Return of the Mount Hua Sect

A thin stream of water dripped down the teapot. The delicate scent of tea spread through the air, and Hyun Jong’s eyes were fixed on the tea flowing into his cup.

The swaying liquid calmed down and gradually stilled.

‘Like Mount Hua.’

He had recently realized something.

Maybe everything in the world wasn’t so different from the tea filling the cup. In order to fill the teacup, one has to pour tea, and when one ends up pouring the tea, it ends up swaying and shaking the cup.

‘One cannot fill a teacup without shaking it…’

Up till now, he had lived without letting go of the tea ceremony, and now he could see a whole world inside of it.

“Everything in the world is Tao…”

A smile crept across the lips of Hyun Jong.

It would be nice if this realization could be conveyed to the disciples of Mount Hua, but as Hyun Jong realized this after ages, they too will have to seek their own way.

Hyun Jong’s role was just to watch them and stop them from going down the wrong path.

“The tea smells good.”

Hyun Jong smiled at Hyun Sang’s words.

“You think so?”

Hyun Sang nodded his head at the smell of the tea.

“I didn’t know it tasted like this, but now I think I can understand why people talk about tea ceremonies.”

“It is something you need to make time to do.”

Hyun Jong looked at Hyun Sang and smiled.

Hyun Sang had been poisoned and his body was severely injured during the recent siege, and he had only recently recovered. Maybe because his body was better, his expression felt softer now.

“The children who left aren’t back yet.”

“Don’t they always do something? Even if it takes time, they will be back without any major incidents.”

“Right, they should.”

Hyun Jong looked out the window, and he could see the clear sky out there.

“No more…”

“Ackkkk!”

“…clouds, clear sky.”

“Yes.”

The two could sense something new.

Despite the screams coming from outside, they drank their tea like nothing was happening.

“What is Hyun Young doing?”

“Isn’t today the day when we settle the Eunha Merchant’s accounts? The Young Master should be coming.”

“Huhu. Hyun Young is doing his job…”

“Ack! S-Save me! Ack!”

“… I am sure he is, just the two of us drinking here makes my heart hurt.”

“He has other tasks.”

Hyun Sang clicked his tongue,

“And he wouldn’t consider it work. Money is coming in, so why would he be here? They say he doesn’t have to go directly, but the man cannot stop. Tch.”

Hyun Jong laughed at this.

“Right, everyone….”

“ACKKKKKKK!”

“Is working….”

“Ach! I might really die!”

“In Mount Hua…”

“No more! Ack!”

Hyun Jong, unable to finish his words, flinched and closed his eyes.

“Ahem.”

Clearing his throat, he jumped up from where he was seated and headed for the door.

Clack!

When he opened the door, he looked at Mount Hua disciples sprawled on the ground and their pained faces.

Looking at the chunks of metal hanging from their limbs, he could guess why they were screaming.

“Instructor.”

“Save me!”

Everyone was crawling on the ground, with just one person walking around calmly.

“You seem to be lacking.”

Un Geom.

He was smiling and looking down at the kids with one sleeve fluttering in the wind.

“But you didn’t do much.”

The disciples of Mount Hua looked wide-eyed at Un Geom.

“W-We might die, though?”

“Haha. When will that happen?”

“Uh?”

“I know because I tried it, people don’t die so easily.”

“….”

The disciples’ faces contorted.

If it were someone else, they would have retorted with something, but not to Un Geom. Wasn’t he the one who really visited the land between life and death because of the most recent battle against the Ten Thousand People Clan?

The person in question said it, so could they say anything back?

Un Geom smiled and continued reading their thoughts.

“I learned martial arts all my life, but I never heard of anyone dying while training. So get up.”

“…”

Who did he know that practiced like this? No, rather, would any sane person even feel happy listening to this?

Uh?

The disciples all gulped their words down, unable to speak them, and stared at Un Geom in shock.

“And…”

But the man didn’t care and continued,

“Everything I am doing now is for you all.”

“…what?”

“Soon, Chung Myung will return.”

At the mention of the name ‘Chung Myung’, their faces turned pale.

“Seeing how their time away has been extended, there must have been some setbacks. What happens when he comes back, sees you all, and thinks your training didn’t go well?”

That…

‘He will go full-on insane.’

‘I cannot even imagine.’

‘Damn it!’

They could already see Chung Myung losing his mind.

“… When a man earns fame, they change a little.”

“How can he be so consistent then!”

The disciples whispered.

“So, I am doing this. So instead, you should consider this as me helping you out. Wouldn’t it be better to be trained by me than Chung Myung?”

He wasn’t wrong.

At least they knew Un Geom had kindness. Though he had been going overboard with their training lately.

“But… we seemed a little too happy to worry about those facts?”

“You aren’t wrong.”

Un Geom smiled as if he loved this.

“People say there is a method to everything, and indeed, there is a method to teaching. I am learning a lot from teaching you with this new attitude to learning I have begun to inculcate. Every day is new, how can we not enjoy this?”

“…”

Those were grandiose words, but when translated, they meant that torturing the disciples was this man’s way of learning how to quickly become stronger.

‘He wasn’t always like this.’

‘He was stained. He is tainted. Why is everyone changing!’

The disciples of Mount Hua held back their tears. If there was one consistent person on Mount Hua, it was their sect leader, and these Mount Hua disciples were getting first-hand experience of the changes in people.

Even though the struggling sect began to gain money, the lives of the disciples were still in agony.

It was then.

“That…”

Everyone turned their heads at the groan.

“We greet Sect Leader,” said Un Geom first, discovering Hyun Jong a bit late.

“Yes, yes. You are all working hard.”

Hyun Jong glanced at the disciples still on the ground, who were earnestly pleading to him.

‘Sect Leader!’

‘Please say something! Instructor has become weird!’

‘We might die at this pace.’

Hyun Jong was also able to know exactly what their eyes meant, and thinking for a second he asked,

“You are training?”

“Yes, I was so involved with their training that we ended up in front of Sect Leader’s residence. I apologize that I didn’t pay attention. We will move to another place.”

“No, no. Where else could there be a better place? And there is no place on Mount Hua where disciples cannot practice.”

He gently shook his head, and Un Geom looked at him.

“But their training is… a bit too hard, in my opinion.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Now, the disciples held some hope. But Un Geom smiled and answered,

“But training is meaningless if it isn’t hard. Besides, would the usual training save the kids when they are in crisis? Just as how I felt in the battle.”

“…”

“One shouldn’t neglect their training, at least not for the sake of the kids.”

“Ahem. Right. Right.”

Hyun Jong turned to the disciples with an apologetic look.

‘Sect Leader!’

‘Why aren’t you saying something? Sect Leader!’

But he turned away from them, avoiding their gazes.

‘I am sorry.’

He would help them if possible, but he was pushed away from the answer he received. In addition, Un Geom had almost died a couple of days ago, so him speaking so confidently made it awkward for Hyun Jong to say anything.

“Hmm. Then work hard.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Tak.

The door closed, and the disciples looked like all hope was lost.

“S-Sect Leader….”

Un Geom, who confirmed that the door was closed, smiled.

“Now, let us continue.”

“…”

“Looking at Sect Leader and how you reacted, it seems like you have some strength left. Shall we get to some more training?”

“Instructor!”

“We made a mistake!”

Wailing screams broke out, and now there was no hope left for the disciples.

‘We will die. Die, for sure. I am going to die and not in the hands of Chung Myung.’

‘I miss the old days. I really miss them…’

In the past…

Before Chung Myung entered Mount Hua, this place was so peaceful, and the thought brought tears to their eyes.

Unfortunately, their ordeal didn’t end there.

“Now, once again we…”

Grrrng!

“Hm?”

Un Geom turned his head to the side.

Grrrng!

There was a strange sound coming from the far side.

“Hmm. It looks like they have returned.”

“Uh?”

“Let us head to the gate, the kids seem to have come back.”

Only then did the disciples jump up at the roaring sound.

“Sahyung is back!”

“Open the gate!”

Everyone rushed over to the gate.

Their’s was the joy of being able to escape from training, even for a moment, even if it meant seeing Chung Myung who they hated. But, Un Geom didn’t bother with the disciples either.

“Sasuk!”

“Sahyung!”

The disciples of Mount Hua opened the gate and rushed out. They stood in front of the gate, waiting for them to return. It was so beautiful to see them all waiting for their brothers, who were returning after a long time.

It took just one thing.

Grrrng!

“… but what is that sound?”

“Right?”

Everyone looked confused at the sound, but right then–

Flash!

“Kuak! That!”

“So shiny! What is that… my head!”

As if a brilliant sun was shining, a round head appeared from the bottom of the hill.

“Monk Hae Yeon.”

“He is back saf…”

Those who wanted to greet him with smiles, shut up awkwardly.

“Haaa….”

Thud! Thud!

With every step Hae Yeon took, the disciples of Mount Hua flinched and stepped back.

‘Monk Hae Yeon… is that him?’

‘It looks like it, but….’

‘… did he fall into hell on the way here?’

Hae Yeon was Hae Yeon, but his aura was different from what they knew. The once bashful guy, who set out to discover the world, wasn’t there anymore. Instead, they could see a monster from hell with glaring eyes approach them.

“… but the sound of the cart? The cart sounds….”

“Is it made of iron?”

Grrrng!

When Hae Yeon came into view, a large cart came up behind him. At the same time, Baek Cheon and others were pulling the cart.

“…”

As they came up in half-ragged clothes, the others felt this unknown intimidation take over.

“S-Sasuk.”

“… you have returned safely.”

Everyone spoke very cautiously. And Baek Cheon, who had lowered his head behind Hae Yeon, raised it up.

His eyes instantly scanned the disciples.

“… a very….”

His lips twisted into a smile.

“Pleasant time you had here.”

“…”

No. No!

We worked really hard!

But they couldn’t say that after watching them. Looking at the dust and the condition of their clothes, the disciples could tell how tough their journey was.

“… see how clean their clothes are.” added Yoon Jong.

“… so dead, really.” Jo Gul followed up.

“They need to be trained.” glaring Yu Yiseol came into view.

“… even the sahyungs will suffer!” grunted Tang Soso.

And Baek Sang, who had no strength left to talk, just collapsed.

“…”

Baek Cheon approached the disciples asking,

“You trained hard while we were away, right?”

“… W-We did Sahyung!”

“Really?”

His eyes shone,

“Then let us go and check. If I don’t see it, then you are done for.”

That…

Sahyung?

Was this sahyung and not Chung Myung?

“All ready?”

At that time, Chung Myung rubbed his eyes and got up.

“Ah, I am hungry. I need to have something.”

He jumped off the cart and slowly stepped through the gate. And there was no shouting.

“….”

Contrary to their thoughts, he didn’t nag them.

But…

‘Why do I hate this side of him more?’

‘Right.’

“You’re not concentrating?”

Those who looked at Chung Myung turned their heads back to Baek Cheon.

“How dare….”

Eventually, the face of Baek Cheon had this wicked grin. And the disciples of Mount Hua thought that this smile was similar to Chung Myung’s.

“Let’s see how your skills have developed. Since you worked so hard.”

“….”

A deep despair fell into the eyes of the disciples.