Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 39

“Are you alright?”

“Yes. Cough! I’m fine.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Really, I’m fine. Cough! Cough!”

“You don’t look it…”

Hyun Jong frowned, looking at Chung Myung. Chung Myung looked terrible. He was very thin, you could see the shape of his bones under his skin, and his face was very pale, like white paper.

‘How bad must his health be?’

He looked like he was starving. Anyone who saw him would think they weren’t even giving their students enough food.

‘He didn’t look like this when he first arrived.’

Hyun Jong turned to Un Am with a strange look on his face.

“What did the medical hall say?”

“They say his vital energy is low.”

“Vital energy?”

“Yes. They say he has been training too hard, which has damaged his vital energy, and he needs rest.”

“Hoo!”

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with admiration.

“You foolish boy. Training so much that your vital energy is used up. Why would you do such a reckless thing?”

‘That’s not it at all.’

Training? Chung Myung hadn’t been able to train properly since coming to Mount Hua. So what training was he talking about?

Of course, the medical hall wouldn’t know the real reason. It was true that his vital energy was low, and it was true that his body was damaged. How could they know that a new student would use the energy of heaven and earth until his vital energy was broken? Even the best doctor in the world couldn’t have said anything different.

It was a strange misunderstanding, but he had to answer honestly.

“I’m sorry, Sect Leader. I just wanted to learn Mount Hua’s martial arts as fast as possible, and I did too much…”

“Hoo, a good person. Truly a good person.”

The Sect Leader nodded, as if he was very pleased with Chung Myung.

Chung Myung wasn’t lying. At least, his intentions were true!

“It’s not good to rush things. What good can you do with a damaged body?”

“I will be more careful, Disciple.”

“Yes, yes.”

Hyun Jong smiled.

The child in front of him was truly Mount Hua’s good luck. A lucky charm that had come to them. How could he not like him?

“Yes. Do you like tea?”

“Not really.”

Chung Myung shrugged.

‘If it was alcohol, maybe.’

Tea was too boring for Chung Myung. Unlike alcohol, which had a pleasant bite, tea was just water that tasted like grass.

The Senior Brother Sect Leader used to say Chung Myung was not a good Taoist. But Chung Myung couldn’t help what he liked.

‘Is there a rule that the Mount Hua Sect Leader must enjoy tea?’

The former Senior Brother Sect Leader had also known a lot about tea ceremonies. And from what Chung Myung could see, the current Sect Leader’s tea-making skills were very good.

The Sect Leader carefully poured a cup of tea and gave it to Chung Myung. Chung Myung took the tea with both hands.

“It’s a shame you don’t like it much, but please, try this tea that I made with all my heart.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung didn’t bother to smell it or taste it slowly. He drank it all in one gulp.

“…”

Tea was supposed to be enjoyed for its smell, not its taste, but for Chung Myung, it was just hot water.

Hyun Jong watched with a disappointed look, and as soon as Chung Myung put down the teacup, he asked,

“How is it?”

“It’s tea.”

“…”

Hyun Jong looked a little disappointed, but Chung Myung was just being honest, like a good Taoist should be.

“Ahem. Yes.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat, trying to hide his awkwardness, and smiled again.

“The reason I asked you to come here is to thank you for what you did. Because of you, Mount Hua was able to get out of a difficult situation. You did very well.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“How can you say you did nothing? If it wasn’t for you, we would be out on the streets by now.”

“I just happened to be passing by, and I happened to trip over the box.”

“Huhu. A coincidence.”

Hyun Jong shook his head.

“There are no coincidences in this world. Everything happens because of connected destinies.”

Chung Myung nodded.

It was just a casual comment, but Hyun Jong’s words were very accurate.

‘He can be so sharp sometimes.’

“Isn’t that right? Un Am?”

“Yes, Sect Leader. And even if it was all by chance, he still helped us a lot. Also, he didn’t want the money for himself and told the Sect Leader, so we can’t say he didn’t do much.”

“Yes, yes.”

Hyun Jong stroked his beard, looking pleased.

“Therefore.”

He looked at Chung Myung with warm eyes.

“Of course, we need to thank you for what you did. Mount Hua wants to give you a reward. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

“A reward?”

“That’s right. Is there anything you want?”

Chung Myung paused to think.

Anything he wanted?

“You must have wanted that money, even if you don’t say it. If you need money, I will give you some.”

“I don’t need money.”

“Hmm?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

“Did you say you don’t need money?”

“Yes. Mount Hua already gives me food and clothes, so what would I do with money? There’s nothing to buy in these mountains.”

“Hahaha. Yes, that’s right.”

Hyun Jong smiled.

‘He is truly someone who understands the right way.’

It was hard to not want money, even if you didn’t need it. He might not need money now, but he would in the future, right?

He didn’t seem like a child who didn’t know that, but he still didn’t want money, which meant he was a good person. He is someone who can learn the true way.

However, Chung Myung’s thoughts were very different from what Hyun Jong thought.

‘How much could it be?’

The Sect Leader’s secret vault. Now Chung Myung’s secret vault, not the Mount Hua Sect Leader’s, was full of money that would shock Hyun Jong.

Chung Myung was already the richest man in Hwayeom County.

He didn’t need the tiny amount that the poor Sect Leader was offering as a reward.

“Then what do you want? I could let you learn martial arts that you’re not supposed to learn yet.”

“I don’t need martial arts either.”

“…Hoo? You don’t want that either?”

“No.”

“You don’t like martial arts?”

Chung Myung shook his head again.

“That’s not true. I think the people who started Mount Hua had a reason for deciding which martial arts should be learned at each level.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Yes. Didn’t the Sect Leader say that it’s not good to rush things?”

“I did.”

“I think it’s the same with martial arts. I will learn what I’m supposed to learn at my level and go slowly but surely.”

“Yes. That’s right. You are absolutely right.”

Hyun Jong nodded.

The more he talked, the more he liked him. How could such a young child already know what the right way was?

‘Where did such a special child come from?’

Hyun Jong was very happy, but Chung Myung’s thoughts were different.

‘I’m the one who should be giving you martial arts, you foolish person!’

Chung Myung had been trying to figure out how to teach the other martial arts besides the one he had already taught.

It would have been easier to give them all at once. But people are strange. If you give someone a golden Buddha and a silver Buddha at the same time, they will think the silver Buddha is not as good.

If he gave the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique and the Seven Plum Sword at the same time, who would learn the Seven Plum Sword? As Hyun Jong said, it’s not good to rush things.

‘I have to worry about everything.’

Senior Brother Sect Leader, I was wrong.

I’m sorry for ignoring your advice. I should have known how much you were suffering back then.

Seeing Mount Hua from the Sect Leader’s point of view, even a little bit, made him realize how hard it must have been for Chung Mun, the Sect Leader of the past. And Chung Myung had caused a lot of that trouble.

I should have listened more.

It was hard to fix things with Chung Mun, who was already dead, but Chung Myung decided to be good to the current Sect Leader.

“It’s good that you don’t want anything, but it’s a bit difficult for me. Well, is there anything you need?”

‘Anything I need.’

What could Mount Hua, which had almost nothing, give Chung Myung?

After thinking for a moment, Chung Myung spoke.

First of all, if he could have some freedom, he could go more places. That was more important than anything else.

“Sect Leader, I am training hard.”

“I can see that just by looking at you.”

“…”

Chung Myung cleared his throat and continued.

“However, I think there’s only so much I can do by just training in this peaceful place. I would like to see the world sometimes. Please let me go down to Hwayeom County whenever I want.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong frowned.

“I understand what you want, but that would break Mount Hua’s rules. You have done a lot, but I’m afraid it would make others unhappy because it’s not fair. Let me think about it.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Is there anything else?”

Chung Myung’s eyes lit up as he thought.

“Sect Leader!”

“Hmm?”

“As you can see, I’m not in good condition.”

“Yes. Anyone can see that.”

“The medical hall says my vital energy is low.”

“Yes. I heard that.”

“So, I was wondering, could you give me a spirit pill?”

“…A spirit pill?”

“Yes. Mount Hua’s spirit pill. Most sects have one, right?”

Hyun Jong laughed loudly.

“Hahaha. So, you need a spirit pill. Yes, a spirit pill is good. What could be better for making you feel better?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“Hahaha. Yes, a spirit pill. Yes. You deserve a spirit pill for what you did. Yes. Hmm… Yes…”

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung, then spoke in a gentle voice.

“You said you wanted to go down to Hwayeom County sometimes?”

“…Yes?”

“Of course, it breaks the rules, but because of what you did, I can let you do that. Un Am, listen.”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

“As the Mount Hua Sect Leader, I say that from now on, Chung Myung does not need permission to go down to Hwayeom County.”

“Yes!”

“However, Chung Myung must not go outside Hwayeom County, and he must remember that he will be blamed for anything that happens in Hwayeom County. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand. But…”

Chung Myung tilted his head.

“What about the spirit pill?”

“Also, going down to Hwayeom County must not stop you from training.”

“…”

“Hahaha. Well then, you can leave now.”

“Ah, no, Sect Leader. The spirit pill…”

“I have high hopes for you. Try your best.”

“…Yes.”

“Good.”

“Please take care of yourself, Sect Leader.”

Chung Myung bowed and walked out, and Hyun Jong smiled.