Chapter 1900 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1900. That’s Enough. (5) ❀ ❀ ❀

“...I see.”

Gwak Hwanso slowly closed his eyes and fell into silence for a moment.

“A sacrifice, huh... If that was the case.”

“Sohyeop.”

“If in the end it was always going to turn out like that...”

He then took hold of his teacup with a faintly bitter expression. But in the end, he couldn’t bring it to his lips. He only held it in silence, sunk deep into regret.

Baek Cheon, who had been wondering if there was anything he could say to console him, soon shook his head.

It wasn’t his place.

No matter that he had once received Yu Gong’s help, perhaps even owed him his life, that didn’t give him the right to speak on Yu Gong’s behalf in front of the disciples of Hainan.

After seeming lost in thought for a while, Gwak Hwanso finally turned his gaze toward Baek Cheon.

“Could you tell me where his remains are?”

“That won’t be difficult. But...”

At Baek Cheon’s questioning look, asking whether Gwak Hwanso’s intention was truly what he suspected, Gwak Hwanso gave a calm nod.

“It’s a somewhat personal story, but... the Hainan Sect was originally founded to fight against pirates.”

“.....”

“In Hainan, where the reach of the empire’s authority did not extend, the only way for people to resist those bandits of the sea was by taking up the sword themselves.”

“Mhm.”

Baek Cheon nodded. He had heard that many sects had begun for similar reasons.

“Recently, as I was reflecting, that truth came back to me.”

At Baek Cheon’s questioning expression, asking why he was bringing this up, Gwak Hwanso spoke with a bitter smile.

“To fight pirates meant to protect the people of Hainan. But now, there are no pirates left to fight. And so, at some point, the Hainan Sect changed. We began revering martial strength, dreaming of higher realms, perhaps even placing the sect itself above the very people of Hainan...”

“.....”

“That thought struck me. That perhaps the one who remained most faithful to Hainan’s true foundation, protecting its people, was none other than Yu Gong. Even if the method he chose was wrong.”

“Sohyeop...”

Gwak Hwanso took a sip of tea. When he lifted his head again, his expression had grown calm.

“When I return to Hainan, I will formally become Sect Leader.”

“Yes. Naturally so.”

“And so... as one who is to be Sect Leader, I can never forgive Yu Gong. Hainan will never accept him again. Not until the very day the name of Hainan itself disappears.”

Even though the words were not just firm but cold, Baek Cheon only nodded quietly.

People might make different choices, but Yu Gong had become a lackey of The Evil Tyrant Alliance and hunted down the disciples of Hainan Sect. That was an unforgivable betrayal, especially in the eyes of those he had betrayed.

“But still...”

Trailing off, Gwak Hwanso closed his eyes.

“No matter his sins, if we cannot even take in a man of Hainan who wallowed in filth just to protect his wife and child left behind in his hometown... then the Hainan Sect has no reason to bear its name.”

“...Sohyeop.”

“This is not forgiveness for the disciple Yu Gong. It is only to bring home the remains of a man of Hainan who died far from his native land.”

Baek Cheon lowered his head slightly to Gwak Hwanso. He wasn’t in a position to thank him, yet he simply felt compelled to do so.

“But... do you really intend to return immediately?”

At the question, Gwak Hwanso smiled.

“It will be difficult, won’t it?”

“...More than you imagine.”

“Hahaha. Hearing such words from you, Dojang, of all people, makes my heart leap with fear.”

Though he said the words, there wasn’t the slightest trace of unease on his face.

“And besides...”

“I know.”

Gwak Hwanso cut off Baek Cheon’s words.

“If I return like this, the world will soon forget the Hainan Sect. Maybe even forever.”

“.....”

“But that doesn’t matter.”

There was not a single trace of regret in his composed expression.

“The Ten Great Sects, the so-called Southern Sea’s First Sword Sect... I don’t even know why we clung to such hollow reputations. Living together in harmony should have been enough.”

“Haha.”

“Why do you laugh?”

“No reason. It’s just that you, Sohyeop, seem more like a true Taoist than I.”

“Is that so? Then perhaps I should take this chance to rename us as a Taoist sect instead.”

Gwak Hwanso and Baek Cheon shared a smile. Soon after, Gwak Hwanso spoke again, softly.

“May I ask you just one thing?”

“Anything is fine.”

“If you were in my position, what choice would you have made, Dojang?”

“Well... if it were me...”

Baek Cheon pondered for only a moment, but the answer came easily.

“If it were me, I would already be on my way to Hainan. Truthfully, I can hardly sit still now, itching to hurry back to Mount Hua.”

Gwak Hwanso nodded, as though that answer was enough.

“Hearing you say that eases my heart.”

As Baek Cheon smiled, he asked.

“Do you remember?”

“If you mean the first time we met, please stop. That’s one of the few memories I want erased from my head.”

“Haha.”

The two men rose to their feet as though on cue.

“Hainan will not forget Mount Hua.”

“And Mount Hua will not forget Hainan either.”

The two bowed deeply to one another.

❀ ❀ ❀

A few days later.

“Well then.”

As the disciples of Hainan departed first, the disciples of Mount Hua waved their arms with all their strength.

“Live well!”

“Damn it, let’s meet again! I’ll definitely come to Hainan!”

The disciples of Hainan waved back just as energetically. Their faces were heavy with regret.

Given the vastness of the Central Plains, and the situation of Hainan, this might be the last time they would ever see each other. And for those returning to Hainan, countless hardships surely lay ahead.

Both sides understood this truth.

“Urgh.”

Jo Geol let out a faint groan.

“...I can’t even put it into words.”

Looking back, there was nothing but memories of hell. Especially the journey from Hainan to the Yangtze River, so terrible that even now it sometimes haunted him in nightmares.

But perhaps because of that, their parting felt all the heavier.

“Getting back to Hainan won’t be an easy thing. Gangnam is still unsettled, isn’t it? If they run into remnants of The Evil Tyrant Alliance...”

“They’re aware.”

“Then why leave in such a rush? If they’d just stay a little longer...”

“As you said, it’s no ordinary journey. And because it’s that far away, leaving even a day earlier means arriving a day sooner, doesn’t it?”

Yoon Jong gave a bitter smile.

“On the way, it seems they also intend to retrieve the body of Sect Leader Geum, who was buried in haste. I suppose he has his own thoughts on that.”

“Whew. I suppose so.”

Jo Geol clicked his tongue, his face still unable to shake off regret.

“Isn’t there really something we can do to help?”

“Why wouldn’t there be?”

“What is it? Just say the word! I’ll grab Sasuk by the neck if I have to...!”

“Wait a moment. Why Sasuk and not the Sect Leader?”

“What kind of foolish talk is that? How could I ever grab the Sect Leader’s neck? It wouldn't matter if it was Sasuk, but not him.”

“...That seems just as much of a problem, though.”

Yoon Jong let out a helpless laugh, then kept his gaze fixed on the disciples of Hainan as they moved farther away.

“Believing in their choice and supporting it. That’s how we can help them.”

“.....”

“To us, it may look wrong. We may even feel regret. But that is the conclusion they reached after much thought.”

Jo Geol slowly nodded, as if in agreement.

“Then we should send them off with a smile.”

“Right.”

Yoon Jong smiled softly, as though pleased at Jo Geol’s understanding.

“After all, the right answer is different for everyone.”

“Yes.”

Jo Geol waved his arms so hard it looked like they might fall off.

“Don’t you dare die on the road! Make sure you reach Hainan alive! Send us word now and then!”

Whether the disciples of Hainan heard those words was uncertain. All they could see was the sight of hands waving back in response.

The disciples of Mount Hua stood there until the figures of Hainan’s disciples were completely out of sight.

“Hh...hiks.”

“You crying?”

“What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden!”

“Something just glistened.”

“Glisten, my ass!”

Jo Geol furiously rubbed the corners of his eyes and shouted.

“So when are we leaving?”

“Don’t be impatient. Soso’s work isn’t finished yet.”

“And when will that end? At this rate, with all those people to treat, won’t the year end before we can return?”

“It looks like they’re about to move the patients.”

“...Really?”

“Yes. They can’t leave the sick lying in tents forever.”

“Are they handing them over to other doctors?”

“No... they’re returning them to their sects. For internal injuries, it’s best to be treated within one’s own sect, where they know the sect’s cultivation methods.”

“That makes sense.”

“Probably tomorrow? At the latest, the day after tomorrow, we’ll be able to depart.”

Jo Geol scratched his head vigorously.

“Hmm. Now that it’s really happening, I feel kind of strange.”

“Why? You were just whining to leave a moment ago.”

“It’s just... there was this huge war, and now everyone is scattering again.”

Yoon Jong looked at Jo Geol for a long moment before sighing.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Did you forget where the main base of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance is?”

“Huh? The Heavenly Comrade Alliance base? Of course, it’s... huh? In Huayin. Oh, right. That’s true.”

Yoon Jong clicked his tongue.

“There may not be sects as urgent as Wudang or Hainan, but everyone else will have to stay at the Alliance headquarters for a while, whether they like it or not. There will be too much the Alliance needs to deal with.”

“Well, yeah... merchants are always busier before leaving and right after returning, anyway.”

“Why is it that your brain only works when making merchant comparisons?”

“What are you talking about? My brain is sharp all the time!”

“...Sure. Let’s go with that.”

“Hmm, tomorrow then.”

“I said tomorrow or the day after. Please listen until the end.”

Jo Geol only half-listened, nodding absentmindedly, then glanced back. Baek Cheon’s expression was very serious, while Yoo Iseol’s face, as always, was unreadable. And then...

“Huh? Where’s that bastard Cheong Myeong?”

“Hm? Don’t know. Haven’t seen him since morning. Probably busy with something.”

Jo Geol tilted his head.

“That makes no sense. Him being ‘too busy’ to even come see them off? That’s strange. He’s the type who’d use something like this as an excuse to slip away from other work.”

“Now that you mention it...”

Yoon Jong furrowed his brows slightly, as if the thought made sense. Jo Geol muttered with a scowl.

“Where the hell did that bastard run off to this time?”

❀ ❀ ❀

Step. Step.

He walked slowly, pressing down the weeds that had grown thick once again. A place once so devastated that even the word desolation could not fully capture it. Yet now, little by little, fresh green life had begun to return.

Cheong Myeong stopped for a moment, looking at the stubborn new shoots of life, then started walking again.

Rustling softly with each step, Cheong Myeong walked on alone for a while before coming to a halt. Lowering his gaze, he fixed his eyes on the ground beneath him.

It was the grave of someone, so roughly covered with soil that it could hardly be called a burial mound. To call it a tomb was generous; it was closer to a heap of earth piled just to hide the sight of a body.

But perhaps even this was a blessing for the one buried here. For anyone who had lost someone in this place, the moment they found this corpse, they would have torn it to pieces.

Cheong Myeong stared in silence at the small, dark-red mound of earth, bare of even a single sprout, then sank down onto the ground.

He lifted his eyes toward the faraway sky and murmured softly.

“...Serves you right.”

A mournful gust of wind could be heard from somewhere.

❀ ❀ ❀

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