Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 308
Tao isn’t only for pursuing.
Just as plum trees eventually bloom beautiful flowers after a long and cold winter, pursuing Tao will require long and long patience.
So Yoon Jong persisted and persisted.
That is the authentic Tao…
“You’ve got a lot on your mind, haven’t you?”
“…….”
Yoon Jong raised his head slowly.
All of the second-class disciples around him opened their ax eyes and stared at him.
‘Uh…’
Bloodshot eyes.
Their eyes are filled with rebukes for the sins he committed.
But…….
‘Jo Gol?’
Jo Gol was seen poking around among the lower-class disciples. Yoon Jong’s cheeks started trembling.
‘How come you’re stuck there together?’
“I am!”
Baek Chun’s eyes were fluttering as his arms were folded in the center.
“I’m so irritated!”
“…….”
“The great disciples of third-class disciples abstaining from the match? And he didn’t even swing his sword once?”
“No…….”
Yoon Jong looked around, as if he was witnessing the world’s injustice. On the other hand, the second-class disciples growled as if they had no intention of listening to him.
“That thing, that thing fell out.”
“I thought he has been cheeky lately because he has improved his sword skills.”
“Mount Hua’s disciple surrenders? Surrender? I’m going to break your head.”
Yoon Jong tightly closed his eyes.
It was almost as if Jackal appeared from nowhere after smelling blood.
But isn’t this truly unjust?
“But…….”
“No, but!”
“How dare you open your mouth!”
“Hey! Why did you surrender? Aren’t you going to answer?”
“Why don’t you open that mouth? Huh?”
“…….”
There.
It’s fine to be angry, but if you’re going to beat him up as a group, shouldn’t they agree first?
Should he open or close his mouth……
And Jo Gol, why are you secretly cuddling?
What the hell happened…?
Baek Chun then sighed deeply and continued solemnly.
“I can’t believe Mount Hua’s disciples surrendered when people were watching us. What would the world think of Mount Hua?”
“But I’m his Sahyung…..”
“Then it’s more of a problem! How does it make sense for a Sahyung to surrender to the Sajae? Doesn’t this mean that Mount Hua discipline is going backward! At least swing the sword! Struggle a bit and then lose!”
Finally, Yoon Jong, who couldn’t take it any longer, said with frustration.
“…. but don’t you also have to see who the other person is.”
“What?”
The second-class disciples were staring, but Yoon Jong was unfazed.
“Everything Sasuk say is correct! I can’t surrender as a Sahyung! I may not be able to demonstrate my dignity as a Sahyung, but I must demonstrate my will!”
“Oh?”
Baek Chun asked, tilting his head.
“Then why did you do that?”
“But is he a person who would go easy just because the opponent is his Sahyung? He’s the type of guy who breaks everyone’s head, regardless of gender, age, or rank! That cretin should not have been in Mount Hua, but in the government! He’s the type of guy who will hit everyone equally, whether rich, poor, or powerful!”
“…….”
“Would he consider me as his Sahyung? Think reasonably! I’ll stick my head in if I’m going to end up with a decent opponent. But he as the opponent, I’m going to have to live first!”
Yoon Jong proudly stretched his shoulders.
“Throw a stone at me only if you say that you will not surrender if you go against Chung Myung and fight until your head is broken!”
“…….”
With subtle expressions, the second-class disciples avoided his gaze.
They want to scold him, but expecting him to fight Chung Myung properly is not human.
Yoon Jong’s face was flushed with pride.
Everyone must admit that logic exists……
‘Huh? Jo Gol?’
‘What are you doing picking up rocks?’
Baek Chun, who had been quietly listening, nodded as he looked at Yoon Jong at the time.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Sahyung!”
“Isn’t that too soft for him?”
“Quiet.”
When the second-class disciples complained, Baek Chun frowned and stamped their complaints.
“Yoon Jong-ah.”
“Yes, Sasuk.”
“I understand what you’re saying.”
“Sasuk!”
As he looked at Baek Chun, Yoon Jong’s eyes were filled with emotion.
As expected, Baek Chun is the only one in Mount Hua who understands common sense…….
“By the way.”
“What?”
“No matter how hard I think of it, your choice feels like a mistake…….”
“…….”
“Just because we understand, would he understand?”
“What?”
“That guy.”
Baek Chun pointed his chin in one direction. Yoon Jong saw it when he turned his head along his chin.
Chung Myung walks toward them with a subtle smile on his lips after taking his money from the gambling table.
“…….”
When they saw such Chung Myung, the second-class disciples slowly moved away, as if they had seen a large dog with foam in its mouth.
Yoon Jong’s mouth twitched.
“What are you doing here?”
“No. Well……..”
Chung Myung knelt next to Yoon Jong, who was kneeling, and rested his hand on his shoulder.
“Sahyung.”
“……yes?”
“That’s very reasonable, isn’t it?”
“……Huh?”
Yoon Jong’s forehead began to perspire with cold sweat.
“Rational. Yes, logic is beneficial. There’s no point in sweating and bleeding for nothing against an opponent you can’t even beat. Isn’t it better to surrender quickly and save your stamina?”
Yoon Jong cast a glance at Chung Myung.
He was brightly smiling, so it was difficult to tell what he was thinking just by looking at him.
Strangely, you can’t tell what’s happening inside when someone is laughing like that, but whatever!
Yoon Jong, who was secretly staring at Chung Myung, carefully opened his mouth.
“Right?”
“Sure.”
“… You’re not being sarcastic, are you?”
“Ei, did Sahyung ever see me being sarcastic?”
“……Huh?”
‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that.’
He probably doesn’t like something about this jerk, but he’s not so good that he can always be sarcastic. He’ll charge in and break their neck.
“Right. I thought so, too.”
Yoon Jong’s face lit up. He doesn’t care whether Sasuk blames him or not, but if he can get over him……
However, things do not always go as planned.
“By the way.”
“……yes?”
At that moment, Chung Myung smiled meaningfully.
“Then why did you pick up the sword?”
“Huh?”
“Hah!”
Chung Myung stretched out his legs from his seat and kicked Yoon Jong.
“Keuk!”
When Yoon Jong rolled over and fell to the ground, Chung Myung shouted loudly and got up from his seat.
“Why is such a reasonable man holding a sword! If you ever need to pick a sword, then go to Government! Government!”
“…….”
Chung Myung flips his eyes over.
“No, these things! What? Rationality? Even when these yangbans see Magyo, they will try to solve it through conversation! Wherever you pick a sword and polish it, do you talk about rationality?”
“No….”
“Eureureu!”
In an instant, Chung Myung had turned into a mad dog and began to rush at Yoon Jong. The second-class disciples caught him in panic and dissuaded him.
“Calm down, Chung Myung!”
“You can do whatever you want even if we go back later! Calm down for now!”
The second-class disciples, who were about to beat Yoon Jong up until a while ago, desperately stopped Chung Myung this time.
“Rational? Rationaaaal? Being rational and stuck in the mountain practicing asceticism (우화등선(羽化登仙))? Huh? Why is the yangban looking for rationality coming to a sect? It’s like a human looking for meat in a Shaolin temple!”
“… You’re the one who looking for meat in Shaolin, right?”
“What?”
“No.”
Yoon Jong shut his mouth tight. But his eyes were fixed on the jerky in Chung Myung’s hand.
He wouldn’t feel unfair without that.
“I’m so frustrated!”
“So upsetting!”
“I’m ashamed.”
After three consecutive hits by Chung Myung, Baek Chun, and Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong bowed his head as he became depressed.
There are times when people surrender their lives. They are like yangbans who do not know retreat.
“Maybe it’s…”
“……You could get killed.”
Jo Gol, which was about to sneak in a word, backed away with a prick.
Then came the voice of salvation.
“Everyone was here.”
“Oh, Great Sasuk!”
“Sasuk!”
Ungum was approaching them with a smile.
“I enjoyed the match.”
“Instructor!”
Yoon Jong ran to Ungum with teary eyes. Next to Ungum, neither the insane tiger Chung Myung nor the starving jackal-like Sasuk will be able to berate him anymore.
When Ungum saw Yoon Jong running toward him, he smiled and reached out to grab his ear.
“Argh! Instructor! Ears! Ears!”
“You come here.”
“Aaak! Instructor, my ears! My ears are falling off! Ears!”
“Noisy! I can’t live because I’m ashamed of myself as the head of White Plum Dormitory. What a great disciple! Don’t say anything and follow me!”
Everyone stared blankly at Ungum, which grabbed Yoon Jong’s ear and dragged him along.
“…Was Sasuk that kind of person?”
There was a disappointing answer to what someone had muttered.
“That’s how it’s going to be. All of them will be like that.”
Mount Hua’s disciples sighed in unison.
* * *
Even taking a step is not easy. With every step he takes, the wound throbs.
But Isong Baek did not show any signs of being in pain and diligently walked. It’s not the time to cry. Southern Edge Sect’s wound is bigger than his.
Sneakily looking around, he sighed low.
‘It’s heavy.’
It looked like the remnants of the defeated soldiers returning home.
Maybe it’s natural.
Defeat is something that they don’t realize deeply at that moment.
As time passes, the more they understand that they have lost, the more painful the wound of defeat.
Southern Edge Sect lost too much in this competition. To the extent that they may never recover again.
Isong Baek raised his head and up at the sky.
Collapsing sect.
Lost soul.
And those who are left with nothing but despair.
It all weighed heavily on him.
But Isong Baek didn’t lower his head.
‘Did you start here?’
No, it would have been many times more desperate. Unlike Southern Edge Sect, which still has people and fame, Mount Hua had nothing left.
Chung Myung made such Mount Hua stand on its own feet in just a few years in a situation where nothing but despair remained.
‘Can I do this?’
Isong Baek closed his eyes still.
He doesn’t dream in vain that he can do it like Chung Myung. But if he’s done it over the years, he thinks he’ll be able to do it one day after decades of hard work.
If he tries and tries again.
After a long, long way.
The path that feels so far away that it feels not real.
‘Can I walk down that path?’
“Oh.”
At that moment, Isong Baek’s legs loosened and his body wobbled.
Dopsok.
The Saje walking next to him reached out to help him.
“Are you all right, Sahyung?”
“You’re still seriously injured.”
Isong Baek looked up at the Saje.
‘Sahyung.’
He hasn’t heard that in a while. The Saje has been reluctant to talk to him. He didn’t know such people would support and worry about him.
“It’s all right.”
As Isong Baek nodded, the Saje clenched their hands with embarrassed faces. And they said with a little hesitation.
“I…… Sahyung.”
“Hm?”
“That….when we go back to the sect, can you teach me the Thirty-Six Swords?”
“…me?”
“Yes.”
The Saje hesitated for a moment and spoke in a low voice.
“I’m a little uncomfortable with Sasuk and Instructor…..”
“…….”
Isong Baek glanced around. The other Saje was glancing at him. But the look did not contain contempt as it did in the past.
“Will it be okay? You’re learning Twelve-Movement Snow Flower Sword.”
“It is, but…….”
The Saje scratched the back of their head.
“After seeing Sahyung and the Mount Hua Divine Dragon match…… I don’t think the only answer is Twelve-Movement Snow Flower Sword.”
“…I see.”
Isong Baek turned his head and looked where they had left.
Shaolin is quite far away now.
He was there.
‘Chung Myung Dojang.’
Chung Myung opened his way. And perhaps, through the match against him, he also opened the way for Southern Edge Sect.
He doesn’t know whether Chung Myung intended for it or not, but…….
‘We’ll see each other again one day.’
And then.
Isong Baek will repay the favor he has received.
Isong Baek, staring at the place without saying a word for a while, turned his head again and looked forward.
His gaze was unshakable.
“Let’s go. There are many things to do when we return to Southern Edge Sect.”
“Yes! Sahyung.”
Isong Baek’s feet were given a little more strength heading towards Southern Edge Sect.