Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 185

“Did you just say Yunnan?” His father’s voice sharpened. Jo Pyung’s eyebrows drew together, and a line appeared between them.

Jo Gul briefly closed his eyes. He hadn’t seen his father in so many years, and he saw the changes time had brought. More white hair, deeper lines around his eyes.

“Yes, Father,” Jo Gul said, keeping his voice calm.

“Do you even understand what Yunnan is?” His father leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. “It’s not a place for playing games, Geol.”

“I know.”

“And yet!” Jo Pyung’s face twitched slightly.

“After five years, all you can say upon returning home is that you need a way to get to Yunnan? Did you even come back home at all?”

“That’s not it.”

“You rascal!” Jo Pyung stared at Jo Gul with utter disbelief.

“It has already been a year since you promised to return home. And now you come back so late, only to say you haven’t returned home yet? Are you even listening to yourself?” His voice showed his unhappiness.

But Jo Gul could see the worry and heartache that outweighed the anger in his father’s voice.

‘This is exactly why I didn’t want to come home.’ Jo Gul sighed and raised his head. It was a situation he would have to face sooner or later.

“Father.”

“Yes, go on and tell me.”

“Going to Yunnan is something I must do.”

“The thing you must do is return to the family and take over the Saehae Merchant Guild, our family business.”

“Isn’t there Hyung for that?”

“Have you forgotten our family’s tradition? In our family, everyone helps with the business. That’s our tradition!”

Jo Gul sighed.

“I promised my leader that I would succeed in this Yunnan trip.”

“Is the promise you made with me not a promise?”

“That’s… …”

“Enough talk!” Jo Pyung replied firmly.

“I allowed you to enter the declining Mount Hua Sect because you wanted to test yourself in a place where our family’s influence didn’t reach. I believed that you could grow well only if you experienced hardship in a place where there was nothing. But you are breaking your promise with me and saying you will stay holed up in that Mount Hua!”

“Mount Hua is no longer a declining sect. Soon, the name of Mount Hua will resound throughout the world.”

Jo Pyung stared straight at Jo Gul.

“…If you say so, it might be so.” He did not easily deny or ignore his son’s words.

“But that is Mount Hua’s business. Isn’t the place where you should use your strength the Saehae Merchant Guild, our family?”

“……”

“Geol-ah.” Jo Pyung sighed deeply.

“I am your father. How can you not understand the heart of a father who sends his son to a foreign land?”

“…Father.” Jo Gul bit his lip. In the end, this was a conversation that could only run parallel. And he, too, was clearly aware of his mistake.

“Please find a way for me to go to Yunnan.”

“To the end… …!”

“I would like to talk about it again after that.”

A strange light flickered in Jo Pyung’s eyes as he looked at Jo Gul.

Jo Gul met his gaze and opened his mouth.

“This is something I must do as a man and as a disciple of Mount Hua. I cannot do anything without finishing this. Please allow me to do as I wish just this once more.”

“Hmm.” Jo Pyung let out a heavy groan.

“Do you know how dangerous it is to go to Yunnan?”

“Yes. I am prepared.”

“I know what you mean. But it’s not like I have a good way to get to Yunnan.”

Jo Gul quietly stared at Jo Pyung before opening his mouth.

“I have confirmed that Yunnan Pu’er tea is circulating in Chengdu.”

“……”

“The family’s Merchant Guild is also selling Pu’er tea. That wouldn’t be possible if there were no sales channels. No matter how much the Naman Beast Palace blocks it, at least a minimum amount will be released. Isn’t that right?”

“Hmm.” Jo Pyung groaned.

As far as he knew, Jo Gul had arrived today. And he had only toured Chengdu for a very short time. But the fact that he had already figured out how Pu’er tea was circulating meant that he had been thinking about this case for a long time.

‘It’s a waste of your talent as a merchant.’ To be so engrossed in childish swordplay. He couldn’t understand it at all.

“What do you want to say?”

“There will be a merchant ship going to Yunnan.” Jo Gul’s eyes lit up.

“Whether it’s smuggling, formal trade with the Beast Palace’s permission, small-scale or large-scale, there will definitely be a merchant ship. Please let me go with that merchant ship. I would gladly be a porter.”

“That won’t do.” It wasn’t Jo Pyung who said the words of refusal. It was Jo Gul’s mother, Hwa Yeon-bi, who had been quietly listening to their conversation until now.

“Mother.”

“Yunnan is a dangerous place. And the reason you’re trying to sneak into Yunnan under a false identity is because you’re trying to do something more dangerous there, isn’t it?”

Jo Gul lowered his head without answering.

He couldn’t lie to his parents, whom he had met after five years.

“What kind of parents would find a way to send their child to their death? That won’t do. Absolutely not.”

“Mother.” Jo Gul said firmly.

“Haven’t you repeatedly told me that leading a merchant group means taking risks?”

“……”

“How can someone who can’t even make it to Yunnan become a good merchant? Please send me.”

“A guy who doesn’t even want to be a merchant!” Then Jo Pyung opened his mouth in a reluctant tone.

“Do you really have to go?”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t allow it?”

“Then… …” A firm resolution flickered in Jo Gul’s eyes.

“I will wear this plum blossom-embroidered robe and walk into Yunnan, even if I have to walk.”

“You rascal!” Jo Pyung, unable to contain his anger, jumped up from his seat.

And he glared at his son with terrifying eyes. But Jo Gul simply met his gaze with a calm look.

After a moment of confrontation, Jo Pyung, his strength drained, sat back down.

‘He has become an adult.’ That’s not recklessness.

He, a merchant who had made countless deals, could tell. That was neither recklessness nor showing off. It was the will of a man who had established his own path.

Jo Pyung bit his lip slightly, thinking that he might really lose his son if he kept finding small faults and holding him back any longer.

“Then let’s do this.”

“…How?”

“The reason you’re going to Yunnan now is to take care of Mount Hua’s business, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then you will be working with the disciples of Mount Hua, right?”

“That’s right, isn’t it?” The strength was gradually leaving Jo Gul’s voice.

Oh… … This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!

“Then the Mount Hua people who came with you are the ones who will be going with you to Yunnan?”

“Uh… … Um, uh… …” Jo Pyung did not wait for Jo Gul’s answer.

“Then I will meet them and decide whether they are people I can really trust you with. This is my best offer. What do you think?”

“Uh… …” The light disappeared from Jo Gul’s eyes.

Jo Gul, who had thought about what would happen if Jo Pyung’s words were put into action, struggled to fix his trembling pupils and opened his mouth.

“Ha… …”

“Ha?”

“Ha, can’t you leave out just one person?”

“……” Jo Pyung looked at his son with a puzzled expression.

“And so, I have gathered you all here.” Baek Cheon made a light fist salute.

“Sorry for introducing myself so late. I am Baek Cheon, the second student of Hwasan. I hope you understand I didn’t prepare for this visit because coming to my junior brother’s family was a surprise.”

“Consider this place your home and stay as long as you like. Anyone related to Jo Gul is as good as family to me.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

Baek Cheon smiled gently, and then he spoke.

“However, there is something I need to talk about, and I hope you will forgive me for being so direct.”

“If you say there is something to address…?”

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gul very seriously.

“Hwasan didn’t know that Junior Brother Jo Gul had made a promise with the head of the merchant guild. If we had known, the Sect Leader would have sent Jo Gul back right away. Please, don’t think that Hwasan acted without principles.”

“Ah, of course. The boy does have that side to him.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Jo Pyung watched Baek Cheon and thought to himself, impressed.

‘He’s a very talented person.’

Baek Cheon, wearing his white martial robes, was a sight that even another man couldn’t help but admire. And for such a man to be so polite and dignified, how could anyone not be impressed?

The same could be said for those with Baek Cheon.

The man on the right didn’t look special at first. But when you looked at his eyes, you could see he was calm and thoughtful.

And the woman on the left was more beautiful than anyone Jo Pyung had ever seen. Also, her movements showed both discipline and grace.

‘Hwasan is full of talented people.’

Jo Pyung could understand a little better why Jo Gul liked Hwasan so much.

But…

‘Why him, of all people?’

The one next to them.

Yes, the one next to them.

The last student of Hwasan seemed a bit… yes, a bit strange.

Ever since he came in, that boy hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the bottle of liquor in front of him. He was staring at it so hard, as if he wanted to drink it with his eyes.

“…But that person there…”

“Ah.”

Baek Cheon waved his hand as if to dismiss him.

“Just ignore him.”

“No, I mean, ignoring him…”

“Don’t worry about him. He’s always like this. He’s just grumpy because we stopped him from drinking.”

Huh?

Drinking…? Huh?

A Taoist?

Chung Myung smacked his lips as he looked at the liquor bottle.

“That’s why I didn’t want to come…”

“Be quiet.”

As soon as Baek Cheon spoke, Yu Yiseol poked Chung Myung in the side. Chung Myung sadly smacked his lips again and closed his mouth tightly.

“Ahem.”

After seeing that strange scene, Jo Pyung knew exactly which of the Hwasan students Jo Gul had wanted to leave out.

‘Well, not everyone can be talented.’

But why would they send that child along with these talented people? It didn’t make sense.

“I think you asked us to come here to talk about going to Yunnan?”

“That’s right.”

Jo Pyung sighed.

“My son, who has come back after five years, is stubbornly insisting on going to Yunnan, which is causing me a lot of trouble.”

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gul. Jo Gul flinched and looked down.

‘Look at that?’

Jo Gul, who had stubbornly kept his head up even when his own father scolded him, immediately cowered under Baek Cheon’s gaze. It was clear how much Jo Gul respected Baek Cheon.

“How can we help you?”

“To be honest, I don’t really need help. I just wanted to check if I can trust the people who will take my son to Yunnan. It’s a dangerous place, you see.”

“I see.”

Baek Cheon closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.

“There’s no need for that.”

“…Pardon?”

Baek Cheon said firmly.

“No parent wants their child to go to such a dangerous place. We will not take Jo Gul to Yunnan. So, I would like to ask you, head of the merchant guild, to help us go to Yunnan…”

“I am going, Master!”

Jo Gul jumped up from his seat.

“I can’t go if I am left behind! Even if my legs break, I’ll crawl there! Don’t even think about leaving me behind!”

“Sit down.”

“Master!”

“I said, sit down.”

Jo Gul bit his lip and reluctantly sat back down.

Meanwhile, Chung Myung secretly pulled back his hand, which had been reaching for the liquor bottle.

‘Come on, argue a little more.’

Then I could have secretly had a drink.

“Master, I told the Sect Leader that I would go to Yunnan and make this trip successful. Even if you are my master, you can’t stop me.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“…Yes?”

Are you saying that the Sect Leader would have told you to go to Yunnan if he had known about this?

“That’s…”

Baek Cheon was very firm.

“The sect is important, but family is also important. Is it really the right thing to do something your parents don’t want you to do?”

“…Master.”

“You are here…”

“The right thing, my foot.”

At that moment.

Chung Myung, who had been only focused on the liquor bottle, opened his mouth casually.

“The right thing is doing whatever you want!”

“……”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung as if he had a headache.

“Just be quiet!”

“No. That’s not it, Master!”

“…What do you mean, that’s not it?”

“How can you leave your martial brother behind just to make the trip to Yunnan a little easier? I’d rather it be a bit harder.”

Baek Cheon’s face became serious.

“This is a matter for the Jo Gul family.”

“What we’re doing is a matter for the sect.”

Chung Myung’s voice was uncharacteristically serious, without any joking. Because of this, Baek Cheon naturally looked at him with a serious expression as well.

“Which is more important, family or sect, is not for you to decide, Master. That decision is up to Martial Brother Jo Gul.”

“But…”

“Even if you are his superior, you can’t force him. It’s just a matter of the heart. Yes, just a matter of the heart.”

There was something surprisingly wise about what he said.

When Baek Cheon stopped talking, Chung Myung turned to look at Jo Gul.

“What are you going to do, Martial Brother?”

“…Am I allowed to decide?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“But to go to Yunnan, I need the family’s help…”

“Good grief.”

Chung Myung interrupted Jo Gul firmly.

And without hesitating, he reached out, grabbed the liquor bottle, and drank straight from it.

The liquor flowed down his throat.

“Krooooh!”

Chung Myung wiped his mouth with his sleeve and grinned as he spoke.

“You’re worried about the silliest things. Who am I? Even without all that, I’ll smash the heads of the Beast Palace and whatever else gets in our way. Don’t worry about such things and do whatever you want!”

Chung Myung flexed his arm slightly, showing off his bicep.

Jo Gul couldn’t help but laugh.

‘It’s strange, but seeing that rascal act like that puts my mind at ease.’

Jo Gul, looking much happier, quietly opened his mouth.

“I…”

At that moment.

Knock knock.

A slightly high-pitched voice was heard along with the sound of knocking on the door.

“Lord.”

“…What is it?”

“A guest has arrived.”

At this hour?

Jo Pyung’s face turned cold.