Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 750

Hyun Jong held a cup of tea and walked slowly onto the wooden veranda.

The sound of a mountain bird singing drifted from somewhere, and a cool breeze touched his face.

He held the steaming teacup and looked up at the wide blue sky with a kind smile. The sun felt warm on his face, and the air smelled clean and fresh.

‘How peaceful,’ he thought.

A place of pure practice. Today, Mount Hua seemed to perfectly embody those words. The clear, pure air settled over the quiet, deep mountains.

Hyun Jong’s heart felt at peace…

‘Huh?’

Wait a minute.

Peaceful?

Hyun Jong tilted his head slightly.

‘Peaceful, did I say?’

Mount Hua?

He snapped his head around. He listened again, but all he could hear was the sound of birds.

He couldn’t hear the loud shouts of his disciples, or the sounds of training that he was used to hearing.

It was as if Mount Hua had been emptied; it was so quiet.

‘This isn’t peaceful.’

…Yes, it was strange. Wasn’t Mount Hua usually loud and full of energy? Now it was as quiet as a graveyard.

‘This can’t be happening?’

Of course, Mount Hua wasn’t always noisy. When that rascal Chung Myung took his disciples out, there were quiet moments, though not like this.

But wasn’t that rascal Chung Myung here on Mount Hua now?

Chung Myung and peace existing together was like mixing water and oil, or the sun and moon rising at the same time.

‘N, no way?’

A chill ran down Hyun Jong’s spine, and he jumped up from his seat.

“That rascal hasn’t slipped out of Mount Hua, has he?”

He had assigned several guards in case such a thing happened. Those remaining on Mount Hua might not be able to completely stop him, but they could at least confirm if he had left his post and disappeared. If something had happened, someone would have already come to report it.

“…So, he hasn’t left Mount Hua.”

Hyun Jong frowned after a moment of thought.

“No. No! I need to check with my own eyes.”

He abandoned all thoughts of peace and flung aside his teacup, rushing out. He rushed to Baekma Hall and threw the doors open quickly.

The Chung disciples, who were gathered in the living room of Baekma Hall, whispering amongst themselves, were startled to see Hyun Jong.

“S, Sect Leader!”

But only for a moment, as they soon rushed towards Hyun Jong with tears in their eyes.

“Sect Leader!”

“Sect Leader, help us! We are so scared!”

“Something is wrong with Chung Myung! I feel sick to my stomach!”

Hyun Jong, bewildered, widened his eyes and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“Chung Myung! Chung Myung is acting strange.”

“It’s like he took some medicine!”

“He looks like he’s about to die!”

“What?”

What was all this nonsense? Taking medicine and about to die?

“Wh, where is Chung Myung?”

“In his room…”

“Get out of my way!”

A startled Hyun Jong hurriedly ran upstairs.

“Chung Myung!”

He threw open Chung Myung’s door and immediately flinched, stepping back.

“Wh… What is… What is this…”

His mouth dropped open.

The room was unbelievably clean. Not a speck of dust anywhere. It was so clean, it was hard to imagine that the messy Chung Myung actually lived here.

And in that clean room sat Chung Myung, dressed neatly without a single speck of dust.

“Ah, Sect Leader.”

“U, uh?”

“You’ve arrived.”

Seeing Hyun Jong, he rose from his seat and bowed politely.

Hyun Jong’s face paled even more at the sight.

Bowing in perfect posture?

That rascal Chung Myung?

He always tilted his head so crookedly when he greeted people that Hyun Jong had even wondered, ‘Isn’t his neck unable to bend forward?’ But now, that Chung Myung was bowing in such a correct posture?

And so respectfully?

Hyun Jong felt a chill go down his spine. ‘This is wrong,’ he thought. ‘This is very, very wrong.’ Goosebumps popped up all over his arms.

If another disciple did this, he would have been delighted, thinking, ‘This rascal has finally come to his senses,’ but Chung Myung was no ordinary rascal.

“Wh, what were you doing?”

“I was reflecting on myself for a moment, Sect Leader.”

Reflecting on yourself?

You?

– No! I’m so busy running around, you know? Reflection? Self-reeeeeflection? If you have time for that, you should swing your sword even once more! Right now, the Jongnam bastards and the Wudang bastards are sharpening their swords at this very moment!

‘…He definitely said that.’

Did I hear something wrong?

Hyun Jong blinked his eyes and looked at the book spread out next to Chung Myung.

“What is that?”

“Ah, this is…”

Chung Myung held up the book and answered politely.

“The Tao Te Ching.”

“…What?”

“It is the Tao Te Ching, Sect Leader.”

Many things didn’t fit Chung Myung, but the most surprising thing to see him with was the Tao Te Ching, a very serious book about Taoism and philosophy.

“Wh, why are you…?”

He wasn’t planning to set Baekma Hall on fire, was he?

Then, Chung Myung opened his mouth. It was a truly solemn voice.

“I think I have been too lazy in my cultivation. Isn’t Mount Hua a Taoist sect?”

“Th, that’s… right?”

“As a disciple of a Taoist sect, a Taoist priest, I should not have neglected cultivating the Tao as well as the sword. Only now do I see my faults, Sect Leader.”

Again, if another disciple had said this, Hyun Jong would have been overjoyed, shedding tears of happiness.

But hearing these words from that rascal Chung Myung made him feel not joy, but goosebumps all over his body and his internal organs twisting.

It would be less strange to see a monster gently petting a kitten. This was completely unbelievable behavior from Chung Myung!

“You looked at that?”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“…Chung Myung.”

“Yes.”

Hyun Jong, with a terribly distorted face, raised his voice slightly.

“E, even if you do this, I will not let you go. There’s no need to put on such an act!”

This was clearly a trick.

He was clearly trying to show that he would never cause trouble, so he could follow the Five Swords right now.

But contrary to Hyun Jong’s thoughts, Chung Myung shook his head calmly.

“No, Sect Leader. Please do not misunderstand my intentions.”

Ah, that tone! Just say ‘you bastard’ like usual, you rascal!

“Then you’re saying you have no intention of following them?”

“The beginning of Tao is people.”

“…”

“And the beginning of a sect can be said to be trust.”

“Uh…”

Scary.

It was so bizarre that he was truly terrified. Words that Yoon Jong would only say when he was serious were now coming out of that rascal Chung Myung’s mouth.

“If I truly cared for Mount Hua, I should have trusted my fellow disciples. But I trusted my own meager skills and failed to trust them.”

“…”

“Only now does this foolish disciple understand the Sect Leader’s deep intentions. Letting go of attachments is the beginning of Tao. Knowing that I have not yet let go of my attachments, the Sect Leader has enlightened me. How can I repay this grace…”

“St, stop! Stop!”

In the end, Hyun Jong couldn’t bear it any longer and rushed to Chung Myung, grabbing his hands.

“Ch, Chung Myung! I was wrong! Don’t be like this!”

“I do not understand what you are saying, Sect Leader. Is this another way you are trying to teach me something…?”

“D, don’t do it!”

Hyun Jong was facing a fear he had never experienced in his life.

Time passed.

“…”

Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with increasingly hollow eyes.

He thought it would only last for a moment.

If he was deliberately acting, his true colors would soon be revealed. After all, people don’t change so easily.

But days passed, and even after three days, that rascal Chung Myung was still acting strangely.

Swish, swish.

The Chung disciples rushed to that rascal Chung Myung, who was sweeping the gate with a broom.

“Ch, Chung Myung, don’t do this! We’ll do it!”

“What are you saying, senior brothers? I am the youngest of Mount Hua, so of course I should do it.”

“Th, the youngest is So So!”

“So So is not here on Mount Hua right now. So, it’s right for me to do chores based on who is older and younger in Mount Hua.”

“Ch, Chung Myung…”

“If there is anything you want me to do, senior brothers, please tell me.”

“We do?”

“Yes, senior brother.”

“To you?”

“Yes, is there something strange about that?”

The Chung disciples writhed in agony with expressions that were neither crying nor laughing.

‘Just hit us, please!’

‘Why are you really doing this! There are so many ways to torment people!’

‘I feel like I’m going to throw up. My indigestion won’t go away.’

And the expressions of the Hyun disciples watching the scene were also strangely twisted.

“What…”

Hyun Sang opened his mouth, stuttering unlike his usual self.

“Could it be that he’s caught some kind of illness?”

“…”

“Maybe he’s suffered too much shock and his mind has become strange.”

“Be careful what you say! Strange! He’s just behaving very well and being good!”

“…Don’t you think that’s the problem?”

“What’s the problem? It’s good if a child becomes upright.”

It seemed that Hyun Young, who would think it was cute even if Chung Myung pulled out all his beard and made a wig out of it, couldn’t see the bizarreness.

‘Being good and well-behaved.’

A light of despair flickered in Hyun Jong’s hollow eyes.

Making Chung Myung into a human being was the greatest goal and task for him, the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. But it was perhaps a more difficult task than making Mount Hua a famous sect like in the past, so he hadn’t even dared to attempt it until now.

And Hyun Jong didn’t know, but making Chung Myung into a human being was the greatest goal even in Mount Hua’s past generations.

But… seeing the scene where that ultimate task was unexpectedly achieved, Hyun Jong wasn’t as happy or fulfilled as he thought he would be.

‘It’s like looking at a thunderbolt about to explode.’

No, it was like holding it in his hand.

“Ahem. He does seem a little listless.”

“Right? You think it’s strange too?”

“We should get him some tonic…”

“…”

Hyun Sang eventually turned his head away. Chung Myung was a big problem, but he thought this guy was a really big problem too.

“Sect Leader.”

Hyun Sang sighed and looked at Hyun Jong, saying.

“It would be better to send him away now…”

“Th… that’s out of the question.”

“Chung Myung may cause trouble, but that trouble has never harmed Mount Hua, has it?”

“It’s not just because Chung Myung is making things bigger. Imagine if I step down and Un Am or Baek Cheon becomes the Sect Leader. Wouldn’t they just let Chung Myung decide everything?”

Hyun Jong frowned as he briefly imagined the scene.

Even I hesitate now when I have to make decisions without asking Chung Myung. How much more would those who were younger and of lower rank be?

“Unless that rascal becomes the Sect Leader.”

“Excuse me?”

“What did you say?”

“…No. Unless, unless. I’m not saying I’ll make him the Sect Leader.”

“Whew. I thought…”

“I thought the Sect Leader was finally prepared to ruin Mount Hua this time.”

Seeing even Hyun Young say that, it seemed that this was truly something that couldn’t be done.

“Anyway, that won’t happen, so someone else needs to be the center as the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. To do that, they need to be able to make important decisions without that rascal Chung Myung, so I’m making them practice in advance. Especially Baek Cheon, more than Unam, needs to be able to do that.”

“…So that’s why you didn’t send Chung Myung.”

“Yes. Baek Cheon will also know my intentions.”

Hyun Jong looked at the distant sky with a determined face.

‘They’ll do well.’

It wasn’t that he wasn’t worried about sending them without Chung Myung. Even now, he was worried about the disciples who had left, and his heart wasn’t at ease…

“Chung Myung!”

“We’ll clean Baekma Hall! Please! Please put down that rag!”

“Ah, don’t do it!”

But, my children.

I’m sorry, but… it’s even more of a mess here right now.

Please come back soon.

Please…