Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1178

Several people were in a room. Hyun Jong, the leader of Mount Hua, was there with the elders. Tang Gunak, the second-in-command of the Heavenly Union, was also present.

The four of them stared at one person with serious expressions. That person was Chung Myung, who was smiling brightly.

“Really,” Hyun Jong said, clearing his throat as if he didn’t know what to say. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Yes,” Chung Myung replied, shrugging. “Actually, the decision was made a long time ago, wasn’t it?”

“Even so…”

“Does Sect Leader think differently?”

Hyun Jong sighed deeply. “…My thoughts aren’t that different either.”

“Yes. If we agree, then there’s nothing to worry about, right?” Chung Myung looked at Tang Gunak. “I feel a bit sorry to the Clan Lord.”

“You don’t need to feel sorry,” Tang Gunak said, shaking his head. “The Dang Clan hasn’t lost anything. The Dang Clan is now seen as very important, like the second-in-charge of the Heavenly Union. This is better than when they were just one of the Five Great Families.”

Tang Gunak looked at Chung Myung with kind eyes. “And it’s not just about status. The Sichuan Dang Clan only cared about themselves in the past. But thanks to you and Mount Hua, we’ve learned what it means to be a good sect. This is a valuable lesson that we can’t trade for anything.”

“Ahem. I’m a little embarrassed.”

“No, you should be proud—”

“Actually, to be honest, the Sichuan Dang Clan was a bit selfish and ruthless. Ugh, just thinking about it…”

Tang Gunak’s eyebrows twitched.

“Anyway,” Tang Gunak said.

“Yes,” Chung Myung replied.

Tang Gunak sighed softly. “The leaders of the other sects said they will follow Mount Hua’s decision, so there won’t be any problems. But I want to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

Tang Gunak’s expression turned serious. “Are you really okay with this? Even if it’s the right thing to do, giving up everything you’ve worked for is a big decision. Even if Mount Hua becomes as famous as the Nine Great Sects, even if it becomes as respected as Shaolin…”

Chung Myung closed his mouth.

“You wanted more than just fame, didn’t you?”

“Well, that’s true… But it’s okay,” Chung Myung said.

Hyun Young had been sitting with a grumpy face. “What’s okay about it? Damn it,” he mumbled. But Hyun Sang glared at him, so he quickly bit his lip.

“I know too. Being equal to the Nine Great Sects doesn’t mean anything. It’s like paying with real money but getting a paper promise in return. Even if the paper promise says a lot of money, it could become worthless very quickly, right?”

“You know that. Then why are you doing this?”

“From the start, the Heavenly Union wasn’t the goal. It was just a way to get there,” Chung Myung said, shrugging. “Mount Hua didn’t create the Heavenly Union because it wanted to be powerful. We united to protect people. But focusing too much on that and giving up a safer path is focusing on the wrong thing.”

“Do you trust the Buddhist Sect Leader?”

“Of course not,” Chung Myung said firmly. “I only trust myself and Mount Hua. And the other sects that joined the Heavenly Union. Do you think I’ll listen to that bald old man? No way! Someone without even hair!”

Chung Myung, slightly out of breath, chuckled and continued, “So, we’re joining for now. Instead of standing in the rain, it’s better to stand under a roof you don’t like.”

Tang Gunak shook his head. “The more I hear, the less I understand.”

“What’s wrong?” Chung Myung asked.

“Wasn’t the Heavenly Union our roof?”

Tang Gunak looked directly at Chung Myung. “It doesn’t make sense. If that’s the case, we could say that the Heavenly Union is giving up everything for what’s right. People might praise us for making a big decision for the future. But aren’t we losing the roof that we need?”

Chung Myung closed his eyes, not answering.

“I thought we shared more than just power in the Heavenly Union. Didn’t we see something more important? But now, we’re choosing to just become stronger and safer…”

Chung Myung slowly opened his eyes. They looked sad.

“I’ve been feeling this for a while now,” he said.

“What are you talking about?” Tang Gunak asked.

“Maybe I’m just following a path that was already decided, and I’m ignoring it.”

Tang Gunak closed his mouth. Chung Myung’s words were heavy.

“Parents want their children to grow up to be good people. They want them to stand up for what’s right, help those who are weak, and not give in to unfairness.”

“That’s right,” Tang Gunak agreed.

“But no parent wants their child to die for someone else.”

“They might cry and praise them for being brave, but no one would want their child to jump into a fire to save someone.”

Tang Gunak closed his eyes. He understood what Chung Myung was trying to say.

“But I was pushing Mount Hua, the disciples of Mount Hua, into that fire. The more Mount Hua shouted, the more famous it became, the more danger they would be in.”

Chung Myung shrugged. “Of course, not just Mount Hua, but the Heavenly Union too. That’s what I mean.”

“I know,” Tang Gunak said.

“I started dreaming that we would defeat all the evil sects and bring peace to the world. A world where everyone is happy.”

“Isn’t that what we all want?”

“But Mount Hua isn’t there in that dream.”

Chung Myung looked up at the ceiling, trying to sound casual. “In the end, everyone protects what they want to protect and achieves what they want to achieve. But I couldn’t smile when I saw it.”

His voice was calm, but desperate. “Because nothing has changed. Because it’s the same result.”

It was hard to understand, but his feelings were clear: deep sadness and regret.

“I’ve just been doing what I wanted to do, but Mount Hua has become a sect known for doing what’s right. And everyone believes they have to risk their lives for it.”

“You…”

“What will happen in the end?”

Tang Gunak couldn’t answer.

“Things like what happened in Hangzhou will keep happening. Because it’s the Heavenly Union, because it’s Mount Hua, because it’s the Dang Clan. It will become normal to step forward and fight the hardest.”

Tang Gunak had to agree. The Heavenly Union was already heading in that direction.

“Then someday, others will enjoy what we protected with our sacrifices.”

That’s what happened to Mount Hua in the past.

Chung Myung regretted it and didn’t want it to happen again.

“Isn’t it funny?” he thought. “Even though I hated it so much, I’m doing the same thing.”

The more he understood Cheong Mun and the past, the more he made the same choices as Mount Hua in the past. And he was afraid the results would be the same.

“So what,” Chung Myung said, shrugging again. “If I were a hero, I’d say it’s okay. But I’m selfish, so I can’t stand seeing others enjoy what we worked for. I’m just being a bit cowardly.”

“You…”

“That’s right,” Chung Myung chuckled. “Those guys won’t hold back, even if I tell them to save their strength. So I have to stop them, so they don’t get into more danger.”

“But haven’t you said that we can’t defeat the Demonic Sect that way?” Tang Gunak asked.

“We can find another way. There wasn’t an answer from the beginning anyway.”

“Irresponsible,” Tang Gunak said.

“I know,” Chung Myung sighed. “But this is as far as I can go. It’s too hard. I’ll have to talk to the bald old man about the rest. I don’t trust him, but he sees things better than I do.”

Tang Gunak looked at Chung Myung with sad eyes. “…You’ve become an adult too.”

“Are you saying I’ve become a coward?”

“If it’s a compliment, it is. You can’t be ambitious forever.”

Chung Myung smiled bitterly.

The answer was easy. He just thought about what he wanted to protect the most: Mount Hua and its disciples, and the future of Mount Hua.

Wasn’t it Chung Myung who argued that they had to protect the world to protect Mount Hua’s future? But he was doing the same thing as Cheong Mun. So now he had to change that.

“Does Sect Leader agree?” Chung Myung asked.

“I’m just a simple person too,” Hyun Jong said, shaking his head. “I can’t call myself the parent of those children, but what parent would want peace at the cost of their child’s blood?”

“I just hope those children shed less blood. Even if others shed more blood because of that choice… That’s the price I’ll pay.”

“I understand. Fully,” Tang Gunak said, closing his eyes.

They have to protect the people and the world. But the disciples of Mount Hua are the ones they have to protect, even more than everyone else.

It would be reckless to put those people in danger for the sake of ideals.

That’s why Tang Gunak understood. They cared about Mount Hua so much that they had to make this decision.

“I understand both of your intentions,” Tang Gunak said.

Nothing will change much.

They’re just joining a larger group. Mount Hua, now one of the Nine Great Sects, will be there, along with the Dang Clan and the Namgung Clan, and the sects from beyond the border.

The connection won’t disappear just because the name has changed.

So, only one thing changes.

“Then,” Tang Gunak said with a bitter tone, “The Heavenly Union ends here.”

Everyone closed their eyes, unable to look at each other.