Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1088

That's the Duty of a Taoist (3)

The moment Hyun Jong, who had been looking down, finally lifted his head, the disciples of Mount Hua quickly bowed their heads to the ground. Dust rose slightly from the wooden floor as they moved.

“Don’t look him in the eyes!” one whispered.

“Seriously, don’t!” another replied, his voice trembling.

Cold sweat ran down the backs of their necks. They knew Hyun Jong could be angry, but this felt different, heavier. The air in the main hall of Mount Hua seemed thick with his unspoken fury, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the wooden floor.

“What sin did I commit…” Hyun Jong sighed, the sound heavy in the silent hall.

Un Geom and Baek Cheon lowered their heads even further.

Hyun Jong scratched his head roughly. He wanted to turn everything upside down, but when he thought about how much hardship these fellows had gone through, it wasn’t easy to get any angrier.

To be honest, were they in a situation to be scolded? They were heroes who had achieved a feat that would have other sects throwing a welcome party that would shake the city. But those heroes…

He looked at the disciples avoiding his eyes, and Cheong Myung, who seemed to ask, “Do you really need to scold us?”

He felt his neck tighten. He momentarily thought about finding some herbal medicine, but even Dang So So, who should be preparing that medicine, was sitting in the corner with a sad face. Hyun Jong eventually sighed again.

“It’s all my fault. Yes, it’s all my fault…”

“Everyone…” Hyun Jong bit his lip slightly.

“Still, it’s a relief. That you all came back safe and sound.”

“Well, you should at least let us lower our arms before you say that…”

“Ah, shut up!”

“So So! Where’s the needle? Stick it in that bastard’s mouth!”

“Just be quiet!”

The Mount Hua disciples glared at Cheong Myung, their eyes rolling back. If that bastard just kept his mouth shut, they would have been scolded half as much.

Hyun Jong sighed deeply.

“Alright, everyone, lower your arms.”

“Hehe.”

“You, keep holding them up.”

“…Why me alone?”

“Just hold them up.”

Cheong Myung’s lips jutted out. He was full of complaints as he slowly raised his arms again.

The others quietly lowered their arms. Their faces fell as they understood how much worry they had caused.

Watching them, Hyun Jong blamed himself inwardly.

‘How pathetic.’

He wasn’t angry because their first trip was in vain. The real anger surged up the moment he saw the state of these fellows loitering here.

Their clothes were torn and tattered in places, and even stained with dried blood. The bloodstains peeking through the torn clothes hinted at how fierce the battles they had fought were. Their clothes were not just torn, but covered in dust from the long journey, and carried the faint smell of smoke and battle.

The moment he saw that, a fire blazed in his chest.

Proud. Of course, he was proud. He knew well why they went to Jiangnan. He couldn’t possibly not know the value of what they had protected, and the importance of the chivalry they had upheld.

But even so, he was angry.

No matter how much they put the greater good first, what parent would be happy to see their child go to a dangerous battlefield? Seeing those fellows smiling brightly even after going through that harsh battlefield, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. He showed a small physical action that shows his worry, like wringing his hands.

Hyun Jong quietly lowered his head.

“Everyone… thank you.”

Everyone was taken aback and opened their mouths wide.

“Sect Leader!”

“Ah, no, why are you doing this! We were wrong.”

“Beg, you bastards! Beg quickly!”

Hyun Jong, who had raised his head, shook his head at the disciples who were flustered and didn’t know what to do.

“I’m not saying thank you for what you’ve done.”

“…”

“You have resolved the crisis in the Central Plains, raised the status of Mount Hua, and proclaimed to the world that chivalry still remains among the martial artists.”

“Sect Leader…”

Hyun Jong looked at his disciples with sad eyes.

“But I’m not thankful for any of that.”

“…”

“There’s only one thing I’m thankful for.”

He lowered his head once more.

“Thank you so much for coming back safe and sound… Really… Thank you.”

The Mount Hua disciples lowered their heads together.

They could feel how much Hyun Jong had worried about them, how much he had agonized. Looking back, they had only worried about their own safety while fighting, and hadn’t considered at all what those left behind must have been feeling. That’s why they had forgotten even to contact them, which they could have easily done.

A sense of guilt welled up anew. The Mount Hua disciples sighed repeatedly.

“We’re sorry, Sect Leader.”

“We’re sorry.”

“Can we lower our arms now?”

“No.”

“Aish, really.”

Cheong Myung grumbled, but his voice didn’t reach the ears of the others.

“Hoo.”

Hyun Jong sighed deeply, and Hyun Young, who was next to him, clicked his tongue.

“Goodness, the kids can make mistakes when they’re fighting like crazy. You’re being petty about it.”

“What, you punk?”

“Anyway, you’re becoming more like a child as you get older.”

Hyun Sang, who was watching them, subtly dissuaded Hyun Young.

“Isn’t it because the Sect Leader is worried?”

“Who here wasn’t worried? If the kids come back safe, you should praise them first. As the Sect Leader!”

“Ugh, ugh…”

Hyun Jong turned his head away, as if he had nothing to say. Hyun Young clicked his tongue and looked at the children.

“From now on, think about the people who are waiting and worrying. I thought your Sect Leader was going to die.”

“We will keep that in mind, Elder.”

“We certainly will.”

Hyun Young nodded.

“Alright. Now that the Sect Leader seems to have calmed down, why don’t you tell us what happened?” Hyun Young said, showing his own worry earlier in the chapter.

Those who were seated turned their heads slightly to look at Baek Cheon, as if telling him to speak on their behalf.

Baek Cheon cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

“First of all…” The events they had experienced in Jiangnan slowly began to unfold.

“Hmm.”

After listening to the not-so-short story, a groan escaped from Hyun Jong’s mouth. Everyone looked at his mouth, wondering what he would say first.

“Un Geom.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Where are the woman and child you rescued from Hangzhou now?”

The Mount Hua disciples smiled at those words. They thought it was just like Hyun Jong.

“The woman and child are resting in a quiet room,” Un Geom answered calmly.

“They don’t have any particular health problems, but they are very weak. The journey here was probably very difficult for her, even if we didn’t know it.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“Therefore, I thought it was best to let them rest in a comfortable place first. I have asked the Dang family’s physicians to take care of them, so there should be no problems.”

“Alright. Is the child safe too?”

“Yes, Sect Leader. You don’t have to worry.”

“That’s a relief.”

Only then did Hyun Jong sigh lightly.

Compared to the rise of the Demonic Sect and the unification of the Four Evil Sects, these two great events that would surely plunge the world into chaos, the safety of two survivors might be nothing.

But Hyun Jong mentioned the safety of the two people first among all the events. That one word contained everything about what kind of person Hyun Jong was. Whether positively or negatively.

At that time, Dang So So quietly opened her mouth.

“She seems to be very worried. She’s been forcibly moved to a foreign land without any relatives…”

“That’s right. Of course, she would be.”

Hyun Jong looked back at Hyun Young as if there was no need to think about it.

“Hyun Young.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Take care of her and the child so that they don’t lack anything, and find a place for them to settle down. Whether it’s Hwaeum or here, or even Sichuan. Help them live comfortably wherever they want.”

“I will do so, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong nodded with a heavy heart.

The fact that there were survivors, and that they were able to rescue them at the end of their luck, was certainly welcome news. But conversely, it meant that only two people had survived in that vast land of Hangzhou.

Of course, there would be those who had run away to other places after the incident, so not everyone would have been sacrificed, but the sacrifice was still great.

“The Demonic Sect…”

The Demonic Sect, as they had heard it directly from their mouths, was a more terrifying and dreadful place than he had imagined. This was even more so considering that they didn’t want to worry Hyun Jong too much.

“Cheong Myung.”

“Cheong Myung.”

Hyun Jong’s eyebrows twitched when there was no answer even after two calls.

Hyun Jong, who had subtly hardened his mouth, and Cheong Myung, who had pouted his lips, met in the air.

“Lower your arms.”

“Yes, Sect Leader. Please ask.”

Hyun Jong squeezed his eyes shut at the polite answer that came back right away.

‘What on earth is that bastard…’

For someone who had gone through an experience that would have changed his personality a dozen times over in the past few days, how could a person be so consistent?

At this point, he had to wonder if it wasn’t that his personality was bad, but that the humans who were trying to fix his personality were wrong.

“You…” Hyun Jong sighed deeply.

After looking at Cheong Myung for a while with a face that was somehow uncomfortable and stuffy, he put strength into his voice and continued.

“I won’t bother asking you how you know the Demonic Sect so well.”

“Ah, that? That’s…”

“That’s enough.”

Hyun Jong cut him off firmly when Cheong Myung was about to speak, ready to talk quickly. It was better not to listen to a weak excuse.

“Tell me later when you feel like it.”

Of course, it wasn’t that Hyun Jong wasn’t curious about Cheong Myung’s story. But knowing everything doesn’t make us closer, and not knowing everything doesn’t make us distant.

No matter what story he had, Cheong Myung was just Cheong Myung to him.

There must be a reason why a child who had already opened his heart wasn’t telling his story. What Hyun Jong had to do now was not to rush him, but to wait.

Hyun Jong subtly winked at the others around him. It was as if he was saying that their attitude should be no different either.

He frowned slightly and opened his mouth.

“More than that, I’ll ask you since you seem to know the most about the Demonic Sect among us. According to Baek Cheon, the Demonic Sect that appeared in Hangzhou this time seems to be only a part of them. Am I right?”

“Yes. That’s probably right.”

“Then… If we combine all the forces of those who didn’t appear in the Central Plains this time, how much power do you think the Demonic Sect has?”

Cheong Myung frowned slightly. He opened and closed his fingers, thinking carefully, and then looked at Hyun Jong with a hardened face.

“Are you talking about the power excluding the Heavenly Demon?”

“That’s right.”

“Then…” He closed his mouth again.

Cheong Myung, who had been silent as if contemplating something, opened his mouth when everyone was so nervous that their mouths were drying up.

“At the very least, ten times, no… It’ll be more than that.”

The air in the room froze coldly in an instant.

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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