Return of Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 751

“Ugh….”

The third-class disciples gathered in the White Plum Dormitory looked back at each other with empty eyes.

“…I can’t eat.”

“My indigestion is really severe.”

“I haven’t been able to sleep properly for three days because of the nightmares I’m having….”

They all sighed in unison after surveying each other’s miserable states.

“Why… Why is he doing that?”

“Do you think he has lost his mind?”

“Well, he was always crazy, wasn’t he?”

“That’s true, but….”

No, precisely speaking, the problem is not that he’s gone crazy, but that he hasn’t gone crazy. It’s a problem because he’s not crazy, yet he acts like a madman.

“So, what is that madman… I mean, what is that sane person doing right now?”

“He’s cleaning and sweeping the Jade Spring Hall.”

“Jade Spring Hall?”

“Yes, I mean… He said that the foundation of every sect is the ancestral shrine and that a sect that does not properly care for the ancestral shrine is a sect that does not properly respect its ancestors. He said he would clean it up again….”

Yang Ho (양호(楊鎬)) wrapped his face with grief.

“No, why is he saying the right thing….why!”

His shoulders drooped weakly again after a brief torment. Testimony poured out again next to him.

“It gives me goosebumps. I’ve been watching him clean up, and he’s been murmuring Sect Leader Sahyung over and over all by himself…..”

“Sect Leader Sahyung? You mean Baek Cheon Sahyung? No, the term Sect Leader Sahyung should be used by Saje who is the same generation as the Sect Leader to refer to Sect Leader. Unless they are elders, they wouldn’t have a reason to use that title?”

“How am I supposed to know what’s inside his mind? He seems to have totally lost his mind.”

“It’s driving me crazy. Really….”

Just imagining Chung Myung obsessively cleaning and sweeping the ancestral shrine and mumbling unintelligible words made them shudder.

At that time, Gwak Hee, who peeked around, carefully opened his mouth.

“But Sahyung, Saje.”

“Hm?”

“If you think about it calmly, it’s not that bad. It may seem strange and hard to accept, but when you think about it, hasn’t Chung Myung become kinder?”

“…That’s the problem.”

“No, it’s indeed a problem, but…….”

Gwak Hee says firmly.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we just adapt? Would you prefer a kind Chung Myung, or a crazy Chung Myung?”

“Is that even a question, you idiot!”

Yang Ho shouted out loud as if he didn’t need to think.

“The crazy one is better!”

“Huh?”

Gwak Hee flinched at the unexpected response. The others, however, seemed to agree with Yang Ho’s words and shook their heads in unison.

“If it’s Chung Myung, the crazy one is better.”

“At least we’re used to that.”

“Right.”

Gwak Hee’s pupils trembled as if there was an earthquake.

‘No, but….’

‘Although it seems correct when you hear it… Uh….’

“Leave him all alone, if I keep looking at such him, I’m going to explode and die right away.”

“Exactly my point!”

“Yuanshi Tianzun. Why are you putting us through this ordeal?”

The third-class disciples sighed with faces full of despair.

“…But he’ll stop behaving like this soon, right?”

“Do you know how many days it’s been like this? Even if he was pretending, he couldn’t have kept it up for this long.”

“So you’re saying he’ll continue like this?”

“No way….”

They all shivered once and then looked in the same direction. It was from the side of Jade Spring Hall, where Chung Myung was said to be cleaning and sweeping.

Ppodeuduk.

Ppodeududuk!

There was a glow coming from the Jade Emperor’s statue on one side of Jade Spring Hall. It was so sparklingly clean, it looked as if it had just been made and freshly oiled.

Ppodeudeuk!

Chung Myung wiped the face of the altar with a clean cloth.

“Um, there’s a bit….”
Sagak.

He trimmed the slightly protruding part neatly, and the proportion was correct. Chung Myung muttered with a bright smile.

“This is enough.”

It’s clean. Very clean.
His face was full of satisfaction. He looked around the Jade Spring Hall with a fresh face.
Jade Spring Hall. This place, usually called the ancestral shrine, was where the tablets of the past Sect Leader of Mount Hua were kept and a place to honor the spirits of the ancestors.

“A lot has changed here too.”
When he first entered Mount Hua, little remained at Jade Spring Hall. Not to mention expensive sacrificial utensils and antique Taoist items, even the treasures collected by Mount Hua had been sold off, leaving only ancestral tablets left unattended.

However, as Mount Hua collected wealth and Hyun Young renovated the inside of Mount Hua, Jade Spring Hall also regained some of its past appearances.

“Well, it still takes a while to get the White Plum Blossoms…..”

Zaha Divine Sword, which was a treasure of Mount Hua along with Dark Fragrance White Plum Blossom, has not yet been found. Even when they had Eunha Merchant Guild and Beggar Union search for it, it was strangely well hidden. Either it must be stuck in a warehouse of some rich family’s collection, or it seems that someone who doesn’t understand its value sold it cheaply.

It’s certainly disappointing that they haven’t been able to recover the item that was once known as a Divine Weapon. But it’s not particularly important. What’s more important is Mount Hua itself.
Chung Myung began to clean each ancestor’s tablet one by one with a clean surface..

“Sect Leader Sahyung, the descendants of Mount Hua have grown a lot. Looking at them makes me proud. It seems like it’s time for everyone to stand on their own. Just as you and I had hoped…”

– Cut the crap! What the hell is wrong with you!

“Why are you yelling at me? I need to grow up, too.”

– Oh my goodness.

Chung Myung began wiping the tablets one by one with a cautious touch. After a long time, Jade Spring Hall, who had become unparalleled cleaner than when he first cleaned, was captured in his eyes.

“Hum, good.”

He nodded contentedly and folded the cloth finely.

“Sect Leader Sahyung.”

Then he suddenly murmured, looking at the memorial tablet.

“Thinking about it, everything Sect Leader said was right. That’s what Cheong Jin said, too. He said I’m someone who can’t leave anything in Mount Hua. That meant that I couldn’t understand ordinary disciples, but on the other hand, it also meant that the disciples couldn’t grow any bigger in my arms.”

While Chung Myung is around, there will be no reason for Mount Hua to suffer from other sects. Just as Mount Hua was in the past.

But after Chung Myung disappeared?

Eventually, the rest of the disciples have to lead Mount Hua. If Chung Myung behaves like he does now, the rest of Mount Hua’s disciples will have to suffer from Chung Myung’s absence.

That is not what Chung Myung wants.

Hasn’t he already experienced the devastating downfall of Mount Hua after he died? What Chung Myung wants is not a strong Mount Hua to be with, but a strong Mount Hua without his presence.

“The kids may be having a hard time right now, but in the end, they’ll be able to do well on their own. They might get hurt and have a hard time… but they’ll learn how precious I am… No, no. That’s how they grow.”

– It seems like your true feelings are coming out.

“Hehe. Why are you picking on me again? It’s a mistake, a mistake.”

Chung Myung waved his hand.

And he looked out at Mount Hua, visible from Jade Spring Hall, with a serious face.

“At some point, I thought I’d have to gradually step back. It just happened a bit faster than I expected. This must be the right thing to do. Sect Leader Hyun Jong said so, and Baek Cheon Sasuk also suggested the same.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Chung Myung really retires to the background as an old man. Until now, considering his abilities, Chung Myung was overly involved in everything about Mount Hua. Recently, he even had to sacrifice a certain amount of his personal training time.

Now everything is just gradually falling back into place. In the end, as was the case with Mount Hua in the past, they must establish a system where Mount Hua gains strength from Chung Myung’s presence alone, without him having to take the forefront in every little thing.

“You have to trust your disciples more. That’s the role of an adult.”

Chung Myung’s expression softened slightly.

Although it feels a bit hollow when a toddling child gradually distances himself by hopping away from his arms, this is a natural change and the order of things.

“Then what do we do next?”

Chung Myung left Jade Spring Hall with a basket containing a washcloth.

And he started moving towards his next destination, which was around Sect Leader’s residence. No, he tried to.

“Sect Leadeeeeeer!”

“Huh?”

With a loud voice at the gate, a person ran at a tremendous speed.

“Huh? Yuryong Sect Munju-nim?”

Chung Myung, who confirmed Du Yuncan, tilted his head. Was that yangban still in Huayin? Why hadn’t he returned?

“Sect Leader! Is Sect Leader there!”

At that loud shout, the door to Sect Leader’s residence flung open. Hyun Jong ran out with a surprised face to greet him.

“Munju-nim. What is the matter?”

“We, we’ve found him!”

“Yes?”

Du Yuncan shouted with a white face.

“M- My disciples! One of the disciples who went out on a mission and got lost has been found.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes widened.

“He- He is alive?”

“Yes! Fortunately, he seems to have survived. He somehow managed to send a message…”

“I see.”

“It was really the pirates. He was ambushed and fell into the river, but miraculously survived.”

Everyone’s face, including the elders who had gathered, hardened.

“Hmm. This is not good news. But isn’t it something we’ve already anticipated?”

“The important thing is next.”

“Yes?”

Du Yuncan took a short breath and swallowed dry saliva.

“The pirates, who attacked him, kidnapped everyone on the ship to prevent this news from reaching Mount Hua’s ears.”

“…Kidnapped? Did you just say kidnapped?”

“Yes, Sect Leader! There’s no mistake.”

“…What on earth…!”

Hyun Jong’s face turned pale.

“What do they want to do with innocent civilians they’ve kidnapped?”

“From what I’ve heard, the pirates kidnap civilians and sell them as slaves to foreign countries…..”

“Are there such crazy bastards!”

A curse erupted from Hyun Jong’s mouth, who usually didn’t use harsh words.

It was a completely different problem to commit evil acts against the same people of Kangho and to touch the civilians.

And….

‘If the rumor spreads that all these things happened because of Mount Hua, how would people in the world look at Mount Hua?’

Of course, Mount Hua is innocent. It’s not a sin to do business.

But there’s a subtle side to public sentiment, and it doesn’t necessarily operate with common sense. If word spreads that the civilians suffered a great deal because of the business Mount Hua conducted, Mount Hua’s reputation could also fall rock bottom.

“Sect Leader, don’t we need to take action quickly?”

Hyun Young spoke in an uncharacteristically serious voice. He couldn’t have known the seriousness of the situation either.

“Hmm. We need to rescue them as soon as possible.”

Hyun Jong nodded firmly.

“If the time is lost and the civilians of the country are sold into slavery, there will be a long way to go to rescue them…..”
However, no matter how soon more disciples are dispatched, it takes time to arrive.

‘Even if I send a letter to Baek Cheon…… it would be difficult for them to deal with the pirate band alone….’

Is there really no other way….

Hyun Jong, who made up his mind after much thought, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.

“Chung Myung-ah!”

“Yes?”

In no time, Chung Myung approached and looked at Hyun Jong.

‘Right.’

‘This is better. Rather than seeing him like this…’

“I’m afraid you’ll have to go to Yangtze River first. I will send other disciples through Un Gum, so go ahead and prevent the pirates from selling civilians as slaves.”

Even if it’s difficult to wipe out the pirates, it’s possible to at least achieve that with Chung Myung’s abilities.

Then, in the meantime, Mount Hua’s main force will arrive, and they can sweep the pirates. It was quite a perfect plan, or so Hyun Jong thought to himself.

“Yangtze River?”

“Yes!”

“Me?”

“Yes, you…….”

‘Wait a minute.’

‘Did he just say ‘me?’’

Hyun Jong, who was mulling over words that seemed unlikely to come out of Chung Myung’s mouth, turned his gaze with a blank face.
And at that moment, Hyun Jong saw it.

Chung Myung’s face, which has been so gentle and calm for the past few days, shows all kinds of grudges in the world. He even saw the spectacle of his head tilting sideways.

“Why would I?”

“….”

‘Ah….’

‘I think we’re screwed…..’