Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1237

Gwak Hwan-so’s face was frozen as he looked at what was in front of him.

They were in the Grand Sea Hall. This hall was only for special Hae Nam disciples, the Inner Sanctum. But the people there were not wearing Hae Nam robes. They wore normal clothes.

Gwak Hwan-so quietly clenched and unclenched his fists.

His anger surged to the very tips of his hair.

It wasn’t just that outsiders had come into a place for the Inner Sanctum disciples. It was that these people in normal clothes were the Inner Sanctum disciples of Hae Nam.

“You… You said you were leaving Hae Nam.”

When Gwak Hwan-so said this, the disciples gave each other quick looks before mumbling.

“Yes… Senior Brother.”

Gwak Hwan-so bit his lip and then spoke again.

“Are you asking to be kicked out?”

Normally, if he asked this with such anger, they would have run away in fear. Gwak Hwan-so was the oldest of Hae Nam’s second-generation disciples. He was also known for being quick-tempered.

Of course, they were still careful around Gwak Hwan-so. But…

“…What choice do we have?”

Now, they were saying things they would not have said out loud normally.

“What else can we do? The Four Seas Alliance could attack any minute, and we can’t win.”

“You…!”

“We know. We know we’re supposed to die together at times like these. But… we’re sorry, Senior Brother. We’re not as brave as you are.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Go easy on them, Senior Brother.”

Before Gwak Hwan-so could say more, another disciple spoke.

“It’s not about courage.”

Gwak Hwan-so stared silently at the one who had interrupted.

“We are not celibates. The disciples of Hae Nam all have families. You know that even Junior Brother Go Hong, who just spoke, has an old mother at home, don’t you?”

“……”

“It’s good to be loyal to the sect, but what happens to our families if we die? It isn’t brave to throw away our lives to protect our pride.”

The expression disappeared from Gwak Hwan-so’s face. They knew it meant he was really angry, but this time, they didn’t back down so easily.

“You don’t have a family, Senior Brother, so you can’t understand how we feel. Be angry if you want, curse if you want. But don’t call us immoral. Respect for parents is as important as loyalty to the sect.”

At that moment, Lee Ja-yang, who had been standing silently behind Gwak Hwan-so, chuckled.

“I never knew Senior Brother Yu Gong had an old mother. Wasn’t it a while ago that your parents died?”

“Ja-yang!”

“Just saying, does that mean everyone who’s leaving the sect now has an old mother and a family to protect? Is there anyone here without a family, someone born without parents?”

Lee Ja-yang’s face was mocking.

“You’re just running away because you’re scared, so why make so many excuses? You told me I could curse or be angry if I wanted, but you don’t want to hear it to your face?”

“Don’t speak carelessly!”

“Senior Brother, you seem to be wrong, but I’m choosing my words very carefully right now. If I was really speaking carelessly, one of us would have pulled out a sword by now.”

“……”

“I wish this leaving ceremony would hurry up. I hope you can understand how I feel, having to call someone like you ‘Senior Brother’ just to follow the rules.”

Yu Gong bit his lip and glared at Lee Ja-yang. Lee Ja-yang was about to sneer again, but Gwak Hwan-so stopped him.

“Enough.”

“…Grand Senior Brother. That man…”

“Yu Gong, didn’t you get married recently?”

“So what if I did!”

“Your child is only a hundred days old. A baby who wouldn’t even know his father’s face.”

At those words, Lee Ja-yang was speechless for a moment and pursed his lips.

“Even so…”

“Enough.”

Gwak Hwan-so shook his head, looking sad.

“This is a decision made by the main sect. A disciple shouldn’t argue about a matter approved by the sect. Didn’t the Sect Leader make this decision after thinking about it deeply?”

Lee Ja-yang turned away, looking very unhappy. But he didn’t criticize Yu Gong or Go Hong anymore.

Most of all, he couldn’t say another word, knowing how Gwak Hwan-so, who would normally be the loudest in scolding and criticizing them, must have felt to say such things.

Gwak Hwan-so stared at the two for a long time before saying with a sigh.

“You seem to have misunderstood what I meant. I don’t mind you leaving the sect.”

“…Then…”

“But between people, there is a minimum level of respect between a disciple and a sect.”

Gwak Hwan-so looked at those in normal clothes with cold eyes.

“Have you been officially kicked out?”

“……”

“I heard that you asked the Sect Leader for a leaving ceremony, and it was decided to hold it when the typhoon dies down. Isn’t that right?”

“…That’s right.”

They all avoided eye contact, seeming ashamed of that one fact.

“That means that until the leaving ceremony is held, you are still disciples of Hae Nam. But…”

Gwak Hwan-so’s gaze was completely cold.

“Why isn’t the Three Wave Crest, which should be on your chests, visible?”

The Three Wave Crest was the symbol of Hae Nam, a blue wave sewn onto the chest of their robes. It showed they belonged.

But on the chests of those who had changed into normal clothes, the Three Wave Crest was not there.

“This place is only for the disciples of Hae Nam’s Inner Sanctum. You know that, so you must still think of yourselves as disciples of Hae Nam. But why are you here in such clothes?”

“We…”

Gwak Hwan-so spat out the words.

“I understand your position. I’m not trying to criticize your decision to leave the sect. But you should at least show some respect to those who are ready to risk everything. Isn’t that the right thing to do for those who have lived together, shared joys and sorrows, and for the sect that has been your shelter?”

Those in normal clothes lowered their heads.

It wasn’t that they had no excuse. They were supposed to be kicked out today and leave the sect. But they couldn’t leave Hae Nam because of the sudden typhoon.

It felt strange to put the martial robes back on after taking them off.

But as Gwak Hwan-so said, if that’s how they felt, they shouldn’t have come to the Grand Sea Hall in the first place. This place was only for those who considered themselves disciples of Hae Nam’s Inner Sanctum.

“If you can’t wear the martial robes of Hae Nam again, if you don’t want to sew the Three Wave Crest on your chests again, then leave this place now. This place is for the disciples of Hae Nam.”

Those who had been about to protest lowered their heads after seeing Gwak Hwan-so’s face. And one by one, they left the Grand Sea Hall silently.

Gwak Hwan-so let out a long sigh. With those in normal clothes gone, the Grand Sea Hall seemed very empty.

‘This can’t be all of them.’

Those who were waiting for the right moment would also join the others and try to slip away once the leaving ceremony was held. Or they would just disappear one morning.

How many would be left? How many would stay here tomorrow, and how many the day after? Would even half of them be left after a week?

Lost in thought, he chuckled to himself.

‘What’s the point of thinking about it?’

There was a time when they all had the same dream. A dream of making Hae Nam the greatest sect in the world. A big dream of showing the sects of the Central Plains, who looked down on them as country bumpkins from the South Sea, just how strong and great Hae Nam was.

But now, that dream had been washed away like a sandcastle on the beach. All that was left were fools who couldn’t let go of a dream that had already fallen apart.

“Ja-yang. Where are the Third Generation disciples?”

I got ready to send them away, even if they cried and didn’t want to go. They are just young and don’t understand the danger, so we must send them for their safety.

“Yes. Good job.”

I Ja-yang’s face showed clear contempt.

Those young ones will stay and fight for Hae-nam. But the older ones, who enjoyed good times here and acted so proud, are running away to save themselves.

“…”

“Growing old doesn’t always make people better, does it, Senior Brother?”

“Enough.”

Kwak Hwan-so shook his head again, and I Ja-yang spoke in a sulky voice.

“Are you acting like you’re good now? Usually, you’d be the angriest one, Senior Brother.”

“What good is getting angry if it won’t change anything?”

“Or are you just too angry?”

Kwak Hwan-so didn’t answer. Maybe that was true. But he shook his head.

“Those who want to leave can leave.”

“…”

“I am the chief disciple of Hae-nam. I need to care about the disciples of Hae-nam. Why should I care about those who don’t want to be disciples of Hae-nam?”

I Ja-yang chuckled.

“Then the only people Senior Brother needs to care about are the most foolish ones in Hae-nam. The ones who are throwing away their chance to live and choosing to die.”

“That’s why I need to care about them. Because they’re foolish.”

Kwak Hwan-so smiled slightly.

It was true. The ones who will stay until the end are the most foolish, but also the most brave in Hae-nam. They are like people who try to break a hard rock with just an egg, even though it’s impossible.

“Still, we’ll gain one thing, won’t we?”

I Ja-yang shrugged and said.

“We may not have made Hae-nam the greatest sect in the world, but at least we can be remembered as the sect where the most foolish people in the world gathered.”

“Is that something to say…”

“It’s better to leave something behind than nothing at all. Don’t you think?”

I Ja-yang joked. A smile spread across Kwak Hwan-so’s face as he looked at his tanned face.

“Yes. Well, that’s not wrong either. You could search the whole world and not find fools as great as us.”

“Exactly. Isn’t it enough that we’ve become the best at something, even if it’s that?”

And so, the two men looked at each other and laughed. There was a mix of self-deprecation and awkward pride in their expressions.

Just then, a loud BANG! made them jump.

The wooden door of the main hall crashed open, almost ripped from its hinges. A young Hae-nam disciple stumbled in, drenched and gasping for breath. Rain streamed off him, forming puddles on the floor.

“Senior Brother! Grand Senior Brother!” he cried, his eyes wide with shock.

Kwak Hwan-so’s heart leaped. “What is it? What’s happened?” he demanded, stepping forward.

“They… they’re here!” the disciple stammered.

“Who? Don’t tell me it’s the Four Evil Alliance!” Kwak Hwan-so said, his voice sharp with alarm.

“No! It’s… Hwa-san!”

“Hwa-san?” Kwak Hwan-so frowned, confused. “Who?”

“Hwa-san Sect! They’re really here! At the main gate!” The disciple insisted, pointing back towards the open doorway.

In that instant, Kwak Hwan-so’s gaze turned towards the open doorway. A fierce storm was raging.

“…They came here?”

I Ja-yang also muttered in a bewildered voice.

“…Are they really crazy?”

At those words, Kwak Hwan-so suddenly snapped to his senses.

“Let’s go!”

Without hesitation, he dashed out into the raging storm.

“S, Senior Brother! Let’s go together!”

I Ja-yang and the other disciples hurriedly followed after him.

Paaah!

The pouring rain lashed at their faces like needles. But there was no time to pay attention to such trivial matters.

‘They came here?’

Through this typhoon, to this Hae-nam, where they might have to fight the Four Evil Alliance at any moment?

There’s a limit to being foolish. At this point, it’s not foolishness, it’s madness. It’s truly absurd.

But at that moment, the image of Hwa-san he had encountered in the past came to mind. The faces he had seen at the martial arts competition, pale as they were, but still dignified.

And the countless stories he had heard about the fallen Hwa-san.

Paaah!

Kwak Hwan-so, running with all his might, saw the scene in front of the main gate. Hae-nam disciples looking lost, and a dozen or so people standing before them.

‘T, truly…’

It was truly a torrential downpour.

It was pouring so heavily that the vision blurred, making it difficult to see properly.

Kwak Hwan-so, having reached the main gate, slowly stopped. He gazed at the dozen or so people standing proudly before him…

“…It’s cold!”

“This is Namhae!”

“Still, what can we do about being cold! Bloody hell, we made it all the way here alive!”

“How long do we have to wait?”

“I’m never peeing south again!”

“…Food. Someone, some food…”

…He stared at the strange figures. They looked like drowned rats, or beggars who hadn’t eaten for weeks. They were complaining about everything.

Then, someone who was openly complaining turned his head and looked at Kwak Hwan-so.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“That pretty boy from back then…”

“That ignorant country bumpkin!”

“Who are you calling a country bumpkin, you little punk!”

Kwak Hwan-so shouted before he even realized it.

The pale-faced man, his seaweed-like bangs plastered to his forehead, swept his hair aside and took a step forward. Then, he confidently clasped his hands in a formal greeting.

“This is Baek Cheon, acting leader of Hwa-san. I have come here as a special envoy of the Cheonwu Alliance. Please allow me to meet with the leader of your sect!”

Rumble!

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sky flashed and roared menacingly. Baek Cheon glanced at the sky, then spoke again with a pale face.

“If possible, quickly, before we get struck by lightning…”

“…”

“Quickly.”

Kwak Hwan-so thought. This was a little… no, a lot different from what he had imagined.