Baek Cheon smiled brightly with that handsome face.
It wasn’t a perfectly handsome face, but it had a unique magnetism that attracted others to him.
‘What a familiar feeling, it reminds me a bit of the past.’
Chung Myung experienced the same feeling from people of the Shaolin sect.
Of course, this idiot couldn’t be compared to them. But in Mount Hua, where there were many normal people, this feeling was weirdly out of place. It made him wonder why he was even here, in the ruined Mount Hua.
More problematic was that this man was trying to bite at Chung Myung’s ankles and hang off them.
“What are you talking about?”
For now, just act like you don’t know.
“You don’t know?”
“I have no idea.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Baek Cheon tilted his head slightly. Rather than acting confused, he tried to act in a way that would provoke Chung Myung into admitting the truth.
“That’s quite strange. I feel like I’ve seen your face before. When did you join us?”
The answer came from Yoon Jong and not Chung Myung.
“Sasuk, this child entered while you were all away from Mount Hua. So, you couldn’t have met him.”
“Is that so? I see.”
Baek Cheon smiled brightly.
“You seem like you are close to each other. As Great Sahyung, it’s good that you are taking care of the youngest. Don’t you think so?”
“Yes, sasuk.”
Yoon Jong answered with an awkward timbre. As if Baek Cheon discovered something from that answer, he nodded his head.
“It seems like this was a fateful meeting. It’s only our first meeting, but you seem so familiar to me. I think we’ll see each other in the future quite often. What is your name?”
“Chung Myung.”
“I am Baek Cheon. Be sure to remember my name.”
Then rang a firm voice.
“How can you leisurely have a chat over there when the sect leader is waiting for you!?”
“Ah, I’m sorry! I’m coming.”
Baek Cheon bowed towards Un Geom. He then turned and joined his other mates as they advanced ahead.
Jo Gul watched Chung Myung and whispered.
“Have you met Baek Cheon sasuk before?”
“No.”
Even if he did, the answer is no.
“Be careful. Baek Cheon Sasuk is a second-class disciple. He’s a great man.”
“Great?”
“Yes.”
Yoon Jong added to Jo Gul’s words.
“He’s known to be the savior of Mount Hua. A person said to have the potential to rebuild the crumbling Mount Hua.”
“Savior?”
Didn’t this phrase seem like something Chung Myung heard a lot in the past? When did he…? Ah, back when he first arrived on Mount Hua, people often used to say such things about him.
Although Chung Myung quickly turned from the savior into the most mischievous gossip topic of Mount Hua.
“Wasn’t Jo Gul the sect’s best genius?”
“What are you saying!? Someone might hear you!”
Jo Gul’s face turned bright red at those words.
“Baek Cheon sasuk isn’t someone I can compare to.”
“Yes. Yes. A loser mentality is good. Having a sense of defeat makes people look humble too.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing, Sahyung.”
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon, who was walking ahead.
‘Seems like a crane mixed in with a flock of hens.’
It sounds like a good thing. A very good thing.
But in reality, it isn’t a very nice thing to say.
A crane is a crane. It doesn’t make sense for a crane to be among the flock of hens.
And in most cases…
‘He has a flaw.’
While Chung Myung curiously looked at Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong continued to explain.
“Actually, it’s said that Baek Cheon sasuks’ sword techniques have reached the pinnacle. I heard that the elders have high expectations of him. Even though he’s young, he is a genius.”
“Hm.”
Perhaps, among the second-class disciples of Mount Hua, Baek Cheon was the most important.
‘And that’s very annoying.’
Chung Myung had also gone through this in the past.
Why were there so many things to learn? The other disciples would train moderately and then go to bed, but the elders would always latch onto Chung Myung and brush him up on other techniques too. Even Sahyung… no. There was nothing that his Sahyung didn’t involve him in.
But it was worth it.
It’s said the prestige of a sect is built over a long history, but the rise and fall of anything can often depend on a single person.
Even if it’s only a small or medium-sized sect, if they can produce a famous master, then people will flock to them in hopes of joining the same sect. On the other hand, no matter how long a sect has existed or how proud their history and traditions are, they are destined to stagnate and decline if they fail to produce any reputable masters.
The only way for the dying Mount Hua to rise again is to produce a powerful genius. If just one mighty warrior exists within the sect, the entire situation can be reversed.
‘Of course, that was the plan until I arrived.’
Now what, though?
There is a lot of money.
“Don’t the sasuks look strong?”
“Tell me about it. I don’t know if we can ever catch up to them.”
“So cool and strong.”
Chung Myung looked at the two, who were talking to each other with blank eyes.
‘Are these idiots’ eyes for decoration?’
Fine, let’s call them cool even without seeing anything. People’s tastes are diverse, and Chung Myung was a good person who didn’t impose his tastes on others.
But ‘looking strong’ and ‘being strong’ were not the same.
‘If these disciples are considered strong, then nobody would be considered weak!’
“Looking at Sasuk’s level, Sahyungs would be able to win.”
At Chung Myung’s words, Jo Gul dumbfoundedly smiled like it wasn’t a funny joke.
“What nonsense.”
“… uh, right.”
Sahyung.
My Sahyung.
I have to live here listening to such words on a daily basis. If you have any conscience, come down and say something! Am I meant to live here unfairly like this?
It was often said that people who ascend to the other world come to visit our world and give advice. Then Sahyung, who was known to be the icon of virtue, can come and advise something, right?
Right?
Won’t he listen to Chung Myung?
Come on!!
While Chung Myung was having a conversation with his Sahyung, the second-class disciples lined up.
“Huh?”
Just then, someone ran to join the lineup of second-class disciples from within the sect’s grounds.
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes.
‘Right, that one is also a Baek disciple.’
Yu… what was her name? Yu something.
He was entangled in a strange relationship with her, so he ended up paying a little attention to her. Surely, she couldn’t have told anyone about their meeting before, right?
When Chung Myung frowned while looking at Yu Yiseol, Jo Gul smiled insidiously.
“Come to think of it, this is your first time seeing senior Yu.”
“What?”
“Right. Yu Yiseol. Anyone who sees her for the first time can’t take their eyes off her. That’s how beautiful she is.”
“Great Sahyung.”
“Huh?”
“Do you have any cinnamon powder with you?”
“Why?”
“I want to spray some on my ears. I feel like my ears are bleeding from listening to Jo Gul sahyung.”
He couldn’t help but feel like this.
Yoon Jong nodded his head.
“It’s been a while since we both agreed on something. Well, I will give some to you later.”
“Thank you.”
Jo Gul’s expression grew distorted.
“Did I say anything wrong? It’s because there aren’t many who know about senior Yu. She’s probably the most beautiful woman in Shaanxi.”
Listening to Jo Gul repeat himself like a parrot, Chung Myung took a deep breath.
“You are known to be the best in Mount Hua, and she is the most beautiful around? If someone who doesn’t know our situation hears you, they’ll think that her and you are up to no good.”
“But that’s the truth.”
Jo Gul pointed to Yu Yiseol.
“Isn’t she pretty?”
“Sigh…”
Before Chung Myung could answer, Jo Gul continued.
“But don’t dream much. Senior Yu already has Baek Cheon in her heart.”
“… Sahyung.”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung sighed deeply,
“Instead of wasting your time being interested in someone else’s love life, wouldn’t you have already made a name for yourself if you had just spent that time training?”
“You aren’t supposed to stab people with truth like that.”
“Just stop talking.”
Chung Myung looked at Jo Gul as if he was pathetic and turned away.
Looking back, she did say that she was his senior; apparently, that seemed to be correct.
Chung Myung looked back at Yu Yiseol.
When all the Baek disciples lined up, the sect leader, who was watching them, smiled warmly.
“You’ve all worked hard. The training must have been excruciating, right?”
Baek Cheon began to speak on behalf of the others.
“Sect leader. It wasn’t difficult at all. Our training was done with the support we got from the sect, so how can we call it difficult?”
“And the results?”
Baek Cheon smiled.
“We managed to realize that the path of the sword is endless in life. However, we have returned with achievements great enough that we would laugh in the face of our former selves.”
“That’s a good thing.”
Hyun Jong looked at Hyung Young.
“Finance head.”
“Yes, sect leader.”
“Now that the children of Mount Hua have returned from their hard training, shouldn’t we celebrate their return?”
“Tsk. What nonsen—ah, no, it’s nothing. Of course, we should.”
“…”
Hyun Jong stared at him with a subtle gaze.
‘This man is becoming more strange by the day.’
To be precise, the frequency of saying strange things had increased dramatically since the Eunha Guild arrived. It was hard to tell for sure, but it felt like the tight reins around him had finally gone loose.
“Well, we have it prepared in the meal room. It should be enough for everyone.”
“I see.”
Hyun Jong looked at the second-class disciples.
“There are many things I want to say, but it wouldn’t do to hold you here after your long journey back. Since I don’t want to keep you here, let’s head inside.”
“… sect leader. With all due respect, may I ask you one thing?”
Hyun Jong wanted to clear this crowd quickly, but Baek Cheon didn’t seem to notice.
“Feel free to ask.”
“The scenery here seems to have changed a lot since the last time we were here, I was wondering what happened.”
“Good things happened. Thanks to that, I was able to restore everything in the sect.”
It was a soft but firm answer. After hearing that, it was hard to ask what the ‘good’ thing was.
“You might have a lot of questions, but we also have a lot of time ahead of us. So, we can take this slowly.”
“Yes, Sect leader.”
“Un Am.”
“Yes.”
Un Am, who was on Hyun Jong’s side, came forward.
“Please look after these children who have suffered for so long.”
“Yes, sect leader.”
Hyun Jong nodded and turned his head.
“Chung Myung!”
“…”
Chung Myung’s face contorted.
‘No, does that man really have to call me like this day after day?’
There shouldn’t be any work today.
“Yes! Sect leader!’
Chung Myung walked out,
“Come to my room for a while. I have something to discuss.”
“Again?”
Baek Cheon, who was watching this unfold, was shocked.
‘Again…?’
He spoke like that to the sect leader?
Baek Cheon doubted whether he had heard correctly or not. But it didn’t seem like he was mistaking the words because all the second-class disciples had the same expression on their faces.
However, he didn’t understand why the third-class disciples didn’t seem to discipline this child.
It wouldn’t be wrong even if this child was harshly hit for behaving like that to the sect leader!
But even the sect leader was smiling despite those words.
“How about if I prepare some snacks?”
“Okay. I get it. I will come.”
Hyun Jong led Chung Myung to his residence with a happy face.
Baek Cheon, who silently observed the scene, looked incredulously at Un Geom and asked.
“Sasuk. That child, just who is he?”
“Well.”
Un Geom smiled.
“I think it would be good for your mental health to not pay much attention to him.”
“What?”
“Especially if it’s you.”
Un Geom shrugged his shoulders and turned.
“Unpack your belongings and come to the meal room. Don’t be late.”
“… Yes.”
Baek Cheon felt a strange feeling again. Only this time, the sense of incompatibility felt much greater.
Perhaps, this awkward feeling was simply because he had returned after being away for a while.
But just one thing.
Baek Cheon’s eyes turned to follow Chung Myung, who was walking with the sect leader.
“Hmmm.”
He narrowed his eyes as he stared in disapproval at the one he didn’t like.
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