Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Here it is.”

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing. You can rest comfortably now. I will tell you this evening’s schedule at a later time, but there will probably be a Sect Leader meeting tomorrow. And if there are any problems, do tell the person in charge of the guiding.”

“I understand.”

“Yes, then.”

The novice Shaolin monk who was in charge of guiding them bowed his head and went out.

When the novice monk disappeared, the disciples of Mount Hua looked around.

“Still, I thought we’d be given different rooms.”

“It seems like the guest residences are separate only for the recipients of the Gold letter and upwards. Until the Silver level, they all seem to be living together in one huge place.”

Un Geom nodded at Hyun Young’s words.

Chung Myung and the rest of them were able to avoid a majority of the hustle and bustle because they possessed a gold letter. If they had been forced into a large hall with various other sects, then it would have been considerable trouble for the Elders.

“But the Shaolin Sect is the Shaolin Sect at the end of the day.”

“Right. They are able to accommodate so many people this easily. To give away one full residence to a group of guests in such a situation… It is hard to imagine how many halls and temples there are.”

Even today, they had been surprised by the wealth of the Shaolin Sect too many times.

“As we all heard, there seems to be a meeting of the Sect Leaders tomorrow, and the competition will be held the day after.”

“Right. The spars between the sect disciples are the main highlight. Since it is a form of competition to display to the world your qualifications, it does make sense.”

Hyun Jong smiled.

Actually, the spars themselves were useless, but they did play an instrumental role for the sects. Hyun Jong would have to help in using that as well.

‘That way, I can make the children’s abilities shine a little more.’

Coming all the way to this place can be a bit scary, but he had to be confident and show his dignified…

‘No, rather, isn’t it quite troubling?’

Hyun Jong was filled with both pride and sadness as he looked at his disciples, who resembled bandits who had come to rob the place.

“Hyun Young.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Let the children unpack and rest. I will look around.”

“Yes, Sect Leader. Don’t worry.”

When Hyun Jong went out, Hyun Young looked at the kids and said,

“Unpack your things in your rooms. Today, you get to take a break until dinner. Don’t make trouble for us. Baek Cheon! Yoon Jong!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

“Yes!”

Seeing Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong come forward, Hyun Young said.

“The great sahyungs will be the ones in charge!”

“Yes!”

“Chung Myung… don’t lose sight of that brat for even a second!”

“…”

“Uh…”

“Ah, uh…”

At that moment, Chung Myung looked around and asked.

“Me?”

“Chung Myung.”

“Yes?”

Hyun Young smiled brightly.

“I do not doubt you, but this isn’t a place to make enemies. Think about the name of your Sect. Keep that fact and our face in mind, and don’t cause any accidents.”

“Eh, Elder. I am not a kid.”

“I wouldn’t worry about a kid.”

‘The problem is that you aren’t a kid. If you are one, how much trouble could you even make?’

‘I am worried because you, Chung Myung, aren’t a kid.’

“Well, all the Sect Leaders are gathering, and the disciples of the Sect will also be around from tomorrow. So be careful to not cause any problems. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Elder!”

“Okay.”

Hyun Young nodded and listened. He also needed time to organize his stuff.

“Un Geom. Go to your room.”

“Yes.”

As the smiling adults went to their rooms, the children picked up their things.

Their mouths didn’t rest as they looked at the rooms.

“It was so crowded when I walked in, but the place where the dorms are located is quite secluded, right?”

“It is because they blocked the entrance. There must be a lot of smart people around in this Sect. They must’ve figured out quite early that if the people crowded inside the Sect, it would mean trouble for them.”

“Right?”

“Uh. So, be careful! Did you see the eyes of the people we came across? How bad…”

Baek Cheon frowned as he listened to the people talking.

‘They don’t like how they look?’

In order for a person to know his or her state, there was a need for comparison.

The disciples of Mount Hua, who had learned their sword techniques all the while being stuck in the mountains, did not seem to be aware of the harshness of the world.

They were pretty naïve.

But wasn’t it weird that the people who saw them were avoiding them, and yet these slow-minded people didn’t realize it?

The disciples unpacked their belongings and gathered in the living room again.

“The two Elders and Un Geom sasuk have left.”

Puzzled by Baek Sang’s words, Baek Cheon asked.

“Where did they go?”

“Well…”

At that moment, Chung Myung opened his mouth.

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

“We need to go!”

Baek Cheon’s face contorted.

“What are you talking about! Didn’t the Elder just tell you to stay put!”

“What about the Elder?”

“Didn’t he tell you to not cause trouble!”

“Tch. This is why people need to understand words well. What did the Elder say?”

“Uh?”

Baek Cheon tilted his head.

“He said to not tarnish the name of the Sect and create trouble.”

“Right! You heard it right!”

“Was there anything about not going out?”

“…uh?”

‘Uh?’

‘When you say it like that…’

“Tch tch.”

Chung Myung criticized Baek Cheon.

“It is the virtue of being a disciple to fully understand what your Elder is trying to say. Sasuk is still a long way off.”

‘This jerk.’

Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t someone else but Chung Myung, who was talking about the ‘virtue of being a disciple.’ Was it always used in such a manner?

“Anyway, NO!”

“What?”

“You cannot go out! Don’t even dream of it.”

At those words, Chung Myung gave Baek Cheon a pathetic gaze.

“Sasuk.”

“It will not change no matter what you say! It is a no.”

“No, no. Sasuk! Listen to me first.”

“…”

“See. This is the Shaolin Sect.”

“Right.”

“When will we get the chance to come to Shaolin again? Maybe this is the first and last time, but we are all the way here and are just looking at the walls of the dorms and the training halls. How can we leave without seeing the entire place?”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s eyes fluttered slightly as he heard that.

“Think carefully. Sasuk, are you really fine with this?”

And as if on cue, the other disciples began to roar.

“Well, we are in the Shaolin Sect…”

“Even before, it seemed as though the other sects were looking around.”

“We came all the way from Mount Hua… we have to look around too. It is unfair to just stay in here.”

Baek Cheon didn’t say anything.

He wasn’t sure about Chung Myung, but the others said it was a bit too much. And Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

“Think carefully sasuk. Sasuk might not want to, but I really want to do it. And if I have to stay here, I will make sasuk stay here with me as well!”

Flinch

Baek Cheon’s eyes shook.

“I wish to see the Shaolin Sect. You must wish to see it too. It is so amazing, the Shaolin Sect that everyone has talked about. Don’t you want to go around and see it? Don’t you?”

‘You sly bastard!’

The problem was that he wasn’t wrong.

Baek Cheon was also a human, so why wouldn’t he be interested?

He had come all the way to the Shaolin Sect, which was so far to the north, so not seeing what it really was like felt like a pity.

“Sasuk. What if I don’t cause trouble? What can I do if I go around with sasuk?”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul whispered from behind.

“Isn’t he almost done?”

“I can see his legs shaking.”

As Chung Myung faced Baek Cheon, who was about to fall into temptation, he had a gentle expression on his face. It almost felt like a fox tail was rustling behind Chung Myung.

“I will allow it. But instead, you will not cause any trouble.”

“Hehe. Of course.”

“Ugh.”

It felt like he was being deceived, but…

‘Well, without the Elders, I cannot hold him down anyway.’

Instead of letting him do what he wants, he could try and control Chung Myung. Baek Cheon comforted himself and moved to the front.

And he turned to everyone and said,

“Instead, we will all move together.”

“Uh? Why…”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung.

“I cannot stop him by myself.”

“….”

Everyone looked at Chung Myung and nodded their heads.

“So, we move together! No objections will be entertained!”

It was a reasonable decision. But even then, Baek Cheon couldn’t have understood the implications of that decision now.

He couldn’t have known how wrong this decision had been.

“Ah. So old-fashioned.”

“Even so, I cannot handle it.”

The disciples of Mount Hua began to rush around. Fortunately, unlike the gate that had been bustling with visitors, the inside wasn’t too crowded.

They could see monks walking to and fro, and there were a few disciples from other sects who were looking around as well.

“Sahyung! There is a Buddha here!

“You idiot! This is called the Stone Buddha!”

“Isn’t a stone buddha still a Buddha? What is the difference?”

“It is different!”

Baek Cheon smiled brightly as he saw the disciples of Mount Hua all excited.

‘This is embarrassing.’

He was glad that there was no one around them. He didn’t want anyone else to see this.

Baek Cheon was someone who was proud of Mount Hua more than anyone else in the world… but there were good and bad things, and this wasn’t something he wanted to show others.

“What temple is so wide? It might take a long time to get to the end.”

‘Mount Hua is wide too, you brats!’

‘Why are you exaggerating?’

“M-Maybe a hundred people can fit in?”

‘Mount Hua can also do that!’

‘Kids, calm down!’

Baek Cheon sighed.

‘Right. Let’s leave them be.’

Actually, they weren’t really shocked at the size of the Shaolin Sect or anything. This was their first time coming out of Mount Hua, so they just found it all very strange.

They would probably be shocked even by a passing cat. However, there seemed to be some people who felt that their appearance was unsightly.

“What is with them?”

“Are they villagers?”

As they heard those voices, the disciples turned their heads in unison.

“Uh?”

Perhaps, it might have been because they didn’t know that such a small whisper could be heard, but the people who had said those words previously flinched as they saw the disciples looking at them.

Baek Cheon bit his tongue.

‘Don’t look at us like that.’

But the moment he was about going to let it go…

“…Mount Hua?”

Seeing the plum blossom pattern on their chests, the people made strange expressions which eventually turned into sneers.

“I was wondering who it was… So, it was Mount Hua. I wasn’t sure that Mount Hua would be invited. The Shaolin Sect said that they were preparing for it… It seems they weren’t wrong after all.”

Baek Sang looked at the two who were talking.

“What is with them?”

“Uh? S-sahyung…”

“Uh?”

Baek Sang frowned.

‘Uh?’

His eyes saw the print on the right chests of the men who had spoken.

It was the symbol of three blue waves.

There was only one Sect that used such a pattern as their symbol.

“Three Wind Waves! The Southern Island Sect”

(Ocean at the southern side)

As they heard the words ‘Southern Island Sect’, all the Mount Hua disciples’ faces went stiff.

The Sect that the disciples of Mount Hua hated the most in the world. However, it was also the Sect that the disciples wanted to win over the most.

The Southern Island Sect.

“Uh? Why are everyone’s expressions like that?”

When Chung Myung titled his head, Baek Cheon said,

“It is the Southern Island Sect.”

“So?”

“They are the Southern Island Sect of the Nine Great Sects.”

“The Nine Great Sects… are they one of them?”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“This is the Sect that took the position of Mount Hua after we fell.”

“Uh?”

Looking back, he had heard something about it before. But he didn’t care about it since it didn’t matter too much.

Now that he knew this, Chung Myung could understand why the disciples were acting like this. It was because the Southern Island Sect reminded them that Mount Hua had been replaced.

‘Tch. Just for that?’

‘Position was something that could be regained with power. Until then, they had to remain alert…’

It was then.

“What! What is it!”

“Yah! Call the kids!”

Seeing dozens of people gather, the disciples of the Southern Island Sect began to rush in.

“Uh?”

In an instant, it looked like a fight would break out between the two, and that made Baek Cheon quite confused.

‘Uh? This isn’t good…’

The Elder had told them to not cause trouble. Moreover, even the Sect Leader had said it.

But everything that was currently happening was an ending that they all wanted to avoid.

And the disciples of the Southern Island Sect began to speak out.

“What is happening?”

“Those Mount Hua bastards…”

“What?”

A person who seemed to be the great sahyung looked at them angrily, and Baek Cheon sighed.

‘Why look at us like that?’

‘If you want to get angry, do it to your side. There is no need to show hostility to someone who has said nothing.’

‘Well.’

“Nice to meet you. I am Mount Hua’s great…”

“Did the ruined Sect come all the way here just to have food?”

“… discip… What, brat? Uah, you come here!”

Baek Cheon turned furious. Yoon Jong and Jo Gul hurriedly went to him.

“Sasuk.”

“Relax, relax.”

“Ugh!”

Baek Cheon shrugged, not liking what he had just heard.

But the other person hadn’t finished yet.

“If you were kicked out of the Nine Great Sects, I would think you would have been embarrassed and even pulled down your board, but look at you crawling back here without any shame.”¹

“Hahahahaha!”

“Don’t say that, sahyung. They were probably starving, and the promise of free food must have watered their mouths.”

“The meal hall is that way. Go quickly. There will probably be some leftover food.”

Baek Cheon’s body trembled. He wasn’t trembling with anger.

It was true that the disciple’s words were out of line, but Baek Cheon wasn’t angry because of that… no, well, he was just a little pissed off.

But the real problem…

“No, what is with these bastards?”

There was someone here who didn’t have that kind of patience.

It was Chung Myung.

Baek Cheon turned his head to the side, and Chung Myung was already rubbing his hands.

“…C-Chung Myung.”

Chung Myung was grinning and licking his lips.

“Don’t worry, sasuk, I will not cause trouble.”

“Right. Be patient.”

“But…”

“…Uh?”

“…the Sect has been insulted! Should a person who has had meals from Mount Hua for so long stand back now?”

“…”

“These bastards cursed our Mount Hua.”

“…”

Baek Cheon slowly turned his head forward.

Similar to Chung Myung, he, too, didn’t like this.

“Hey!”

“Um?”

At Baek Cheon’s words, the eyes of the Southern Island Sect disciples moved to him.

“How dare you Southern Island bastards talk like that?”

“…you?”

“Is he crazy?”

“Enough.”

Baek Cheon waved his hand.

“Let’s not waste time and fight for nothing. It isn’t good for either of us if we talk about the wrong things.”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul sighed in relief.

Right, as expected of Baek Cheon sasuk…

And right at that moment.

Puck!

Baek Cheon pulled out the sword from his waist and threw it on the floor.

“So, come on, you grumbling bastards. I will make you crawl back to your Southern Island Sect.”

“…”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul looked at each other in defeat.

‘…right, this man wasn’t sane either.’

They had kept thinking of him like he had been before…

They were two people who were aware of the shocking fact that Baek Cheon had changed into Chung Myung.