Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 339

“They’re coming, Sect Leader.”

“Hmm. So they are.”

Hyun Jong watched Baek Cheon and his group walk closer. He nodded slowly, his face showing a mix of worry and hope. *They took longer than I expected,* he thought.

*I hope nothing bad happened.* He wanted them to understand Yoo Iseol, but her father was a painful topic for her, and it was hard to talk about.

He had sent them together hoping they could help Iseol with her sadness. Maybe these younger students could reach her in a way the older teachers couldn’t. *But sharing pain can be tricky,* he worried.

*It could bring them closer, or push them apart.*

Hyun Jong looked closely at Yoo Iseol as she approached. His eyes searched her face.

*Ah!* He saw her now. Relief washed over him, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

Baek Cheon, who had come to the front, reported.

“Sect Leader, everyone has returned safely.”

“Good. You’ve all worked hard.”

“Yes!”

Hyun Jong’s gaze turned to Yoo Iseol.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong carefully examined her face. It was definitely different from before they had left.

“You look much better.”

Her face still didn’t show much, but the worry he had seen before was gone. Now, she looked calm and peaceful. Of course, to those who didn’t know Yoo Iseol well, it would look like the same expressionless face.

“Is your heart a little more at peace?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That’s all that matters.”

As Hyun Jong nodded, Yoo Iseol bowed her head and immediately turned away. She walked towards the noisy group, and for a moment, a small smile touched her lips as she listened to their familiar arguments.

Watching her, Hyun Jong couldn’t help but smile.

*She’s back where she belongs, isn’t she?*

In the past, Yoo Iseol couldn’t fit in anywhere in Mount Hua.

From the day she came to Mount Hua with Hyun Jong, Yoo Iseol decided to live there as a student. But even so, she couldn’t completely see the disciples of Mount Hua as her own family.

Of course, Hyun Jong didn’t think Yoo Iseol was wrong to feel that way.

That was also a valid way to live. Hyun Jong didn’t want to judge Yoo Iseol’s life as right or wrong. Even if it wasn’t what he wanted, Yoo Iseol’s life was worth respecting.

However…

Hyun Jong smiled quietly.

Still, he couldn’t help but like seeing Yoo Iseol with the other students more.

*In the end, that kid must have changed Iseol.*

Hyun Jong’s gaze turned to Chung Myung.

Yoo Iseol started to change when Chung Myung came to Mount Hua. Hyun Jong didn’t know what it was about Chung Myung that had changed her. But did the reason even matter?

*How much more will that kid change Mount Hua?*

So much had already changed. But Chung Myung would never stop here.

Even more things would change in the future.

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with a satisfied face.

From the moment he arrived, Chung Myung ran straight to the cart alone to check the goods.

*So careful.*

That’s right. That’s right.

Being careful like this is important for a leader…

“Uncle Baek Sang.”

At that moment, Chung Myung tilted his head and turned his body sharply.

“Uh, uhm?”

Baek Sang, suddenly singled out, looked at him with a sullen expression. Chung Myung narrowed his eyes and said.

“One coin is missing?”

“……”

Baek Sang protested with the most wronged expression in the world.

“That can’t be! I guarded it so that not even an ant could get close, except when I was sleeping!”

“What? You sleep with money in front of you? Is this old man crazy! How can someone guarding money be sleeping!”

“……”

Baek Sang, with his lips sticking out, grumbled.

“No… it’s not like anything big is missing, just one coin…”

“What? Just one coin?”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. He looked like he might explode. His eyes darted around like a cornered rat.

“Do you think selling Uncle would even get one coin? Huh? Since when was Mount Hua so rich that it looks down on one coin? Especially someone from the Treasury? Hooooh?”

“Ah, no.”

Baek Sang, flustered, turned his head towards the Sect Leader, but Hyun Jong just smiled contentedly and looked away.

*Let’s pretend I don’t know.*

It’s best to ignore bad behavior.

Ahem.

Hyun Jong urged them to hurry along the road without rest.

There were several reasons, but the biggest reason was that he had left Mount Hua empty without the Sect Leader for too long.

Other big groups have many leaders and teachers who can take over when someone is gone. But in Mount Hua, if the three main teachers like me are away, things don’t work well.

The Un generation would have desperately tried to fill their spots, but there would inevitably be limits.

So he wanted to return to Mount Hua as soon as possible.

“Sect Leader! Over there?”

“Oh.”

Hyun Jong raised his head and looked ahead.

In the distance, Mount Hua appeared, its peaks like sleeping giants against the sky. Even from far away, they could feel the peace and strength of their home mountain.

“……Mount Hua.”

Even though it had only been a month, it felt like they had been away for years.

The slightly tired disciples started to feel their energy return.

Baek Cheon also smiled brightly as he looked at Mount Hua.

“We’ve finally returned.”

“Wasn’t it really long, Uncle?”

“Yes, it was long. It felt much longer because of someone. I feel like I’ve aged years worrying every day that that rascal would cause an accident.”

“If you think about it, the accident wasn’t caused by Uncle… No, never mind.”

Yoon Jong, who had subtly looked away from Baek Cheon’s glaring eyes, grumbled inwardly.

This old man used to at least pretend to be gentle, but now he openly tries to scare people with force.

*Everyone’s getting tainted.*

At this rate, will Mount Hua ever stand properly?

“Anyway, let’s hurry. We need to go up Mount Hua today.”

“Yes! Uncle!”

It was then, just as everyone was about to walk faster with excited hearts.

“…But Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

Baek Cheon turned to Jo Gul. Jo Gul’s face was somehow deathly pale.

“What’s wrong?”

“……That thing over there.”

“Hmm? What?”

“That thing. That thing.”

Jo Gul pointed with his chin. He was pointing at… the cart and Chung Myung lying on it.

“Why are you bringing that up now?”

“Not Chung Myung, the cart.”

“……The cart? What about the cart?”

Jo Gul hesitated, as if he didn’t want to say the words.

“Are we really dragging those up Mount Hua?”

Not just one cart, but four in total.

Baek Cheon smiled slightly, looking at the huge carts full of bags of money and stuff.

Ehh.

Surely not…

“Shouldn’t they be arriving soon?”

“They should arrive today.”

The disciples of Mount Hua kept looking down the mountain path, fidgeting with their robes.

They should have arrived by now, according to the plan.

“Are they late? The schedule said this morning, right?”

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

Unam looked down the mountain with a slightly worried expression.

‘They definitely said they would arrive today.’

Travel can be unpredictable, so a day or two delay isn’t a big deal. Still, those waiting couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“Is everything ready?”

“How many times are you going to ask? It was ready from the start,” came the quick reply.

Unam smiled slightly.

‘Now I understand why Elder Hyun Young was so eager to prepare the food.’

He used to think it was too much, but now that he was waiting for everyone, he understood how they felt.

They were returning after doing something amazing that wouldn’t be seen again for a hundred years. If he could, he would carry each of them on his back and show them off around Mount Hua, but since he couldn’t, he wanted to at least prepare a warm meal.

“The Head Abbot must be tired from the long trip, so even if we are happy, let’s welcome him calmly and let him rest today.”

“Yes, Senior Disciple!”

“Don’t worry, Older Brother!”

The disciples of Mount Hua, lined up at the mountain gate, nodded with slightly excited faces. They had heard that Mount Hua had taken second place in the martial arts tournament and achieved the best result, and everyone felt like they were flying.

Everyone was ready to welcome their Older and Younger Brothers with great happiness for their amazing victory.

Yes. It would be a very joyful occasion.

Just then, the person at the very front raised his hand and pointed down.

“Th-there, there!”

“Oh, they really are! There! They’re coming up, Senior Disciple!”

“Oh?”

Unam quickly ran forward.

“Ooh!”

Four people were climbing the mountain quickly. Hyun Jong, Hyun Young, Hyun Sang, and Un Geom were following behind.

“Head Abbot!”

“Elders!”

“Hall Lord!”

The disciples of Mount Hua quickly bowed and paid their respects.

“We greet the Head Abbot!”

“You’ve worked hard, Head Abbot!”

Hyun Jong, who came closer with a slightly red face, smiled kindly.

“I’m sorry for being late. Why did you come out here?”

“It is only natural, Head Abbot.”

Unam greeted him with an even brighter smile.

It was a place to welcome those who returned after doing something amazing. What was the big deal about standing for a day?

“Really, you’ve really worked hard. All the disciples are so happy about what the Head Abbot has done with the children.”

“Hahaha.”

Hyun Jong laughed.

“I didn’t do anything. It’s all the work of those children.”

“Isn’t it possible because the Head Abbot led them?”

Hyun Jong shook his head.

“No. I really didn’t do anything. If you want to praise someone, praise those children.”

“Haha.”

Unam smiled slightly, watching the Head Abbot give all the credit to the children, as always. But the people who should have been following behind were nowhere to be seen.

“But where are the children?”

At his question, Hyun Jong looked away and said.

“They’ll be up soon. Ah! Well, I have some business inside, so I’ll be going.”

“Yes?”

“See you later.”

Hyun Jong quickly moved towards his residence. The elders also hurried after him.

‘Huh?’

Even Un Geom, with his head bowed, followed those elders.

“Younger Brother?”

“S-something urgent came up, I’ll see you later, Older Brother.”

“Huh?”

Unam watched Un Geom rush inside, not knowing why.

No, why is everyone in such a hurry…

It was then.

“They’re coming!”

“Oh!”

Unam turned his head quickly.

The atmosphere was a bit strange, but as the Head Abbot said, Baek Cheon and Cheong Ja disciples of Mount Hua had done well. So, of course, they should be welcomed. He smiled and opened his arms.

“Everyone, come quickly… Huh?”

But he stopped talking. His eyes widened as he looked ahead.

The disciples were climbing the cliffs of Mount Hua, almost crawling.

“Keeuuuuh…”

“Keeuh! Damn it! Why is the mountain so steep!”

“I almost fell off the cliff three times.”

The disciples, with bloodshot eyes, were climbing the mountain with long ropes around their bodies.

‘What are those ropes…’

Behind those climbing the mountain, a large cart tied to the rope appeared.

Unam opened his mouth wide.

‘They carried that up?’

Madness.

The paths to Mount Hua were full of dangerous cliffs. Ordinary people couldn’t even try to climb them, and even those who knew martial arts often fell to their deaths. Wasn’t that the very dangerous path up Mount Hua?

But they carried the cart up that path?

And there was more than one cart.

“Aaaargh!”

Jo Gul grabbed the edge of the cliff and screamed, his eyes rolling back.

“Damn it! Damn it! It’s just money! We could have exchanged it for bills or put it in a bank! Why are we dragging this up here, you damn bastard!”

“Stop complaining.”

Huh?

As Jo Gul climbed up the cliff, the other Cheong Ja disciples crawled up the mountain with bloodshot eyes and red faces. The large carts appeared, tied to the ropes.

On that cart… Chung Myung was lying down with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Unam’s mouth dropped open.

Unam understood something again.

‘Ah, they were always like this.’

And he knew that a normal welcome would never happen in Mount Hua.