Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 275

Laughter never left Hyun Jong’s lips.

“Keuheup!”

He laughed while walking, laughed while grabbing the doorknob, and even while eating, he often burst into laughter, covering his mouth to stifle it.

Hyun Sang couldn’t contain his soaring spirits either.

As Hyun Sang, the *Mugakju* (a high-ranking member responsible for discipline), he should have been even more solemn than the sect leader, but he found it hard to control the corners of his mouth, which kept twisting as they pleased.

Even after many years of training, he couldn’t control his smile.

Ironically, the most composed among them was Hyun Young.

“Do try to maintain some decorum. How can you show how delighted you are in front of the children?”

Hyun Jong and Hyun Sang distorted their faces and glared at him.

“I don’t want to hear that from you of all people.”

“What did I do to deserve that?”

Hyun Jong only groaned, and Hyun Sang asked.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“About what?”

Hyun Sang asked, his voice still full of excitement, “Aren’t you amazed by how well the children are doing?”

Hyun Young chuckled softly. “There’s a lot to be amazed by, that’s true. But after hearing Chung Myung say he’d ‘smash their heads in,’ nothing really surprises me anymore.”

“Have you ever seen Chung Myung spout nonsense? He often says frivolous things, but he doesn’t lie.”

“That’s true.”

Hyun Young smiled meaningfully.

“If that fellow says he’ll smash their heads, he really will smash their heads. So what is there to worry about?”

Hyun Jong blinked.

Hyun Young said in a calm voice.

“It’s time for the sect leader to realize it too.”

“Realize what?”

“Hwasan is strong.”

Hyun Jong pursed his lips. Hyun Sang, who was listening, did the same.

Hyun Young glanced at both of them and smiled lightly.

“If a child breaks a large tree, it’s surprising, but if they break a small sapling, it’s not surprising at all, is it?”

“Th, that’s right.”

“At least to those children, Hwasan is a strong sect. It’s different from our time, Sect Leader. So there’s no need to be surprised by each and every one of their achievements. It’s only natural.”

Hyun Jong subtly gripped his thigh. *Strong?* The word echoed in his mind, a forgotten melody from a distant past.

Those calm words shook Hyun Jong’s heart.

Strong, was it?

Had Hwasan ever received such an evaluation in the last hundred years?

Until now, the word ‘strong’ was only suitable for other sects.

But now, the day had come when they themselves could utter the word ‘strong.’

“Soon, other sects will acknowledge Hwasan as well. How can they not? If they ignore Hwasan, the children of their own sect will be beaten to a pulp by our children and become fools.”

“That’s right.”

“So we just need to watch.”

Hyun Jong quietly nodded.

“We must be the foundation for these children.”

Hyun Young, seeing his benevolent expression, curled up the corners of his lips.

“Sect Leader, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“Hmm?”

“What was the expression on the Hainan Sect Leader’s face?”

“What about Jongnam! Jongnam? I bet Jongri Gok can’t even sleep because his stomach hurts!”

“He actually offered words of blessing.”

“Really? Hee hee hee hee. Just imagining how he felt while saying those blessings makes me feel like a heavy weight lifted! Hee hee hee!”

Hyun Jong didn’t realize he was smiling until his cheeks ached. He watched Hyun Young, who was truly like a child in his joy.

‘What a mess.’

A Taoist who rejoices in the misfortune of others and laughs like a child.

Where is Hwasan going…

The next day, the disciples of Hwasan arrived at the sparring grounds and widened their eyes.

There were no sparring matches for the Hwasan Sect this morning, so they had come out a little later.

It also took a bit longer because they had to drag out that Chung Myung fellow, who was clinging to his room, refusing to leave.

Anyway, they had arrived at the sparring grounds near noon, after much ado…

“What is this?”

“Why is the atmosphere like this?”

The disciples of Hwasan stared blankly at the sparring grounds.

Isn’t it natural that they would be showered with wary gazes?

No. It wasn’t that.

Of course, it was true that they weren’t used to such wariness, but they had certainly expected this much.

The disciples of Hwasan weren’t fools either. After what they had done yesterday, how could the eyes of other sects not be wary?

The problem wasn’t the wary glances directed at them, but the situation on the sparring stage.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Get out of the way! You bastard!”

The disciples of Hwasan blinked as they watched the sparring stage, where sharp sword energy was being unleashed violently.

“Are they on drugs?”

“Are they fighting like wild beasts?”

The atmosphere of the competition was completely different from yesterday.

Yesterday, there was still a somewhat cordial atmosphere.

The disciples of Hwasan had finished their sparring matches without properly seeing the atmosphere, so they were an exception, but in other sparring matches, sparring worthy of disciples from prestigious sects had taken place.

But today, to put it in one word…

“It’s a mess?”

Jo Gul’s casually muttered words hit the nail on the head.

A chilling murderous intent filled the air. Murderous moves, which were not visible at all yesterday, were aimed at each other, and the eyes of those attacking were filled with venom.

“Why are they like that?”

At Baek Cheon’s words, Chung Myung chuckled.

“Why are they like that? If you’ve come all the way here with a sword, you wouldn’t want to just watch others perform and gain fame, only to return empty-handed.”

“Huh?”

“Among those who won yesterday, are there any who stand out in your memory?”

Baek Cheon pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

“I don’t think so? But I had to focus on our children’s sparring matches…”

“So you’re saying other people were watching the other sparring stages?”

“That’s probably not the case.”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“If yesterday had been a normal sparring competition, there would have been quite a few who made a name for themselves. There were guys who looked quite extraordinary at first glance.”

“Hmm.”

“If the competition had proceeded in a calm atmosphere, usually those guys would have made a name for themselves and enhanced the reputation of their sect, but…”

“They were buried because of us?”

“That’s right.”

Chung Myung watched the martial arts matches and grinned. “Those fighters really went all out and won,” he said, “but everyone is only talking about Mount Hua. How many people can just watch that happen and not feel anything?”

Baek Cheon stayed quiet, listening.

“Even if *they* can ignore it…” Chung Myung’s eyes moved to the raised platform where the leaders of other sects were sitting. “Those leaders up there probably see things very differently.”

This situation reminded Chung Myung of the problems he had seen in the famous sects in the past.

Everyone knew how important the basics were.

But when people thought their students were falling behind, they forgot about the basics and immediately started teaching skills that could be used right away.

Comparing people to each other is what ruins things.

“People love their own children, even if they are a bit slow at learning, right?”

“That’s right. Because they’re family.”

“Exactly. But then the person I hate the most comes to me and brags about his son. He says his son has already memorized all the important books and is known as the smartest kid in school. On that day, I’m going to get angry and want my child to be better too.”

Baek Cheon didn’t say anything.

The comparison was so fitting that he understood completely. Even Baek Cheon would feel angry in that situation.

“Speaking of which.”

Chung Myung grinned and pointed his chin towards the area where the sect leaders were sitting.

“What do you think those people said when they went back to their rooms yesterday?”

“Did they really say, ‘It’s okay if you don’t do well, I hope you slowly improve your skills’?”

“Wouldn’t they? They’re supposed to be respected sect leaders, right?”

“Do you really think so?”

Chung Myung grinned.

‘Well, I guess it might be hard to understand.’

Most people thought the sect leaders of famous clans were almost like gods.

‘But is that really true?’

‘Not at all.’

The sect leaders were more involved in the real world than anyone else.

Leading a big sect was hard work. They had to feed, clothe, and house many people. They also had to make sure the sect’s reputation was good to attract new students.

The better the reputation, the more talented students would come, and those talented students would grow and make the sect even more famous.

The sect leaders knew how important this positive loop was, so they had to care a lot about the sect’s reputation.

Wasn’t the result obvious just by seeing what happened to Mount Hua when it lost its good name?

Chung Myung smirked.

Maybe they wouldn’t understand what this meant even if they heard it.

Only Chung Myung, who had seen the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families for many years, knew how focused they were on what they wanted and how attached they were to the world outside of their sects.

He shrugged and said.

“Do you think they would be so angry and wild if nothing had been said?”

Baek Cheon didn’t reply.

“Just watch. When we go to the martial arts competition, everyone will try to stop Mount Hua and bring us down.”

“Then what should we do?”

“What do you mean, what should we do?”

Chung Myung smiled easily.

“Nothing will change. The atmosphere is heated up, so we just need to smash the heads of anyone we see.”

He looked at the martial arts competition that was happening.

“Aaaargh! My arm!”

A fighter whose arm was broken by a sword was rolling on the ground. His sleeve was covered in blood, so he seemed to have been cut as well.

The winner looked very happy.

A martial arts competition meant dealing with some injuries, but the atmosphere was very intense.

“The atmosphere is good.”

Chung Myung smiled.

“A place to build friendship between famous sects and families? That’s nonsense. Who’s going to make it that way?”

Glory was enough for Mount Hua.

There was no glory to share with others. Those who were not from Mount Hua should only feel shame.

Baek Cheon nodded firmly and started to calm down the other Mount Hua disciples.

Chung Myung ignored what was happening behind him and looked at the sect leaders on the platform.

‘So, you’re still going to act important, huh?’

Being able to watch the competition from up there meant they were still calm and confident. If they were really in trouble, they would be busy giving advice to the disciples in the competition.

“Well, how long will that calm last?”

He didn’t really have any anger towards them.

The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families had ignored Mount Hua’s problems, but they didn’t have to help Mount Hua in the first place.

Besides, those who made that choice at the time were already dead.

He didn’t want to blame the children for what their parents had done. Parents were parents. Children were children.

However, there was one thing.

“Sasook.”

“Huh?”

“Look over there.”

Chung Myung pointed to the platform where the sect leaders were sitting.

Baek Cheon didn’t understand right away and asked with a confused look.

“Why?”

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon’s face became serious as he looked at the platform again.

The leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families were sitting proudly in fancy chairs at the very front of the platform.

And his sect leader, Hyun Jong, was sitting in a slightly smaller chair behind them.

The back seat of the Nine Great Sects.

Even though it was on the same platform, their importance was clearly different based on the power of their sect.

“It’s certainly annoying,” Baek Cheon muttered, staring at that spot.

Chung Myung twisted his neck from side to side. It made a cracking sound.

“Still, he’s our sect leader, and he’s being treated like an outcast there. Makes me wonder. What if we smash all those guys’ heads again today? Would the sect leader still be sitting in that seat tomorrow?”

“Maybe.”

Baek Cheon replied with cold eyes. He licked his lips slightly.

“Then should we cause trouble until the seat changes?”

“That’s what I like to hear. That’s my Sasook.”

The sect leader was looking at his students and smiling brightly, as if he didn’t care about the seat he was sitting in.

Seeing that made him feel twisted inside.

‘Parents say their children are pretty even if they’re not, I said it myself.’

But to Chung Myung, Hyun Jong was not a bad leader. He was a strong person who could have made Mount Hua famous if it had been successful.

“We have to take it back.”

First of all, one seat.

It was nothing, but it was the most important thing of all.

At that moment, Gongcho, who was in charge of the competition, shouted loudly.

“Next! Baek Cheon of the Mount Hua Sect!”

As soon as the call was heard, everyone looked at the Mount Hua Sect disciples.

Then Baek Cheon, holding his sword tightly, glanced at Chung Myung.

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll put on a great performance and come back. To show that putting the sect leader of Mount Hua there was a mistake.”

Chung Myung smiled happily as he watched Baek Cheon walk towards the martial arts arena.

“Anyway, he says something I like every now and then.”

Well learned.

Very well learned.

Hee hee hee hee!