Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 214

A person from the Tang Clan is here. They said the Tang Clan will pay for everything that was broken, even fixing the building that fell down.

Jo Gul quietly said, “Ah…”

“It’s not surprising. The Tang Clan always takes care of things like this properly.”

“Yes.”

“But the Clan Lord came in person.”

“Yes?”

Jo Pyung looked surprised.

“The Tang Clan cares a lot about their reputation. If they make a mistake, they always pay more than needed. But I’ve never heard of the Tang Clan Lord apologizing to anyone.”

Jo Gul clenched his fist.

“Money is not a big deal, but the Tang Clan Lord never apologizes to anyone usually. But this time, the Tang Clan Lord came to apologize in person. It seems…”

Jo Pyung looked at Jo Gul and said,

“Being a Mount Hua disciple and the son of the merchant family must be why they are acting like this.”

…”

“What you’ve done outside the family must be greater than I thought. The Tang Clan Lord respects your reputation.”

Jo Gul listened to Jo Pyung without saying anything.

He waited quietly.

After a moment, Jo Pyung spoke again in a low voice.

“So, you don’t want to come back to the family?”

“Father…”

Jo Gul bit his lip.

It was uncomfortable and awkward.

But he had to do this someday, and he had to say it.

“I like Mount Hua.”

“More than your family?”

“Of course, I can’t compare it to my family. But…”

Jo Gul looked up.

He looked straight at Jo Pyung with determined eyes.

“I believe my path is there.”

“…Hmm.”

“I am proud of our family. I think what you and my brother do is amazing. But I don’t belong here.”

Seeing Jo Gul’s eyes, Jo Pyung’s lips twitched.

“I’m sorry, Father. If I only have one life, I want to die as a disciple of Mount Hua.”

Jo Pyung sighed softly.

“Geol-ah.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do you know what my dream is?”

“…I’m not sure.”

Jo Pyung looked up at the sky.

“My dream is simple. I want you and your brother to help each other and continue the Saha Merchant Guild that I inherited.”

“…”

“That’s been my dream since you were born.”

Jo Gul lowered his head, hearing the sadness in his father’s voice.

“But!”

Jo Pyung’s voice became stronger as he looked at his son.

“Now I understand. That’s my dream, not yours. You have your own dreams. I shouldn’t ruin your dream for mine.”

“Father…”

“Chung Myung said the same thing, that the decision is yours. At the time, it sounded rude, but now I understand. Just because I’m your father doesn’t mean I can decide your life. You have the right to dream your own dream.”

Jo Pyung smiled gently and patted Jo Gul’s shoulder.

“Be strong.”

Jo Gul looked at his father, his eyes filled with emotion.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

“Ahem.”

Jo Pyung cleared his throat, looking embarrassed. Then, he said in an excited voice.

“Don’t worry about the family. I’m here, and your brother is too. Just… even if you live as a disciple of Mount Hua, don’t forget that we are always supporting you.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Jo Pyung smiled gently.

“Yunnan is a dangerous place.”

“Yes.”

“Because you did so well in the Tang Clan, I think you will do well in Yunnan too. But I still worry. Please come back safe.”

“Yes, Father.”

Jo Pyung patted Jo Gul’s shoulder again.

Feeling the warmth and support, Jo Gul smiled.

Guo Jing, the head of the merchant caravan going to Yunnan from the Hwapyung Merchant Guild, looked at the Mount Hua disciples strangely.

“Are these the ones?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“The Clan Lord asked me personally, so I will take care of them so they are comfortable.”

“Thank you.”

Guo Jing glanced at Tang Gun-ak.

Then, he whispered.

“Taking outsiders to Yunnan is a big problem for our merchant guild…”

“I will pay you well.”

“I don’t want money from the Clan Lord. Just remember that our merchant guild did its best to help the Tang Clan.”

“Of course, I will.”

“Thank you, Clan Lord!”

Guo Jing bowed deeply and spoke to Baek Cheon, who seemed to be in charge.

“If you need anything, let me know. Tell me when you are ready.”

“Understood.”

Guo Jing went back to his seat, and Baek Cheon looked at the others before turning to Tang Gun-ak.

“Thank you for helping us in so many ways.”

“Mount Hua has helped the Tang Clan a lot, so this is nothing. We can’t go to Yunnan easily, so please be careful.”

“I will.”

Tang Gun-ak seemed worried and added,

“Yunnan is controlled by the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace. The Lord of the Beast Palace hates people from the Central Plains and is very violent, so be careful. If you want to do anything in Yunnan, try not to fight with the Beast Palace.”

“I will remember that.”

Baek Cheon bowed deeply to Tang Gun-ak.

“I hope we meet again with smiles.”

Tang Gun-ak finished speaking, and Tang Soso came out and smiled brightly.

“Have a safe trip! I’ll see you when you come back.”

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung sighed.

Do I really have to accept that…

The Sect Leader should decide this.

Seeing Chung Myung’s face, Tang Soso looked sad.

“Don’t be like that. We’re going to be eating from the same pot now!”

Baek Cheon laughed.

“If that’s the case, it will be a good relationship.”

“Yes! I look forward to working with you…”

“Soso.”

Tang Gun-ak interrupted Tang Soso.

“Yes, Father.”

“If you want to be a disciple of Mount Hua, forget that you are the daughter of the Tang Clan.”

“Yes. That’s what I want to do.”

Tang Gun-ak raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about what you just said, Soso? Is that how you talk to older people?” He watched his youngest daughter closely.

Soso stayed silent for a moment.

Tang Gun-ak leaned forward slightly. “Listen carefully. Are you going to Huashan mountain as just a Tang family daughter visiting? Or are you going there to truly become a student of Huashan?”

Tang Soso stood up straighter. She looked directly at Tang Gun-ak, her father.

“Please take care of yourselves, Uncles and Senior Brothers,” she said. “From now on, I am not a Tang family daughter anymore. I will go to Huashan first and learn the rules there.”

Baek Cheon smiled gently, like sunlight breaking through clouds.

Yoo I-seol’s sharp gaze softened a little.

‘A masterstroke,’ Cheong-myeong thought, chuckling as he watched Tang Gun-ak.

Tang Gun-ak scolded Tang Soso in front of everyone so no one would think badly of her later. He made sure her place was safe. It was clear how much Tang Gun-ak cared for his daughter.

It might take some time for Tang Soso to get used to Huashan, but…

‘Well, everyone was the same,’ Cheong-myeong mused.

Jo Gul used to be very wild, but he changed a lot in Huashan. Soso will probably change too.

If she doesn’t change, she will learn the hard way at Nagan Peak, a training place in Huashan. After training there a few times, she’ll understand how things really are in Huashan.

Tang Gun-ak, not knowing what Cheong-myeong was thinking, spoke calmly to Baek Cheon.

“As soon as you leave, I will go to Huashan and tell them what happened here and make Soso join officially.”

“The Sect Leader will be happy about that,” Baek Cheon replied.

Cheong-myeong tilted his head. “Then, when we come back, will you still be at the Tang family?” he asked.

“Hmm. How long could it take? Besides, if you are going far into Yunnan, a region far to the south, the distance from here to Shaanxi might be even greater. The road isn’t properly maintained, so it will take a long time.”

“Ah, is that so?” Cheong-myeong glanced at his fellow disciples.

“A long road is good in a way. Because there will be a lot of work to do.”

The Huashan disciples, feeling Cheong-myeong’s gaze, shuddered.

‘Is he thinking of doing that again?’ one wondered.

‘All the way to Yunnan? Even getting involved in merchant activities?’ another thought.

‘Should I have just said I was going to inherit the family?’ a third lamented.

The disciples of Huashan, remembering their experiences on the way to Sichuan and Chengdu, cities they visited before, involuntarily stiffened.

Tang Gun-ak walked up to Cheong-myeong and whispered, “You must never use what I gave you without thinking. Do you understand?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not a child.”

Tang Gun-ak sighed deeply. ‘I’d worry less if you were a child. It’s because it’s you that I’m worried about, you rascal.’

“Then, we will leave now,” Tang Gun-ak said.

Baek Cheon clasped his hands lightly towards Tang Gun-ak. “Thank you for your kindness. I’ll ask for your help again when we return.”

“You’re planning to visit again?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

“Of course.”

Tang Gun-ak squeezed his eyes shut.

“Then, goodbye, Tang Family Head,” Baek Cheon said.

“Travel safely,” Tang Gun-ak replied.

Baek Cheon dragged Cheong-myeong, who seemed to have some regrets, and began to walk away. “Why do you have so much to say! We’re already behind schedule. Come on!”

“Then, see you later,” Cheong-myeong said, waving his hand as he was pulled away.

At that moment, Tang Soso, who had been watching them, suddenly darted forward. And she shouted towards Yoo I-seol, who was walking away indifferently. “Um, excuse me!”

Yoo I-seol glanced back.

Tang Soso stepped forward, then stopped. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She just looked at Yoo I-seol, her words caught in her throat.

As if guessing her feelings, Yoo I-seol spoke in a low voice. “No regrets?”

“No,” Tang Soso replied.

Yoo I-seol nodded slightly. “See you at Huashan.”

“Yes!”

That was the end of it. Yoo I-seol turned around and walked away without any lingering feelings.

Baek Cheon, seeing this, smiled lightly and said, “It seems she was a little disappointed that there were no women among the Third-Generation Disciples, and she seems to like the new youngest disciple.”

“I don’t have much interest,” Yoo I-seol replied.

“But I am a little worried. Since she’s a daughter of the Tang family, she might not be easy to handle,” Baek Cheon said.

“Pardon?” Yoo I-seol turned her head to look at Baek Cheon with a blank expression.

“Is it difficult?”

“Didn’t even Cheong-myeong struggle?”

“That’s because she was someone else’s child.”

“Huh?”

“All disciples of Huashan are equal. Perhaps on the day they meet again, she will be grabbing her head and rolling on the floor.”

A cold sweat began to run down Baek Cheon’s spine.

To scold the daughter of the Tang Family Head?

‘Well, if it’s that guy, he’d do it,’ Baek Cheon thought.

If he scolds even his martial uncle, who wouldn’t he scold?

“There’s time before that happens. If she adapts well to Huashan, it will be fine. However,” Yoo I-seol said, a chill running through her eyes, “if she acts arrogant just because she’s a daughter of the Tang family, I’ll break her head before Cheong-myeong does.”

Baek Cheon squeezed his eyes shut and prayed. ‘May Tang Soso not regret her choice.’

“They’ve left,” Tang Gun-ak said.

“Yes, they’re gone,” someone replied.

Tang Gun-ak sighed softly as he confirmed that the Hwapyeong Merchant Guild’s caravan had finally completely left Chengdu.

“They really swept through the Tang family like a storm.”

“Are all the people in the Central Plains, the heart of the land, like that?”

“Of course not,” Tang Gun-ak said. People like them couldn’t be found again even if you searched the entire world.

Tang Gun-ak, with a hint of amusement, quietly said, “We must also do our best. Before long, they will bring a storm to the entire Central Plains.”

As long as Cheong-myeong was there, Huashan would never have a peaceful day. And it was clear that they would grow at an incredible rate.

To avoid falling behind that pace, the Tang family also had to run tirelessly from now on. They had to speed up changes and keep pace with them.

“Your burden is heavy,” someone said.

“Don’t worry. I will do my best,” Tang Gun-ak replied.

Tang Gun-ak nodded silently and slightly smiled.

“Then, let’s go see what we can find out,” he said.

“Pardon? About what?”

“What the other people of Huashan are like.”

“Yes, let’s leave right away.”

Tang Soso and Tang Gun-ak turned around.

Tang Gun-ak, who had taken a few steps, suddenly turned back to where Cheong-myeong and the others had left. He smiled and murmured softly, “Goodbye, friends.”

Friend. It was the first time Tang Gun-ak had ever said that word in his life.