Chapter 1905 - Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1905. There’s Something I Want to Ask. (5) ❀ ❀ ❀

“Has everyone gathered?”

“Yes!”

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Hyun Jong’s face as he looked over the disciples of Mount Hua lined up before him.

Perhaps this was nothing more than Hyun Jong’s own stubbornness.

The Tao is something one must realize on their own; it can never be forced upon another.

Of course, Hyun Jong had no doubt that this was the path meant for Mount Hua.

Even so, to impose his will upon those who did not agree... Wouldn’t that itself be another form of violence?

That was why Hyun Jong had resolved himself.

If even one among them were to stand against his decision, he would let go of his will without hesitation.

However...

“All are gathered, Grand Sect Leader.”

Before his eyes stood every disciple of Mount Hua.

Even those who might never be able to wield a sword again had come.

There was not a trace of doubt in their eyes.

Realizing that, Hyun Jong had to struggle not to be overwhelmed by the surge of emotion rising in his chest.

“Everyone...”

Yes. Everyone, truly everyone...

Hm?

“It feels like someone’s missing.”

“.....”

“Are you sure everyone is here—”

Then Hyun Jong immediately realized who was not among them.

That person’s presence was so overwhelming that not noticing it was actually harder.

“Where’s Cheong Myeong? Where did that brat go?”

“Ah, well...”

Baek Cheon scratched his head awkwardly.

“It’s... not really something important. Perhaps we should just depart first, Grand Sect Leader?”

“What do you mean it’s not important? Where did Cheong Myeong go?”

Unease appeared on Hyun Jong’s face.

Who was Cheong Myeong, after all?

Wasn’t he precisely the kind of man whose disappearance was most alarming?

There was no way Hyun Jong could simply brush off such an absence.

When Hyun Jong questioned him again, clearly unable to understand, Baek Cheon let out a long sigh, then subtly tilted his head toward the back.

At that signal, the disciples who had been standing behind him in an oddly tight formation quietly stepped aside.

“Mmff! Mmmff! Mmm!”

And there, bound tightly in a thick hemp rope like a freshly caught fish, was Cheong Myeong, thrashing about.

“.....”

His face was flushed bright red, like a plum blossom in full bloom, and with a gag stuffed in his mouth, Cheong Myeong began to struggle twice as violently the moment he saw Hyun Jong.

“What in the world...”

“Hehe.”

Tang Soso straightened her shoulders proudly before the stunned Hyun Jong.

“It’s celestial silkworm thread rope from the Tang family! Even for someone like sahyung, it won’t be easy to escape!”

“.....”

Soso-ya...? That’s not the point right now, is it?

“Please be careful, Grand Sect Leader.”

Baek Cheon quietly stepped up beside Hyun Jong and whispered in a grave tone.

“You can remove the gag, but not the rope. We went through hell trying to capture him alive. If he gets loose again, we’re finished.”

“.....”

An indescribably complex expression crossed Hyun Jong’s face.

If one had to interpret it, it was somewhere between ‘This can’t possibly be right’ and ‘I suppose I understand.’

“Shall I take it of?”

“…Let’s see, then.”

At Hyun Jong’s nod, Baek Cheon carefully reached forward and slowly approached Cheong Myeong.

“Whoa there. Easy, easy.”

Like a seasoned animal trainer, Baek Cheon positioned himself behind Cheong Myeong and carefully removed the gag so he wouldn’t get bitten.

“Noooooooo!”

Before the gag was even fully removed, a beast-like roar exploded out.

“There’s a limit to this! Cooking porridge only to give it to a dog! No, it’d actually feel less unfair if you gave it to a dog! What?! The alliance leader’s seat? Who are you giving it to? Zhongnan? ZHONGNAAAN?!”

Cheong Myeong’s eyes rolled back as he flailed so violently it was as if he were about to do a backflip.

“Do you know what I went through to build this alliance?! Do you know how much I could start reaping from it now?! And you’re just throwing it all away?! No way, you bastards! Over my dead body! You’ll never see that happen before dirt cover my eyes! Aaaagh! Kill me first before you go—mmph! Mmff! Mmmph!”

Baek Cheon swiftly shoved the gag back into Cheong Myeong’s mouth.

The disciples who had been blocking him earlier calmly returned to their positions, neatly covering up Cheong Myeong’s figure as if nothing had happened.

“.....”

After silently watching this bizarre scene unfold, Hyun Jong covered his mouth and cleared his throat quietly.

“Keuheum. Heum.”

Then, with a serene smile, he spoke as if nothing were amiss.

“Since not one person opposes this foolish old man’s decision, my joy knows no bounds.”

“Yes, Grand Sect Leader!”

“Mmff! Mmmff! Mmmph!”

Somewhere, a muffled groan could be heard, but not a single person from Mount Hua dared contradict Hyun Jong’s words.

‘He said people, after all.’

‘That thing doesn’t count as a person.’

‘Even beasts don’t live like that.’

And so, everyone agreed. Of course they did.

Mount Hua was thus neatly(?) settled, but that didn’t mean they could leave right away. The reason was simple. Those who had decided to depart today weren’t only from Mount Hua.

“Will you be all right? It’s a long journey.”

“Precisely because it’s long, we must leave early.”

A wise answer to a simple question, perhaps. Maeng So gave a small smile that contrasted with his massive frame. The long scar running across his face only made his already intimidating appearance look even fiercer.

But of course, Baek Cheon wasn’t the sort to be frightened by such a rough exterior. The two knew each other far too well for that.

“You’ve already pushed yourself enough. As you know, this place isn’t fit for beasts to live in.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Maeng So turned his head toward the people standing behind him and the beasts of the Beast Palace that mingled among them.

Seeing how their numbers had clearly diminished since they first set out, his face grew bitter.

“I’ve been away from the palace too long. You know well that the Beast Palace always needs strong men.”

“I can’t deny that.”

“It’s time for me to return. To be honest, there’s nothing left for us to do here anyway.”

“But after achieving such great merit, if you leave without even receiving any reward...”

At Baek Cheon’s words, Maeng So gave a faint, amused smile.

“What does merit and reward in the Central Plains have to do with us? Wealth and prestige mean nothing in the jungle. What truly matters is the food and drink we have for today and tomorrow, and our families. And if I had to name one more thing...”

Maeng So’s gaze moved past Mount Hua’s disciples to where Cheong Myeong was tied up with rope.

“Perhaps... a friend.”

At those words, a smile appeared on Baek Cheon’s lips.

“I can’t imagine Mount Hua would turn its back on us just because we’re returning. I’m sure they’ll help us restock the food we’ve run short on while we were away from the palace.”

“You’ll need to build a bigger warehouse then.”

“Hm?”

“The one I saw before wouldn’t be nearly enough.”

At that offhand remark, Maeng So chuckled. No further words were needed. The bond between Mount Hua and the Beast Palace was already firm enough that it no longer required proof.

His gaze turned toward the rows of tents stretching out before them.

“In the end... things turned out very different from what I first imagined for this alliance.”

Then his eyes returned to Baek Cheon, and then to Cheong Myeong.

“But that doesn’t matter, does it? The form itself isn’t what’s important.”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon felt the same way.

“I’ll see you next year, then.”

“Next year?”

“On the anniversary.”

Baek Cheon silently nodded.

Tang Gunak’s death anniversary. That would be the day they met again.

Meanwhile, the North Sea Ice Palace also chose to return.

“If we delay any longer, winter will arrive.”

Whether Seol Sobaek meant that the roads would become impassable in winter, or that the palace lord must return before the Ice Palace faced the harsh season, it didn’t matter.

What mattered was that, either way, it was reason enough that no one could stop them.

“I feel sorry that we weren’t of much help.”

A shadow crossed Seol Sobaek’s face.

No one would claim that the Ice Palace hadn’t done its best in this war.

Yet, no one could honestly say their contribution had been significant either.

It couldn’t be helped. To begin with, the number of people the Ice Palace had sent to aid the Central Plains wasn’t large to start with, and above all...

‘Because the Ice Palace Lord is still young.’

Compared to the Lord of the Beast Palace, the Sun Palace, or the Blood Palace, Seol Sobaek had yet to develop the martial authority or presence befitting a true palace lord.

The Ice Palace, like the other Outer Five Palaces, placed an abnormally large weight on its leader’s power.

Because of that, they had been unable to overcome this limitation.

If Seol Sobaek had possessed the same strength and command as Maeng So, perhaps the course of the war would have been decisively tilted toward the alliance from the very start.

The Ice Palace certainly had that kind of potential.

‘But that’s still a story for the future.’

That future might come sooner than expected, but it wasn’t now.

“Please don’t say that. You were of tremendous help, Ice Palace Lord.”

That was why Baek Cheon treated Seol Sobaek with even greater courtesy.

“If not for the Ice Palace, we could never have won. Without your aid, how could we have possibly faced the mighty Sun Palace?”

Seol Sobaek let out a quiet sigh.

“Even if you say that, we know better than anyone that our help wasn’t great.”

“Palace Lord.”

“But next time...”

Determination gleamed in Seol Sobaek’s eyes.

“Next time will be different.”

Seeing that look, a small smile rose on Baek Cheon’s lips.

It was difficult to put into words what he felt.

But one thing was certain. This must be the same feeling those who once looked at a young Baek Cheon had felt.

“I’d like to say I hope that’s true.”

Baek Cheon shuddered, as if suddenly weary.

“But honestly, I hope there won’t be a next time. I don’t ever want to go through something like this again.”

“...I agree with you on that, Deputy Sect Leader.”

The two exchanged smiles.

“Mount Hua will always consider the Ice Palace a friend. If you ever need us, send word anytime. Even if it’s as far as the North Sea, we’ll come running.”

“Then...”

Seol Sobaek hesitated briefly before speaking carefully.

“Could I make a small request now, instead of later?”

At that moment, Baek Cheon saw in the young man’s face the same little boy he’d once met long ago in the white lands of the North Sea.

Who could have imagined that the boy he once met there would become someone he now stood beside as an ally?

A bond formed by chance had become a source of mutual strength, making it all the more precious.

“Of course. If it’s within my power, or Mount Hua’s, we’ll help however we can.”

“Heum. Then...”

With a faintly awkward expression, Seol Sobaek pointed behind Baek Cheon.

“Could you please untie those ropes over there?”

Baek Cheon turned his head. Where Seol Sobaek was pointing, Cheong Myeong was thrashing like a fish freshly caught from Dongting Lake.

“Mmff! Mmmph! Mmm!”

“…Before returning to the North Sea, I’d like to have a short conversation with Cheong Myeong Dojang-nim. But, well, not like that.”

“.....”

“Would that... be possible?”

“.....”

At that moment, Baek Cheon found himself sincerely reflecting on the true meaning of humiliation.

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