Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1240

Go Hong asked, “What should we do, Senior Brother?”

Yoo Gong remained silent.

Go Hong, with desperate eyes, repeated, “Senior Brother.”

Yoo Gong finally responded, “Didn’t you say there would be no support? You told us we should leave the sect when it’s in trouble, didn’t you?”

Go Hong continued, “But suddenly, people arrive like this…”

Seeing Yoo Gong’s silence, Go Hong, unable to contain his frustration, raised his voice, “If these new people actually stop the Sahe Guild, what will happen to us?”

Yoo Gong glared at him. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Do you think the Sahe Guild is weak and easy to defeat? Do you think a few people can stop them?”

“But they must have thought this through. They wouldn’t have come to Hainan without any plan, would they? Besides, the rumors of the Heavenly Union’s rise threatening even the Nine Great Sects have reached Hainan…”

Yoo Gong immediately cut him off. “Useless talk.”

“So what if they threaten the Nine Great Sects? This is Hainan Island. Even the Shaolin don’t reach this land. What can the Heavenly Union possibly do?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Don’t worry about it. At best, they’ll just show their faces and leave.”

“Would they come all the way here just for that?”

“It’s better than doing nothing.”

“I suppose…”

Annoyance crossed Yoo Gong’s face.

‘The situation has become a mess.’

The timing was terribly unfortunate. If they had arrived just one day earlier, he could have delayed his decision while assessing the situation. And if they had arrived after the typhoon, he could have kicked them out and ignored the problem.

But they arrived while he was awkwardly stuck, leading to an uncomfortable situation that no one wanted.

‘Why now of all times?’

The expelled disciples were already receiving cold looks.

But as the disciples were about to leave the sect, these people who had come to Hainan from afar appeared. Naturally, the gazes towards the disciples requesting expulsion became even colder. Even those who had shown understanding until now were now casting chilly glances.

Well, why wouldn’t they?

Even Yoo Gong himself, if he were on the opposite side, would have pointed fingers and criticized them. People from other sects valued loyalty, so he would have cursed those who had received the Hainan Sect’s kindness but didn’t appreciate it, calling them beast-like.

“Senior Brother…”

“What.”

Go Hong opened his mouth with a fearful tone. “Really, one in a thousand, no… one in ten thousand, perhaps.”

“If Hainan… no, if the main sect receives their support and manages to stop the Sahe Guild, even if it’s just a tiny chance… what will happen to us?”

Yoo Gong couldn’t answer that question.

What would happen? Was that something he needed to think about?

The moment that happened, the disciples who had requested expulsion would all be branded as traitors. They would be openly ostracized in Hainan, which would have greatly increased its standing after stopping the Sahe Guild.

Being ostracized by the Hainan Sect meant it would be difficult to live on Hainan Island. At least within Hainan Island, the Hainan Sect had a position greater than the Tang Clan in Sichuan or the Nangong Family in Anhui.

“Senior Brother, how about we cancel the expulsion now…”

Yoo Gong shouted irritably, “Stop talking such foolishness!”

“How can a few insignificant people stop the Sahe Guild!”

“…”

“In this situation, even if the legendary Demon Subduing Five Heroes, who stopped the Demonic Cult a hundred years ago, came in person, they couldn’t stop the Sahe Guild.”

“That may be true, but still…”

“And! If we cancel the expulsion? Do you think anything will change? We have already decided to leave, it’s too late to go back. At best, we’ll be treated as cowards who change their minds.”

Go Hong sighed deeply. In fact, he knew it too. Even if they changed their position now, the shame they would carry wouldn’t disappear.

Once they had said they would leave the sect, they could never return to being true disciples of Hainan.

“So, there’s no need to worry.”

“…”

“As planned, we’ll hold the expulsion ceremony when the typhoon stops and leave the mountain. And for the rest of our lives, we should forget about Hainan.”

Go Hong lowered his head deeply.

Yoo Gong, who had been staring at him, sighed and said, “Go Hong.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

“Think of your old mother at home. She’s already frail; how would she live if you died an unnatural death?”

“Yes.”

“I may be at fault, but you haven’t done anything wrong. There’s no need to lower your head as if you’ve committed a crime. No matter how important the main sect is, can it be as important as the parents who gave birth to you?”

“Senior Brother, you have children too, don’t you?”

“…I’m just scared.”

Yoo Gong smiled bitterly.

“Maybe it’s because I grew up without a father, but I’m scared that my child will grow up hearing that he’s fatherless.”

“Senior Brother…”

Yoo Gong turned his head and stared blankly at the raging rain and wind.

Hainan frequently experiences typhoons. But that doesn’t mean it’s accustomed to them. Even after experiencing them again and again, typhoons are frightening. The sudden typhoons of the South Sea instantly turn the calm sea into hell.

How many people has that hellish sea taken?

“When my child was born, I wanted to raise him properly. I didn’t want him to live longing for a father whose face he couldn’t even remember, like I did.”

“I understand. No, everyone will understand.”

“…Understand what.”

Yoo Gong chuckled.

“It’s just an excuse. I just don’t have the courage to die. But is that so wrong? Dying is scary for everyone.”

“…”

“So, if we’re going to leave, let’s not leave any regrets.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Go Hong nodded heavily.

Although he said that, Yoo Gong’s mind wasn’t at ease either. What particularly bothered him was the question Go Hong had raised.

What should he do if Hainan miraculously managed to stop the Sahe Guild?

Gwak Hwan-so?

No, the Great Senior Brother would never seek revenge. Gwak Hwan-so was known for his fiery temper, but also for his deep sense of fairness, earning him both fear and respect within the sect.

But what about the other disciples?

Would they tolerate those who abandoned the sect in its time of crisis and ran away to save their own lives living with their heads held high on this Hainan land? No matter how much Gwak Hwan-so tried to stop them, wouldn’t they somehow make their lives difficult?

He could endure any persecution directed at him. No, he should naturally endure it. But… what about the sadness his child would feel for years to come?

Yoo Gong, feeling increasingly uneasy, asked cautiously, “So… what are the outsiders doing now?”

“They seem to have unpacked their luggage in the guest quarters. Isn’t it quite late now? The official meeting with the Sect Leader will probably be tomorrow morning.”

“Is that so?”

Yoo Gong pondered something for a moment before getting up from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes?”

“We should at least see why they came. Staying here among ourselves will only make us more anxious.”

“B-But, Senior Brother. There are others there too…”

“Our faces are already known. Are we just going to hide in our rooms until the typhoon stops?”

“…”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Yoo Gong flung open the door. The rain was pouring down, but this was no time to worry about such things.

‘Even if they’re careless, they must know the current situation in Hainan, so they won’t try to do anything right away. Then they’ll definitely keep a proper distance and act politely.’

That was exactly what Yoo Gong was thinking. If the intentions of these visitors were as he expected, they would also need someone to say good things about the Heavenly Union even after Hainan was destroyed.

‘If things go well, we might be able to join hands.’

Having made a firm decision, Yoo Gong strode forward without hesitation.

“…Senior Brother.”

“…”

“Um, Senior Brother?”

Yoo Gong stared blankly at the guest quarters, not even hearing the calls. What was happening inside had far exceeded common sense.

“Kyahahaha!”

Someone who had downed a drink heartily slammed the cup down with a bang.

“What is this! Do they make alcohol with water here? It’s so bland! So bland!”

“…Chung Myung. Alcohol is originally made with water.”

“Ah, is that so?”

People were sprawled everywhere. Among them were people Yoo Gong was seeing for the first time, and people Yoo Gong knew well. So…

“Kkeueueueu…. Dyi…ing….”

‘Why is that guy acting like that over there?’

What shocked him the most was the fact that Lee Ja-yang, whom everyone except Gwak Hwan-so kept their distance from due to his usually sharp personality, was crawling on the floor, almost unconscious.

No, the others were the same.

So, not only the outsiders who had visited Hainan, but also the disciples of Hainan, were all sprawled out, unconscious.

Just looking at the tragically empty and scattered liquor barrels, one could guess what had happened here.

“…They drank alcohol?”

No, they could drink alcohol. It was only natural to serve food and alcohol when guests visited.

What he really couldn’t understand was why the disciples of Hainan were sprawled out in the guest quarters, where the guests should be resting after eating and drinking.

“That pale… bastard… can hold… his liquor… a bit…”

“Unravel your… tongue… before you… speak.”

And in the midst of those sprawled out, two people who seemed about to fall over were sitting face to face, holding cups.

“…Great Senior Brother?”

“That, that person, I saw him at Shaolin before, he seems to be the Sect Leader disciple of Hwasan? Why are they…”

Gwak Hwan-so and Baek Cheon stared intently at the cups in their hands with glazed eyes. Then, as if they had made a promise, they downed them in one gulp.

Glug! Glug! Glug! Glug!

“T-That, that…. That…”

The two men, having pushed the alcohol in the large cups into their throats without leaving a single drop, simultaneously dropped their cups as if throwing them away.

“…I.”

“Won…”

Thud!

And at the same time, the two men fell sideways.

The sounds of snoring, sleep-talking, and someone groaning created a loud, unpleasant mix of sounds that filled the guest quarters.

‘What on earth is going on?’

Just half a day ago, this place was sharp with distrust towards each other. But how could it have become so relaxed in such a short time?

And that too, mixing with guests who had visited Hainan for the first time.

Yoo Gong was trying to guess what had happened to bring things to this point when it happened.

“What? Everyone’s passed out? These kids can’t hold their liquor. Tsk!”

Someone leaning against the wall, sipping alcohol, looked around with glazed eyes.

“Oh.”

Then he discovered Yoo Gong and Go Hong standing at the door and grinned.

“Want a drink too?”

Yoo Gong was momentarily speechless. Then Go Hong quickly whispered, “Senior Brother. It’s the Hwasan Sword Saint. I remember him clearly.”

“…The Hwasan Sword Saint?”

That guy?

“Don’t be shy, come and have a drink. It’s lonely without someone to drink with. We have to treat our guests, right?”

“…”

“Senior Brother…?”

Yoo Gong, his face became serious, went inside and sat opposite the Hwasan Sword Saint.

“I am Yoo Gong.”

“Chung Myung.”

Chung Myung grinned and lifted a liquor barrel.

“Since you’re late, let’s start with three cups.”

Yoo Gong silently raised his cup.