Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 336

Chung Myung opened the door quickly and shouted loudly.

“Boy! Hey, boy!”

“Yes, sir! Coming!”

A very cheerful voice answered his loud shout.

“Coming right up!”

The innkeeper hurried to the entrance, his eyes wide and bright like he’d just found gold. He almost tripped over his own feet in his rush to greet them.

There was a reason for such a big welcome. The inn was big and quiet. Dust motes danced in the sunbeams coming through the windows. Only the lazy buzz of flies broke the silence. It smelled a little bit like old wood and not much else.

‘How long has it been since we had a customer?’

After the Mount Song tournament, the crowds that had flocked to Mount Song had thinned out, and even in Luoyang, fewer people were seeking lodging. Of course, the inns had been packed as they returned home, but now that everyone who was leaving had left, there were even fewer customers than usual.

“Food! No! Rooms!”

“Yes! Rooms, you say? Are you staying alone?”

“No.”

Chung Myung glanced back and pointed with his chin.

“All of them.”

“Hiek?”

The innkeeper screamed with joy. A group of about fifty people were walking towards the inn.

Bowing very low to show respect, the innkeeper quickly said,

“Yes! I will prepare the rooms immediately!”

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“That cart there.”

Chung Myung pointed to the cart following the group.

‘A cart is no problem at all!’

The innkeeper’s eyes gleamed as he nodded.

“Yes! The cart will go to the stables…”

“Don’t talk about the stables collapsing. The cart needs a room too.”

“…Yes?”

“A room for the cart. No, a room to put the cart in!”

The innkeeper paused, wondering if he had misheard, then tilted his head and asked,

“So, you mean… you want to put the cart in a room?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“Of course. That cart is more important than people.”

“…”

The innkeeper couldn’t help but think he was dealing with a rather odd bunch.

“Hwasan?”

“Are those people really from the Hwasan Sect?”

“Ooh…”

The inn staff, as well as the occasional guest, stole glances at the Hwasan disciples.

Before, even with black uniforms and plum blossom patterns, no one recognized them. But now, even without a word, many people recognized the Hwasan Sect and looked at them with awe.

“Look at that strong body!”

“Ooh, those eyes are full of energy.”

“Wow, look! It’s really them! Hwasan! They were amazing at the tournament, right?”

“Is that magnificent build the secret to their outstanding swordsmanship?”

Before, people thought they were like bad guys. But now, people praised them as strong and amazing swordsmen.

This was why so many people struggled to gain fame. The same actions and appearance were judged differently depending on one’s position.

If a beggar on the street was just an ordinary beggar, people would frown, but if he was the Beggar Union’s leader, they would look at him with admiration.

However…

‘Ah, geez.’

‘Why do they keep staring?’

‘It’s driving me crazy.’

Unfortunately, the Hwasan disciples weren’t enjoying the attention.

Chung Myung, after carefully securing the cart, came down and frowned at the other disciples huddled in a corner, away from the prying eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“…Well…”

Baek Cheon mumbled.

“I guess you could say it feels unfamiliar… I’ve never been looked at like that before.”

“You fought well in front of all those people in Shaolin.”

“That was on the sparring stage.”

Baek Cheon scratched the back of his head.

“I’m so used to living buried in the mountains that just seeing other people makes me awkward, but with them staring so intently, I can’t do anything.”

“…Unbelievable.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, looking exasperated.

But he could understand it to some extent.

They might have gained fame and be able to hold their heads high now, but until recently, Hwasan was just a small, insignificant sect in Shaanxi.

So, it was understandable that they felt uncomfortable with people’s attention. Especially when it wasn’t just any attention, but those sparkling eyes.

Chung Myung chuckled and turned to look at everyone.

Their expressions were a mix of awkwardness and subtle smugness.

‘They need to get used to it.’

Fame naturally brought attention.

Before the tournament, no one paid attention to Hwasan, but now the world would be watching their every move. This kind of attention was nothing compared to what was to come.

‘Thinking about it, it was amazing back then.’

In the past, when Chung Myung and his fellow disciples left Shaanxi and visited other places, everyone who knew the martial world would flock to see them.

Well, yes.

Back then, Chung Myung was known as one of the Three Great Swordsmen of the world. How many chances would there be in a lifetime to see one of the only three masters of the sword in the world?

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should accept this as natural. How can you be so shy!”

Chung Myung puffed out his chest and shouted.

But his bravado didn’t last long.

“Is that the Hwasan Divine Dragon?”

“I heard he was the runner-up in this tournament. Some say he was practically the winner?”

“I heard that too. They even say he’s the closest thing to the greatest martial artist of the next generation. Indeed! His aura is extraordinary, isn’t it?”

“…”

Chung Myung’s shoulders began to rise subtly.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Chung Myung cleared his throat and put on a solemn expression again.

“Back in my day…”

“They say Shaolin’s Hae Yeon is a talent that appears only once every few hundred years? I heard he mastered several of the Seventy-Two Arts. But that Hwasan Divine Dragon overwhelmed Hae Yeon unilaterally.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Considering the difference between Hwasan and Shaolin, wouldn’t the talent that appears only once every few hundred years be that Hwasan Divine Dragon instead?”

“…Hehe.”

Chung Myung couldn’t help but grin and scratch the back of his head.

The faces of Baek Cheon and his group gradually soured as they watched him.

“He’s so happy.”

“That guy, that guy. He’s the type who would follow anyone who offered him candy without asking questions.”

“…How can someone be so weak to praise?”

“Idiot.”

Chung Myung cleared his throat loudly at the barrage of fierce criticism.

Well, what was he supposed to do if it felt good?

“Alright, alright! Here’s the food you ordered!”

Chung Myung turned his head sharply. The innkeepers were rushing out, carrying stacks of plates on their hands and arms.

“We arrived in Luoyang quite quickly.”

“…Indeed.”

“…Please, pull yourself together, Sect Leader.”

“Ugh…”

Hyun Jong clutched his head in anguish.

“What on earth is wrong with you?”

“No… It’s nothing.”

Hyun Jong shook his head, his eyes filled with tears. It was too late to return to Shaolin, even if he revealed the existence of the Jade Cloud Divine Sword now.

More than that…

‘Will these guys take my side?’

Hyun Jong looked at the elders in front of him with strange eyes. If he told them everything as it was, Hyun Sang might subtly take his side. But Hyun Young would get very angry and say that the old Sect Leader was stuck in the past and stopping the younger members from moving forward.

‘Rather than see that…’

Hyun Jong sighed and shook his head.

In truth, he had an agonizing amount of lingering attachment. However, as the Sect Leader of Hwasan, what he had to choose was already determined.

Chung Myung’s words were right. No sacred object was more important than the disciples of Mount Hua. Hyun Jong couldn’t send them to the dangerous Northern Sea for something like that.

That was something a leader of Mount Hua couldn’t do, even if it meant apologizing to the ancestors in the afterlife.

“I agree, but I’m still thinking about it…”

“Yes?”

“No… It’s nothing important.”

Hyun Jong shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Then he asked,

“How are the others doing?”

“They’re a bit tired, but they’re doing okay. But we still have to travel back to Mount Hua, so we should go faster.”

Hyun Jong nodded. Accidents often happen when people are tired and relaxed. If they feel too confident because of their recent success, they might make mistakes.

“You worry too much,” Hyun Young said calmly.

“Don’t treat them like children. Do you think they would do something like that?”

Hyun Jong smiled gently. Hyun Young trusted the disciples completely, sometimes even more than Hyun Jong did.

“Besides, would Chung Myung allow it? If anyone causes trouble while Chung Myung is there, they’ll be tied up and dragged back to Mount Hua.”

Hyun Jong realized Hyun Young wasn’t just trusting the disciples.

It was a little sad that Hyun Jong agreed with him.

“We’ll have a lot to do when we get back to Mount Hua. Don’t worry about small things and look ahead. Isn’t that what a Sect Leader should do?”

Hyun Jong smiled and replied quickly,

“Yes, and you will help me with that.”

“Of course, Sect Leader.” The Hyeon generation disciples smiled at each other.

He knew it wasn’t time to celebrate yet. And even when it was, the Hyeon generation wouldn’t be the ones celebrating.

Still, he felt happy.

“Let’s go to bed early tonight. We need to work hard again tomorrow.”

“Yes, Sect Leader. Good night.” Hyun Sang and Hyun Young bowed and left.

‘They look good,’ Hyun Jong thought, smiling quietly. Seeing them so happy made him believe that Mount Hua had truly changed.

‘I still can’t believe it.’ Sometimes, Hyun Jong felt like he was floating. It all felt like a dream.

‘It’s lucky that child came.’

Hyun Jong stood up to tidy his room. He shouldn’t get lost in his thoughts.

“Hmm?” Hyun Jong looked at the door and frowned. “Come in.”

The door opened carefully, and Yoo Iseol entered.

“What is it?”

“Sect Leader.” Yoo Iseol looked at Hyun Jong with an unreadable expression.

Hyun Jong thought for a moment. ‘Ah!’ he said softly.

“Now that I think about it, her family’s temple is nearby.”

Yoo Iseol nodded slowly.

“Yes. It’s been a while since you’ve visited that place. I’m sorry. As Sect Leader, I should have remembered.”

“It’s alright.”

“Yes,” Hyun Jong said quietly. “Go, but don’t be too late. We’ll leave tomorrow, so meet us before we get to Mount Hua.”

“Yes. Then.” Yoo Iseol bowed slightly and left. Hyun Jong looked heavy.

“Hmm.” He stayed in the room for a moment before getting up and leaving.

It was dawn, but it was still dark. Yoo Iseol slipped out of the inn, ready to go. The cool morning air filled her lungs.

She glanced back before walking faster.

“Are you ready?”

Yoo Iseol stopped at the sudden voice.

“Yoon Jong?”

Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and Tang Soso were waiting for her. Yoon Jong smiled.

“The Sect Leader told us to come with you. We’re here to be your companions.”

“…”

“Is it okay if we come? If you really don’t want us to, we can stay behind.”

Yoo Iseol looked at them silently, then looked up at the dark sky.

“It’s fine.”

“Sa-hyung?”

“Because you’re not strangers.” She looked at Yoon Jong.

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul smiled.

“Sa-hyung! I want to go too!”

“There was no mention of you coming.”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Alright, come along.”

“Yes!” Tang Soso smiled and clenched her fist.

Yoo Iseol asked in a flat voice,

“Can we go now?”

“No, wait…”

The inn door burst open, and Baek Cheon dragged someone out, looking unhappy.

“Stop drinking so much! How did you drink this much again!”

“Mmm…”

“Ugh!” Baek Cheon lifted Chung Myung and dropped him in front of Yoo Iseol.

She automatically caught Chung Myung and gently put him on the ground.

“He said to bring him along. I don’t know why.”

“…”

Yoo Iseol stared at the group and smiled slightly.

“Let’s go.”

“Geol! Carry him!”

“I’d rather carry a cow.”

“Just carry him.”

“Ugh.” Jo Gul reluctantly picked up Chung Myung and sighed.

“So, how far is it?”

No one asked why they were going. Hyun Jong hadn’t told them, but they all seemed to know.

“To the mountain.”

“Mountain?”

“Yes. It’s not far.”

Baek Cheon nodded. “Then let’s go. We’ll find out when we get there.”

“Yes.”

With Yoo Iseol leading, the disciples of Mount Hua ran into the darkness.