Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 890

Hyun Jong sat stiffly at the head of the long, wooden conference table. His gaze was fixed on the doorway, but his mind seemed far away.

Boxes and bundles of all shapes and sizes were stacked high, almost scraping the ceiling. Some were tied with rough rope, others wrapped in colorful cloths, creating a chaotic mountain of gifts.

Blinking, Hyun Jong surveyed the scene before slowly turning his gaze to Hwang Jong-i, who sat beside him.

“All of this is…”

“Gifts.”

“Gifts?”

Hyun Jong frowned.

Ever since Mount Hua had risen to fame, gifts from influential figures had been arriving constantly. Hyun Jong accepted the gifts. An old and a young disciple insisted they should not refuse such kindness, especially since Mount Hua was poor. But Hyun Jong always felt a little uncomfortable about it.

But now, gifts were arriving even for the Eunha Merchant Guild, which wasn’t even part of Mount Hua. This stirred displeasure within him.

“…Is it really necessary to stack them up like this?”

Hwang Jong-i smiled pleasantly, watching Hyun Jong forcibly swallow the words urging him to send them back.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. These gifts were sent by the ordinary people of Seoan to show their thanks to Mount Hua.”

“…The people of Seoan?”

“Yes. Things they harvested from their farms and goods they sold in their shops. They are not worth much money, but I thought the Sect Leader would appreciate these kinds of gifts, so I made sure they were brought inside.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Hwang Jong-i saw Hyun Jong’s lips twitch. Hyun Jong couldn’t hide his annoyance when he thought the gifts were from rich people. But when he heard they were from ordinary people showing thanks, he couldn’t hide his pride.

‘Usually, it’s the opposite.’

That’s what makes the Mount Hua Sect so interesting.

“It’s a kind gesture.”

“It seems we weren’t too late, thankfully.”

Hyun Jong nodded emphatically at Hyun Sang’s words.

Just then, Hong Daekwang, who had been cautiously observing from a corner, tentatively raised his hand. He was immediately met with a sharp rebuke.

“Honestly.”

Those two words alone were enough for everyone present to instantly recognize who had spoken.

“This isn’t a marketplace. What is some back-alley beggar doing here?”

“B-Back-alley beggar? I’m still a Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Union, you know!”

“That’s exactly why I’m asking why a Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Union is here. Are you part of the Cheonwu Alliance, old man? Did the Beggars’ Union leave the Nine Great Sects and join the Cheonwu Alliance without my knowing?”

Hong Daekwang wore a pleased smile.

‘Even a mongrel would become more serious after three years, you little rascal.’

How could he remain so unchanged after three years? It was almost embarrassing to call it consistency.

“W-Well, that’s not important…”

“Wow, now he gets to decide what’s important. Should gather all the back-alley beggars and have a massive bowl-breaking ceremony or something.”

Hong Daekwang desperately ignored Chung Myung and asked Hyun Jong.

“Where have you been? I came to Mount Hua, but there was no one there…”

“Ah.”

Hyun Jong replied casually, as if it were nothing.

“We were in seclusion, but it became difficult to train solely within those walls, so we moved our residence.”

“But, why…”

Hyun Young answered with a deeply contorted expression instead of Hyun Jong.

“How can anyone train when things are being broken and smashed every single day?”

Oh… That’s true.

Even when Hong Daekwang had looked around, it was so wrecked that he thought someone had invaded.

“We were lucky to move when we did,” Hyun Young grumbled. “If we stayed, we’d be rebuilding Mount Hua from scratch, forget Seoan! You need walls for seclusion, you know. I don’t understand how they can train so destructively! Tch!”

Hyun Young clicked his tongue as if he was still furious, and Hyun Jong gave a wry smile.

“There was also the problem that people kept coming to visit despite the seclusion, making it difficult to focus on training. So, we had no choice but to leave the sect and train in a remote, secluded mountain where no one would find us.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than disgruntled voices began to erupt from the Mount Hua disciples.

“Eating tree roots.”

“Hunting wild boars.”

“Why? Would you rather be cutting down trees to build pavilions?”

Hyun Young glared, and the Mount Hua disciples quietly turned their heads away.

Hong Daekwang still had unanswered questions and asked.

“Then how did you know and arrive in time? Did you see the fleeing people of Seoan while breaking your seclusion?”

“Hmm?”

Hyun Jong looked at Hong Daekwang as if he didn’t understand what he was saying.

“What are you talking about?”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you come to Mount Hua and look for us?”

“H-How? There was no one at Mount Hua!”

The moment Hong Daekwang’s eyes widened, Chung Myung’s chest puffed out, and something white quickly popped out from inside. It then stood on its hind legs on the table and stuck out its belly.

“…Th-That thing.”

Hong Daekwang’s face went blank.

Baek Ah, standing on the table, wore a proud expression… It was astonishing that an animal could make such a distinctly proud face. If it could speak, it would surely be saying, ‘Ahem.’

“Look at that, look at that. Showing off just because he did one little thing to earn his keep. Should have skinned him a long time ago.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, and Baek Ah, who had been sticking out his belly, became dejected and looked at Chung Myung with his big, black eyes before lowering his gaze.

Baek Cheon chuckled.

“He’s more than earned his keep. If he can save even one more ordinary person, I’d feed that little guy for the rest of my life.”

“That little bastard eats as much as a cow! Is Sahyung going to earn all that money?”

“…I’m just saying.”

Chung Myung shook his head and glanced sideways.

“Well… There are some humans who can’t earn their keep either.”

Twitch.

“No. Still, even so. For a Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Union not to sense a single animal… What? No one there? No one?”

Hong Daekwang, at a loss for words, blankly stared at Baek Ah. Looking at the stark white fur that was so obvious, he couldn’t think of any excuses.

Fortunately, Hyun Jong came to Hong Daekwang’s rescue.

“We couldn’t leave Mount Hua completely unguarded, so we had that little one watch over it. We had to take the dogs with us to feed them, but that little one has the ability to come and go and eat on his own.”

“So… you’re saying I didn’t see him, but he saw me and realized something was wrong, and he informed Mount Hua of that fact?”

“That’s right.”

Hong Daekwang slumped dejectedly in his chair.

“No… Am I worse than an animal…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.

In any case, he should be grateful that he was able to avoid a bloodbath thanks to that little spirit animal…

“Kii!”

Why was the way it was tapping the floor with its front paws so infuriating? Why?

“Anyway… it’s a relief.”

A ferret saved Seoan’s fate. This was something he could never tell anyone.

“So, have you lifted the seclusion now?”

“Yes, we have.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

“Even if Baek Ah hadn’t brought the news, we were already preparing to end it. The seclusion lasted longer than expected, so we couldn’t prolong it any further.”

“But why did it take so long?”

Hyun Jong’s face visibly soured at those words.

“…There was someone who kept saying that rice must be cooked to make rice, but that rice was made of sand or something. It wouldn’t cook no matter how much we boiled it for three years. What could I do?”

“Ah, is that my fault? It’s the Sahyungs’ fault! You have to acknowledge my improvement to see it!”

He seems to have improved a lot?

No, he seems to have improved a bit too much?

Hong Daekwang shuddered, recalling the sight of the Mount Hua swordsmen literally devouring the Demonic Sect.

“Then, Sect Leader.”

Hwang Jong-i cautiously asked Hyun Jong.

“Have you achieved the purpose of the seclusion?”

Hyun Jong wore a knowing smile.

“I don’t know how to answer that…”

A firm voice escaped Hyun Jong’s lips.

“At least, I have returned with the confidence that no one in the world will dare to underestimate Mount Hua’s strength.”

It was a statement filled with clear pride.

Hyun Jong was not usually boastful. He was always humble, even when others would brag. For him to say this much showed how hard Mount Hua had worked in the last few years.

‘No. I’ve already seen and confirmed it with my own eyes, so there’s no need to guess.’

Moreover, the fact that even that devilish bastard, who would normally have jumped in immediately, was keeping his mouth shut proved this fact beyond any doubt.

Of course, his expression was constantly saying, ‘If you get all puffed up just because your skills have improved a tiny bit, you’ll get your shoulders knocked down somewhere,’ but the fact that he wasn’t saying it out loud was a remarkable thing, wasn’t it?

“Congratulations, Sect Leader!”

“Congratulations!”

Wi Lip-san, who was attending the meeting for the last time before departing for Nanyang with Hwang Jong-i, congratulated him with a bow.

Hyun Jong also accepted the congratulations with a smiling face, without feigning humility.

“It’s all the result of the disciples’ desperate efforts.”

It was a heartwarming scene.

If only the Mount Hua disciples hadn’t been muttering.

“We had no choice, or we’d die.”

“I’m just glad to be back alive. That’s all I need. That’s all.”

“I’d rather renounce my vows and go home than do that again.”

“I dreamed of training last night. I woke up this morning wanting to jump into a well.”

“I already went in and came out once.”

Hong Daekwang desperately covered his ears and ignored the terrifying words.

‘Right, they were always like this, weren’t they?’

Three years shouldn’t be that long, so why does it feel so new and unfamiliar?

As the atmosphere eased somewhat, Hyun Young brought up the main topic.

“For now, we need to stabilize Seoan a bit more, but Mount Hua won’t have that much to do.”

Hong Daekwang, naturally blending into the meeting, cautiously asked Hyun Jong.

“What are you planning to do after that?”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong smiled and looked at one person.

“That little mudfish knows best, doesn’t he?”

Hong Daekwang’s gaze slowly turned to Chung Myung, following Hyun Jong’s line of sight. Seeing Chung Myung’s perpetually grumpy face, he felt uneasy for some reason.

“…Why do you keep making that grumpy face since earlier?”

“What am I doing?”

Baek Cheon chuckled and tapped Chung Myung’s head.

“Don’t mind him, Branch Leader. He’s just frustrated that he hasn’t been able to swing his sword at any enemies even after finally coming out of seclusion.”

“Should have taught those guys a lesson!”

He really hasn’t changed at all.

“More importantly.”

Chung Myung raised his chin slightly and said to Hong Daekwang.

“We just came down from the mountain, so we need to find out what’s going on. Since we have the Guild Leader and the beggar old man here, we can just ask them. Tell me what’s been happening.”

“What do you want to know first?”

“First of all.”

The corners of Chung Myung’s lips curled up into a smirk.

“What that bastard Jang Il-so is doing now.”

A sharp light flickered in his eyes.