Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 351
“So…….”
Hyun Jong’s gaze was drawn once to the people seated before him.
“You talked to him well, and he just went back?”
His voice was filled with skepticism. On the other hand, those in the front responded confidently and without hesitation.
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“That’s right.”
Chung Myung, Hyun Sang, and Hyun Young responded in that order.
Shouldn’t one believe that a tiger appeared in the middle of the village if three people say the same thing? (삼인성호(三人成虎)/ literally means three men become a tiger.)
“…these evildoers have quietly returned?”
“Hoho. I heard people’s minds are like reeds in the wind.”
“…….”
Hyun Jong’s eyes twitched slightly in response to Hyun Young’s sly response. Soon after, his gaze was drawn to Baek Chun, who was standing in the corner, staring at him.
“Baek Chun-ah.”
“……Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Is it true?”
“It’s…… uh…….”
When Baek Chun paused without responding, Hyun Young, Hyun Sang, and Chung Myung all opened their ax eyes and stared at him. With his eyes closed, Baek Chun eventually said.
“I- It’s true. It is!”
“…….”
When Hyun Jong stared, Baek Chun turned his head away from his gaze.
Seeing that, a lot of words crossed his mind, but…… Hyun Jong ended up keeping his mouth shut.
‘Such a thing.’ (‘아서라.’)
What is he going to do with them?
The main culprit is the three right in front of him.
“Hng!”
With a frown, Hyun Jong sighed.
Things that go to hell.
How can they trick him into attempting such a plot?
It’s not even a joke. Isn’t it as if you brought a crow and claimed it was an egret?
When Chung Myung saw Hyun Jong was speechless, he shrugged.
“I talked to him, and he was willing to go back.”
‘Right, I’m sure you did a good job telling them.’
‘Not with your mouth, but your fist. That’s why it’s a problem! With your fist!’
‘No, no.’
It could have been done by mouth.
If it was this guy, he would have bitten them!
“Ugh.”
Hyun Jong eventually sighed deeply with a groan and asked.
“Chung Myung-ah.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“…I’m really just asking because I’m old.”
“Yes, feel free to ask.”
“… you didn’t bury them somewhere, right?”
“Ei, Sect Leader. Even if my reputation hit rock bottom, do you think I would do that?”
‘Uh.’
‘I think you would have done it as you are now.’
“Don’t worry. They walked back on their own feet…….Uh… Did they crawl? Uh…….”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes as he looked at Chung Myung who tilted his head and blurred the end of his words.
‘Let’s move on.’
It’s only tiring to talk about what’s already done.
And didn’t he expect this conclusion when he was arrested and imprisoned here by those Elders in the first place?
If he really wanted to stop him, he would somehow have been kicked out of here. But Hyun Jong didn’t do so.
“……Yes, everyone worked hard.”
“Don’t mention it, hehe.”
“…….”
‘Right, you must have had a hard time. You did.’
Hyun Jong put everything down.
“Sect Leader.”
Then Hyun Sang opened his mouth in a low voice.
“Hm?”
“This isn’t just something to laugh about.”
With a serious look on his face, Hyun Jong also frowned slightly with a stiff face.
“In fact, it’s been done without much trouble, but I can’t guarantee that it will continue to be so.”
“What does that mean?”
“In fact, the fundamental reason for this is that Mount Hua has become a coveted place for outsiders.”
Everyone nodded at the words.
If Mount Hua hadn’t made a name for itself at Murim Competition, would Hyun Dang and the family have coveted and climbed the mountain?
“As for Hauryang, he was confident that he deserved to be in Mount Hua Sect. That’s why he tried to exert his authority here in the early stage. On the contrary, it means that there are countless people who have their bloodshot eyes open to using Mount Hua at this moment. It’s just that they didn’t reveal their innermost thoughts as early as Hauryang.”
Hyun Jong nodded heavily.
Hyun Young, who had been listening quietly at the time, added.
“But it’s a little weird. The rise in reputation means that the sect is getting stronger, but more people are aiming for us than in the past.”
The answer to that question was from Chung Myung.
“It’s because we’re easy.”
“……Huh?”
Everyone looked at where the muffled voice came from.
Chung Myung said with a sullen face.
“They can’t touch Wudang or Shaolin, but isn’t it because they think they can do something about Mount Hua Sect?”
“……hmm.”
Hyun Jong sighed.
It’s obvious, but the obvious words pinpointed the weakness of the Mount Hua Sect.
‘I’m to blame.’
To put it bluntly, Mount Hua’s reputation is all thanks to the rising star’s performance.
Of course, the other sects also gained fame through their rising star’s performances, but…….
‘The other sects have great disciples on top of the rising star.’
Basically, the strength of the rising star is a measure of the strength of the later generation.
If Wudang’s second and third-class disciples are active, it would be the same as proving that Wudang’s first-class disciples are strong even if they do not show their skills.
But there is an absolute shortage of first-class disciples and Elders in Mount Hua.
‘And the skill is also greatly lacking.’
Of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t try.
The first-class disciples also redefine their martial arts by learning the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordsmanship through hard work. However, the pace of accepting new martial arts is bound to be slow with age.
‘It means that compared to the second disciples and third-class disciples, who have a bright future, the lack of skills of first-class disciples and Elders who should be the main pillars of the sect makes us look easy.’
Those who need to hold the real power of the sect are weak, and those who will be their future are young. Then wouldn’t they look like a place where someone can take advantage of as much as they can?
Hyun Jong sighed deeply.
This was a fundamental limitation of Mount Hua that had once fallen.
The Elder, who guessed the meaning from Chung Myung’s words, each breathed a low sigh with a firm complexion.
All those who had their own wits knew the situation and kept their mouths shut up.
“……I’m ashamed of ourselves…..”
“But why do they think we’re easy? We’re making a name for ourselves.”
Unfortunately, however, Yoon Jong, who had not been able to read his mind, asked what he should not ask.
Chung Myung stared at him and opened his mouth.
“Sahyung.”
“Yes?”
“What kind of people are we?”
“…us? We’re Taoist.”
“That’s right, Taoist. The Taoists who learn martial arts at the top of this steep mountain. Then, how will Taoists who stay in the mountain and practice only the Tao and martial arts be treated?”
“We…….”
Before Yoon Jong could answer, Jo-Gol answered first.
“A pushover who doesn’t know the world.”
“…Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”
When Yoon Jong sounded a little shocked, Jo-Gol shook his head firmly.
“That’s the reality, Sahyung. In fact, merchants prefer to open a business with temples and Taoist Sect in remote areas. They won’t cut the price because they don’t know how.”
“…Really?”
Chung Myung nodded loudly as if Jo-Gol had said what he wanted to say instead.
“The same goes for the old men climbing Mount Hua this time. It’s because they thought that they could deceive even the Elder who didn’t know anything about the world.”
“Ugh.”
Hyun Jong swept down his beard.
‘This is a problem I never thought of.’
Hyun Young, who had been listening quietly from the side, stared at Chung Myung in wonder. And he asked with a subtle smile on his lips.
“So what do you think we should do?”
“We need to build our influence.”
“Influence?”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung took a deep breath and said firmly.
“There are a lot of Taoist Sect that are equally stuck in the mountains and learned martial arts. However, people in the world regard Wudang as sect that they dare not touch, but places like Mount Hua and Kunlun are the place they can touch in moderation. This is a separate question of how strong the sect’s force is.”
“Is it a matter of perception?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Hmm.”
Hyun Young nodded as if it was definitely worth thinking about.
“Then what do you think we need to do to change that perception?”
“They’ll have to know.”
“… know?”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung looks back at everyone.
“It’s not just because they’re strong that Wudang or Shaolin can be the leading sect in the world. It’s because their influence spread throughout the world. It was just the work at Jongdogwan the other times.” (I think it is that Chaos Origin Pill arc, or Immortal Medicine Grave arc)
“…they were trying to establish a subsidiary sect even with that little Namyoung.”
“Yes, they know. No matter how strong they are, they wouldn’t be treated as a bum on top of mountain.”
Jo-Gol, who was listening to the story, said as if he was frustrated.
“Stop beating around the bush and talk. What do you want us to do?”
Chung Myung frowns.
“What do you ask after you’ve heard everything? We’ll do it like Wudang!”
“Huh?”
“Subsidiary sect! A closer fist…. no, a closer subsidiary sect is more influential than a faraway Taoist. Do you know how many subsidiary sects Wudang and Shaolin have in the world?”
“…a lot of them.”
“Yes, when Shaolin’s subsidiary sect is established next to someone’s house, they feel more familiar with Shaolin and they’ll be more interested. Then if they join the subsidiary sect, they feel like they’ve become a disciple of Shaolin, so if anything happens, they’ll be defending it.”
Chung Myung shook his head loudly as he spoke.
“That’s how you build your influence.”
“Oh…….”
Hyun Jong, who was lost in thought, turned to Hyun Young.
“Hyun Young.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Isn’t Wei Lishan in Huayin Sect staying here right now?”
“That’s right.”
Although Hyun Dang’s family suddenly came to visit and became borrowed a barley bag. (A person who does not talk or get along with others and sits in the corner at a gathering.)
He couldn’t even say that he was leaving due to an unusual internal atmosphere and seemed to be looking around.
“Even if it’s not, I was thinking that I should discuss the topic with Huayin Munju. So……”
“I think we can build up our work.”
Hyun Young and Hyun Jong nodded looking at each other.
“Whether we move Huayin Sect or open a new subsidiary sect, we have to create a place to be the center of Mount Hua family in the future. If we can spread the subsidiary sect of Mount Hua around the world with that sect as the center, no one in the world would take us lightly.”
“Heum.”
The general direction has been taken.
“If so, isn’t there one thing to think about first?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Huayin City is too small a place to build a center. So we need to think about the right place…….”
Then Chung Myung shrugged and said.
“There’s nothing to think about. This is Shaanxi, and there is only one large city in Shaanxi.”
“…That’s right.”
“But that’s…….”
One thing popped into everyone’s head.
Xian. (서안(西安).)
Xian is the capital of Shaanxi, and it is a place where all the supplies of Shaanxi gather. Of course, the population is bound to be the largest.
If Mount Hua is aiming for Shaanxi’s best sect and the world’s best sect, they should first start by conquering Xian.
“But…… this is…….”
It will take one thing to establish a sect in Xian.
“Is it Southern Edge Sect again?”
“… yes.”
“Now I’m tired of seeing each other face to face.”
Xian is an area tightly held by the Southern Edge Sect. Therefore, to open a subsidiary sect there, it is inevitable to bump into the Southern Edge Sect.
“…it’s not that we’re arguing because of a grudge, so it is how it came to be.”
Those gathered here could not help but realize why Mount Hua had been fighting with the Southern Edge Sect for hundreds of years.
If such a big sect is attached to such a narrow place, they have no choice but to face each other no matter what they do.
“…There’s no way to avoid a collision, is there?”
“Ei. Why are you saying such obvious things?”
“…That’s right.”
Hyun Jong sighed and nodded at Chung Myung’s cool reply.
“Then there’s nothing we can do. First of all….”
It was then.
“Mount Hua Divine Dragon! Is Mount Hua Divine Dragon here? Mount Hua Divine Dragon!”
“Huh?”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the door.
The sound was familiar.
When Chung Myung got up from his seat and opened the door, he saw a familiar face.
“No. What’s up with this beggar?”
Hong Dae-gwang, who was calling him eagerly outside the door, frowned at Chung Myung.
“No, why is there no one outside? I waited a long time at the gate.”
“There is no one to come, so there is no gatekeeper.”
“That’s not the point, anyway.”
Hong Dae-gwang spoke desperately and urgently.
“I came here myself to let you know because I had some pretty important news.”
“Huh? What news?”
“Southern Edge Sect entered seclusion.” (‘Seal the gate’ – ‘bong-mun’ (봉문))
“Yes?”
“What?”
“Huh?”
The people in the room were startled and rushed through the door.
“Argh! Don’t push me!”
“What do you mean? Southern Edge Sect’s going into seclusion?”
Hong Dae-gwang answered Hyun Young’s question without delay.
“To be exact, it’s not Bongmun, but it is said they will control internal matter with a ban on foreign activities for some time to come.”
“……That’s Bongmun.”
“I know.”
Hong Dae-gwang nodded at Chung Myung’s words.
“Perhaps there was a big grudge in this Murim Competition. Or, internal conflicts got worse and they needed more time to manage themselves. I’ll have to do some more research to find out.”
“No. Well, I don’t care about the reason. In any case, Southern Edge Sect is going into Bongmun for a while, right?”
“That’s right.”
Chung Myung, who had been agonizing for a while, had an evil smile on his lips.
“Sect Leader!”
“That’s right!”
Now Hyun Jong, who understands Chung Myung’s words, raised his voice.
“Quick, bring Huayin Munju! Now!”
“Yes! Sect Leader!”
Hong Dae-gwang tilted his head as he watched Mount Hua start moving busily again.
‘What else are they trying to do?’
Anyway, it’s a sect that doesn’t have a day to sleep.