Chapter 1898 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1898. That’s Enough. (3) ❀ ❀ ❀

“What? To Mount Hua?”

“Yes.”

Ok Danghyang widened her eyes in surprise.

Baek Cheon’s visit itself wasn’t shocking. She had already thought he might come see her at some point, so she greeted him with a smile.

But the proposal that came out of Baek Cheon’s mouth was enough to cloud her heart, which had been warmly welcoming, into a state of bewilderment.

Baek Cheon nodded as if he understood.

“I know it must feel sudden.”

“No, rather than sudden, it’s more like…”

Ok Danghyang trailed off.

Of course, it was sudden. But even if she had been given time to digest the proposal slowly, would she have felt any less bewildered? Probably not.

As she fidgeted, struggling to find a proper answer, Baek Cheon spoke first, as if to ease her worries.

“I’m not asking for an answer right away. Just give me one before we leave.”

“Uh, when are you leaving?”

“Well… tomorrow?”

“What? That only gives me one day! That’s way too short.”

“Mm. Is that so?”

Baek Cheon smiled sheepishly.

“How could anyone make such a decision in just a day…”

At that moment, Baek Cheon wiped the smile from his face and looked at her seriously.

“Important decisions and decisions that require time may seem similar, but they’re different.”

“…..”

“It is a crucial decision, yes. But dragging it out won’t lead to a better answer. Sometimes, thinking too long can actually get in the way of making the right choice.”

Ok Danghyang bit down hard on her lower lip.

‘To go to Mount Hua…’

She didn’t think it was a bad proposal. In fact, it even felt like a good one.

She didn’t know what the other children thought, but she could clearly foresee the grim situation that awaited them if they returned to the main sect. There was no one left who could block the bitterly cold winds pressing in from outside.

Because she knew this, hearing Baek Cheon’s proposal brought her both surprise and a deep sense of relief.

But that was precisely why she hesitated.

Ok Danghyang cautiously studied Baek Cheon’s expression and spoke carefully.

“If we go to Mount Hua…”

She struggled to turn the thoughts swirling in her head into mild, palatable words. Between her halting phrases, Baek Cheon spoke gently.

“You must have a lot on your mind. I won’t say your worries are pointless. For you, such concerns are necessary, both now and in the future.”

“…..”

“But I can say with certainty, none of the things you fear will happen.”

Baek Cheon shook his head firmly.

“No one in Mount Hua will covet your martial arts. No one will later use this as an excuse to demand anything from you. And life in Mount Hua will be…”

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as if something occurred to him, then scratched his head with an awkward look.

“I’d like to promise that no one will force anything on you… but I can’t be certain of that. There’s this one ill-tempered fellow who breaks out in hives whenever he sees someone lazing about.”

“He’s closer to a demon than a person.”

“…Even a demon would get offended hearing that.”

Yoon Jong and Jo Geol, who had been sitting quietly nearby, nodded at the same time in agreement. Ok Danghyang grew even more confused.

“But then… Mount Hua gains nothing from this.”

“That’s right.”

“Then why would you help us?”

A flicker of distrust appeared in Ok Danghyang’s eyes. No, closer to certainty. She felt certain that the people before her were harboring a hidden agenda she hadn't fully grasped.

Then she suddenly caught herself and lowered her head, realizing too late how her gaze and tone might have sounded to them.

Whether they had approached out of kindness or with the intent to exploit the children, the man before her was destined to become Mount Hua’s sect leader. One day, he might wield the greatest influence in the martial world.

Raising her chin stiffly in front of such a person could never help Emei’s future.

At that moment, Baek Cheon spoke evenly.

“It’s true we gain nothing by helping you.”

“…..”

“Is that a problem?”

“…Excuse me?”

Though he said something outrageous, Baek Cheon’s expression didn’t so much as twitch.

“I mean, must one always gain something in return?”

“…..”

“Isn’t it strange, hearing those words from you? You took care of the children of Diancang, who couldn’t be of any use to you.”

“T-That’s different.”

“Yes, it’s different. But also not so different. Not everything in this world turns solely on gain and loss. Just as you found what you had to do in that situation, we’re simply doing what we must do now.”

Ok Danghyang, stunned, lowered her head deeply. Baek Cheon didn’t press her further.

“Think it over and give me your answer. Then…”

Just as Baek Cheon turned to leave, Ok Danghyang stopped him.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

“Can we return to the main sect whenever we want?”

Baek Cheon smiled warmly at her.

“You’re asking something obvious. Of course, if we believe it’s still dangerous, we may advise you to reconsider. But in the end, the decision is yours.”

“Oh… So that’s how it is.”

“Yes. So take your time…”

“We’ll go to Mount Hua.”

“…What?”

Baek Cheon tilted his head slightly.

“I’ve decided.”

“Already?”

“You just said deciding quickly was better.”

“That’s true… but still…”

Wasn’t this too quick?

“You’re right, Deputy Sect Leader. We have to admit we don’t yet have the strength to stand on our own. Hesitating won’t give us another option anyway.”

“…..”

“So we ask this of you instead. Please let us entrust ourselves to Mount Hua. Even if you say you expect nothing in return, Emei will never forget Mount Hua’s help.”

“Uh… oh? R-Right.”

Completely caught off guard, Baek Cheon stammered in response. Jo Geol leaned toward Yoon Jong and whispered.

“Kids these days are bold.”

“…Look who’s talking.”

If it had been Jo Geol before Cheong Myeong joined Mount Hua, the competition in boldness would’ve been neck-and-neck. Though, truthfully, Jo Geol leaned more toward recklessness than boldness.

‘Come to think of it, Soso was the same way too.’

Maybe it was just the temperament of people from Sichuan.

No, wait. Then what about Tang Gunak?

“But… may I ask one more favor, separate from that?”

“A favor?”

Ok Danghyang bowed her head toward Baek Cheon.

“Yes. Please don’t misunderstand, it’s not a condition or anything like that.”

“Go ahead.”

“…Before going to Mount Hua, I’d like to visit the main sect once.”

Baek Cheon fell silent for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh.

“You want to confirm it yourself.”

“…Yes.”

“The Beggars’ Union will be far better at finding any survivors or secret manuals than you are.”

“I know that. But still…”

Ok Danghyang bit her lip, trailing off. Baek Cheon nodded quietly.

“Very well.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. It won’t be difficult. The Sichuan Tang family will have to return to Sichuan anyway, so we can ask them to accompany you.”

Ok Danghyang nodded repeatedly.

“Thank you. Truly… thank you so much.”

After expressing her gratitude several times, Ok Danghyang firmed her resolve and declared:

“I’ll persuade those Qingcheng basta… ah, I mean, the Qingcheng kids.”

“…Will you?”

“Yes. They’re hopeless at understanding things, but if they can’t grasp it even in this situation, then they might as well be buried.”

Yoon Jong whispered to Jo Geol.

“…I think I sense some bad blood there.”

“Martial sects that live close by can’t possibly get along, Sahyung. They were half-enemies to begin with.”

“That’s right… I see.”

Yoon Jong sank into deep doubt about human nature itself. At that moment, Ok Danghyang hesitated, then spoke in a subdued voice.

“But Diancang… I can’t do anything about them. I don’t know if you’re aware.”

“I know.”

Baek Cheon smiled as if to reassure her.

“More importantly… I suppose I should congratulate you. Though I’m not sure if congratulations is the right word.”

“Yes!”

Ok Danghyang nodded vigorously.

“Of course it’s something to celebrate. More of my samae survived.”

“Indeed.”

Baek Cheon furrowed his brows slightly.

‘So this is what they call Gyotosamgul.’

[TL Note: Gyotosamgul, 교토삼굴(狡兔三窟) is a classical idiom from Chinese. It literally means “Cunning Rabbit, Three Burrows”: a clever rabbit digs three burrows to prepare for danger.]

During the postwar search for survivors, a new fact had come to light: there wasn’t just one hidden place where the children of destroyed sects had been imprisoned.

There was another secret spot. The chill that had run down his spine when he heard that was something he would never forget.

‘If Jang Ilso had even a shred more leeway… he could have overturned the entire board in that instant.’

Once the hostages were released, Diancang regained its freedom. From Baek Cheon’s perspective, that had been an all-or-nothing gamble. But what if, despite his efforts, the situation hadn’t changed?

It might have been their side that was annihilated instead.

It was no exaggeration to say that Cheong Myeong’s relentless pursuit of Jang Ilso, without leaving him a single breath to think, had dragged them all up out of hell.

‘No, more accurately…’

It was the absence of one man who could have carried out Jang Ilso’s schemes in his stead, blinded as Jang Ilso was in the thick of battle. Ho Gamyeong. That absence had made all the difference. And Jang Ilso’s absolute trust in Ho Gamyeong proved that he, too, knew it.

Baek Cheon forced himself to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth and spoke.

“Then I leave it to you.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

Ok Danghyang’s bright smile managed to erase some of that bitterness.

‘Well, that’s one matter settled.’

But as Baek Cheon turned his head, worry clouded his face once more.

‘Cheong Myeong-ah…’

That matter would not resolve itself as easily. It weighed heavily on his heart.

❀ ❀ ❀

“…What nonsense are you spouting? Mount Hua? Why would we ever?”

As expected, the young disciple of Diancang glared with venomous eyes. The seething hatred within him looked ready to swallow Cheong Myeong whole.

“Have you forgotten? The world may praise Mount Hua, but we have not forgotten. We can never forget.”

Grinding his teeth, the young swordsman’s hand toyed with the hilt of his blade, as if ready to draw it at any moment.

A cheap iron sword. Just one among the countless scattered across the ground. It must have belonged to one of the nameless.... No, name-lost swordsmen who had fallen without ever being able to remove his mask.

“Leave. We know full well we have neither justification nor strength. But we still have our pride. As long as this pride remains unbroken, we will never rely on the likes of you.”

Cheong Myeong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

What a pity. If only he could have pictured Cheong Mun’s awkward expression, his heart might have felt a little lighter.

But honestly, Cheong Myeong understood the youth before him. That aimless, displaced fury was something he knew well, it resembled his former self.

However...

“You said you still have your pride?”

“Yes.”

Cheong Myeong openly sneered.

“You’re spoiled.”

“…What?”

“Then go ahead and collapse. I guarantee it. Within ten years, the name Diancang won’t even leave a trace behind.”

Bloodshot veins burst in the swordsman’s eyes.

“You think words are enough to...!”

“But remember this. It won’t be me who destroys Diancang.”

Cheong Myeong bared his teeth.

“It’ll be you. That pitiful pride of yours will be what erases Diancang from history, leaving not even a name behind.”

The look in Cheong Myeong’s eyes as he spoke was cold, utterly sunk in ice.

Next Chapter

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