Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 413

Doh Woon-chan stared at the scene in front of him. People were kneeling in a row in the large hall. He started to speak, but then stopped. He didn’t know what to say.

It was strange to see everyone kneeling. But it was even stranger to see the demon standing at the end, with his arms up as punishment. Doh Woon-chan thought, ‘This is not what I expected from Mount Hua at all.’

‘But is that really a punishment?’

Someone like that could strike another person and send them flying. How hard could it be for such a master to kneel and raise his hands a little?

Except for the matter of face…

“Can’t you hold them up straight!”

The demon, who was slyly trying to lower his arms, raised them sharply again at Hyun Jong’s roar. His face was sulky, but it was amazing how well he listened.

‘They called him the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.’

That… no, that person.

The Divine Dragon of Mount Hua.

It was hard to describe Doh Woon-chan’s feelings as he watched ‘the’ Divine Dragon of Mount Hua kneeling and being punished before his very eyes.

“Tsk.”

Hyun Jong’s face turned red with anger, his eyes wide as he roared.

“Taoists? You call yourselves Taoists! Threatening people with things from other sects? Are you threatening people now?”

“…No, that’s…”

“Quiet!”

Hyun Jong bellowed, and Baek Cheon and his party, who were kneeling, all lowered their heads at once.

Hyun Jong, who rarely got angry, was now three times more terrifying.

“Baek Cheon!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

“You should have stopped your junior brother from causing trouble! What was the reason for you following him all the way to Xi’an!”

Baek Cheon’s face was pale and sad, his shoulders slumped. He could only open and close his mouth, unable to continue speaking.

Sect Leader.

If you were to order me, Sect Leader, I would throw myself into raging flames without hesitation.

But that is because it is something I can do. What am I to do if you ask me to do something I cannot do even in death…

“The rest of you are the same! You call yourselves Taoists, yet you couldn’t stop this outrage, and instead, you were all giggling along?”

“We weren’t giggling…”

“Shut up!”

As Jo Gul tried to make excuses, Yoon Jong elbowed him in the side.

“Ugh.”

Yoon Jong, having neatly dealt with Jo Gul, lowered his head deeply. Yoo Iseol also kept her mouth shut with a sulky face.

“And…”

Hyun Jong’s eyes began to emit a rage like a volcano.

“You… you, the Elder… ugh, the Elder…”

“Sect Leader!”

“Please calm down, Sect Leader! You’re not well!”

“Water! Quickly, bring some cool water! Quickly!”

Hyun Jong’s hand trembled as he looked at Hyun Young. Even Hyun Young, who always grumbled, couldn’t bear the rage at this moment and simply averted his gaze.

“You blockheads!”

It was a bizarre sight to see a Taoist calling another Taoist a blockhead.

As Hyun Jong tried to charge again, Hyun Sang hugged him from behind and pulled him back.

“Now, Sect Leader! There’s a guest! A guest!”

“A guest? What about a guest! Now that they’ve threatened someone with another sect’s Sect Leader Seal, what more is there to show! What more is there to be ashamed of, I say!”

“J-Just calm down first!”

Unable to charge any further because he was being held by Hyun Sang, Hyun Jong, unable to release his anger, took off his remaining shoe and threw it at Hyun Young. The shoe whistled through the air.

Hyun Young ducked his head sharply, avoiding the flying shoe.

“Get out! Get out, you lot! I’ll find you a suitable place to set up a bandit’s den and live there! You’re worse than bandits!”

Chung Myung glanced around and slyly whispered to Hyun Young.

“Wow, he’s *really* angry this time, isn’t he?”

“It’s alright. When wasn’t he? He’ll calm down soon.”

Hyun Jong slumped down in his seat as if the sky had fallen, and sighed deeply.

“How did Mount Hua end up like this?”

“It’s better than it used to be, though.”

“You shut your mouth! You!”

Hyun Jong glared, and Hyun Young cleared his throat before turning his head again.

“Haaa.”

Hyun Jong, who sighed as if the ground was sinking, finally turned to look at Doh Woon-chan.

Doh Woon-chan was still shocked by what he saw. He flinched when Hyun Jong looked at him.

“…Well, that…”

As if he had no strength left, Hyun Jong said weakly.

“I am truly sorry. I took them in as disciples but failed to teach them properly… This is all my fault as the Sect Leader, so please, blame me.”

“Ah, no! Sect Leader!”

He had no desire to blame Hyun Jong.

And even if he had wanted to blame him, with the guy kneeling and raising his hands while grinding his teeth with a look that said, ‘Say one word,’ what could he say?

‘What is this place, anyway?’

He had formed relationships with various sects, but he had never seen a place like this.

That this absurd place was Mount Hua, currently the most famous in the Central Plains, was enough to make him feel a sense of betrayal.

“Of course, the Sect Leader Seal… No. No, it is our fault for not managing it properly. I have no complaints as long as I can receive the Sect Leader Seal.”

His determination to hold Mount Hua accountable was long gone.

No matter how he looked at it, this sect was not a place that Doh Woon-chan could handle. The best thing to do was to avoid getting involved as much as possible and retrieve the Sect Leader Seal.

“Of course, I intend to return the Sect Leader Seal.”

“But I found that…”

“Shut your mouth!”

Chung Myung, who was trying to slip in at this opportune moment, pouted his lips, startled by Hyun Jong’s stern order.

“But before that, there is one thing I need to confirm.”

“Yes? What confirmation…”

“Are you truly the Young Lord of the Illusory Spirit Sect, and the rightful heir to receive this Sect Leader Seal?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes were now those of a stern Sect Leader.

“The Sect Leader Seal is an extremely important item. It is not enough that you say you are from the Illusory Spirit Sect. There is infighting within a sect. I do not want this Sect Leader Seal to cause chaos in the Illusory Spirit Sect.”

“Ah…”

Doh Woon-chan looked at Hyun Jong with new eyes.

Having only seen him throwing his shoes a moment ago, he thought he was just a frivolous person, but he was more intelligent than he thought.

“Yes, Sect Leader. It is true that there was infighting within the Illusory Spirit Sect, but it has all been resolved now. As soon as I return with the Sect Leader Seal, I will ascend to the position of Sect Leader of the Illusory Spirit Sect.”

“Can you prove that?”

“Prove…”

Doh Woon-chan trailed off with a slightly troubled face. Unless he took them to the Illusory Spirit Sect, there was no real way to prove it.

“That is a little difficult, Sect Leader.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong pondered for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Then let’s do this. I will give the Sect Leader Seal to one of my disciples. Then, the Young Lord can take that disciple to the Illusory Spirit Sect. I will tell them to hand over the Sect Leader Seal as soon as the confirmation is complete.”

“Ah! That would work.”

Doh Woon-chan’s face lit up with joy.

The Sect Leader Seal was an important item that could determine the prestige of a sect. If someone with ill intentions got their hands on the seal, it could bring great harm to the sect.

So, even if it was troublesome, he would confirm it before handing it over to prevent a great disaster from befalling the Illusory Spirit Sect. It was a sufficiently thoughtful solution.

Besides, wasn’t he saying that he would return the Sect Leader Seal as soon as it was confirmed?

It was truly a sight befitting someone who followed the path of the immortals.

However…

“The Illusory Spirit Sect is a long way off. Are you sure you’re alright with that?”

“I have many children who are used to long journeys, so that’s fine. However…”

Hyun Jong changed his expression and looked back at Chung Myung and the other disciples.

“The question is: can you behave? Behave!”

Chung Myung turned his head.

“Jo Gul, Sasuk. Is the Head Abbot calling for you?”

“It’s you, you little troublemaker!”

“Both of you, be quiet. Please.”

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth. His face was pale, like he was about to cry.

Baek Cheon was once the respected and proper Great Sasuk, the pride of Mount Hua. Everyone had high hopes for him. Now, he was kneeling, being scolded for not stopping his junior brother’s trouble.

‘I wish they would all just disappear,’ Baek Cheon thought miserably. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could disappear into the floor. All his training, all his discipline, ruined by this… this menace.

Baek Cheon felt lost in the chaos, completely despairing. But Chung Myung, who started it all, wasn’t worried at all.

“But, you see!”

“I swear, I’m going to shut that mouth of yours!”

“No, no. I really have something to say!”

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with a face full of distrust before sighing.

“What are you going to say now?”

“Come on, Head Abbot. Do you think I would call someone over for no reason? It’s me, Chung Myung! Chung Myung!”

I know. I’m like this because I know you’re Chung Myung.

“Head Abbot.”

Hyeon Young carefully stepped forward to support Chung Myung.

“This could be good for the Yuryeong Sect too. I didn’t do it without thinking, so please, just listen for a moment.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong, after pondering, sighed deeply once more.

“Go on, then.”

Chung Myung quickly put his arms down and jumped up. He went right up to Do Woon-chan and grinned.

“Why… why are you doing this, Sodo Master?”

“Hey, Sect Leader. No, Little Sect Leader!”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever thought about making some money?”

“Yes?”

Do Woon-chan’s face went blank.

A moment later.

“So…”

Do Woon-chan’s eyes fluttered.

“The Yuryeong Sect’s movement skills are the best in the world, so…”

“That’s right! It’s super, super fast.”

“Using those movement skills…”

Not just his eyes, but now even Do Woon-chan’s lips were twitching slightly.

“To do escort work?”

“Hey, not escort work. It’s express delivery, I tell you.”

Do Woon-chan stared silently at the young Taoist priest before him.

‘They call him the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua,’ Do Woon-chan thought. ‘Dragons are supposed to be mysterious and impossible to understand, right? Well, this nickname fits him perfectly.’ Do Woon-chan still couldn’t understand what Chung Myung was talking about!

“L-listen, Sodo Master,” Do Woon-chan stammered.

“I understand what you are saying, Sodo Master, but… No, we are martial artists, not escorts.”

“What’s a martial artist?”

Do Woon-chan hesitated. ‘A martial artist is someone who uses swords and fists,’ he thought, but he didn’t say it out loud. Chung Myung didn’t wait for an answer and spoke again.

“I am a martial artist, but also a Taoist priest.”

“Y, yes, that’s right.”

“So, what I’m saying is, it’s normal for martial artists to have other jobs. Why can’t we do escort work? Lots of people learn martial arts to become bodyguards or work for escort companies, right?”

“That’s true, but…” Do Woon-chan glanced at Gye Hyeong. Gye Hyeong also looked confused, like he was hearing this for the first time.

“I understand what you mean, Sodo Master. But aren’t many escort companies already doing that? What’s the point of us doing it now?”

“Hey, it’s different.”

“Yes?”

“Sasuk Jo Gul!”

“Huh?”

Jo Gul, who had been listening quietly from the side, perked up his head.

“How long does it take to send goods from Sichuan to Beijing?”

“To Beijing?”

“Yes, Beijing.”

Jo Gul frowned slightly, pondering.

“It depends on the time of year and things like weather, but it’s about five thousand *li* from Chengdu to Beijing. That would take at least three months.”

*Li* is a unit of distance in China, approximately half a kilometer or a third of a mile.

“Three months?”

“That’s the minimum. And actually, when you’re transporting goods, you have to stop at other places on the way. So, it could take twice as long.”

“So, it could even take half a year?”

“That’s right.”

Chung Myung turned his head sharply to look at Do Woon-chan.

“You understand?”

“What, what are you talking about?”

“How can someone with a hasty temperament live if it takes half a year to receive one item?”

…

“How long would it take for someone from the Yuryeong Sect to travel from Chengdu to Beijing?”

“Well, we can’t travel a thousand *li* in a day, but five hundred *li* is easy. So, about ten days.”

Chung Myung reached out and grabbed Do Woon-chan’s shoulder firmly.

“How many people do you think would pay *extra* to get their things delivered in ten days?”

Do Woon-chan’s head spun. ‘Would people really pay more just to get something a bit faster?’ he wondered. Half a year to ten days… that’s a big difference. “No way… there can’t be people like that…” he mumbled.

“There are.”

Jo Gul said firmly.

“Lots of escort companies are already doing that. They charge two or three times more to deliver things faster, by taking shorter routes and not stopping as much.”

Jo Gul grinned.

“There are plenty of people who care more about time than money.”

Chung Myung nodded and whispered in Do Woon-chan’s ear.

“He might look like a local tough guy, but he’s the son of one of the Ten Great Merchants of Sichuan.”

“I can hear you! You little punk!”

Jo Gul’s shouting didn’t even register with Do Woon-chan. He was completely stunned.

‘This can make money?’

For a moment, he was tempted. But Do Woon-chan quickly regained his senses.

“I, I understand what you’re saying. But this isn’t a matter of money. But first, our duty is…”

“You don’t understand at all.”

…

Do Woon-chan’s head turned to the side at the interrupting voice.