Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1633

Silence filled the small room. It was a heavy silence, full of unspoken words and hidden feelings.

The three men stood together. Jin Chobaek, the respected leader of Jongnam Sect, stood tall and stiff. Beside him, Jongrigok, his loyal aide, watched everything with a careful eye. And then there was Baek Cheon, the acting leader of Hwasan Sect.

Jongrigok’s thick eyebrows twitched as he looked at Baek Cheon. Seeing this small movement, Baek Cheon’s shoulders dropped a little. He looked like a student caught doing something wrong.

“Well done…” Jin Chobaek spoke slowly, his voice rough like rocks rubbing together. Baek Cheon, who usually stood so proudly, seemed to shrink under his father’s gaze. His usual confident face and elegant manner seemed to disappear completely.

“Ahem.”

Jin Chobaek, who had been glaring at Baek Cheon with a displeased look, coughed uncomfortably. With that cough, Baek Cheon’s shoulders slumped even further.

Jongrigok, who had been quietly watching the scene, smiled kindly and said,

“Stop it, won’t you? Isn’t he uncomfortable like this?”

“……”

“If you come out like this, I’ll be embarrassed. Please think of my position, too.”

Jin Chobaek, who did not seem to have any intention of relaxing his expression, finally let out a deep sigh. Jongrigok, having confirmed that Jin Chobaek’s face had softened a little, turned to Baek Cheon and gave an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry. I arranged this meeting thinking it might be awkward if we met suddenly, but I feel bad that I’ve made you even more uncomfortable.”

A sect leader? He looks like he’s having a lot of fun for someone in that position. Can a sect leader’s lips twitch like that?

“Answer.”

“Yes?”

At Baek Cheon’s reflexive question, a vein popped out on Jin Chobaek’s forehead again.

“When an elder speaks, you should answer! Why are you keeping your mouth shut!”

“Ca, calm down.”

“If a person gains fame, they should learn to behave accordingly! What on earth did you…….”

Jin Chobaek’s body trembled. He was trying very hard not to shout, “What have you been doing in Hwasan?!”

“Hoo……”

Jin Chobaek exhaled roughly.

His eyes scanned Baek Cheon, who looked like a frightened puppy… no, a frightened tiger.

It was complicated. Too complicated to know what to call this feeling.

He used to be a disappointment, but that rascal had become so successful, making a name for himself throughout the martial world, counted as one of the best of the younger generation, and even firmly took the position of acting sect leader of that Hwasan.

Looking at him, he felt proud, but also frustrated that a guy with that much ability was wasting his time in Hwasan. As a father, he was proud, but as an elder of Jongnam, he couldn’t help but grind his teeth.

“As I said before.”

Jongrigok, who had been looking at the two with strange eyes, opened his mouth in a calm tone. Of course, the fact that a subtle smile seemed to be mixed in with that calm tone was not only because Baek Cheon was sensitive right now.

“Elder Jin is like my Zhang Liang.”

“……”

“Inevitably, there will be many things to get involved with Vice Sect Leader… Are you sick somewhere?”

“……No. I’m fine.”

“Your face is pale?”

“I’m just… naturally pale.”

“Is that so? Your brother is also pale, but not as pale as you are now. Well, siblings aren’t all the same.”

Watching Jongrigok chuckle, Baek Cheon gritted his teeth invisibly. This human is definitely enjoying this.

“Anyway.”

At that moment, Jongrigok changed his tone with a serious expression.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of relationship you two originally had. No, it doesn’t matter what kind of relationship you have now. What’s important is that you put aside everything from the past and cooperate. For the single goal of protecting the martial world. Do you understand?”

“……”

“……”

“Can’t you hear me, Elder Jin?”

At Jongrigok’s urging, Jin Chobaek let out a deep sigh.

“I understand what you mean, Sect Leader.”

He glanced at Baek Cheon with eyes that had regained their composure and continued.

“There’s no need to worry. I won’t ruin the grand plan because of personal feelings. I’m just worried that my son, who doesn’t even fit in, has risen to the position of Vice Sect Leader and is causing trouble for you, Sect Leader……”

“You didn’t understand me, Elder Jin. No. Jin Chobaek.”

A chilling voice leaked from Jongrigok’s mouth. Hearing that voice, Jin Chobaek straightened his posture without realizing it.

“The person in front of you now is not your son, Jin Dongryong, but Baek Cheon, the acting sect leader of the Great Hwasan Sect.”

“……”

“Distinguishing between public and private matters can only be done when you acknowledge and respect the other person’s public position, not their private one. Objectively speaking, the acting sect leader of Hwasan is a hero of the martial world who has achieved greater accomplishments than you, of course, and even me.”

Jongrigok rebuked him coldly once again.

“If you are truly an elder of Jongnam, don’t make me ashamed.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jin Chobaek nodded briefly, as if he had realized his mistake.

“There’s no need for the Sect Leader to worry. I am only in a role to assist the Sect Leader. No, the Clan Lord. The Vice Sect Leader is my superior, so I will respect the Vice Sect Leader’s orders as well.”

Only then did Jongrigok nod his head.

“That’s how it should be.”

Jongrigok, who had taken his eyes off Jin Chobaek, turned his head to look at Baek Cheon.

“Is that enough?”

“Please don’t speak as if I secretly wanted that. Didn’t I just come because I was called?”

“That’s right. But… I thought you might want it. After all, it’s a bit awkward to have Elder Jin under your command.”

Large beads of sweat dripped down Baek Cheon’s forehead.

For him, Jongrigok was someone he didn’t want to run into on the street. But his father, Jin Chobaek, was not just that, but someone he didn’t even want to run into in his dreams.

“So, I want to ask you as well. Put aside your personal feelings and focus on your role.”

“……”

“You must be able to use your father if necessary. Do you know what I mean?”

At those words, Baek Cheon reflexively turned his head towards Jin Chobaek. And the moment he made eye contact with Jin Chobaek, his head instinctively drooped down.

A displeased light flickered across Jin Chobaek’s face.

If you’re going to be so sorry, then why…….

“That…….”

It was at that moment that Jin Chobaek was about to say something.

“People’s relationships are not so easily severed.”

“……Yes?”

“Especially the bonds of kinship.”

Jongrigok continued in a detached voice.

“If you think you’ve cut it off, it sticks back together, and if you think you’ve forgotten it, it comes back to mind. So… there’s no need to reject a relationship that you think has already been severed. Who knows? Nothing is impossible in human affairs……”

“No.”

At that moment, Baek Cheon raised his head and looked at Jongrigok. Jongrigok, seeing Baek Cheon’s eyes, flinched without realizing it.

His eyes were different.

The young man who had been trembling, wondering how his father would scold him, was nowhere to be found. The one here now was Baek Cheon, the young acting sect leader who was leading the revival of Hwasan.

“Even if our relationship is reconnected, it will not change the path I walk. I am a person of Hwasan, and I will forever be a person of Hwasan.”

“…….”

Baek Cheon rose from his seat.

“There’s no need to worry. I will never involve personal feelings. Whether it’s my father, my brother, or any other person from Jongnam. There’s no reason to. I feel sorry for my father, but I’m even more proud of what I’ve accomplished in Hwasan.”

Jongrigok smiled and looked at Baek Cheon.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon nodded briefly.

“I have a lot of work to do, so I’ll take my leave first. Sect Leader, and Elder. Take care.”

Baek Cheon made a fist and Jongrigok and Jin Chobaek also rose from their seats and accepted his fist. Then, Baek Cheon looked at them with an extremely confident face, turned his body, and walked towards the door.

“Then.”

“Hey, Acting Sect Leader.”

“What else do you want to say……”

“You left your sword behind.”

“…….”

Baek Cheon’s head snapped around. His sword, placed on the table, came clearly into view.

“Eek!”

Baek Cheon screamed and rushed over, quickly grabbing the sword placed on the table.

“H, how did this get here.”

Baek Cheon, his face drenched with sweat pouring down like rain, kept looking at Jin Chobaek and then hurriedly ran towards the door.

“I’ll see you again.”

“Take care when you……”

Thud!

The moment the door closed as if it would break, Jin Chobaek clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk… so hasty.”

Jin Chobaek, who had already sat down, rubbed his face with both hands.

“Are you alright?”

“How did he become like that… haaa…….”

Jin Chobaek sighed deeply again.

“I can’t trust him at all… I don’t know what to do.”

“That’s how a father sees his son.”

“Sect Leader… no matter how nervous he is, how can a swordsman leave his sword behind? I was worried because of aspects like that, but he couldn’t accept it and left home.”

“I thought it looked good, though?”

“Yes?”

Jin Chobaek narrowed his eyes as if asking what he meant.

“Don’t you know? That child’s skill and fame have now surpassed yours.”

“…….”

“Then usually, they try to show off. ‘I’ve become this good. My father, who thought I couldn’t surpass my brother, was wrong. Say something, go on.’”

“That’s…….”

But it wasn’t wrong. Anyone would have that kind of feeling.

“But isn’t he nervous? And doesn’t he feel sorry? That means he’s thinking about your feelings, watching his son make a name for himself in Hwasan, before his own position. That’s a natural gift. It’s hard to change with effort.”

“…….”

Jin Chobaek sighed again, for what felt like the hundredth time.

If he had been a little more generous…….

“He’s an excellent talent.”

“…….”

“Perhaps even more than Geumryong.”

At those words, Jin Chobaek looked at Jongrigok with a slightly surprised face. One thing had been bothering him since earlier.

“Sect Leader… could it be?”

“It’s just a thought. Just a thought.”

“…….”

Jin Chobaek, who had been staring at Jongrigok, shook his head.

“He won’t come back. And isn’t he a disciple of Hwasan now?”

“He’s still young. At that age, it’s not too late to abandon everything and start over to become the best master in Jongnam. Surely Hwasan wouldn’t hurt a student who wants to leave.”

“No. That’s not the problem. He doesn’t have any intention of coming to Jongnam in the first place.”

“It’s not a matter of intention. It’s a matter of circumstances.”

“Yes?”

Jin Chobaek smiled faintly.

“The Secret Vault is still well-locked, isn’t it?”

“The Secret Vault… are you talking about?”

“That’s right. There’s still one bottle of the Upper Heaven Elixir inside, isn’t there? That divine medicine, which is no different from an invaluable treasure.”

“……Are you talking about the elixir? Yes. There will definitely be one bottle left. There hasn’t been anyone who has suffered a major injury that required the use of that elixir in the last hundred years. But why are you talking about that now?”

“You’ll find out soon.”

His eyes turned to the door that Baek Cheon had opened and left through.

“If goodwill and profit are on the same path, there’s no need not to walk that path.”

A faint smile spread across Jongrigok’s lips.