Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1015

You wanted to talk to me?

“Yes.”

Namgung Dowi scratched his head, feeling a little foolish.

Dowi thought about Chung Myung’s words: don’t force them. He looked at Namgung Hyeok. “I have my own thoughts,” Dowi began, “but this decision must be yours. I won’t force you.”

But Namgung Hyeok shook his head.

“I know that, Young Master. However…”

“Hmm?”

“Could we… maybe just talk?”

“Conversation?”

“Yes, a conversation.”

Namgung Hyeok glanced at Namgung Dowi, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“For a long time,” Namgung Hyeok said, “I thought our job was just to follow your orders, Young Master. I thought that was our duty.”

“But being here, I started to wonder… Maybe if we had just asked you why we were doing this training, if we had talked to you… maybe things would have been easier.”

Namgung Dowi was surprised by Hyeok’s words.

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed. “If you don’t want to, Young Master,” Hyeok continued, “that’s fine. But if we could talk… I think I would regret it if we didn’t.”

“Is it not allowed?”

Namgung Dowi waved his hand, unable to hide his surprise.

“Ah, it’s not that it’s not allowed!”

“So it’s okay?”

He nodded quickly.

“Of course. I should be the one asking.”

As soon as he said that, the swordsmen of the Namgung family began to gather around Namgung Dowi. They seemed to feel the same way as Namgung Hyeok.

Questions burst out from the swordsmen. “Young Master, did you know they were this strong?” Another asked eagerly, “What’s the secret?” Someone else chimed in, “If we train like that, can we become strong too?”

Overwhelmed by the flood of questions, Namgung Dowi raised both hands.

“Okay, okay,” Namgung Dowi said, raising his hands to calm them. “Let’s not rush. We have all night, right?”

They all nodded and sat in a circle around Namgung Dowi.

Namgung Dowi looked at each of them.

*Dowi thought, had they ever really talked like this before?* He had always tried to guide them, to be a leader. But like Hyeok said, he couldn’t remember a real conversation.

*Lead from the front, trust those behind* – that was the Namgung way. That’s why he pushed himself so hard to be strong, to lead everyone.

But… *I see.* Maybe he didn’t have to do it all alone. They were all still learning. Maybe they could help each other. *Fill each other’s gaps* – yes, that was it.

He nodded with a determined look and spoke.

“Hyeok.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Go and bring Dan-i too.”

“Yes.”

“And…”

Namgung Dowi smiled strangely. It was a mischievous expression, like Chung Myung.

“Sneak out of the estate and…”

“Yes?”

“Get some liquor.”

“L-liquor?”

The swordsmen of the Namgung family looked at Namgung Dowi in surprise, but he nodded calmly.

“Yes, liquor.”

“Why liquor all of a sudden?”

“I think it will be necessary.”

He shrugged and smiled gently.

“I learned myself,” Dowi said with a smile, “that talking is easier with a little drink. Tonight, let’s all relax and really talk to each other.”

“Is that not allowed?”

Namgung Hyeok nodded with a serious expression.

“I’ll get a lot!”

“Good.”

Namgung Hyeok chose a few men and led them out. Namgung Dowi smiled faintly.

“Let’s take our time. Maybe… we’ve been holding too much in.”

It should have been like this from the beginning.

They were suffering from too much pressure. Just as Namgung Dowi was weighed down by the burden of leading them, they too must have felt the responsibility of supporting the Namgung family as the main players.

Perhaps what they really needed was not heavy words reminding them of their duties, but a conversation that put everything down and embraced each other.

After a short wait, Namgung Hyeok, who had gone to get the liquor, lined up the bottles in front of them. Dowi picked up the bottle in front of him. It was cool and heavy in his hand.

“Let’s drink,” he said.

Silence. The others hesitated. You could see the question in their eyes: *Is this really allowed?*

Dowi didn’t wait. He lifted the bottle and took a long drink, the liquor going down smoothly.

“Krooooh!”

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, just like Chung Myung did, and grinned at them.

“Am I drinking alone here?”

Those who had been watching him carefully then picked up the bottles one by one and tilted them.

“Krooooh.”

“Aargh. It’s bitter.”

They took a sip of the liquor and looked alternately at the bottle they had drunk from and at Namgung Dowi with new eyes.

And then…

A nervous giggle escaped one of them. “Heh heh.” Then another laughed, louder this time. “Haha!” Suddenly, everyone was laughing. The tension broke.

“I’ve never drunk with you like this, Young Master,” someone said, surprised.

“Me neither,” another agreed. “You don’t usually drink, Young Master.”

“It feels… different,” a third voice added.

Slowly, words started to come out. Stories they had kept inside, feelings they hadn’t shared, began to flow like the liquor.

Namgung Dowi smiled faintly at the loosening words.

– Don’t force them.

Perhaps those words didn’t mean to just leave them to choose.

“Let’s drink until dawn.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Namgung Dowi smiled and raised his bottle.

Tonight was likely to be quite long for him too.

“Tsk.”

Glug, glug, glug.

Chung Myung clicked his tongue and took another swig of his drink. He turned the bottle in his hand and chuckled to himself.

“That’s just like those fancy families…”

He could hear the murmur of voices from below. Chung Myung shook his head.

*Looks like they finally get it.* He sighed.

*Still…* It was kind of fun, in a weird way. It reminded him a little of the old days at Mount Hua.

“Yeah, drink up, you idiots,” he muttered to himself. “Don’t act like the world’s ending all the time, you little punks.”

A little pressure is good, but too much just breaks people.

“Ugh, they’re such a pain,” Chung Myung grumbled, shaking his head and taking another drink, looking up at the moon.

Chung Myung’s eyes went wide with horror. *This is a disaster.*

Red faces, white faces – it was a mess. And the smell! Even from far away, he could smell the liquor. It was so strong, he wanted to hold his nose.

“Ugh…”

“Please, don’t throw up here!”

“My stomach… it feels like it’s going to explode…”

“I told you, go over there to be sick!”

“Uwaaaaaah!”

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“How much did you guys drink?”

Chung Myung was speechless with bewilderment.

*I thought only Namgung Hwang didn’t know moderation.*

It was clear that they had poured down as much liquor as they could right before gathering here. Since when had the Namgung family’s tradition changed like this?

Even the Peng family wouldn’t do this, you brats!

“In all my life…”

“No…”

Chung Myung couldn’t bring himself to speak, and the swordsmen of the Namgung family exchanged glances.

‘I said drink a little!’

‘How was I supposed to know it was morning already?’

‘Why waste good liquor!’

‘You have to finish what you start!’

‘The Young Master looks terrible! He’s falling! Catch him!’

Thud.

“Oh no! Young Master!”

“Get a grip!”

“Help him up quickly!”

“Ugh…”

People rushed to Namgung Dowi, who had finally lost his mind. They tried their best to lift him up, but it seemed easier to lift up a puppet doll with a broken string.

“M-more, I can drink more…”

“Oh, Young Master. Please, get a grip!”

“Someone go get some cold water! Quickly!”

Chung Myung pressed his throbbing temples with his fingers. He couldn’t help but get a headache looking at those guys.

“They’re really something. Really something.”

He sighed deeply.

Mount Hua alone is too much to handle, and now these guys are making a fuss too.

“Anyway… coming out here means you’re going to train, right?”

“Yes!”

A loud answer poured out.

“In that state?”

This time, a strange silence flowed out. Chung Myung pressed his temples and continued.

“Do you think training is easy, you brats? Huh? Easy? You’re going to train in that state?”

“We can do it!”

“Just give us the order!”

“We will really do our best without any complaints from now on!”

Looking at their eyes, they were no different from loyal soldiers going to the battlefield to save the country. Except that their bodies looked like returning defeated soldiers.

But…

“Training,” Namgung Dowi said. He had been swaying on his feet, but suddenly, he stood up straight and looked at Chung Myung. “Just tell us what to do.”

Chung Myung stared. Dowi’s eyes were different now. It wasn’t just the confidence of being the Young Master. It was something deeper, a real understanding.

“We’ll do it,” Dowi said firmly. “We’ll do everything you say.”

“So don’t worry…” And then, his knees buckled. “Uwaaaah!”

“Is the cold water not here yet?”

“I-I’m bringing it now!”

Chung Myung sighed deeply.

Well, whatever. Unlike yesterday, when they were like scattered sand, they seem to be somewhat united. It’s just that things that shouldn’t be mixed together are mixed together… Like the effects of alcohol.

“Alright,” Chung Myung said.

“Yes!”

“Okay, I get it. Let’s start with running. See that mountain?”

“Yes!”

“Run to the top and back.”

“Yes!”

“Go!”

“I’ll be first!”

The Namgung swordsmen yelled and took off, running towards the mountain Chung Myung pointed to. He watched them stumble and fall, but get back up and keep running.

Chung Myung muttered to himself, “This is going to be tough. Very tough.” *Just accept your fate,* a voice in his head seemed to say.

“Easy for you to say!” Chung Myung yelled at the sky. But after a moment, watching their backs as they ran, he smiled slightly.

“When will I ever fix these idiots?” he sighed. “Hey! Run faster!”

Warm sunlight shone on the backs of the Namgung family, running with everything they had.

“U, Uwaaaah!”

“I said, don’t throw up!”