Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1439

It was Tang Gunak, of course, who spoke first.

“Thanks to Jongnam’s personal visit, my family has been saved. I don’t know how to repay this grace.”

At those words, Jongli Gok, the sect leader of Jongnam, smiled gently.

Jongli Gok looked like he hadn’t aged, even though Jongnam sect had been closed off for a long time. In fact, he looked even younger than before they had secluded themselves.

“You are too kind. It was only right that we came.”

“It must have been difficult, considering you were in seclusion.”

“I was already thinking of lifting the seclusion. When I heard that a group from the Demonic Sect was attacking the Dang family, I couldn’t stay away.”

At that, Tang Gunak bowed his head once more.

“I am simply grateful.”

“Don’t mention it, Clan Leader. We, too, are delighted that the first thing we did after lifting our seclusion was to help the Dang family. Any sect that values righteousness would naturally do the same…”

“Ha!”

Someone’s snort cut off his words. Jongli Gok frowned slightly and turned his gaze towards the source of the sound.

“Hmm…”

It was the Mount Hua Sword Saint, Chung Myung.

Jongli Gok let out a groan as he looked at the disheveled figure. It wasn’t just because Chung Myung’s condition was terrible.

“It seems our young friend is…unhappy,” Jongli Gok’s smile tightened slightly.

Chung Myung snorted, a rude sound in the polite hall. “Unhappy? No. It’s just that ‘righteousness’ sounds funny coming from Jongnam. Like a fox talking about kindness.” He scratched his nose like it really did itch.

“Chung Myung!” one of the Five Swords hissed, grabbing for his arm. Chung Myung just shrugged him off, a defiant look in his eyes. *What? I didn’t lie,* his shrug seemed to say.

Jongli Gok slowly shook his head, but a flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. “No, he hasn’t changed,” Jongli Gok said, his voice quiet now.

“They say people die if they change suddenly. Come to think of it, Sect Leader, you don’t seem quite the same as before?”

“Aargh! Shut that mouth of yours!” The Five Swords were horrified and quickly covered Chung Myung’s mouth.

At the absurd scene, Jongli Gok unknowingly opened his mouth, then quickly closed it, letting out a groan. He had reflexively wanted to scold him, but then he remembered that the young swordsman had risen to a position where he could no longer dare to reprimand him.

Ten years could change the landscape, but this was too much. While Jongnam was in seclusion, Mount Hua and the Mount Hua Sword Saint Chung Myung’s position had changed beyond recognition. He was no longer just a young disciple of Mount Hua.

Soon, Jongli Gok’s gaze shifted slightly to the side.

“Sect Leader, you seem younger?”

“I was just about to say the same thing. It’s good to see you looking so well, Sect Leader.”

At Hyun Jong’s reply, Jongli Gok wore a subtle smile.

He could clearly feel the awkwardness in Hyun Jong’s attitude towards him. It couldn’t be helped, as Jongli Gok and Hyun Jong had maintained an uncomfortable relationship for decades.

But at the same time, he could feel it clearly. Although there was awkwardness in Hyun Jong’s attitude now, there was no sign of being intimidated.

*Is this really Hyun Jong, the sect leader of Mount Hua that I knew?*

He had been watching this man for over decades.

Therefore, Jongli Gok believed he knew Hyun Jong better than anyone else in the Jianghu. In his assessment, Hyun Jong was a rigid, inflexible, and incompetent sect leader who could only watch helplessly as Mount Hua crumbled.

Moreover, he was inherently timid, and in his eagerness to be seen as a good person, he was a pathetic figure who couldn’t make proper decisions at crucial moments.

But the Hyun Jong standing before him now didn’t show the way Hyun Jong used to be. The frivolous man who always drooped his shoulders and laughed was nowhere to be seen, and instead, a Taoist priest exuding a strange sense of authority stood there.

And…

Jongli Gok raised his head and looked at Mount Hua.

*These children…*

Then, for a moment, he burst out laughing without realizing it.

*I thought that after secluding ourselves and reorganizing the sect to this extent, controlling Shaanxi would be a piece of cake.*

Just what kind of great things had they experienced that so much had changed since the martial arts competition?

Jongli Gok opened his mouth.

“…Sect Leader.”

Then Hyun Jong paused as if he had remembered something and said.

“Ah. I’m sorry, Sect Leader. There was a misunderstanding. I have stepped down from the position of sect leader of Mount Hua.”

“…Yes?” Jongli Gok blinked, momentarily taken aback.

Although they had closed their doors, they hadn’t completely shut their ears, so he had heard roughly about what Mount Hua was doing outside. But he was hearing for the first time that Hyun Jong had stepped down from the position of sect leader.

Hyun Jong smiled calmly and said.

“Unam is the sect leader of Mount Hua now.”

“…Already?”

Hyun Jong nodded quietly.

“It may seem early, but I have decided that it is the right thing to do.”

“Hmm.”

Jongli Gok’s eyes changed once more.

He didn’t want to admit it, but the current Mount Hua was different from the Mount Hua of the past. The current Mount Hua was not a third-rate sect in Shaanxi waiting for the day to take down its signboard, but the most powerful in Shaanxi, making a name for itself throughout the world.

Therefore, the position of sect leader of Mount Hua in the past could not be the same as the position of sect leader of Mount Hua now. Now, just the position of sect leader of Mount Hua was enough to wield many things and receive gazes of admiration.

But to hand over the things he had finally obtained after a lifetime of suffering to the next generation and step down from his position?

*I don’t understand.*

He had felt it before, but he really didn’t get along with Hyun Jong. He probably would never understand each other.

Just as Mount Hua and Jongnam could never be close.

While the sect leaders were talking as if they were exploring each other, the disciples of Mount Hua were also looking at Jongnam, whom they had seen again after several years, with fresh eyes.

“…Don’t you think those bastards have changed a lot?”

At Jo Gul’s whisper, Yoon Jong frowned and replied.

“They’ve been in seclusion for a long time. Of course, they’ll be stronger than before.”

“No, Senior Brother. I don’t mean that…” Jo Gul wore a sullen expression.

Of course, their skills would have improved. From the beginning, Jongnam had been praised as a sect leading the Nine Great Sects along with Shaolin and Wudang, hadn’t they? Moreover, considering the characteristics of orthodox martial arts, which increased exponentially with time, it would be stranger if they didn’t get stronger.

But the sense of alienation that Jo Gul was feeling now wasn’t because of their martial prowess. He couldn’t explain it, but he kept feeling that the feeling they gave off was somehow different from before.

“But those bastards keep glaring at us, Senior Brother?”

“…Don’t make eye contact.”

“Are you scared?”

“No, you idiot. It’s not that…”

“They say what you learned as a child stays with you for life.”

“…”

“Huh? Is it, is it true?” Jo Gul turned around, horrified, to look at Yoon Jong.

“No, Senior Brother…!”

Thwack!

At that moment, Baek Cheon hit Jo Gul on the head and shouted.

“Be quiet. The sect leaders are talking.”

“…This is a bit unfair, Uncle.”

“Unfair, my foot.”

Baek Cheon was about to say another word when a stiff voice, too familiar but annoying all his life, pierced his ears. Baek Cheon frowned slightly and turned his gaze.

Too similar, yet too different.

Therefore, a face that made him feel both comfortable and uncomfortable was there.

Meeting the gaze that seemed to be looking down on him in a strange way, Baek Cheon sighed deeply.

“It’s been a while.”

At Baek Cheon’s words, Jin Geum-ryong simply looked at him as if he was exploring him. Jin Geum-ryong’s sharp gaze and Baek Cheon’s lake-like gaze intertwined in the air.

Soon, a crooked smile appeared on Jin Geum-ryong’s lips.

“It’s impressive that you’re still alive.”

“…”

“If you’re greedy beyond your ability, that’s what happens. People should know their place.”

“No…!” Jo Gul, who was furious, tried to interject and say something, but Baek Cheon grabbed the back of his head and pressed down hard.

“U, Uncle!”

“I think so too.”

“…Hmm?”

Baek Cheon, who had released his hand that was pressing down on Jo Gul, rubbed the back of his neck.

“If you keep doing things that don’t suit you, you might really die on the road. But what can I do? It’s the way of the world that if you’re next to a crooked person, you’ll get hit.”

Baek Cheon glanced at Chung Myung and smiled at Jin Geum-ryong again.

“I just hope I get hit a little less painfully.”

Jin Geum-ryong stared silently at Baek Cheon. His brother’s smiling face seemed strangely unpleasant, and he frowned and said coldly.

“Don’t go around recklessly just because you have a little bit of fame. You’ll die.”

“…I’ll try.”

“You…”

Just as Jin Geum-ryong was about to shoot back another word, Lee Song-baek quickly approached and opened his mouth slightly.

“It seems that Senior Brother is very happy to see his younger brother after a long time.”

“Lee Song-baek!”

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Senior Brother talk this much. Haha.” Lee Song-baek smiled awkwardly, and Jin Geum-ryong frowned.

“Tsk.” Then he quickly turned his body and moved away from them.

Baek Cheon took a long breath and covered his forehead with his hand, as if he was drained just from meeting Jin Geum-ryong for a moment.

Lee Song-baek said with a smile.

“I pretended not to notice and intervened, but I didn’t just throw those words out there. He’s really happy to see you.”

“…That’s why it’s a problem.”

Jin Geum-ryong was originally that kind of person.

To put it nicely, what he said just now meant that if you overdo it just because your reputation has increased, you might die, so be careful.

Is there anyone else in the world who can make those words so annoying other than Jin Geum-ryong?

“It’s nice to see you again. Baek Cheon Dojang. Do you remember me?”

“…Of course, I remember you, Lee Song-baek.”

There was no way he could forget.

To someone, Lee Song-baek might just be a mediocre swordsman from Jongnam, and to someone else, Lee Song-baek might be someone who showed an impressive performance in the martial arts competition.

But the meaning of Lee Song-baek that Baek Cheon remembered was different, so he couldn’t forget.

*That damn bastard acknowledged him as a martial artist.*

A guy whose eyes weren’t on the top of his head but dangling in the sky acknowledged him. Even a swordsman from Jongnam, not another sect. What more words are needed to explain this person?

And even if he hadn’t known this person until now, he wouldn’t be able to forget him from this moment on.

*The aura…*

It was an aura that couldn’t be described in specific terms.

It wasn’t threatening, but it had a considerable weight. Looking at the heaviness, even he, who didn’t have a particular friendship with Lee Song-baek, felt a sense of stability.

The problem was that the sense of stability strangely bothered Baek Cheon.

*Is this originally the feeling of a Mount Hua swordsman looking at a Jongnam swordsman?*

Baek Cheon had no choice but to intuitively understand why Jongnam and Mount Hua had not been able to harmonize so far.

“That… uh, um…” Lee Song-baek opened his mouth as if he had something to say, then repeated closing it. Seeing that, Baek Cheon frowned slightly.

What he was looking at wasn’t himself. It was an action that could be felt as disregard, but Baek Cheon wasn’t particularly upset.

Sometimes there are things more important than martial prowess.

“Chung Myung.”

“Why?”

Chung Myung, who had been looking for a chance to interrupt Jongli Gok and Hyun Jong’s conversation, turned his head aggressively.

“Come here.”

“No, why?”

“…Just come.”

“Aww.”

Chung Myung walked towards them, looking annoyed.

“Why?”

“Say hello.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung, who saw Lee Song-baek standing in front of Baek Cheon, widened his eyes.

“Oh? You…”

“Chung Myung! It’s been a long time. How have you been?”

“You…”

“Yes!”

Chung Myung’s head tilted to the side.

“Who… are you again?”

A moment of silence flowed.

Lee Song-baek’s shoulders drooped. The heads of those who had been subtly watching their meeting also dropped.

Baek Cheon’s face flushed red.

*I’m an idiot for expecting anything. Acknowledgement, my foot…*