Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 752

A groan rippled through Baekmae Hall. Dust motes danced in the weak sunlight slanting through the high windows, making the air feel heavy and still. The disciples slumped on the wooden benches, their shoulders hunched. They turned to each other, faces pale and tired.

“Ugh…” Yang-ho mumbled, rubbing his stomach. “…I can’t even think about food.”

“Tell me about it,” another disciple sighed, his voice weak. “My stomach is in knots. Indigestion is terrible.”

“Nightmares,” a third voice whispered, barely audible. “Three nights in a row. I can’t sleep properly…”

They stared at each other’s thin faces, seeing their own exhaustion reflected back. A heavy silence fell, broken only by a collective sigh that seemed to carry all their misery.

“Why… Why is he doing this?”

“Isn’t he just mad?”

“He was always mad, though.”

“That’s true, but…”

It wasn’t that he was crazy. It was the opposite. He was so normal, it felt crazy.

“So, what is that madman… No, what is that perfectly sane person doing now?”

“He’s sweeping and cleaning Okcheon Hall.”

“Okcheon Hall?”

“Yes. He says… the foundation of every sect is the ancestral shrine, and a sect that doesn’t properly care for its ancestral shrine doesn’t properly respect its ancestors, so he’s going to clean it again…”

Yang-ho buried his face in his hands. *Why him? Why now?* He felt like screaming, but even that seemed too exhausting.

After a moment of anguish, his shoulders slumped again. Testimonies poured in from the side.

“It’s creepy. I watched him clean for a while, and he kept saying ‘Sect Leader, Sect Leader…’ to himself.”

“Sect Leader? You mean Baek Cheon, our martial uncle? But ‘Sect Leader’ is what people of the same rank call him, right? Only elders should use that title. Why is he doing that?”

“How would I know what’s going on in his head? He seems completely out of it.”

“I’m going crazy. Really…”

Imagining Cheong-myeong frantically sweeping and cleaning the ancestral shrine while muttering strange things sent shivers down his spine.

Then, Gwak Hwi, glancing around cautiously, opened his mouth with care.

“But, senior brothers, junior brothers.”

“Hm?”

“If we think about it calmly, it’s not such a bad thing. It looks strange and it’s hard to accept, but if you think about it, hasn’t Cheong-myeong become nicer?”

“…That’s the problem.”

“No. It is a problem, but…”

Gwak Hwi said firmly.

“Once we get used to it, wouldn’t it be a good thing? Do you prefer the nice Cheong-myeong or the crazy Cheong-myeong?”

“Is that even a question, you imbecile!”

Yang-ho, who had burst out shouting, said as if there was no need to think.

“The crazy one is better!”

“Yes?”

Gwak Hwi, taken aback by the unexpected reaction, questioned him. But the others nodded in unison, as if agreeing with Yang-ho.

“Cheong-myeong is better when he’s crazy.”

“At least that one is familiar.”

“That’s right.”

Gwak Hwi’s pupils trembled.

No, that’s… When you listen to it, it sounds right… Uh…

“Besides, if I keep seeing him like that, I’m going to die of frustration.”

“My sentiments exactly!”

“Oh, Primordial Celestial Lord. Why do you inflict such trials upon us?”

The disciples sighed with despairing faces.

“…Still, he’ll stop after a while, right?”

“Do you know how many days it’s been already? He can’t keep up an act like that.”

“Then you don’t think he’ll keep doing that?”

“Surely…”

Everyone shuddered once and looked at the same place. It was the direction of Okcheon Hall, where Cheong-myeong was sweeping and cleaning.

Squeak.

Squeak squeak!

Light radiated from the statue of the Jade Emperor, which was located on one side of Okcheon Hall. It was so polished that it looked brand new.

Squeak squeak!

Cheong-myeong wiped the face of the statue with a clean cloth.

“Hmm, this part is a bit…”

Scritch.

He carefully trimmed a slightly protruding part of the statue, and the proportions were adjusted. Cheong-myeong murmured with a bright smile.

“Done.”

Neat. Neat.

His face was full of satisfaction. He looked around Okcheon Hall with a fresh expression.

Okcheon Hall, usually called the ancestral shrine, was where the memorial tablets of the successive Sect Leaders of Mount Hua were kept, a place to honor the spirits of the ancestors.

“This place has changed a lot too.”

When he first entered Mount Hua, there was almost nothing left in Okcheon Hall. Not only were the expensive ritual vessels and antique Taoist items gone, but even the treasures that Mount Hua had collected had all been sold off, leaving only the memorial tablets.

However, as Mount Hua accumulated wealth and Hyeon-yeong reorganized the interior of Mount Hua, Okcheon Hall also regained some of its former appearance.

“Well, it’s still a bit of a concern that there’s no White Plum Blossom…”

The Hidden Fragrance White Plum Blossom, which was one of the two great treasures of Mount Hua along with the Ja Ha Sword, had not yet been found. Even after making inquiries through the Eunha Merchant Guild and the Beggars’ Sect, its whereabouts were still unknown. It seemed that it was either stuck in the warehouse of a rich family with a collecting habit, or someone who didn’t understand its value had resold it cheaply.

Still, it was definitely a shame that they hadn’t been able to retrieve an item that was called a treasure. But it wasn’t a particularly important matter. What was more important than the treasure was Mount Hua itself.

Cheong-myeong began to wipe the ancestral tablets one by one with a clean cloth.

“Sect Leader, the descendants of Mount Hua have grown up a lot. I’m so proud to see it. I think it’s time for everyone to become independent. What you and I wanted…”

– Cut the crap! You bastard! Why are you doing this!

“Why are you shouting like that? I need to grow up now.”

– Huh…

Cheong-myeong began to wipe the memorial tablets one by one with careful hands. Only after doing that for a long time did he capture the appearance of Okcheon Hall, which was incomparably cleaner than when he first started cleaning, in his eyes.

“Hmm, good.”

He nodded in satisfaction and neatly folded the cotton cloth to organize it.

“Sect Leader.”

Then, he suddenly murmured as he looked at the memorial tablet.

“When I think about it, the Sect Leader is right. Cheongjin said that. He said that I can’t leave anything behind in Mount Hua. That also means that I don’t understand the ordinary disciples, but conversely, it also means that the disciples can’t grow any bigger in my arms.”

While Cheong-myeong was there, Mount Hua would not suffer from the oppression of other sects. Just like the Mount Hua of the past.

But what about after Cheong-myeong disappeared?

In the end, the remaining disciples would have to lead Mount Hua on their own. If Cheong-myeong continued to act as he did now, the remaining disciples of Mount Hua would only struggle with Cheong-myeong’s absence.

That was not what Cheong-myeong wanted.

Hadn’t he already experienced Mount Hua’s miserable downfall after he disappeared? What Cheong-myeong wanted was not a Mount Hua that was strong because he was with them, but a Mount Hua that was strong even without him.

“The kids might be having a hard time right now, but in the end, they’ll be able to do well on their own. They might get hurt a little and have a hard time… That’s how they’ll know how precious I am… No, no. That’s how they’ll grow.”

– I think your true feelings are showing.

“Ehehey. Why are you nitpicking again? It’s a mistake, a mistake.”

Cheong-myeong waved his hand.

And with an uncharacteristic serious face, he looked out at Mount Hua, which could be seen from outside Okcheon Hall.

“I’ve been thinking that I should step back little by little someday. It’s just that it’s a little faster than I thought. This must be right. Hyun Jong Sect Leader said so, and Baek Cheon Martial Uncle said so too.”

Of course, that didn’t mean that Cheong-myeong was really going to retire as a backroom old man. In the meantime, Cheong-myeong had been excessively involved in all the affairs of Mount Hua, even considering his abilities. Recently, he had to sacrifice more than a certain amount of personal training time.

Now, everything was gradually finding its place. In the end, just like the Mount Hua of the past, they had to complete a system in which Mount Hua gained strength just from Cheong-myeong’s presence, even if Cheong-myeong didn’t have to come to the forefront.

“I need to trust my disciples more. That’s the role of an adult.”

Cheong-myeong’s expression became a little more relaxed.

It felt a little empty as his child, who had been toddling along, ran away from his arms, but still, this was a natural change and the way of the world.

“Then what should I do next?”

Cheong-myeong picked up the basket containing the cotton cloths and left Okcheon Hall.

And he decided on the area around the Sect Leader’s residence as his next destination and moved his feet. No, he was about to move.

“Sect Leeeeader!”

“Huh?”

A person came rushing out of the mountain gate with a loud voice and tremendous speed.

“Huh? Clan Leader Yu-reung?”

Cheong-myeong, confirming that it was Do-woonchan, tilted his head. Was that person still in Hwaeom? Why hasn’t he returned?

“Sect Leader! Is the Sect Leader here!”

The door to the Sect Leader’s residence burst open at the loud shout. Hyun Jong rushed out with a surprised face and greeted him.

“Clan Leader. What brings you here?”

“I, I found him!”

“Yes?”

Do-woonchan shouted with a pale face.

“I, I found one of the disciples who went out on a trade mission and went missing.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

“I, is he alive?”

“Yes! Fortunately, it seems he survived. That child somehow sent a letter…”

“Yes.”

“It’s the bandits. He says he was attacked and fell into the Yangtze River, but he survived by the skin of his teeth.”

Everyone’s faces hardened, including the elders who had gathered by now.

“Hmm. That’s not good news. But isn’t that what we expected?”

“The important thing is what comes next.”

“Yes?”

Do-woonchan took a moment to catch his breath and swallowed hard.

“The bandits who attacked him kidnapped all the people on board to prevent this news from reaching Mount Hua’s ears.”

“…Kidnapped? Did you just say kidnapped?”

“Yes. Sect Leader! I’m sure of it.”

“…What is this…!”

Hyun Jong’s face turned cold.

“What are they going to do with innocent civilians?”

“I heard that bandits kidnap civilians and sell them as slaves to foreign countries…”

“Are there such crazy bastards!”

A curse word came out of Hyun Jong’s mouth, who rarely used harsh words.

Committing evil deeds against fellow martial artists was a completely different matter from harming civilians.

And… ‘If the rumor spreads that all this happened because of Mount Hua, how will the world see Mount Hua?’

Of course, Mount Hua was not at fault. It wasn’t a crime to start a business.

But the public sentiment of the world was subtle, and it didn’t always work according to common sense. If the word spread that civilians had suffered great damage because of the business that Mount Hua had started, Mount Hua’s name could fall to the ground.

“Sect Leader. Shouldn’t we take action quickly?”

Hyeon-yeong said in an uncharacteristically serious voice. He couldn’t possibly not know the seriousness of this situation.

“Hmm. We must rescue them as soon as possible.”

Hyun Jong nodded firmly.

“If we miss the timing and the civilians are sold as slaves, it will be really difficult to rescue them…”

But no matter how quickly they dispatched more disciples, it would take time to arrive.

‘Even if I send a letter to Baek Cheon… it would be difficult for them alone to deal with the bandits’.

Is there really no other way…

After much deliberation, Hyun Jong, having made up his mind, opened his eyes wide and shouted.

“Cheong-myeong!”

“Yes?”

Hyun Jong quietly stared at Cheong-myeong, who had already approached and answered.

Yes. This was better. Rather than seeing him like that…

“It seems you should go to the Yangtze River first. I will send other disciples through Un-geom, so go ahead and prevent the bandits from selling the civilians as slaves.”

Even if it was impossible to annihilate the bandits, Cheong-myeong’s abilities would be enough to do that much.

Then the main force of Mount Hua would arrive in the meantime, and then they could wipe out the bandits. Hyun Jong was inwardly praising himself for this perfect calculation when…

“The Yangtze River?”

“That’s right!”

“Me?”

“Yes, you…”

Wait.

Did that bastard just say ‘me’?

Hyun Jong, pondering the words that Cheong-myeong would never say, turned his gaze with a blank face.

And at that moment, Hyun Jong saw it.

The face of Cheong-myeong, who had been consistently gentle and calm for the past few days, was filled with all sorts of malice in the world. He even saw the sight of his head tilting crookedly to the side.

“Why me?”

“…”

Ah… This, I think it’s ruined…