Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1242

“Ugh… My stomach hurts.” Jo Gul groaned, his face twisted like a squeezed lemon. He felt terrible from all the alcohol he drank last night.

“Those Hainan people can really drink a lot!”

“…They probably think the same about us.”

“We are usually the best drinkers. Except maybe for the Beast Palace Lord…”

“Let’s not count him.”

And Chung Myung can drink just as much as the Beast Palace Lord.

“Ugh.” Jo Gul groaned again, fumbling with his pack. He carefully unwrapped the Mount Hua uniform, which he had painstakingly protected from damage during their journey.

“But why a meeting so early in the morning?”

“It’s not early, it’s late.”

“Huh?” Yoon Jong looked annoyed. “The Sect Leader is very patient to let us rest even for one night. If strangers came to our home, could you wait quietly?”

“…Probably not.”

“Exactly.” Yoon Jong shook his head. “Looking at the faces of the people who drank with us, they seemed even more worried than we realized. We should be thankful they thought of us, since we traveled so far. Don’t complain for no reason.”

“Hey, Senior Brother, do you think I complain about things like this? I’m not complaining, I just don’t want to look sick because I’m still hungover.”

“…I agree you look sick.” Yoon Jong smiled slightly. Actually, he didn’t even remember getting back to their rooms. They didn’t even know this was their room, so they definitely didn’t come back alone.

It was a mess – clothes thrown everywhere, empty bottles rolling on the floor, and the air thick with the smell of stale alcohol. Not how guests should look when visiting Hainan for important talks.

Spending time with Chung Myung changes you. You stop looking for reasons. You just guess there’s a reason for his actions and go along with it.

“We’re going to be late. Hurry up.”

“J-just a moment. Just need to put on my pants…”

“…Just hurry up.”

“All done, all done!” Yoon Jong sighed and opened the door. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw others opening their doors and emerging.

“Did you have a peaceful night, Young Master Namgung?”

“S-Sohyeop Yoon Jong, did you sleep well…? Ugh… Did you sleep… Ugh…” Yoon Jong stared at Namgung Dowi with a dubious expression.

The man, who even other men considered strikingly handsome, now looked utterly gaunt, like a patient.

“…You don’t look so good…”

“What, what kind of alcohol was that…? No, what kind of person…”

“Well, you could have stopped at a reasonable point.”

“…Wouldn’t that feel like losing?”

“…” Yoon Jong squeezed his eyes shut. It seemed this fellow was also slowly losing his mind.

“I’m going to die.”

“Hey, walk straight.”

“I am walking straight!”

“No, not that way, this way! Seriously! I gave you medicine for your hangover!”

Soso, why did you even bring hangover medicine all the way to Hainan?

Everyone who came outside looked to be in terrible shape. After all, they had forced down an amount of alcohol they couldn’t normally handle, on bodies exhausted from forced marches, and then passed out. It would be stranger if they were in good condition.

“Wait. Where’s Nokrimwang?”

“…He can’t even get out of bed. We might have to take him to the doctor instead of the meeting.”

“…Is he really that sick? Should I go see if he’s okay?”

“No, no.” Namgung Dowi stopped Yoon Jong from going to Im So-byeong’s room. “You really don’t want to go in there. It will make you feel sick.”

“…”

“Well, we shouldn’t cause any trouble, so I’ll have to wash those blankets as soon as we get back from the meeting.”

“…” Yoon Jong scrubbed his face with a miserable expression.

‘Like this…’ Will we even be able to have a real meeting?

“Then where is Sasook?”

“Oh, that’s right? He’s usually not late…” It was then.

The door on one side burst open, and Baek Cheon emerged with a pace that was neither fast nor slow.

He looked as if he had just stepped out of an ice bath. Not a hair out of place, his white robes crisp and clean, a stark contrast to the crumpled, green faces around him.

Baek Cheon, walking into the hallway with a picture-perfect gait, scanned everyone with his piercing eyes and opened his mouth.

“Has everyone come out?” The disciples of Mount Hua began to whisper among themselves.

“…Is he actually sick?”

“Yes, it must be some kind of sickness…”

“That’s the kind of person who becomes the leader of Mount Hua.”

“…I agree.” The Mount Hua disciples nodded without thinking, and the other leaders looked shocked.

“Is he even a person?” Namgung Dowi was almost shaking. Baek Cheon drank even more than him last night. How could he look so perfect? It’s not just because of his martial arts.

“We are guests and representatives meeting the leader of another group. So, everyone should care about how they look…” Baek Cheon stopped, frowning. He looked at them with disapproval, and they became quiet.

“…Sorry, Sasook.”

“Sorry for not being good-looking.”

“Sorry.”

“We did our best.”

“Tsk.” Baek Cheon clicked his tongue, clearly unhappy with his disciples’ messy faces and clothes. He was secretly annoyed, but seeing how perfect Baek Cheon looked, they didn’t complain.

“Where’s Chung Myung?”

“Who knows? I don’t see him. He can’t be too drunk to wake up.”

“Isn’t he in his room?”

“He’s not there.”

“Then where is he?” Baek Cheon nodded like he knew something.

“Never mind. Let’s go.”

“But what about Chung Myung?”

“He’ll come later.” Baek Cheon scanned those in front of him and opened his mouth.

“I’ll say it again, everyone here speaks for the Heavenly Union.”

“…”

“Think carefully before you speak, and remember how you look to them.”

“…You’re talking to all of us, right?”

“Let’s go.”

“Sasook? Wait, why are you only looking at me when you say that…? Sasook?” Baek Cheon ignored Jo Gul and walked down the hallway. As soon as he was out of sight, he sighed quietly. He was a little nervous.

This was his first job as the acting leader of Mount Hua. He had to act like the leader of Mount Hua and the representative of the Heavenly Union, whether this meeting went well or not.

He looked determined and walked down the stairs.

“Hee hee hee hee. Look at that guy’s face!”

“…Ah, just leave me alone.”

“I know, why put on airs when you can’t even drink…”

“Can’t drink! My nickname is the Whale of the Southern Seas!”

“Well, the whales in this neighborhood must be the size of minnows, huh?”

“No, but really!”

“Wow. If I challenged someone to a fight and lost badly, I would be so ashamed! How can you even look at people?”

“I didn’t lose! It was a tie, a tie!”

“But you waited here, and we traveled far to get here. A tie is almost like losing for you.”

“Ugh…” Gwak Hwan-so’s face, already dark, turned red and purple. Chung Myung was happily making fun of him. He looked towards the stairs when he heard someone coming. He grinned when he saw Baek Cheon coming down.

“And look. Our Acting Sect Leader is perfectly fine. Unlike someone who’s half-dead.”

“…That’s true.”

“Wow. That guy drank more than I did yesterday.”

“Senior Brother. Let’s admit it. We lost this one.”

“…I wish our Senior Brother looked like that.”

“Who was that last one? Which bastard was it?” Baek Cheon shook his head, watching Chung Myung siding with the Hainan disciples and making fun of Gwak Hwan-so.

‘I can’t stop him, no matter what.’

Normally, the mood here should be very serious. Today, they will decide the future of Hainan and the Heavenly Union. Everyone here knows that.

But the drinking party last night and Chung Myung’s jokes made the mood much lighter.

The tension in Baek Cheon’s shoulders eased slightly. He started to say something, but then he chuckled.

“Chung Myung.”

“Yeah?”

“…It’s embarrassing, so come here.”

“No, did I say anything wrong?”

“…Please, be quiet.”

“Why are you being so unfair!” At Baek Cheon’s gesture, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul rushed over, grabbed Chung Myung’s arms, and dragged him away.

“No! I didn’t say anything wrong! That bastard started it first, you know? Why only me! Mmph! Mmmph!” Tang Soso quickly put a cloth in Chung Myung’s mouth and tied it. Baek Cheon sighed and bowed to Gwak Hwan-so.

“I’m sorry. Well… as you know… he’s just like that from the start…”

“…You must be going through a lot.”

“It would take three days to explain.” Baek Cheon, having said that much, looked at Gwak Hwan-so with a strange look and said,

“But, you look sick?”

“…I’m just naturally dark-skinned.”

“It doesn’t look like it… Maybe you have a hangover?”

“No, I’m telling you, I’m just dark-skinned. People from Hainan are dark because of the sun!”

“Oh, that’s good. I was worried you got sick from drinking so little. But I guess that’s not possible, right?”

“…I hope you trip and fall.”

“Sorry?”

“No, nothing.” Baek Cheon smiled gently, and Gwak Hwan-so chuckled and straightened his posture, returning the bow.

“I am Gwak Hwan-so, the chief disciple of Hainan. The Sect Leader wishes to see you, so please follow me. I will guide you.”

“Please do.” Gwak Hwan-so, having wiped away his playful demeanor, turned around. The Hainan disciples waiting there looked like strong warriors protecting the Heavenly Union.

“Please understand the path is still difficult because the storm is not completely gone.”

“A warrior doesn’t fear the wind. Don’t worry.” Gwak Hwan-so smiled, liking the answer.

“Open it.”

“Yes!” The palace doors opened wide.

Baek Cheon’s eyes became a little smaller. The storm was still strong. But the Hainan disciples didn’t care about the wind and rain. They stood in lines on both sides of the path, waiting for them.

“There’s no need to…”

“Please don’t say that.” Gwak Hwan-so said in a serious voice.

“This is not to ask you to look favorably upon us. Nor is it to show off our strength and threaten you.”

“…”

“Regardless of the outcome of the conversation we will have with the Sect Leader from now on, this is simply the minimum courtesy we must show to those who have risked their lives to come all the way to this Hainan, which no one else visits.”

Baek Cheon’s face hardened slightly.

“So, let’s go.” Gwak Hwan-so went ahead into the wind and rain. Baek Cheon nodded and followed him.

The Hainan disciples had been standing there for a long time, and their clothes were wet from the rain. They all pulled out their swords at the same time and raised them to show respect to the Heavenly Union group walking towards the Jangmun Hall. They did it silently.

It was a silent welcome, without any loud shouts.

As the Heavenly Union group walked and received this welcome, they saw the old palace and Geum Yang-baek waiting to greet them in front.

Baek Cheon quietly closed his hand around the rainwater in his palm.