Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 79

“Well, Elder?”

Hyun Young eyed Baek Cheon, who was gaping in astonishment, with a displeased expression.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

Baek Cheon quickly tried to fix things.

“Going to Hwaeum alone to drink alcohol is a serious mistake for a Third-Generation Disciple. Even if the Sect Leader allowed him to go to Hwaeum alone, drinking alcohol was not allowed! He should be punished.”

Hyun Young tilted his head slightly.

‘He seems to understand properly this time.’

Then I should punish that rascal immediately…

“You’re a fool who can’t understand a word I say.”

“……Yes?”

Hyun Young spoke, not hiding his anger.

“Do you decide the rules of the Hwasan Sect?”

“N-No, how could I ever?”

“So, among the rules of Hwasan that you speak of, is there a clause that forbids drinking alcohol outside the gates?”

“…….”

Baek Cheon couldn’t bring himself to speak.

No, there isn’t such a clause.

What sect would include a rule stating that disciples cannot drink alcohol outside the gates?

That’s something that’s supposed to be understood!

“And.”

Hyun Young looked directly at Baek Cheon.

“So what if he does?”

“……Elder?”

“So what if he drinks a little?”

“…….”

Was it just Baek Cheon’s imagination, or was Hyun Young’s face turning redder?

It wasn’t.

Soon, Hyun Young’s face was completely flushed, like a tomato in the summer sun, as he pointed a finger at Baek Cheon and exclaimed.

“There are so many good-for-nothing freeloaders who can’t even earn their keep! And you dare to nag at the one who’s feeding you all, just because he wants to buy himself a drink with his own money! Huh? Acting like a busybody when you’re supposed to be his Martial Uncle, huh?”

Huh? Martial Uncle? For readers unfamiliar with the term, a Martial Uncle is a senior member of the sect.

“You lot eat meat with the money your martial nephew earns! And you can’t stand that he wants to spend a penny or two of his own money on a drink! So you come running to tattle? You stingy, useless wretches!”

Baek Cheon stammered, his face blank with disbelief.

Being scolded for reporting that a Third-Generation Disciple was drinking was hard enough to understand, but Hyun Young’s reaction was even more baffling.

Wasn’t Hyun Young usually so calm and collected that people said he should have joined the Ice Palace of the North Sea instead of Hwasan, as he wasn’t fully utilizing his talents?

Seeing Hyun Young rolling his eyes and pointing fingers made it hard to tell if this was reality or a dream.

“Your martial nephew goes down to Hwaeum and earns money… No! Earns merits, while you, as his martial uncle, what do you do? You just swing your swords and guzzle rice! What makes you think you’re so great that you can criticize him? I ought to smash your heads in! Don’t eat, you lot! What have you done to deserve eating meat…?”

Bang!

At that moment, someone burst through the door violently.

“Haha! I found you, Disciple!”

The Head Monk Hyun Sang, wearing a strangely smiling face, rushed in, embraced Hyun Young from behind, and covered his mouth.

“Mmph! Mmph mmph! Let go of me… Mmph!”

“Haha. Let’s go out for a bit. Just for a moment, to a place without the kids. Ah, just stay still!”

Thud!

With the sound of the door closing, a strange silence filled the room. No one could easily open their mouths.

Chomp chomp chomp chomp.

The only sound in that strange silence was Chung Myung’s chomping as he ate his meal.

“What on earth…”

Baek Cheon muttered to himself.

“What is going on?”

It was a single phrase that represented the feelings of all the Second-Generation Disciples.

“Isn’t it too strange, Senior Brother?”

Even with the question directed at him, Baek Cheon simply put down the teacup in his hand without a word. It was an old, worn-out teacup that he had been using for a long time. Before his seclusion, he thought it had a certain charm. But looking at it again now, it seemed more pathetic than charming.

Well, this was the norm in Hwasan anyway.

Old furniture and old buildings. And old people.

The only hope of that dilapidated sect was the Second-Generation Disciples, and among them, the greatest hope was Baek Cheon.

But the sect he returned to after a year had changed so much that the phrase ‘sea turned into land’ seemed inadequate.

“It’s strange that the buildings are being built brand new, it’s strange that places that have been neglected for over ten years are being repaired, no… Well, all that is good. If you didn’t have money and then you get it, it’s natural to do the things you couldn’t do before. But!”

Baek Sang spoke as if he couldn’t contain his anger.

“Isn’t the attitude of the sect elders strange? I returned after a long seclusion, but the Sect Leader didn’t say much…”

“Didn’t the Sect Leader sufficiently commend your hard work?”

“Still, I came back after a whole year…”

“He is a very busy man.”

Baek Sang lowered his head slightly. Even he thought that bringing up the Sect Leader was too much. But that didn’t mean he was convinced.

“Putting the Sect Leader aside, aren’t Elder Hyun Young and Uncle Yun Geom just as strange?”

Baek Cheon didn’t give a specific answer. Anything he said would sound strange. If he agreed, it would seem like he was dissatisfied with the higher-ups, and if he disagreed, there were too many things that bothered him.

“Didn’t you notice? The higher-ups are protecting that kid.”

“Baek Sang.”

“Yes, Senior Brother!”

“I’m not so unaware that I wouldn’t notice.”

“…….”

How could he not know when he had been cursed at to his face?

“Senior Brother. Isn’t that guy a bit arrogant?”

“Hmm?”

“Even if the higher-ups are protecting him, shouldn’t he at least bow his head when Senior Brother acts like that? But that guy is…”

Baek Sang was about to say something but then closed his mouth.

If he had at least laughed mockingly, he would have cursed him out directly, but trying to curse at a guy who was just eating his meal as if he had no interest in anything made him feel uneasy.

“Hoo.”

Baek Cheon’s brow furrowed.

“And I don’t understand why Junior Sister Yoo is showing so much interest in that kid. Why on earth is Junior Sister Yoo…”

A small ripple formed in the teacup in Baek Sang’s hand.

“Well, isn’t that Junior Sister Yoo’s heart?”

“Junior Sister Yoo hardly ever talks to us. I’ve never seen her so actively talking to someone before. It’s not like we’ve only spent a day or two with Junior Sister Yoo, is it?”

“…….”

“I’m just saying, at least to Senior Brother…”

“Baek Sang.”

“……Yes, Senior Brother.”

“Don’t get too worked up.”

Baek Sang lowered his head again. And he glanced at Baek Cheon’s expression.

He tried hard to manage his expression, but Baek Cheon’s uncomfortable feelings were inevitably revealed on his face. He kept frowning.

‘Me, to that young brat.’

He wasn’t even a junior brother, but a junior nephew?

In a sect like Hwasan, the difference in seniority was literally like heaven and earth. Just as he could never defy someone from the Yun generation no matter what, Chung Myung should naturally do the same.

‘Arrogant bastard.’

Baek Cheon bit his lip slightly.

At that moment, Baek Sang, who had been shrinking back, cautiously continued.

“It’s frustrating, that’s why. I came back after completing that difficult training, but the elders don’t even acknowledge me, and a young kid who appeared out of nowhere is getting all the attention of the sect elders?”

“We’re past the age of receiving affection.”

“You know that’s not what I mean, don’t you?”

I know. I know it too well.

Baek Cheon sighed lowly.

‘It feels like things have quietly changed.’

Is it because I was away for so long?

The sect elders, who would have sought out Baek Cheon immediately upon his return to discuss the Hwajong Assembly and training, were not showing him much interest.

Instead, everyone was looking for Chung Myung.

A knot of unease tightened in Baek Cheon’s chest. *Didn’t like it* was too mild. He *resented* it. This shift in attention, this subtle change in the sect’s focus – it felt like a shadow creeping over his own hard-won achievements.

“Senior Brother, are you going to leave that guy alone like this?”

“If I don’t?”

“……Still, shouldn’t we give him a good scolding? If we leave him like this, Hwasan will go backwards. Senior Brother, you must step up to set the strict laws straight.”

Baek Cheon gave a bitter smile.

He didn’t like that the young brat was acting up, so he wanted him to beat him up nicely.

“First, calm down a bit.”

“Senior Brother!”

Baek Sang raised his voice, and Baek Cheon narrowed his brows. Seeing that expression, Baek Sang realized his mistake and lowered his eyes slightly.

Only after seeing that reaction did Baek Cheon nod in satisfaction.

“It’s not that I don’t want to do that either.”

“But why…?”

Baek Cheon shook his head and slowly put down the teacup.

“There is an order to things. Shouldn’t we find out why the martial uncles are protecting that kid so much?”

“Ah, that’s right. We should.”

“He’s coming.”

“Yes?”

No sooner had Baek Cheon finished speaking than someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Creak.

The person who came in with the sound of the door bowed respectfully.

“Disciple Yoon Jong greets the martial uncles.”

“Come in, come in.”

Baek Cheon pointed to the front.

“Sit down.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

Yoon Jong carefully sat down on the chair. He conveyed with his whole body that he dared not sit here. It was truly a polite attitude.

Baek Cheon liked Yoon Jong’s attitude.

‘A junior nephew should be like this.’

Not acting like that arrogant mudfish.

Baek Cheon, feeling slightly better, spoke in a relatively soft voice.

“Yoon Jong.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

“You’ve worked hard taking care of the sect elders as the senior disciple while I was away.”

“I only did what I should do as a disciple of Hwasan.”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s what you should do. But…”

Baek Cheon paused for a moment, and Yoon Jong glanced up to check his expression. And the following words were as expected.

“It seems that things that shouldn’t be happening are happening in Hwasan now.”

“Are you talking about Chung Myung?”

Baek Cheon didn’t give a definite answer. But there was no way Yoon Jong couldn’t guess his intentions.

“It is my fault for not properly leading my junior brother as a senior brother. If you are angry, please punish me, Martial Uncle.”

“No. It’s not something you can handle. That’s why I’m saying this.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

Baek Cheon wore a subtle smile on his lips.

“Tell me with your own mouth what happened while I was away. I will listen to it and decide on the future direction.”

Yoon Jong sighed deeply.

‘It’s only natural to explain to Martial Uncle, but I feel like I’m betraying Chung Myung.’

Before coming here, Yoon Jong had already asked Chung Myung. If it was okay to go to Martial Uncle and tell him what had happened so far. Chung Myung’s answer to that was very simple.

– Go.

“…….”

It would be easier if he would just tell me what to do.

Yoon Jong glanced at Baek Cheon once and then hardened his resolve.

“First of all, I think I should tell you the story from when Chung Myung first came to Hwasan.”

As Yoon Jong slowly began to tell the story, the Second-Generation Disciples held their breath and listened intently.

And as the story continued, Baek Cheon’s face gradually became more distorted.