Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1446

Morning came. People who had been unconscious the night before started to wake up.

Sichuan was known for its warm weather, but this morning felt unusually cold. Or maybe the cold feeling wasn’t just from the weather. It was in the hearts of the people waking up to this new day.

“What should we do now?”

“I guess we should get ready to leave. We heard we’re going to Mount Hua.”

Even though things were still messy after the fight, the Dang Clan members started to clean up where they had slept. They looked around, taking in the scene.

Not far away, the Mount Hua disciples woke up, rubbing their faces and trying to freshen up. They looked just as tired as the Dang Clan members.

“Ugh… I thought my mouth would freeze shut!” Jo Gul shivered.

To be honest, camping in a field wasn’t new to them. Following that cruel guy meant they were used to sleeping outside.

Still, the unusual cold and the aches in their bodies made them feel more worn out than usual.

“The Dang Clan members did check on us yesterday, though.”

“Yeah, Senior Brother. They even said something nice to me.”

“Oh really? What did they say?”

“They told me if I wanted to die before I turned thirty, I was doing a great job!”

Yoon Jong shook his head.

The Five Swords were all in bad shape. They needed to rest and recover. Especially…

“Baek Cheon Sasuk,” Yoon Jong said, his voice full of concern. “Are you alright? You look… well, you look terrible.”

Baek Cheon turned, his usual calm face a shade paler than usual. “…My face is naturally fair,” He said it with a hint of his usual pride.

“No, no, not just fair,” Yoon Jong insisted, stepping closer. “Really pale. Like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if daring Yoon Jong to say more. Yoon Jong just stared back, his worry clear. *Honestly,* Yoon Jong thought, *sometimes I wish he would just fall over.* He quickly pushed the thought away, feeling a little guilty.

Yoon Jong turned and looked at the Dang Clan members.

“More importantly, the mood here isn’t good.”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

They hadn’t noticed it much yesterday because they were too busy. But now, this morning, they felt the emptiness. People who had been with them were gone.

“I’m worried. I hope they’ll be alright…”

“Tch, you worry about everything.”

“Huh?” Yoon Jong looked at Jo Gul, puzzled. Jo Gul looked annoyed. Yoon Jong sighed.

“What are you complaining about now?”

“Tch, it’s like a cat worrying about a mouse. Why is Mount Hua worrying about the Dang Clan? Do you think they’ll go broke just because a few buildings burned down?”

Yoon Jong smiled wryly. Jo Gul wasn’t completely wrong. The Dang Clan still had their fighting strength and influence.

But the Sichuan Dang Clan’s situation wasn’t as simple as Jo Gul thought. The important thing was that they now had nothing left to lose.

Just like Mount Hua, which had lost its traditions and martial arts and was close to collapsing, the Sichuan Dang Clan might face the same fate. No matter how strong Tang Gunak was, and even if some members could still fight.

Things might seem okay now. But in the future, that decline could suddenly crash down.

‘Maybe the Young Clan Lord is suffering the most right now.’

Yoon Jong looked at Dang Pae. He was helping the elders, his face showing nothing of what he was thinking.

He must have a lot on his mind. If Yoon Jong were in his place, he would be overwhelmed with worries.

“By the way, where’s the Clan Lord?”

“That’s right? I haven’t seen him since earlier.”

Just then, as the Mount Hua disciples looked around for Tang Gunak…

“He’s coming over there.”

Tang Gunak was walking from the field in the distance.

Baek Cheon sighed quietly. Tang Gunak looked a little more relaxed than yesterday. But since he didn’t show his emotions easily, it might just be Baek Cheon’s imagination.

Tang Gunak walked to where the Dang Clan members were gathered and gestured slightly.

“Young Clan Lord.”

“Yes, Clan Lord.”

Dang Pae, as if expecting it, approached Tang Gunak and bowed.

“The preparations to leave will be finished soon. Make sure there are no problems…”

“No. First, stop everyone and have them all gather in one place.”

“Yes?” Dang Pae looked a little surprised. But then, as if understanding Tang Gunak’s intention, he replied, “Yes. I will gather the martial artists.”

“I said ‘everyone’.”

“Clan Lord?” Tang Gunak said without expression, “Everyone with the Dang surname. Gather everyone who can speak and give an opinion, don’t leave anyone out.”

Dang Pae hesitated. As far as he knew, this had never happened in the Dang Clan before.

The Sichuan Dang Clan was one family, but there were strict divisions within it. They kept secrets from each other, so it was rare for people with different roles to gather together.

But to gather everyone, not just the leaders…

“Do you still not understand?”

“Ah, no. Clan Lord, I understand. I’ll do it right away.”

Dang Pae nodded quickly.

And so, everyone with the Dang surname sat in a circle.

The Mount Hua disciples watched from a distance. It wasn’t that the Dang Clan members had asked them to leave, but it felt like they should.

“This is a strange sight.”

“It is.”

The Sichuan Dang Clan was a prestigious family. It was unusual to see all its members, who held at least the second-highest position in the Five Great Families, sitting together in a field like this.

“But… will this be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t this place dangerous?”

Yoon Jong looked south. The Myriad Man House had retreated, but there was no guarantee they wouldn’t attack again. Especially Jang Il-so, who might be planning something.

“The Clan Lord knows that.”

“That’s true, but…”

“It’s one of two things. Either he’s sure the Myriad Man House won’t attack again, or…” Baek Cheon looked at Tang Gunak, who was sitting in the center of the Dang Clan members. “…Or he thinks the issue here is more important than the Myriad Man House.”

“It must be the second one.”

Yoon Jong nodded and looked at Tang Gunak.

“I understand, but… can they really find a solution by talking like that in a place like this?”

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

A critical sound came from nearby. Yoon Jong turned to see Cheong Myeong looking at him like he was ancient.

“How can someone so young be so slow to understand?”

“I’m older than you…” And I’m your Senior Brother, Cheong Myeong. Though it feels weird to say it.

“It’s not about finding the perfect answer right away. It’s about starting to look for answers together.”

“Huh? What’s the difference?”

“If you have to find the right answer in that place, then only certain people can speak.”

“Ah…” Yoon Jong nodded, understanding. He had been in that situation before, not being able to speak his mind.

“The important thing is to let them speak. To let anyone share their thoughts, and to make sure those thoughts are heard.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Yes, it’s obvious. The problem is that the obvious thing hasn’t been happening in the Dang Clan.”

The Dang Clan had changed a lot since Cheong Myeong first visited them. But that was only because Tang Gunak, who had won the power struggle with the Council of Elders, listened to Cheong Myeong’s words.

What if Dang Pae or Dang Zan had been in charge instead? And what if Tang Gunak had been against Cheong Myeong?

Then the Dang Clan wouldn’t have changed at all. Dang Pae or Dang Zan would have followed the same path as Dang Bo.

“Instead of being limited by strict hierarchies, anyone can speak up for the sake of the family. They listen to each other’s opinions and find a better path. Not just protecting the past, but moving forward even if it means changing things.”

A bitter feeling swept across Cheong Myeong’s face.

Dang Bo had worked his whole life for that obvious thing, and never achieved it. Maybe this scene was what Dang Bo had dreamed of.

Cheong Myeong was impressed with Tang Gunak.

‘He’s an amazing person.’

Someone who had almost given up managed to pull himself together and move forward. He couldn’t find a solution, but he found a way to find a solution.

Cheong Myeong wondered what would have happened if that guy had become the Clan Lord. Maybe…

“…The Dang Clan would have gone bankrupt.”

“Huh? Gone bankrupt?”

“Ah, never mind.” Cheong Myeong waved his hand, startled. He broke out in a cold sweat just imagining it. Even now, Tang Gunak was listening carefully to the family members. Cheong Myeong thought that Tang Gunak being the Clan Lord was the best thing that could have happened to the Dang Clan.

So the Dang Clan members would be happy…

“They’re fighting over there?”

“Huh?”

“Uh oh. Daggers are flying.”

“Huh?”

“Wow, are they serious?”

Cold sweat ran down Cheong Myeong’s face.

It seemed they had a lot of pent-up feelings. The quiet gathering was quickly turning into a mess.

“Just because families live together doesn’t mean they get along.”

“Coming from you, that’s rich.”

“Me? What?” Cheong Myeong chuckled as he watched Baek Cheon panic.

‘Well, it makes sense.’

Strict rules and hierarchies, and status only within the family. The Dang Clan members had suffered from that their whole lives.

Now that the Clan Lord had provided a place to release those feelings, it was natural that they would explode.

“Hey, isn’t this going to turn into a disaster? It’s a complete mess!”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Cheong Myeong chuckled. “The Dang Clan Lord isn’t a child, he must have known this would happen. He’s probably happy…”

Cheong Myeong stopped.

“Dang Clan Lord?”

Everyone looked at Tang Gunak.

“You’re talking about that person over there, right? Right, Cheong Myeong?”

Amidst the fighting family members, Tang Gunak was sitting with a pale face.

“…I guess he didn’t expect this?”

“He looks like he’s saying ‘Save me’?”

“Cheong Myeong?”

Cheong Myeong looked up at the blue sky. It seemed like a familiar face was smiling at him.

– The Dang Clan is a mess, I tell you.

“Hey, you son of a b…” I didn’t know it would be this bad. Ugh.