Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1605

They are all in one room because they must be. But these people are very different and don’t like each other.

Talking together will be hard because they need time to understand each other. But they don’t have much time. So, a tense meeting like this is expected.

“I heard Jongnam is supposed to be a famous group in the Central Plains, right?”

Ya Su-gungju Maeng So smirked, looking at Jongli Gok, breaking the silence.

“It seems you can’t trust rumors after all.”

“Gungju-nim.”

Maeng So returned a smile to Tang Gunak, who was quietly telling him to stop.

“Don’t you think so?”

“A man’s jealousy is a pathetic thing.”

Jongli Gok answered back without giving in.

“A strange mix of groups and outsiders.”

“It seems someone dislikes that very thing and is trying to paint the world with unorthodox colors. If you agree, why not join them?”

Jongli Gok’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Have you said all you wanted to say?”

“If so?”

Jongli Gok glared at Maeng So like he wanted to kill him.

He was the head of the Jongnam sect. He couldn’t stand being told, “If you don’t like it, go be friends with the bad guys!”

“It’s more like the Cheonwu Alliance is friendly with the unorthodox groups.”

“If you think so, shouldn’t you lead the remaining Nine Sects and fight? I won’t stop you.”

Then, Jegal Ja-in jumped up from his seat instead of Jongli Gok.

“Is that what the Cheonwu Alliance thinks?”

He stared at Tang Gunak with a look of anger.

“I feel like I am not wanted here and taking up space. Maybe I was wrong to come to this meeting. I understand now. Please don’t be too angry with me.”

“Leader.”

Moyong Wi-gyung tried to stop him, but Jegal Ja-in glared back at Moyong Wi-gyung with an angry look.

“Do we have to take this until the end?”

“Leader.”

“I don’t care if the result is bad. But I don’t have to take any kind of treatment. That’s how I feel.”

Moyong Wi-gyung was worried. What would they do after leaving this place? The Jegal and Moyong families couldn’t do anything alone.

“Moyong leader, please stay. The Jegal family will leave.”

Jegal Ja-in spoke firmly and looked at Jongli Gok.

“What will Jongnam do? Will you keep taking the insults?”

Jongli Gok’s face became serious.

“Insults, you say?”

A calm but strong voice spoke.

Everyone looked at Hyun Jong, the leader of the Cheonwu Alliance, who was sitting in the main seat.

Hyun Jong asked.

“What is an insult?”

“Leader, we…….”

“Is it an insult to have to respect those you didn’t respect before?”

Jongli Gok’s face became hard.

“Or is it an insult that you don’t have as much power as you used to?”

Jegal Ja-in’s face also became hard. He answered back.

“Please don’t talk like that. You may be the leader of the Cheonwu Alliance, and we may have lost, but even those who lose have pride.”

As Jegal Ja-in answered back, Tang Gunak’s face became angry. But before Tang Gunak could say anything, Hyun Jong shouted.

“Pride?”

Hyun Jong glared at Jegal Ja-in with a face that was not his usual calm one.

“What is your pride?”

“Leader…….”

“Is it being respected here? Or being able to hold your head high even after losing? What is the pride of the Jegal family? Is it being told that even if the result is bad, you had good intentions?”

Hyun Jong’s voice, which was always calm, was now full of anger.

“Are those things really pride?”

A cold look, not like a Taoist, flashed in his eyes. But no one there thought that Hyun Jong’s words and look were wrong.

“Who asked about who was responsible? Who tried to find fault? We just buried so many dead people from the battles. The sadness is still fresh. And now you want to talk about pride!”

The room was noisy before, but now you could only hear Hyun Jong’s voice.

“If you really know what pride is! Shouldn’t you talk about what’s happening now and find a way to fight back instead of worrying about your own pride! That’s what the Jegal family should do, and that’s what those who died in Hobuk would want from you! Is it so important to save that meaningless face?”

Jegal Ja-in couldn’t look Hyun Jong in the face and looked away. Even Jongli Gok looked away.

It wasn’t wrong. Hyun Jong was the one who had the right to be angry, and they were just feeling guilty and acting too fast. How could they not know?

“If you don’t like me being the leader of the Cheonwu Alliance and acting like I’m in charge, then you be the leader instead. I will quit.”

“Leader! What are you doing!”

Tang Gunak shouted in fear, but Hyun Jong didn’t even look at him and glared at Jongli Gok.

“If that would help Jongnam get through this, I would do it. I will fight like I’m going to die, even if I’m not the leader but just a normal member.”

“…….”

“What will you do?”

Jongli Gok, who had been looking away, finally looked back at Hyun Jong. Hyun Jong also stared into his eyes.

It was the first time they had looked at each other since the Cheonhabimu Competition.

Hyun Jong had a hard time looking at Jongli Gok before, but today, Jongli Gok looked away first.

He would lose face if he said yes or no. In the end, Jongli Gok chose another way.

“What do you think?”

He asked Jin Geum-ryong, who was sitting there even though he didn’t really belong there, for his opinion.

Jin Geum-ryong’s position was strange, since he was at this meeting even though he shouldn’t be. But he was a good choice for Jongli Gok.

Jin Geum-ryong answered calmly.

“Jongnam is not a shameless group.”

“I see.”

Jin Geum-ryong then looked at Hyun Jong and said.

“And it seems that the leader has misunderstood something. Jongnam will fight the unorthodox groups until the last man, no matter what. Jongnam has always wanted to do this.”

Jongli Gok slowly nodded and said.

“This child’s words are what Jongnam thinks.”

“Then, can I say that Jongnam agrees with the Cheonwu Alliance?”

Hyun Jong asked, looking at Jongli Gok, who still didn’t look at him.

“Yes, you may.”

He answered, but he felt bitter.

But what could he do? Jongli Gok had no other choice.

The Wudang Sect might stay closed for a long time. So, should we join with the Jegal and Moyong families to become stronger on our own?

That would mean destroying the other three groups.

The enemy leader is very clever at finding weak spots. Would he just ignore us if we are weak and easy to attack? Now, they had to depend on the Cheonwu Alliance just to survive.

Jongli Gok didn’t say all of this out loud. Keeping some things unsaid was the last bit of pride he had left.

“What about the Jegal family?”

“What else can we do when that’s the only choice left?”

He was joining, but he didn’t sound friendly. Before anyone could react, Moyong Wi-gyung quickly spoke.

“The Moyong family will be with the Cheonwu Alliance too. Isn’t that the right thing to do?”

Hyun Jong looked at Moyong Wi-gyung and nodded. Since they had agreed this much, he had to agree too.

“We’re not trying to show off power, or argue about what’s right or wrong.”

“…….”

“We can’t easily talk about those things because of the situation we’re in. We can’t say that we are stronger than the enemy group anymore. We will face the situation head-on.”

Jegal Ja-in bit his lip.

That was the most basic thing to do in a fight. He felt bad that he was the one who had stopped that.

“I won’t stop you. Please continue.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

And Tang Gunak looked at him with admiration.

He didn’t threaten them or show the Cheonwu Alliance’s power. But Hyun Jong easily fixed the problem.

If Tang Gunak was in charge, he might have pushed them hard and forced them to obey. But he wouldn’t have gotten them to work together willingly like this.

Some people do well when things are hard.

“Now that things are settled…….”

Just then.

Creak.

The door slowly opened, and someone came into the room.

“Cheong-myeong-ah.”

“Chongsa!”

Some people were happy to see Cheong-myeong, who was late. Cheong-myeong looked at Jongli Gok and Jegal Ja-in with dark eyes and bowed to Hyun Jong.

“I’m late.”

“Come and sit down.”

“Yes.”

Cheong-myeong walked quietly and sat in the empty seat.

“Why are you so late, Hwasan Shinryong?”

“Sorry.”

“끄응.”

Now that everyone was there and things were settled, Im So-byeong was going to speak again. But Cheong-myeong raised his hand.

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Wait a little longer, because they’ll be here soon.”

Everyone looked surprised. They’ll be here? Who?

As if answering that question, the door opened again. Two familiar people came in.

“Leader!”

“Isn’t that Elder Namgoong?”

Baek Cheon and Namgoong-myeong arrived.

They greeted everyone with a traditional bow, and their faces were very sweaty. It looked like they had run all the way from Mount Song without stopping.

“Everyone’s here.”

Cheong-myeong looked at Baek Cheon and then looked at Jegal Ja-in.

Jegal Ja-in suddenly felt scared. He felt more pressure from Cheong-myeong than he thought he would.

‘This man is Hwasan Geomhyup…….’

If Hwasan Geomhyup was here earlier, would he have complained so much?

Before he could think more, Cheong-myeong spoke.

“Let’s hear it first.”

“What?”

“Why couldn’t you help Shaolin in time?”

“…….”

“It’s true that Beopjeong is a pathetic human being, but he’s not stupid. So tell me. What happened? Who stopped you?”

“That’s…….”

Jegal Ja-in bit his lip hard. He remembered again what he had seen.

He had told Hyun Jong a little about what happened. But everyone needed to know this, not just Hyun Jong.

“I don’t know who they were. They were all wearing masks. But they were very strong. When we were going to attack the back of the enemy group, following the leader’s orders, suddenly over a hundred strong fighters appeared and stopped us.”

Cheong-myeong’s eyes became dark.