Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1741

The first light of day crept over the mountains. Warm sunlight streamed through the paper window, painting stripes of gold across the cold floor. Jo Gul, who hadn’t slept a wink, stared blankly at the light before finally getting up. His friends, who had stayed with him through the long, dark night, watched him.

“Geol-ah?” Yoon Jong asked softly.

Jo Gul rubbed his tired eyes and scratched his head roughly. “I should go,” he mumbled. “I worry the cold morning air might have made him worse… and I don’t want to trouble the doctors if it’s nothing.” He avoided their eyes as he spoke, a nervous habit.

It was a weak excuse.

Yoon Jong started to speak, then stopped and shook his head. He sighed.

Hyun Jong had clearly ordered that no kindness be shown to his expelled disciple. But would Jo Gul forget that? Even if he was severely punished for this, Yoon Jong couldn’t stop him if Jo Gul was determined.

“Geol-ah.”

“No, Senior Brother. I’ll just pop over for a moment. I’ll take the scolding, it’s fine. You can just say you dozed off and didn’t know….”

“Let’s go together.”

“Huh?”

Yoon Jong stood up.

“I should go too.”

Without waiting for Jo Gul, he headed for the door. The others, who had been sitting, also rose as if they had made a pact.

“No, that’s….”

He hadn’t meant to make such a big deal out of it. Jo Gul sighed and scratched his head.

“…Is ‘forget all friendships’ a rule here or something?”

The Supreme Elder’s order, issued just yesterday, was being completely ignored by everyone. Jo Gul watched them go ahead, then followed behind.

“…He’ll be alright, won’t he?”

“He will be.”

Even weakened, Baek Cheon was still a martial artist. A night in the cold wind wouldn’t make him seriously ill.

However, it was a sickness of the heart, not the body, that worried him.

‘Expulsion, is it….’

Yoon Jong closed his eyes, trying to picture Mount Hua without Baek Cheon. It was like imagining the mountains without trees – empty and wrong. He tried to imagine how he would feel in the same situation.

It was difficult even to guess. He had never once considered a life away from Mount Hua. Even when the end of Mount Hua seemed almost certain, Yoon Jong had never thought of leaving.

Everything he had was in Mount Hua.

How could he know the feeling of being forcibly cut off from all of that? He couldn’t even dare to offer comfort.

“Health comes first, health. A person needs to be healthy to do anything.”

Yoon Jong’s face became serious. He was annoyed by Jo Gul’s silly talk at a time like this. *Why is he saying this?*

“Senior Brother.”

“What.”

Yoon Jong’s voice was cold without him meaning it to be.

“If we really go to Jongnam, can they really heal Sa Suk’s body?”

Yoon Jong turned to look at Jo Gul.

“They can, can’t they?”

For a moment, a long sigh escaped instead of an answer.

‘Right……. That’s what we have to cling to now.’

“We have to believe it,” Yoon Jong said, his voice tight with forced hope.

“There won’t be any problems. Sa Suk’s family is rich, right? If he just heals, everything will be fine. It will be.”

Anyone could tell that he wasn’t saying it because he truly believed it or felt reassured. Nevertheless, Jo Gul kept repeating similar words, that this was for the best.

“Yes. At least… it’ll be better than now.”

“But then, if, just if, Senior Brother recovers, will they cancel the expulsion….”

“Jo Gul.”

Jo Gul flinched and shrank back as Yoon Jong’s voice coldly pierced his ears.

“Think before you speak.”

“No, I’m saying it could happen, not that it should….”

“Don’t say such nonsense. It’s insulting to both Mount Hua and Sa Suk. And more than anything, there’s no way Sa Suk would accept such a thing.”

Jo Gul let out a long breath, feeling stifled.

He knew it didn’t make sense. Even if it were possible, he couldn’t imagine Baek Cheon choosing that path.

“…I was just saying.”

Yoon Jong didn’t scold Jo Gul more. Actually, he had thought the same things.

But now he had to accept it. Baek Cheon would become a member of Jongnam.

‘Jongnam, is it….’

Their relationship had improved rapidly recently, but still, it had to be Jongnam.

Would the friendly relationship with Jongnam really last? Wouldn’t there come a day when they would be at odds again, perhaps even worse than before?

If Baek Cheon were standing at the forefront of Jongnam then, how would Yoon Jong have to look at him?

‘It’s difficult.’

It was then, as Yoon Jong was struggling to compose his complicated feelings…

“Senior Brother, over there.”

The people he least wanted to see at this moment came into view. They were walking in the same direction as Yoon Jong’s group.

Jongnam’s Sect Leader, Jongri Gok, along with Jin Geum-ryong and Lee Song-baek, and even Baek Cheon’s father, Jin Cho-baek….

‘Are they going to fetch Sa Suk?’

Yoon Jong bit his lower lip without realizing it. It was only natural when he thought about it calmly, but he couldn’t understand why it felt like his insides were being scraped with a hot iron.

When their eyes met, Lee Song-baek bowed awkwardly. The others also noticed them and turned their gazes.

Yoon Jong bowed politely.

Even though he was very upset, Jongri Gok was a leader from another group. He had to be respectful to protect Mount Hua’s reputation.

Jongri Gok nodded lightly, accepting their greeting.

Since they were heading in the same direction, the distance between them grew shorter as they walked. As they got closer, less than an arm’s length apart, he couldn’t help but feel on edge, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

It was Jin Geum-ryong who spoke first, surprisingly.

“Going to see that fellow?”

“Yes.”

In general, Mount Hua didn’t strictly adhere to seniority with other sects, but in terms of seniority, Jin Geum-ryong was one generation above. Also, he was Baek Cheon’s brother in private, so Yoon Jong showed sufficient respect.

But the answer that came back was very short.

“Why bother?”

It contained a lot of meaning. So much meaning that Yoon Jong felt a surge of anger.

Yoon Jong clenched his teeth tightly. He felt like harsh words would come out if he opened his mouth now. In any case, causing a disturbance here wouldn’t be good for anyone.

Then, Jongri Gok spoke.

“I heard that your sect’s Supreme Elder has forbidden contact with expelled disciples. Are you unaware that this behavior could be problematic?”

“I am aware.”

“And yet you’ll still go?”

His tone was gentle, as if he were trying to dissuade them, but in the end, he was telling them to back off. However, Yoon Jong didn’t give up easily, even knowing what he meant.

“Yes. I intend to accept the punishment.”

Jongri Gok narrowed his eyes slightly.

Yoon Jong wasn’t the only one who wouldn’t give up. Jo Gul was glaring as if he were looking at an enemy, Yoo I-seol had a sharp glint in her eyes, Baek Sang and Hae Yeon were fidgeting but holding their ground, and Dang So-so and Namgoong Dowi were silently expressionless.

The most famous rising stars in the current Jianghu were all disobeying orders and volunteering for punishment. To go to Baek Cheon.

‘Is it charisma….’

His ability to attract people was unmatched by anyone in Jongnam. Jongnam had Jin Geum-ryong with his sharp intellect and Lee Song-baek with his steadfastness, but Baek Cheon had something that those two didn’t.

“Hmm.”

Jongri Gok made a short humming sound.

He could force them to stop, but there was no need to do so. Seeing Jin Dong-ryong might make them understand the situation better.

“Then let us go together. Are we not both heading to see the same person?”

“We wouldn’t go out of our way to avoid you, but that doesn’t mean we can go together.”

“Hmm?”

“We are not here to see Sa Suk off.”

A strange light flickered in Jongri Gok’s eyes.

Yoon Jong maintained a calm expression even in front of Jongri Gok. Even though he was disobeying Hyun Jong’s orders and had encountered the Sect Leader of another sect on his way to see the expelled disciple.

Jongri Gok carefully observed the deep and profound eyes, like a lake without wind.

‘How does Mount Hua keep producing such talents?’

It would be shameless to say he was envious, but it was hard to stop such thoughts from arising.

“Then so be it.”

Jongri Gok nodded briefly and moved his feet.

In any case, he had to bring Jin Dong-ryong to Jongnam as quickly as possible. The sooner he was diagnosed and the Great Method was implemented, the better he could be made.

Jongri Gok quickened his pace.

Jin Geum-ryong, who was following behind, glared at Yoon Jong and Jo Gul with sharp eyes.

A heavy silence hung in the air between the two groups, thicker than the morning mist. It was a chill that hadn’t been there since they had somewhat sorted out their positions.

Lee Song-baek secretly sighed.

‘This is frustrating.’

He had barely managed to patch up the relationship between the two sects. But he had an ominous feeling that the relationship would cool down again because of Baek Cheon’s situation.

Baek Cheon wouldn’t want that either.

He turned the corner towards the building where Baek Cheon would be, trying to hide his frustrated feelings.

Halt.

But suddenly, Jongri Gok’s feet stopped. At the same time, Yoon Jong also stopped in his tracks.

A low groan escaped from Jongri Gok’s lips.

“Baek Cheon……. No, where is Jin Dong-ryong?”

“Yes?”

He stroked his chin lightly and said with a dark look in his eyes,

“I thought he would be here. Send someone to his quarters right now.”

He had thought that the shock he had received yesterday wouldn’t be so easily resolved, but it seemed he had sorted out his feelings and gone to his quarters.

‘Is he stronger than I thought? If so, that’s a relief.’

Jongri Gok thought calmly and waited for the person he had sent to Baek Cheon’s quarters to return.

But the news that came back was different from what he had expected.

“Sect Leader. There’s no one in his quarters.”

“…Is that so? Then the medical hall….”

A disciple quickly approached Jongri Gok with an anxious look on his face.

“T-There’s no one in the medical hall either.”

Only then did Jongri Gok’s expression change completely.

“…Then where did he go, in that condition?”

“T-That, well, I don’t know….”

“Search every inch of Wudang to find him. He was definitely here until dawn. He must still be within the grounds!”

Searching another group’s land without asking was not allowed. But it was serious, so Jongri Gok had to be rude.

At the Sect Leader’s command, filled with anger, the disciples of Jongnam scattered and ran to every corner of Wudang.

A faint anxiety settled in Jongri Gok’s eyes.

‘Could he have gone to Hyun Jong?’

It was possible. He might have gone to plead for the order to be withdrawn. Anyone would have done that.

‘This is no time for this. I have to go myself….’

But the situation had become strange.

“He’s not there, Sect Leader.”

“He’s not visible.”

Those who had searched Hyun Jong’s quarters, and even those who had searched the guest hall where the Mount Hua disciples were staying, had all failed to find Baek Cheon.

Even those who had searched every inch of the Wudang Mountain beyond the grounds had the same result.

“This is….”

Jongri Gok became increasingly pale. Hyun Jong, who had heard the news late, rushed over in a hurry.

“Sect Leader.”

“Supreme Elder! Weren’t you with Baek Cheon……. No, Jin Dong-ryong?”

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

“Such…!”

Hyun Jong looked around at the other disciples in dismay.

“Is there anyone among you who has seen Baek Cheon?”

“…The Supreme Elder told us not to contact the expelled disciple….”

“Is there really no one? Then today? Has anyone seen him today?”

Naturally, no answer came back. Hyun Jong stared at the wide-open main gate of Wudang with a blank look on his face.

“T-This……. This is….”

He had disappeared.

In this dangerous land where the flames of war still lingered in many places, Baek Cheon had vanished like smoke.

“Such a thing….”

Mount Hua had cast him out. And they had hoped he would go to Jongnam.

But Baek Cheon had not headed to Jongnam.

It was a situation no one had expected. The color drained from everyone’s faces.

“Baek Cheon-ah…….”

Hyun Jong’s sad voice echoed in the quiet training area.

And on the roof of a building a little away from that training ground…

Chung Myung, who had been silently watching all this commotion, let out a soft sigh. The taste of the alcohol in his mouth felt particularly bitter today.