Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1201

Tang Gunak sighed deeply before speaking, “Young Lord, listen.”

“This trip to Hainan is more dangerous than you think. Even if we try to be quiet and travel with few people.”

“I am aware, Clan Lord,” Namgung Dowi replied calmly.

Tang Gunak’s voice rose slightly. “But Young Lord of Namgung Clan… You are basically the Clan Lord now. Do you still plan to go to Hainan yourself?”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Do you not know what could happen if something bad happens to you, with Namgung in its current state?” Tang Gunak asked sternly.

Namgung Dowi just smiled, a calm, steady smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Of course, I am aware.”

“And yet, you still plan to go to Hainan?”

“Yes.”

Hearing the firm answer, without any hesitation, Tang Gunak squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Namgung Hwang would be better,’ he thought.

Namgung Hwang was reckless sometimes, but that was because he was stubborn and didn’t control his feelings. But Namgung Dowi considers everything, keeps his emotions out of it, and yet arrives at the same conclusion as Namgung Hwang.

If the result is the same despite different processes, wouldn’t it be easier to deal with the one whose process is flawed?

“Young Lord…” Tang Gunak started.

“Acting Head,” Namgung Dowi said, turning to Baek Cheon.

“Yes, Young Lord?” Baek Cheon responded.

“What are your intentions, Acting Head? Now that you have ascended to the position of Acting Head of Mount Hua, will you remain in the rear and send your disciples to Hainan?”

Baek Cheon shrugged. “Such an Acting Head does not exist in Mount Hua. The Acting Head of Mount Hua is always first, leading the way. Naturally, I will go to Hainan myself.”

Namgung Dowi looked at Tang Gunak as if to say, ‘See?’

“That’s right,” Namgung Dowi said.

Tang Gunak was speechless.

“The Acting Head of Mount Hua is going to Hainan himself, so why should the Namgung Clan’s Young Lord be too important to go when I am going? Namgung may not match Mount Hua in strength, but at least our unity will not be outdone.”

“No, I wish you wouldn’t feel competitive about such trivial matters…” Tang Gunak mumbled.

“That’s not all. As the Clan Lord mentioned, Namgung is not in a stable state right now. Most of those who represented Namgung in the past met their end on Plum Blossom Island. As a result, there are few left in Namgung who can represent the clan by their name alone.”

Tang Gunak remained silent.

“Therefore…” Namgung Dowi straightened his shoulders. “I am the only one in Namgung fit for that role.”

Namgung Dowi continued, “I am the most directly affected by the actions of the Nine Sects, a member of Namgung who has experienced how cruel the Four Evil Clans can be, someone who can represent the position of the Namgung Clan, and someone who can harmonize well with those heading to Hainan and successfully lead all missions.”

Tang Gunak closed his mouth tightly, like a clam shell.

He tried to find something to refute, but no words came to mind. Namgung Dowi’s logic was like a wall, leaving him with nothing to grab onto.

Therefore, Tang Gunak had no choice but to say, “Young Lord, listen.”

“Yes, Clan Lord?”

“As you know, your late father and I were friends. Not bosom buddies, perhaps, but we had no trouble sharing a drink together.”

“I am aware. If the circumstances were different, the two of you might have become closer.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Tang Gunak sighed deeply. “So, shouldn’t you consider my position a little? If something were to happen to you on this trip to Hainan, how could I face your friend?”

Namgung Dowi smiled gently. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

Namgung Dowi added, “If my father were here, he wouldn’t blame me for going to Hainan. He would blame me for not going. That’s the kind of person he was.”

Tang Gunak was struck dumb.

He thought, ‘Namgung Hwang really was that kind of person.’

“Well, you also have your uncle!” Tang Gunak exclaimed.

“My uncle’s previous injuries were too severe; he would have difficulty enduring a long journey. As his nephew, how could I ask my injured uncle for such a favor?”

“That…” Tang Gunak trailed off.

If Namgung Myung were here, he would have immediately retorted, ‘What? I’m perfectly fine!’ But, alas, Namgung Myung was not present.

“Then, well…” Tang Gunak paused, searching for words.

Maeng So chuckled. “The Clan Lord must be in a difficult position.”

Tang Gunak sighed deeply.

In truth, Tang Gunak was not one to stop someone or hold them back with various reasons. He was usually indifferent, passively observing whatever happened around him.

However, now that he was in charge of the Heavenly Union Conference, he felt that if he acted as he usually did, everyone would fall into hell in less than three days.

‘Union Lord…’ Tang Gunak was keenly aware of what Hyun Jong had been doing as the Union Lord of the Heavenly Union.

Sometimes, he had been frustrated by why Hyun Jong would nitpick at every little thing when things would eventually turn out the way the children wanted anyway…

‘If I don’t nitpick at these ones, they’ll go all the way to the Western Regions,’ he thought.

So, even if it didn’t change the outcome, there was meaning in the act of nitpicking itself.

“Ugh. You have no intention of changing your mind… Of course not. I understand for now,” Tang Gunak said before sighing deeply again. “No, but the question I asked in the first place was whether you agreed with Mount Hua’s opinion…”

“The Ice Palace will also send me personally!” Seol So-baek declared.

Tang Gunak turned his head with soulless eyes. He saw Seol So-baek with a flushed face.

“Of course, there are many greater and more excellent people in the Ice Palace than I. However, the Ice Palace is not well-known in the Central Plains, so it will be difficult to make a distinct impression no matter who goes.”

“No, Palace Lord, first…” Tang Gunak started.

“Therefore, I think it is right for the Ice Palace to send me personally. I may be weak, but I am serving as the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, so wouldn’t the position itself provide some persuasiveness, even if the person is lacking!”

In that moment, the faces of the Ice Palace elders, looking at Seol So-baek with kind eyes, flashed through Tang Gunak’s mind.

– Our Palace Lord will become the most excellent Palace Lord and rewrite the history of the Ice Palace.

‘I don’t particularly disagree with that statement, but…’ he thought.

Elders, if that was what you intended, you shouldn’t have brought that child here… No, even if you brought her, you should have at least kept her away from that troublemaker…

Tang Gunak’s gaze turned to Chung Myung, who was looking at Seol So-baek with a pleased expression, as if saying, ‘Ah, that one has grown up well.’

That human is the root of all evil. All evil…

“Palace Lord… What I asked was whether you agreed with Mount Hua’s opinion…” Tang Gunak asked again.

“Agree! Of course, I agree! There is no disagreement!” Seol So-baek said quickly.

“No, don’t be so hasty…”

“The Ice Palace was able to rise again from a position of isolation with the help of Mount Hua. If Mount Hua hadn’t come to the Northern Sea back then, would we be here now?”

Tang Gunak quickly closed his mouth.

“A person must know what is right. How can the Ice Palace, which has risen again in such a way, turn a blind eye to those in the same situation?”

“Y-Yes, of course,” Tang Gunak agreed.

Tang Gunak would have immediately retorted with ‘Life is reality’ if someone else had said those words, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it in front of Seol So-baek.

Saying such a thing to that child would give him a sense of guilt, as if he were kicking a growing sprout.

Tang Gunak was keenly aware that sometimes, being young could also be a weapon.

“Good thinking,” Chung Myung praised.

“Palace Lord!” Maeng So spoke with an awkward expression.

“However, you must have thought of a way to persuade the elders, right?”

“Ah… That…” Seol So-baek stammered.

Maeng So laughed heartily at Seol So-baek’s flustered expression. “As a fellow Palace Lord, let me give you some advice.”

“Yes! I will listen carefully.”

“Sometimes, you need to understand that you are the Palace Lord and use it to your advantage. If it’s something you absolutely have to do, there are times when consent doesn’t matter.”

“Ah…”

“Come to my residence after this meeting; I will show you what kind of ‘persuasion’ a Palace Lord uses,” Maeng So offered.

“Thank you,” Seol So-baek said gratefully.

“Hey, what are you teaching a child…” Tang Gunak protested.

“The Palace Lord of the Ice Palace can no longer be called a child. Isn’t that right?” Maeng So countered.

Tang Gunak’s eyes wavered.

If he said no here, wouldn’t that be disrespecting the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace? It was something he couldn’t possibly say.

Whether she knew Tang Gunak’s feelings or not, Seol So-baek asked Maeng So with an excited face, “Then, what about you, Palace Lord? Are you going personally?”

“The Beast Palace will not participate this time,” Maeng So replied.

“Oh, why not?”

Maeng So smirked. “The Heavenly Union may not see it that way, but the people of the Central Plains still have prejudices against outsiders. Even if two of us go and try to persuade them, it won’t leave a good impression.”

“But the Hainan sect is also in a remote area,” Seol So-baek pointed out.

“That’s why I said it’s okay for the Ice Palace to go. But it’s not good for both sects to go. This is a decision for the Heavenly Union.”

“Hmm,” Seol So-baek nodded with a stiff face.

“Besides, the representative of the Beast Palace has already been decided, hasn’t it? And they have a very important role.”

“Kieeek!” Baek Ah spat out a fierce sound with a flushed face.

But after hearing Chung Myung’s voice, he became dejected again and scratched at the floor.

Seol So-baek, who had been staring blankly at the scene, nodded as if he understood.

There are people here who treat spirit beasts like people, and there are people who really treat spirit beasts like people.

Same words, but the meaning is… Yes. Very different.

“Then the remaining place is…” Seol So-baek wondered.

Everyone’s gaze turned to one place.

And the one who received that gaze answered immediately, as if he had been preparing. “Beon Chung! Beon Chung will go.”

Im So-byeong’s face was desperate. “In the first place, wouldn’t a Demonic Sect bastard only give a bad impression there? It’s best to stay out, but if you don’t like that, I’ll send Beon Chung. He’s strong, so he’ll be good to use as a porter!”

There was silence.

“If that’s not okay, I’ll immediately create a detailed list of names for the Green Forest Ten Heroes and the Green Forest Elders! Choose anyone from among them! I’ll send whoever you choose immediately…”

“Hey,” Chung Myung said nonchalantly.

Im So-byeong stopped talking.

“Stop talking nonsense and come too,” Chung Myung ordered.

“W-Why would the Demonic Sect go to Hainan…” Im So-byeong protested weakly.

“I said come, so come,” Chung Myung repeated.

“Only the impression will worsen…”

“I said come, so come.”

Im So-byeong was defeated.

“The Green Forest will be represented by the Green Forest King,” Chung Myung declared.

It was the moment when Im So-byeong’s participation was decided completely against his will.