was hard. Un-Geom was chosen for this job because he was so calm.

But now, even Un-Geom was upset.

“I’ll explain when we get there. Sect Leader! You must see it yourself.”

“Lead the way.”

Hyun Jong followed Un-Geom without another word.

He could have asked what was going on, but Un-Geom seemed to think it was urgent. He would find out soon enough.

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

Un-Geom moved ahead with quick, light steps. Hyun Jong followed closely.

‘Where is he going?’

Hyun Jong frowned. Un-Geom was heading to Lotus Peak, behind the Hundred Flowers Hall.

Why Lotus Peak?

Un-Geom didn’t answer. He just climbed Lotus Peak as fast as he could.

‘I’ll know when I get there.’

As he followed Un-Geom up Lotus Peak, he saw the younger students sitting along the path.

‘Huh?’

Why were they sitting there like that? And why did they look so tired?

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

The children were lying on the sides of the path. They couldn’t even look up to greet the Sect Leader. They were just breathing hard.

“W-What is this?”

Un-Geom was angry.

“You brats! Can’t you even respect the Sect Leader?”

“Leave them be.”

“But, Sect Leader.”

“More importantly, why are the children like this?”

“That’s…”

Un-Geom hesitated and looked away.

“Chung Myung! Where is Chung Myung?”

Chung Myung? Why was that name being mentioned?

Hyun Jong looked at Un-Geom, confused. Chung Myung was the new kid, but why was he calling for him?

“I’m here.”

Before he could ask, someone answered.

Hyun Jong turned and his eyes widened.

“Y-You, why? Huh?”

Chung Myung came from behind a tree, looking strange.

His face was white, and his lips were purple. The dark circles under his eyes were huge.

He looked like he could fall over and die.

“What happened?”

“Ah, sorry. I trained too hard…”

What was that? If training did that, no one in Jianghu would live long. It didn’t make sense.

Un-Geom spoke quickly.

“That’s not important now.”

Hyun Jong glared at him.

Not important?

“What are you saying!”

The master of the Hundred Flowers Hall was talking nonsense! The Hundred Flowers Hall was Hwasan’s future. The students there would lead Hwasan. How could the master say that?

“You need to come this way. Chung Myung found something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“Q-Quickly!”

Un-Geom was very urgent.

‘No….’

If anyone else was acting like this, he would scold them. But it was Un-Geom, the calmest person in Hwasan, acting like this.

Hyun Jong followed Chung Myung and Un-Geom into the woods.

“What is…”

Hyun Jong stopped talking.

He saw the dug-up ground and an old box. The box was half-open.

Hyun Jong’s eyes grew wide.

He could see it.

Something golden was shining inside the box. Only one metal in the world shone like that.

But Hyun Jong wasn’t just looking at the gold. He was looking at the books next to the gold.

The titles of the books were drawing him in.

『The Great Hwasan Sect Hwa-Eum Hyeon Business Ledger』

The title was very long and had numbers at the end, which seemed strange.

“T-T-This…?”

Hyun Jong couldn’t believe it.

Why was this here? And why was it with that gold?

He was afraid to touch it. He worried that if he did, it would disappear like a dream.

“H-How did you find this?”

“That child found it.”

“That child?”

Hyun Jong turned to Chung Myung, who looked half-dead.

“H-How did you find this?”

Chung Myung spoke weakly.

“E-Early morning… Early morning training…”

“What?”

Hyun Jong listened to the quiet voice. Un-Geom explained.

“I think he means he climbed Lotus Peak for early morning training.”

“Early morning training? When did we start that?”

“It’s been a while since we started. Since that child came.”

“Huh?”

Since that child came? How long had it been?

‘Ah, no. That’s not important now.’

He could ask later.

“So, you found this while climbing Lotus Peak for early morning training?”

“I was tired and resting in the woods. The ground was hard where I sat, so I looked and saw something sticking out. I dug it up to see what it was…”

“And then!”

“The things inside were so… amazing that I thought I should tell you instead of looking myself.”

“S-Speak slowly. What kind of training makes you so tired?”

“Training is… the base of a martial artist…”

“Yes, I understand. Go and rest! I’ll check it myself.”

Hyun Jong walked to the chest. He put his shaking hand inside, reaching for the books, not the gold.

“The Great Hwasan Sect Hwa-Eum Hyeon Business Ledger.”

Hyun Jong said, lost in thought. His hands trembled, showing how worried he was.

He didn’t want to open the books. If he did and the old pages fell apart, he would never forgive himself.

“Hwasan Sect History.”

This was a history of Hwasan. It might not be as useful as the ledger, but it was important to the Hwasan Sect Leader.

Hyun Jong carefully placed the books down. He saw the title of the next book.

“S-S-Sev…”

His eyes twitched.

“Seven… Seven Plum Sword Records?”

He was shaking.

“This is here… This is…”

“S-Sect Leader!”

“Krrrrrk.”

Hyun Jong fainted.

“Sect Leader!”

“Get a grip! Sect Leader!”

Hyun Jong smiled as he passed out.

This chest had more than just money and books. It had hope.