Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1212

Namgung Dowi watched from the path to the training hall. He turned to Dang Pae, his face showing nothing.

“What’s going on?”

“Looks like Unam, not Baek Cheon, is becoming the sect leader.”

“Unam?”

Namgung Dowi blinked, thinking, ‘So, Un Am is the one…’

He looked at Unam, who stood trembling beside Baek Cheon. ‘That’s him.’

Namgung Dowi found this strange.

It wasn’t clear how the Hwasan disciples felt, but Un Am didn’t stand out to Namgung Dowi. In fact, the entire ‘Un’ group of Hwasan wasn’t very noticeable.

‘Is this really alright?’ he wondered.

It made sense that someone from the ‘Un’ group should become leader now that the ‘Hyeon’ group was stepping down.

But being the Hwasan sect leader was a huge job. It was hard even for talented people, especially now that they also led the Heavenly Union.

Thinking about Un Am becoming sect leader just confused him more.

“I don’t know,” Dang Pae muttered, feeling the same way. He watched Un Am closely.

Namgung Dowi and Dang Pae found Baek Cheon easier to talk to than Unam. So, they watched cautiously.

“Indeed… he is the sect leader.” Tang Gunak nodded, understanding the choice.

“I didn’t expect it, but it is the right choice.”

Dang Pae asked carefully, “Patriarch, do you think it is good for him to be the Hwasan sect leader?”

“It’s not about good or bad,” Tang Gunak said with a smile.

“Who can lead the sect better is important, of course.”

“Yes, that is correct.” Dang Pae agreed. He thought Baek Cheon should be the leader. He didn’t know Un Am well, but Baek Cheon was more talented and had better relationships with other sects.

“But the sect leader can’t be chosen only by talent. What they have done for the sect is also very important.”

“……”

“If we only choose leaders based on talent, who would work hard for the sect? The leader must help those who shine, but also remember those who work quietly.”

Dang Pae nodded, impressed. Tang Gunak continued, “Even I had forgotten that. The sect leader didn’t miss it. For Hwasan to be Hwasan, this is the obvious choice.”

Tang Gunak looked at Chung Myung, who was grinning.

Anyone else would think he was just happy that Baek Cheon wasn’t chosen.

‘Before he was sect leader, the Hwasan Sword Saint knew this fact.’

The Hwasan Sword Saint had always been against Baek Cheon becoming the acting sect leader.

But now, even though Baek Cheon had been the acting sect leader, he was happy.

Rules are important and must be followed. They show what our sect believes in.

The predecessors thought about this for a long time and asked us to remember it. We can’t just ignore them as old ideas.

The Hwasan Sword Saint understood this, consciously or not. So…

“Hee hee hee hee…”

“……”

“Ehehehehehe. Serves you right!”

“……Isn’t it?”

“Yes?”

“Ahem.” Tang Gunak shook his head, ignoring Chung Myung’s quiet but clear voice. His ears were too good, so he heard things like this.

“But will it be alright? That person is…”

“There’s no reason it won’t be. The acting sect leader will act for the sect leader, and the new sect leader will focus on internal affairs. It’s not much different from Baek Cheon being the acting sect leader alone.”

“Ah…”

Tang Gunak looked at Hyun Jong with a smile.

“He will let Baek Cheon handle the external affairs, and the new sect leader will handle the internal affairs. Things will be mostly the same for us. He made sure to follow the rules and do what’s right by stepping down early.”

Everyone looked at Hyun Jong with new eyes.

It wasn’t a big choice, but it was very reasonable. It was impressive that he did it by stepping down himself.

“I can see the deep meaning.”

“Taoists think differently. We wouldn’t have thought of this.”

Tang Gunak nodded. “That’s why Hwasan is both a sword sect and a Taoist sect.”

The three men looked at Un Am and Baek Cheon, the two men who would lead Hwasan into a new era.

“Sect Leader…” Un Am started, almost without meaning to. He knew he shouldn’t say anything, but the words just came out.

Hyun Jong looked at him kindly, not angry at all. “Why, Unam? Are you worried you can’t do it?”

“It’s not about that. I already said what I wanted…”

“Yes, you did.” Hyun Jong looked at Un Am kindly. “But Unam, that’s not how I feel.”

“Sect Leader, I am not good enough to be the sect leader of Hwasan.”

“Is that so?” Hyun Jong turned to Baek Cheon. “Baek Cheon, what do you think? Do you think Un Am is not good enough to be the sect leader of Hwasan?”

“Of course not, Sect Leader.” The answer came quickly. “Master Uncle is the best person to be the sect leader of Hwasan. He’s much better than me. If Master Uncle hadn’t always refused, and if we had more time, I would have asked him to be sect leader.”

“I understand,” Hyun Jong said softly.

“Sect Leader…” Un Am began, his voice hesitant.

Hyun Jong smiled gently, watching Unam. Un Am looked lost and unsure.

“Unam,” Hyun Jong said, his voice warm and kind.

Unam looked up, a question in his eyes. Hyun Jong’s face was full of honesty, and his voice was completely sincere.

“The moment when I feel I am not lacking will never come, Unam.”

“……”

“The important thing is not whether you are lacking, but whether you are prepared to bear the responsibility despite your shortcomings. Didn’t Baek Cheon show you that?”

“Sect Leader.”

“I was the same. I always felt endlessly inadequate. Becoming the Sect Leader was truly frightening and daunting.”

Unam bit his lip. His master’s words echoed clearly in his ears.

“But I know. You are worthy of that position.”

“……”

“You said it yourself. This is not that kind of era. Now is the time for someone who steps forward, not someone who defends, to take on the role of Sect Leader.”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps that is true. Perhaps that is the more logical choice. But Unam, my heart does not say so.”

Being logical means getting rid of what’s not needed and picking what’s best.

But even when you are being logical, you can forget about important things, things that truly matter. Hyun Jong did not want that. He knew better than anyone the feelings of those who were buried within rationality, how they viewed the world.

“If following the heart is righteousness, and honestly looking at that heart is morality, then I am now upholding righteousness more than anyone, and following morality more than anyone. Even if that is a slightly poor choice as the Sect Leader of Mount Hua…”

Hyun Jong glanced at Chung Myung and shrugged lightly.

“So what? I have lived my whole life suppressing myself as the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. So shouldn’t I have the right to make my last choice according to my own desires? The predecessors wouldn’t be able to scold me.”

“Sect Leader, really!”

“To be honest, I have more to say to the predecessors than they have to say to me, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hyun Jong smiled playfully. It was a rare smile, one that Un Am had almost forgotten. It made Hyun Jong look younger, and it showed a freedom Un Am hadn’t seen before.

Unam felt something strange but also familiar when he saw Hyun Jong like this. This was a side of Hyun Jong he had not seen, and… perhaps a side of Hyun Jong he could have seen.

“So, please, do this for me. I think my heart will be at ease only if you ascend to the position of Sect Leader.”

Unam lowered his head without a word. A heavy silence fell. You could hear only the wind in the trees. Hyun Jong waited patiently, his eyes calm.

The disciples of Mount Hua also waited for Unam’s answer without a single sign of wavering for quite a long time.

After a long, heavy silence, Un Am slowly raised his head. His eyes were now clear, but you could see a hint of tears.

“Sect Leader, may I ask something?”

“Ask away.”

“Does this disciple have the ability to bear the position of Sect Leader of Mount Hua?”

“You do.”

“Then is it truly right for this disciple to ascend to the position of Sect Leader of Mount Hua?”

“It is more than right.”

“Then is it for the sake of Mount Hua for this disciple to ascend to the position of Sect Leader of Mount Hua?”

Hyun Jong smiled gently and replied.

“That is not something I should answer.”

Hyun Jong raised his gaze and looked at his disciples.

“I ask you!”

The disciples of Mount Hua slightly lowered their stances. As if they had already prepared their answer before the question was even asked, as if they were about to deliver their heartfelt answer in the loudest voice in the world.

“Is it for the sake of Mount Hua that disciple Un Am ascends to the position of Sect Leader of Mount Hua!”

“It is, Sect Leader!”

Before the question was even finished, a huge voice that seemed to pierce the sky erupted.

Unam’s shoulders trembled involuntarily.

“So I ask you.”

Hyun Jong’s gaze returned to Unam.

“As the Sect Leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect, will disciple Un Am protect the spirit of Mount Hua and lead the disciples with his life on the line?”

Unam bowed his head. His voice was choked with tears as he lowered his head as if it would touch the ground.

“Disciple… Disciple Unam…”

And finally, his head was raised.

“I dare… I dare to bear that great responsibility.”

Hyun Jong nodded and, in one swift motion, unsheathed the Violet Cloud Sword from his waist.

“Then I, Hyun Jong, as the Sect Leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect, appoint the first-generation disciple of Mount Hua, Unam, as the new Sect Leader of Mount Hua, and declare this fact to the world.”

Hyun Jong, who had drawn the Violet Cloud Sword and raised it high, sheathed it again and handed it to Un Am with both hands. Un Am raised his trembling hands and accepted the sword with utmost reverence.

“Disciple! I will perform the duties of the Sect Leader of Mount Hua with my life!”

At the same time, a huge roar exploded from the disciples, shaking the air. It was a sound full of joy and relief, like a dam had burst.

The disciples of Mount Hua, who had wanted Baek Cheon to ascend to the position of Sect Leader but had been unable to shake off their regret for Unam, were now rejoicing to their hearts’ content.

Amidst the commotion, Chung Myung chuckled.

“What a mess.”

There was no formality, no ceremony.

The Sect Leader succession ceremony he knew was not like this. Usually, a ceremony like this would have old traditions, like honoring ancestors and praying to past leaders. But this ceremony was different. There was not even a proper procedure or a strict oath.

But… he didn’t feel like pointing it out.

Despite so many shortcomings, the Sect Leader succession ceremony he was watching now was far more pleasing than any he had seen before.

‘Isn’t that right, Sahyung?’

Looking up at the sky, it was as if he could see Chung Mun smiling brightly.