Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 898

“Aaaargh! We’re here!”

“It’s Mount Hua!”

“Oh, mother!”

The Mount Hua disciples rushed through the mountain gate of the main sect and stepped inside, gazing at the buildings with emotion-filled eyes.

They had climbed the difficult Mount Hua, but far from being tired, they felt full of energy.

“Ah…”

“Mount Hua…”

They all looked as if they were about to burst into tears.

Hyun Jong smiled gently, wondering if it could really be that good.

Most of the Mount Hua disciples had never been away from Mount Hua for long. To have left for over two years and then return, it was only natural that they would be moved.

Hyun Jong smiled, feeling warmth spread through his chest. ‘They really do see this as home,’ he thought. ‘That’s more precious than anything.’

“Sob! It’s a roof! It’s a roof!”

“I could cry.”

“Now I don’t have to get bitten by bugs while I sleep!”

“No more waking up in a field with my back all wet!”

“Food! I can eat food like a human being! Food!”

Hyun Jong covered his mouth and coughed lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Mount Hua, now considered wealthy, had disciples weeping with emotion at the thought of sleeping in a building with a roof. Even the Beggars’ Sect wouldn’t be like this.

Of course, if one knew the whole story, it would seem natural.

To avoid the eyes of outsiders, they had gone deep into the mountains to train. They trained hard in the mountains. It was like living as hermits, or even beggars!

From morning till night, they swung their swords like madmen, scraping together anything they could eat, and collapsing to sleep on the dirt floor. After living like that for so long, it was no wonder they were moved to see a place where they could live like human beings.

They had stayed at the Eunha Merchant Guild for a while, but even that place wouldn’t have been entirely comfortable for the disciples.

“A bed! I have to lie down on a bed!”

“Move! I’m first!”

“I wonder what’s in the dining hall?”

“What could be there? It’s been empty for years.”

“Still, maybe…”

Just as the disciples were about to lose their minds, the chief enforcer of Mount Hua stamped his foot.

Thud!

The disciples’ heads turned to one side in unison.

Alright, alright,

Hyun Young said, shaking his head with a small smile. “I know you’re excited, but we have work to do first.”

He pointed to the buildings with a nod.

“Look around you. What do you see?”

Seeing the disciples looking clueless, Hyun Young kindly explained.

“I’m saying, do you see the white dust piled up on those buildings?”

Hyun Young grinned.

“We should at least clean up the dust that’s accumulated while it’s been empty, right?”

‘A devil!’

‘So inflexible!’

‘Absolutely no flexibility!’

As if he had heard the disciples’ mental protests, Hyun Young shrugged and asked.

“Anyone disagree?”

“Ah, no!”

“Of course not!”

“We’re all for it!”

No matter how strong their martial arts had become, no one was yet bold enough to argue with Hyun Young.

Hyun Young nodded with satisfaction and shouted energetically.

“Good. Move it! Let’s get it done quickly!”

“Yes!”

The disciples of Mount Hua dashed out like arrows.

“Wow…”

Hong Daekwang, who had arrived a little late, stared blankly at what was happening inside Mount Hua.

Hong Daekwang thought, ‘If other groups saw this, they would be very surprised. They might think Mount Hua is doing things in a strange way.’

“Hurry up and carry it!”

“I’m going! Move!”

“There! Use it there!”

The Mount Hua disciples were cleaning Mount Hua at a terrifying speed. It wasn’t just sweeping and wiping. The Mount Hua disciples, carrying water jugs as big as people, ran down to the stream below and literally ‘washed’ the buildings.

Dozens of water jugs were carried in succession, spraying water, making it look as if rain were pouring from the sky.

“…Amazing.”

I felt this when I saw the Tang family before, but isn’t it really a waste of manpower for martial artists to do escort or guard work? If they were put into civil engineering, they could easily do the work of ten skilled workers…

The buildings, which had been dusty and white, quickly regained their color.

‘Come to think of it, where is the Mount Hua Sword Saint?’

Other people might, but that human doesn’t seem like he’d be cleaning diligently…

“The dust isn’t wiped off enough!”

“Kyaaa!”

Just in time, Chung Myung was seen mercilessly kicking his senior brother’s butt.

“Ancestral tablets! How can there be dust on the ancestral tablets! And you’re just wiping it off roughly and moving on?”

“Ah, no, I wiped it clean…”

“Here! Can’t you see the dust here? Here?”

“…Chung Myung. Even I can’t watch that.”

“If there’s dust left, you’ll be cleaning until you’re old and gray! Hurry up and wipe!”

“Ah, I got it.”

Chung Myung, occupying Okcheon Courtyard, rolled his eyes and roared like a lion.

And he himself took a clean cotton cloth and began to wipe the ancestral tablets eagerly.

“Hoo. Hoo!”

Wipe. Wipe.

“Hoo! Hoo!”

Wipe! Wipe!

Baek Cheon shook his head as he watched him wipe the tablet engraved with ‘The Thirteenth Sect Leader Chung Mun of the Great Mount Hua Sect’ with his eyes wide open.

Even madness could be felt in the hand movements wiping the tablet.

‘Is that bastard rude? Is he too rude?’

He kicks his senior brothers around, but he treats ancestors he’s never even seen with such respect. Where did things go wrong to create such a terrible human being?

Crack!

“Hiek! The, the tablet is cracked! Aigoo! Sect Leader Sahyung! Glue! Glue!!!”

“…Crazy bastard.”

Baek Cheon stopped thinking and shook his head. Of course, Hong Daekwang did the same.

Shine. Shine.

In just one hour, Mount Hua regained its original appearance. The tiles, which had been stained and smudged, regained their color and were shining, and the pillars and walls, which had been dull and faded, became clear as if they had been oiled.

The bedding hung on the long clothesline swayed in the breeze.

It was truly a peaceful sight.

“Now, then…”

Hyun Young looked around with sharp eyes.

The disciples, with tense faces, couldn’t take their eyes off Hyun Young. Their fate would be determined by what came out of his mouth.

“Well, this is about…”

Hyun Young nodded as if he wasn’t entirely satisfied, but it was good enough to acknowledge. Everyone let out a silent cheer.

“Sect Leader.”

“Yes.”

“The children have suffered a lot, so I think it would be good to let them eat and rest comfortably today.”

“That’s a good idea, but is there any food to eat in Mount Hua right now? We sent all the cooks away, so there’s no one to cook.”

“I stopped by the Hua-eum tavern on the way up and ordered food. All we have to do is go down and get it.”

“You’ve done all the planning. Haha.”

As Hyun Jong was about to nod happily, he caught sight of Chung Myung sneaking behind Hyun Young and whispering.

“Elder. Alcohol, alcohol…”

“You…! Hey, you! You got such a scolding for drinking alcohol, and the word ‘alcohol’ is coming out of your mouth again?”

Hyun Jong shouted, and Hyun Young frowned.

“That’s that, and this is this! The kid might be a little thirsty for alcohol!”

“Kkeueueueueung.”

Just as Hyun Jong was about to say something more.

“The alcohol is here.”

A voice was heard from behind. Everyone reflexively turned their heads.

A man with kind eyes and a strong build walked through the gate. He wore green robes and held a white bottle. It was Tang Gunak.

“Oh!”

Hyun Jong’s eyes filled with joy.

“Tang Family Head!”

“Father!”

Likewise, those who found Tang Gunak couldn’t hide their joy and shouted loudly. Tang Gunak smiled at the welcome.

He strode into the mountain gate and bowed deeply to Hyun Jong.

“I greet the leader of our group.”

“Please don’t do this, Family Head.”

Hyun Jong quickly grabbed his arms and raised him up.

“I am a sinner who has not fulfilled my role as leader and has passed the burden on to the Family Head. I cannot accept such respect.”

Tang Gunak smiled gently.

“It doesn’t seem like you haven’t fulfilled your role.”

“But… how did you come so quickly?”

Hyun Jong asked with a surprised face, and Tang Gunak replied with an embarrassed face.

“I came straight after receiving the letter. When I heard the news that Mount Hua had lifted its closure, I was so impatient that I couldn’t bear it.”

“You came just in time. You really came just in time.”

Joy and apology appeared in Hyun Jong’s eyes at the same time.

He already knew how much Tang Gunak had suffered while Mount Hua was closed. How could he not be grateful that he had come all the way from the distant Yangtze River to this place in one breath?

“Keueung. Some people are welcomed, and some people are carrying luggage.”

At that time, Lim Sobyeong came in through the gate and joked.

“Green Forest King?”

“You’ve arrived?”

Hyun Young greeted Lim Sobyeong with a bright smile.

“It’s been a while, Elder.”

“Have you been well?”

“Well… I think I can only answer that after the Elder looks at the financial records I brought. It’s only after that’s agreed to that I can say everything’s been well.”

“Hahaha. Then of course everything’s been well.”

Hyun Young held Lim Sobyeong’s hand tightly. The touch contained clear trust.

“That.”

At that time, Chung Myung slowly approached Tang Gunak. His gaze was fixed on the bottle of alcohol Tang Gunak was holding.

“It looks like really good alcohol…”

The color of the bottle and the landscape painted on it were unusual. There was no way that the alcohol in such a bottle could be ordinary.

“Of course, it’s good alcohol.”

Tang Gunak nodded with a faint smile.

“It’s alcohol that I carefully selected and brought to have a drink with a friend I haven’t seen in a long time.”

“Kheu. That’s the best news I’ve heard.”

The moment Chung Myung was about to joke around, Tang Gunak’s eyes darkened slightly.

“But…”

“Yes?”

“There’s something we need to check first.”

Tang Gunak, stepping back slightly in front of Hyun Jong, stood straight, looking at Chung Myung. The air around Tang Gunak seemed to grow heavy.

The faces of the Mount Hua disciples hardened in an instant.

Chung Myung felt a sudden weight on his shoulders, as if the air itself was pushing down.

“A friend who has been in seclusion for several years without contact…”

“Before we drink, Chung Myung, let’s see if you’ve become stronger while we were apart. A little friendly spar, perhaps?”

Tang Gunak’s eyes fixed on Chung Myung, like sharp points. Tang Gunak’s aura, released without restraint, was truly as famous as ever.

But Chung Myung, receiving that gaze, only grinned even as he faced the pressure head-on.

“Check…”

Chung Myung, raising the corners of his mouth slightly, looked straight at his long-lost friend and replied.

“If you’re going to check that, I think one bottle of alcohol won’t be enough?”

It was the moment when the same smile as Chung Myung appeared on Tang Gunak’s lips. The air became tense with anticipation.