Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1627

Hyun Jong was trembling all over, his face red with anger. Chung Myung just kept pouting, as if he couldn’t understand what the fuss was about.

“No… I didn’t say anything weird,” Chung Myung mumbled, looking away.

“What?!” Hyun Jong roared, his voice echoing in the room.

“Alliance Leader! Please, calm down!” Tang Gunak quickly grabbed Hyun Jong’s arm, horrified. He knew Hyun Jong wouldn’t actually hurt Chung Myung, but he was worried the Supreme Elder would have a heart attack from pure rage.

Hyun Jong glared at Chung Myung, then at Tang Gunak who was holding him back. He gritted his teeth, struggling to speak calmly. “Chung Myung! Do you even think before you speak, or is your head completely empty?”

“Wouldn’t it be obvious that I think?”

“Then why are you doing this!”

Chung Myung’s lips stuck out again. If he was going to get yelled at whether he said he did or didn’t think, he shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

“No, what’s so wrong with this that you keep…”

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong, you say! What do those children know about being appointed as clan leaders, huh!”

“Of course, I understand that you might not trust them because they don’t know anything, are foolish, and do whatever they want.”

“…No, it’s not that far.”

Hyun Jong pursed his lips slightly. He didn’t think much when he called them immature himself, but hearing it from that rascal made him feel uneasy. Those were the children he had raised…

“But that’s the same the other way around, isn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“Who are you thinking of as the clan leader, Alliance Leader?”

Hyun Jong hesitated slightly before answering.

“Well… if we’re going to place the clan leader directly under the Alliance Leader, excluding special positions like military advisors or chief strategists, shouldn’t it naturally be someone who is at least the head of a major sect? Like Sect Leader Jongli or Clan Head Moryong…”

“So those people are trustworthy?”

“Well, somewhat…”

Before Hyun Jong could say ‘more than those children,’ Chung Myung’s words cut him off.

“What have those people done? They’re just sect leaders in name. They’re people who haven’t even had a proper brawl with the Demonic Sect. To put it coldly, they’re people who have never even fought a proper battle, let alone a war.”

“…”

“You’re going to put those people who only read books in charge of so many lives? It’s something you’ve never done before, but you’re just going to do it because they’ve held the position of sect leader until now, so you just feel like they’ll do well?”

Hyun Jong, who had been listening quietly, flinched slightly. It sounded like nonsense, but there was some truth to it. His mind began to get complicated.

“No, but…”

“No, Supreme Elder! Even if my martial brothers are untrustworthy, at least those guys have experience fighting countless life-or-death battles, have led elite troops against the Demonic Sect, and have led Hainan out of Jiangnan. They proved that they have the ability to handle people without me while dealing with the Surochae this time.”

“…”

“On the other hand, what have those sect leaders proven? The ability to run a sect well? If that’s the case, we should just use the Eunha Merchant Guild Leader. At least that person is good at making money.”

Hyun Jong’s upper body slowly leaned back. He wasn’t saying it with any particular force, but he felt like he was being pushed back. Eventually, feeling trapped, Hyun Jong quickly looked at Tang Gunak for help.

“C, Clan Head?”

“Yes?”

“What do you think…?”

It was a plea for him to somehow refute that rascal’s nonsense since he lacked the skill in arguing to do so.

However, despite clearly feeling Hyun Jong’s desperate wish, Tang Gunak’s reaction was far from what he expected.

“I’ve been thinking about it too, but what the Mount Hua Sword Saint says doesn’t seem entirely wrong.”

“…Yes?”

A look of betrayal flashed across Hyun Jong’s eyes. He seemed to be saying, ‘How can you say that here? You traitor!’

Tang Gunak elaborated with a slightly bitter face.

“If it were the past, I would have opposed it, of course, but I have painfully realized that the ability to manage a clan has little to do with battlefield judgment or command…”

His shoulders drooped. Hyun Jong squeezed his eyes shut. His mouth was his downfall; in his haste, he had asked the wrong person.

“C, Clan Head. That’s not what I meant…”

“No. It’s a question you can naturally ask. However… I sincerely think that the Mount Hua Sword Saint’s choice makes sense.”

“…Do you really think so?”

Tang Gunak nodded heavily.

“If we had the leeway… or even if we had a little room to save face, I would have opposed it, but that’s not the situation we’re in now, is it? What we need to prioritize now is proven ability.”

Hyun Jong felt confused. He was both uneasy and a little pleased at the same time. After all, Tang Gunak, no less, had acknowledged that the Five Swords of Mount Hua had the ability to lead so many people, hadn’t he?

As the Alliance Leader, but also the Supreme Elder of Mount Hua, Hyun Jong couldn’t help but feel good, even if it was just empty words.

However, that momentarily elated feeling crumbled when he saw Chung Myung’s smug expression, as if saying, ‘See? I’m right.’

And thanks to that, his wavering mind became firm.

“No matter what, this is not right!”

“No! The Chief Strategist and Vice Alliance Leader agree!”

“I’m the Alliance Leader, you rascal!”

“Dictator!”

“Quiet!”

Hyun Jong was fuming. It sounded plausible, but in the end, this was the temptation of a devil. He must never give in so easily.

Hyun Jong said sternly, as if making sure Tang Gunak heard him.

“If we go along with this idea, it means that the elders of each sect, and in some cases even the sect leaders, may have to follow the instructions of these children, doesn’t it?”

“…That’s how it will be.”

“Does that make any sense? Do you think the heads of each sect will truly accept this plan?”

Tang Gunak hesitated for a moment, seemingly contemplating, then sighed.

“They will have to accept it.”

“Yes?”

“They will accept it. No, they will have to accept it. If they resist, I will make them accept it.”

Hyun Jong slowly blinked his wide eyes.

Tang Gunak strengthened his voice as if it were a matter of course.

“Isn’t that what giving up authority and power means in the first place? Resisting this plan would mean that they only paid lip service to giving up their authority. They will have to accept this plan to prove that what they said was sincere.”

Hyun Jong slowly blinked his wide eyes.

The more they talked, the more firm Tang Gunak’s attitude became. Accordingly, Hyun Jong was sinking deeper and deeper into a difficult situation.

“So… really?”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“That’s what I’m saying? Well, if there’s an alternative, I’d choose another method too. But this is the best option right now, isn’t it? Or you can think of another way, Supreme Elder.”

“That…”

“Ah. Just so you know, there are five positions, but if you only pick five sect leaders from the Heavenly Union Alliance to fill those positions, you should also consider that a couple of them might be ready to fight to the death?”

Hyun Jong’s hands began to tremble.

A devil. This rascal is a devil.

“You, what do you guys think?”

Hyun Jong, unable to defeat Chung Myung with words, turned his gaze this time to Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul, who had been brought here for no reason.

They, who seemed to be sitting on thorns, cautiously asked back.

“…Clan Leader?”

“Yes!”

“Us?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

Hyun Jong was utterly drained by Jo Gul’s answer. He wanted to make those guys clan leaders. Those kinds of guys…

“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense!”

“No, the important thing isn’t whether it makes sense or not, but whether other methods are better than this! There’s no alternative, is there!”

“Keeeugh…”

A groan leaked out as if he was about to collapse. Hyun Jong’s beard trembled.

“Hey, you rascal! If we proceed like this, what will the respected people in the martial world say! It’s obvious that they’ll point fingers and say that the old Supreme Elder of Mount Hua is blinded by greed and has seated his young disciples in the positions of clan leaders of the alliance!”

“Ah, that’s definitely possible! But Sect Leader, I think we should learn from the Sect Leader of Jongnam here.”

“Huh? What’s that…?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“The Sect Leader of Jongnam endured humiliation for the future of his sect, but Supreme Elder, you’re not even a sect leader anymore, are you? Putting up with some complaints… Ack!”

The plum blossom sword spun past Chung Myung’s face.

“No, why are you throwing a sword out of nowhere! What if it scratches my face!”

“I threw it because it’s not pretty! I wouldn’t have thrown it at Baek Cheon!”

“…Ah. That’s a bit hurtful.”

Hyun Jong groaned and covered his head.

He was talking like it was a joke, but Hyun Jong knew that it wasn’t all nonsense. It would have been better if he didn’t know, but knowing made his head spin.

“No. No matter how I think about it, it won’t work. There’s no valid reason. This could potentially cripple the alliance before it even starts.”

At those words, Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul nodded their heads together, agreeing strongly.

“That’s right, Supreme Elder.”

“It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“You have to say something that makes sense! And why is Lee Seol excluded in all of this?”

“Because I don’t think she’ll do it.”

“What? So you’re saying we’ll do whatever we’re told?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

It was a bit ambiguous to deny… No, if they were forced to do it, they would probably complain and do it anyway, but still, this made him feel…

At that moment, Yoon Jong and Baek Cheon’s hands simultaneously landed on Jo Gul’s thick shoulders.

“Let’s accept it.”

“Honestly, what that rascal is saying is true.”

“…Are you really going to do this?”

Why are you trying to live as voluntary slaves!

Even in the midst of all this, Hyun Jong was busy clutching his head and groaning. Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“So, you’re saying you can’t do it because you’re worried that the other sect leaders will object?”

“No, it’s not exactly that…”

“Then we just need to solve that first, right?”

“What?”

“Wait here. I’ll go get their permission. Tsk. Really, nothing works unless I do everything myself. Sigh, what a fate.”

“W, wait a moment! Chung Myung, where are you going?”

“You told me to get permission, right? I’m going to meet the sect leaders quickly and get it. Aoh, I’m already busy! I’ll be back soon!”

Chung Myung, who had jumped up from his seat, dashed out like a ray of light. Hyun Jong’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

“S, stop him.”

“Yes?”

“C, catch him! Catch that madman right now! Quickly!”

“Chung Myung, you son of a…”

“No, this is something you shouldn’t say out loud!”

“Please act like a human being, pleeeease!”

Tang Gunak, who was blankly watching the people of Mount Hua rushing out as if to put out a fire, shook his head.

‘They really are a sect that never has a peaceful day.’

More than that, seating the Five Swords as clan leaders. Tang Gunak chuckled as he pondered the idea for a moment.

In fact, Chung Myung’s opinion wasn’t completely reckless. Currently, in the Righteous Martial World, there were probably no others who had experienced as many crises as they had, or who had led people through those crises.

Looking back, the Five Swords had been steadily preparing to lead someone. Whether it was of their own volition or a well-planned scheme, he didn’t know.

Which meant…

‘This proposal isn’t just a momentary whim,’

Perhaps the Mount Hua Sword Saint had been planning this since long ago…

Tang Gunak shook his head, cutting off the endless stream of thoughts.

‘That’s too much to think.’

That was not something that could be achieved by human ability. Even if they had prepared, they couldn’t have timed it this perfectly.

Whatever the case, if… if all of this happened according to Chung Myung’s will, it would be a very important event that would never happen again in the history of the martial world.

Even Jang Il-so, who seemed to have been created by a breakthrough, would be speechless.

‘It’s ridiculous, but I’m honestly curious.’

What would the Heavenly Union Alliance led by the Five Swords of Mount Hua, who moved as if they were one body, look like?

Tang Gunak’s fingertips trembled slightly. It was a slight excitement, and an expectation that he couldn’t help but have as a martial artist.