Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1183

Baek Cheon’s words shocked everyone.

Everyone stared at him, eyes wide. His words were so clear that even though it seemed impossible, people wondered if they had heard wrong. They were astonished.

The shock that ran through the disciples of Mount Hua was even greater.

Those who lived with the name of Mount Hua as their destiny stared at Baek Cheon in disbelief.

Even Jo Gul, who had been very much against Baek Cheon just moments before, simply stared like a fool, completely dumbfounded.

“Th-that…,”

At that moment, Chung Myung groaned.

“That crazy bastard…,”

The Mount Hua disciples all felt the same way.

Hyun Jong, even more shocked than his disciples, stared blankly at Baek Cheon and asked,

“You said… Sect Leader?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“…To you?”

“Yes.”

The room was filled with confusion and disbelief, but Baek Cheon remained calm and nodded.

“To be precise, I ask you to make me Acting Sect Leader. To become the Sect Leader, we need to follow the sect’s rules. But I know that you can appoint an Acting Sect Leader at any time. An Acting Sect Leader has the same power as the Sect Leader.”

“Well, yes, that is true, but…,”

Why think about such things now? Sect Leader or Acting Sect Leader, they were almost the same thing.

This meant that Baek Cheon would make all the important decisions for Mount Hua instead of Hyun Jong.

It was unheard of for a disciple in Mount Hua to ask the Sect Leader for such a thing.

“Baek Cheon, I understand what you are saying, but this is not right. You are the Great Disciple of Mount Hua, but Un-Am is above you. Even if you ask, Un-Am…”

“I have already spoken with Un-Am about that.”

“…With Un-Am?”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon nodded and explained more.

“I told Un-Am my plans this morning. Un-Am has allowed it.”

“That rascal…,”

Hyun Jong started to say something, but stopped. It felt wrong to blame Un-Am when he wasn’t even here. Was Un-Am’s absence not proof that he could not make big decisions for Mount Hua?

‘No wonder he didn’t want to come, even when I asked.’

If Un-Am was here to support Baek Cheon, it might seem like Baek Cheon wasn’t really in charge. By staying away, Un-Am was showing that he trusted Baek Cheon to lead. Un-Am was that kind of person.

Hyun Jong tried to calm down and said,

“This is not something to be decided so quickly.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“Yes. I have been thinking about this for a long time. This is not a sudden idea.”

“…But, Baek Cheon, shouldn’t you have asked the other disciples too? They look surprised.”

“That is not how it should be done.”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

“Asking the younger disciples for their opinion might seem different, but it is like trying to overthrow the Sect Leader. That should never happen in Mount Hua.”

“…“

“So, I alone must take responsibility for this.”

Hyun Jong felt less confused.

It was very hard for a disciple to bring up such a thing. It might be harder than risking one’s life.

But Baek Cheon did not hesitate. His strong will helped Hyun Jong calm down.

“I see. I understand.”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly.

“No, what is this…,”

Hyeon Young’s reaction was different.

“No matter how bad the sect’s rules are, how can this happen? And in front of people from other sects?”

Hyeon Young’s eyes were red.

“Sect Leader, we must punish that arrogant fellow now.”

“Wait.”

“Sect Leader!”

“I said wait!”

Hyun Jong became stern, and Hyeon Young stopped talking. Hyun Jong then faced Baek Cheon. He seemed like a true Sect Leader.

“If you don’t have a good reason, you will be punished. But first, we must listen to you, Baek Cheon.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“As you said, everything needs a reason. Why do you want to be Sect Leader? Is it because I am not good enough?”

“That is not the case.”

“Then is it because you don’t like my choices?”

“Even more so, that is not the case.”

“Then why?”

“As I said, it is because we have different positions.”

Hyun Jong waited for him to continue.

“Sect Leader, you are not wrong. You are absolutely right. One of the Sect Leader’s most important jobs is to protect the disciples and pass on the will of Mount Hua. You are right to try to do that.”

“Then?”

“But we who will inherit the sect have a different position. The Sect Leader must pass on the sect, but we have no future generations to protect, so the present is more important. So, we must not just protect.”

Baek Cheon spoke calmly but firmly.

“We must show the world that what we have inherited is not wrong.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

“From our recent predecessors, from our ancestors who died for the world a hundred years ago, and from the founder who started Mount Hua on Lotus Peak!”

“…“

“We must prove with our hands, our swords, and our lives that the will that has been passed down still exists in Mount Hua. The will of countless people has made it even greater than before.”

Hyun Jong’s fist trembled slightly. No one noticed it. Everyone was focused on Baek Cheon’s words.

“We cannot say that protecting the young disciples is wrong. But we also cannot say that it is wrong for the disciples to risk their lives and fight for the weak.”

“…That’s right.”

If those words were wrong, then Mount Hua would lose its meaning. So, they could not be wrong.

“So, I understand and respect the Sect Leader’s choice. But as a disciple of Mount Hua, we must also show our will. There is only one way to do both of those things.”

Baek Cheon continued.

“For those who must prove it, to inherit that heavy duty from the predecessors who lived only to pass it on.”

“…“

“That is why I must become the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.”

Even the elders were no longer angry. They simply stared at Baek Cheon.

“I have told these words to Un-Am. And I suggested that Un-Am become Sect Leader. But Un-Am refused. He believes that my intentions are right, but he said that he is not someone who must prove it, but someone who must protect it, so he cannot accept it.”

“Un-Am…,”

“If Un-Am believes so, then someone who must prove it has no choice but to inherit it. In Mount Hua, the most suitable person for that role is me, Baek Cheon.”

Hyun Jong bit his lip.

Not because he was angry, but because he was touched that the young boy had grown up so much. ‘When did he grow up so much….’ He knew he had grown. He thought he was growing up wonderfully. But children always grow more than we expect.

This was the moment that those who raised disciples dreamed of. He felt many emotions.

But….

“Baek Cheon, I understand your intentions. But you are still…,”

“Do you mean I am not good enough?”

Baek Cheon asked and then shook his head.

“Sect Leader, when will I be good enough?”

“…“

“Will I be good enough in ten years? Will I be perfect in twenty years?”

“That’s…,”

“The successors will never seem perfect to the predecessors. There is only a right time. I think now is that time.”

“…“

“If you think I am not good enough, please guide me. If you think I am not good enough, please advise me and push me. You can do that even after I become Acting Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong looked at Baek Cheon with a strange expression. After a long time, Hyun Jong sighed and asked,

“Since when?”

Before Baek Cheon could speak, he asked again.

“Since when have you been thinking like that?”

Baek Cheon closed his eyes and thought. Then he answered.

“It started because of what Jo Gul said.”

“…Gul’s?”

“Yes. To Gul’s words that everything was going wrong, I said, ‘Think about what you should do.’ And I thought about what I should do.”

“I see.”

“I said to the disciples who didn’t have an answer, ‘Those who don’t take responsibility for their decisions can’t criticize the Sect Leader’s choices.’”

“…“

“That also applies to me. I respect the Sect Leader’s choice and will follow it. But I have different thoughts. But I can’t disobey the Sect Leader’s choice because I am someone who doesn’t take responsibility. So I thought and thought again. In the end, I reached one conclusion.”

Baek Cheon clenched his fist and said,

“Then I can take that responsibility. If the right to choose is not given to those who don’t take responsibility, then I can become someone who takes responsibility.”

The disciples behind Baek Cheon bit their lips.

‘Sasuk!’

Jo Gul looked at Baek Cheon’s back, looking like he was about to cry. He thought his words had not been heard, but that was not true. Baek Cheon had listened to Jo Gul more seriously than anyone else.

“So, I will inherit it. I will prove with my own hands and with the swords of my brothers that the disciples who have been taught by our predecessors are on the right path.”

Baek Cheon inhaled slowly, putting all his sincerity into his next words.

Finally, he spoke with determination.

“That heavy responsibility, the weight of the burden, the value that is most important in the lives of the disciples….”

“…“

“I will bear it.”