Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1507

Poong Young-shin-gae’s fist clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. A tremor ran through his arm. Was this all his fault? Had he caused this, like the Sword Saint had claimed?

He wanted to shout that it wasn’t. That this wasn’t what he intended.

But he couldn’t deny it.

Chung Myung’s voice was cold, each word like a sharp stone hitting Poong Young-shin-gae. “True goodness doesn’t think about what it will get back.”

“You said you felt sorry for people who risked everything for what is right, without thinking of themselves.”

“Yes. It’s regrettable. It’s heartbreaking. But that’s why it’s the Beggars’ Sect. That’s why it’s worth protecting. Look around you. Is *this* the Beggars’ Sect you wanted to save?”

Poong Young-shin-gae squeezed his eyes shut.

Poong Young-shin-gae looked into the eyes of the elders. He saw a look of knowing, but also of self-deception. They knew what was happening, but they were choosing to ignore it for safety and profit. He understood then. He and his master, Hyun Poong-shin-gae, had changed the Beggars’ Sect, even while trying to protect it. They had changed it more than they ever wanted.

These people were not the Beggars’ Sect of old. They were not ready to give everything for what was right. They were like traders now, always thinking about what they could gain or lose, always trying to stay safe.

Could this place still be called the Beggars’ Sect? He felt a coldness in his heart. Just as these members didn’t truly know him and Hyun Poong-shin-gae anymore, he and his master had also failed to see how the Sect was changing. They were too close to see it happening.

He couldn’t just blame the others. He was the one who had told them to think of their own safety first, to protect their own groups. For twenty years, he had been doing this. Slowly, like tiny bites, his actions had eaten away at the Beggars’ Sect’s spirit, its bravery, its sense of honor. He had brought them to this.

“…Sword Saint.”

He couldn’t bring himself to face Chung Myung.

But unfortunately for Poong Young-shin-gae, he wasn’t even given enough time to regret and repent.

“What are the Chung-Gu doing? Didn’t you hear me tell you to capture him immediately!”

“Yes!”

With Il-Ho-shin-gae’s shout, the beggars who had stormed into the main hall moved as if surrounding Poong Young-shin-gae.

Baek Cheon, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. “Please, wait.”

Il-Ho-shin-gae frowned. “Representative of the Sect Leader, step aside. If you do it now, I’ll forget you brought this traitor to our meeting.”

Baek Cheon smiled calmly.

“Forget it? What do you mean, forget it?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae’s eyes narrowed. He realized he had spoken too quickly, in anger.

“Are you saying that’s the Beggars’ Sect’s official position?” Baek Cheon asked.

Baek Cheon didn’t shout or show off any power. He just stood tall, looking straight at Il-Ho-shin-gae. But suddenly, the elders felt a heavy weight in the room. It was like the air itself had become thick and hard to breathe, even though they were facing a young man much younger than themselves.

“Is that correct?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae silently bit his lower lip.

It was difficult to answer rashly.

If he said it wasn’t, it would appear as if he was backing down, and if he said it was, it could lead to turning Mount Hua into an enemy.

The elders who followed Il-Ho-shin-gae rushed to speak, their voices nervous. “Representative! This is too much! You bring someone who pretends to be our Sect Leader, and now you are threatening our Elder!”

“Even if it’s Mount Hua, this is not something that can be tolerated.”

Baek Cheon turned his gaze towards them. The elders flinched. But contrary to their worries, Baek Cheon calmly nodded.

“Indeed… you’re not wrong. If the person I brought really is impersonating the Sect Leader, then I should apologize. No, not only me, but Mount Hua and the Cheonwoo Alliance should also formally apologize to the Beggars’ Sect.”

“Of course…”

Baek Cheon’s voice was clear and strong, filling the hall.

“If the person I brought is indeed the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect, then who should apologize?”

“W-What do you mean…?”

“As the representative of Mount Hua’s Sect Leader, I swear that this man is Poong Young-shin-gae, the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect.”

Silence fell. You could hear people holding their breath. The elders’ eyes were wide with shock. Their faces turned white, then almost blue with fear. Even Il-Ho-shin-gae was speechless, staring at Baek Cheon.

They weren’t the only ones who were flustered by this situation.

“Hey, older brother,” one of them whispered.

“What’s going on?”

“Did we plan this?” another asked.

The first one shook his head. “Didn’t hear anything about it.”

Yoon Jong looked at the others and laughed quietly. “Looks like none of us knew!”

“So why is he doing this?”

“Who knows?” Yoon Jong shrugged, watching Baek Cheon. “Maybe he just thinks it’s the right thing to do. You don’t need a reason for that, right?”

“Yeah, but if it goes wrong, we could all die here.”

“Maybe,” Yoon Jong said. “But isn’t that always a risk for us?”

“True enough.”

Listening to the whispering voices, Poong Young-shin-gae blankly looked around at the Five Swords.

It wasn’t just Yoon Jong and Jo Gul. Chung Myung’s group seemed to be simply dumbfounded by Baek Cheon’s sudden actions, without feeling any particular dissatisfaction.

Even though Baek Cheon had declared that he would completely oppose the tiger’s intentions in the middle of the Beggars’ Sect’s headquarters, which was no different from a tiger’s den.

‘What are these people…?’

As everyone was plunged into confusion, Il-Ho-shin-gae’s mouth finally opened again.

“Sect Leader Representative, can you take responsibility for what you just said?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae and Baek Cheon’s eyes met in the air.

“If that person is the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect, it would mean that none other than me and the Elders of the Sect have spoken falsely. I’m asking if the Sect Leader Representative can take responsibility for that statement.”

“No, Elder.”

Baek Cheon smiled gently and shook his head.

“I think we need to clarify things. If this person is truly the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect, then it is none other than the Elder who has spoken falsely. Not the Elder and the other Elders.”

Il-Ho-shin-gae’s pupils trembled faintly.

Baek Cheon turned to look at the other Elders, not Il-Ho-shin-gae, and shouted.

“You can’t hide the sky with the palm of your hand! I will clearly convey what I know and what I have seen and heard here.”

“What trickery!”

Il-Ho-shin-gae burst into a roar.

“Isn’t Mount Hua the sect that is trying to bring the Beggars’ Sect into the Cheonwoo Alliance! Who can prove that you are not plotting in such a situation!”

Hye-yeon, the monk, stepped forward, his hands together in prayer. “Amitabha,” he said softly, a Buddhist blessing. “Why is it so hard to see the truth?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae sneered. “Hye-yeon, the monk who was kicked out of Shaolin!”

“You have already been expelled from Shaolin! And it is already widely known that you share the same intentions as the Mount Hua Five Swords, so how can I trust you!”

The Five Swords, who were listening, burst into chuckles.

“Now the monk is practically being treated as a member of Mount Hua.”

“But isn’t that true?”

“He might as well grow his hair out.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bit awkward, Sago?”

In fact, Il-Ho-shin-gae’s point was sharp and valid.

To outsiders, Hye-yeon is already considered half a member of Mount Hua. Any defense of Mount Hua coming from his mouth would inevitably lose its power.

“Well, so what.”

“Yeah. Nothing we can do.”

“I’m sorry, but.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to one person. He seemed surprised to be noticed, and hesitated for a moment. Then, he nodded firmly and stepped forward.

“If that’s how it is…” He stood beside Hye-yeon, and placed a hand on his chest. “I will also swear that this man is Poong Young-shin-gae, the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect, along with Mount Hua.”

“You are…”

“Lee Song-baek of Jongnam.”

Lee Song-baek looked at Il-Ho-shin-gae and said firmly.

“I am not in a position to represent Jongnam, but as a swordsman and as a member of the fighting world, I guarantee that this person is the Sect Leader of the Beggars’ Sect.”

Il-Ho-shin-gae’s face went white. Jongnam? Of all people! Even if this young man didn’t speak for all of Jongnam, the fact that someone from Jongnam was standing with Mount Hua was huge. Mount Hua and Jongnam, together? It was almost unbelievable. Everyone knew they were like bitter enemies, always fighting, even over small things. If they agreed on something, it must be true.

Il-Ho-shin-gae swallowed, his throat dry. He tried to sound calm. “What right do you have to say this? Mount Hua wouldn’t even ask Jongnam for their opinion!”

Lee Song-baek tilted his head slightly.

“I find it difficult to understand what you mean.”

“What…?”

“I am not a wise man, but I am not so foolish as to not know what is right and wrong. What does the sect’s position have to do with guaranteeing what I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae’s eyes trembled.

It was a simple, honest argument, hard to argue against. But how could there be such a stubborn person in the world? Righteous arguments should be used where they need to be used.

“What are you going to do?”

Baek Cheon glared at Il-Ho-shin-gae with sharp eyes.

“Mount Hua, Shaolin, and Jongnam have guaranteed that this person is the Sect Leader. Are you still going to continue with such ridiculous claims despite that?”

“Or will you admit that this person is the Sect Leader and reverse the wrongdoings, even now?”

Il-Ho-shin-gae’s eyes moved from Baek Cheon to Hye-yeon, to Lee Song-baek, and finally to Poong Young-shin-gae. Then he looked at his own elders, seeing their confusion and fear. His gaze stopped on Chung Myung. He stared at him for a long moment, then his face hardened. His voice changed, becoming cold and hard. The polite, controlled Elder was gone. This was Il-Ho-shin-gae, the powerful leader, the one they called ‘Military District Number One.’

“There are two kinds of truth,” he said, his voice like ice. “Truth from the start, and truth we make in the end.”

“Elder!” one of the others cried out, sensing danger.

“It’s gone too far now,” Il-Ho-shin-gae roared, his voice like a tiger. “The story that the Sect Leader is dead… we will make it true!” He slammed his hand down, the sound cracking like thunder. “Stop them! Kill the imposter!”