Return of Mount Hua Sect

Death.

Actually, it wasn’t an unfamiliar word. No, maybe they were very familiar with it.

But the words that came out of Chung Myung’s mouth weighed on everyone’s hearts like a thousand-pound rock.

“… no….”

Baek Sang tried to say something but then closed his mouth again.

He didn’t know what to say.

Chung Myung chuckled.

“We were lucky, right?”

“….”

“….”

“No, if only the timing of stopping the war had been a little later…”

Everyone turned their heads away, unable to meet Chung Myung’s gaze.

“If the Ten Thousand People hadn’t just stood there and stalled for time but had really rushed in with the determination to go to war…”

“…”

“Would everyone really have been able to sit here like this and speak of profit and fame?”

Baek Sang bit his lip.

“But that is…”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders, cutting off Baek Sang’s words.

“As a warrior, you should be prepared to die at any time. If someone who lives by swinging a sword thinks that he won’t die from being hit by the sword, that is arrogance and disgusting.”

“….”

“But that doesn’t mean it is alright to die.”

Chung Myung shook his head.

“The world has changed. The battlefield we will stand on from now won’t be as easy as it was before. The days of fighting like we trained or experienced are over. And they won’t come again. From now on, we really have to kill or be killed.”

Because the Evil Sects changed the world.

And everyone sitting here knew that fact.

“But so…”

But Baek Sang still looked unconvinced.

“So aren’t they uniting the sects and growing their power? If it’s the power of the Heavenly Friends Alliance….”

“Sasuk.”

Chung Myung stared at Baek Sang and asked.

“Do you really think so?”

“….”

Baek Sang bit down on his lip and sighed.

Chung Myung said.

“I like money too. I like fame and honor, you know?”

“… then?”

“But if it costs someone’s life in return, I don’t need it.”

Chung Myung’s voice was calmer and firmer than ever.

“Do you know what really sends a person to hell?”

“… seeing the death of their own sahyung-sajae with their own eyes?”

“No, it isn’t that.”

Chung Myung shook his head.

“The real hell is surviving it. And I, who survived, belatedly realize that I could have prevented the sahyungs-sajaes from dying.”

“…”

“Regret is what truly drags people to hell.”

It was a calm voice.

But those who heard it felt their hearts sink with an inexplicable sadness.

“Someone will die. This is unavoidable. We act as if nothing happened, but everyone knows it. Someday, one of us here will die. And it won’t be long before that happens.”

“….”

“At that time…”

Chung Myung cast his gaze up.

“The splendid fame on our shoulders.”

“….”

“The great wealth in our hands.”

“…”

“The great honor of saving the world.”

Chung Myung, who had been looking up for a moment as everyone stayed silent, slowly opened his mouth again.

“Do you think all of that is worth even a penny?”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung in silence.

Baek Cheon knew.

That wasn’t what Chung Myung said to his sahyung sajaes. That was what he was saying to himself.

“I don’t want to regret it.”

“…”

“If I cannot avoid seeing someone die, I should at least make sure it isn’t a death caused by my own complacency. It shouldn’t be a death caused by my wrong choices; it shouldn’t be a death that could have been avoided.”

Yu Yiseol nodded slowly.

Calmly, but firmly.

“Mount Hua needs to get stronger. It cannot be done now. It isn’t just because of the Ten Thousand People Clan. It isn’t because of the Four Precepts Alliance, and it’s not because of Jang Ilso.”

Because he was scared.

Because he was so scared of losing.

If there had been even one casualty in the battle, Mount Hua would never have been the same. And everyone knew it. This wasn’t the result of skill but sheer luck.

‘It should have been this way from the start.’

Chung Myung bit his lip.

He told Jang Ilso that he would regret giving Mount Hua time. But that was just an angry outburst.

Chung Myung was that scared.

Defeating the Ten Thousand People Clan?

What meaning did a victory have if it was won by sacrificing countless disciples?

He had experienced such victories countless times. Even if you searched the entire world, there wasn’t a single person who had experienced more victories, more glorious victories than Chung Myung.

So what was left for Chung Myung?

Nothing.

Seriously, nothing.

At that moment, Baek Cheon, who had been staring at Chung Myung, opened his mouth.

“So…”

The disciples all turned their gazes to him. At this moment, no matter what anyone said, the person who could represent the disciples of Mount Hua was Baek Cheon.

“If we close the gates as you said and practice to death, no one will die?”

“How can that happen? But…”

Chung Myung closed his eyes once and then opened them. And then he said,

“At least, the living ones won’t be ashamed in front of the dead.”

Baek Cheon chuckled.

“It isn’t that great, but.”

“….”

“I agree.”

“Sasuk!”

“Sahyung!”

The sahyung-sajes shouted in surprise, but Baek Cheon didn’t even look at them. He just looked at Chung Myung and laughed in disbelief.

“I told that greedy bastard to stop being greedy, but he’s doing something worse. I guess it is just typical of him.”

Meanwhile, Baek Sang’s eyes were filled with confusion. Having spent a long time with Baek Cheon, he knew better than anyone else that once the sahyung made up his mind, he would never change it.

He turned his gaze to Yoon Jong as if asking for help.

“Say something.”

“You mean me?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Jong took a moment to collect his thoughts and then said calmly.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with that either.”

“… what?”

“I don’t know much about business, honor, or fame. I just learned the sword. Mount Hua is a place where you can achieve the Tao Way through a sword. Isn’t that enough?”

He shrugged slightly and continued.

“I know that what sasuk said makes sense. But I think that if I can just do what I have to do, no matter which side it is, that is enough.”

Before Baek Sang could say anything, Jo Gul clicked his tongue at Yoon Jong.

“This fucking man speaking like the great Byuk Chang-ho…”

“Why? Do you think differently?”

“If I say it is different, you will hit me, right? What can I say>”

“I won’t hit you.”

“How can I believe that!”

“I said I won’t!”

“Right, right. It is the words of heaven by a sahyung, so I need to follow… ack! You said you won’t hit me!”

Baek Sang sighed, thinking that he had done it.

Finally, he looked at Yu Yiseol, but since she had already agreed to the Closed Gates, there was no point in asking her. Furthermore, seeing the elders sitting there, he couldn’t even bring himself to open his mouth.

’Just give up, sasuk.“

Kwak Ho laughed bitterly.

“Honestly, what would you say after hearing that? You already know it, sasuk!”

“… right, I know…”

Baek Sang scratched his head.

“No matter how much I think about it, it is such a waste. Too much! Chung Myung. Is it really impossible to do both?”

“I am not that clever.”

“….”

“We are closing the gate to push through without anyone leaving the place. If it was possible, why would we have chosen that option in the first place?”

A deep sigh escaped Baek Sang’s mouth.

When he turned around, everyone’s eyes had changed.

‘These guys, seriously.’

They had been resisting so much, but they had already agreed without even hearing a word. No, it wasn’t an agreement; they were the ones who had to take the step ahead and shout that they wanted the Closed Gates soon enough and start training.

It was frustrating inside, but… still, Baek Sang didn’t say anything.

He couldn’t help but understand. Baek Sang was the same.

Maybe he could pressure them. He could make them change their minds by getting angry and yelling.

But that wouldn’t happen.

What if, as a result, Baek Sang came face to face with Baek Cheon’s fallen body?

Baek Sang would never forgive himself.

Knowing that he couldn’t bring himself to oppose.

‘It seems… sorted then.’

Hyun Jong, who had been quietly listening to their talks, opened his mouth.

“When Chung Myung came to see me last night and brought this up, I also had many concerns. What is right and not?”

“… Sect Leader.”

“There are countless chances in Mount Hua. And Mount Hua has a heavy responsibility on its shoulders.”

Hyun Jong, of all, would have even more so.

Others only have to think about Mount Hua losing. But Hyun Jong had to shoulder the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Even if it was limited to Mount Hua, he had more to consider than the disciples.

“I couldn’t come up with an answer in my head. So for the first time, I asked my heart. What path do I take?”

Hyun Jong smiled brightly.

“My heart said, a thousand gold coins, a world-renowned reputation, and the honor to make Mount Hua’s name shine….”

His eyes shone brighter than ever.

“It isn’t worth exchanging for even a single disciple.”

“… Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong smiled.

Perhaps it was something that a sect leader, who led a sect, shouldn’t say. But at the same time, it was the right mindset that a sect leader should have.

Hyun Jong’s mind was clearly saying it now.

The chance that Mount Hua had now was something he had longed for in the past.

But now Hyun Jong knew.

“I don’t care if Mount Hua doesn’t become the best sect in the world.”

“…”

“Even without that name, Mount Hua is Mount Hua. It isn’t Mount Hua because of strength and greatness. But…”

A warm look filled the eyes of Hyun Jong.

“Mount Hua without you isn’t Mount Hua.”

Everyone clenched their fists.

There were many words in the world, but none could touch their hearts more than this.

“As the sect leader of Mount Hua, I will protect Mount Hua.”

“…”

“Is there anyone who opposes it?”

It was quiet.

Everyone looked at Hyun Jong in silence. After a moment, someone answered first.

“None.”

Baek Sang.

When he answered, everyone agreed.

“None.”

“There is none, sect leader!”

“I will follow the words of the sect leader!”

Hyun Jong slowly nodded.

“All disciples of Mount Hua, listen up.”

“Yes, sect leader!”

“In the name of the sect leader of Mount Hua, I at this moment order you to seal the gates from this moment on. With no deadline set.”

“Yes!”

Hyun Jong looked at everyone with gentle eyes.

It might be an unreasonable request. However, no one stood up to object, and no one gave him any discontented looks.

No matter what was inside, they were trying to follow his words.

How could they not protect such people?

“Let’s go back to Mount Hua.”

“Yes! Sect leader!”

That is how Mount Hua’s trip to the island ended.

Just then, as everyone was smiling at Hyun Jong, a dreary voice came.

“So, has it been decided?”

Crack. Crack.

Chung Myung twisted his neck from the side. The sound of bones in his neck somehow felt eerie.

“Ah, I didn’t mention one thing.”

“… Uh?”

“Someone will die soon, and it won’t necessarily be due to the war.”

“….”

“I am going to give it my all this time. If I die, it is better to die by my own hands than someone else’s. Right?”

“….”

“That’s just how it is. Just know it.”

The hope drained from Mount Hua’s disciples’ eyes as they all looked at Hyun Jong with frightened, deer-like eyes. Hyun Jong averted their gaze with a friendly smile.

“Let’s hurry up and go back without wasting time. We are going to get busy now.”

“….”

The gates to hell were beautifully decorated.

It was only then that the disciples of Mount Hua realized they had walked into their own hell.