Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1164

What Should We Do? (4)

“Nine Great Sects…” someone whispered, voice barely audible.

“…Return?” another voice echoed, filled with disbelief.

A wave of murmurs went through the Mount Hua disciples. They looked around the Dharma Hall, eyes wide, as if they couldn’t believe what they just heard. The shock was huge.

But the disciples’ shock was nothing compared to the elders’.

*Gulp.* Hyun Sang gripped his thigh so hard his knuckles turned white. He might have been hurting himself, but he didn’t even notice.

The younger disciples didn’t understand. They couldn’t know what these words meant to the older members of Mount Hua.

The elders remembered seeing their own teachers, the older generation of Mount Hua, who had been forced out of the Nine Great Sects. They remembered the sadness in their eyes as they died. Those teachers felt it was unfair, and they died hoping that one day, Mount Hua would be important again.

“Make Mount Hua strong again,” their teachers had begged them, tears in their eyes. “Bring back our honor.” It seemed like an impossible dream back then.

But now, the Abbot, a man who could actually make that dream real, was talking about returning.

Abbot had said similar things before. But in the past, it was just to trick Mount Hua, to control them with false hope. He didn’t really mean it.

But things were different now. Mount Hua was strong. Abbot couldn’t just lie and expect to get away with it. They would remember his words and make sure he kept his promises.

Abbot knew this. So, when he spoke of returning, it felt like he was being serious this time.

“Th-that word…” Hyun Jong started to speak, wanting to ask if Abbot was truly serious. But he stopped himself. It was a difficult situation. He wasn’t just the leader of Mount Hua anymore; he was also the leader of the Heavenly Union.

He couldn’t make it seem like the Heavenly Union was only about getting Mount Hua back into the Nine Great Sects.

“That’s asking too much,” Tang Gunak said, breaking the silence.

“Mount Hua is the heart of the Heavenly Union,” he stated firmly. “Being the leader of the Heavenly Union is more important than being part of the Nine Great Sects, no matter how great they are.”

“Hmm, maybe,” Abbot agreed, nodding slightly.

“But what about the other groups in the Heavenly Union if it ends?” Tang Gunak asked.

“Is that a problem?” Abbot asked back, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Excuse me?” Tang Gunak was confused.

Abbot chuckled softly. “Think about your own Dang Clan. You’re part of the Heavenly Union now, but you used to be one of the Five Great Families. Would it be so bad to go back to that? The Dang Clan has been one of the Five Great Families for centuries.”

Silence fell over Tang Gunak.

“It’s the same for the Namgung Clan,” Abbot continued. “Why is it so strange for them to be known as one of the Five Great Families again?”

“We don’t want to,” Namgung Dowi said sharply. Abbot just shook his head.

“Young Lord,” Abbot said gently. “I understand your feelings.” He paused. “But if you truly care about your family, you need to be a little less… fixed in your ideas.”

“I believe the Heavenly Union is best for my family,” Namgung Dowi insisted.

“Yes, now it is,” Abbot agreed. “But what about in a hundred years? ”

“Of course, even then…” Namgung Dowi started to say.

Abbot interrupted him. “Even after the Union Lord is gone, after Chung Myung is gone, after everyone here is dead and buried, do you still think the Heavenly Union will be good for your family?”

Silence again. Namgung Dowi didn’t answer.

“No, you don’t believe it,” Abbot said softly. “I know the Heavenly Union has good ideas, noble goals. But those ideas…” Abbot paused, speaking calmly but firmly. “They weren’t created by the Heavenly Union itself. They were created by a few people here. Am I wrong?”

Namgung Dowi’s face tightened. “We can keep those ideas going.”

“It’s hard enough for one group to keep the ideas of the past alive,” Abbot countered. “Do you really think the Heavenly Union, with so many different groups, can keep these ideas going for generations?”

Silence.

“Young Lord, you are a good man. Maybe you can do it. But what if the next leader of your family isn’t like you? Or the one after that?” Abbot shook his head slowly. “The Heavenly Union won’t last.”

“No, that’s not true…” Namgung Dowi protested weakly.

“It’s not because the Heavenly Union is bad,” Abbot explained. “It’s because it’s too much. People can only handle so much. Can they really live up to all the big ideas of the Heavenly Union?”

No one could answer. It was a difficult question.

“I know because I’ve been there,” Abbot said, his voice thoughtful. “I used to think I was capable, but even *I* couldn’t fully understand the goals of the Heavenly Union. So, I ask you this: what if someone like me comes along in the future, someone who doesn’t truly understand? If that person becomes important in the Heavenly Union, and Chung Myung and Hyun Jong are no longer here, what will happen to the Heavenly Union then?”

“Uh…” Again, no one spoke. They all knew the answer, but saying it out loud would be like criticizing Abbot himself.

“So, I ask again,” Abbot continued. “Is keeping the Heavenly Union going really the best thing for the future?”

Then, Baek Cheon spoke, his voice cold and sharp. “I don’t know if I should even say this, Abbot, but there are groups in the Heavenly Union from outside the Central Plains. Did you bring them here just to say this?”

Abbot’s expression softened. “I will forget the words ‘outside the borders’ when talking about the Northern Ice Palace and the Southern Savage Palace. I will recognize them as groups from the Central Plains, just like us.”

Silence again, but this time, it was surprised silence.

“And I promise to support them as much as I do now, maybe even more,” Abbot continued. “This will give them what they truly want, something the Heavenly Union can’t give them: to be seen not as outsiders from the edge of the land, but as respected groups in the heart of the Central Plains.”

“W-wait! What about the Green Forest?” Jo Gul blurted out, surprised. “They’re supposed to be an evil group, but they’re in the Heavenly Union!”

Abbot smiled gently at Jo Gul’s outburst. “That’s something I’m concerned about too. We can talk about it. But isn’t the Green Forest already changing? Aren’t they becoming less like an evil group?”

“…Well, yes, maybe,” Jo Gul admitted.

“If the Green Forest promises to stop hurting innocent people, then why can’t we see them as a good group?” Abbot asked. “The Buddha taught us to help bad people become good. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”

“Th-then…” Jo Gul scratched his head, confused, and stepped back.

If Im So-byeong had heard this, he might have rolled his eyes and immediately become Abbot’s loyal follower. Even though Mount Hua liked the Green Forest, their support wasn’t as important as Shaolin’s. If Shaolin accepted the Green Forest, it would change everything.

“So, isn’t that enough?” Chung Myung asked, finally speaking after listening quietly.

“I think I already said this before. We don’t need to go back to the Nine Great Sects. They’re just empty and meaningless now.”

“What if they weren’t empty and meaningless?” Abbot asked, his eyes fixed on Chung Myung. He smiled slightly. “What if I promised Mount Hua a position as important as Shaolin?”

“What?” Chung Myung blurted out, forgetting to be polite for a moment. Even Chung Myung, who thought he understood Abbot’s plans, was completely stunned.

Shaolin. What kind of place was Shaolin?

Even when Mount Hua was fighting alone against the evil groups, when they were struggling to survive, Shaolin still held onto its pride as the most important of the Nine Great Sects.

And now, Abbot was saying he would give Mount Hua, which was still rebuilding, a position even greater than they had in the past.

“That’s crazy…” Chung Myung muttered, shaking his head.

“I will announce to the world as the Abbot of Shaolin,” Abbot declared, his voice strong and clear. “Mount Hua and Shaolin will be equals, working together.”

Chung Myung’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Abbot… Abbot,” Chung Myung stammered, “I’m just asking… just in case…”

“Yes?” Abbot asked patiently.

“Have you… have you lost your mind? Or do you not know what you’re saying?” *Ouch!*

Chung Myung suddenly fell forward, hitting the floor. Hyun Young quickly pulled back his foot, which he had used to kick Chung Myung in the back of the head.

“Forgive him, Abbot,” Hyun Young said quickly, bowing slightly. “He sometimes… he doesn’t think before he speaks.”

“And you are?” Abbot asked, a slight surprise in his voice.

“I am Hyun Young.”

“…I will remember that,” Abbot said, blinking slowly. He seemed surprised that someone in Mount Hua could control Chung Myung so easily.

“Amitabha,” Abbot chanted softly, as if calming himself after the surprising moment with Hyun Young. He looked directly at Hyun Jong.

“Union Lord,” Abbot said respectfully.

“…Yes, Abbot,” Hyun Jong replied, his voice serious.

“Of course, I know this offer isn’t everything,” Abbot continued. “Giving up what Mount Hua has now, and the path you are taking, this is not enough in return.”

Chung Myung, who had jumped back to his feet, nodded his head quickly and enthusiastically. Abbot smiled calmly. “But even so, Union Lord, you *must* accept my offer.”

“…What do you mean?” Hyun Jong asked, confused.

“If you were only the leader of Mount Hua, you could refuse,” Abbot explained. “But you are the Union Lord of the Heavenly Union. And because of that, you cannot refuse.” Abbot smiled slightly. “The reason is simple: it’s because it’s the Heavenly Union. Think about it. When the Nine Great Sects and the Heavenly Union are fighting, like now, when they are divided and barely working together, versus when they put aside their differences and become one again…”

Hyun Jong’s face became serious.

“Which situation is easier for our enemies to take advantage of? And in which situation can we save more lives?” Abbot asked, his voice gentle but firm.

“That’s…” Hyun Jong couldn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. The answer was obvious, even a child could understand it.

“I believe the Heavenly Union is truly fighting for the common people. You have shown that you are sincere,” Abbot said, looking around at everyone in the room. “So, I ask you humbly. Shaolin will be the first to step down from our pride. Please, do not refuse this chance to save more people, to save the world, because of your own pride. Please.”

Everyone went silent, holding their breath. Abbot slowly lowered his head, bowing deeply.

Tang Gunak’s face was hard, and he bit his lip tightly.

*’This is… checkmate,’* he thought, his mind racing.

The very reason the Heavenly Union existed, the values they fought for, the agreement to protect people – that was now being used against them. It was like a sharp knife pointed at their throats.

*’Abbot…’* Tang Gunak felt a sudden, chilling fear of this man, Abbot. He gripped his thigh tightly, his knuckles white.

A heavy feeling pressed down on him, like a thick rope slowly, very slowly, tightening around his neck.

Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]

Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]

Status: Ongoing Author: Released: 2019 Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Chung Myung, the legendary Plum Blossom Swordmaster of Mount Hua, awakens after a hundred years of slumber only to find his once-mighty sect reduced to ruins. With unwavering determination, he disguises himself as a young disciple and embarks on a mission to restore Mount Hua to its former glory. From training new disciples to facing lifelong enemies, Chung Myung must revive the sect while uncovering dark conspiracies that threaten the martial world. "Return of Mount Hua Sect" is an epic tale of resurgence, sacrifice, and fierce battles that will shake the world!

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