Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1177

Chung Myung laughed loudly.

“Let’s give Dong-ryong credit for being confident. Even though he’s strong now, he still feels like it’s not enough? Maybe he remembers how things used to be…”

“I told you not to talk about the old days. I made that clear.”

“Goodness! Yes, yes. Would there be any doubt?”

Baek Cheon glared at Chung Myung. Chung Myung pretended to be very scared and raised both hands. Baek Cheon sighed deeply, and Chung Myung burst into laughter, taking another sip of his drink.

He slowly put down the bottle. His voice became warm as he spoke.

“Martial Uncle… and the other senior brothers are all doing well.”

“……”

“I’m not just saying that, I really think so. They couldn’t possibly do any better. They have all worked so hard and been so strong.”

“Good of you to notice.”

“It’s funny. Sometimes when I see them, I think, ‘Do they even train? Are they even trying?’”

“……”

“But then other times, I see them training all day and night. They are really pushing themselves.”

“Pick one, just one. Decide on one.”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“I know. They’re all working hard enough to break their bones. And they’re trying to be helpful, even in the smallest ways.”

Honestly, it’s admirable.

He always scolds them for being inadequate, but Chung Myung knows. He knows how much they’re all doing their best to help him.

“But the problem we have to face is just too big. Even if we share it, it’s still too much for everyone.”

“Still.”

“It’s also a source of strength.”

Chung Myung pressed his fist against his mouth, as if he had said something he shouldn’t have. Then, he took a long breath through his nose and said.

“I didn’t do it all alone. I’m the kind of person who can’t do anything by myself.”

It was the sincerest truth.

Chung Myung knew. Whenever he did something, someone was always there with him.

When he stood at the forefront of Mount Hua, Cheong Mun led and Cheongjin supported him from behind. When he fought the most powerful enemies, Dangbo guarded his back.

Without them, Chung Myung would have been just another strongman. It was because of them that Chung Myung could become the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.

“If it weren’t for Martial Uncle, and the other senior brothers, I wouldn’t have made it this far. Of course, that includes the sect leader, the elders, and the other people of Mount Hua, too.”

Words he would never normally say flowed out.

Perhaps when morning comes, he would want to erase the time he said these words forever, but right now, he just wanted to speak his mind.

“I’m especially grateful to Martial Uncle.”

“That’s what someone like you says?”

“……I take it back. I was out of my mind for a moment.”

Chung Myung chuckled softly and shook his head.

“Anyway, there’s no need to think useless thoughts. Martial Uncle is doing his job perfectly. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“A young pup whose mouth is all that’s alive.”

“I’m an adult.”

“Yeah, keep yapping.”

Chung Myung grinned and looked up at the moon.

Perhaps he really was someone who could never become an adult. That thought remained unchanged.

But even he had times when he had to be an adult. Times when he had to at least pretend to be an adult.

When younger ones looked up to him, when their eyes were filled with trust and faith. At times like that, even an immature child had to straighten his shoulders and pretend to be a reliable person.

Maybe that’s how it is for everyone?

As more and more people came to believe in them as adults, even if they hadn’t become adults yet, wouldn’t they naturally start living as if they were adults?

If Cheong Mun had been here, if Cheongjin had been here, or even if that rascal Dangbo had been here, Chung Myung might have remained the crazy old man of Mount Hua, never growing up.

But Cheong Mun, Cheongjin, and Dangbo were not here.

All that remained for Chung Myung were the young children who looked only to him, children who had not yet reached their full potential. Children who would one day spread their talents like wings and shine so brightly.

So, shouldn’t he straighten his shoulders? Even if his shoulders weren’t fully grown, shouldn’t he straighten them as much as possible and stand tall?

‘So this is how you felt, Senior Brother.’

He understood.

Why Cheong Mun seemed so big. How he could seem so unwavering.

Perhaps what made Cheong Mun that way was Chung Myung’s gaze upon him. When Cheong Mun led Chung Myung, Chung Myung was unknowingly pushing Cheong Mun forward.

There are no one-sided relationships in the world. Even things that seem meaningless all have meaning, one by one.

This simple talk, these simple jokes, were helping Chung Myung feel better and clear his mind.

‘So I need to become a bit more of an adult, too.’

A small smile formed on Chung Myung’s lips.

“Living like this, even Dong-ryong can be helpful sometimes.”

“……Are you picking a fight?”

“It’s a compliment.”

“Yeah, right.”

Baek Cheon muttered with a bitter expression. Chung Myung chuckled as he looked at him.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

“……”

“Those evil groups, those demons, I will destroy them all. And someday, I’ll make Mount Hua the greatest sect in the world.”

Chung Myung sighed deeply.

“Of course, it’s infuriating that Martial Uncle or Senior Brother Yoon Jong will be the sect leader of that Mount Hua.”

“Then you do it!”

“……Really?”

“No. I take it back. Please erase it from your memory. I’m begging you.”

Chung Myung chuckled as he watched Baek Cheon, who was utterly horrified and serious. Then…

“Heave-ho!”

He jumped up from his seat.

“……Why are you getting up?”

“My thoughts have become clear.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“I can’t even understand why I was worrying about this. Thanks, Martial Uncle. It’s all thanks to you.”

“……What are you talking about?”

Baek Cheon stared at Chung Myung with a dumbfounded expression.

“There’s still some alcohol left.”

“Ah?”

Chung Myung put the bottle in his hand to his mouth and tilted his head back in one swift motion. The alcohol inside poured down his throat.

“Th, that…!”

“Krooooh!”

Chung Myung emptied the bottle in one go, shook the empty bottle, and grinned.

“There’s nothing left now?”

“……You crazy bastard.”

“Hee hee hee.”

Chung Myung, grinning slyly, jumped down from under the eaves.

“Martial Uncle, don’t waste time unnecessarily and go to bed quickly. We’ll be training the same way tomorrow.”

“And I was even worried about you.”

“Who’s worrying about who? Martial Uncle is worrying about me? Oh, I’m so grateful I don’t know what to do.”

“What did you say, you little punk?”

The night air was cool. Baek Cheon stood outside the training hall as Chung Myung came out.

Chung Myung stopped walking and turned around quickly. He looked at Baek Cheon and said, “Thanks to you.”

Chung Myung spun around.

“See you tomorrow, Senior Brother.”

And without a second glance, he walked quickly away.

“Hey, you little rascal! I’m not finished talking yet….”

Baek Cheon called after him, but Chung Myung didn’t turn back.

“That little….”

Baek Cheon, still staring blankly at his figure going away, finally shook his head. Then, he looked up at the moon.

The moon, covered by clouds, gave a weak light.

“…He could have at least left the alcohol.”

His hollow voice echoed emptily in the night sky.

The next few days were the same as usual. The training was hard, and the days went by quickly.

Soon, the day arrived that the head of the Law Enforcement Hall had talked about.

Baek Cheon asked, having called them early in the morning, “Have you all considered it?” The Five Swords’ faces hardened.

“Have you found an answer?”

Yoon Jong sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He spoke first, his voice heavy.

“Senior Brother.”

Baek Cheon looked at him with a serious face. “Yes, Yoon Jong.”

Yoon Jong hesitated, then said, “Well… of course, I’ve been worrying about it a lot. I mean, really worrying. So much that I felt like pulling my hair out.” He gave a small, tired smile.

The others nodded.

They had barely slept in three days. Even when they were so exhausted they felt like collapsing in their quarters, they couldn’t fall asleep. Worry had completely filled their minds.

Yoon Jong glanced at the others and shook his head.

“I don’t know about the others, but frankly, I still don’t know. What is right, and what is wrong.”

Baek Cheon listened to him with a very serious face.

“If it were a matter of risking my own life, I would do it without hesitation. If I could save others by dying, even if it meant a great loss in the future, I would gladly do it.”

Some agreed.

“But… I can’t make myself sacrifice some people to save other people. If Jo Gul were to go and die to save innocent people, I wouldn’t have the confidence to let him go.”

Jo Gul bit his lip slightly.

“I don’t think this is a matter of right or wrong in the first place. No one in the world could answer that question, Senior Brother. I’ve really thought about it seriously… I’m sorry. I couldn’t find an answer.”

Yoon Jong lowered his head, his face filled with apology. But Baek Cheon didn’t blame him; instead, he simply smiled calmly and nodded.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“…Yes.”

“What about the others?”

When no one readily spoke, Baek Cheon’s gaze naturally turned to Yu Yiseol. Yu Yiseol, uncharacteristically, bit her lip slightly and answered.

“I don’t know.”

“Is that so?”

“I will fight at the forefront no matter what. But… I can’t tell my junior sisters to do the same.”

“I see.”

Baek Cheon nodded as if to say she was right. This time, his gaze shifted to Jo Gul.

Jo Gul scratched his head roughly.

“How could I find an answer that my senior brothers and sisters couldn’t find?”

“…I didn’t expect you to.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. So?”

“…Honestly, I just thought I only needed to be willing to risk my life. But… I realized that my risking my life to keep the agreement might mean forcing someone who doesn’t want to, to give up their life.”

Everyone stared at Jo Gul with surprised eyes. Jo Gul, surprised by their reaction, asked.

“Ah, no, why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”

“…He actually thinks.”

“He’s growing, he’s growing.”

“At this rate, he might even become human someday.”

“You guys!”

Jo Gul got angry, but Baek Cheon chuckled and stopped him.

“Alright, you’ve worked hard. So-So?”

“Senior Brother. Honestly, I can’t tell them to go out and die, but I think I can tell them to die with me.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s just that I don’t want to be the only one to survive.”

“I see. So, So-So is on that side?”

“But… Senior Brother, I can ask my senior brothers to die with me, but I don’t think I can do that when disciples come later. They have to live. Even if we die.”

Some nodded.

“So, I don’t know either. I only thought about protecting, but I never thought that those I really want to protect could be sacrificed for the sake of unknown people. But… what I want to protect and what Hwasan wants to protect might be different….”

When Dang So-So lowered her head, Yu Yiseol gently stroked her shoulder.

“What does Venerable Hae Yeon say?”

“Amitabha.”

Hae Yeon closed his eyes and chanted the Buddha’s name.

“Benefactor. The Buddha taught us to spread the Dharma to all places in the world and save all sentient beings.”

“Yes. That is the teaching of Buddhism.”

“Dividing the priority of what to protect is also just an attachment to small connections. Saving more people is the right thing to do.”

Baek Cheon nodded. Hae Yeon smiled bitterly and said.

“But… if I could do that, I would be the Buddha, not a mere human.”

“True enough.”

“…When you think about it, that guy isn’t even a monk.”

“He’s a defrocked monk.”

Hae Yeon’s face quickly turned bright red.

“W-When was I ever defrocked!”

“Wasn’t it?”

“Isn’t that what everyone knows?”

“Th-That’s….”

Hae Yeon made a hand gesture and continuously chanted the Buddha’s name. Baek Cheon sighed, calmed himself down, and looked at everyone.

“I’m glad that everyone has thought about it seriously. How was it after thinking about it? Did it seem like there would be an answer?”

“No.”

“…Honestly, I can’t find it.”

“There is no answer to this in the first place.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“Right. This is a problem without an answer. But you must know. We can just say there is no answer, but the sect leader, and that Chung Myung rascal, have to find that non-existent answer somehow.”

Those who had understood even a little of the feelings of those making the decisions nodded with serious faces.

“So today, no matter what answer you hear, you must never be angry or say the choice was bad. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

“We will.”

“We have no right to do that.”

“Alright.”

Baek Cheon turned his body as if that was enough. His eyes were more deeply sunken than usual.