Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1623

The sky was a brilliant, bright blue, almost dazzling.

Mount Hua always felt both near and far to Jongli Gok, and harder to understand than anywhere else. He climbed, breathing heavily, and looked up at the clear sky, letting out a long breath.

Could he ever have imagined he’d be climbing Mount Hua alone one day, looking up at the sky so far away?

His gaze went to the west. The end of the world stretched out, connected to the mountains he knew so well.

‘How strange.’

Not a day went by that he didn’t see Jongnam. But Jongnam, seen from here, felt different. And he realized something new.

Just because you live on a mountain doesn’t mean you know it best. Sometimes, seeing it from a distance helps you understand more.

Just then, he felt someone nearby.

“Hmm.”

As soon as Jongli Gok looked over, something flew towards him.

Thud.

He caught it without thinking. It was a heavy, white bottle. He knew it was liquor without even opening it.

“Liquor?”

“Don’t you like it?”

Jongli Gok shook his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it. He didn’t drink much, but he wasn’t against it either. However…

“In the middle of the day?”

“Are *you* going to worry about things like that?”

Chung Myung chuckled. Jongli Gok laughed a little too. Yes, it was too late to be formal now.

“Then, I’ll drink it. Thank you.”

Jongli Gok opened the bottle and took a big drink. It wasn’t fancy liquor, but today it tasted different.

Maybe it was because the bottle held more than just liquor.

“Good liquor.”

“It’s just cheap Hwaju.”

“It’s good liquor.”

Chung Myung shook his head. Then, he took out his own bottle and took a drink.

“Krooooh.”

Wiping his lips, Chung Myung looked at Jongli Gok. It was funny, seeing him in his white Jongnam uniform with Mount Hua behind him. It didn’t make sense.

But who was to say who belonged on a mountain? The mountain was just there.

“I didn’t think you’d be so reckless.”

“You don’t know me. I’m very careful.”

“I didn’t know you had such a bad personality either.”

“People often say I’m kind. Maybe not to you guys, though.”

“……For someone like that, you don’t talk much.”

“I’m always listening. It’s my job as a sect leader.”

Chung Myung stared at Jongli Gok, who answered every word without giving up. Then he shook his head and asked,

“Why did you do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“……You could have just ignored it.”

Jongli Gok just looked at him. Chung Myung felt the pressure and added,

“Well… it’s not that I feel sorry for Jongnam or anything. And it had to be done. It was something that had to be done, but…”

“Didn’t you tell me to do it?”

“That’s right. But…”

Chung Myung scratched his nose, looking uneasy.

“The timing was bad, right? Since we have to fight together now.”

“……Timing.”

Jongli Gok repeated, looking at the sky. He took another drink.

“You’re right. But…”

He smiled at Chung Myung.

“No matter how much I thought about it, there was never a ‘good’ time.”

“……”

“You know?”

“Know what?”

Jongli Gok smiled a little more.

“There’s always a reason why it shouldn’t be now.”

“……”

“Yes.”

Jongli Gok nodded, agreeing with himself. These words were for himself, not Chung Myung.

“Always there. Always.”

Chung Myung’s face twisted at his small smile.

“Ugh.”

He sighed. Jongli Gok was right. If you miss an opportunity by making excuses, things become unclear.

“But it might not have been bad for you. Didn’t you say last night that you had to clear everything away?”

“Are you saying that, when you were just telling me to settle everything yesterday?”

“You always leave me speechless.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue. Jongli Gok looked amused.

‘The more I see him, the stranger he is.’

When had he been so cold and angry? But now that Jongli Gok had decided, he was thinking about his position.

He was complex, or just unpredictable.

But Jongli Gok didn’t hate Chung Myung. Maybe it was because he felt the care behind his actions.

“So… are you really okay?”

“If I’m not, what can I do? It’s done.”

“……You’re hopeless.”

Chung Myung laughed in disbelief. Could he have imagined Jongli Gok would be like this?

Jongnam had lost a lot in this.

Not many would speak against Jongnam, but once you’re marked, it’s hard to erase.

When Jongnam was strong, they could pretend it didn’t happen. But when they were weak, it would be a curse they could not escape.

They might have to face cold looks even while fighting together. They might do great things, but still be hidden by the mistakes of the past.

Jongli Gok knew this. He also knew that Chung Myung was trying to hide things for now, worried about this.

Jongli Gok smiled.

“You’re wrong. Now is a good time.”

“Yes?”

“Now that Shaolin is gone, this is our chance. The appearance of the Nine Sects is gone, so we won’t be kicked out because of this, will we?”

“……Are you laughing?”

“Why shouldn’t I laugh?”

“……I’m going crazy.”

He wasn’t joking. Jongli Gok didn’t seem as stiff and worried as before. Instead, he felt calm and peaceful.

He was carrying more burdens than ever, but Jongli Gok’s shoulders seemed lighter.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m human, so I was worried.”

“Worried?”

“When you stopped me from speaking, that’s when.”

Jongli Gok’s eyes darkened.

“For a moment, I thought it was enough. I showed my courage, and you saw it. I thought, maybe we could just hide it all and move on.”

“……Then why did you do it?”

Jongli Gok chuckled. The reason…

“A burden isn’t carried on the shoulders, but in the heart.”

Chung Myung stared at Jongli Gok. You couldn’t learn from him like the Taoists of Mount Hua.

But sometimes, the world says things that even those who have trained for years can’t.

Chung Mun had said that there was Tao in everything, and we just followed it.

Jongli Gok smiled faintly.

“I’m sorry to you.”

“You’re wrong. I hate smiling faces too.”

“But you won’t use your sword.”

“……I’m really going crazy.”

Chung Myung scratched his head. Even if someone changes, there’s a limit. This was…

“Aargh, whatever. It’s not my problem!”

Chung Myung jumped up and turned around.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I’m leaving. I have a lot of work. Sect Leader, don’t waste time here. Come down and work.”

“I will.”

“……Ugh. I can’t get used to it.”

Chung Myung shouted as if he had bugs on him, then walked down the mountain. As Chung Myung left, Jongli Gok’s smile faded.

“A burden…”

His voice felt heavy.

He knew he would carry more burdens now. But Jongli Gok didn’t want to avoid it. By doing so, he could stop the burden from passing to the next generation.

It would be hard. But if he could do it, his students could stand tall in the world. They could face others without fear, unlike him.

He saw Chung Myung far down the mountain.

Jongli Gok smiled differently.

‘I think I know why people follow him.’

Chung Myung had made him become food for Jongnam. He had told him to take it all, so the future wouldn’t be filled with anger and fighting.

That was the job of those in charge, those who led the way.

But when Jongli Gok tried to keep that word, he tried to protect him instead. As if he would become his food.

Jongli Gok laughed a little. Maybe he should be angry. That a child saw the Sect Leader of Jongnam as someone who needed help.

But Jongli Gok didn’t feel that way.

A cloud moved across the blue sky.

As he closed his eyes, he remembered his talk with Hyun Jong.

“Raise your head, Sect Leader.”

When Jongli Gok looked up, Hyun Jong shook his head.

“The person here is the Supreme Elder of Mount Hua, but he is not the Sect Leader anymore. So it’s hard to see him as Mount Hua. But if someone has to answer the Sect Leader, it’s right for me to do it, since I was close to him.”

He took Jongli Gok’s hand.

“Say sorry to the world, not to Mount Hua. If you do the duty you didn’t do then, no one will hate Jongnam.”

“Supreme Elder.”

“Can you do that?”

Jongli Gok opened his eyes.

He still seemed annoying, sad, and naive.

If he were Hyun Jong, he would have used this to destroy Jongnam.

Even if Hyun Jong took all of Jongnam’s wealth, they couldn’t refuse.

But Hyun Jong only wanted to say this.

The mountains of Jongnam were under the blue sky. The familiar mountains were blurry.

“……Not bad.”

Yes, not bad. Jongnam seen from here. The sky above. And this mountain he was on.