Return of the Mount Hua

ROTMHS Glossary || About page

“This is where you’ll be staying from now on.”

“Here……”

Yang Hoe gazed meaningfully at the small thatched hut before his eyes. A modest, well-built house. Built atop a cliff, it looked somewhat strange and unsettling, but the view created by the clouds drifting right behind the house was enough to make one nod in appreciation even taking all that into account. Only…

Well. How should one put it…

‘It’s modest.’

It certainly wasn’t a house you could call lacking, but considering the financial resources of the Great Hwasan Sect, and recalling the people who lived here, even the word ‘shabby’ would not have been much of an exaggeration.

Still, in a Taoist sect that preached frugality, they couldn’t make some lavish pavilion their living quarters, could they? It was quite understandable.

‘Anyway, my life at Hwasan begins here.’

Steeling his resolve, he turned to Chung Mun as a sudden question came to mind.

“Then, will you also be staying here, Sahyeong?”

“In principle, yes. That’s right.”

Chung Mun nodded with a gentle smile.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the disciples of Hwasan all live under their Master’s care. One Master and his disciples share the same residence and live together like a family.”

“Ah……”

“And when a disciple grows up and takes on disciples of his own, he then is assigned new quarters and moves out. So until you’re old enough to take in a disciple yourself, you’ll be staying here, attending to your Master.”

“I understand, Saheyong.”

“……In principle, that is.”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Yang Hoe felt he was going to go mad from the nagging sense of unease. From a little while ago, everyone he met seemed to be hiding something from him. It felt as if there was something he absolutely should know, and he alone was being kept in the dark.

Looking back, there wasn’t just one or two things that were strange. As the oddities piled up, even this little thatched hut began to look strange. Until just a moment ago, it had simply seemed like proof of his Master Baek Oh’s integrity… But thinking about it, wasn’t it a bit strange that the thatched hut of Baek Oh, who was a very important figure even within Hwasan, would be all the way out here in this secluded spot?

‘The other residences weren’t all that far from the main sect grounds, so why is only this place so far away?’

Of course, that in itself wasn’t necessarily strange. If Baek Oh, who had this residence built, preferred seclusion, it was entirely possible.

However, both Baek Oh and Chung Mun, who would be living here, held significant responsibilities within Hwasan. No matter how fond they might be of secluded places, was it really possible for people like that to live this far from the main grounds?

Yang Hoe, famed for his quick wit as well as his prodigious talent, was not oblivious. No matter how he turned it over in his head, it was hard to shake the sense that something about the situation was unnatural and not quite right.

“Um…… Sahyeong. The reactions of the other senior brothers earlier seemed a little strange.”

At Yang Hoe’s question, Chung Mun turned his head and cleared his throat lightly. Then, with a calm expression, he replied in an even tone.

“…There’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s just that it’s been such a long time since Master last took in a disciple, that’s all.”

“Ah…… then after you, Chung Mun Sahyeong, Master has never taken another disciple?”

“Th… that’s right.”

“Ah!”

Yang Hoe nodded vigorously.

‘Right, that makes sense.’

Just by looking, it was clear that Chung Mun was not young. On top of that, since Chung Mun was the head disciple of the Chung generation, it meant that every disciple of the Chung generation whom Yang Hoe had seen on his way here had all entered the sect after Chung Mun.

While so many had joined, Baek Oh, who had taken not a single direct disciple in all that time, had now accepted a new one. It would be perfectly natural for them to be taken aback. And of course they could not help but be wary.

After all, there was a world of difference between a famed prodigy simply joining as a fellow disciple, and that same prodigy entering as the disciple of the next Sect Leader. If they thought of him as a child who would become a candidate for the next Sect Leader, they could hardly treat him lightly as just another junior.

Thinking of it that way, everything more or less fell into place.

‘So Hwasan is more sensitive to power dynamics than I thought. Well, it’s not as if any place in the world is really different.’

While Yang Hoe was agonizing over what sort of attitude he ought to take from now on, Chung Mun was quietly muttering to himself.

‘I didn’t lie. I did enter later, after all.’

“Since this is your first day entering the sect, I should really be spending the day here with you, but as you know, I’m in charge of many duties in Hwasan, so it seems I won’t have time to stay here today.”

“Ah! Yes, Sahyeong. Please don’t worry! Looking after me is a small matter, but attending to Hwasan’s official duties is of far greater importance, isn’t it? Of course you should focus on the greater tasks, Sahyeong.”

“……Really?”

“Yes. Please don’t worry about me, and go with an easy mind.”

Chung Mun nodded as though impressed. So this was the famous prodigy – indeed, the child’s depth of thought was well beyond his years.

“By the way, Sahyeong, then Master……?”

“Mm… Master does not often come back to his quarters.”

“Huh? Then where does he sleep?”

Chung Mun coughed awkwardly before answering.

“Well…… one who pursues the Tao is not bound even by his dwelling, so it’s not something you need concern yourself with.”

“Ah… this disciple has failed to fully grasp Master’s profound intention.”

“…Profound intentions, my foot.”

Chung Mun waved his hand a little irritably. Yang Hoe watched him with a puzzled look.

‘This really is strange.’

In his eyes, both Baek Oh and Chung Mun were anything but ordinary. Even though Yang Hoe was young, he had met many renowned figures in the world, and these two were undeniably extraordinary. Yet from both of them he could feel the same faint nervous exhaustion, they gave an impression of people who had been thoroughly tormented by something. It felt too unsettling to dismiss as nothing more than a passing mood…

“Anyway… You’ll have to spend the night alone today. Will you be all right?”

“Yes, Sahyeong. Although this disciple is still young, I am now old enough to take care of my own affairs. If Master and Sahyeong cannot devote yourselves fully to what you wish to do because of me, that would be a far greater burden to me. So please do not worry at all, and simply finish what you were doing.”

“Hmm, yes. You have such a broad heart and mature demeanor – this senior of yours is truly delighted.”

Chung Mun nodded, very pleased.

“Today there shouldn’t be any particular trouble, so you’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Tomorrow, no matter what, I will come back and stay here with you.”

“What? Sahyeong, there is no need to go that far…” 

“No! I will do so without fail! So there’s nothing for you to worry about!”

“Ah, understood.”

“That’s what any decent human being ought to do……”

“Eh?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Seeing the strange glint in Chung Mun’s eyes, cold sweat suddenly broke out all down Yang Hoe’s back. There really was something a bit off about this man.

Whether he knew what Yang Hoe was thinking or not, Chung Mun swept his gaze over Yang Hoe and the thatched hut behind him and spoke with utmost seriousness.

“Yang Hoe.”

“Yes, Sahyeong!”

“Do you know what will be the most important thing for you from now on?”

Yang Hoe nodded and answered with confidence.

“I believed it is to ceaselessly strive to improve myself, but Master said that the brotherly bonds between fellow disciples are more important than anything. So I intend to follow Master’s words.”

“Yes, diligence is important, and so is camaraderie. But my thoughts are a little different. May I tell you what I think?”

“Of course, Sahyeong! I will gladly listen with all my heart.”

Seeing Yang Hoe’s face full of expectation, Chung Mun brought up something slightly out of the blue.

“When I was still living at my family household…”

“……Yes.”

“I believed there was nothing in this world I couldn’t do.”

Yang Hoe was somewhat taken aback, but he continued listening. In truth, it was entirely believable. His time seeing Chung Mun had been extremely short, but from what he had shown so far, it was plain as day that he was no ordinary man. Surely Chung Mun too had grown up hearing the word ‘prodigy’ so often that he was sick of it. With that, such confidence was only natural, was it not?

As if guessing what Yang Hoe was thinking, Chung Mun looked straight at him.

“And that is probably the same for you.”

“Ah, no, Sahyeong, I……”

Startled, Yang Hoe tried to offer some sort of excuse, but Chung Mun cut in first.

“There’s no need to force it. Excessive modesty is worse than arrogance.”

“……Yes.”

“More importantly. That is why you must remember what I’m about to say.”

Chung Mun’s gaze grew serious.

“There are most certainly things in this world that cannot be accomplished with your own strength.”

Hearing those words, Yang Hoe nodded firmly.

“Yes. I understand, Sahyeong. As I am now, I’m nothing but a greenhorn……”

“No, no! That’s not it at all!”

“……Yes?”

Chung Mun’s face twisted as he spoke in a slightly agitated tone.

“I mean not just now, but for your whole life! I’m saying there are things that will exist that you cannot do anything about, no matter what you try. Even if you spend your whole life on it! No matter what means you use!”

“……Ah, but isn’t that a little too obvious?”

There are far too many things a person cannot do, are there not? A person cannot fly through the sky, nor can one live underwater. The fact that there are things you cannot achieve even with a lifetime of effort is all too self-evident.

“No, that’s not what I mean……. Uuuugh.”

Chung Mun looked at Yang Hoe, his gaze filled with some mix of regret and frustration, then finally let out a groan.

“Fine… You’ll understand once you’ve gone through it yourself. In any case, be sure to remember my words. And remember this as well: a person’s strength is not revealed when one runs into a wall, but in what comes after.”

“Ah, I understand, Sahyeong.”

“Keep it in mind! Absolutely!”

“Yes……”

Having wrung a reply out of him through sheer insistence, Chung Mun kept his eyes on Yang Hoe with a faintly troubled expression, then suddenly squeezed his eyes shut, turned his body, and walked away from the hut in quick little steps. Watching his retreating back in a daze, Yang Hoe let out a weak murmur.

“What on earth is he talking about…….”

Letting out a weak sigh, he turned his head and looked at the humble hut left standing there all alone.

Night fell quickly. Having already heard beforehand that, upon entering Hwasan, he would have to attend on his Master, Yang Hoe skillfully stoked the brazier, just as he had practiced, and prepared to spend the night. Since some provisions had been laid in, he considered cooking himself a simple meal, but he gave up on the idea when he realized he wasn’t particularly hungry.

After a quick wash, he sat down on the doorstep, and looked back over the day.

“……This is nothing like what I imagined.”

There seemed to be quite a large gap between the Hwasan he had imagined before entering, and the Hwasan he had actually experienced. How should he put it – before joining, when he pictured Hwasan, he imagined a Taoist temple filled with the scent of incense, where noble, refined Taoist monks lived. But the Hwasan he had observed over the course of this day was very different from what he had expected.

“Hwasan is said to have a stronger atmosphere of a secular world compared to other Taoist sects… is this what they meant?”

It wasn’t something one could call bad, but there was a peculiar feel to it. Above all, what felt most out of place were Baek Oh and Chung Mun. They seemed oddly distant from the image of a lofty, noble Taoist he had envisioned. Already being in a new place was enough, but with this sense of incongruity piled on top, he felt as though he had been swayed endlessly from the moment he stepped through the sect gates until now. Looking back, the day had turned to night even though he’d hardly done anything at all.

By this point, he could not help but doubt whether his choice to enter Hwasan had truly been the right one.

“……Well, what does it matter.”

But he brushed aside the distracting thoughts that were cluttering his head.

“It’s not as if I can turn back now! When you start anything, a few missteps are only natural. What matters isn’t what kind of place Hwasan is, but whether I can do well here.”

In the end, today was nothing more than preparation for the time to come.

“I’ve only just taken the first step.”

Muttering softly as if to clam himself, he smiled faintly. Thinking of it as the first step towards the grand, long journey he had planned, this much wasn’t so bad.

To be honest, Chung Mun was someone he could not hope to match right now. It was no exaggeration to say they were of entirely different caliber. Even speaking objectively, the gap between him and Chung Mun was like that between a grown adult and a child – setting aside martial arts, which was the most important part.

Yet Yang Hoe did not despair or grow fearful over that fact. What mattered was the future.

“There’s still plenty of time.”

There were still decades to go before Baek Oh took the seat of Sect Leader and the next generation’s Sect Leader was decided. Whatever might be said in other respects, he was confident that at least in terms of intellect, he would surpass Chung Mun. If he steadily broadened his capacity in the years ahead, then the possibility wasn’t zero.

“I’ll make sure it turns out that way!”

For now, he might be spending the night alone in a small, shabby thatched hut, but decades from now he would surely become a hero who roamed Gangho freely, leaving his name in its history!

“All right!”

Having settled his once-turbulent heart, Yang Hoe sprang to his feet. Night in the mountains was not just dark but pitch-black.

“If I’ve made a plan, I have to put it into action. I’ll sleep early tonight, and from tomorrow on, I’ll work even harder!”

He reaffirmed his resolve again and went into the room, closing the door. It was still a bit early to go to sleep, but since mornings in a martial sect were said to begin very early, he intended to turn in ahead of time for tomorrow’s sake. If he went to bed late because of needless excitement and then showed a disgraceful sight to his Master or senior brothers when they came looking for him at dawn, it would be a disaster. Far better to go to sleep early and wake in advance to greet them, wouldn’t that leave a much better impression?

After laying out the bedding, he put out the lamp, lay down, and closed his eyes.

‘Starting tomorrow, I need to show a sharper side of myself.’

He had to remember that the senior brothers already knew of him. If he showed even the slightest hint of laziness or negligence, the prejudices that came trailing behind the title of a ‘prodigy’ would surely cling to him like a tail.

‘It’s not enough for me alone to do well. All those senior brothers have to acknowledge that I’m worthy of the Sect Leader’s title. It’ll be difficult, but I have to pull it off, no matter what!’

Just then, with his eyes closed, Yang Hoe’s brow suddenly furrowed.

‘…Could it be that what Chung Mun Sahyeong said earlier was about this? That no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be able to threaten his position as Sect Leader?’

Yang Hoe’s body trembled. If that were truly the case, then in that short span of time, Chung Mun had grasped exactly what was going through his mind and even left him a warning. To Yang Hoe, who was still nothing more than a child who could not even begin to compare with him.

‘Chung Mun Sahyeong is an even more frightening person than I thought.’

Well, Hwasan was one of the most prominent Great Sects in the Central Plains. The idea that the man who would become its Sect Leader would not possess a ruthless heart would have been more unbelievable. His face might look as kind as could be, but somewhere beneath it had to be a depth of calculation ordinary people couldn’t even imagine.

‘I’ll have to learn from that side of him too!’

If there was one thing Chung Mun had failed to see and had overlooked, it was that Yang Hoe was not the sort of person who would meekly bow his head just because someone tried to press him down by force. If he were, could he ever have overcome the ferocious opposition of his family and entered Hwasan in the first place?

“Let’s see how this goes, Sahyeong!”

It was just then, as Yang Hoe’s competitive spirit was blazing, that…

Bang!

“Ah, damn it.”

The door, which had been closed, suddenly flew open so violently it looked as though it might break, and from the doorway came a brash, youthful curse. Startled out of his wits, Yang Hoe sucked in a sharp breath and hurriedly sprang to his feet.

“How many days are they planning to keep a person locked up, those damned bastards!”

Then, turning towards the voice coming from the doorway, Yang Hoe opened his mouth.

“Wh-Who…….”

“What? Who are YOU?”

“Huh?”

The figure of the intruder, hidden by the darkness, slowly came into view. Yang Hoe blinked vacantly. A little brat was standing in the wide-open doorway. Small enough that he looked easily three or four years younger than Yang Hoe.

Normally, Yang Hoe did not place much importance on a person’s age. Appearance and age were just an empty shell to begin with, weren’t they? Even so, there was a particular reason he felt compelled to first gauge the age of the child standing at the door. It was because the expression on that rather young-looking face did not match that appearance in the slightest.

‘How can a kid be that annoyed?’

When children get fussy, it usually means a sulky pout when their snacks are taken away, or a crying fit when they’re upset, doesn’t it? But this child, with that babyish face, was wearing an expression plastered all over with a thick, pure annoyance.

Because of that, the first impression was truly bizarre. The funny thing was, even so, the child standing in the doorway still looked pretty cute. After carefully observing him and feeling a faint sense of fondness, Yang Hoe opened his mouth, thinking he might as well greet him first.

But at that moment, the child, staring straight at Yang Hoe, tilted his head to the side and spoke first.

“What the hell?”

“Huh?”

“And who the hell are you, sprawled out sleeping here? Are you crazy?”

Ah, forget it. That little brat was not cute in the slightest. Not even a speck. Never mind cute – he was barely even human.

“Hey.”

“……Yes?”

“Are you deaf? I’m asking you: why are you lying here passed out asleep?”

Yang Hoe’s mouth fell open.

Of course, he was still young himself, so it wasn’t as if he’d seen that much of the world. But this, without question, was an unusual experience by anyone’s standards. How many people in this world had ever been cussed out like that by a child who looked as if he could fit into one fist?

About to blurt something out in sheer disbelief, Yang Hoe suddenly froze as a thought flashed through his mind, and he snapped his mouth shut.

‘W-Wait! This is Hwasan!’

He had nearly forgotten that this was a place where the common sense of an ordinary household did not apply. If he’d slipped up, he might have made a serious mistake. Yang Hoe asked carefully.

“Um, excuse me, but…… May I ask your name……?”

“Huh? Me? I’m Chung Myung.”

At the reply, Yang Hoe exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

‘I almost got myself in real trouble.’

Chung meant he was of the Chung generation. In that case, this little child would be his Sahyeong. In the first place, generational rank always took precedence over age. If he had been careless just because the child was young, he’d have had problems from the very first day.

“Ah, then you’re the one in the Chung generation who received the Taoist name Myung…….”

“What are you babbling about, my name is just Chung Myung.”

Ah? So that wasn’t it?

Yang Hoe’s face went blank with confusion.

Come to think of it, Chung Mun Sahyeong had said it himself: there were no other disciples between Yang Hoe and him. And there was no particular reason for the other Chung disciples to come all the way out to this remote place. At this hour, they would each be in their own quarters as well. Which meant this child was not his Sahyeong…

‘Then what is a child doing here?’

At that moment, a thought flashed through Yang Hoe’s mind.

‘Ah, that’s right! Hwasan may be Taoist sect, but it’s a sect that permits marriage.’

Hwasan even allowed the direct disciples who resided on the main mountain to marry. It was only natural that those who married would have children. In that case, the children of those resident disciples who remained in the sect after marriage would, of course, live here as well. A Taoist name was something given to those who chose to devote their entire lives to Hwasan. If the child was still too young to choose his own path, he could very well live in the main sect without yet being a disciple of Hwasan.

“Ah, so you mean Chung Myung is your given name, not a Taoist name?”

“You heard me the first time, and you’re asking again? Ha, this guy is really stupid.”

Yang Hoe’s face twisted. In all his life, it was the first time – he swore it – the very first time anyone had ever called him stupid!

‘Where on earth did such an ill-mannered child come from?’

No matter how young you are, there’s still a minimum level of courtesy people ought to observe with one another, isn’t there? Especially since, up until just yesterday, Yang Hoe had been walking the path of a Confucian scholar. Even if he had now chosen to join the Taoist path, what he had learned did not simply vanish.

However…

‘For now, I should test the waters before crossing the bridge.’

He couldn’t rule out even a one-in-a-thousand, one-in-ten-thousand possibility. For that reason, Yang Hoe forced the friendliest smile he could manage and opened his mouth. After all, they said no one could spit in the face of a smiling man.

“Khmm, um, then…… are you not a disciple of Hwasan……?”

“And what’s with this little punk? Hey! I asked first, so why are you asking me again? I’m asking why you’re sprawled out here sleeping!”

……No, seems there are people who’ll spit. Ah, right, you’re the kind who spits.

“Not answering? You got a death wish?”

At that moment, the Confucian spirit Yang Hoe had been suppressing with great effort surged violently to the surface. A stern old scholar, leaning on a cane, rose within him and began shouting for him to discipline this insolent brat at once. Yang Hoe straightened his back and declared sharply.

“Excuse me there, Sohyeong*!”

“Sohyeong?”

“Even if you, Sohyeong, have been living on Hwasan longer than I have, this is still our first meeting today! The rules of a Taoist sect and those of a secular world may differ, but the fact that there are courtesies people must observe with one another does not change!”

“So-? As in ‘little’? You calling me ‘little’?”

The child’s eyes trembled. Seeing that, Yang Hoe raised his voice even more sternly.

“To speak informally to someone you’ve met for the first time, and on top of that to fling crude words laced with curses, is entirely out of line, is it not?! Have you not even been taught something that basic?”

“Not taught? Are you calling me ignorant?”

“I do not know how high a position your parents may hold, Sohyeong! But even if they do, that does not make your conduct acceptable! Do you understand what I am saying?”

“……Pa……rents?”

The child’s pale cheeks began to twitch. Seeing that reaction, Yang Hoe seized the moment and slapped his hand down on the floor with a sharp smack.

“In a sect, there are originally strict rules and codes of conduct, and such an attitude must never be allowed! If Hwasan is truly a Great Sect, then each and every person living on Hwasan must speak and act in a manner befitting that Great Sect! Do you understand what I am saying?”

Even as he went on with his speech, Yang Hoe’s chest was blazing with flames.

The situation was more or less obvious. That child was, without a doubt, the offspring of someone who held a high position within Hwasan. That was why he acted so insolently. Judging by that utterly heedless attitude, it was clear that the child’s parents were simply tolerating and shielding his rudeness.

Perhaps scolding this child might bring trouble to his future life at Hwasan. Even so, Yang Hoe straightened his back proudly without hesitation.

For Hwasan to be the greatest sect under Heaven – as he believed – it had to be upright from its very foundations. Even if he had only entered today, he could not turn a blind eye to what was wrong, nor compromise with it.

‘Now that it has come to this, it would be better if this turned into a big deal.’

If that happened, he could leave a clear impression on everyone with his logic and his proper attitude. Even if this incident made his life at Hwasan difficult, it would surely become nourishment for his future.

‘All right then! Do as you please!’

Steeling his resolve, Yang Hoe stared straight at the child before him. However… things began to unfold a little differently from how he’d imagined.

At some point, the child had dropped his head and let his shoulders sag, and now he muttered in a voice clearly smaller than before.

“Uh…… so what you’re saying is…… I’m ignorant and half-baked, is that it?”

For a moment, pity flickered across Yang Hoe’s face as his heart softened. Who would have thought that this ill-mannered brat would become so dejected over just a few words? Didn’t that mean there had not been a single person in Hwasan who had properly scolded this child until now?

‘This won’t do!’

Realizing what he had to do for Hwasan, Yang Hoe spoke again in a somewhat gentler tone.

“There is no need to be so hurt. The very fact that you understood what I said already makes you quite admirable, Sohyeong. Besides, strictly speaking, you are not at fault. An adult must bear full responsibility for his own mistakes, but when a child does something wrong, that responsibility lies with his parents. It is not you who are at fault, Sohyeong, but rather the adults of your household who……”

“……Parents?”

“That is so. And so, Sohyeong, you……”

And at that moment, the child slowly lifted his head.

“Paaaaarents?”

“S-Sohyeong?”

Just then, Yang Hoe saw it. The child’s eyes, half rolled back. And after that, the world suddenly grew dim.

‘What the…?’

Startled, Yang Hoe’s eyes flew wide open. No, the lamp had been put out, so of course it was dark, but there had at least been moonlight seeping in through the door – so why had it suddenly become this dark? It wasn’t as if the door had been closed…… Ah. It wasn’t that it had gone dark. Something was blocking it. Then what was this in front of his eyes…

‘Ah. A shoe……’

Boooooom!

In that instant, the child’s foot slammed mercilessly into Yang Hoe’s face.

“Gyaaaaaaaah!”

Kicked in one blow, Yang Hoe let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered and flew straight into the wall of the hut. As his consciousness flickered and faded, the last sound that reached his ears was this.

“You need to HAVE parents to teach you anything, you little bastard!”

Third part of the side story >>>

________

*소형 – the same as Sohyeop, Sojeo (in the Glossary) where So- means little/small/junior. 

________

Please, subscribe/donate on Patreon or Buymeacoffee – support my work and help me buy official cookies to purchase the chapters. My schedule is on the About page.