Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1550

“Stop talking rubbish and get lost.”

“Be respectful. You are being rude.”

“Respect?”

Baek Cheon glared at Jin Geum-ryong with fierce eyes.

“Respect is reserved for those who deserve it. Why would a Hwasan disciple join a group made by a Jongnam guy? You need to make sense for me to even listen.”

“Is there any reason why not?”

Baek Cheon’s eyes grew even fiercer. However, Jin Geum-ryong merely shrugged, as if he couldn’t understand the reaction at all.

“I don’t believe there were any such restrictions when forming the groups?”

“I don’t understand why I have to explain this. I am not even a direct disciple. But the Cheonwoo Alliance does not divide groups by sects anymore. So, it’s okay for a Hwasan person to join a Jongnam group, right?”

“Move.”

Baek Cheon tried to pass by Jin Geum-ryong, as if he didn’t need to hear any more. But Jin Geum-ryong reached out and gently but firmly grabbed his shoulder.

“Brother.”

“I told you to get l—.”

“I’m trying to do you a kindness.”

Jin Geum-ryong’s gentle gaze and Baek Cheon’s seething eyes met in the air.

Baek Cheon fiercely shook off Jin Geum-ryong’s hand that was holding his shoulder.

“What nonsense are you spouting now, talking about favors?”

Jin Geum-ryong smiled faintly.

“You never understand me. I’m saying that I’ll place you in a position that suits you.”

Baek Cheon’s lips pressed shut.

“Maybe you can’t lead others right now. Think about the people who join your group. It would be unfair if they died because you are not a good leader.”

“You⋯⋯.”

“You may be foolish, but you’re still my youngest brother, so I should at least take care of you. So stop acting like a spoiled child and just do as I say.”

Baek Cheon glared at Jin Geum-ryong without a word.

Jin Geum-ryong, still wearing a smile, met Baek Cheon’s gaze. His face was like that of an adult looking down at a child throwing a tantrum.

That face endlessly grated on Baek Cheon’s nerves.

But instead of arguing further, Baek Cheon silently brushed past Jin Geum-ryong. Jin Geum-ryong, who was wearing a strange smile, spoke to Baek Cheon’s back.

“If you change your mind, feel free to tell me anytime.”

Baek Cheon ultimately moved away from Jin Geum-ryong without a reply.

Jin Geum-ryong stared intently at Baek Cheon’s back until he disappeared, then clicked his tongue and turned around. But at that moment, an unwelcome voice brushed past his ear.

“Senior Brother, you are being too serious and awkward.”

Jin Geum-ryong’s face immediately hardened.

He turned around with a sharp gaze.

“You are listening secretly, like a rat.”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping. You were just being too insensitive, having that conversation out in the open.”

Lee Song-baek, who had been called a rat, sighed deeply.

No one else would come near when you and Baek Cheon are arguing. You were both shouting. So, it’s not my fault you were overheard.

But before you blame me, think about yourself. You are not thinking clearly because it’s about your brother.

“Why are you doing this?”

“What?”

“Wouldn’t it be enough to just say you’re worried?”

“Me? About that guy? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s not that strange to want to keep your injured brother close by to protect him, in case he gets hurt on the battlefield, is it?”

Of course, it’s very strange that this injured and precious brother is the acting leader of Hwasan, who are practically enemies of Jongnam, and it’s even stranger that someone who will become the leader of Jongnam would so casually throw such an important issue as the position between sects into the trash… But anyway, that’s not important right now.

“But did you really have to upset your brother like that? There must have been a thousand ways to say it nicely⋯⋯.”

“You’re seriously mistaken.”

“Then why are you suddenly forming groups? You weren’t even thinking about it until just now.”

Jin Geum-ryong narrowed his eyes and glared at Lee Song-baek.

“Stop talking nonsense and go practice your sword. I don’t care about your silly ideas.”

Jin Geum-ryong’s words are as sharp as his sword. Lee Song-baek sighed deeply. Just what are the Jin family members made of that they’re so twisted?

“So, were you just saying that to tease him?”

“I don’t want him to cause trouble. If he dies alone, it’s his problem. But if he leads others and they lose, that’s bad. Especially if he hides his injury and people get hurt because of it.”

Jin Geum-ryong glared intensely in the direction Baek Cheon had disappeared, as if he still didn’t like it, no matter how much he thought about it.

“Even though he left Jongnam, he is still a Jin family member. His foolish actions will hurt our family’s name.”

“Aren’t you worried about your brother being hurt by that?”

Jin Geum-ryong glared at Lee Song-baek with a distorted face.

“Are you starting to act like those Hwasan guys, now that you’re hanging around with them?”

Lee Song-baek took a step back and raised both hands slightly. He was clearly indicating that he had no intention of arguing with Jin Geum-ryong.

Anyway, it’s true that bringing up family matters crossed the line.

“I’m just saying this way won’t work. If you want Baek Cheon to listen, you need to try something else.”

Even as he spoke, Lee Song-baek couldn’t let go of the slightly clenched string of tension. He expected Jin Geum-ryong’s anger to be directed at him.

But Jin Geum-ryong’s reaction was different from what he expected.

Instead of getting angry, Jin Geum-ryong looked up at the distant sky.

“Persuade⋯⋯.”

A quiet voice flowed from his mouth as he stared at the sky.

“There’s no way that would work.”

“Pardon?”

“Do you know what kind of person Jin Dong-ryong is?”

“Ah.”

“He’s the kind of guy who left home because he was jealous and angry and then relied on a enemy family that was destroyed.”

“Yes, that could happen. Emotions can control the head when you’re young. But that guy clearly saw the state of that ruined enemy family and, instead of coming back, he calmly coaxed them and got the position of chief disciple. And now he’s even trying to become the head of that family. Do you think that’s something an ordinary person can do?”

Lee Song-baek was momentarily stunned.

I hadn’t really thought about it seriously until now, but when I think about it from Jin Geum-ryong’s perspective, this is something⋯⋯. Something⋯⋯.

“Persuade that kind of guy?”

Jin Geum-ryong scoffed.

“Do you think I would have just left him alone in the first place? I tried to be nice and tried to explain. I even begged him, saying I would grant him whatever he wanted, and I beat him very badly. But even when his arms and legs were broken, he told me to just kill him.”

Lee Song-baek felt scared.

Jin Geum-ryong was the one who controlled all the disciples of Jongnam according to his temperament. He is someone who is born to be above others. Even those who were much older than Baek Cheon did not dare to think of going against Jin Geum-ryong.

But Baek Cheon never succumbed to such pressure from Jin Geum-ryong, even in those powerless and weak days.

“There’s no way that kind of guy would suddenly listen to me now.”

“No, then why⋯⋯.”

“I said unnecessary things.”

Jin Geum-ryong cut off Lee Song-baek’s question and asked with his usual cold expression.

“How many are supposed to come here first?”

“Are you talking about from the main headquarters? The ten or so people that the headmaster decided to send immediately, just in case, should have almost arrived. However, more people will come once the details of the agreement with the Cheonwoo Alliance are known. But why is that⋯⋯.”

Lee Song-baek flinched as he spoke.

As expected, Jin Geum-ryong nodded.

“Good. Divide the guys who arrive into two groups and attach one group to me. You lead the other group.”

“Senior Brother, really⋯⋯?”

Instead of answering the obvious question, Jin Geum-ryong left Lee Song-baek and left.

“This far.”

“L, Lord! We too⋯⋯!”

“Stop!”

Tang Gunak cut them off with an icy demeanor.

“Being quick to gather people is also a skill.”

“Ugh⋯⋯.”

He was right, and there was no argument.

Of course, there are many variables in gathering people, but in the first place, variables come every moment on the battlefield. There was no more to say.

Jo Gul, who arrived just in time, was sweating a lot. If he had been just a little late, he would have been left here alone to sweep the yard while everyone else left.

“Ugh.”

“I should have come a little later.”

“Ah! That’s right, you should have let me go when I said I was going to take care of some personal business!”

However, the reactions of the second-generation disciples of Hwasan, who were half-dragged along with Jo Gul, were not good at all.

“Hey, you guys! Do you really not trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Yes!”

“Could you at least think about it a little before you speak?”

The remaining Five Swords, except for him, had to pick out a few because they couldn’t handle the flood of applicants.

“Why am I the only one treated like this⋯⋯?”

“Senior Brother, do you really not know?”

“How would I know?”

“You are hopeless.”

The second-generation disciples all shook their heads.

“All those selected, line up! Quickly!”

“Yes!”

The groups that were gathered in small groups in the Great Training Hall lined up all at once at Tang Gunak’s shout.

There weren’t many people. The Cheonwoo Alliance is big and uses the whole city of Hwaeum. But only a few people were here.

But the people who were here were very strong.

Tang Gunak’s gaze, which had been scanning the lined-up people, reached Jongnam, who was standing in one corner of the training hall.

Tang Gunak thought he might need to change his opinion about Jongnam.

Tang Gunak glanced behind him.

“Alliance Leader.”

“Yes.”

Hyun Jong stepped forward to Tang Gunak.

He gave everyone a look and opened his mouth in a low but powerful voice.

“There’s no time to waste, so I won’t say much.”

Hyun Jong, the leader of the Cheonwoo Alliance. He is someone who creates authority rather than flaunting it. Everyone’s eyes on him became infinitely serious.

“Just remember one thing. Right now, someone’s son, someone’s daughter. Someone’s parents are waiting for your help.”

Hyun Jong’s voice settled on everyone.

“But. You are also someone’s sons and daughters, someone’s brothers and parents.”

Yoon Jong closed his eyes slightly. The meaning contained in that word is only one.

“So!”

Hyun Jong’s earnest voice spread out.

“Be sure to come back alive. Be sure to!”

Yoon Jong clasped his hands together and answered firmly.

“Yes!”

Soon, the Cheonwoo Alliance members, full of determination, ran out to different parts of the world. The sun was rising behind them.