Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 405
He thought he was used to it by this point.
He was convinced he knew everything.
However, Hyun Jong’s appearance was so dissimilar that he mistook himself for someone else.
Did this person have a side like this?
Hyun Jong, whose face had hardened, was carrying a weight he had never felt before.
“I think that way sometimes.”
“…….”
“Am I really your Sect Leader?”
Chung Myung couldn’t answer and shut up.
“What Sect Leader means?”
“…… he’s the leader of the sect.”
“Wrong.”
Hyun Jong looked directly at Chung Myung and said,
“A Sect Leader is not a leader of the sect, but the protector of the sect. The role of the Sect Leader is to continue the sect’s life and protect the sect’s disciples.”
“…….”
“But!”
His voice was unbearably cold.
“Mount Hua’s disciple I have to protect! You are trying to protect me! Mount Hua’s disciple that I had to protect! You’re trying to protect Mount Hua instead of me!”
The not-so-loud voice shook Chung Myung’s heart more than anything he’d ever heard in life.
“Chung Myung-ah.”
“……Yes, Sect Leader.”
“I don’t know you.”
“…….”
Hyun Jong paused for a moment. Then he slowly opened his mouth again after a while.
“How you lived, what kind of story you have, I don’t know. I don’t even want to ask. Whatever story you have, as long as you enter Mount Hua and claim to be Mount Hua’s disciple, you are just Mount Hua’s disciple that I have to protect!”
Something in his heart rang loudly.
Chung Myung bit his lips without realizing it.
“Where were you going with that sword?”
“…….”
“Did you try to break into Myriad Man House and wreak havoc? Did you think that if you kill Myriad Man House and see them fall, your heart’s anger will be relieved?”
“I…….”
“You’re not good enough!”
Hyun Jong’s voice rang loudly.
“If you go with your Sahyung, you’re afraid they’ll die! You wanted to handle it alone, but you’re not confident in persuading me. So you were gonna sneak out and vent your anger?”
Anger and resentment.
No, it was a shout that was more like a cry.
“Why didn’t you just shout out loud? Why didn’t you yell, “Let’s all go there together, because we can’t forgive those people!” So much anger is unbearable, and you’re afraid your Sahyung will get hurt? Is it that scary?”
“…….”
“What do you want to do?”
“The disciple…….”
Chung Myung bit his lips. Numerous words soared through his throat, but not a single word came out.
When the answer was not heard, Hyun Jong opened his mouth first.
“What’s left of you when you lead Mount Hua to a high place alone? The pride of protecting Mount Hua? The satisfaction of leading the sect forward? The cheap pride of sacrificing yourself for Mount Hua, that no one will ever recognize?”
Hyun Jong shook his head.
“Don’t be mistaken. Chung Myung-ah. Mount Hua is not a place for you to protect.”
“…….”
“You’re not protecting Mount Hua, Mount Hua is protecting you. You are also a disciple of Mount Hua. But how can you bear Mount Hua alone?”
“The disciple…….”
“Mount Hua has the honor of blocking Myriad Man House off, and you are again walking alone in the thorny path. Then I’ll ask you. Your Sahyung! Your Great Sasuk and Elders! And your Sect Leader. Were they humans who would rejoice in stepping on the blood you shed on that thorny path? Did you see us as nothing more than that?”
“……No, it’s not. It’s not like that, Sect Leader.”
Hyun Jong bit his lips tightly.
This young disciple tries to take full responsibility alone again.
“If you were to die there, would your Sahyung have stayed still? Will they save their own life when they hear that Myriad Man House has killed you?”
Chung Myung closed his eyes at the harsh scolding.
In fact, he didn’t want to think about it deeply.
He just needed a place to vent this boiling anger. Otherwise, he couldn’t help this terrible sense of shame.
“Is this what happened because of you?”
“…….”
“The moment you announce your name to Kangho, this is bound to happen one day. Without that determination, I wouldn’t have tried to bring Mount Hua back to the world. How can you talk about glory without even having such a resolution?”
Hyun Jong’s scolding was like a cold frost in autumn.
“If you think it’s your fault and try to atone for it, you’re just an ugly man. You’re even worse if you tried to run without thinking back because the Sahyung bled!”
Chung Myung looked up at Hyun Jong.
Hyun Jong, who was always full of calmness, had fiery anger in his eyes. Chung Myung thought that the eyes were very familiar.
Because he’s seen it many times before.
– You idiot!
Every time he returned with blood all over him, Chun Mun Sahyung scolded him severely. That’s the look he saw back then.
“How long will you think of Mount Hua as a child in your arms? Your Sahyung is no longer weak. You don’t have to bleed and clean up after them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“……I know.”
“Right, you know that, but you’re out to be hurt alone again.”
“Sect Leader …….”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes as if to catch his breath.
After so much silence, he slowly opened his eyes and stared at Chung Myung. The anger subsided a little while ago, and sadness filled the spot.
“Chung Myung-ah. Trust me a little more.”
“…….”
“I know very well how ugly I am in your eyes.”
“No, I’ve never thought of Sect Leader like that….!”
“Listen till the end.”
“…….”
Hyun Jong sighed and continued.
“I’m an ugly person. I know, that without you, Mount Hua would have collapsed. No wonder you don’t trust me since I’m not protecting Mount Hua as its Sect Leader.”
There was no self-help or sadness in the voice. I’m just calm.
“But as my disciples grow up, I don’t stay as the past me forever. I’m trying to be a good Sect Leader for Mount Hua daily. It’s not just me. All of Mount Hua’s disciples are trying to be worthy of the name Mount Hua.”
“……I know.”
“But why don’t you believe me?”
“…….”
Chung Myung couldn’t bear to look at Hyun Jong and lowered his eyes slightly.
“It’s not the matter of you and Myriad Man House. It’s a matter of Mount Hua and Myriad Man House. The grudge must be resolved by Mount Hua one day, and the price must be paid by them to Mount Hua one day. Why don’t you know that if you’re going to shoulder Mount Hua’s blood alone, it means you don’t recognize Mount Hua!”
His head kept drooping. There was nothing wrong with Hyun Jong’s words.
“I know.”
“…….”
“Your heart will be broken. How can it not be? But Chung Myung-ah. Sometimes, it is necessary to just bury it. Now, what will be different if you condemn a few more people of Myriad Man House?”
He knew that Hyun Jong’s words were true, but he couldn’t figure out what to do with the heartache.
“If you really think of me as your Sect Leader, just think about it for three more days. If you still can’t stand it.”
Hyun Jong spoke in an endless calm voice.
“I, not you, will take the lead and go to destroy Myriad Man House.”
“…….”
“Stay with Un Gum. The child will wish for it, too.”
After talking, Hyun Jong turned around and went down the mountain.
Chung Myung, who was standing there looking at Hyun Jong’s back, slowly raised his head. The dark sky looked so vast that it was hopeless.
“Chun Mun Sahyung.”
The answer is not heard.
“… It’s hard.”
It was a small, powerless voice, unlike the usual Chung Myung.
~~
“Will it be all right?”
“I don’t know.”
“… he’s a very soft guy.”
“Sahyung, that’s a little…….”
“Shut it.”
Jo-Gol pouted at Yoon-Jong’s words.
He was trying to lighten the mood by sneaking jokes in, but everyone’s eyes stayed at Medicine Hall all the time.
They’re worried.
Un Gum wanders through the dead and life, and Chung Myung, who is never away from him.
It’s already been three days.
“I don’t think he’s sleeping at all.”
“He was also injured.”
“……he didn’t even eat.”
Baek Chun sighed.
‘It’s a kind of disease.’
He wouldn’t be so worried if he were angry and throwing a tantrum as usual.
“It’s not even my fault, but it’s frustrating.”
“… then.”
Baek Chun and the group sighed in unison.
“What if Chung Myung says he will run to Myriad Man House because of Instructor Un Gum-nim?”
“We have to stop him.”
“… stop him?”
“If we can’t stop him, we’ll go with him.”
“What?”
Baek Chun said sternly with a stiff face.
“I can’t see him run wild and die alone. I’ll stay at his side and run away.”
“…Do Sasuk know nothing about a real solution?”
“Noisy.”
Baek Chun, who fixed his eyes on the Medicine Hall, quietly clenched and opened his fist.
‘You’re such a fool.’
An unbearable sigh finally escaped from his mouth.
Ssaeaek. Ssaeaek.
His breathing was getting weaker and weaker.
Chung Myung was watching Un Gum without moving.
No matter how much he injects his internal energy, the condition does not improve. Every day, Un Gum’s condition seemed to only deteriorate.
“Great Sasuk.”
He has seen too much.
He has lost too much.
So he didn’t want to lose a single one again. Having lost everything, he wanted to grab everything.
Was that such a vain wish?
“Sahyung…….”
Tang So-so, who had already approached without him noticing, spoke with worried eyes.
“Get some rest.”
“It’s okay.”
“Then Sahyung will fall first.”
“It’s fine.”
“…….”
She was about to say something more, but then shook her head. It wasn’t for him to bring out Chung Myung now. Right now, she has no choice but to watch.
Chung Myung never took his eyes off such Un Gum while she quietly went out again.
“Great Sasuk.”
Maybe it’s not too bad of a death. For Un Gum, who has lived for the disciples, it is perhaps even more satisfying to die protecting them.
But.
‘Not yet.’
Chung Myung hasn’t done everything he can to Un Gum yet. Just as he wanted to protect the disciples, Chung Myung wanted to protect Mount Hua’s descendants.
‘Not yet.’
Chung Myung grabbed the remaining Un Gum’s hand.
‘Not yet.’
Then, he leaned his head against the bed and exhaled a low breath.
Chung Myung suddenly opened his eyes.
‘Sleep…’
He thinks he has fallen asleep.
It would not have been possible normally, but it was three days after the series of fierce battles, so no matter how much Chung Myung was, he couldn’t stand it.
‘Great Sasuk…!’
Chung Myung raised his head with a frightened look.
Soon his eyes opened wide.
Empty.
The bed where Un Gum was located was empty.
Chung Myung, whose head was empty at the moment, looked at the bed with a blank face and slowly pulled himself up.
Then he began to walk out like he was possessed.
Step. Step.
Only his footsteps echoed in the quiet Medicine Hall. The dim dawn sunlight was leaking through the gap in the front door.
Chung Myung paused a little and slowly opened the door.
Squeak.
The place to go was set. Though he felt empty in his head and lost, he walked slowly without stopping after leaving the Medicine Hall.
The place where his feet are headed is none other than the White Plum dormitory.
After slowly reaching the White Plum dormitory without even blinking his eyes, he headed to the White Plum dormitory’s training field in a dazed state.
And.
“…….”
Finally, his steps stopped.
Chung Myung blankly looked forward without saying a word.
One person.
A man in a white robe was wielding a sword.
His posture was straight, but the sword, which was swung in the air, was somehow awkward.
It wasn’t just the sword that was awkward.
The sleeves, which were fluttering with empty seats for the arms, were awkward.
But Chung Myung liked the awkwardness.
Swaeaek!
Down from the head.
The lightly slashed sword stopped in mid-air.
The raised sword drew the same trajectory and slashed the air again.
Once. Twice. Once again.
It was a simple blow.
The man, who repeatedly reverently swung the sword, soon pushed the sword into the scabbard.
Then he slowly turned away.
“You here?”
“…….”
The man’s face was soaked in sweat. There were even light blood stains all over the body wrapped in bandages.
Chung Myung, who looked blankly at the scene, unconsciously asked.
“…What are you doing?”
Un Gum replied with a big smile.
“Can’t you tell? I was training.”
“…….”
No words came out.
No, there were so many things he wanted to say, but nothing came out easily. All he could do was look at Un Gum with a blank mind.
Un Gum, who knew how Chung Myung felt, shrugged lightly.
“Since my right arm is cut off, I should learn how to swing a sword with my left hand.”
“…From now on?”
“Then what?”
Un Gum was incredibly calm.
“There is no end to the learning of swordsmanship. Of course, it’s a shame that I lost my dominant arm, but in a way, it might be a good thing. Because I can start over from the beginning.”
Chung Myung laughed slightly.
No, he cried.
His face was distorted; it was unknown whether he laughted or cried. Chung Myung spoke quietly in a quivering voice.
“…… Great Sasuk …….”
With his mouth open, he bit his lip a couple of times as if holding back something, and squeezed out a voice.
“……You are really beyond help.”
Un Gum just smiled and said.
“Will you help me?”
“…….”
“It’s not easy for me to learn left-handed swordsmanship. How is it? I think it’ll be easier if you help me.”
Chung Myung looked up at the sky.
Early in the morning, the bright skies in Mount Hua were so bitterly blue.
“I won’t be going easy just because you are my Great Sasuk you know?”
“What’s what I hoped for. Let’s see how strict this guy is.”
Chung Myung entered the training field with a complex face that was hard to explain.
“… Great Sasuk.”
“Hm?”
“……No.”
“How bland.”
Un Gum threw a sword around his waist at Chung Myung. When Chung Myung accepted the sword, Un Gum smiled.
“Now, where can I see your sword?”
“…… It’s a sword that doesn’t show very well.”
Chung Myung grabbed the sword with his left hand.
Then he stared at Un Gum and turned his head again. He thought he would look ugly to be watched more.
“Look properly. It’s annoying to do it twice.”
“You’re such a good boy.”
There was stillness in the place where the light laughter passed.
Soon after, Chung Myung’s sword danced as if it were fluttering.
The young disciple wielded a sword, and the older Great Sasuk looked at it.
The young ancestors teach swords, and older descendants look at them.
A tear that flowed down without anyone knowing overlapped with the warm smile of the crying Un Gum.
Only the plum blossoms that bloomed gently looked at the two people without saying a word.