Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1630

The wooden door creaked open, and Je Gal-jain stepped into the room. He looked a little tired, lines around his eyes deeper than usual, but he nodded once, firmly.

“They agreed.”

“Oh?” Chung Myung raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his voice. “They agreed easily?”

Je Gal-jain’s mouth tightened for a moment, a tiny twitch in his cheek. It was clear it hadn’t been quite that simple.

“There’s one small thing I’m curious about.”

“Yes?”

“What exactly does the Chief Strategist *think* being Clan Lord means?”

“Well, it’s… not a fun job. Let’s just say it’s a job where you have to deal with a lot of problems.”

“That’s enough,” Je Gal-jain said with a faint smile, cutting off Chung Myung’s words. No more needed to be said, or heard.

“Then all that’s left is to pick the Vice Clan Lord.”

“Well, that’s already decided, isn’t it? I was planning to fill it with those Mount Hua…”

“I don’t think that will work.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Didn’t I mention it before? Young Master Namgoong has to be the Vice Clan Lord.”

Chung Myung crossed his arms and hummed.

The others could hear Chung Myung muttering, “Ah, this is going to be a headache. But if it’s a scholar, he might be better than the others… Still, that guy sometimes loses his mind and becomes unmanageable.” But everyone tried to ignore him.

“Can’t be helped. Even so, it would be hard not to give the Namgoong Clan a seat.”

“And the Jongnam Sect needs to be favored too.”

“We already gave them the Clan Lord position! What’s with trying to take the Vice Clan Lord position too! Don’t talk nonsense!”

Hyun Jong looked confused.

“Didn’t you say we could give Jin Geum-ryong a seat?”

“That was before Jongnam took the Clan Lord position!”

“And after thinking about it, Geum-ryong is out.”

“Why?”

“Geum-ryong is like a wild dragon who hasn’t learned to behave. Jin Geum-ryong is like someone made from all the worst parts of that kind of dragon.”

“Why am I being brought up here!”

“Did I say anything wrong?”

“Even so, to be compared to that human! We have nothing in common except for our faces!”

“Huh?” Chung Myung tilted his head.

Then, before Chung Myung could say anything, someone immediately argued back.

“Actually, they are quite similar.”

“Of course, Martial Uncle is a bit better.”

“What?” Baek Cheon was about to lose it from the betrayal, but Hyun Jong cleared his throat.

“A little… It’s hard to say there are *no* similarities.”

“…Tae, Grand Sect Leader?”

Jo Gul shrugged.

“Thinking about it, isn’t Jin Geum-ryong just Martial Uncle who didn’t get beaten enough? Chung Myung made a person.”

“An undeniable greatest achievement.”

Baek Cheon, having heard Jo Gul and Yoon Jong’s final judgment, collapsed with a look of utter despair.

“Whether he’s a worse Martial Uncle or a better Martial Uncle, Jin Geum-ryong is a human with a flawed personality. What would happen if such a person took on the role of Vice Clan Lord?”

At those words, Baek Cheon, who had been slumped over, raised his head sharply and smiled brightly, as if he couldn’t give up on insulting Jin Geum-ryong even in the midst of all this.

“It would be a mess.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Yoon Jong, watching the next Sect Leader of Mount Hua and Mount Hua’s Finest Swordsman laughing, sighed deeply and looked at Chung Myung.

“Still… he led Jongnam without any major problems during this trip to Anhui. We also received help.”

“That’s not enough,” Chung Myung shook his head.

“I’m not disregarding Jin Geum-ryong, but this is about experience. If we were going to hand over command to someone with a decent name and position, we wouldn’t have even created the position of Vice Clan Lord.”

“Hmm.”

It was a statement that was easy to understand. Even if Namgoong Dowi and Jin Geum-ryong’s skills were equal, what they had experienced was too different.

Namgoong Dowi, who had experienced everything from Plum Blossom Island to Hangzhou and Hainan, couldn’t be compared to someone who had been secluded and only swung a sword.

“Then… what about Young Master Lee Song-baek?”

“Seriously. I’m saying it’s not about personality.”

“…You only criticized his personality.”

That’s what he said, but Chung Myung seemed tempted by the name Lee Song-baek. But soon, he shook his head.

“Still no. He hasn’t been tested.”

“Hmph.”

Chung Myung’s eyes flashed.

“This war isn’t for training. It’s for showing what you can already do.”

Those words settled heavily among the people.

Eventually, Yoon Jong nodded.

“Then?”

“Martial Uncle and Senior Brother. And that one.”

“…At least call me Senior Brother too.”

Jo Gul’s quiet complaint didn’t reach Chung Myung’s ears.

“The problem is the last one… I really don’t want Sa-go to cause an accident, should I really make So-so do it? So-so has other things to do.”

Chung Myung scratched his head roughly. He wasn’t sure he could persuade Yoo Iseol, though others might not know it. You need to be able to talk to even try to persuade someone. She would clearly shake her head and run away as soon as he brought it up.

“Hmm? Why Iseol?”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung looked at Hyun Jong.

“Huh?”

The Mount Hua disciples looked at Hyun Jong, their eyes flashing.

“There was such a way.”

“Right? Martial Uncle?” A sly smile appeared on Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul’s faces.

“So, Iseol has decided to take on a position.”

Hyun Jong looked at Yoo Iseol, who was sitting next to him, with a gentle smile, and Yoo Iseol nodded slightly, really slightly.

“Yes…”

Yoo Iseol’s expression didn’t change. But the Five Swords, who knew her well, could see her soul screaming from within that expressionlessness.

“She seems to hate it.”

“She seems to hate it a lot.”

“Could she hate it that much?”

At that moment, Yoo Iseol’s eyes turned to the three. The Five Swords, feeling the anger and murderous intent in those eyes, quietly looked away. If you cross Yoo Iseol, you won’t have a good time in Mount Hua.

“Then is that settled?”

Chung Myung hesitated.

“Chung Myung-ah?”

“Hmph.”

Chung Myung rubbed his cheek, looking troubled.

‘Will it be okay?’

The Vice Clan Lord he wanted wasn’t just a strong junior. They had to be people who understood him and could communicate with him easily. At the same time, they also had to be able to lead the members well.

Yoo Iseol’s skills were amazing, but was she really someone who could lead people and communicate smoothly?

He was worried, but there were no other options. He couldn’t wait any longer.

“It can’t be helped. Then the last Vice Clan Lord position will go to Iseol…”

Just then, someone spoke from the door.

“Is there a spot left for me?”

Everyone turned to the door.

“Monk!”

“Venerable Hye-yeon!”

The Five Swords jumped up and ran to him.

Hye-yeon, looking tired, stood there with his palms together.

“That…” They had run to him out of joy, but now that they were standing in front of him, they didn’t know what to say. Hye-yeon, seeing their hesitation, smiled slightly.

“I have caused you worry. I am sorry.”

“Ah, no. Worry, you say…” Baek Cheon asked, his face stiff.

“Are you alright, Venerable?”

“Yes,” Hye-yeon nodded slowly. “I am alright. You don’t need to worry.”

Everyone looked relieved.

They hadn’t said anything because Hye-yeon had stayed away as soon as he returned, but they had worried a lot. They were even more upset because they couldn’t do anything to help.

But it was Hye-yeon. He had overcome the pain himself in just a few days, even after such a great ordeal.

“Is there a place for me to fight? Abbot?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“You’re late, baldy.”

Hye-yeon smiled slightly.

“Funny. With a face like a skull…” Those hollow eyes showed how much pain Hye-yeon had suffered. But people grow through pain. If he had overcome all of that, Hye-yeon would be stronger than before.

“There’s one Vice Clan Lord position left.”

“Can you do it?”

Hye-yeon quietly put his palms together and chanted the Buddha’s name, a Buddha’s name that seemed more reverent than ever.

“If that’s the only position left, then it can’t be helped. I will do my best in any position. That would be… a way to repay even a little for the sins that the Buddhist community has committed against the world.”

Chung Myung, who usually said something, nodded this time without a word. It was a conclusion that Hye-yeon had reached after thinking deeply. Then whatever it was, it should be respected.

“Then, Sa-go will have to step down from the Vice Clan Lord position, is that alright?”

Yoo Iseol nodded quickly. Not only that, but she even looked at Chung Myung with an earnest gaze.

“…She seems to like it?”

“I’ve never seen Sa-go nod her head so fiercely.”

“I haven’t either.”

Baek Cheon shook his head. He had secretly hoped that Yoo Iseol, who was from the same Baek lineage, would take on a position, but what could he do when she hated it so much?

Yoo Iseol is best when she is being herself. She is someone who can play a role beyond that, even if she is not the Vice Clan Lord.

“Then is everything done now?”

“Well, we just need to take care of one small thing.”

“A small thing? What?”

Chung Myung looked at those who would become Vice Clan Lords with strangely playful eyes.

“Each group will have a leader and a helper.”

“That’s right.”

“Then one of the people here has to go into the same group as that person.”

“That person is…” The Five Swords turned pale.

“Jo, Jongli…”

“The Jongnam Sect Leader…” The serious face of Jongli-gok came to their minds.

The person assigned to the same group as him would have to face him and work with him until the end of the war.

“Senior Brother.”

“Huh?”

“I… I feel sick just thinking about it.”

“Me too.”

Their relationship was already awkward, but it became even more awkward when Jongli-gok formally apologized to Mount Hua a few days ago. And now they had to stick with him until the end of the war?

“…How about sending Young Master Namgoong?”

“…Ah, or we could send Venerable Hye-yeon?” Jo Gul protested.

He knew it too. Now that Jongnam had apologized, one of Mount Hua’s Vice Division Leaders had to show themselves working with Jongli-gok. That way, they could stop any rumors of trouble between Mount Hua and Jongnam.

Yes, he knew it.

But Jo Gul was resisting so much because…

“Geol-ah.”

Baek Cheon put his hand on Jo Gul’s shoulder.

“I’m counting on you.”

Yoon Jong also gently placed his hand on Jo Gul’s other shoulder.

“There’s no one but you.”

Tears welled up in Jo Gul’s eyes. He seemed to be seeing these kinds of scenes a lot lately.

“Senior Brother… Martial Uncle.”

As he was about to protest, Yoon Jong gave a kind smile.

“Geol-ah.”

“Yes?”