Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1534

Tang Gunak sat across from someone in a quiet room, listening intently. The topic of conversation was unexpected and a little strange.

“So, they used many daughters from the family?” the other person asked.

“They didn’t ‘use’ them,” Tang Gunak corrected, his voice calm but firm. “They were given support.”

“Sounds like the same thing to me,” the other person replied, sounding doubtful.

“It’s not the same thing at all,” Tang Gunak said, his voice a little sharper now.

“Is that so?”

Tang Gunak let out a short, humorless laugh.

Tang Gunak had once thought about changing some of the Dang family warriors into healers himself. But using the *women* of the family? That was a surprise. He frowned slightly. It was a bold idea. He could already imagine the elders arguing against it, the warriors complaining, and other families gossiping. Many things rushed through his mind – what this meant, what would happen next, and the trouble it would cause. But in the end, the words he spoke were different from all these thoughts.

“It seems you are doing well,” Tang Gunak said.

Dang So-so stopped talking and stared at Tang Gunak, surprised. He was smiling softly. A faint blush rose on Dang So-so’s cheeks, and she quickly looked away.

“I was always good,” she mumbled, still not looking at him. “It’s just that Father didn’t notice.”

“So it seems,” Tang Gunak agreed easily.

“Don’t agree so quickly!” she said, finally turning back to him, her eyes wide.

“Alright, I won’t,” he chuckled.

“…Did you eat something bad?” Dang So-so asked, looking at her father as if she didn’t recognize him. She expected him to argue, to question her plan, to be his usual stubborn self when it came to family matters. He was always gentle with her, but also incredibly firm in his ways. But now, there was no sign of that usual stubbornness.

“My brother is having a hard time,” Dang So-so said, her voice losing some of its earlier confidence.

“You mean Dang Pae?” Tang Gunak asked gently.

“Yes. At least I have the support of Mount Hua,” she explained. “But no matter what my brother says, nobody listens. He’s the Young Lord, but… the day he becomes the family head feels so far away. What will become of him?”

“There’s no need to worry,” Tang Gunak said calmly.

“Really?” Dang So-so asked, surprised.

“Dang Pae will do well too,” he repeated, his voice firm and kind.

Dang So-so’s eyes widened in confusion at these calm words. She studied her father’s face, trying to find any hidden meaning, but she couldn’t see anything but sincerity.

“…You are really strange today,” she repeated, shaking her head slightly.

“There’s nothing strange about it,” Tang Gunak said quietly, maintaining his gentle smile.

Of course, he knew. There would be problems. Some Dang family members wanted to be warriors, not healers. The older leaders would not want to give control to the young ones. And other martial arts groups might complain about protecting the Dang family now, when they used to fight together. If he started to worry about all of that, he would never stop.

“Ah, and by the way!” Dang So-so suddenly said, pointing a finger at him.

“Hm?” Tang Gunak asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t interfere!” she declared. Before Tang Gunak could even speak, Dang So-so reached out her hand and made a chopping motion in the air, as if cutting something off.

Tang Gunak smiled wryly.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” Dang So-so insisted. “I bet you’re planning to watch from behind, and if things get tough, you’ll step in, right? Stop family members who cause trouble, or pressure other groups?”

“Me?” Tang Gunak asked, feigning innocence.

“Isn’t that right?” Dang So-so pressed.

Tang Gunak just smiled, saying nothing.

Dang So-so clicked her tongue, as if saying, ‘I knew it!’ Then she straightened her shoulders and said confidently, “I can handle this myself.”

“It’s not that I want to make things easier for you,” Tang Gunak said gently. “It’s just that there’s no need to take a hard path when there’s an easy way.”

“I know,” Dang So-so said, shaking her head. “But if Father does everything for me, I’ll always rely on your strength.”

“Hmm,” Tang Gunak hummed thoughtfully.

Dang So-so shook her head firmly. “It’s not just about wanting to be noticed or to be independent. If people only trust me because I’m Tang Gunak’s daughter, there will be problems at an important time. I need them to believe in Dang So-so, the Second Disciple of Mount Hua, not just Tang Gunak’s daughter.”

“Make them believe…” Tang Gunak repeated softly, thinking about her words. He looked at Dang So-so intently before asking, “Can you do it?”

“I have to,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze.

Tang Gunak’s smile grew warmer. “First of all,” he said.

“…Yes?” Dang So-so asked, a little breathless.

“I believe in you,” Tang Gunak said, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Their eyes met. Dang So-so’s cheeks turned bright red.

“You are really strange today!” she exclaimed again, trying to hide her blush. She turned her head quickly and jumped up from her seat.

“I’m leaving! I’m busy!” she said, rushing towards the door.

“Go ahead,” Tang Gunak chuckled softly.

“Ugh! Seriously!” she muttered as she hurried away.

Watching his daughter run away, unable to hide her embarrassment, Tang Gunak smiled gently.

“I think I’m going to die…” Jo Gul groaned, the words escaping his lips as he collapsed onto his bed. He was completely exhausted from training. Chung Myung’s training was always incredibly hard, pushing them harder than anyone else, even after all this time.

But now, instead of his usual complaints, Jo Gul just stared at Yoon Jong’s back. Yoon Jong had entered the room with him and was now quietly working.

With slow, careful hands, Yoon Jong wiped the dirt from his sword. He even neatly folded the martial uniform Jo Gul had been wearing. The soft cloth moved gently over the metal of the sword, removing the dust and grime of the day. The quiet, rhythmic sound of Yoon Jong’s movements was calming, and a low, gentle humming sound came from Yoon Jong as he worked.

*He’s amazing…* Jo Gul thought, shaking his head slightly. Yoon Jong had gone through the same training, so it must have been just as hard for him. But unlike Jo Gul, Yoon Jong wasn’t messy or complaining. No matter how tired he was, he always did what he needed to do.

This was a different kind of strength than just fighting skill. It was something Jo Gul knew he could never achieve.

“What are you looking at?” Yoon Jong asked, still cleaning the sword, as if he could feel Jo Gul’s eyes on him.

“No, nothing…” Jo Gul mumbled, feeling a little foolish for staring.

“You’re so boring,” Yoon Jong said softly, a hint of a smile in his voice. He didn’t ask anything else. Instead, he moved his hands a little faster as he wiped the sword, probably wanting to finish quickly so Jo Gul could rest, even if just for a little while.

Jo Gul, who had been quietly watching Yoon Jong, spoke without thinking.

“Senior Brother.”

“Hm?” Yoon Jong responded, still focused on his sword.

“That…” Jo Gul started, then stopped, shaking his head. “It’s nothing.”

“Why are you acting so strange?” Yoon Jong asked, finally looking up.

“Just turn off the lights and let’s sleep,” Jo Gul said quickly, waving his hand dismissively. “Why are you doing so much? It’ll just get dirty again tomorrow.”

“I believe cleaning is part of improving yourself,” Yoon Jong said calmly. “I’ve always said that.”

“Aargh! Nagging!” Jo Gul cried out, covering his ears. “I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!”

Yoon Jong looked at Jo Gul, his eyes slightly narrowed. Jo Gul turned away, facing the wall, pretending to shiver, not wanting to hear more.

“I’m going to sleep now,” Jo Gul mumbled. “Senior Brother should sleep too.”

“…Okay,” Yoon Jong replied quietly. He glanced at Jo Gul lying with his back to him and let out a soft sigh.

Yoon Jong knew what Jo Gul was trying to ask, even though he hadn’t said it.

*He’s worried,* Yoon Jong thought. *He must be anxious about the war.* How could he not be? The war was coming closer every day. They would all face so many changes, so many difficult things. But maybe Jo Gul wasn’t just afraid of the pain of war.

*Sreung.* Yoon Jong slid his sword back into its scabbard. He put the sword belt around his waist and stood up.

*Clack.* He carefully closed the door behind him. Inside, Jo Gul glanced at the closed door.

“…Hoo.” A long, heavy sigh escaped Jo Gul’s lips, a sound unusual for him.

The night was quiet and still. Only the sound of Yoon Jong’s footsteps broke the silence as he walked away from the inn in Hwaeum, heading towards Mount Hua. Even though everyone was staying in Hwaeum now, even the Sect Leader, Yoon Jong felt drawn back to the mountain. His footsteps echoed around him in the darkness. His eyes, as he climbed the steep, uneven mountain path of Mount Hua, looked tired and thoughtful. He knew this path so well.

How long had he been climbing? Yoon Jong wasn’t sure. He left the usual path, the one he could walk even in his sleep, and went deeper into the mountain. He entered a wilder, rougher area, a place even animals avoided – the deep valley of Mount Hua. The forest was thick and dark, barely touched by moonlight. After walking for a long time in this darkness, Yoon Jong finally heard sharp sounds cutting through the air. *Paat!* He looked up. Above the tall, thick trees, he saw flashes of bright color – plum blossoms. Even in the dark mountains, vivid plum blossoms were blooming. Yoon Jong stopped, his breath catching in his throat at the sight. It was beautiful, even for someone like him, a disciple of Mount Hua who had seen plum blossoms countless times. He moved closer, following the path towards the blooming light. Soon, he saw him. A man, dressed in a pure white martial uniform that was spotless even here in the wild mountains. The Heroic Headband was tied around his forehead, a symbol of his strength. His long, black hair flew around him as he moved, leaping and swinging his sword. *Paaaaat!* Baek Cheon was training here, deep in the mountains, in a place most Mount Hua disciples never even visited. He was practicing his sword techniques with fierce concentration.

Sweat dripped from Baek Cheon’s jaw, his face smooth but tense. His lower lip was pressed tightly together. Just watching him, Yoon Jong could see how hard Baek Cheon was pushing himself.

And then, in that moment, with a final, powerful swing, *Paaaaaaaaaaat!* From the tip of his sword, an explosion of plum blossoms erupted, more vibrant and numerous than ever before. For a moment, the dark green forest seemed to bloom all at once, bathed in red light. It was a breathtaking sight, almost too beautiful to be real, like something from a dream. Then, just as quickly, the blossoms faded, disappearing like an illusion. Just like real plum blossoms, blooming brightly for a short season before withering away.

Yoon Jong watched silently. Baek Cheon was like that. He seemed to be someone who had always been ahead, blessed with natural skill, making it impossible for others to even try to catch up. But Yoon Jong knew better. Baek Cheon hadn’t reached this level just because of talent he was born with. Yoon Jong knew how much secret effort Baek Cheon put in, training alone in the dark. Without that hard work, he would never have become the Baek Cheon he was today.

“Hoo, haa,” Baek Cheon breathed heavily, finally lowering his sword. He bent over slightly, catching his breath. He looked completely exhausted, a sight he never showed to the other Five Swords. After a moment, he straightened up, wiping the sweat from his face, and turned to Yoon Jong.

“Have you come?” he asked.

Yoon Jong felt a little awkward, making a quick excuse. “…I wasn’t trying to spy on you.”

Baek Cheon chuckled softly. What was there to spy on between brothers who were learning the same sword techniques? Yoon Jong’s words were just a polite way of saying he hadn’t meant to interrupt Baek Cheon’s private training.

“How was it?” Baek Cheon asked, straightening his uniform and looking directly at Yoon Jong. He seemed to notice sweat on his sword too, and he wiped it quickly, making the blade shine even brighter. “Is that all?”

Yoon Jong answered calmly. “Fast, intense… and delicate.” He paused. “The very essence of the Righteous Path, the core teaching of Mount Hua.”

You couldn’t talk about Baek Cheon’s sword without mentioning the Righteous Path. But it was also bold and strong. Even if you understood the principles, Baek Cheon’s sword was almost impossible to copy. The same sword technique feels different depending on who uses it, Yoon Jong knew.

“Is that all?” Baek Cheon asked again, looking at Yoon Jong expectantly, almost like he was asking for more praise, which was unusual for him.

Yoon Jong’s gaze was intense, fixed on Baek Cheon. His eyes, usually half-closed and hard to read, were wide open now, filled with a chilling seriousness. The air between them became thick with silence. Baek Cheon waited, his expression shifting from expectation to something more serious. He started to speak again, “I know, I still have a lot to learn—” but Yoon Jong’s voice cut him off, low and firm.

“Martial Uncle.”

Silence fell again, heavy and deep. Yoon Jong’s mouth moved, but no sound came out for a moment. The words seemed to be stuck, hard to say. Finally, he spoke, each word feeling like it was being pulled from him.

“You will die.”

The only sound was the chirping of insects somewhere in the dark forest. A heavy, cold silence fell between them, as quiet and still as the air just before dawn.