Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 671

The afternoon sun beat down on the worn wooden gates of Mount Hua. Dust swirled around Chung Myung’s kneeling figure as he held his arms up, a picture of reluctant punishment. Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with complete sadness. The older teachers and other students around him looked the same way, their faces mirroring his despair.

“Uh…” Hyun Jong started, then stopped. He couldn’t find the words. He raised both hands and covered his face, a deep sigh escaping him.

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung, still kneeling with his hands raised, answered casually.

“I’m asking just in case…”

“Yes?”

“You… you do know that you are a Taoist, right?”

“Yes, of course!”

I’ve lived in the Taoist sect for years!

“Yes… you know. You know… but…”

Hyun Jong stared blankly at the ceiling, as if he couldn’t bring himself to continue.

This Chung Myung was the one who had kicked Yang Kyung in the face in front of so many people.

He was the Chung Myung who had escaped while on his way to the repentance cave and ended up being caught by Baek Cheon and Un-geom while trying to beat up Yang Kyung even more.

If Baek Cheon and Un-geom hadn’t found Chung Myung quickly, Yang Kyung would still be in the medical hall, getting needle treatments from Tang Soso. It would have been very bad for Yang Kyung.

“Please… please, just live like a Taoist. Please…”

“No, Sect Leader! Listen to me. That bastard was disrespecting Mount Hua, you know?”

“You disrespect Mount Hua the most! You the most!”

“Me? Oh, come on.”

“Kkeueueueung!”

“Hehe. It seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding. I was just trying to talk nicely. Would I ever resort to violence…”

“Raise! Raise your arm straight, your arm!”

“Tch.”

Chung Myung pouted and raised his arm again, sticking it close to his ear.

Hyun Jong’s heart felt heavy.

‘That so-called greatest disciple of the younger generation…’

The people visiting Mount Hua wanted to see Chung Myung more than Hyun Jong or Tang Gunak.

After briefly greeting Hyun Jong, they were all searching for Chung Myung without going down the mountain. They wanted to see for themselves what the rumored Divine Dragon of Mount Hua looked like.

But that guy was acting like that…

“People should grow up when they get older…”

“Ah. I have something to say about that.”

“Huh?”

“Hehe. It seems like that would be a bit difficult. Wouldn’t it be peaceful if we just gave up cleanly?”

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Raise your arm higher.”

“…”

“Arm, arm! Higher!”

Chung Myung raised his arm higher with a sullen face. At that moment, a very displeased voice came from one side.

“No, a child can do that! What did he do so wrong that you’re even punishing him? Chung Myung-ah, put it down! Your arm must be hurting.”

There was no way a martial artist like Chung Myung would have a sore arm from standing for a short time, but Hyun Young seemed displeased even with that.

“Isn’t he getting worse because you keep coddling him like that!”

“What are you talking about!”

Hyun Young glared, causing Hyun Jong to flinch slightly.

‘Was I too harsh?’

Hyun Young said with fire in his eyes.

“When did that Chung Myung get worse?! He’s been consistent from the first time I saw him until now! He hasn’t changed at all!”

“…”

Uh… yeah… that’s right… He’s been like this from the beginning.

“And in my opinion, he’s even gotten a little better. He only hit him once this time, didn’t he!”

“That’s something to be proud of.”

Hyun Jong felt deep sadness that he, as the leader of Mount Hua, couldn’t even shout angry words at this troublemaker.

“And it’s more of a problem to endure hearing those words! How dare they utter such words in Mount Hua? As Chung Myung said, it’s not just looking down on the people from beyond the border as barbarians. It’s laughing at, ignoring, and mocking Mount Hua, which made an alliance with them!”

“That’s right!”

When Chung Myung agreed with enthusiasm, Hyun Jong suddenly glared at him with fiery eyes.

“Just… uh… yes.”

Chung Myung lowered his head again with a sullen look. The Mount Hua Five, who were watching, let out a low exclamation.

‘Wow, he suppressed Chung Myung with just a look.’

‘As expected of the Sect Leader!’

‘Wow… that’s possible?’

What’s so great about the Sect Leader of a sect suppressing someone with a look? But if that someone is Chung Myung, it becomes an earth-shattering event.

“You just stay still.”

At that moment, Hyun Sang, who had been silent, sighed and stepped forward to stop Hyun Young. Hyun Young bristled.

“No, did I say anything wrong?”

“Just be quiet! Huh? Quiet!”

Hyun Young pouted.

Hyun Jong’s heart was burning to ashes as he looked at the elder and the third-generation disciple pouting in unison.

Un-am, who had been watching the two elders bickering, smiled and opened his mouth.

“Sect Leader.”

“Hmm?”

“I rarely take Elder Hyun Young’s side, but this time, the elder’s words are not wrong. In my opinion, Chung Myung doesn’t seem to have done anything particularly wrong.”

“He went out of Mount Hua just to beat him again?”

“That’s not a mistake, but rather a matter of personality… Ahem.”

No. Well, let’s put that aside for now.

“It was something that should have been dealt with firmly.”

Un-am said once again in a serious voice.

“This is not simply a matter of aversion to the Saeoe Sagung. Even if they didn’t have good feelings about Saeoe, they wouldn’t have been able to say such things here if they respected Mount Hua.”

“That’s right! If it were Shaolin, these bastards wouldn’t have been able to open their mouths…”

“Be quiet!”

“You shut your mouth!”

“Know when to butt in and when not to! You punk!”

Chung Myung, who was hit by the criticism pouring in from all directions, stuck close to the door.

“You don’t have to go that far.”

“Don’t pretend to be hurt!”

“Tch, it doesn’t work!”

Even though Chung Myung was complaining, the others kept talking.

“First of all, it will be an opportunity to clearly convey Mount Hua’s position to the Bukhae Ice Palace and the Nammae Beast Palace, who came all the way to this distant Mount Hua. If Chung Myung had stepped in just a little later, they might have thought that Mount Hua was no different from the sects of the Central Plains that had rejected them in the past.”

“Hmm, I think the same way.”

There is still a large wall between the Central Plains and Saeoe. Mount Hua has broken through that wall and formed a friendship, but relationships can change at any time.

Relationships need constant care.

If they become too relaxed just because they made a good first impression and start being careless, the Bukhae Ice Palace and Nammae Beast Palace might change their minds.

“Although it was a bit extreme, Chung Myung’s actions will have been a clear signal to the disciples of the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace. At least, it’s a signal that Mount Hua, unlike other Central Plains people, is someone who can really stand on their side.”

“There’s no clearer signal than that.”

“Isn’t it a problem that it’s too clear?”

“Signals should be given appropriately.”

However, it was clear that Chung Myung’s actions this time had brought about the result of uniting the Cheonwoo Alliance.

“Sect Leader.”

“Continue.”

At Hyun Jong’s words, Un-am nodded.

“The executives of the Bukhae Ice Palace and the lord of the Nammae Beast Palace seem to trust Mount Hua very much, but the leader’s will does not necessarily coincide with the sect’s will, does it?”

“That’s right.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

It may be an unpleasant story to hear from the perspective of the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, but Hyun Jong’s face did not show any displeasure.

“Perhaps the disciples of the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace still have anxiety about Mount Hua. Considering the years they have lived rejecting each other, distrust will not easily disappear.”

“So you’re saying that we had to show them rather than tell them?”

“Yes. I think it was appropriate.”

Hyun Jong’s strange gaze turned to Chung Myung.

Of course, Hyun Jong also had similar thoughts and defended Chung Myung in that place. But…

‘Did he really think and act?’

He already knew that Chung Myung was not a foolish guy who moved his body before his head. The Chung Myung he knew moved his body before his head, but he was smart… Hmm… this doesn’t mean anything.

“And one more thing. The most important thing is that it became a warning to other sects.”

“Hmm?”

Un-am said in a firm voice.

“The world only knows that the Cheonwoo Alliance is newly formed, but they don’t know what kind of place it is.”

“That’s right.”

“If the two palaces and Mount Hua had yielded to them in this matter, there would have been places that would have looked down on the Cheonwoo Alliance.”

“…”

“Don’t we already know? Kindness does not necessarily return as kindness. To be treated kindly, we need to show strength and determination.”

“You’re right.”

They had experienced it to the point of being sick of it. How meaningless the kindness of the powerless is.

The disciples of Mount Hua, who were reminded of the memories of the past, hardened their faces.

“We must clearly show them. That the Cheonwoo Alliance is by no means an easy place and that it does not tolerate rudeness.”

“That’s right! If you stay still, you become a pushover!”

Those who were listening seriously frowned and turned to Chung Myung all at once.

Chung Myung says awkwardly at the unified gaze.

“Did you all plan this without me knowing today?”

“In the meantime, you really don’t think you’re wrong at all.”

Hyun Jong sighed.

There was nothing wrong with Hyun Young’s words. This guy was really consistent and hadn’t changed at all.

At that time, Chung Myung said.

“The world is originally like that.”

“Hmm?”

“Once you start being looked down on, problems keep arising. Humans originally test the waters when they have easy targets in front of them. They think, ‘You’ll tolerate this much, right?’”

“…”

“So you have to catch them properly from the beginning. Then the clumsy guys can’t stand up to you. So first, grab them by the collar at the first meeting!”

“That’s enough.”

“Yes.”

Hyun Jong sighed again and thought.

The words were right.

The problem was that he said the right things in a frustrating way and made the right actions in a way that made him grab the back of his neck.

Hyun Jong, who tasted his bitter taste, turned to the other disciples. Then he closed and opened his eyes for a moment. His eyes became clear as if he had organized what he wanted to say.

“Of course, people and groups act differently depending on where they stand. But Mount Hua’s position has changed too much, too often in a short period of time, so you must be confused as well.”

“…”

“But when things get like this, you need to stay calm. When you’re not sure what to do, just remember this:”

Everyone’s attention was focused on Hyun Jong.

“You don’t have to try to do something for the sake of what is changing.”

It was a somewhat unexpected remark.

Hyun Jong smiled as he looked at the upright gazes of the disciples waiting for the next words.

“You are already doing well enough. The proper actions you must take will already be melted into the past teachings. The place where your heart goes is the path that Mount Hua will take, so trust yourselves and don’t waver.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

“We will keep that in mind.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

This kind of thing will happen countless times in the future. As Mount Hua’s influence grows and there are more things to do, they will be forced to make more choices.

They cannot always make the best choice each time. But if they know where to go and move forward, wouldn’t they eventually reach the place they need to reach, even if it’s a crooked and winding road?

“Change is bound to be accompanied by anxiety.”

Hyun Jong’s voice calmly calmed the disciples’ hearts.

“Let’s move forward firmly. Believing in what we have done so far.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

Hyun Jong smiled quietly at the truly energetic answer.

“Finally, tomorrow is the opening ceremony. Let’s do our best to prepare.”

“Yes!”

The day when the Cheonwoo Alliance was finally launched was approaching.