Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 406

I thought I was used to it by now.

I thought I knew everything about him.

But Hyun Jong looked completely different. It was like seeing a stranger. His face was hard, not soft like usual.

I wondered, had he always been like this inside?

Hyun Jong’s face was like stone. He seemed to carry a heavy weight on his shoulders, something I had never seen in him before.

“I think about something sometimes,” Hyun Jong said, his voice low.

Silence.

“Am I really your Sect Leader?”

Chung Myung didn’t know what to say. He just pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

“What does it mean to be a Sect Leader?”

“Well… the person who guides the sect,” Chung Myung finally answered, quietly.

“Wrong.” Hyun Jong’s voice was firm.

He looked directly into Chung Myung’s eyes, his gaze steady and serious.

“A Sect Leader isn’t just someone who guides the sect. A Sect Leader *protects* it. Their job is to keep the sect’s traditions alive, to carry on what it stands for, and most importantly, to protect the disciples.”

Chung Myung remained silent, listening intently.

“Listen to me!” Hyun Jong’s voice sharpened.

His voice was cold, like ice.

“A disciple of Mount Hua, someone *I* am meant to protect, is trying to protect *me*! A disciple of Mount Hua, someone I must keep safe, is trying to protect Mount Hua *instead* of me!”

Hyun Jong wasn’t shouting, but his words hit Chung Myung harder than any loud yelling ever had. They shook him to his core.

“Chung Myung-ah.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“I do not know you.”

Silence hung in the air.

Hyun Jong paused, taking a breath. Then, slowly, he spoke again.

“I don’t know your past, Chung Myung. I don’t know what you’ve been through, what secrets you hold. And I don’t even need to know. Whatever your story is, now that you are here, in Mount Hua, and call yourself a disciple, you are simply a disciple of Mount Hua. And it is *my* duty to protect you.”

Something deep inside Chung Myung stirred. Hyun Jong’s words struck a chord within him.

Chung Myung bit his lip, hard.

“And where did you think you were going with that sword?” Hyun Jong asked, his voice sharper now.

Silence again.

“Were you planning to charge into the Manin Bang alone, like some kind of mad sword dance? To cut down every villain you could find until you fell, hoping to wash away the anger burning inside you?”

“I…” Chung Myung started to speak, but his voice trailed off.

“You foolish, reckless bastard!” Hyun Jong’s voice boomed, filling the room.

“Were you scared that your friends would die if you led them? Did you lack the courage to believe you could protect them all? And so, you planned to sneak away, to fight alone and let out your rage in the shadows?”

Anger and resentment.

No, it was more like a cry of sorrow.

“Why didn’t you yell? Why didn’t you scream that you couldn’t forgive those Manin Bang villains, that you wanted to destroy them all, together, with everyone from Mount Hua! Was it so hard to carry that burning anger? Were you so terrified of your friends getting hurt? Was it really that terrifying?”

“…”

“What is it that you want to do?”

“I…” Chung Myung started, his voice barely a whisper.

He bit down hard on his lip. Words flooded his mind, a torrent of emotions, but none of them would come out. He couldn’t speak.

When Chung Myung remained silent, Hyun Jong continued.

“If you drag Mount Hua to greatness all by yourself, what will you have left? Pride in protecting Mount Hua? Satisfaction in leading it? A hollow feeling of worth, knowing you sacrificed everything for Mount Hua, but no one truly sees it?”

Hyun Jong shook his head slowly.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Chung Myung,” he said, his voice softer now. “Mount Hua is not yours to protect alone.”

Chung Myung looked up, surprised.

“It’s not just you protecting Mount Hua, Chung Myung. Mount Hua protects *you* too. You are a part of Mount Hua, a disciple just like the others. So why are you trying to carry the weight of the entire sect on your shoulders alone?”

“Sect Leader…” Chung Myung began, his voice softer now.

“Mount Hua will get the praise for stopping the Manin Bang. And you? You’ll be left walking a lonely, painful road again. Tell me, Chung Myung. Your friends, your teachers, the elders, and me, your Sect Leader… do you think we are just people who will happily walk over the pain you suffer, stepping on the blood you spill? Is that how you see us?”

“No… Sect Leader. It’s not like that at all,” Chung Myung said quickly, shaking his head.

Hyun Jong’s own lip tightened. He could see it clearly now.

This young man, despite everything, was still trying to carry the entire burden himself.

“If you died fighting them, do you really think your friends would just stand by and do nothing? Do you think those Manin Bang villains would be safe, even after they heard what they did to you?”

Chung Myung closed his eyes, wincing at Hyun Jong’s sharp words.

The truth was, Chung Myung hadn’t wanted to think about any of this deeply.

He just needed to lash out, to find a way to release the anger that felt like fire in his gut. Otherwise, he felt like he would be swallowed by his own guilt and self-hatred.

“Is any of this *your* fault?” Hyun Jong demanded.

Silence.

“The moment we decided to make Mount Hua famous again, we knew something like this could happen. If I wasn’t ready for this, I wouldn’t have tried to bring Mount Hua back into the world. We can’t chase glory without facing danger! That’s the price of ambition.”

Hyun Jong’s sharp words were like the first frost of autumn, biting and cold.

“If you think this is your fault and you need to punish yourself for it, you’re a fool. And if you thought you could just run off without thinking, just because your friends were hurt, then you’re an even bigger fool!”

Chung Myung finally lifted his head and looked at Hyun Jong.

Hyun Jong’s eyes, usually so calm and almost empty, were now burning with anger. Chung Myung recognized that look instantly.

He’d seen it before, many times.

*“You foolish bastard!”*

Every time Chung Myung had come back injured and covered in blood, the Sect Leader would scold him fiercely. This was the same look, the same anger.

“How long will you keep treating Mount Hua like a helpless baby you have to carry? Your friends are strong now, Chung Myung. They are not weak anymore. You don’t need to bleed for them and fix everything yourself. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I understand,” Chung Myung mumbled, looking down.

“Yes, you understand so well that you were planning to go and bleed alone anyway,” Hyun Jong said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“Sect Leader…” Chung Myung started again, his voice pleading.

Hyun Jong closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to control his anger.

He held it in for a long moment, then slowly opened his eyes again. The anger was gone, replaced by a deep sadness.

“Chung Myung,” he said, his voice now soft and full of sorrow. “Please… trust me. Just a little.”

“…”

“I know very well how incompetent you think I am.”

“No. Sect Leader, I have never…!”

“Let me finish,” Hyun Jong said gently, holding up a hand.

Chung Myung fell silent again.

Hyun Jong sighed, a long, weary sound, and continued.

“I know my own weaknesses, Chung Myung. I know I’m not perfect. If you hadn’t come back, Mount Hua might have fallen apart completely by now. I understand if you don’t trust me. I haven’t been the Sect Leader Mount Hua needed. I haven’t protected it as I should have.”

His voice was quiet, even, without a trace of self-pity or sadness. He was simply stating facts.

“But just like all the disciples are getting stronger, I’m not going to stay the same either. I’m trying, every day, to become the Sect Leader Mount Hua deserves. And it’s not just me. Everyone in Mount Hua is working hard to become worthy of wearing the Mount Hua name.”

“I know,” Chung Myung whispered.

“Then why don’t you trust us?”

“…”

Chung Myung couldn’t meet Hyun Jong’s gaze and lowered his eyes slightly.

“This isn’t just about you and the Manin Bang, Chung Myung. This is about Mount Hua and the Manin Bang. Mount Hua needs to settle this score, and Mount Hua needs to make them pay. Don’t you see? When you try to take revenge for Mount Hua’s pain all by yourself, you’re pushing Mount Hua away! You’re saying we can’t handle it together.”

His head kept drooping. Hyun Jong’s words were undeniably true.

“I know.”

“…”

“I know your heart is breaking. How could it not be? But Chung Myung, sometimes we have to let go of our anger, even when it hurts. What will really change if you hurt a few more of those Manin Bang thugs right now? Will it bring back what we lost?”

Chung Myung knew Hyun Jong was right, deep down. But he didn’t know how to quiet the pain in his heart, the burning need for revenge.

“If you really see me as your Sect Leader, then think about what I’ve said for three days. And if, after three days, you still can’t stand it…”

Hyun Jong’s voice was incredibly calm, but with a steely edge.

“Then *I* will go. Not you. I will stand at the front, and I will lead Mount Hua to destroy the Manin Bang.”

Chung Myung was stunned into silence.

“Stay with Un-geom. He needs you now.”

Without another word, Hyun Jong turned and walked away, down the mountain path.

Chung Myung stood frozen, like a statue of stone, watching Hyun Jong walk away. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked up at the sky. It was dark and endless, stretching out above him, making him feel small and lost.

“Sect Leader…” he whispered.

No answer came.

“It’s difficult.”

The words were barely a whisper, weak and uncertain, not at all like Chung Myung’s usual strong voice.

“Will he be okay?” Yoon Jong asked, his voice full of worry.

“Who knows?” Jo Gul replied, shrugging, but his own eyes were fixed on the medical hall.

“He’s a surprisingly sensitive guy.”

“Sect Brother, that’s a bit…”

“Shut it.”

Jo Gul made a face at Yoon Jong’s comment.

He’d tried to make a joke, to break the heavy silence, but no one was laughing. Everyone’s eyes were still glued to the door of the medical hall.

They were all deeply worried.

About Un-geom, who was still so close to death, and about Chung Myung, who hadn’t left Un-geom’s side for even a second.

It had already been three days.

“That bastard doesn’t seem to be sleeping at all.”

“And he’s injured too.”

“He’s not even eating.”

Baek Cheon sighed.

‘Kindness is a disease.’

If he were just getting angry and acting like a maniac as usual, they wouldn’t be so worried.

“It’s not even his fault, how frustrating.”

“Yeah,” Yoon Jong agreed quietly.

Baek Cheon and the others all sighed together, the sound heavy in the air.

“What if Un-Geom gets worse?” Tang Soso asked, her voice low with worry. “And Cheong-Myeong… what if he runs off to that dangerous market?”

“We *must* stop him,” Baek Cheon replied firmly, his face grim.

“…But can we?” Tang Soso sounded doubtful, looking at Baek Cheon with wide, anxious eyes.

“If we can’t stop him,” Baek Cheon said, his voice resolute, “then we go with him.”

“Go with him?” Tang Soso was surprised.

Baek Cheon’s face was still grim. “I can’t watch that idiot run off alone to die. I’ll stay by his side, even if I have to drag him back myself.”

“…Don’t you think you are sometimes a bit much, Teacher?” Tang Soso asked quietly.

“Quiet,” Baek Cheon snapped, but his gaze was fixed on the medical hall. He clenched and unclenched his fist, worry etched on his face.

*That foolish guy.* He sighed, a sound he couldn’t hold back any longer.

*Wheeze. Wheeze.*

The sound of Un-Geom’s breathing was getting weaker.

Cheong-Myeong watched Un-Geom’s still body.

He poured more and more energy into him, but his condition didn’t improve. Each day, he seemed to get worse.

*Teacher.* Cheong-Myeong remembered Un-Geom teaching him when he was just a boy, always patient and kind. He had lost so much already.

He didn’t want to lose anyone else. He wanted to hold onto those he cared about. Was that too much to ask?

“Sahyung…” Tang Soso approached quietly, her eyes full of concern. “Please, rest for a little while.”

“I’m alright.”

“You’ll collapse before he does.”

“I’m alright.”

“…” Tang Soso hesitated, wanting to say more, but she shook her head. Arguing with Cheong-Myeong now wouldn’t help. All she could do was watch and worry.

She quietly walked away, leaving Cheong-Myeong alone again. He didn’t take his eyes off Un-Geom for a moment.

“Teacher.”

Maybe death wouldn’t be so bad for Un-Geom. He had lived for his students. Dying to protect them might be the most meaningful end for him.

But.

*It can’t be now.*

Cheong-Myeong hadn’t done everything he could for Un-Geom yet. Just like Un-Geom wanted to protect his students, Cheong-Myeong wanted to protect the future of Hwasan.

*Not yet.*

Cheong-Myeong gently took Un-Geom’s hand that wasn’t injured.

*Not yet.*

He leaned his head against the side of the bed, breathing slowly, like a prayer.

Suddenly, Cheong-Myeong’s eyes snapped open.

*I fell asleep…*

He must have dozed off. It was something that never happened normally, but after days of fighting and no sleep, even he couldn’t stay awake.

*Teacher…!*

Cheong-Myeong lifted his head, his heart pounding with fear.

His eyes widened in shock.

Empty.

The bed where Un-Geom had been lying was empty.

Cheong-Myeong’s mind went blank with panic. He stared at the empty bed, then slowly stood up.

He walked out of the room like he was in a dream.

*Thud. Thud.*

Only his footsteps echoed in the quiet medical hall. The faint light of dawn peeked through the crack in the door.

Cheong-Myeong paused, then slowly opened the door.

*Creak.*

He knew where he had to go. His mind felt completely blank. He left the medical hall and walked slowly, not stopping.

He was going to the Baekmaegwan.

He arrived at Baekmaegwan, walking slowly and not even using his fast movements. He went to the training grounds with a blank look.

And then.

“…”

He stopped walking.

Cheong-Myeong stared ahead, unable to speak.

One person.

A man in pure white clothes was practicing with a sword.

His posture was perfect, but the sword movements looked awkward.

It wasn’t just the sword.

The empty sleeve flapping where his right arm should be was also awkward.

But Cheong-Myeong didn’t notice the awkwardness.

*Whoosh!*

The sword swung up and stopped in the air.

It swung again, following the same path, cutting through the air.

Once. Twice. Again and again.

It was just a simple downward strike, repeated endlessly with deep focus. Finally, the man seemed to run out of strength and slowly put the sword back in its scabbard.

Then he turned around slowly.

“You’ve come?” Un-Geom’s voice was gentle.

“…”

Un-Geom’s face was covered in sweat. Even the bandages around his body showed faint spots of blood.

Cheong-Myeong stared, blank and shocked, and asked without thinking, “…What are you doing?”

Un-Geom smiled gently. “Can’t you see? I’m training.”

“…”

Words wouldn’t come out. No, there were too many words he wanted to say, but none of them came easily. He just stared at Un-Geom.

Un-Geom seemed to understand Cheong-Myeong’s feelings. He shrugged lightly. “Since I lost my right arm, I have to learn to use a sword with my left hand.”

“…From now on?”

“Of course.” Un-Geom was unbelievably calm. “A swordsman never stops learning. It’s sad to lose my right hand, but maybe it’s a good thing in a way. I can start all over again.”

Cheong-Myeong burst out laughing, but it sounded like crying.

His face was twisted with a mix of laughter and tears. His voice trembled as he spoke. “…Teacher is…”

He bit his lip, holding back the emotions that threatened to spill out. Then he squeezed out the words, “…You’re really… something else.”

Un-Geom just smiled gently. “Will you help me?”

“…”

“Learning to fight with my left hand won’t be easy for me. What do you say? It would be easier if you helped me.”

Cheong-Myeong looked up at the sky.

Early morning. The sky over Hwasan was a chilling, clear blue.

“Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re my teacher.”

“That’s what I want. Let’s see how strict a student you can be.”

Cheong-Myeong walked onto the training grounds, his face showing a mix of emotions too complicated to understand.

“…Teacher.”

“Hmm?”

“…Never mind.”

“How boring,” Un-Geom chuckled softly.

Un-Geom took the sword from his waist and tossed it to Cheong-Myeong. Cheong-Myeong caught it. Un-Geom smiled. “Now, show me your sword.”

“…This is a sword I don’t usually show to anyone.” Cheong-Myeong took the sword in his left hand. He looked intently at Un-Geom for a moment, then turned his head away, feeling like he might show too much emotion if he kept looking. “Watch closely. I won’t do it twice.”

“You impudent rascal.” Un-Geom’s smile was warm.

Silence settled over the training grounds, filled with unspoken feelings.

Then, Cheong-Myeong’s sword began to dance like a wave.

The young teacher moved the sword, and the old student watched.

The young master taught the sword, and the old disciple watched.

A single tear rolled down Un-Geom’s cheek, unnoticed, as he watched with a warm smile.

Only the plum blossoms, blooming gracefully in the dawn light, silently witnessed the scene between the two men.