Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1211

The training ground, a simple, dusty square within the manor grounds, wasn’t very big. Because of this, it felt packed with the assembled Mount Hua disciples, leaving no empty spaces.

It seemed the other sects of the Heavenly Union had left the training ground for the choosing of the next leader of Mount Hua, as no one from those sects was there. Appreciating their consideration, Baek Cheon took a heavy step forward.

This was what he had longed for. From the moment he left Jongnam and first came to Mount Hua, his dream had been to become the Grand Master and one day make Mount Hua even greater than Jongnam.

It was a goal set with youthful ambition, but even as he got older, his dream hadn’t changed. In fact, it had grown bigger and stronger.

Now, his dream wasn’t just to make Mount Hua greater than Jongnam. It was to go beyond that, to make it the greatest in the world, and to lead the direction of the martial arts world.

And today, Baek Cheon was finally taking the first step toward that dream he had wanted so much.

‘Don’t be nervous.’

It was only the first step. If he was already nervous, how would he walk the difficult path ahead?

Baek Cheon took a short, deep breath.

The Mount Hua students, usually playful, were now staring at him with complete seriousness. Feeling their gaze, Baek Cheon moved forward. Dressed in formal robes of deep blue silk embroidered with silver plum blossoms, he looked more imposing than usual. He walked along the center of the training ground and stood before the Grand Master and elders who were waiting for him.

No one had told him what to do, but he seemed to know what was expected.

“Baek Cheon, the second-generation student of Mount Hua, pays respects to the Grand Master.”

At that signal, the Mount Hua disciples all knelt on one knee, holding out both hands in a gesture of respect.

“We pay respects to the Grand Master!”

Hyun Jong silently looked at Baek Cheon before looking at the disciples behind him.

Wearing formal robes, Hyun Jong seemed more serious than usual. Meeting his gaze, they all straightened up and tensed, as if determined to show their respect on this important day.

Because they all knew how important it was for a sect to choose a new leader.

Changing leadership was a big deal in any fighting group. But for Mount Hua, it was especially important.

Mount Hua gave its Grand Master more power than other groups. And it was a group that had almost been destroyed just a few years ago.

For such a group to choose a new Grand Master meant a break from the old Mount Hua and a rebirth into a new one.

So, even though it was just a ‘Grand Master Delegate’ being chosen at this ceremony, it was just as important as choosing a new Grand Master.

Hyun Jong looked at all the students. Seeing the sharp, knife-like glint in their eyes, so different from how they usually looked, felt both strange and reassuring.

At that moment, he closed his eyes, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.

‘So that’s it…’

There was no reason to feel déjà vu at something he had never seen before. But this feeling wasn’t a trick. Hyun Jong knew why he felt this way.

The students he was seeing now were just like the Mount Hua he had dreamed of. No, they were even more amazing than the future he had always imagined for Mount Hua.

Seeing his dream come true filled his heart with emotion. And it made him realize it was time to step down as Grand Master.

‘Maybe I was a little late.’

Regret? None at all.

Everyone had their own role to play. Hyun Jong knew his role was over, so he had no regrets.

There was just one thing left, something more than regret…

Hyun Jong smiled slightly and opened his mouth.

“Disciples, listen carefully.”

“Yes, Grand Master!”

The Mount Hua disciples answered with a loud voice. Hyun Jong nodded and spoke seriously.

“As you all know, I, Hyun Jong, as the Grand Master of Mount Hua, plan to choose a new Grand Master today to lead Mount Hua in the future.”

Many different feelings showed on everyone’s faces.

Sadness that Hyun Jong was stepping down.

A little worry and fear about the changing Mount Hua.

But most of all, excitement for the changing Mount Hua and strong trust in Baek Cheon, who would lead it.

Hyun Jong thought.

It would be good.

If he could make the disciples look at him like that, he was good enough to be the Grand Master, and he would do the job even better than Hyun Jong.

Hyun Jong remembered when he became the Grand Master.

He had taken on the job almost because he had to, since all his senior brothers had left Mount Hua. There were no congratulations or blessings. There was only the determination to protect Mount Hua at all costs and a heavy sense of responsibility.

The way Hyun Sang and Hyun Young had looked at him back then was a burden Hyun Jong would carry for the rest of his life.

‘It’s a good thing.’

So, it was truly wonderful that the person who would become the new Grand Master could receive a different kind of look from the disciples.

Now, Mount Hua was no longer the declining group he had inherited. It was no longer a place where everything was chosen randomly, and where things were just patched up with the opinions of a few people.

The new Mount Hua would set up its system as a proud and famous group and a great sect that would be known throughout the world, just like the Mount Hua of the past. So, it was only right that someone suited to that new era would become the Grand Master.

All Hyun Jong, who would be stepping down, would take was the pride of having stayed strong until the new era of Mount Hua. Wasn’t that enough?

“The Grand Master of Mount Hua must not forget the duty of a leader, and must walk the path of the sword correctly.”

Baek Cheon’s face was very serious. Hyun Jong smiled slightly.

Yes. Baek Cheon would do well. He had walked the path of the sword more diligently than anyone else, and he had firmly kept the honor that a swordsman of Mount Hua should have in his heart.

“I, Hyun Jong, now announce to our ancestors that I am giving up the position of Grand Master of Mount Hua to the next generation, because I believe the future leaders of Mount Hua also have these qualities.”

A gentle feeling flowed from Hyun Jong’s body.

“Does anyone here object to this?”

“No, we don’t!”

“Does anyone here oppose this?”

“No, we don’t!”

Hyun Jong nodded silently. Maybe the ancestors who were watching would also smile and agree with his choice.

Hyun Jong could confidently say to the ancestors he would meet someday, that he had done his best and had never forgotten his role as the Grand Master of Mount Hua.

‘Everything in accordance with the natural order.’

Hyun Jong nodded and looked at Baek Cheon. A heavy sense of responsibility was written on his face. Hyun Jong nodded silently.

Had he also looked like that? And had his master felt the same way?

“Then I, Hyun Jong, as the Grand Master of Mount Hua who has been given that power by our ancestors, and as the leader of Mount Hua who has been trusted with that power by the disciples, will choose the person who will become the next Grand Master.”

All the disciples of Mount Hua looked at Baek Cheon with hope.

At that moment, Hyun Jong looked at someone else. At Chung Myung, who was the only one looking straight at Hyun Jong, while all the others, even the elders, were looking at Baek Cheon.

Seeing those steady eyes, Hyun Jong smiled. It was a smile that seemed like Chung Myung’s.

‘Ancestors, I have done my best.’

So…

“The person who will take over from me as the Grand Master of Mount Hua is!”

Hyun Jong looked away from Chung Myung and turned to one person. To the person who deserved to be in that position.

“Unam!”

“Yes?”

“…Huh?”

In that instant, the disciples’ eyes widened in shock.

Over a hundred disciples stared blankly at Hyun Jong. But the most surprised person was Unam. His eyes were shaking.

On the other hand, Hyun Jong smiled mischievously.

‘So… would it be okay to make just one last choice based on what I want?’

Being a leader was about following your heart.

His heart was saying.

Even if Baek Cheon could be a better Grand Master, he shouldn’t ignore how much Un Am had done for Mount Hua.

If they just assumed that the best person should always get the highest position, Mount Hua would become a group that only cared about ability.

He couldn’t ignore that voice in his heart. That was the first and last time Hyun Jong was selfish, and it was because he was facing himself as a leader.

“Uh…”

Unam was too shocked to even close his mouth, and Hyun Jong felt something he couldn’t describe.

‘Living like Chung Myung in the next life wouldn’t be so bad.’

Seeing everyone so shocked gave Hyun Jong a feeling he had never had before.

“Disciple Unam, come forward!”

“G, Grand Master…?”

Unam could only look at Hyun Jong, not knowing what to do.

“What are you doing? Are you going against the Grand Master’s orders!”

Hyun Jong scolded him in a stern voice, and Unam, not knowing what to do, stepped forward. He knew he should never disobey the Grand Master’s orders while people from other groups were watching.

Unam carefully stepped forward and knelt next to Baek Cheon, and Hyun Jong shouted firmly.

“I, Hyun Jong, by the power of the Grand Master of Mount Hua, choose first-generation disciple Un Am as the Grand Master of Mount Hua!”

Unam looked blank. Hyun Jong spoke again, as if shouting.

“Also! Because Mount Hua is not the same as it was, and it is hard to lead Mount Hua with just one Grand Master, I am creating the new position of Permanent Grand Master Delegate to share the Grand Master’s duties. So, I appoint second-generation disciple Baek Cheon to the position of Mount Hua Grand Master Delegate!”

“Ah!”

“Huh…?”

Even though they knew they shouldn’t, the Mount Hua disciples exclaimed in surprise.

“Does anyone here oppose this?”

The Mount Hua disciples looked at each other for a moment. Then, they looked at the two people in front of them.

At the one who would lead the future of Mount Hua, and at the one who would connect the Mount Hua of the past and the future.

Soon, a tremendous roar erupted.

“No, we don’t, Grand Master!”

In that swirling mix of emotions, Chung Myung grinned.

“Now the sect is finally working properly!”

His gaze towards Hyun Jong was filled with great satisfaction.