Chapter 1927 - Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1927. So a Day Like This Really Does Come. (2)

“Wa... ter...”

“Shall I prepare some tea for you?”

“Tea or whatever, just water. Please...”

Hyeon Jong’s voice had become completely hoarse. Hearing this, Hyeon Sang shook his head and called toward the door.

“Bring a cup of cold water here.”

“Yes, Grand Elder.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a disciple entered carrying a cup and a bottle of water. Cup or no cup, Hyeon Jong grabbed the neck of the bottle, beads of condensation still clinging to it, and immediately drank straight from it.

“Hoo. I’m afraid someone might see you. Do try to preserve some dignity.”

Without answering, Hyeon Jong emptied nearly half the bottle in one breath before finally exhaling.

“My... my lips are so dry I can barely speak.”

“Why are you making such a fuss? How many people have you even met?”

“A fuss?”

At once, a murderous glint entered Hyeon Jong’s eyes. He had not even been able to leave his seat for two days straight, doing nothing but receive visitors. And this man called that what? Making a fuss?

Faced with a gaze that looked ready to commit murder, Hyeon Sang quietly averted his eyes.

“Well... what can we do? We can’t exactly turn away everyone who comes.”

“Isn’t there already a Sect Leader? If people come to Mount Hua, shouldn’t they naturally go see the Sect Leader? Is this really right, making someone who’s retired to the back room deal with all of this?”

“If it were a Mount Hua event, then naturally, yes. But they’re here to celebrate Sahyung’s birthday.”

“Even so, receiving visitors should be the Sect Leader’s responsibil—”

“Then both the Sect Leader and Sahyung would suffer. Give up and accept it. Do you think those people are camping out here because they have nothing better to do?”

“Ugh...”

Unable to refute him, Hyeon Jong merely clutched his head and trembled.

“If it’s truly that bad, let’s stop for today. We’ll lend them the guest hall and tell them to return tomorrow.”

“Can we really do that?”

“They say that at Shaolin or Wudang, waiting seven days and nights just to see the Sect Leader is nothing unusual. The problem is that Sahyung is meeting too many people.”

“Seven days and nights... Even so, how could a person do such a thing? People have traveled all this way just to see me. I can’t simply make them wait indefinitely.”

“Then stop complaining and keep receiving them diligently. Don’t keep saying this won’t do and that won’t do.”

“And you call yourself my Saje...”

Just as Hyeon Jong was about to complain even more, the door burst open. Hyeon Yeong entered looking as though his soul had been stolen.

Seeing that hollow expression, Hyeon Jong found himself asking instinctively,

“That... was it very difficult?”

“Did you know this, Sahyung?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Staring into some distant place, Hyeon Yeong spoke dreamily.

“When I was younger, my dream was to be crushed to death beneath Mount Hua’s accumulated wealth.”

“Should I call that very much like you, or should I call it insanity?”

“And today, that dream finally came true..... So I should be happy..... I really should be.”

“It’s alright. I understand everything.”

Wasn’t that simply how life was?

“Every single one of these so-called gifts is enormous, yet none of them are practical. They’re piling up endlessly. How am I supposed to organize all of this? What a disaster. Tsk.”

Hyeon Yeong muttered blankly. Yet despite his words, his expression did not actually look all that miserable.

After catching his breath, Hyeon Yeong turned to Hyeon Sang.

“Sahyung, when you think about it, isn’t this rather amusing?”

“What is?”

“Isn’t this exact situation something we once longed for even in our dreams?”

Hyeon Sang replied with a bitter smile.

“We should speak accurately. Wouldn’t it be more correct to say it was something we couldn’t even bring ourselves to dream about?”

“That’s true.”

How could they have dared? Even dreams could only extend as far as one’s fantasies allowed.

Not even in their most trivial flights of fancy had they imagined a day when Mount Hua would ascend to become the Northern Dipper of the world and take the place once occupied by Shaolin and Wudang. Such a thing had simply been impossible to imagine.

For a moment, the three men sat in silence.

“So a day like this really does come. And within our lifetimes, no less.”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

The emotion that passed over them was not quite heavy enough to be called regret. Yet neither was it light.

Before long, as always, Hyeon Yeong was the first to recover his usual composure.

“Hmm. Still…. I do wonder whether this is truly something we should welcome without reservation.”

“That’s true...”

“Rebuilding the places that were damaged, restoring the order that was shaken apart—there are mountains of things that need to be done. And somehow, we’re the ones expected to handle them....”

Three men.

Now they attracted the attention of the entire jianghu under the title of Mount Hua’s elders. But in truth, they were merely old country men whose only experience was managing a small sect for several decades. The three exchanged slightly overwhelmed looks.

“Can we do it?”

“Is it even possible?”

“Ugh... Of course not.”

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Mount Hua’s Grand Elders possessed an exceptionally objective understanding of their own capabilities.

They had somehow managed to keep pace with Mount Hua as it expanded, and perhaps they could continue guiding the sect itself. But anything beyond that was simply impossible.

“I knew the Deputy Alliance Leader’s absence would be significant, but....”

More than anything, the loss of Tang Gunak, who had died during the war, was painfully felt. Only after Tang Gunak’s death had they truly realized just how much work that man had been handling all along.

“The Head of the Eunha Merchant Guild is handling the financial side of things, but the political issues can’t continue like this forever. We’re already hearing reports that public order in Henan has become unstable since Shaolin entered bongmun.”

“Hoo.... That’s true.”

Hyeon Jong let out a heavy sigh.

“Shouldn’t we do something?”

“That’s true, but there isn’t all that much we can do right now.”

The world now regarded Mount Hua as the center of the jianghu. But did the sects of the jianghu think the same? Not necessarily.

Simply put, even the small and medium-sized sects that would leap to obey a word from Shaolin would first calculate whether Mount Hua’s words were worth listening to at all.

This was precisely why a sect’s history and authority mattered.

“What would be the best course of action?”

At Hyeon Sang’s question, Hyeon Jong silently stroked his beard before answering.

“For now, tell today’s visitors to wait until tomorrow. I don’t think this is the most urgent problem before us.”

“A wise decision.”

“And as for the matter of Henan...”

After letting out a long breath, Hyeon Jong scratched his head and continued.

“Even if we put our heads together, I don’t think we’ll find an answer. Let’s call the children. If it’s those children, they’ll surely have some ideas.”

“The children?”

“Cheong Myeong. Call Cheong Myeong first.”

“......”

“Go on.”

“Yes.”

✿ ✿ ✿

“...So we called you here, but...”

Hyeon Jong trailed off with a somewhat dubious expression.

Then he stared silently at the person seated across from him.

A moment later, he asked in a voice overflowing with trust, affection, and boundless warmth.

“Cheong Myeong-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Everything else aside...”

“Yes, yes. Please speak, Grand Sect Leader.”

“That... why are you dressed like that?”

“Huh? What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“You’re asking because you genuinely don’t know? Really?”

Looking puzzled, Cheong Myeong glanced down at himself.

A crimson silk robe so flamboyant it could hardly be surpassed, ornaments dangling all over his arms and neck, a precious scented pouch, and even expensive accessories worn in his hair.

In short, there was only one way to describe him.

“...Did Jang Ilso’s ghost possess you?”

“......”

“Should we hold a rite to send it on? Though if it’s that ghost, it won’t be easy. That’s no ordinary vengeful spirit, so we’d probably have to suffer a bit.”

“No, come on, there are limits to what you can say! Jang Ilso?! Isn’t that too far?”

“But that’s genuinely what you look like...”

At least he wasn’t wearing makeup. Maybe he should be praised for that.

“...So why exactly are you dressed like that?”

“No particular reason. I was sorting through the gifts that came in...”

“And?”

“It was too late to return them, awkward for Mount Hua to use them, and we’re going to sell them anyway, so I figured I might as well try them on first.”

“......”

“Ahem. I suppose I ended up putting on rather a lot.”

An emotion difficult to describe crossed Hyeon Jong’s face.

“Just trying them on?”

“Th-That’s right.”

“A Taoist?”

“Yeah, you bastard! Even for you, this is too much!”

As Baek Cheon barked from the side, Hyeon Jong weakly turned his gaze toward him.

“Baek Cheon-ah.”

“Yes?”

“...That’s a robe I’ve never seen before.”

“.......”

“Looks like very fine silk.”

“I-It had plum blossoms embroidered on it.”

“......”

“Didn’t I tell you you’d get scolded for this, Sasuk?”

“Yoon Jong-ah. Hand over that sword you’ve been hiding behind your back. It’s so shiny I can’t even see you.”

“...I-I was only taking a look.”

Yoon Jong quietly hid the jewel-encrusted scabbard even farther behind himself.

Covering his face with both hands, Hyeon Jong let out a pained groan.

“The state of this sect...”

But Hyeon Yeong was unwilling to let Hyeon Jong wallow for long.

“Oh, come now. What’s the problem? The children are allowed to wear some nice clothes once in a while. They look perfectly fine.”

“F-Fine? This?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Frugality and thrift are virtues of the Tao!”

“Enough with those musty old words, Sahyung. That’s just what people say when they don’t have money. Do the fellows from Wudang live frugally? Sell a single one of their robes and you’d have enough to buy ten outfits for our children.”

Left speechless, Hyeon Jong merely opened and closed his mouth.

“So why did you call us?”

“Could you at least go change clothes before we start?”

“Seriously, Cheong Myeong-ah. Every time I look at you, I get startled and my sword starts coming out on its own.”

“It’s fine. I can block it even if you swing it. Anyway, why did you call us?”

“Ugh.”

After letting out a low groan, Hyeon Jong finally brought up the real issue.

✿ ✿ ✿

“Hmm.”

A short while later, after hearing the entire story, Cheong Myeong furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin.

“So if I were to summarize it: there’s a mountain of work to be done, but not enough ability to handle it. And when you finally rack your brains and assign work with that limited ability, the bastards from the other sects don’t listen worth a damn. That’s about right?”

“...I suppose?”

That sounded less like a summary and more like a personal grudge.

Nobody had put it quite that way.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Sect Leader, why do you insist on making things so difficult?”

“Huh?”

“What’s the point of having a good head?”

“A-... a head?”

“Ah. Head, was it? Right. The one on top. Yes, my mistake. What’s the point of having a good head on top?”

[tl note: daegari 대가리 is a crude slang term for “head”, often rude or derogatory when used for people. Cheong Myeong catches himself and replaces it with wisdaegari 윗대가리, literally “the head on top,” which is often used sarcastically for superiors or those in authority. The correction is not actually much more polite.]

Hyeon Jong looked weakly toward Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon smiled contentedly.

“At least he’s making an effort to use better words, isn’t he? You should appreciate the attitude. He at least knows that ‘head’ isn’t appropriate.”

“And ‘head on top’ is?”

“If a cat starts swimming, you should praise it. You shouldn’t scold it for not swimming faster. If it could do that, would it still be a cat?”

[tl note: Baek Cheon is joking that Cheong Myeong’s standards for proper speech are so low that even a tiny improvement deserves praise.]

“...Wise words indeed.”

Truly someone fit to lead Mount Hua. Letting out a sigh tinged with resignation, Hyeon Jong looked back at Cheong Myeong with no real expectations.

“Fine. Continue. What exactly is the point of having a good... head on top?”

“It means you don’t have to do things yourself.”

“Huh?”

Hyeon Jong stared at him blankly. Cheong Myeong merely shrugged as though stating something obvious.

“Think about that bald old fellow. He never did anything himself, but he was always trying to make us do everything. Go here, take care of that, and while you’re at it, handle this other thing too.”

“...Was he?”

Come to think of it, maybe he had been like that...

“But Grand Sect Leader never thought there was anything strange or wrong about that. Why? Because that’s what the head on top is supposed to do.”

[tl note: Cheong Myeong deliberately continues using “the head on top” (wisdaegari, 윗대가리) instead of a respectful term for a superior. The humor comes from everyone gradually accepting his rude terminology and following his logic anyway.]

Hyeon Jong’s expression gradually relaxed as if he were becoming convinced.

“But Grand Sect Leader… more precisely, Mount Hua’s current problem is that you’re in a position where you don’t have to live like that anymore, yet you keep acting the way you used to. It’s like someone who grew up poor, earns a fortune, and still sneaks off to eat the same cheap food he used to eat...”

Flinch.

“...like that.”

Cheong Myeong stopped mid-sentence and turned.

Everyone’s gaze followed. Hyeon Yeong was frantically waving his hands, his face bright red.

“I-It’s not often! Only once in a while! Really, only once in a while!”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong silently wiped tears from their eyes.

“You don’t have to hide it, Grand Elder.”

“I-I’m serious, only occasionally! Besides, it’s surprisingly delicious...”

Shaking his head, Cheong Myeong looked back at Hyeon Jong.

“You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“So... instead of trying to handle everything personally, I should delegate it?”

“Exactly.”

“But...”

“Ah, yes. I know what you’re going to say. Of course it won’t work yet. There was always a condition attached to this.”

“A condition?”

Cheong Myeong grinned.

“Yes. People need to know that we’re the heads on top.”

“...And what exactly does that mean?”

“Call them all.”

“...Huh?”

For the first time in a long while, Cheong Myeong’s eyes gleamed with a dangerously ominous light.

“If they don’t know, then we’ll make them know. I’ll straighten everything out neatly, so send out invitations. Tell everyone to come to Mount Hua within seven days and nights.”

[Invitation. Baecheop. 배첩(拜帖). A formal written notice or visiting card sent to request or announce a visit.]

“.....”

“W-Will they actually come? They barely listen as it is.”

“Of course some of them won’t want to come. That’s why you should add one more thing to the invitation.”

“And what would that be?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Cheong Myeong smiled brilliantly.

“Write that I’ll personally pay a visit to any sect that doesn’t come.”

“......”

“I’ve been feeling restless anyway, so this works out nicely. Good chance to loosen up a bit.”

“......”

“Hehe. I hope there are a few who don’t show up. We need to make an example of someone. It’ll make things much easier going forward.”

 

That very day.

Hyeon Jong composed invitations filled with every polite expression he could think of and dispatched them to the sects of the world. Earnestly urging them to visit Mount Hua.

Hoping with all his heart that his sincerity would be conveyed. Very, very sincerely.

[tl note: Hyeon Jong’s invitation is written with utmost courtesy, while we know Cheong Myeong’s actual message is essentially: “Come voluntarily, or I’ll come find you personally.” lmaoo]

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