Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1243

Geum Yang-baek had been waiting under the roof of the main hall. He walked out with calm steps and bowed deeply to Baek Cheon, who was standing in front.

“Let me introduce myself again. I am Geum Yang-baek, the leader of the Hae Nam sect.”

As they watched him, the Hwa San disciples felt strange emotions.

The title “leader of the Hae Nam sect” didn’t make them feel amazed anymore. They had met so many important people that the name of Hae Nam’s leader wasn’t very impressive.

They had even argued with the leader of Shaolin! So, what was so special about the leader of Hae Nam?

But Hwa San’s situation was different now.

A few years ago, the leader of Hae Nam would have made the Hwa San disciples feel many things.

He was someone they were angry at because he had taken the place Hwa San should have had. At the same time, they were jealous because his sect was becoming stronger.

And now, this same man was walking out from under the roof, even though it was raining, to greet Baek Cheon. The cold rain was falling lightly, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“I am Baek Cheon, acting leader of Hwa San,” Baek Cheon said.

“Thank you for your kindness last night. I was able to rest well. I am grateful you didn’t refuse to let us stay, even though we came without warning, and that you were so kind.”

Baek Cheon bowed respectfully, bowing back to Geum Yang-baek.

Yoon Jong felt his heart beat faster as he watched.

He knew why.

The respect Geum Yang-baek was showing wasn’t really for Baek Cheon as a person. It was for Baek Cheon’s position as ‘acting sect leader.’ Or maybe it was because Baek Cheon was a ‘special messenger’ from the Cheonwoo Alliance.

But it didn’t matter why Geum Yang-baek was showing respect.

A few years ago, Geum Yang-baek hadn’t even cared about Hwa San. The younger disciples couldn’t hide their childishness, but Geum Yang-baek didn’t ignore or hate Hwa San. He just watched them.

This meant Hwa San wasn’t even seen as a danger to Hae Nam.

But now, this same Geum Yang-baek was coming out in the rain and wind to welcome Baek Cheon himself. He was showing real respect to someone he had already met.

Just this was enough to make them understand how much stronger Hwa San had become.

“Please, come inside.”

“It is an honor, Sect Leader.”

Geum Yang-baek led them into the main hall. It was a large, open space with wooden pillars and a high ceiling. People who had been waiting in front carefully came closer and offered cloths to the Cheonwoo Alliance group.

“What is this…?”

“Shhh.”

As Jo Gul was about to say something in confusion, Yoon Jong nudged him in the side and gestured with his chin. He was pointing at Namgoong Dowi. Namgoong Dowi was naturally accepting the cloth and wiping the water from his body.

Jo Gul followed suit, wiping away the rainwater.

“It’s so good to have a young master from a prestigious family with us.”

“I know, right? If it were just us, wouldn’t we have just stood there blankly, wondering what to do?”

“Indeed, young lord.”

Dang Pae’s face twisted.

“I am also a young master from a prestigious family.”

“Ah, right. But… why doesn’t it feel that way? That’s strange. Is it because you’re too familiar?”

“Your face.”

At that moment, the three of them simultaneously turned to look at the person who had uttered the last words.

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

Tang Soso tilted her head as if wondering why they were looking at her like that. Everyone silently turned their heads again.

“……Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Dang Pae’s shoulders slumped, and Yoon Jong simply turned his head away, showing consideration for him.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Let’s start then.”

At Geum Yang-baek’s gesture, Baek Cheon sat on the cushion that had been prepared in advance. Only then did Geum Yang-baek and the elders of Hae Nam sit down in a row in front.

No sooner had everyone’s bottoms touched the floor than the disciples of Hae Nam brought in tea and tables with simple refreshments, placing them one by one in front of the Hwa San disciples.

A light sweat began to form on Yoon Jong’s forehead.

‘It doesn’t seem to be because of the heat.’

Before long, he knew the reason.

In fact, although he had been cultivating pride as a disciple of Hwa San, he had never been formally treated like this in another sect.

It was not them, but the sect leader and elders who were treated with respect in the name of Hwa San. But the moment that respect, which should have been directed at the sect leader, came this way, he began to feel acutely that he was here representing Hwa San and the Cheonwoo Alliance.

He felt a slight sense of suffocation, but Yoon Jong straightened his shoulders even more. If he was representing Hwa San and the Cheonwoo Alliance, he shouldn’t give the impression that he was overwhelmed by this atmosphere.

“Guests have come from afar, braving a difficult journey, but I am sorry that we cannot provide proper hospitality. However, I hope you will understand that the situation in Hae Nam is so urgent that we have no choice but to do this.”

“I am already overwhelmed by this unexpected hospitality, and I am surprised by your kind words. Anyone would be happy to be treated so well in Hae Nam. I will always remember this kindness.”

The Hwa San disciples, who usually laughed at Baek Cheon’s good way of speaking, were quiet now. They were focused on the conversation between the two leaders.

“So…”

At that moment, Geum Yang-baek cleared his throat slightly and changed the subject.

“It is a rude question, but let me confirm once again. You have said that you are visiting here as the acting sect leader of Hwa San, and also as a special envoy of the Cheonwoo Alliance. Is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

“It is not polite to doubt someone, but this place is far from the center of the land, so news travels slowly.”

Baek Cheon smiled and untied the Jahashingeom from his waist. Geum Yang-baek watched silently.

The sword was old and looked very powerful.

Baek Cheon held the sword out and slowly pulled it from its case. The moment the white blade appeared, people gasped quietly. It was clearly not just any sword.

“This is the special sword of Hwa San, called Jahashingeom. The leader of Hwa San sent me with this sword to show his message.”

Baek Cheon then spoke in a slightly worried voice.

“However, proving that this sword is a sacred artifact of Mount Hua…”

“No need, Acting Sect Leader. That is a sufficient answer.”

Jin Yang-baek’s last doubt disappeared completely. He had been wondering if Baek Cheon really was the Acting Sect Leader, but now he knew it was true.

He had never really doubted that Baek Cheon was the Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua. Everyone knew Baek Cheon was one of the famous Five Swords of Mount Hua. Lying about being the sect leader was unthinkable.

Even if Baek Cheon wanted to lie, the Mount Hua disciples with him, and the young leaders from other sects, would not let him.

But Jin Yang-baek wanted to know how much real power the ‘Acting Sect Leader’ position had. A sacred artifact was used to show authority when the sect leader was not there. Sometimes, it gave even more power than the sect leader himself.

If the Azure Cloud Sword was truly the sacred artifact of Mount Hua, then Baek Cheon basically had all of Mount Hua’s power.

Jin Yang-baek swallowed hard without meaning to. He realized he looked nervous and quickly tried to look calm.

‘I was nervous,’ he thought, annoyed at himself.

He hadn’t even heard Baek Cheon speak much yet. But just facing the Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua made him nervous.

Baek Cheon might be the Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua, but wasn’t he just a young man? Jin Yang-baek, the sect leader of Hae Nam, should not be nervous facing Baek Cheon.

But he couldn’t relax because of the white sect robe and the plum blossom on its chest. Just seeing those symbols made him tense. It showed how strong Mount Hua had become in their eyes.

Jin Yang-baek slowly breathed in, forced a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and began to speak.

“Acting Sect Leader Baek Cheon, welcome to Hae Nam! It’s quite a journey to get here, isn’t it?”

He wanted to make the mood lighter, so he started with small talk. Jin Yang-baek was ready to joke back no matter what Baek Cheon said.

“You must have left Mount Hua a long time ago to arrive now. We are a bit ashamed we didn’t know you were coming. We would have loved to welcome you properly at the coast! We didn’t mean to be impolite, haha.”

But Baek Cheon’s next words completely changed Jin Yang-baek’s plan.

“I came through Jiangnan.”

“…Pardon?”

“I came straight through Jiangnan via land.”

Jin Yang-baek, momentarily speechless, stared blankly at Baek Cheon.

Jiangnan? Did he just say Jiangnan?

“…Acting Sect Leader, the Jiangnan you’re referring to is…”

“I departed from Hubei and came via Guangdong.”

Jin Yang-baek’s eyes grew wider and wider.

“G, Guangdong?”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon smiled brightly and answered readily. Jin Yang-baek momentarily forgot his dignity as a sect leader and blankly asked again.

“Are you saying you crossed the Yangtze River? And… through Guangdong, the base of the, the Myriad Man Clan?”

“Yes.”

“N, no, why would you do such a dangerous thing…? What were you thinking?”

Jin Yang-baek, as well as the elders, momentarily forgot their positions and began to murmur among themselves. Some were dumbfounded, while others were incredulous.

However, Baek Cheon simply answered with the facts as they were.

“Because that was the fastest way.”

Jin Yang-baek was at a loss for words.

He didn’t know if this young man was brave or just too confident, but Baek Cheon just smiled gently at their reactions.

‘No…’

In truth, there was something else Jin Yang-baek really wanted to say.

‘Is he out of his mind?’

However, this was not a place where he could freely speak his mind. Therefore, he refined and softened his words as much as possible.

“W, what if something untoward had happened…?”

“Of course, that could have happened. But as you can see, I arrived safely, didn’t I?”

However, Baek Cheon did not bother to beat around the bush.

“And…”

Baek Cheon stared straight at Jin Yang-baek and the elders behind him, and opened his mouth.

“It wasn’t just us who were in danger, was it? Hae Nam was the one truly in a perilous situation.”

Everyone faced Baek Cheon. It felt as if they would be sucked in at any moment.

“If one is too busy worrying about their own safety on the way to help someone in danger, how can that be called proper help?”

Baek Cheon spoke calmly, but with unwavering resolve.

“That is neither the way of Mount Hua, nor the way of the Cheonwoo Alliance.”

Everyone’s body tensed up involuntarily.

At that moment, Jin Yang-baek sensed it. The initiative in the conversation that he had been trying to gain had completely passed to Baek Cheon at this moment.

That young man had completely overwhelmed this place simply by speaking his mind, without relying on the power and authority of Mount Hua.

“So, Sect Leader, please listen to what I have to say from now on without prejudice.”

Usually, a pause would follow such words, so Jin Yang-baek expected a pause and quickly tried to nod.

However.

“For the sake of Hae Nam’s future, and for the sake of the world’s peace, our Cheonwoo Alliance hereby recommends that your Hae Nam Sect withdraw from the Nine Great Sects and join the Cheonwoo Alliance.”

“Cough!”

Jin Yang-baek, who had suddenly choked, hurriedly covered his mouth.

It was a very direct statement that was thrust into his solar plexus with full force, without even a single roundabout gesture.