A tranquil gate.
Despite having the world’s attention, the road to Mount Hua was still quiet.
A group of people appeared in front of one of Mount Hua’s gates, standing in the morning dew.
“Huk! Huk!”
“I don’t know if it’s because it has been a while since I have been up here, but it is really tough.”
“…. Yes. That is Mount Hua for you.”
They all wiped the sweat from their foreheads and looked down.
Clouds hung over the middle of the cliff. It was a sight that was difficult to see unless one was a disciple of Mount Hua.
“Weren’t we climbing the mountain several times a day in the past?”
“Huhu. Did that happen?”“Yes. After training, we would go up and down many times.”
“Yes, yes.”
Within their voices, there was a vague hint of nostalgia.
They looked at each other with delighted eyes and then turned their gaze to the inscription.
“It took so many years to find Mount Hua, which I left behind when I was young.”
“…Sahyung.”
“Let’s go in. Before anything happens, we should stop by and ask for forgiveness. It would have been better if Master, who issued the decree on us, were still alive.”
The old man at the forefront walked towards the gate with a bitter face. Others followed the old man over.
“Um, looks like they put up a new gate.”
“Looks like it. It seems like the rumor that Mount Hua has made some money is right.”
“Hahah. That is what it looks like, Mount Hua with a flowery path.”
The old man burst into laughter and entered the gate. As he entered, his feet became rooted to the ground, and he was shocked.
“O-Oh, my god…”
“Huh… this?”
“…”
Those who followed were also unable to speak and looked around.
Different.
A Mount Hua that was very different from the one in their memories.
“Where did the ruins…”
“Isn’t it like more than half the structure is new?”
“It must have been blue stone laid floors, but if they had spread it out to this extent, how much money do they have…”
“W-when did Mount Hua become like this?”
No one could hide their shock.
The last time they saw Mount Hua, they saw a place that needed heavy repairs, and if not, it would collapse.
Among the pillars and halls, most of them were worn out and couldn’t be used, and even the intact ones had rainwater leaking and insects eating them. Nevertheless, no one put in the money as they knew that this structure couldn’t hold on.
But now…
‘How could this happen?’
The new memories and the old ones were in harmony1.
If Mount Hua of the past showed an extreme form of collapse, the current one felt dynamic.
“Oh, heavenly god.”
The old man in the lead was unable to control his emotions and mumbled,
“It… it feels so new, Sahyung.”
“Right. Right.”
The old man in the lead nodded with an expression filled with mixed emotions.
Right. A sect was supposed to be like this.
As the buildings were made new, the disciples of Mount Hua…
Just then…
“ACKKKKKK!”
“It’s still early in the morning, for real!”
“Who catches humans right in the morning? Even ghosts don’t do this!”
“Yah. Don’t we usually say that to Chung Myung?”
“Is this situation any different?”
A loud shout in their ears… no, it was more like screaming.
“Uh?”
When they turned to the side where the sound was coming from, young men in black robes ran around.
“Uh…?”
There was urgency on their faces, their lips were being bitten, and the sweat dripping down their bodies said they were working hard.
“Ahhhh!”
Some of them were stumbling, not being able to handle this, but none of them helped the other out and just rushed forward.
And.
Behind was them one person who was running lightly as if simply walking behind the disciples. They approached the fallen guy, and then kicked him without delay.
“ACKKK!”
The kicked flew through the air and fell into the middle of the running crowd.
“Tch.”
The one who kicked tidied his hair which had become loose.
“Um?”
Then he belatedly found them standing near the gate and frowned. Bowing slightly, he moved toward them.
“Have you visited Mount Hua so early for some reason?”
Those who saw him held back their words at his strong voice.
A look that seemed to consider them unworthy of care, yet a man with the qualities of being a leader.
‘Because there are such people in Mount Hua, they must be gaining their name again.’
‘Wonderful.’
The old man nodded, feeling satisfied.
Of course, what this young man showed them was a little strange, but it felt good. Wouldn’t this be considered training?
Looking at his dedication, admiration, and bright eyes, he felt like he knew who this child was.
“Yes. It seems that you are the one who has made a name for yourself in the world recently.”
“… Uh?”
“There is no need to be humble about this. Aren’t you Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon?”
“… I am not.”
“Uh?”
“I am the second disciple, the great disciple of Mount Hua, Baek Cheon.”
“… Uh?”
The old man looked at the young man with blank eyes.
Judging from the fact that the corners of his eyes were wrinkling, it felt like he was trying to ensure what this was.
“Ah… then. The Righteous Sword?”
“Yes.”
“…”
The old man covered his mouth with his fist and coughed,
“Right. It is Baek Cheon, I see. I heard a lot of rumors about you.”
“… thank you.”
His eyes were narrowed, and the atmosphere turned awkward.
Baek Cheon cleared his throat and said,
“But, who are you? And for what reason did you visit Mount Hua so early in the morning?”
“Oh, right. I need to speak my business first.”
The old man smiled,
“Is Hyun Jong inside?”
“…”
As soon as he heard those words, Baek Cheon’s face went stiff. He looked at the old man with a slightly angry expression.
He was angry at those who dared to come to Mount Hua and call their sect leader by his name as if he was below them.
“Excuse me, may I know who you are?”
“It is a bit difficult to speak about it. So go and get Hyun Jong, and you will know everything.”
Baek Cheon looked at the old man and those who were around him and softly said,
“I understand what you are saying, but that is against the laws of Mount Hua. Those who visit Mount Hua cannot enter the sect without revealing their identity, and of course, they cannot meet our sect leader.”
“Hahaha. Right. Right.”
Even when the words came out sharply, the old man smiled,
“You are right. But that is a phrase that applies to foreigners. I am not an unknown person to Mount Hua, so I do not have to follow that.”
“… uh?”
The old man shook his head,
“I am not in a position to talk for long with you. Go and call Hyun Jong. Or any elder is fine.”
Baek Cheon didn’t know how to deal with this, and right then, a friendly voice rang in his ears.
“What is happening?”
“Ah, Elder!”
Baek Cheon looked back with a smile at Hyun Young.
He walked towards Baek Cheon with a face full of confusion.
“These people said they wanted to meet sect leader without revealing their identity.”
“Who dares to commit such rudeness? Who are you people?”
Hyun Young looked at the men.
“I have never…”
He shut his mouth tightly, and his face began to harden.
Baek Cheon looked at him and was startled again. He had seen Hyun Young angry many times, but this was the first time he had shown such a face.
On the other hand, the old man smiled,
“It has been so long.”
“…”
Hyun Young stared at the old man without answering.
His eyes trembled, and after staring at the old man, he said,
“With what courage do you set foot on Mount Hua again!”
“Do not do this.”
The old man shook his head.
“This has to be the head that wants to reach the hill while the heart remains home. Even young people with ambition will eventually turn old, and when they turn old, they miss their home.”
“Home?”
Hyun Young’s face contorted,
“How dare you call Mount Hua your home?”
The old man’s face turned stiff at those words,
“Hyun Young.”
“Do not call me like you are referring to someone below you.”
“…”
“The ties between you and Mount Hua were cut off instantly. And you are here again to pick something? Go back. I have done my best trying to not pay attention to such things.”
“I need to meet Hyun Jong.”
“Sect Leader isn’t a leisurely enough person to meet you!”
Eventually, Hyun Young yelled,
“What are you doing!”
“Uh?”
“Kick them out right now! And sprinkle salt around!”
“… Elder.”
Baek Cheon hesitated for a moment with a stiff face.
After this commotion, the disciples of Mount Hua stopped their training and began to approach them,
“What is happening?”
“I don’t know.”
“Elder Hyun Young seems very angry.”
Hyun Young’s angry voice was clearly in their minds as they approached him with faces unable to understand this situation.
“I do not know for what purpose you came here, but as long as I am here, things will not happen as you think!”
“… my heart understands.”
“How dare you…”
“But there is one thing you shouldn’t forget. This isn’t for you to decide, right?”
“…”
Hyun Young was silent, and the old man softly smiled,
“Call Hyun Jong. If he tells me to go back, I will do it without another word.”
Hyun Young bit his lip. He didn’t want this man to meet his sect leader.
“I do not know about that. If you don’t go back, I need…”
It was then…
“What is happening?”
Hyun Young’s face distorted at the voice from behind, and he looked to see Hyun Jong coming.
‘In the end…’
Before Hyun Young could do anything, Hyun Jong looked at the old man.
Hyun Jong approached quietly and lowered his head.
“Long time no see, Sahyung”
“… right. It has been so long.”
The old man spoke in a soft voice, and Hyun Young shouted,
“Sect Leader! Calling him sahyung after he betrayed the sect! They have already been removed from the list of disciples of Mount Hua! Such titles aren’t correct!”
Hyun Jong looked at Hyun Young and nodded his head,
“I see.”
“…”
“But I cannot think of a proper word to describe him, do not blame me too much.”
“… Sect Leader.”
Hyun Jong looked at the old man with calm eyes.
Hyun Tang.
A former great sahyung.
If he hadn’t left Mount Hua, the sect leader would have been this person instead of Hyun Jong.
“… Sahyung has come too.”
“It has been a while.”
Hyun Beop, next to Hyun Tang, smiled and nodded.
Hyun Jong looked at the disciples, who were looking at them with stiff faces.
“… lets head in first. The morning air is quite cold. It would be good to have a conversation inside.”
“Right. Let’s do that.”
Hyun Jong slowly turned, Hyun Young followed him with displeasure, and Hyun Tang also followed them.
Finally, as they moved, the disciples of Mount Hua rushed to Baek Cheon.
“Sasuk!”
“Sahyung. What was that?”
“… well. I don’t…”
Baek Cheon couldn’t say anything.
In his eyes, he could only see the people heading into the sect leader’s residence.
‘This.’
The sect leader certainly called this old man sahyung. Then it would mean they were the Hyun disciples of the past who left Mount Hua,
“Baek Sang.”
“Yes, Sahyung.”
“… it seems like there will be a lot happening, so make sure to control the disciples. From now on, the Baek and Chung disciples are prohibited from going near Sect Leader’s residence, and even if they want to move around, don’t go too close. Get it?”
“Yes, Sahyung. I will inform them.”
Baek Cheon nodded his head.
‘I don’t know.’
In the midst of this, Baek Cheon was unsure if Chung Myung being absent was a blessing or a curse.
ED/N: Like Ying/Yang ️
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