Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Over here, Sect Leader.”

“Um. Right.”

Hyun Jong nodded his head with slightly complicated feelings as he looked at Baek Cheon and his party running over.

‘I thought it would take a little longer.’

It took him a while to understand what happened. He thought it would be good if they came to know about each other, but the story of Yu Yiseol and her father was too sensitive.

Nevertheless, he had to send the children in the vague hope that they would understand her pain.

Because those children may be able to fill the void that the adults couldn’t.

But sharing pain can sometimes be dangerous too…

Hyun Jong looked at Yu Yiseol’s expression with a slightly nervous face.

‘Ah…’

And when Hyun Jong finally saw her approaching, he was glad. A smile that came from relief.

Baek Cheon, who came all the way forward, then bowed as he reported,

“Sect Leader. We have returned safely.”

“Right. Everyone, you have been through enough.”

“Yes!”

Hyun Jong turned to Yu Yiseol,

“Was it good?”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong looked at her face. She looked different from when she had left.

“You have a nice expression.”

The subtle uneasiness that she would hide behind her expressionless face disappeared, and it looked like she was at ease. Of course, those who didn’t know her well wouldn’t find much difference.

“Feeling a bit better now?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, that is it.”

When Hyun Jong nodded, Yu Yiseol looked silent and turned around. And, unable to bear the attention, went behind the group.

Seeing her like that, Hyun Jong burst into laughter.

‘Look at her.’

The Yu Yiseol from the past didn’t like staying near the disciples of Mount Hua.

From the moment she entered the sect holding the hand of Hyun Jong, she accepted her life as a disciple here, but she never regarded the disciples as her friends.

Of course, he didn’t think it was wrong of her.

Some prefer living like that. Hyun Jong didn’t want to share what was right and wrong for her right away. He thought she had to find her way.

But…

Hyun Jong smiled.

Even so, Yu Yiseol always looked better when she mingled.

‘After all, that child must have changed her.’

Hyun Jong turned to Chung Myung.

The change in Yu Yiseol started when Chung Myung came to Mount Hua. He wasn’t sure what he did, but wasn’t it a good result?

‘How much more will the child change in this new Mount Hua?’

So far, so much has changed. But Chung Myung would not stop at this level.

Many more things would change in the future, and he smiled, looking at Chung Myung.

From the moment they arrived, Chung Myung ran to his cart and inspected them.

‘A bit too meticulous.’

Right. Right.

If one was leading a sect, they had to be this…

“Baek Sang sasuk.”

At that moment, Chung Myung turned and called,

“Uh, huh?”

Baek Sang looked at the man, and Chung Myung spoke with wide eyes,

“There is one coin missing.”

“…”

Baek Sang protested like he was innocent,

“That cannot be! We even kept the ants from reaching them except for when we were sleeping!”

“What? Did you sleep? You must be out of your mind! How can the money keeper sleep!”

“…”

Baek Sang pouted as he said,

“No… it isn’t something huge, just one coin…”

“What? Just one coin?”

Chung Myung’s eyes went wide.

“Do you think I will get that coin back if I sell you? Huh? Are you looking down on one coin because Mount Hua got rich? And because of whom? Me?”

“N-No.”

Baek Sang was shocked as he looked at his Sect Leader, who smiled.

‘Just pretend you don’t know.’

A good man never sees the wrong things.

Hyun Jong moved without a break.

There were many reasons, but the main reason was that Mount Hua was empty without its sect leader for a long time.

Unlike other sects where there are many to replace the sect leader or elders who work outside the sect, but right now, Mount Hua didn’t have many elders.

The Un disciples must be desperately working to fill his void.

So, he wanted to head back.

“Sect Leader! Over there?”

“Oh.”

Hyun Jong raised his head and looked up.

Perhaps thanks to the nonstop traveling, they finally began to see Mount Hua in the distance.

“…Mount Hua.”

In terms of time, it was just one month, but it felt like years had gone by.

The disciples, who were a bit tired, regained their strength.

Baek Cheon looked at Mount Hua and smiled brightly,

“We are finally back.”

“Isn’t the way so long, Sasuk?”

“Right, it was long. It felt a lot longer because of a certain someone, I feel like I am getting old, worrying that a certain someone might get into an accident.”

“If you look at it, the accident was because of sasuk… no.”

Yoon Jong, who was trying to push this on Baek Cheon, went silent.

This man used to be so gentle in the past, and now he was trying to kill me with his eyes.

‘Everyone is stained.’

Only then would Mount Hua stand up?

“Anyway, let us climb up. We need to get up there today.”

“Yes, sasuk!”

Just as everyone was ready to move.

“… but, Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gul, who looked dead.

“What is it?”

“… it is that.”

“Huh? What?”

“That. That.”

Jo Gul pointed to… the cart and Chung Myung lying on it.

“What about him now?”

“Not Chung Myung, but the cart!”

“… cart? What about it?”

Jo Gul hesitated for a moment and said,

“Isn’t that supposed to climb Mount Hua too?”

“…”

Not one but four carts.

Baek Cheon smiled very brightly as he realized this reality.

Eh.

No…

“Isn’t it time they come back?”

“They will be here today.”

The disciples of Mount Hua rubbed their eyes as they waited for their friends in front of the main gate.

And they should be here today.

“Aren’t they supposed to be here? Shouldn’t they be here by morning?”

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

Un Am looked down the mountain, a bit worried.

‘I am sure I got a letter saying that they would return today.’

Since travel was something that involved many variables, it was not uncommon for people to be delayed by a day or two. But still, his heart shook.

“Is everything done?”

“How many times will you ask? I did it.”

Un Am smiled at the blunt answer.

‘Now I understand why elder Hyun Young put so much effort into preparing food.’

He often thought that he would act too much, but when he was waiting for people to come now, he could understand it.

These people were coming back after making Mount Hua’s largest achievement of the past century, and he wanted to carry those children up and cheer for them, but he couldn’t, so he decided to make a warm meal.

“Even if you are happy, Sect Leader must be tired from the long journey, so let’s tone it down and welcome them.”

“Yes, Sasuk.”

“Don’t worry, Sahyung.”

The disciples of Mount Hua all nodded. Everyone felt like they were already flying over the clouds at the news that Mount Hua finished as runner-up, which was the best result!

Everyone was ready to welcome the sahyungs who brought glory to Mount Hua.

Right, the news had to be enjoyed even more so now.

At that time, the one standing in front of the main gate raised their hand and pointed down.

“T-there!”

“Ah, there! Over there, they are coming up, Sasuk!”

“Oh?”

Un Am ran ahead.

“Ohh!”

They saw four people climbing up, almost like flying. Hyun Jong, Hyun Young, Hyun Sang and Un Geom.

“Sect Leader!”

“Elders!”

“Teacher!”

The disciples of Mount Hua lowered their heads with respect.

“We greet the sect leader.”

“You have been through a lot, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong approached them and smiled.

“We are a bit late, we must have troubled you. Are things well here?”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Un Am greeted him with a smile.

It was a place where guests were greeted. What was better than having everyone here?

“Really, you worked so hard. The disciples were overjoyed about what Sect Leader and the children accomplished.”

“Huuhu.”

Hyun Jong laughed,

“I did nothing. All that happened was through the kids’ actions.”

“But it was Sect Leader leading their way.”

Hyun Jong shook his head,

“No. I have done nothing. If you want to compliment someone, do it to the kids.”

“Haha.”

As always, Un Am smiled at the Sect Leader who was passing by the disciples lined up. But some, not all of them, had returned.

“… the children?”

Hyun Jong turned his gaze and said,

“They will be up soon. Ah! I-I have something to do inside.”

“Uh?”

“See you later!”

Hyun Jong moved very quickly to his residence, and the elders followed him.

‘Uh?’

Even Un Geom was following the elders with his head down.

“Sajae?”

“I-I have something to do, Sahyung.”

“Uh?”

Seeing Un Geom rushing in, Un Am couldn’t guess what it was.

No, why is everyone in such a hurry…

It was then.

“Here they come!”

“Oh!”

Un Am turned his head.

For some reason, the atmosphere felt a bit strange, but the people who had done a great job out there, as their sect leader had said, were finally returning.

So he had to welcome them with a smile and open arms.

“Everyone co….me?”

But his words couldn’t come out right.

He could see the disciples of Mount Hua coming up like they were crawling.

“Kuak…”

“Ugh! Fuck! Why is the mountain this steep!”

“I almost fell three times!”

The disciples with red eyes were moving up with ropes around their bodies.

‘The rope is…’

And behind the ones crawling, large carts appeared.

Un Am’s mouth flopped open.

‘They are coming up with that on them?’

Insane!

There were cliffs all over the mountain path. Ordinary people wouldn’t even climb with any extra items, and even some of those who had learned martial arts fell too.

And these kids carried up the cart?

And not just one.

“Ackkkkk!”

Jo Gul, who grabbed the edge, raised his head.

“Shit! Shit! It is just the money! You could have exchanged this for bills! Did you have to bring them up like this? You insane idiot!”

“That is a lot of talk.”

Uh?

As Jo Gul crawled, the other Chung disciples who were next to him were all red-faced, and along the ropes tied to them, a larger cart appeared.

On the cart…

There was a clear groan from Un Am when he looked at one person lying down with a bottle of alcohol in hand.

“…”

Un Am realized…

‘Ah, kids were always like this.’

And he felt deeply.. that there was no such thing as a warm and normal welcome at Mount Hua.