Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 670

Hyun Jong looked at everyone in the hall without a word. Silence fell instantly, heavy and expectant. You could feel the tension in the air, thick enough to taste. People in the crowd swallowed hard, their eyes fixed on him.

This was Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. He was the leader of their martial arts group, the Mount Hua Sect.

Not long ago, he had led a small, unimportant group, barely noticed by the larger martial world. But now, no one would dare to think of him so lightly. The powerful Sichuan Tang Family had given him the place of honor, and even rulers from distant lands bowed their heads in respect.

*Is it true?* some wondered. *Does power change a man so much?*

Hyun Jong didn’t shout or try to look intimidating. He simply looked around the hall calmly. Yet, from him came a feeling like a warm, gentle breeze on a summer day, mixed with a powerful weight that seemed to press down on everyone present.

Those who knew Hyun Jong from before felt his changed status keenly. Those who didn’t know him were silenced by the dignity of the Mount Hua Sect Leader.

However, Hyun Jong didn’t particularly acknowledge the attention focused on him.

“Indeed…”

As if he understood the situation, he let out a long, deep sigh.

“…I can’t help but wonder why this scene feels so familiar. Is it just my imagination?”

No, Sect Leader. It’s not your imagination… You’ve seen it often. Indeed.

Jo Gul’s gaze turned towards Hyun Jong. Or rather, it was fixed on the person standing behind him.

“…Th-that…?”

“…Ah, my martial uncle.”

Baek Cheon stood behind Hyun Jong with a pleased smile. The look in his eyes as he gazed at the other disciples seemed to say, ‘You fools. You should have brought the Sect Leader here first.’

“…Turns out, the truly clever ones are different.”

“No, when you think about it, he just left after watching us go through all that trouble trying to stop that madman, didn’t he?”

“It’s a bit infuriating, isn’t it?”

“Shhh.”

The Mount Hua disciples, who had been whispering amongst themselves, quickly shut their mouths at the gesture from Yoon Jong, who had approached them unnoticed.

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong’s gaze turned towards Yang Kyung.

“I am Hyun Jong of the Mount Hua Sect.”

“…I am Yang Kyung of the Honam Cheongbaek Sect.”

Yang Kyung spoke with a slightly cowed expression. Yang Kyung’s voice trembled slightly. He felt small under the intense gaze of the Mount Hua Sect Leader, realizing the gravity of his situation. He had never imagined that such a prominent figure would suddenly appear.

In any sect, the Sect Leader generally does not move about carelessly. The Sect Leader is the representative of the sect. Because every word they utter determines what kind of place that sect is, they inevitably have to be cautious.

Yet, the Mount Hua Sect Leader had revealed himself here before his other disciples had even arrived.

Yang Kyung hunched his shoulders as if suffocating from the rapidly changing situation.

“May I ask what is happening?”

“…Yes, Sect Leader. The thing is…”

Yang Kyung explained what he had experienced. Of course, since he was speaking from his own perspective, he appropriately minimized his own faults, and slightly exaggerated Cheong Myung’s outrageous behavior… No, well, there wasn’t really anything to exaggerate. He just said it as it was. There was nothing more to exaggerate.

“That is what happened.”

“Hmm.”

Having heard all of Yang Kyung’s words, Hyun Jong furrowed his brow deeply. Then, he looked at Cheong Myung, who was still being restrained by his disciples.

“Cheong Myung-ah.”

“Yes.”

Even though the story was skewed towards Yang Kyung’s side, Cheong Myung didn’t particularly object and answered obediently. Because it was true that a similar incident had occurred.

“I see.”

Hyun Jong looked at Cheong Myung, who stood tall, and slowly nodded.

“I have one question.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Do you have even the slightest shame for what you have done?”

“No.”

The answer came immediately, without a moment’s hesitation.

Hyun Jong stared intently at Cheong Myung, then nodded. And he shouted a little louder.

“Unam!”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

Unam, who had been standing as if guarding Hyun Jong, immediately bowed his head with a fist salute.

“Escort Sect Leader Yang Kyung and the people of the Cheongbaek Sect out of Mount Hua.”

“Yes!”

“From this day forward, entry to Mount Hua is forbidden to the Cheongbaek Sect. And I declare that they can no longer have any relationship with Mount Hua.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

Yang Kyung’s face turned the grey of ash in an instant.

“Sect Leader!”

He looked desperately at Hyun Jong. But Hyun Jong didn’t even glance in his direction, instead tsking as he looked at Cheong Myung.

“Still, a Taoist should know how to be patient.”

“There’s a time to be patient, and a time not to be patient, isn’t there?”

“So. You distinguished between them and chose not to be patient this time?”

“That’s not it… Hehe.”

Cheong Myung scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and Hyun Jong shook his head as if he couldn’t help it. But only for a moment, then he said quietly.

“Well done.”

“…”

“If something like this happens again in the future, you don’t have to be patient then either.”

“Yes.”

Cheong Myung puffed out his chest as if he was told to do a great thing. The disciples’ faces were horribly distorted.

“Ah, no, Sect Leader… If you say things like that…”

“How are you going to handle the aftermath…?”

“Th-that’s not right. Please!”

Meanwhile, the assembled people couldn’t help but be astonished. Unprecedented events kept happening. It was the first time they had seen a Sect Leader step forward so readily in such a matter, and it was also the first time they had seen that Sect Leader defend a disciple who had kicked the face of another sect’s leader.

But the most bewildering thing was that the young disciples were arguing with the words of their sect leader.

Even the elders, who should have been scolding them, and the first-generation disciples guarding them, didn’t show any particular reaction, as if it were natural and familiar.

Hyun Jong smiled gently.

“If problems arise, you can just stop them like this time.”

“…We couldn’t stop him, though.”

“And we won’t be able to stop him…”

“Hahaha.”

Hyun Jong, who ignored the disciples’ sadness with a kind smile, glanced at Yang Kyung. The eyes that had been full of warmth as he looked at his disciples suddenly became sharp with coldness.

“What are you doing? Get them out!”

“Yes!”

Yang Kyung looked around with trembling eyes as he saw the first-generation disciples approaching him. And he shouted.

“Sect Leader! Is this truly the will of Mount Hua?”

Hyun Jong didn’t answer.

“Is it truly Mount Hua’s intention to protect those outsiders and oppress the sects of the Central Plains? Are you saying that in front of all these people?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“It seems there is a deep misunderstanding.”

“Yes?”

As Hyun Jong opened his mouth, the first-generation disciples who were approaching Yang Kyung stopped walking. Hyun Jong spoke in a loud voice so that everyone could hear him clearly.

“Mount Hua does not protect the people from beyond the lands. No, Mount Hua does not discriminate against people based on their origin or background, whether they are from beyond the lands or from the Central Plains.”

“Th-then how…”

“Mount Hua merely protects its friends.”

“…”

“Please be aware. The Beast Palace from the wild south and the Ice Palace from the frozen north are friends of Mount Hua, and they share the same purpose. Mount Hua will not tolerate insults against its friends. If anyone insults them, Mount Hua will fight back, no matter where it is.”

“Th-that…”

Yang Kyung was speechless.

There was no way to refute it. The most important thing here was that the Sect Leader, who could be said to be Mount Hua itself, was taking the side of those sects from beyond the lands and scolding Yang Kyung.

Yang Kyung’s courage was too small to overcome that pressure.

Hyun Jong then looked around at everyone in the hall. As if he wasn’t just talking to Yang Kyung.

“As long as it is under the name of the Heavenly Union, Mount Hua will not stand idly by while its friends are treated unfairly! Even if it is to Mount Hua’s detriment!”

Those who met Hyun Jong’s eyes subtly lowered their heads and avoided his gaze. They couldn’t dare to receive that gaze, as much as they had subtly sided with Yang Kyung.

“So…”

Hyun Jong paused for a moment. And he quietly put his hands together and made a fist salute. A gentle smile returned to his lips.

“I hope everyone will not dwell on minor incidents and enjoy the Opening Ceremony.”

“Y-yes, of course!”

“I understand, Sect Leader!”

As answers quickly came back from here and there, Hyun Jong straightened his back.

“Sect Leader Yang.”

“Yes? Yes!”

Yang Kyung answered hastily, startled. A slight hope rose from one corner of his heart. But all he could hear was a cold voice.

“Lead your disciples and leave Mount Hua.”

“Sect Lea…”

“I am ending it at this level because it is a good day. If you had dared to insult them in front of Mount Hua like today at any other time, I would not have tolerated it.”

Yang Kyung bit his lip and couldn’t say anything.

He couldn’t know what repercussions the Mount Hua Sect Leader’s remarks would have, or what would happen. However, the only thing that was certain was that there was not a single person in this place who would stand against Hyun Jong and take his side.

“I won’t say it twice.”

That cold voice was the final blow.

Yang Kyung, who had lowered his head, turned around and retreated without a word. Behind him, the disciples of the Cheongbaek Sect, who had also lowered their shoulders, followed.

Cheong Myung, who was quietly watching them head towards the mountain gate along the path opened by the parting crowd, gnashed his teeth.

“Ah, I should have beaten them up more!”

“…You beat them up enough, you madman! How much more were you going to beat them up!”

Being expelled from Mount Hua was embarrassing enough, but what was more serious was the fact that their faces had been kicked by a third-generation disciple.

If this fact became known, they probably wouldn’t be able to hold their heads up for a while.

Of course, it would be difficult to hold their heads up anyway because of the large footprint on their faces.

“Tsk. Well, whatever. Anyway, I humiliated them.”

“Yeah, yeah. So calm down…”

“Ugh, but thinking about it makes me angry again! What, barbarians? I should rip that bastard’s mouth…”

“Ah, please! Stop it!”

“Stop it, you bastard!”

The disciples grabbed Cheong Myung again. Hyun Jong smiled contentedly at the sight.

“Haha. They really have a good relationship.”

“Does this look good to you? Does it?”

“Ah, please do something!”

“Hahaha.”

Hyun Jong put his hands behind his back and looked at the distant mountains, and the faces of the Mount Hua disciples were horribly distorted.

‘He’s doing this knowing everything!’

‘I hate him sometimes! I really do!’

At that moment, the disciples of the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace walked out from among the crowd and stood in front of Hyun Jong. Their faces were quite embarrassed.

“…Thank you, Sect Leader.”

“We’re unnecessarily…”

“Please don’t say that.”

But Hyun Jong shook his head firmly.

“Rather, I am very sorry that those who came from afar had to hear such unpleasant words. Mount Hua will take care to prevent this from happening in the future, so please, cheer up.”

“…Sect Leader.”

The eyes of the disciples looking at him were filled with emotion. They fully felt that Mount Hua’s words of considering them as friends were not just empty words.

This was an indescribable emotion…

“Wouldn’t it be impossible for those who just open their mouths carelessly to speak if we beat their mouths to death and knock out all their teeth? Let’s start with those guys from earlier.”

“…”

Emotion…

That emotion…

“Hey, you bastard, does that even make sense?”

“Why doesn’t it make sense? You have to get hit if you talk nonsense! And this isn’t just ignoring those people! It’s ignoring us!”

“Why does it turn out that way again?”

“Think about it! If this was Shaolin, would that bastard have dared to say that to a sect allied with Shaolin? He would have been bowing and scraping, saying please take care of us, wouldn’t he?”

“…Huh? Come to think of it, that’s right?”

“That’s right! This is ignoring us! We have to peel off their skin! We have to bring those bastards back!”

“Hey!”

“Why? Are you going to stop me again?”

“No. Let’s go together. Thinking about it, I’m getting angry too!”

“Right?”

The disciples of the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace, who had been standing awkwardly, looked at Hyun Jong with awkward faces.

Then Hyun Jong opened his mouth with the most benevolent smile.

“Un Geum-ah.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“…Lock them all in the Repentance Cave to cool their heads.”

“…Yes.”