Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 722

Step. Step.

As if oblivious to what lay behind, Chung Myung had been running, focusing only on what lay ahead and gradually slowing down. And finally, he came to a complete stop.

The entrance to the path leading to Mount Hua came into view as he raised his head.

Carefully setting down the bundle he had been carrying on his shoulders, Chung Myung looked up at Mount Hua with blank eyes.

It hadn’t changed a bit.

This place that had silently withstood the long passage of time was as astounding as ever.

But… Even so, the reason Chung Myung couldn’t look at it with the same eyes as usual was that this ordinary scene would have been painfully missed by someone. Until the moment their eyes closed.

Until the ensuing disciples of Mount Hua stood behind him, Chung Myung remained silent and fixed his gaze.

At the sound of the gathering crowd behind him, Chung Myung began to walk slowly.

Then, negating the momentum with which he had run until now, he started to ascend the mountain very, very slowly.

Flowers and thick bushes around the narrow path up to Mount Hua. Cliffs that rise right up against the forest, and the old pines and plum trees stretching out between them.

It’s a sight all too familiar for Mount Hua’s disciples. But today, every single one of them seemed to register it anew.

Five Swords, who had been following Chung Myung, kept looking around, taking in the familiar sight of Mount Hua with fresh eyes.

As they walked slowly through a place they had always rushed past, they felt more things.

Is it said that people don’t know the importance of what’s close to us?

Baek Cheon gently closed his eyes.

He has heard again and again that not a single person of Mount Hua’s ancestors came back from the Great Mountain Blood Incident after fighting Heavenly Demon. But that fact remained mere knowledge, failing to convey any deeper emotion.

But he realized it the moment he saw the remains that Chung Myung held against his chest.

‘I’m sure they wanted to walk down this path.’

There would have been only one wish for ancestors who risked their lives to fight Heavenly Demon. To somehow kill Heavenly Demon, protect the future of Kangho and Mount Hua…

To walk back to Mount Hua on their own two feet.

The fact that the wish, which was not much of a simple wish, did not come true weighed heavily on Baek Cheon’s heart.

He looked around quietly.

Yoon Jong, who was always serious, Yoo Iseol, who was always indifferent, Tang Soso, and Jo-Gol, who couldn’t yet deeply empathize with Mount Hua’s grief, were following Chung Myung without a word with a firm face. They all seemed deep in thought.

Step.

Step.

Chung Myung’s feet were slow, but he climbed Mount Hua without a break.

After calmly passing the green forest path around, Chung Myung entered the narrow plank path (잔도(棧道)), which was barely enough to fit a foot in.

The path is on the edge of a vast cliff.

There were times when they had cursed and complained, asking if this could even be called a path, but now they were silently walking on it.

The towering rock mountain seemed to be glaring at them with great momentum.

Now all they could see were massive cliffs.

It’s a desolate sight at first sight, but not for those living in Mount Hua. The broad end of the sky, which stretched over the mountain, was gradually turning red.

Chung Myung stopped walking and stared at Mount Hua, where the sunset began to pour.

– Isn’t it beautiful?

– What is?

– The sunset. Isn’t it the symbol of Mount Hua?

– You’re crazy. The symbol of Mount Hua is plum blossoms.

– Tsk, tsk. That’s what people with no taste would say. The basis of martial art is energy art! Naturally, the Violet Mist Technique would be the symbol of Mount Hua more than the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. If you say violet mist, you would of course think of sunset! Sunset!

Sure enough, Cheong Jin, who was dyed red in the light of the sunset, grinned and said,

– Actually, I just like the sunset, Sahyung. The sunset from Mount Hua is wonderful. When I die, I hope I die watching this.

– What are you talking about?

– Take a look. Isn’t it pretty, Sahyung?

– Stop spouting nonsense and go find the scripture.

– … I shouldn’t have talked to you.

As he grumbled and turned his body, Cheong Jin casually glanced back at Chung Myung and said,

– You’ll see. Someday, you’ll also come to understand, Sahyung. How beautiful the sunset in Mount Hua really is.

‘Cheong Jin-ah….’

Chung Myung knew it too.

This is just a remain. The body that is left after death has no will or meaning.

So what he was holding in his hands right now was not anything of Cheong Jin, but merely a lingering regret that remained in Chung Myung’s heart.

Despite knowing that….

Chung Myung closed his eyes slowly. His long eyelashes tinted yellow by the pouring sunset trembled slightly.

‘Do you like it?’

Nobody wished for this.

What he wished for, and what Cheong Jin wished for… was for everyone to return to Mount Hua together.

To grumble about how narrow this path is, to laugh together, to finally reach Mount Hua and excitedly complain about how hard it was.

Cheon Mun, Cheong Jin, and all the Cheong generation and Myung generations sitting in the same place and laughing like that.

Many faces of people floated before Chung Myung’s closed eyes.

The Cheong disciples, the Myung disciples, those many people who vowed to protect this Kangho and left Mount Hua.

But for a moment, too, the faces began to disappear one by one.

Some perished on the battlefield at the hands of the Magyo.

And yet others could not overcome their injuries and passed away with only a slight movement of their lips while holding Chung Myung’s hand.

One by one. And eventually, everyone disappears.

Only Chung Myung stands alone in a completely empty space with no one left.

‘I…’

‘I wished us to return together.’

‘To this place.’

Squeeze.

Chung Myung, holding the bundle tightly, opened his eyes.

The red-tinted sky and clouds flooded Chung Myung’s view.

‘Yes. It’s beautiful, just as you said.’

‘You were right again.’

‘It’s weird. Why didn’t I realize it back then?’

Chung Myung’s eyes were tinted with the color of the sunset.

‘If I had known the beauty of this sunset then… Would that make a little difference?’

A cold wind blew along the cliff. The hem of the clothes wrapped around the remains flapped and lightly hit Chung Myung’s fingertips.

‘Oh you, you little rascal.’

‘Are you in a hurry to go?’’

Chung Myung slowly nodded his head and began to climb the cliff again..

‘You must be eager to get to Mount Hua as soon as possible.’

‘Yes, to the place where you used to live.’

Only then did Chung Myung walk a little faster.

Though the path was still steep and harsh, there was no sign of fatigue in Chung Myung’s steps. Rather, it was firmer and more determined than usual.

The sky that had been tinted purple was now quickly being buried in deep darkness.

But that’s alright.

Because what Cheong Jin longed for was everything about Mount Hua. He probably missed Mount Hua at night when darkness settled in every corner and the rustling sound of plum leaves touching echoed around.

Now there’s only one last cliff left to climb to Mount Hua.

‘Let’s go.’

Grabbing the bundle, Chung Myung quickly began climbing the cliff.

His slow pace till now was gone, replaced with truly brisk and joyous steps.

Tat.

He shot up the cliff, and the expansive view of Mount Hua came into Chung Myung’s eyes. The former Mount Hua Sect scene overlapped before his eyes.

It had changed a bit, but it wasn’t awkward. Even though its appearance has changed, this place is Mount Hua. The breaths of those who died first are vividly alive.

Tak.

Chung Myung, who had landed on the ground, looked at the gate.

Great Mount Hua Sect (대화산파(大華山派)).

As soon as he saw the four letters engraved in the dragon’s ascension-like handwriting, he unwittingly bit his lips.

‘We’re back.’

After such a long time.

Somehow, I felt the warmth in my arms.

‘Let’s go, Cheong Jin.’

Chung Myung moved forward as if possessed.

One step, another step.

The walls of Mount Hua, the towering gate, and the charming scenery visible inside the wide-open door, all were now within reach.

‘It’s only ten days away.’

‘It took a very long time, didn’t it?’

While conveying unfamiliar but affectionate words in his mind, feeling that short distance like a thousand miles, he approached the gate where someone was waiting to greet him.

“…Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong, dressed in Mount Hua’s official uniform and even a Taoist hat, was staring silently at Chung Myung. He must know roughly what happened since Baek Cheon sent a letter in between.

Hyun Jong’s eyes turned to the luggage in Chung Myung’s arms.

Chung Myung slowly opened his mouth.

“Mount Hua….”

His voice trembled thinly.

“Mount Hua’s thirteenth disciple. Cheong Jin… remains….”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly while looking at the bundle without saying a word, and knelt down on the spot, and spread out his robes.

After performing a truly reverent bow, he softly recited a Taoist prayer as he rose from his position.

Chung Myung placed Cheong Jin’s remains in Hyun Jong’s hands. Then Hyun Jong received it and turned around with a very careful touch.

Disciples dressed in the same uniform lined up on both sides. Hyun Jong, carrying Cheong Jin, began to walk slowly through the path created between them.

At the end of that path, a modest but tidy altar was prepared.

Someone put a hand on Chung Myung’s shoulder, who was dazedly staring at the scene.

“….”

When he turned around, Hyun Young stood with a friendly smile in his eyes.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“….”

“First of all, let’s take care of our ancestors comfortably.”

Chung Myung nodded instead of answering. After patting Chung Myung’s shoulder a few more times, Hyun Young moved toward the altar.

Arriving later in succession, Five Swords passed Chung Myung and entered Mount Hua.

All the disciples of Mount Hua looked at their senior who had returned to Mount Hua too late. Their eyes were filled with reverence.

But…… Chung Myung could not easily step between them.

Although all of Mount Hua’s disciples except him were inside the gate, strangely, his feet strangely wouldn’t move as if glue was applied to the ground.

Just a while ago, he was excited by this familiarity and the scenery of Mount Hua, but suddenly it felt strange. He felt nauseous from the excessive sense of incongruity.

‘I……’

Chung Myung, who had covered his mouth with one hand, hunched over.

The world went round and round, deafening and distant.

‘I’m…’

It was then.

– I’m back.

A voice brushed past his ear.

He turned around in surprise but……
“….”

There was nothing in sight. All that could be seen was Mount Hua dyed in the night. As it always had been.

Chung Myung, who was groping in the air as if chasing something, slowly straightened his hunched waist.

His slightly open lips trembled slightly.

– Chung Myung-ah!

– Sahyung!

– Phew! Sahyung! Where have you gone again!

The longed-for voices swirled around his ear. The sound, which seemed to be carried by the wind, was so vivid that Chung Myung could hardly open his eyes.

Yes, he was just back.

He stepped toward the inside of the gate without opening his closed eyes. Silently entering Mount Hua without even breathing, a faint plum blossom scent that seemed to flow from somewhere gently settled on his shoulders.
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