Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1246

The elders’ confused voices echoed around the room.

“Ten people?”

“Is that all there are?”

“How can this be…”

The Cheonwoo Alliance group, who were guarding Baek Cheon, were surprised by the reaction.

“Senior Brother, why is everyone acting like this?” Jo Gul whispered.

Yoon Jong replied with a sad smile, “They must have thought we were just the advance party.”

“Advance party?”

“There’s no way only ten people would come all the way to Hainan. They must think we brought more people who are traveling separately.”

“Oh…” Jo Gul stared at the Hainan elders, dumbfounded.

Jo Gul was surprised, but the Hainan elders’ reaction was understandable.

The Cheonwoo Alliance thought they were showing respect by sending important leaders. But the Hainan people saw it differently. They could not believe important leaders would travel alone, without helpers.

No sect leader would leave their sect and travel alone into dangerous territory. This was not normal in the Jianghu (the martial arts world), or even in the regular world.

So, they assumed more people were coming later. This misunderstanding happened because they couldn’t easily talk and share information.

“Then why did you even come here!” one elder shouted.

“Are you abandoning the Nine Great Sects to join the Cheonwoo Alliance? Are you trying to use the last bit of our sect’s reputation?” another yelled.

“Such shameful behavior!”

Some of the Cheonwoo Alliance members were startled by the angry reaction. Others frowned. They had risked their lives to help, but the Hainan elders were acting like this. It felt unfair.

“Enough…” Geum Yang-baek said.

“Sect Leader! How can you be so cruel to someone who is already suffering!” an elder cried.

“They won’t help us, but they want to use our name! Why are we being treated like this…”

“Enough!” Geum Yang-baek’s voice roared like a beast.

The elders stared at Geum Yang-baek in shock. They had been with him for a long time, but they had never seen him so angry.

“People of the Southern Seas, acting like this…” Geum Yang-baek glared at them with cold eyes, and the elders lowered their heads.

“Even if they didn’t do exactly what we expected, they still risked their lives to come and help Hainan. Isn’t that true?”

“Sect Leader…”

“The people who should be helping us are nowhere to be seen. Yet, you are yelling at those who have shown us kindness, demanding even more. I know people can be fickle, but is this how the elders of Hainan should behave?”

The elders couldn’t look Geum Yang-baek in the eye and lowered their heads. Geum Yang-baek sighed and turned to Baek Cheon.

“I apologize for this ugly scene. Everyone is desperate.”

“No, Sect Leader. We should have been better prepared…”

“No. I am grateful that you understand,” Geum Yang-baek said with a faint smile, but there was sadness in it.

“I understand what you’re saying,” he continued.

“Sect Leader, not yet…” an elder protested.

“No,” Geum Yang-baek shook his head. “Just because you didn’t bring more people doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind. We were hoping for too much.”

“…”

“Even if you came to use our name for the Cheonwoo Alliance, as the foolish elders said…”

“Ah, that’s…!”

“Yes, I know that’s not the case. I don’t think Hainan’s name is important enough to bring all of you here.”

Geum Yang-baek gave a humble laugh. “If you did come with such intentions, it would be a great honor, and I would feel it polite to allow you to use our name after all your effort.”

Geum Yang-baek seemed to have accepted everything. Baek Cheon bit her lip.

Then, Geum Yang-baek slowly shook his head. “However, I must reject the Cheonwoo Alliance’s offer.”

“…Sect Leader.”

“The reason is simple.” Geum Yang-baek looked up at the ceiling, as if seeing something else.

“Hainan is part of the Nine Great Sects, but it was never truly one of them. It was only added to fill the spot left by Mount Hua.”

It was a humble comment, but he said it calmly. “Therefore, we were always treated differently. This was because you looked down on us islanders from the Southern Seas.”

“That’s…”

“You think islanders can’t be trusted. You think islanders have no integrity. You think islanders betray as easily as they eat, and change their minds as often as the sea changes.”

Geum Yang-baek chuckled. “You mainlanders might not understand this feeling. Even the Ice Palace Lord might not understand. You don’t know what it’s like to be treated unfairly and struggle to fit in.”

Baek Cheon asked, “But, Sect Leader, doesn’t that mean you should join the Cheonwoo Alliance? You said Hainan can never be a true member of the Nine Great Sects. But the Cheonwoo Alliance doesn’t treat its members unfairly. Even the Green Forest is a respected member.”

Baek Cheon stopped talking because she felt it was pointless to argue. Also, Geum Yang-baek’s faint smile bothered her.

Geum Yang-baek asked, “What do you think integrity is?”

“Yes?”

“What is integrity?”

Baek Cheon couldn’t answer right away. It would be easy to define integrity, but that wasn’t what Geum Yang-baek was asking.

When Baek Cheon didn’t answer, Geum Yang-baek said, “I think integrity is something you prove in the end.”

“…”

“For a long time, Hainan has been seen as untrustworthy. People thought we might betray them. No matter how much we denied it, their prejudices remained.”

“…”

“This isn’t just about the Jianghu. The people of Hainan Island, who have no power, face discrimination because of their skin color and because they don’t live on the mainland.”

“Sect Leader…”

“If we abandon the Nine Great Sects and join the Cheonwoo Alliance at the last moment, what would people say?”

Geum Yang-baek didn’t wait for Baek Cheon’s answer. “They would say, ‘I knew it. Those islanders can’t be trusted.'”

Geum Yang-baek paused and shook his head. “We are not fools. We know that the sects of the Central Plains, including the Nine Great Sects, have already abandoned Hainan. Even though we know this, we can’t help it.”

“Sect Leader, they were the ones who abandoned integrity first,” Baek Cheon said.

“Even so, what would change? People would still say that Hainan didn’t keep its integrity.”

Baek Cheon sighed. “If we accept the Cheonwoo Alliance’s help, we might show the world that the Nine Great Sects lack integrity and damage their reputation. But the unfair treatment of our people would only get worse. People always focus on others’ small flaws instead of their own big faults.”

Baek Cheon couldn’t argue with that.

“Thank you for risking your lives to come to this distant land. I am very grateful.”

Geum Yang-baek bowed deeply. Baek Cheon quickly tried to stop him but hesitated.

Geum Yang-baek continued, “But Hainan cannot accept your offer. The Hainan Sect may end, but the people of Hainan Island must continue to live. I hope you understand our position.”

“Of course, I understand,” Baek Cheon said sadly.

“Then what will you do now?”

“Well,” Geum Yang-baek smiled calmly. He felt clearer because of Baek Cheon’s suggestion.

“Some will leave, some will surrender, and those who remain will stand up and fight. I will share my fate with those who try to stand up and prove themselves.”

“…”

“When I thought there was a way to survive, I thought it would be okay to change our position and fight against prejudice later. But if the end is already decided, we must end it in a way that is not shameful to Hainan.”

Baek Cheon closed her eyes with a heavy heart.

‘I should have come sooner,’ she thought.

There was nothing she could do, so she couldn’t say anything. Anything she said would be an insult to Hainan.

“The typhoon will stop soon. You’ll know if you stay on the island long enough,” Geum Yang-baek said, looking at Baek Cheon and the others.

“Leave the island when the typhoon stops. We have to be buried here, but you don’t. Even if we all leave, they won’t bother chasing one small boat.”

Jo Gul grabbed his leg tightly. Those calm words strangely hurt him.

“When you return to the Central Plains, please tell them one thing: Hainan kept its integrity to the Central Plains and the Nine Great Sects, and fulfilled its duty as a righteous sect.”

Geum Yang-baek closed his eyes and said quietly, “That is all I ask.”

Baek Cheon looked at Geum Yang-baek, then turned to someone behind her. But that person showed no emotion.

Baek Cheon sighed and slowly stood up. She politely clasped her hands towards Geum Yang-baek.

“I understand your will.”

Geum Yang-baek also rose and clasped his hands in return. “I wish your alliance peace.”

The meeting ended with a complete breakdown.