Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1034

Sometimes, the sky makes Chung Myung feel sorrowful.

The sky he sees now, sitting beside Hyun Jong, is no different from the one he saw back then. The sky when he spoke harshly to Chung Mun and turned away.

Chung Myung was often confused.

Even as he lived busily after being revived, he felt out of place. No matter how much he wanted to escape it, that feeling would suddenly grab him.

There were times when he woke up, got dressed, and stepped outside, only to find the faces he saw so unfamiliar that he trembled.

The faces around him should have been familiar, but they felt strangely distant, like looking at strangers in a dream. His heart pounded in confusion.

He was in the present, but his mind was still in the past. He felt like he belonged to neither time.

Why was he revived? Why did it have to be?

Chung Myung, who had been gazing at the sky, slowly opened his mouth.

“It’s not because of Mount Hua, Sect Leader.”

How would Chung Mun have answered? Chung Myung felt like he knew. But he didn’t want to think about it.

Not now. It wasn’t the time to give that answer. Now was not the time to follow Chung Mun’s answer, but to offer Chung Myung’s own.

He was the sword of Mount Hua. He was the one who became a sharper blade than anyone else to cut down their enemies.

But… he couldn’t be just the sword of Mount Hua, not here.

He was a disciple and a predecessor. A follower and a leader.

And just a person named Chung Myung.

Chung Myung said calmly.

“The things that Mount Hua must protect… the reputation that Mount Hua must achieve, the spirit that Mount Hua must carry on. All of that…”

“…”

“To me, it’s not worth a single disciple’s life.”

He didn’t try to guess what Chung Mun would have said. He tried to find his own answer, based on all his thoughts about Mount Hua.

It was a ridiculous thing.

The answer he found was the same as what Chung Mun would have said.

“The alliance?” Chung Myung muttered and chuckled.

– There might have been something like that at first.

“At first… yes, there might have been something like that.”

– But now it’s worn down, and there’s only one thing left. Do you know what that is?

“But now, I don’t care about that anymore. Now I only have one thing left.”

Hyun Jong, who had been listening to Chung Myung, quietly asked.

“…What is it?”

Chung Myung’s mouth opened, like Chung Mun’s on that day.

– The future.

“The disciples of Mount Hua.”

At that time, he didn’t understand the ‘future’ that Chung Mun was talking about. But now Chung Myung knew. For Chung Mun, the future was the young disciples of Mount Hua.

For Chung Mun, it was something that had to be protected at all costs.

Chung Myung closed his eyes tightly and said.

“Sect Leader, you said.”

Hyun Jong’s question was the same doubt he had in the past.

“Is the pride in the alliance more important than the lives those children will live in the future?”

– Can you fill the void of what you lost with what you gained that way?

– I don’t know what meaning there is in gaining something while losing what you shouldn’t lose.

Chung Myung had said that. And… he had also said harsh words that he shouldn’t have said.

– I will never accept this decision until the moment I die.

Yes, he had.

He couldn’t accept it because he couldn’t understand it. Because Chung Mun saw the world differently.

But now he had to answer.

The answer that Chung Mun couldn’t give him that day. The answer that he, as he was now, could give to the Plum Blossom Sword Saint of the past.

“If I could.”

His true feelings that he had never told anyone.

“…I want to run away too, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong stared blankly at Chung Myung for a moment.

He had spoken with strong emotions, but he never thought Chung Myung would say such a thing.

He couldn’t imagine it because it was Chung Myung, of all people.

“If running away could solve the problem, if we could avoid it by running, I would turn back to Mount Hua without looking back, even now. I want to block my eyes and ears right away.”

“…”

“Because I’m scared.”

Chung Myung’s fingertips trembled.

“I’m afraid, Sect Leader. I’m so scared. Those powerful people, and the one behind them. The one who will come someday… I’m terribly scared.”

“…Chung Myung-ah.”

“But what’s even scarier than that…” Chung Myung bit his lip.

“Is the thought of me not protecting anything, facing the death of everyone with these eyes.”

It was only a distant hope when he could escape from that nightmare.

The day when everyone he tried to protect died at the hands of the Heavenly Demon. The nightmare of that time when only he survived and screamed at the Heavenly Demon.

But… the recent nightmare had become even more terrible.

Everyone dies at the hands of the Heavenly Demon who came to Mount Hua.

Hyun Jong, Hyun Young, and Hyun Sang. Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul. Hae Yeon and Tang Soso too.

Their lives are wasted before that terrible evil. His blood-stained hands protect nothing.

Yes, again.

When he barely woke up from screaming, the air was so cold. He would tremble until the sun rose.

How could he not be scared?

He was afraid that the dream would become reality, that he would lose everything again helplessly.

“You asked why we have to fight.”

“…”

“Because there is something to protect.”

When he closed his eyes, he could almost see Chung Mun’s smiling face.

A face with a worried look and a calm smile. A face that Chung Myung knew, but also didn’t know.

“If it’s something that no one else can do, you have no choice but to do it yourself. If no one protects you, you have no choice but to protect yourself. It’s not because it’s Mount Hua that I’m stepping forward.”

“…”

“It’s because it’s me that I have to go, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong lowered his head. What could he say?

“Sometimes…” Chung Myung hesitated slightly.

“Not avoiding it might seem foolish. There may be times when it seems unwise. But… when I look back, I realize that the seemingly foolish path was the fastest path.”

Has it changed? Well, I don’t know yet.

Chung Myung just understands now. He just found it.

The reason to fight.

When he hears the word Demonic Sect, his blood runs cold. But now he knows that anger is not just revenge for the past.

He is angry because they will once again take away what he is trying to protect.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

“I’m still scared, and I’m afraid. Crossing that river is scarier than jumping into a fire.”

“…”

“But… waiting for the obvious outcome is even scarier. The regret I will feel if I don’t do what I have to do… is a hundred times scarier.”

This time, he will not be deprived like that time. Never.

That’s why he has to go.

Hyun Jong slowly nodded.

Chung Myung hadn’t explained everything clearly, so his words seemed incomplete. But Hyun Jong understood the deep feelings behind them.

Because that’s not something that can only be conveyed through words and logic.

“It’s difficult.”

“…”

“It’s truly… truly difficult.”

A deep regret was in Hyun Jong’s voice.

He still couldn’t know for sure what was right and what was wrong.

But he was sure that he couldn’t break Chung Myung’s will. If so…

At that moment, Baek Cheon’s voice was heard from behind.

“You said you have to go because it’s you. Because that’s your will.”

Hyun Jong and Chung Myung turned to look at Baek Cheon. Even with that gaze, Baek Cheon was calm.

“If so.”

He raised his lips.

“You can’t stop me from heading across the river with my own will either, can you?”

“…Huh?”

Baek Cheon shrugged.

“You’re not going to say that arrogant nonsense that you’re the only one in Mount Hua qualified to protect the disciples, are you?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s definitely right.”

“You’re just a third-generation disciple.”

Chung Myung, who heard those words, asked back.

“…No. You guys are the youngest disciples, what…”

“You’re the youngest, you son of a bitch,” Jo Gul said angrily. Baek Cheon patted his shoulder and continued.

“I know what you’re saying. If we don’t run to Gangnam right now and do something, they will become an unstoppable force and cover even Shaanxi, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then I’m going too.”

“No…”

“Listen to me carefully, you stupid bastard,” Baek Cheon said firmly.

“You’re not the only one who can’t stand waiting, hoping someone will protect you.”

Chung Myung was speechless and closed his mouth. Baek Cheon continued.

“The reason I learned the sword was to be on the protecting side.”

“Sasuk.”

“If you want to fight with your own will, then fine. How can I stop that? But instead!”

Baek Cheon’s voice was imprinted on Chung Myung’s heart.

“I will also choose to be on the fighting side with my own will.”

Everyone who was guarding Baek Cheon’s back nodded.

Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, Tang Soso too. And even Hae Yeon, who had been quiet until now, looked at Chung Myung with a firm will in her eyes.

Chung Myung, who was looking at them, shook his head.

“…You little chicks…”

“Try to stop us if you can.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath and slowly got up.

Baek Cheon instinctively put his hand on his sword. He thought Chung Myung would knock them down and head across the river alone.

But Chung Myung just turned his head and looked at the river.

“Let’s talk about the rest later.”

“…Huh?”

“Because a guest is coming.”

Everyone stared at the river. In the center, a small boat was visible.

Chung Myung muttered.

“He’s annoying even to call a guest… but I’ll have to listen to what he’s saying first. Let’s decide after listening. Whether to tear his mouth apart, or…”

Baek Cheon’s face hardened.

He could now see it clearly.

A small boat drifted closer on the dark river. Above it, a figure stood out – his robes a vivid, blood-red against the black night. It was as if Jang Il-so, in his crimson clothes, was the only spot of color in a world drained of it.

“…Jang Il-so,” Baek Cheon muttered.

Chung Myung coldly stared at the approaching Jang Il-so.