Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 172

Hyun Jong listened to Baek Cheon’s story, then looked at the box. “So,” he said slowly, “the Elixir God made the Sword Tomb.”

‘A Primordial Pill, no less.’ There was no room for doubt.

Even just smelling it made his dantian thrum with energy. And if this box truly came from the place Baek Cheon described, there was even less reason to doubt it was real.

Who would create a fake in such a place?

Only the Elixir God could have done it, and only Chung Myung could have found it.

Speaking of which…

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with new eyes.

‘He fought the Shaolin master from Mount Hua and came to a draw?’

Perhaps it was a slight exaggeration.

But the truth was that he had faced the Shaolin master and not been defeated.

“Heh heh heh heh.”

A hollow laugh escaped him.

Could Hyun Jong truly fight a Shaolin elder and achieve a draw?

It was an absurd level of strength.

However, what truly astonished Hyun Jong was not just Chung Myung’s strength.

Hyun Jong was used to Chung Myung’s amazing fighting skills. He had stopped trying to understand how Chung Myung was so strong. So, Chung Myung’s strength was not surprising anymore.

What truly amazed him was Chung Myung’s deep understanding of the Elixir God’s plans and his ability to find the Elixir God’s tomb.

Even Hyun Jong had needed to hear the explanation a couple of times before he understood why the Elixir God’s tomb had to be in that place. And Chung Myung had understood the clues and found the tomb all on his own?

‘I thought this child was really smart ever since the Silver Sea Merchant Guild incident….’

But he never knew Chung Myung was *this* smart, to find something so important.

At that moment, Hyun Young, who had been glancing at the box containing the Primordial Pill, spoke up.

“So, that means….”

Hyun Young snatched the box from Hyun Jong’s hands, nearly stealing it. Hyun Jong, feeling the emptiness in his hands, smacked his lips in regret, but he understood Hyun Young’s feelings well enough to simply keep his mouth shut.

“Wait…” Hyun Young’s voice was shaky. “Is this… *the* Primordial Pill? The one they say is better than even the Great Revival Pill?” His eyes were huge as he stared at the box, then at Chung Myung.

Hyun Jong nodded slowly. “Yes, it is.”

Hyun Young’s face went pale, then flushed red with excitement. He gaped at Chung Myung. “Is he blessed by a god of wealth or something? How does he keep finding treasures like this every time he leaves?”

Bringing back!

Am I a dog or something!

“Heh, heh… don’t you have any other places you need to go?”

“…”

“No, no! That’s not it! No! He deserves to have meat stuffed in his mouth for three days straight for this achievement, so how could I even think of sending him out again! Let’s go! Let’s go, you rascal! I’ll kill a pig for you! No, I’ll kill a cow! What wouldn’t I kill for someone who brings back a Primordial Pill!”

Unam was sweating bullets.

“P-please calm down, Elder!”

“How can I stay calm right now! This is insane. A Primordial Pill! What kind of creature is he that he brings back a Primordial Pill after being sent to Nanyang? If we send him to the Northern Sea, he might bring back a dragon pearl! Sect Leader! Doesn’t he have anything else he *should* do outside?”

His eyes seemed ready to tie Chung Myung up and send him off to the Northern Sea immediately. Chung Myung, sensing the chilling intent in his gaze, flinched without realizing it.

“Hmph, a Primordial Pill.”

Hyun Sang, too, looked back and forth between the box and Chung Myung, as if he couldn’t believe it.

How could they not be surprised?

The Primordial Pill and the Sword Tomb were things they had never even dreamed of. Who would have thought that sending them to resolve the matters of the Hwayoung Gate would result in such an incredible achievement?

Hyun Jong, regaining his composure first, cleared his throat and addressed the situation.

“You all have worked hard.”

“It was nothing. As disciples of Mount Hua, it was our duty.”

“However!”

At that moment, Hyun Sang, in a slightly calmer voice, scolded Baek Cheon.

“It is fortunate that nothing happened, but you were too reckless this time.”

Baek Cheon lowered his head without a word.

“I will not deny that you have achieved a good thing by obtaining the Primordial Pill and discovering the Primordial Secret, which is the way to make more pills. However, if even one of you had suffered a tragedy, you would not be smiling like this now.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

Hyun Sang was right. Hadn’t they faced death several times within the Sword Tomb? Their safe escape from that place was half luck.

“I will keep that in mind, Master.”

“Good. Don’t think of it as nagging. Your safety is much more important to me than some special pill.”

Hearing this, Hyun Young snorted.

“If you say that, Senior Brother, what do that make me and the Sect Leader?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

Wait, why me?

Why am I being dragged into this?

“F-first, please calm down, Junior Brother.”

At Hyun Jong’s words, Hyun Young’s lips twitched as if he had more to say. But in the end, he seemed to respect the Sect Leader’s authority and closed his mouth.

Hyun Jong slyly pulled the box containing the Primordial Pill closer. Hyun Young’s hand tightened. Hyun Jong glared slightly, and only then did he reluctantly hand over the box with a face full of regret.

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat quietly and secretly moved the box behind him. That money-grubbing fellow might try to sell it off right away.

“Baek Cheon.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Are there others who know that you have obtained this precious item?”

“We have not told anyone.”

“Not even the Hwayoung Gate?”

“No, Sect Leader. We have not told anyone.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

“Well done.”

Treasures invite bloodshed.

If it becomes known that they have obtained the Primordial Pill, countless people will try to target Mount Hua. Some might even attack Mount Hua before they can make the Primordial Pill, seeking to obtain the Primordial Secret.

‘It’s fortunate that not many people know about the Elixir God.’

Most of those gathered there were only interested in the divine weapon. Only two knew of the Elixir God’s existence.

‘The Shaolin and the Beggars Union.’

Just because two of the Nine Great Sects knew about the existence of the Primordial Pill didn’t mean they would immediately attack Mount Hua, but they might still try to hinder them in quiet ways.

Hyun Jong knew that Mount Hua had not received help from any of the Nine Great Sects they had trusted when it fell, so his faith in them had dropped a lot.

‘But they still don’t know that we have obtained the Primordial Pill. If we are careful about information leaking, there shouldn’t be any problems.’

The fact that Mount Hua was located in rugged mountains was helpful in times like these. If it were the Shaolin or the Wudang, where guests constantly came and went, it would not be easy to hide the making of the Primordial Pill.

Hyun Jong opened the box and took out the Primordial Secret.

What was truly important was not the Primordial Pill, but this.

“The immortals have helped us.”

Chung Myung couldn’t help but laugh at those words.

He wasn’t mocking Hyun Jong. This time, it was truly the ‘ancestors’ who had helped them. If Chung Myung hadn’t relived his past with Chung Mun in a dream, he would never have been able to find the Elixir God’s tomb.

“Ahem, however!”

Huh?

Under Chung Myung’s questioning gaze, Hyun Jong quietly placed the box containing the Primordial Pill in front of him.

“From what you said, it seems the Elixir God wanted someone to become his successor and continue the tradition of making the Primordial Pill, so I wonder if it is right for us to use this….”

Chung Myung snatched up the Hunwon Pill box.

“Then I’ll quickly go and sell it,” he said, turning to leave.

“Wait! Wait! Let me finish what I’m saying!” Hyun Jong called out, startled. He quickly changed his tone. “Although… such thoughts *did* cross my mind! But if Hwasan makes the Hunwon Pill again and does what a good sect should, the Medicine Immortal will be happy in the Immortal Realm!”

‘More likely he’s cursing us right now!’ Chung Myung thought to himself.

If the Immortal Realm was real, and immortals were looking down on them, the Medicine Immortal was probably showering Hwasan with curses.

*Well,* Chung Myung mused, *his martial siblings would probably gang up on him and shut him up pretty quickly.*

‘Sect Leader, don’t embarrass yourself!’ Chung Myung thought again, shaking his head inwardly.

Hyun Jong closed his eyes, as if trying to sort out his jumbled thoughts. Chung Myung didn’t push him this time. The sudden appearance of the Hunwon Pill and the Hunwon Secret Arts must have left the Sect Leader completely bewildered.

“We need to check it first,” Hyun Jong finally said, his voice heavy, turning to Unam. “Bring the Lord of the Medical Hall.”

The only sound was the soft scratching as a page turned.

The Lord of the Medical Hall, Un-gak, examined the Hunwon Secret Arts, beads of cold sweat trickling down his face. Among everyone in Hwasan, Un-gak knew the most about pills. He was the only one who could truly verify if this book was real.

“Uuuuh,” Un-gak groaned softly.

Each small sound that escaped Un-gak’s lips made the hearts of those watching him beat faster with anticipation.

“Good grief, is he going to take all day to read one book?” Hyun Young snapped, unable to hold back any longer. Hyun Sang glared at him, scolding him silently. Hyun Young grumbled under his breath, looking displeased, and lowered his voice.

Of course, reading under this pressure was driving Un-gak mad.

Being suddenly summoned to verify this ancient book was already nerve-wracking. But the entire time he was checking the secret arts, the Hyeon generation, the Un generation, the Baek generation, and even Chung Myung were all staring at him with blazing eyes.

Anyone would find it hard to focus on reading in such a tense atmosphere.

“Sect Leader,” Un-gak finally spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

“Yes? What is it?” Hyun Jong asked, leaning forward.

“I… I believe this is truly the secret to the Hunwon Pill. The basic principles of making pills match. And there are incredibly advanced techniques here, things I could never have imagined…”

“But?” Hyun Jong pressed, sensing hesitation.

Un-gak swallowed hard. “Even if you don’t understand everything, it’s written so you can make the Hunwon Pill just by following the steps. The method is all there!”

“Oh!” Joy exploded across Hyun Jong’s face as he looked at Un-gak.

‘Does that mean…?’

“You can make it?” Hyun Jong asked, his voice full of hope.

Un-gak gave a small, strained smile, as if the answer should be obvious, and replied, “It’s impossible.”

“⋯⋯.”

Finally, a vein popped out on Hyun Young’s forehead.

“Is this guy playing games with me right now!” he roared.

“C-calm down, Martial Uncle! No, Elder!” Un-gak stammered, sweating even more. “It’s not that *I* can’t make the Hunwon Pill with my skills. With just this Hunwon Secret Arts, anyone who knows a bit about pill making could create the Hunwon Pill.”

“Then what’s the problem? If you have the skill, what can’t you make!” Hyun Young demanded, his voice rising.

“Ah, well, that’s…” Un-gak sighed deeply. “…the ingredients to make the Hunwon Pill are unbelievably expensive.”

‘Huh?’

‘Money?’

Hyun Young’s face, which had been red with anger, instantly calmed.

Even if he ignored everything else, Hyun Young always became serious when money was mentioned.

“To make a lot of Hunwon Pills, we would have to sell all of Hwasan. Selling all our businesses in Hwaeum would not be enough.”

Hyun Young’s face contorted in disgust.

“What kind of spirit pill is so expensive!”

“W-well, spirit pills are naturally expensive. Think about it. Even Shaolin, who are swimming in money, can’t make many Great Revitalizing Pills, right?”

“⋯⋯.”

“With these ingredients, we can make the highest-grade spirit pill at a very low cost *for this type of pill*. Only someone like the Medicine Immortal could make the Hunwon Pill with these ingredients; anyone else would have to spend ten times as much, and it would still be very difficult.”

Hyun Young sighed heavily.

“So, in the end, you’re saying we can’t make it because we don’t have enough money?”

“That’s right.”

“Just *how* expensive is it? Hwasan isn’t a sect that’s poor anymore.”

“Well…”

Hyun Young’s eyes started to shake as he roughly calculated the cost of the ingredients with Un-gak.

“H-how much? H…”

Hyun Young looked like he was about to faint. He pointed a trembling finger at Hyun Jong.

“Sect Leader! Get rid of that damn secret right now! That thing will destroy Hwasan! That old Medicine Immortal must have gone crazy! This isn’t a treasure; it’s poison, pure poison!”

Hyun Jong stared at Hyun Young, his face blank.

“Is it really that hard?”

“It’s not just hard! With Hwasan’s current income, we can’t even make *one* pill. To make just one, we’d have to sell all our businesses in Hwaeum, which would bleed Hwasan dry! What good is a beggar who’s good at fighting!”

‘The Beggars’ Sect might be offended by that,’ Chung Myung thought idly.

Hyun Young was still protesting loudly, as if he was about to have a fit.

“This is absolutely not allowed! Trying to create one master will destroy the very foundation of Hwasan, which we’ve only just rebuilt! As the Lord of the Treasury, I absolutely forbid it!”

“Ugh…” Hyun Jong groaned, a sound of deep disappointment. *Not again,* he thought, his heart sinking. *Another chance for Hwasan to rise, to truly become great again, slipping away because of gold.* It was always money. Always the endless struggle for funds.

Just then, Chung Myung, who had been listening quietly, said in a casual tone, “Ah, that’s okay.”

“Huh?” Everyone turned to him, surprised.

Chung Myung looked at Hyun Young. “The problem is money, right?”

“Y-yes, that’s right?” Hyun Young stammered, confused.

Chung Myung grinned, a wide, confident smile. “Then it’s okay.”

“⋯⋯What are you talking about?” Hyun Jong asked, bewildered.

Under everyone’s stunned gaze, Chung Myung grabbed the front of his robes. With a flourish, he threw them wide open. A cascade of objects spilled out, bouncing and rolling across the floor with a soft *clatter*. Pearls. Hundreds of night-shining pearls, gleaming like captured moonlight in the dim room, scattered at their feet.

Hyun Young’s eyes widened as if they would burst as he stared at the pearls on the floor. “N-night-shining pearls? I-is that… is that *all*?” he whispered in disbelief.

Chung Myung grinned, even wider now. “We’re rich, you see.”

“⋯⋯.”

Hyun Young stared blankly at Chung Myung for a long moment, then muttered to himself, without even realizing he was speaking aloud, “⋯⋯He’s a real god of wealth?”

The more you knew him, the less you understood him; that was Chung Myung.