Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 358

Crack! Crack! Crack! Loud firecrackers burst, sending smoke into the air. As the white smoke drifted away, a large sign became visible above the gate. The words ‘Hwayeong Gate’ were written in strong, bold letters.

“Ah….” Wi Lip-san stared at the sign. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the words. He felt a rush of feelings. From the beginning, he had wanted to rename this place, to show it was a fresh start. He thought, ‘We need a new name for a new beginning.’ A name that would fit the Mount Hua Sect, a sect that would be famous again.

“Do you like it?” Hyun Young asked, standing next to him. He spoke carefully, watching Wi Lip-san’s face.

“…Elder,” Wi Lip-san replied. He nodded his head a little, showing thanks. “I am happy. More than happy. But… is it right? Is ‘Hwayeong Gate’ too simple a name for the center of the new Mount Hua branch?”

Hyun Young chuckled softly. “Heh heh. You are funny.”

“Yes?” Hyun Young smiled kindly and said, “Hwayeong is important to Mount Hua. Hwayeong Gate is also important. No, it’s very precious to Mount Hua.”

“What do you think the main sect cares about most from a branch like this?”

“…Money?”

Hyun Young looked a little embarrassed and stopped for a moment. He wanted to say no right away, but he couldn’t.

“Well, yes. Money is important too.” Hyun Young was very honest like that.

“But it’s not everything. What we really want is trust.”

“…Trust?”

“That’s right.” Hyun Young nodded slowly.

“People think the main sect and branches are very close. But really, it’s not a deep connection. Just sharing martial arts doesn’t make a strong bond.”

“That’s why trust is so important. The main sect wants to help the branches as much as they can, and the branches need to trust and follow the main sect. Hwayeong Gate has shown that trust better than anyone else. If Hwayeong Gate isn’t the center of the Mount Hua branches, who else could be?”

“…Elder.” Wi Lip-san looked at Hyun Young, his face full of emotion.

“Wow, you’re really something.” But Hyun Young also wanted to thank Wi Lip-san.

“So, don’t worry about it anymore. The important thing is to make Hwayeong Gate successful in Seo-an, no matter what.”

“Yes!”

“To do that, we need to get lots of new disciples!”

“Don’t worry! I’ve been running Hwayeong Gate for years! I know how to get and train disciples! Leave it to me!” Wi Lip-san shouted, his face beaming with confidence.

Baek Cheon frowned, looking around. Tables were overflowing with food, all prepared for visitors. There was also plenty of alcohol, just in case.

Munch munch munch munch.

Munch munch munch munch. But sadly, the only one eating the carefully made food wasn’t any important people from Seo-an, or people who came to see the grand opening, or even people wanting to join. It was just that rascal, Chung Myung.

“Sasuk, are there flies buzzing around?”

“…Chase them away.”

“Yes.” The disciples stood by the tables, waving their hands to chase away flies.

“No, really, how can nobody be here?” Baek Cheon looked around, completely confused. Everyone in Seo-an must have seen them building this big place. And they knew they were from Mount Hua, right? If Mount Hua disciples came to open a new sect, wouldn’t people be curious, at least? But not a single person had come in, as if they had planned it to be empty.

“Even if a new bakery opened nearby, more people would come than this.”

“That’s true.” The Mount Hua disciples all looked around, their faces blank and puzzled. Not even people walking by glanced inside.

“Elder!”

“Hmm.” Hyun Young rubbed his cheek, sitting down. “I thought this might happen, but it’s worse than I expected.”

“Yes?”

“Jongnam closed their main sect… but their branch sects are still in Seo-an. They still have power here.”

“Power?” Just then, Chung Myung slammed his empty alcohol bottle on the table, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and spoke.

“Basically, there are probably ten Jongnam branch sects in Seo-an. And some important families in Seo-an, the ones with power, will have Jongnam disciples in them.”

“…Ah.”

“They’ll also be connected to the government.” Baek Cheon finally understood how serious this was.

“So, does that mean Seo-an is like one big Jongnam branch sect?”

“Exactly.” Baek Cheon said, his face showing he was stunned.

“Why didn’t I know this? I even stayed in Jongnam for a while.”

“You don’t need to know these things when you’re just training in the mountains. The leaders are the ones who make these situations and use them.”

“Ah….” Chung Myung chuckled and said, “Do you get it now? Just making our sect stronger isn’t enough. Turning our strength into real power, that’s what this is about.” Everyone nodded, looking like they understood.

‘It’s just like Hwaeum County.’ Everything in Hwaeum now is connected to Mount Hua. Mount Hua money is used in the successful taverns, inns, and shops in Hwaeum. The people of Hwaeum feel like they belong to Mount Hua. What if another sect tried to come there?

‘Nobody would go near them.’ The Beggars’ Sect branch opened because Mount Hua allowed it, so it was okay. But if a Jongnam branch came to Hwaeum? They would probably fight.

“Seo-an is to Jongnam what Hwaeum County is to Mount Hua.”

“Exactly. They only closed their main sect because there was a chance for us to get in. If Jongnam hadn’t closed, even if Mount Hua became strong, we couldn’t have gotten in so easily. Jongnam has worked hard to control Seo-an for hundreds of years.”

Especially in the last hundred years, when Mount Hua was weak, they must have spent a lot of money and tried to become popular with the people. Because they had made their power so strong in Seo-an, they could close their main sect. They must have thought they wouldn’t lose their power quickly.

‘Well, I’m not going to let them keep it.’ Chung Myung smirked.

“But if that’s true, will it always be like this?”

“Tsk.” Chung Myung frowned and looked at the other disciples. “Are you all getting too relaxed these days?”

“Huh?”

“Did you think just putting on a good show would fix everything? Are you thinking the world is easy because you’ve been winning a lot lately?”

“That’s not true at all!” Baek Cheon said quickly.

Chung Myung nodded, accepting Baek Cheon’s denial. “Good. Dong-ryong shouldn’t be like that. Don’t be too sure of yourselves.”

“…Grumble.” Then, he ripped off a chicken leg, chewed on it, and looked outside. “This is really strange.”

“That’s right,” Hyun Young agreed. “It’s not that people aren’t curious. Everyone in Seo-an has ears. They know what Mount Hua is doing. But they are completely ignoring us. That means they are deliberately staying away.”

“Deliberately?”

“Yes. For example…” Hyun Young smiled slightly slyly. “They are waiting to see what someone else wants.”

Just then, a voice broke the silence. “Hahaha! Looks like only flies came to the party!”

“Exactly what I thought!” another voice replied. The sound came from the entrance, and everyone turned sharply to see who it was.

“Oh?” A disciple blinked, surprised. “A guest?”

A group of people walked through the main entrance of the Hwayoung Sect. They looked important and a little rough.

Eager to be good hosts, the Hwayoung Sect disciples hurried towards them. “Welcome! Welcome to the Hwayoung Sect!” one called out cheerfully.

*Thud!*

His cheerful greeting stopped suddenly. A hand shot out, fast and hard.

“Huh!” The disciple gasped. A hand was right in front of his face, stopping him. It was not a friendly welcome.

“We are not guests,” the man at the front said coldly. He had a stern face and sharp eyes that scanned the disciples. “No need for useless welcomes.”

“Where is your sect leader?” he demanded.

“Yes?” A confused disciple replied.

“Fools! Are you deaf? We are here to see your sect leader!” His voice was rude and loud.

The Mount Hua disciples, hearing this, jumped up angrily from their seats.

“Shhh,” Chung Myung said quietly, holding up a hand. Surprisingly, he, who usually got angry the quickest, was calm. He held back the other Mount Hua disciples.

“Watch,” he murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. “Just watch.”

“…” The others were confused by his reaction.

“This is going to be interesting,” Chung Myung said, his lips curving into a sly grin.

Wi Lip-san quickly stepped forward to meet them. “I am Wi Lip-san, leader of the Hwayoung Sect.” He stood tall, trying to appear strong. “If you are not guests, then who are you? You should introduce yourselves.” He spoke with as much confidence as he could muster.

The Mount Hua disciples watched him, their eyes curious.

“‘Oh?'” Baek Cheon thought, surprised. *’The Sect Leader is acting like this?’*

Baek Cheon had never seen Wi Lip-san like this before. The first time they met, Wi Lip-san was sick in bed. The next time, Mount Hua had just helped the Hwayoung Sect. So, Wi Lip-san had been very humble and grateful.

Now, seeing him talk to strangers, Baek Cheon realized Wi Lip-san could be quite commanding as a sect leader.

But then, the middle-aged man sneered. “Wi Lip-san? A nobody. Never heard of you.”

“Hey!” Baek Cheon started to get angry again. But Chung Myung quickly put a hand on his head, pushing him down.

“Stay put,” Chung Myung ordered.

“But still!” Baek Cheon protested.

“Are you planning to live here forever, Sasook?” Chung Myung asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Huh?” Baek Cheon was confused.

Chung Myung frowned. “If a branch sect always needs help from the main sect, it’s not really a branch, is it? The Hwayoung Sect needs to handle their own problems to be a real branch of Mount Hua. So, unless it’s really necessary, just watch.”

“Ugh…” Baek Cheon grumbled. Chung Myung was right, but Baek Cheon still felt annoyed. He let out a frustrated groan.

But Wi Lip-san didn’t seem scared at all. “Maybe I am not famous,” he replied calmly. “But who are you to talk to me like that?”

“I am Nam Ja-myeong,” the man announced proudly. “Leader of the Seoan Seowol Sect. People in the martial world call me Simwongeom, the Sword of Deep Abyss.”

Wi Lip-san’s eyes narrowed slightly. *’Seowol Sect?’* He remembered the name. The Seowol Sect was a smaller sect under the Jongnam Sect, located in Seoan. When Hwayoung Sect decided to come to Seoan, they had learned about the area from the Beggars’ Sect. The Seowol Sect was mentioned as a local power.

“You are a sub-sect of Jongnam,” Wi Lip-san stated.

“That’s right,” Nam Ja-myeong said, puffing out his chest.

“And what brings you here?” Wi Lip-san asked directly.

“Humph!” Nam Ja-myeong scoffed. “You have a lot of nerve to open a sect in Seoan!”

“Sect Leader, please calm down,” one of his followers chuckled. “He’s just ignorant. He doesn’t know any better.”

“Yes, yes,” another agreed. “He’s just a clueless kid.”

Wi Lip-san frowned, looking at the group laughing amongst themselves. “Are all of you also sub-sects of Jongnam?” he asked.

“I am Gong Il-san, leader of the Sungcheon Sect!” another man declared.

“And I am Jeok Yeo-rang, leader of the Johyeon Sect!” said another.

One by one, the others announced their sect names and their titles as leaders. It became clear that all the leaders of Jongnam’s smaller sects in Seoan had come together.

Wi Lip-san listened to them all, his face calm. When they were finally finished, he sighed softly and spoke. “Yes, I understand who you are now. But why are you all here? What do you want?”

Before Wi Lip-san could finish, Nam Ja-myeong burst out, “How dare Mount Hua open a branch sect in Seoan? You are shameless!”

“Yes!” another sect leader yelled. “If you wanted to open a sect here, you should have asked us first! How can you just set up shop without a word?”

“People say those from Namyeong are country fools, and it’s true!” another sneered. “You have no manners!”

The Mount Hua disciples’ faces turned red with anger at these insults. *’These guys are unbelievable!’* they thought. They knew Mount Hua disciples were here. How could they ignore them and bully Wi Lip-san like this? It was a clear insult to Mount Hua itself.

“Enough talk!” Nam Ja-myeong waved his hand dismissively. “We are here to give you a warning today.”

“…A warning?” Wi Lip-san repeated, his voice calm.

“Since you opened a sect here without asking us, it means you don’t want to be friendly with us,” Nam Ja-myeong explained. “Fine. We will do it your way. Let’s see how long the Hwayoung Sect can survive in Seoan!”

“…” Wi Lip-san remained silent for a moment.

“If you don’t want trouble,” Nam Ja-myeong continued, his voice hard, “you should pack up and leave Seoan now.”

They expected Wi Lip-san to look scared, to argue, or to beg. But instead, he threw his head back and laughed.

“Hahaha!”

“…You’re laughing?” Nam Ja-myeong’s eyebrows furrowed in anger. He stared at Wi Lip-san, confused and furious.

Wi Lip-san looked at them as if they were fools. “I thought you were important because you are from Jongnam,” he said, still chuckling. “But now I see you are just a bunch of bullies.”

“What!” Nam Ja-myeong roared, his face turning red.

Wi Lip-san stood firm, his voice strong. “Seoan does not belong to Jongnam! And it certainly doesn’t belong to you! Why should I ask your permission to open a sect here? Only thugs act like this!”

“…Are you calling us thugs?” Nam Ja-myeong asked, his voice dangerous.

“Yes! Am I wrong?” Wi Lip-san challenged him.

“Ha… Haha,” Nam Ja-myeong forced a laugh, but his eyes were full of fury. He glared at Wi Lip-san, his gaze like a knife. “It would be good if you were as strong as you are brave.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Wi Lip-san retorted. “It’s already been proven that Mount Hua disciples are better than Jongnam disciples!”

“…You…” Nam Ja-myeong stared at Wi Lip-san, his eyes filled with rage. For a moment, it looked like he might attack. But then, he suddenly turned away. “Let’s go!” he barked.

“Ahem!” The Jongnam sect leaders, grumbling and looking angry, turned and stomped out of the Hwayoung Sect. They left in a hurry, showing their anger with every step.

The Mount Hua disciples, who had been watching everything, were amazed. “Wow…” one said in a surprised voice. “The Sect Leader spoke really well!”

“I know!” another agreed. “He was great!”

“Is this how Mount Hua Sect leaders are?” a third wondered.

While everyone else was still looking at Wi Lip-san with admiration, Chung Myung and Hyun Young were watching the Jongnam sect leaders leave. They didn’t miss a single detail.

“It seems they are the reason,” Hyun Young said quietly.

“Yes,” Chung Myung nodded. “They’ve already started. That’s why no one has visited us. They are watching everyone.”

Chung Myung chuckled softly. “They are being more obvious than I expected.”

“That’s true,” Hyun Young replied, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Since this is Jongnam’s territory, they probably haven’t had many chances to fight anyone.”

The two of them, who had been in so many fights they could write books about it, smiled cruelly. They stared at the backs of the Jongnam sect leaders as they walked away, completely unaware of the trouble coming their way.

“Shall we start messing with them?” Chung Myung asked, his voice low and menacing.

“Hee hee hee!” Hyun Young laughed, a chilling sound.

The Mount Hua disciples shivered as they watched Chung Myung and Hyun Young laughing evilly. *’What are they planning now?’* one thought, feeling uneasy. *’I’m already worried.’*

But Chung Myung and Hyun Young didn’t notice their disciples’ fear. They just exchanged knowing looks, a silent promise of mischief to come.