Return of the Mount Hua

There’s no need for you to understand. (4)

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The meeting that followed did not last very long.

It could not have. For a meeting to drag on, there had to be some arguments. However, in an atmosphere where no one other than Un Am could speak, only one-sided communication continued.

In the end, the Sect Leaders gathered at Hwasan all agreed to establish a communications network and chain of command centered on Hwasan, for the efficient and effective restoration of the world.

The practical details would require a little more discussion, but those would gradually be put in place. That is, unless all the countless capable minds under heaven were simply idling away their days.

“Tsk. That ended a bit anticlimactically.”

In the training grounds, after the Sect Leaders had departed, Hong Daekwang smacked his lips in apparent disappointment.

“I thought you’d beat up another two or so to set an example.”

Baek Cheon was horrified when he heard that.

“No, what do you mean, ‘set an example’? Do you think we called this Alliance Assembly just to beat people up?”

“No?”

“…”

When Baek Cheon fell silent, Hong Daekwang snickered.

“You did well. Those old geezers were going a bit too far. Even I, just passing news along in the middle, felt my blood boil more than once and wanted to rush over there.”

“It seemed that the Grand Elders had a great deal to worry over as well.”

“They must have. But it will be all right now.”

“…Because the talks went well?”

“Talks? Huh?”

“Let’s just call it ‘talks’ for now.”

Hong Daekwang laughed again, clutching his belly, then suddenly turned serious.

“Do you all happen to know what Hwasan’s greatest problem was?”

“Well? There are so many problems that it is hard to name just one.”

“Not many people have actually seen Hwasan Shinryong.”

“What? But he ran all over the world like a madman.”

When Jo Geol tilted his head and voiced his doubt, Hong Daekwang merely shrugged.

“That is true as well. It is true that he made allies wherever he went. But the world is a rather large place, is it not? The martial artists you have encountered would not even amount to one-tenth of all the martial artists in existence. No, even saying one-tenth would be giving them far too much credit.”

“Hm, I suppose that is true.”

“Exactly. That is why they did not know. They did not know just how insane Hwasan Shinryong is. That is where all the problems began.”

“…”

“But everyone knows now, do they not? That alone has resolved most of the problems.”

“No. How could that possibly…”

“You will see. What do you think it feels like for people to have to accept this fact? ‘The greatest swordsman under heaven isn’t in his right mind, and he might burst through my front door tomorrow with a sword clenched between his teeth.’”

Hong Daekwang had known this fact from the very beginning. That was why he had established himself in Shaanxi before anyone else. In return, he had even risen to the position of Sect Leader of the Beggars Sect.

But the people of the world had not realized that fact in time. And that was why they had suffered such humiliation today.

‘This is why information is power. Tsk, tsk.’

Young people valued information, while those who had grown older valued experience. That was why the front waves of the Yangtze River are eventually pushed aside by the waves behind them.

The Beggars Sect was a sect that cooperated with Hwasan unconditionally. The sects belonging to Cheonumaeng would likely not be much different from the Beggars Sect. Was that because Hwasan’s own direction and philosophy were so exceptionally outstanding that they could lead everyone?

‘As if that could be true.’

Hong Daekwang wore a smug smile.

“Now that those old men understand the situation, they will become more cooperative.”

“…Well, with an immediate threat hanging over their heads like that, I suppose they will.”

Yoon Jong replied, though he still looked unable to shake off his lingering concern.

“But will this not become poison to Hwasan in the long term? It did not seem like that brat Chung Myung particularly favored driving people into a corner in such a manner, either.”

“Hmm. You’re still unfamiliar with how the world operates.”

“Pardon?”

Hong Daekwang bared his yellow teeth in a broad grin.

“Just wait and see. You will understand soon enough.”

…And it was proven that Hong Daekwang’s words had not been wrong before even a few hours had passed.

“…What is that?”

“I heard that’s the line of people waiting for an audience with the Sect Leader?”

“Then what is that? There are two lines.”

“Ah, that one is the line for an audience with the Retired Sect Leader.”

“…Then what are all those people gathered in a crowd beside it, without even standing in line?”

“They say those people are waiting for Chung Myung to come out of White Plum Hall?”

“…”

Baek Cheon was left speechless. For a moment, it felt as though the world had spun before his eyes.

“No, this……”

To speak frankly. Yes, it truly had felt satisfying. After all, considering everything Hwasan had done until now, the way they had been treated had been deeply unfair and infuriating.

That was probably why he had not gone out of his way to stop Chung Myung. No matter what happened afterward, he had felt they needed at least one chance to vent all that pent-up resentment.

But somewhere in his heart, he had worried that this incident might cause Hwasan to lose a certain measure of the public support it had gained. Deep down, he had even considered that only natural.

And yet…

“Were not about half of them supposed to leave today?”

“That is what I remember, but….”

“How many have left so far?”

“….Not a single person has left yet.”

“…”

“The Eunha Merchant Guild is in an uproar right now. They’re asking why no one’s leaving. They’ve already gone through all the food and daily necessities they originally prepared, and they’re saying it won’t be easy to bring in more supplies.”

“Did you not relay that to the people over there?”

“I did.”

“What did they say?”

“They said they would take care of such things themselves, so we should not concern ourselves with it. They said that, if there would be such a need, they would go down to Hwaeum to eat and come back up. They only asked us not to take away their lodging.”

“Uh, well….”

Could this really be all right? No, was this really something that could be all right?

Well, of course… the Sect Leaders had already been fairly cooperative before. Even before that old man, the Illusory Phantom Divine Lord, had been thoroughly beaten by that brat Chung Myung, they hadn’t openly caused any trouble.

But people had a certain atmosphere about them, did they not?

“Ah, Dojangs.”

“Yes?”

“Have some of this, would you. They are roasted chicken legs I bought in Hwaeum, and they are rather excellent.”

“…Pardon?”

“Come now, come.”

Before they knew it, the disciples of Hwasan each had a chicken leg in hand as they blankly stared at the bustling crowd.

“No matter how I look at it, they seem to have become three times as friendly.”

“If it were only three times, there would be nothing to complain about.”

“…If public favor was this easy to gain, then what on earth had all the things we did until now been for?”

“Either way, it is a good thing.”

“That is true.”

A hollow laugh escaped them.

So this was what the world looked like from the position of the strong. It was astonishingly kind. He could now vaguely understand why the people of other sects were so obsessed with a little prestige or a trivial appraisal.

‘Of course, it must not become that way.’

The identity that made Hwasan what it was today was that it had crawled back up from rock bottom. The moment they forgot that, Hwasan would become no different from the other sects. Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong understood that fact better than anyone.

“By the way… doesn’t this mean we will have to keep attending to those people from now on?”

“…”

“Uh, when are they all leaving?”

“…”

This was not necessarily a good thing either. Ugh.

⠀

“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t have caused such a scene! Why did you have to make such a mess?!”

“Oh, mooncakes!”

“You should’ve shown some restraint! Even if you had permission to do it…!”

“Wow, this is delicious. I suppose high-end really is different. Gifts are worth receiving after all.”

“I’ve been trying to tell you from the start… No, are you even listening to me, you brat?!”

Watching Chung Myung stuff himself with mooncakes without a care in the world, Baek Cheon finally exploded. But Chung Myung merely picked at his ear, as though a dog were barking beside him.

“No, why are you still making such a fuss over something that is already over? Has Sasuk grown old? Your nagging only gets worse by the day.”

“How about you?! Huh?! Give me a reason not to nag you for once!”

Chung Myung frowned as if he couldn’t stand listening anymore and waved him off dismissively. Baek Cheon let out a long sigh.

“Then do something about it. They seem almost determined to settle down here.”

“Well, that is how people are. They came all the way to distant Shaanxi, so they cannot simply listen to a few instructions and return. They would have nothing much to tell their sects. They need the justification of saying that they took this chance to build ties with the people of Hwasan before returning. Treat them appropriately for a while, and they will leave on their own. It’s not like there’s anything for them to do on top of this mountain anyway.”

“Tsk. That is true, but…”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“And even I did not expect them to be that proactive.”

At those words, the Five Swords nodded in unison.

“Monk. Is this kind of situation familiar to you? You spent a long time at Shaolin, after all.”

“You’re talking as though I’ve left for good.”

“You were excommunicated, so that is the end of it. Should you not start growing your hair out and switch over to being a Taoist?”

“W-What kind of outrageous nonsense is that!”

“Are you not officially an apostle monk?”

“A-Apostate? What do you mean, apostate!”

Hye Yeon’s head turned bright red.

“That truly is outrageous nonsense…”

“Anyway, is this familiar to you or not?”

“Ah? Ah, um… Well…”

Having given up on arguing back any further, Hye Yeon quietly recited a Buddhist invocation. Then, with a sigh, he opened his mouth.

“To be honest, I have rarely seen a case like this myself.”

“As expected, right?”

“Ugh, why does this always happen whenever we stir something up?”

Of course, it was not as though this had only happened once or twice…

“So, what about that Illusory Phantom Divine Lord?”

“He is resting in the Medical Hall. His injuries are not particularly serious. He is simply greatly weakened, so some rest and nourishment should be enough for him to recover. We do have some Spiritual Pills that came in as gifts, so I have been considering whether to give him one.”

The instant he heard that, Chung Myung looked ready to spit out the mooncake he was chewing as he shouted.

“What? What Spiritual Pills! What did he even do that was so great he deserves one!”

“He is quite old, and what will we do if something happens to him here for no apparent reason?”

“Ah, then just provide him with a cave or something. He will get better once he enters seclusion. From what I saw, he seems to like caves quite a lot.”

“……You truly are a demon.”

“I didn’t even beat him up that badly, and everyone’s making such a fuss.”

Chung Myung grumbled under his breath. Baek Cheon found himself looking him over again.

‘Come to think of it, he does not have a single scratch.’

He had clearly seemed to take several blows, yet there was not even a bruise to be seen. Nor did he appear uncomfortable in the slightest. That meant that the Illusory Phantom Divine Lord’s attacks, poured out with all his strength, had not penetrated Chung Myung’s defensive qi even a little.

Could this have been possible for Chung Myung before the war?

It was true that the Illusory Phantom Divine Lord had been disgracefully beaten, but no one could deny that his skill ranked among the very best under heaven. And yet Chung Myung had subdued a man like that without receiving so much as a scratch…

‘Just how strong has this bastard become?’

There had been signs of it, to some extent. Even while facing Jang Ilso, he had suddenly seemed like a different person, displaying overwhelming prowess. Baek Cheon had thought it might have been only a temporary surge of power, but apparently it had not been.

‘Should I just ask him outright?’

Baek Cheon considered it for a moment, then shook his head.

Forget it. He would definitely just sneer, ‘What would Sasuk do with that information? Whether I am strong or not, I could beat someone like Sasuk to death with one finger anyway.’

He was not sure whether it was right to feel this way, but something about it irritated him.

It was like he had been running hard to catch up, only to watch the bastard ahead of him suddenly mount a horse and gallop far into the distance.

‘And it’s not like he just rides off. No, he has to look back over his shoulder with that irritating grin while he leaves.’

He wanted to hit him just once. Really, just once. That would feel so good…

“What?”

“Uh, huh?”

“You’ve got a rather insolent expression on your face just now.”

“Insolent is a word used by someone above towards someone below.”

“Exactly. You are being insolent.”

“…”

I should have kept my mouth shut…

Just as Baek Cheon, suppressing his anger, was about to add another word…

Bang!

The door to the room they occupied was thrown open roughly.

Everyone sharply turned their gaze to the person who had flung open the door. Baek Sang stood there, drenched in sweat. His complexion was terribly pale.

“Sang-ah?”

“Sahyeong. I think you need to come at once. Urgent news has arrived.”

“News?”

Baek Sang bit down hard on his lip before speaking in a heavy voice.

“The Demonic Cult.”

Thud.

Everyone sprang to their feet without a moment’s hesitation. An indescribably chilling atmosphere swept through the room.

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