Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 347

“Of course, it is I.”

Hyeondang’s face changed slightly.

“You claim to be the Mount Hua Sect Leader?”

“Yes, I am,” Hyun Jong replied.

“Hmph.” Hyeondang gave a short, mocking laugh.

“That’s strange to say. Someone who wasn’t chosen is now the Sect Leader. How could Mount Hua’s rules, which have been followed for hundreds of years, fall so low?”

“Do you really have the right to call yourself the Mount Hua Sect Leader? Your master didn’t approve you, the elders didn’t expect anything from you, and even your fellow disciples didn’t recognize you. So, why do you say you’re the Mount Hua Sect Leader?”

Hyun Jong, who had been listening quietly, smiled slightly.

“Senior Brother.”

“A moment ago, you called me by name, but now you call me Senior Brother. Why? Are you finally realizing your situation?”

“You haven’t grown up at all.”

“What?”

Hyun Jong shook his head, as if he found it ridiculous. “It seems the difficulties of life haven’t helped you grow. You used to seem so important, but now you seem childish.”

“You, you little…”

“You asked who the Mount Hua Sect Leader is?” Hyun Jong said calmly.

“The Mount Hua Sect Leader is me, Hyun Jong. No one can deny that.”

“The previous leaders chose me as the Sect Leader.”

“That’s just what the previous leaders wanted.”

“Are you saying you’ll ignore what the previous leaders wanted?” Hyun Jong smiled mysteriously as he watched Hyeondang grit his teeth.

“Senior Brother.”

“If you had come back to Mount Hua just three years earlier, I might have listened to you. Even if the disciples protested and the junior brothers got angry, I might have given you the Sect Leader position and gone back to being a regular disciple of Mount Hua.”

“But?”

“But that’s not the case now.” Hyun Jong stood up straighter, looking dignified.

“Now I know that I am the best person to be the Mount Hua Sect Leader. And I am the best person to help Mount Hua grow. So…”

He said it confidently. He declared it. “Even if it goes against what the previous leaders wanted, even if it’s not morally right, I will not give up the position of Mount Hua Sect Leader. Because that’s what’s best for Mount Hua.”

“Ha!” Hyeonbeop, who was standing next to Hyeondang, laughed loudly.

“You’re using fancy words, but doesn’t it mean you’ll ignore the wishes of the previous leaders and do whatever you want with Mount Hua?” It was a sharp comment, but Hyun Jong didn’t get angry.

“It seems you’ve misunderstood my intentions.”

“Misunderstood?”

“The reason I told you both to take your families and leave Mount Hua, and never come back, was not for my own good. It was for your own good.”

“Hmm?” Hyeondang and Hyeonbeop looked at each other, confused.

“For our sake?” What was he talking about?

Hyun Jong smiled slightly at the two men, who were briefly speechless. “But it seems you don’t want to do that. Then do what you want. Take over the buildings, guide the children, try to do whatever you want.”

Hyeonbeop glared fiercely. “Before that, you will be removed from the position of Sect Leader…”

“Enough,” Hyeondang said, stopping him. Then, he smiled gently at Hyun Jong. “Sect Leader, my words may have been harsh, but as I’ve said before, I only want to give myself to Mount Hua.”

“It seems there’s no point in talking about this today, so I’ll leave. Take care.” Hyeondang got up and turned around, taking Hyeonbeop with him.

Bang!

“Uwak!” The Mount Hua disciples, dressed in white and blue, who had been crowding in front of the Sect Leader’s residence, listening to the conversation, stumbled back as the door burst open.

“Goodness, goodness. Tsk, tsk.” Hyeondang frowned deeply. “Disciples listening to the elders’ conversations! Mount Hua’s discipline has fallen so low! This is why I can’t leave it to Hyun Jong alone!”

The disciples stood up awkwardly, glaring at Hyeondang with angry eyes.

Hyeondang clicked his tongue, looking displeased with their glares. “There’s no discipline in the sect at all! What will people think of Mount Hua at this rate?”

“Those are just words,” Baek Cheon said quietly, looking at Hyeondang.

“Hmm?” Hyeondang turned to him.

“Especially coming from someone who left Mount Hua and came back after thirty years.”

“You insolent brat!” Hyeonbeop shouted before Hyeondang could say anything.

“Young children who know nothing dare to speak so rudely!” He was scolding them angrily.

However, the Mount Hua disciples didn’t look scared. Instead, they openly showed the anger they had been hiding. “Even though we turned our backs on Mount Hua for a while, we are still the elders of the sect. How dare you insult us?”

“That’s why we’ve been holding back until now.”

“What?”

“But remember,” Baek Cheon said, as if spitting out the words. “Anyone who challenges the Sect Leader’s authority, no matter who they are, will not be tolerated. I, and the disciples of Mount Hua, will not stand by and watch!”

Hyeonbeop took a step back, startled by the chilling voice. Realizing he had acted disgracefully, Hyeonbeop blushed and gritted his teeth. “How dare these brats…”

“Enough,” Hyeondang said, waving his hand to stop Hyeonbeop. He looked at Baek Cheon and said quietly, “But soon you’ll understand who the rightful Sect Leader of Mount Hua is.”

“I already know.”

“Haha, your thoughts will change. Let’s go!”

“Yes.” Hyeondang took Hyeonbeop and quickly left.

Baek Cheon trembled as he watched them leave, grinding his teeth. “Those senile old men!”

“Master Uncle! Are you really going to keep putting up with this?”

“They insulted the Sect Leader.”

“I can’t take it anymore. Don’t stop me!” Baek Cheon nodded firmly.

“I don’t want to put up with it any longer either. I was trying to stay calm, but they crossed the line first. If that’s the case, we should treat them the way they deserve.”

“But there’s not much we can do, is there? The Sect Leader has already allowed them to stay in Mount Hua…”

“If they won’t leave on their own, we’ll just have to force them out!” Baek Cheon’s eyes were wild.

Just then, Baek Sang came running from far away with a pale face, shouting, “Senior Brother!”

‘Huh?’ Had something happened?

He ran breathlessly, his feet moving quickly, and shouted, panting, “Big trouble! He’s coming!”

“What?”

“He’s coming, I tell you!”

“So what is it?” Since no one understood him, Baek Sang pounded his chest and yelled, “That damn Chung Myung is climbing the mountain!”

“What?” Baek Cheon’s eyes widened as if there was an earthquake.

“No…” He wasn’t ready yet.

‘What should I do?’ If that damn Chung Myung comes up the mountain and sees this mess, it’s obvious what will happen.

That’s why he was trying to finish things before that guy arrived! “What should we do?”

“We’re doomed! We’re really doomed!” All the other disciples were also losing their minds, not knowing what to do.

Baek Sang asked Baek Cheon with a pale face, “What do we do?”

“Uh…” Baek Cheon was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

“Who’s coming?”

Someone cautiously peeked out from inside the Sect Leader’s residence.

It was Hyun Young.

Baek Sang looked shocked and happy to see Hyun Young.

“Elder! Chung Myung is coming back! I just saw him climbing the mountain!”

“…Is that so?”

Hyun Young tilted his head, a strange expression on his face.

“Right. Chung Myung is coming, you say? Chung Myung?”

Just then, Hyun Jong emerged from his residence with a grim face.

“Hmm. That Chung Myung is already returning. Then, for now…”

But his words were cut short.

Thump. Thump.

Hyun Sang and Hyun Young grabbed Hyun Jong’s arms as he was about to go outside.

“Why are you doing this?”

Hyun Jong looked back at them, puzzled.

But Hyun Young simply smiled slyly and nodded instead of answering.

“Senior Brother, come inside quickly.”

“…Huh?”

“Senior Brother.”

“Got it!”

Following Hyun Young’s instructions, Hyun Sang grabbed Hyun Jong as if embracing him and began dragging him inside.

Hyun Jong shouted, flustered and annoyed.

“Ah, no! Why are you doing this, you rascals! Let go! What is the meaning of this! You, you rascals!”

Hyun Young watched for a moment, then came outside and closed the door as if nothing had happened. Hyun Jong’s shouts faded away.

The disciples of Mount Hua all stared blankly at Hyun Young.

“Ahem. So, Chung Myung is coming, is he?”

“…Yes.”

Hyun Young nodded.

“Baek Cheon.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“I must now enter a long meeting with the Sect Leader. Make sure no one goes near the Sect Leader’s house. Okay?”

“…Yes?”

“No one! You must not allow anyone to approach! Do you understand?”

Baek Cheon, realizing Hyun Young’s intention, nodded, slightly dazed.

“Ah, I understand.”

“And…”

Hyun Young wore a sly smile.

“Be sure to properly inform that rascal Chung Myung about what has happened in Mount Hua. He’ll be curious about that, right?”

“…”

“Tsk. With ‘outsiders’ in Mount Hua, the situation isn’t good at all. Tch!”

Thump.

Leaving those words behind, Hyun Young also entered the Sect Leader’s residence.

A strange silence fell among the disciples.

“Martial Uncle. It seems…”

“…Yes.”

Baek Cheon nodded seriously, a look of determination on his face.

“Now that it has come to this, there’s no other choice!”

A fierce light flashed in Baek Cheon’s eyes.

“I’m going to that rascal Chung Myung!”

Glug, glug, glug, glug.

“Kaaaah!”

Chung Myung, climbing Mount Hua, took a refreshing gulp of alcohol and let out a pleasant exclamation. His bundle was full of expensive Yuhong liquor.

“This is why people need to gain fame.”

Compared to when he first climbed Mount Hua in rags, it was a world of difference.

Of course, from Chung Myung’s perspective, it was only a tiny fraction of the fame he once possessed, but even that small bit changed the quality of his treatment.

No wonder even those who were called gentlemen since ancient times risked their lives for success and fame.

“Tsk. I’ve been away for too long. Knowing those guys, they must be making a mess without me.”

It was a strange feeling.

Having been treated so well outside, he should have wanted to stay a little longer. But strangely, his heart quickly raced back to Mount Hua.

Even as he was climbing, the fact that he wanted to go even faster showed that he was, without a doubt, a person of Mount Hua.

“Alright, now slowly… Huh?”

Just then, Chung Myung, noticing something strange, stretched his neck and stood on tiptoe.

“…What is that?”

A strange cloud of dust seemed to be rising near the mountain gate, and then the disciples of Mount Hua came rushing out. They were running wildly towards him in a hurry, as if struck by lightning.

“Huh?”

Before he could even grasp the situation, they rushed up to him and all opened their mouths at once.

“Chung Myung!”

“Chung Myung! It’s a disaster!”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung tilted his head.

A disaster?

What disaster could have happened in such a short time…

Baek Cheon, who had run ahead, came right up to Chung Myung and said, panting.

“Chung Myung! Prepare yourself. Something… something has happened.”

“…What now? Did someone come from the Shaolin Temple again?”

“If it were Shaolin, that would be a relief!”

“Then what is it? Stop panting and speak properly.”

“Right. So, that is…”

The disciples, surrounding Chung Myung, began to explain what had happened.

“Those guys are messing with the Sect Leader!”

“They’re interfering with our training!”

“They even said they’re the direct line!”

“Saying we don’t have the qualifications!”

They each added their own comments, as if they couldn’t relieve their anger even after telling the main points.

Chung Myung’s head began to tilt sharply as he listened to the whole story.

“So…”

And finally, his mouth opened.

“The guy who abandoned the Sect Leader position and ran away thirty years ago has now come back and is demanding that the position be handed over to him?”

“That’s right!”

“…And it’s been going on for days?”

“Yes!”

Chung Myung’s head tilted even further to the side.

“Ha, really.”

Glug, glug, glug, glug.

Chung Myung poured the alcohol he was holding into his mouth in one gulp and shook the empty bottle.

Then, he tightly gripped the neck of the bottle with one hand.

“Are these guys all crazy?”

An ominous voice leaked from between his lips.

“Where are those bastards?”

“At, at the Green Plum Hall! They’re at the Green Plum Hall!”

As soon as the words ‘Green Plum Hall’ were spoken, Chung Myung broke through the disciples blocking his path, sending them flying in all directions, and began sprinting in a straight line.

“L, let’s go together!”

“Follow him! Quickly!”

Having predicted that something like this would happen, they quickly followed behind Chung Myung.

Chung Myung, charging towards the Green Plum Hall, was as fast as lightning.

And.

Wham!

As soon as he arrived, Chung Myung kicked the doors of the Green Plum Hall, sending them flying. White smoke billowed from his mouth, perhaps from anger.

Thud. Thud.

“Who is it!”

As Chung Myung slowly entered, one of those guarding the Green Plum Hall stood in his way.

“Who do you think you are? You can’t do that here! Elders are inside!”

“…Where?”

“That’s right! Who are you…”

At that moment, the bottle in Chung Myung’s hand drew a fantastic arc in the air and landed squarely on the middle-aged man’s head.

Clang!

A clear and beautiful sound echoed. The bottle shattered into pieces and scattered in all directions.

Plop.

The man, struck hard on the head, foamed at the mouth and collapsed to the floor.

“What!”

“W, what are you doing!”

Everyone seemed flustered and cautiously rose to their feet, on guard. Chung Myung threw away the remaining neck of the bottle and glared.

“Where did I come from, you ask?”

Heh.

Heh heh heh. These bastards?

“I came from hell! You bastards!”

He looked as if he had truly just come up from hell.

Chung Myung rolled his eyes back and charged forward.