Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 511

The end of a war is often not as exciting as you might think.

And cleaning up after a war is never easy. It’s especially hard when a smaller group wins against a bigger group. The winners have to think very carefully about what to do next.

Yeo Sahon started by taking away the weapons of the Ice Palace followers.

Of course, that didn’t mean she had complete control over them.

Just taking away weapons doesn’t stop everyone from fighting. Some people are good at fighting with their hands or fists.

But Yeo Sahon thought these people would eventually become one family again. So, instead of being too strict, she thought it would be better to treat them kindly for the future of the Ice Palace.

Maybe the Ice Palace followers understood her feelings. Or maybe they thought it was pointless to resist since Seolcheon Sang was dead. They didn’t fight back and did what she told them.

Yoon Jong frowned. “This feels… too easy.”

“Hmm,” Baek Cheon agreed, nodding slowly.

Outside, the blizzard was back, blowing harder than ever. Snow piled up quickly, covering all the marks of the fight in white. It was like the Northern Sea itself wanted to erase the war and forget it ever happened.

“Weren’t they all part of the Ice Palace family to begin with?” Yoon Jong asked.

“Yes, but…” Baek Cheon started, then stopped.

“Elder Yeo is strong and smart,” Baek Cheon said finally. “She’ll handle it. We don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

“Yeah,” Yoon Jong said quietly.

They talked about the war, but their voices were weak, like they were tired. They were speaking to each other, but both of them were thinking about something else.

They kept looking at the door in front of them.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?”

“What?”

“His injuries looked pretty bad.”

“There are other people to worry about. Are you worried about that troublemaker, Chung Myung?”

“Yes, but…”

Yoon Jong stopped talking and looked at Baek Cheon.

Baek Cheon was trying to sound calm, but his face showed he was worried. Unlike them, who weren’t badly hurt, Chung Myung was seriously injured in the fight with Seolcheon Sang.

Baek Cheon quietly rubbed his mouth with his hand.

‘That damned troublemaker.’

He knew why Chung Myung had done it. He understood the reason.

If Chung Myung hadn’t cut off Seolcheon Sang’s head quickly, even if it hurt himself, the war would have lasted much longer. And many more people would have died in this Northern Sea land.

Since they couldn’t find a way to compromise, the war would have continued until one side was completely defeated.

In the end, Chung Myung had clearly saved many lives in this war. But his method was a bit… too much.

As a Taoist and a martial artist, he should have praised him, but Baek Cheon didn’t feel like it.

Baek Cheon clenched and unclenched his fist slightly. Then Yoon Jong spoke again.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?”

“Why do you keep asking the same thing?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Yoon Jong hesitated, glanced at the door, and said.

“…Besides his injuries, wasn’t Chung Myung acting different than usual? I’m just a little…”

Baek Cheon stared at the closed door without answering.

‘Different, huh…’

He knew what Yoon Jong meant. But he only had one answer.

“Still, he’s Chung Myung.”

“…”

“Isn’t that enough?”

Yoon Jong finally nodded silently. Then, a quiet voice came from the corner.

“He’s the same.”

They turned to see Yoo Iseol leaning against the wall, looking at them without any expression.

“Nothing’s different.”

“…Yeah.”

Baek Cheon agreed and nodded slowly. Of course, he knew that Yoon Jong was worried about Chung Myung. So, Baek Cheon didn’t blame him.

“But… Chung Myung might act a little different than usual, so just try to understand. There will be aftereffects after such a big fight.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

“We should…”

Baek Cheon was about to say something serious when—

“Aaaaargh!”

A desperate scream came from inside the door.

“What, what is it!”

“Is someone attacking?”

The Mount Hua disciples jumped up in surprise. But then they heard a voice from inside that stopped Baek Cheon from kicking down the door.

“Ack! Ouch! That hurts! Why are you tying the bandages so tight! My wounds are going to burst open!”

“Shut up! Can’t you stay still?”

“Ah! Ah! My arm! My arm, my arm! No, it hurts there! It hurts!”

“You come back all beaten up and then complain about it hurting! I’ll twist your head off!”

Baek Cheon sighed as he listened to the loud voices.

“…Let’s go in.”

They opened the door and went inside.

“No! Hey! Is this treatment? Really?”

“Stay still! Do you want a big needle stuck in the top of your head!”

Tang Soso sat firmly on Chung Myung’s back. He was lying face down, like a mummy wrapped in white bandages. She was pushing needles into his back without any mercy.

Baek Cheon smiled, happy to see Chung Myung looking like a hedgehog.

‘Changed? Not at all.’

Waiting for that guy to change is like waiting for the Northern Sea to become a desert.

Chung Myung, who had turned pale, kept yelling.

“No, the needles! Why are the needles as big as my hand! That’s not for treatment, it can’t be!”

“Why do you care? It depends on how I use them!”

“No way!”

Baek Cheon couldn’t watch Chung Myung struggling anymore, so he pointed with his chin.

“Kids.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle!”

“Hold him down!”

“Yes!”

Jo Gul, Yoon Jong, and Yoo Iseol rushed in and held Chung Myung down tightly. Chung Myung fought harder, but they didn’t let go.

“You traitors! I’ll remember this!”

“Hey, be quiet.”

Baek Cheon frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Why is a guy who doesn’t even flinch when a sword goes through him making such a fuss about needles?”

“Why?! Why is that strange? Should I stick a big needle in your head to see if it’s okay?”

Then, Tang Soso gritted her teeth and smacked Chung Myung’s back.

“Be quiet! Quiet! Don’t move!”

“Ack! It hurts there! There!”

After struggling for a while, Chung Myung finally calmed down after Yoo Iseol grabbed his head and repeatedly tapped it with her knuckles.

Baek Cheon sighed deeply and casually asked Tang Soso.

“How is he?”

She answered, sounding a bit annoyed.

“How do you think? It’s like last time. Why does he always get so beat up when he fights? Does he like getting stitches?!”

Tang Soso glared fiercely at Chung Myung, looking angry again.

She looked so strong that even Chung Myung flinched.

Hye-yeon had been quietly watching the scene. He smiled gently, but finally spoke up, “Still, thanks to Senior Brother Qingming’s efforts, things are going well…”

“Hye-yeon, Monk,” Baek Cheon said, his voice a low warning.

“Yes?” Hye-yeon replied softly.

“Be quiet,” Baek Cheon repeated, more firmly.

“…Yes,” Hye-yeon murmured.

Hye-yeon closed his eyes for a moment, his lips moving silently in prayer. He then quietly moved back into the shadows of the corner, trying to become invisible.

Plop.

Finally, after collecting all the needles and finishing bandaging, Tang Soso scowled and climbed down from Qingming’s back.

“Now that I’ve taken care of all the external wounds, he’ll be fine with a little rest. Senior Brother Qingming recovers quickly anyway,”

“Doesn’t he?”

“He’ll probably croak, that’s what he’ll do.”

“…”

Slightly flustered, Baek Cheon awkwardly tried to calm Tang Soso.

“He’s a patient, so let’s not scold him too much.”

“Maybe he’s only alive *because* I’m treating him like a patient!”

“…”

Baek Cheon smiled faintly.

‘I must never get hurt.’

What kind of physician is scarier than the enemy?

“Ughhh.”

Just then, Qingming, who had been lying face down, staggered and raised himself up.

“Is it because I’m getting old? My body just won’t cooperate…”

“Hey, you crazy bastard! How old are you!”

“That wretch deserves divine punishment!”

“Ha… What do you lot know?”

Qingming waved his hand quickly and sat down cross-legged on the spot.

The Mount Hua disciples looked at Qingming. He was covered in bandages from head to toe. They felt a strange sadness.

“Are you alright?”

“This little thing is nothing.”

“…Is that why you were screaming so much when she stuck a few needles in you?”

Qingming glared at Baek Cheon and said,

“Soso, give me a needle.”

“Why? Are you still not quite right? Should I stick one in Senior Brother’s crown?”

“…No, never mind.”

Qingming, looking disappointed, turned to Baek Cheon and asked,

“So, what’s the situation?”

Baek Cheon sighed and opened his mouth.

“The cleanup is going more smoothly than expected. Even those who followed the Ice Palace Lord are listening to Elder Yeo Sahon without much opposition. It’s a bit strange to us.”

“It’s more like a noble family or kingdom here.”

What if a rebellion broke out in Mount Hua and someone overthrew Hyun Jong, claiming to be the new sect leader?

‘That bastard would be torn limb from limb that very day.’

Without Qingming even lifting a finger, it was clear that Yoon Jong, Yu Yiseol, and Baek Cheon would transform into asuras and run wild.

“Elder Yeo is hurrying the crowning ceremony for the young Ice Palace Lord. The Ice Palace can’t function without a Palace Lord.”

“Honestly, really. Putting so much pressure on a kid.”

Qingming clicked his tongue.

“Well, it’s better to have someone with a head on their shoulders. Especially here.”

While some aspects were difficult to understand from the perspective of the Central Plains, every person’s life had its own reasons. He didn’t intend to argue whether it was right or wrong.

Mount Hua’s ways were probably full of things that others couldn’t understand either.

“We need to wrap things up as quickly as possible. This isn’t a situation where we can drag things out.”

Qingming said quietly, then suddenly stood up.

“Why are you suddenly getting up?”

“I need to go meet Yeo Sahon.”

“Hey! You’re a patient…”

“Patient or not.”

Qingming cut off Baek Cheon’s words, his eyes gleaming slightly coldly.

“This isn’t the time to worry about that. We need to finish this as quickly as possible and deal with those Demonic Sect bastards.”

“…I know that, but there’s no need for you to go. We can relay the message. Elder Yeo seems to be moving quickly for that purpose as well.”

Qingming chuckled at Baek Cheon’s worried words.

“Senior Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“Senior Brother is good at many things… no, actually, he’s bad at many things. But there’s one thing he’s especially bad at.”

“What is it, you brat?”

Ignoring Baek Cheon’s outburst, Qingming continued.

“You see people too favorably.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

A strange sneer twisted his lips, hinting at something dark.

“People who have nothing don’t think about the past. But people who have something always hesitate and look back.”

He said it with a smile, but strangely, a cold shiver raced down their spines, despite the warmth of the room. No, there was even a hint of bitterness.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the atmosphere and couldn’t stop him. They could only blankly stare at his back as he walked away.

Then, Qingming, who had been walking away, stopped suddenly. Without turning around, he said,

“Ah, and.”

“Yeah?”

Qingming stood silently.

Just as Jo Gul, tired of waiting, was about to say something, a slightly unfamiliar voice flowed from Qingming’s lips.

“Everyone did well this time.”

“…”

The Mount Hua disciples stared at Qingming with wide eyes.

But he disappeared without regret, as if he had said all he needed to say.

“…”

Jo Gul jumped up from his seat and headed to the window.

“What are you doing?”

“No, I’m just going to check if the sun has risen in the west.”

“…”

“If not, Soso, did you perhaps give him the wrong medicine?”

“He didn’t take any medicine. If something went wrong, I must have stuck the needle in the wrong place…”

Then, Yu Yiseol, who had been staring in shock, lowered her head and muttered.

“…My knuckle-sandwich was too strong.”

It was unbelievable.

Good heavens.

That praise came from Qingming’s mouth!

Wasn’t Qingming the one who scolded them even when they defeated disciples of famous sects at the Mount Hua Tournament, and who poured out nagging even when they defeated the head of Maninbang?

“…So, this day has finally come.”

“Indeed, Senior Brother.”

Baek Cheon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, got up from his seat and turned around.

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s follow him.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

A small smile crept onto his lips as he walked ahead.