Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 718. Here you are (2)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
- If I am surrounded by enemies, please save me. If that is difficult, at least drag my dead body to Mount Hua.
- If even that is not possible, then at least this secret manual must definitely be sent to Mount Hua.
- Don't forget, Sahyung.
- There is no one else but Sahyung who can do it. Never! Never forget!
"Ah….. Aah…"
The trembling fingertips approached the skeleton. However, the fingertips that seemed to touch soon stopped as if they were frightened.
He’s afraid.
Afraid that it will crumble as soon as he touches it.
He's afraid it will disappear as if it were an illusion.
"…Jin-ah."
You were here.
You were in here.
My Saje, how lonely you must have been in this dark place.
‘How much….’
"Aah…"
While letting out a stifled voice as if he’s lost for words, Chung Myung touched the skeleton's forehead with his trembling fingertips. As soon as he felt the rough and cold sensation, he was surprised and pulled back his hand. But soon after, he gently stroked the skeleton again as if touching a newborn baby.
"Ah… Aaah… Aah…"
‘I... I came too late.’
‘How long have you been waiting? In this cold place, how long have you been waiting?’
‘Forgive me.’
‘Forgive me, Cheong Jin-ah.’
‘Forgive this unworthy Sashyung who has only found you now.’
The hand stroking the skeleton's cheek was as if it is touching a living person.
Why do people only realize after they lose someone? How can he be so foolish?
Chung Myung's jaw trembled. Lowering his gaze, he saw the half-worn-out clothes. The bones visible inside were stained black in places.
'Demon Flower (마화(魔花))…'
At that severeness, it must have been difficult to even walk in his last moments.
He must have given his all to walk here, and even when he could no longer walk and collapsed, he must have desperately rolled and crawled here.
He’s not afraid of death. It wouldn't have mattered to him even if he died.
There is one thing that he must left behind.
A place where no one in the world can find. A place that only Mount Hua's disciples can find.
That is where it must be left in, no matter what.
Shortening his remaining thread-like life, digging a cave, and died while thinking of those who would someday find this place.
Now that he can't go back to Mount Hua, at least in a place where he can think of Mount Hua… all alone, in loneliness.
‘You've been waiting, haven't you?’
You believed I would come, didn't you?
‘Me, your Sahyung.’
Chung Myung's gaze finally rested on something inside the hem of the clothes. No, he looked at it but could not see it.
He doesn't see anything. This is because the blurred vision is distorted due to the tears.
He bit his lips hard and closed his eyes tightly. The overflowing sorrow ran down his cheeks. It was only after staying like that for a while that Chung Myung opened his eyes and stared at what he had to find.
A single secret martial art manual.
It's something that Cheong Jin never took away from his body even for a moment until the moment when he died.
Violet Mist Technique, Plum Blossom Swordsmanship.
Also….
His trembling eyes stared at the secret technique manual. Although much faded by time, the elegant handwriting was still clearly visible. Chung Myung's unbearable groans came out of his mouth.
Violet Mist Divine Art (자하신공(紫霞神功)).
- I can't show this even to Sahyung.
- Ah! Only the Sect Leader of Mount Hua can learn this martial art! Go away! Before I tear it apart!
- Yes, of course I’m the one who should keep it. I just have to protect the secret technique, and Sahyung just has to protect me.
- Don't worry. I'll protect this secret technique even if I die. That's the way I protect Mount Hua.
Yeah. You protected it.
But….
"I…”
Chung Myung clenches the ground.
"I failed to do that. I'm……."
Forgive me. Please forgive this unworthy Sahyung.
Cheong Jin-ah…. Cheong Jin-ah.
Chung Myung's sorrow is so great that it's hard to breathe. His view keeps blurring.
All the things that have been endured are pouring out of the throat and spilling down below.
He stretched his trembling hand forward, carefully hugging the white skeleton, which has now shrunk so small.
Afraid that it would collapse or break, he hesitantly hugged the empty air without touching it and buried his forehead on the skeleton's shoulder.
"Ah...... Aaaahhh...... Ah......"
Huge emotions pressed down on his chest and burst out. He wasn’t able to say anything.
Let's go back.
Let's go back together.
I'm here now. So let's go back to Mount Hua together, Cheong Jin-ah.
I'm sorry I'm so late.
So let's go back to Mount Hua now.
There are still things you left there. The things you wanted to leave behind are still breathing.
"Uuh……."
It was more of a convulsion than a sob.
With his mouth squeezed in, the emotions that he had blocked came bursting out.
You were right. I didn't leave anything behind.
But the people you tried to protect were still guarding the place. As you said, embracing the things you left behind.
‘That’s why, let's go back.’
To the place you protected. To the place you so wanted to go back to.
Watching Chung Myung who’s bursting into tears and chokes like a person who lost his tongue, Baek Cheon turned his head away, unable to watch any longer.
Before he knew it, the Sajes who came down together and saw the scene seemed speechless when they saw Chung Myung and their ancestors who had faded over a long period of time.
‘For a hundred years....’
In such a narrow and dark cave......
Baek Cheon gently closed his eyes.
The fact that he dug this much means that he was able to shake off the enemy's eyes for a moment. In other words, it means that they could have tried to escape.
Nevertheless, the ancestors chose to hide in places where the enemies could not find them, instead of escaping with his remaining power.
In exchange for giving up his life, he hid the secret martial art manual in their body to eventually deliver it to Mount Hua.
What kind of feeling did he face his last moments with in this dark and cold place, Baek Cheon couldn't even guess.
But at least he knew what he had to do now.
When Baek Cheon gave a silent gesture, the disciples who understood the intention stepped aside slightly to make room.
"Two bows."
Mount Hua's disciples began to bow in unison.
With a more devout gesture than ever before. With respect for their ancestors and admiration for the warrior who carried out their will until the last moment.
Once.
And once more.
After two bows, Baek Cheon slowly rose from his position.
And slowly approached Chung Myung. This time, Yoo Iseol didn't stop Baek Cheon either.
"Chung Myung-ah."
Baek Cheon carefully grabbed Chung Myung by the shoulder.
He could feel the trembling as soon as he touched it. The shoulders that were always confident are now trembling so much that they were afraid to hold them recklessly.
Baek Cheon, who sighed quietly, carefully urged Chung Myung.
"Shouldn't we escort this person to Mount Hua as soon as possible?"
“…….”
"It's too cold and lonely here. Let's go to Mount Hua, Chung Myung. The ancestor would want that too."
Only then did Chung Myung give a slight nod.
He carefully let go of the skeleton and slowly took off his outer robe. Then, he spread the robe wide on the ground.
Then, he stared at the skeleton for a long time without saying anything.
Baek Cheon, who guessed why Chung Myung wasn't moving, pressed his shoulder firmly.
"I'll do it."
"……N- No."
But Chung Myung shook his head slowly.
"I have to... I have to do it, Sasuk."
It wasn't the voice of the Chung Myung he knew.
"…Yes."
Baek Cheon had no choice but to nod and step back again. Chung Myung then stared blankly for a long time and reached out for the white skeleton more slowly.
'Yeah. Let's go back, Cheong Jin-ah.'
You must’ve always wanted to go back. So let's go back now.
Chung Myung, who held the skeleton as if stroking an injured cheek, slowly applied force to lift it. He felt a slight resistance at his fingertips.
In the end, Chung Myung bit his lips tightly, closed his eyes, and applied a little more force to the hand holding the skeleton.
The small clattering skull was detached from the neck.
After stroking the head several times, he carefully moved it onto the spread-out outer robe.
Clack.
Chung Myung carefully moved each of the fragile bones that seemed like it would scatter on the ground at any moment onto the outer robe and placed the remaining clothes on the bones, wrapping them carefully in his own clothes.
‘I know it will be stuffy, but bear with it for a while.'
Chung Myung picked up the secret technique manual on the ground and stood up. He approached and handed the manual to Baek Cheon.
"This is……."
"Sasuk, please take care of it."
“…….”
"This is what Sasuk should do.”
Baek Cheon stared at the old manual book for a while and nodded. He can't guess all of his intentions, but Chung Myung's words must mean something.
He also took off his outer robe and carefully wrapped the secret technique manual.
Chung Myung gave a slight nod and turned around, picked up Cheong Jin's remains and wrapped them around his shoulder. His gaze suddenly met the writing engraved on the wall. He couldn't help but laugh.
'Anyway, what a lack of pretense.'
If it's the last word left in the world, he should at least pretend like a great person.
You foolish one…..
'Right.'
Let's go now. To the place you've longed to go.
Chung Myung looked up at Mount Hua Five Sword.
"Let's go back."
Everyone nodded slowly at the words that finally came out.
Yoon Jong was the first to step back, but then Baek Cheon's words stopped him.
"Look carefully….. and remember."
Everyone engraved the scene inside the cave deep into their eyes.
"The spirit of Mount Hua lies here."
What protected Mount Hua was not the honor of being the world's best Taoist sect, nor the fame of being the world's best sword sect.
It is the will that remains here that protects Mount Hua.
The thing they must not forget.The thing they must continue. Everything is here.
Mount Hua's disciples, who engraved everything they saw before their eyes into their memory, turned around one by one with determined faces.
And finally, when even Yoo Iseol and Baek Cheon had left the cave, Chung Myung, who remained alone, looked around the dark surroundings with dimmed eyes.
The image of Cheong Jin from his memory was drawn in the empty cave.
While dying and covered in blood, he would have dug the cave, built the wall with internal strength, written the last words, and squeezed all his remaining strength out to sit cross-legged.
And….
‘Did you laugh?’
Yes, you would have if it were you.
- I leave the rest to you. Damn Sahyung.
He felt like he could hear the playful voice of Cheong Jin, who smiled brightly, in his ears.
".…Leave it to me."
I know. You must find me hard to trust. Because I'm that kind of guy.’
However….
"I remember."
What you said, and what you entrusted to me.
What I have to do.
Chung Myung slowly approached the wall. Standing silently, he looked at the stone wall engraved with the last words of Cheong Jin and raised his hand.
Gagagak.
The sound of the hard stone wall being scratched echoed in the cave.
After a while, Chung Myung lowered his hand and looked at the stone wall before turning away. Not long after he exited through the passage, a pile of dirt poured down, completely closing the passage.
The cave was now completely engulfed in darkness.
There would be no light seeping into this place now.
However, after countless years have passed... if a beast digging a den to rest finds this place, or if someone discovers this place eroded by the wind and rain, they might be able to see the words engraved on that stone wall.
Though my body sleeps here,
My heart is with the distant Mount Hua.
13th generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect, Cheong Jin.
What was left behind by the spirit of Mount Hua,
Has returned to Mount Hua.
13th generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect, Chung Myung.
The incomprehensible, enigmatic words.
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|Note
H: The great and almighty Xoxo, please edit that precious word!!! I have no confidence that I have delivered it correctly hehe
xoxo: Done !! mueheheh
It's way more emotional with it being Cheong Jin, and getting the Violet Mist Divine Art is huge because now all the disciples can learn an internal art. No chance that it only gets passed to the Sect Leader anymore
What's possible is that his killer being alive. Yeah, there is that possibility and you will know it later
also how do i join the discord server?
And little by little, the rest of mount hua can carry that burden with him
My heart sank 😭😢
Just thank you
I know I will cry so much I can't even recognize my own face 😭😭 but it's too painful than what I imagined, sigh, my heart hurts😭
My heart cries with you, Chung Myung
Someone who loves Mount Hua Sect, Chung Min