Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 724

The memorial ceremony lasted for three days.

Oh Geom himself had brought back the master’s remains. For him and all the Mount Hua disciples, welcoming their late master home was very important. This ceremony meant a lot to them.

Everyone felt deep sadness. But Hyun Jong’s sadness was even greater. He carried the weight of Mount Hua on his shoulders.

*Rustle.*

The tip of the incense stick, now ash-grey at the burning end, fell softly. Hyun Jong watched the smoke curl upwards. He slowly raised his eyes to look at the altar, his face etched with sorrow. The ancestral shrine was old, the wood dark and polished smooth by time. Carvings of plum blossoms, the symbol of Mount Hua, adorned the altar.

“There was a time…”

The other disciples had finished the ceremony and returned to their rooms, leaving only Hyun Young and Hyun Sang with Hyun Jong.

“I even resented them.”

A deep regret filled Hyun Jong’s voice.

“No… To be honest, I resented them many times. The burden I carried was so heavy that I couldn’t bear it without resenting them.”

“…Sect Leader.”

Hyun Sang looked at Hyun Jong’s back with a sorrowful expression. He looked utterly alone as he gazed at the altar.

“But now that we have the late master’s remains back…”

Hyun Jong closed his eyes.

“I see that my anger was wrong. I should not have been angry.”

Protecting the crumbling Mount Hua was not easy. Anyone who knew Hyun Jong’s life understood the weight he carried.

But no matter how hard it was, how could he resent those who had given their lives to protect Mount Hua?

“They will understand.”

“…”

Hyun Young walked over and gently patted Hyun Jong’s shoulder, speaking softly.

“How many parents would truly curse their child for not being good enough? They will all understand. And they will praise you for doing well.”

“…Do you think so?”

“Yes. So, stand tall. Our grandmaster was great, but we have worked hard too. If he could see Mount Hua now, he would be pleased.”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly at Hyun Young’s words.

“I know that the grandmasters protected Mount Hua.”

He lit a new incense stick, placed it in the censer, and sighed softly.

“During hard times, I kept going because of my duty. I wanted to be able to tell the grandmasters, when I die, that I did my best for Mount Hua.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes, filled with weariness and sorrow, gently closed.

“Looking back now, it was the spirit of Mount Hua, which they gave their lives to protect… that guided me.”

Having spoken, he slowly rose from his seat. As he stood up straight, the elders stood behind him, half a step behind.

Hyun Jong bowed first in silence, and the elders followed, bowing respectfully.

After paying their respects to the grandmasters, they left silently.

Even after leaving the ancestral shrine, Hyun Jong couldn’t bring himself to move on.

“Shall we close it?”

“No.”

He shook his head at Hyun Sang’s question.

“The grandmaster has returned to Mount Hua after a hundred years. He must want to see it a little longer, so leave the doors of the ancestral shrine open for the next ten days.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

The scent of incense from the ancestral shrine brushed past his nose.

Before, he just thought of it as a place for old tablets. But now, looking at the shrine, he felt like he could feel the spirit of the people in those tablets. They felt young and alive.

“Do not worry.”

Hyun Jong smiled faintly.

“The future of Mount Hua is growing well even now. We will pass on everything you have given us to future generations, so please watch over us in peace.”

Only after looking at the ancestral tablets for a long time did Hyun Jong turn his head.

He, too, would one day be there. He hoped that he would not be ashamed to stand before the ancestors when that time came.

“Let us go.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong began to walk with a faint smile. Warm, bright sunlight poured down on him.

“Oof, cha!”

Thud! Thud!

Chung Myung patted the top of the mound he had made. He roughly brushed the dirt from his hands and sat down beside it.

Looking down, he could see all of Mount Hua.

“Ha… you little rascal. You should be honored. I even dug your grave with my own hands, you little brat. I couldn’t have imagined doing this before! You know that?”

If Chung Jin could hear this, who knows if he’d be angry or thankful. Knowing him, he probably wouldn’t say anything nice.

“I’ve become so kind. Why am I making a grave for a guy who died on the road…”

Even as he grumbled, Chung Myung’s hands kept moving. Even as he sat down to rest, he kept smoothing out rough spots and filling in missing areas.

Only after checking several times that there were no more rough spots did he nod with a satisfied look.

Behind him, a large plum tree had grown, its branches hanging over the grave.

It wasn’t a sunny, flat, or beautiful spot. It wasn’t even a lucky place to put a grave.

In winter, the cold wind would blow, and frost would form every night.

“How is it? Do you like it?”

But Chung Myung knew that Chung Jin would like this place. Because this was the best spot to look down on Mount Hua.

If it were Chung Jin, he would have chosen this place for his grave.

And above all…

– The sunset from Mount Hua is beautiful. When I die, I want to die watching this.

He probably said those words here.

Chung Myung took out a bottle of alcohol, opened it, and took a drink.

“Kaa!”

He wiped his lips and looked at the grave.

“What?”

Even though no one was there, Chung Myung spoke as if he were talking to someone.

“Turf? What turf, you rascal! Why would a dead Taoist want that! I made you a grave, isn’t that enough? You want me to cover it with grass too? The nerve!”

Chung Myung glared, then chuckled and poured alcohol onto the yellow soil.

“Have a drink. Even if I can’t cover it with turf, I can give you alcohol.”

Glug, glug, glug.

The alcohol poured onto the soil, making the grave darker. Chung Myung watched silently, then leaned against the grave and lay on his back.

“…Still, you rascal. You’re lucky. The others couldn’t even come back…”

The warm sunlight made shadows. Chung Myung gently closed his eyes as the shadow of the plum tree covered his face.

“Don’t worry, you rascal.”

He spoke in a low voice.

“I’m not the same as before. If I died once, I should be more mature. Well… you might still think I haven’t matured at all.”

Chung Myung opened his eyes and looked at the blue sky.

“…Now I know what you meant.”

The day was very blue.

“Those who are left have their own jobs to do.”

Chung Myung sat up and looked down at Mount Hua. He could see the disciples coming and going, and the buildings that were different from before. He tilted the bottle and drank.

Crying over those who are dead won’t change anything.

The only thing the one who is left… the one who couldn’t go with them… can do is make sure their deaths weren’t for nothing.

“If Mount Hua doesn’t become strong again… then your death, and our senior brother’s death, will be for nothing.”

He couldn’t let that happen.

He had to fulfill their wishes. That was Chung Myung’s mission.

“Anyway…”

Chung Myung frowned and clicked his tongue.

“You guys were always a handful. Senior brother! Senior brother! The Jongnam kids are bullying us. Senior brother! Kill the Heavenly Demon. Senior brother! Revive Mount Hua. Senior brother! Senior brother! Senior brother! …You guys want too much, you damned bastards.”

– I wasn’t like that.

“Oh, come on! You were the worst!”

Chung Myung pointed his finger at the sky and sighed. He could almost hear his fellow disciples talking to him.

“…Chung Jin.”

Chung Myung murmured softly. He was showing his true feelings.

“I still don’t understand why I’m the only one who came back alive.”

He poured more alcohol into his mouth.

The strong scent of alcohol spread, but he couldn’t taste it well today.

Chung Myung closed his mouth tightly, as if his lips were stopping the words.

After a while, Chung Myung slowly opened his mouth again.

“Don’t worry.”

His fingers touched the mound and were stained with soil.

“…I will make Mount Hua like it used to be. I will never let your death be for nothing.”

So, when that’s all over, then…

Yes. Then…

“I…”

“Chung Myungaaaaaa!”

Crack!

Chung Myung’s hand slipped and grabbed the soil of the grave.

“Where are you! Chung Myungaaaaaa!”

“Seonbae-nim!”

“Chung Myungaaaaaa!”

“Aish, these guys!”

Chung Myung’s cheeks twitched as he gnashed his teeth.

They never leave him alone!

“Ah, what!”

Chung Myung shouted as he jumped up. The Oh Geom turned and looked at him.

“Why are you up there?”

“Ah, never mind that! Why are you calling me like that?”

“The Sect Leader wants you to come!”

“…Huh?”

Chung Myung tilted his head at Yoon Jong’s words. Tang Soso urged him.

“Come down quickly, Senior Brother!”

“It’s almost time to eat. Let’s go eat.”

“…”

Chung Myung was about to shout again, but he laughed weakly.

“This is how I live, Chung Jin.”

He was getting along with young punks at his age.

“Tsk.”

He poured the remaining alcohol over the grave. The strong scent of alcohol spread. Chung Myung murmured.

“I’m busy. I can’t come often, even if I’m right next door.”

There was no answer. But it felt like he had heard it.

“Still…”

There are such days.

Some days, you just suddenly remember people you miss.

“I’ll visit on those days, so don’t curse me for being heartless. I’m a busy man! Ahem!”

Chung Myung stuck out his stomach and smiled.

“So…”

He slowly closed his eyes. He had a peaceful smile.

“Rest in peace, fellow disciple.”

With those words, Chung Myung slowly turned around.

He didn’t want to leave…

“Ah, hurry up! Why are you so slow?!”

“Aish, these guys!”

“I’m going! I’m going!”

Chung Myung shouted and scowled.

“Tsk, annoying guys. Seriously, they never leave me alone! Ugh!”

Cursing, Chung Myung ran down the hill.

On the hill, only a small mound remained.

It was covered with dirt and looked plain, but soon green grass would grow on it. In the fall, it would be covered with leaves, and in the winter, it would be covered with snow.

As time passed, it would become part of Mount Hua.

Even when the wind and rain had washed it away, the spirit of Mount Hua would watch over Mount Hua from this place.