Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 749

Whoosh! The wind rushed past their ears as they hurried down the mountain path.

Flash! Sunlight glinted off something ahead. Flash! Again.

“Ugh! Enough!” Jo Gul finally exploded, stopping in his tracks. “What is it with the looking back? Did you bury treasure back there or something? Ow! My eyes!” He shielded his eyes with a hand. “It’s like staring into the sun!”

Hae Yeon’s bald head, which had been turned back over his shoulder, swung forward again, sending another blinding flash of light.

“Even you, Master Monk!” Jo Gul groaned, rubbing his eyes. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Hae Yeon looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight. “…Master,” he began hesitantly, then sighed. “I just… I can’t shake this feeling. Something behind us… it makes me uneasy.”

Jo Gul looked at him with disbelief, sighed, and called out to Yoon Jong.

“Ugh, Senior Brother.”

“What is it?”

“I think I still have a long way to go before I can keep up with Chung Myung.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“If it were Chung Myung, he would have said, ‘Your bald head is so shiny that it keeps bothering me! Because there’s no hair to block the wind!’ But I can’t bring myself to say that…”

“What nonsense are you saying? And in front of a monk! You crazy…”

Whack!

Jo Gul’s jaw snapped to the side. With a shriek, Jo Gul collapsed, and Yoon Jong shook his head, dusting off his hand. He then glanced at Baek Cheon.

“…Do you really think he’s not following us?”

“I guess so.”

Baek Cheon, equally uneasy, looked around again. However, Yoon Jong couldn’t tell if he was anxious about Chung Myung following them or anxious about him not following them.

“Is he really not coming?”

“…It seems like it?”

“Really?”

“⋯⋯.”

Baek Cheon trembled and said.

“Yoon Jong, you might say I’m worrying for nothing, but…”

“No, Martial Uncle. I understand.”

“I keep feeling anxious that Chung Myung will suddenly appear next to us, wearing a mask and screaming.”

Yoon Jong didn’t answer but glanced around. He didn’t say it, but Yoon Jong felt the same worry.

At that moment, Yoo Iseol said bluntly.

“He’s not following.”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon turned to her, and she added.

“He listens well, in his own way.”

“⋯⋯.”

Junior Sister, I think you’re wrong about him.

He’s not that kind of person…

“And if the Junior Brother disappeared, there would be even more chaos in Mount Hua.”

“Ah…”

Baek Cheon, suddenly understanding, nodded unconsciously.

That’s true.

It wasn’t just them worried about Chung Myung following. The people left at Mount Hua were even more worried.

So, if Chung Myung wasn’t seen in Mount Hua right now, the mountain would be in an uproar.

They looked back at Mount Hua. From here, the mountain looked peaceful, its green slopes rising into the clouds. The buildings on top were tiny dots.

“It doesn’t seem like anything’s wrong, does it?”

“It seems quiet.”

“There’s no way we could hear anything from here anyway.”

Surprisingly, Jo Gul spoke something sensible. Yoon Jong and Baek Cheon, who seemed to be in an abnormal state, stared at Jo Gul, speechless.

Jo Gul sighed deeply and clapped his hands together.

“Get a grip, you two! We need to go to the Yangtze River to investigate, what are you doing already?”

“⋯⋯Ugh.”

“Sigh.”

Sighs escaped from both of their mouths simultaneously.

They had been full of determination when they left the gates of Mount Hua, but now that they were descending the mountain, the absence of that damned brat’s chatter made them uneasy.

People notice when something is missing. Chung Myung’s absence was bigger than they thought.

Baek Cheon looked back at Mount Hua one last time and then started walking.

“Anyway… it really doesn’t seem like he’s coming. Let’s get going.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue and started walking.

‘So, I’m in charge now.’

Baek Cheon was always leading, but he never felt fully responsible before.

Not only that, but the others probably hadn’t thought so either. After all, the final decision always rested with Chung Myung. But from now on, they had to think for themselves and take full responsibility.

‘It’s heavy.’

It felt like a huge burden had been placed on his shoulders.

But this burden was also his to bear. If he was truly worthy of becoming the next Sect Leader of Mount Hua, that is.

“Alright, let’s go!”

“…You’ve said ‘let’s go’ about five times already, Martial Uncle.”

“Senior Brother Yoon Jong, please calm down a bit. Stop shaking your leg.”

“Pathetic.”

Baek Cheon, looking at his disciples with slightly sad eyes, began to trudge forward listlessly.

‘The first problem is to get those damned guys moving.’

The road ahead was long, and each step felt like a mountain.

Mount Hua was enveloped in a strange tension.

All the disciples’ attention was focused on Chung Myung. They didn’t know what kind of havoc he would wreak, now that he was left behind in Mount Hua by the Sect Leader’s order.

Faced with an unprecedented situation, the disciples were on edge, keenly aware of every move Chung Myung made.

“Isn’t he going to smash all the buildings?”

“That would be a relief. The problem is if we get smashed instead.”

“I’m so scared…”

In the midst of all this, the disciples of Mount Hua were reminded of the importance of the Five Swords.

It was true that those fellows had been influenced by Chung Myung and had been tormenting them, but they had also played the role of throwing themselves in front of him when that madman ran wild like a crazy bull.

As the saying goes, ‘If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.’

Now that the Five Swords were gone, they would have to throw themselves in front of that Chung Myung to stop his rampages.

‘I just hope he’ll be a pain in the ass within the bounds of common sense.’

‘He’s going to find fault with everything…’

‘Senior Brothers. Please come back quickly, please.’

But surprisingly, the problem they had been anticipating didn’t occur.

Instead, a completely different problem began to unfold.

The Mount Hua disciples sitting in the dining hall were all frozen with expressions as if they had seen a ghost. Their gazes were fixed on one place.

Tap.

Chopsticks lightly pick up some rice.

Chew. Chew. Chew.

He puts it in his mouth and starts chewing slowly, very slowly.

In fact, it’s not an unusual sight at all. It may be a little slow and overly meticulous, but there are many people who eat slowly, aren’t there?

But the faces of those watching the scene turned as pale as corpses.

‘Ch-Chung Myung is… eating rice with chopsticks.’

‘Oh my god, he’s chewing and eating instead of gulping it down.’

The passionate slurp slurp slurp sound is nowhere to be heard.

The dining hall was usually loud with the sounds of people eating quickly. But now, it was silent. Everyone watched Chung Myung eat slowly. Steam rose from the bowls of rice and soup, but no one dared to make a sound.

Chung Myung, who used to treat meals like battles, shoveling the food in front of him into his mouth and swallowing it with minimal chewing, is now picking up food with chopsticks and chewing it carefully.

The disciples of Mount Hua, watching the scene, realized one thing with chilling clarity.

It’s scary when a normal person acts crazy. But it’s even scarier when a crazy person acts normal.

‘Why the hell is he doing that?’

‘Mom, I’m scared…’

‘They say people die when they do things they don’t normally do.’

‘Just hit us, you bastard!’

It’s not just a matter of simple words and actions.

Wasn’t Chung Myung’s usual impression that of a demon from hell that would scare even the devils?

His shoulders were drooped, his eyes looked down, and his pupils were unfocused. This was not the Chung Myung they knew. This was not him.

Clack.

At that moment, Chung Myung put down the chopsticks he was holding.

Creak.

Then he got up from his seat, trudged over, opened the door, and went outside.

Clack.

The door closed quietly.

At the same time, a hellish silence descended upon the dining hall.

“Did you see that? He opened and closed the door with his hand.”

“He didn’t kick it with his foot…”

“Did you hear that just now? It was ‘clack’, ‘clack’! It wasn’t ‘bam’!”

“Oh, Primordial Celestial Lord…”

The disciples of Mount Hua, staring blankly at the door that Chung Myung had closed, exchanged glances with pale faces.

“W-What’s going on…?”

An indescribable fear began to sweep through the Mount Hua disciples.

“Huff, huff!”

Gwak Hwi desperately swung his wooden sword. His face was red with effort and frustration. Sweat poured down his face, and his breath came in ragged gasps. With every swing of the sword, sweat scattered in all directions.

‘I still haven’t been chosen.’

He knew it.

He was not yet at a level comparable to Yoon Jong or Jo Gul. He was doing his best, but the difference between them was still significant.

Even if he were the Sect Leader, he wouldn’t consider sending Gwak Hwi instead of them. To be blunt, wasn’t he even behind Baek Sang, who was becoming the backbone of the Treasury Pavilion, let alone the Five Swords?

‘I have to work harder.’

He knew that fact better than anyone else.

And he also knew that the only way to overcome the difference in skill was through bone-grinding effort.

Nevertheless, the reason why he couldn’t easily let go of his anxiety was only one.

‘Am I really keeping up with my Senior Brothers?’

No, probably not.

The gap was widening rather than narrowing.

Until recently, he could still spar with Jo Gul for a while, but recently, it’s been difficult to withstand even a few exchanges. He’s working hard enough to not be ashamed of anyone, but the gap is getting wider and wider, and his Senior Brothers are now out of sight.

‘I’m probably not the only one thinking this.’

So, he took a reckless step.

Knowing that he didn’t have the skills yet, and knowing that he wasn’t qualified, he begged the Sect Leader for the opportunity to learn the Ja Ha Shin Gong.

Was it out of greed?

No, it wasn’t that.

It was because if only his Senior Brothers learned the Ja Ha Shin Gong first, the opportunity to catch up with them would be lost forever.

It’s not that he envies them for getting stronger. It’s just that they are the standard of strength that Gwak Hwi has set, and he’s frustrated that he can’t get stronger faster. Everyone who went to see the Sect Leader together probably felt the same way.

‘How can I get stronger faster?’

How can I be like my Senior Brothers…?

“Eek!”

Gwak Hwi, enraged, swung his sword violently.

Because he was angry, the sword went the wrong way. He lost his balance, and his shaky legs gave way.

“Whoops?”

Fortunately, he was practicing with a wide gap, so there was no risk of anyone getting hit by the sword that veered to the side…

Boom!

At that moment, a loud noise rang out, and Gwak Hwi’s eyes trembled as if there had been an earthquake.

His wooden sword, which had been swung to the side due to the misdirection, was touching someone’s head.

That alone was a terrible accident.

That was bad enough. But what made Gwak Hwi shake even more was who he almost hit. It was someone very familiar…

“Ch-Ch-Ch-Chung… Chung Myung…”

Those who were training next to him all put their fists in their mouths and stared at him with wide eyes. Some were already chanting Buddhist prayers, wishing Gwak Hwi a peaceful afterlife.

“Ch-Chung Myung. This is not intentional… This is absolutely not intentional… This is…”

No… Why is Chung Myung here of all people…?

No, before that, why couldn’t this guy avoid it?

In any case, his fate was already sealed.

‘Just kill me cleanly.’

Gwak Hwi sensed his fate and closed his eyes tightly.

But at that moment.

“…Tsk.”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung casually pushed away the wooden sword that was touching his head.

“Train your lower body more. Even if your mind is distracted, if your lower body is strong, your swordsmanship won’t be distorted.”

“Huh?”

“If you want to get stronger, start with the basics first.”

“…Oh, okay. I understand.”

Chung Myung nodded at Gwak Hwi’s bewildered reply and then went on his way without a word.

Gwak Hwi and his fellow disciples stared blankly at the back of Chung Myung as he walked away into the distance.

“…What’s really going on?”

“Did he eat something wrong…?”

“Ah, no. When you think about it, it’s kind of logical…”

“Isn’t that the problem?”

“⋯⋯.”

Thud.

Gwak Hwi, who had dropped the wooden sword he was holding in his hand, muttered softly.

“…Is this a sign that Mount Hua is doomed?”

The world-collapsing murmur spread throughout the training ground, which was shrouded in silence.